It’s OK to drink coffee soon after taking a liquid thyroid medication, a new study finds. Current product labels and treatment guidelines recommend patients take thyroid hormone replacement therapy on an empty stomach, but this new research shows that absorption of liquid levothyroxine is not affected by consuming coffee shortly after taking the medication. “The…  read on >  read on >

Of all the health harms the pandemic brought, new research has uncovered one positive effect: For the first time in 30 years, teens’ consumption of junk food fell following school closures, social restrictions and more parents working from home. The study included 452 participants, aged 13 to 19. It found that after COVID-19 restrictions were…  read on >  read on >

If you have a family history of cancer and are considering genetic counseling to measure your risk for the disease, an expert offers some advice. Genetic counseling can help you understand your family’s cancer history and how it applies to you, said Tanya Eble, an associate professor of molecular and human genetics and a genetic…  read on >  read on >

Monkeypox cases continue to climb in the United States, although gradually, federal health officials said Friday. Public health officials have identified 45 cases of monkeypox across 15 states and the District of Columbia, up from 21 the week before, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said during a media briefing,…  read on >  read on >

You might think that having the whole bed to yourself would leave you feeling more refreshed in the morning than sleeping with someone who might toss, turn or snore. Yet, a new study suggests that adults who share their beds with a partner have less severe insomnia, less fatigue and more sleep time. They also…  read on >  read on >

Pharmacies and states have ordered millions of doses of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID vaccines for children younger than 5 in advance of possible U.S. authorization of the shots next week, the Biden administration said Thursday. Senior officials said that 5 million doses — half from Pfizer and half from Moderna — are initially available,…  read on >  read on >

The Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 are spreading rapidly in the United States, but it’s not yet clear if they’ll trigger a new wave of infections or a surge in hospitalizations and deaths, experts say. The subvariants now account for 13% of new coronavirus cases nationwide, compared with 7.5% a week ago and 1% in…  read on >  read on >