Christmas decoration injuries; aging due to organ donation; global warming and health care – Morning Medical Update

Those pine needles are sharp

An estimated 18,400 people are hurt each year by Christmas decorations, according to USAFacts.org, citing data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Injuries peak in the two weekends following Thanksgiving, with another spike around New Year’s Day, when people take down the holly and garlands.

Organ donations and aging

Transplanting organs from older donors can save lives, but it may spur aging in younger recipients, according to a study by Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Currently, organ “donor and recipient ages my differ substantially,” with age-related pathologies appearing in young recipients due to the biological age of the donor.

Good for patients, bad for the planet

The American health care system helps patients but has an “outsized greenhouse gas footprint” that is contributing to global warming. That needs to shrink, and the federal Inflation Reduction Act could help through investments over the next 10 years, according to a new discussion paper by the National Academy of Medicine.