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...

Wildfires Can Raise Rates of Heart Attacks, Deaths

With Los Angeles still reeling from the devastating Palisades and Eaton fires, a new report on California blazes from earlier years finds the toll on survivors' hearts can be severe. 

However, the study also found that the cardiovascular effects of smoke exposures vary widely between fires. 

For example, people affected by ...

Pre-Op Immunotherapy May Help Treat Aggressive Breast Cancers

Giving patients with a common form of breast cancer an immunotherapy drug before surgery appears to boost outcomes, a new phase 3 trial finds.

The study involved patients with estrogen receptor positive (ER+)/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) breast cancers. That's a tumor subtype that comprises 70% of all breast ca...

NFL Players Are Now Avoiding Opioids for Pain, Study Finds

Ahead of this weekend's Super Bowl, some good news for the athletes: NFL players are largely avoiding opioid-based pain relievers when injuries strike.

A new study of data from the 2021 and 2022 seasons finds the National Football League's efforts to curb addictive opioid use is working, with the drugs comprising less than 3% of all pain m...

Is U.S. Prepared for Bird Flu’s Spread in Humans? One Expert Has Concerns

When it comes to the potential of H5N1 avian flu, otherwise known as bird flu, picking up mutations that might lead to human-to-human spread, that "train has already left the station," warns one infectious disease expert.

If and when bird flu -- already widespread in cattle, cats and other mammals -- gains the ability to transmit between p...

Super Bowl Food Ads Are Loaded With Salt, Study Finds

Set, hut! Super Bowl Sunday is almost here. But it's not just about big plays and bad calls, it's also a sodium tsunami.

On average, foods advertised during NFL games contain 40% of the daily recommended sodium intake, researchers reported recently in JAMA Network Open.

“We proved what probably a lot of people have lon...

Good Mental Health Could Be Key to Hip Fracture Recovery

Many seniors suffer long-term health issues after a hip fracture, even after hip replacement surgeries. 

Now, research shows that a patient's mental health could be crucial to how well they bounce back in the years after these injuries.

"Addressing overall mental health during the recovery process from hip fractures is crucial,"...

Breast Reduction Can Spur Weight Gain in Young Women

Many women may opt for a breast reduction if they encounter issues such as recurrent neck, back and shoulder pain.  

However, a new study suggests a link between these procedures in teens and young adult women and later weight gain.

"These patients should be targeted for healthy lifestyle changes to prevent weight gain," said st...

Therapeutic Vaccine May Fight Advanced Kidney Cancer

A small, early trial of a vaccine that mobilizes the immune system to battle advanced kidney cancers appears successful, researchers report.

The "personalized cancer vaccines" (PCVs) used by the nine patients in the trial were targeted to genes specific to their tumors, explained a team led by Dr. David Braun of the Yale Cancer Center in N...

Spinal Zap Implant Helps Muscle Disease Patients Regain Strength

A new spinal cord implant may help people with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) regain some muscle function, giving them stronger movement and improved walking ability, researchers report.

In a small, month-long pilot study, three adults with SMA -- a genetic disease that weakens muscles over time -- experienced unexpected improvements after ...

Kids Consume More Mature Media When Parents Overuse Screens

Yikes! The way parents use their phones around their kids may influence how much inappropriate content kids consume.

Researchers reported Feb. 4 in the journal BMC Pediatrics that the odds of kids watching R-rated movies or playing mature-rated video games rose with higher parental screen use and inconsistent family media rules.

Ozempic-Type Drug Fails To Slow Parkinson’s, Study Finds

Hopes that GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy could help slow Parkinson's disease have taken an hit.

A new study found that a drug in the same class called exenatide, marketed as Byetta, had no effect on slowing the disease or easing its symtoms.

The trial, published Feb. 4 in The Lancet, followed 194 people with Parkins...

Diabetic 'Yo-yo' Dieting Can Harm Kidneys

“Yo-yo” dieting -- repeatedly losing and gaining weight -- can significantly increase risk of kidney disease among people with type 1 diabetes, a new study warns.

Diabetics with greater weight fluctuations experienced a 40% decline in their kidneys’ ability to filter toxins from the blood, researchers reported Feb. 4 in t...

Weed Use Tied To Increase in Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia cases associated with problematic weed use have skyrocketed in the wake of Canada's legalization of marijuana, a new study says.

The proportion of schizophrenia cases associated with cannabis use disorder nearly tripled, rising from 4% pre-legalization to 10%, according to findings published Feb. 4 in JAMA Network Open