US has reclosed its southern border after a flesh-eating parasite is seen further north in Mexico
Mexico's president was critical Thursday, suggesting that the U.S. is exaggerating the threat to its beef industry from the parasite, the New World screwworm fly. The female flies lay eggs in wounds on warm-blooded animals, hatching larvae that are unusual among flies for feeding on live flesh and fluids instead of dead material.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Medscape
2 hours ago
- Medscape
Three FDA-Approved Obesity Drugs That Aren't GLP-1s
This transcript has been edited for clarity. There are currently three FDA-approved oral medications for the long-term treatment of obesity that are not GLP-1 based. Alli or Xenical (generic name orlistat) was approved by the FDA in 1999. It works by inhibiting intestinal lipase and it reduces absorption of dietary fat by up to 30%. Common side effects are gastrointestinal and include fatty or oily stool, fecal urgency, and incontinence. The average placebo-subtracted weight loss is about 3.8%. Alli is the only FDA-approved medication available over the counter. Qsymia is a combination of phentermine and topiramate and was approved by the FDA in 2012. Phentermine is a sympathomimetic, and topiramate is a neurostabilizer that enhances GABA activity. Clinically, the combination pill enhances satiety, decreases appetite, and reduces binge eating behaviors. Common side effects are paresthesias, altered taste, tachycardia, irritability, hypertension, insomnia, and dry mouth. It is currently one of the most effective oral medications, with an average placebo-subtracted weight loss of 8.6%. Contrave is a combination pill of bupropion and naltrexone and was approved by the FDA in 2014. Bupropion is a norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitor, and naltrexone is a mu opioid receptor antagonist. Clinically, it decreases appetite and cravings. The common side effects are nausea, vomiting, insomnia, constipation, dry mouth, diarrhea, and dizziness. The average placebo-subtracted weight loss is 4.8%.
Associated Press
2 hours ago
- Associated Press
Concord Technologies To Highlight Strategic Interoperability Solutions at DirectTrust Conference
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 4, 2025-- Concord Technologies ('Concord'), a leader in Secure Document Exchange, Intelligent Document Processing, and Interoperability solutions, will return as a sponsor at the DirectTrust Annual Conference, Aug 4-7, in St. Louis. This event brings together the industry's brightest minds and thought leaders focused on solving healthcare's interoperability challenges. As a DirectTrust member since 2023, Concord is committed to advancing secure, standards-based information exchange across the healthcare ecosystem. The event's theme, The Intersection of Interoperability, Identity, and Cybersecurity, aligns with Concord's mission to solve healthcare's interoperability challenge with Straight-Through Processing —the receiving, processing, and integrating of documents and data directly into EHRs or other systems of record with minimal human intervention. 'Healthcare CIOs are under increasing pressure to unify fragmented systems and ensure secure, compliant data exchange,' said Chris Larkin, Concord's Chief Technology Officer. 'At DirectTrust we're excited to share Concord's multimodality approach to secure document exchange. Tools like Digital Fax, Secure File Transfer and, coming this fall, Direct Secure Messaging, or DSM, within our Concord Connect™ suite empower organizations to ingest and route structured and unstructured data seamlessly into downstream workflows. These capabilities are cornerstones in our commitment to helping healthcare organizations streamline the sharing and processing of healthcare data and achieve Straight-Through Processing.' Concord's solutions are engineered to meet the evolving needs of highly regulated healthcare organizations by integrating advanced security safeguards and AI-powered document processing. These capabilities allow sensitive patient data not only to be exchanged securely but also to be processed automatically, dramatically increasing the productivity of administrative teams, reducing costs, and supporting the delivery of care. Larkin will join the event's closing panel, Bringing It Together: The Intersection of Interoperability, Identity & Cybersecurity, at 10:45 a.m. on Aug. 7, where he will share insights on how the company is helping health systems achieve operational resilience and data integrity. He will join Kathryn Ayers Wickenhauser, Chief Strategy Officer, DirectTrust; Mike Green, Chief Information Security Officer, Availity; and Laura Nixon, VP, Interoperability Solutions, Clinical Architecture. These key voices will reflect on the conference's major themes — interoperability, identity, and cybersecurity — and share forward-looking insights on the future of trusted data exchange in healthcare. 'As data is received, integrated, and deployed into patient care and other workflows, we also make sure that our safeguards continue to protect that most valuable asset,' Larkin said. 'We are eager to share our insights along with our fellow panelists and attendees.' About Concord Technologies Concord Technologies is a leading provider of Secure Document Exchange, Intelligent Document Processing, and Interoperability solutions to healthcare providers, payers, and other highly regulated businesses. For more than 20 years, billions of sensitive records containing valuable patient information have been reliably, accurately, and securely sent and received across Concord's digital health network, and today, the company processes more than 4 billion pages of protected data each year. The company is also recognized for its best-in-class development of new artificial intelligence technologies, including Concord's Practical AI™ approach to solving the most pervasive administrative challenges in the healthcare industry and for its industry-leading applications that help its customers grow and manage their business. About DirectTrust DirectTrust is a non-profit healthcare industry alliance created to support secure, identity-verified electronic exchanges of protected health information (PHI) between provider organizations, as well as between providers and patients. This allows for improved care efficiency and coordination, transitions of care, patient satisfaction and helps reduce healthcare costs. DirectTrust also includes standards-development activities, more than 20 accreditation programs, and other services related to healthcare and identity that further develop trust. View source version on CONTACT: For more information about Concord Technologies, contact: Dan Conley, President Beacon Communications [email protected] Freguia, Chief Marketing Officer Concord Technologies [email protected] KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA WASHINGTON MISSOURI INDUSTRY KEYWORD: SOFTWARE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES HARDWARE THOUGHT LEADERSHIP DATA MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SECURITY HEALTH TECHNOLOGY PRACTICE MANAGEMENT OTHER TECHNOLOGY HEALTH SOURCE: Concord Technologies Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 08/04/2025 01:30 PM/DISC: 08/04/2025 01:29 PM
Health Line
2 hours ago
- Health Line
James Van Der Beek on Colorectal Cancer: 'It's Harder Than I Thought It Would Be'
James Van Der Beek shares his journey with early onset colorectal cancer after being diagnosed at 46. The former 'Dawson's Creek' star is spreading awareness about the rising cases of colorectal cancer in young people. Van Der Beek teamed up with Guardant Health to inform others about the importance of colon cancer screening and early detection. At 46 years old, actor James Van Der Beek noticed minor changes in his bowel movements. 'There wasn't any red flag or something glaring,' he told Healthline. However, out of caution, the 'Dawson's Creek' star felt the need to see his doctor. After undergoing a colonoscopy in August 2023, Van Der Beek learned he had colorectal cancer. 'I was healthy. I was doing the cold plunge. I was in amazing cardiovascular shape, and I had stage 3 cancer, and I had no idea,' he said. Because his cancer occurred before age 50, it is considered early onset colorectal cancer. Rates of early onset colorectal cancer in the United States have nearly doubled since the early 1990s. In 1994, the incidence rate was 4.8 cases per 100,000 people, and in 2021, it rose to 10.1 per 100,000 people. 'With this upward trend of 2–4% annually, gastroenterologists and colorectal surgeons are very concerned that we may not be capturing the full scope of the disease early enough, particularly in asymptomatic younger individuals who do not meet traditional risk-based criteria,' Paul Johnson, MD, surgical oncologist with Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, told Healthline. In 2018, due to the alarming rise in the incidence of young-onset colorectal cancer, the American Cancer Society lowered the screening age for average-risk patients from 50 to 45. In 2021, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) echoed this recommendation, stating that colon cancer screening should begin for all adults ages 45–49. A research letter published on August 4 in JAMA Network notes that the 50% increase in colorectal cancer incidence from 2021 to 2022 is likely a reflection of the recent changes to colon cancer screening guidelines for adults under 50. Getting screened for colon cancer can lead to early detection, which improves survival and decreases the likelihood of needing chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or radiation, Johnson noted. When colorectal cancer is caught in early stages, survival is over 90%. A doctor can help determine if a stool-based test that looks for cancer is the best option or if a colonoscopy, which examines the colon and rectum, is best. 'The proverb 'an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure' is very apropos because we know that if we remove polyps, an abnormal growth in the lining of the colon or rectum, we can interrupt the pathway of that polyp becoming cancer,' Johnson said. While colonoscopy remains the gold standard of screening and can detect polyps with remarkable accuracy, he said, the procedure also allows doctors to remove the polyps on the spot, thereby preventing development into cancer. However, he noted that newer options, such as stool DNA-based colorectal cancer screening tests and the FDA-approved blood-based test Shield, have introduced additional options. To encourage people to get screened, Van Der Beek partnered with Guardant Health to raise awareness about the Shield blood test. 'I really want to impress upon people that you don't need symptoms to get screened. If you are 45 or older or have a family history, talk to your doctor about your screening options,' he said. Healthline talked with Van Der Beek to hear more about his cancer journey and why he is speaking out. This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity and length. What should people to know about colon cancer? Van Der Beek: I want to unpack the numbers. It is the second leading cause of cancer death, but if you look closer, it's also the most curable. I really want people to understand that [when found] in the early stages, the survival rates skyrocket. Before my diagnosis, I didn't know much about colorectal cancer. I didn't even realize the screening age dropped to 45; I thought it was still 50. Just put [screening] on your radar, even if you're young, even if you're healthy because unfortunately cases are rising, especially in younger, healthier people. Did your diagnosis give you a new perspective on life? Van Der Beek: Oh, for sure. I think I take things a little bit more slowly. I think I've learned to really appreciate the small moments and to let go of the things that would've upset me prior. It's really taught me a lot about myself, how important self-love is, and how important positive self-talk is. It's really made me take a good, hard look at who I am. How did your cancer diagnosis affect your mental health? Van Der Beek: It is challenging. In the beginning, one thing I used to say a lot was, 'This is harder than I thought it would be.' I would say find out who you can lean on and ask for help. Really find who your people are and reach out. You can't do this alone. That was the biggest [challenge] for me because I never asked for help. And what I realized was just how many people were there to show up for me, how I'd been wronging them of the opportunity to show up because I try to do everything all the time. How important is preventive healthcare? Van Der Beek: Colorectal cancer just wasn't on my radar before, so yeah, I've got a much greater awareness and I'm the one telling all my friends to talk to their doctor, find out about screening options. What I love about the Shield test is it's convenient, simple, FDA approved — it's a simple blood draw and it could be done at your next doctor's appointment. Obviously, colonoscopy is still the gold standard for screening, but for anybody who has barriers around that, what they found is that adherence to a colonoscopy recommendation is not that great. But people are three times more likely to adhere to [screening] advice when it's just a blood test. It's convenient for people who either can't take off work to do a colonoscopy or who [face] other barriers to some of the other testing methods. How does it feel to share your cancer journey? Van Der Beek: It is really life affirming. I feel like it's a big part of my healing process to spread the word and to help anybody I can from having to go through what I have been through. Using a platform for a purpose is definitely a lot more fun than trying to push my next project, which I'm not above doing. [I] get to spread the word and feel like everything I've been going through has purpose.
