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Latest Health Headlines

January 11

Maintaining good balance is crucial as you age. Asking these questions can help

To age well, geriatricians say one underappreciated key is maintaining good balance
January 11
FILE - A couple walk on a sidewalk in Santiago, Chile, Wednesday on May 3, 2017. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix, File)
January 10

How a week of weather extremes upended the lives of millions of Americans

The week began with a biting cold snap that hammered much of the U.S., the product of a jet stream that slips out of its usual path more often these days
January 10
FILE - Fire crews battle the Eaton Fire as it impacts a structure Jan. 9, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer, File)
January 10

Health care AI, intended to save money, turns out to require expensive humans

Artificial intelligence systems require consistent monitoring, experts say.
January 10
January 10

It's sick season. Here's how to protect yourself from norovirus, COVID, flu and RSV

In the winter months, it seems few are safe from some kind of illness — flu, COVID-19, norovirus, colds
January 10
FILE - A child washes her hands at a day care center in Connecticut on Thursday Aug. 27, 2020. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)
January 10

DC sues federal government over pollution in Anacostia River

The District of Columbia is suing the federal government over pollution in the Anacostia River, hoping it will lead to a cleanup of the urban waterway
January 10
FILE - A bicyclist rides along a shoreline paved trail on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023, at Anacostia Park in Washington. (AP Photo/Tom Brenner, File)
January 10

What the end of Meta's fact-checking could mean for health, medical misinformation

Meta said it's moving towards community notes to moderate content.
January 10
The Meta (formerly Facebook) logo marks the entrance of their corporate headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif., Nov. 9, 2022.
January 10

California wildfires can take heavy mental health toll on residents, firefighters

Wildfires can lead to increased rates of anxiety, depression and PTSD.
January 10
Fire crews battle the Kenneth Fire in the West Hills section of Los Angeles, Jan. 9, 2025.
January 09
AP Illustration / Annie Ng
January 09

USTR warns of risks from online pharmacies in its 'notorious markets' report

An annual U.S. government report on “notorious markets” known for counterfeiting and other violations of intellectual property says that nearly all 35,000 online pharmacies around the world are being run illegally
January 09
FILE - Workers prepare to destroy over 50 tons of confiscated fake medicine during a campaign to mark World Consumer Rights Day in Beijing, Thursday March 15, 2012. (AP Photo/File)
January 08

Doctor discusses how hospitals are responding to devastating wildfires

ABC News’ Linsey Davis speaks to Dr. Peggy Tseng about treating additional patients, amid what is already the busiest time of the year for hospitals, due to six wildfires in the County of Los Angeles.
January 08
Doctor discusses how hospitals are responding to devastating wildfires
January 08

Morning coffee habit may lead to longer life: Study

The report, published in the European Heart Journal, analyzed health data from more than 40,000 U.S. adults.
January 08
The report, published in the European Heart Journal, analyzed health data from more than 40,000 U.S. adults
January 08

Drinking coffee only at this time may lower your risk of early death, study suggests

Morning coffee drinkers had lower risk of early death compared to non-drinkers.
January 08
January 08

What health experts believe will happen with bird flu in 2025

So far, there have been 66 human cases of bird flu reported in 10 states.
January 08
Herd of cows eating hay in a dairy farm.
January 07

What health experts believe could happen with bird flu in 2025

The CDC said the risk of bird flu to the general public is low, but public health experts say they are worried the virus could mutate and become more transmissible.
January 07
The CDC said the risk of bird flu to the general public is low, but public health experts say they are worried the virus could mutate and become more transmissible.
January 07

Study on fluoride and kids’ IQ levels raises concerns overseas

Medical experts warn that the study’s results shouldn’t be a major concern for parents in the U.S.
January 07
Medical experts warn that the study’s results shouldn’t be a major concern for parents in the U.S.
January 06

1st human bird flu death in US reported

The patient was over age 65 and had underlying medical conditions.
January 06
An H5N1 avian influenza virus molecule.
January 06

China is seeing a rise in HMPV cases. Here's what you need to know

HMPV commonly circulates during respiratory virus season, experts say.
January 06
Stock photo.
January 06

Health insurers limit coverage of prosthetic limbs, questioning medical necessity

Advocates say it is discrimination and are arguing for "insurance fairness."
January 06
Michael Adams, shown here skiing in Colorado with his wife, Liza, was told by his insurer that the replacement prosthetic leg his doctor prescribed wasn't medically necessary.
January 06

1st bird flu death in the US reported in Louisiana

The Louisiana Department of Health confirmed the first human bird flu death in the United States on Monday.
January 06
VIDEO: 1st bird flu death in the US reported in Louisiana
January 06

Easy tips to start meditating in 2025

Peloton instructor Chelsea Jackson Roberts on how to be healthier, both mentally and physically, in 2025.
January 06
VIDEO: Easy tips to start meditating in 2025
January 06

Fewer than 1 in 1,000 US adolescents receive gender-affirming medications, researchers find

Fewer than 1 in 1,000 U.S. adolescents with commercial insurance received gender-affirming medications during a recent five-year period
January 06
FILE - A vial of testosterone is prepared for injection at a home in Florida, on May 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Laura Bargfeld)
January 05

Indonesia launches free meal program to combat kids, pregnant women malnutrition

Indonesia’s new government has begun an ambitious project to fight malnutrition by feeding nearly 90 million children and pregnant women that is expected to cost $28 billion through 2029, although critics question whether the program is affordable
January 05
Members of school committee distribute meals to students during the kick off of President Prabowo Subianto's ambitious free meal program to feed children and pregnant women nationwide despite critics saying that its required logistics could hurt Indonesia's state finances and economy, at an elementary school in Depok, West Java, Indonesia, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)
January 05

Processing trauma in the wake of an attack

Trauma psychologist Suzana Flores joins ABC News Live to discuss how to process trauma after the New Orleans attack.
January 05
VIDEO: Processing trauma in the wake of an attack
January 04

U.S. Surgeon General sounds alarm about link between alcohol and cancer

Chief medical officer of Dry January USA Dr. Michael Caldwell discusses tips and tricks to participating in a successful Dry January.
January 04
U.S. Surgeon General sounds alarm about link between alcohol and cancer
January 04

Take these steps to protect yourself from winter weather dangers

Winter weather brings various hazards that people have to contend with to keep warm and safe
January 04
Damage from a storm through that rolled through the night before is seen at the heart of downtown on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, in Athens, Ala. (AP Photo/Lance George)
January 04

For Many Rural Women, Finding Maternity Care Eclipses Concerns About Abortion Access

This is a MedPage Today story. In what has become a routine event in rural America, a hospital maternity ward closed in 2023 in this small Oregon town about an hour from the Idaho border. For Shyanne McCoy, 23, that meant the closest hospital with an obstetrician on staff when she was pregnant was a 45-mile drive away over a mountain pass. When McCoy developed symptoms of preeclampsia last January, she felt she had the best chance of getting the care she needed at a larger hospital in Boise, Idaho, 2 hours away. She spent the final week of her pregnancy there, too far from home to risk leaving, before giving birth to her daughter. Six months later, she said it seems clear to her that the healthcare needs of rural young women like her are largely ignored. For McCoy and others, figuring out how to obtain adequate care to safely have a baby in Baker City has quickly eclipsed concerns about another medical service lacking in the area: abortion. But in Oregon and elsewhere in the...
January 04
January 03

US Surgeon General on proposed label to warn of health risks involving alcohol

ABC News’ Phil Lipof speaks with the U.S. surgeon general about the health risks connecting alcohol and cancer as well as possible warnings on alcohol labels that may be put in place.
January 03
US Surgeon General on proposed label to warn of health risks involving alcohol
January 03

By The Numbers: Drinking less?

A look at the numbers behind alcohol consumption across all ages, as “dry January” trends kick in for the start of the new year.
January 03
By The Numbers: Drinking less?
January 03

Sick season is in full force. What the latest CDC figures show

Flu is taking off in the U.S., with 40 states reporting high or very high levels of flu-like illness last week
January 03
FILE - A flu vaccine is displayed at a pharmacy in New York, on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Mary Conlon, File)
January 03

Link between alcohol and cancer: Surgeon general

ABC News contributor Dr. Alok Patel explains the advisory warning of a link between alcohol consumption and cancer risk.
January 03
VIDEO:
January 03

Alcohol consumption linked to cancer risk, warns surgeon general

Alcohol consumption is a leading preventable cause of cancer in the U.S.
January 03
Stock photo.
January 02

5 things we know and still don't know about COVID, 5 years after it appeared

Five years after the virus that causes COVID emerged in China it still holds some mysteries
January 02
FILE - People attend an exhibition on the city's fight against the coronavirus in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province, Jan. 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)
January 01

Psychedelic therapy begins in Colorado, causing tension between conservatives and veterans

Colorado becomes the second state to allow psychedelic therapy this week after two years of rulemaking
January 01
Lane Belone poses with Pikes Peak in the background on an overlook in Palmer Park, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024, in Colorado Springs, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
December 31

IV fluid shortage likely to extend into early 2025

This is a MedPage Today story. In late September, Hurricane Helene damaged a major supplier of intravenous (IV) fluids. In this report, we follow up on what has happened since. Hurricane Helene brought unprecedented and catastrophic flooding to western North Carolina, damaging a Baxter manufacturing site that was a major supplier of IV fluids. Hospitals across the country continue to grapple with the ensuing shortage of critical supplies. Baxter's North Cove, North Carolina, facility provided about 60% of the IV solutions used across the U.S. as well as several other fluids vital to patient care, noted Nancy Foster, vice president of quality and safety policy at the American Hospital Association (AHA). "While remarkable progress has been made in reactivating Baxter's plant operations, hospitals are still receiving less than their normal required amounts of these fluids." While the impact of the supply shortage varies across the country, "and the significance of the impact on a...
December 31
December 29

How to avoid a hangover on New Years Eve

ABC News' Dr. Neil C. Bhavsar joins Live to give tips on how to prevent a New Years Eve hangover.
December 29
VIDEO: How to avoid a hangover on New Years Eve
December 28

Benefits of taking a digital detox

Dr. Alok Patel discusses the benefits of taking a digital detox, including boosting your attention span, bettering your mental health and strengthening your relationships.
December 28
VIDEO: Benefits of taking a digital detox
December 27

New bird flu warning for pet owners

Health officials are warning pet owners not to give their cats raw food after a house cat in Oregon died of bird flu.
December 27
Health officials are warning pet owners not to give their cats raw food after a house cat in Oregon died of bird flu.