Gum May Be a Hidden Source of Microplastics

That stick of gum you’re chewing? It might be minty fresh, but it could also come with a little something extra: tiny bits of plastic.

A new study finds that one piece of gum can release hundreds -- possibly thousands -- of microplastics into your saliva. 

And researchers warn it may be a hidden source of plastic exposure ...

Federal Government Pulls Back $11.4B in COVID Health Funds

The federal government is clawing back $11.4 billion in COVID funding, a move that could affect local and state public health efforts across the country.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said the money is no longer needed.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is over, and HHS will no longer waste billions of taxpayer do...

Trump Administration Ends Dozens of LGBTQ Health Grants

Dozens of research projects focused on LGBTQ health have been canceled by the U.S. government, alarming scientists who say the move will harm public health and slow scientific progress.

At least 68 grants to 46 institutions were terminated last week, according to a federal website.

These grants, in total, were worth nearly $40 millio...

Tobacco Control Has Saved Nearly 4 Millions Lives, Study Estimates

Tobacco control measures like anti-smoking campaigns and cigarette taxes have prevented nearly 4 million lung cancer deaths during the past five decades, a new American Cancer Society study estimates.

More than 3.8 million lung cancer deaths were averted due to substantial reductions in smoking, gaining a little more than 76 million years ...

New Moms Benefit From Regular Workouts

Childbirth is an overwhelming accomplishment, but new mothers would do best not to rest on their laurels following delivery, a new guideline says.

New moms should clock at least two hours a week of moderate to vigorous physical activity in the first months following birth, experts recommend.

Two to four hours of exercise per week can...

New Material Allows Amputees To Adjust Prosthetic Limb Fit Via Smartphone

Chafing, blisters and sores are common problems for people fitted with an artificial limb.

The artificial limb’s fixed, rigid shape can’t adapt to changes in a person’s body, ultimately causing it to rub against a person’s residual limb.

“Ultimately, no matter how sophisticated the limb itself is, if it ...

Black Americans Twice As Likely To Die During Childhood As Whites

Black babies and children are more than twice as likely to die as white kids, and that gap has grown since the 1950s, a new study says.

Black kids died at a rate 2.15 times that of white children in the 2010s, researchers reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

That’s up slightly from the 1950s when the death rate...

Powerful MRI Scans Aid Epilepsy Surgery

The first sign of seizures for Amanda Bradbury were auras in her vision that cropped up around age 19.

Then came frequent bouts of anxiety, struggling to maintain focus and follow conversations, forgetting things, and having difficulty speaking or even swallowing.

“One of the things that would happen before a seizure is I'd get...

Colon Cancer Increases Risk Of Heart-Related Death

Colon cancer is a particularly deadly form of the disease, the second most common cause of cancer deaths in the U.S.

But patients diagnosed with colon cancer also need to be concerned about their heart health, especially if they’re younger adults, a new study says.

Colon cancer patients under 50 are 2.4 times more likely to die...

Shared Your DNA With 23andMe? Experts Say It’s Time To Delete It

If you’re one of the 15 million people who shared your DNA with 23andMe, stop whatever you're doing.

Experts say now is the time to delete your data.

The genetic testing company filed for bankruptcy March 23 and is looking to sell its assets.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a "consumer alert" on March 21, acc...

Susan Monarez Named CDC Director

President Donald Trump has chosen Susan Monarez to lead the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) permanently. She has served as acting director since January.

If approved by the Senate, Monarez would become the first person without a medical degree to head the CDC in more than 50 years.

She is an infectious disease r...

Novo Nordisk to Pay $2 Billion for New Weight Loss Drug

Novo Nordisk, a Danish pharmaceutical company, has signed a major deal worth up to $2 billion for the rights to a new obesity and diabetes drug, the company announced March 24.

The drug, called UBT251, is being developed by United Bio-Technology (Hengqin) Co., a Chinese pharmaceutical company.

Novo Nordisk will pay $200 million up fr...

High-Tech T-Shirt Tracks Patients' Vitals

A high-tech T-shirt loaded with sensors can help track patients’ vital signs after their release from a hospital, researchers say.

The shirt could help people return home sooner to recover, based on findings from a small group of patients who wore the gadget-filled garment after urological surgery for cancer.

“Our patient...

Two-Drug Combo Lowers Cholesterol Better Than Statins Alone

Statins are very cheap and highly effective cholesterol-lowering drugs -- but high-risk heart patients may have an even better option, a new evidence review says.

Combining statins with another drug, ezetimibe, significantly reduces the risk of death in patients with clogged arteries, according to findings published March 23 in Mayo Cl...