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Preclinical blood test could predict severe respiratory conditions

A scientific team supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has created a preclinical blood test to identify adults most likely to develop severe respiratory conditions, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

10 Sep 2024

Innovative robotic lung transplant performed at NYU Langone Health

Surgeons at NYU Langone Health performed the first fully robotic lung transplant in the nation. The procedure marks a new milestone in surgical innovation and patient care, making NYU Langone only the third program in the world to use a robotic system in a lung transplant surgery.

10 Sep 2024

Health Secretary Becerra touts extreme heat protections. Farmworkers want more.

On a sunny August morning in this agricultural town, before temperatures soared to 103 degrees, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra stood outside the small public library.

9 Sep 2024

As record heat sweeps the us, some people must choose between food and energy bills

During the heat dome that blanketed much of the Southeast in June, Stacey Freeman used window units to cool her poorly insulated mobile home in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Over the winter, the 44-year-old mom relied on space heaters.

6 Sep 2024

Errors in Deloitte-run Medicaid systems can cost millions and take years to fix

The computer systems run by the consulting giant Deloitte that millions of Americans rely on for Medicaid and other government benefits are prone to errors that can take years and hundreds of millions of dollars to update.

5 Sep 2024

A call for robust H5N1 influenza preparedness and response

As the global threat of H5N1 influenza looms with outbreaks across species and continents including the U.S., three international vaccine and public health experts say it is time to fully resource and support a robust strategy to address this and future potential pandemic influenza threats, including to consider voluntary vaccination for those now at exposure risk.

5 Sep 2024

Seasonal patterns in Valley fever cases reveal climate-driven risks

Valley fever is an emerging fungal disease in the western United States that most often causes flu-like symptoms, but can also cause dangerous or even deadly complications. By analyzing data on reported cases of Valley fever in California, which have increased dramatically over the last two decades, researchers from the University of California San Diego and the University of California, Berkeley, have identified seasonal patterns that could help individuals and public health officials better prepare for future surges in Valley fever cases.

4 Sep 2024

Inaccurate data stalls pediatric equity initiatives

Leaders at three Michigan hospitals aiming to address equity issues for pediatric patients wanted to start with inspecting data key to identifying potential inequities.

3 Sep 2024

Maternal fish consumption linked to lower likelihood of autism diagnosis, study finds

Eating any amount of fish during pregnancy was associated with about a 20% lower likelihood of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis, particularly in females, and a slight reduction in autism-related traits in offspring, according to a new study funded by the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program at the National Institutes of Health.

3 Sep 2024

NIAID awards grants for 10 projects to improve diagnostic tools for syphilis

The National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has awarded grants for 10 projects to improve diagnostic tools for congenital and adult syphilis - conditions currently diagnosed with a sequence of tests, each with limited precision.

3 Sep 2024

Kidney donors' mortality risk drops significantly over the past decade

The risk of death for people who donate a kidney for transplantation - already small a decade ago - has dropped by more than half since then, a new study shows.

28 Aug 2024

University of Arizona nursing program receives $1.6 million to support indigenous students

Indigenous students pursuing nursing careers at the University of Arizona College of Nursing will benefit from additional financial support thanks to a $1.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Indian Health Service.

27 Aug 2024

An Arm and a Leg: Don’t get ‘bullied’ into paying what you don’t owe

Caitlyn Mai thought she did everything right. She called ahead to make sure her insurer would cover her cochlear implant surgery.

27 Aug 2024

Feds killed plan to curb Medicare Advantage overbilling after industry opposition

A decade ago, federal officials drafted a plan to discourage Medicare Advantage health insurers from overcharging the government by billions of dollars — only to abruptly back off amid an "uproar" from the industry, newly released court filings show.

27 Aug 2024

The new covid vaccine is out. Why you might not want to rush to get it.

The FDA has approved an updated covid shot for everyone 6 months old and up, which renews a now-annual quandary for Americans: Get the shot now, with the latest covid outbreak sweeping the country, or hold it in reserve for the winter wave?

26 Aug 2024

Disability rights activist pushes government to let him participate in society

Garret Frey refuses to be sidelined. Frey has been paralyzed from the neck down for more than 37 of his 42 years. He has spent decades rejecting the government's excuses when he and others with disabilities are denied the support they need to live in their own homes and to participate in society.

23 Aug 2024