Health News
7/27/2024

Raccoon dogs did not start COVID-19, new study says



Black doctors call out 'broken' system for health care professionals



'Devastating': Pandemic learning loss needs urgent attention in U.S., national survey finds



Bats could hold secret to long life — and other health news you may have missed



The COVID public health emergency expires Thursday. Here’s what that means for you.



South Carolina is the latest state to pass post-Roe abortion restrictions with 6-week ban



‘There’s a temptation to lump octogenarians together’: What you should know about work and aging-brain health



Who should have the 'right to die'



Feinstein’s health issues were far more serious than publicly disclosed: What we know



The surgeon general has warned that social media harms kids. Should they be banned until they're older?



How to cool down without AC


No air conditioning? Here are 14 methods for cooling your body and buffering your house from the outside heat.

The benefits of 'body doubling' when you have ADHD, according to experts


'Body doubling' is a strategy people with ADHD can use to accomplish more than they would alone. Here's how to do it.

If you think you can't focus for long, you're right


Your attention span has shrunk by nearly two minutes in the past 20 years, driven in part by technology's hold over your work and home life, experts say. Here's how to stay focused so you can get things done.

What you should know if there's no sexual attraction for your partner, according to a therapist


Why would a person pick a potential life partner without feeling the spark of sexual attraction? And can these relationships survive and thrive? Can sexual attraction be cultivated later? Therapist Ian Kerner shares what he's learned in his practice.

Your guide to finding the right Theragun massage gun for you



8 activewear brands you should add to your workout wardrobe


The increasing popularity of stylish, trendy athletic wear has made über-comfortable clothing something that's not just for the gym. It's infiltrated all corners of culture, from high fashion runways to the offices of Silicon Valley executives — and really, it's appropriate for any occasion when you just want to be comfortable.

The best coupons at CVS Pharmacy



The planet is getting hotter fast. This is what happens to your body in extreme heat


Human-caused climate change has already made heat waves around the world more frequent and intense.

What a medication abortion is like, according to a doctor


An expert in medication abortion describes how mifepristone and misoprostol work and what to expect after using these medications known as the "abortion pill."

This bat fossil could fill in a piece of the evolutionary puzzle


Two 52 million-year-old bat skeletons discovered in an ancient lake bed in Wyoming are the oldest bat fossils ever found — and they reveal a new species.

How long you can use vintage Tupperware


Since Tupperware, the iconic kitchen brand that's been a household name for decades, signaled recently that it might be going out of business, you might be wondering how long your stash of its food storage containers is safe to use — especially if it's vintage.

Why we have nightmares and how to stop them


We leave behind our fears of monsters under the bed as we say goodbye to our childhoods, but one can follow us into adulthood and loom over our heads.

Desperate for heart surgery for their baby, a family feels the effects of pediatric hospital shortages


Even before their daughter was born in June, Aaron and Helen Chavez knew she would need heart surgery. Doctors expected her to have an operation around 6 months of age.

Fuzzy first photo of a black hole gets a sharp makeover


The first photo ever taken of a black hole looks a little sharper now.

Paper airplane breaks a world distance record


It's a bird... It's a plane... It's a paper airplane!

Covid-19 boosters could keep thousands of kids out of hospitals, but uptake remains low


Higher Covid-19 vaccination rates among US children could prevent thousands of pediatric hospitalizations and millions of missed school days, according to an analysis published Tuesday by the Commonwealth Fund and the Yale School of Public Health.

Experimental therapy gantenerumab fails to slow or improve Alzheimer's memory loss in clinical trials


An experimental treatment, gantenerumab, failed to help people at high risk of memory loss from Alzheimer's or those who were in the early phases of the disease, the manufacturer said Monday.

US gets D+ grade for rising preterm birth rates, new report finds


The rate of premature birth in the United States is climbing, according to the infant and maternal health nonprofit March of Dimes.

RSV hospitalization rate for seniors is 10 times higher than usual for this point in the season


The respiratory virus season has started early in kids this year and flooded children's hospitals in many parts of the country -- especially with respiratory syncytial virus, known as RSV.

Sunak reveals he fasts at beginning of the week


The PM says he tries to fast at the start of the week so he can indulge in his “weakness for sugary things” on other days.

'There are loads of people that vape at school'


A group of teenagers in Fife have been making a documentary about the impact of disposable vapes.

Five takeaways from Johnson at the Covid inquiry


The former PM is the most high-profile witness so far to testify at the inquiry into the pandemic.

'Moronic': Vicious Covid WhatsApps reveal No 10 battles


"Meltdown", "liar", "embarrassing" - messages lay bare Downing Street divisions during the pandemic.

How Dame Deborah James helped save a mum's life


A mother-of-three shared her story with Dame Deborah's mother Heather on BBC Breakfast.

Can health secretary name NHS trusts performing well?


Victoria Atkins is challenged to name some health trusts meeting their targets to cut waiting lists.

'I embrace my alopecia, but I’d love my old hair back’


People living with alopecia could have access to treatment on the NHS in Scotland for the first time.

How the UK planned for the wrong pandemic


Over-confidence, wasted opportunities and muddled-thinking left UK sleep-walking into Covid.

What is the UK Covid inquiry and what powers does it have?


"Never again can a disease be allowed to lead to so many deaths," the inquiry has said.

Covid inquiry: The UK pandemic in numbers


Explore the data on how the coronavirus pandemic unfolded in the UK.

Ex-medical officer close to tears over Covid deaths


Dame Sally Davies apologises to bereaved families and says the UK was poorly prepared for the pandemic.

What is mpox and how is it spread?


Mpox, which used to be called monkeypox, is endemic in parts of west and central Africa.

Will the new Parliament pass the smoking bill?


The smoking bill was not passed before Parliament was dissolved ahead of the general election.

Ten tips for sleeping in hot weather


A simple guide on how to get a good night's sleep in the heat.

How much do junior doctors really get paid?


The BBC asked two junior doctors in England to show us their payslips and reveal their salaries.

What does hot weather do to the body?


What impact do high temperatures have on our bodies?

Are weight-loss injections the answer to obesity?


The appeal is clear - but should we be turning to appetite-suppressing injections?

What is the law on assisted suicide and euthanasia?


Many countries have legalised assisted dying, assisted suicide or euthanasia, which are different.

Five surprisingly simple ways to optimise your diet


Here's five tips for better eating from BBC Ideas

How 175 British children were infected with HIV


Families of some of those affected are giving evidence at a public inquiry into the treatment disaster.

I lost mum, dad and sister to HIV in blood scandal


Families torn apart by the infected blood scandal break their silence to BBC Panorama.

Melanoma skin cancer cases rising in UK


The biggest increase is among the over 80s, with a marked rise in cases in adults aged 25-49.

UV levels explained - how do I protect myself?


How to be sun savvy and get the right level of protection from UV rays.

'Blood compensation comes too late for my husband'


The government announced what it calls a "comprehensive" compensation scheme on Tuesday.

Children used as 'guinea pigs' in clinical trials


They were given infected blood products in trials without their knowledge, the BBC has found.

Infected blood inquiry: Five things we have learned


An inquiry into the "worst treatment disaster in NHS history" hears its final evidence.

'An abuse by people supposedly there to care'


Victims of the scandal said they had been "gaslit for generations" and felt "vindicated" by the report.

World first epilepsy device fitted in UK boy's skull


Oran, who is 13, was sometimes having hundreds of seizures a day due to his severe epilepsy.

How Hollywood star Sheen helped uncover a dark secret


A chance scroll on the internet led the actor Michael Sheen on a journey to uncover a dark secret.

Senior doctors accept pay deal in England


The pay deal, worth up to 19.4% for some, comes after months of negotiations.

Infected blood victims could get £2m compensation


Government unveils package after final report of public inquiry into scandal published on Monday.

What is the infected blood scandal and will there be compensation?


Thousands were infected with HIV and hepatitis C, in the worst treatment disaster in NHS history.

Are we in a summer Covid wave?


Lots of people seem to have Covid at the moment but what is behind it and is it serious?

Cyber-attack delays child's cancer operation


Dylan Kjorstad's surgery was delayed due to concerns over blood supplies following a cyber-attack.

Faces made of living skin make robots smile


Scientists find a way to attach living skin to robot faces for more realistic smiles and expressions.

Top sunscreens fail protection tests, Which? says


Some cheaper lotions from supermarkets Aldi and Lidl outperformed more expensive brands, Which? said.

Your Voice, Your Vote: Mental health crisis in young


What will the main parties do to support children and young people with their mental health?

Hugh Pym: Is sugar the missing ingredient in election manifestos?


Sugar taxes have been widely debated but in party manifestos, the word "sugar" barely appears. Why?

How to pull off an election all-nighter


You want to watch the results, but you also have a life to live... we have the plan to get you through.

More money and staff – so why isn't the NHS more productive?


Labour has launched an investigation into what's wrong with the NHS. Is productivity the place to start?

Diabetic patient used social media to find insulin


A woman living with diabetes urges better communication over the supply of essential drugs.

'My consultant told me I was a medical mystery'


Women who were in pain for years without answers want greater awareness around their condition.

Mum admits ending life of terminally ill son


Police say they are investigating reports relating to "an apparent case of assisted dying" in 1981.

Weight-loss drug approved for heart problems in UK


Wegovy contains the drug semaglutide, which is already prescribed on the NHS to help people lose weight.

Babies died after hospital neglect - inquest jury


Babies Sunny and Elena both died after erroneously being given a sodium nitrite infusion.

‘I’m stuck in a prison’: Disabled and trapped in hospital for 10 months


No suitable home has been found in the community for the 36-year-old, who is disabled.

'Menopause must be treated fairly for women at work'


A mother who says the menopause is "harrowing" backs a study to help employers treat women better.

Eight-year ADHD backlog at NHS clinics revealed


Data suggests at least 196,000 adults are waiting to be seen and demand has quadrupled since 2019.

Woman died after begging GP for help - inquest


Maeve Boothby-O’Neill had asked her GP for "help with feeding" four months before her death.

Fall in proportion of IVF cycles funded by NHS


The latest data also shows the average age for first-time treatment is now over 35.

EU regulator rejects Alzheimer's drug lecanemab


It said the benefits of the treatment did not outweigh the risk of serious side effects.

'My body just keeps swelling and swelling'


Chloe Davies has "spontaneous swelling attacks", which can be life-threatening.

Autumn date to fix blood transfusion services


The systems were affected by a hack on the NHS, which caused significant disruption.

Health regulator not fit for purpose - Streeting


The health secretary says he is stunned by failings in inspecting hospitals, GPs and care homes in England.

Are you feeling grotty all the time this summer?


Why some people are saying they've been ill all year.

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