Breaking: CDC Panel Votes to No Longer Recommend Hepatitis B Shot for Newborns

A federal vaccine advisory committee has voted to change a long-standing recommendation that all newborns in the United States receive the hepatitis B vaccine on the day they are born.

The group, known as the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), voted 8 – 3 on Friday morning to recommend the birth dose only for newbor...

From AI to Wearables: WHO Outlines Global Plan for Digital Health Tools

Make way for digital health. Smart watches and health apps aren’t just for fitness enthusiasts and people with access to advanced care — the World Health Organization (WHO) is looking to these and other digital tech devices to enhance health and wellness across the globe.

As the world’s population becomes more and more co...

U.S. Stillbirth Rate Falls 2%, but Nearly 20,000 Losses Still Reported

The U.S. stillbirth rate dropped slightly last year, offering some hope after several years of uncertainty, according to new data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The report, released Dec. 3, found a 2% decline in stillbirths in 2024. Even with that improvement, nearly 20,000 pregnancies ended in fetal death....

Self-Swab HPV Tests Now Supported for Cervical Cancer Screening

Routine cervical cancer screening is getting a new option: Self-swab HPV tests, according to updated guidance released Dec. 4 by the American Cancer Society (ACS).

Experts say offering a test that women can collect themselves — sans speculum exam — could make screening less stressful in general.

"Screening for HPV is scre...

San Francisco Sues Food Giants Over “Addictive” Processed Foods

San Francisco is taking some of the country’s biggest food companies to court, claiming they knowingly sold ultraprocessed foods that harm health and are designed to keep people eating more.

The lawsuit, announced Tuesday, argues that products like sugary drinks, packaged snacks and processed meals have fueled rising rates of obesity...

Germophobes Can Breathe Easy On Airplanes, In Hospitals, Experts Say

FRIDAY, Dec. 5, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Germophobes can breathe a little easier when visiting a hospital or taking an airplane trip, a new study says.

The ambient air on planes and in hospitals mostly contains harmless microbes typically associated with human skin, researchers reported Dec. 4 in the journal Microbiome.<...