FDA Signs Off On New Booster COVID-19 Vaccines

Close up shot Covid vaccine dose

Great news!  With the threat of a new wave of COVID-19 coming, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has just signed off on two new booster shots, one from Moderna and one from Pfizer/BioNTech.  The mRNA vaccines have been updated to teach the body to fight the XBB.1.5 Omnicron subvariant of the coronavirus and other closely related strains that are circulating.  The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will make recommendations for their use—they are scheduled to meet tomorrow.  After the CDC director signs off on those recommendations, the vaccines can be administered.  Therefore, they could be available in pharmacies in just a few days. 

Prescription Drug Discounts To Come By 2026

An old couple sitting together and watching laptop

The first 10 prescription drugs the federal government will negotiate under a new federal law were released Tuesday, paving the way for big discounts by 2026.  The drugs are some of the most widely prescribed or expensive drugs that older Americans used for everything from hear disease to diabetes and autoimmune conditions.  The Biden Administration will negotiate prices for:

Eliquis

Jardiance

Xarelto

Januvia

Farxiga

Entresto

Enbrel

Imbruvica

Stelera

In addition, some inflammation medications are expected to be targeted.

Senator Dianne Feinstein Alleges Financial Elder Abuse

Close up shot of an old woman wearing glasses

Senator Dianne Feinstein has sued to remove the trustees of her late husband’s estate, and in the process accused them of committing financial elder abuse.  There are two charges; 1 that they have refused to respond to any requests for disbursements and; 2 that they have financially enriched his daughters from a prior marriage.  Diane’s daughter, Katherine Feinstein, has a limited durable power of attorney to act as her representative in litigation.  Steven Braccini, the attorney representing Blums two daughters told the San Francisco Chronicle the trustees “have acted ethically and appropriately at all times; the same cannot be said for Katherine Feinstein.  This filing is unconscionable.  The trustees have always respected Senator Feinstein and always will.  But this has nothing to do with her needs and everything to do with her daughter’s avarice.”  He claims delays in payment are due to the lack of liquidity in the estate and the fact that a large tax bill needs to be settled before any claims can be paid.

 

Those Taking Acid Reflux Meds Have A Significantly Greater Likelihood Of Getting Dementia

Doctor Robert Califf in white color coat and colorful tie

A new study has found that drugs used to treat acid reflux for more than 4.4 years have a 33% greater likelihood of developing dementia, compared to those who did take the medication.  The study was published in the Medical Journal Neurology.  The study is the latest to link these medications to millions of Americans to a growing list of conditions such as stroke, heat disease and kidney disease.

Salinas, CA There Are Things You Can Do To Stave Off Alzheimer’s & Dementia

An old couple sitting and watching the television

A new study which was published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society followed 18,000 older adults and found that those that regularly used the Internet had about half the risk of developing dementia compared with those who didn’t regularly use the web.  Other studies have shown better cognitive performance, verbal reasoning and memory among Internet users.  Regular readers of my blog know that both my father and my grandmother had Alzheimer’s disease when they passed away.  If you need support, there are a great group of people at the Ryan Ranch Alzheimer’s Association.  They also have a 24-hour hotline if you just want someone to talk to at 800-272-3900.

Walking Significantly Reduces Chance Of Early Death

Walking just 4,000 steps per day can significantly reduce your risk of an early death, according to a new meta analysis of studies.  “The more steps you walk, the better the effects on your health, and significant mortality reductions,” author Dr. Maciej Banach, deputy editor-in-chief of the European Society of Cardiology, told a reporter.  Anything below 5,000 steps per day is considered a sedentary lifestyle.  “We showed that every increase of steps by 1000 steps/day is associated with a 15% reduction in the risk of dying from any cause, and every increase by 500 steps/day is associated with a 7% reduction in dying from cardiovascular disease,” said Banach.

Monterey, CA There Are Things You Can Do To Stave Off Alzheimer’s & Dementia

An old couple sitting and watching the television

A new study which was published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society followed 18,000 older adults and found that those that regularly used the Internet had about half the risk of developing dementia compared with those who didn’t regularly use the web.  Other studies have shown better cognitive performance, verbal reasoning and memory among Internet users.  Regular readers of my blog know that both my father and my grandmother had Alzheimer’s disease when they passed away.  If you need support, there are a great group of people at the Ryan Ranch Alzheimer’s Association.  They also have a 24-hour hotline if you just want someone to talk to at 800-272-3900.

More Attention Focused On The Mediterranean Diet

A variety of fruits and vegetables

For years physicians and researchers have touted the benefits of the Mediterranean diet.  People who follow it can live decades longer.  And the best thing about it is that it’s delicious.  In the 1950’s, researchers across the globe embarked on an ambitious plan to study thousands of middle-aged men who lived in Europe, Japan and the United States.  Those who lived in the Mediterranean (countries like Italy, Greece and Croatia) had lower rates of cardiovascular disease than those who lived elsewhere.  This led to the touting of the Mediterranean Diet, which is not a diet so much as focusing on fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, lean proteins and healthy fats like olive oil.   “It’s one of a small number of diets that has research to back it up,” Dr. Sean Heffron, a preventive cardiologist at NYU Langone Health, told The New York Times.  “It isn’t a diet that was cooked up in the mind of some person to generate money.  It’s something that was developed over time, by millions of people, because it actually tastes good.  And it just happens to be healthy,” he said.  So try eating more fish rich in omega-3 loke salmon, sardines and tuna and other lean animal proteins like chicken and turkey are also part of the diet.  Red meat and butter are eaten rarely but eggs and other dairy products like yogurt and cheese are OK, as is moderate alcohol consumption.

Pacific Grove, CA There Are Things You Can Do To Stave Off Alzheimer’s & Dementia

An old couple sitting and watching the television

A new study which was published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society followed 18,000 older adults and found that those that regularly used the Internet had about half the risk of developing dementia compared with those who didn’t regularly use the web.  Other studies have shown better cognitive performance, verbal reasoning and memory among Internet users.  Regular readers of my blog know that both my father and my grandmother had Alzheimer’s disease when they passed away.  If you need support, there are a great group of people at the Ryan Ranch Alzheimer’s Association.  They also have a 24-hour hotline if you just want someone to talk to at 800-272-3900.

Monterey, CA Elder Abuse Scammers Posing As IRS Agents

A stack of gold color coins and dollars on the table

There have been numerous cases of elder abusers posing as IRS agents on the phone and demanding payments for some made up past due bills.  The IRS said they would never call people without first sending a letter, and now they have reversed a decades-old policy where IRS agents would show up on your doorstep to collect unpaid taxes and unfiled tax returns.  The Treasury Department said it was reversing its policy due to fears that anti-government and anti-tax groups would track down IRS employees with malevolent intent.  So be assured that any phone call or in-person visit from a supposed IRS agent is a scam.