Latest science news in Health & Medicine
SoCal officials unleash sterile mosquitoes in bid to curb disease — with promising results
Releases of sterile male mosquitoes in L.A. County drove down the pest population, studies found. But homeowners would need to pay to bring them to a wider area.
Trump's pick for surgeon general quit medical residency due to stress, former department chair says
Trump selects an L.A. holistic medicine doctor for surgeon general. A doctor friend wonders whether her views on medicine sync with those of Health Secretary Kennedy.
More Californians now get therapy via a video screen or phone than through in-person sessions
The number of Californians getting therapy via telemedicine has outpaced the number meeting with therapists in person. It marks a profound shift in the way mental healthcare is delivered.
Researchers find drinking water is safe in Eaton, Palisades burn areas as utilities lift last 'do not drink' order
The team of scientists found only one water sample with benzene, suggesting that the water is generally safe to drink across Altadena and the Pacific Palisades.
Nearly half of Pasadena Unified schools have contaminated soil, district finds
Eleven of the 23 schools in the Pasadena Unified School District have soil contaminated with dangerous levels of lead and arsenic, according to data released this week.
Biden is diagnosed with 'aggressive' form of prostate cancer
Former President Biden's office says he has been diagnosed with 'an aggressive form' of prostate cancer.
Cancer diagnosis and a new book fuel questions about Biden's decision to run in 2024
Former President Biden's diagnosis has divided medical experts over the likely progression of his prostate cancer and resurfaced questions in Washington over his decision last year to run for reelection.
Contributor: The emergency in emergency medicine
Chaotic, backlogged, unwelcoming ERs are the canary in the coal mine of a dysfunctional healthcare delivery system riddled with misaligned incentives and priorities.
6 doctors on Biden's cancer diagnosis, how it may have arisen and his treatment options
Six doctors who specialize in prostate cancer discuss what President Biden's recent diagnosis does and doesn't mean for his future health.
Residents can now have their soil tested for lead around Eaton burn area, thanks to free county program
Residents in the Eaton burn area and downwind can now send in soil samples from their yard to test for lead, a potent neurotoxin that's especially dangerous for kids.
Only a fraction of fire cleanup workers are protecting themselves against toxic debris. One community center is fighting to change that
A new study shows that only a quarter of fire cleanup workers in Altadena wore gloves, a fifth wore a protective mask, and a mere tenth donned full Tyvek suits,...
Fertility clinic director vows to rebuild after Palm Springs bombing. 'Life is preserved'
Dr. Maher Abdallah credited a series of miracles for limiting the scope of devastation from last Saturday's bomb attack, noting no staff or patients were on site at the time...
Trump cuts will cause a spike in HIV cases in L.A. and across the country, warn Democrats and public health advocates
The CDC has withdrawn community grants that target people at high risk for AIDS; Los Angeles County and area hospitals are left scrambling.
A new COVID subvariant spreads rapidly as Trump pivots away from vaccines
A new, highly transmissible COVID subvariant has been detected in California — heightening the risk of a summer wave as recent moves by the Trump administration threaten to make vaccines...
U.S. just radically changed its COVID vaccine recommendations: How will it affect you?
As promised, federal health officials this week dropped longstanding recommendations that healthy children and healthy pregnant women should get the COVID-19 vaccines.
Former Cedars-Sinai OB-GYN surrenders license after sexual abuse complaints
Barry Brock has been sued by scores of patients alleging sexual misconduct.
Strangers in the middle of a city: The John and Jane Does of L.A. General Medical Center
What does a hospital do when a patient has everything but a name?
COVID 'razor blade throat' rises as new subvariant spreads in California
COVID-19 appears to be on the rise in some parts of California as a new, highly contagious subvariant — featuring 'razor blade throat' symptoms overseas — is becoming increasingly dominant.
Supreme Court upholds red-state laws that ban hormones for transgender teens
Supreme Court says states may decide on proper medical care for those under age 18.
One in five U.S. food and beverage products is made with synthetic dyes
A new study assessed some 40,000 foods and beverages, and found that nearly 20% had synthetic food dyes.
Contributor: Children's Hospital Los Angeles threw trans kids overboard
The Trump administration threatened to punish the hospital if it continued to serve these patients. That's no way to decide what medical services patients will receive.
Trump administration restores funds for HIV prevention following outcry
L.A. County received $20 million in HIV prevention funds Thursday, slightly more than last year.
Abcarian: RFK Jr. is dismantling trust in vaccines, the crown jewel of American public health
Children around the world will suffer because RFK Jr. substitutes baseless theories and junk science for knowledge about vaccines and health.
I covered the L.A. fires in the Palisades. So I had my blood tested for lead
The Los Angeles County wildfires unleashed all kinds of contaminants once locked away in paints, plastics and elsewhere. Among the most concerning is lead, so, like hundreds of Angelenos, a...
Life expectancy in California still hasn't rebounded since the pandemic
A new study released in JAMA finds life expectancy has still not bounced back from pre-pandemic 2019 levels, attributing the remaining gap to drug overdoses and cardiovascular diseases and hitting...
How a Supreme Court win for public health bolstered RFK Jr. and threatens no-cost vaccines
Texas lawsuit over drugs and vaccines provided by insurers ends with a win for the government — and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The mother of an L.A. teen who took his own life is fighting for a new mental health tool for LGBTQ+ youth
A state bill would add an LGBTQ+ youth crisis number to student IDs after Trump cut that service from the national suicide hotline.
Immigration crackdown could stymie efforts to fight bird flu outbreak, experts fear
Farm workers facing possible arrest would likely resist getting tested for bird flu should there be a resurgence this fall, as many anticipate