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Latest Health Headlines

April 18

White House changes COVID.gov web page to page supporting lab leak theory

The website once had resources for vaccines, testing and treatment for COVID-19.
April 18
Web page for https://www.whitehouse.gov/lab-leak-true-origins-of-covid-19/ on April 18, 2025.
April 18

Medical Rundown: This week's top stories

Dr. Alok Patel discusses the latest rise in measles cases and how newly published data shows that younger women are now binge drinking at higher rates than their male peers.
April 18
VIDEO: Medical Rundown: This week's top stories
April 18

Spring allergies are back. Here's how to check pollen levels and keep from sneezing

Allergy season can be miserable for tens of millions of Americans each year
April 18
FILE - An oak tree with new leaf growth also shows pollen hanging amongst the branches at a park in Richardson, Texas, Thursday, March 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)
April 18

New weight loss pill could benefit people with Type 2 diabetes: Eli Lilly

Dr. Katherine Saunders, at Weill Cornell Medicine, joined ABC News' to discuss a new daily weight loss pill by Eli Lilly saying it "opens up opportunities" to treat diseases.
April 18
VIDEO: New weight loss pill could benefit people with Type 2 diabetes: Eli Lilly
April 18

US measles infections hit 800 cases across 24 states

The CDC reported 88 new cases in the previous week.
April 18
Boxes and vials of the Measles, Mumps, Rubella Virus Vaccine at a vaccine clinic put on by Lubbock Public Health Department, March 1, 2025, in Lubbock, Texas.
April 18
President Donald Trump waits as members of the press are escorted out of the Oval Office after he signed executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, April 17, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
April 17

Eli Lilly: Data shows promising results for new weight loss pill

Dr. Rekha Kumar, endocrinologist and obesity medicine expert at Weill Cornell Medicine, joined ABC News Live to discuss the promising results from Eli Lilly's newly announced weight loss pill.
April 17
VIDEO: Eli Lilly: Data shows promising results for new weight loss pill
April 17

Michigan reports first confirmed measles outbreak since 2019

Seven cases have been confirmed in Michigan this year, say health officials.
April 17
A measles advisory is shown tacked to a bulletin board outside Gaines County Courthouse on April 9, 2025 in Seminole, Texas.
April 17

Draft budget plan proposes deep cuts across federal health programs

Federal officials are circulating a draft budget proposal that would make dramatic additional cuts to federal health programs and serve as a roadmap for more mass firings
April 17
FILE - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services building is seen, April 5, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
April 17

Taking a mental health leave from work is an option most people don't know about

Taking a mental health leave from work is becoming more of an option for people in the United States even thought most of them probably don't know it
April 17
AP Illustration / Annie Ng
April 16

RFK Jr. lays out new studies on autism, shuts down 'better diagnoses' as a cause

Kennedy has prioritized autism in his aim to “Make America Healthy Again."
April 16
Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks during a news conference at the Department of Health and Human Services, April 16, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
April 16

4 states aim to prevent food stamps recipients from using program to buy candy, soda

Governors in four states said they'd submit a federal waiver to overhaul SNAP.
April 16
Indiana Governor Mike Braun is joined by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz as he announces his Make Indiana Healthy Again initiative in Indianapolis, April 15, 2025.
April 16

How did the UK Supreme Court define a woman and what happens now?

The U.K. Supreme Court has ruled that a woman is someone born biologically female and that transgender women are excluded from that legal definition
April 16
Women's rights activist celebrates outside the Supreme Court to challenge gender recognition laws, in London, Wednesday, April 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
April 16

HHS Sec. RFK Jr. outlines the findings from a new CDC report on autism diagnoses

Health and Human Services Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. outlined the findings of a new survey from the CDC which found that autism diagnoses are continuing to increase in the U.S.
April 16
Health and Human Services Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. outlined the findings of a new survey from the CDC which found that autism diagnoses are continuing to increase in the U.S.
April 16

How people are using movies and TV to heal from addiction

ABC News' Will Ganss discusses people using movies and television to battle addiction and help with recovery.
April 16
VIDEO: How people are using movies and TV to heal from addiction
April 16

Addressing the black maternal health crisis

Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell, a health equity and maternal health advocate, joined ABC News Live to raise awareness about maternal health issues in America, especially among Black women.
April 16
VIDEO: Addressing the black maternal health crisis
April 16

A call for comfort brought the police instead. Now the solution is in danger

Recent funding and staffing cuts undermine the future of the 988 program.
April 16
Call for Comfort 988
April 16

Target's Good & Gather baby food recalled

Baby food sold under Target's Good and Gather brand is being recalled due to "elevated levels of lead," according to the Food and Drug Administration.
April 16
Baby food sold under Target's Good and Gather brand is being recalled due to "elevated levels of lead," according to the Food and Drug Administration.
April 16

European regulators OK Alzheimer's treatment Leqembi after initial doubts

European regulators have finally approved the Alzheimer’s treatment Leqembi after an advisory committee initially rejected the drug last summer
April 16
April 15

Autism rates continue to rise: CDC

Medical experts have previously told ABC News this increase is largely due to better awareness and better access to screening.
April 15
VIDEO: Autism rates continue to rise: CDC
April 15

Estimated 1 in 31 children have autism as diagnosis rates increase in the US: CDC

This is an increase from one in 36 children diagnosed in 2020.
April 15
Stock photo of a child playing with blocks.
April 15

Measles cases linked to Texas outbreak reach 561, with 20 new infections confirmed

Children and teenagers make up the majority of cases.
April 15
A sign is seen outside a clinic with the South Plains Public Health District, on Feb. 23, 2025, in Brownfield, Texas.
April 15

FDA OKs trial of pig livers as dialysis-like treatment for liver failure

U.S. researchers are about to test if livers from gene-edited pigs could treat people with sudden liver failure — not with a transplant but temporarily attached outside the body
April 15
This photo provided by eGenesis on Jan. 18, 2024 shows a genetically modified pig liver in Massachusetts before transportation to the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia in December 2023. (eGenesis via AP)
April 15

Study finds more people are obtaining abortions but fewer are traveling for it

A new study has found that fewer people crossed state lines for abortions in 2024 than the previous year
April 15
FILE - Abortion-rights activists rally outside the Supreme Court in Washington, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, file)
April 14

New mom says she was drug tested without consent

ABC News’ Eva Pilgrim reported on the mothers and advocates who are working to change laws surrounding drug testing for pregnant women and their newborns after several devastating incidents.
April 14
VIDEO: New mom says she was drug tested without consent
April 14

Long ER stays are common in the US. It may get worse as the population ages

An Associated Press and Side Effects Public Media data analysis shows one in six visits to the emergency department in 2022 that resulted in hospital admission had a wait of four or more hours
April 14
Boni Speer, left, and her daughter, Tracy Balhan, hold a photo of Bill Speer, Tracy’s father, in Aurora, Ill., on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Benjamin Thorp/WFYI Public Media via AP)
April 14

Months after CEO's killing, an intruder is arrested near UnitedHealthcare headquarters in Minnesota

A man has been arrested near UnitedHealthcare’s headquarters after threatening violence
April 14
FILE - A view of the UnitedHealth Group Inc.'s campus is shown Oct. 16, 2012, in Minnetonka, Minn. (AP Photo/Jim Mone, File)
April 13

White House releases results of Trump’s physical

Dr. Jessica Shepherd, chief medical officer for Hers, joins ABC News Live to discuss the results of the president’s physical.
April 13
VIDEO: White House releases results of Trump’s physical
April 13

Tips on how to deal with stress

Author Dr. Judith Joseph and Dr. Adjoa Smalls-Mantey join ABC News Live to discuss stress awareness month.
April 13
VIDEO: Tips on how to deal with stress
April 13

Black Maternal Health Week is underway

Holly J. Mitchell, Los Angeles County supervisor for the 2nd District, and gynecologist Dr. Jessica Shepherd join ABC News Live to discuss Black Maternal Health Week.
April 13
VIDEO: Black Maternal Health Week is underway
April 13

Measles exploded in Texas after stagnant vaccine funding. New cuts threaten the same across the US

The measles outbreak in West Texas didn’t happen just by chance
April 13
Anna Hicks places the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine in a refrigerator at the Andrews County Health Department's measles clinic, Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Andrews, Texas. (AP Photo/Annie Rice)
April 12

The dead in upstate New York plane crash included 2022 NCAA woman of the year and family members

A private plane that crashed in upstate New York over the weekend was carrying six members of a close-knit family of physicians and distinguished student-athletes
April 12
This 2023 photo provided by John Santoro shows his son, James Santoro, and Karenna Groff, a former MIT soccer player recently named the NCAA Woman of Year. (Courtesy John Santoro via AP)
April 12

Breaking down rising measles cases, moderate drinking study

ABC News medical contributor Dr. Alok Patel discusses the latest medical news and studies.
April 12
VIDEO: Breaking down rising measles cases, moderate drinking study
April 12

RFK Jr. wants to target chronic disease in US tribes. A key program to do that was gutted

A key program using traditional medicine and foods to tackle chronic disease in Native American and Alaska Native communities has been gutted in the federal health layoffs
April 12
U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tours the Native Health Mesa Food Distribution Center in Mesa, Ariz., Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
April 11

After weeks of turmoil, promising cancer study back on track

A big cancer trial run by an NIH scientist has been in a holding pattern for a few months but is now back on track after a spending freeze was lifted.
April 11
After weeks of turmoil, promising cancer study back on track
April 11

US reports highest number of measles cases since 2019, CDC data shows

Measles cases have been confirmed in at least 24 states, CDC data shows.
April 11
Signs point the way to measles testing in the parking lot of the Seminole Hospital District across from Wigwam Stadium, on Feb. 27, 2025, in Seminole, Texas.
April 11

France rugby star Chabal doesn't remember 'single second' of career due to concussion

Rugby star Sébastien Chabal won two Six Nations titles with France, reached a World Cup semifinal and played 62 times for his nation as a powerful forward
April 11
FILE - French rugby team player Sebastien Chabal attends a training session at the National Rugby Center in Marcoussis, south of Paris, on Feb. 24, 2011. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File)
April 11

RFK Jr. pledges answer to 'autism epidemic' by September

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said at Thursday’s Cabinet meeting that, by September, his agency will "know what has caused the autism epidemic."
April 11
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said at Thursday’s Cabinet meeting that, by September, his agency will "know what has caused the autism epidemic."
April 11

Australian woman unknowingly gives birth to a stranger's baby after IVF clinic error

A woman in Australia unknowingly gave birth to a stranger's baby after an IVF clinic mistakenly transferred the wrong embryo, the clinic said
April 11
April 10

By The Numbers: A new survey asks when, where and how often we cry

Researchers studying why women cry more than men have long cited how the sexes are wired differently. A new YouGov poll published this week sheds new light on when, where and how often people cry.
April 10
VIDEO: By The Numbers: A new survey asks when, where and how often we cry
April 10

RFK Jr. pledges an answer to the 'autism epidemic' by September

Kennedy said he believes as many as 1 in 31 children have autism.
April 10
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum attend a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, D.C., April 10, 2025.
April 10

RFK Jr. talks measles, pledges an answer to the 'autism epidemic' by September

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said at Thursday’s Cabinet meeting that, by September, his agency will "know what has caused the autism epidemic."
April 10
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said at Thursday’s Cabinet meeting that, by September, his agency will "know what has caused the autism epidemic."
April 10

States sue over Trump administration's sudden halt of pandemic relief aid for schools

Public officials in 16 states and the District of Columbia are suing the Trump administration to restore access to federal pandemic relief funding for schools
April 10
April 10

Trump's immigration tactics obstruct efforts to avert bird flu pandemic: Researchers

Immigration raids and threats have undermined efforts, according to researchers.
April 10
Egg supplies have plummeted this year as farmers have culled flocks infected in the ongoing bird flu outbreak in the U.S.
April 10

This federal rule helped clear air over America's most beloved parks. Trump's EPA wants to kill it

Outdoor enthusiasts are worried about the loss of their favorite vistas as President Donald Trump's administration considers weakening a 26-year-old rule designed to improve visibility over national parks and wilderness areas
April 10
FILE - People wait for the trailhead at Glacier Point to re-open at Yosemite National Park, Calif., June 18, 2016. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)
April 09

Trump's pharmaceutical tariffs could drive up costs, lead to drug shortages: Experts

Trump said he wants to bring more drug manufacturing to the U.S.
April 09
President Donald Trump attends the National Republican Congressional Committee dinner in Washington, April 8, 2025.
April 09

RFK Jr. praises measles response in Texas, US by making comparison to Europe

Kennedy said the U.S. measles response is a "model for the rest of the world."
April 09
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks during a press conference while visiting the Osher Center for Integrative Health at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah, April 7, 2025.
April 09

How Trump’s proposed pharmaceutical tariffs could drive up costs, cause drug shortage

President Donald Trump recently proposed tariffs on pharmaceutical products. Experts say this could lead to added costs, drug shortages and even a stall in research and development.
April 09
President Donald Trump recently proposed tariffs on pharmaceutical products. Experts say this could lead to added costs, drug shortages and even a stall in research and development.
April 09

FDA reverses course on telework after layoffs and resignations threaten basic operations

The Food and Drug Administration is reversing course on its requirement for all staffers to report to the office
April 09
FILE - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration building behind FDA logos at a bus stop on the agency's campus in Silver Spring, Md, Thursday, Aug. 2, 2018. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)
April 09

Stem cell transplant restores vision in patient who was blinded after injury

Nick Kharufeh's vision was restored after receiving a stem cell transplant in 2020. He now advocates for the treatment, hoping it will be the "next big thing."
April 09
Nick Kharufeh's vision was restored after receiving a stem cell transplant in 2020. He now advocates for the treatment, hoping it will be the "next big thing."