FDA approves updated Pfizer covid shots but limits access for some kids and adults
WASHINGTON — U.S. regulators approved updated covid-19 shots Wednesday but limited their use for many Americans — and removed one of the two vaccines available for young children. The new shots from Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax are approved for all seniors. But the Food and Drug Administration narrowed their use...
UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital nurses bask in union win, await contract talks
Dozens of UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital nurses celebrated Tuesday afternoon near the Oakland medical facility after securing a union over the weekend. Ballots counted late Saturday showed nurses voting 402 to 305 in favor of unionizing. That capped off a union drive that was officially announced in May, but has been...
Baldwin High School graduate inspired by her medical experience
When Anna Lis had a migraine, she decided to take an ibuprofen and the pill became lodged in her throat. This wasn’t the first occasion that she had had trouble swallowing pills — but this time was different. It required a trip to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh in Lawrenceville....
Study says AI chatbots inconsistent in handling suicide-related queries
A study of how three popular artificial intelligence chatbots respond to queries about suicide found that they generally avoid answering questions that pose the highest risk to the user, such as for specific how-to guidance. But they are inconsistent in their replies to less extreme prompts that could still harm...
Maryland resident is diagnosed with New World screwworm. What to know about the parasite
NEW YORK — A Maryland resident who traveled to El Salvador has been diagnosed with New World screwworm — the first reported U.S. case tied to travel to a country with a current outbreak. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the diagnosis on Aug. 4. Federal health officials...
Expect health insurance prices to rise next year, brokers and experts say
Pricey prescriptions and nagging medical costs are swamping some insurers and employers now. Patients may start paying for it next year. Health insurance will grow more expensive in many corners of the market in 2026, and coverage may shrink. That could leave patients paying more for doctor visits and dealing...
New street drug ‘flysky’ causes alarm in Western Pa.
Pittsburgh-area doctors are sounding the alarm on medetomidine, a veterinary tranquilizer that’s increasingly permeating street drugs like “flysky” in Western Pennsylvania. And it’s not abating anytime soon. The drug continues to become more prevalent, and doctors say there are minimal clear treatment options for the severe withdrawal process. Unlike heroin...
HHS moves to strip thousands of federal health workers of union rights
NEW YORK — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has moved to strip thousands of federal health agency employees of their collective bargaining rights, according to a union that called the effort illegal. HHS officials confirmed the department is ending its recognition of unions for a number of...
Supreme Court lets Trump administration cut $783 million of research funding in anti-DEI push
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration can slash hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of research funding in its push to cut federal diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, the Supreme Court decided Thursday. The high court majority lifted a judge’s order blocking $783 million worth of cuts made by the National...
Highmark operating income hits $121M in 1st half, propelled by covid funds, efficiency gains
Highmark Health, the Pittsburgh-based parent company of Highmark insurance and Allegheny Health Network, posted operating income of $121 million through the first half of the year, with solid performances from its main divisions. That’s a marked decline, though, from the same time in 2024, when Highmark reported a $307 million...
At least 600 CDC employees are getting final termination notices, union says
NEW YORK — At least 600 employees of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are receiving permanent termination notices in the wake of a recent court decision that protected some CDC employees from layoffs but not others. The notices went out this week and many people have not yet...
Outbreak of kidney disease is killing sea lions in California. Here’s why humans should be concerned
LOS ANGELES — As summer heats up and tourists flock to the California coast, beachgoers should be on the lookout for sea lions sickened by a recent outbreak of leptospirosis — a kidney disease that can result in severe symptoms in both humans and animals. The Marine Mammal Center in...
5th death linked to Legionnaires’ disease outbreak that has sickened dozens in New York City
NEW YORK — Health officials have uncovered another death in connection with a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in New York City, health officials said. The outbreak in Central Harlem has sickened dozens since it began in late July and the latest death was announced late Monday night. Officials said they had...
Covid shots for kids still recommended by U.S. pediatric group in break with CDC
The American Academy of Pediatrics updated its recommendations for immunizations Tuesday, including calling for covid shots for healthy kids, diverging from controversial advice from the federal government. The group said it recommends the covid shot for children ages 6 months to 23 months. Earlier this year, Health and Human Services...
Walmart recalls frozen shrimp over potential radioactive contamination
Walmart has recalled frozen, raw shrimp sold in 13 states because federal health officials say it could have potential radioactive contamination. The Food and Drug Administration asked Walmart to pull three lots of Great Value brand frozen shrimp from stores after federal officials detected Cesium-137, a radioactive isotope, in shipping...
Ragweed near full bloom in Western Pa. as fall approaches
Blessings to each and every one with allergies. And tissues. And nasal spray. And eye drops. And neti pots. And Claritin or Zyrtec or Allegra. Or if sleep is desired, Benadryl. “‘Tis the season,” said Dr. Thomas Mertz of Allergy and Asthma Associates of Pittsburgh, a practice based in Harmar....
Feds working to thwart southern invasion of New World Screwworm
The latest threat to the southern border has wings and lays eggs that hatch into flesh-eating maggots that can kill people. At least five Central Americans have died from myiasis of the New World Screwworm this year. Myiasis is the term used when maggots infest human flesh and cause an...
VA shuffles top leaders in Pittsburgh as agency upends ‘status quo’
The top two officials overseeing care for Pittsburgh-area veterans have been pulled from their posts and reassigned. Donald Koenig is out as director of the Pittsburgh VA, a role he took in 2019 after more than two decades as a private health care executive. His tenure stopped a carousel of...
5th person dies after a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak sickens dozens in New York City
NEW YORK — A fifth person has died in connection with a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in New York City, health officials said. The outbreak in Central Harlem has sickened dozens since it began in late July and the latest death was announced late Monday night. Fourteen people were hospitalized as...
Allegheny County Health Department confirms first human West Nile case of year
A Plum resident’s fever, malaise and digestive trouble since mid-July was confirmed to be the first human case of West Nile this year, according to the Allegheny County Health Department. The person’s name and gender were not released, but the health department said the person is recovering at home. West...
RFK Jr. resurrects decades-old vaccine safety task force
The Department of Health and Human Services is resurrecting a decades-old vaccine safety task force, the agency announced Thursday. It’s a full-circle moment for HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who claimed after the 2016 election that President Donald Trump had asked him to chair a “commission on vaccine safety...
Allegheny County steps up pollution checks after Clairton blast
Regulators are temporarily stepping up pollution monitoring in the Mon Valley after a deadly explosion at U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works on Monday sparked worry about the release of toxic gases. The Allegheny County Health Department announced Thursday it’s deploying two air quality monitoring vans provided by the Pennsylvania Department...
Costco forgoes sale of abortion pill, emboldening religious groups
Costco Wholesale Corp. has decided not to dispense the abortion pill mifepristone at its more than 500 pharmacy locations, a decision hailed by a group of faith-based activists who urged the retailer to avoid selling the drug. Costco said in a statement that it hasn’t seen consumer demand for the...
Over-the-counter soap recalled for ‘life-threatening sepsis’ risk
Over a dozen soap and sanitizer products are being recalled because they could cause health complications. DermaKleen lotion soaps, Perigiene antiseptic and KleenFoam soap are among those recalled, according to the Friday announcement by DermaRite Industries LLC, People reported. The products were sold nationwide and in Puerto Rico, the manufacturer...
New director takes charge at UPMC Hillman with vision for community-based care
The UPMC Hillman Cancer Center has appointed a new director who pledges to expand access to cancer care close to home, despite potential threats to medical research funding. Dr. John Byrd, a survivor of prostate cancer himself, said his goal as director is develop clinical trials in Pennsylvania, parts of...
