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Three new measles cases reported in South Florida; state still ranks fourth in US
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Three additional measles cases were reported in South Florida in April as the state, for two consecutive months, ranks fourth in the U.S. for the highest number of cases this year.
As of April 25, the latest data available, there have been a total of 149 measles cases in the state since Jan. 1, Florida Department of ...Read more
Syphilis cases in expectant mothers have dramatically risen since the pandemic – here’s what’s driving the trend
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacteria Treponema pallidum.
During pregnancy, this bacteria can pass from a mother with untreated syphilis, known as maternal syphilis, to her child in utero, causing the fetus to contract congenital syphilis.
In January 2026, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and ...Read more
On Nutrition: Safe catches
A recent column on best seafood choices brought this question from a reader in Brazoria County, Texas:
“Canned tuna in olive oil is what I typically eat for my weekly fish intake. I typically drain most of the olive oil unless it is going into a salad. I could easily eat at least three or four cans of tuna per week, but would love your ...Read more
Mayo Clinic Q&A: What does a VO2 max have to do with overall fitness?
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I like to challenge myself physically, whether it's working out, cycling or cross-country skiing. I've heard about VO2 max testing. What could I gain from it?
ANSWER: A VO2 max test measures the amount of oxygen you breathe in and use at peak levels of exercise intensity, and it assesses how well your heart, lungs and muscles ...Read more
'I intend to stay on it forever.' Along with rapid weight loss, patients see other benefits and risks of GLP-1 drugs
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Two years ago, Jennifer Kirtley looked down at the scale and saw 328 pounds. Today, she’s looking in the mirror at a size 6.
After a transformative 180-pound weight loss from weekly Wegovy shots, Kirtley says she is happy with her overall weight and health.
“My blood pressure is down. My A1C is down. I have no ...Read more
Understand Why Treatments For Some Cancers Haven't Advanced
DEAR DR ROACH: We're all amazed at the substantial advances in treating cancer in recent years. But are there certain cancers that science and medicine haven't had much success with? -- A.M.H.
ANSWER: I'm afraid so. Many cancers remain difficult or almost impossible to cure, due to a combination of factors. One is that certain cancers usually...Read more
Reduce your risk for 8 major diseases in minute
The intensity of your daily activities and exercise routines, even in short bursts like climbing stairs or pedaling a stationary cycle at 90-100 rpms for a minute, has a huge impact on your protection from eight life-altering conditions: major cardiovascular disease, irregular heartbeat, Type 2 diabetes, dementia, immune-mediated inflammatory ...Read more
Novo obesity shot Wegovy helped alcoholics drink less in study
Novo Nordisk A/S’s obesity shot Wegovy helped people with alcoholism reduce their drinking, in the first controlled study of patients who sought help with their addiction.
Volunteers on Wegovy reported drinking heavily for five days in a 30-day period after six months of treatment, 12 fewer days than before they started. The improvement ...Read more
Ving Rhames released from hospital after collapsing in a Los Angeles restaurant
LOS ANGELES — "Mission: Impossible" star Ving Rhames is reportedly recovering after a health scare at a local restaurant.
Rhames, who has portrayed computer hacker Luther Stickell in all eight "Mission: Impossible" films, collapsed at his table while eating at a restaurant with his family on Wednesday, according to TMZ. The Los Angeles Fire ...Read more
Warmer temps bring soaring tick populations – here’s how to stay safe from Lyme disease
Spring’s warmer weather lures people outdoors – and into possible contact with ticks that spread Lyme disease.
Already, the 2026 tick season is booming. On April 23, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned that emergency room visits due to tick bites are at their highest level since 2017. That may portend an ...Read more
Supreme Court bolsters donors’ free speech rights in unanimous crisis pregnancy center ruling
The U.S. Supreme Court has cleared the way for a chain of crisis pregnancy centers based in New Jersey to challenge a subpoena from New Jersey’s attorney general.
First Choice Women’s Resource Centers operates at several locations throughout New Jersey. There are more than 2,500 of these Christian-led nonprofits in the United ...Read more
They're in remission, but their medical bills aren't: Cancer survivors navigate soaring costs
Nearly four years after doctors declared Marielle Santos McLeod free of colon cancer, she has yet to feel liberated from the burden of medical expenses.
McLeod, who lives near Charleston, South Carolina, is still paying off chemotherapy bills that followed her 2017 diagnosis. She also now faces an onslaught of out-of-pocket costs for follow-up ...Read more
Kratom-hooked mom describes traumatic road to kick addiction
The social media ad for a 2-ounce tonic called "Feel Free" caught Melanie Clark's attention because it promised she could eliminate drinking from her life while still feeling a buzz.
"It was just advertised as a healthy, natural botanical drink," Clark said of the advertisement, which featured a guy paddleboarding down a stream.
It spoke to ...Read more
Black Americans face disproportionately high rates of kidney disease. Researchers are developing a blood test to identify those most at risk
PHILADELPHIA -- University of Pennsylvania researchers are developing a blood test to better predict the risk of kidney disease in Black Americans, a group that is disproportionately affected in part due to genetics.
Their test was able to predict kidney outcomes with more than 80% accuracy among Black individuals at increased genetic risk of ...Read more
Real estate investors profit from long-term care while residents languish
By the time she was hospitalized in 2020, Pearlene Darby, a retired teacher, had suffered open sores on both legs, both hips, and both heels, as well as a five-inch-long gash on her tailbone. She died two weeks later at age 81 from infections and bedsores, according to her death certificate. Her daughter sued the nursing home, alleging it had ...Read more
Providing More Information About Repatha For Cholesterol
DEAR DR. ROACH: I'm a 75-year-old woman who's in very good health. Since my early 50s, I've had issues with my cholesterol. My doctor has put me on several statins that caused very sore joints and muscle aches, to the point that I finally had to stop them. I felt that it just wasn't worth all the aches and pains.
My doctor decided to put me ...Read more
Gulp down your GLP-1s -- two oral options are now available
In 2025, a KFF Tracking Poll found that one in eight Americans was taking an injection of a GLP-1 medication such as semaglutide or tirzepatide for weight loss. Today, that's changing dramatically as folks opt for one of the two newly approved oral GLP-1s that make sticking to the routine (without sticking yourself) a lot easier.
Novo Nordisk's...Read more
Trump’s Medicaid fraud crackdown may sound sensible, but it could harm Americans who require long-term care
Mehmet Oz, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services administrator, is ordering all states to step up their efforts to crack down on Medicaid fraud.
His April 21, 2026, announcement expanded on the Trump administration’s related enforcement actions, such as withholding Medicaid funds from Minnesota and threatening to do that ...Read more
Reclassification of marijuana opens doors for much-needed medical research into the benefits and risks of the drug
When the U.S. Department of Justice moved to reclassify medical marijuana to a Schedule III drug on April 23, 2026, it set the stage for a vast amount of medical research that has been hobbled for decades by its more restrictive Schedule I classification.
The Justice Department also called for an expedited federal rescheduling process...Read more
Trump's Medicaid work mandate debuting in Nebraska to much dismay
Schmeeka Simpson of Omaha works as a patient navigator for the American Civil Liberties Union and an administrative assistant at Nebraskans for Peace, plus picks up shifts at a Dunkin' shop.
Still, even with three jobs, she worries about losing her health coverage when Nebraska, on May 1, becomes the first state to require certain Medicaid ...Read more
Inside Health Advice
Popular Stories
- 'I intend to stay on it forever.' Along with rapid weight loss, patients see other benefits and risks of GLP-1 drugs
- Reclassification of marijuana opens doors for much-needed medical research into the benefits and risks of the drug
- Warmer temps bring soaring tick populations – here’s how to stay safe from Lyme disease
- Mayo Clinic Q&A: What does a VO2 max have to do with overall fitness?
- Syphilis cases in expectant mothers have dramatically risen since the pandemic – here’s what’s driving the trend






















