Hours after a vaccine advisory panel to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention signaled its support for updated COVID boosters targeting Omicron variants, agency director Dr. Rochelle Walensky issued her endorsement as well. Walensky’s sign-off paves the way for the shots from Pfizer and Moderna to get into American arms within days. “The…  read on >  read on >

Skin lightening products can be dangerous for consumers when they contain harmful ingredients that are illegal for over-the-counter sales, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned Wednesday. The potentially harmful ingredients are hydroquinone or mercury, the agency said in a news release. People who have used products with hydroquinone have suffered side effects that included…  read on >  read on >

Munching handfuls of microwave popcorn might be perfect for movie night, but your snack could be loading your body with potentially harmful “forever chemicals,” experts warn. Many microwave popcorn bags are lined with PFAS (perfluoroalkyls and polyfluoroalkyl substances), and evidence has shown that these chemicals will leach into the snack during popping. Studies have found…  read on >  read on >

Electrically stimulating the brain’s “reward” circuity may hold promise as a treatment for binge eating disorder, a small pilot study suggests. The findings are based on just two patients who received deep brain stimulation (DBS) — a technique used for certain other medical conditions, including epilepsy. But over six months, the approach was able to…  read on >  read on >