U.S. Cuts Recommended Childhood Vaccines

Federal health officials have decided to narrow the list of vaccines routinely recommended for U.S. children, a move that has outraged public health experts.

The updated childhood immunization schedule —  released Monday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — pares the number of diseases prevented b...

Nearly 3,000 Pounds of Ground Beef Recalled for Possible E. coli

Nearly 3,000 pounds of raw ground beef sold in six states is being recalled after testing found possible contamination with E. coli O26, federal food safety officials said.

The recall involves grass-fed ground beef produced by Mountain West Food Group, LLC, based in Heyburn, Idaho, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture&r...

U.S. Backs At-Home HPV Testing to Boost Cervical Cancer Screening

Women may soon have an easier, lower-cost way to get screened for cervical cancer.

Federal health officials say self-collected vaginal samples can now be used to screen for cervical cancer, and most private insurance plans will be required to cover the testing without charging patients out of pocket.

The updated guidance comes from t...

Novo Nordisk Launches Daily Weight-Loss Pill to Expand GLP-1 Access

A daily pill for weight loss has officially arrived in the U.S.

On Monday, Novo Nordisk rolled out the first GLP-1 weight-loss pill, an oral version of Wegovy. 

The company says the new option is designed to reach people who want the benefits of GLP-1 drugs without injections, and to avoid the supply shortages that limited acces...

Young Adults With IBD Face Insurance, Cost Barriers To Care, Survey Finds

Young adults are having a tough time accessing treatment for their inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a new study says.

They are more likely to face insurance barriers and financial strain to get proper care for their IBD, researchers reported today in the journal Crohn’s & Colitis 360.

“These numbers demonstr...

Fingerprick Blood Test Accurately Assesses Signs of Alzheimer's, Researchers Say

A mail-in blood test accurately detects markers linked to Alzheimer’s disease, potentially making the degenerative brain condition easier to diagnose and research, a new study says.

The finger-prick test accurately measures blood levels of tau proteins, glial fibrillary acidic proteins and neurofilament light fragments, researchers r...

Food Insecurity, Financial Struggles Increase Children's Risk of Long COVID

School-aged children and teens are much more likely to develop long COVID if they’re in a family facing economic hardships or discrimination, a new study says.

Kids and teenagers had more than twice the risk of long COVID if their family is impoverished, receiving government assistance, struggling to make ends meet and not putting en...

Hormone Drug Helps Fight Hormone-Fueled Breast Cancer, Trial Shows

A drug that mimics the female hormone progesterone might help women fight hormone-fueled breast cancer.

Women with breast cancer had slower tumor growth if they took megestrol — a synthetic version of progesterone — alongside standard anti-estrogen therapy, researchers reported Jan. 5 in Nature Cancer.

“In ...

Autism Therapy Centers Targeted By Private Equity In U.S., Study Reveals

Private equity firms are scooping up U.S. autism therapy centers at an unprecedented rate, a new study says.

These financial firms acquired more than 500 autism therapy centers during the past decade, with nearly 80% purchased between 2018 and 2022, researchers reported Jan. 5 in JAMA Pediatrics.

Recent increases in autism d...

Teens' Smartphone Use At School Exceeds An Hour Daily, Tracking App Reveals

Is your teen struggling at school?

Their smartphone could be dividing their attention in class, a new study says.

Teenagers average more than 70 minutes a day on their smartphones during school hours, researchers reported Jan. 5 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

“We found that teens spent more t...