Latest news with #medical treatments
New York Times
01-08-2025
- Health
- New York Times
States Sue Over Trump Efforts to End Pediatric Transgender Medical Care
A coalition of states led by Democrats, including New York and California, sued Friday to stop the Trump administration from investigating doctors and hospitals who provide children with medical treatments for gender transition. The lawsuit, filed in Federal District Court in Massachusetts, comes amid escalating efforts by the federal government to put an end to the availability of puberty blockers, hormones and gender-related surgeries for transgender adolescents. In the past two months, the F.B.I. has asked the public to call its tip line about doctors 'who mutilate' children 'under the guise of gender-affirming care.' The Justice Department sent more than 20 subpoenas to doctors and clinics that perform transgender medical procedures on minors, demanding confidential patient information. And the Federal Trade Commission is examining whether 'practitioners of 'gender-affirming care' may be actively deceiving consumers' by making unsubstantiated claims about the effectiveness of such care, or by omitting warnings about risks to pediatric patients. Some medical experts have concerns about the long-term side effects of puberty blockers and hormones on brain development, bone density and fertility. Federal agencies served at least two subpoenas to major New York hospital systems in recent weeks — Mount Sinai Health and NYU Langone Health — as part of the inquiries into pediatric transgender medicine, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose subpoenas or had been told about their existence in confidence. Representatives for Mount Sinai and NYU Langone declined to comment. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The lawsuit, filed by attorneys general for 15 states and the governor of Pennsylvania, asks the federal court to declare that the government policies that prompted the investigations into pediatric transgender care were unlawful and must not be enforced. The lawsuit argues that the Justice Department's actions 'reflect an unconstitutional attempt to infringe on the states' power to regulate medicine.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
The Independent
23-07-2025
- Health
- The Independent
What to know about Parkinson's disease after Ozzy Osbourne's death
Heavy metal rocker Ozzy Osbourne died this week at 76, just weeks after his farewell show and about five years after announcing he had Parkinson's disease. Here's what to know about the disease: What is Parkinson's? Parkinson's is a neurologic disease that robs people of control over their movements. It typically starts with tremors and is characterized by slow movement, a shuffling gait, stiff limbs, balance problems and slurred speech. Who gets it? About 1 million Americans are living with Parkinson's, and 10 million people worldwide, the Parkinson's Foundation. estimates. It usually appears after age 60, although sometimes it can develop before age 50. What causes Parkinson's? The exact cause isn't known, but Parkinson's develops when cells that produce one of the brain's chemical messengers, called dopamine, begin to deteriorate and die. Dopamine transports signals to parts of the brain that control movement. Parkinson's symptoms appear after enough dopamine-producing cells die that there's too little of this neurotransmitter in the brain. According to the foundation, most experts believe genetic and environmental factors are behind the disease. Dozens of gene mutations linked to Parkinson's have been discovered and genetics account for 10% to 15% of all cases. Other factors suspected of increasing the risk include head injuries, exposure to pesticides and herbicides and where you live. Is there a cure? There is no cure but there are treatments, including medications that affect dopamine levels and a surgically implanted tremor-blocking device. Patients also can benefit from physical and occupational therapy. What's the prognosis? Symptoms worsen over time, usually slowly. The severity of symptoms and how quickly they progress varies widely between patients. In advanced cases, people may be unable to walk or care for themselves. They also can suffer from depression as well as memory and thinking problems. While Parkinson's itself isn't considered fatal, people can die from complications of the disease, including lung problems as muscle weakness impedes the ability to cough and to swallow. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
