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Latest Health Headlines

2 hours ago

Frontline health care workers reflect on COVID 5 years after WHO declared pandemic

Health care workers recall how they were learning new information every day.
2 hours ago
A patient is taken from an ambulance to the emergency room of a hospital in the Navajo Nation town of Tuba City during the 57-hour curfew, imposed to try to stop the spread of the Covid-19 virus through the Navajo Nation, in Arizona, May 24, 2020.
March 14

Texas measles outbreak hits 259; just 2 cases among fully vaccinated

Health officials said they expect more cases to be confirmed in the future.
March 14
Signs point the way to measles testing in the parking lot of the Seminole Hospital District across from Wigwam Stadium, on Feb. 27, 2025, in Seminole, Texas.
March 14

Former CDC director argues for stronger guidance on infant measles vaccine dose

Dr. Rochelle Walensky called for wider guidance in a new opinion paper.
March 14
A vial of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is on display at the Lubbock Health Department, on Feb. 26, 2025, in Lubbock, Texas.
March 14

Debunking RFK Jr.'s measles claims

RFK Jr. has claimed measles can be treated with vitamin A and that severe infection is linked to poor diet. But many experts who spoke with ABC News disagreed.
March 14
Debunking RFK Jr.'s measles claims
March 14

RFK Jr. has made several claims about measles. Here's what the science says

Measles cases are rising in the U.S. as outbreaks grow in Texas and New Mexico.
March 14
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testifies before a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, January 30, 2025.
March 14

Dr. Mehmet Oz heads to the Senate with pitch to oversee America's health insurance programs

Dr. Mehmet Oz, President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, will testify before the Senate Finance Committee on Friday morning
March 14
Dr. Mehmet Oz, President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, testifies at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
March 13

Expert advice to improve your sleep

Behavioral sleep medicine specialist Jade Wu discusses some potentially surprising ways we can improve our sleep.
March 13
VIDEO: Expert advice to improve your sleep
March 13

Europe saw highest number of measles cases last year in more than 25 years, WHO says

There were an estimated 127,350 measles cases in the Europe region last year.
March 13
The logo of the WHO is seen on panel in front of the headquarters of the World Health Organization (WHO) on January 23, 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland.
March 13

US aid cuts are hurting Africa's ability to respond to disease outbreaks, health chief says

Aid cuts by the United States are hurting Africa’s capacity to respond to disease outbreaks, the head of the continent's public health agency said ahead of a meeting with regional health ministers to discuss other financing options
March 13
Mpox scars are seen on the hands of Bintu Biringingwa, at the Miti Murhesa hospital, some 25kms from Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Thursday, March 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Janvier Barhahiga)
March 13

'We will just die in silence': US aid cuts hit Ethiopia's fragile Tigray region

Aid agencies distributing U.S. food aid in Ethiopia's war-affected Tigray region say they have had to stop feeding millions of people because of the Trump administration's restrictions on foreign aid
March 13
A sign reading 'USAID' stands at the entrance of the Sebacare internally displaced persons (IDPs) camp, on the outskirts of Mekele, Tigray region, Ethiopia, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Alexander Mamo)
March 12

Alzheimer's Association pairs up with New Mexico in US pilot program to raise awareness

New Mexico has paired up with the Alzheimer’s Association in a pilot U.S. initiative aimed at raising awareness about a disease that affects several million people in the country
March 12
A billboard flashes a message as part of a new statewide Alzheimer's awareness campaign that includes digital advertisements around in Albuquerque, N.M., Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan)
March 12

CDC nominee Dave Weldon is likely to be pressed on his vaccine views at Senate hearing

President Trump's nominee to head the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is getting ready to appear before Congress
March 12
FILE - Former Congressman Dr. David Weldon speaks in The Villages, Fla., on May 31, 2012. (AP Photo/Brendan Farrington, File)
March 12

What are ultraprocessed foods? Are they bad for you?

The Trump Administration's quest to “Make America Health Again” is targeting ultraprocessed foods
March 12
FILE - A woman looks at products in the aisle of a store as her daughter naps in the shopping cart in Waco, Texas, on Dec. 14, 2010. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)
March 11

By The Numbers: What the COVID pandemic has brought over 5 years

A look at the numbers since Covid was announced as a global pandemic five years ago today, and how low vaccination rates still fuel serious infections and illnesses.
March 11
VIDEO: By The Numbers: What the COVID pandemic has brought over 5 years
March 11

Authorities confirm a meningitis outbreak in the northwest has killed 26 people

Nigerian authorities confirm a meningitis outbreak in the northwest has killed 26 people since January
March 11
March 11

5 years ago, the WHO declared COVID a pandemic

It's been five years since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 to be a pandemic.
March 11
VIDEO: 5 years ago, the WHO declared COVID a pandemic
March 11

223 measles cases confirmed in Texas as outbreak grows

The Texas Department of State Health Services published new data on Tuesday.
March 11
Ethan Turner holds his 14 month old son, Niko, while he gets the MMR vaccine from Raynard Covarrubio at a vaccine clinic put on by Lubbock Public Health Department on March 1, 2025 in Lubbock, Texas.
March 11

COVID 5 years later: Here are the questions that remains unanswered

The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak to be a pandemic on March 11, 2020.
March 11
The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak to be a pandemic on March 11, 2020.
March 11

COVID by the numbers: 5 years after WHO declared the disease a global pandemic

About 1.22 million people have died of COVID in the U.S., CDC data shows.
March 11
People visit the 'In America: Remember' public art installation near the Washington Monument on the National Mall, Sept. 20, 2021 in Washington, DC.
March 11

What we still don't know about COVID 5 years after the WHO declared a pandemic

Questions remain over where COVID came from and how long it spread undetected.
March 11
Health care workers administer a COVID-19 test to patients at a drive-in center at ProHealth Care, Mar. 18, 2020 in Jericho, New York.
March 11

Majority of the world's population breathes dirty air, report says

Most of the world has dirty air, with just 17% of global cities meeting WHO air pollution guidelines, a report Tuesday found
March 11
FILE - A man jogs in the early morning smog in New Delhi, Nov. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup, File)
March 10

Utah will be the first state to ban fluoride in drinking water

Utah's governor intends to sign legislation making the state the first to ban fluoride in public water systems
March 10
FILE - A student drinks from a water fountain at an elementary school in California, Sept. 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)
March 10

Court upholds murder conviction in Fitbit murder case despite missteps by prosecutor

The Connecticut Supreme Court has upheld the murder conviction of a man found guilty of killing his wife in 2015, in a case that drew widespread attention because of evidence from the victim's Fitbit exercise activity tracker
March 10
FILE — Richard Dabate, of Ellington, appears at his pre-trial hearing at Rockville Superior Court, May 26, 2017, in Vernon, Conn. (Brad Horrigan/Hartford Courant via AP, Pool, File)
March 10

CDC to study vaccines and autism, despite several studies already finding no link

Vaccine expert Dr. Paul Offit criticizes the decision as something coming from a “science resistant” Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
March 10
VIDEO: CDC to study vaccines and autism, despite several studies already finding no link
March 10

Supreme Court to take up bans on conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ kids, in Colorado case

The Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether state and local governments can enforce laws banning conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ children, in a Colorado case
March 10
FILE - The Supreme Court in Washington, June 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
March 09

Some synthetic braiding hair contains harmful chemicals, study says

According to a study by Consumer Reports, there are multiple chemicals found in some synthetic braiding hair, and heating the hair may release what are known as volatile organic compounds.
March 09
VIDEO: Some synthetic braiding hair contains harmful chemicals, study finds
March 09

Oura smart ring flags concerning health data

Nikki Gooding seeks out medical treatment after her Oura smart ring flagged concerning health information.
March 09
Oura smart ring flags concerning health data
March 08

Should we still be 'springing' forward?

Dr. Sudha Tallavajhula, the medical director of the TIRR Memorial Hermann neurological sleep medicine center, discusses the impact that daylight saving time has on our health.
March 08
VIDEO: Should we still be 'springing' forward?
March 08

Activists open abortion center in front of Polish parliament on Women's Day

Polish abortion rights activists have opened a center across from the parliament building in Warsaw where women can have abortions with pills, either alone or with other women
March 08
March 08

When should you eat? Before, after — or even while — exercising?

If you’re about to go to the gym, should you eat something beforehand
March 08
FILE - A man jogs through a park in Montreal, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP, File)
March 08

CDC to study vaccines and autism, despite several studies already finding no link

"The American people expect high quality research and transparency."
March 08
FILE - A sign marks the entrance to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, on Oct. 8, 2013. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)
March 08

MRNA vaccines now face attacks from some in the GOP

MRNA technology is facing growing doubts among Republicans.
March 08
President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Mar. 6, 2025.
March 07

NIH terminating active research grants related to LGBTQ+, DEI studies

At least 24 termination letters have been sent out, according to one official.
March 07
The patient's entrance at the National Institutes of Health is shown in Bethesda, Md., Oct. 16, 2014.
March 07

39 new measles cases reported in Texas as outbreak grows to 198: Officials

Most cases are in unvaccinated people or those with unknown status.
March 07
One year-old River Jacobs is held by his mother, Caitlin Fuller, while he receives an MMR vaccine from Raynard Covarrubio, at a vaccine clinic put on by Lubbock Public Health Department on March 1, 2025 in Lubbock, Texas.
March 07

How couples reacted to having babies swapped due to IVF mixups

Women from different coasts discuss how clinics gave them the wrong embryos.
March 07
Krystena Murray is shown during an interview with ABC's JuJu Chang.
March 07

Gene Hackman died of heart disease, his wife died of hantavirus about 1 week prior, authorities say

Authorities have revealed that actor Gene Hackman died of heart disease and showed severe signs of Alzheimer’s disease a full week after his wife died of hantavirus in their home
March 07
FILE - Gene Hackman, right, and long-time friend Daniel Lenihan, discuss their new book, "Wake of the Perdido Star," on Nov. 19, 1999, in Cloudclift Bakery, the cafe where they first dreamed up their adventure story, in Santa Fe, N.M. (AP Photo/Sarah Martone, File)
March 06

Vitamin A, While Helpful for Measles, Is Not a Replacement for Vaccination

This is a MedPage Today story. Both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend vitamin A for all patients with measles -- not just severe cases -- but experts warn that this shouldn't be seen as a replacement for vaccination. In a recent opinion piece for Fox News, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wrote that studies support the administration of vitamin A "under the supervision of a physician for those with mild, moderate, and severe infection" and that it can reduce mortality from the disease. He also indicated that the CDC had recently broadened its recommendation to use vitamin A in all measles cases, not just severe disease. While Kennedy appeared to support measles vaccination in that opinion piece -- he wrote that vaccines "contribute to community immunity, protecting those who are unable to be vaccinated due to medical reasons" -- he also noted that the choice to vaccinate is a personal one. Taken together, experts...
March 06
March 06

New Mexico adult dies with measles, though cause of death isn't yet confirmed

An adult who was infected with measles has died in New Mexico, though the virus has not been confirmed as the cause
March 06
Matt Caldwell, left, a Lubbock Fire Department official, administers a measles, mumps and rubella vaccine to Clair May, 61, at the Lubbock Health Department, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in Lubbock, Texas. (AP Photo/Mary Conlon)
March 06

Unvaccinated New Mexico resident tests positive for measles after dying

The official cause of death is still being investigated.
March 06
In this undated stock photo, a child is shown with red rash spots from measles.
March 06

Funding cuts could harm global efforts to fight tuberculosis, WHO warns

U.S. has given up to $250M yearly in funding for global TB programs, WHO says.
March 06
The headquarters of the World Health Organization (WHO) stands on January 23, 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland.
March 06

More than hot flashes: Women raise awareness about menopause symptoms and work

Menopause affects about half the world’s population at some point in life
March 06
AP Illustration / Annie Ng
March 06

Trump's FDA nominee faces Senate questions after agency layoffs and resignations

Dr. Marty Makary will answer questions from a Senate panel about his plans to lead the Food and Drug Administration
March 06
Martin Makary, left, nominated to serve as Commissioner of Food and Drugs, Department of Health and Human Services, speaks with Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions during his nomination hearing on Capitol Hill Thursday, March 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
March 06

Trump has dropped a high-profile abortion case in Idaho. Here's what that means

A yearslong legal battle over the right to an emergency abortion in Idaho has been abruptly upended now that President Donald Trump has moved to drop the high-profile case
March 06
In this image from a video provided by Idaho Fourth District Court, Rebecca Vincen-Brown, lower right, tears up as she testifies in court about her abortion, Nov. 12, 2024, in Boise, Idaho. (Idaho Fourth District Court via AP)
March 05

Ultrasound now needed for pill abortions in Wyoming after lawmakers override veto

Women planning pill abortions in Wyoming will need to get an ultrasound after lawmakers overrode the governor's veto of the new measure
March 05
FILE - This April 24, 2023. photo, shows the Wellspring Health Access clinic in Casper, Wyo. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File)
March 05

First national analysis finds America's butterflies are disappearing at 'catastrophic' rate

A new study finds the number of butterflies has dropped 22% since 2000, a new study finds
March 05
FILE - A red admiral butterfly stops on a New England Aster flower at the Royal Horticultural Society Garden Wisley, in the village of Wisley, near Woking, England, Oct. 4, 2017. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File)
March 05

Jobs lost and lifesaving cures not discovered: Possible impacts of research cuts

Ripple effects of the Trump administration's crackdown on U.S. medical research promise to reach every corner of America
March 05
FILE - Medical researchers from universities and the National Institutes of Health rally near the Health and Human Services headquarters to protest federal budget cuts Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell, File)
March 05

Trump said childhood cancer rates have risen 40% since 1975. Here's what data shows

While rates have been increasing, mortality has decreased.
March 05
President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 4, 2025.
March 05

Novo Nordisk cuts Wegovy prices, following similar move by Zepbound-maker Eli Lilly

Makers of the popular obesity treatments Wegovy and Zepbound are cutting prices for people without insurance
March 05
FILE - Donna Cooper holds up a dosage of Wegovy, a drug used for weight loss, at her home in Front Royal, Va., on Friday, March 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades, File)
March 05

Trump administration moves to drop Idaho emergency abortion case with national implications

The Trump administration is dropping an emergency abortion case in Idaho in one of the administration’s first moves on the issue since President Donald Trump's second term began
March 05
March 05

Texas officials say measles outbreak has increased

The number of measles cases associated with an outbreak in Texas has increased to 159 -- an increase of 13 cases in the past five days, authorities said on Tuesday.
March 05
VIDEO: Texas officials say measles outbreak has increased