Tina Turner suffered from kidney disease before her death: 'I have put myself in great danger'

Following Tina Turner’s death on May 24 at age 83, it was reported that the legendary singer had died of natural causes. 

The "Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll" had struggled with several health issues, however, including long-term kidney disease.

As recently as March 9, on World Kidney Day, Turner announced her support of an international campaign for kidney health via Instagram.

Turner shared in the post how her failure to seek treatment had harmed her health and endangered her life.

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"My kidneys are victims of my not realizing that my high blood pressure should have been treated with conventional medicine," the singer wrote on Instagram. 

"I have put myself in great danger by refusing to face the reality that I need daily, lifelong therapy with medication. For far too long, I believed that my body was an untouchable and indestructible bastion."

Turner’s battle with kidney issues began in 1978, when she was diagnosed with hypertension. 

Not realizing the danger that her high blood pressure posed, she never made much of an effort to control it, as she wrote in a story posted on ShowYourKidneysLove.com, a kidney awareness website. 

"In 1985, a doctor gave me a prescription for pills, of which I was supposed to take one a day, and that was it," she wrote. "I didn’t give it any more thought."

It wasn’t until 2009, when the "poorly controlled hypertension" caused the singer to suffer a stroke, that Turner started to understand the function and purpose of the kidneys.

"This is when I first learned that my kidneys didn’t work that well anymore," Turner wrote. "They had already lost 35% of their function."

The singer continued taking blood pressure medication, but she believed it only made her feel worse.

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"With time, I developed a fatal dislike of these pills," she wrote. "I remembered relishing life before I started taking them and wished I could be as clear-headed and energetic as I used to be."

Eventually, Turner gave up the conventional medication in favor of homeopathic medicine — a decision that ultimately put her life in danger.

"I had not known that uncontrolled hypertension would worsen my renal disease and that I would kill my kidneys by giving up on controlling my blood pressure," Turner wrote in the online story. "I never would have replaced my medication (with) the homeopathic alternatives if I had an idea how much was at stake for me."

"Thanks to my naivety, I had ended up at the point where it was about life or death," she wrote.

By this time, Turner was suffering from signs of late-stage kidney disease, including fatigue, nausea and irritability. 

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"The doctors made it very clear that the consequences of my decision were irreversible," the singer wrote. "My kidney function had reached its all-time low."

Turner’s only option was to start dialysis, which is a treatment that removes excess fluid and waste from the blood when the kidneys cannot function properly. 

"I realized that the struggle for healing is always also a struggle for accurate information," the singer wrote. "For example, I had not been aware that chronic kidney failure is called a ‘silent killer’ because symptoms do not become noticeable until 80% of renal tissue is lost." 

In 2017, Turner received a life-saving kidney transplant from her husband, Erwin Bach, who she’d married in 2013 after they’d been together for 27 years — but the months after the surgery were riddled with challenges.

"From time to time, my body tried to reject the donor kidney, as it frequently happens after a transplantation," the singer explained. "Every so often, this required more hospital admissions."

Turner continued to suffer from nausea, dizziness and memory loss. 

"I am on multiple prescriptions and take great care to follow my doctors’ orders meticulously, for I know that I can trust them and their therapies," she wrote.

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Just two months after the Instagram post announcing her support of kidney health awareness and sharing her own story, Turner died in her Switzerland home.

Healthy kidneys have three key jobs, per the National Kidney Foundation (NKF). They remove waste products and excess fluid from the body, help to control blood pressure and play a role in producing red blood cells.

Kidney failure, also known as renal failure, occurs when 85-90% of the organs’ function is gone and they can no longer work on their own. This causes extra fluid and toxic waste to build up in the body, which can cause life-threatening conditions.

The two primary causes are high blood pressure, as was the case for Turner, and diabetes. Certain diseases, injuries and inherited disorders can also result in kidney damage.

In most cases, people don’t experience symptoms until they are already in renal failure. 

Those include loss of appetite, fatigue, sleep problems, anemia, weakness, unexplained weight loss, itching, muscle cramps and swelling of the feet or ankles.

People in renal failure require continuous treatment to stay alive.

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The two options for treatment are dialysis and a kidney transplant.

"The dialysis treatments or transplanted kidneys will take over some of the work of your damaged kidneys and remove wastes and extra fluid from your body," NKF states on its website. "This will make many of your symptoms better."

Other treatments may include medications, dietary restrictions, regular exercise and restriction of salt intake.

More than one in seven, or 15% of U.S. adults, have chronic kidney disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

As many as nine in 10 adults with chronic kidney disease are not aware that they have it.

People 65 years of age and older are at higher risk of the disease, making up 38% of the cases, compared to 12% of those aged 45 to 64 and just 6% of those aged 18 to 44.

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Exercise of any amount could help increase pain tolerance, new study finds

To the long list of the benefits of physical activity, researchers have just added one more thing: a greater ability to handle pain.

A recent study published in the journal PLOS One found that regular exercise is an effective way to reduce or prevent chronic pain without the use of medication.

"The main takeaway is that engaging in habitual physical activity in your leisure time seems to be connected with your pain tolerance — the more active you are, the higher your tolerance is likely to be," Anders Pedersen Årnes, the lead author from the University Hospital of North Norway, told Fox News Digital in an email.

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Researchers analyzed a sample of 10,732 participants from the Tromsø study, Norway’s largest population study. 

The participants completed questionnaires to report their level of physical activity (sedentary, light, moderate or vigorous).

Pain tolerance was measured using the cold pressor test (CPT), which is when people's hands are immersed in ice water between 32 and 41 degrees Fahrenheit to see how long they can endure it. 

The study was repeated twice, seven to eight years apart.

In evaluating the results, the researchers found that for both rounds, any activity level was better than being sedentary in terms of pain tolerance.

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"Secondly, there were indications that both total amount of physical activity over time, as well as the direction of change in activity level over time, [impacts] how high pain tolerance is," Årnes said.

The higher the total activity levels, the greater the person’s pain tolerance.

"We found large effects for the most active versus the least active participants — close to 60 seconds tolerance on average for the sedentary group versus above 80 seconds tolerance for the most active participants," Årnes said. 

The results were consistent for those who were already experiencing chronic pain, the researchers were surprised to discover.

"Chronic pain did not seem to diminish the effect of physical activity on pain tolerance, which appeared just as strong for those with pain as for those without," Årnes said.

Another surprise was that no difference was seen between women and men. 

"We expected to see smaller effects for women, but that was not the case here," the researcher said. 

This was an observational study, Årnes pointed out — researchers were looking at averages for groups of the population in general.

Additionally, because the exercise levels were self-reported, there was the potential for some degree of bias or inaccuracy.

"We would not use these results to predict pain tolerance for small, clinical subpopulations," he said.

This wasn’t the first research to examine the relationship between exercise and pain tolerance. 

In a 2017 study led by Southeastern Louisiana University, published in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 24 college-age students showed a higher threshold for pain after participating in two sessions of strength training and circuit training.

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And in 2020, an Australian study published in the journal BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders evaluated nearly 600 participants who suffered from chronic musculoskeletal pain.

Those who did regular aerobic physical activity, including walking or cycling, experienced higher pain thresholds, researchers from Monash University found. 

While additional research is needed, Årnes said the findings from the recent Norwegian study established that every additional bit of activity could help improve pain tolerance, which has been suggested to protect against chronic pain.

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"You don’t have to perform as a top-tier athlete to enjoy the benefits of it," he added. 

"The most important thing is that you do something — and increasing your physical activity level could do you a lot of good."

During 2021, nearly 21% of U.S. adults (51.6 million people) experienced chronic pain, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Beyond higher pain tolerance, regular physical activity has many other benefits. 

Those include weight management, improved heart health, lower risk of cancer, stronger bones and muscles, greater longevity and increased ability to perform daily functions, per the CDC.

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Respiratory virus spiked as COVID, RSV cases fell, agency data shows

Health officials reported that cases of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) spiked this spring as COVID-19 and Respiratory Syncytial Virus cases fell. 

National data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows circulating strains of coronavirus on a downward trend as temperatures have warmed. 

In addition, both detections and percent positive respiratory syncytial virus tests in the U.S. have plummeted since late last year. 

Agency data also showed nearly 11% of PCR tests and more than 19% of antigen tests for HMPV were positive in the U.S. in March. 

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The CDC says symptoms of the respiratory virus commonly include cough, fever, nasal congestion and shortness of breath. 

However, clinical symptoms of infection may progress to bronchitis or pneumonia. 

It can take anywhere from three to six days for incubation, and the average duration of illness is largely similar to other respiratory infections caused by viruses.

HMPV can cause both upper and lower respiratory disease in people of all ages, especially among young children, older adults and those with weakened immune systems. 

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Discovered in 2001, HMPV is in the Pneumoviridae family, as well as RSV. 

It is spread by coughs and sneezing, close personal contact and touching infected surfaces and then touching the mouth, nose or eyes. 

There is currently no specific antiviral therapy to treat HMPV and no vaccine to prevent infection. 

People can prevent the spread by avoiding close contact with those who are sick, not touching their eyes, noses or mouths with unwashed hands and by washing their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

In addition, cleaning possible contaminated surfaces may potentially help stop the spread. Medical professionals should consider testing for it in the winter and spring, especially when HMPV is commonly circulating.

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Be well: Improve your gut health with 5 top tips from a nutritional therapist

The gut does much more than just digest food. It also helps support the immune system, central nervous system, heart health, mental health and other essential bodily functions, per Healthline.

"The gut microbiome is an ecosystem, and it is important that all the different microorganisms within it are balanced," Abir Hamza-Goodacre, a registered nutritional therapist at Benenden Hospital in the U.K., said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

When the bacteria in the gut microbiome are balanced, the body is better able to process food, distribute nutrients throughout the body and eliminate waste.

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When the gut microbiome is out of balance — a condition called dysbiosis — people can face a higher risk of disease, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), diabetes, obesity, cancer, heart issues and other health conditions, per WebMD.

"When it comes to supporting this diverse ecosystem and looking at your gut health, it is never just one thing in isolation," Hamza-Goodacre said. 

"Given that the gut is so intrinsic to overall well-being, you have to look at your wider lifestyle and what could be affecting your gut health."

There are some specific changes that anyone can make to their lifestyle and diet to support a balanced gut, which Hamza-Goodacre shared with Fox News Digital.

Here are five smart tips.

Diet is key to favorable gut health, according to Hamza-Goodacre. 

"Often, the people with a healthy and diverse gut ecosystem are those who eat a range of colorful fruits and vegetables every day," she said.

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Consuming too many processed foods, sugary snacks and unsaturated fats can cause an imbalance between bad and good gut bacteria, the nutritionist warned.

She recommends incorporating a diverse range of fruits and vegetables into the everyday diet. 

"It is also important to include sources of insoluble fiber in your diet, which help to speed up the passage of food through the stomach," Hamza-Goodacre said. 

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Some examples of insoluble fiber sources include nuts, grains, legumes, cauliflower, strawberries and raspberries. 

Some of the best foods you can eat to support gut health are fermented foods, the nutritionist said. 

"Eating fermented foods can help boost the number of good bacteria, also known as probiotics, in your gut, ultimately aiding your digestive system," she explained.

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Plain yogurt, kefir, kimchi, miso and tempeh are some examples of fermented foods. 

Research has shown that high stress levels can cause a reduction of good bacteria in the gut, Hamza-Goodacre said. 

"Consistently high stress levels could be the cause of an unhealthy gut and could also lead to digestive issues such as constipation or loss of appetite," she noted.

"Even small changes, such as practicing mindfulness, exercising more and speaking to a mental health professional could improve your overall well-being and gut health," she added.

Increasing activity levels can improve all areas of wellness, including the gut. 

"The increased oxygen in your bloodstream and rise in body temperature that comes with exercise are exactly the conditions your good gut bacteria thrive on," Hamza-Goodacre said.

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For those who are just starting out with exercise, implementing small changes, such as a quick power walk or gentle jog, are recommended. 

"Pilates and yoga are also great low-impact exercises to strengthen muscles and work up a sweat," she added. 

Another simple dietary change to make for your gut is to limit the use of artificial sweeteners, Hamza-Goodacre suggests.

"Artificial sweeteners can disrupt the balance of beneficial bacteria in your gut," she said. 

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"An imbalanced gut flora can lead to stomach disturbances such as gas and bloating, as well as more long-term symptoms, such as unintentional weight changes or constant fatigue."

If you have a more sensitive gut or notice uncomfortable stomach symptoms occurring after consuming products high in artificial sweeteners, Hazma-Goodacre suggests opting for naturally sweet foods, such as bananas, berries, sweet potatoes and cashew nuts. 

​​To read more pieces in Fox News Digital's "Be Well" series, click here.

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AI in dentistry: Researchers find that artificial intelligence can create better dental crowns

Artificial intelligence is taking on an ever-widening role in the health and wellness space, assisting with everything from cancer detection to medical documentation. Soon, AI could make it easier for dentists to give patients a more natural, functional smile.

Researchers from the University of Hong Kong recently developed an AI algorithm that uses 3D machine learning to design personalized dental crowns with a higher degree of accuracy than traditional methods, according to a press release from the university.

The AI analyzes data from the teeth adjacent to the crown to ensure a more natural, precise fit than the crowns created using today’s methods, the researchers said.

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The results of the study were published in the journal Dental Materials.

A dental crown is a tooth-shaped cap that is placed over an existing tooth or implant to create the look of a natural tooth, according to the American Dental Association (ADA) website. 

A crown is typically used to improve the appearance and function of a damaged, misshapen, weakened or discolored tooth, or to replace a missing tooth when used with an artificial implant.

Currently, most dental crowns are made using computer-assisted design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software. 

While this process is a marked improvement over the traditional method of creating crowns, it still has limitations, the release stated.

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The software uses a "tooth library" that contains templates of crowns, but they still need to be manually adjusted to fit each individual patient’s needs.

"The two existing methods of designing dental crowns result in crowns that are either too large or too thin, and fall short of matching the same lifespan as natural teeth," according to the press release.

In the Hong Kong study, the researchers used 3D machine learning technology to "teach" the AI algorithm over 600 cases of natural and healthy dental results, said Dr. Hao Ding, a co-investigator on the project, in the press release. 

"During the training process, natural teeth’s morphological features were learned by the algorithm, so that it can design dental crowns comparable to a natural tooth — both morphologically and functionally," he added.

When the researchers compared the AI-designed crowns to the crowns that were created using CAD/CAM methods, the AI versions were found to be superior, both aesthetically and functionally. 

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"This demonstrates that 3D-DCGAN (3D-Deep Convolutional Generative Adversarial Network) could be utilized to design personalized dental crowns with high accuracy that can not only mimic both the morphology and biomechanics of natural teeth, but also operate without any additional human fine-tuning, thus saving additional costs in the production process," said principal investigator Dr. James Tsoi in the press release.

"Many AI approaches design a ‘lookalike’ product, but I believe this is the first project that functionalizes data-driven AI into [a] real dental application," he also said. 

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Clinical trials have already begun for using generative AI to create dental crowns. The team hopes to leverage the technology to create dentures and bridges in the future.

Fox News Digital reached out to the research team for comment.

Tejas Patel, owner of Austin Cosmetic Dentistry in Texas, was not involved in the University of Hong Kong study but reviewed its findings.

"I have used CAM technology to produce crowns for patients in the past," he told Fox News Digital. "Creating artificial teeth like dentures and crowns requires quite a bit of time for individual patients. This means a higher cost and more room for error."

The idea of using generative AI to create "near-perfect" crowns could save time and money, Patel predicted.

"With the use of generative AI, these processes can more accurately create personalized crowns using previous data and mold them with enough precision to last almost as long as real teeth," he said.

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Additionally, using generative AI in dentistry could allow patients to better maintain their oral health just by taking photos of their teeth, Patel said.

"Dentists can easily upload patient images to diagnose any illnesses," he said. 

However, with the need to perform clinical trials, it could be quite some time before this technology is available in the U.S., Patel pointed out.

"Other researchers might pick it up sooner, but patients will only see the benefits by next year or a bit later," he predicted.

Privacy risks could also be a concern, Patel warned.

"Generative AI uses a database of accumulated patient data, and this data could be breached if the necessary cybersecurity steps are not taken," he said.

Another potential disadvantage of AI in dentistry is that dental technician jobs might be lost, noted Fatima Khan, dentist and co-founder at Riven Oral Care in Houston, Texas. 

"Dental technicians who have perfected their craft and have a keen eye for aesthetics have higher lab fees," explained Khan, who was not involved in the Hong Kong study. 

"Over time, as more cases are entered into the dental library, they may become superior to those of an individual lab technician due to the amount of data being analyzed and perfected."

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The other downfall, Khan noted, is that dentists and technicians will become more dependent on equipment, which could potentially malfunction.

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Artificial intelligence model to help scientists predict whether breast cancer will spread

Oncologists in the U.K. have developed an AI model to help predict whether aggressive forms of breast cancer will spread based on changes in a patient’s lymph nodes. 

The research was published Thursday in the Journal of Pathology by Breast Cancer Now and funded by scientists at King’s College of London. 

Secondary or "metastatic breast cancer" refers to when breast cancer cells spread to other parts of the body. Although treatable, it can’t be cured. 

Researchers behind last week’s study hope that by using AI to analyze the immune response in the lymph nodes of women with triple-negative breast cancer, they can better gauge how likely the disease will spread. 

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Lymph nodes are lumps of tissue throughout the body, critical for helping the body fight infection and disease. If breast cancer cells start spreading, patients typically require more intensive treatment. 

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Still, the researchers believe that it's possible to predict whether the cancer cells will spread based on their immune response. 

Dr. Anita Grigoriadis, who led the research, said the team took findings from under a microscope and "translated them into a deep-learning framework to create an AI model potentially help doctors treat and care for patients, providing them with another tool in their arsenal for helping to prevent secondary breast cancer." 

The researchers tested the AI model on more than 5,000 lymph nodes donated by nearly 350 patients to biobanks.

"By demonstrating that lymph node changes can predict if triple-negative breast cancer will spread, we’ve built on our growing knowledge of the important role that immune response can play in understanding a patient’s prognosis," Grigoriadis said. 

The team is planning to further test the model at centers across Europe.

"The transition from assessing tissue on glass slides under a microscope to using computers in the [National Health Service] is gathering pace," Grigoriadis said. "We want to leverage this change to develop AI-powered software based on our model for pathologists to use to benefit women with this hard-to-treat breast cancer." 

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SIDS linked to brain abnormality that increases babies’ risk in ‘unsafe sleep conditions,’ study finds

About 3,400 babies die of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) each year in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

Now, a new study led by researchers at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School suggests that some of the unexplained deaths may be caused by an abnormality in the medulla, which connects the brain stem and the spinal cord.

The study was published in the Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology on May 25.

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"We found abnormalities in a particular receptor (the serotonin receptor 2A/C) in the medulla oblongata, part of the lower brain stem that regulates autonomic and respiratory function, in a subset of SIDS infants," lead author Dr. Robin Haynes, PhD, who is a principal associate at Harvard Medical School, told Fox News Digital via email.

When a baby isn’t getting enough oxygen, the serotonin receptor 2A/C triggers the baby’s natural instinct to gasp for air, the doctor explained. 

When the receptor has an abnormality that doesn’t allow it to function correctly, it doesn’t send the signal to the baby to "reoxygenate the brain."

"This places them at greater risk in unsafe sleep conditions, such as prone sleep and bedsharing, when the levels of oxygen around the infant’s airway may be lower than normal," Haynes said.

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The researchers analyzed brain tissue from 70 infants who died. All 58 of the babies who died from SIDS were shown to have the altered serotonin receptor 2A/C.

Previous studies also linked abnormalities in the brain and nervous system to a higher risk of SIDS, Haynes said.

Older SIDS infants showed more of these abnormalities than younger infants, which surprised the researchers.

"This suggests the possibility that there are different pathological mechanisms in younger versus older SIDS infants," said Haynes. 

"More research is necessary to better understand these mechanisms and how they relate or interact with the specific environmental risk factors that infants may face."

While the study sheds light on one potential cause of SIDS, there is currently "no way to identify an infant at risk for SIDS," Haynes said — as babies who die of SIDS appear healthy up until the unexplained death.

"Abnormalities in this neurotransmitter system are undetectable in a living infant," she said. "Because of this, it is critical at all times to follow safe sleep practices."

Dr. Chandani DeZure, a board-certified pediatrician in Palo Alto, California, who is also a member of the BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board, was not involved in the study but shared her opinion of the findings.

"Research shows that inadequate levels of serotonin found in the brain stem of 70% of babies who passed away from SIDS may make an infant more vulnerable," DeZure told Fox News Digital.

Serotonin is important during sleep as it affects heart rate, breathing and blood pressure, the doctor explained.

"While this study adds to the growing body of evidence about the potential role of serotonin in SIDS, we still don't know how to identify babies who may have an underlying vulnerability," she added.

Some factors do put babies into a higher risk category, however.

Babies between 2 and 4 months old are most likely to experience SIDS, with 90% of cases occurring in infants under 6 months old, DeZure noted. 

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"Further, babies born prematurely, babies with a family member who died of SIDS, those who have smoke and alcohol exposure in the womb and/or home, and children with underlying physical vulnerabilities (such as certain heart conditions or breathing issues) are high at-risk groups," she went on.

There has been a trend of disproportionately high cases of SIDS in Black and Native American/Alaskan Native families, DeZure said.

"It’s important that research help address these health disparities in marginalized communities," she said.

A SIDS diagnosis is made only when no other cause of death is identified after a full investigation, according to the Cedars Sinai website.

Although studies like this one point to possible causes of SIDS cases — including brain abnormalities, respiratory illness and heart function — there is no way to predict which babies might be more susceptible, experts say.

"Until we have more research, the best things for parents to do is try to minimize the risk of SIDS by using proven methods like safe sleep habits and breastfeeding (if possible), especially during the first few months of life, when newborns are the most vulnerable of dying from SIDS," said DeZure.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) launched its Back to Sleep campaign in the early 1990s; that program has since been renamed Safe to Sleep.

The AAP’s guidelines call for putting babies to sleep on their backs on a firm, flat surface at naptime and bedtime, with no pillows, loose bedding or other objects that could interfere with breathing. 

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While it’s recommended that babies sleep in the same room as parents or caregivers, they should not share the same bed, the AAP says.

Breastfeeding, giving babies pacifiers and having daily "tummy time" sessions have all been shown to lessen the risk of SIDS.

Using home baby monitors shouldn’t be regarded as a means of preventing SIDS, the AAP states.

"There is no data to suggest this works and, if anything, it can cause harm by increasing parental anxiety or giving false reassurance," DeZure said.

Since the AAP’s campaign launched, SIDS cases have been reduced by nearly half, the doctor said.

"However, after 2001, SIDS cases in the U.S. remain the leading cause of death for infants under 1 year old, so there is a vital role for research that can help find additional ways to reduce the risk of SIDS," she added.

If parents have questions about how to prevent SIDS, they should speak to their baby's pediatrician or primary care physician for more information, said DeZure.

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Surgeon general’s advisory on social media and youth mental health comes amid 'real-time experiment'

Just weeks after Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released an advisory calling for improved social connection for Americans, a second advisory — titled "Social Media and Youth Mental Health" — warns about the potentially negative impact of social media on children and teens.

With the view that social media — despite offering some benefits — is not inherently safe for children, the 25-page advisory outlines the risks it presents. 

Those risks include depression, anxiety, disordered eating, sleep problems, attention disorders, low self-esteem, feelings of exclusion and suicidal ideations, among others.

Murthy also recommends ways that policymakers, tech companies, parents, caregivers, children and teens can mitigate the risks. 

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Potential solutions include setting stronger safety standards and restrictions, protecting children’s privacy, establishing tech-free zones in the home and blocking or reporting unwanted or unsafe content.

"Up to 95% of youth ages 13 to 17 report using a social media platform, with more than a third saying they use social media ‘almost constantly,’" Murthy wrote in the advisory.

"We must acknowledge the growing body of research about potential harms, increase our collective understanding of the risks associated with social media use, and urgently take action to create safe and healthy digital environments that minimize harm and safeguard children’s and adolescents’ mental health and well-being during critical stages of development," he continued.

Dr. Zachary Ginder, a doctor of clinical psychology at Pine Siskin Consulting in Riverside, California, said he applauds the surgeon general’s advisory. 

"We are unknowingly in a real-time social media experiment with life-altering consequences for our youth," he told Fox News Digital. 

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"Although we don’t know the long-term effects, there is mounting evidence suggesting that there are significant and immediate risks involved for youth when using social media for frequent and extended periods of time, and we cannot take a ‘wait and see’ approach to this issue."

He added, "We didn’t wait to sound the alarm for other harms to youth, such as vaping, alcohol and drug use, and this should be no different."

Dr. Ryan Sultán, a pediatric mental health physician at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City, said he sees firsthand the impact of social media on youth on a near-daily basis.

"Unchecked usage can worsen self-image, promote bullying behaviors, deprive youth of sleep and have a considerable adverse impact on their overall mental health," he told Fox News Digital. 

"These are not just abstract problems, but real issues that affect young people's lives and well-being every day."

Sultan echoes the surgeon general’s warning of the link between excessive social media use and poor mental health outcomes, noting that teens who spend more than three hours daily on social media face double the risk of experiencing depression and anxiety.

"An example could be Emily, a 15-year-old girl who spends significant time on social media platforms comparing her life with others," Sultan said. 

"This comparison might lead to feelings of inadequacy and lower self-esteem, increasing her risk of depression."

But that’s not to say social media is all bad, he said. 

"On the positive side, it provides an invaluable platform for connection, particularly for marginalized youth, who may find solace, acceptance and a sense of community on social media platforms," Sultan said. 

The platforms also play a fundamental role in young people’s social lives, the doctor noted.

"Today's youth live in a world where social media isn't just a platform — it's a fundamental aspect of their interpersonal relationships and self-expression," he said.

"So, rather than dismissing social media outright, we need to focus on creating a balanced social media model that serves our youth's needs without compromising their mental health."

It’s important for adults need to be realistic when it comes to restricting social media use, said Dr. Patricia Pinto-Garcia, a pediatrician and medical editor at GoodRx in Santa Monica, California.

"Digital amputation probably isn’t feasible," she told Fox News Digital.

To help parents and caregivers act on the advisory’s recommendations, Fox News Digital gathered some actionable tips and strategies from mental health experts and pediatricians.

In line with the advisory’s recommendations, Ginder stressed the importance of parents and caregivers having open and honest conversations with children about their relationship with social media, and how (and how much) they use it. 

WHY ARE TEEN GIRLS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES STRUGGLING? STUDIES SHOW 60% OF GIRLS REPORTED PERSISTENT SADNESS

"Educating and regularly reinforcing what safe online practices look like in today’s environment is an essential component of a well-rounded social media use plan for children," he told Fox News Digital. 

This shouldn’t just be a one-time discussion, Pinto-Garcia said.

"These conversations need to be ongoing — and ideally, they would start well before the teen years," she advised. "Talking to your child about social media should fall in the same bucket as talking to them about sex, alcohol, drugs, smoking and safe driving."

Children should know when it’s OK to use social media and for how long each day, Pinto-Garcia said.

Parents and caregivers should also decide at what age kids are allowed on which platforms and explain their rules for supervision. 

"Stick to your expectations — whether that’s no social media after bed or final approval of all posts or regular checks of content," she said.

Ginder suggests implementing "tech-free times," for example, which can create opportunities for bonding.

This might include a rule that phones are turned off during dinner so that caregivers and their children can engage in two-way conversations. 

TEEN GIRLS SPEND MORE TIME ON ‘SENSITIVE’ SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT THAT CAN HARM MENTAL HEALTH, REPORT SAYS

Nighttime and bedtime should also be tech-free, the doctor suggested.

"Evidence suggests that screen time and social media use can interrupt quality sleep, which is vital for healthy development," he said.

In his own house, Ginder has his child do a "tech check-in" every evening at least one hour before bed, allowing a wind-down without any screens.

Adults also have a responsibility to model healthy social media habits, Ginder said.

"I encourage all parents to begin observing their own habits with their phone behavior, especially when they're with their children," he said.

It’s all too easy for kids to get caught up in the comparison trap as they scroll through others’ seemingly perfect lives — which is why Pinto-Garcia calls for regular "reality checks."

She said, "Just like you need to tell a young child that what’s on TV isn’t real, you need to remind your teen that social media isn’t an accurate representation of reality, either."

Parents should ask kids what they’ve seen and then help them interpret things more clearly, the doctor recommends. 

"Images are often altered or filtered to give the best impression," she said. 

"Remember, a teen’s brain is still developing — and [kids] still need help to process the messages they’re getting from social media."

It’s the responsibility of parents and caregivers to teach children about social media safety, Pinto-Garcia said.

"They need to know what’s OK to post and what’s not," she said. "They need to understand the importance of protecting their privacy — and the privacy of their friends and family — and how to keep themselves safe online."

Parents should require children to ask for permission before posting, said the doctor. 

As part of setting boundaries, it’s important to establish a zero-tolerance policy for bullying, said Pinto-Garcia.

"Teach your child about what online bullying can look like," she said. "They should know that bullying is never OK — and you should model that behavior, too."

TEENS AND SOCIAL MEDIA: AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION ISSUES GUIDANCE FOR SAFE USE AND 'INSTRUCTION'

Children who are experiencing online bullying should be made to feel comfortable coming to a parent or caregiver, Pinto-Garcia said.

"Let them know it’s nothing to be ashamed of, and that whatever is happening, you’ll help them find a solution," she said. 

Each child’s relationship with and reaction to social media will be unique, with factors such as age, maturity level and life experience coming into play, experts say.

"Part of the solution to the double-edged sword of social media in youth is to approach it with a developmental lens," Sultán of New York City told Fox News Digital. 

"It involves understanding the child or adolescent's current stage of development and tailoring their social media exposure accordingly."

For instance, a 13-year-old may not have the same emotional resilience or understanding of online content as a 17-year-old, he pointed out.

"Recognizing these differences and adjusting the exposure and usage of social media based on each child's individual strengths and vulnerabilities can lead to a healthier online experience," he said.

While social media can create a sense of connection and community for teens, it can also result in feelings of isolation and exclusion, experts say.

It’s important to supplement social media use with a "real-life" community that supports the overall health and well-being of youth, Pinto-Garcia said.

"You want a community around your family that can reinforce expectations," she said. "Partner with other parents to make sure you’re all on the same page about social media use."

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While questions and challenges remain, the experts agree that the surgeon general’s advisory is a step in the right direction.

"Overall, while there are evident challenges associated with social media use in children and adolescents, the surgeon general's advisory provides a robust and thoughtful roadmap toward mitigating the risks," Sultán said. 

"The path forward requires collective action, transparency and a commitment to prioritize the mental health of our young population."

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US research finds 1 in 10 adults get long COVID after omicron

A new study from the National Institutes of Health found that one in 10 people are getting long COVID after suffering an omicron infection – a lower estimate than earlier on in the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The research – which included nearly 10,000 American adults – was published Thursday in the Journal of the American Medical Association. 

It spotlights a dozen symptoms that distinguish the long-term effects. Long COVID is broadly defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as signs, symptoms and conditions that continue or develop after initial COVID-19 infection. It is also sometimes referred to as long-haul COVID, post-acute COVID-19, chronic COVID, Post-COVID conditions and long-term effects of COVID.

The study compared more than 8,600 adults who had COVID-19 at different points in the pandemic with another 1,100 who had not been infected.

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Around one in three COVID-19 patients have experienced long COVID, which was similar to study participants who reported getting sick before omicron began to circulate widely in the U.S. more than two years ago. 

Notably, that is also when the study opened, and researchers pointed out that people who already had long COVID symptoms may have been more likely to enroll.

Conversely, around 2,230 patients had their first infection after the study started, allowing them to report symptoms in real time. 

Just about 10% experienced long-term symptoms after six months.

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While millions of people around the world have had long COVID, symptoms vary and scientists still do not know what causes it, why only some people get it and even how best to diagnose it.

The study focused on a dozen symptoms, including fatigue, brain fog, dizziness, gastrointestinal symptoms, heart palpitations, sexual problems, loss of smell or taste, thirst, chronic cough, chest pain, worsening symptoms after activity and abnormal movements.

Others shared by the CDC include fever, difficulty breathing and concentrating, headache, problems sleeping, feeling pins and needles, dizziness when standing up, depression or anxiety, joint or muscle pain, rash and changes in menstrual cycles.

The study's authors assigned scores to the symptoms, hoping to establish a threshold, although one doctor stressed medical professionals should not use the list to diagnose someone with long COVID.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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From caregiver to carrier: Iowa woman, 27, has a 99% chance of getting her dad's dementia, remains hopeful

‘I HAVE A FUTURE’ – Alyssa Nash, 27, faces likely dementia but maintains a hopeful outlook. Continue reading…

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WHO chief warns of future pathogens with 'even deadlier potential' than COVID-19

The head of the World Health Organization warned Monday the world must prepare for the next global pandemic, warning that the consequences could be even deadlier in the future. 

"The threat of another variant emerging that causes new surges of disease and death remains, and the threat of another pathogen emerging with even deadlier potential remains," WHO director-general Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a meeting of the World Health Assembly in Geneva, noting that pandemics are "far from the only threat we face."

Tedros stressed that the international community "cannot kick this can down the road."

"If we do not make the changes that must be made, then who will? And if we do not make them now, then when? When the next pandemic comes knocking — and it will — we must be ready to answer decisively, collectively and equitably," he stressed.

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Tedros said that it was encouraging and a "relief" to see life "return to normal," although cases are still spreading, and he said the pandemic has shown that the world's populace needs to be "better protected." 

The U.S. ended its public health emergency on May 11. Earlier in the month, the WHO officially ended the COVID-19 global health emergency.

However, while the pandemic has "been on a downward trend," Tedros noted in a previous briefing that the virus was still "killing and changing." 

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Just days ago, a WHO advisory group recommended that booster shots for this year be updated to target one of the currently dominant XBB variants.

"The risk remains of new variants emerging that cause new surges in cases and deaths," said Tedros.

More than three years after the pandemic's start, the virus has caused an estimated 766 million cases globally, and nearly 7 million deaths, according to the WHO Coronavirus Dashboard.

Tedros said in that announcement that many mistakes were made, including a lack of coordination, equity and solidarity.

"We must promise ourselves and our children and grandchildren, that we will never make those mistakes again", he said.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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HIV infections have dropped in recent years, CDC says, but agency calls for greater equity

HIV cases have been on the decline in recent years, largely driven by fewer cases among young people, a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found.

Estimated yearly infections were 12% lower in 2021 (32,100 cases) compared to 2017 (36,500 cases), according to the data, released on Tuesday of this week.

The biggest drop was among those ages 13 to 24, who had a 34% decrease in new infections (6,100 in 2021, down from 9,300 in 2017). 

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This decline was primarily seen in gay and bisexual males, which make up 80% of the HIV infections in that age range, the CDC noted. That group marked 4,900 infections in 2021, down from 7,400 in 2017.

"Our nation’s HIV prevention efforts continue to move in the right direction," said Rochelle P. Walensky, M.D., director of the CDC in Washington, D.C., in a statement on the agency’s website.

"Longstanding factors, such as systemic inequities, social and economic marginalization, and residential segregation, however, stand between highly effective HIV treatment and prevention and people who could benefit from them," she went on.

"Efforts must be accelerated and strengthened for progress to reach all groups faster and equitably."

The CDC credits expanded access to HIV testing, treatment and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for driving progress in preventing HIV infections in young gay and bisexual males.

(PrEP is a prescription medication that can reduce someone’s chances of getting HIV from sex or injection drug use.)

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Knowledge of HIV infections rose from 42% to 56%, while PrEP prescriptions increased from 8% to 20%.

Despite the overall progress that’s been made, that data indicates the progress has not been equitable across all groups.

"There is an increased awareness of HIV status and use of PrEP, but it isn't across the board," said Dr. Marc Siegel, professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor.

"Racial disparities persist, with a much higher incidence among the Black and Latino population, as does poverty and distrust of the medical establishment in minority communities," Dr. Siegel also told Fox News Digital. 

Compared to young White gay and bisexual males, the declines in HIV infections were lower among young Black and Hispanic/Latino gay and bisexual males, according to CDC data.

Among White males in the group, there was a 45% decrease in infections. 

The decline was 36% for Hispanic/Latino males and just 27% for Black males.

Regarding PrEP data, only 11% of the eligible Black people got prescriptions for it, compared to 21% of Hispanic/Latino people and 78% of White people.

Among the new infections in 2021, the majority affected gay and bisexual Black men and Hispanic/Latino men, followed by white men.

Even among the smaller subset of women who were infected, more than half were Black, the data showed.

Despite the overall decline, Dr. Robyn Neblett Fanfair, acting director of the CDC’s Division of HIV Prevention, said that at least three people in the U.S. still get HIV every hour — even with the prevalence of prevention and treatment options.

"These tools must reach deep into communities and be delivered faster to expand progress from some groups to all groups," Fanfair, based in Atlanta, Georgia, said in the CDC's statement. 

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To accomplish this, Fanfair called for increasing the investments in HIV prevention programs, expanding the availability of self-testing and bringing HIV prevention interventions to those who are most affected by the virus.

"Decreasing HIV incidence among youth, including young gay and bisexual males, shows us what is possible," said Dr. Jonathan Mermin, director of CDC’s National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, in a statement on the agency’s website.

"But ending the HIV epidemic and achieving equity requires we expand this progress to all."

Dr. Siegel added to Fox News Digital, "HIV is containable via education, testing and PrEP, but the ignorance and stigmatization that have always characterized this disease unfortunately continue to stand in the way."

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Latest version of ChatGPT passes radiology board-style exam, highlights AI's ‘growing potential,' study finds

The latest version of ChatGPT, the artificial intelligence chatbot from OpenAI, is smart enough to pass a radiology board-style exam, a new study from the University of Toronto found.

GPT-4, which launched officially on March 13, 2023, correctly answered 81% of the 150 multiple-choice questions on the exam.

Despite the chatbot’s high accuracy, the study — published in Radiology, a journal of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) — also detected some concerning inaccuracies.

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"A radiologist is doing three things when interpreting medical images: looking for findings, using advanced reasoning to understand the meaning of the findings, and then communicating those findings to patients and other physicians," explained lead author Rajesh Bhayana, M.D., an abdominal radiologist and technology lead at University Medical Imaging Toronto, Toronto General Hospital in Toronto, Canada, in a statement to Fox News Digital.

"Most AI research in radiology has focused on computer vision, but language models like ChatGPT are essentially performing steps two and three (the advanced reasoning and language tasks)," she went on.

"Our research provides insight into ChatGPT’s performance in a radiology context, highlighting the incredible potential of large language models, along with the current limitations that make it unreliable."

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The researchers created the questions in a way that mirrored the style, content and difficulty of the Canadian Royal College and American Board of Radiology exams, according to a discussion of the study in the medical journal.

(Because ChatGPT doesn’t yet accept images, the researchers were limited to text-based questions.)

The questions were then posed to two different versions of ChatGPT: GPT-3.5 and the newer GPT-4.

The GPT-3.5 version of ChatGPT answered 69% of questions correctly (104 of 150), near the passing grade of 70% used by the Royal College in Canada, according to the study findings. 

It struggled the most with questions involving "higher-order thinking," such as describing imaging findings.

As for GPT-4, it answered 81% (121 of 150) of the same questions correctly — exceeding the passing threshold of 70%.

The newer version did much better at answering the higher-order thinking questions.

"The purpose of the study was to see how ChatGPT performed in the context of radiology — both in advanced reasoning and basic knowledge," Bhayana said. 

"GPT-4 performed very well in both areas, and demonstrated improved understanding of the context of radiology-specific language — which is critical to enable the more advanced tools that radiology physicians can use to be more efficient and effective," she added.

The researchers were surprised by GPT-4's "marked improvement" in advanced reasoning capabilities over GPT-3.5.

"Our findings highlight the growing potential of these models in radiology, but also in other areas of medicine," said Bhayana.

Dr. Harvey Castro, a Dallas, Texas-based board-certified emergency medicine physician and national speaker on artificial intelligence in health care, was not involved in the study but reviewed the findings.

"The leap in performance from GPT-3.5 to GPT-4 can be attributed to a more extensive training dataset and an increased emphasis on human reinforcement learning," he told Fox News Digital.

"This expanded training enables GPT-4 to interpret, understand and utilize embedded knowledge more effectively," he added.

CHATGPT AND HEALTH CARE: COULD THE AI CHATBOT CHANGE THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE?

Getting a higher score on a standardized test, however, doesn't necessarily equate to a more profound understanding of a medical subject such as radiology, Castro pointed out. 

"It shows that GPT-4 is better at pattern recognition based on the vast amount of information it has been trained on," he said.

Many health technology experts, including Bhayana, believe that large language models (LLMs) like GPT-4 will change the way people interact with technology in general — and more specifically in medicine.

"They are already being incorporated into search engines like Google, electronic medical records like Epic, and medical dictation software like Nuance," she told Fox News Digital. 

"But there are many more advanced applications of these tools that will transform health care even further."

In the future, Bhayana believes these models could answer patient questions accurately, help physicians make diagnoses and guide treatment decisions. 

Honing in on radiology, she predicted that LLMs could help augment radiologists’ abilities and make them more efficient and effective.

"We are not yet quite there yet — the models are not yet reliable enough to use for clinical practice — but we are quickly moving in the right direction," she added.

Perhaps the biggest limitation of LLMs in radiology is their inability to interpret visual data, which is a critical aspect of radiology, Castro said.

Large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT are also known for their tendency to "hallucinate," which is when they provide inaccurate information in a confident-sounding way, Bhayana pointed out.

"These hallucinations decreased in GPT-4 compared to 3.5, but it still occurs too frequently to be relied on in clinical practice," she said.

"Physicians and patients should be aware of the strengths and limitations of these models, including knowing that they cannot be relied on as a sole source of information at present," Bhayana added.

Castro agreed that while LLMs may have enough knowledge to pass tests, they can’t rival human physicians when it comes to determining patients’ diagnoses and creating treatment plans.

"Standardized exams, including those in radiology, often focus on 'textbook' cases," he said. 

"But in clinical practice, patients rarely present with textbook symptoms."

Every patient has unique symptoms, histories and personal factors that may diverge from "standard" cases, said Castro. 

"This complexity often requires nuanced judgment and decision-making, a capacity that AI — including advanced models like GPT-4 — currently lacks."

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While the improved scores of GPT-4 are promising, Castro said, "much work must be done to ensure that AI tools are accurate, safe and valuable in a real-world clinical setting."

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New York Department of Health to repeal COVID-19 vaccine mandate for health care workers

The New York State Department of Health said it will repeal the COVID-19 vaccine requirement for all workers at regulated health care facilities, which was imposed by the state.

In a statement posted to the agency’s website, the Department of Health announced it had begun the process of repealing the coronavirus vaccine requirement for health care workers because of the changing landscape of the pandemic and the evolving vaccine recommendations.

"Throughout the public health emergency, this vaccine requirement served as a critical public health tool, helping to protect both health care workers and the patients under their care," the statement read. "As the repeal of this regulation awaits consideration for approval by the Public Health and Health Planning Council (PHHPC), the Department will not commence any new enforcement actions."

The department added that health care facilities should continue to impose their own policies internally, regarding COVID-19 vaccination.

NY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ‘EXPLORING OPTIONS’ AFTER JUDGE STRIKES DOWN COVID VACCINE MANDATE FOR HEALTH WORKERS

In January, a New York Supreme Court judge struck down a mandate requiring all health care workers in the state to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

A lawsuit had been brought by Medical Professionals for Informed Consent, which included health care employees who stood to or had already lost their jobs over the requirement.

In his ruling, Judge Gerard Neri said Gov. Kathy Hochul and the New York State Department of Health exceeded their authority by imposing such a mandate.

NEW YORK SUPREME COURT REINSTATES ALL EMPLOYEES FIRED FOR BEING UNVACCINATED, ORDERS BACKPAY 

Neri explained that the mandate was "null, void, and of no effect" because the state could not require health care workers to get vaccinations that were not required by public health law, which includes hepatitis, measles and mumps.

Although the Department of Health said it "strongly" disagreed with Neri’s ruling, the agency said it was exploring its options, adding that the COVID-19 vaccine mandate protected the most at-risk patients and those who care for them.

An estimated 34,000 health care workers in New York lost their jobs as a result of the state's mandate, worsening a health care staffing crisis at a critical time.

Fox News' Nikolas Lanum contributed to this report.

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First new 'quit-smoking' drug in 20 years shows promising results in US trial: ‘Hope and excitement’

A new drug may be on the horizon to help people kick the world’s deadliest habit.

Achieve Life Sciences, Inc., a Seattle, Washington-based pharmaceutical company, has announced positive results from the Phase 3 trial of a drug called cytisinicline.

Smoking claims more than seven million lives each year worldwide, making it the leading cause of preventable death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). By 2030, the number of casualties is expected to rise to eight million per year.

BE WELL: QUIT SMOKING (OR ENCOURAGE SOMEONE ELSE TO KICK THE HABIT)

Medications to help people quit smoking have been limited. 

There are currently only two non-nicotine therapies approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and no new drugs have been introduced in nearly 20 years.

"The smoking epidemic has been long overlooked, and very few clinical advances have been made to help the millions of people who are addicted to nicotine and want to break free from smoking," said John Bencich, CEO of Achieve Life Sciences, in an email to Fox News Digital. 

"Cytisinicline is believed to help people overcome their dependence to nicotine by reducing the cravings and withdrawal effects experienced while quitting," he added.

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The only two non-nicotine therapies on the market today are Varenicline tartrate (brand names Chantix and Champix) and Bupropion hydrochloride (marketed as Wellbutrin and Zyban).

Both have been linked with some serious side effects.

"The currently available treatments have a history of ‘black box warnings’ and high rates of adverse events that lead to lack of adoption and/or compliance to staying on the treatment," said Bencich.

"Historically, fewer than 4% of the U.S. smoking population have chosen to use Chantix to help them quit smoking," he added.

Fox News Digital reached out to Pfizer (maker of Chantix) and Bausch Health (maker of Wellbutrin) seeking comment.

There are also some nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products on the market, which help with withdrawal symptoms while omitting some of the harmful chemicals found in cigarettes — but they’re not for everyone.

"Many of the current nicotine replacement strategies — such as nicotine gum, patches and lozenges — can be beneficial, but may have tolerability limitations, resulting in a lack of compliance," said Dr. Chris Tuell, clinical director of addiction services at the Lindner Center of HOPE at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, in an email to Fox News Digital.

"This recent cytisinicline study appears to be a step in a positive direction, providing some very encouraging news for the more than half of Americans who attempt to quit smoking every year and fail," he said. 

Compared to a placebo, cytisinicline was shown to be up to eight times more effective in helping people reduce their dependence on nicotine and quit smoking. 

Those who took cytisinicline were six times likelier to still be smoke-free after six months, the study found.

This was Achieve’s second Phase 3 study of cytisinicline. 

(A Phase 3 study is intended to monitor a drug’s effectiveness and potential for adverse reactions, per the FDA’s website.)

Nearly 800 adult smokers at 20 clinical trial sites in the U.S. participated in this most recent trial.

"The study participants were heavy smokers with a long history of smoking and numerous prior quit attempts, yet they still had success quitting with cytisinicline," Bencich shared.

On average, the participants were 53 years of age, smoked a median of 20 cigarettes per day and had a median smoking history of 36 years with four prior quit attempts. 

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The participants received three doses a day for a period of either six weeks or 12 weeks, compared to others who received a placebo.

Data from the two Phase 3 trials have shown very low rates of side effects, with no serious treatment-related adverse events reported. 

The drug, which is naturally derived from a plant source, has now been evaluated with a total of more than 2,000 participants with low rates of adverse events, Bencich said. 

The U.S. isn’t the first country to use this type of medication for smoking cessation, as Dr. Lawrence Weinstein, chief medical officer of American Addiction Centers in Tampa, Florida, told Fox News Digital.

"Cytisine and cytisine derivatives have been successfully used for smoking cessation agents for decades in other countries, and the results of this clinical trial confirm those previous findings," he said.

"Should this cessation aid become widely available, the benefits could potentially be seen in the wider field of addiction treatment," Weinstein added.

For many, a reliance on smoking often comes with the use of alcohol and other substances, he explained.

"The rate of smoking among those with an alcohol use disorder is very high due to the increased effect produced when both are used simultaneously," said Weinstein. 

"When it comes to other substances, smoking has been linked to increased cravings for stimulants and opiates and could trigger a relapse," he warned.

Many studies over the years have shown a positive correlation between smoking cessation and long-term abstinence from alcohol and substances, the doctor said.

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"The availability of this medication for nicotine dependence could have positive far-reaching effects," he added.

Additionally, in a separate trial for vaping cessation, Achieve recently found that cytisinicline may also be effective in helping people overcome their dependence on nicotine vapes.

Achieve has already begun the process of filing with the FDA and expects to submit a new drug application in the first half of 2024, Bencich told Fox News Digital.

"If approved, cytisinicline could be the first FDA-approved treatment option for nicotine dependency in almost 20 years," he said.

"We are optimistic that this news will bring hope and excitement to people who smoke and their caregivers that something new may be able to help them quit in the future."

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New AI ‘cancer chatbot’ provides patients and families with 24/7 support: 'Empathetic approach'

Cancer patients looking for quick answers or support between their appointments can now turn to "Dave," an artificial intelligence chatbot trained to discuss all things related to oncology.

Launched earlier this month by Belong.Life, a New York-based health technology company, Dave is described as the world’s first conversational AI oncology mentor for cancer patients.

"Dave has aided patients in understanding their situations and equipping them with valuable information to engage in informed discussions with their physicians," said Irad Deutsch, co-founder and CTO of Belong, in an interview with Fox News Digital.

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Some of the most common questions include potential treatments for diagnoses and what to expect in terms of side effects, he said.

Dave is a large language model (LLM) that is similar to ChatGPT. Yet instead of being trained on more general data, it focuses only on cancer-related topics.

"The founders of Belong, along with many members of our company, have witnessed firsthand the impact of cancer on our families," Deutsch said. 

"We understand the immense stress that arises when questions arise, even at 2 a.m., and there's no one available to provide answers."

The team’s goal in creating Dave, he said, was to alleviate patients’ stress levels and reduce their anxiety by delivering comprehensive, real-time answers around the clock.

The chatbot was named after the biblical King David, Deutsch said, who employed his wisdom to triumph over Goliath. 

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"In our pursuit to assist patients in conquering their own Goliath (cancer), we believe that Dave can empower them with the wisdom necessary to make intelligent and informed decisions," he said.

Although it’s an AI model, Dave is designed to communicate with empathy, Deutsch noted.

"This empathetic approach is particularly crucial for cancer patients, who find themselves in a highly sensitive phase of their lives," he said.

Dave was trained on "billions of data points" from seven years’ worth of interactions between patients and physicians.

These interactions were aggregated from Belong’s Beating Cancer Together app, a social and professional network for cancer patients, according to Deutsch.

"The engine operates by harnessing the power of two LLMs, one sourced from OpenAI and another open-source engine, which synergistically complement each other," Deutsch said.

Its sources include patient-physician chats, patient-patient chats, documents and patient-reported outcomes.

Additionally, Dave regularly draws the latest data from reputable internet sources, giving it a deep knowledge of cancer treatment guidelines, Deutsch said.

More than 10,000 people with cancer to date have tested the AI cancer chatbot — including Mark Werner, a construction company owner from the Atlanta area. He was diagnosed in 2018 with multiple myeloma, a rare blood cancer. 

Werner has been using Belong’s Beating Cancer Together app since 2021, connecting with other patients and getting support while navigating his own cancer journey.

After having fought cancer for the last five years, Werner said he is fairly knowledgeable about his disease. Still, he often uses Dave as a "sounding board" to verify his take on a particular subject.

"I also read many of the questions that other people ask, and I’ve found Dave's answers to be spot-on," he said.

Dave isn’t designed to offer specific advice, Werner noted. Rather, the chatbot will offer up available options for each patient.

When it comes to giving comfort to a patient or serving up general information about treatments or side effects, Dave can be a great resource, Werner said.

"Where Dave shines is in being able to tell you quickly and efficiently about the latest technological advances in oncology," he said.

Because Dave is focused strictly on cancer, the chatbot won’t attempt to assist with other conditions.

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"He will sympathize with you about a particular ailment, but if it's not cancer-related, Dave will tell you that he is not qualified to answer the question and will defer you to another direction to get your answer," Werner explained.

Deutsch shared another case in which a woman’s husband was battling cancer in an advanced stage. 

She was one of the first to use Dave, seeking various ways to support her husband during those challenging times.

"A week ago, she reached out to Dave for the last time, sharing that her husband had passed away while expressing her gratitude for Dave’s support," Deutsch said. 

"Despite knowing that Dave is artificial intelligence, she still felt compelled to express her appreciation for the support Dave provided during those difficult moments."

While Deutsch considers Dave to be an excellent source of support and information, he recognizes that nothing can replace the expertise, insights and reassurance that skilled and experienced medical professionals offer.

"The ability to have both Dave and real human physicians available within a single platform is what makes the Belong app so appealing to patients," Deutsch said.

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The main benefit of Dave, he said, is that it can provide patients with immediate, informative answers, while physicians typically require more response time.

Deutsch estimates that Dave can address up to 80% of the inquiries that patients typically direct toward physicians or other medical or health personnel.

"This capability not only alleviates patients' stress levels, but also reduces the amount of time physicians need to spend educating patients," he said.

In cases in which patients need more specific information related to their personal health, Dave directs them to real physicians on the platform or encourages them to consult their own doctors for additional answers and support.

While Dave relies on responses from real physicians, Deutsch acknowledged that even actual doctors can make mistakes. 

"Also, the machine can misinterpret patient questions or encounter situations where insufficient information is provided by the patients themselves," he said.

To mitigate these potential risks, the team validated Dave’s responses by consulting real physicians. 

They found that 91% of the answers were highly accurate, 9% were partially accurate and none were partially inaccurate or completely incorrect, Deutsch said.

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The patients can also submit their feedback on the quality of Dave’s responses. 

Above all, Deutsch said patients are made aware that —"despite Dave's human-like language" — they are engaging with an AI system and not a human being.

"Every message from Dave includes a prominent visual disclaimer indicating that it is an AI-generated response, which may not always be accurate, and that patients should always consult their physicians before making decisions," he said. 

"In cancer care, treatment decisions always involve human oncologists, ensuring a human element in the process." 

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Surgeon General Warnings That Tried to Make a Difference

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Popular contact lenses could contain toxic ‘forever chemicals,’ new study finds

New research has revealed that various types of soft contact lenses in the U.S. could contain toxic "forever chemicals."

That's according to a recent consumer study by Mamavation — an "eco-wellness product investigation community" powered by a California mom — in partnership with Environmental Health News, a publication of Environmental Health Sciences, a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization.

For the study, 18 sets of popular soft contact lenses were sent to an EPA-certified lab to search for indications of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). 

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These are also known as "forever chemicals" because they don’t break down in the body or the environment, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts.

All 18 lenses came back with various levels of organic fluorine, a marker for PFAS, according to the study.

Brands such as Acuvue, Alcon and CooperVision were all found to have different levels of PFAS, according to the research. 

Fox News Digital reached out to Johnson & Johnson (maker of Acuvue lenses), Alcon and CooperVision seeking comment on the new study's findings.

Forty-four percent of the contact lenses that were tested in the study contained more than 4,000 parts per million (ppm) organic fluorine, which is equivalent to eight out of 18 products.

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PFAS are most often used in products as stain-resistant, oil-resistant and water-resistant chemicals, Mamavation reported.

The study findings said PFAS are considered "persistent and toxic," with the potential to last for "decades" in the human body.

Exposure to PFAS could cause lower immunity, increased cholesterol levels, metabolic diseases like obesity and diabetes, cardiovascular disease, lowered fertility in men and women, increased risk of kidney and testicular cancers and other side effects, according to Mamavation.

"It’s imperative to reduce the amount of PFAS you are exposed to from food, water and personal care products such as eye contacts," Mamavation wrote on its website.

Environmental Health Sciences chief scientist Pete Myers told Mamavation that assuming this level of organic fluorine in contact lenses is safe is "laughable."

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"Last summer, the EPA issued health advisories in drinking for four common PFAS, ranging from 0.004 parts per trillion (ppt) to 2000 ppt," he said, citing an example. 

"The EPA considers exposure beneath these thresholds to be safe for drinking water." 

"Comparing drinking levels in water to concentrations in contact lenses is like comparing apples to oranges," he said. 

"It’s worth noting that all the contact lenses tested exceeded 100 ppm, which is equivalent to 100,000,000 ppt, or 50,000 times higher than the highest level deemed safe in drinking water by the EPA," he also said. 

However, holistic optometrist Dr. Marc Grossman was not quite as concerned about PFAS content in contacts.

In an email to Fox News Digital, New York-based Grossman said recent studies have shown that PFAS are common compounds found in a variety of products used by consumers daily.

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"Because each lens manufacturer uses different materials, these studies do not clearly state if there are contact lenses that contain fewer chemicals than others," he said.

"In 43 years of practice, I have not found that individuals who wear contact lenses are affected by eye diseases more than those who do not," Grossman added.

Grossman added that although contact lenses come in direct contact with the eye, there is "no indication that they directly cause any eye health issues or diseases."

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"Wearing contact lenses is a personal choice," he continued. 

"Not wearing them creates less direct exposure to any chemicals that make up contact lenses."

For contact lens wearers who are worried about exposure to chemicals, Grossman suggested doing a detox by placing castor oil compresses on the skin over the liver or using herbs like milk thistle or dandelion.

"For those with chemical or EMF (electromagnetic field) sensitivities, they will want to make the decision to wear contacts carefully," he said.

The eye is one of the most sensitive areas of the human body — and researchers suggested that contact wearers practice good hygiene to avoid eye infections such as washing hands, removing the lenses for sleep and never reusing eye contact solution, as Fox17 also noted about the new study. 

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