Health

Oregon Health Authority reports a modest decline in newborn hepatitis B birth-dose vaccination and in prenatal hepatitis B screening since 2020; the state is tracking both trends on a new dashboard.

Harvard Chan shared guidance after a Boston Globe grocery-store visit with nutrition expert Jerold Mande, who said ultra-processed products are often calorically dense and highly palatable. He suggested avoiding items that list a sweetener as the second or third ingredient and looking for lower sodium and saturated fat and higher fiber, while noting small swaps can be helpful.

Carelon CIO Jack Brock says the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated access and demand for behavioral health and that technology and interoperability are helping integrate behavioral and physical health. He emphasizes keeping the consumer at the center while addressing data sharing, workflow, and trust challenges.

Researchers report that GLP-1 receptor agonists, now widely used for Type 2 diabetes and obesity, are being studied for other conditions including heart failure, chronic liver disease, sleep apnea and substance use disorders, with multiple clinical trials ongoing.

Christy Carlson Romano said a precautionary cancer screening returned a non‑negative result and she is awaiting a PET scan; she emphasized this is not an official diagnosis.

A late-stage trial of 274 patients reported that 27.1% receiving Taltz plus Zepbound achieved complete skin clearance and at least 10% weight loss at 36 weeks, compared with 5.8% on Taltz alone.

The FDA will advance its review of Moderna’s previously rejected flu vaccine after the company met with regulators and amended its application. Moderna proposes full approval for ages 50–64 and accelerated approval for those 65 and older with a required additional study in older adults.

Emma Heming Willis says she is caring for her husband, Bruce Willis, who has frontotemporal dementia nearly three years after his diagnosis, and she highlights the heavy unpaid, often unseen labor of dementia caregiving.

A Guttmacher Institute report says federal funding freezes and new state restrictions likely reduced the number of brick-and-mortar abortion clinics over a 21-month period ending in December, and physical clinics still provide about 80% of abortions in states without bans.

Prince William joined a BBC Radio 1 panel on male suicide and described a personal 'toolkit' he builds to manage mental health, urging people to learn to love and understand themselves.

An analysis of 113,630 private prescriptions found about 80% of users were women and uptake was highest among people aged 30–49; people in the most deprived areas were around a third less likely to be receiving the injections and often started treatment at higher BMIs.

After the Palisades Fire and the loss of her husband, Ellen Rudolph had $38,000 stolen by scammers; her synagogue and a GoFundMe campaign have raised funds to help her rebuild.

Michael Guthrie arrived in Arizona while Pima County officials said DNA from a glove found about two miles from Nancy’s home did not match the federal CODIS database, and the FBI is using genealogy testing to pursue leads.

CMS head Mehmet Oz pledged that insurance will continue to cover vaccines on the new federal schedule and urged measles vaccination as officials reported more than 900 cases across 24 states.

Research finds more than half of people experiencing homelessness have had a brain injury, and about 22.5% live with moderate or severe injuries — nearly ten times the rate in the general population.

A Cochrane review of 22 randomized trials involving about 2,000 adults found intermittent fasting produced little to no difference in weight loss compared with standard dietary advice or no intervention; most studies lasted up to 12 months and had population and outcome limitations.

Students gave audio-only testimony about their experiences after the 2024 Apalachee High School shooting as the criminal trial of Colin Gray, the accused shooter's father, began; a related status hearing is scheduled for mid‑March.

A trainer in the article says people in their 50s can still build and preserve muscle through consistent, intelligent strength training, and that recovery and movement quality become more important with age.

A family fundraiser reports that Robert Dorgan killed his son Aidan and his ex-wife Rhonda at a Rhode Island high-school hockey event and that Rhonda’s parents were critically injured; the page says Dorgan then died by suicide.

Around 1.3 million children in Malawi were vaccinated in a four-day campaign using the novel oral poliovirus vaccine type 2 (nOPV2), with authorities reporting about 97% reach across eight districts; additional rounds are planned to reach children who missed the initial drive.

A study of more than 17,000 cancer survivors found that starting or continuing moderate-to-vigorous physical activity after diagnosis was linked with a lower risk of death, and experts noted benefits both for muscle strength and at the cellular (anti-inflammatory) level.

Georgia state Rep. Omari Crawford is running a half-marathon in each U.S. state as part of a project called "Miles for Mom" to honor his mother, who died after a battle with breast cancer; he has completed 12 states and plans to finish all 50 within four years.

A UK Biobank analysis of more than 100,000 participants found closer adherence to five established healthy diets was associated with an extra one to three years of life for men and one to two years for women, and these associations held after accounting for 19 genetic markers tied to longevity.

A nine-year-old boy at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital underwent the UK’s first surface-mounted, magnet-driven femur lengthening and gained about 3cm; the hospital has since used the technique on three other children.

B.C. Cancer has started a Kelowna program led by Dr. Lauren Capozzi to add rehabilitation and structured exercise into patient care from the time of diagnosis, and the program has received about 100 referrals since beginning in September.

A measles outbreak in north‑east London has included at least 34 laboratory‑confirmed cases and hospitalisations among unvaccinated children, while local MMR uptake is reported to be lower than national levels.

Reverend Jesse Jackson died at age 84, his family said he passed peacefully in the early hours of Feb. 17; an official cause of death had not been released at the time of publication.

A health writer reports that a clinical nutritionist lists seven pantry-friendly foods that may support sleep and highlights nutrients such as tryptophan, magnesium, vitamin D, and several B and C vitamins.

Ocular Therapeutix reported that its experimental drug Axpaxli helped a higher share of patients maintain vision at 36 weeks and one year than Regeneron's Eylea in a 344-patient late-stage trial, and the company said it will discuss the data with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The article outlines a five-move mobility routine that focuses on lower-body strength and also engages the shoulders and core, and says it can be done in about 20 minutes several times a week. It notes precautions for people with injuries, those who are pre- or post-natal, or who have sciatica, and advises consulting a physician before starting.