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Fluoride May Be Linked to Decreased IQ, Says

Fluoride exposure appears to slightly decrease IQ scores in children, a new federal meta-analysis has concluded -- but not at the low levels recommended for U.S. drinking water.

Fluoride in drinking water was associated with reduced IQ scores at levels of less than 4 milligrams per liter, but not at less tha...

DoxyPEP Lowers Rate of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), Data Suggests

Worried about the risky sex you had last night?

Using a common antibiotic following sex can dramatically reduce a person’s risk of some sexually transmitted infections (STIs), a new study says.

Taking doxycycline within 72 hours after sex...

Caregivers Face Mental, Physical Health Risks

More and more adults are stuck in the middle of their families, caring not only for their children but also for aging parents and other older family members.

The mental and physical health of these “sandwich carers” is more likely to deteriorate over time, a new study published in the jo...

U.S. Whooping Cough Cases Surge

Rates of whooping cough in the U.S. continue to climb, according to data from the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Over 32,000 cases reported have been reported as of mid-December -- about six times more than there were at this time last year, and more than there have been since 2014, according to CNN.

Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a very contagious respiratory il...

More Activity, Less Risk: Tell Your MD How Much You Move

It’s not fun for folks to admit to their doctor that they’re a couch potato.

But such a frank talk could help protect against chronic disease, a new study says.

People with the highest levels of physical activity have a lower risk of 19 different chronic health problems, researchers reported recently in the journal

  • Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
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  • January 3, 2025
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  • Trees and Student Test Scores: What's the Link?

    Tree-lined streets and lush public parks appear to provide city schoolkids a brain boost.

    Chicago students’ test scores suffered when an invasive insect wiped out half the city’s ash trees, researchers reported in the journal Global...

    The Number of Homeless People in the U.S. Has Increased

    The number of homeless individuals in the U.S. increased by 18% between January 2023 and January 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

    The HUD's 2024 Annual Homelessness Assessment found that some 770,000 people were experiencing homelessness on a single night in January 2024, a signif...

    Singapore Is Ready for a Rapidly Aging Society, Study Says. What About the U.S.?

    The United States is lagging behind dozens of nations in its preparation for dealing with its aging population.

    The U.S. ranks 24 among 143 countries when it comes to ensuring seniors’ well-being, productivity and security, according to results published Dec. 27 in the journal Nature Aging

    Flu Cases Start to Surge as Americans Prepare for Holiday Gatherings

    Predictably, flu season is in full swing, with cases surging across the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed Friday in a report.

    Thirteen states, including Tennessee and Louisiana, report high or very high levels of flu-like illness, double the number from t...

    Denser Urban Neighborhoods Get People Walking

    Does a crowded neighborhood make you move more?

    Yes, says new research that found people who live in highly populated areas walk more than people who live in less densely populated areas.  

    Since more walking is connected to better health, generally speaking, the ex...

    Wildfire Smoke Is Choking America's Cities -- Is Yours on the List?

    Heavy smoke from wildfires more frequently chokes the skies over the Western United States, but cities farther to the east are no longer being spared, new research shows.

    Canada’s unusually intense 2023 wildfire season smothered American cities as far off as Baltimore and New York City, according to research...

    Trump Picks Vaccine Skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to Lead Health & Human Services

    In a move guaranteed to alarm many, President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vocal opponent of vaccines and other tenets of mainstream health care, to head the massive U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

    The department encompasses numerous key agencies, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Food and Drug Administrat...

    1 in 14 U.S. Hospital Patients Fall Victim to Harmful Diagnostic Errors

    One in 14 hospital patients may be the victim of damaging diagnostic mistakes, new research suggests.

    The finding is from a study of 675 patients admitted to one large hospital in Boston at various periods between July 2019 and September 2021. The patients were randomly selected from more than 9,000 hospitalized during that time.

    "The majority of [the diagnostic errors] were prevent...

    Black, Hispanic Doctors See Much Larger Proportion of Medicaid Patients

    Latino and Black family doctors are more likely to hang their shingle in their old neighborhood and care for the less fortunate, researchers report.

    The new findings, which also showed these doctors were more likely to take on Medicaid patients than white or Asian doctors, support previous studies that show minority doctors are more likely to return to communities of color and set up a pr...

    New Data Supports Animal Market Origins for COVID Pandemic

    The Hunan Seafood Wholesale wet market in Wuhan, China, has long been considered the most likely source of the coronavirus that caused the COVID-19 pandemic.

    That theory is now supported by a new study analyzing more than 800 samples collected in and around the market in January 2020 as the pandemic ...

    Heat-Related Deaths Keep Rising for Americans

    Reversing a prior downward trend, searing summers have caused a sharp uptick in the numbers of Americans who die from heat-related causes, new data shows.

    A look at U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention deaths data for 1999 through 2023 showed a slight but steady decline in such deaths until 2016.

    After that point, heat-related dates began to rise sharply through 2023.

    ...

    Botanicals Like Turmeric, Green Tea Are Harming Americans' Livers

    Botanicals like turmeric, green tea and black cohosh may seem benign, but their overuse is being increasingly linked to liver injury.

    New research suggests that 7% of U.S. adults are using at least one of the six leading botanicals, the equivalent of 15.6 million people.

    Many are ending up in hospitals for liver toxicity, researchers report.

    Because there's almost no regulat...

    Worried About Bird Flu or Salmonella? Your Cooking Thermometer Could Be Life Saver

    Folks worried about bird flu, salmonella and other foodborne illnesses have a simple solution at hand – simply use a cooking thermometer to make sure food is well-cooked.

    But only about 1 in 4 Americans (27%) use one either “often” or “all the time” to check whether meat, poultry or fish has reached a temperature that makes it safe to eat, a new health surve...

    Background Checks Not Enough to Lower Gun Homicide Rates: Study

    Background checks alone might not be enough to reduce shooting deaths in the United States, a new study warns.

    States that require gun permits, rather than relying solely on universal background checks, have firearm murder rates that are 18% lower, on average, researchers reported Aug. 1 in the journal

  • Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
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  • August 2, 2024
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  • Case of Human Plague Confirmed in Colorado

    Colorado health officials on Tuesday confirmed a case of human plague in that state.

    The infection -- which occurred in Pueblo County, in the southern part of the state -- was first reported Friday based on preliminary test results, while the sou...

    1 in 4 U.S. Yards May Have Unsafe Levels of Lead

    The yards of 1 in every 4 U.S. households have soil lead levels that exceed new federal lead screening levels of 200 parts per million (ppm), a new study finds.

    "I was shocked at how many households were above the new 200 ppm guideline,"said Gabriel Filippelli, a biochemist at Indiana University who l...

    Stay Cool & Safe: Tips as Heat Wave Pummels U.S.

    A record-breaking heat wave is spreading across the United States, baking the Northeast and Midwest with high temperatures and sweltering humidity.

    Everyone is at risk for heat-related illness as body temperatures rise, experts warn.

    Heat stroke, heat exhaustion and heat cramps can fell any...

    Most Americans Believe Pandemic Policies Were Good Idea: Poll

    Despite all the grumbling at the time, most Americans now look back upon pandemic-era policies as a good idea, a new poll shows.

    A majority of Americans see four key pandemic policies as "generally a good idea"in retrospect:

    • Mask requirements in stores and businesses (70%)

    • Healthcare worker vaccination requirements (65%)

    • Indoor dining closures (...

    People Sickened in 4 States After Eating Diamond Shruumz Microdosing Chocolate Bars

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning Americans to avoid Diamond Shruumz-brand Microdosing Chocolate Bars, after numerous people have been made sick after consuming them.

    Eight severe illnesses related to the edibles have been reported as of Friday in Arizona (four cases), Indiana (two cases), Nevada and Pennsylvania (one case each).

    "All eight people have reported seekin...

    Bird Flu Found in Beef Tissue; Officials Say It Did Not Enter Food Supply

    TUESDAY, May 28 -- Bird flu virus has been detected in beef tissue from a sick dairy cow, but U.S. health officials stressed the country's meat supply remains safe.

    In an update issued Friday, the U.S. Department of Agricultu...

    USDA Testing Beef Amid Bird Flu Outbreak in Dairy Cows

    As bird flu continues to spread among dairy cows, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Monday it is now testing ground beef for any presence of the virus.

    The agency said it is sampling ground beef bought in grocery stores in states where dairy cattle have tested positive for the virus, also known as H5N1, CNN reported. Officials are also testing samples of muscle tissue from ...

    FDA Says First Round of Tests Show No Live Virus in Pasteurized Milk

    Live bird flu virus has not been found in any of the first batch of retail milk samples tested, federal health officials said Friday.

    Amid an ongoing outbreak of bird flu in U.S. dairy cows, the early findings should reassure the public that the milk sold in stores remains safe, officials added.

    In the

  • Robin Foster HealthDay Reporter
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  • April 29, 2024
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  • TikTok Riddled With Misleading Info on Health: Study

    Young people researching health topics on TikTok will find an alarming amount of misinformation on the platform, a new study says.

    About 44% of TikTok videos related to sinusitis contained non-factual information, researchers reported recently in the journal

  • Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
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  • April 25, 2024
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  • Watchdog Group Says U.S. Food Recalls Rose Again Last Year

    U.S. recalls of foods for salmonella, foreign objects or undeclared allergens are rampant nowadays and the highest they've been since 2020, a watchdog group warns.

    "Everyone needs to do better: food producers, regulators and lawmakers,"said Teresa Murray, consumer watchdog at U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG). "We shouldn't ha...

    Check Your Fridge for Trader Joe's Fresh Basil, Linked to Salmonella

    Fresh organic basil tainted with salmonella and sold by Trader Joe's in 29 states has sickened at least 12 people, according to an alert issued Wednesday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    One person was so ill that hospitalization was required.

    "Throw away any Infinite Herbs organic basil pur...

    Largest U.S. Egg Producer Says Bird Flu Detected in Chickens at Texas Plant

    A Texas plant full of egg-laying hens has been shut down temporarily after bird flu was detected in the animals.

    Cal-Maine Foods, the largest egg producer in the country, said in a news release issued Tuesday that it had to subsequently cull about 1.6 million hens and 337,000 pullets (young hens) at the plant.

    One-Third of Americans Don't Know Vision Risks From Solar Eclipse, Survey Finds

    A total eclipse of the sun is coming up next week, and many folks don't know that watching it unprotected can cause permanent eye damage, a new survey finds.

    Nearly 30% of Americans don't know that looking directly into a solar eclipse without proper eye protection can cause permanent distortions or blind spots in their vision, the researchers found.

    "The survey results highlight th...

    CDC Warns of Spike in Bacterial Illness That Can Cause Meningitis

    There has been a troubling rise in cases of a rare bacterial illness that can cause meningitis, U.S. health officials warned Thursday.

    In an alert issued to doctors, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there were 422 cases of one type ...

    U.S. TB Cases Reach Highest Level in a Decade

    Tuberculosis cases are on the rise in the United States, with the number of reported infections in 2023 the highest seen in a decade.

    Forty states logged an increase in tuberculosis (TB) cases, and rates were up among all age groups, the study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found. More than 9,600 cases were reported, a 16% increase from 2022 and the highest ...

    Puerto Rico Declares Dengue Epidemic as Cases Climb

    Puerto Rico has declared a dengue epidemic following a surge in cases of the mosquito-borne disease in the U.S. territory.

    In total, there have been 549 cases, including 341 hospitalizations and 29 severe cases, reported since the start of the year, the most recent data from the Puerto Rico Department shows. Cases are concentrated in the cities of San Juan, Bayamon, Guaynabo and Carolina,...

    Bird Flu Found in Dairy Cows in Texas, Kansas and New Mexico

    Milk from dairy cows in Texas, Kansas and New Mexico has tested positive for the presence of bird flu, U.S. officials say.

    In a news release issued Monday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirmed the virus is the Type A H5N1 strain, known to cause outbreaks in birds and to sometime...

    U.S. Life Expectancy Rose Overall, But Overdose Deaths Still Set Records

    As the pandemic wound down, life expectancy in the United States began to bounce back in 2022, although deaths among children increased and drug overdose deaths continued to reach record highs, new government research shows.

    Final data for 2022 was published Thursday by the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention....

    Johnsonville Sausages Recalled Due to Rubber Pieces

    Be sure to check your fridge for any Johnsonville turkey kielbasa sausage -- over 35,000 pounds of the product is under recall due to some customers finding "pieces of rubber" in the packaged meat.

    Denmark, Wisc.-based Salm Partners, which makes the sausage, said the products under recall were made Oct 30 and 31 and shipped to retailers nationwide.

    They carry labels reading Johnso...

    Free COVID Test Orders to End on March 8

    Americans will not be able to order free at-home COVID tests after Friday, U.S. health officials announced Tuesday.

    Households across the country have been able to order four free rapid antigen tests through COVID.gov. since November. All orders placed on or before Friday 

  • Robin Foster HealthDay Reporter
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  • March 6, 2024
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  • EPA Will Spend $5.8 Billion to Help Clean Up U.S. Drinking Water

    Nearly $6 billion in funding will soon be spread through every U.S. state and territory as part of a massive, ongoing effort to clean up the nation's water supply, the Biden Administration announced Tuesday.

    EPA Adminstrator Michael Regan and Vice Preside...

    E. Coli Outbreak Tied to Raw Milk Cheese

    Raw milk cheese tainted with E. coli bacteria has sickened 10 people in four states, hospitalizing four, federal regulators warn.

    The cases have been tied to Raw Farm brand raw cheddar cheese, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a food safety alert.

    Six of the patients remembered which ty...

    Oregon Man Struck by Bubonic  Plague Likely Got It From Pet Cat

    An Oregonian who was diagnosed with the bubonic plague -- the disease that killed millions of Europeans in the Middle Ages -- probably got it from an infected pet cat, health officials said.

    The patient and all close contacts have been provided medication, officials in Deschutes County, Ore., stated in a

  • Carole Tanzer Miller HealthDay Reporter
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  • February 14, 2024
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  • Man Dies in First Fatal Case of Alaskapox

    Alaska health officials say a man in that state has died after contracting Alaskapox, a rare virus that mostly infects small mammals.

    In a statement, the Alaska Section of Epidemiology said the patient was "an elderly man from the Kenai Peninsula with a history of drug-induced immunosuppression" due to cancer treatments.

    ...

    CDC May Consider Loosening COVID Isolation Guidance

    New, proposed guidance being weighed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that Americans who test positive for COVID-19 no longer need to routinely stay home for five days.

    This is the first time the agency has even considered loosening its COVID isolation guidelines since 2021, and the thinking behind the possible shif...

    Dr. Anthony Fauci to Publish Memoir 'On Call' in June

    Dr. Anthony Fauci, who helped Americans navigate the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the COVID-19 pandemic, will reflect on his career in a memoir set for release this summer.

    His publisher, Viking, announced that the book, titled "On Call: A Doctor's Journey in Public Service,"will go on sale June 18.

    "I hope that this memoir will serve ...

    FDA Warns of Dangerous Counterfeit Eyedrops

    Certain copycat eyedrops may be contaminated and could give users an antibiotic-resistant eye infection, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned Wednesday.

    The packaging for South Moon, Rebright and FivFivGo eyedrops mirrors the packaging for Bausch & Lomb's Lumify eyedrops, an over-the-counter product approved for red eye relief.

    However, samples of the knockoff South Moon...

    Seniors Who Smoke Weed & Drive Are Road Hazards: Study

    Many studies have found that getting high on weed and then getting behind the wheel is dangerous for young drivers, and now new research finds it's no different for seniors.

    In a driving-simulator experiment, seniors who were long-term marijuana smokers were weaving in and out of their lanes 30 minutes after getting high, Canadian researchers report.

    The effect was not seen when the...

    Quaker Oats Widens Recall of Granola Bars, Cereals Linked to Salmonella Risk

    The Quaker Oats Co has widened a recall of granola bars and cereals that was first announced in December, adding more products that may potentially be contaminated with salmonella.

    The products were sold in all U.S. states and territories, with a full list of recalled products listed on the company's updated statement.

    While salmonella ...

    As Blizzards Bear Down, Stay Safe From Carbon Monoxide Dangers

    With blizzards and possible power outages threatening much of America this week, some dangers might not be immediately obvious: carbon monoxide poisoning, fires and electric shock.

    "I urge consumers to follow CPSC's safety tips to prepare ahead of storms to prevent loss of life in a storm's aftermath," said Alex Hoeh...

    FDA Warns of Counterfeit Ozempic

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has uncovered counterfeit Ozempic shots in the legitimate U.S. drug supply chain, and is warning patients to be on their guard.

    The FDA said Thursday that it has seized thousands of counterfeit dos...