Health

Changes are on the horizon for over-the-counter cold and cough medications as U.S. regulators move to eliminate phenylephrine, a common decongestant found in many popular remedies. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has determined that this ingredient, featured in brands like Sudafed and DayQuil, does not effectively relieve nasal congestion. The FDA’s recent proposal to revoke phenylephrine’s approval for use in pills and liquid medications marks the start of a process that could lead to its removal from store shelves. This decision is based on growing evidence that the drug is no better than a placebo when taken orally, leaving consumers searching for alternative treatments. Phenylephrine, often combined with other ingredients to treat colds, flu, and allergies, has been under scruti...

Next week, the Democratic Republic of Congo is expected to receive its first shipment of vaccine doses from the United States to combat a rising outbreak of monkeypox. This announcement was made by the health minister on Monday, following the World Health Organization’s recent declaration of a global emergency due to various disease outbreaks in Africa. Monkeypox has been confirmed in both children and adults across more than a dozen countries on the continent, with a new strain of the virus starting to emerge. The situation is exacerbated by a significant shortage of vaccine doses available to address the outbreak. Currently, the Democratic Republic of Congo has reported the highest number of monkeypox cases, estimating a need for around 3 million vaccine doses. The United States and Japa...

An outbreak of Mpoxen, formerly known as monkeypox, has sparked alarm across several African countries, with a significant surge in infections in recent months. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared a health emergency of international concern this week, as the tally of infections has surpassed 15,000, resulting in 461 deaths in 2024. The International Health Organization reported a troubling 160% increase in infections and a 19% rise in fatalities compared to the same period last year, underscoring the urgency for a coordinated global response to contain the outbreaks and mitigate the crisis. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating that an international health emergency represents the highest level of alert under international...

The World Health Organization has officially labeled the recent outbreaks of monkeypox in the Democratic Republic of Congo and other African regions as a global health emergency. This declaration comes as cases of the virus have been confirmed in both children and adults across more than a dozen countries, with the emergence of a novel strain of the virus. Unfortunately, the availability of the vaccine in Africa remains limited. The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) recently raised the alarm about the escalating monkeypox outbreaks, which have resulted in over 500 deaths. Urgent international aid has been called for to contain the spread of the virus and prevent further casualties. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed deep concern, emphasiz...

In 2020, amidst the wildfires in Sonoma County, California, Maria Salinas persisted in harvesting grapes as ash descended and smoke enveloped the surroundings. His saliva turned black from inhaling the toxic fumes, leading him to seek emergency medical care on one occasion due to breathing difficulties. Upon recuperating, he promptly returned to work, undeterred by the ongoing fires. “The compulsion to work stems from necessity,” remarked Salinas, hailing from Oaxaca, Mexico. “Out of necessity, we constantly put ourselves in peril, be it from fire, disaster, changing weather conditions, whether hot or cold.” In the United States, the frequency and severity of forest fires are escalating due to climate change. Recent studies indicate that wildfires pose health hazards to migrant agricultura...

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has increased its support to combat a substantial surge in dengue cases in Central America. Compared to the previous year, the region has seen a 98% rise in dengue incidence. Across the entire American continent in 2024, a record-breaking number of over 11 million reported cases and more than 5,900 related deaths have been recorded. To tackle this situation, PAHO has implemented various strategies. Since 2023, a comprehensive plan in partnership with the Executive Secretariat of the Council of Ministers of Health of Central America and the Dominican Republic (SE-COMISCA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the United States has been initiated. This plan involves training in management, diagnosis, clinical care, and vector ...

A recent study published by Lancet Public Health has revealed a concerning trend – younger generations are facing a higher risk of certain types of cancer. Dr. Jonathan Villena, a breast cancer surgeon at Weill Cornell Medicine Center and spokesperson for the American Cancer Society, highlighted that cancers such as breast, prostate, melanoma, kidney, endometrial, and pancreatic cancer have seen an increase in incidence among individuals under 55 years old. While the exact factors behind this surge remain unknown, experts suggest that obesity could be a contributing factor. Dr. Nathalie Mantilla, a specialist in colon and rectal surgery, pointed out the potential role of processed foods and lack of fiber in the diet as potential risk factors. The study also noted a significant rise in colo...

Twenty years after the discovery of “hobbit” fossils on an Indonesian island, a recent study has unveiled surprising findings about their ancestors’ diminutive size. Researchers, including Yousuke Kaifu from the University of Tokyo, were amazed to uncover smaller individuals at the ancient Mata Menge site, located near where the original “hobbit” fossils were unearthed between 60,000 and 100,000 years ago. Analysis of arm bones and teeth dating back 700,000 years indicates that these predecessors were approximately 6 centimeters shorter than the well-known “hobbits,” shedding new light on the evolutionary lineage of Homo floresiensis. Published in Nature Communications, the study adds depth to the ongoing debate surrounding the origins of these unique early humans, suggesting they may have...

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced plans to convene a panel of experts to assess the escalating spread of the monkeypox virus in Africa and determine if it warrants a declaration of a global emergency. During a press briefing in Geneva, Tedros highlighted the need for expert advice given the expanding reach of monkeypox cases across multiple African countries beyond the Democratic Republic of Congo. Recent reports from the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed a significant rise in monkeypox cases in 10 African nations this year, with the majority concentrated in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Africa CDC noted a notable increase in both cases and fatalities compared to the same period last year. In response to the sit...

Federal health officials announced on Thursday that death rates in the United States decreased across all age brackets last year compared to 2022, according to data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Key findings from the CDC’s report revealed that COVID-19 had dropped to the tenth leading cause of death, a stark contrast to its position as the third leading cause during the initial phase of the pandemic in 2020. By 2022, COVID-19 had slipped to fourth place. The primary causes of death in the US remained heart disease, cancer, and a category encompassing injuries such as gunshot fatalities and drug overdoses. In 2023, the US recorded approximately 3.1 million deaths, a decrease from the 3.3 million fatalities registered in 2022. Prior to the pandemi...