More Than 460 CDC Workers Reinstated After Layoffs

FRIDAY, June 13, 2025 (HealthDay News) — More than 460 laid-off employees at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are being rehired, officials said June 11.

The reinstatement notices went out this week, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

As part of a Trump administration pl...

Former MTV Host Ananda Lewis Dies at 52 After Breast Cancer Battle

FRIDAY, June 13, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Ananda Lewis, a former MTV host and TV personality, is dead at 52.

Her friend Lakshmi Emory shared the news in a June 11 Facebook post. “She’s free, and in His heavenly arms,” Emory wrote, alongside a black-and-white photo of Lewis. 

“Lord, rest her soul.&rdq...

Lack Of Sleep Alters Teens' Brains, Potentially Promoting Behavior Issues

FRIDAY, June 13, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Brain changes in sleepless teens could make them more likely to be impulsive and aggressive, a new study says.

Teenagers with less sleep had lower connectivity between the parts of the brain that play a critical role in decision making, self-reflection and information processing, researchers r...

Microbiome Linked To Memory Issues, Dementia In Parkinson's Patients

FRIDAY, June 13, 2025 (HealthDay News) — A person’s microbiome – the bacteria naturally living in the mouth and gut – might contribute to Parkinson’s disease, a new study says.

Specific changes in these bacteria are associated with cognitive decline in Parkinson’s, researchers reported June 9 in the jour...

Childhood Trauma Boosts Endometriosis Risk

FRIDAY, June 13, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Traumatic childhood events can increase a woman’s risk of endometriosis later in life, a new study says.

Women’s endometriosis risk increased 20% if they had experienced childhood ordeals such as violence, sexual abuse, a death in the family, poverty or troubled parents, researcher...

Mild Sleep Apnea More Common Among Female Athletes Than Thought

FRIDAY, June 13, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Sleep apnea could be more common in female college athletes than previously thought, a new study says.

Mild sleep apnea was observed in a quarter of a group of 68 female athletes, according to findings presented Thursday at an American College of Cardiology meeting in Washington, D.C.

&l...

'Forever Chemicals' Linked To Elevated Childhood Blood Pressure

FRIDAY, June 13, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Kids exposed to PFAS “forever chemicals” before birth have an increased risk of high blood pressure in childhood, particularly during their teen years, a new study says.

Teenage boys had a 17% higher risk of increased risk of elevated blood pressure if their moms had elevated level...

CT Scans Outperform DNA Stool Tests In Colon Cancer Screening, Study Says

FRIDAY, June 13, 2025 (HealthDay News) —  CT scans might be able to prevent more colon cancers than stool DNA tests, a new study says.

CT colonography performed every three to five years could ward off more cases of cancer than DNA testing of stool to look for evidence of colon cancer, researchers reported June 10 in the journal...

RFK Jr. Installs Critics on Vaccine Recommendation Panel

THURSDAY, June 12, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Days after ousting all 17 members of the panel that makes U.S. vaccine recommendations, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has begun remaking it.

On Wednesday, he named eight appointees, three of whom are critics of mRNA coronavirus vaccines, The Washington Post reported.

...

RFK Jr. Hires Autism Skeptic To Look Into CDC Autism Data

THURSDAY, June 12, 2025 (HealthDay News) — A longtime vaccine critic hired by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is reviewing safety data in an effort to revisit debunked claims that vaccines may cause autism.

Orthopedic surgeon Dr. David Geier, a well-known antivaccine activist, hopes to uncover proof that health officials hid d...

New Antibody Shot Could Help Protect Babies From RSV

THURSDAY, June 12, 2025 (HealthDay News) — A newly approved shot could soon help protect babies from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), the top cause of hospitalization in U.S. infants.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a monoclonal antibody called Enflonsia, the drugmaker Merck announced June 9.

Given as...

Zicam and Orajel Swabs Recalled for Possible Fungal Contamination

THURSDAY, June 12, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Some nasal and baby teething swabs from Zicam and Orajel are being recalled across the country because they may be contaminated with fungus, U.S. health officials said.

The recall was announced by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) after the manufacturer, Church & Dwight Co., In...

Smartphone App Can Track Huntington's Disease Symptoms

THURSDAY, June 12, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Most folks tap away at their smartphone for fun, communication or information.

But such tapping may also help them track the progress of a rare degenerative brain disease, researchers say.

Five simple smartphone-measured tests of movement control can provide quick and regular insight i...

Screen Time And Troubled Kids: Is There A Vicious Circle?

THURSDAY, June 12, 2025 (HealthDay News) — A “vicious circle” might exist between screen time and troubled children, a new evidence review says.

Screen time — particularly on video games — appears to contribute to emotional turmoil among children, researchers say.

Those troubled kids are then more likely...

Most People Open To Sharing Smartwatch Health Data With Doctors

THURSDAY, June 12, 2025 (HealthDay News) — A person’s smartwatch can capture a lot of data about their health – and a new study says most folks are willing to share it with doctors.

About 94% of people who wear smartwatches or activity trackers are open to sharing data with their doc if it will improve their health care, ...

Misconceptions Abound Regarding High Blood Pressure, Poll Finds

THURSDAY, June 12, 2025 (HealthDay News) — A good number of people don’t know that high blood pressure is a silent killer, increasing a person’s heart risk with no obvious symptoms, a new poll has found.

More than a third of Americans (37%) erroneously think high blood pressure always has noticeable symptoms like dizzines...

Accelerated Biological Aging Tied To Dementia, Stroke Risk

THURSDAY, June 12, 2025 (HealthDay News) — A hallmark of accelerated aging appears to be linked to an increased risk of dementia and stroke, a new study says.

Shorter telomere length in a person’s white blood cells is associated with the two brain diseases, researchers reported June 11 in the journal Neurology.

H...

Bisexual, Gay and Lesbian Medical Students Less Likely To Finish School

THURSDAY, June 12, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Bisexual, gay and lesbian medical students are more likely to leave school before graduation, a new study says.

Bisexual medical students were twice as likely to drop out or be dismissed from medical school, and gay and lesbian students were 47% more likely, according to findings published J...

FDA Plans to Use AI to Speed Up Drug and Food Safety Reviews

WEDNESDAY, June 11, 2025 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says it plans to use artificial intelligence (AI) to help speed the approval of new drugs and medical devices.

That's one of several priorities federal officials detailed June 10 in JAMA.

They said AI could help shorten review times...

These Smiling Salamanders Are Helping Scientists Learn to Regrow Limbs

WEDNESDAY, June 11, 2025 (HealthDay News) — With their goofy grins and feathery gills, axolotls have become stars of the pet world and video games like Minecraft. 

But these small, smiling salamanders are also helping scientists explore a medical mystery: Can people someday regrow arms or legs?

Axolotls are special because...