Health A-Z News & Updates
- Doctors Dismissed Her Pain. Here's How She Fought Back
July 15, 2025 — A young mom's painful tale of "medical gaslighting" reveals how the health care system is failing women – and what some are starting to do about it.
- The Right Way to Use AI to Interpret Medical Test Results
June 5, 2025 — Experts explain the risks and benefits of using programs like ChatGPT to analyze results before your doctor calls to discuss them.
- FDA Approves New Treatment for Serious Kidney Disorder
April 3, 2025 — The FDA has approved Vanrafia (atrasentan), a once-daily pill that reduces proteinuria in adults with immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN), offering new hope for slowing kidney damage.
- New Hemophilia Treatment Wins FDA Approval
March 31, 2025 — The FDA has approved fitusiran (Qfitlia), a first-of-its-kind injectable drug to reduce bleeding episodes in people with certain types of hemophilia.
- ‘Dangerous’ Hospital Bed Shortages on Horizon: What to Know
February 19, 2025 — A new report anticipates a hospital bed shortage as soon as 2032. Here’s how that could impact you.
- Forever Chemicals Are Everywhere. Here’s How to Stress Less
February 6, 2025 — If you're looking for calm in a toxic world, read advice from scientists who study environmental stress.
- Bridge RNAs: ‘Holy Grail’ in Next-Gen Gene Editing Tech?
January 16, 2025 — The breakthrough discovery of a powerful new gene editing tool called bridge RNAs has the potential to significantly advance gene therapy and usher in a new frontier in genome design, researchers say.
- Feds Take Aim at Dry-Cleaning Chemicals, Red Dye No. 3
December 9, 2024 — Health concerns have prompted the Environmental Protection Agency to ban certain chemicals used for dry cleaning and for making everyday products like glue.
- Trump Picks RFK Jr. for Secretary of Health and Human Services
November 14, 2024 — Present-elect Donald Trump has nominated Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be the country’s next secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
- Misdiagnosis Is Dangerous. Help Your Doctor Get It Right
November 11, 2024 — This fall, the CDC launched a new program to help reduce diagnostic errors, a leading cause of death in the U.S. Learn how to reduce the chances that a misdiagnosis will happen to you.
- 'Forever Chemicals' Linked to Gut Health and Kidney Problems
November 5, 2024 — Exposure to chemicals called PFAS during young adulthood has been linked to yet another serious health problem – reduced kidney function and kidney disease.
- Wait, Now Standing Desks Are Bad? What Office Workers Can Do
October 29, 2024 — Recent research suggests that standing won’t save you from the health harms of sitting. But before you ditch your standing desk (or your job), consider this expert advice.
- Why Scientists Are Linking More Diseases to Light at Night
October 22, 2024 — Cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s – the list of diseases linked to nighttime light exposure is getting longer. Here’s what scientists think is happening and what to do about it.
- New Hemophilia Drug Helps Prevent Bleeding Episodes
October 14, 2024 — The FDA has approved a new preventive treatment for people with certain types of hemophilia that can reduce bleeding episodes, sometimes down to just a few per year.
- IV Fluids in Short Supply as Hurricanes Affect Two Drugmakers
October 10, 2024 — Hurricane Helene damaged the nation’s main plant that makes intravenous fluids nearly 2 weeks ago. Here's what to know.
- Nearly 1 in 3 U.S. Adults May Have Low Iron Levels
September 25, 2024 — Nearly one-third of U.S. adults may have low iron levels that can add to problems ranging from fatigue to heart failure.
- Not Kidding: Dye Found in Doritos May Be Key to Invisibility
September 9, 2024 — A common food dye turned mice see-through, a "stunning" finding that could revolutionize imaging techniques in medicine.
- 2024 Shaping Up as the Hottest Year on Record
September 6, 2024 — The current yearly heat record was set in 2023, when the global average temperature was 14.98 C (58.964 F). Before that, the hottest year was 2016.
- What to Know About Growing Cases of Viruses From Mosquitoes
August 30, 2024 — Most of the 200 types of mosquitoes that reside in the U.S. are relatively harmless. But every few years, there are several types make themselves known in headlines for West Nile virus and other diseases.
- Cases of West Nile Grow as Virus Spreads to 33 States
August 28, 2024 — So far this year, there have been 289 cases of West Nile virus in the U.S., and two-thirds of them have been serious cases with neurological effects like brain swelling or, in rare instances, respiratory paralysis.
- Blistering Days, Warmer Nights Leave Us Hot and Unhealthier
August 19, 2024 — As summer winds down, 2024 has burned through the record books, and our health is worse for it.
- WHO Labels Mpox Outbreak a Global Health Emergency
August 14, 2024 — The World Health Organization has declared that the mpox virus is now a global health emergency due to a worsening outbreak in Congo and other parts of Africa.
- Will Hospital-at-Home Go Mainstream?
July 29, 2024 — The trend of providing acute care in the home is starting to gain traction, but much depends on whether Congress reauthorizes Medicare waivers.
- Massive IT Outage Disrupting Hospital Care
July 19, 2024 — A global IT outage caused by a CrowdStrike software bug disrupted major hospital systems, leading to the cancellation of nonemergency medical procedures and appointments.
- Pack the Bug Spray: Dengue Fever Spikes in Popular Travel Spots
June 26, 2024 — Dengue fever is reaching record levels this year across popular travel destinations worldwide.
- Resurrecting an Old Therapy Against a Growing Antibiotic Crisis
June 20, 2024 — As antibiotic resistance threatens the world with pathogens like the dreadful A. baumannii, phage therapy has seen a relative renaissance, as it was once used a lot in the pre-antibiotic era.
- Word to the Wise: Don’t Drink and Fly
June 17, 2024 — Study findings underscore the risk of drinking during long-term airline flights.
- Your Water Bottle Could Be Germier Than Your Kitchen Sink
May 13, 2024 — Reusable water bottles are a hotbed for bacteria and could house even more germs than your kitchen sink. Here's what to know.
- A 12-Year-Old Is First to Start New Sickle Cell Treatment
May 6, 2024 — He's the first patient outside of a clinical trial to start a new genetic treatment that was shown in clinical trials to cure 88% of people of the hallmark symptoms of sickle cell disease.
- Mpox Cases Up in 2024: Is This Another Surge?
May 1, 2024 — Although nowhere near the tens of thousands of cases seen in a 2022-23 outbreak, Mpox cases are up the first few months of 2024, compared to the same time last year. Here's what to know.
- National Weather Service, CDC Unveil New ‘HeatRisk’ Forecast
April 23, 2024 — The National Weather Service will now issue heat warnings in a new way using a system called HeatRisk. Here's what to know.
- Where Will the Legit Health Info Go If TikTok Goes Dark?
April 23, 2024 — If TikTok goes dark, it could render unavailable the work of those who have made the site a go-to for expert- and user-generated videos on topics that cover the spectrum of consumer health.
- EPA Announces Rules for ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Drinking Water
April 10, 2024 — More than 60,000 utility groups that supply much of the U.S. with its drinking water must ensure it’s free of six synthetic chemicals that the Environmental Protection Agency now says may lead to serious illnesses, such as cancer.
- Have Health Questions? Ask S.A.R.A.H., an AI Health Assistant
April 10, 2024 — S.A.R.A.H., which stands for Smart AI Resource Assistant for Health, uses Open AI’s GPT (generative pretrained transformer) large language model to answer a wide range of health questions.
- U.S. Life Expectancy Increasing, but So Is Child Death Rate
March 21, 2024 — The risk of death due to COVID-19 has declined so much that life expectancy in the U.S. is once again on the rise.
- The Next Gen of Smart Pills Will Transform Personalized Care
March 18, 2024 — From detecting overdoses in real-time to assuring family members that their loved ones are taking their meds, the capabilities of imminent smart pills could be game-changing.
- Do Patients Know When AI Is Assisting in Health Care?
February 27, 2024 — When you message your health care provider about an appointment, a prescription refill, or to answer a question, is artificial intelligence or a person actually answering? In some cases, it’s hard to tell.
- New Technology Emerges to Measure Microplastics in Human Tissue
February 26, 2024 — Researchers examining human placentas for evidence of microplastics found measurable amounts in every single one.
- Your Keyboard May Contain More Bacteria Than Your Toilet Seat
February 13, 2024 — Did you know that your keyboard may contain more bacteria than your toilet seat? Here's what to know about keyboard hygiene in the digital age.
- Nurses Are Most Trusted Professionals, New Poll Says
January 31, 2024 — Nurses are the most trusted professionals in America, new poll results show. For the 22nd year in a row, they are perceived more often as ethical, even compared to doctors, clergy, and pharmacists.
- With Case Count Rising, CDC Issues Nationwide Measles Alert
January 26, 2024 — Nearly two dozen cases of measles have occurred in the U.S. in the past two months. The count has prompted the CDC to issue an alert to health care providers to be on the lookout for people with symptoms such as a rash, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes.
- It’s Time to Change the Way We Think About Hearing
January 24, 2024 — Hearing loss is a cognitive conundrum with significant health consequences.
- Va. Issues Warning for Possible Measles Exposure at D.C. Airports
January 17, 2024 — Virginia health officials say travelers might have been exposed to measles at the two main airports in the Washington, D.C., area earlier this month.
- Eight Examples of Why Tik Tok Is Not Great for Health Tips
January 16, 2024 — There is no shortage of reasons why getting health and life advice from TikTok is a bad idea. Here are eight examples.
- Red Cross Says We’re Facing a Blood Shortage Emergency
January 10, 2024 — The American Red Cross says the country is in an emergency blood shortage and is appealing to people to donate now to improve supplies.
- New Antibiotic Works Against Deadly Bacteria, Researchers Say
January 8, 2024 — Scientists say they’ve developed a new antibiotic that appears to work against a deadly bacteria -- acinetobacter baumannii -- resistant to most drugs.
- Hundreds of Prescription Drugs to See Price Hikes
January 2, 2024 — Drug companies are increasing prices on hundreds of drugs this month as the pharmaceutical industry gears up for the Biden Administration to seek significantly discounted prices for 10 high-cost drugs.
- Quaker Recalls Granola Bars, Cereals Because of Salmonella Risk
December 18, 2023 — The Quaker Oats Company on Friday announced the recall of dozens of granola bars and granola cereals because they have the potential to be contaminated with salmonella.
- Poison Center Calls Spike over Weight-Loss, Diabetes Injections
December 14, 2023 — Injectable medicines for diabetes and weight loss have brought a sharp rise in the number of calls to poison control centers across the country, CNN reports.