FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The number of Floridians who died from drugs last year decreased across the state, but one synthetic drug was noticeably on the rise and fentanyl is still the deadliest drug of all, according to a statewide report released this summer.

Both occurrences of and deaths caused by synthetic cathinones increased by over 100%...Read more

One July evening, Allison Rosenthal, D.O., received a flurry of texts with exclamations like, “Yo, my doctor friend is famous!”

“What is going on?” she thought.

She soon learned that her patient, MLB pitcher Liam Hendriks, had just thanked her while accepting ESPN’s Jimmy V Award for Perseverance at the 2023 ESPYs, with more than 2.3...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Thomas VanCott compares his son Jake’s experience with autism to life on a tightrope. Upset the delicate balance and Jake, 18, plunges into frustration, slapping himself and twisting his neck in seemingly painful ways.

Like many families with children on the autism spectrum, Jake’s parents sought treatments beyond ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — For nearly a decade, John Baackes has led L.A. Care Health Plan, a publicly run insurer primarily serving low-income Los Angeles County residents on Medi-Cal. It is by far the largest Medi-Cal plan in the state.

Baackes, 78, who will retire after the end of the year, helped transform L.A. Care into a major market player ...Read more

Mercedes Dodge was raised by first-generation immigrant parents from Peru in a modest home in a rural part of southeastern Texas, where there weren’t many health care providers. Sometimes they had to travel to Houston, over an hour and a half away, to get basic health care.

Partly because of that experience, Dodge became a physician assistant...Read more

CLARKSBURG, Calif. — On a sunny August morning in this agricultural town, before temperatures soared to 103 degrees, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra stood outside the small public library.

He came to talk about the Biden administration’s efforts to protect farmworkers from extreme heat and wildfire smoke, two ...Read more

As diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder have increased in the last two decades, so have the number of experimental and off-label therapies seeking to address the condition.

For parents navigating the complex and often contradictory landscape of autism interventions — while also balancing medical appointments, educational specialists and ...Read more

When Vice President Kamala Harris walked across the debate stage Tuesday night to shake the hand of former President Donald Trump, it was the first time the two had met in person. But that was the rare collegial moment in a face-off otherwise marked by false and sometimes bizarre statements by the former president.

The debate was hosted by ABC ...Read more

James Earl Jones, the iconic voice of Darth Vader, has died. Creative collaborators and famous fans alike, from Mark Hamill to Denzel Washington, have been coming forward to publicly mourn the late actor.

From joining the exclusive EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) club to becoming the commanding voice of CNN, Jones’ career was illustrious. ...Read more

Several years ago, when I was helping care for my parents toward the end of their lives, they were adamant they wanted to stay in their home for as long as possible. I quickly realized we would need lots of help to honor their wishes. Finding quality and reliable in-home long-term care was expensive, but fortunately, they had the resources to ...Read more

You may be one of the 90 percent of Americans who don't like to cook—but you probably know that you should cook more. Because while eating out or ordering takeout saves time, it depletes your bank accounts and your health.

The health benefits of a home-cooked meal outweigh almost any other method of eating, no matter the recipe. Here’s why....Read more

Granola bars, breakfast bars, snack bars, whatever you call them, they’re extremely convenient grab-and-go hunger cures. However, while they may have started off as nutritious health food store staples, many have morphed into candy bars in disguise. Fortunately, there are still several that fit the bill for an easy, non-perishable snack to ...Read more

Concussion is one of the most common injuries to the brain, affecting about two million children and teens every year. It is a particular kind of injury that happens when a blow to the head or somewhere else on the body makes the brain move back and forth within the skull.

It’s possible to get a concussion after what might seem like a minor ...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I’m training for my first long-distance race, and I want to be safe on my runs. Unfortunately, due to where I live, the weather is often a challenge. On other days, I’m finding I cannot get in my miles until after dusk. I’m wondering if you have any advice for staying injury-free in cold, rainy or dark conditions.

ANSWER...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — You don't often see a "science day" in a Philadelphia courtroom. But that's exactly what happened last week in a potentially ground-shifting legal fight brought by patients against the manufacturers of blockbuster drugs for diabetes and weight loss.

At the heart of the case are the drugs in question: Ozempic, Wegovy, and others...Read more

As students return to school, it’s crucial to recognize the invisible struggles they may be facing, especially after the summer break. Navigating new academic and social environments can intensify mental health challenges or even trigger new ones.

Providing students with tools and emotional literacy to support one another and address ...Read more

In a video posted to Reddit this summer, Lucie Rosenthal’s face starts focused and uncertain, looking intently into the camera, before it happens.

She releases a succinct, croak-like belch.

Then, it’s wide-eyed surprise, followed by rollicking laughter. “I got it!” the Denver resident says after what was her second burp ever.

“It’...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I was diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis. When is a knee replacement appropriate?

ANSWER: Osteoarthritis is an extremely common condition affecting over 500 million people worldwide. The knee is the most frequently affected joint. Knee osteoarthritis occurs when protective cartilage in the knee wears down leading to ...Read more