CNN Health

By Brenda Goodman, CNN (CNN) — In a further jolt to the process of reviewing and recommending vaccines at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, another group of outside advisers to the agency was abruptly sidelined this week. In an email sent late Thursday evening, which was obtained by CNN, members of roughly

By Katia Hetter, CNN (CNN) — As pop star Justin Timberlake concluded his world tour earlier this week, the “SexyBack” singer shared on Thursday in a social media post that he has been grappling with health issues and a diagnosis of Lyme disease. Timberlake did not disclose which stage of Lyme disease he is experiencing

By Asuka Koda, CNN (CNN) — Dr. Anna Wolfson says she sees dangerous misuse of the allergy medication diphenhydramine in her clinic every day. “If someone has an allergic reaction to a food, people will say, ‘Don’t worry, I have diphenhydramine in my purse,’ and I would say, ‘Really, epinephrine is the first-line treatment for

By Deidre McPhillips, CNN (CNN) — A record share of US kindergartners had an exemption for a required vaccination last school year, and coverage for all reported vaccines – including the measles vaccine – was lower than the year before, according to new data published Thursday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

By Brenda Goodman, CNN (CNN) — Dr. Susan Monarez will be sworn in as director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday, and she’s taking the reins at a perilous time for the agency. The CDC has lost nearly a quarter of its staff since January, thanks to massive workforce cuts

By Kristen Rogers, CNN (CNN) — You know the drill — exercise could help you feel better, prevent disease and live longer. But that knowledge may not always get you motivated enough to head to the gym. Whether you have “gymtimidation” or working out isn’t your thing — you can still start improving your health

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN (CNN) — Thousands of microplastics so small they can penetrate deep into the lungs are in the air you breathe in your home and car, a new study has found. The particles are likely the result of the degradation of plastic-filled objects such as carpet, curtains, furniture and textiles and the

By Lauren KIm (CNN) — For summertime beachgoers, the threat of sharks may loom large, but nature’s deadliest predator is actually much smaller. The tiny mosquito is not only a warm-weather nuisance but also wears the crown for “No. 1 killer of humanity across our existence,” according to historian Dr. Timothy C. Winegard. The predatory

By Katherine Dillinger, CNN (CNN) — Dr. Susan Monarez was confirmed to lead the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday in a 52-47 Senate vote. Monarez, a microbiologist and infectious disease expert who has served across several federal health agencies over the years, was the CDC’s deputy director from January to March.

By Madeline Holcombe, CNN (CNN) — There are many reasons to avoid ultraprocessed foods, including a link with heart disease, diabetes and obesity, but an increased risk of lung cancer may be yet another, a new study suggests. Ultraprocessed foods contain ingredients “never or rarely used in kitchens, or classes of additives whose function is

Opinion by Dr. Jerome Adams (CNN) — The recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which experts predict will reduce Medicaid coverage for millions of Americans, combined with the proposed elimination of a $56 million grant for overdose reversal training and distribution, threatens to undermine progress in reducing opioid overdose deaths. Medicaid, particularly through its

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN (CNN) — As her memory faded from Alzheimer’s disease in her late 50s, Tammy Maida began to lose track of her life. Car keys, eyeglasses and her purse disappeared multiple times a day. Key characters in novels she was reading were forgotten. Groceries were left in the garage. Keeping the books

By Sarah Owermohle, CNN (CNN) — US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Monday that he is working with the Justice Department to overhaul a national program that compensates people injured by vaccination. Kennedy, a longtime critic of the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, wrote on X that he would “fix” the

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN (CNN) — At 62, Phyllis Jones felt trapped in darkness. She was traumatized by her mother’s recent death, ongoing pandemic stress and an increasingly toxic work environment. A sudden panic attack led to a medical leave. Her depression worsened until the day her 33-year-old son sadly told her, “Mom, I didn’t

By Issy Ronald, CNN You can actually die of a broken heart after the death of a loved one, especially if the grief is overwhelming, new research shows. Bereaved relatives who experienced “high levels” of grief symptoms were more likely to die in the 10 years following their bereavement than those who experienced “low levels”

Essay by Madeline Holcombe, CNN (CNN) — After a long day of work, I climb onto the couch to make plans for the rest of the week, and my mind buzzes with everything I could put on my priority list. I should spend less time on social media, but it is also good to stay

By Kristen Rogers, CNN (CNN) — Chia seeds, goji berries, strawberries and raspberries: A TikTok user going by the name “impamibaby” is filling her pretty wooden breakfast bowl with fiber-rich foods and filming it, inspiring her audience to eat more of the nutrient she says has made her bloating disappear. She’s “#fibermaxxing” — the practice

By Brenda Goodman, CNN (CNN) — Millions of dollars have been pulled from state and local vaccination programs with no explanation, after a review of the funding agreements by the US Department of Health and Human Services. Affected programs say they will probably have to cut staffers and services because of the shortfall, and they

By Deidre McPhillips, CNN (CNN) — The US Food and Drug Administration appears poised to continue with a plan to ban prescription fluoride supplements at a time when many experts say that access to the products has become especially important. Most US residents live in a community where fluoride is added to the public drinking

By Katia Hetter, CNN (CNN) — All menopause treatments containing the hormone estrogen are mandated by the US Food and Drug Administration to carry a black box warning on the label, stating that the treatments could increase the risk of strokes, blood clots, dementia and breast cancer. Now, that advisory may be going away. Last

By Madeline Holcombe, CNN (CNN) — Does the popular activity benchmark of walking 10,000 steps a day feel like too distant of a goal? Don’t worry, you can get health benefits just by moving a little more than you already are, new research has found. When possible, aiming for 7,000 steps a day is a

By Jacqueline Howard, Brenda Goodman, Meg Tirrell, CNN (CNN) — The US Department of Health and Human Services has adopted a recommendation to remove thimerosal from all influenza vaccines distributed in the United States, even though there is no clear evidence of harm from the mercury-based preservative. On Wednesday, the department announced that HHS Secretary

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN (CNN) — Extremely high levels of toxic chemicals called PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) have been found in a small sampling of reusable menstrual pads and panties, according to a new study. “Whether we wear feminine hygiene products or not, we will all be exposed,” said senior study author Graham Peaslee,

By Jen Christensen, CNN (CNN) — The US Department of Health and Human Services said Monday that it’s undertaking an initiative to reform the country’s organ donation system, after a federal investigation found that one organization in the Kentucky region began the process to take organs from people who may not have been dead. A

By Sara Sidner, CNN (CNN) — Dr. Judith Joseph says joy isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s a part of who we are. “We are built with that DNA for joy. It’s our birthright as human beings,” she told me recently. Joseph is a board-certified psychiatrist and researcher who has made it her mission to

By Kristen Rogers, CNN (CNN) — Starting this fall, a cane sugar-sweetened version of Coca-Cola will be on store shelves, the company announced Tuesday. The news comes several days after President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that he had been speaking with the Coca-Cola Company about using “REAL Cane Sugar in Coke in the

By Jacqueline Howard, CNN (CNN) — The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth have officially ended operations, meaning people contacting 988 for help no longer have the option to “press 3” to reach counselors specifically trained to respond to the needs of this group. The lifeline included a subnetwork for LGBTQ+

By Kameryn Griesser, CNN (CNN) — It’s a Sunday evening, but your work for the week is already cut out for you. You throw your bedsheets in the wash, oil your scalp, smear on a clay mask, dry brush your legs and pour the tallest bottle of ice water imaginable. For this humid, three-hour labor

By Adam Cancryn, CNN (CNN) — US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has fired two of his top aides in an abrupt shakeup of the leadership at the nation’s sprawling health department, two people familiar with the matter told CNN. Kennedy’s chief of staff, Heather Flick, and deputy chief of staff

By Andrea Kane, CNN Editor’s note: The podcast Chasing Life With Dr. Sanjay Gupta explores the medical science behind some of life’s mysteries big and small. You can listen to episodes here. (CNN) — Take a walk down the supplement aisle of any local drugstore, and you will be confronted with a floor-to-ceiling wall of