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Federal COVID Websites Now Promote Lab Leak Theory

TUESDAY, April 22, 2025 — The Trump administration has replaced two major federal websites for COVID information with a new page that promotes the theory that the virus came from a lab in China.

Covid.gov and Covidtests.gov, which once helped people order COVID tests and find public health information, now redirect to a new page titl...

Trump Administration Plans Ban on More Synthetic Food Dyes

TUESDAY, April 22, 2025 (HealthDay News) — The Trump administration is expected to take new steps to remove artificial food dyes from the U.S. food supply, officials say.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary are expected to share more details on Tuesday, CNN reported...

RFK Jr.'s Major Autism Study To Use Private Health Records

TUESDAY, April 22, 2025 (HealthDay News) — The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will provide private health data to researchers for U.S. health chief Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s new autism study.

NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya told advisers the aim is to help researchers study autism by giving them access to "comprehensive" health ...

Immune Therapy Works As Well In Senior Cancer Patients As In Younger Adults

TUESDAY, April 22, 2025 (HealthDay News) — It’s well-known that a person’s immune system wears down over time, becoming less effective as folks progress through middle age and become seniors.

But that doesn’t appear to hinder the effectiveness of immunotherapy for cancer in seniors, a new study says.

Seniors w...

Most Women Are Comfortable With AI-Assisted Mammography

Women are OK with having an AI program help doctors review mammograms performed for breast cancer screening, a new study says.

About 7 out of 10 women (71%) said they’re fine with an AI program providing backup for a radiologist’s review of their breast X-ray, researchers report in the journal Radiology: Imaging Cancer...

'The Talk' Is A Touchy Subject For Many Parents

TUESDAY, April 22, 2025 (HealthDay News) — The Talk.

It’s an anxiety-producing proposition for just about every parent — and as you might expect, opinions vary widely about when and how to have The Talk with a child nearing puberty.

Parents are evenly split in thinking it’s best to start talking about puberty ...

School-Based Asthma Programs Keep Kids Healthy And Learning

Kids struggle with asthma as much at school as they do at home — possibly even more so, since it can be tough for them to access their medicine.

So why aren’t all schools offering them asthma therapy?

A new study says that school-based asthma therapy is effective in helping kids breathe easier while away from home.

...

Potentially Harmful Chemicals Found In Kids' Mattresses

TUESDAY, April 22, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Babies and toddlers could be exposed to harmful chemicals while they sleep, due to compounds found in their mattresses, two new studies say.

Air samples taken from 25 children’s bedrooms revealed elevated levels of more than two dozen phthalates, flame retardants and other potentially ...

Loneliness More Common Among Middle-Aged In U.S.

TUESDAY, April 22, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Loneliness among seniors has been a huge concern among experts on aging as social isolation increases risk of dementia, health problems, psychological disorders and deaths.

But a new study suggests that, at least in the U.S., that concern has been somewhat misplaced.

Middle-aged people...

CDC Cancels Measles Help for Texas Schools Amid Staff Layoffs

MONDAY, April 21, 2025 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has canceled its plans to help Texas schools stop the rapid spread of measles. 

The decision came after some CDC staff involved in this year’s outbreak response were told they might lose their jobs, according to an agency em...

CDC Shuts Down Key Labs for Hepatitis and STI Testing After Layoffs

MONDAY, April 21, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Key labs at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have shut down amid recent layoffs, raising concerns about tracking and controlling serious infections like viral hepatitis and antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea.

Among those let go were all 27 scientists in the nation’s...

FDA May Shift Routine Food Inspections to States

MONDAY, April 21, 2025 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may soon hand off routine food safety inspections to state and local officials, multiple federal health officials told CBS News.

These changes are not final and could require approval and funding from Congress. Some FDA employees have been...

Supreme Court Case Targets Free Preventive Care Provided By The Affordable Care Act

Colonoscopy for younger adults. Chest CT scans for lung cancer. Statin meds to lower cholesterol. Screening for drug addiction.

More than 150 million Americans might lose no-cost access to these and other preventive care services under a case being heard Monday at the U.S. Supreme Court.

“Most people probably haven't even heard...

Biological Link Identified Between Heavy Weed Use And Psychosis

There’s a biological reason why heavy weed users are at increased risk of psychosis, a new study says.

People with cannabis use disorder have higher levels of the hormone dopamine in the same region of the brain tied to psychosis, brain imaging scans have revealed.

“We now have evidence that shows a straight line linking ...

Chemo Drug Effective For Kids With Sickle Cell Disease

An oral chemotherapy drug can safely and effectively manage sickle cell disease in children, a new study says.

Children taking hydroxyurea had fewer ER visits and spent fewer days in the hospital compared to kids not taking the drug, researchers reported April 17 in the journal Blood Advances.

“Our results reinforce th...

Lung Cancer Remains At Bay Long After Immune Therapy Is Dropped

MONDAY, April 21, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Immunotherapy might help keep lung cancer at bay for months or even years after the treatment has been abandoned due to side effects, a new study says.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors essentially take the brakes off the immune system, giving it free reign to hunt down and kill cancer cells.

Early Signs Of Autism Might Appear In Infants

Fussiness, sleeplessness and unresponsiveness could be some of the earliest signs of autism in a baby, a new study says.

Using these signs, parents might be able to help detect potential autism within a child’s first year of life, researchers reported in the journal Pediatric Research.

That would be a major advance ove...

Cutting-Edge Cancer Treatment Isn't Known By Most Americans

Chris Vogelsang has had a long and terrible fight with cancer.

Fourteen years ago, the 70-year-old man was first diagnosed with an aggressive form of lymphoma.

His cancer has since returned twice, fighting against several rounds of different treatments that included a full-blown stem cell transplant.

“My energy level was ...

Child Concussion: What To Know If Your Child Takes a Blow To the Head

SUNDAY, April 20, 2025 (HealthDay News) — When a child tumbles to the floor from a blow to the head, a parent's inner alarms should sound. The child may have a brain injury. 

Here's what parents need to know:

What is a concussion?

A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) that results from ...

Wildfire Survivors Still Struggle With Basic Needs and Support

SATURDAY, April 19, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Three months after wildfires tore through Los Angeles, a new study offers insight into the lasting needs of fire survivors. 

Researchers from UC Davis School of Medicine said their findings from earlier wildfires may help with support efforts in this and future disasters. 

T...