WASHINGTON — As the largest measles outbreak in the U.S. in 25 years spreads, health experts warn that more people choosing to be unvaccinated for infectious diseases will make it harder to replicate past successful responses to outbreaks.

Measles, a respiratory virus, was effectively eliminated in 2000, when the U.S. only saw 86 cases. ...Read more

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The Alaska State Medical Board is asking the Legislature to ban hormonal and surgical treatments for minors seeking to transition from one gender to another.

The board — whose members were chosen by Gov. Mike Dunleavy — on Thursday agreed to state that it “opposes hormonal and surgical treatments for gender dysphoria...Read more

SAN DIEGO — Monday was World Tuberculosis Day and, as usual, Americans had reason to celebrate, with incidence rates that are among the best anywhere, according to the World Health Organization. But that does not mean there is not room for further improvement, especially in San Diego County.

In a recent announcement calling for greater ...Read more

Colorectal cancer is one of the most treatable cancers, especially when detected early. For those in advanced stages, significant advancements in therapies are providing renewed hope.

Dr. Umair Majeed, a Mayo Clinic oncologist, says improved treatment options mean better outcomes for patients, even for those with late-stage colorectal cancer.

...Read more

The Trump administration’s crackdown on DEI programs could exacerbate an unexpectedly steep drop in diversity among medical school students, even in states like California, where public universities have been navigating bans on affirmative action for decades. Education and health experts warn that, ultimately, this could harm patient care.

...Read more

A sarcoma is a term for a broad group of cancers that start in the bones or soft tissue, such as muscle, fat, blood vessels, nerves, tendons and joints. One of the signs of a sarcoma is a lump that can be felt through the skin that may or may not be painful. So if you feel one of these lumps, what should you do?

"Many patients will wonder: 'I ...Read more

DENVER -- Coloradans will soon have legal access to psychedelic-assisted therapy with the first licensed psilocybin businesses expected to open this spring. This novel type of mental health treatment involves ingesting large doses of “magic mushrooms” under the supervision of a licensed guide.

People who are interested in trying a ...Read more

Living in a disadvantaged neighborhood contributes to a rare form of heart failure known as peripartum cardiomyopathy, a potentially deadly disease that disproportionately affects Black mothers.

That’s the key finding of my recent study, published in February 2025 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Peripartum ...Read more

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is canceling dozens of National Institutes of Health grants funding health equity research, including work studying Black maternal and fetal health and HIV.

Grantees were told in termination notices delivered over the last several days that their project “no longer effectuates agency priorities” and ...Read more

With spring in Connecticut comes the persistent whine and pungent exhaust fumes of gas-powered leaf blowers as they prepare pristine lawns for fresh mulch and flowers.

But a ban on the ubiquitous landscaping machines is back before state lawmakers. HB 6263 was the subject of a recent public hearing before the legislature’s Environment ...Read more

SAN DIEGO — Five years after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, registered nurse Nicole Baca still visits an infusion center every week to have a mixture of water and other nutrients injected into her bloodstream.

“The treatments help increase my blood volume, and that’s what helps keep me from passing out,” the El Cajon resident ...Read more

After a twitching pinky finger led to a diagnosis of young-onset Parkinson’s disease, Keith Krehbiel, then 42, stopped at a bookstore on the way home to learn more about the progressive neurological disorder before telling his wife Amy the shocking news.

“I remember sitting in a parking lot and hearing this sad piece by Miles Davis,” he ...Read more

When it comes to your child's health, do you think much about their risks for developing heart disease? Probably not, since so much of keeping kids healthy means dealing with sore throats, scraped knees and other ailments. But recent research has prompted doctors and parents to take a second look at heart health in children.

Evidence shows that...Read more

As Congress mulls potentially massive cuts to federal Medicaid funding, health centers that serve Native American communities, such as the Oneida Community Health Center near Green Bay, Wisconsin, are bracing for catastrophe.

That’s because more than 40% of the about 15,000 patients the center serves are enrolled in Medicaid. Cuts to the ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — There's a rush on Rush.

Stores up and down Santa Monica Boulevard have seen a run on the iconic red and yellow vials this week, as the Food and Drug Administration cracks down on poppers, a product that has long existed in legal limbo.

The active ingredient in Rush and other poppers is alkyl nitrite, a chemical that instantly ...Read more

Claire Lindell had to wait months for treatment when doctors in April 2020 were forced to suddenly cancel the little girl’s spine surgery.

The delay was particularly stressful because the operation addressed several issues, including the 4-year-old’s high risk of respiratory infection — such as from the emerging COVID-19 virus.

“That ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA -- Mara Nissley has a rare disorder that causes her brain to swell as if she has a tumor. Losing weight can help treat the condition, called pseudotumor cerebri. Last year, her doctor recommended she start a popular weight-loss drug in the hopes of alleviating her debilitating headaches and vision problems.

In just a few months, ...Read more

Colorectal cancer, the third-most common cancer in the U.S., has been rising among younger people for the past two decades. It is not one type of cancer but two cancers: colon cancer, which starts in the large intestine, and rectal cancer, which begins in the last part of the large intestine, known as the rectum.

Dr. Derek Ebner, a Mayo Clinic ...Read more

ATLANTA — A recent report about cancerous synthetic hair extensions has sparked a heated conversation, prompting the Black beauty community to question if there are alternatives for protective styles.

According to a study published Feb. 27 at Consumer Reports, toxins were found in 10 brands of synthetic braiding.

“The products were tested ...Read more