Lungs can “magically” heal

It’s actually not a joke, nor does it come from Gwyneth Paltrow: A study in Nature shows that, even after years of smoking, there are still some healthy lung cells that can repair the damage.

What’s particularly surprising is that any cells escaped damage at all.

Exactly how they avoid the genetic devastation caused by smoking is unclear, but the researchers said they appeared to “exist in a nuclear bunker”. […]

“We were totally unprepared for the finding,” Dr Peter Campbell, from the Sanger Institute, told BBC News. “One of the remarkable things was patients who had quit, even after 40 years of smoking, had regeneration of cells that were totally unscathed by the exposure to tobacco.”

Speaking of magic…

Psilocybin, the important ingredient in magic mushrooms, “may bring long-lasting relief to cancer patients who suffer anxiety and depression, a new, small study suggests.”

And, the truth is, no one is sure exactly how psilocybin works to lift entrenched anxiety and depression — including the kind of “existential distress” that can plague people with a life-threatening disease.

1.2 months of good news

Thanks to a drop in both cancer and overdose deaths, life expectancy in the U.S. rose slightly for the first time since 2014 — from 78.6 years to 78.7.

We’re still below the rest of the developed world (and lower than our 2014 peak), but it’s a bit of good news that we’re not getting worse.

Note: The upcoming issue of Georgia Pharmacy magazine doesn’t include these latest figures.

Antibiotics: Too much too soon

Great news: Three out of four kids in hospital only receive the antibiotics they need. The other 25 percent get unnecessary ones, and for adults it’s worse: “Data on adults have suggested that 30% to 50% of antibiotics used in hospitalized adults is inappropriate.”

They really had to ask?

“Prior authorizations are a pain point for both doctors and patients, survey finds”

Panic fuels a mask shortage

You may have noticed this yourself: People who weren’t worried about the flu are suddenly worried about the Wuhan coronavirus (can we please name it already?). They’re buying masks, even the non-N95 ones that won’t really help. And that’s creating a shortage that might affect the people who really do need them.

Pro tips: Cheap painter’s masks only keep the wearer from spreading germs. And the better, N95 masks, will only make a difference if you’re surrounded by sick people.

(Maybe you can consider selling these instead.)

Who should you believe?

A new HHS rule is supposed to take effect in January 2021 — it will require hospitals to disclose their prices for a variety of procedures in a consumer-friendly format. Insurance companies say it will lower prices. Hospitals say it will raise them, cause confusion, and the requirement violates their 1st Amendment rights.

Both sides have proof and both sides are willing to fight it out in court. Grab the popcorn.

Sugar kills viruses

Well, cyclodextrins — which are derived from glucose. European researchers have found they can use them to destroy the outer shell of viruses, which is better than just inhibiting growth the way traditional antivirals do. It’s yet another potential game-changer.

“The antiviral mechanism is virucidal meaning that viruses struggle to develop resistance. As this is a new type of antiviral and one of the first to ever show broad-spectrum efficacy.”

Vegan colors

If you know a vegan who wants a different hair color, Revlon’s got you covered with its new “Total Color collection,” which the company says is “infused with nourishing* oils, botanicals, and does not contain traditional hair color ingredients.”

Even better, if someone is suffering from Celiac disease, the new colors are also gluten-free. Really.

* Hair is dead. It can’t absorb nutrients.