Quartz countertops are driving a public health crisis in the US – 2 occupational health experts explain the surge of lung transplants and lawsuits
Engineered stone, also called quartz, has become the most popular material for kitchen countertops. Guillermo Spelucin Runciman/iStock/Getty Images Plus ~~~~~ If you walk into a Costco, Home Depot or Lowe’s and order a countertop for your kitchen renovation, the store will likely contract with a local fabrication shop, instructing them to make one from a material called engineered stone. Often marketed as “quartz,” engineered stone is a synthetic product that contains up to 95% finely ground quartz mixed with polyester resins and pigments. The ease with which consumers can order it obscures the fact that workers who cut, grind and polish these kitchen countertops risk developing a terrible...
To heal stubborn wounds, scientists look to nanomaterials
Slow-healing lesions — common in diabetics and burn victims — can lead to lingering infections that resist antibiotic treatment. A new approach using light-activated therapies may offer a solution. For most people, a minor cut or scrape is no big deal — the body heals itself quickly, and antibiotics can deal with any infections. But some wounds, such as severe burns and diabetic ulcers, are prone to bacterial infections that can become resistant to antibiotics. “Diabetic wounds are very difficult to heal and people live with these wounds for pretty much the rest of their life,” says Vitaliy Khutoryanskiy, a materials scientist at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom. To address...
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Florida Multiple Sclerosis Conference to Advance MS Education for Neurologists and APPs
TAMPA, FL — The Florida Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Conference 2026 will take place on Saturday, July 25, 2026, from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM at the Omni Orlando Resort, 1500 Master Blvd., ChampionsGate, FL. The one-day educational conference is designed for academic and community neurologists, advanced practice providers (APPs), MS specialists, and medical professionals involved in the diagnosis, treatment, and long-term management of patients with multiple sclerosis and related demyelinating disorders. Attendees may earn up to 6.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s) while learning from leading MS and neuroimmunology experts from institutions and neurology practices across Florida. The program will cover...
Trump’s Medicaid work rules force states to scrap plans and rework systems
The Trump administration’s rollout of a federal mandate that millions of Americans on Medicaid must work or risk losing health benefits will force states to scrap months of preparation, according to advocates for Medicaid enrollees and consultants advising states. And they say an overhaul — less than seven months before states must start enforcing the requirement — will be costly. Regulations issued June 1 by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services dictate many granular details about how the new work requirements will play out. They cover how states should check whether Medicaid enrollees are following the rules, and how people can claim an exemption so that their health benefits...
