People Are Avoiding the ER During COVID-19 Crisis at Their Peril: Study

Visits to U.S. emergency departments are down by 42% compared to the same time last year, and that's not good news, researchers report.

Fears of contracting the new coronavirus while visiting the ER are keeping people away, experts say.

But hesitating to seek help can be a fatal mistake.

So, "wider access is ne...

At-Home Gene Test for Breast, Ovarian Cancers Looks Effective

Screening for breast and ovarian cancer genes might be added to the list of medical tests that can be safely and effectively done from home, new research suggests.

The study looked at screening for BRCA1, BRCA2 and other gene mutations linked to an increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer. Women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation have ...

Similar to Adults, Obesity Raises Kids' Odds for Severe COVID-19

If a child is infected with the new coronavirus, being obese appears to greatly raise the odds for developing a severe form of COVID-19, a new study finds.

The report was based on 50 cases of pediatric COVID-19 severe enough to require admission to a New York City hospital.

Eleven (22%) of the 50 kids were obese, and six ...

Plasma Therapy Aids Recovery in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients

The blood plasma of people who have recovered from the new coronavirus infection may help critically ill COVID-19 patients recover, a new study finds.

Of 25 sick patients given plasma transfusions, 19 improved and 11 left the hospital, the researchers reported. None of the patients had side effects from the transfusion.

"Whil...

Domestic Violence May Have Risen Under Stay-at-Home Rules

Domestic violence cases rose after Los Angeles and Indianapolis introduced stay-at-home rules to help stop the spread of COVID-19, researchers say.

"Shelter-in-place rules, by mandating more time at home, are very likely to increase the volume of domestic or intimate partner violence, which thrives behind closed doors," said senior aut...

Meds Like Valium, Xanax Linked to Higher Risk of Ectopic Pregnancy

Taking benzodiazepines -- drugs such as Xanax, Valium, Klonopin, Halcion or Ativan -- to treat anxiety or insomnia before pregnancy boosts the risk of an ectopic pregnancy, new research suggests.

Ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy that develops outside the uterus, typically in a fallopian tube. The risk of ectopic pregnancy was nearly 5...