FDA Moves Toward Faster Drug Approvals

FRIDAY, Feb. 20, 2026 (HealthDay News) — In a major shift that could fundamentally change how new medicine reaches the pharmacy, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is relaxing a long-standing drug approval requirement for common diseases.

Drugmakers must often complete two separate, large-scale studies to prove a new medicat...

Bhattacharya to Do Double Duty at Helms of CDC and NIH

FRIDAY, Feb. 20, 2026 (HealthDay News) — An outspoken critic of the nation’s top public health agency has been tapped to lead it for the foreseeable future.

Dr. Jay Bhattacharya will serve temporarily as acting director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in addition to filling his role as director of ...

Study Links Advanced CTE From Head Trauma as Distinct Cause of Dementia

FRIDAY, Feb. 20, 2026 (HealthDay News) — For years, families of athletes and military veterans have watched loved ones slip into memory loss, suspecting the culprit was a lifetime of blows to the head.

Now, a major study from the Boston University CTE Center provides the data to back those suspicions: Advanced chronic traumatic encep...

'Operation Stork Speed' Prepares to Overhaul Baby Formula Guidelines

FRIDAY, Feb. 20, 2026 (HealthDay News) — During their first six months of life, many infants get some or all of their calories from formula, but federal rules governing what goes into those bottles haven't been updated in decades.

That may soon change under a federal initiative dubbed Operation Stork Speed that was launched last Marc...

Dental Guidelines Call For More Judicious Use Of X-Rays

FRIDAY, Jan. 20, 2026 (HealthDay News) —  Everyone who’s had regular dental care knows the heavy lead apron that’s draped across your body before taking X-rays of your teeth.

But what has been an annual ritual of donning the apron and undergoing oral X-rays might look very different the next time you visit the dentis...

Parents' 'Gut Feelings' Best Help Doctors Detect And Treat Serious Illness Among Children

FRIDAY, Feb. 20, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Doctors would do well to heed any gut feelings parents might have about their child’s health, a new study says.

Nine times out of 10, children were seriously ill if their parents had a clear or strong concern about their health, researchers reported Feb. 17 in JAMA Network Open....

One In Five U.S. Children Are Obese, Study Says

FRIDAY, Feb. 20, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Obesity affects 1 in every 5 U.S. children, a new study says.

About 20% of American children between the ages of 2 and 19 have obesity, researchers report Feb. 10 in JAMA Network Open.

“In 2024, excess youth overweight and obesity remained highly prevalent among youths in ...

Blood Test Estimates When Alzheimer’s Symptoms Will Start

FRIDAY, Feb. 20, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Imagine knowing exactly when your brain might start to fail. 

It sounds like a plot from a futuristic movie, but a new "biological clock" developed by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis may make it a reality.

By analyzing a blood sample, scientists ...

COVID-19 Boosters Tied to Lower Preeclampsia Risk in Pregnant Women

FRIDAY, Feb. 20, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 might offer protection against one of the most dangerous complications of pregnancy.

A large international study published online Feb. 18 in eClinicalMedicine followed more than 6,500 pregnant women across 18 countries. 

The findings link...

Most Transgender People Have Been Victims Of Violence, Study Says

FRIDAY, Feb. 20, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Most transgender and gender-diverse people have been victims of physical or sexual violence, a new evidence review says.

Overall, nearly two-thirds (64%) of transgender and gender-diverse people worldwide experienced physical or sexual violence during their lifetimes, researchers reported rece...

Moderna’s mRNA Flu Vaccine Back Under FDA Review

THURSDAY, Feb. 19, 2026 (HealthDay News) — In a sudden reversal, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has agreed to review Moderna’s experimental mRNA influenza vaccine. 

The move comes just one week after the agency refused to evaluate the company’s application, a decision that sent shockwaves through the bio...

BJ’s Wholesale Club Issues Salmon Recall Across Seven East Coast States

THURSDAY, Feb. 19, 2026 (HealthDay News) — If you recently bought frozen salmon at BJ’s Wholesale Club, check the packaging before your next meal. 

Wellesley Farms Farm-Raised Atlantic Salmon is being pulled from shelves across seven states after federal testing found it contained dangerous bacteria. 

The recall...

Sweetened Drinks Linked to Higher Anxiety in Teens

THURSDAY, Feb. 19, 2026 (HealthDay News) — While parents have long worried that too much sugar leads to cavities and weight gain, new research suggests that sugar rush might be followed by a worry crash. 

A study from Bournemouth University in the U.K. has identified a troubling link between high-sugar drinks and increased anxie...

Drug-Resistant Salmonella Linked to Moringa Supplement

THURSDAY, Feb. 19, 2026 (HealthDay News) — It's often touted as the "miracle tree" for its dense nutrient profile, but a popular moringa supplement is at the center of a superbug outbreak.

Federal health officials announced Feb. 13 that a multistate outbreak of highly drug-resistant Salmonella has been traced back to moringa...

It's Never Too Late For Cancer Patients To Become Active, Study Finds

THURSDAY, Feb. 19, 2026 (HealthDay News) — It’s never too late for cancer survivors to become active, a new study reports.

Cancer survivors who engaged in even small amounts of exercise reduced their risk of cancer-related death, researchers reported Feb. 17 in JAMA Network Open.

That risk dropped even more among...

Ultra-Marathon Running Depletes Athletes' Red Blood Cells, Study Finds

THURSDAY, Feb. 19, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Ultra-marathon runners must be incredibly fit to endure races that can extend more than 100 miles, but their bodies pay a price for their athleticism, a new study says.

Extreme endurance runners experience a breakdown of their normal red blood cells during a race, putting them at increased r...

Rates Of Hearing Loss, Tinnitus More Than Doubled Among Musicians

THURSDAY, Feb. 19, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Musicians suffer hearing loss in pursuit of their passion more than twice as often as average folks, a new evidence review says.

More than 2 in 5 musicians suffer from tinnitus and a quarter are affected by hearing loss, researchers recently reported in the journal Otolaryngology–H...