Hip Replacement Products Recalled for High Failure Rate
Johnson & Johnson is voluntarily recalling two hip replacement products, the company said Thursday. The move is in response to a high rate of patients—about one in eight—needing a second replacement procedure within five years. Revision surgery is required when an artificial joint does not fit properly, causing pain and difficulty walking, the Associated Press reports. J&J says it will pay for all doctor visits, tests, and procedures associated with the recall—the healthcare giant's 11th since last September—which comes just days after the government warned that the company has been illegally marketing two other products.
Flu Season 2010-11: What to Know to Stay Healthy
Perhaps no flu season in recent memory has been as hyped and harrowing as last year's, when swine flu infected millions and vaccine shortages led to long lines and frustration. As a new flu season dawns, and students head back to school, the latest vaccine—which protects against three strains of flu expected to circulate in months ahead, including the H1N1 virus (aka swine flu)— is already arriving at doctors' offices and other clinics. U.S. News answers pressing questions about the upcoming flu season, the new vaccine, and how to stay healthy.
For the first time, the CDC is recommending vaccination for everyone 6 months and older—not just the medically vulnerable, says Henry Bernstein, a professor of pediatrics at Dartmouth Medical School and a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics' infectious diseases committee. Vaccination is particularly important for high-risk groups, including children, those 65 and over, pregnant women, and anyone with an underlying condition that weakens the immune system, such as HIV, asthma, diabetes, or cancer. Since infants 6 months and under can't be vaccinated, their entire family—and their caregivers—should get the shot, Bernstein says. [Read more: Flu Season 2010-11: What to Know to Stay Healthy.]
- 7 Nasty Germs That Could Land Your Kid in the Hospital—and How to Avoid Them
- School Kids Need Flu Shots—but Why?
Retirement Communities 101: Seniors Flock to College Towns
As the 77 million aging baby boomers begin to retire, a growing number are viewing retirement communities that are linked to a college or university campus as an effective way to keep busy while exercising their minds. Research indicating that mental activity wards off Alzheimer's is yet another draw, according to Tamar Snyder of Seniors for Living. "College towns are becoming more popular than they were 10 or 20 years ago," says Warren Bland, author of Retire in Style, 60 Outstanding Places Across the USA and Canada. "They offer a wide range of amenities, typically without air pollution, traffic congestion, and high crime rates often found in larger cities. And the cost of living is much lower in smaller college cities."
Currently, there are more than 50 Continuing Care retirement centers located on or near college campuses, according to a 2007 report by the Ziegler Capital Markets Group, a Chicago-based firm that provides financing for Continuing Care retirement communities (CCRC). This represents a 30 percent increase over the past decade. And another 33 or so college town-based continuing care retirement communities are in the planning stages. [Read more: Retirement Communities 101: Seniors Flock to College Towns.]
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