Health Highlights: Dec. 6, 2021

'Magic mushroom' drug edges towards mainstream treatment. After decades of lingering in the shadows of the illicit drug trade, psilocybin, the psychedelic component of hallucinogenic mushrooms, is emerging as a legitimate therapy for anxiety, depression and other ills. Read more

U.S. pharmacies under strain as demand for COVID vaccines, tests intensifies. The pressure on the industry could rise even higher if antiviral pills to treat COVID-19 are approved by federal regulators, experts say. Read more

Omicron spreading fast in South Africa. Scientists said the newest coronavirus variant appeared to be twice as contagious as Delta, which had been considered the most infectious version of the virus. Read more

Lifetime spent with epilepsy ages the brain. People with a long history of the illness show signs of rapid brain aging that may raise their odds for developing dementia down the road, new research shows. Read more

High heart rate linked to dementia risk. The link remained significant even after the researchers accounted for factors such as heart disease, investigators said. Read more