COLUMBIA, S.C. — A group of South Carolina Republican lawmakers are looking to join a handful of other states that have passed restrictions on certain medical care for transgender children.

A Republican-led Senate panel on Thursday held the first of what is slated to be a much longer two-part public hearing next Wednesday, gathering testimony...Read more

Florida’s ban on gender-affirming medical treatment for youth is unconstitutional, a group of parents and transgender children alleged in a federal lawsuit filed Thursday.

The ban violates the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause because it singles out transgender minors and blocks them from obtaining medically necessary care for gender...Read more

ATLANTA — Gov. Brian Kemp on Thursday signed a bill into law that bans health care providers from providing certain hormones or surgical treatment to children to align with their gender identity.

Senate Bill 140 passed the Legislature on a party-line vote, with Republicans supporting it.

“As Georgians, parents and elected leaders, it is ...Read more

The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work.

One third of families who relied on formula to feed their babies during the COVID-19 pandemic were forced by severe infant formula shortages to resort to suboptimal feeding practices that can harm infant health, according to our research published in the journal ...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I have a group of friends with whom I love to travel. We plan several trips a year, and this spring we are planning to go outside the U.S. and visit the Caribbean. We will stay at an all-inclusive resort in a popular destination and do a few sightseeing day trips in the area. Are there things we should do to be safe while ...Read more

March is National Nutrition Month, which makes this a good time to learn about your nutritional needs during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.

During pregnancy, the basic principles of healthy eating remain the same — get plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and healthy fats. However, a few nutrients in a pregnancy diet ...Read more

More than 50,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with kidney cancer each year. Risks factors for developing this type of cancer include environmental exposures, such as smoking, high blood pressure, a history of kidney failure, obesity or not having a healthy weight. And there are also hereditary syndromes that may increase your risk for kidney...Read more

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Broward County, Florida’s rate of advanced breast cancer exceeds the state and national average, and researchers want to learn why.

Could a chemical in the water or one sprayed on lawns play a role? Does someone’s ancestry make them more vulnerable to the chemicals?

Dr. Jean Latimer and her team at Nova ...Read more

Cannabis is a widely used psychoactive drug worldwide, and its popularity is growing: The U.S. market for recreational cannabis sales could surpass US$72 billion by 2023.

As of early 2023, 21 U.S. states and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis for recreational use for people age 21 and up, while 39 states plus the ...Read more

I recently learned about a study suggesting a vegan diet is an effective treatment for rheumatoid arthritis.

While that sounded intriguing, another claim made in an interview about the study really caught my attention: the lead author of the study said that physicians should encourage people with rheumatoid arthritis to try changing their ...Read more

Q: Does cooking in cast iron help with iron deficiency?

A: Iron is an essential nutrient and is needed to form proteins called hemoglobin (which carries oxygen to the body in red blood cells) and myoglobin (which carries and stores oxygen in your muscles). Iron deficiency causes symptoms like fatigue, weakness, lightheadedness, and confusion. ...Read more

We know that coffee (in moderation) is good for us. It’s been shown to increase your energy levels and metabolic rate, lower your risk of depression and decrease your chances of getting Type 2 diabetes.

Speaking of energy levels, many of us cannot leave the house without a cup (or two) of coffee. We rely on it to bring us back to life in the ...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I’m 24, single and looking forward to having a family one day. I was recently diagnosed with fibroids. What treatment options would allow me to have a baby in the future?

ANSWER: Fibroids are noncancerous masses made of muscle that grow within the uterus.

While fibroids are common — they are present in over 75% of women �...Read more

Babesiosis, a tick-borne disease, is endemic in 10 U.S. states, according to a March report by the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The parasitic disease primarily occurs within the Northeast and Midwest. As cases continue to rise in several states, the CDC has advised for an increase in tick prevention messaging ...Read more

Most people spend a third of their lives either asleep or resting, according to the Sleep Foundation. During sleep, the body recharges and repairs itself. And a good night's sleep often can be determined by what position you are lying in bed.

Back-sleepers beware.

"I know many people find it to be comfortable, because they're not putting ...Read more

DENVER — Two weeks after a routine trip to a health clinic turned into a psychiatric hospitalization, Emma Troughton was on a plane to Denver.

The intervention had been building: By early 2017, Troughton had struggled with body image and eating for years, first as a high schooler in Indiana piecing through their gender identity (Troughton is ...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I recently began experiencing swelling in my legs, feet and hands, as well as fatigue. Testing led to a diagnosis of pericardial constriction. Can you explain what this is and how it's treated? Is there anything I can do to reduce the swelling?

ANSWER: Pericardial constriction is a condition with multiple possible causes. It ...Read more

People have used poisons throughout history for a variety of purposes: to hunt animals for food, to treat diseases and to achieve nefarious ends like murder and assassination.

But what is a poison? Do all poisons act in the same way? Does the amount of the poison matter in terms of its toxicity?

I am a toxicologist who studies...Read more

ATLANTA — The Georgia Senate on Tuesday voted to send to the governor a bill that would prevent medical professionals from giving transgender children certain hormones or surgical treatment.

The Senate voted 31-21 on a party-line vote, with Republicans supporting the measure, to agree to changes made to Senate Bill 140 by the House. That ...Read more

A new bill introduced in the California state Senate aims to lay the groundwork for a state universal health care system, proposing an incremental approach that departs from recent sweeping, and unsuccessful, efforts to reshape how Californians receive care.

Under the measure by state Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), California would begin...Read more