A remote tribe is reeling from widespread illness and cancer. What role did the US government play?

OWYHEE, Nev. (AP) — The family placed flowers by a pair of weathered cowboy boots, as people quietly gathered for the memorial of the soft-spoken tribal chairman who mentored teens in the boxing ring and teased his grandkids on tractor rides. Left unsaid, and what troubled Marvin...

Takeaways from AP's report on how Duck Valley Indian Reservation's water and soil is contaminated

OWYHEE, Nev. (AP) — The Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Indian Reservation have long grappled with contaminants embedded in the land and water. For decades, the tribes suspected that widespread illness and deaths from cancer are tied to two buildings owned and operated...

Congresswomen press FDA on why a proposal to ban hair-straightening chemicals is delayed

Two U.S. House members who first pushed the Food and Drug Administration in 2023 to investigate the health risks of hair straighteners used primarily by Black women are now asking the agency why it has twice delayed its target date to propose a ban on products containing formaldehyde, which studies...

Montana doctor overprescribed meds and overbilled health care to pad his income, prosecutors say

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — A Montana cancer doctor for years saw up to 70 patients a day, double-billed federal health care programs and overprescribed pain medications to boost his income, the U.S. Attorney's Office said Tuesday while announcing a civil lawsuit against him and a $10.8 million...

Massachusetts governor signs law phasing out toxic PFAS in firefighters' gear

BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey signed into law Thursday a bill that would phase out the use of PFAS, a group of toxic industrial compounds, in firefighters’ protective gear. The chemicals — associated with health problems including several types of cancer, such...

Biden announces $150 million in research grants as part of his 'moonshot' push to fight cancer

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — President Joe Biden is zeroing in on the policy goals closest to his heart now that he's no longer seeking a second term, visiting New Orleans on Tuesday to promote his administration's "moonshot" initiative aiming to dramatically reduce cancer deaths. The...

Pfizer CEO on moving beyond COVID vaccines to become a leader in cancer and obesity treatments

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two years ago, Pfizer was the envy of the pharmaceutical world, with more than $100 billion in annual sales from its COVID-19 vaccine and antiviral Paxlovid. Today, CEO Albert Bourla is trying to turn the page from that success story, which has turned into more of...

Microplastics are everywhere, but are they harming us?

NEW YORK (AP) — Microplastics have been found in the ocean and the air, in our food and water. They have been found in a wide range of body tissues, including the heart, liver, kidneys and even testicles. But are they actually harming you? Evidence suggests they...

Blood test for colon cancer screening is approved by US regulators

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health regulators on Monday approved a first-of-its-kind blood test for colon cancer, offering a new way of screening for a leading cause of cancer deaths. Test manufacturer Guardant said the Food and Drug Administration approved its Shield test for screening...

Longtime U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas, who was battling pancreatic cancer, has died, her chief of staff says