If you use a medical device such as a blood glucose monitor or insulin pump, keeping it charged is a must. 

But devices that rely on a USB charger can overheat, which may cause minor injuries, serious burns or fires. That's why it's important to read, understand and follow the manufacturer's use and care directions and use only approved charging accessories.

The U.S. Food and D...

Nearly 40% of Americans live where the air is polluted enough to harm them, a new report warns.

In the American Lung Association's "State of the Air"report, released Wednesday, the number of people living with levels of air pollution that could jeopardize their health climbed from about 119 million in 2023 to 131 million now.

Nearly 20% of fresh, frozen and canned fruits and vegetables that Americans eat contain concerning levels of pesticides, a new report finds.

Pesticides posed significant risks in popular choices such as strawberries, green beans, bell peppers, blueberries and potatoes, the review...

U.S. research into gun violence has started to expand following the ending of a two-decade drought of federal funding for such studies, a new report finds.

Firearms violence studies had been stymied by severe restrictions on federal funding adopted by Congress in 1996, the researchers said.

But those restrictions began to loosen in the mid-2010s, and in 2020 Congress began appropria...

With blizzards and possible power outages threatening much of America this week, some dangers might not be immediately obvious: carbon monoxide poisoning, fires and electric shock.

"I urge consumers to follow CPSC's safety tips to prepare ahead of storms to prevent loss of life in a storm's aftermath," said Alex Hoeh...

Researchers report that a new type of antibiotic has proved its mettle against a deadly superbug.

Acinetobacter baumannii, a bacteria goes by the nickname CRAB, can trigger serious infections in the lungs, urinary tract and blood, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Unfortunately, it's resistant to a class of powerful broad-spectrum antibiotics calle...

Millions of revelers hit the road after New Year's Eve celebrations and the inevitability of impaired drivers make the holiday one of the nation's deadliest.

High blood-alcohol levels are a factor in more than 50% of crashes on New Year's Day, the American Safety Council warns. Law enforcement officers will be on alert, with checkpoints and roadblocks in many places to check drivers for s...

Tiny, powerful magnetic balls sold exclusively online at Walmart as building blocks and stress relievers have been recalled for swallowing dangers, the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) said Thursday.

In announcing the recall, the commission pointed to thousands of hospitalizations and at least seven deaths linked to similar products.

Swallowing magnets is dangerous be...

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has uncovered counterfeit Ozempic shots in the legitimate U.S. drug supply chain, and is warning patients to be on their guard.

The FDA said Thursday that it has seized thousands of counterfeit dos...

The new COVID variant known as JN.1 was named a "variant of interest" by the World Health Organization on Tuesday, which means health officials are now closely tracking its rapid spread across the globe.

So far, the highly mutated variant has not been shown to trigger more severe illness than previous incarnations of the coronavirus. Still, it is spreading faster than its ancestor, the BA...

Low vaccination rates for the flu, RSV and COVID-19 are putting Americans at higher risk for severe illness and hospitalization this winter, a new government alert warned Thursday.

There is an "urgent need"to boost vaccination rates as the trio of viruses spread through the country, the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention said.

"Low vaccination rates, coupled with ongoing...

FRIDAY, Dec. 8, 2023 (Healthday News) -- A salmonella outbreak tied to tainted cantaloupes keeps expanding, with cases doubling since the last tally, U.S. health officials reported Thursday.

"Since the last update [on] November 30, 2023, an additional 113 people infected with this outbreak strain of salmonella have been reported from four additional states, resulting in a total case count...

An electric scooter might be on your kid's wish list for Christmas, but pediatricians say parents should think twice before buying one.

Even taking a child on a ride with an e-scooter is a dicey proposition, said Dr. Ashley Ebersole, a pediatrician with Nationwide Children's Hospital in Ohio.

...

TUESDAY, Dec. 5, 2023 (Healthday News) -- Hunting season has begun in many parts of the United States, with millions of Americans heading into the woods in hopes of bagging a big buck.

But with the season comes tragic accidents.

"Every year, within the first 72 hours of hunting season, we see hunting-related injuries,"said