IV therapy clinics are springing up around the country, touting quick ways to recover from a hangover or a hard workout. But doctors and regulators preach caution before plunging into a visit. The service has been on a growth spurt since the COVID-19 pandemic, offering drips that also aim to boost energy levels or immune systems or deal with things like joint pain. Regulators worry about who delivers the treatments, the source of any pharmaceuticals used and how the services are provided. Customers should come prepared to ask questions before they get connected.
Celebrities and influencers are helping promote high-tech medical scans that companies claim can help catch deadly diseases, including cancer. Some experts warn the experimental approach may lead to extra worries and unnecessary treatment. The scans are being pitched to people who are willing to pay a premium to learn more about their health. The scans aren't cheap. Companies like Prenuvo charge more than $2,000 for a full-body MRI scan. Medical societies don't recommend routine MRI scans in healthy individuals and insurers don't cover them.
Street doctors in California are using injectable medication as an increasingly common tool to help combat the state's intertwined homelessness and mental health crises. The injections replace oral medication and can provide relief from symptoms of psychosis for a month or longer. How to help the sickest of the estimated 180,000 homeless residents in the state has become a hot-button issue. Doctors say the goal is to get people thinking clearly, so that they can get off the streets. Dr. Coley King is the director of homeless health care for the Venice Family Clinic in Los Angeles. He said he's seen success with dozens of patients who take the shots.
By MARGIE MASON and ROBIN McDOWELL Associated Press
Updated
An Associated Press investigation into prison labor in the United States found that prisoners who are hurt or killed on the job are often being denied the rights and protections offered to other American workers. These prisoners are being placed in dangerous jobs, sometimes with little or no training. They pick up trash along busy highways, fight wildfires, and operate heavy machinery. They work on industrial-sized farms and meat-processing plants tied to the supply chains of large, iconic companies, from McDonald's to Target. But incarcerated workers and their families often have little or no recourse when things go wrong.
