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Scientists' Push For a Universal Vaccine Takes a Key Step Forward

If you avoid getting vaccinated because you dread one needle stick after another, there’s hopeful news from scientists at five major U.S. universities.

They’ve taken a major step toward developing a nasal spray that could one day protect against everything from influenza and COVID-19 to bacterial pneumonia and even common aller...

Doomscrolling Affecting Many Americans' Sleep, Poll Finds

Doomscrolling is taking a toll on many Americans’ rest, a new survey says.

More than a third of U.S. adults (38%) say using their phone or tablet to read the news before bed is making their sleep slightly or significantly worse, according to the new poll from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM).

Only 14% of Americans ...

Clean Indoor Air Key To Preventing Asthma Attacks

Clean, well-circulated indoor air can reduce asthma attacks among adults, a new study says.

Fans and air purifiers are essential for reducing the risk of flare-ups at home, researchers recently reported in the journal Atmosphere.

In particular, good ventilation and exhaust systems in kitchen and bathrooms help protect asthma...

Hospice Use Rising for Seniors Following ICU Stays

For many older Americans, the intensive care unit (ICU) is a place of aggressive, life-saving intervention.

However, a new national study reveals that more seniors are choosing a different path — transitioning from the high-tech world of the ICU to the comfort-focused environment of hospice.

The findings were published recently...

Pets Give Older Adults Purpose, but Financial Strain is Growing

For many older adults, a wagging tail or a soft purr is more than just company — it is a reason to get out of bed.

But a new national poll suggests that while the emotional bond between seniors and their pets is stronger than ever, the cost of companionship is becoming a heavy burden.

The latest University of Michigan National ...

Eating Healthy In Middle Age Can Lower Risk of Brain Decline, Study Finds

What’s on your plate today can affect your brain aging as a senior, a new study says.

Middle-aged people who eat healthy have a lower risk of brain decline in old age, researchers reported Feb. 23 in JAMA Neurology.

The heart-healthy Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet provided the best protection for b...

Turns Out Horses Don’t Just Whinny — They Whistle

The sound of a horse whinnying is one most people recognize instantly, but scientists are only now learning how it’s made.

A new study revealed that when a horse whinnies, it is making two sounds at the same time: One sound comes from vibrating vocal cords, like when people sing. The other comes from air rushing through the voice box...

New FDA Proposal Aims To Help Patients With Hard-To-Treat Diseases

U.S. health officials are proposing a new way to develop and approve custom-made treatments for people with rare and hard-to-treat conditions.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) just released a draft of guidelines that would create a special pathway for therapies designed for just a small number of people. Drug companies often avo...

Study Suggests Cutting Sugar Before Age 2 Could Lower Heart Disease Risk

Cookies, cupcakes, fruit snacks, juice boxes, oh my! These sweet treats are often part of childhood. 

But when it comes to babies and toddlers, new research suggests less sugar may be better for the heart later on.

Researchers found that people whose sugar intake was restricted before birth and during the first two years of life...

CDC's Deputy Secretary General Steps Down Just 2.5 Months Into the Job

Leadership uncertainty at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) deepened this week after the agency’s second-in-command suddenly resigned.

On Monday, the CDC announced that Ralph Abraham, its deputy secretary general, stepped down effective immediately.

Abraham had been in the role for about two and a half m...

Gap In Preventable Deaths Widening Between Those With, Without A College Degree

A gap in preventable deaths is growing between people with and without a college degree, a new study says.

A steadily increasing number of people with a high school diploma or less are dying from illnesses that could have been prevented by health care, researchers reported in the American Journal of Public Health.

A growing ...

Dry Powder Inhalers: A Double Win for COPD and Environment

Dry powder inhalers might provide a double benefit for people battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a new study says.

These inhalers not only lead to slightly better lung health among COPD patients, but also are less harmful to the environment, researchers reported Feb. 23 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

The most...

Living Near Nuclear Plants Linked to Higher Cancer Death Risk

The closer you live to a nuclear power plant, the higher the odds that you’ll die from cancer, a new nationwide study has concluded.

People living near a nuclear plant have a cancer death risk that rises with age, peaking in the senior years for both women and men, researchers reported Feb. 23 in the journal Nature Communications...