“Vampire Facials” at Unlicensed Spa Linked to HIV Infections
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released the results of an investigation into an unlicensed New Mexico salon where three patients were reportedly infected with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) after receiving a “vampire facial.” A vampire facial, also known as a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) facial or vampire facelift, is a trendy […]
Dramatic Increase in Suicide Attempts Among Adolescents During COVID-19 Lockdown Isolation
There has been an increase in suicide attempts by adolescents aged 12-17 years old during the COVID-19 pandemic according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The longer the lockdowns that included social isolation and compulsory masking continued, the number of suicide attempts increased, especially among adolescent girls. From July through August […]
Poll: Half of Correctional Officers Do Not Want COVID-19 Vaccine
When a correctional officer took a poll of his co-workers on a private Facebook group asking whether they would get the COVID-19 vaccine, only 40 of 475 (8.4 percent) said yes and more than half replied, “Hell no”.1 This informal poll appears to represent the sentiment of Department of Corrections employees across the country. Despite […]
GlaxoSmithKline Partners with Viome to Develop New Vaccines
Vaccine manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) of the United Kingdom has partnered with Viome, a gut microbiome test company in Seattle, Washington to better understand bacteria that live in the digestive tract and the role they play in the body’s immune system response.1 According to Emmanuel Hanon, senior vice president for research and development at GSK Vaccines, […]
A Glimpse of the World Before Vaccines
A common historical theme has emerged in many recent articles about this year’s measles outbreak in the United States. It is perhaps best exemplified by the headline in an opinion piece in National Geographic magazine: “The world before vaccines is a world we can’t afford to forget.” The theme is meant to emphasize the importance […]