# Health Care Today

> Latest Health News and Updates


## Posts

- [Over-60s Should Take a Closer Look at Their Shoes, Says Wider Fit Footwear Brand](https://healthcaretoday.news/over-60s-should-take-a-closer-look-at-their-shoes-says-wider-fit-footwear-brand/):   With fall-related incidents among older people continuing to place significant pressure on health services across the UK, DB Wider Fit Shoes is urging those aged over 60 not to underestimate the role that their choice of footwear can play in keeping them safe. Falls involving people aged over 65 are estimated to account for one in every four ambulance call-outs, and hospital admissions among that age group rose by in excess of 25% throughout the ten years that preceded 2020. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence estimates that roughly 30% of the over-65 population and 50% of
- [Trump’s Personnel Agency Is Asking for Federal Workers’ Medical Records](https://healthcaretoday.news/trumps-personnel-agency-is-asking-for-federal-workers-medical-records/): The Trump administration is quietly seeking unprecedented access to medical records for millions of federal workers and retirees, and their families. A brief notice from the Office of Personnel Management could dramatically change which personally identifiable medical information the agency obtains, giving it the power to see prescriptions employees had filled or what treatment they sought from doctors. The regulation would require 65 insurance companies that cover more than 8 million Americans — including federal workers, retired members of Congress, mail carriers, and their immediate family members — to provide monthly reports to OPM with identifiable health data on their
- [Scientists discover reversible male birth control that stops sperm production](https://healthcaretoday.news/scientists-discover-reversible-male-birth-control-that-stops-sperm-production/): Cornell University scientists have taken a major step toward developing a safe, reversible, long-acting and 100% effective nonhormonal male contraceptive, considered the holy grail of male contraception. In a proof-of-principle study conducted in mice over six years, the team showed that interrupting a key step in meiosis, the process that produces sex cells, can temporarily halt sperm production without causing lasting harm. The findings were published today (April 7) in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. To achieve this, scientists used JQ1, a small molecule inhibitor originally developed to study cancer and inflammatory diseases. While JQ1 is not
- [Can I Opt Out of Having My Doctor Take Notes With AI?](https://healthcaretoday.news/can-i-opt-out-of-having-my-doctor-take-notes-with-ai/): LISTEN: AI scribes are changing medical care. Here’s what to know if the technology shows up at your next doctor’s appointment. Family physician Eric Boose has been using an artificial intelligence tool to get back to what he calls “old-fashioned medicine” — talking with patients face-to-face, without having to type into a computer at the same time.  “I can really just sit there and engage and just focus on them and listen,” said Boose, who practices at Cleveland Clinic.  Roughly two years ago, he started using an AI notetaker app during patient visits. The tool listens while he talks with patients and
- [One bedtime habit may significantly reduce heart risks](https://healthcaretoday.news/one-bedtime-habit-may-significantly-reduce-heart-risks/): Share on PinterestKeeping a regular bedtime may be important for heart health. Carlos Barquero/Getty Images A new study examined the association between sleep habits and heart disease. After getting 7 days of sleep data from the participants, the researchers used the following 10 years of health data to examine the impact sleep habits can have on heart disease. They found that adults who did not keep a consistent sleep schedule and got under 8 hours of sleep had a higher risk of a major cardiovascular event (MACE). Maintaining a regular sleep schedule is an important part of overall health. Prior
- [¿Puedo decirle a mi médico que no quiero que use la inteligencia artificial para tomar notas?](https://healthcaretoday.news/puedo-decirle-a-mi-medico-que-no-quiero-que-use-la-inteligencia-artificial-para-tomar-notas/): El médico de familia Eric Boose ha estado usando una herramienta de inteligencia artificial (IA) para volver a lo que él llama la “medicina a la antigua”: hablar con los pacientes cara a cara, sin tener que escribir en una computadora al mismo tiempo. “Realmente puedo sentarme, interactuar, concentrarme en ellos y escuchar”, dijo Boose, quien ejerce en Cleveland Clinic. Hace aproximadamente dos años, comenzó a usar una aplicación de IA para tomar notas durante las consultas. La herramienta escucha mientras Boose habla con sus pacientes y luego genera automáticamente un resumen de la visita basado en la conversación. Este
- [Before Anyone Else (BAE): a mobile suicide prevention application](https://healthcaretoday.news/before-anyone-else-bae-a-mobile-suicide-prevention-application/): On the occasion of World Health Day, the FondaMental Foundation announces the launch of Before Anyone Else (BAE), a free mobile application intended for young people aged 12 to 17 experiencing suicidal thoughts or behavior. Communiqué. Developed by the FondaMental Foundation with the Montpellier University Hospital (Pr. Philippe Courtet), INSERM (Dr. Margot Morgiève), the Robert Debré University Hospital (Dr. Vincent Trebossen), with the support of the ASMA association (Dr. David Soffer) and the Île-de-France Region as part of a Question of Major Interest on the mental health of young people, the application allows adolescents to monitor their emotional state and to
- [Explore NutritionFacts.org Resources](https://healthcaretoday.news/explore-nutritionfacts-org-resources/): NutritionFacts.org has a wide range of resources to help you on your journey to a healthier life. Primers The How Not to Die Documentary In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the publication of How Not to Diethe Greenbaum Foundation commissioned a documentary about Dr. Greger’s life and work. The film also includes interviews with many of the leading luminaries in the evidence-based nutrition movement. Daily Dozen Meal Planning Guide The healthiest diet is one that maximizes the intake of foods-as-grown—whole plant-based foods—and minimizes the consumption of processed and animal-based foods. In his New York Times Best Seller, How Not
- [Personas mayores inmigrantes pierden la cobertura de Medicare a pesar de haberla pagado](https://healthcaretoday.news/personas-mayores-inmigrantes-pierden-la-cobertura-de-medicare-a-pesar-de-haberla-pagado/): OAKLAND, Calif. — Rosa María Carranza se inclinó para sostener la espalda de una niña de 3 años mientras la pequeña trepaba una roca en las colinas boscosas del noreste de Oakland. Vestida con ropa de senderismo y collares de cuentas, Carranza, de 67 años, se movía entre árboles y niños en una mañana soleada de diciembre. “Agárrate de esa rama”, dijo en español. “¡Tú puedes, mi amor!”. Carranza, una profesional del desarrollo infantil que creció columpiándose entre árboles y nadando en ríos en El Salvador, dijo que se siente como en casa en el bosque del preescolar al aire
- [Could vitamin D help lower Alzheimer’s risk markers?](https://healthcaretoday.news/could-vitamin-d-help-lower-alzheimers-risk-markers/): Share on PinterestA new study highlights an association between vitamin D and Alzheimer’s biomarkers. Design by MNT; Photography by MoMo Productions/Getty Images & Olga Pankova/Getty Images Researchers have noted an association between high vitamin D levels and low levels of tau protein on brain scans after several years. Tau protein is a biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease, the leading cause of dementia. There was no association between vitamin D and levels of amyloid-beta, another Alzheimer’s biomarker. The authors of a new study have reported that having higher levels of vitamin D was associated with lower levels of tau protein — a
- [“Resistant depression”: five proposals to improve its management](https://healthcaretoday.news/resistant-depression-five-proposals-to-improve-its-management/): Strengthened professional training, graduated care pathway, equitable access to therapies: through advocacy, several psychiatrists and the patient and family associations France Dépression and Unafam are formulating five concrete proposals to “upgrade” the treatment of resistant depression, which affects nearly a million people in France. Resistant depression is too often “synonymous with therapeutic wandering”denounce, in a joint press release from psychiatrists, the patient and family associations France Dépression and the National Union of Families and Friends of Sick and/or Mentally Disabled People (Unafam). To better support it, the collective of specialists and associations, which also includes Professor Amine Benyamina, makes five
- [This Northern Cheyenne Doula Was About To Start Getting Paid — Then Medicaid Cuts Hit](https://healthcaretoday.news/this-northern-cheyenne-doula-was-about-to-start-getting-paid-then-medicaid-cuts-hit/): LAME DEER, Mont. — Misty Pipe had about an hour before her shift began at the post office. She used that time to check in on a new mom who lives a few miles outside this town at the heart of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation. A mom of seven, Pipe is a doula on the reservation who supports new and expectant parents. She does that work free, around her day job. That’s because in this town of about 2,000 people, the closest hospital that delivers babies is 100 miles away. “Women need this help,” Pipe said. Doulas ready parents
- [Immigrant Seniors Lose Medicare Coverage Despite Paying for It](https://healthcaretoday.news/immigrant-seniors-lose-medicare-coverage-despite-paying-for-it/): Vanessa G. Sánchez, El Tímpano 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 can do it, my love!” Carranza, a child development professional who grew up swinging through trees and swimming in rivers in El Salvador, said she feels at home in the forest at the outdoor preschool she co-founded. She has
- [New microbiome science | Dr Tim Spector](https://healthcaretoday.news/new-microbiome-science-dr-tim-spector/): In this episode, I sit back down with professor and epidemiologist Tim Spector, MD, to continue the conversation we started in Episode 224 – and to explore what has changed in microbiome science since. In the years between our conversations, Tim and the ZOE team have published a landmark paper in Nature analysing 34,000 gut microbiomes, identifying 22 previously unknown bacterial species linked to good health, and producing the first validated, repeatable clinical measure of gut health: the ZOE Microbiome Health Ranking 2025. They have also run a randomized controlled trial comparing personalized nutrition against USDA guidelines at 18 weeks
- [These Women Had Their Breasts Removed To Thwart Cancer. Then Came the Pain.](https://healthcaretoday.news/these-women-had-their-breasts-removed-to-thwart-cancer-then-came-the-pain/): Three weeks after Sophia Bassan’s mastectomy, she felt a stabbing pain beneath her right armpit. In the following months, painful shocks radiated through her chest and back. Her body became so sensitive that at times she couldn’t wear a shirt or lift a fork to her mouth. Bassan slept sitting up because it hurt to lie down, and she would flinch at the slightest touch. “I remember thinking I was losing my mind,” said Bassan, 43. “One time I was in so much pain that I had to take off my top, and then my cat’s tail brushed against my
- [Nurse: a structuring agreement that recognizes developments in the profession](https://healthcaretoday.news/nurse-a-structuring-agreement-that-recognizes-developments-in-the-profession/): The National Union of Health Insurance Funds (Uncam), the three representative organizations of liberal nurses (the National Federation of Nurses (FNI), the National Union of Independent Nurses (SNIIL) and Convergence Infirmière (CI), signed amendment 11 to the national nurses’ convention. In this context, nurses in advanced practice also see their role reinforced, with expanded direct access, a significant upgrade of their consultations and relaxed monitoring methods. Overall this agreement tangibly reflects the evolution and recognition of the role and skills of nurses. The Minister of Health, Families, Autonomy and People with Disabilities welcomes the successful conclusion of conventional negotiations between
- [Not all people may need beta-blockers long-term](https://healthcaretoday.news/not-all-people-may-need-beta-blockers-long-term/): Share on PinterestBeta-blockers may not be necessary for all people after a heart attack, according to new research. Catherine Falls Commercial/Getty Images Having a heart attack can raise a person’s risk for other cardiovascular conditions. Following a heart attack, doctors typically prescribe a combination of therapies, including medications like beta-blockers. A new study found that people who have had a heart attack, but who are considered low risk for other cardiovascular complications, may be able to safely discontinue beta-blocker use after at least one year. Now, a new study presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26)
- [Neurodevelopmental disorders: strengthening coordination and orientation platforms](https://healthcaretoday.news/neurodevelopmental-disorders-strengthening-coordination-and-orientation-platforms/): On the occasion of World Autism Awareness Day, the Interministerial Delegation for the National Strategy for Neurodevelopmental Disorders (DITND) entrusted the National Agency for Health and Medico-Social Performance (Anap) with a national evaluation of the functioning of the coordination and orientation platforms (PCO). Anap is now publishing the results and its recommendations and is offering an operational toolbox, supplemented by a webinar program to support the PCO teams. Eight years after their deployment, the 182 coordination and orientation platforms (PCO) in operation play an essential role in access to diagnosis and early support for children with neurodevelopmental disorders.This system, unique
- [Journalists Capsulize Weight Loss News and ACA Premium Pressures](https://healthcaretoday.news/journalists-capsulize-weight-loss-news-and-aca-premium-pressures/): Thank you for your interest in supporting KFF Health News, the nation’s leading nonprofit newsroom focused on health and health policy. We distribute our journalism for free and without advertising through media partners of all sizes and in communities large and small. We appreciate all forms of engagement from our readers and listeners, and welcome your support. KHN is an editorially independent program of KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). You can support KHN by making a contribution to KFF, a non-profit charitable organization that is not associated with Kaiser Permanente. Click the button below to go to KFF’s donation page which
- [Listen: What the Vaccine Schedule Whiplash Means for Your Kids](https://healthcaretoday.news/listen-what-the-vaccine-schedule-whiplash-means-for-your-kids/): Thank you for your interest in supporting KFF Health News, the nation’s leading nonprofit newsroom focused on health and health policy. We distribute our journalism for free and without advertising through media partners of all sizes and in communities large and small. We appreciate all forms of engagement from our readers and listeners, and welcome your support. KHN is an editorially independent program of KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). You can support KHN by making a contribution to KFF, a non-profit charitable organization that is not associated with Kaiser Permanente. Click the button below to go to KFF’s donation page which
- [Early intervention in psychiatry: the Minister of Health adopts three emergency measures](https://healthcaretoday.news/early-intervention-in-psychiatry-the-minister-of-health-adopts-three-emergency-measures/): After submitting a report from experts commissioned on early intervention in psychiatry, Stéphanie Rist, Minister of Health, Families, Autonomy and Persons with Disabilities, announced initial commitments, and in particular, the implementation of three major stages: establishing “a map of resources” by territory, “clarify the roles of each structure” and reorganize “a coherent territorial network” based on needs. Creation of a national resource center, territorial coverage, increased training of professionals… On February 12, the report commissioned by the ministry, devoted to the identification and early intervention in mental health among young people, was submitted to the Minister of Health, Stéphanie Rist.
- [How Medicaid Contractors Stand To Gain From Trump’s Policy](https://healthcaretoday.news/how-medicaid-contractors-stand-to-gain-from-trumps-policy/): States are paying contractors such as Deloitte, Accenture, and Optum millions of dollars to help them comply with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act — a law that will strip safety-net health and food benefits from millions. State governments rely on such companies to design and operate computer systems that assess whether low-income people qualify for Medicaid or food aid through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as food stamps. Those state systems have a history of errors that can cut off benefits to eligible people, a KFF Health News investigation showed. States are now racing to update their
- [SO-PSY: facilitating access to somatic care](https://healthcaretoday.news/so-psy-facilitating-access-to-somatic-care/): So-Psy is a device deployed by the adult psychiatry team at the Dijon-Bourgogne University Hospital to facilitate access to somatic care for patients, which helps improve their quality and life expectancy. People monitored for severe mental disorders have a greatly reduced life expectancy and a fourfold increase in premature mortality (1). The consequences of psychiatric illnesses, notably withdrawal, negative symptoms and anticipatory anxiety, often hinder their access to somatic care and screening. Faced with this observation, the adult psychiatry team at the Dijon-Bourgogne University Hospital created, in 2024, So-Psy (Somatics in psychiatry). Made up of a nurse and a part-time
- [Tax Time Brings Surprises for Some Who Receive ACA Subsidies](https://healthcaretoday.news/tax-time-brings-surprises-for-some-who-receive-aca-subsidies/): Tax time can come with big surprises for some people who have Affordable Care Act coverage, including owing money back to the government for premium subsidies received during the previous year. More changes lie ahead that make it important for those getting subsidies in 2026 to track their income and take steps to protect against that kind of financial hit. First, the basics of how the subsidies work. Enrollees pay a percentage of their household income toward their health insurance premiums based on a sliding scale, ranging in 2025 from nothing for very low-income people to 8.5% at higher income
- [More intensive LDL lowering may cut major heart risks](https://healthcaretoday.news/more-intensive-ldl-lowering-may-cut-major-heart-risks/): Share on PinterestShould LDL cholesterol lowering targets be more aggressive for better outcomes? James Porter/Getty Images There are two main types of cholesterol in the body — HDL or “good” cholesterol, and LDL or “bad” cholesterol. Having higher levels of LDL cholesterol can potentially lead to atherosclerosis and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). High levels of LDL cholesterol are normally treated in a variety of ways, including medications. A recently presented study suggests that using cholesterol-lowering drugs more aggressively to lower LDL cholesterol levels may help decrease risk for major cardiovascular events. HDL acts as a protector of your blood vessels
- [Professor Olivier Bonnot elected president of the Union of Psychiatry Academics](https://healthcaretoday.news/professor-olivier-bonnot-elected-president-of-the-union-of-psychiatry-academics/): The psychiatrist specializing in neurodevelopmental disorders and child and adolescent psychiatry succeeds Professor Bernard Granger at the head of the Union of University Psychiatry. He teaches at Paris-Saclay University and works at EPS Barthélemy-Durand, in Essonne. The Union of Psychiatry Academics (SUP) announces the appointment of its new office, chaired by Professor Olivier Bonnot. “This transition follows the departure of its historic president, Professor Bernard Granger, who has led the SUP with passion and unfailing involvement since 2012”can we read in the press release released this 1is april. The new president assures that the union “will continue to work actively
- [Abuse and parental hatred, caring for the child in the parent](https://healthcaretoday.news/abuse-and-parental-hatred-caring-for-the-child-in-the-parent/): Yapaka is a mistreatment prevention program initiated by the Ministry of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation of Belgium set up in 1998. It offers various tools including the collection “Downtime/Readings” and this latest opus “Maltreatment and parental hatred, caring for the child in the parent” downloadable for free. Parental love is the foundation of parent-child relationships. An attachment is formed from the parent’s attention and concern for the child. But sometimes, the psychological reality is more complex and domestic violence is the product of hatred.The child is then mistreated not for who he is but for what he represents: the parent’s hatred
- [GOP Mulls More Health Cuts](https://healthcaretoday.news/gop-mulls-more-health-cuts/): The Host Recent polling finds that health costs are a top worry for much of the American public, while Republicans in Congress are considering still more cuts to federal health spending on programs such as Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court ruled that Colorado cannot ban mental health professionals from using “conversion therapy” to treat LGBTQ+ minors, a decision that’s likely to affect other states with similar laws. This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Health News, Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Sandhya Raman of Bloomberg Law. Among
- [Vitamin D may stop immune system from attacking gut bacteria](https://healthcaretoday.news/vitamin-d-may-stop-immune-system-from-attacking-gut-bacteria/): Share on PinterestCould vitamin D be the key to rebalancing the gut, especially in people with IBD? Ekaterina Goncharova/Getty Images Inflammatory bowel disease is a chronic condition where the body’s immune system attacks the intestines. Research is ongoing on the best ways to manage inflammatory bowel disease, including through medication and lifestyle changes. Results from a small study suggest that taking vitamin D may be helpful for people with inflammatory bowel disease and may help the body avoid attacking itself. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a condition that “triggers the body’s immune system to mistakenly attack healthy bowel cells,” leading
- [Do Potatoes Shorten Your Life?](https://healthcaretoday.news/do-potatoes-shorten-your-life/): Do potato eaters live longer or shorter lives than non-potato eaters? Is there a link between potato intake and the incidence of hypertension? Harvard researchers followed the diets and diseases of more than 100,000 men and women for decades and found that those who ate potatoes on most days—not only French fries and potato chips, but even mashed, boiled, or baked—appeared to be at higher risk of developing high blood pressure. But what do people put on potatoes? Salt, not to mention butter, so might the potatoes just be innocent bystanders? The researchers made attempts to tease out the effects
- [State-Run Insurance Plans for Foster Kids Leave Some of Them Without Doctors](https://healthcaretoday.news/state-run-insurance-plans-for-foster-kids-leave-some-of-them-without-doctors/): Ollie Super has moved in and out of cancer treatment since she was diagnosed with neuroblastoma as a toddler in foster care. Now 8, the second grader is dealing with it again. Her cancer came back late last year. Ollie’s parents, who adopted her in 2020, tried to sign her up for a clinical trial using CAR T-cell therapy — which genetically reprograms a patient’s white blood cells to help them fight cancer — at UNC Health in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, an hour-and-a-half drive from their home in Eden. Her mother, Britany Super, described it as Ollie’s “last option.”
- [Installation of a specialized sector in perinatal psychiatry in Essonne](https://healthcaretoday.news/installation-of-a-specialized-sector-in-perinatal-psychiatry-in-essonne/): The outpatient perinatal psychiatry unit of the Nord Essonne Hospital Group (GHNE), La Paruline, has been strengthened thanks to funding of €450,400 from ARS Île-de-France. This funding brings the total investment dedicated to the installation of the departmental sector specialized in perinatal psychiatry to 1.6 million euros, allowing coordinated and complete coverage of the Essonne territory. Communiqué. This financial support aims to consolidate and develop specialized psychiatric care systems intended for parents in the pre- and post-natal period, as well as very young children with early developmental disorders. In Essonne, a department which has 1,300,000 inhabitants and records around 18,000
- [US Scientists Sequence 1,000 Genomes From Measles, a Disease Long Eliminated With Vaccines](https://healthcaretoday.news/us-scientists-sequence-1000-genomes-from-measles-a-disease-long-eliminated-with-vaccines/): This week, the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention posted online its first large tranche of advanced genetic data from measles viruses spreading last year. Scientists with knowledge of the operation expect the agency to post heaps more in weeks to come, revealing whether the U.S. has lost its hard-won measles elimination status. The CDC withheld the data for months as a team hit hard by mass layoffs and resignations sorted through the information. But now that scientists at the agency have posted their first batch of whole measles genomes — the genetic blueprint of the viruses — the rest
- [Apply for the 2026 Mental Health Prize!](https://healthcaretoday.news/apply-for-the-2026-mental-health-prize/): Are you initiating care and/or support projects that promote therapeutic care and support for life and recovery pathways? Until June 30, apply for the 11th edition of the 2026 Mental Health Prize. Initiated by the journal Santé Mentale and supported by the Falret Foundation, the “Mental Health Prize – Healthcare and medico-social teams” encourages and rewards creative approaches, original care and/or social support systems, research work, which promotes therapeutic care and support for life and recovery pathways. The prize offers financial support and media visibility for achievements intended to improve the quality of therapeutic care, people’s power to act and
- [Can You ‘Catch’ Suicide? What This Meta-Analysis Really Tells Us](https://healthcaretoday.news/can-you-catch-suicide-what-this-meta-analysis-really-tells-us/): A common question that has puzzled researchers for many years is whether suicide is “contagious”. At face value, this can seem like a strange idea – suicidality is not something that can be “caught” in the same way as a physical illness. However, in this context, researchers are referring to “social contagion”, where exposure to others’ suicidal thoughts and behaviours may influence one’s own. Previous research (Maple et al., 2017) has confirmed such a relationship exists, particularly in young people (Insel et al., 2008), however to date there has been no quantitative synthesis of this relationship. This meta-analysis therefore aimed
- [Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act Darkens Outlook for Government-Backed Clinics](https://healthcaretoday.news/trumps-one-big-beautiful-bill-act-darkens-outlook-for-government-backed-clinics/): Bluestem Health, a clinic that serves low-income and uninsured patients in Lincoln, Nebraska, has lost money for the last two years. And CEO Brad Meyer fears times will soon get worse for the clinic and its 21,000 patients. That’s because Nebraska is set to become the first state to require certain Medicaid enrollees to work or lose their coverage under new rules in President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. “This will have a huge financial impact on us,” Meyer said. On May 1, seven months before the law requires, the state will begin imposing work requirements on eligible
- [How Exercise Professionals Can Redefine Parkinson’s Care](https://healthcaretoday.news/how-exercise-professionals-can-redefine-parkinsons-care/): Parkinson’s disease (PD) is one of the fastest-growing neurological conditions in the world. According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, nearly 1 million Americans are living with PD, and more than 90,000 are diagnosed each year. For ACSM certified professionals, this growth presents both a challenge and an opportunity. As more individuals are diagnosed, exercise professionals will increasingly be called upon after discharge, when structured therapy ends, but the need for movement does not. If exercise is truly medicine, then our role is to facilitate the lifelong prescription. We are reframing Parkinson’s care. Individuals with PD are not fragile patients; they are athletes in their own right, playing the game of life.
- [Faster-aging brains may be at higher risk](https://healthcaretoday.news/faster-aging-brains-may-be-at-higher-risk/): Share on PinterestUsing polysomnography, researchers found that the difference between a person’s brain age and their chronological age may influence their dementia risk. Image credit: A.J. Schokora/Stocksy Studies looking at the association between sleep patterns and future dementia risk have shown mixed results. A recent study used brain wave patterns recorded by an electroencephalogram (EEG) during a sleep study to estimate the brain age of over 7,000 participants. The study found that having a brain age older than actual chronological age by 10 years was associated with an 39% higher future risk of dementia. These findings suggest that brain age,
- [Liberal practice, a health lever for nurses facing hospital exhaustion](https://healthcaretoday.news/liberal-practice-a-health-lever-for-nurses-facing-hospital-exhaustion/): A new report from the Institute for Research and Documentation in Health Economics (Irdes) analyzes how the transition of nurses from hospital employment to private practice contributes to reducing their exposure to psychosocial risk factors and improving their health. It is based on two complementary components: the study of risks for all hospital health professionals and the analysis of the evolution of the state of health after installation in the private sector specifically for nurses. Beyond salary, the challenge of working conditions appears to be a key issue in promoting the health of caregivers and their loyalty, particularly in hospitals.
- [After Man’s Death Following Insurance Denials, West Virginia Tackles Prior Authorization](https://healthcaretoday.news/after-mans-death-following-insurance-denials-west-virginia-tackles-prior-authorization/): Eric Tennant with his wife, Becky, and daughter, Amiya.(Becky Tennant) Six months after a West Virginia man died following a protracted battle with his health insurer over doctor-recommended cancer care, the state’s Republican governor signed a bill intended to curb the harm of insurance denials. West Virginia’s Public Employees Insurance Agency enrolls nearly 215,000 people — state workers, as well as their spouses and dependents. The new law, which will take effect June 10, will allow plan members who have been approved for a course of treatment to pursue an alternative, medically appropriate treatment of equal or lesser value without
- [Probiotics, healthy diet may support cognitive function](https://healthcaretoday.news/probiotics-healthy-diet-may-support-cognitive-function/): Share on PinterestProbiotics, dietary changes may support cognitive function as we age, a new review concludes. Design by MNT; Photography by Guido Mieth/Getty Images & Peter Meade/Getty Images A new review investigates whether influencing the makeup of the gut microbiome can improve brain health. Specifically, it focuses on probiotics, prebiotics, dietary changes, and fecal microbiota transplants (FMT). The authors conclude that modulating the gut microbiome may slow cognitive decline and improve brain health. This effect may be due to reduced inflammation in the brain, altered neurotransmitter signaling, and increased levels of microbial metabolites. If a nutrition or wellness trend becomes
- [Readers Sound Off on NIH Staff Cuts, Work Requirements, and More](https://healthcaretoday.news/readers-sound-off-on-nih-staff-cuts-work-requirements-and-more/): Letters to the Editor is a periodic feature. We welcome all comments and will publish a selection. We edit for length and clarity and require full names. ‘The Federal Government’s Loss Is the County’s Gain’ I wanted to thank Rachana Pradhan and Katheryn Houghton for their coverage of the loss of staff at the National Institutes of Health (“Six Federal Scientists Run Out by Trump Talk About the Work Left Undone,” March 6). In December 2024, I had accepted a tentative job offer for a dream job at NIH after eight years of being a federal contractor supporting data science work with the
- [Mental health at work: overview of legislation, tools and prevention measures](https://healthcaretoday.news/mental-health-at-work-overview-of-legislation-tools-and-prevention-measures/): The European occupational risks observatory Eurogip publishes a report which analyzes the way in which twelve countries approach the issue of psychosocial risks at work and encourage prevention. Since the 2020 pandemic, mental health has emerged as a global issue, including in the professional environment. In many countries, regulations and initiatives are increasing in order to manage psychosocial risks at work (PSR) which impact the lives of workers, the organization of companies and society at large. Stress, burnout, violence, harassment, isolation, conflicts at work… How to prevent them?From the “trusted person” in Belgium to “workplace psychological trauma centers” in South
- [“Taking care of your mental health”: a resource booklet](https://healthcaretoday.news/taking-care-of-your-mental-health-a-resource-booklet/): After a workshop on mental health, a question often comes up among participants: “And if I need help, what do I do?” » To answer this, Psycom has created a resource booklet “Taking care of your mental health”. This information and guidance support is intended for professionals, people affected by mental disorders and their loved ones. In four pages, it brings together a list of contacts to find support, get information or get involved. Downloadable for free, this booklet also aims to enrich the toolbox of mental health facilitators. It can easily be distributed at the end of interventions.
- [New heart health guidelines highlight 9 key lifestyle steps](https://healthcaretoday.news/new-heart-health-guidelines-highlight-9-key-lifestyle-steps/): “A lot of heart-healthy foods are actually some of the most affordable and convenient, such as beans, lentils, oats, frozen vegetables, and canned fish. The key is making these foods your staples,” Routhenstein said. “I often recommend having a flexible structure for the week, along with light planning ahead to avoid the daily “what’s for dinner” question that no one enjoys,” she continued. “Planning one bean-based meal, one fish meal, and a few simple home-cooked options can help reduce reliance on last-minute choices, which often end up being higher in sodium or more processed,” she said.
- [Trump’s Hunt for Undocumented Medicaid Enrollees Yields Few Violators](https://healthcaretoday.news/trumps-hunt-for-undocumented-medicaid-enrollees-yields-few-violators/): Phil Galewitz, KFF Health News Last August, as part of the federal government’s crackdown on people in the country illegally, the Trump administration sent states the names of hundreds of thousands of Medicaid enrollees with orders to determine whether they were ineligible based on immigration status. But seven months later, findings from five states shared with KFF Health News show that the reviews have uncovered little evidence of a widespread problem. Only U.S. citizens and some lawfully present immigrants are eligible for Medicaid, which covers health care costs for people with low incomes and disabilities, and the closely related Children’s
- [How to implement evidence into psychiatric nursing practice?](https://healthcaretoday.news/how-to-implement-evidence-into-psychiatric-nursing-practice/): At Vinatier, the déCLIC method makes it possible to deploy l’Evidence base nursing (EBN) by questioning daily practices in the field. Objective: support an evolution of practices anchored in the reality of care. In psychiatry, many care practices are built and then transmitted based on experience, team habits and professional culture. If this clinical wealth is precious, it nevertheless deserves to be questioned, compared to the literature then consolidated by a shared method. It is in this perspective that Vinatier was born CLICK *, a resource group designed to help nurses connect their daily practices to evidence, based on concrete
- [Potatoes and Diabetes: It’s Complicated](https://healthcaretoday.news/potatoes-and-diabetes-its-complicated/): Does the link between white potatoes and diabetes extend to non-fried potatoes without butter or sour cream? The trouble for white potatoes began in 2006, when the Harvard Nurses’ Health Study, which had followed the diets and diseases of tens of thousands of women for 20 years, found that greater potato intake was associated with a greater likelihood of getting type 2 diabetes. However, of the hundred or so pounds of potatoes Americans eat every year, most are in the deep-fried forms of potato chips, french fries, or other processed products. What happened when they looked specifically at mashed or
- [States Pay Deloitte, Others Millions To Comply With Trump Law To Cut Medicaid Rolls](https://healthcaretoday.news/states-pay-deloitte-others-millions-to-comply-with-trump-law-to-cut-medicaid-rolls/): Samantha Liss and Rachana Pradhan States are paying contractors such as Deloitte, Accenture, and Optum millions of dollars to help them comply with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act — a law that will strip safety-net health and food benefits from millions. State governments rely on such companies to design and operate computer systems that assess whether low-income people qualify for Medicaid or food aid through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly referred to as food stamps. Those state systems have a history of errors that can cut off benefits to eligible people, a KFF Health News investigation showed. These
- [AI tool could help clinicians detect liver cancer risk earlier](https://healthcaretoday.news/ai-tool-could-help-clinicians-detect-liver-cancer-risk-earlier/): Share on PinterestCould a machine learning model help clinicians to identify liver cancer risk earlier? Image credit: MoMo Productions/Getty Images A machine learning model accurately predicted the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using routine clinical data. The model outperformed existing liver cancer risk tools by identifying more true cases while reducing false positives. The study suggests that adding complex data, such as genomics, did not improve performance, indicating that simple, widely available clinical data are sufficient for effective risk prediction. The tool could help clinicians detect at-risk individuals earlier, including those without diagnosed liver disease, potentially improving screening and patient
- [Inside the High-Stakes Corporate Fight Over Feeding Preterm Babies](https://healthcaretoday.news/inside-the-high-stakes-corporate-fight-over-feeding-preterm-babies/): In 2013, a scientist at Abbott Laboratories saw study results with potentially big implications for the company’s profits and the lives of some of the world’s most fragile people: preterm infants. The upshot, she wrote in an email: Babies fed rival Mead Johnson Nutrition’s acidified liquid human milk fortifier — a nutritional supplement used in neonatal intensive care units — developed certain complications at higher rates than those given an Abbott fortifier, a researcher at the University of Nebraska had found. At least one of those complications can be deadly. The Abbott scientist, Bridget Barrett-Reis, described the results in the
- [Nursing students: a tool assesses the quality of training](https://healthcaretoday.news/nursing-students-a-tool-assesses-the-quality-of-training/): While 7 out of 10 nursing students (ESI) consider abandoning their course faced with degraded training conditionsthe National Federation of Nursing Students (Fnesi) is launching the ESI’meter, a self-assessment tool for the quality of the training environment. Communiqué. Mental health, great cause of the year 2025, renewed in 2026, announced by the Government. However, according to annual statistics, more than a hundred nursing students (ESI) contact Fnesi by email each month, and daily, more than 10 ESIs call the Fnesi telephone line. In 2025, according to the Fnesi Well-Being survey, 7 out of 10 ESI have already thought about stopping
- [Food and weight loss | Dr Kevin Hall](https://healthcaretoday.news/food-and-weight-loss-dr-kevin-hall/): In this episode, I sit down with Dr Kevin Hall, a leading researcher at the NIH whose work has shaped how we understand energy balance, ultra-processed foods, and the drivers of obesity. With the release of the new U.S. Dietary Guidelines, we unpack what’s changed, what hasn’t, and where the science is still evolving. This conversation goes beyond headlines. We explore what ultra-processed foods actually are, why they may lead to increased calorie intake, and what controlled feeding studies reveal about how our food environment interacts with human biology. From energy density to food texture and hyper-palatability, this is a
- [AI-driven stroke tool shows improved outcomes in major clinical trial](https://healthcaretoday.news/ai-driven-stroke-tool-shows-improved-outcomes-in-major-clinical-trial/): Share on PinterestA large study suggests that AI-supported stroke care could lead to better patient outcomes. Image credit: TEK IMAGE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/Getty Images A new study suggests that a stroke clinical decision support system (CDSS), which uses artificial intelligence (AI) assisted imaging, could help to significantly reduce the risk of recurrent vascular events. Researchers suggest the AI tool is a safe intervention that provides the added benefits of lower cost and greater sustainability. In the large study, the AI-based system improved stroke care and outcomes, supporting its potential as a scalable tool for routine stroke care, particularly in resource-limited settings.
- [She Owed Her Insurer a Nickel, So It Canceled Her Coverage](https://healthcaretoday.news/she-owed-her-insurer-a-nickel-so-it-canceled-her-coverage/): Last summer, Lorena Alvarado Hill received a series of unexpected medical bills. A teacher’s aide in Melbourne, Florida, Hill is a single mom who works shifts at J.Crew on the weekends to send her daughter to college. Hill and her mother, who lives with her, had been enrolled in an insurance plan through HealthFirst. Hill paid nothing toward the premiums for the government-subsidized plan, which previously had covered her scans and other appointments. Then the bills came. Hill was on the hook for a $2,966.93 MRI, as well as more than half a dozen doctor visits costing about $200 or
- [Cooking more meals at home per week may help lower risk](https://healthcaretoday.news/cooking-more-meals-at-home-per-week-may-help-lower-risk/): For readers who may want to start cooking and eating more meals at home — despite having limited cooking skills — MNT asked Monique Richard, MS, RDN, LDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Nutrition-In-Sight, for her top tips.  To start, Richard advised working with a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) when possible, as they can help tailor meals to your preferences and abilities, simplify meal planning, and ensure your diet’s nutritional adequacy.  “This is especially important for individuals with chronic conditions, decreased appetite, or limited cooking confidence,” she continued. “As an RDN I meet clients and patients where they
- [Medication algorithm shows promise in managing blood pressure](https://healthcaretoday.news/medication-algorithm-shows-promise-in-managing-blood-pressure/): Share on PinterestA treatment algorithm may help clinicians to aid patients with blood pressure control. Image credit: FG Trade/Getty Images A study suggests that a standardized, stepwise treatment tool integrated into electronic health records, could help to improve blood pressure control. This system-wide hypertension program could translate into major health benefits, such as preventing strokes, heart attacks, and deaths. However, while outcomes improved across populations, disparities remained, highlighting the need for targeted interventions. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, affects almost half of the United States adult population, with prevalence rising with age and surpassing 70% for those over 60. However,
- [Give and Take: Federal Rural Health Funding Could Trigger Service Cuts](https://healthcaretoday.news/give-and-take-federal-rural-health-funding-could-trigger-service-cuts/): BIG SANDY, Mont. — The emergency department at Big Sandy Medical Center is one room with a single curtain between two beds. It’s one of the many parts of the 25-bed rural hospital that need updating, former CEO Ron Wiens said. He said the hospital, an essential service in its namesake town of nearly 800 residents in the state’s sprawling north-central high plains, needs at least $1 million for deferred maintenance, including a failing HVAC system. But the facility has struggled to make payroll each month and can’t afford to make all the fixes, Wiens said. Built by farmers and
- [10 extra minutes of sleep per night may lower risk](https://healthcaretoday.news/10-extra-minutes-of-sleep-per-night-may-lower-risk/): Share on PinterestTiny lifestyle changes could confer significant heart health protection, a new study suggests. Image credit: Westend61/Getty Images A new study examined how smaller lifestyle changes impact cardiovascular health. The research team followed more than 50,000 people for around 8 years and tracked habits such as sleep, nutrition, and exercise. At the end of the study, the researchers learned that even modest lifestyle habit changes across multiple areas were beneficial to heart health. The findings suggest that focusing on multiple, manageable lifestyle changes may be more effective and sustainable than trying to make a large change in a single
- [How the Trump Administration Uses Migrant Kids To Find and Detain Family Members](https://healthcaretoday.news/how-the-trump-administration-uses-migrant-kids-to-find-and-detain-family-members/): The Trump administration is using migrant children held by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement to lure parents and relatives into immigration detention, whether or not they have a criminal record.  In one example, a dad went to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in New Mexico, thinking he was going for an interview about reuniting with his children. Instead, agents put him in chains and sent him to a detention center. His 15-year-old son and 16-year-old daughter have now been in a federal shelter in Texas for more than a year.  I spoke by
- [Do popular gut-friendly foods, drinks place heart health at risk?](https://healthcaretoday.news/do-popular-gut-friendly-foods-drinks-place-heart-health-at-risk/): Share on PinterestGood for the gut but bad for the heart? A dietitian explains how to strike the right balance with products like kimchi and fruit smoothies. Image credit? Alexander Spatari/Getty Images The British Heart Foundation (BHF) issued a statement on Friday, March 27, 2026 warning about the hidden dangers to heart health that certain popular gut-friendly foods and drinks could pose. Some of the foods and drinks listed by the BHF included, kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha, and fruit smoothies. Cardiology dietitian Michelle Routhenstein unpicks the BHF’s warning, and explains what to be mindful of when looking for a diet that
- [Nitrous oxide: criminalizing use, an “inadequate response” according to caregivers](https://healthcaretoday.news/nitrous-oxide-criminalizing-use-an-inadequate-response-according-to-caregivers/): The misuse of nitrous oxide by young people is a real public health issue, but the “Ripost” bill seems a “inappropriate and dangerous response”say health professionals. The misuse of nitrous oxide, a cheap gas sold in supermarkets and on the Internet for food use, as a propellant in whipped cream siphons, or used medicinally for its pain-relieving properties, has become widespread in recent years in the party scene and among adolescents and young adults, who inhale it through a balloon. Presented Wednesday March 25 in the Council of Ministers, the bill « Riposte » plans in particular to make the
- [Trump Team Claims Successes Against ACA Fraud While Pushing for More Controls](https://healthcaretoday.news/trump-team-claims-successes-against-aca-fraud-while-pushing-for-more-controls/): Complaints about enrollment fraud in Affordable Care Act health insurance coverage have bedeviled the federal marketplace for years. Now, the Trump administration is claiming wins in reducing the problem while simultaneously saying more controls are needed. It has proposed a sweeping set of ACA regulations for next year, including stepped-up requirements for some applicants to prove eligibility for subsidies or enrollment and new scrutiny of sales agents and marketing practices. While there is a general acknowledgment that there is fraud in the ACA marketplace, some health policy analysts say these new requirements miss that mark and instead will make it
- [2 to 3 cups of coffee a day may reduce anxiety and depression risk](https://healthcaretoday.news/2-to-3-cups-of-coffee-a-day-may-reduce-anxiety-and-depression-risk/): Researchers from Fudan University analyzed health data from 461,586 individuals using the UK biobank data. Participants were free from mental health conditions at the start of the study, and were followed for a median of 13.4 years, with their coffee consumption recorded at baseline. The research team examined how different levels of coffee intake were associated with the later development of mood and stress-related disorders. The analysis revealed a “J-shaped” relationship between coffee consumption and mental health risk. This suggests that compared to people who did not drink coffee, moderate consumption of 2 to 3 cups per day was associated
- [What role does inflammation play in severe psychiatric disorders?](https://healthcaretoday.news/what-role-does-inflammation-play-in-severe-psychiatric-disorders/): A study carried out using data from more than 7,000 patients by the academic research center dedicated to the advancement of scientific knowledge in the field of psychiatric disorders SINAPS, in partnership with the FondaMental Foundation (France), sheds new light on the role of inflammation in severe psychiatric disorders. This work highlights new avenues for personalizing the care of patients suffering from depression, schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Press release. About a third of people with severe psychiatric disorders (such as treatment-resistant depression, schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder) have chronic, low-grade inflammation. This biological phenomenon is associated with more severe forms of
- [A Headless CDC - KFF Health News](https://healthcaretoday.news/a-headless-cdc-kff-health-news/): The Host The Trump administration this week missed a deadline to nominate a new director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Without a nominee, current acting Director Jay Bhattacharya — who is also the director of the National Institutes of Health — has to give up that title, leaving no one at the helm of the nation’s primary public health agency.  Meanwhile, a week after one federal judge blocked changes to the childhood vaccine schedule made by the Department of Health and Human Services, another blocked a proposed ban on gender-affirming care for minors.  This week’s panelists are
- [Isolation and restraint in psychiatry: understanding the disparities between establishments](https://healthcaretoday.news/isolation-and-restraint-in-psychiatry-understanding-the-disparities-between-establishments/): A survey by the Institute for Research and Documentation in Health Economics (Irdes) analyzes the strong disparities in the use of isolation and mechanical restraint in French psychiatric establishments. A first study showed that each year, a third of people hospitalized without their consent in psychiatry are placed in solitary confinement, and that more than a quarter are also subjected to mechanical restraint, with strong variations between establishments. This second part is based on the quantitative analysis of 204 establishments providing psychiatric care without consent and on a qualitative ethnographic study of four establishments historically characterized by low use of
- [Keeping your brain active while sitting may help reduce risk](https://healthcaretoday.news/keeping-your-brain-active-while-sitting-may-help-reduce-risk/): Share on PinterestCan keeping the brain active while sitting help lower dementia risk? Carol Yepes/Getty Images Previous research has shown that making certain unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as living a sedentary lifestyle, may increase a person’s risk for dementia. A new study has found that mentally active sedentary behaviors may help lower a person’s dementia risk. Among these mentally active behaviors were habits such as reading a book, solving a crossword puzzle, or learning a new skill. According to Alzheimer’s Disease International, in 2020, more than 55 million people globally were living with dementia — a group of cognitive disorders,
- [Prunes: Nature’s Answer to Constipation](https://healthcaretoday.news/prunes-natures-answer-to-constipation/): Prunes, figs, and exercise are put to the test as natural home remedies for constipation. The act of defecation is very private and the object of cultural taboos, so much so that it’s rarely thought of, even by physicians—but it should be. Constipation accounts for three million annual visits to doctors in the United States and 800,000 emergency room visits. Depending on how you define it, up to 80% of the population may be suffering. Even people who don’t think they’re constipated may very well be clinically constipated. A quarter of so-called healthy study participants reported experiencing “incomplete emptying,” and
- [Spotting bipolar and psychosis risk earlier using routine clinical records](https://healthcaretoday.news/spotting-bipolar-and-psychosis-risk-earlier-using-routine-clinical-records/): The signs of mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, tend to start in teenage years or early adulthood. If we could identify the individuals who are at risk for developing these conditions, we could provide treatment and support a lot earlier than we do now. For example, in Scotland it takes on average 10 years to receive a diagnosis of bipolar disorder (Bipolar Scotland, 2024), and who knows how much additional damage is done to a person while they wait for the correct diagnosis and treatment? The difficulty is: what things predict someone’s risk of developing a
- [Why eating more meat may lower risk for those with Alzheimer's gene](https://healthcaretoday.news/why-eating-more-meat-may-lower-risk-for-those-with-alzheimers-gene/): Share on PinterestPeople with genetic Alzheimer’s risk may benefit from upping meat consumption, a new study suggests. Image credit: Cavan Images/Getty Images People with the APOE4 allele in the 4/4 genotype had a lower risk of cognitive decline and dementia if they consumed relatively high amounts of meat. Eating a greater proportion of unprocessed meat was also associated with less all-cause mortality among this group of people. The APOE4 allele is the strongest risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s disease. In a new observational study from Sweden, people with a genetic risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s disease had a lower risk
- [When decline takes on the mask of fatigue](https://healthcaretoday.news/when-decline-takes-on-the-mask-of-fatigue/): The fatigue of the elderly subject, crystallized in a repetitive complaint, can be read as a narcissistic defense in the face of decline. It then allows the patient to maintain a reassuring bond of dependence, to preserve their psychological unity, while fighting against the irreversibility of the loss. Whether physical or cognitive, decline is a whole that represents more than the deficit of one or more functions. Unless we place it in a cycle comparable to that of daylight, decline refers to an individual history which has reached its peak and whose decline heralds its disappearance. But this is an
- [Taking a GLP-1? Doctors Say Not To Forget About Movement and Mental Health](https://healthcaretoday.news/taking-a-glp-1-doctors-say-not-to-forget-about-movement-and-mental-health/): LISTEN: Taking a GLP-1? Doctors say don’t forget to move your body and tend to your mental health, too. Severe ankle pain drove Jelon Smart to start taking a weight loss injection a year and a half ago. Smart was 285 pounds and worked as a caterer in Savannah, Georgia. After she’d been standing on her feet for long hours, her ankles would be “as swollen as a football,” she said. She was walking with a limp. An orthopedic doctor diagnosed her with Achilles tendinitis and recommended losing weight to mitigate the symptoms. Smart began taking the brand-name GLP-1 Ozempic.
- [Cognitive decline: between loss and anxiety](https://healthcaretoday.news/cognitive-decline-between-loss-and-anxiety/): Experiencing a decline in one’s cognitive abilities tests the subject’s fragilities and resources to deal with anxiety and the challenges of change, loss and decline. This internal balance then consists of renouncing rather than resigning, of taming rather than taming. To continue reading Log in to your account if you are already a customer. I log in or
- [CDC’s Acting Chief Promises a Return to Stability in a Tumultuous Moment](https://healthcaretoday.news/cdcs-acting-chief-promises-a-return-to-stability-in-a-tumultuous-moment/): President Donald Trump will soon nominate a permanent director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, its acting chief, National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya, told agency employees at a Wednesday staff meeting. According to a recording obtained by KFF Health News, Bhattacharya at one point suggested to CDC staff that Trump could name a new leader for the agency as soon as Thursday. “But if not, I don’t think much will change,” he said. Though his official position as acting director was set to expire Wednesday, Bhattacharya will continue to lead the agency until the top spot
- [Study suggests shingles shot may help prevent heart attack and stroke](https://healthcaretoday.news/study-suggests-shingles-shot-may-help-prevent-heart-attack-and-stroke/): Share on PinterestIn addition to preventing shingles, could the vaccine also support heart health? Image credit: Catherine Falls Commercial/Getty Images Research suggests that the shingles vaccine is linked to a significantly lower risk of major cardiovascular events in people with existing heart disease. Vaccinated individuals had reduced risks across multiple outcomes, including heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and death within 1 year. The protective effect may be due to the vaccine preventing inflammation and dangerous blood clots that result from the shingles infection. While promising, the findings come from an observational study. Therefore, more research is necessary to confirm a
- [Demoralized CDC Workforce Reels From Year of Firings, Funding Cuts, and a Shooting](https://healthcaretoday.news/demoralized-cdc-workforce-reels-from-year-of-firings-funding-cuts-and-a-shooting/): On the coffee table at her home in Atlanta, Sarah Boim has a pile of documents from her old job at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They are printouts of her employment records. Boim lost her job in the first big wave of CDC firings — more than 1,000 people were suddenly let go last February. “This is the termination letter. I also printed off my performance review from 2024,” she said. “I knew I wouldn’t have access to it, and everything was so chaotic that I needed proof of what was happening.” Boim worked in the National
- [The patient-partner, salvation of our health system?](https://healthcaretoday.news/the-patient-partner-salvation-of-our-health-system/): Christian Saout, member of the College of the High Health Authority, launches a advocacy for structural transformation (and cultural) of the French health system. Weakened by the aging of the population, the explosion of chronic diseases and the lack of resources, its survival will, according to the author, require an unprecedented alliance with the patients themselves: by promoting individual expertise, experiential knowledge and by granting a real place to the patient-partner to “co-construct care”. The author specifies that he is speaking here in a personal capacity. The evolution of the patient’s place in the health system is the result of
- [Stress is a direct cause, study confirms](https://healthcaretoday.news/stress-is-a-direct-cause-study-confirms/): Share on PinterestIf your eczema gets worse when you’re stressed, you’re not imagining it. A new study explains what likely happens in the body. Design by MNT; Photography by Maskot/Getty Images & carlo alberto conti/Getty Images Research suggests that chronic stress can trigger eczema flare-ups, a common skin condition characterized by severe itching. The mechanisms by which stress causes eczema flare-ups had remained unknown, but now a study by Fudan University in Shanghai, China, has conducted a deep dive into the biological connections. It identified a specific network of neurons that, under stress, trigger an immune reaction in the skin
- [Steep Health Care Costs Steer Americans to Tough Decisions](https://healthcaretoday.news/steep-health-care-costs-steer-americans-to-tough-decisions/): Dan Weissmann Health insurance is out of reach for millions of Americans this year. Many are making difficult decisions about how to pay for coverage amid the loss of Affordable Care Act subsidies and nosebleed-high premiums. Attorney Nicole Wipp and skate-shop owner Noah Hulsman tell An Arm and a Leg host Dan Weissmann how they tried to balance their financial and physical health when they couldn’t find good options. Wipp and Hulsman first spoke with KFF Health News senior correspondent Renuka Rayasam for the series “Priced Out,” which tracks how people are responding to skyrocketing health insurance costs. Dan Weissmann
- [People struggle to talk about their psychological difficulties according to a study](https://healthcaretoday.news/people-struggle-to-talk-about-their-psychological-difficulties-according-to-a-study/): Nearly one in two people who have suffered from psychological difficulties, particularly men, people suffering from a depressive state, or those from working-class and rural backgrounds, do not speak about it to those around them or to a health professional, according to a study published by Public Health France (SpF). Mental health remains too taboo. This is the observation drawn from the latest results of the CoviPrev survey launched in 2020 and published Tuesday March 24 by Public Health France (SpF). This study surveyed in 2022 and 2023, 2,919 people out of a total of 8,010 individuals questioned who declared
- [Even With Dental Insurance, You Still Could Face a Large Bill](https://healthcaretoday.news/even-with-dental-insurance-you-still-could-face-a-large-bill/): Blake Farmer, Nashville Public Radio and Cara Anthony and Katherine Ruppelt, Nashville Public Radio LISTEN: Your dental insurance might not cover what you expect. Russell Anthony made eight trips to the dentist last year. The 65-year-old retiree in Nashville, Tennessee, hopes to go less often in 2026, but he’s already made a few visits. “I had a root canal just last week that was like $500,” he said. “The week before that, I had a crown that cost me several hundred dollars. And as we speak, I have a broken tooth, and I have to go and see the dentist
- [Cystitis, several bacterial infections linked to higher risk](https://healthcaretoday.news/cystitis-several-bacterial-infections-linked-to-higher-risk/): Share on PinterestNew research has linked several severe infections to an increased risk of dementia. adamkaz/Getty Images Previous research suggests that severe infections may increase risk for dementia, but the involvement of other conditions can make the relationship unclear. One nationwide registry study conducted in Finland confirmed that while many diseases may increase dementia risk, two types of severe infections may independently increase risk for dementia. The researchers identified 29 diseases occurring before dementia that were linked to a higher risk of cognitive decline. Many risk factors contribute to someone’s chances of developing dementia, but this remains an area of
- [“Serious violations of rights” at the psychiatry center of Melun hospital](https://healthcaretoday.news/serious-violations-of-rights-at-the-psychiatry-center-of-melun-hospital/): The General Controller of places of deprivation of liberty (CGLPL) published, Tuesday March 24 in the Official Journal, emergency recommendations relating to the psychiatry center of the Sud Île-de-France hospital group in Melun (Seine-et-Marne). After a first visit to the establishment in May 2022, “serious rights violations persist”he castigates. A number of patient deaths “abnormally high”an appeal “abusive” to restraint measures, minors hospitalized in free care “subject to isolation and restraint measures”… From August 4 to 7, 2025, four controllers visited the psychiatry center of the Sud Île-de-France hospital group (GHSIF) in Melun (Seine-et-Marne), as part of the follow-up to
- [‘They Tricked Me’: A Father Was Chained After He Went to ICE To Reunite With His Kids](https://healthcaretoday.news/they-tricked-me-a-father-was-chained-after-he-went-to-ice-to-reunite-with-his-kids/): Carlos arrived at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in New Mexico in December, believing he was one step closer to reuniting with his children. By that point, his 14-year-old son and 16-year-old daughter had been in a federal shelter in Texas for nearly a year after crossing the border to be with him. “I feel like I’m suffocating inside this shelter, trapped with no way out,” Carlos’ son said, according to one of the teens’ attorneys, when asked to describe how he felt after months at the Houston-area facility. “Every day, the same routine. Every day, feeling stuck. It
- [Celebrating Collaboration, Innovation & Impact](https://healthcaretoday.news/celebrating-collaboration-innovation-impact/): ACSM’s Special Interest Groups (SIGs) bring together passionate educators, researchers, clinicians, practitioners, and students who are advancing a particular interest area of sports medicine and exercise science in meaningful ways. Since launching the SIG of the Month series last December, we have highlighted the Combat Sports, Exercise Science Education, Cancer, and Pregnancy and Postpartum SIGs, which truly demonstrates the breadth of ACSM’s membership and how anyone can find their home in our community. Check out the SIGs featured from December 2025 through March 2026, and the incredible contributions each one is making across ACSM and beyond. December: Combat Sports SIG Watch Roman Fomin, PhD,
- [The DNA-Damager in Fried Foods](https://healthcaretoday.news/the-dna-damager-in-fried-foods/): Glycidol may help explain why people who eat fried foods get more cancer. “The main purpose of frying is to produce foods with good consumer acceptability. However, not all acceptable foods are safe.” Food chemists have been very interested in the newly discovered toxic compounds produced by frying. We’ve been refining vegetable oils for more than a century, but only recently have we discovered that this can produce concerning compounds such as 3-MCPD and, even worse, glycidol. 3-MCPD is considered a nongenotoxic carcinogen with a tolerable daily intake, while glycidol is a known genotoxic carcinogen, meaning it can cause cancer
- [“Me engañaron”: agentes encadenan a un padre que había ido al ICE a reunirse con sus hijos](https://healthcaretoday.news/me-enganaron-agentes-encadenan-a-un-padre-que-habia-ido-al-ice-a-reunirse-con-sus-hijos/): En diciembre, Carlos llegó a una oficina del Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE) en Nuevo Mexico creyendo que estaba a un paso de reunirse con sus hijos. En ese momento, su hijo de 14 años y su hija de 16 llevaban casi un año en un albergue federal en Texas después de haber cruzado  la frontera para reunirse con él. “Se siente como si me estuviera asfixiando dentro de este albergue, atrapado sin salida”, dijo el hijo de Carlos cuando le pidieron describir cómo se sentía luego de meses en la instalación en el área de Houston,
- [Cognitive decline in the elderly: what are we talking about?](https://healthcaretoday.news/cognitive-decline-in-the-elderly-what-are-we-talking-about/): “Cognitive decline” covers realities of different nature and severity. We must therefore distinguish three levels: the physiological transformation linked to age, functional fragility and the established neurocognitive disorder, to then identify a clinic attentive to the diversity of trajectories. The continued increase in life expectancy has profoundly reconfigured the contours of the clinic of aging. In this unprecedented demographic context, the issue of cognitive aging is now emerging as one of the major challenges in the field of mental health and is even shaking up its priorities. It therefore calls for renewed reflection on the cognitive trajectories of old age,
- [Early morning exercise may help lower risk](https://healthcaretoday.news/early-morning-exercise-may-help-lower-risk/): Share on PinterestCould the time of day people exercise affect their risk of obesity or diabetes? Design by MNT; Photography by lzf/Getty Images Previous studies show that having poor cardiometabolic health can potentially increase a person’s risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Past research has also demonstrated that making healthy lifestyle choices, such as being physically active, may help lower a person’s risk for cardiometabolic disease. A new study found that while physical activity may help lower a person’s cardiometabolic risk, the time of day they exercise may also play an important role. “Cardiometabolic diseases remain the leading
- [¿Qué tan bajo se puede llegar? Las cambiantes guías para el control de la presión arterial](https://healthcaretoday.news/que-tan-bajo-se-puede-llegar-las-cambiantes-guias-para-el-control-de-la-presion-arterial/): La paciente fue por primera vez a ver a Mark Supiano en 2017 porque su familia estaba preocupada:  estaba perdiendo la memoria a corto plazo. Mientras revisaba su historial y signos vitales, Supiano, geriatra en la Universidad de Utah, observó una señal preocupante: su presión arterial era de 148/86, por encima de lo normal a pesar de que tomaba dos medicamentos para bajarla. “Claramente era demasiado alta”, dijo recientemente. Varios factores podrían haber contribuido a ese número, incluidos el medicamento antiinflamatorio que la mujer de 78 años tomaba para el dolor de artritis, una dieta alta en sodio y la
- [Algunos adultos de mediana edad deciden posponer la atención médica hasta tener Medicare](https://healthcaretoday.news/algunos-adultos-de-mediana-edad-deciden-posponer-la-atencion-medica-hasta-tener-medicare/): Sam Whitehead John Galvin es consciente de que necesita una colonoscopía. Pero está esperando hasta diciembre para hacerla, cuando cumpla 65 años y califique para Medicare. Estaba pensando en retrasar el estudio, contó, porque este año la prima mensual del seguro de Obamacare se le triplicó a $2.460, lo que es igual a cerca de un tercio de sus ingresos. Con un deducible de $2.700, habría tenido que pagar de su propio bolsillo la mayor parte del examen diagnóstico, un golpe económico que aseguró no poder asumir. Galvin vive en North Kingstown, Rhode Island, y se retiró recientemente como director
- ["Stop! T'esrelou.e": a prevention kit against gender-based and sexual violence in hospitals](https://healthcaretoday.news/stop-tesrelou-e-a-prevention-kit-against-gender-based-and-sexual-violence-in-hospitals/): A program inspired by a tool used in festivals to combat gender-based and sexual violence (Vias) is currently being tested in care units at CH Le Vinatier. Cards carrying a clear message can be given to the person who adopts inappropriate behavior. Objective: to facilitate dialogue and serve as a basis for prevention and education at Vias. The Sexotopia psychoeducational program is designed to improve the quality of life of psychiatric patients by promoting a better understanding of their emotional, intimate and sexual lives. The caregivers behind this program recently discovered a tool to combat gender-based and sexual violence (SGBV)
- [MIND diet may slow down age-related grey matter loss](https://healthcaretoday.news/mind-diet-may-slow-down-age-related-grey-matter-loss/): Over the last few years, the MIND diet has become a popular dietary pattern to follow. The purpose of the MIND diet is to help protect brain health by potentially slowing or reducing the risk for cognitive decline as we age. A new study found that the MIND diet may also help protect the brain against age-related structural deterioration. This structural protection includes slower shrinkage and loss of grey matter, which is vital for memory and cognition. Past studies also show that following the MIND diet may help lower a person’s risk for dementia, in general, and Alzheimer’s disease, in
- [Aunque tengas seguro dental, la factura puede ser muy alta](https://healthcaretoday.news/aunque-tengas-seguro-dental-la-factura-puede-ser-muy-alta/): Russell Anthony fue ocho veces al dentista el año pasado. El jubilado de 65 años que vive en Nashville, Tennessee, espera ir con menos frecuencia en 2026, pero ya ha tenido algunas consultas. “La semana pasada me hicieron un tratamiento de conducto (endodoncia) que costó unos $500”, dijo. “Antes me colocaron una corona que me costó varios cientos de dólares. Y ahora mismo tengo un diente roto, así que tengo que ir al dentista pronto”. En total, Anthony calcula que pagará alrededor de $2.000 por esta atención este año, aunque tiene seguro dental. “Tratar de evaluar el costo de cuándo
- [The exercise that builds strong bones and better balance | Dr Lora Giangregorio](https://healthcaretoday.news/the-exercise-that-builds-strong-bones-and-better-balance-dr-lora-giangregorio/): In this episode, I sit down with Dr Lora Giangregorio to unpack what actually works when it comes to building bone strength, preventing fractures, and maintaining independence as we age. We explore how exercise can be used strategically to support bone health, and where common advice often falls short. This conversation cuts through confusion and highlights the importance of personalised, progressive training. We discuss why balance, resistance, and impact training all matter, how to apply them safely, and why effort and consistency are more important than perfection. What We Cover Why “start where you are” is the most important principle
- [Rising Health Costs Push Some Middle-Aged Adults To Skip the Doc Until Medicare](https://healthcaretoday.news/rising-health-costs-push-some-middle-aged-adults-to-skip-the-doc-until-medicare/): Sam Whitehead John Galvin knows he needs a colonoscopy. But he’s waiting to schedule the procedure until December, when he turns 65 and qualifies for Medicare. He was already thinking about delaying it — then his monthly Obamacare insurance premium payment tripled this year to $2,460, about a third of his income, he said. And with a $2,700 deductible, he’d be on the hook for most of the diagnostic exam, a financial hit he said he couldn’t stomach. “It was going to cost close to $3,000,” said Galvin, who lives in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, and recently retired as director
- [Waist size may be a stronger predictor than BMI](https://healthcaretoday.news/waist-size-may-be-a-stronger-predictor-than-bmi/): Share on PinterestIs BMI or waist size a better indicator of heart failure risk? Aleksandar Mladenovic/Getty Images Central obesity has to do with deeper fat that builds up in the abdomen. One study’s findings indicate that central obesity, or fat around the belly area, is linked to heart failure. Further analysis suggests that inflammation may be partially responsible for the link between heart failure and central obesity. Central obesity is when visceral fat builds up in the abdomen. Visceral fat is deep rather than near the surface and surrounds organs. A recent study explored how central obesity relates to heart
- [Lawmakers Seek To Protect Crisis Pregnancy Centers as Abortion Clinic Numbers Shrink](https://healthcaretoday.news/lawmakers-seek-to-protect-crisis-pregnancy-centers-as-abortion-clinic-numbers-shrink/): Conservative lawmakers in multiple states are pushing legislation drafted by an anti-abortion advocacy group to increase protections for crisis pregnancy centers, organizations that provide some health-related services but also work to dissuade women from having abortions. The legislation would prohibit state and local governments from requiring crisis pregnancy centers to perform abortions, provide referrals for abortion services, or inform patients about such services or contraception options. It also would allow crisis pregnancy centers to sue the violating government entity. Wyoming lawmakers passed a version of the Center Autonomy and Rights of Expression Act, or CARE Act, on March 4. Other
- [Oz Says California’s Not Fighting Health Care Fraud, but Data Shows It’s Part of a Larger Battle](https://healthcaretoday.news/oz-says-californias-not-fighting-health-care-fraud-but-data-shows-its-part-of-a-larger-battle/): SACRAMENTO, Calif. — For weeks, Mehmet Oz has been waging a public feud with California leaders over health care fraud, accusing the blue state of failing to adequately combat such abuse. Oz, who heads the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, alleged that there was approximately $3.5 billion of fraud in the hospice and home health care industry in Los Angeles County alone. “This administration under President [Donald] Trump is not going to tolerate taxpayer dollars being stolen because people aren’t paying attention anymore. We’re focused on this,” Oz said. He claimed the fraud was largely orchestrated by the

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