Latest Health News
- Justice Department Moves to Reclassify MarijuanaThe U.S. Justice Department has formally proposed that marijuana be reclassified as a Schedule III drug instead of a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act.
- Drug Overdose Deaths Declined in 2023: CDCAnnual U.S. drug overdose deaths declined last year, new government data shows. The good news was double-edged, indicating that opioid deaths declined the most, but opioids remained the top killer.
- Federal Experts Talk Bird Flu ‘What Ifs’ in WebMD Live EventWebMD brought together experts from four federal agencies to talk prevention, monitoring, and what the “what ifs” of bird flu might look like.
- Drowning Deaths Rise Across the United StatesPublic health officials are calling for a nationwide effort to increase the number of people taking swimming lessons. That’s because new data show that drowning death rates have sustained a troubling increase first observed at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Behind the Spike in Colorectal Cancer Among Young AmericansColorectal cancer cases increased a whopping 333% among 15- to 19-year-olds and 185% among 20- to 24-year-olds from 1999 to 2020.
- Wegovy Users Keep Pounds Off for 4 Years: AnalysisPeople with heart problems who took the weight loss drug Wegovy maintained an average weight loss of 10% of their body weight 4 years after starting the drug, according to newly released study results.
- More People Are Living Longer, and Movement Is the KeyLongevity is having a moment. More people are living to 100 than ever, and the trend is predicted to continue for decades. Exercise is playing a major role. Here's what to know.
- Experts Watching Bird Flu Carefully in Case It Takes OffThe virus variant that is circulating among cattle is not an efficient cause of disease in humans. There may be more concern if H5N1 passes to pigs, because their viral receptors are closer to those in humans.
- Dairy Farmers Will Be Paid for Bird Flu Testing and Safety EffortsThe federal government will pay dairy producers millions of dollars to participate in biosecurity efforts as health and agriculture officials attempt to better understand and safeguard both humans and animals from bird flu.
- Your Water Bottle Could Be Germier Than Your Kitchen SinkReusable water bottles are a hotbed for bacteria and could house even more germs than your kitchen sink. Here's what to know.
- Cows Are Potential Spreaders of Bird Flu to HumansCow udders have the same receptors for flu viruses as humans and birds, raising concerns that cows could become “mixing vessels” that help the bird flu virus spread between people.
- Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Putting a Hole in Our WorldEstimates show that by 2040, age-related macular degeneration may affect nearly 300 million people worldwide. And we are very limited in our ability to treat or prevent it. Here's what to know.
- Officials Consider Requests to Ban or Label Some Decaf CoffeeFederal regulators recently put more limits on worker exposures to a chemical called methylene chloride, and there are calls for more actions that would regulate coffee products that are decaffeinated using the chemical.
- A Healthy Lifestyle Can Add Years to Life, Despite 'Bad' GenesTurn around those bad family genes with four lifestyle changes.
- U.S. to Launch Long COVID Trial Focused on Sleep, ExerciseThe trials will look to enroll more than 1,500 people across 50 study sites to tackle some of the most common symptoms of long COVID.
- Plant-Powered Sleep: Vegan, Vegetarian Diets Unlock Extra ZZZs Vegans and vegetarians sleep around 30 more minutes per night than average and up to 90% of them report good or excellent sleep quality, according to a new survey published by the Sleep Foundation.
- Olive Oil May Lower Your Risk of Dementia-Related DeathConsuming just a half tablespoon a day was shown to reduce the risk of dying from dementia-related causes.
- Teen Mental Health Crisis Deepens: What to KnowMany blame social media, but other things are also involved; access to care is very limited, including in schools. Here's what to know.
- A 12-Year-Old Is First to Start New Sickle Cell TreatmentHe'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.
- Postpartum PTSD: Right Diagnosis Can Help Mothers and BabiesMany new mothers aren’t aware that postpartum PTSD even exists, but it’s far from rare. Here's what to know.
- Bird Flu Was Circulating 4 Months Before DetectionBird flu was circulating in U.S. dairy cows for at least 4 months before it was found and confirmed to be the disease-causing H5N1 virus, according to an analysis of data by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal Disease Center.
- What's Behind Major Rise in Heart Failure Deaths?After falling for over a decade, the death rate climbed for several years and now is about the same as in 1999.
- When Does Old Age Start? It Depends on Who You AskThe goalpost for old age has been moving. Until now.
- Ground Beef Sold at Walmart Recalled Due to E. coliMore than 16,000 pounds of raw ground beef packaged in trays for Walmart stores is being recalled because of potential E. coli bacterial contamination.
- Prospects for Crohn's Relief Brighten With New AdvancementsMore than 1 million Americans live with Crohn’s, a chronic and sometimes crippling bowel disease that affects the intestines and leads to digestive issues. But in 2024, breakthroughs could bring relief in different ways. Here's what to know.
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