Bird Flu Virus in Canadian Teen Shows Mutations That Could Help It Spread Among Humans

In a development that health experts have warned might come, Canadian officials report that the bird flu virus isolated from a sick teen in Vancouver shows mutations that could help it spread more easily among humans.

At this point, there is no evidence that this particular mutated H5N1 virus has traveled beyond the one Canadian patient: A...

'10 Americas:' Health Disparities Mean Life Expectancy Varies Across U.S.

How long Americans can expect to live varies dramatically -- and the gap continues to widen.

A new report says health inequalities have, in essence, created 10 Americas.

These mutually exclusive populations are divided along familiar fault lines, including race, ethnicity, income and address. 

While life expectancy rose in...

Short-Term Hormone Therapy for Menopause Won't Harm Women's Brains

Four years of hormone replacement therapy to help women deal with menopausal symptoms causes no harm to the brain, even over the long term, new research shows.

"In the present study, approximately 10 years after 48 months of early menopausal therapy... the cognitive performance of women randomized to [hormone replacement therapy] did not d...

Could a Vitamin Be Effective Treatment for COPD?

A daily dose of vitamin B3 reduced inflammation in the lungs of patients with COPD, Danish researchers report. 

"This is significant, because inflammation can lead to reduced lung function in these patients," said researcher Morten Scheibye-Knudsen, of the University of Copenhagen.

Patients with COPD -- the full name of which is...

Woman Receives World's First Robotic Double-Lung Transplant

A 57-year-old woman with COPD has received the world's first fully robotic double lung transplant.

The breakthrough surgery was performed in October at NYU Langone Health in New York City by Dr. Stephanie Chang. Just a month before, Chang performed a fully robotic single lung transplant — the nation's first.

"This latest innova...

Flavored Vapes Behind Big Surge in U.S. E-Cigarette Sales

FRIDAY, Nov. 22, 2024 (HealthDay News) — E-cigarettes flew off store shelves between 2019 and 2023, and 80% were in youth-friendly flavors like fruit, candy, mint and menthol.

In all, e-cigarette sales rose 47% over the period, according to a new report from the CDC Foundation and Truth Initiative that called on more states to restri...