Health
More Americans Are Dying Before They Can Access Medicare Benefits, Researchers at Harvard and Brown Find
A rising share of Americans are dying before they can benefit from Medicare than in 2012 — including 38 percent more Black adults, according to a study published by researchers at Harvard and Brown University last week.
Opioid Overdoses, Deaths Decreased in Cambridge in 2024
Opioid overdoses and overdose-related deaths in Cambridge decreased in 2024 from the previous year, according to a report released by the Cambridge Public Health Department on Thursday.
Experts Debate Federal Legalization of Psychedelic Therapy at Harvard Law School Event
Experts on psychedelic use and drug regulation discussed whether psychedelic therapy should be legalized federally at a Wednesday event hosted by the Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics at Harvard Law School.
Thousands Hit the Ground Running for 8th Annual Cambridge Half Marathon
More than 9,000 runners flocked to the CambridgeSide Mall for the 8th Annual Cambridge Half Marathon Sunday morning.
Harvard Study Classifies 70% of U.S. Adults as Obese Under New Definition
70% of Americans may now be classified as obese, according to a new study authored by Harvard Medical School researchers investigating an updated definition for obesity.
Harvard Asks Judge to Dismiss Discrimination Suit Filed Over Mental Health Policies
Harvard moved on Monday to dismiss a lawsuit from student advocacy group Students 4 Mental Health Justice, which accused the University of discrimination against students with mental health disabilities.
In a Council Comeback Bid, Peter Hsu Wants to Serve Cambridge’s ‘Most Vulnerable Populations’
As a doctor, Peter Hsu treated vulnerable patients in hospitals across the country. Now in his second bid for City Council, he wants to “raise the standards of public health” for Cambridge, too.
Cambridge Officials Say Lead Contamination Could Close Gold Star Mothers Park Through Spring 2027
Gold Star Mothers Park could remain closed until 2027 or beyond after routine testing revealed lead and other soil contaminants that could pose a significant risk to the health of children playing at the park, Cambridge officials said on Thursday.
Harvard Medical School Licenses Consumer Health Content to Microsoft for AI Use in New Deal
Harvard Health Publishing, a division of Harvard Medical School that publishes consumer health resources, has agreed to allow Microsoft to use its content on specific diseases and health topics to train its artificial intelligence tool, Copilot.
Charles River Cyanobacteria Advisory Lifted Ahead of Rowing Regatta
A cyanobacterial bloom advisory from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health on the Charles River has been lifted ahead of this weekend’s Head of the Charles rowing regatta, easing health hazard concerns for athletes and spectators.
Cyanobacteria Advisory Expected To Lift Before Head of the Charles Regatta
The Charles River has been under a Massachusetts Department of Public Health advisory for a cyanobacterial bloom since August, but the advisory is expected to lift by the time thousands of rowers and spectators flock to Cambridge for the Head of the Charles rowing regatta this weekend.
Harvard Researchers Say More Than 60 Percent of American Children Will Use Medicaid or CHIP
Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health estimated that 42 percent of American children will experience at least one gap in health insurance coverage before they turn 18 in a study published on Wednesday.
Experts Have Reservations About Proposed MGB-CVS Primary Care Clinics
On a weekday morning before work, a pharma executive, a busy student, and a small business owner all walk into a CVS — not for toothpaste or prescriptions, but for a primary care appointment.
Harvard Cancels TimelyCare Psychiatry Appointments for September After Hitting Contractual Limit
Harvard has canceled psychiatry appointments for students through TimelyCare — a telehealth platform that provides free mental health services — for the month of September because the University hit a contractual limit on annual visits.
Survey Finds Harvard Students Experience Lower Rates of Mental Illness Than Peers at Other Schools
Harvard students reported better mental health — including lower rates of anxiety and depression — than their peers nationwide, according to results from a University-wide survey released Tuesday.
Health Officials Warn Residents To Avoid Parts of Charles River During Cyanobacteria Bloom
A bloom of toxic blue-green algae was found in the Charles River near the Harvard Bridge on Thursday, prompting health officials to issue a health advisory urging residents and their pets to avoid the area.
‘Just Get to Work’: Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Focuses on Care, President Says at Forum
In the greater Boston area, where nearly 13,000 individuals can experience homelessness on a given night, many nonprofits work to address systemic housing issues. But the Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program has taken a different approach — emphasizing immediate and continuous care.
Healey, State Leadership Criticize Trump’s Latest Cuts to Public Health Funding
The Healey-Driscoll Administration condemned President Trump’s Wednesday termination of more than $12 billion in public health grants, following funding cuts at the Harvard School of Public Health.
Healthy Diets Linked to Holistic Healthy Aging in Long-Term Harvard Study
Researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that certain dietary patterns — such as avoiding processed foods and eating a balance of animal and plant-based foods — promote healthy aging after 30 years, according to a long-term study published Monday in the journal Nature Medicine.
HUHS Sets New Date for LGBTQ Health Care Panel That Was Postponed Due to Trump Orders
Harvard University Health Services set a date for a virtual panel on Harvard’s LGBTQ health care services — more than two weeks after the panel was postponed due to uncertainty around President Donald Trump’s orders targeting transgender people.
Carl Zimmer Says Federal Research Cuts Could Spell Uncertain Future for Air-Borne Disease Research
New York Times columnist and Yale biophysics professor Carl Zimmer said the disruption caused by impending governmental research cuts could threaten both future air-borne disease research and national public health efforts at a Harvard book talk on Wednesday.
Harvard Sees Surge in Flu Cases Following National Trend
As students return to campus, the flu, as well as Covid-19, respiratory syncytial virus, and strep throat, have all peaked nationally. According to the Center for Disease Control, hospitalizations for the flu hit a 15-year high earlier this month.
HUHS Report Reveals 17 Percent Increase in Annual Patient Visits
Harvard University Health Services reported an approximately 17 percent increase in patient visits in 2024, according to the department’s annual report published last month.
State, Cambridge Officials Update Avian Flu Guidance
Amid a state-wide outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in wild and domestic birds, the Cambridge Department of Public Works has not seen an increase in dead wildlife.
HUHS Indefinitely Postpones Panel on LGBTQ Care Following Executive Orders
Harvard University Health Services postponed a panel on LGBTQ care at Harvard due to uncertainty about the implications of President Donald Trump’s executive orders targeting transgender individuals.