5 people, including 2 doctors, charged in investigation into Matthew Perry’s death

5 people, including 2 doctors, charged in investigation into Matthew Perry’s death

LOS ANGELES — A prosecutor says five people have been charged in connection with Matthew Perry’s death from a ketamine overdose last year, including the actor’s assistant and two doctors. U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada announced the charges Thursday, saying the doctors supplied Perry with a large amount of ketamine and even wondered in a text … Read more

Drugstores tinker with new looks as their usual way of doing business faces challenges

Drugstores tinker with new looks as their usual way of doing business faces challenges

America’s drugstores are testing smaller locations and more ways to offer care as price-sensitive shoppers look elsewhere. Customers may see Walgreens stores that are one-fourth the size of a regular location or CVS drugstores with entire primary clinics stuffed inside. If these experiments succeed, the new stores might improve access to care and create a … Read more

UK family doctors vote to limit services to patients in a dispute over funding

UK family doctors vote to limit services to patients in a dispute over funding

LONDON — Family doctors in England have voted to limit the number of patients they see and refuse extra work to protest a “broken” funding model, their union said Thursday. The British Medical Association said 98.3% of the 8,500 general practitioners who voted backed the work-to-rule action, which falls just short of a strike. The … Read more

Blood tests for Alzheimer’s may be coming to your doctor’s office. Here’s what to know

Blood tests for Alzheimer’s may be coming to your doctor’s office. Here’s what to know

WASHINGTON — New blood tests could help doctors diagnose Alzheimer’s disease faster and more accurately, researchers reported Sunday – but some appear to work far better than others. It’s tricky to tell if memory problems are caused by Alzheimer’s. That requires confirming one of the disease’s hallmark signs — buildup of a sticky protein called … Read more

With Haitian migration growing, a Mexico City family of doctors is helping out

With Haitian migration growing, a Mexico City family of doctors is helping out

CIUDAD NEZAHUALCOYOTL, Mexico — Last year, the Hernández Pacheco family began to notice a number of Haitians arriving at an apartment across the street from their medical clinic on the outskirts of Mexico City. Their two-story, mint-green office sits on a small street in working class Ciudad Nezahualcoyotl. The Haitians stood out among the tamal … Read more

What cognitive tests can show — and what they can’t

What cognitive tests can show — and what they can’t

WASHINGTON — It’s the new chant in Washington politics: “Get a cognitive test!” Political opponents, armchair pundits and even nervous supporters are demanding that President Joe Biden undergo such testing after his dismal debate performance – even though his physician says he gets, and passes, an annual neurologic exam. Former President Donald Trump, who’s only … Read more

Cancer patient’s long wait for treatment highlights frustration with UK government as election nears

Cancer patient’s long wait for treatment highlights frustration with UK government as election nears

LONDON — Nathaniel Dye believes he probably won’t live to see Britain’s next election. But the music teacher diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer is doing everything he can to make sure the Labour Party wins this one. Dismayed by delays in his diagnosis by the National Health Service, the 38-year-old says he feels let … Read more

US surgeon general declares gun violence a public health emergency

US surgeon general declares gun violence a public health emergency

WASHINGTON — The U.S. surgeon general on Tuesday declared gun violence a public health crisis, driven by the fast-growing number of injuries and deaths involving firearms in the country. The advisory issued by Dr. Vivek Murthy, the nation’s top doctor, came as the U.S. grappled with another summer weekend marked by mass shootings that left … Read more

Lower your risk of falling as you get older with these simple steps

Lower your risk of falling as you get older with these simple steps

One in four older adults in the U.S. will fall each year, putting them at risk of injury, broken bones and even death. Falls are a growing public health concern as the country’s population sees record numbers of people turn 65 — now and in the future. But common as falls may be, they are … Read more

How to find the right balance between telemedicine and in-person care

How to find the right balance between telemedicine and in-person care

Patients can now see an array of doctors without leaving their recliner thanks to telemedicine. But that doesn’t mean trips to the office should end. Finding the right balance between virtual and in-person visits can be a key to getting good care. Here’s what you need to know about which form of care may be … Read more