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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...

    Unapproved 'Fat-Dissolving' Injections Are Leaving Patients Maimed, FDA Warns

    People are being maimed by unauthorized fat-dissolving injections meant to tighten up double chins and dissipate flab along the arms, thighs and stomach, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns.

    The shots are supposed to break down fat cells and reduce fat deposits in the areas around the injection sites.

    But adverse reactions from the unapproved injections are causing scarring,...

    Scent of a Woman's Tears Could Lower Anger Levels in Men

    A man becoming incredibly uncomfortable when a woman starts crying -- to the point he'll do anything to make her stop -- is a reliable old chestnut in TV and movies.

    But there appears to be a biochemical truth to that cliché, a new study reports.

    Women's tears contain scent-borne chemicals that block aggression in men, according to research published in the journal PLOS Biolo...

    WHO Declares JN.1 a COVID Variant of Interest as It Spreads Widely

    The new COVID variant known as JN.1 was named a "variant of interest" by the World Health Organization on Tuesday, which means health officials are now closely tracking its rapid spread across the globe.

    So far, the highly mutated variant has not been shown to trigger more severe illness than previous incarnations of the coronavirus. Still, it is spreading faster than its ancestor, the BA...

    Cinnamon in Applesauce That Sickened Kids May Have Been Deliberately Tainted With Lead

    Cinnamon used in applesauce pouches that have been tied to high lead levels in kids may have been deliberately tainted with the toxic element, a source at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says.

    "We're still in the midst of our investigation," Jim Jones, the FDA's deputy commissioner for human foods, told Politico. "But so far all of the signals we're getting lead to an inten...

    Hospitals in Ukraine Seeing Surge in Drug-Resistant Infections: CDC

    As the war in the Ukraine rages on, new research shows that hospitals there are waging a battle of their own against a different kind of enemy: antibiotic-resistant "superbugs" that are spreading at an alarming rate.

    In a study published Thursday by the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, researchers from the CDC and Ukraine's health ministry tested 353 Ukrainian patients for ...

    Wildfires Are Undoing Gains Made Against Air Pollution

    Unhealthy air from wildfires is causing hundreds of additional deaths in the western United States every year, a new study claims.

    Wildfires have undercut progress made in cleaning America's air, and between 2000 and 2020 caused an increase of 670 premature deaths each year in the West, researchers report Dec. 4 in The Lancet Planetary Health journal.

    "Our air is supposed t...

    Flu, COVID Cases Climb as RSV Infections Start to Level Off

    MONDAY, Dec. 4, 2023 (Healthday News) -- While flu and COVID cases are now on the rise, RSV infections may soon peak and level off, U.S. health officials report.

    COVID-19 continues to fuel the most hospitalizations and deaths among all respiratory illnesses -- about 15,000 hospitalizations and about 1,000 deaths every week, Dr. M...

    Respiratory Illnesses in China Not Caused by New Virus, CDC Director Testifies

    FRIDAY, Dec. 1, 2023 (Healthday News) -- In testimony provided Thursday to members of Congress, the head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that a surge in respiratory illnesses in China is not being fueled by a new virus.

    Instead, the spike can be linked to existing viruses and bacteria, including COVID-19, the flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and Mycop...

    Bagged, Precut Onions Tied to Salmonella Illnesses in 22 States

    Federal regulators are investigating a salmonella outbreak linked to packaged, diced onions that has sickened at least 73 people across 22 states.

    Fifteen of the illnesses were so bad that people required hospitalization.

    Gills Onions has already issued a recall for the products, which include diced yellow onions, diced onions and celery, diced mirepoix (onions, carrots and celery) ...

    EPA to Ban Carcinogenic Chemical Found in Degreasers, Cleaners

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposes to ban a cancer-causing chemical commonly used as a furniture cleaner and degreaser.

    The ban would prohibit most uses of trichloroethylene (TCE) within one year. Limited remaining commercial and industrial uses would be phased out over a longer period and would require stringent worker protections.

    "Today, EPA is taking a vital...

    Homeless Americans Face 16 Times the Odds for Sudden Death

    Life on the streets can be deadly, with homeless Americans 16 times more likely to die suddenly than their peers, a new study says.

    "Homeless individuals die young, at a mean age of 50 years,"said study co-author Dr. Zian Tseng, a cardiologist and professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)....