Gum Disease Germs Could Help Trigger Cancer

Bacteria that causes gum disease can also raise a person’s risk of head and neck cancers, a new study says.

More than a dozen bacterial species have been linked to a collective 50% increased risk of head and neck cancer, researchers found.

“Our results offer yet another reason to keep up good oral hygiene habits,” s...

U.S. Restarts Free COVID Test Program

Starting today, the U.S. government is offering another round of free COVID tests.

"U.S. households will be eligible to order 4 free COVID-19 tests at COVIDTests.gov," according to the Department of Health and Human Services. "The COVID-19 tests will detect current COVID-19 variants and can be used through the end of the year."

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One More Death Tied to Listeria From Boar's Head Deli Meats

There's been one more death linked to listeria illness from tainted deli meats made by Boar's Head, bringing the death toll to 10.

The latest update from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recorded an additional death in New York State.

Overall, 59 people have now been sickened and hospitalized after consuming Boar's...

Health Concerns Around Fluoride in Water Merit EPA Action, Judge Rules

The Environmental Protection Agency must address concerns about potential health risks posed by the recommended levels of fluoride in the country's drinking water, a federal court in California has ruled.

While District Court Judge Edward Chen was careful to note his decision "does not conclude with certainty that fluoridated water i...

U.S. Suicide Death Rate Is Rising Again

U.S. suicide rates are ticking back upward again after a dip during the pandemic, new statistics show.

Suicide deaths per 100,000 people had fallen from 14.2 recorded in the pre-pandemic year of 2018 to 13.5 in 2020.

However, by 2022, the latest year for which statistics are available, the rate had climbed once more to 14.2 deaths p...

Airports Take Big Toll on Sleep of Those Living Nearby

As people living near airports probably already know, all that overhead traffic can take a huge hit to their sleep, a new study confirms.

Night-time aircraft noise increases a person’s risk of tossing and turning in bed as engines roar overhead, researchers reported Sept. 25 in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.<...

Being a 'Weekend Warrior' Can Cut Your Odds for 200 Diseases

There’s good news for folks who struggle to fit regular exercise into their busy workweek.

“Weekend warrior” workouts are just as beneficial as daily exercise to a person’s overall health, a new study says.

People who get all their weekly recommended exercise in one or two days are about as healthy as those wh...

Most Pregnant Women Will Become Iron Deficient, Study Finds

Four out of five pregnant women will become deficient in an essential nutrient, iron, by their third trimester, a new study finds.

The researchers and other experts are now advocating that iron levels be routinely checked during a pregnancy for the safety of a mother and her baby.

Right now, guidelines from the United States Preventi...

Forget BMI, 'Body Roundness' Measure Could Spot Heart Risk

“Body roundness” could be a better measure than BMI at predicting how excess weight might affect a person’s heart health, a new study finds.

People who developed a high Body Roundness Index during a six-year period had a 163% increased risk of heart disease, researchers found, and even a moderate BRI was linked with a 61%...

Brain Injury & PTSD: Veterans' Study Suggests Area of Damage Is Key

Brain damage that veterans suffered from flying shrapnel has provided a major clue that could lead to better treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a new study says.

Veterans who suffered shrapnel damage connected to their amygdala, the fear center of the brain, were less likely to develop PTSD, researchers reported Sept. 24 ...

Trial Confirms 'Life-Changing' Impact of Gene Therapy for Hemophilia B

A new gene therapy approved earlier this year can serve as a sustainable single-dose treatment for people with hemophilia B, newly published clinical trial data shows.

People with hemophilia B saw their bleeding episodes drop by an average 71% following a single infusion of Beqvez (fidanacogene elaparvovec), researchers reported Sept. 25 i...

Could Ozempic Help Prevent Opioid Overdoses?

In a finding that suggests Ozempic and Wegovy have powers that extend beyond weight loss, a new study finds the medications might also lower people’s risk of opioid overdose.

People with type 2 diabetes prescribed semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) had a significantly lower risk of an opioid OD than patients taking any of eight other diab...

Most Americans Won't Get Vaccinated as Flu, COVID Season Looms: Survey

Most Americans don’t plan to get vaccinated against the flu or COVID-19 this season, a new survey has found.

Fewer than two in five U.S. adults (38%) say they will definitely get a flu jab, and only one in four (26%) say they’ll get the updated COVID vaccine, according to a survey released Wednesday by the National Foundation f...

988 Mental Health Crisis Calls Now Link to Caller Location, Not Area Code

In a move that could mean more Americans in crisis get help and get it quickly, federal officials announced Tuesday that major cellphone carriers now have the technology to direct 988 callers to local mental health services based on their location instead of their area code.

“The goal of 988 is to help people in a mental health or su...

Novo Nordisk CEO Grilled by Congress Over Price of Ozempic

During a tense hearing before a Senate committee on Tuesday, Novo Nordisk CEO Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen faced tough questions over the company's high prices for its blockbuster drugs Ozempic and Wegovy.

While testifying before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, Jørgensen shifted the blame for those...

Free COVID Tests Back Again by End of September

As Americans get ready for fall and winter, the U.S. government is offering another round of free COVID tests, available by the end of this month.

"U.S. households will be eligible to order 4 free COVID-19 tests at COVIDTests.gov," according to the Department of Health and Human Services. "The COVID-19 tests will detect current COVID...

14.3 Million Americans Are Caring for Ill or Disabled Veteran

Millions of Americans are caring for veterans, putting their finances and their mental health on the line to help those who have served the country.

More than 14 million Americans now provide daily care to wounded, sick or injured military service members or veterans, a new study finds.

And data show that care is taking its toll.

Most People With Schizophrenia Aren't Getting Treated

Only 1 in every 4 U.S. adults struggling with schizophrenia receive "minimally adequate treatment," new data shows.

Many of these patients also struggle with other mental health issues, such as substance abuse or depression, and they are further challenged by social and economic hardship, according to the new report.

The data comes f...

Initial Symptoms of MS Could Guide Prognosis, Treatment

Two key symptoms that can arise soon after a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) could predict how swiftly the illness will progress and suggest best treatment options, new research shows.

The two symptoms -- blurred vision and sphincter dysfunction of the bladder and/or bowel -- can arise in some, but not all, patients early in the disea...

Answers Company Recalls Raw Dog Food Due to Salmonella, Listeria Threat

A raw diet pet food company is recalling cartons of frozen beef and chicken dog food that could be tainted with salmonella or listeria germs.

Answers Pet Food announced the recall this week after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reported that two of its dog foods tested positive for salmonella, a third tested positive for listeria, an...