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Public Health
Better prescribing for bad backs
Better prescribing for bad backs
A recent study finds that finds that patients with new low back pain are receiving opioids less frequently, although prescription rates remain uneven across the country.
FDA’s policy change on flavored e-cigarettes
FDA’s policy change on flavored e-cigarettes
After months of considering a complete ban on flavored electronic cigarettes, a new policy announced on Jan. 2 will forbid the sale of some, but not all, flavored vapes.
What we do and don’t know about the novel coronavirus
What we do and don’t know about the novel coronavirus
Experts from the Vet School, Med School, and Center for Public Health Initiatives provide insight into the new disease outbreak.
Bystander CPR less likely for people living in Hispanic neighborhoods
Bystander CPR less likely for people living in Hispanic neighborhoods
A Penn study shows residents of Hispanic neighborhoods also have a lower chance of survival following cardiac arrest compared to those living in non-Hispanic neighborhoods.
Drug epidemic likely ‘killing more Americans than we think’
Drug epidemic likely ‘killing more Americans than we think’
Research from Penn and Georgetown shows that the estimated number of drug-associated deaths in the U.S. in 2016 was approximately double the number of deaths attributed to drugs.
New vaccines to protect infants from infections
New vaccines to protect infants from infections
A new Penn Medicine study puts researchers within closer reach of vaccines that can protect infants against infections by overcoming a mother’s antibodies.
Direct-to-consumer fertility tests confuse and mislead consumers
Direct-to-consumer fertility tests confuse and mislead consumers
Findings from the small, first-of-its-kind ethnographic study reinforce the need for consumer education around the purpose and accuracy of direct-to-consumer hormone-based fertility tests.
Philly water straight from the tap
Philly water straight from the tap
A collaborative city-wide campaign that included ImpactED and the Water Center at Penn helped spread the word that Philadelphia tap water is safe and healthy to drink.
When automotive assembly plants close, deaths from opioid overdoses rise
When automotive assembly plants close, deaths from opioid overdoses rise
A Penn study links eroding economic opportunity to opioid deaths, and builds on previous research that links declining participation in the labor force to increased opioid use in the U.S.
These overlooked global diseases take a turn under the microscope
These overlooked global diseases take a turn under the microscope
Faculty at the School of Veterinary Medicine target neglected tropical diseases with advanced science, cross-disciplinary collaborations, and work in the lab and the field.
In the News
Philadelphia Gay News
UPenn hosts free online panel for LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion
The Eidos LGBTQ+ Health Initiative, led by José Bauermeister and Jessica Halem of the School of Nursing, will host a free online panel in April on the integration of LGBTQ+ people in the workforce.
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Philadelphia Inquirer
Mayor Parker’s plan to ‘remove the presence of drug users’ from Kensington raises new questions
Shoshana Aronowitz of the School of Nursing and Ashish Thakrar of the Perelman School of Medicine comment on the lack of specificity in Philadelphia’s plan to remove drug users from Kensington and on the current state of drug treatment in the city.
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FactCheck.org
Posts mislead about COVID-19 vaccine safety with out-of-context clip of FDA official
Jeffrey S. Morris of the Perelman School of Medicine says that many adverse medical events, even those clearly unrelated to vaccines, have been reported an order of magnitude more for COVID vaccines during the pandemic than any time before.
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WHYY (Philadelphia)
Philadelphians hope a cleaner city will reduce gun violence. Will Oh or Parker make it a reality?
A $3 million blight reduction project in Philadelphia is informed by Penn research showing that cleaning up trash and revitalizing vacant lots can reduce gun violence rates by as much as 29%.
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Business Insider
Universal basic income is working—even in red states
Researchers at Penn concluded that a basic income program in Stockton, California, could have profound positive impacts on local public health.
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CBS Philadelphia
NJ’s Camden County deploying virtual reality to teach students about naloxone
Penn partnered with New Jersey’s Camden County to create a virtual reality training video for administering the opioid-reversing drug Narcan.
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