Health - Tuesday, May 12, 2026

Our global health reporter, Apoorva Mandavilli, explains that there is no indication the hantavirus outbreak could turn into a pandemic — but also that the public might not be getting all of the details.

Marty Makary, who resigned under pressure from the FDA, brought to the job a fundamental lack of understanding of the nature of the role, STAT's Matthew Herper writes.

Out of 1.5 million messages received in 2025, the Crisis Text Line found that less then 20% of the texters identified as male only

The E.U. reached a provisional deal to strengthen the supply of essential medicines and avoid shortages by ‌boosting domestic production and reducing reliance on imports.

A four-week diet change was enough to make some older adults appear biologically younger in a new University of Sydney study. Participants who reduced fat intake or shifted toward more plant-based protein showed improvements in key health biomarkers tied to aging. The strongest results came from a lower-fat, higher-carb diet, while people eating closer to their usual diets saw almost no change.

Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary is resigning from his role after a tumultuous tenure.

The deadliest drug in the country, the new name for PCOS, and more health news from Morning Rounds

Scientists at McGill University have uncovered a hidden molecular “switch” that turns on a powerful calorie-burning system in brown fat — the body’s heat-generating fat linked to metabolism and weight control. The breakthrough centers on glycerol, a molecule released when fat is broken down in the cold, which activates an enzyme called TNAP and triggers an alternative heat-producing pathway that scientists had struggled to explain for years.

Influencers and health gurus are offering pregnancy solutions during “trimester zero,” when women are trying to conceive.

From the Trump administration to online influencers, the hormone is increasingly seen as the key to achieving a new male ideal.