Health

The World Health Organization will release a policy brief on June 3 with new findings on how climate change poses a rising threat to mental health and psychosocial well-being.  “The policy brief highlights five important approaches for governments to address... Read More

WASHINGTON — The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will soon direct millions in funds towards examining the impact of social media use on the mental health of teens and... Read More

In late October of last year, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that a few children presented with liver injury and positive adenovirus. There were nine cases of children under the age of 10 who were identified... Read More

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a health advisory on Tuesday for health care providers, public health departments and the public regarding a “COVID-19 rebound,” in some patients who were treated with the antiviral treatment Paxlovid. Paxlovid treatment is given... Read More

The J.M. Smucker Company issued a voluntary recall of more than 45 select Jif peanut butter products on May 20, after 14 cases of salmonella were identified in 12 states.  In an advisory the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned consumers not... Read More

Members of the World Health Organization gathered in Geneva, Switzerland, on Sunday for the 75th World Health Assembly, which was held in person for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began.  WHO members discussed proposed amendments to the International Health... Read More

In observance of mental health awareness month, Rep. Alma Adams, D-N.C., and a panel of experts shared mental health resources during a webinar on Tuesday.  “Mental illness is a medical condition like diabetes or cancer. … The COVID-19 pandemic …... Read More

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics released provisional data on Tuesday that the number of births in the U.S. in 2021 was up 1%, the first increase since 2014.  According to the data, the birth rate... Read More

WASHINGTON — The House Committee on Energy and Commerce recently voted to advance provisions of two bills which would eliminate special DEA licensing and expand baseline education for treatment providers who prescribe buprenorphine — a medication approved by the Food... Read More

GENEVA, Switzerland — The World Health Organization reported that as of May 21 more than 92 monkeypox cases have been confirmed, and 28 suspected cases are under investigation within 12 member states that are not endemic for monkeypox virus. “Monkeypox... Read More

WASHINGTON — Many Americans desperately seeking baby formula have experienced empty shelves over the last few months. Now the U.S. Department of Agriculture is increasing efforts to restock those shelves, especially for low-income families where the impact of the shortage... Read More

NEW YORK (AP) — Health officials remain perplexed by mysterious cases of severe liver damage in hundreds of young children around the world. The best available evidence points to a fairly common stomach bug that isn't known to cause liver... Read More

A new program launched this year out of California called CalAIM helps high-risk and low-income Medi-Cal residents find affordable housing through their health insurance plans. The CalAIM program is intended to improve health outcomes of Medi-Cal enrollees, specifically those with... Read More

Researchers from Washington State University released a study on Monday regarding their development of a smart pacifier that can be used to monitor infant health in hospitals. The wireless, bioelectronic pacifier will eliminate the need for invasive, twice-daily blood draws to monitor... Read More

The World Health Organization and UNICEF released a report on Monday that finds more than 2.5 billion people need one or more assistive products, such as wheelchairs, hearing aids or apps that support communication and cognition.  Despite the need, nearly 1 billion... Read More

During a mark-up session on Wednesday, the House Energy and Commerce Committee voted to advance provisions of the Medication Access and Training Expansion Act, known as the MATE Act. The legislation is designed to ensure controlled medication prescribers have a baseline knowledge of... Read More

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized the first at-home test that can identify and differentiate multiple respiratory viruses at the same time, detecting influenza A and B, respiratory syncytial virus and SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.  “While the... Read More

The Arthritis Foundation released new findings on May 17 showing a link between emotional support and well-being and arthritis pain. The Center for Program Design and Evaluation at Dartmouth College conducted the analysis using data from nearly 27,000 patient responses collected from... Read More

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration amended the emergency use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday for children as young as 5 to receive a booster.  Under the EUA, children aged 5-11 are now authorized for a single booster shot... Read More

In response to baby formula shortages nationwide, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan issued a consent decree on Monday to allow Abbott Nutrition to restart manufacturing formula at the Sturgis, Michigan, plant within two weeks. The... Read More

WASHINGTON — Members from the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee released a draft of the legislative package to reauthorize user fee agreements for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday, which are set to end on Oct.... Read More

WASHINGTON — The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine hosted a two-day workshop this week, during which academy members examined the future of the public health emergency enterprise and what exactly went wrong with the U.S. public health response... Read More

WASHINGTON — The Department of Health and Human Services extended the COVID-19 public health emergency this week beyond the July 15 expiration to October. The eventual expiration of the declaration will lead to changes in certain flexibilities granted to Medicare... Read More

WASHINGTON — Thousands of protestors gathered on Saturday to march for abortion rights from the Washington Monument to the Supreme Court building. The rally, called "Bans Off Our Bodies" was arranged by health organizations and advocates from across the country,... Read More

WASHINGTON — Abbott Nutrition on Friday committed to continue providing rebates in states with which it holds Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children contracts through August 31 in a bid to ease the ongoing baby formula crisis.... Read More

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will appeal for a renewed international commitment to attacking COVID-19 as he convenes a second virtual summit on the pandemic and marks “a tragic milestone" as the U.S. approaches 1 million deaths. “As a nation, we... Read More

As war, drought and the COVID-19 pandemic increase global food shortages, the United States government is providing funds to ease the blow at home and abroad.  “Before the war began in Ukraine, more than 50 countries … nations like Ethiopia,... Read More

President Joe Biden will hold the second COVID-19 Summit on Thursday to galvanize new actions to address the COVID-19 pandemic and strengthen global health security. The event will bring together multiple countries, partners, nongovernmental organizations and private sector companies that... Read More

This week the nonprofit End Covid Now is holding a People’s COVID-19 Summit from May 9-12 to discuss the role of global vaccine equity in achieving herd immunity.  During a session on Tuesday a handful of policymakers discussed barriers to... Read More

The Health Resources and Services Administration hosted a telementoring and training session on Monday for the health workforce as part of its ongoing educational series.  During the event, participating members learned how to explain the Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes... Read More