Health

Berlin – September 11, 2026 -- Diabetes can silently damage the eyes years before patients notice any change in their vision, yet new data show barely half of people with type 2 diabetes get the recommended eye exam. To close that gap, German health insurer mkk - meine krankenkasse now offers its members a free eye screening from Skleo Health at participating opticians and drugstores.

About seven million adults in Germany live with known or undiagnosed diabetes, according to the Robert Koch Institute. One serious complication is diabetic retinopathy, damage to the tiny blood vessels in the retina caused by diabetes duration, high blood sugar, and hypertension. Retinal changes can develop long before someone experiences blurred vision or other symptoms.

Bonn – September 10, 2026 -- The Deutsche Rheuma-Liga has released a free app called "Team Rheuma," available on the Apple App Store and Google Play since early September 2026. The app bundles the organization's digital services into one place, open to anyone interested regardless of membership status.

The app centralizes news, events, and patient connections

Users can access news, event listings, publications, and calls for clinical studies directly through the app. Push notifications alert users to new content so they don't have to check manually. Members can also read the association's magazine "mobil" within the app.

Corinna Elling-Audersch, President of the Deutsche Rheuma-Liga, said digital tools can meaningfully supplement in-person self-help efforts. She noted that staying in touch with fellow patients matters especially when in-person meetings aren't possible.

Düsseldorf – September 10, 2026 -- Ahead of World Sepsis Day on September 13, pharmacies in North Rhine, Germany are urging the public to recognize four warning signs that can distinguish a routine infection from a life-threatening emergency.

Sepsis, once commonly known as blood poisoning, occurs when the body's immune response to an infection spirals out of control and begins damaging its own tissue and organs. Pneumonia, urinary tract infections and infected wounds can all trigger it. "Many people still associate sepsis mainly with an infected wound. In fact, any infection can trigger it," said Thomas Preis, chairman of the North Rhine Pharmacists' Association.

Tallahassee, Fla. – September 08, 2026 -- Trulieve Cannabis Corp. has opened a new medical cannabis dispensary in Dunwoody, Georgia, giving patients in DeKalb County and Metro Atlanta another location to access registered treatment products.

The Dunwoody store hosts a public grand opening on September 10

The celebration begins with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 9:30 a.m., followed by a food truck, storewide discounts, and merchandise giveaways for visitors.

Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers says the location expands regional patient access

"This new DeKalb County dispensary expands access to medical cannabis for patients throughout Metro Atlanta," Rivers said, adding that the company aims to serve the Dunwoody community with quality products and customer service.

Los Angeles – September 08, 2026 -- ALS Network and the Hellenic ALS Association have announced a joint campaign built around a paddling expedition through the Greek Islands, running October 5-12, to raise funds and awareness for people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in both the United States and Greece.

Tom Horton, a longtime supporter of ALS Network, will lead the journey alongside nine family members and friends, honoring his late mother, whose Greek heritage shaped his connection to the country. Donations collected through ALS Network's Greece expedition campaign will fund the organization's work in the U.S., while the Hellenic ALS Association will direct fundraising toward its programs for people with ALS across Greece.

Southlake, Texas – September 08, 2026 -- Constantly asking people to repeat themselves or cranking up the TV volume beyond what others find comfortable can be early warning signs of hearing loss, according to hearing expert Allison Liberio of Family Hearing Practice in Southlake, Texas.

Hearing loss in adults typically develops gradually, making it easy to dismiss the first symptoms as distraction or background noise rather than a health issue.

Struggling to follow conversations in noisy rooms is a key red flag

Many adults with early hearing loss can hear that someone is speaking but have trouble understanding the words, particularly in restaurants, social gatherings, or busy workplaces. Speech can sound muffled even when it's technically loud enough, since background noise competes with the brain's ability to process it.

Washington – September 08, 2026 -- The American Red Cross and the NAACP will premiere "Iconic Excellence: The Legacy of Dr. Charles R. Drew" on Sept. 18 on the American Red Cross YouTube channel, marking the 85th anniversary of Drew's appointment as the first medical director of the Red Cross Blood Program.

The short documentary traces Drew's breakthroughs in blood plasma preservation, work credited with saving hundreds of thousands of lives during World War II and shaping modern blood collection and distribution methods.

Hudson, Florida – September 07, 2026 -- The Bonati Spine Institute has published a list of questions it says chronic back and neck pain patients should ask any surgeon proposing spinal surgery, timed to September's Pain Awareness Month.

"Most of the people who come to us have been in pain for years, and most of them have been treated for years," said Dr. Alfred Bonati, founder and chief orthopedic surgeon of the institute. "Many of them have never gotten a straight answer to one basic question: what specifically is generating this pain, and how do you know?"

Madison – September 07, 2026 -- Family grief counselor Matt Wallace of Nevaeh's Rae of Hope says structured getaways can give grieving families rare, uninterrupted time to reconnect after the loss of a child.

Losing a child upends every part of family life

Parents and siblings often keep managing work, school, and household duties while carrying overwhelming grief, Wallace notes. Stepping away from that routine, even briefly, can create space that ongoing counseling and family support alone don't provide.

Getaways are not a substitute for counseling

Wallace is clear that these trips don't erase grief or replace professional therapy. Instead, they offer a peaceful setting where families can remember their child, support each other, and move at their own pace, since every family's grief looks different.

Bad Homburg – September 07, 2026 -- Lilly Germany has launched a nationwide awareness campaign arguing that obesity is a chronic, treatable disease rather than a personal failing, rolling out across TV, social media, outdoor advertising and pharmacy displays starting September 1.

A father's apology anchors the campaign film

The centerpiece is a short film depicting a father calling his adult daughter, who lives with obesity, to apologize. He admits that for years he withheld the support she needed because he believed weight loss was simply a matter of discipline. Lindsay Zeckel, Vice President of Cardiometabolic Health at Lilly Deutschland, said the apology scene is meant to invite viewers to reconsider their own assumptions about obesity, adding that genuine support is only possible once the condition is recognized as a chronic disease.