Nicole Wetsman

Wearables might be able to screen for premature birth

Monitoring changes in heart rate in pregnant people may be a way to screen for people who will deliver prematurely, according to new data from researchers working at wearable company Whoop. Preterm birth is risky and can lead to health complications…

Amazon’s leaked ‘Clinic’ would connect patients to telemedicine

Amazon might have a new healthcare offering coming soon, according to a leaked video. A video published to the company's YouTube page Tuesday — and then quickly taken down — described “Amazon Clinic,” an online care program that would offer treatment…

In world-first trial, lab-grown blood was just injected into two people

In a world first, two people were injected with red blood cells grown in a lab as part of a clinical trial, the research team announced this week. It’s a first step toward seeing if lab-grown blood cells are safe and work in the body — which would be…

Blood oxygen monitors face scrutiny from FDA panel

Devices that monitor blood oxygen levels in the hospital and at home need to be more carefully regulated, a Food and Drug Administration advisory panel indicated at a meeting Tuesday. The devices are everywhere in healthcare settings, and people…

YouTube will let doctors and nurses apply to be labeled as reliable

Licensed healthcare professionals on YouTube can now apply to get panels added to their videos that mark them as reliable health information sources, the company said Thursday. They’ll also be able to have videos added to health content shelves,…

Uber, DoorDash will deliver Paxlovid from Walgreens for free to vulnerable neighborhoods

Uber and DoorDash will deliver prescriptions for the covid antiviral Paxlovid filled through Walgreens for free to underserved neighborhoods, the companies announced Monday. The partnership is part of new pandemic response efforts from the White…

Kids who play video games score higher on brain function tests

Kids who play video games have better memory and better control over their motor skills than kids who don’t, according to a new study looking at adolescent brain function. Video games might not be responsible for those differences — the study can’t…

I hope someone makes memes out of these funny animal photos

I learned today that there is a contest called the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards, which selects the funniest animal photos submitted by professional and amateur photographers each year. The gallery of finalists includes some true gems, like a…

Tech companies added fertility features just in time for the culture war

Tech companies added fertility features just in time for the culture war / Anti-abortion groups are pushing cycle tracking as a better option than hormonal birth control. Meanwhile, tech companies are adding new fertility features to their products.…

Don’t confuse Apple’s fertility tracking with birth control

Apple is very careful with the language it’s using around the new, juiced-up fertility and cycle tracking features on the Apple Watch Series 8. It can “inform your family planning” if you’re trying to conceive, the company said in the product…

Six vaping companies are getting sued by the federal government

The Food and Drug Administration just took its first legal action against companies it says are selling e-cigarettes illegally. After facing criticism for not doing enough to keep illegal vapes off the market, the agency asked the Department of…

Opioid addiction doctors want telehealth rules to stay relaxed

Doctors treating patients with opioid-use disorder want pandemic-era telehealth rules to stay relaxed, according to a new survey. Tens of thousands of people in the United States die each year from opioid overdoses, and telehealth makes it easier to…

Over-the-counter hearing aids are officially available

Hearing aids are now available over the counter for the first time in the United States. They’re on sale at places like Walgreens and Walmart, and companies like Sony have already developed new hearing aids for this new regulatory turn. The Food and…

Adderall is officially in short supply

For weeks, pharmacists around the United States have been struggling to fill prescriptions for Adderall, and on Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration confirmed the nationwide shortage. In August, over 60 percent of pharmacists had trouble…

Everyone walks differently — so this exoskeleton adjusts on the fly

A new robotic, boot-like exoskeleton uses wearable sensors to adjust to each person who wears it, marking a significant step forward for robotics. The device, described in a study published today, helps solve one of the big challenges in developing…

Cyberattack delays patient care at major US hospital chain

Patients at hospitals in one of the largest healthcare systems in the United States are facing delays in care due to a cyberattack. The disruption is stretching into its second week. CommonSpirit Health, which operates more than 700 healthcare sites…

YouTube wants personal health stories to help combat misinformation

YouTube historically hasn’t been a good place to turn for information about health. Inaccurate or misleading videos are everywhere, research has shown, and the algorithm can push those videos to more people. To shift that trajectory and give people…

Disposable vapes supplanted Juul as the youth nicotine problem

Kids are still finding ways to use flavored e-cigarettes despite the Food and Drug Administration’s crackdowns, according to new data from federal agencies. And even though youth vaping rates appear to be falling, 2.5 million kids still said they use…

Combination flu and COVID-19 tests are in the works for virus season

The past two years have seen relatively quiet flu seasons — a welcome development as hospitals and the public health system focused on managing waves of COVID-19. But experts are expecting flu to make a comeback this winter, and people will need to…

Rape kit DNA protected under a new California law

In California, DNA collected from sexual assault victims during an investigation can no longer be used for other purposes, including investigating other crimes. California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the bill into law Friday. The bill was introduced…