The Trump administration has decided not to expand Medicare and Medicaid coverage for popular obesity drugs, blocking a Biden administration initiative that could have helped millions of Americans access the medications. Catherine Howden, a spokeswoman for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), said that expanding coverage for these drugs “is not appropriate at…  read on >  read on >

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has delayed the full approval of Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine.  The decision had been expected by April 1, but the agency now says it needs more information before moving forward. The Novavax shot is already available under emergency use. But full FDA approval would allow the vaccine to be…  read on >  read on >

Cancer survivors can reduce their ongoing risk of death by sticking to diet and exercise guidelines recommended by the American Cancer Society, a new study suggests. Non-smoking survivors of obesity-related cancers had an overall lower risk of death if they adopted the ACS lifestyle recommendations following their treatment, according to findings published April 3 in…  read on >  read on >

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) top tobacco regulator, Brian King, has been placed on leave as part of a large wave of cuts across federal health agencies.  King, who led the FDA’s tobacco control efforts, told his staff Tuesday that he was removed with “a heavy heart and profound disappointment.” “If you make…  read on >  read on >

The telehealth company Hims & Hers Health is expanding its weight-loss offerings by adding new medications to its platform. The company said Tuesday it now provides access to Zepbound, a brand-name version of the drug tirzepatide, as well as to generic liraglutide. Zepbound is made by drugmaker Eli Lilly. While Hims & Hers offers it…  read on >  read on >

Fasting every other day can prompt more weight loss than simply cutting calories, a new clinical trial shows. People who undertook 4:3 intermittent fasting lost just under 8% of their body weight within a year, compared to a 5% loss among people who cut their daily calories by about a third, researchers reported March 31…  read on >  read on >