Deb Balzer (@DebBalzer)
Deb Balzer is a Senior Communications Specialist at Mayo Clinic. She began her career as a TV news producer in Rochester, NY, before joining CONUS Communications, a pioneering national news satellite organization. She also field produced for ABC, CNN, the Rachael Ray Show and Farmers’ Almanac TV. Joining Mayo Clinic in 2015, Deb writes, produces and collaborates on medical stories with Mayo Clinic’s leading experts, providing trusted health and medical information to help patients.
Flu season usually peaks in winter; however, the best time to prevent infection is before the virus appears in a community. "The best time to[...]
With the approval of new bivalent COVID-19 boosters for 5–11-year-olds that target the BA.4 and BA.5 omicron variants and the original strain of the virus,[...]
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a virus that can cause severe problems, especially for young children and older adults, has increased illness and hospitalizations. "We're seeing[...]
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Women are being encouraged to get their annual breast cancer screening because screening can save lives. But what if[...]
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) encourages those eligible to receive the new bivalent COVID-19 booster vaccine. "The bivalent booster vaccine is a new vaccine that[...]
Breast cancer can affect all people, regardless of race or gender. It's the second-leading cause of cancer death for women overall. And for Hispanic women in[...]
A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) finds that when mothers receive the flu vaccine, their babies experience fewer hospitalizations[...]
According to drugmakers Eisai and Biogen, a Phase 3 clinical study on a potential new Alzheimer's disease drug shows promise. The study findings show that the drug, lecanemab,[...]
Flu season usually starts in the fall, peaks during the height of winter and tapers around spring. Other respiratory illnesses, including respiratory syncytial virus, enteroviruses,[...]
Type 2 diabetes accounts for approximately 90%–95% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes in adults in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and[...]
Three are main forms of diabetes — Type 1, Type 2 and gestational — which can happen during pregnancy and go away once the baby is born. Those with Type[...]
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently asked health departments and clinicians to watch for symptoms of acute flaccid myelitis in kids, especially through November. That's when enteroviruses are[...]