Tag:
Health Policy
Health
Higher BMI Significantly ...
A large retrospective analysis of more than 665,000 bariatric procedures presented at the ASMBS 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting shows a clear correlation between preoperative body mass index (BMI) and postoperative complications. Patients in the highest BMI category (≥50 kg/m²) experienced the greatest increase in both overall and serious adverse events compared with those in lower BMI ranges.
Technology
Health research council c...
In a significant policy update, Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has released draft guidelines calling for deeper and more meaningful involvement of consumers and community members in health and medical research. The proposed changes aim to move beyond tokenistic consultation, embedding patient and public voices at every stage of the research process—from idea generation to governance—without yet making such involvement a mandatory funding requirement.
Health
Kennedy’s HHS Sent Congre...
A document circulated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to justify Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s abrupt policy change on COVID-19 vaccines has drawn fierce criticism from leading medical experts. Titled “COVID Recommendation FAQ,” the memo was sent to members of Congress who questioned Kennedy’s decision to remove routine recommendations for pregnant women and healthy children—an action that bypassed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) established review process. According to multiple specialists, the HHS briefing misrepresents legitimate peer-reviewed research, cites unpublished or disputed studies, and omits key evidence demonstrating vaccine safety, amounting to what one prominent OB-GYN professor labeled “willful medical disinformation.”
Health
Carotid Plaque Poses Long...
OAK BROOK, Ill. (June 3, 2025) – A new study published today in Radiology, the journal of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), reveals that carotid artery plaques—which may exist quietly in patients with no symptoms—can evolve into dangerous lesions over time. Researchers from the Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, and collaborators analyzed data from the long-running Rotterdam Study in the Netherlands and found that even calcified plaques once considered stable can develop internal bleeding, dramatically increasing the risk of plaque rupture and subsequent stroke.
Health
New COVID-19 Variant NB.1...
A newly designated sublineage of Omicron, named NB.1.8.1, has rapidly established itself as the dominant COVID-19 variant in parts of Asia and is now “pretty much everywhere” in Australia, according to leading virologists. First detected in January 2025, NB.1.8.1 carries mutations in the spike protein that appear to enhance its transmissibility and ability to evade immune defenses. In early May, the World Health Organization classified NB.1.8.1 as a Variant Under Monitoring, underscoring the need for heightened surveillance and vaccination efforts as the southern hemisphere heads into winter.
Health
STIs Are Rising in Austra...
Over the past 30 years, Australia has seen a troubling surge in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and syphilis. Despite the availability of testing and treatment, these bacterial infections continue to climb — often silently and without immediate symptoms.
Technology
Microplastics Discovered ...
Microplastics have been detected for the first time in human ovarian follicular fluid—a discovery that may have serious implications for women’s fertility and reproductive health. The peer-reviewed study, published in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, found microplastic particles in the ovarian fluid of 14 out of 18 women undergoing assisted reproductive treatment at a fertility clinic in Salerno, Italy.
Health
Economic Downturns Linked...
Fifty years of economic change have taken a heavy toll on some Americans—especially those with less education—who not only have been left behind but are also experiencing poorer health and shorter lives, according to new research from the University of Michigan.