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Commentary: Rising costs, chronic disease and AI -- The fight to save US health care
In most industries, leaders can respond quickly when market conditions change. Within months, companies can shrink or expand their workforces, adopt innovative technologies, and reconfigure operations.
Health care lacks such flexibility. It takes a decade to train new physicians. Hospitals take years to plan, fund, and build — years longer ...Read more
Increased risk of falling? Getting to the core of the problem
More than 14 million folks ages 65 or older report falling every year -- and nearly 40% of those trip, slips and blips require medical treatment or restrict activity for at least a day, making them the leading cause of injury in seniors.
Not something to look forward to. But fortunately, you can dramatically reduce your risk. Strengthening your...Read more
Debunking The Myth That Money Is Blocking A Cancer Cure
DEAR DR. ROACH: I read your recent column about using the immune system to prevent cancer, but I think that there will never be a "vaccine" to prevent anyone from getting cancer in the first place! There is too much money involved. -- D.K.
ANSWER: I hear this occasionally, and I don't believe it for two reasons.
The first is that I have ...Read more
LA County officials push new sales tax to offset Trump administration health care cuts
LOS ANGELES — L.A. County voters will be asked this June to hike the sales tax rate by a half-cent to soften the blow of federal funding cuts on the region's public health system.
The county Board of Supervisors voted 4 to 1 Tuesday to put the sales tax on the ballot. County officials estimate it would generate $1 billion per year to ...Read more
EPA to roll back finding tying emissions to public health
WASHINGTON — The EPA said Tuesday it would rescind the agency’s 2009 endangerment finding and all regulations based on its determination that greenhouse gas emissions are a threat to public health requiring regulation under the Clean Air Act.
The final rule is still under interagency review and hasn’t been made public or signed by ...Read more
Northern California reports first measles outbreak since 2020. What to know
California reported its first confirmed measles outbreak since 2020 on Tuesday.
The highly contagious disease infected 2,276 people nationwide in 2025, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. So far in 2026, the U.S. has confirmed 733 cases, and 93% of those infected were unvaccinated.
The heightened spread of the disease ...Read more
FDA refuses to review Moderna's flu vaccine in latest setback
U.S. regulators have refused to review Moderna Inc.’s novel mRNA flu vaccine, dealing a major blow to the company as it seeks more products beyond its COVID shot.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration rejected the company’s application, which was submitted in December, saying the studies conducted in support of the application didn’t ...Read more
$600 million in Trump administration health cuts will hit states' disease control programs
WASHINGTON — Public health experts warned Tuesday that $600 million in cuts to federal public health funding announced by the Trump administration would endanger one of California’s main early-warning systems for HIV outbreaks, leaving communities vulnerable to undetected disease spread.
The grant terminations affect funding for a number ...Read more
EPA to roll back finding tying emissions to public health
WASHINGTON — The EPA said Tuesday it would rescind the agency’s 2009 endangerment finding and all regulations based on its determination that greenhouse gas emissions are a threat to public health requiring regulation under the Clean Air Act.
The final rule is still under interagency review and hasn’t been made public or signed by ...Read more
Poison at play: Unsafe levels of lead found in half of New Orleans playgrounds
NEW ORLEANS — Sarah Hess started taking her toddler, Josie, to Mickey Markey Playground in 2010 because she thought it would offer a refuge from lead.
After a routine doctor visit revealed Josie had lead poisoning, Hess quickly traced the source to the crumbling paint in her family’s century-old home in the Bayou St. John neighborhood. ...Read more
Bill of the Month: Blurry line between medical and vision insurance leaves patient with unexpected bill
Barbara Tuszynski was concerned about her vision but confident in her insurance coverage when she went to an eye clinic last May.
The retiree, 70, was diagnosed with glaucoma in her right eye in 2019. She had a laser procedure to treat it in 2022, and she uses medicated drops in both eyes to prevent more damage. She is supposed to be checked ...Read more
How do you spell the keys to living younger longer? FFFF, PPP, AA
When The Jackson 5 sang "A B C, it's easy as 1 2 3," they were talking about the pleasure of falling in love. When I say, "Living younger longer is as easy as FFFF, PPP, AA," I'm giving you the 1-2-3 steps you need to fall in love with your quality of life.
FFFF stands for: 1. Fast Exercise -- 10 minutes of intense movement improves your ...Read more
Browsing Different Treatment Options For Summer Depression
DEAR DR. ROACH: I read your answer to a recent question about seasonal affective disorder (SAD). You mentioned that folks can get SAD in the summer but didn't discuss treatment options. I've tried caffeine and alcohol; they don't seem to work!
More seriously, I've discussed moving hemispheres with my wife so that we could have an endless ...Read more
University of Maryland seeks testers for nasal spray during cold and flu season
BALTIMORE — With only a snort a week, a new drug might keep patients safe from several viruses — and the University of Maryland is willing to pay more than $1,000 for people willing to test it.
The nasal-spray medicine called INNA-051 may boost immune defenses, reducing illness from respiratory viruses, and researchers at the university’s...Read more
Sticker shock: 92,000 Pennsylvanians drop Obamacare health insurance in 2026
Roughly 1-in-5 Pennsylvania Obamacare plan enrollees dropped health coverage for 2026 due to "unprecedented cost increases," the state's online health insurance marketplace reported Monday.
Enrollment in the Affordable Care Act health insurance plans, also called Obamacare, totaled about 486,000 for 2026, with about 92,000 dropping their health...Read more
Ask the Pediatrician: Your child's first crush
Do you remember the first time you looked at a classmate and your heart pounded just a little bit harder? For most people, that moment comes during the teen years, but for some children, feelings or romantic interest can begin well before puberty. While this may catch parents by surprise, it is a normal part of social and emotional development. ...Read more
Newsom walks thin line on immigrant health as he eyes presidential bid
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is eyeing a presidential bid, has incensed both Democrats and Republicans over immigrant health care in his home state, underscoring the delicate political path ahead.
For a second year, the Democrat has asked state lawmakers to roll back coverage for some immigrants in the face of federal Medicaid spending ...Read more
Your new waist loss plan
Let's explore new ways to evaluate if you have excess, health-damaging fat on your body. Using your BMI is outdated. Instead, you want to determine your waist size by measuring your circumference at your belly button as you suck in your core. Low risk is 37 inches or less for men, 31.5 inches for women. You also want your waist size to be less ...Read more
Case Of Anaphylactic Shock Might Be Due To Methocarbamol
DEAR DR. ROACH: My question is about methocarbamol (Robaxin). My relative has been taking this for about two years for back pain. He then developed a sudden severe allergic reaction and went into anaphylactic shock. He fought it all night, not knowing what was happening, and by morning, he had to go to the hospital. Could this be due to ...Read more
California mushroom poisonings are on the rise. Here's what's being done to curb exposure
David Yturralde arrived at the mushroom talk in Newport Beach recently armed with a pen and paper and a host of questions. The goal, he said, was to demystify those fascinating fungi that popped up on his grass after heavy winter rain.
He's long been interested in the mushrooms that sprout on the front lawn of his San Clemente home, but he's ...Read more
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