A Self-Injectable Birth Control Med Is Available, But Most Doctors Don't Prescribe It

MONDAY, Jan. 12, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Young women could be injecting long-lasting birth control meds themselves, but few have been told by their doctor that it’s an option, a new study says.

Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) can prevent pregnancy for up to three months, and is available in a form that can be self-inje...

New Pill Can Report When You've Swallowed It

MONDAY, Jan. 12, 2026 (HealthDay News) — There’s a new — and somewhat creepy — way to make sure people are taking their prescription medications on schedule.

Researchers have developed a pill that can report when it’s been swallowed, by sending out a radio signal from inside the stomach.

The experimental...

Childhood Cancer Survivors Age More Rapidly, Genetics Show

MONDAY, Jan. 12, 2026 (HealthDay News) — More kids than ever are surviving cancer, but a new study shows how their childhood brush with the disease continues to haunt their health into adulthood.

Teenage and young adults who survived childhood cancer appear to age faster than people their age who never had cancer, researchers reporte...

Want To Protect Your Gum Health? Eat More Tomatoes, Study Suggests

MONDAY, Jan. 12, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Worried about your oral health?

Eat more tomatoes, a new study suggests.

Insufficient intake of lycopene — a nutrient found in tomatoes and other red fruits — is associated with a significantly higher risk of gum disease in older adults.

Seniors who get enough lycopene ...

Overcoming Obstacles to HIV Prevention

SUNDAY, Jan. 11, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Though an antiretroviral medication called PrEP provides near-perfect protection against HIV, patients must often surmount hurdles to obtain it.

From medical stigma to insurance denials and doctors who are unfamiliar with the regimen, a new report finds that many LGBTQ+ people have had negativ...

What You Need to Know to Prevent And Fight Norovirus

SATURDAY, Jan. 10, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Nearly half a million Americans visit the emergency room (ER) each year with a fast-spreading stomach bug called norovirus.

While anybody can be infected, young children and seniors are at risk of becoming very sick, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) warns in its January newsletter

Weight Often Returns After Stopping Ozempic, Wegovy, Study Finds

FRIDAY, Jan. 9, 2026 (HealthDay News) — People who stop taking popular weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy are likely to gain the weight back, and sooner than many expect, a new study finds.

Researchers reviewed dozens of earlier studies and found that most people returned to their starting weight within about 18 months after s...

RFK Jr. Says Fewer Flu Vaccines for Kids May Be a 'Better Thing'

FRIDAY, Jan. 9, 2026 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is scaling back several childhood vaccine recommendations, prompting concerns that fewer kids will be protected as a result.

Flu shots, along with vaccines for RSV, COVID-19 and more are now advised mainly for kids who are at high risk o...

Study Ties Rising Evictions to Higher Gun Violence in Chicago

FRIDAY, Jan. 9, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Even as violent crime has dropped to historic lows in Chicago, gun violence remains a serious problem in some neighborhoods, especially those facing economic hardship.

A new study suggests one overlooked factor may help explain why: Evictions.

University of Chicago researchers found that ...

Tamales Sold in California, Nevada Recalled Over Listeria Risk

FRIDAY, Jan. 9, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Primavera Nueva Inc. is recalling specific lots of its 4-count tamales after learning they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a bacteria that can cause serious illness.

The recalled products were sold in California and Nevada and were made between Oct. 10, 2024, and Oct. ...

What Is CPR and Who Needs It?

FRIDAY, Jan. 9, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a vital skill anyone can perform. It is administered to an unconscious person who is not breathing normally.

More than 70% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen at home, according to the 2024 Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival (CARES)

'The Pitt' Informs, Educates Viewers, Study Says

FRIDAY, Jan. 9, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Gritty medical drama "The Pitt" has made a big difference in the way patients and families understand dicey issues like organ donation or end-of-life decision making, a new report says.

"The Pitt" — which returned to HBO Max for its second season Thursday — is well-known for its com...

Your Teen Sleeping In During The Weekend? It Could Protect Them From Depression, Experts Say

FRIDAY, Jan. 9, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Experts agree that keeping a regular sleep schedule is important for everyone, even night-owl teenagers and young adults.

But catching a few extra Z’s over the weekend might be good for young folks’ mental health, a new study says.

Young people who sleep in on weekends to catc...

Babies' Brain Development Lags In Cash-Crunched Families, Study Shows

FRIDAY, Jan. 9, 2026 (HealthDay News) — A family’s financial difficulties might shape how an infant’s brain develops, potentially altering the course of their life, a new study says.

Babies tend to have signs of delayed brain development if their caregivers are struggling to make ends meet, researchers reported Jan. 5 in ...

Gifted Dogs Can Learn Words By Eavesdropping On Family Conversations, Experiments Show

FRIDAY, Jan. 9, 2026 (HealthDay News) — A basic part of dog training is teaching your pooch to recognize and respond to certain words like "sit,” “down” or “stay.”

But some particularly clever canines can develop an even more extensive vocabulary in the same way toddlers do: By eavesdropping on our conve...

Yoga Aids Opioid Withdrawal, Clinical Trial Shows

FRIDAY, Jan. 9, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Child’s pose, downward-facing dog, tree pose and cobra might boost people’s ability to fight opioid addiction, a new trial suggests.

A regular yoga practice performed alongside treatment for opioid use disorder accelerated people’s recovery compared to treatment alone, researc...

Nestlé Recalls Baby Formula Over Toxin Risk

THURSDAY, Jan. 8, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Nestlé has announced a global recall of some baby formula products, saying they may contain a toxin that can cause food poisoning in infants.

The recall affects specific batches of SMA infant formula and follow-on formula, the company said.

Nestlé stressed that the product...

Study Finds Rise in Chagas-Carrying Bugs Near U.S.-Mexico Border

THURSDAY, Jan. 8, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Researchers in the Southwest are raising new concerns about Chagas disease after finding some very high infection rates in the insects that spread it.

Scientists from University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) collected kissing bugs near homes and outdoor spaces along the U.S.-Mexico border. Many ...

FDA Misses Deadline to Ban Formaldehyde in Hair Straighteners

THURSDAY, Jan. 8, 2026 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has again missed a deadline to propose a ban on chemicals in hair-straightening products that may pose a serious cancer risk.

Its target date for the proposed rule on formaldehyde was Dec. 31. No action has yet been taken.

An FDA spokesperson ...

New U.S. Diet Guidelines Push Whole Foods, Meat and Dairy

THURSDAY, Jan. 8, 2026 (HealthDay News) — The federal government has released new dietary guidelines that shift how Americans are urged to eat.

The new focus? Whole foods, protein and healthy fats.

At a news conference Wednesday, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. introduced a new food pyramid.

At the top: Red me...