FDA has authority to crack down on illicit vapes, but isn't doing it, Stat reveals; study finds increased e-cig use among lesbian girls

Food and Drug Administration photo Even though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has ordered hundreds of flavored, nicotine-heavy vaping products off of the market, "a Stat investigation found that vape companies are regularly flouting the FDA’s orders. They’re making, stocking, and selling the illicit goods....

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Every metric used to measure Covid-19 in Ky. went up last week; weekly report shows big jumps in youth cases, ICU patients

By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News All the metrics to measure the impact of the coronavirus in Kentucky went up last week, with new cases up 15.6 percent, a big jump in the share of youth among the new cases, the most Covid-19 patients in intensive care since early March, a positive-test rate over 20%, and the highest new-case incidence rate the state has seen in more than six months. The state's latest report for the Monday-through-Sunday...

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Fauci is leaving, but Comer and Paul say they're coming after him

Dr. Anthony Fauci and Sen. Rand Paul at July 2021 hearing Dr. Anthony Fauci's announcement that he will retire from the federal government at the end of the year prompted two members of Kentucky's congressional delegation to reiterate that they plan to put him under oath about the origins of Covid-19, reports...

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Lexington nurse accused of killing patient worked at 2 hospitals

A Lexington nurse indicted Monday on charges of murdering a patient at Baptist Health Lexington had been working at the University of Kentucky's main hospital until the charge was filed, Christopher Leach reports for the Lexington Herald-Leader. Eyvette Hunter (Fayette County Detention Center photo) "Eyvette Hunter,...

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Covid-19 risk in Kentucky remains about same as a week ago, and the 7-day new-case rate is still the highest among the states

CDC map, adapted by Kentucky Health News By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News The risk of catching Covid-19 in Kentucky last week was about the same as the week before, with nearly 92% of the state's counties at a high or medium level of risk and The New York Times still raking Kentucky first among states for new...

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In 2020, Kentucky's life expectancy fell by 2 years, more than the U.S. drop of 1.8, and was fourth from the lowest in the nation

Map by NBC News, adapted by Kentucky Health News Kentucky Health News One of the most striking measures of the pandemic is the decline in life expectancy from 2019 to 2020, the year the novel coronavirus hit; it declined more in Kentucky than it did in most other states. Nationally, life expectancy declined from...

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The pandemic is on a rough plateau in Kentucky, which still has the highest rate of new coronavirus cases of any state

New York Times map shows southeastern Kentucky makes the state a national hot spot. By Al CrossKentucky Health News The pandemic remained at a rough plateau in Kentucky last week, with 14 percent fewer cases than the week before, but other indicators reflected the fact that Kentucky's rate of new cases in the past...

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Seven Healthy Kentucky Champions named by Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky; finalists for Friedell Award to be given Oct. 17

The Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky has announced its 2022 class of Healthy Kentucky Champions. The awards recognize individuals dedicated to improving the health of Kentuckians at a community level or state level; they are finalists for a statewide award to be announced in October. “These seven Healthy Kentucky Champions...

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Ky. has had 18 monkeypox cases: 10 in Jefferson, 2 in Warren, 1 in Barren, Fayette, Kenton, McCracken, Montgomery counties

By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News While the number of American with monkeypox increases every day, so far only 18 of them have been reported in Kentucky. Monkeypox was declared a public health emergency in the U.S. on Aug. 4.  On Aug. 18, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 18...

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Judge says UK should repay money to patients whose debts it 'improperly' referred to state Revenue Department for collection

A judge has ruled that the University of Kentucky "improperly used the Kentucky Department of Revenue and state tax statutes to collect unpaid bills from patients," reports Monica Kast of the Lexington Herald-Leader: "Douglas Richards, attorney for the plaintiffs, said the final amount that will have to be repaid is not yet...

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State Supreme Court keeps abortion ban in place; oral arguments to be heard Nov. 15, a week after voters may decide the issue

By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News A divided Supreme Court of Kentucky upheld Thursday an appeals-court ruling that made nearly all abortions illegal in Kentucky while a lawsuit on the issue moves through the court. But the voters may have the final say, in a referendum a week before the court is set to hear oral arguments...

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Health insurers offer $25 gift card and unlimited-ride wristbands to people getting a Covid-19 shot at the Kentucky State Fair

At the Kentucky State Fair, the Kentucky Association of Health Plans is giving free, unlimited-ride wristbands and $25 gift cards (while supplies last) to attendees who go to booth B419 in the Health Horizons Pavilion in South Wing B to get a Covid-19 vaccine or booster shot. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Medicaid members may also be eligible to receive an incentive offered by their health plan in addition to the giveaway,...

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Meth use dramatically increases odds of nonfatal overdose among rural drug users, whether used with opioids or by itself

Nearly 80 percent of recreational drug users in rural areas have taken methamphetamines in the past month, according to a newly published study that included Kentucky. That's concerning, because meth use greatly increases the risk of non-fatal overdose—whether it's used alone or with opioids—and because rural drug users are more likely to suffer consequences from meth use but less likely to have access to treatment or prevention measures. Other...

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Keynote speaker at harm-reduction summit says it's time to move away from abstinence as a requirement for access to resources

By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News Helping people in addiction recovery meet their basic needs should not focus on abstinence, but instead should be provided along the continuum of a person's drug use as a way to mitigate harm, with a focus on wellness and autonomy, says an expert who knows recovery from his own experience.  Alex...

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Kentucky continues to be a hot spot for Covid-19 even as case numbers dropped by 7.9%

N.Y. Times map shows Kentucky continues to be a national hot spot. By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News New coronavirus cases in Kentucky have gone up and down over the last few weeks in what could be the beginning of a plateau. This week, they dropped 7.9% after increasing by 6.8% the previous week.  The...

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Kids' back-to-school stress: Talk it out, take it slow, get back into a routine, use available resources, Children's Hospital doctor says

By Dr. Amy Lynn MeadowsUniversity of Kentucky  Children have coped with a lot of change over the past several years. It’s important to recognize that change, even good change, can sometimes be challenging for kids. As we work on establishing post-pandemic equilibrium, we must be sensitive to those who may be having a harder time with the transitions. Mental health experts are still seeing higher rates of anxiety and mood issues in children...

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Broad symposium on rural-health issues to be held at UK Aug. 26

Health-care practitioners and people interested in rural health policy are invited to attend a wide-ranging symposium on rural health issues Friday, Aug. 26, at the University of Kentucky. UK's Rural and Underserved Health Research Center is hosting the symposium, which will be held from 10 a.m. to noon ET in Room 411 of the...

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CJ visits Illinois abortion clinic; Bristol clinic closer to much of Ky.

With almost all abortions illegal in Kentucky, at least for the time being, and largely unavailable in most other bordering states, Sarah Ladd of The Courier Journal went to the abortion clinic in Granite City, Ill., to describe how it has become a medical magnet for women from 19 states. "On the day Roe v. Wade fell, hundreds...

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UK HealthCare and St. Elizabeth Edgewood-Covington Hospitals tie for best Ky. hospitals in U.S. News & World Report rankings

By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News Six Kentucky hospitals have been named among the nation's "Best Regional Hospitals" in the annual ranking by U.S. News & World Report magazine.  The No. 1 hospitals in Kentucky are the University of Kentucky hospital and St. Elizabeth Edgewood-Covington Hospitals,...

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