Health News

(WASHINGTON) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is moving to ban the use of Red No. 3 dye in food products.The agency said Wednesday it is amending its color additive regulations to no longer allow the use of Red No. 3 in food, beverages and ingested drugs, in response to a 2022 petition from health groups and activists.FD&C Red No. 3, also known as Red 3, is a synthetic […]

(LOS ANGELES) -- Health care centers and medical facilities remain closed as the devastating California wildfires spread.At least 24 people are believed to be dead and more than a dozen others remain unaccounted for as of Monday morning. Additionally, 105,000 people remain under mandatory evacuation orders and another 87,000 are under evacuation warnings.Kaiser Permanente, one of the largest health care systems in California, said most of its facilities remain open and […]

(LOS ANGELES) -- As devastating wildfires continue to spread across southern California, thousands of structures have been destroyed or damaged and at least five people have been killed.Residents and firefighters have suffered physical injuries, but doctors say the wildfires can also take a heavy mental health toll on civilians and first responders."I think when disaster like this is unfolding, it makes sense to prioritize people's lives and mortality but, over time, we […]

(NEW YORK) -- Meta -- the company that operates Facebook, Instagram, Threads and WhatsApp --announced on Tuesday it was ending third-party fact-checking.Some social media policy experts and public health experts are worried that the end of fact-checking could lead to the spread of medical and science misinformation and disinformation. This is especially worrisome as the U.S. is in the throes of respiratory virus season and is fighting the spread of […]

(NEW YORK) -- In the nearly nine months since the first human case of bird flu was detected in the United States, the virus has continued to spread.The outbreak infected hundreds of herds and millions of birds before it spread to humans. As of Jan. 6, there have been 66 human cases of bird flu reported in 10 states, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention […]

(LOUISIANA) -- The first person has died of bird flu in the United States, the Louisiana Department of Health confirmed on Monday.The patient, who was exposed to non-commercial backyard flock and wild birds, was over age 65 and had underlying medical conditions, officials said.Last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the patient was experiencing the first case of severe bird flu in the U.S.At the time, a […]

(CHINA) -- Chinese health officials are reportedly monitoring an increase in cases of human metapneumovirus (HMPV).There is currently no evidence that the outbreak is out of the ordinary or that a new respiratory virus or illness has emerged in China.A spokesperson for the World Health Organization (WHO) said data from China indicates "there has been a recent rise in acute respiratory infections" but that "the overall scale and intensity of […]

Westend61/Getty Images (NEW YORK) -- The U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory on Friday warning of a link between alcohol consumption and cancer risk.Alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States, after tobacco and obesity, according to the Surgeon General's advisory.For some cancers, including breast, mouth, and throat cancers, the risk of developing cancer may increase with one or fewer drinks per day, the […]

(NEW YORK) -- The Mediterranean diet -- which emphasizes fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains -- has once again topped U.S. News and World Report's annual ranking of best diets.The publication on Friday named the diet the best overall diet for the eighth year in a row.The Mediterranean diet scored a 4.8 out of 5 based on an evaluation of several factors, including nutritional completeness, health risks and benefits, […]