A highly mutated COVID-19 strain is circulating in California — raising concerns that disease activity could rise heading into the summer.

The emergence of the BA.3.2 strain, nicknamed "cicada," comes amid broader uneasiness about COVID vaccination rates among seniors — who are especially susceptible to the virus — and whether complacency...Read more

BALTIMORE — Updated for the first time in six years, clinical guidelines for screening and managing cholesterol now recommend earlier screenings — as young as nine years old — for those with a family history of heart disease, among other standards of care.

“Shifting the paradigm toward proactive prevention strategies earlier in life can...Read more

BOSTON — A person with measles traveled through Boston Logan Airport on April 13, the Boston Public Health Commission reported, warning exposed unvaccinated individuals to isolate and contact healthcare providers immediately.

“This case of measles underscores the continued importance of obtaining the MMR vaccine,” said Bisola Ojikutu, ...Read more

Using an in-home HEPA purifier for one month spurs a small but significant improvement in brain function in adults age 40 and older. That’s the result of a new study we co-authored in the journal Scientific Reports.

HEPA purifiers – HEPA stands for high efficiency particulate air – remove particulate matter from the air. ...Read more

Rotavirus is a highly contagious virus that spreads easily and can make babies and young children very sick. This year, doctors have been seeing more cases earlier in the season than usual.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that almost 8 in 100 people tested for rotavirus have the virus. This is only a ...Read more

Among the S&P 500’s 11 major sectors, three are widely considered “defensive” thanks to the inelastic demand for the services and products they provide. “Elasticity” refers to how sensitive consumer demand is to changes in price.

For utilities, consumer staples and health care, demand remains fairly constant regardless of economic ...Read more

If you’re looking for a way to combine cardio with strength training, then hop on an elliptical. “Ellipticals are a great all-in-one machine,” says Corey Goldman, a physical therapist with Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Rehabilitation. “They offer a low-impact cardiovascular workout that simultaneously engages both the upper and lower body...Read more

Trying to eat more protein? The solution may lie in your fridge or pantry rather than the supplement aisle. Protein is a macronutrient that supports everything from muscle repair and growth to satiety and a strong immune system. “Prioritizing protein at each meal can also keep you feeling full longer, helping curb cravings and support healthy ...Read more

The term “electrolytes” may sound like a buzzword you see on sports drink labels, but they play a far more important role in your body than most people realize. At their core, electrolytes are minerals — such as sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chloride, phosphate and bicarbonate — that carry an electric charge when dissolved in ...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I’m scheduled for a CT scan, and I’ve never had one before. What does a CT scan do, what will it be like and is it safe?

ANSWER: Co mputer tomography (CT) was invented more than 50 years ago and is considered one of the greatest medical advances of the 20th century. CT scans create incredibly detailed images that allow ...Read more

Democratic lawmakers are demanding that the Trump administration halt plans to collect sensitive medical records for millions of federal workers and retirees, as well as their family members.

The Office of Personnel Management has asked 65 insurance companies to provide monthly reports with detailed medical and pharmaceutical claims data of ...Read more

The number of babies born in the United States fell again last year.

According to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 3.6 million births in 2025, a 1% decline from 2024. The fertility rate dropped to 53.1 births per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44, down 23% since 2007.

The Trump administration has said it wants ...Read more

In the eight states that expanded Medicaid after 2018, the number of people receiving prescriptions for the opioid addiction treatment medication buprenorphine increased dramatically, according to a paper that researchers will present next month.

The states that expanded Medicaid before that period also saw gains, but they were generally ...Read more

OAKLAND, Calif. — Rosa María Carranza leaned forward to hold a 3-year-old’s back as the girl climbed a rock in the forested hills of northeast Oakland.

Dressed in hiking gear and beaded necklaces, Carranza, 67, maneuvered between trees and children on a sunny morning in December. “Hold on to that branch,” she said in Spanish. “You ...Read more

The first time the placebo effect really got under my skin was when I read that roughly one-third of people with irritable bowel syndrome improve on placebo treatments alone. Usually this statistic is presented as a fascinating quirk of medicine. My reaction was anger.

Humanity possesses an extremely effective treatment, with ...Read more

HAY SPRINGS, Neb.— The sun was just warming the horizon as Mark Pieper left his house near his cattle ranch on a crisp February morning.

It’s not unusual for the rancher to wake up early to tend to livestock, but at 5:45 a.m. this day his cattle wouldn’t come first. For the past 3½ years, three days a week, Pieper has made an early ...Read more

Fewer young Minnesotans reported using cannabis in the years since the state legalized recreational marijuana for adults 21 or older in 2023, according to data released by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH).

The 2025 Minnesota Student Survey, which is conducted every three years and most recently released on April 20, found that the ...Read more

A potentially more dangerous strain of the mpox virus has been confirmed in Northern California, prompting officials to urge vaccinations to residents of the Golden State.

The disease was formerly known as monkeypox, but the World Health Organization phased out that name in 2022 in favor of mpox because of “racist and stigmatizing language”...Read more

BALTIMORE — A new case of measles reported in Maryland last week could become an outbreak if gone unnoticed in under-vaccinated, susceptible areas, doctors told The Baltimore Sun. As a highly contagious disease starting with less dramatic symptoms, measles can fly under the radar, complicating efforts to track its spread.

Unlike many airborne...Read more

SAN DIEGO — A new UC San Diego study strengthens the growing body of evidence that marijuana use impacts adolescent brain development.

Researchers observed slower gains in cognitive tests that measured memory, focus and thinking speed among middle and high school-age kids who used cannabis when compared to those who abstained.

Scheduled for ...Read more