The Michigan Medicine blog recap

A weekly roundup of articles from both the Michigan Health and Michigan Health Lab blogs, which cover stories on breaking news and research, health tips and wellness that you won’t want to miss.

How Opt-Out Donation Could Affect U.S. Waiting Lists

Organ donation must increase to meet the current need of patients awaiting transplants. A “presumed consent” organ donor model could help. READ MORE

More Merry than Scary: 11 Halloween Safety Tips for Parents

Save hocus pocus for the small screen, and plan a safe and happy Halloween for the whole family with these guidelines. READ MORE

Gabapentinoids Appear Increasingly to be Prescribed, Off-Label, for Cancer Pain

As the opioid crisis unfolded, prescriptions for the narcotic alternative saw a two-fold increase despite unclear evidence of benefit for pain. READ MORE

Amputation Surgery and Physical Therapy Help Teen Get Back to Active Lifestyle

After a moped accident left one teenager with severe leg injuries, amputation surgery and physical therapy with her prosthetic leg are now helping her accomplish her goals, including walking again in high heels. READ MORE

Who Gets Depressed Under Intense Stress? Genetic Risk Prediction Shows Promise

Research in first-year medical residents suggests the predictive power of a tool based on multiple gene variants linked to depression. READ MORE

In the Long Run, Drugs & Talk Therapy Hold Same Value for Depression Patients

New cost-effectiveness analysis comparing antidepressants and cognitive behavioral therapy over five years suggests new patients should have more access to talk option. READ MORE

5 Things a Dermatologist Wants You to Know About Psoriasis

It’s a chronic skin problem with no cure, but here’s what experts, and especially sufferers, want you to understand about the condition. READ MORE

Should You Take CBD for Pain?

People looking for a safer pain reliever are turning to cannabis-derived CBD. Michigan Medicine experts weigh in on what’s currently known about the trendy supplement. READ MORE

Tips for Making Halloween Disability-Friendly

Check out these tips (and tricks!) for ways to take some of the scary out of the holiday for children with special needs. READ MORE

Eye Doctors Reduce Opioid Prescriptions Without Compromising Pain Management

Patients used fewer opioid tablets when surgeons cut back prescriptions, but there is more work to be done on safe medication disposal. READ MORE