Heart disease like cancer; medical misinformation; COVID-19 fraud – Morning Medical Update

Treatment across diseases

Physicians know well that atherosclerosis increases risk of coronary artery disease, stroke and kidney disorders. Now researchers say the buildup of plaque in the arteries has traits similar to cancer. Those characteristics may lead to new treatments for narrowing of the arterial walls, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Views on childhood vaccination

A survey of Republican voters found they support childhood vaccine mandates. But they don’t express that support publicly, even though it is a majority view, when social media discourse is dominated by a vocal minority who disagree with vaccine mandates. A new study examines “the false consensus effect,” a misperception by people about how widespread their views are and that others share the same opinions, according to an accompanying news release.

Flunking the COVID-19 tests

Three men were indicted for health care fraud for using an independent laboratory to submit claims for medically unnecessary and nonreimbursable COVID-19 testing from November 2019 to June 2023. The grand total: approximately $36 million. The U.S. Department of Justice said the defendants were in Florida, Texas and California.