Federal health scientists are urging caution about expanding access to controversial peptide drugs, even as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reshapes the advisory panel that will consider whether to loosen those restrictions.

FDA career scientists quietly posted recommendations online Monday in several briefing documents advisin... Full Page

Could the same supplement many people take to build muscle also help treat depression?

A new review published June 30 in the journal Brain Medicine suggests creatine has potential, but the evidence isn’t quite there yet.

Creatine helps cells produce energy. Your body makes it naturally, but you can also get it from foo... Full Page

A heat dome is expected to scorch most of the United States through the July 4 weekend, sending temperatures into the high-double and even triple digits in the central and eastern regions of the nation.

In advance of these brutal conditions, experts are offering ways to protect against heat stroke and other forms of heat-related illness.Full Page

A diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods might help people avoid dementia, especially if they have an elevated risk of Alzheimer’s disease, a new study says.

People with early blood markers of Alzheimer’s who followed a diet designed to quell inflammation lowered their dementia risk by up to 29%, researchers recently reported in ... Full Page

The sleep supplement melatonin might also be useful in treating chronic pain, a new evidence review says.

Melatonin appears to reduce chronic muscle and joint pain as much as painkillers like opioids, aspirin, Aleve (naproxen) and Tylenol (acetaminophen), researchers reported June 30 in the journal Pain.

“Melatonin is ... Full Page

Vitamin A might help children who are struggling with asthma, a new study says.

Higher levels of vitamin A in the bloodstream are linked to better lung function in both kids and adults with asthma, researchers reported June 30 in the journal Thorax.

The study also looked into vitamin D, but found that the nutrient only benef... Full Page

For 40 years, U.S. emergency departments have been barred from turning away patients who cannot pay. 

But that protection applies only to hospitals that contract with Medicare, and a growing number of for-profit emergency room (ER) operators are opting out, reports STAT.

One of the largest, Houston-based Nutex Health, r... Full Page

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced the food supply issues it seeks to tackle by year’s end.

The FDA’s Human Food Program aims to prevent foodborne illness, reduce diet-related chronic disease and ensure chemicals in food are safe.

Its proposed agenda, announced June 29, emphasizes more informat... Full Page

One trip to the pharmacy may be all you need to protect yourself from COVID-19 and the flu this fall.

A new study — published today in the Annals of Internal Medicine — found that getting both vaccines at the same visit is no riskier than getting a flu shot alone.

A team led by Yan Xie of the VA St. Louis Health ... Full Page

Heat domes, soaking rains and savage winter storms have left their mark on people’s minds and moods this year.

And little wonder — even modest, short-term changes in weather can affect a person enough to make them seek therapy, a new study says.

Fluctuations in temperature and levels of sunshine are linked to U.K. residen... Full Page

Women with Parkinson’s disease might be more vulnerable than men to Alzheimer’s-related changes in their brains, new research suggests.

Women with Parkinson’s have higher levels of amyloid beta plaques in their brains, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease, researchers reported Sunday in Geneva at a meeting of the Europ... Full Page

Want to protect your child from ADHD?

Breastfeeding might be one way to reduce their risk, a new study says.

Babies fed with breast milk were less likely to develop ADHD symptoms as preschoolers and elementary students, researchers reported recently in the journal Biological Psychiatry.

“We found that the longer ... Full Page

Many young adults may be missing important preventive healthcare screenings, according to a national survey.

The poll of more than 1,000 U.S. adults, commissioned by Ohio State University in Columbus, found only 71% of people ages 18 to 29 have a regular doctor, compared with 97% of adults 65 and older.

Even among yo... Full Page

Infertility is considered one of the most distressing concerns facing girls and young women with cancer.

Despite this, young female cancer patients are offered fertility preservation (FP) procedures at less than half the rate of male patients, a new evidence review has found.

Fertility preservation occurred at very low rates — ... Full Page

Family members should keep a close eye on Grandma or Grandpa after they’ve been released from the hospital, a new study suggests.

Seniors sent home with a prescription for a sedative have an increased risk of falls, which can lead to broken bones and impaired function, researchers reported today in the Canadian Medical Associatio... Full Page