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HHS launches campaign against vaccine misinformation
In response to declining childhood vaccinations and rising infection rates across the U.S., HHS has launched a vaccine education campaign, encouraging parents to make informed healthcare decisions for their children based on more balanced information. -
Bird flu: 6 developments to know heading into 2025
Federal officials have maintained that the nation's bird flu outbreak does not pose an immediate threat to public health, but infectious disease experts say recent developments indicate the H5N1 virus' spread is widening — and with it, the risks it poses to humans. -
Respiratory illnesses surge: 5 updates
Fourteen states and Washington, D.C., are experiencing high or very high levels of respiratory illness, with influenza, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytical virus all contributing to increased healthcare visits across the U.S. -
FDA updates definition of 'healthy'
The FDA shared new guidelines for when manufacturers can label food as "healthy" in a final rule published Dec. 19. -
10 top causes of death in 2023: CDC
More than 3 million deaths were reported in the U.S. in 2023, with 10 leading causes accounting for more than 70.9% of all fatalities. -
CDC confirms nation's 1st case of severe bird flu: 5 notes
The CDC on Dec. 18 confirmed a patient in Louisiana has been hospitalized with a severe bird flu infection, marking the first human case of severe illness tied to the H5N1 virus in the country. -
ScienceDirect retracts study suggesting hydroxychloroquine as COVID treatment
Four-and-a-half years after its publishing date, ScienceDirect retracted a study that examined whether hydroxychloroquine could be a potential treatment for COVID-19. -
Experts slam claims that vaccines overwhelm immune systems
A concern voiced by public figures — including President-elect Donald Trump and his nominee for HHS secretary, Robert Kennedy Jr. — is that the number of vaccines administered to children may overwhelm their immune systems and contribute to conditions such as autism. This claim was denounced by medical experts, who emphasized that vaccines are designed to be safe and effective, The New York Times reported Dec. 15. -
5 states where virus activity is high: 4 updates
Respiratory virus activity is continuing to rise across the U.S. with flu, COVID-19 and RSV all contributing to increased healthcare visits, according to a Dec. 13 CDC report. -
US adult obesity rates drop for 1st time in a decade: Study
In 2023, the United States saw a slight decrease in obesity prevalence among adults, according to research findings published Dec. 13 in JAMA. -
Post-discharge mortality high among hospitalized flu patients: Study
Influenza surveillance systems that focus solely on in-hospital deaths may miss up to 50% of flu-related deaths because many occur post-discharge, according to a study recently published in Clinical Infectious Diseases. -
EPA bans solvents linked to cancer, other diseases
The Environmental Protection Agency has banned two solvents, trichloroethylene and percoethylene, marking a victory for environmental and public health advocates, The New York Times reported Dec. 9. -
Amid flu season, emergency department visits increase: 4 updates
Seasonal influenza activity is on the rise in the U.S., with an uptick in both flu-related emergency department visits and laboratory-confirmed cases, according to a Dec. 6 CDC report. -
US life expectancy to lag behind other nations by 2050: 4 takeaways
New projections for U.S. life expectancy forecast a slight increase by 2050, though the nation is expected to fall behind many other nations in global health rankings, according to research published Dec. 5 in The Lancet. -
US sets whooping cough case record: 3 virus season updates
During Thanksgiving week, the CDC recorded 364 whooping cough infections, surpassing the previous record of 228 cases the same week in 2010. -
UH hospital patient no longer in isolation
University Hospitals St. John Medical Center in Westlake, Ohio, has confirmed that a patient previously receiving treatment under isolation after arriving from Tanzania with flu-like symptoms has been cleared and is no longer in isolation. -
CMS partners with 2 companies on sickle cell therapies
CMS has reached agreements with bluebird bio and Vertex Pharmaceuticals for their FDA-approved gene therapies for sickle cell disease — Casgevy and Lyfgenia, respectively. -
CHOP expands food program for patients families
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia expanded its food insecurity program by providing families of patients with six months of produce and/or a week of prepared meals, WHYY reported Dec. 2. -
ACA fraud crackdown could slow signups: 4 things to know
Federal efforts to prevent fraud in the ACA marketplace are yielding positive results, but new restrictions aimed at curbing fraud may complicate the 2024 open enrollment period, KFF Health News reported Nov. 25. -
HHS expands transplant access for people with HIV
HHS has issued a final rule that removes clinical research requirements for kidney and liver transplants from donors with HIV to recipients with HIV.
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