National Center for Health Research

04/20/2026

President Trump recently told supporters " We can’t take care of day care....We have all these other people, we’re fighting wars."

Childcare is not a luxury. When parents work outside the home, child care is a basic need for a child's healthy brain development.

President Trump just reversed his campaign promise to help lower costs.

But families can't afford decent childcare. The costs have jumped 29% since 2020 and now average over $13,000 a year.

When we cut federal support for early childhood programs, we hurt our kids' futures. Many couples can't afford to have children or to have another child.

Lawmakers and advocates were gaining momentum until the president backtracked on his campaign promise.

04/20/2026

Family planning policy in the U.S. is shifting away from contraception.

New guidance from the Department of Health and Human Services ( ) signals a change in the program—the only federal program dedicated to family planning. The plan is to move away from contraceptive care and toward fertility awareness, “natural family planning,” and encouraging pregnancy.

The guidance also puts less emphasis on proven strategies of medical contraception and more on lifestyle factors like nutrition, sleep, and stress. At the same time, funding for the program may decrease—and could potentially be eliminated under a future federal budget.

This may help address declining birth rates, but it would do so by failing to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

Supporters say it promotes family formation. But when gas, food, and housing prices are so high, limiting access to effective contraception is harmful to women and families.

Focus of Title X program shifting to 'natural family planning' and encouragement of pregnancy

04/17/2026

designated a nationwide recall of 15 different cough drop products as "moderate risk" (Class II), meaning the products may cause temporary or reversible health effects.

The started as a voluntary recall due to manufacturing concerns at an overseas facility. The affected products are sold under brands including Exchange Select, Caring Mill, MGC Health, QC Quality Choice, and Discount Drug Mart. They were distributed nationwide and come in different flavors and formulations.

FDA's designation as a "moderate risk recall" means it is relatively serious and needed to protect .

Consumers are advised DO NOT USE these products and to follow guidance from retailers or distributors regarding returns or disposal.

Even widely available products are not risk-free. We are concerned that the FDA does not have enough inspectors to always ensure that products protect .

The recall covers 15 different cough drop products, all classified as over‑the‑counter drug products.

04/17/2026

“I just drink too much once a month or so—I don't drive and it does no harm.”

A new study suggests otherwise.

Researchers analyzed data from more than 8,000 U.S. adults and found that people who engage in episodic heavy drinking—even just once a month—are 3 times more likely to develop advanced liver fibrosis, a serious form of liver scarring.

Episodic heavy drinking is defined as 4+ drinks in one day for women and 5+ drinks in one day for men. Binge drinking is one type, but involves heavy drinking in a short period of time, such as 2 hours.

The risk is heavy drinking is even higher for people with MASLD, a metabolic condition affecting about 1 in 3 U.S. adults usually involving obesity, diabetes, or high cholesterol.

The study shows that even if you usually drink moderately, occasional heavy drinking can still have serious consequences.

An occasional night of heavy drinking  may be more dangerous to your health than you think.A new study finds over-indulging just once a month could harm yo

04/17/2026

Out now!

NCHR's April Digest: "Health & Safety Issues Hiding in Your Home and Community!"

Do not miss our monthly news digest with our latest insights and work on health issues and health policies!

https://conta.cc/4vqd4l4

04/16/2026

A new review of ’s treatments shows a disappointing reality: drugs that decrease amyloid proteins in the brain offer no meaningful benefit to patients.

Researchers looked at 17 clinical trials involving over 20,000 patients. They found that these drugs do not provide meaningful benefits by delaying memory loss or other symptoms.

Meanwhile they cause dangerous brain swelling and brain bleeding in many patients. Wishful thinking may be misleading, but so far rigorous clinical trials shows that any benefits are too small to notice.

We need more effective treatments to prevent, delay, and cure Alzheimer's, but when FDA approves ineffective treatments, that is harmful to patients and our healthcare system.

Researchers have found that the absolute effects of anti-amyloid drugs on cognitive decline and dementia severity were absent or trivial

04/16/2026

The FDA approved a new weight-loss pill—but is requiring longer-term research to better understand its risks.

Foundayo (orforglipron), a new oral drug from Eli Lilly, was approved this month. But in its approval letter, the FDA said more data is needed to assess potential risks, including heart problems (such as heart attack and stroke), liver injury, delayed stomach emptying, and thyroid cancer.

FDA is requiring years of postmarketing studies to find out how safe this drug is, but meanwhile patients are paying for a drug with unknown risks. Meanwhile, the Wegovy weight loss pill is not required to do additional studies because the active ingredient has been studied for many years.

Continued monitoring after approval is very important, but isn't it better to know more before approving a drug?

Is there a good reason to be concerned? We don't know the answer yet.

In a letter, the FDA said it needs more data to fully understand several possible risks tied to the drug, including heart and liver problems.

04/15/2026

is delaying the approval of new uses for toxic "forever chemicals" ( ), but not because of scientific or medical concerns. This pause is because of political pressure.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin is reportedly sitting on dozens of PFAS chemical approvals. Sources indicate this hesitation is not driven by scientific evidence, but by pressure from the "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) movement and fears of political backlash in the midterm elections.

PFAS can cause cancer, disrupt hormones, developmental problems, and long-term health problems. EPA was planning to approve these chemicals this year despite those risks, but the agency would rather DELAY those decisions until after the election. Meanwhile, we'll all be safer -- but only temporarily.

In an exception to his blitz on other regulations, EPA chief Lee Zeldin is delaying approval for forever chemicals over fears of angering Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s movement.

04/15/2026

Buying online may seem convenient and more affordable—but it can be very dangerous.

A 32-year-old man developed severe dehydration and kidney injury after using , a GLP-1 version not approved by the FDA, after buying it online. After accidentally doubling his dose, his symptoms became life-threatening.

Doctors ruled out infection and treated him with fluids and electrolyte replacement. He recovered—but experts warn the outcome could have been much worse.

While FDA-approved GLP-1 drugs can help you lose weight, online sales and self-dosing pose serious risks to patients. has sent warning letters to companies distributing ingredients for unapproved GLP-1 drugs, including retatrutide.

And remember, if a drug doesn't seem to work, that doesn't mean you should double the dose. Keep track of what you're taking and make sure they are approved by FDA.

'This case report contains a dramatic presentation of unintended consequences,' author notes

04/14/2026

Who is in charge of food safety in the U.S.?

After a recent E. coli outbreak from raw milk and cheese put young kids in the hospital, FDA asked the company to recall their product. The company said no, calling the scientific proof "allegations.".

Why? The company felt they could ignore the FDA because RFK Jr. says raw milk is healthy.

Deadly bacteria in raw milk or cheese is a fact, and a recall is needed to save lives. The company should not have the power to ignore the evidence.

These raw dairy E. coli outbreaks are exposing something troubling.

04/14/2026

FDA approved a new use for a (Radiesse) in the décolletage area—the upper chest above the breast—despite concerns that it could interfere with screening.

This use is intended to reduce wrinkles caused by sun exposure—a cosmetic benefit. But experts warned that the filler could migrate into the breast area, obscuring small cancer tumors and delaying detection and treatment.

The FDA has approved this use anyway.

Should a cosmetic treatment be approved if it compromises cancer detection?

FDA’s decision raises the question: Is FDA's Center for Devices a public health agency or a cosmetics company?

A postmarketing study will assess whether Radiesse interferes with breast imaging

04/13/2026

A team of researchers created a fake eye disease they called to see whether AI systems would spread misinformation.

Guess what? Chatbots told people all about this made up disease.

Within weeks, major AI chatbots were describing the condition as real and even offering medical advice. Some researchers later cited the fake studies in peer-reviewed medical journals.

This provides more evidence that AI can't be trusted with health advice or information. It is already misleading patients and health professionals. Don't put your life at risk!

Patients deserve accurate information that is based on credible evidence.

Bixonimania doesn’t exist except in a clutch of obviously bogus academic papers. So why did AI chatbots warn people about this fictional illness?