MATTHEW PERRONE

AP Health Writer

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and his wife Cheryl Hines arrive before President-elect Donald Trump speaks during an America First Policy Institute gala at his Mar-a-Lago estate, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Here’s how Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has promised to remake the nation’s top health agencies

If confirmed as Health and Human Services Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. would control the world’s largest public health agency, and its $1.7 trillion budget.

This combination of images from video shows scenes from Nasonex television commercials broadcast in the U.S. in the 2000s. (AP Photo)

New FDA rules for TV drug ads: Simpler language and no distractions

New rules require drugmakers to be clearer about explaining the risks and side effects of prescription drugs.

A McDonald's Quarter Pounder hamburger and fries are shown in this photograph, in New York's Times Square, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

McDonald’s E. coli case count rises as federal officials inspect an onion grower

Federal officials are reporting more cases of E. coli poisoning as they trace the supply of onions that are the leading culprit behind the outbreak.

FILE - A nurse hooks up an IV to a flu patient at Upson Regional Medical Center in Thomaston, Ga., Feb. 9, 2018. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)

Officials work to protect IV supplies in Florida after disruptions at North Carolina plant

Federal officials are working to move IV bags out of the path of Hurricane Milton, which is threatening another manufacturer of IV fluids even as hospitals nationwide are still reeling from disruptions caused by flooding at a large factory in North Carolina.

FILE - A dentist holds a model of teeth in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)

Don’t fall for fake dentists offering veneers and other dental work on social media

Dentists say unlicensed practitioners offering cheap dental veneers are putting patients at risk. Dental veneers are customized teeth coverings that can restore a photogenic smile without more extensive work.

FILE - A patient prepares to take the first of two combination pills, mifepristone, for a medication abortion during a visit to a clinic in Kansas City, Kan., on, Oct. 12, 2022. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)

Two Georgia deaths are tied to abortion restrictions. Experts say abortion pills they took are safe

The deaths of two women in Georgia have been tied to a state law that bans most abortions after roughly six weeks. The news organization ProPublica reported that both women had taken abortion pills.

FILE - Elf Bar and Esco Bar flavored disposable vaping devices are displayed in Washington on Monday, June 26, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

Teen vaping hits 10-year low in the US

Teen vaping in the U.S. has dropped to its lowest level in a decade. That’s according to new survey data reported Thursday. U.S. health officials say the drop in the number of teens using e-cigarettes has pushed the underage vaping rate to below 6%.

FILE - A U.S. Food and Drug Administration building is seen behind FDA logos at a bus stop on the agency's campus in Silver Spring, Md., on Aug. 2, 2018. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

5 takeaways from AP’s report on the big backlog of uninspected drug factories

Nearly five years after COVID-19, a new analysis by The Associated Press shows that U.S. regulators are struggling to address a massive backlog of uninspected pharmaceutical plants.

(AP Illustration/Peter Hamlin)

Nearly 2,000 drug plants are overdue for FDA checks after COVID delays, AP finds

U.S. health inspectors are still struggling to address a massive backlog of pharmaceutical plants that went uninspected during disruptions caused by COVID-19. That’s according to an analysis of government data by the Associated Press.

(AP Illustration/Jenni Sohn)

Pfizer CEO on moving beyond COVID vaccines to become a leader in cancer and obesity treatments

Pfizer’s CEO Albert Bourla is trying to reposition the global pharmaceutical giant for a post-pandemic world. Two years ago, Pfizer recorded an unprecedented $100 billion in annual sales from its COVID-19 vaccine and antiviral Paxlovid.

FILE- A sign is displayed for the Food and Drug Administration offices in Silver Spring, Md., on Dec. 10, 2020. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)

FDA rejects psychedelic MDMA as treatment for PTSD, calling for additional study

Federal health officials have declined to approve the psychedelic drug MDMA as a therapy for PTSD. Drugmaker Lykos Therapeutics announced the FDA’s decision on Friday.

FILE - A sign for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is displayed outside their offices in Silver Spring, Md., Dec. 10, 2020. U.S. health regulators on Monday, July 29, 2024, approved a first-of-its-kind blood test for colon cancer, offering a new way of screening for a leading cause of cancer deaths. Test manufacturer Guardant said the Food and Drug Administration approved its Shield test for screening in adults 45 and older who have an average risk of colon cancer. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)

Blood test for colon cancer screening is approved by US regulators

U.S. health regulators have approved a blood test for colon cancer, offering a new way of screening for a leading cause of cancer deaths.

In this photo provided by the Heroic Hearts Project, Jesse Gould adds 22 dog tags signifying the number of veterans estimated to die by suicide in one day, at a memorial paying tribute to the estimated 150,000 veterans who have lost their lives to suicide over the past 20 years, displayed near the U.S. Capitol in Washington on July 10, 2024. (Michael Schoen/Heroic Hearts Project via AP)

Veterans lobbied for psychedelic therapy, but it may not be enough to save MDMA drug application

Military veterans have spent years lobbying for the use of psychedelic drugs to treat PTSD, but a sharply critical review of the club drug MDMA has put the therapy’s approval in doubt.

This illustration provided by Reynolds American in June 2024, shows packaging for the Vuse Alto e-cigarette. The U.S. The Food and Drug Administration authorized sales of Vuse Alto, the best-selling e-cigarette, on Thursday, July 18, 2024, allowing Reynolds American to keep its reusable e-cigarette on the market for years to come. (Reynolds American via AP)

FDA OKs best-selling e-cigarette Vuse Alto, but only in tobacco flavor

Federal health officials have authorized sales of Vuse Alto, the best-selling e-cigarette in the U.S.

This photo provided by Prenuvo in July 2024 shows an MRI scanner. Magnetic resonance imaging uses magnetic fields to produce detailed images of organs, bones and other structures inside the body. Unlike many other types of scans, MRIs don't use radiation. (Prenuvo via AP)

Celebrities are getting $2,000 MRI scans to learn about their health. Should you?

Celebrities and influencers are helping promote high-tech medical scans that companies claim can help catch deadly diseases, including cancer. Some experts warn the experimental approach may lead to extra worries and unnecessary treatment.

This image provided by Eli Lilly shows the company's new Alzheimer’s drug Kisunla. The Food and Drug Administration approved Eli Lilly’s Kisunla on Tuesday, July 2, 2024 for mild or early cases of dementia caused by Alzheimer’s. (Eli Lilly and Company via AP)

FDA approves a second Alzheimer’s drug that can modestly slow disease

U.S. health officials have approved a new Alzheimer’s drug that can modestly slow the disease. It’s only the second drug that’s been convincingly shown to slow the memory-destroying condition.

FDA OKs first menthol e-cigarettes, citing potential to help adult smokers

The Food and Drug Administration has authorized the first menthol-flavored electronic cigarettes for adult smokers. Friday’s action is the government’s strongest acknowledgment that switching to flavored vaping can reduce the harms of smoking.

FILE - A patient prepares to take the first of two combination pills, mifepristone, for a medication abortion during a visit to a clinic in Kansas City, Kan., on, Oct. 12, 2022. The Supreme Court on Thursday, June 13, 2024, unanimously preserved access to the medication that was used in nearly two-thirds of all abortions in the U.S. last year, in the court’s first abortion decision since conservative justices overturned Roe v. Wade two years ago. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)

Abortion pill access is unchanged after the Supreme Court’s decision. Here’s what you need to know

A unanimous Supreme Court ruling means the abortion pill mifepristone remains available in the United States, even through the mail.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., speaks during a hearing on combating the rise of illegal electronic cigarettes, on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, June 12, 2024, in Washington. ( AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Senators blast health and law enforcement officials over illegal e-cigarettes used by teens

Senators criticized top federal officials over the rise of illegal electronic cigarettes in the U.S., a multibillion-dollar business that has flourished in recent years.

FILE - A sign for Eli Lilly & Co. sits outside their corporate headquarters in Indianapolis on April 26, 2017. A closely watched Alzheimer's drug from Eli Lilly won the backing of federal health advisers on Monday, June 10, 2024, setting the stage for the treatment's expected approval for people with mild dementia caused by the brain-robbing disease. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)

Alzheimer’s drug that can slow disease gets backing from FDA advisers

Federal health advisers have endorsed a closely watched Alzheimer’s drug from Eli Lilly for people with mild dementia. The FDA will make the final decision on approval later this year.

FILE - This Oct. 14, 2015, file photo, shows the U.S. Food & Drug Administration campus in Silver Spring, Md. Federal health regulators and law enforcement officials on Monday, June 10, 2024 vowed to work more closely to stop sales of illegal electronic cigarettes, which have grown into a multibillion-dollar business in the U.S. while skirting government oversight. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

FDA and DOJ pledge more cooperation on illegal e-cigarettes ahead of congressional hearing

Federal health regulators and law enforcement officials are vowing to work more closely to stop sales of illegal electronic cigarettes, including those from China.

FILE - In this photo made with a long exposure, a man is silhouetted against lights reflected in the waters off Cape Neddick in Maine on Dec. 11, 2017. Federal health advisers are considering the first request to approve the mind-altering club drug MDMA as a treatment for PTSD. The advisers to the Food and Drug Administration are scheduled to vote on the drug's safety and effectiveness Tuesday, June 4, 2024, potentially setting the stage for federal approval later this year. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)

Panel rejects psychedelic drug MDMA as a PTSD treatment in possible setback for advocates

Federal health advisers have rejected the first-ever proposal to use MDMA as a treatment for PTSD. The nonbinding vote is a potential setback for psychedelic advocates hoping to move the banned drugs into the mainstream.

FDA warns parents to avoid infant formula distributed by Texas company due to contamination

U.S. health officials are warning parents to avoid a brand of powdered infant formula sold by a Texas dairy producer that may contain a dangerous bacteria.

This photo provided by the Center for Psychedelic Therapy Research shows a Yehuda Lab MDMA-assisted therapy treatment room at the James J. Peters Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in the Bronx borough of New York. On Friday, May 31, 2024, the Food and Drug Administration posted its initial review of MDMA, the mind-altering club drug, as a treatment for PTSD. In their assessment, FDA scientists said that patients who received MDMA and talk therapy showed “rapid, clinically meaningful, durable improvements in their PTSD symptoms,." But they also called the research “challenging to interpret,” and questioned how long the benefits might last. (OH Prema, Center for Psychedelic Therapy Research via AP)

Psychedelic drug MDMA faces questions as FDA considers approval for PTSD

Federal health regulators are set to review the first request to approve the mind-altering club drug MDMA as a treatment for PTSD.

Dr. Laurie Margolies demonstrates the Koios DS Smart Ultrasound software, Wednesday, May 8, 2024, at Mount Sinai hospital in New York. The breast imaging AI is used to get a second opinion on mammography ultrasounds. “I will tell patients, ‘I looked at it, and the computer looked at it, and we both agree,’” Margolies said. “Hearing me say that we both agree, I think that gives the patient an even greater level of confidence.” (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Will AI replace doctors who read X-rays, or just make them better than ever?

As AI moves into medicine, perhaps no one has more to gain or lose than radiologists, the doctors who review medical scans for signs of cancer and other diseases. Powerful new AI tools can improve accuracy, accelerate readings and reduce workloads.

US challenges ‘bogus’ patents on Ozempic and other drugs in effort to spur competition

The Federal Trade Commission is challenging patents on 20 brand-name drugs, including the blockbuster weight-loss injection Ozempic.

FILE - A sign for the Food and Drug Administration is displayed outside their offices in Silver Spring, Md., on Dec. 10, 2020. Makers of thousands of medical tests that have long escaped oversight will have to show that they deliver accurate results, under a government rule vigorously opposed by the testing industry. The regulation finalized Monday, April 29, 2024 brings tests developed by laboratories under control of the FDA, which has warned that the multibillion-dollar industry poses growing risks to patients. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)

FDA brings lab tests under federal oversight in bid to improve accuracy and safety

The Food and Drug Administration has finalized a rule to regulate medical tests that have long escaped oversight. The rule was announced Monday.

FILE - The Philips Center is seen, Jan. 27, 2015, in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Philips will pay $1.1 billion to settle personal injury lawsuits in the U.S. over its defective sleep apnea machines. The announcement Monday, April 29, 2024 is another step toward resolving one of the biggest medical device recalls in history, which has dragged on for nearly three years. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, File)

Philips will pay $1.1 billion to resolve US lawsuits over breathing machines that expel debris

Medical device maker Philips will pay $1.1 billion to settle personal injury lawsuits in the U.S. over its defective sleep apnea machines.

FILE - Menthol cigarettes and other tobacco products are displayed at a store in San Francisco on May 17, 2018. For the second time in recent months, President Joe Biden's administration has delayed a plan to ban menthol cigarettes, a decision that is certain to infuriate anti-smoking advocates but could avoid angering Black voters ahead of November elections. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)

Biden officials indefinitely postpone ban on menthol cigarettes amid election-year pushback

President Joe Biden’s administration is again delaying a sweeping plan to ban menthol cigarettes. Anti-smoking advocates are upset about the delay, but the decision could avoid angering Black voters ahead of November elections.

FILE - Containers of Zyn, a Phillip Morris smokeless nicotine pouch, are displayed for sale among other nicotine and tobacco products at a newsstand Friday, Feb. 23, 2024, in New York. The product has been making big headlines, sparking debate about whether new nicotine-based alternatives intended for adults may be catching on with underage teens and adolescents. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews, File)

What to know about Zyn, the tiny nicotine pouch that’s sparked a big health debate

A small nicotine pouch called Zyn is sparking big debates about the benefits and risks of new products from tobacco companies. Zyn is an oral pouch that contains nicotine powder and flavorings like mint, coffee and citrus.