As I walk into work, there are signs noting that June is a month where they are emphasizing a culture of safety. So here is a collection of news chum articles intended to keep you safe. If not safe, then perhaps healthy. If not healthy, then hopefully not in pain. And if you are in pain, remember that they eventually move out and live on their own.
- Wheelchairs and Airplanes. In many ways, our current airplane culture is a poor way to travel. We’re all aware of how much of a pain it is for able-bodied passengers. Just imagine how much worse it is for those who must be in wheelchairs: enduring transfers to narrow chairs, dealing with narrow aisles and seats, and all sorts of other indignities. Wouldn’t it be much nicer if they could take their chair onto the plane and simply lock it in place? There’s a group, All Wheels Up, working to achieve just that goal.
- Dealing with Chronic Pain. Here’s a report on a device that will supposedly help with chronic pain. It looks, to all intents and purposes, to be a form of TENS device. I’ve had such a device (Cephaly) suggested for my migraines and I’m considering it, and this might help my wife with various joint pain. Has anyone tried it?
- Allergies and Antihistimines. Via Compound Interest, here’s a full graphic on how antihistamines and other treatments work to help allergies. Understanding how medicines work chemically is a key to using the right medicine at the right time, in the right way.
- Dealing with Hives. When one sees topical (skin) hives, one often thinks they are an allergic reaction that that oral steroids will help. A new study says: perhaps not. Despite standard use for the itching associated with urticaria (commonly known as hives), prednisone (a steroid) offered no additional relief to emergency patients suffering from hives than a placebo did, according to a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel-group study published online. What works? Antihistamines.
- Drug Prices. We’re all aware of spiraling drug prices, and are sure of the common culprit: drug companies. Yet even their tricks to make their drugs affordable raise prices. Consider the question: You can get a generic drug for which you have a copay of $10, or a more expensive brand-name drug which, with copay assist from the drug company, brings your cost to $5. Which do you get? Most people think with their pocketbooks, and go for the $5. But this ends up costing insurers much more, as they pay their share of the much higher brand price. California is working on a bill to prohibit this: make it so that co-pay assist is not permitted on drugs that have equivalent generics. What is unclear is what will happen to co-pay assist when the equivalent drug isn’t available, and the drug company wants to cover something with supposedly similar indications for treatment (e.g., you are on a branded specialty drug, but the company only wants to cover a generic for that condition).
- MALM. Lastly, if you have any of the various shapes and sizes of the Ikea MALM dressers, Ikea has a recall on because of supposed tipping dangers. We have two: one is in a closet so I’m not worried about it, and I believe I’ve already anchored the other. But if you have one of these, you should make sure they are anchored.
