For years, scientists have warned about the link between eating too much ultra-processed food and health problems like obesity and diabetes. But what exactly pushes people to buy these convenient yet unhealthy products? A recent study in France looked at over a decade of grocery receipts from thousa
The state of Alaska is poised to raise taxes on nicotine pouches, a move that could make these products costlier than cigarettes themselves. A bill known as Senate Bill 24 adds a hefty 75% wholesale excise tax to synthetic nicotine items, including the popular pouches that many smokers use as a safe
Back in 2020, health officials pushed masks hard despite little solid proof they stopped COVID. A deep dive into thousands of research papers found something odd: nearly all mask studies came after the pandemic started. That means scientists weren’t testing an old idea—they were scrambling to prove
Beaches often face temporary closures after heavy storms, not because of the rain itself, but due to invisible bacteria that wash into the water. These bacteria, called enterococci, live in the guts of animals and humans. They usually don’t cause harm outdoors, but after heavy rains, they can multip
Southern Colorado residents will need to watch their outdoor plans this weekend. An alert has been issued for four counties—Teller, El Paso, Pueblo, and eastern Fremont—covering cities like Colorado Springs and Pueblo. The state health department warns that air quality will dip to levels considered
Officials found a bat carrying rabies in Irvine Regional Park last weekend. This case led to warnings about how easily the virus can spread to people. Rabies is almost always deadly once symptoms show up. But quick action after exposure can prevent illness. The virus can enter the body through smal
The United States received two health alerts this week: one for hantavirus and another for Ebola. When officials send out warnings, my role as chief medical officer is to brief doctors, nurses and clinic staff about what to watch for. This routine work is turning into a headline as the Ebola o
The Tewksbury Hospital campus hides a small museum that invites visitors to step back into the past of medicine and care. Inside, people can see how early attempts to stop disease spread were made, how mental illness was once treated, and what lessons have been learned over centuries. The buildin
The battle against smoking in the United States has seen huge gains, with high‑school cigarette use dropping from nearly 30% a quarter century ago to just 1. 7% today. Yet this progress is now under attack from a new product: flavored e‑cigarettes. About eight percent of teens vape regularly, and mo
The Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, now 125 years old, has moved alongside Brazil’s big changes of the last hundred years. It began when scientists first studied diseases that were killing people all over the country. From those early days, the institute has looked for ways to stop infections and make
