Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. controversially claimed autism is preventable due to environmental toxins, contradicting his agency's research. His statement at a press conference followed a CDC report showing a continued rise in autism diagnoses to 1 in 31 among 8-year-olds. Kennedy dismissed genetic factors as insignificant, attributing...
The Trump administration's freeze on over $2.2 billion in funding to Harvard University has caused widespread disruption to crucial research projects. Scientists face difficult choices, including potentially euthanizing research animals and laying off staff. Projects on tuberculosis, human organ chips, and ALS research are severely impacted, with researchers...
The CDC is considering shifting its Covid-19 vaccine recommendation from a universal annual shot for everyone over 6 months to a risk-based approach. This would align the US with other countries like the UK, Canada, and Australia, and the WHO, which don't recommend annual shots for healthy younger adults...
A measles outbreak in West Texas is overwhelming the CDC, which is facing severe budget cuts and staffing shortages. CDC official David Sugerman stated that controlling the outbreak will require significant financial resources, estimating costs of $30,000-$50,000 per case. The agency's response has been unusually quiet under the...
Arkansas and Indiana aim to become the first US states to ban soda and candy from their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), citing health concerns and taxpayer costs. Republican governors in both states have requested federal approval to remove these items from the approved food list. The move,...
The World Health Organization (WHO) has finalized a legally binding pandemic treaty after three years of negotiations. This historic agreement aims to improve global pandemic preparedness and response by facilitating data sharing, ensuring equitable access to medical resources, and promoting technology transfer to developing nations. Key elements include...
Gene Hackman's wife, Betsy Arakawa, died of hantavirus in February, after experiencing flu-like symptoms and searching online for Covid-related information. Police records reveal she sought medical help but never received it. Her 95-year-old husband, suffering from Alzheimer's, died of heart disease six days later. Their bodies were...
A measles outbreak in the US Southwest has resulted in 747 cases and three deaths this year, with underreporting suspected. The CDC attributes the surge to low vaccination rates in close-knit communities and has deployed personnel and resources to Texas, the hardest-hit area. Funding cuts from slashed COVID-19...
A new CDC study reveals a rise in autism diagnoses among US children, reaching 1 in 31 by age 8 in 2022. This increase, largely attributed to improved detection and screening, shows variations across demographics and regions. While disparities persist, particularly in identifying autism alongside intellectual disabilities, experts emphasize...
The CDC reported a rise in autism diagnoses among 8-year-old American children, from 1 in 36 in 2020 to 1 in 31 in 2022. This increase, nearly five times the 2000 rate, is attributed to improved awareness and screening, not a surge in autism prevalence. The CDC's findings...
