Healthwatch: Thursday’s Health News


How harmful is BPA for newborns, new concerns about shortages of potentially life-saving drugs, and are mosquitoes more attracted to certain people than others?

A new study shows shortages of key antibiotics are on the rise. Researchers from George Washington University found from 2001 to 2013, there were shortages of 148 antibiotics, including drugs used to treat highly resistant infections. Researchers are calling on drug companies to report shortages earlier.

The effect of the chemical BPA on newborns may be smaller than previously thought. BPA, bisphenol A, is a chemical-compound found in plastics and cans. The government banned it from baby bottles and sippy cups in 2012 out of health concerns. But a new study from Johns Hopkins found even though newborns had BPA in their systems, they were able to chemically alter it to make it harmless.

And If you think you’re more susceptible to mosquito bites than others, you may be right. Researchers in London found genes may play a role. They studied sets of twins and found mosquitos were more attracted to identical twins than non-identical twins. Researchers explain the insects are attracted to certain body odors, that genetics control.

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Sponsored by: Mercy Health System