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Opioids During Pregnancy May Not Raise Psychiatric Risks for Offspring

Prescription opioids taken during pregnancy are not associated with a substantial increase in risk of developmental disorders like ADHD in children, a new study has found.

“A slightly increased risk of neuropsychiatric disorders was found, but this should not be considered clinically meaningful” because it was limited to mothers taking...

Could Heartburn Meds Raise Your Migraine Risk?

People taking heartburn meds have a higher risk of migraines and other types of severe headaches, a new study warns.

All classes of acid-reducing drugs -- proton pump inhibitors, H2 blockers, and even antacids -- appear to promote an increased risk of migraine and headache, results show.

“Given the wide usage of acid-reducing drugs...

Drug, Alcohol Abuse Goes Untreated in Many Ex-Prisoners

Most ex-cons are unlikely to receive substance use treatment following their release from prison, even though odds are high they are struggling with addiction, a new study finds.

National estimates suggest as many as 85% of inmates leave prison with some form of substance abuse problem, researchers said.

But only 17% of ex-cons on Me...

Watchdog Group Says U.S. Food Recalls Rose Again Last Year

U.S. recalls of foods for salmonella, foreign objects or undeclared allergens are rampant nowadays and the highest they've been since 2020, a watchdog group warns.

“Everyone needs to do better: food producers, regulators and lawmakers,” said Teresa Murray, consumer watchdog at U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG). “We shouldn�...

Genes Could Mix With Pesticide Exposure to Raise Parkinson's Risk

It's long been known that exposure to agricultural pesticides can greatly raise a person's odds for Parkinson's disease.

New genetics research now reveals those who might be most vulnerable.

A team at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), pored over genetic data from 800 Parkinson's patients living and working in that sta...

Breast Cancer Survivors Face Higher Odds for Second Cancer

People lucky enough to survive a breast cancer may still face heightened risks for other cancers later, a new study shows.

The researchers stressed that the absolute risk of a secondary cancer to any one survivor is still low. However, relative to folks who've never had breast cancer, the risk is raised.

"This is the largest study t...

Patient Gets First-Ever Pig Kidney Transplant Plus Heart Pump

New Jersey native Lisa Pisano was staring down the end of her days.

The 54-year-old had heart failure and end-stage kidney disease, but several chronic medical conditions excluded her as a candidate for heart and kidney transplants.

“All I want is the opportunity to have a better life,” Pisano said in a news release. “After I w...

Almost 40% of Americans Live With Dirty Air: Report

Nearly 40% of Americans live where the air is polluted enough to harm them, a new report warns.

In the American Lung Association's “State of the Air” report, released Wednesday, the number of people living with levels of air pollution that could jeopardize their health climbed from about 119 million in 2023 to 131 million now.

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Fragments of Bird Flu Virus Found in U.S. Milk Supply

Bits of inactive bird flu virus have been discovered in samples of pasteurized milk from across the United States, health officials said Tuesday, although they stressed the viral fragments don't threaten humans.

However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration did note that testing suggests that bird flu has likely infected far more dairy co...

There's an 'Epidemic' of Loneliness Among U.S. Parents, Poll Finds

Anne Helms is one busy mom, constantly juggling the demands of working from home with parenting two young children.

Despite that whirl of activity, Helms says she often feels isolated and lonely.

“I work from home full time and I actually have a job where I’m on camera a lot and I’m Zoom calling people very often,” Helms, who...

Infertility Is Rising Among Young Married Women

The percentage of married American women under the age of 50 who are infertile rose between 2011 and 2019, new government statistics show.

Data from the National Survey of Family Growth show that "the percentage of married women ages 15-49 who were infertile rose from 2011-2015 (6.7%) to 2015-2019 (8.7%)," according to researchers.

T...

New Rules Mean 3.6 Million Americans Could Get Wegovy Via Medicare, Costing Billions

A budget-busting 3.6 million Medicare recipients could now be eligible for coverage of the weight-loss drug Wegovy, a new KFF analysis says.

That’s because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of Wegovy (semaglutide) to reduce the risk of heart attacks and stroke in certain patients, the study says.

The FDA’...

'Dream It, Be It?' Study Finds Teens Who Focus on Life Goals Often Succeed

“Dream it, be it” might sound like a cliche, but a new study says there’s something to the notion.

Teenagers who set ambitious goals for themselves tend to be more successful as young adults, researchers reported recently in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

Teens who set higher educational and career g...

Trying 'Magic Mushroom' Drug to Ease Depression? It Has Side Effects

Many people with tough-to-treat depression may be trying psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, as an alternative to antidepressants.

Thinking that it's a "natural" drug, folks might assume it comes without side effects.

That assumption would be wrong.

People in a new study who took psilocybin often experienced h...