The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services launched a new suicide hotline using just the numbers 988 in July, and now new data shows calls climbed 45% compared to the same time last year. “Our nation’s transition to 988 moves us closer to better serving the crisis care needs of people across America,” HHS…  read on >  read on >

Researchers think they’ve figured out why Parkinson’s disease causes a person’s limbs to become so stiff that at times they can feel frozen in place. Using a robotic chair equipped with sensors, a research team has linked the activation of leg muscles in Parkinson’s patients with a region of the brain called the subthalamic nucleus.…  read on >  read on >

Frequent blood donors don’t need to worry about iron deficiency harming their health, new research shows. Even though about 35% of donors can become iron deficient after repeated blood donations, researchers have found that this produces no harmful effects on either the quality of donated blood or the well-being of frequent donors. “This finding is…  read on >  read on >

Recognizing the signs that someone is considering suicide could help save a life. “Emergency physicians see many people who are struggling silently with their mental health,” said Dr. Gillian Schmitz, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians. “One of the most impactful things anyone can do to prevent a tragedy is to spot signs…  read on >  read on >

A second person in the United States infected with monkeypox has died in California. As in the earlier case in Texas, public health officials are investigating what role the virus may have played in the death of this second patient. “We will be doing an autopsy. So, it does take time for those results to…  read on >  read on >