The US government raised concerns about painkillers used during pregnancy SolStock/Getty Images On Monday, the US government announced two initiatives related to autism. It will update labelling on the common painkiller paracetamol, also called acetaminophen, warning use during pregnancy may increase the risk of autism and ADHD in children. It will also approve a drug … Read more
Florida surgeon general Joseph Ladapo speaking at an anti-vaccine event in Sarasota, Florida Dave Decker/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock Scepticism around vaccines has reached new heights in the US, with Florida officials pushing to eliminate all vaccine mandates, including those for schoolchildren. The move may embolden other states to follow suit, and also risks triggering a resurgence … Read more
Robert F Kennedy Jr, the head the US health department ZUMA Press, Inc./Alamy The US health secretary claimed mRNA vaccines are ineffective against respiratory diseases, while announcing he was cutting half a billion dollars in funding for mRNA vaccine development. But this goes against the scientific evidence we have, which shows many mRNA vaccines work … Read more
Targeting the vagus nerve has shown medical promise for a range of health conditions Science Photo Library/Alamy The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a vagus nerve stimulator for rheumatoid arthritis – the first such device to be cleared for an autoimmune condition, potentially paving the way for broader uses. The pill-sized device … Read more
A 7-year-old receiving an MMR vaccine in Texas, where a major outbreak of measles is occurring Jan Sonnenmair/Getty Images A child in the UK died from measles this month. A baby in Canada died from measles in June. Two children in the US have died from measles this year. But it didn’t have to be … Read more
A nurse administering a flu shot Tess Crowley/Chicago Tribune/Getty Images On 26 June, the US Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) rolled back recommendations for flu shots containing a rare preservative falsely linked to autism. While the move is unlikely to affect vaccine access, it exemplifies the US government’s wider effort to upend the vaccine … Read more
Bystander CPR training may have contributed to fewer heart attack deaths in the past five decades piyamas dulmunsumphun / Alamy Stock Photo Deaths from heart attacks have plummeted in the US over the past 50 years, whereas deaths from chronic heart conditions have skyrocketed, probably due to people living longer. “We’ve made some really great … Read more
A dangerous strain of bird flu is spreading in US livestock MediaMedium/Alamy Since Donald Trump assumed office in January, the leading US public health agency has pulled back preparations for a potential bird flu pandemic. But as it steps back, another government agency is stepping up. While the US Department of Health and Human Services … Read more
The only nation-wide assessment of drug use in the US is a critical tool in fighting the opioid epidemic Shutterstock / Kimberly Boyles On 1 April, the US government abruptly laid off all 17 people running the country’s only nationwide survey on substance use and mental health. For more than half a century, the National … Read more
Vaccinating animals on poultry and dairy farms could help contain the bird flu outbreak Iuliia Zavalishina/Alamy As farmers across the US struggle to contain a deadly bird flu virus, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is considering adding animal vaccines to its strategy for controlling the outbreak. Until now, vaccination was largely off the table … Read more
