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in Health (121 stories)
health

Eleven cancers on the rise in young people - scientists find first clue on why it's happening

Cancer Rising in the Young. Scientists Find a First Clue. The Search Was Always Going to Take Time.

What Happened

Scientists have identified what they describe as a first clue into why eleven types of cancer are increasing in incidence among younger people (broadly, those under 50). The research points toward biological or environmental factors that may explain the trend. This is an early-stage scientific fi...

What's In Your Control

Whether you read the actual study methodology rather than just the headline. Whether you maintain evidence-based habits already known to reduce cancer risk: not smoking, limiting alcohol, maintaini...

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climate

New York Keeps Getting Hotter. Utilities Can Still Cut Off the Power.

New York Is Getting Hotter. The Rules Protecting Residents From Power Cuts Haven't Kept Up.

What Happened

New York temperatures have risen measurably over recent decades, increasing the danger of summer heat events, particularly for vulnerable populations. Despite this, utility companies in New York retain the legal right to cut off electricity to customers who don't pay — including during dangerous ...

What's In Your Control

Whether you know your utility provider's shutoff protections (look up NY PSC rules). Whether you've checked on elderly or vulnerable neighbors this summer. Whether you contact your NY state represe...

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health

Healthy life expectancy in UK falls by two years in past decade

Britons Are Spending More Years Ill. The Data Is In. Some of the Causes Are Fixable.

What Happened

New data shows that healthy life expectancy in the UK has fallen by approximately two years over the past decade. This means the average person in Britain is now spending more years of their life in poor health — not necessarily dying sooner, but living longer with illness or disability. The decl...

What's In Your Control

Your own diet, movement, sleep, alcohol intake, and stress management — the unglamorous basics that account for the majority of chronic disease risk. Whether you engage with preventive healthcare (...

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health

South Carolina Measles Outbreak Ends After Sickening Nearly 1,000

South Carolina's Measles Outbreak Is Over. Nearly 1,000 Fell Ill. The Vaccine Still Works.

What Happened

A measles outbreak in South Carolina has officially ended after infecting approximately 1,000 people — making it one of the largest single-state outbreaks in decades. Measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000, so outbreaks of this scale represent a notable public health regress...

What's In Your Control

Checking whether you and your children are up to date on MMR vaccination (two doses). Asking your doctor if you're unsure — records can be retrieved. Nothing else about this outbreak is within your...

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health

Measles Is Back. What Comes Next Will Be Worse.

Measles Cases Are Rising in America. The Vaccine Still Works. It Always Has.

What Happened

Measles cases are increasing in the United States, linked to declining vaccination rates in certain communities. The CDC has reported outbreaks in multiple states. The NY Times warns this trend could lead to the return of other previously eliminated diseases.

What's In Your Control

Whether your children (or you, if born before 1957 or without documented vaccination) are up to date on MMR vaccination. Whether you check your own vaccination records. Whether you consume the NYT'...

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health

Youth Suicides Drop

Youth Suicide Rates Are Falling. Something Is Working. We Should Find Out What.

What Happened

U.S. youth suicide rates have declined, according to new data reported by the New York Times. While specific figures are not provided in the headline, a measurable drop in youth suicides represents a reversal of a troubling trend that had been rising for over a decade, particularly among adolesce...

What's In Your Control

Whether you share this news with parents, educators, or young people in your life — good news about youth mental health is worth spreading. Whether you support or volunteer with youth mental health...

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politics

Trump’s Approval Drops to New Low, and Condom Prices Rise Because of the War

A President's Approval Falls. It Always Does Eventually. Also: Condoms Cost More Now.

What Happened

President Trump's approval rating has hit a new low according to recent polling data. Separately, condom prices are rising as a result of supply chain disruptions tied to an ongoing conflict — likely affecting latex supply chains from Southeast Asia or similar manufacturing regions.

What's In Your Control

Whether you follow approval polling week-to-week (you probably shouldn't — monthly averages tell a more honest story). Whether you stock up on condoms now or wait. Whether you let two unrelated sto...

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health

The Rich and Powerful Want to Live Forever

The Wealthy Pursue Immortality. Death Remains Undefeated.

What Happened

A New York Times piece reports on the growing longevity industry, driven largely by billionaires and tech elites pouring billions into life-extension research — from senolytics and gene therapy to blood transfusions and cryonics. The premise is that with enough money, aging itself might be slowed...

What's In Your Control

Whether you spend money on unproven longevity supplements marketed off the back of this trend. Whether you invest time in the genuinely evidence-based life-extenders: sleep, exercise, not smoking, ...

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politics

Trump administration reclassifies cannabis as less dangerous

After 50 Years, America Quietly Reclassifies Cannabis. The Law Catches Up to Reality.

What Happened

The Trump administration has moved to reclassify cannabis from Schedule I (the most dangerous category, alongside heroin) to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act. Schedule I drugs are defined as having no accepted medical use and high abuse potential. Schedule III reclassification ack...

What's In Your Control

Whether you understand the distinction between rescheduling and legalization before forming an opinion. If you work in cannabis-related industries or research, this change has direct professional i...

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health

Health data of 500,000 people offered for sale online in China after UK Biobank breach

Half a Million People's Health Data Is for Sale. This Is What Happens When We Hand Our Data to Institutions.

What Happened

UK Biobank, a major British medical research database containing detailed health and genetic information, has suffered a data breach. Health data belonging to approximately 500,000 individuals is reportedly being offered for sale online, with the breach linked to actors in China. UK Biobank colle...

What's In Your Control

Whether you have previously volunteered for UK Biobank (if so, monitor for contact from them). Whether you use unique, strong passwords and two-factor authentication on any health-related accounts....

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politics

Pace of N.I.H. Funding Slows Further in Trump’s Second Year

America's Medical Research Engine Is Slowing. Science Has Survived Worse. The Stakes Are Real.

What Happened

The pace of NIH (National Institutes of Health) funding has continued to slow into the second year of Trump's administration. The NIH is the world's largest public funder of biomedical research, distributing tens of billions of dollars annually to universities, hospitals, and research institution...

What's In Your Control

Whether you contact your Congressional representatives — NIH funding is appropriated by Congress, and constituent pressure has historically moved these numbers. Whether you support universities or ...

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politics

Smoking ban for people born after 2008 in the UK agreed

Britain Decides the Next Generation Won't Smoke. The Law Has Been Passed.

What Happened

The UK Parliament has passed a law banning the sale of tobacco to anyone born after January 1, 2009, effectively creating a smoke-free generation. The law means that as of 2027, anyone under 18 cannot legally buy cigarettes — and that age threshold rises permanently every year. It does not ban sm...

What's In Your Control

Whether you smoke (and whether this nudges you to reconsider). Whether you explain the law clearly to younger family members. Whether you engage in the ongoing political debate about personal freed...

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health

'Why is the NHS funding students if it can't give them jobs?' Anger over recruitment freeze

NHS Trains Nurses It Cannot Hire. A System Argues With Itself. This Has Happened Before.

What Happened

The NHS is facing criticism over a recruitment freeze that is leaving newly qualified healthcare graduates unable to find jobs within the health service, despite the NHS having funded their training. Students and graduates are expressing anger at what they see as a fundamental contradiction: bein...

What's In Your Control

If you are an affected graduate: documenting your situation and contacting your MP is specific and actionable. Private sector healthcare, locum work, and international opportunities (Australia, Can...

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health via NPR, NY Times

Real estate investors are buying up long-term care facilities. Residents can suffer

Private Equity Moves Into Nursing Homes. Residents Pay the Price. Some States Are Starting to Notice.

What Happened

Real estate investors and private equity firms have been acquiring long-term care facilities—nursing homes, assisted living centers—at an accelerating pace. Research and reporting indicate that resident outcomes (staffing levels, quality of care, safety violations) tend to decline following such ...

What's In Your Control

Whether you research the ownership structure of any facility you're considering for yourself or a family member (ownership is public record). Whether you contact your congressional representative t...

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politics

Trump Signs Executive Order to Loosen Restrictions on Psychedelic Drugs

White House Signals Policy Shift on Psychedelic Research. Scientists Have Been Waiting Decades for This Conversation.

What Happened

President Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to ease restrictions on psychedelic substances such as psilocybin, MDMA, and ketamine, primarily to accelerate research into their therapeutic potential. The order is aimed at expanding access to clinical trials and potentially ...

What's In Your Control

Whether you look into the legitimate clinical research (Johns Hopkins, NYU, and MAPS have published extensively). Whether you distinguish between "loosening research restrictions" and "legalization...

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health

New PEPFAR Data Show Worrying Declines in Testing and Treatment for H.I.V.

PEPFAR Funding Cuts Begin Showing Up in the Data. Fewer Tests. Fewer Treatments. Real People.

What Happened

New data from PEPFAR (the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) show measurable declines in HIV testing and treatment across the program's target countries, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa. The declines follow significant disruptions to PEPFAR funding and operations in early 2025, when...

What's In Your Control

Whether you contact your congressional representative if you believe PEPFAR funding should be protected. Whether you support organizations like Partners in Health, the Global Fund, or UNAIDS that o...

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world

Israel starts a tense ceasefire in Lebanon. And, Trump nominates a new CDC director.

A Fragile Silence Falls on Lebanon. History Suggests Both Hope and Caution Are Warranted.

What Happened

Israel and Hezbollah have entered a ceasefire agreement, pausing hostilities in Lebanon. The ceasefire is described as "tense," signaling fragility on both sides. Separately, President-elect Trump has nominated a new director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), continuing th...

What's In Your Control

Whether you follow ceasefire developments daily (a recipe for anxiety) versus checking in weekly for meaningful updates. If you have family or friends in Lebanon or northern Israel, now is a reason...

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politics

Families left reeling after hospitals in blue states drop transgender care for youth

Hospitals Restrict Youth Gender Care. Families Navigate a Changed Landscape. Courts Are Still Working.

What Happened

A number of hospitals in Democrat-leaning states have curtailed or ended gender-affirming care programs for minors — including puberty blockers and hormone therapy — amid a wave of executive orders and federal funding threats from the Trump administration. Families who relied on these programs ar...

What's In Your Control

If you are a parent of an affected child: contacting GLMA (Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality) or the Trevor Project can help locate remaining providers. If you are a clinician or hospi...

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health

Utah Becomes the New Center of U.S. Measles Cases

Measles Returns to Utah. The Vaccine Still Works. The Choice Remains Yours.

What Happened

Utah is currently reporting the highest concentration of measles cases in the United States, making it the new epicenter of an ongoing national outbreak. Measles had been declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, but cases have resurged in recent years, typically in communities with lower vaccinat...

What's In Your Control

Checking your own MMR vaccination status — and your children's. If unvaccinated or unsure, contacting your doctor. If you live in or are traveling to the affected Utah counties, being aware of symp...

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health

Global Wildlife Trade Fuels Spread of Disease from Animals to People

Humans Trade Wild Animals. Sometimes This Causes Disease. The Practice Continues.

What Happened

Research indicates that global wildlife trade increases the risk of zoonotic disease transmission from animals to humans. Scientists have documented how markets and trafficking routes facilitate contact between wild animals and people, creating conditions for pathogens to jump species.

What's In Your Control

Whether you purchase products from wildlife trade (exotic pets, traditional medicines, bushmeat). Supporting conservation organizations. Choosing leaders who fund pandemic preparedness and wildlife...

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