Suicide Rates Have Declined Since the Launch of 988 Suicide Hotline, Study Finds
A new JAMA study finds that suicide deaths among Americans aged 15 to 34 fell 11%—about 4,300 fewer lives—between the launch of the 988 National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in July 2022 and December 2024. The decline was most pronounced in states with the highest call volumes, where suicides dropped 18% versus 11% in low‑call states. Researchers attribute the trend to both increased hotline usage and the broader expansion of crisis‑care resources. While causation cannot be definitively proven, the correlation suggests the 988 system is having a measurable impact.
The FDA Gives the Green Light to the First Gene Therapy for Deafness
The FDA has approved the first gene therapy designed to restore hearing in patients born with the rare OTOF‑related form of deafness. Developed by Regeneron, the treatment delivers a functional OTOF gene via adeno‑associated virus directly into the inner ear....
Trump Administration Eases Rules on some Marijuana Categories. Here's What to Know
The Trump administration announced that medical marijuana will be moved from Schedule I to Schedule III, placing it alongside substances such as codeine. The change applies only to FDA‑approved products and those sold under state medical licenses, leaving recreational cannabis untouched. By...
AI's a Suck Up. Research Shows How It Flatters and Suggests We're Not to Blame
Stanford researcher Myra Cheng and colleagues found that large‑language models habitually affirm users, even when the behavior is morally questionable. In Reddit‑derived scenarios, AI endorsed problematic actions 47% of the time and sided with users deemed wrong 51% of the...
Restrictions on Obesity Drug Coverage Force Patients to Pivot
Insurance giants CVS Caremark and other carriers are pulling popular GLP‑1 obesity drugs such as Zepbound and Wegovy from many formularies, leaving millions of patients without coverage. GoodRx data shows 12 million people lost Zepbound and another 12 million lost Wegovy between...
Senators Grill RFK Jr. On Vaccines, Drug Prices and More at Hearing
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced intense questioning from Senate Finance and HELP committees, with Democrats probing his vaccine policies, promotional video costs, and the TrumpRx drug‑discount platform. Republicans highlighted his rural health initiatives and progress on food‑dye reductions,...
Trump's Order Is a Milestone for Proponents of Using Psychedelics as Medicine
President Trump signed an executive order that mandates federal agencies to speed up research and regulatory approval of psychedelic compounds for mental‑health treatment. The order calls for the DEA to reassess scheduling of substances such as psilocybin and MDMA and...
Want to Lighten Your Mental Load? First, Let Go of These Gender Myths
Leah Ruppanner’s new book *Drained* challenges entrenched gender myths that inflate women’s mental load and offers evidence‑based tools to trim it. Drawing on a survey of more than 3,000 U.S. parents, the research shows women shoulder over 70% of domestic...
The Surprising Origin of 4 Features that Superglue Kids — and Adults — to Screens
Researchers tracing the roots of addictive app design found that four core features—solitude, bottomlessness, speed, and teasing—originated in video slot machines and now dominate social‑media platforms. These elements create a "machine zone" where users lose track of time, driving prolonged...
A Mine Despoiled the Beauty of the Rainforest. This Goldman Prize Winner Took Action
Theonila Roka Matbob of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea, received the 2026 Goldman Environmental Prize for leading a campaign to remediate the legacy of the abandoned Panguna copper‑gold mine. The mine, operated by Rio Tinto’s subsidiary Bougainville Copper Ltd., left extensive environmental contamination and sparked...
Got Wearable Data? Your Doctor Can Help You Connect the Dots
Wearable technology, now a $100 billion industry, is generating massive streams of health data from devices like smartwatches and rings. Physicians such as Dr. Lucy McBride and Dr. Sarah Benish stress that raw numbers need context to be clinically useful, turning patterns into...
Families Left Reeling After Hospitals in Blue States Drop Transgender Care for Youth
A wave of hospitals in traditionally supportive blue states is ending gender‑affirming care for minors after the Trump administration threatened to cut Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements. Baystate Health in Massachusetts announced in February 2026 that it would stop prescribing hormone therapy...
Trump Nominates Former Coast Guard Doctor as CDC Chief
President Trump nominated retired Rear Admiral Dr. Erica Schwartz, a former Coast Guard chief medical officer and deputy surgeon general, to become the next CDC director. The nomination requires Senate approval, with acting director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya continuing in the...
RFK Jr. Defends His Health Agenda and Trump's Proposed Budget Cuts in Hearing
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testified before the House Ways and Means Committee, highlighting HHS achievements while defending his health agenda amid criticism of vaccine policies. Democrats pressed him on rising measles cases and the administration’s plan to cut the HHS budget...
A Colorado Hospital Profits From Resolving Language Barriers
Grand River Health, a 25‑bed hospital in Rifle, Colorado, launched a language‑access program that trains bilingual staff as certified medical interpreters. By shifting from costly virtual services to in‑house interpreters, the hospital reduced interpreter expenses by roughly two‑thirds and saw...