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Federal Judge Halts NIH Cuts That Could Impact Medical Research

A federal judge has temporarily blocked the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from making big cuts in medical research funding ordered by the Trump administration.

The proposed cost-cutting could have reduced support for hospitals, universities and labs across the country.

Monday's ruling by U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley puts on...

GLP-1 Meds Can Work Wonders for Kidney Health

Ozempic, Wegovy, Saxenda, Trulicity: These and other GLP1-RA diabetes/weight-loss meds can also boost outcomes for folks battling chronic kidney disease, new research shows.

Compared to another common class of kidney medications, called DPP4is, GLP1-RA medications did better in helping slow the progression of kidney disease, keeping kidney...

Shark Attacks Plummeted Worldwide Last Year

It was a bit safer to go into the water last year: Unprovoked shark attacks worldwide fell by about a third in 2024 compared to the year before, new data show.

The United States continues to be the most likely country in which to get bitten by a shark, according to the annual International Shark Attack File from the Florida Museum of Natur...

Most Americans Keep Chronic Health Conditions Hidden at Work: Poll

Chronic ills like heart disease, asthma or diabetes afflict a majority of U.S. workers, but 60% of those affected say they've kept their health issue a secret from employers, a new poll finds.

More than a third of workers battling chronic conditions also said they'd skipped a necessary medical appointment over the past year for reasons rel...

'Playful' Approach to Life Pays Off, Study Finds

Want to thrive in tough, stressful times? Stay playful.

That's the take-home message from a new study of who fared best, in terms of mental resiliency, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers said the findings have relevance to weathering any sort of trying times.

"Playful" people differ from others in that they display "greate...

Most People Worldwide Lack Good Treatment for Mental Illness

About 93% of people worldwide who struggle with mental health or substance abuse issues aren't getting adequate care, a new report finds.

In many cases, people affected by mental illness do not recognize that they have a diagnosable condition, the Canadian research team found. 

But even when diagnoses are made, treatment is ofte...

For Less Severe Child Peanut Allergies, Small Doses of Peanut Butter May Help

More than 800,000 U.S. children have what's called "high threshold" peanut allergy, meaning they can tolerate about half a peanut daily before symptoms arise.

New research suggests that exposing these kids to tiny but gradually increasing levels of store-bought peanut butter might help ease the allergy for good. 

“Our stud...

Mass Shootings That Claim Most Kids' Lives Are Done by Family Members

When most people think of kids killed in mass shootings, they imagine it occurring at the hands of a stranger, and at school.

The reality, according to a new report, is that most children who lose their lives to a mass shooting usually knew the perpetrator well -- a family member who commits the crime at home. 

“People ten...

Boston Surgeons Successfully Transplant Pig Kidney in Fourth Patient

Surgeons at Massachusetts General Hospital have successfully performed the fourth pig kidney transplant in the U.S. 

The recipient of the genetically modified pig organ was a 66-year-old man with kidney failure, surgeons said. 

The transplant, performed in late January, came shortly after a woman in Alabama received a trans...

Big Breakfasts Help Keep Heart Patients Happy, Study Shows

When and what you eat might play a role in maintaining good mental health, a new study suggests.

Researchers in China found that folks with heart disease were more likely to keep depression at bay if they ate a big, calorie-rich breakfast. 

There's evidence that heart disease patients "are more likely to develop depression when ...

Can GLP-1 Meds Harm Your Eyes?

Yes, rare cases of vision issues have arisen in people taking popular GLP-1 weight loss drugs, but the jury's out on whether the medications caused the eye trouble, according to a new small study.

The study reviewed the cases of nine people who developed sight-robbing issues, such as dysfunction in blood vessels around the eye's optic nerv...

Cancer Rates Are Falling in Appalachia, But Not Enough

Appalachia has a rich history and gorgeous landscapes, but it has also experienced rates of cancer incidence and death that outstrip those of much of the rest of America.

However, new data offer hope to the 26 million people living in the region: Cancer rates are falling, although not as steeply as elsewhere in America.

Still, &ldquo...

Sister Study Shows Link Between Pregnancy Complications, Heart Risks

It's long been known that certain complications of pregnancy can raise a woman's risk for heart trouble years later.

But new research shows that even the sisters of these women can be at higher heart risk -- suggesting risks may be genetically shared within families.

“It may be important to identify [all of] these women early t...

Being Optimistic May Help You Save More Money, Study Finds

Turns out, looking on the bright side may do more than lift your mood! 

It could also help you save money, especially if you're on a tight budget.

A study published recently in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology  found that people who are more optimistic about the future tend to save more money over t...

CDC Posts, Then Deletes, Data on Bird Flu

Scientists are calling on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to disclose data about the risks of bird flu to people and pets that was posted briefly online Wednesday and quickly deleted.

The data table was the only mention of bird flu in a report devoted to air quality and California wildfires. 

The data w...

Study Links Heavy Cannabis Use To Higher Death Risk, Psychosis

Heavy weed use may be far more dangerous than people realize, according to a pair of studies published in JAMA Network Open.

People diagnosed with cannabis use disorder (CUD) may face nearly triple the risk of death over five years compared to those without the disorder, according to a large study published Feb. 6.

...

Black Maternal Deaths Remain High Despite Overall Decline In U.S.

While maternal deaths in the U.S. declined in 2023, Black women still died at more than three times the rate of white women during pregnancy or childbirth, highlighting widening racial disparities in maternal health.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's just-released annual report showed that 669 women died in 2023 of preg...

ER Visits for Burns, Eye Issues Rose 8-Fold During Recent L.A. Fires

Los Angeles County residents are still recovering from the devastation of the Palisades and Eaton fires, and new data show that emergency department (ED) visits for wildfire-related issues jumped eight-fold in the days after the fires broke out.

In fact, the new data "likely underestimate the prevalence of wildfire-associated ED encounters...

'Ozempic Face' and Other Top Trends in Plastic Surgery

Add surgical tweaks to fix so-called "Ozempic face" to the list of top trending cosmetic procedures, as tallied by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS). 

The group's annual survey of its board-certified members found that blockbuster GLP-1 medications are having an impact on plastic surgeries...

Firstborn's Trauma Could Set Stage for Mental Health of Younger Kids

Trauma experienced by the oldest child in a family does not bode well for their younger siblings, new British data suggest.

A child's odds for developing mental health issues rose significantly if their oldest sibling experienced maltreatment, homelessness, injury or other forms of adversity in their first 1,000 days of life, the study fou...