Two Deaths Linked to Rabies-Infected Kidney Transplant

A rare case of rabies linked to an organ transplant has resulted in two deaths, federal health officials announced.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that a man in Idaho became infected with rabies after a skunk scratched his leg in October 2024.

About five weeks later, he developed serious symptoms i...

210,000 Portable Power Banks Sold on Amazon Recalled After Fire Reports

A popular portable phone charger sold online has been recalled after reports that it can overheat and catch fire, federal officials said.

The recall covers about 210,000 INIU-branded lithium-ion power banks sold on Amazon between August 2021 and April 2022, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

The affected...

Do Not Eat Wild Mushrooms, Officials Warn After Poisonings Turn Deadly

California health officials are warning people not to collect or eat wild mushrooms after a toxin found in some types poisoned nearly two dozen people and killed one.

The California Poison Control System reported 21 cases linked to a toxin called amatoxin, found in a mushroom known as the death cap. 

The illnesses occurred betwe...

Educational Video Game Helps Kids Learn Science, Study Finds

Video games often have a bad reputation as being a distraction, but a new study suggests they may help kids build important science skills.

University of Georgia researchers created an educational video game that helps elementary school students learn about the human body, health and how to use evidence the same way scientists do. 

Air Pollution Undermines Health Benefits Of Exercise, Evidence Says

Air pollution can undermine some of the health benefits active folks expect to derive from regular exercise, a new study says.

The protective effect exercise should have on people’s risk of death was cut by half among those living in areas with heavy air pollution, researchers reported recently in the journal BMC Medicine.

Laughing Gas Relieves Depression, Evidence Says

Laughing gas might live up to its name for people struggling with depression, a major new study says.

Treatment with nitrous oxide can provide rapid relief for people with depression, especially those who aren’t helped by antidepressants, researchers reported recently in the journal eBioMedicine.

“This is a signi...

TikTok Videos Mislead On Epilepsy Care, Experts Say

Fake clickbait TikTok videos about epilepsy treatments are receiving more views than accurate, evidence-based offerings, a new study says.

More than half of TikTok videos regarding epilepsy featured claims that were false, misleading and potentially harmful, researchers reported Friday at the annual meeting of the American Epilepsy Society...

Want To Save Rural Hospitals? Send Patients Home To Recover, Study Argues

Discharging hospital patients early to recover at home might be key to saving rural health care, a new study says.

Rural patients cost a good deal less to care for during recovery at home than in a hospital, researchers recently reported in JAMA Network Open.

What’s more, those patients tend to be happier and more acti...

One Million More U.S. Kids Became Obese During COVID Pandemic

Roughly 1 million American kids became obese during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new study says.

Childhood obesity rates in the U.S. rose from around 21% pre-pandemic to nearly 23% during the global health crisis, researchers reported Dec. 2 in the journal Pediatrics.

That totals up to about 1 million more children with obesity ...

Depression Increases Epilepsy Risk, Makes It Harder To Treat

People with depression have a more than doubled risk of developing epilepsy, a new study says.

Worse, depression then makes epilepsy more difficult to treat, according to results of a second study.

Both papers, presented Friday at the annual meeting in Atlanta of the American Epilepsy Society, shed fresh light on the complex relation...

Healthy Routines Can Stay on Track — Even During Holiday Chaos

The holidays can bring travel, busy schedules and family events, and for many people, that means healthy habits slip. But experts say staying well during this time doesn’t require perfection.

It’s not just the schedule that gets in the way, it’s the expectations we put on ourselves, Samantha Harden, an associate professor...

New GLP-1 Implant May Help Overweight Pets, Study Underway

Weight loss drugs aren’t just for people anymore; They may soon be available for your furry friend.

A California company, Okava Pharmaceuticals, has launched a clinical trial testing a GLP-1–based weight loss treatment in 50 cats. The treatment uses a small under-the-skin implant, called OKV-119, designed to release medication ...

Breaking: CDC Panel Votes to No Longer Recommend Hepatitis B Shot for Newborns

A federal vaccine advisory committee has voted to change a long-standing recommendation that all newborns in the United States receive the hepatitis B vaccine on the day they are born.

The group, known as the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), voted 8 – 3 on Friday morning to recommend the birth dose only for newbor...

From AI to Wearables: WHO Outlines Global Plan for Digital Health Tools

Make way for digital health. Smart watches and health apps aren’t just for fitness enthusiasts and people with access to advanced care — the World Health Organization (WHO) is looking to these and other digital tech devices to enhance health and wellness across the globe.

As the world’s population becomes more and more co...

U.S. Stillbirth Rate Falls 2%, but Nearly 20,000 Losses Still Reported

The U.S. stillbirth rate dropped slightly last year, offering some hope after several years of uncertainty, according to new data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The report, released Dec. 3, found a 2% decline in stillbirths in 2024. Even with that improvement, nearly 20,000 pregnancies ended in fetal death....

Self-Swab HPV Tests Now Supported for Cervical Cancer Screening

Routine cervical cancer screening is getting a new option: Self-swab HPV tests, according to updated guidance released Dec. 4 by the American Cancer Society (ACS).

Experts say offering a test that women can collect themselves — sans speculum exam — could make screening less stressful in general.

"Screening for HPV is scre...

San Francisco Sues Food Giants Over “Addictive” Processed Foods

San Francisco is taking some of the country’s biggest food companies to court, claiming they knowingly sold ultraprocessed foods that harm health and are designed to keep people eating more.

The lawsuit, announced Tuesday, argues that products like sugary drinks, packaged snacks and processed meals have fueled rising rates of obesity...

Germophobes Can Breathe Easy On Airplanes, In Hospitals, Experts Say

FRIDAY, Dec. 5, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Germophobes can breathe a little easier when visiting a hospital or taking an airplane trip, a new study says.

The ambient air on planes and in hospitals mostly contains harmless microbes typically associated with human skin, researchers reported Dec. 4 in the journal Microbiome.<...

Weed Extract Might Lower Dog Aggression

FRIDAY, Dec. 5, 2025 (HealthDay News) — A marijuana extract appears to help soothe the nerves of aggressive dogs, a new study says.

Canines given cannabidiol (CBD) supplements long-term wind up less aggressive than other dogs, researchers reported recently in Frontiers in Veterinary Science.

“This long-term ...

Fewer Opioids Needed After "Needle" Knee Surgery

FRIDAY, Dec. 5, 2025 (HealthDay News) —  Knee surgery patients use fewer opioids and recover more quickly following an innovative “needle” surgical technique, a new study says.

Patients who underwent knee surgery using minimally invasive “needle arthroscopy” needed half the opioids to manage pain the day ...