Health

WASHINGTON — From the National Mall here in Washington to points far north and south of our region along the Eastern Seaboard, a sizzling, post-Labor Day heat wave has people scrambling for ways to stay cool and safe. All three... Read More

ALBANY, N.Y. — September is Baby Safety Month and New York state got right into the swing of things Tuesday by releasing a series of baby-proof safety measures and tips through its Division of Consumer Protection. “The first years of... Read More

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Senate Appropriations Committee’s decision to protect and actually grow funding for the National Institutes of Health in key areas in the Senate’s proposed 2024 budget has garnered praise from Research!America, a nonprofit advocacy group. The alliance... Read More

WASHINGTON — In a letter released Tuesday, Brian Monahan, the attending physician for Congress, said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., does not have a seizure disorder and did not suffer a stroke when he appeared to suddenly go blank... Read More

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — For nearly 30 years, Democratic and Republican lawmakers in Pennsylvania have approved millions of taxpayer dollars for an anti-abortion program. Now the state's new governor plans to end the contract as the organization that distributes those... Read More

WASHINGTON — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has been medically cleared to “continue with his schedule as planned,” a day after he appeared to freeze up while taking questions from reporters in Covington, Kentucky. In a brief letter, Brian... Read More

WASHINGTON — Officials at the Department of Health and Human Services are reportedly recommending the easing of restrictions on cannabis, a move, if approved by federal law enforcement, that could usher in a new era for the burgeoning though still... Read More

WASHINGTON — To those of a certain age, the music of Badfinger is an indelible part of their having grown up in the 1970s. From 1970 through 1972 their string of hits, almost all of them driving rock ballads written... Read More

ST. LOUIS (AP) — As the Biden administration makes billions of dollars available to remove millions of dangerous lead pipes that can contaminate drinking water and damage brain development in children, some states are turning down funds. Washington, Oregon, Maine... Read More

RICHMOND, Va. — A ruling by a federal appeals court Monday means Maryland schools can develop support plans for transgender or gender-nonconforming students without the consent of their parents. The 4th Circuit said the children — not the parents —... Read More

Simple hygiene — washing your hands, washing your nose, brushing your teeth, cleaning your living environment and taking care of your waste properly — is among the most cost-effective tools we have at our disposal to keep us healthy, both... Read More

ATLANTA — Hospitalizations due to COVID-19 have risen 12.5% across the country in the past week, but the latest data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that what some are calling a “surge” in cases is... Read More

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has given its approval of the first oral medication to treat postpartum depression, a condition that is believed to impact one in seven women during the latter stages of pregnancy and after... Read More

WASHINGTON — The National Institutes of Health on Monday began enrolling patients for clinical trials to test long COVID treatments, nearly three years after Congress gave the agency $1.15 billion to research and test such treatments. The opening of enrollment... Read More

WASHINGTON — The White House on Thursday unveiled the first initiative of its new cancer-focused research agency, a program intended to improve cancer surgery outcomes by helping doctors more easily distinguish between cancers and healthy tissue. The administration’s Advanced Research... Read More

WASHINGTON — A trio of House Democrats introduced legislation Wednesday that would extend the savings garnered by the federal government from negotiating prescription drug prices to all who are covered by private health plans. The bill, called the Lowering Drug... Read More

WASHINGTON — Is it a “win for patients” or legislation that just doesn’t go far enough to ensure true transparency around drug and other health care related pricing? That, in essence, was the question that divided members along party lines... Read More

WASHINGTON — Sudden cardiac episodes suffered by people with obstructive sleep apnea — interrupted breathing during sleep — are most likely caused by a sudden spike in blood pressure or heart rate caused by a dramatic reduction of blood oxygen... Read More

WASHINGTON — “If I believe in just one thing, it is the ability of human beings to adapt, learn and get better,” Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., told attendees at a Brookings Institution event this week as he detailed his mental... Read More

Right-to-repair advocates are abuzz with what they see as a monumental year for the movement. In 2023, nearly 30 states introduced right-to-repair legislation, according to U.S. PIRG, with New York passing the nation’s first law of this kind, Minnesota creating what supporters call “the broadest right-to-repair law”... Read More

With COVID-19 public health measures largely in the rearview mirror, many countries are refocusing on pre-pandemic commitments to achieve universal health coverage by 2030. This health-for-all goal is founded on equity and the right for everyone to access the services... Read More

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration renewed controversy with insurers Tuesday by proposing a regulation that would require health insurance plans to prove they are covering mental health costs at the same level as any other health care. Insurers say it... Read More

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A half-century ago, the nation's top health experts urged the federal agency in charge of mine safety to adopt strict rules protecting miners from poisonous rock dust. The inaction since — fueled by denials and lobbying from coal... Read More

WASHINGTON — A bipartisan bill introduced in both the House and Senate this week aims to establish a working group tasked with combating hunger and malnutrition among senior citizens and adults with disabilities. The Senior Nutrition Task Force Act is... Read More

LOS ANGELES — The actor Matthew McConaughey and his wife Camila launched a new initiative Thursday intended to simplify the federal grant application process to support mental health programs and safe learning environments in schools. The couple’s goal in creating... Read More

Every so often, we get a question from a reader that begs for further investigation.  Such was the case recently when a loyal reader of our weekly health newsletter noted that a story we ran on research related to maternal... Read More

STANFORD, Calif. — Marc Tessier-Lavigne resigned as president of Stanford University on Wednesday after an independent review of his research found significant flaws in studies and laboratories he supervised. The review by a special committee of the university’s Board of... Read More

WASHINGTON — The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee will convene next week to markup a new health care bill that would invest $20 billion over the next five years in community health centers and the recruitment and retention... Read More

WASHINGTON — The District of Columbia’s attorney general sued 25 chemical companies this week in a lawsuit that adds to a widening array of claims over the production and sale of materials that contain PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals.”... Read More

WASHINGTON — The House Energy and Commerce Committee met Wednesday to markup 15 health-related bills, reviewing and reauthorizing programs dealing with everything from the future of telehealth to a registry for firefighters dealing with cancer to treatment services for sickle... Read More