Missouri tests medical drones to speed up rural care

A new medical drone program being tested in Missouri could help speed up how critical supplies like blood and lab samples are delivered, especially in rural areas where access to care can take longer.

At a test site in Missouri, a drone company working with Missouri University of Science and Technology is trialing flights designed to move medical materials between smaller communities and larger hospital hubs.

The goal is to speed up the distribution of care — including blood for testing, lab samples needed for diagnoses, and tissue used to help match organ donors with recipients.

"It’s very essential. For instance, if you miss sample pickup at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, if you miss that time, it’s another week you can get it delivered on time," said a drone operator involved in the project. 

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The effort comes as rural healthcare access remains a challenge nationwide. More than 130 rural hospitals closed between 2010 and 2021, according to the Senate Joint Economic Committee, leaving some patients traveling about 20 extra miles for care, including time-sensitive testing and procedures.

"When you’re looking at things like transplant speed, it’s an issue," said David Borrok, vice provost and dean of the College of Engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology.

The company says its drones can fly about 100 miles per hour and are being tested along a proposed Missouri route connecting Springfield, Rolla and the St. Louis region.

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"We’re partnering with American Transplant, and we’re running our test corridor from all the way from Springfield, pit stop in Rolla, all the way up to St. Louis," the operator said.

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Flights are monitored in real time using live maps, weather tools and air traffic data.

"So right now, this is the station. So this is what the pilot sees whenever the aircraft is actually in flight," the operator added.

Programs like this are beginning to emerge across the country, and researchers say the technology could expand how medical supplies are delivered in the future.

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"It’s really unique. And I think it could work in a lot of different ways for a lot of different people," Borrok said.

The team hopes to begin official flights this summer, with the initial focus on transporting medical samples. Future versions of the drones are being developed to eventually carry transplant-related materials.

A planned landing site in St. Albans would serve as the easternmost drop point along the current route.

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Sleep apnea may be quietly changing your body in an unexpected way, study finds

Researchers in Israel have discovered a difference in muscle structure in those with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

According to a new study published in the journal Sleep and Breathing, people with OSA tend to have a higher muscle mass index, reflecting greater area relative to height, as well as lower density.

This means people with OSA may look like they have more muscle, but that muscle tends to be less dense and potentially less functional.

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The researchers gathered data from 209 adults in an overnight sleep study who underwent chest or abdominal CT scans, according to a press release.

Compared with a control group, the researchers found that people with OSA were older, more often male and heavier on average. They were also more likely to have hypertension, cardiovascular disease and poorer oxygen levels during sleep.

The findings showed a significant link between OSA and higher muscle mass index. However, lower muscle density was more strongly associated with age and weight than with OSA.

Worse sleep apnea severity was linked with lower skeletal muscle density (SMD) and higher skeletal muscle index (SMI), indicating larger but less dense muscle.

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Higher BMI was strongly linked with lower SMD and higher SMI, while older age was strongly linked with lower SMD.

Individuals over 60 years old and those with a BMI over 30 had much stronger links to lower muscle density than OSA alone, according to the research.

Dr. Wendy Troxel, a Utah-based licensed clinical psychologist and senior behavioral scientist at RAND, simplified the main study findings in an interview with Fox News Digital.

"Individuals with OSA may have more muscle mass, but that muscle may be less healthy because it contains more fat, which can impair strength and metabolic function," said Troxel, who was not involved in the study.

"This pattern overlaps with sarcopenia, a clinical condition where muscle becomes weaker and less efficient, even if muscle size doesn’t dramatically decline." 

Troxel pointed out an "important" association between OSA severity and muscle quality, which was "modest compared to known risk factors, including age and body mass."

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"[This indicates] that OSA may be one marker within a broader profile of metabolic risk," she said.

"Clinically, these findings highlight that OSA is much more than a nighttime breathing disorder. It may signal underlying metabolic dysfunction affecting multiple systems, including muscle health."

In an interview with Fox News Digital, study co-author Ariel Tarasiuk, professor at the department of physiology and cell biology at Israel’s Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, shared his thoughts on the "paradoxical" findings.

"Age and obesity appeared to have a stronger influence on muscle health than sleep apnea itself," he said. "This suggests that while sleep apnea may play a role, it is unlikely to be the primary factor driving these changes."

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Patients should be aware that sleep apnea is not just about snoring or poor sleep, Tarasiuk said, as it can affect overall health, including muscle function.

"Getting properly diagnosed and treated matters," he said. "CPAP therapy can make a real difference in improving breathing and sleep quality, but it’s only part of the picture."

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"Maintaining a healthy weight and staying physically active are equally important for muscle health and for reducing the severity of sleep apnea," he went on. "In short, treating sleep apnea is about protecting long-term health, not just getting a better night’s sleep."

Tarasiuk reminded clinicians that larger muscles don’t always mean healthier, as some muscles may be infiltrated with fat, which may reduce their strength and performance.

"This highlights the importance of looking beyond muscle size alone," he said. "Routine imaging, such as CT scans performed for other reasons, can sometimes provide additional insight into muscle quality."

"Overall, the findings point toward a more holistic approach: treating the airway while also focusing on weight, physical activity and metabolic health."

The study findings may not apply to all populations, as it was conducted at a single center, according to Tarasiuk.

The researchers also did not have access to information on lifestyle factors like physical activity, diet, smoking or alcohol use, factors that can influence muscle health.

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"Looking ahead, larger studies across multiple centers will help confirm these findings and provide a broader picture," Tarasiuk added.

"Future research will also focus more on outcomes that matter in real life, such as how patients respond to treatments like CPAP, and on understanding how muscle changes develop over time in people with sleep apnea."

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Rare hantavirus human-to-human transmission suspected on luxury cruise ship where 3 have died

Rare human-to-human transmission of the hantavirus may have happened aboard a cruise ship of nearly 150 passengers, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Tuesday, after three passengers died and at least four others were left sickened.

The U.N. health agency said it is still investigating the outbreak aboard the Dutch vessel MV Hondius as it remains off the coast of Cape Verde, emphasizing that human-to-human transmission is uncommon and that the risk to the wider ‌public was low.

"We do believe that there may be some human-to-human transmission that's happening among the really close ​contacts, the husband and wife, people who have shared cabins," Maria Van Kerkhove, the director of epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention at the WHO, told reporters in Geneva.

"Some people on the ship were couples, they were ​sharing rooms so that's quite intimate contact," Van Kerkhove said.

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The WHO said Monday that two cases of hantavirus infection have been laboratory confirmed, while five additional suspected cases are pending. Of the seven people affected, three have died and one is currently in intensive care in South Africa.

Humans are primarily infected with hantavirus infection through contact with the urine, droppings or saliva of infected rodents, according to the U.N. health agency, though limited human-to-human transmission has been reported in previous outbreaks of the Andes variant of the virus.

The WHO said it had been told there were no rats aboard the cruise vessel, leading to the working assumption that the deceased Dutch couple was infected in Argentina before boarding.

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The vessel was on a weeks-long polar cruise from Argentina to Antarctica and several isolated islands in the South Atlantic.

Authorities are working to determine whether the cases are connected and when those requiring medical care will be allowed to disembark.

The WHO said Monday that passengers were asked to stay in their cabins and "limit their risk while disinfection and other measures are being taken."

Van Kerkhove told reporters that the plan for now is for the ship "to continue on to the Canary Islands."

"We’re working with Spanish authorities, who will welcome the ship," Van Kerkhove said.

Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner, along with The Associated Press and Reuters, contributed to this report.

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Alzheimer's blood tests may predict symptoms years in advance, but experts urge caution

A new wave of blood tests aiming to predict Alzheimer’s risk may offer hope for earlier detection — but they could also raise concerns about the accuracy and reliability of the results.

A recent study funded by the National Institutes of Health evaluated a blood test measuring levels of p-tau217 (phosphorylated tau 217), a protein that accumulates in the brain during Alzheimer’s disease.

In a group of over 600 older adults without symptoms, repeated blood tests were found to predict the age of symptom onset with a median absolute error of about three to four years. Higher levels of p-tau217 were associated with earlier emergence of symptoms.

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Someone whose p-tau217 levels are elevated at age 60 would typically develop symptoms around 20 years later, the researchers found. If p-tau217 becomes elevated at age 80, symptoms tend to appear much sooner, after about 11 years.

The findings, published in Nature Medicine, need to be validated in broader and more diverse populations, the researchers noted. The test's predictive accuracy may not yet be sufficient for individual clinical use.

"In the near term, these models will accelerate our research and clinical trials," said lead investigator Dr. Suzanne Schindler at Washington University in St. Louis in an NIH press release. 

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"Eventually, the goal is to be able to estimate when individuals are likely to develop symptoms, which will help them and their doctors to develop a plan to prevent or slow symptoms."

As more Alzheimer’s treatments are becoming available, there is a growing demand for biomarker confirmation of the disease, according to Sheena Aurora, MD, vice president of medical affairs for the Alzheimer's Association in Chicago.

"Blood-based biomarker tests can improve the accuracy and speed of diagnosis when used as a complement to other testing, offering a path to earlier Alzheimer’s detection," Aurora told Fox News Digital.

The tests are relatively inexpensive and easier to access compared to PET scans or MRI, according to the expert.

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"For many, early detection can bring peace of mind, time to plan ahead, agency over decisions and the opportunity to try treatments that slow disease progression," she said.

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Two Alzheimer’s blood tests have been cleared by the FDA – the Fujirebio Lumipulse G pTau217/β-Amyloid 1-42 Plasma Ratio, cleared for symptomatic adults 55 and older, and the Roche Elecsys pTau181 Plasma, cleared for initial assessment in primary care for adults 55 and over with symptoms of cognitive decline.

Several other lab-developed tests are also emerging – but not all tests are the same, and they do have limitations, Aurora noted.

The Alzheimer’s Association’s clinical guidelines recommend using blood tests primarily in specialized care settings for patients with cognitive impairment, as that is currently the only context where strong evidence supports their effective use, according to Aurora.

"We do not recommend the use of blood biomarker tests in people who are not experiencing symptoms," she said. "There currently is not substantive data about use of these tests in primary care settings or for people who are not cognitively impaired."

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Diagnosing Alzheimer’s is typically a "multi-step process" involving several types of tests, Aurora noted, but blood testing can be an important piece of the diagnostic process.

"Current Alzheimer’s blood biomarker tests are not a standalone test to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease – such a thing does not yet exist," she said.

Blood tests are not a substitute for a comprehensive clinical evaluation, the expert noted, "and they should be ordered and interpreted by a healthcare professional in the context of clinical care."

The Alzheimer’s Association’s guidelines also warn that accuracy can vary widely among tests, and that many blood biomarker options on the market fall short of recommended performance standards.

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There is also a risk of false positives, which can cause significant anxiety, experts warn. 

Research shows that people with chronic kidney disease, for example, may have higher levels of Alzheimer’s blood biomarkers, even when the disease is not present. This underscores the importance of healthcare providers carefully analyzing the test results.

As new research continues to show the promise of blood tests, Aurora stressed the need for better education for both patients and providers — along with clear clinical follow-up after results — to fully realize their potential across different care settings.

"Studies in these areas are being conducted, and we expect to learn more at the 2026 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC 2026), July 12-15 in London and online," she added.

Aurora noted that the Alzheimer’s Screening and Prevention (ASAP) Act aims to expand access to new blood tests by creating a pathway for Medicare to cover FDA-approved or cleared blood biomarker screening tests. 

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Under current law, Medicare can only cover preventive services if Congress authorizes them or federal guidelines recommend them, a limitation that has delayed coverage of emerging Alzheimer’s tests. 

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Patients remain cancer-free nearly 3 years after receiving experimental immunotherapy

All participants in a trial of bowel cancer patients remained cancer-free nearly three years after receiving an experimental treatment.

Led by researchers at University College London and UCL Hospitals, the study suggests that a short course of immunotherapy before surgery could produce better results than the current standard of care for certain patients.

The trial focused on 32 patients with stage 2 or 3 bowel cancer. These patients had tumors with a specific genetic profile called MMR-deficient or MSI-high, according to a press release.

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This profile, which is found in about 10% to 15% of bowel cancer cases, indicates a faulty DNA repair system in the body, the researchers noted. However, scientists hypothesized, that could make it easier for immunotherapy drugs to find and attack the tumors.

Instead of receiving standard chemotherapy after surgery, these patients were given a drug called pembrolizumab before their operations. The treatment lasted up to nine weeks.

Early data showed that the drug shrank tumors so effectively that 59% of patients had no signs of cancer left by the time they went in for surgery.

The latest data confirms that 33 months later, none of those patients have seen a return of the disease, including those who still had small traces of cancer remaining after surgery that never grew or spread again.

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"Seeing that no patients have experienced a cancer recurrence after almost three years of follow-up is extremely encouraging, and strengthens our confidence that pembrolizumab is a safe and highly effective treatment to improve outcomes in patients with high-risk bowel cancers," said chief investigator Dr. Kai-Keen Shiu, a consultant medical oncologist at UCLH and associate professor at UCL, in the release.

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With the traditional approach of surgery followed by chemotherapy, about 25% of patients with this genetic profile would see their cancer return within three years, according to the study.

The research team also used personalized blood tests to monitor the patients. These tests look for tiny fragments of tumor DNA in the bloodstream, allowing doctors to determine whether the treatment was working before the surgery.

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"When tumor DNA disappeared from the blood, patients were much more likely to have no cancer remaining, and this matched the long-term results we’re now seeing," said first author Yanrong Jiang, a clinical PhD student at the UCL Cancer Institute, in the release.

The study did have limitations, the researchers noted. It was a small trial with only 32 people and only looked at a specific genetic subset of patients, which means the results may not apply to everyone with bowel cancer.

Doctors also need to follow the patients for a longer period to ensure that the cancer doesn't return, they added.

Even so, the researchers shared their optimism about the future of personalized care.

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"What is particularly exciting is that we now may be able to predict who will respond to the treatment using personalized blood tests and immune profiling," Shiu said.

"These tools could help us tailor our approach, identifying patients who are doing well and may need less therapy before and after surgery."

The results were presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2026 in San Diego last month.

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Hantavirus deaths on cruise ship highlight dangers of rodent-borne disease

A suspected hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship in the Atlantic has left at least three people dead and triggered an international investigation — putting the rare but potentially deadly disease back in the spotlight. 

The World Health Organization has stated on X that one case of hantavirus infection has been confirmed, while five additional suspected cases are pending. 

Of the six people affected, three have died and one is currently in intensive care in South Africa.

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Hantaviruses include a group of viruses primarily carried by rodents that can cause severe respiratory or renal diseases in humans, according to Dr. Rhys Parry, a molecular virologist at the University of Queensland in Australia. 

Most hantaviruses that are found in North, Central and South America can cause HPS, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "The hantaviruses that are found throughout the United States are not known to spread between people," the CDC stated.

HPS has a nearly 40% fatality rate in those who are infected, according to the above source.

"Hantaviruses typically spread when humans breathe in virus particles from disturbed rodent urine, droppings or nesting materials," Parry previously told Fox News Digital.

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The CDC lists the following potential mechanisms of spread:

Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health and Fox News senior medical analyst, agreed that hantavirus can spread via dust from rodents’ saliva, urine and places they touch. 

The most common type of rodent to carry it in the U.S. is the deer mouse, the doctor noted.

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Most hantavirus cases are seen in rural areas, where it is more likely for rodents to get into homes or barns, the CDC noted. 

Hantavirus infections are "incredibly rare," both experts agreed.

Siegel added that it rarely affects humans "because only some of the rodents have it, and they don't all come into contact — but one-third to one-half of cases are fatal."

Early symptoms of hantavirus include fever, muscle aches, fatigue and gastrointestinal issues that appear anywhere from one to eight weeks after exposure, according to Parry. 

"These progress to serious respiratory symptoms like coughing, shortness of breath and fluid in the lungs four to 10 days later," he said.

Sin Nombre virus is the most common hantavirus in the United States, which causes hantavirus pulmonary syndrome with a mortality rate of approximately 38%. 

"It typically becomes fatal when the lungs fill with fluid, leading to respiratory failure and insufficient oxygen reaching vital organs," Parry noted.

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There is no specific antiviral treatment for hantavirus, the expert said, although early intensive care with oxygen therapy and supportive measures is crucial.

"Early intensive medical care is critical because patients who have sudden acute disease can rapidly become severely sick and die," the CDC states. 

There is no specific antiviral treatment for hantavirus, the expert said, although early intensive care with oxygen therapy and supportive measures is crucial. 

"Early intensive medical care is critical because patients who have sudden acute disease can rapidly become severely sick and die," the CDC states. 

"Although there is no cure for hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, it is important to seek medical care when short of breath, because the patient may need support from a mechanical ventilator or extra-corporal membrane oxygenator (ECMO) machine to deliver enough oxygen to their body," Dr. Sonja Bartolome, an expert in pulmonology and critical care at UT Southwestern Medical Center, previously told Fox News Digital.  

"Even with medical care, 30% to 40% of people who develop hantavirus pulmonary syndrome will not survive." 

Bartolome offered some tips for preventing this rare infection.

"It can be prevented by keeping wild mice and rats out of your home, cleaning up rodent waste quickly when encountered, and staying away from areas infested with rodents," she told Fox News Digital.

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"When cleaning up rodent waste, it is important to wear rubber gloves, use disinfectant and wash your hands afterward." 

Fox News’ Greg Wehner contributed reporting.

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Do red light therapy and cold plunges really work? A doctor reveals the truth

Fox & Friends has officially launched Wellness Week, a dedicated series aimed at navigating the world of social media health trends.

"The internet is jam-packed with millions of these trends that are promising you a healthier, younger and more energized life. But it's hard to tell what's a real hack or just hype," said host Kayleigh McEnany.

To find out, the team traveled to downtown New York City to experience popular treatments firsthand, specifically focusing on the science behind red light therapy and the intense contrast of hot and cold plunges.

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The investigation began at La Reserve Esthetics and Wellness, where the team explored red light therapy.

Describing the process, one spa employee said, "The way that it works for our body is we're able to absorb the heat and the warmth from those red-light therapy light bulbs and give our body the space to help with recovery, help with cell production."

The treatment is marketed for helping with inflammation, muscle recovery, weight loss, anti-aging and collagen production.

While McEnany compared the experience to a tanning bed in terms of warmth, it was noted as being "much safer" than traditional UV exposure.

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Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel clarified that the devices use LED light, which is "close to infrared light" but remains visible and safer than sunlight.

Consistent use can "promote healing of the skin and more collagen," according to Siegel, though he cautioned that it might be three or four weeks of usage before users notice a visible impact.

Next, the team tested out hot and cold therapies.

Adam Klotz started in a 190-degree Fahrenheit sauna for 15 to 20 minutes to build up a stress response, which was immediately followed by a plunge into an ice bath with water temperatures between 46 and 48 degrees.

The physical reaction to the cold was intense, described as an "immediate stress response" that requires breathing through the shock.

Klotz described the aftermath as "a rush" and "definitely a shot of life."

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"It clears your mind and ... really improves my mental mood," he said.

Siegel cited a long-term study from Finland that showed this practice "decreases mortality (death rate) by about 40% to 50%" when used regularly.

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However, the doctor issued a warning regarding the cold plunge, advising that "you better make sure you're in good shape" before attempting it.

While the contrast helps circulation and metabolism, "I want it to be people who have seen their doctor first and know that their heart is in good shape," Siegel advised.

The team reminded viewers that while many of these trends show promise, especially for muscle recovery and inflammation, professional medical advice should always be the first step before diving into extreme temperature therapies.

Wellness Week will continue to explore other modern fads, including IV drips, wearable tech and sensory deprivation tanks.

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