National Center for Health Research

06/02/2026

Considering trying GLP-1 drugs? Ignore the hype. Here is what you need to know.

While brand name drugs are an effective tool to lose weight, long-term use is key. As soon as you stop, you start to gain the weight back.

The high cost of long-term use treatment and the side effects (nausea, diarrhea, etc), cause most people to stop taking them within the first year. This means people don’t get the benefits of longer-term weight loss, and they certainly don’t lower their risk of heart disease, cancer, or any other weight-related diseases.

But, if you can afford treatment indefinitely and don’t have problems with side effects, GLP-1 drugs can be very helpful. Keep in mind that the long-term risks and benefits are not yet known.

Find out more at

GLP-1 weight loss drugs help you lose weight, but the weight returns when you stop. Research shows the benefits, unpleasant side effects and rare serious risks.

06/01/2026

President says he took a and received a perfect score of 30. What does that mean?

Trump said a doctor told him "nobody gets that". But the test he took — the Montreal Cognitive Assessment ( ) — is not an IQ test. It is designed to identify signs of cognitive impairment from or other health issues.

According to the test manual, a score of 26–30 is considered normal, meaning the person is not cognitively impaired. That's good news, and cognitive screening tests should be required for any president or anyone in a position of power.

But is it outstanding? No. The test includes some simple questions that toddlers can answer (such as identifying pictures of animals) and slightly harder questions, such as drawing a clock, remembering words, and repeating numbers.

Trump told reporters today that he took a cognitive test at Walter Reed.

06/01/2026

school children of all ages were pepper-sprayed, tackled, handcuffed, and even shocked with Tasers for behavior that previously might have been handled in the principal’s office.

After the school shooting, Texas schools hired thousands of officers to improve .

However, a recent investigation found:
• More than 2,600 use-of-force incidents from 2022–2025
• A 6-year-old boy was handcuffed after kicking a school employee
• A suspended 17-year-old boy was repeatedly shocked with a Taser while retrieving his house keys
• A 17-year-old girl faced criminal charges after accidentally dislodging a $13 classroom doorbell

Who is protecting children from these outrageous behaviors of the police that are supposed to protect them?

School shootings need to be stopped, but Texas school police are traumatizing children with their over-the-top tactics. These police are not trained to safely discipline children.

School officers across the state turned to heavy-handed tactics on children, often in response to minor misbehavior, our investigation shows.

05/29/2026

The has approved blood tests for healthy people to predict whether people have a gene that may predict future disease — even though the tests are far less accurate for people who are not showing signs of Alzheimer's.

When people test positive, they’ll be encouraged to take expensive drugs that may — or may not — slightly delay Alzheimer’s. Unfortunately, the drugs often cause brain swelling and brain bleeding.

Meanwhile, drugmakers, industry-funded nonprofit Alzheimer's advocacy groups, and lobbyists are pushing legislation that could expand coverage for these tests.

Read more about how a well-known Alzheimer's advocacy group and other nonprofits funded by pharmaceutical companies are helping turn millions of healthy Americans into “pre-Alzheimer’s” patients. And then pushing Medicare to pay for the tests that make this possible.

Drugmakers, influencers, and industry-funded advocacy groups are pushing Alzheimer’s screenings that could label millions of Americans as sick — despite shaky science and dangerous treatments.

05/29/2026

We need to eliminate dangerous products, not the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The agency that keeps your family safe is facing a 10% budget cut, a 14% staff reduction, and a push to “consolidate” its functions in another agency. 139 organizations are unified in their message to Congress: keep the independent, bipartisan & fully funded. https://ow.ly/zKpS50Z5ggS

05/28/2026

Can GLP-1 weight loss drugs help cancer patients?

A new study to be presented at a cancer conference later this week suggests medications may help slow the progression of certain -related cancers, including breast, colon, liver, and lung cancer.

That’s good news — but we don't know how long patients need to stay on these drugs to see those benefits That matters because many people stop taking medications within a year due to side effects like nausea and diarrhea, and we're sure that is not long enough to benefit their health. The researchers need to publish their findings so we'll know more.

WEDNESDAY, May 27, 2026 (HealthDay News) — A new study suggests GLP-1 medications may slow the spread of certain obesity-related cancers."GLP-1 receptor agonist

05/28/2026

Wondering if you can save money with a much cheaper plan?

As and other health insurance monthly premiums rise, more Americans are turning to lower-cost “alternative” health plans. BUT these plans often do not cover prescription drugs, preventive care, preexisting conditions, or major medical bills.

One Arizona woman was left with more than $143,000 in medical bills after her insurer denied coverage for leukemia treatment, calling it a preexisting condition.

These types of plans used to be restricted but the Administration is allowing more of them. They seem more affordable if you are healthy, but if you get seriously ill or injured, you could end up paying thousands of dollars for medical care — and facing devastating medical debt.

WEDNESDAY, May 27, 2026 (HealthDay News) — When Melanie Miller saw that her health insurance premium payment was set to nearly triple to $914 a month this year,

05/28/2026

Thanks to the Foundation and movement for working to get our nation's first ban on paraquat pesticides.

Now it is time for EPA to make a federal ban!

Today, Governor Phil Scott signed H. 739 into law, making Vermont the first in the United States to ban paraquat, a pesticide linked to increased Parkinson’s disease risk.

Upon signing the bill, Governor Scott said: “Today, I signed H.739, which phases out the use of the harmful herbicide paraquat over the coming years. I appreciate Michael J. Fox and his Foundation for their work on this issue and hope this can serve as a model for other states to follow.”

Next, Vermont will end the sale and use of paraquat later this year, with a phased transition for certain crops until a full statewide ban takes effect in December 2030.

70+ countries and one U.S. state have now banned paraquat. This is a clear and critical message to other states and our federal government: The time to ban paraquat is now.

Read more and learn how you can bring this change to your state next. https://www.michaeljfox.org/news/vermont-passes-first-nation-ban-paraquat-pesticide-linked-parkinsons-disease?os_cid=fb-a1bVL000007N1SP

05/27/2026

You can’t make this stuff up.

A Congressman introduced a bill promoting annual mammograms starting at age 30 — despite concerns about low accuracy, high radiation exposure, and higher costs.

Most women in their 30s are unlikely to benefit from annual mammograms, while the risks and costs could increase significantly.

05/22/2026

Reynolds To***co donated $5 million to a Trump-backed super PAC. Days later, the announced a major policy change to allow flavored vapes -- sold by ***co.

Around the same time, to***co executives had lunch with President Trump at his Golf Club, where they complained about restrictions on flavored ..

start va**ng because they like those flavors. Then they get addicted to ****ne and many also start to smoke. E-ci******es and ci******es both contain many toxic chemicals that contribute to heart disease, cancer and other serious diseases. Where is ?

Reynolds American’s contribution to MAGA Inc. came about one week before the Trump administration announced a new policy on e-ci******es the company had sought.