Rattle and Hurt: Snakebites Are Rare Even Here, but Painful, Pricey May 8, 2021 The Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center, housed at the UArizona College of Pharmacy, now serves as a go-to source for clinical and academic support for anything venom-related. “Pretty much all the hospitals in the state know to call us after a snakebite,” said Laura Morehouse, MPH, poison/drug education specialist at the college. Arizona Daily Star
Expanded Telehealth Coverage That Began During COVID-19 Now Permanent in Arizona May 7, 2021 A new Arizona law could permanently expand statewide use of virtual and telephonic doctors' visits, which became more commonplace during the COVID-19 pandemic. "It catapults Arizona to the front of the line in terms of telehealth law nationally," said Dr. Ronald Weinstein, founding director of the Arizona Telemedicine Program at the University of Arizona and a president emeritus of the American Telemedicine Association. "It's huge." The Arizona Republic
Researchers Find Increased Risk of Mortality for Arizona’s Hispanic and Native American Kidney Cancer Patients May 7, 2021 Research from the University of Arizona Health Sciences shows that advanced-stage kidney cancer is more common in Hispanic Americans and Native Americans than in non-Hispanic whites, and that both Hispanic Americans and Native Americans in Arizona have an increased risk of mortality from the disease. The Cancer Letter
UA Nursing Staff, Volunteers Urge People to Get Vaccinated May 7, 2021 UArizona College of Nursing faculty and students with first-hand experience of the human cost of COVID-19 ran a vaccination clinic last weekend. Tucsonlocalmedia
Making Her Mark on the Navajo Nation, Thomasina Blackwater May 7, 2021 Thomasina Blackwater has earned her bachelor's, master's and medical degree from the College of Medicine – Tucson. She discusses her passion to help improve the pipeline for Native American medical students. KGUN-TV (ABC) Tucson
Increased Risk of Mortality Found for Arizona’s Hispanic, Native American Kidney Cancer Patients May 6, 2021 Dr. Ken Batai,has documented an increased risk of mortality among Arizona’s Hispanic American and Native American kidney cancer patients. Read more Image
Should COVID Shots for Teens Go to Developing Nations? May 6, 2021 U.S. officials are poised to authorize the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children 12 to 15 years old, while some countries still struggle to vaccinate health care workers risking their lives daily. The situation presents a moral dilemma over “vaccine nationalism” — a principle rooted in the idea that a country should vaccinate its own population before moving on to other populations, says David Beyda, MD, chair of the Department of Bioethics and Medical Humanism at the College of Medicine in Phoenix. “Giving it to kids is going to move us toward herd immunity. From an ethical perspective, the primary concern is getting as many people vaccinated here as possible,” he says. WebMD
New Graduate Certificate Program Prepares Local and Global Health Care Professionals to Meet Needs of Aging Population May 5, 2021 A new UArizona Health Sciences program will prepare students to work in the field of gerontology, where demand for specialized professionals is high. Read more Image
Why We Shouldn't Panic About the Millions Who Missed Their Second Vaccine Dose - Yet May 5, 2021 Data from the CDC has found that five million people in the U.S., roughly 8% of those who received a first dose, have missed their second shot of the COVID-19 vaccine. Yet many scientists see a glimmer of hope: 8% missed means 92% returned, which is surprisingly high. "I see that as a really amazing win," said Saskia Popescu, an infection prevention epidemiologist at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. "There's not enough credit that goes into acknowledging how national vaccination in the middle of a pandemic is a Herculean effort." National Geographic