Health - Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Congressional Democrats are mounting a fresh effort to end a Medicare experiment to use AI to approve or deny care.

New Mexico is suing the federal government over PFAS contamination from Cannon Air Force Base. The outcome will affect how courts treat more than 15,000 similar claims nationwide.

A UCSF team has submitted an application to the FDA seeking approval for a small trial of in utero gene therapy for a rare lysosomal storage disorder.

A public health advisory calls on parents, schools, and government to limit children's use of screens, saying some patterns of use “can pose real harm to children.”

Women may be especially sensitive to the effects of common dementia risk factors, according to a new UC San Diego study of over 17,000 adults. Researchers say tailoring prevention strategies specifically for women could be key to reducing Alzheimer’s risk.

Stricter limits on extra Medicaid funds are coming, stemming from President Trump's tax cut bill.

Growing evidence suggests it takes a sustained viral infection in the right genetic environment to lead to type 1 diabetes.

A newly identified enzyme called IDOL could become a major new target in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers found that removing it from neurons sharply reduced amyloid plaques and improved key brain processes linked to resilience and communication between cells. The discovery may lead to future treatments that go beyond slowing Alzheimer’s — potentially helping protect the brain from further decline.

Researchers have developed a light-driven method for creating tiny, high-energy “housane” molecules that are valuable for drug development and materials science. These compact ring-shaped structures are difficult to produce because of the intense internal strain they contain. By using photocatalysis and carefully tuning the starting molecules, the team managed to guide the reaction into a clean and efficient pathway.

Low vitamin D levels could be quietly making breast cancer surgery recovery far more painful. In a new study, patients deficient in vitamin D were three times more likely to experience moderate to severe pain after mastectomy surgery and ended up using significantly more opioid medication to cope. Researchers say vitamin D may help regulate how the body processes pain through its effects on inflammation and the immune system.