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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden, struggling to convince Americans that he's improved their lives as he runs for reelection, hailed his administration's Tuesday announcement that several drugs would be targeted for Medicare's first-ever price negotiations. The drugs include the blood thinner Eliquis, diabetes treatment Jardiance and eight other medications. The negotiation process was authorized under the Inflation Reduction Act, which Biden signed last year, capping decades of debate over whether the federal government should be allowed to haggle with pharmaceutical companies. Any lower prices won't take effect for three years, and the path forward could be further complicated by...

More than eight million people in the U.S. experience psoriasis, a condition in which skin cells build up and form itchy dry patches. A person's vitamin D levels could play an important role in psoriasis severity, according to one of the largest studies to date. The analysis, which included almost 500 psoriasis cases from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), showed a linear relationship between increasing psoriasis severity and decreasing vitamin D levels measured through blood tests. "Topical synthetic vitamin D creams are emerging as new therapies for psoriasis, but these usually require a doctor's prescription," said Rachel...

About 10 percent of patients with psoriasis have a high risk for advanced liver fibrosis, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis published online. Tanat Yongpisarn and colleagues examined the prevalence of psoriasis patients who have a high or low risk for advanced liver fibrosis and examined risk factors for liver fibrosis using data from observational studies identified from a systematic literature review. The researchers found that the pooled prevalence was 9.66 percent for patients with psoriasis at high risk for advanced liver fibrosis, while the pooled prevalence was 77.79 percent for patients at low risk for advanced liver fibrosis....

Study of older adults is 'first direct evidence' of protection against rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, other conditions In a new study, investigators from Brigham and Women’s Hospital found the people who took vitamin D, or vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids, had a significantly lower rate of autoimmune diseases — such as rheumatoid arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica, autoimmune thyroid disease, and psoriasis — than people who took a placebo. With their findings published Wednesday in BMJ, the team had tested this in the large-scale vitamin D and omega-3 trial (VITAL), a randomized study which followed participants for approximately five years. Investigators found...

VIDEOThe problem when cooking bacon is that it heats up too fast. The result is that it can often be quite brittle and lacking in flavor. The best way to resolve this problem is to SLOOOOOW cook the bacon in water as you can see in this video. The result is not only bacon in which the flavor is highlighted but with a great texture. Once you try this water method of cooking bacon you won't go back to your old way of cooking bacon again.

For most of us, the immune system works to protect us from bacteria, viruses, and other harmful pathogens. But for people with autoimmune conditions, the body's white blood cells instead perceive other cells and tissues in the body to be a threat and attacks them. While some immune disorders, like allergies, can sometimes be treated, autoimmune conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS) remain incurable. Our research has shown that you can stop the immune system attacking the nerves – which is what happens in MS. We did this by giving the immune system ever-increasing doses of the same molecule that...

Researchers from Rice University say that people who struggle to overcome grief caused by loss of a loved one are at greater risk of suffering from potentially deadly levels of inflammation. Conversely, those who have an easier time dealing with a spouse’s death are prone to healthier outcomes.

Investigators at the Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research have discovered a surprising new role for tumor necrosis factor (TNF): namely, that it is a major regulator of small blood vessel function, the key determinant of blood pressure. The study is published online today in Nature Communications. TNF has long been tied to inflammation, giving rise to the use of anti-TNF medications for chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and IBS. Now, after years of studying TNF's cell signaling functions in the vascular system, researchers found that TNF directly impacts how the smallest arteries constrict - and thus...

Drug maker says better poised to licence and position its novel molecule Itolizumab, which has a Cuban origin Mumbai - Bangalore-based Biocon http://www.dnaindia.com/topic/biocon hopes that the thaw in bilateral relations between the US and Cuba offers the company a "better opportunity" to licence and partner its novel molecule Itolizumab, used for the treatment of psoriasis. The molecule, which has a Cuban origin, is the world's first novel anti CD-6 monoclonal antibody to treat multiple autoimmune diseases. The drug was launched in India in 2013 under the brand name Alzumab. "Itolizumab is advancing well. With relations restored between Cuba and the...

While growing up LeAnne Rimes remembers the way she felt with her body covered with psoriasis. At times, the country singing star's body was 80% covered with it. Psoriasis can crack and bleed. It is painful, not only physically, but mentally. She has felt the pain and depression and most of all, the need to hide. Stophiding.org was formed to fight against the desire psoriasis patients have to hide from people.

Source: American Academy Of Dermatology Date: April 18, 2007 Psoriasis Linked To Diabetes And Serious Cardiovascular Condition Science Daily — Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition characterized by thick, red, scaly plaques that itch and sometimes bleed, causing considerable discomfort and emotional stress for patients. In addition to the daily chore of dealing with the physical symptoms of this condition, new research suggests an association between psoriasis and two potentially serious medical conditions – diabetes and atherosclerosis, also known as hardening of the arteries. For the 2 percent to 4 percent of the worldwide population affected by psoriasis, these findings...

Psoriasis linked to tripled risk of heart attack 21:00 10 October 2006 NewScientist.com news service Roxanne Khamsi Patients with the common inflammatory skin condition psoriasis have a tripled risk of heart attack, a new study has revealed. The study’s researchers speculate that the systemic inflammation seen in psoriasis might weaken the cardiovascular system, thereby increasing the chance of such heart problems. Psoriasis is an inflammatory system disorder that affects around 2% of people in the US and is characterised by sore, scaly patches of red skin. Recent studies suggest that genetic mutations and lifestyle factors such as stress and smoking...

Help! Almost two years ago, hubs began having an itchy rash. The only thing that calms it is taking steroids, not good. It's been a tossup whether it's a dermatological or an allergy problem. He's seen two dermatologists who've biopsied and found nothing. Also, full battery of allergy tests and is allergic to a lot, soy in particular. It's said that the rash is possibly a form of psoriasis that lasts 2-5 years. When it's full bore he scratches while asleep and wakes up bleeding. Any help would be appreciated...thank you...

Until Aug. 9, Marine Lance Cpl. Bryan Carpenter remembered nothing of being in Iraq. But on that day, something clicked in the head of the 20-year-old who grew up in Rittman and Seville. It happened while he was talking to a caseworker at a Veterans Affairs hospital in Richmond, Va. ``Oh my God, Mom,'' he later told his mother, Vicki Becerra-Huff, holding his hands over his eyes and crying, as he began to remember being at war. This week, Carpenter, now being treated at Akron General Medical Center's Edwin Shaw Rehabilitation facility in Lakemore, said he still has no memory...