HEALTH POLICY

May 13 2026HEALTH

FDA food policies in doubt after top official steps down

Top food safety leader at the U. S. medical watchdog has just quit. That means long-planned rules about junk food, school meals, and toxic chemicals may never happen. For years, the food industry knew this person as the one pushing for stricter rules on snacks, drinks, and baby food. Officials had

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May 09 2026POLITICS

Changes at the top of US health agencies

A sudden shake-up is coming in Washington’s health leadership. Dr. Marty Makary, who has been leading the FDA for just over a year, appears set to leave his post. The move follows months of behind-the-scenes tension and multiple reports predicting his departure. His exit adds another empty chair at

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May 04 2026OPINION

Rethinking Healthy Eating: Do New Food Guidelines Actually Help Anyone?

In 2025, a fresh set of dietary rules for Americans arrived with a confusing twist—a food pyramid flipped upside down. The message seems simple at first: eat more whole fruits and vegetables, choose whole grains over refined carbs, and include healthy fats from foods like nuts and fish. But digging

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May 04 2026HEALTH

Medicare''s cancer screening gap - why prevention should come first

Medicare might soon pay for cancer screenings that arrive too late to actually help. The program currently focuses on tests that can only spot cancer after it appears, rather than finding the warning signs before illness develops. Research shows that finding and removing those early warning signs co

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May 02 2026POLITICS

A doctor who speaks her mind and a new pick for surgeon general

Dr. Nicole Saphier has been chosen by the Trump administration to become the next U. S. surgeon general, a role that comes with the power to issue public health warnings. Unlike her predecessor, Dr. Casey Means, who faced strong opposition in Senate hearings over her lack of experience and controver

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May 01 2026HEALTH

Doctors Push for More Thoughtful Stopping of Psychiatric Drugs

Health officials are looking at how medicines for mental health are used, and a group of well‑known doctors is offering new advice on how patients can safely quit them. They point out that sometimes doctors leave people on drugs longer than needed, or when the medicines no longer help. The doctors

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Apr 30 2026HEALTH

Medical students debate: Should doctors learn more about food?

Doctors today face a tough question: how much should they know about food? Some leaders say medical schools need to teach more about diet. But what do future doctors think? Two students shared their views on a recent podcast. Tiffany Onyejiaka, finishing her medical degree, believes doctors should

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Apr 29 2026HEALTH

U. S. Calls for New Experts for Preventive Health Group

The U. S. government wants new members for a key health team that decides which medical screenings and tests get free coverage. The Preventive Services Task Force hasn’t met in over a year, and three planned meetings were scrapped. Five spots opened up when members’ terms ended in December, but no r

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Apr 29 2026HEALTH

How mental health care in the US lost touch with real healing

In the United States, mental health care today follows rules that seem more about spreadsheets than people. Treatment isn’t just guided by doctors anymore—it’s steered by efficiency numbers, quick fixes, and cost cuts. When care becomes a service, the human side can disappear fast. Patients aren’t j

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Apr 24 2026HEALTH

Rethinking HIV Laws: Are Strict Rules Really the Best Defense?

Public health debates often clash over how to handle diseases like HIV. Russia once took a hard stance, making it a crime to spread HIV through actions like unprotected sex or needle sharing. The idea was simple: punish those who put others at risk to slow the epidemic. But over time, experts began

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