Seniors With Dementia Being Prescribed Dangerous Mind-Altering Drugs, Study Says

TUESDAY, Jan. 13, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Many seniors with dementia are being put at risk by brain-altering medications linked to falls, confusion and hospitalization, a new study says.

In all, 1 in 4 Medicare-covered seniors with dementia have been prescribed drugs like antipsychotics, barbiturates and benzodiazepines, even though ...

Exercise, Diet Can Help Counter Gestational Diabetes

TUESDAY, Jan. 13, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Exercising and eating right can help a pregnant woman significantly reduce her risk for gestational diabetes, a new evidence review says.

Those sorts of healthy lifestyle choices reduced the odds of gestational diabetes by up to 20%, researchers reported Jan. 7 in The BMJ.

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Blood Test Can Predict Crohn's Disease, Researchers Say

TUESDAY, Jan. 13, 2026 (HealthDay News) — A simple blood test can predict a person’s future risk for the GI illness Crohn’s disease, a new study says.

The test can predict Crohn’s years before symptoms appear, making possible early diagnosis, treatment and even prevention, researchers reported Jan. 12 in the journal...

IV Iron Replacement Might Be Easier, More Effective Treatment For Iron Deficiency Anemia

TUESDAY, Jan. 13, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Women with iron deficiency anemia caused by heavy menstrual bleeding might be better helped by IV iron replacement compared to supplement tablets, a new study argues.

A single dose of intravenous iron replacement helped women better than iron supplements taken every other day, researchers rep...

Frozen Tater Tots Recalled Over Plastic Contamination

MONDAY, Jan. 12, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Thousands of cases of frozen tater tots are being recalled amid concerns they may contain pieces of hard plastic, federal health officials say.

The recall, listed as ongoing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), involves more than 38,000 cases of frozen potatoes made by McCain Foods ...

California Warns Against Foraging After Deadly Wild Mushrooms Kill 3

MONDAY, Jan. 12, 2026 (HealthDay News) — California health officials are warning residents to avoid eating wild mushrooms after a sharp rise in poisonings that has left multiple people dead and others with severe liver damage.

Thirty-five people in the state were poisoned by wild mushrooms between Nov. 18 and Jan. 4, according to the...

Measles Cases Surge in South Carolina, Spread to Other States

MONDAY, Jan. 12, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Measles cases are climbing fast in South Carolina, and health officials say the outbreak is now spreading beyond state borders.

The South Carolina Department of Public Health confirmed 99 new measles cases since Jan. 6, bringing the state’s total to 310 cases, officials said in their lat...

Astronaut Crew Returning Early From Space Station Due to Medical Issue

MONDAY, Jan. 12, 2026 (HealthDay News) — The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is undertaking its first-ever medical evacuation from the International Space Station.

The evacuation of four astronauts — two from the U.S., and one each from Russia and Japan — is a safety precaution, NASA said. 

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 ...

Teenage Girl's Case Highlights Potential Explanation For Chronic UTIs

MONDAY, Jan. 12, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Millions of women and girls worldwide suffer from chronic urinary tract infections that defy treatment and stump both doctors and microbiologists.

But researchers now think they have figured out one way chronic UTIs occur.

A growing body of evidence suggests that the cause of these UTIs ...

Headed For Surgery? Try To Lower Your Stress Levels, Study Suggests

MONDAY, Jan. 12, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Are you facing upcoming surgery?

One of the best ways to prepare is to de-stress, a new study says.

People who are stressed out prior to surgery appear to suffer more pain afterward and take longer to recover, researchers report in the January issue of the journal Anesthesiology...

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. ...