News

November is pancreatic cancer awareness month, when health care professionals call attention to a disease that affects more than 55,000 people in the United States each year. Pancreatic cancer is an especially deadly cancer because of the way it silently spreads before being detected.

UAB Medicine once again achieved the highly prestigious international Baby-Friendly designation from Baby-Friendly USA, the accrediting body for the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) in the United States.

UAB Medicine Nurse Practitioner and UAB School of Nursing alumna Lindsey Harris, DNP, CRNP, FNP-BC, is the new president of the Alabama State Nurses Association (ASNA). Harris’ induction as the first African-American president of the association represents progress in diversity and inclusion, and it provides an example of excellence in leadership and performance.

Each year, the Birmingham lifestyle magazine B-Metro compiles its list of the top women in medicine in the Birmingham area. Included in the 2020 list are UAB Callahan Eye Hospital & Clinics ophthalmologists Virginia R. Lolley, MD, and Ann Marie Arciniegas-Bernal, MD. 

UAB Callahan Eye Hospital Clinics is expanding to Trussville, where it will open its 14th location in early 2021 on U.S. Highway 11.

Diabetic eye disease is a group of eye conditions that people with diabetes can develop. If left untreated, these conditions can lead to permanent vision loss or blindness. The longer someone has diabetes, the more likely it is that they will get an eye disease.

We are pleased to announce this month’s UAB Medicine DAISY Award, recognizing the extraordinary care and compassion that nurses provide for patients and families every day. Submissions and stories are reviewed each month, and then the winner is surprised at a special ceremony.

There is no data to suggest that the prescription medication RhoGAM is safe or effective for treating COVID-19.

COVID-19 is primarily transmitted person to person via respiratory droplets. A few studies have isolated viral RNA in both stool and urine of a small number of severely ill patients with COVID-19. It is less clear whether this represents viral shedding or infectious virus in these samples. Proper hand hygiene should be used at all times when changing diapers or any other time that you may come in contact with stool or urine.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently sent warning letters to companies selling essential oils that are marketed specifically with misleading claims offering COVID-19 protection. There is no evidence that essential oils are safe or effective for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19.

It is not recommended to wipe hand sanitizer underneath your nose. Commercially purchased alcohol-based hand sanitizers should be used only as directed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Being in well-ventilated spaces, like outdoor areas, as well as physically distancing and wearing face coverings reduces your risk of acquiring COVID-19. According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) indoor spaces – especially crowded areas with less ventilation – carry a higher risk. While indoors, maintaining at least 6 feet of space between people and wearing a face covering are recommended.