The world population increased by more than 71 million people in 2024 and was projected to be 8.09 billion people on New Year’s Day, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates released this week. The 0.9 percent increase in 2024 was a slight slowdown from 2023, when the world population grew by 75 million people. In [...]
WASHINGTON (AP) — Cosmetic companies would have to take extra steps to ensure that any products containing talc are free of asbestos under a federal rule proposed last week. The proposal from the Food and Drug Administration and mandated by Congress is intended to reassure consumers about the safety of makeup, baby powder and other [...]
NEW YORK (AP) — The decision to add fluoride to drinking water rests with state and local officials, and fights are cropping up nationwide. Communities in Florida, Texas, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming and elsewhere have debated the idea in recent months — the total number is in the dozens, with several deciding to stop adding it [...]
WASHINGTON — U.S. officials are moving to phase out the leading decongestant found in hundreds of over-the-counter medicines, concluding that it doesn’t actually relieve nasal congestion. Phenylephrine is used in popular versions of Sudafed, Dayquil and other medications, but experts have long questioned its effectiveness. Last month, the Food and Drug Administration formally proposed revoking [...]
New research from The Ohio State University suggests the best way to deal with a narcissistic individual — whether at work or in one’s personal life — is to disengage completely from the individual. According to Ohio State psychology professor Amy Brunell, who has studied the subject for more than 20 years, the best strategy [...]
Packaged food companies in the United States will have to follow new rules in order to call products “healthy,” according to changes finalized last week by the Food and Drug Administration. It’s an update of the agency’s definition originally devised 30 years ago. The move is aimed at helping Americans navigate food labels at the [...]
WASHINGTON (AP) — Specialty pharmacies and online companies that have been selling off-brand copies of two blockbuster drugs for obesity and diabetes will need to phase out their versions next year under a federal decision issued last week. The Food and Drug Administration said that a nationwide shortage of Eli Lilly’s Zepbound and Mounjaro has [...]
People with substance use disorder across the country are not getting a formal say in how most of the approximately $50 billion in opioid lawsuit settlement money is being used to stem the crisis, a new analysis found. Some advocates say that is one factor for why portions of the money are going to efforts [...]
One of the country’s largest health insurers reversed a change in policy after widespread outcry, saying it would not tie payments in some states to the length of time a patient went under anesthesia. Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield said in a statement that its decision to backpedal resulted from “significant widespread misinformation” about the [...]
The detection of bird flu virus in unpasteurized milk sold in California stores underscores what health experts say are the known and potential risks of raw milk. Raw Farm LLC, of Fresno, Calif., voluntarily recalled one lot of “cream top” whole raw milk after Santa Clara County health officials found the bird flu virus in [...]