Retailers stop selling weighted baby blankets over safety concerns — and more
For Tuesday, April 30, WGN’s Ben Bradley and Lourdes Duarte have the latest on new medical information, including:
More Coverage: WGN’s Medical Watch
Expert panel: Mammograms should start at 40
An official announcement Tuesday from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force says mammograms to detect breast cancer should start at age 40.
Citing rising breast cancer rates in young women, the panel reversed the longstanding guidance that most women wait until age 50.
They recommend screening women between the ages of 40 and 74 every two years.
The advice does not apply to women who have had breast cancer or those at very high risk because of genetic markers.
While breast cancer death rates have fallen, breast cancer remains the second most common cause of cancer death for U.S. women.
Retailers stop selling weighted baby blankets over safety concerns
Major retailers are pulling weighted blankets for infants off the market.
Amazon, Target, and Babylist say they will no longer sell weighted blankets, sleep sacks, and swaddles.
Experts say even lightly weighted blankets can obstruct a baby’s breathing.
Target and Amazon say they are removing the items from their websites and should be gone in the coming days.
Walmart closing healthcare clinics
Walmart is shutting down all its healthcare centers in Illinois and five other states.
It’s also ending its virtual healthcare services. All told, 51 locations will close.
The company blames rising costs and reimbursement problems.
The clinics offered primary and urgent care, labs, x-rays, behavioral health, and dental.
Walmart believed it could use its financial position and stores to provide convenient, low-cost services to people in rural and underserved areas.
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