Published14 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesBy Chloe KimBBC NewsMelatonin use is becoming “exceedingly common” among American children, with nearly one in five under age 14 now consuming melatonin to aid sleep. Parents are increasingly giving it to younger children. About 18% of children age five to nine are using it as a sleep aid, a new study suggests.Last year, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine issued a health advisory about melatonin use for young people.They said parents should consult a doctor before giving it to children.Melatonin is a hormone produced in the brain that regulates a person’s sleep cycle. It is one of the most common supplements parents in the US give to their children, according to Harvard Health.In the US, melatonin is considered a dietary supplement – unlike in many countries, where it is classified as a drug – and can be bought without a prescription. Research in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, published this month, spoke to parents of 993 children, ages one to 14, and found a significant increase in the reported use of melatonin in recent years.Though melatonin can be a short-term solution to help promote sleep, the study indicated that parents were using melatonin regularly, with pre-schoolers taking the supplement for a median of 12 months, primary school aged children for 18 months and pre-teens for 21 months. The authors caution that the study was relatively small and does not necessarily represent usage nationwide.Still, melatonin use, across all ages, has been on the rise for the past couple decades. An online survey earlier this year by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine suggested that about 46% of parents have given melatonin to children under the age of 13 to help them sleep. The survey also found that fathers are more likely to give kids melatonin than mothers and younger parents are more likely to provide the sleep aid than older parents. Poison control centres in the US saw a 530% spike in reports of melatonin ingestion in children between 2012-2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most cases were accidental and the vast majority of children – over 84% – had no symptoms, though in 1% of the reported cases the children ended up in intensive care. Previous research also suggests that the dose of melatonin in supplements s often differed from the amount indicated on the packaging label – one study found melatonin ranged from less than half to more than four times the amount stated on the label. The science of healthy baby sleepMild side effects – like daytime sleepiness, headache, nausea, and dizziness – sometimes occur from taking melatonin but little is known about the long-term effects of melatonin consumption in children and adolescents. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine advises that parents treat melatonin like any medication and keep it out of reach of children. They also suggest parents consult a paediatric health worker beforehand and note that “sleep problems can be better managed with a change in schedules, habits, or behaviours rather than taking melatonin”. If used, a medical professional should recommend “the melatonin dose and timing” to address a sleep problem.More on this storyGaining weight? You may need more sleepPublished26 February 2022Sleep crisis a serious issue, politicians sayPublished24 SeptemberWhy you should always go to sleep at the same timePublished2 AugustLights on for a bad night’s sleepPublished14 January 2011

Published10 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingThis video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.By Chloe KimBBC NewsSurgeons in New York say they have performed the world’s first complete eye transplant on a man, although it is not certain he will regain vision.Aaron James, who survived a high-voltage electrical accident, underwent 21 hours of surgery that replaced half of his face. Surgeons have been able to transplant corneas successfully for years.Experts have called the breakthrough a pivotal moment in the quest to restore sight to millions of people. Mr James, a high-voltage utility line worker from Arkansas, lost most of his face when it accidentally touched a 7,200-volt live wire in 2021.On 27 May this year, he underwent a rare partial face transplant in addition to the eye transplant – which involved more than 140 healthcare professionals. Surgeons at NYU Langone Health, who performed the complicated surgery, said on Thursday that Mr James, 46, was recovering well from the dual transplant and the donated eye looked remarkably healthy. His right eye still works.”The mere fact that we’ve accomplished the first successful whole-eye transplant with a face is a tremendous feat many have long thought was not possible,” said Dr Eduardo Rodriguez, one of the leading surgeons on the team. “We’ve made one major step forward and have paved the way for the next chapter to restore vision.”Doctors say James’ surgery offers scientists an unprecedented window into how the human eye tries to heal.”We’re not claiming that we are going to restore sight,” Dr Rodriguez told ABC News. “But there’s no doubt in my mind we are one step closer.”Image source, ReutersDoctors said there was direct blood flow to the retina – the part of the eye that sends images to the brain. While there is no certainty Mr James will regain vision in his new eye, doctors do not rule out the possibility either.”If I can see out of it, that’s great,” Mr James said in an interview. “But if it’ll kick-start the next path in the medical field, then I’m all for it.”Mr James, a military veteran, will continue to be monitored by doctors, but the progress they have seen with the eye is “exceptional” says Bruce E. Gelb, MD, a transplant surgeon at New York University.The donated face and eye came from a single male donor in his 30s. During the surgery, doctors injected adult stem cells from the donor’s bone marrow into the optic nerve to encourage its repair.Image source, ReutersMr James is only the 19th person in the US to undergo a face transplant. His wife of 20 years, Meagan James, told CNN seeing him after the surgery “was a crazy, great, weird, strange, ecstatic, happy feeling”.”I was just happy he made it through, and everything was good in the moment.”After the accident, Mr James had to have his left eye removed because of the pain and has undergone numerous surgeries, including one for a prosthetic arm. He has called the eye transplant “life changing” and says he is “grateful beyond words” to the donor and their family for making the surgery possible.”I just look like a normal person walking down the street,” he told NBC News.More on this storyMan given genetically modified pig heart diesPublished9 March 2022Woman’s eye saved after itch turns out to be ulcerPublished16 SeptemberWoman, 88, gets bionic eye implantPublished21 January 2022

Published16 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Health CanadaBy Chloe KimBBC NewsCanada will be the first nation to start printing warnings directly onto individual cigarettes in a bid to deter young people from starting smoking and encourage others to quit. The warnings, which will be in English and French, will include phrases like “Cigarettes cause cancer” and “Poison in every puff”.The new regulations go into effect on Tuesday.Starting next year, Canadians will begin to see the new warning labels.By July 2024 manufacturers will have to ensure the warnings are on all king-size cigarettes sold, and by April 2025 all regular-size cigarettes and little cigars with tipping paper and tubes must include the warnings. The phrases will appear by the filter, including warnings about harming children, damaging organs and causing impotence and leukaemia.In May, Health Canada said the new regulations “will make it virtually impossible to avoid health warnings” on tobacco products.A second set of six phrases is expected to be printed on cigarettes in 2026.The move is part of Canada’s effort to reduce tobacco use to less than 5% by 2035 and follows a 75-day public consultation period that was launched last year.Canada has required the printing of warning labels on cigarette packages since 1989 and in 2000 the country adopted pictorial warning requirements for tobacco product packages.Health Canada said it plans to expand on warnings by printing additional warning labels inside the packages themselves, and introducing a new external warning messages.Dr Robert Schwartz, of the University of Toronto, told BBC News it was good news that Canada was “moving forward with this innovation”. “Health warnings on individual cigarettes will likely push some people who smoke to make a quit attempt and may prevent some young people from starting to smoke,” he said.He also pointed to New Zealand, which has introduced very low nicotine cigarettes, as a leader in limiting the use of tobacco. Mr Schwartz added: “These are the kinds of measures needed if we are serious about decreasing tobacco use.”Tobacco use continues to kill 48,000 Canadians each year.”Tobacco use continues to be one of Canada’s most significant public health problems, and is the country’s leading preventable cause of disease and premature death in Canada,” Public Services Minister Jean-Yves Duclos has previously said.The Canadian Cancer Society, Canada’s Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Lung Association have all praised the warning labels, saying they hope the measures will deter people, especially young people, from taking up smoking in the first place.Cigarette smoking is widely regarded as a risk factor for lung cancer, heart disease and stroke.In Canada, the rate of smokers aged 15 years or older is around 10%, according to a national 2021 Tobacco and Nicotine survey but electronic cigarette use has been on the rise. More on this storyEvery Canadian cigarette to carry health warningPublished31 MayWho are the smokers that haven’t quit?Published24 July 2019Why US lags behind on graphic cigarette warningsPublished16 August 2019

Published3 days agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, FDA/SD Biosensor, Inc.By Chloe KimBBC NewsMore than half a million Covid tests have been recalled by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over bacteria concerns.The FDA said it “has significant concerns of bacterial contamination” in the test kit solution in some Pilot COVID-19 At-Home Tests.Using the contaminated solution “may pose safety concerns” as well as cause the test to give an inaccurate result.The agency warned tests should be thrown out immediately. Over 500,000 tests were distributed to the CVS drugstore and around 16,000 were distributed to Amazon.None were made available through one of the federal government’s testing programmes.Contaminated tests can be verified by the lot numbers on the FDA’s website. The liquid in the test kits was found to be contaminated “with organisms such as Enterococcus, Enterobacter, Klebsiella and Serratia species” that could cause illness for people with weakened immune systems, the FDA said. It urged people to be vigilant “for signs of bacterial infection”, which could include “fever, discharge, red eyes, or any other concerning symptoms”. Evie Baik, a spokesperson for SD Biosensor, told the BBC’s US partner CBS News that raw materials from one of their suppliers is the likely source of the bacteria. They have cut ties with that supplier and are tightening quality control efforts.The issue “was identified during routine quality assurance testing”, Roche said in a statement, according to CBS News.SD Biosensor and distributor, Roche, have said they are cooperating with the FDA and are working with distributors and retailers to hold back tests while the matter is investigated. More on this storyUS approves world’s first RSV vaccine5 days agoIndia firm linked to US deaths broke safety norms: FDA4 AprilSafety fears see 750,000 Covid test kits recalled8 August 2020

Published14 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesBy Chloe KimBBC News, New YorkA Texas man is suing three women for helping his now-ex-wife obtain pills to have an abortion last year. The lawsuit says under Texas law, “a person who assists a pregnant woman in obtaining a self-managed abortion has committed the crime of murder”.Marcus Silva’s lawsuit heavily relies on text messages between his ex-wife and the three women. It is the first such lawsuit in the state since the Supreme Court quashed constitutional abortion protections.Mr Silva is seeking $1m (£800,000) in damages. His ex-wife’s friends allegedly texted her information about Aid Access, an international group that provides abortion medication by mail.Text messages reveal Mr Silva’s ex-wife was concerned he would try to make her stay with him if he learned about the pregnancy.One of the women dropped off the pills to Mr Silva’s ex-wife, the lawsuit says.The legal action claims the drug manufacturer will also be named as a defendant once they are identified. There is also a conspiracy charge against the women – the lawsuit alleges they told Mr Silva’s ex-wife to hide the pregnancy and their text messages about the baby from him. Five women sue Texas over abortion accessThe ‘ranch’ for mothers with no place to goMr Silva’s former wife is not named as a defendant – under Texas law, a pregnant person is exempt from prosecution. They have two daughters together, according to the lawsuit. She filed for divorce in May 2022 before the divorce was finalised in February 2023. The lawsuit alleges she learned she was pregnant in July 2022, after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade , but a month before the state’s trigger law banning abortion came into effect, which made providing an abortion a felony punishable by up to life in prison except to save the life of the mother.Even before the trigger ban was in effect, there were a number of other restrictions on abortion in the state.In 2021, Texas passed a law that made most abortions illegal after about six weeks of pregnancy. It gave citizens the right to sue anyone who “knowingly engages in conduct that aids or abets the performance or inducement of an abortion”. A pre-Civil War ban on abortions was also still on the books when Roe v Wade was overturned.Mr Silva is being represented by Republican state representative Briscoe Cain and Jonathan Mitchell, a former solicitor general who helped pen one of Texas’ abortion bans.The defendants did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Last week five women sued the state of Texas over limited abortion access when they had life-threatening health risks. Their lawsuit alleges doctors are refusing to perform the procedure even in extreme cases out of fear of prosecution.A Texas judge is also expected to rule soon in another lawsuit, which takes aim at the Food and Drug Administration’s approval process for the abortion pill, mifepristone. If the judge overturns the FDA’s approval for mifepristone, it could affect the drug’s availability nationwide. You may also be interested in:This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.More on this storyFive women sue Texas over abortion access6 days agoUS fight escalates over abortion pill at pharmacies3 days ago’I waited for my daughter to die so I wouldn’t die’ Video, 00:01:43’I waited for my daughter to die so I wouldn’t die’5 days ago1:4312 US states sue to expand access to abortion pill24 February

Published41 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesBy Chloe KimBBC News, WashingtonThe Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced it will be changing a current three month abstinence policy for blood donations from gay men. Current rules only allow donations if a man has not had sex with another man for that period. Under new “individual risk-based” draft rules, all potential donors would be asked about new or multiple sexual partners in the past three months.The FDA hopes this change will encourage more blood donations.”This proposal for an individual risk assessment, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, will enable us to continue using the best science” to ensure an adequate and safe blood supply, said FDA Commissioner Robert Califf in a statement on Friday.Advocacy groups have for years called the current restrictions discriminatory against the LGBT community since modern technologies screen blood for infectious diseases. According to the draft recommendations, all people seeking to donate blood will be asked if they’ve had new or multiple sexual partners within three months and if they have had anal sex. If the answer is yes to both, a person would have to wait three months to donate blood. Anyone who has tested positive HIV will still be barred from donating blood. All blood will continue to be screened for diseases like HIV, and Hepatitis B and C.Country bans on blood donations from gay and bisexual men started in the 1980s in an effort to curb the Aids epidemic. It was only in 2015 when the FDA changed its lifetime ban to a one year abstinence policy for blood donations from gay men. The changes will take a few months as the FDA will receive public feedback for 60 days before finalising the guidelines. “We feel confident that the safety of the blood supply will be maintained,” said Dr Peter Marks, director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research at the FDA. Just last year Canada lifted its three month abstinence policy. The UK, France, Greece, Israel, Hungary, Denmark and Brazil also recently lifted restrictions on blood donations. More on this storyCanada removes ban on blood donations from gay men28 April 2022Couple ‘thrilled’ to donate blood as rules change14 June 2021