COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a group of lung diseases that make it hard to breathe and get worse over time.

Yesterday marked the 36th year that the world observed World No Tobacco Day. This relatively obscure milestone masks a stalled effort to curb consumption of combustible cigarettes and other nicotine-related products. It’s unlikely most people paid any attention. But the impact of smoking is all around us, even if we don’t see it. Statistics rarely tell a provocative story to compel people to action.

The best preventative measure to fight against influenza and its possible complications is vaccination with the annual flu vaccine.

Vaccination is associated with a nearly halving (40 percent drop) in the risk of Alzheimer’s disease over four years.