Hospital and clinic personnel who work with patients should receive an annual flu shot in order to reduce the risk of spreading the infectious virus. Yet surprisingly, only 40 percent of healthcare workers are vaccinated. In light of these dismal findings, the National Vaccine Advisory Committee (NVAC) voted 12-to-2 that hospitals should consider mandating the vaccine if they fail to achieve a 90 percent employee vaccination rate after training and educating their workers about the benefits of the shot.

It s a common perception that breast cancer is deadlier among younger women, but women over 75 are actually more likely to die from the disease, according to a large international study. The notion that breast cancer results in a higher rate of mortality in younger women stems from the fact that women under 65 are more likely than older women to have receptor-negative breast cancer, which is faster-growing and less susceptible to most trea

For the first time ever, two major U.S. drugstore chains are selling a male fertility test. The at-home test, known as SpermCheck Fertility, is already available online from Walgreens and CVS; in April, Walgreens will begin offering the $40 product in stores. The test provides an approximate sperm count, indicating whether the count is within the normal range or not.

A class of antacids known as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) may increase the risk of severe diarrhea caused by Clostridium difficile bacteria, the FDA has announced. The advisory comes after the agency s review of 28 observational studies, which found that the rate of C. difficile infection was from 1.4 to 2.75 times higher among patients who had been taking PPIs such as Nexium, Dexilant, Prevacid, and Prilosec, among others.

Total knee replacement (TKR) in elderly patients with osteoarthritis (OA) may lower their risk of both heart failure and total mortality, suggests new research presented at this year s meeting of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.

As the country s population ages, Alzheimer s disease is becoming a greater concern for Americans. And the National Institutes of Health has decided to emphasize the research community s focus on the disease with an additional $50 million of spending on Alzheimer s research, on top of the $450 million it currently allotts annually. Simultaneously, President Obama is asking Congress to contribute $80 million for Alzheimer s research in 2013.

Instead of trekking to the pharmacy, students at Shippensburg University in central Pennsylvania can now purchase the morning-after pill from a campus vending machine. Located in a private room in the school s health center, the vending machine provides the Plan B One Step emergency contraceptive, in addition to condoms and pregnancy tests.

What s the largest source of salt in our diets? Is it potato chips? French fries? Neither of these, says a recent report form the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Actually, bread and rolls provide us with the greatest amount of salt in our diets.

Following several recent outbreaks of foodborne illness from salad greens in the U.S., the fresh produce industry is looking for ways to more reliably ensure that its lettuce and spinach are safe for consumption.

In the state of Washington, a newly proposed bill would require pharmaceutical companies to launch and manage a take-back program for prescription and over-the-counter drugs.