Childhood flu vaccination is down so far this season in every state but Iowa, per new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.
Why it matters: Flu shots can help prevent kids from getting sick, but they appear to be getting swept up in a broader wave of vaccine skepticism that arose during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The big picture: Trump appointed Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an open vaccine skeptic, to head the Department of Health and Human Services, prompting some health experts to warn of his lack of experience and how he could deliver setbacks to American health care.
President-elect Trump told Time magazine he will ensure the FDA will not block access to abortion pills on his watch, the first time he has made such a commitment.
Why it matters: Medication abortions account for nearly two-thirds of all abortions nationwide. Anti-abortion groups and some Trump allies see limiting access to abortion pill mifepristone as a top priority in the new term — but, for now at least, Trump does not.
Character.AI — the platform designed to let users chat with bots based on fictional characters — is releasing updated safety features days after parents filed a new lawsuit against the company and its founders, who now work at Google.
The big picture: The lawsuit claims that Character.AI "poses a clear and present danger to public health and safety" and calls for it to be taken offline and for its developers to be held responsible for releasing an unsafe product.
Platforms and apps that allow users to create and chat with AI-powered bots can addict teenagers, encourage self-harm and expose minors to adult content, according to experts.
Why it matters: Looser regulation of AI in the wake of the 2024 election could give freer rein to makers of problematic AI companion apps.
Why it matters: Trump bounded into politics with the racist "birther" conspiracy, crafted the '"Big Lie" to explain away his 2020 loss, and was swept back into office after falsely claiming Haitian immigrants were eating family pets in Ohio. Key players in his second administration share his conspiratorial worldview and are ready to act on it.
The vitriol directed at health insurers following the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson could prompt more scrutiny of an industry thought to be facing a favorable regulatory outlook in the second Trump administration.
The big picture: Parent UnitedHealth Group's plummeting market value this week suggests investors fear a regulatory crackdown in response to the public outcry over coverage denials and corporate indifference.
President-elect Trump's nominee to lead the National Institutes of Health has drawn scorn for his views on herd immunity and COVID, but Jay Bhattacharya's arrival would put renewed focus on why a research institution with a nearly $48 billion budget doesn't have more breakthroughs.
Why it matters: The controversial Stanford professorcould rattle the scientific establishment and turf-conscious lawmakers in Congress, but also satisfy skeptics' calls for a serious look under the hood at how NIH works.
A week after the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, a book criticizing the U.S. health care industry skyrocketed to the top of an Amazon bestseller list.
The big picture: Author Jay Feinman's "Delay, Deny, Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don't Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It" is second on the site's nonfiction bestseller list Wednesday. The words "delay," "deny" and "depose" were found etched on bullet casings at the site of the CEO's killing.
Americans should strive to eat less meat and saturated fats, while upping their intake of fiber-rich legumes, fruits and vegetables, according to new recommendations issued Tuesday by a panel of nutrition experts.
Why it matters: The fresh recommendations build on existing evidence that foods like red meat, and the overconsumption of salty and sugary foods, can be linked to health risks.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. believes the CIA had a role in assassinating his uncle, President John F. Kennedy — part of RFK Jr.'s motivation for pushing his daughter-in-law, Amaryllis Fox Kennedy, for deputy CIA director, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: President-elect Trump feels indebted to RFK Jr., his pick for secretary of Health and Human Services, for his help in the election, and is eager to please him. But there's real drama behind the scenes about whether Fox Kennedy is the right choice for the CIA's No. 2 job.
The public trusts Anthony Fauci more than President-elect Trump and his incoming health team as a source of medical information, according to the latest Axios-Ipsos American Health Index.
But Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s focus on safe food and nutrition clearly resonates with many Americans, who see chemicals and unsafe additives as a bigger health risk than climate change or infectious diseases.
Women at age 30 can start collecting their own vaginal sample for cervical cancer screening at a physician's office and forego Pap smears, a national health advisory panel said on Tuesday.
Why it matters: The draft guidance from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force marks the first time self-collection for human papillomavirus has been recommended, and it's expected to increase screening rates.
Some breast cancer patients are at higher risk of having their disease spread elsewhere in their body because of an inherited genetic predisposition, researchers reported in Cell.
Why it matters: The vast majority of cancer deaths stem from the spread of cancer, rather than issues associated with the initial tumor.
Coca-Cola and 10 other major food companies are accused in a lawsuit from a Pennsylvania teenager of "engineering" ultra-processed products to be addictive, marketing the items towards children and allegedly causing chronic disease in kids.
The big picture: Bryce Martinez alleges in the "first-of-its kind" lawsuit the actions of the firms that also include Kraft Heinz, Mars and PepsiCo "caused him to develop Type 2 Diabetes and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease by age 16," per a statement from Morgan & Morgan, the major national personal injury attorneys representing the teen in the case.
South Korea's former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who was accused of involvement in a failed martial law attempt, tried to kill himself inside a detention center, per multiple reports citing a prison official.
The big picture: Kim was moved to a "protective cell" following the attempt, Korea Correctional Service head Shin Yong-hae told lawmakers during a parliamentary hearing on Wednesday Seoul time, Yonhap News Agency reports.
/2024/12/11/1733957733138.gif?w=3840)
