Health News
COVID-19 timeline: How the deadly virus and the world’s response have evolved over four years
(NEW YORK) -- Monday marks four years since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic.Since the first cases in Wuhan, China, in 2019, there have been millions of infections and deaths around the world.There have also been major successes including vaccines for nearly all age groups,…
Melinda Gates says using artificial intelligence in pregnancy could help save women’s lives
(NEW YORK) -- Each day, almost 800 women around the world die due to preventable pregnancy and childbirth-related causes, according to the World Health Organization.Using artificial intelligence, or AI, to provide maternal health care to women, especially those in rural and low-income areas, could be a "game-changer" in saving the…
Alabama bill to protect IVF signed into law by governor
(NEW YORK) -- After two weeks of agonizing limbo for families in the midst of fertility treatment in Alabama, the state legislature on Wednesday night passed the final version of a bill to restore halted access to in-vitro fertilization in the state.Republican Gov. Kay Ivey signed the bill quickly after…
Four children surpass a year of HIV remission after treatment pause: Study
(NEW YORK) -- Four children born with HIV were able to live virus-free for more than a year after their HIV medication was paused, according to results of a study funded by the National Institutes of Health.The results of the P1115 study were announced on Wednesday at the 2024 Conference…
What to know about Missouri’s law on divorce and pregnancy
(NEW YORK) -- A longstanding law in Missouri that, in some cases, may prevent a pregnant woman from getting divorced is gaining national attention.Headlines about the law, in place since the 1970s, went viral in recent weeks due to interest in women's reproductive rights after the fall of Roe v.…
Andrew Cuomo subpoenaed by congressional subcommittee investigating COVID-era handling of nursing homes
(WASHINGTON) -- The House subcommittee tasked with investigating the nation's response to the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday subpoenaed former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in relation to his administration's handling of nursing homes during the pandemic, according to documents first obtained by ABC News.Specifically, the House Select Subcommittee on the…
Medical debt in US associated with worse physical and mental health, premature death: Study
(New York) -- Medical debt across the U.S. is associated with worse physical and mental health, and even premature death. A new study from the American Cancer Society found that for every $100 increase in medical debt, there were eight more days of poor physical health and 6.8 more days…
Opill, first over-the-counter birth control pill, will go on sale later this month
(WASHINGTON) -- Opill, the first over-the-counter birth control pill that can be purchased without a prescription, will be available later this month online and in pharmacies for $19.99 a month, $49.99 for a three-month supply or $89.99 for a six-month supply, its parent company, Perrigo, said Monday.Opill has been heralded…
Threats to health care sector targets likely to stay ‘elevated’ amid cultural wars: DHS
(WASHINGTON) -- The brew of hot-button socio-medical issues litigated both in the public square and in the courts will "amplify the health care sector's visibility as a potential target for attack" by domestic extremists, according to a new briefing memo issued by the Department of Homeland Security on Feb. 26.The…
CDC releases new guidance ending 5-day isolation period for recovering COVID-19 patients
(NEW YORK) -- People who are recovering from COVID-19 no longer need to remain isolated for five days after symptoms end, according to new guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Those sick with COVID-19 should stay at home and away from others until at least 24 hours…