Category Archives: public health

Should the U.S limit travel to protect Americans from Ebola?

Fears about the spread of the deadly Ebola virus have led many Americans to push for closing the country’s borders to travelers from West Africa, ground zero of the outbreak. U.S. House Republicans are demanding that President Barack Obama impose new travel restrictions, a step the president continues to resist. Obama said yesterday that “a flat-out travel ban is not […]

Is your antibacterial soap safe? UMaine researchers study common ingredient

Examine the label on one of the many antibacterial products in your home, and you’ll likely find “triclosan” listed as an ingredient. The antimicrobial chemical was once used only in hospitals, but in the 1990s manufacturers began adding it to soaps, body washes, toothpaste, deodorants, facial cleansers, and countless other personal hygiene products. You’ll even find […]

Vital Signs newsletter: Insurers seek modest rate increases

Some feared health insurance premiums would skyrocket under the Affordable Care Act. But the two insurers selling plans to Maine consumers want to raise rates just modestly in 2015, well below the double-digit hikes seen in previous years. The proposed rates offer a tentative first look at how much insurers seek to charge during the second year […]

Got drugs? Maine tops nation in Rx Take Back Day

This Saturday, April 26, is National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, an effort led by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to collect and safely dispose of unwanted, expired, and unused medications. Tomorrow marks the eighth time in three years the U.S. DEA has organized the event, designed largely to rid Americans’ medicine chests of powerful narcotics ripe […]