For many, GLP-1 drugs like Zepbound and Wegovy offered an ideal solution to diabetes and weight loss: a shot or pill that regulates blood sugar, curbs appetite and promotes weight loss without the need for complicated diet and exercise regimens. Today, one in eight Americans takes some form of GLP-1 medication, according to a Kaiser Family ...Read more

Federal regulators fast-tracked approval of psychedelic drugs to treat some of the nation’s most stubborn mental health disorders, reopening a debate that has lingered since the counterculture era: Are hallucinogens dangerous drugs of abuse, breakthrough medicines, or both?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced in April that it ...Read more

The state of Michigan is no longer recommending that infants as young as 6 months get an early dose of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

In early April, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services issued a temporary recommendation that families in southeast Michigan have their infants vaccinated between the ages of 6-11 ...Read more

Eli Lilly & Co. is on a record spending spree, announcing acquisitions worth more than $20 billion so far in 2026 as the drugmaker expands beyond its blockbuster obesity franchise.

In recent weeks, Lilly has pledged to shell out up to $7.8 billion for sleep drugmaker Centessa Pharmaceuticals Plc and up to $7 billion for cancer drug developer ...Read more

Ebola is spreading faster in Democratic Republic of Congo than responders can contain it, the World Health Organization warned, as suspected deaths climbed above 220 and treatment centers came under attack in the country’s conflict-hit east.

Congo has reported 101 confirmed Ebola infections, 930 suspected cases and 221 suspected deaths, ...Read more

The debate over health insurance in the United States has returned to the forefront as the Affordable Care Act faces political pressure, insurance premiums continue to climb and physicians experience increasing restrictions from insurance companies. A recent poll shows that roughly 62% to 68% of Americans believe the government has a ...Read more

Stroke can happen anywhere to anyone. In the U.S., someone has a stroke every 40 seconds. And Mayo Clinic experts say knowing the risk factors of stroke can help prevent long-term disability and even death. Learn more.

"Close to 90% of all strokes are preventable," says Dr. Felix Chukwudelunzu, a Mayo Clinic neurologist.

The first step in ...Read more

In 1996, Guinea-Bissau seemed like an ideal research post for budding pediatrician Lone Graff Stensballe. Her supervisor, a fellow Dane named Peter Aaby, had spent nearly two decades collecting data on 100,000 people living in the mud brick homes of the West African country's capital.

Aaby and his partner, Christine Stabell Benn, believed that ...Read more

My friend Emma Cooksey dozed off driving her 7-month-old baby home one day. She narrowly avoided a catastrophic crash.

Her lousy sleep was the problem. It haunted her nearly her entire adult life. She talked to doctors about it over and over again, but to no avail. After this near miss, she knew she desperately needed an answer.

Because she ...Read more

The Ebola crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has drawn about $500 million in global pledges as African leaders and international health officials warned the outbreak risks spreading across the continent.

The commitments, announced during a briefing of state officials on Monday, have more than doubled from the almost $208 million ...Read more

Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskidsus@theconversation.com.

How much candy do Americans eat in a whole year? – Yvanna C., age 9, Nevada

From sweet treats to holiday indulgences, candy plays a big role in American culture, with ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — Bob DiCola noticed something was off with his hands.

As a drummer, who has spent years keeping time with bands including the Pittsburgh PolkaMeisters and Miss Freddye, even a slight change in grip stood out.

The tingling in his fingers didn’t just feel unusual: It threatened both the 70-year-old Leechburg man’s passion for ...Read more

Lather on the sunscreen this holiday weekend and pay close attention during your skin exam.

That brown spot on your leg could look like nothing to worry about, particularly to the naked eye. But early skin cancer, including aggressive melanoma, could be missed with just a visual exam.

A recent viral headline illustrates the risk: “Mom, 37, ...Read more

Ebola is spreading faster than responders can track it in eastern Congo, where health workers managed to follow up with barely one in five identified contacts in a single day.

Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo reported 83 confirmed infections, 746 suspected cases and 1,603 identified contacts as of May 21, according to the health ...Read more

For decades, people have been told that their weight problems can be solved by math: Calories in, calories out. If weight were a simple math equation, more people would likely be the weight they desire. But it is much more complicated.

There are several theories as to why it is difficult to lose weight. Some focus on genetics and ...Read more

Federal health officials have directed enhanced Ebola-related screening of certain international travelers through a Washington-area airport, but Baltimore’s primary air hub says it is not part of the effort and does not expect to be involved.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced this week that it has issued an order ...Read more

SANTA ANA, Calif. — Researchers at the University of California, Irvine believe a new public health study they’re helping to run – the first of its size to focus solely on Asian Americans – will help unravel some mysterious and troubling new trends linking race and cancer.

Over the next four years, UCI researchers hope to recruit 1,800 ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA -- Artificial intelligence is helping Temple Health prevent patients with diabetes from experiencing dangerous swings in their blood sugar levels, administrators say.

The North Philadelphia health system has seen a more than twofold reduction in the number of patients who develop a low-blood sugar condition known as hypoglycemia ...Read more

Uganda urged the U.S. and other partners to reverse deep cuts to global health funding, warning the pullback may hamper efforts to contain imported Ebola cases linked to an outbreak in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo.

Sudden reductions in support for disease surveillance and healthcare programs have left African countries more exposed...Read more