Can Texting Your Therapist Work? New Study Says Yes

FRIDAY, Oct. 31, 2025 (HealthDay News) — A growing number of Americans are turning to therapy by text message, and new research suggests it can be just as effective as traditional video sessions for some patients.

In a study published Oct. 30 in JAMA Network Open, researchers found that people with mild to moderate depressio...

FDA to Ease Copycat Drug Rules, Speeding Access to Cheaper Drugs

FRIDAY, Oct. 31, 2025 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced Wednesday that it will relax certain rules for approving low-cost versions of some high-priced medications, in an effort to speed up access to cheaper alternatives.

The decision affects biosimilars — medicines that are near-identical ...

Dr. Casey Means’ Senate Confirmation Postponed After Going Into Labor

FRIDAY, Oct. 31, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Dr. Casey Means’ confirmation hearing to become the next U.S. surgeon general was postponed Thursday after she went into labor with her first child, officials confirmed.

Means, who was nominated in May by President Donald Trump, had been scheduled to appear before the Senate Health, Educ...

This Common Halloween Candy Might Be the Scariest Thing You Eat

FRIDAY, Oct. 31, 2025 (HealthDay News) — They may make your lips pucker, but sour candies can do more than surprise your taste buds — they can seriously damage your teeth, experts warn.

“These candies combine two factors that increase mouth acidity and accelerate enamel erosion,” said Nadine Tassabehji, an assistant...

Gene Test Can Predict Risk For Gout Medicine Side Effects

FRIDAY, Oct. 31, 2025 (HealthDay News) — A new gene test might be able to predict which gout patients will have a bad skin reaction to a common medication for the condition, researchers say.

A newly discovered gene combined with an already known genetic factor could explain the risk of skin side effects in more than 80% of U.S. gout ...

Millions Carry Hidden Cancer Risk, Experts Say

FRIDAY, Oct. 31, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Millions of Americans carry hidden genetic mutations that increase their risk of cancer, regardless of their family’s cancer history, according to a new study.

As many as 5% of Americans, or about 17 million, have genetic variants linked to cancer, researchers recently reported in the

Most Americans Unaware Alcohol Increases Cancer Risk

FRIDAY, Oct. 31, 2025 (HealthDay News) — More than half of American adults don’t know that alcohol increases a person’s risk of cancer, a new study says.

About 53% of adults surveyed did not know that drinking increases the odds of developing cancer, researchers reported Oct. 30 in JAMA Oncology.

In truth, ...

Gut Disorder Associated With Aging Occurring More Often In Younger Adults

FRIDAY, Oct. 31, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Younger adults are developing a severe gut disorder at increasing rates, according to a new study.

There’s been a troubling surge in severe diverticulitis among Americans younger than 50, researchers from UCLA and Vanderbilt University recently reported.

They found that the proport...

A Kid's Gut Health Might Influence Their Future Mental Health

FRIDAY, Oct. 31, 2025 (HealthDay News) — A child’s future risk of depression and anxiety might be tied to their gut health.

Young children whose gut microbiomes contained certain bacteria were more likely to develop a mood disorder as tweens, researchers reported Oct. 30 in the journal Nature Communications.

Rese...

Insomnia? Avoid This Common Strategy If You're Older, Experts Say

FRIDAY, Oct. 31, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Middle-aged adults and seniors would age more gracefully — and save a few bucks – if they lay off prescription sleep medications, a new study says.

Avoiding sleep drugs would reduce older Americans’ lifetime rate of falls by nearly 9% and brain decline by 2%, researchers repo...

Obamacare Premiums Could Jump 30% as Subsidies Expire

THURSDAY, Oct. 30, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Millions of Americans who buy their own health insurance could soon face steep premium increases, as temporary federal subsidies that helped lower costs for Obamacare plans are set to expire at year’s end.

Rates for plans sold through federal Obamacare marketplaces will rise, on averag...

5,000+ Measles Cases Threaten Canada’s Elimination Status

THURSDAY, Oct. 30, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Canada may lose its measles elimination status amid a yearlong outbreak that has infected more than 5,000 people and killed two infants, health officials said this week.

The outbreak began in October 2024 in New Brunswick and has now spread across multiple provinces. It is Canada’s fir...

Medical Debt May Soon Return to Credit Reports Under New Trump Rule

THURSDAY, Oct. 30, 2025 (HealthDay News) — The Trump administration is taking steps to roll back state laws that protect consumers from having medical debt appear on their credit reports.

The move could impact millions of Americans already struggling with unpaid medical bills.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has...

Germany Pledges $1 Billion for 200,000 Holocaust Survivors

THURSDAY, Oct. 30, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Germany has agreed to provide more than $1 billion in new funding to support Holocaust survivors worldwide, helping many continue to live independently in their own homes.

The deal, negotiated with Germany’s Finance Ministry, makes it the largest home care budget in the organization&rs...

Sitting For Long Periods? Sip Cocoa Or Munch Berries To Protect Heart Health, Experts Say

THURSDAY, Oct. 30, 2025 (HealthDay News) — A hot cup of cocoa or tea, an apple or a bowlful of berries might help protect the heart health of couch potatoes or desk jockeys, a new study suggests.

Those foods and drinks are all rich in plant chemicals called flavanols, and a lab experiment showed that they might prevent blood vessel p...

Home Exercises Ease Knee Arthritis Pain

THURSDAY, Oct. 30, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Home exercises can effectively ease knee pain caused by cartilage tears and arthritis, apparently with or without physical therapy, a new study says.

The stretching and strengthening exercises provided about the same amount of pain relief whether or not a person got real or sham physical the...

Epilepsy From Brain Injury Comes With Increased Risk Of Death, Experts Say

THURSDAY, Oct. 30, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Military veterans who develop epilepsy following a traumatic brain injury might be more likely to die earlier than others with epilepsy.

However, their risk could depend on the cause of their brain injury, researchers reported Oct. 29 in the journal Neurology.

“We recomm...

How A Brain Pressure Disorder Causes Vision Loss — And Who Might Be Affected

THURSDAY, Oct. 30, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Doctors think they’ve figured out a way to predict who might lose vision due to a high brain pressure disorder.

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) occurs when there’s unexplained pressure buildup in the fluid that cushions the brain in the skull, researchers explain in th...

Liver Donations Following Assisted Suicide Are Safe, Life-Saving, Experts Say

THURSDAY, Oct. 30, 2025 (HealthDay News) — People who end their terminal illness through assisted suicide can safely make a difference in the lives of others through organ donation, a new study says.

Liver transplants performed using organs donated following euthanasia had outcomes similar to those made with donations after death fro...

Puberty: The Signs, Stages & When to See a Doctor

THURSDAY, Oct. 30, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Puberty is the time when children’s bodies start to make hormones that lead to physical changes and signs of maturation.

It prepares the body for reproduction. It is also when significant growth occurs. In girls, it starts around age 8 and in boys, it starts around...