Health Headlines
‘Some human-to-human transmission’ possible in suspected hantavirus outbreak aboard cruise ship: WHO official
The logo of the WHO is seen on panel in front of the headquarters of the World Health Organization (WHO) on January 23, 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland. (Robert Hradil/Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- An epidemiologist at the World Health Organization (WHO) said that there may be some person-to-person spread in the suspected hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship.As of Monday, there have been seven cases reported aboard the MV Hondius, of which two are laboratory-confirmed and five are suspected. Among those seven, there have been three deaths, including a married couple from the Netherlands, one of whom has been confirmed to have been infected with hantavirus."We do believe that there may be some human-to-human transmission that's happening among the really close ... Read More
FDA approves 1st non-antipsychotic medication for agitation in Alzheimer’s disease
The Food and Drug Administration headquarters is shown in White Oak, Md. (Al Drago/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images, FILE)(NEW YORK) -- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the drug Auvelity this week for the treatment of agitation in adults with Alzheimer's dementia.The extended-release tablet is the first FDA-approved medication for this condition that is not an anti-psychotic.Anti-psychotics carry serious risks including stroke, sedation and increased death in older adults, according to the FDA. Having a non-antipsychotic option may be safer for patients, experts say."We've needed a drug like this for decades, because agitation related to Alzheimer's disease is one of the most challenging, disheartening symptoms that we manage," Dr. Richard Issacson, director of research at the Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases in Florida, ... Read More
After nearly 1,000 cases, here’s how South Carolina officials beat back a measles outbreak
A sign outside a mobile clinic offering measles and flu vaccinations on February 6, 2026 in Spartanburg, South Carolina. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- A few months ago, a measles outbreak seemed poised to overwhelm the northern region of South Carolina.More than 100 infections were being reported every week, with the total eventually surpassing that of last year’s record-setting outbreak in Texas.However, after six months and nearly 1,000 cases, the outbreak took a dramatic turn in the right direction.Over the weekend, the South Carolina Department of Public Health said no new cases had been confirmed for 42 days, leading to an announcement on Monday that the outbreak is officially over.Public health experts told ABC News that the combination of a ... Read More
Push for raw milk intensifies across the US, despite illness outbreaks and scientists’ warnings
(AP) - Backers of raw milk are pushing to make the potentially dangerous product more widely available and easier to obtain, even as a new disease outbreak — one of at least five in the past year — sickens U.S. children. More than three dozen bills supporting raw milk have been introduced in statehouses across the nation, The Associated Press found. A growing number of states are making it legal to sell. Dairy farmers say they can barely keep it in stock, even though prices can exceed $10 or $20 a gallon. Top government officials and internet influencers are helping drive this momentum. U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. downed shots of raw milk at the White House last ... Read More
As heart, kidney and metabolic health worsen, cancer risk may rise: Study
Stock image of doctor and patient. (Westend61/Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- As heart, kidney and metabolic problems progress to more advanced stages, a person's risk of developing several cancers also rises sharply, a new study finds.Cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome is a disorder that occurs when heart disease, kidney problems and metabolic issues including obesity and diabetes all happen together, according to the American Heart Association.About one in three U.S. adults have at least three risk factors for CKM syndrome, the AHA says.Researchers used a claims database in Japan that included individuals with available health check-up data and insurance claims between April 2014 and August 2023.People diagnosed with stage 3 CKM syndrome at the start of the study were 25% more likely to be diagnosed with ... Read More
UK passes bill that will eventually ban cigarette purchases
LONDON (AP) — Opponents of smoking got a breath of fresh air as Parliament passed a bill that will put cigarettes out of reach for future generations. “The end of smoking, and the devastating harm it causes, is no longer uncertain — it’s inevitable,” Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health, said after a decades-long campaign in favor of legislation approved Tuesday. Children born after Dec. 31, 2008, will be banned from ever buying cigarettes under the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. The legislation that needs approval by King Charles III — a formality — before taking effect will also allow the government to regulate tobacco, vaping and nicotine products, including flavors and packaging. It is currently illegal ... Read More
Acting AG Todd Blanche signs order reclassifying state-licensed medical marijuana as less dangerous drug
Close up of senior woman using cannabis at home (Getty/Emilija Manevska)(WASHINGTON) -- Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche signed an order on Thursday reclassifying state-licensed medical marijuana as a less dangerous drug.The order moves marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, putting state-licensed medical marijuana in the same category as some pain medications, ketamine and testosterone.Schedule I drugs are defined as "drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse" while Schedule III drugs are defined as "drugs with a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence," according to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).While this change aligns federal guidelines with many state laws, marijuana is still illegal at the federal level. It does not remove ... Read More
More Americans breathing unhealthy air, new American Lung Association report finds
An air quality health advisory has been issued for New York City and the tri-state area due to high ozone levels, the National Weather Service announced on June 5, 2025, in United States. (Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- Nearly half of Americans -- 152.3 million people -- now live in places with unhealthy levels of ozone or particle pollution (PM2.5), two of the most dangerous air pollutants.The American Lung Association's 2026 "State of the Air" report finds that more than 129 million people live in counties with failing grades for ozone pollution. This type of pollution forms when sunlight interacts with compounds emitted from cars, industry and chemicals, creating harmful ground-level ozone in the air.About 62 million people ... Read More
A criminal sentence for OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma clears the way for completing its settlement
[caption id="attachment_1498952" align="alignnone" width="1024"] FILE - Protesters who have lost love ones to the opioid crisis protest outside a courthouse in Boston, Aug. 2, 2019, where a judge heard arguments in a lawsuit against Purdue Pharma. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)[/caption]A judge is expected to sentence OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma to forfeit $225 million to the Justice Department on Tuesday, clearing the way for the company to finalize a settlement of nearly all of the thousands of lawsuits it faces over its role in the opioid crisis. The penalty was agreed to in a 2020 pact to resolve federal civil and criminal probes it was facing. If the judge signs off, other penalties will not be collected in return for Purdue ... Read More
Kennedy restores staffing at 9/11 health program ahead of Capitol Hill testimony
Robert Kennedy Jr. appears before the Senate Finance Committee at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on September 04, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)(WASHINGTON) -- Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. heads to Capitol Hill Thursday after restoring staffing at the World Trade Center Health Program, a move that could ease one of the most persistent points of bipartisan criticism he has faced for months.Program advocates and lawmakers said they received an email from the secretary on Wednesday approving hiring for 37 long-vacant positions. This will raise staffing from its current 83 employees to the federally authorized level of 120. The move comes after nearly a year of bipartisan criticism that staffing shortages were slowing care ... Read More
Trump admin touts new dietary guidelines, but will your child have healthier school lunches next fall?
Kids eating lunch at school (Tetra Images/Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- As President Donald Trump's administration touts its new federal dietary guidelines, experts and officials suggest there's a long road ahead before America’s students have healthier school meals.With the Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services partnering to address chronic disease -- aiming to place whole, nutrient-dense food at the center of diets -- the administration believes it has taken a major step toward solving America's youth health crises.From Secretaries Brooke Rollins and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary, there’s a full-scale push to make school meals healthier by next school year, but the USDA’s former Food and Nutrition Service Administrator Cindy Long said ... Read More
Weekly ER visits for tick bites reach highest level in nearly a decade. Will this season be worse?
Photo of tick (rbkomar/Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- Weekly visits to emergency rooms for tick bites are at the highest level since at least 2017, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).During the most recent week, 71 per 100,000 ER visits were due to tick bites, compared to the average of about 30 per 100,000 ER visits for this time of year, more than double from what is typical this time of year.Currently, the Northeast is reporting the most ER visits for tick bites, followed by the Midwest, Southeast, West and South Central regions, respectively, CDC data shows."We're running well above historic average and even well above last year," Dr. John J. Halperin, chair of the ... Read More
Tylenol during pregnancy has no link to autism, large study finds
In this stock image, an open bottle of Tylenol Extra Strength pain reliever is shown. (STOCK IMAGE/Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- Taking acetaminophen, also known by the brand name Tylenol, during pregnancy had no effect on children developing autism, according to a study of over 1.5 million children in Denmark published this week. The study was published in JAMA Pediatrics. Researchers analyzed 1.5 million children born between 1997 and 2022. About 1.8% of those who were exposed to Tylenol during pregnancy developed autism compared to 3.0% of those who were not exposed to Tylenol.A prior study out of Sweden looked at siblings, finding no causal link between autism and Tylenol exposure during pregnancy. There are genetic associations and environmental triggers that are likely involved, but neither Tylenol nor vaccines has been shown to be ... Read More
Growing number of trauma, brain injuries linked to e-bikes and e-scooters at 1 hospital: Study
Stock photo of people commuting on e-bikes and scooters. (Maskot/STOCK PHOTO/Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- E-bikes and e-scooters led to a growing number of trauma injuries at one New York City hospital, according to a new study published Wednesday.About 7% of all trauma visits between 2018 and 2023 at Bellevue Hospital Center were due to micromobility injuries. Micromobility is the use of small, lightweight and low-speed modes of transportation such as bicycles, e-bikes and e-scooters.The study showed a growing share of patients who sustained these injuries had accidents linked to e-bikes or e-scooters.Hospital data showed that, by 2023, over half of all trauma cases related to bikes or scooters involved an e-bike or e-scooter, an increase from just 8% in 2018, according to ... Read More
Smoking rate among US adults drops to record low as vape use rises: CDC
Signage outside the Center for Disease Control (CDC) headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, US, on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Megan Varner/Bloomberg via Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- Cigarette smoking among U.S. adults continues to fall to record low levels as e-cigarette use rises, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published early Thursday.Nearly 10% of adults in the U.S. smoked cigarettes in 2024, the report found. This is down from about 11% in 2023, CDC data shows.Rates of cigarette use have dramatically fallen since a landmark 1964 Surgeon General report warned about the dangers of cigarette smoking and linked it to lung cancer, chronic bronchitis and other serious diseases.The 1964 report also found a 70% higher mortality rate ... Read More
Doctors say Pfizer’s Lyme disease vaccine trial results ‘encouraging’ after more than 70% efficacy shown
Pfizer logo (Photo Illustration by Nikolas Kokovlis/NurPhoto via Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- Earlier this week, pharmaceutical company Pfizer and its partner Valneva announced that an experimental Lyme disease vaccine showed more than 70% efficacy in late-stage clinical trials.The candidate, PF-07307405, showed 73.2% efficacy in reducing confirmed cases of Lyme disease cases after the fourth and final dose was administered when compared to a placebo.However, the companies said there were fewer than anticipated cases of Lyme disease during the trial period and the study missed an important benchmark.The trial did not reach its primary endpoint to provide an idea of how the results of this vaccine would turn out in a much larger population of people. Only with re-analyzing the data were researchers ... Read More
1 in 10 ACA enrollees dropped their coverage due to rising health care costs: Poll
The healthcare.gov website on a laptop arranged in Norfolk, Virginia, US, on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025. (Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- When Jessica Chamberlain went to sign up for health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for 2026, she not prepared for the sticker shock.Last year, Chamberlain was paying $59.67 in monthly premiums. This year, she would be paying nearly $100.The 43-year-old mother of two from Illinois said she was floored to see her monthly premiums were nearly doubling."I can't afford that as a single mom with two kids," she told ABC News.After carefully weighing her options, Chamberlain decide to forego health insurance and is currently uninsured."What do I sacrifice [to pay for health insurance]? I'm ... Read More
Judge temporarily blocks RFK Jr.’s efforts to reshape childhood vaccine policy
(MASSACHUSETTS) -- A Massachusetts judge ruled on Monday in favor of medical organizations in their litigation against Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over his changes to federal vaccine policy.The judge temporarily blocked changes to the childhood vaccine schedule that were made at the beginning of this year, in which Kennedy reduced the number of recommended shots from 17 to 11. The judge also suspended the appointments of the 13 members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's vaccine advisory committee, who were all appointed unilaterally by Kennedy after he fired all the preceding members. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. ... Read More
Many military members may get care at hospitals at risk of financial distress — partly due to Trump cuts
Bo Zaunders/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- As many as 724,000 service members, their families and veterans may rely on health care at hospitals that face financial vulnerability, partly due to cuts in President Donald Trump's megabill, according to a new analysis.The bill, known as HR.1, was signed into law in last summer and included sweeping changes to health care including Medicaid. Strict work requirements, reduced federal funding and tightening provider tax rules impacts hospitals that are dependent on Medicaid, increasing their risk of uncompensated care and reducing revenue.Service members and their families -- many of whom are covered by the military health insurance program TRICARE -- rely heavily on civilian hospitals for health care, particularly in areas without military treatment facilities.The ... Read More
Wyoming governor signs ‘fetal heartbeat’ abortion ban into law
Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon testifies during the House Natural Resources Committee hearing on Thursday, June 15, 2023. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon signed a bill into law on Monday banning abortion in the state after a "fetal heartbeat" has been detected.HB 126, or the Human Heartbeat Act, prohibits abortion once cardiac activity is identified, which is around six weeks of pregnancy, before many women know they're pregnant.If cardiac activity is detected, an abortion can only be performed in the case of a medical emergency, meaning if the life of the mother is in danger or if continuing the pregnancy would cause serious or irreversible impairment of a major bodily function, according to ... Read More
Acetaminophen use dropped among pregnant women in ERs after White House claim linked drug to autism
Tylenol (Acetaminophen) tablets are sold in a drugstore in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on January 17, 2026. (Photo by Creative Touch Imaging Ltd./NurPhoto via Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- Acetaminophen orders in emergency rooms for pregnant patients fell in the weeks after a White House briefing last year linked its use during pregnancy to an increased risk of autism, a new analysis finds.Researchers at Harvard and Brown University looked at data from an electronic health records system with more than 294 million patient records from more than 1,600 hospitals and 37,000 clinics across the United States.They found that orders for acetaminophen, also known by the brand name Tylenol, fell 10% between the briefing on Sept. 22, 2025 and Dec. 7, 2025, according to the analysis, published on ... Read More
As Iran war escalates, children may face physical, mental health impacts
A woman and child walk by a damaged building, struck days earlier, during the U.S.Israeli military campaign on March 4, 2026 in Tehran, Iran. (Majid Saeedi/Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- As the U.S.-Israeli military escalation with Iran continues, children may be experiencing devastating consequences of being caught in a conflict zone. Dozens of children and adolescents have been killed, many of whom were attending school at the time, according to the Iranian education ministry.Doctors and humanitarian aid workers told ABC News that millions of children in the region are at risk of physical and mental health repercussions.They add that it's important children have as much structure as possible to keep a sense of stability in their lives.“Every war is a war ... Read More
Maternal mortality rate in the US declines to its lowest since 2018: CDC
LWA/Dann Tardif/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Maternal mortality rates in the United States have dropped to their lowest levels in recent years, according to new data published on Thursday.The report, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics, compared maternal deaths in 2023 and 2024, with maternal deaths defined as the death of a woman during pregnancy or within 42 days of pregnancy termination.In 2024, 649 women died of maternal causes in the U.S., with a rate of 17.9 deaths per 100,000 births, according to the report.By comparison, 669 women died in 2023 with a rate of 18.6 deaths per 100,000 births, the report found.This is also the lowest rate seen since 2018, which had a ... Read More
Possible person-to-person swine flu case reported in Spain. Should we be concerned?
Pigs are raised by farmers in a rural area of Linquan County, Fuyang City, Anhui Province, China, July 11, 2022. (CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- Over the weekend, health officials in Spain reportedly informed the World Health Organization (WHO) of a possible human case of swine flu that may have been caused by person-to-person transmission.The WHO's reference laboratory for influenza in Britain is conducting additional tests to confirm the diagnosis, according to Reuters. The patient in Spain did not have direct contact with pigs, according to the wire agency.Even though health officials reported that the risk to the general public is low, public health experts noted that some people may be concerned about spread after the U.S. experienced ... Read More
Florida Department of Health cuts to HIV, AIDS program enacted as thousands risk losing access
Health officials blamed rising health care costs and lack of federal funding. (Elisa Schu/picture alliance via Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- An emergency rule from the Florida Department of Health went into effect on Sunday that could restrict tens of thousands of people from accessing HIV medication.The state issued cuts to the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP), a federal-state partnership that provides free FDA-approved HIV medication for low-income, uninsured or underinsured people.Under the emergency rule, eligibility for ADAP was lowered to include those at or below 130% of the federal poverty level, which equals about $20,345 per year for a one-person household, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.Previous eligibility was at or below 400% of the poverty level, ... Read More
US surpasses 1,000 measles cases for the 3rd time in 26 years: CDC
A sign outside a mobile clinic offering measles and flu vaccinations on February 6, 2026 in Spartanburg, South Carolina. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- Measles cases have topped 1,000 in the United States for the third time in 26 years.At least 154 new measles cases have been confirmed in the last week for a total of 1,136, according to updated data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).So far this year, cases have been confirmed in 27 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.Just six measles cases were reported among international travelers so ... Read More
Nearly 6 in 10 women could have at least one cardiovascular disease risk factor by 2050, AHA warns
Red Carpet logos and atmosphere at The American Heart Association's Red Dress Collection 2024 at Jazz at Lincoln Center on January 31, 2024 in New York City. Randy Brooke/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- The number of women with risk factors for cardiovascular disease could significantly increase over the next 25 years, the American Heart Association (AHA) warned on Wednesday.Without improving prevention and early detection tools, about six in 10 women could be diagnosed with hypertension or obesity by 2050, and risk factors could appear in children and teenagers as well, according to the AHA's scientific statement."Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death, and fewer than half of women know that fact," Dr. Stacey Rosen, executive director of Katz Institute for ... Read More
Surgeon general nominee Casey Means indicates support of vaccines, but stops short of recommending certain shots during Senate hearing
Dr. Casey Means, nominee for the medical director in the Regular Corps of the Public Health Service and U.S. surgeon general, testifies at a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on Capitol Hill on February 25, 2026 in Washington, DC. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- President Donald Trump's surgeon general nominee, Dr. Casey Means, indicated she supports vaccines but stopped short of recommending certain shots during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) committee on Wednesday.Means, who has a medical degree but does not hold an active medical license, appeared hesitant to say that some vaccines, such as the flu vaccine, prevent serious disease.When asked by HELP committee chair Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., if ... Read More
US child, teen obesity rates reach record high while adult trends appear to slow, CDC report finds
Person on scale (bymuratdeniz/Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- U.S. childhood and teen obesity rates have reached record-highs while adult obesity rates may be slowing, according to two new reports published early Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Researchers used measured heights and weights from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) -- run by the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics -- to track trends over more than six decades.In the first report, the team found that, in the most recent survey conducted between August 2021 and August 2023, 40.3% of adults aged 20 and older were found to be obese, including 9.7% with severe obesity and another 31.7% classified as overweight. By comparison, for the survey conducted between 1988 and ... Read More
US nears 1,000 measles cases with infections confirmed in 26 states: CDC
A sign outside a mobile clinic offering measles and flu vaccinations on February 6, 2026 in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Sean Rayford/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- The U.S. is close to reaching at least 1,000 measles cases for the third time in eight years.At least 72 new measles cases have been confirmed in the last week, according to updated data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.So far this year, there have been total of 982 cases in 26 states, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.Just six measles cases were reported among international travelers so ... Read More
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