Health panel lays out guidelines for self-administered cervical cancer screening
New guidelines could change the way women get screened for cancer-causing HPV. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force added the option for women to take their own samples for the test on Tuesday, Dec. 10.
The task force said other screening options for those 30 and older are continuing with traditional Pap tests every three years or getting a combined Pap smear and HPV test every five years, but getting an HPV screening every five years is the ideal method. The task force also said women should get tested even if they’ve been vaccinated against HPV.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said more than 11,000 new cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed every year in the U.S., while about 4,000 women die from it annually. One study found nearly two out of three cervical cancer cases are diagnosed in women who did not get screened within the recommended interval.
These new recommendations have not yet been finalized. The task force is accepting public comments through Jan. 13.
Congress will block tax dollars in gender-affirming care for military kids: Report
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., says Congress will not allow U.S. tax dollars to be used for puberty blockers or sex-change surgeries for transgender children of military service members, according to The Daily Wire. Section 708 of the House’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) stipulates that “medical interventions for the treatment of gender dysphoria that could result in sterilization may not be provided to a child under the age of 18.”
Military members and their families typically receive health care through TRICARE, the health care program for the military.
In 2022, the American Public Health Association completed an analysis of transgender youth in military families. It found that “at least 2,500 children actively sought care for gender dysphoria through TRICARE Prime insurance at military or civilian treatment facilities” in 2017. Of those, 900 received hormones.
Speaker Johnson told The Daily Wire, “Taxpayer dollars should never be used to support procedures and treatments that could permanently harm and sterilize young people. In this year’s NDAA, we’re taking a critical and necessary step to protect the children of American service members from radical gender ideology and experimental drugs.”
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) opposes the proposed ban on gender-affirming medical care. Mike Zamore, ACLU’s national director of policy and government affairs, said, “Nobody should have to choose between serving the country and ensuring their child has the health care they need to live and thrive. Members of Congress must vote against the defense bill because of the inclusion of this deeply harmful, unconstitutional provision.”
It remains unclear whether Democrats will support the $895 billion NDAA. The NDAA includes a 14.5% pay raise for junior troops.
CDC says abortions decreased in 2022, but research reveals the opposite
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released its first major report on abortion since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. Researchers found the number of abortions dropped 2% in 2022, making it not much different from the years before. Preliminary data shows abortions actually went up in 2023.
The CDC found U.S. providers performed more than 613,000 abortions in 2022, only slightly down from the nearly 626,000 abortions performed in 2021. But in 2023, more than a million abortions were recorded in the U.S., according to a new report from the Guttmacher Institute. It’s the highest number the research and policy organization has recorded in a decade.
There are some caveats to this data. The CDC’s report offers an incomplete look at abortion in the United States because not every state reports abortion data to the CDC. The Guttmacher Institute does include all 50 states in its report.
Overall, though, reports show the vast majority of abortions took place before nine weeks of pregnancy.
Research also shows that expanded access to the abortion pill has played a big role in these numbers. A pandemic-era change made by the Food and Drug Administration allowed for the pills to be dispensed via telemedicine. In the wake of the ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, eight states passed laws protecting providers from being sued for prescribing abortion pills virtually to people from other states.
Despite the overall national picture, however, both the CDC and the Guttmacher Institute found abortion rates dramatically declined in states that enacted near-total bans after Roe v. Wade was overturned. Meanwhile, states that have become known as “abortion havens” have seen numbers rise significantly.
How cannabis could increase your risk of cancer and accelerated aging: Study
Researchers are hoping to reframe the discussion on marijuana use with new findings showing serious health risks linked to pot consumption. A study published on Wednesday, Nov. 13, from the University of Western Australia, found cannabis exposure was associated with higher rates of cancers, particularly breast, pancreatic, liver, thyroid and testicular cancers.
Other troubling discoveries in the research connected cannabis use to birth defects, including missing limbs, heart defects and other disorders. Researchers say this seems to indicate cannabis users are passing on DNA mutations to their children or fetuses still in the womb.
The researchers believe the health risks are due to the plant’s chemical makeup. Cannabis contains compounds like THC and CBD and both compounds have been shown to damage human cells, accelerating aging in people who use pot.
Previous studies have found a 30% acceleration in cellular aging in people as young as 30 years of age and clusters of major birth defects in areas with high cannabis operations.
The authors are calling for more research on the health problems linked to marijuana use, especially given the recent rise in the potency of marijuana products and as legalization become more widespread globally.
The researchers argue lawmakers and the general public can no longer ignore the health dangers of cannabis exposures and urge people to go beyond the discussion of “personal liberties,” and focus on protecting their health.
Women’s telehealth company Winx said sales of its morning-after pill were up 315% on the day after the election compared to the 24 hours before.
As of Tuesday, Nov. 12, sales of the product had climbed nearly 1,000%.
Wisp said sales of its emergency contraceptive medications went up nearly 1,000% as well, and just one day after the election.
“The surge in sales suggests that women are concerned about how a forthcoming Trump administration could restrict their access to emergency contraception, and they are preparing now,” Wisp CEO Monica Cepak told CNN.
What could another Trump term mean for contraceptives?
A state-by-state study by Center for American Progress estimated 48 million women would be impacted if Trump were to eliminate no-cost coverage of emergency contraceptives.
It’s a proposal that was part of the controversial Project 2025. The project was a presidential transition plan put out by the conservative Heritage Foundation think tank.
The Trump campaign repeatedly said it had nothing to do with the document.
Throughout the campaign, Trump said he doesn’t support a ban on birth control.
Some swear off sex as ‘4B Movement’ surges post-election
Following Donald Trump’s election victory, a South Korean feminist movement called the “4B Movement” is resonating with American women on TikTok. The movement’s principles, which include rejecting dating, marriage, sex and childbirth with men, have sparked conversations about gender dynamics in the U.S. amid concerns about women’s rights.
Inspired by years of activism in South Korea, the “4B Movement” — shorthand for the “Four Nos” — advocates for complete independence from men as a protest against societal expectations.
Since Trump’s 2024 victory, many women in the U.S. have adopted these ideals. Many cite a sense of solidarity and frustration with what they see as setbacks to women’s rights under his leadership.
On TikTok, hashtags like #4BMovement and #4BNos have gathered millions of views. Many women are sharing their personal stories and decisions to “opt-out” of relationships with men.
Influential users whose videos on the topic have gone viral, say the movement provides a sense of control in an environment where they feel their rights are increasingly under threat.
Getty Images
The “4B Movement” emerged in South Korea as a reaction to social issues such as the country’s gender wage gap, high rates of workplace harassment and limited protections for women. In recent years, it has influenced everything from birth rates to marriage trends. Advocates say opting out of traditional roles is a form of resistance to gender inequality.
Critics of the movement argue that it could deepen social divisions. They’ve called it an “extreme response” that risks fueling a so-called “gender war.”
Yet for supporters, the decision to join 4B isn’t simply a TikTok trend, it’s a call for meaningful change and a rejection of societal pressures.
While it’s unclear if the 4B Movement will have lasting effects in the U.S., it’s clear the ideas it represents are resonating with many women post-election. As more women turn to social media to share their views, the movement’s popularity shows no signs of slowing down.
Trump names campaign manager Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff
Donald Trump makes his first staffing announcement as president-elect, naming his White House chief of staff. And a federal judge in Texas makes a ruling concerning undocumented immigrants married to American citizens. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, Nov. 8, 2024.
Trump names campaign manager Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) November 7, 2024
She will become the first woman to hold the job of chief of staff when Trump takes office on Jan. 20. It is a position considered to be the second most powerful job in Washington — behind the presidency.
Wiles, the daughter of the late NFL broadcaster Pat Summerall, also ran Trump’s campaign in the state of Florida during the 2016 and 2020 elections. Her political career dates back to Ronald Reagan’s years, when she worked as a campaign scheduler for his 1980 presidential bid.
In a statement, Trump said, “Susie Wiles just helped me achieve one of the greatest political victories in American history and was an integral part of both my 2016 and 2020 successful campaigns. Susie is tough, smart, innovative, and is universally admired and respected. Susie will continue to work tirelessly to make America great again.”
In the coming days, the president-elect is set to begin reviewing other names to build out his team, including filling cabinet positions. His son Donald Trump Jr. told Fox News the key factor each candidate must have is delivering on his father’s message and not someone who “thinks they know better.”
The GOP picked up a seat in Pennsylvania with several media outlets projecting Dave McCormick defeated Democratic incumbent Sen. Bob Casey. Republicans now hold 53 seats in the chamber with two races, one in Nevada and one in Arizona, still to be called.
California governor calls special session to protect liberal policies
California’s Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has called a special legislative session to protect the state’s liberal policies ahead of a second Trump presidency. Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Thursday they’re preparing to “protect California values” against the incoming administration.
California is ready to fight.
I just called an emergency special session to help bolster our legal resources and protect our state against any unlawful actions by the incoming Trump Administration.
Whether it be our fundamental civil rights, reproductive freedom, or climate… pic.twitter.com/fIBPKsehot
“We know to take Trump at his word when he says he’ll roll back environmental protections, go after our immigrant and LGBTQ+ communities, attack our civil rights and restrict access to essential reproductive care,” Bonta said. “Mr. Trump repeatedly overstepped his authority between 2016 and 2020. There’s no reason to think he won’t do it again. We checked him and we stopped him, and we pushed him back into his box when he tried to step out of it.”
The California special session is scheduled to start Dec. 2. Newsom is also calling on the state legislature to give the attorney general’s office more funding to battle federal challenges.
In his ruling on Thursday, U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker — who was appointed by President-elect Trump during his first term — said Congress has not given the executive branch the authority to implement such a policy. Campbell Barker had previously put an administrative hold on the regulation as he considered the lawsuit, which was brought by Texas and 15 other states.
The policy, which the Biden administration called “Keeping Families Together,” would have applied to spouses who have been living in the country for 10 years, as well as stepchildren. It could have affected between 750,000 and 800,000 people.
3 arrested in former ‘One Direction’ singer Liam Payne’s death
In a press release, Argentina’s National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office said authorities had arrested an employee at the hotel where Payne fell to his death last month, an alleged drug dealer, and a person who “accompanied the artist daily during his stay in the city of Buenos Aires.”
Officials said at least four supplies of narcotics were “conclusively proven” to have been addressed to Payne during his stay at the Casa Sur hotel between Oct. 13 and 16. Payne fell from a third-floor balcony of the hotel on Oct. 16.
Thursday’s report revealed that in the 72 hours before he died, Payne had alcohol, cocaine, and a prescription anti-depressant in his system.
The hotel employee and alleged dealer are both charged with providing narcotics while the third person is charged with providing narcotics and abandonment of a person followed by death.
Man behind AOL’S iconic ‘you’ve got mail’ dies at 74
An iconic voice that defined a generation in technology has died.
Elwood Edwards, endearingly known as AOL’s “You’ve got mail” guy, died Tuesday. Nov. 5, at the age of 74 after suffering from a “long illness,” according to an announcement by local news station WKYC-TV in Cleveland, Ohio.
Edwards worked there as a graphics and camera operator, among other roles. According to the announcement, made Thursday, he died one day before his 75th birthday.
Tennessee court rules doctors cannot be disciplined for emergency abortions
A three-judge panel in Tennessee ruled that doctors who perform emergency abortions to save the life of the mother cannot be disciplined. Doctors will no longer face penalties or have their medical licenses revoked.
The case stems from the state’s abortion ban, which went into effect in 2022 and allows physicians to perform abortions after six weeks in limited emergencies. They include molar or ectopic pregnancies, miscarriages, to save the mother’s life and to prevent serious risk of major bodily function impairment.
Critics of the law say it’s too vague, makes doctors fearful of doing their jobs and puts women’s lives at risk. Several women and doctors filed a lawsuit last year seeking clarification from the court on when patients can legally receive an abortion.
“This lack of clarity is evidenced by the confusion and lack of consensus within the Tennessee medical community on the circumstances requiring necessary health and life-saving abortion care,” the ruling states. “The evidence presented underscores how serious, difficult, and complex these issues are and raises significant questions as to whether the medical necessity exception is sufficiently narrow to serve a compelling state interest.”
The judges ruled Thursday, Oct. 17, that abortion exemptions now include cases of inevitable abortion, premature rupture of the amniotic sac, predicted fetal demise causing severe maternal symptoms or infections that may lead to womb rupture.
The judges also noted they lack the jurisdiction to block the criminal statute in the ban, which imposes felony charges with up to 15 years in prison. This means doctors won’t face disciplinary actions from the attorney general or the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners; however, they may still risk criminal charges.
Texas AG sues doctor for providing gender-affirming care to minors
Texas is suing a Dallas doctor who is accused of providing gender-affirming care to minors. The lawsuit, announced by the state’s Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton Thursday, Oct. 17, alleges Dr. May Lau provided hormones to more than 20 minors in violation of a Texas ban that took effect last year.
This marks one of the first times any state has taken legal action to enforce a ban of this kind. Texas law bans transgender people under 18 from accessing hormone therapies, puberty blockers and transition surgeries.
The lawsuit accuses Lau of “falsifying medical records, prescriptions, and billing records to represent that her testosterone prescriptions are for something other than transitioning a child’s biological sex or affirming a child’s belief that their gender identity is inconsistent with their biological sex.”
Paxton is asking the court for an injunction against Lau and for her to be fined as much as $10,000 per violation.
Donald Trump responds after Melania reveals abortion stance, Democrats react
Former President Donald Trump responded after his wife, Melania Trump revealed that she backs abortion rights. According to excerpts from her new memoir, the former first lady wrote that restricting a woman’s right to choose an abortion is the same as denying control over her own body.
Melania posted a video to X Thursday, Oct. 3, which confirmed her support for abortion rights.
“Individual freedom is a fundamental principle that I safeguard. Without a doubt, there is no room for compromise when it comes to this essential right that all women possess from birth: individual freedom. What does ‘my body, my choice’ really mean?” Melania said.
Former President Trump was asked by Fox News what his thoughts were on Melania championing abortion rights in her book.
“We spoke about it and I said you have to write what you believe,” Trump said. “I’m not gonna tell you what to do. You have to write what you believe.”
His response is getting backlash from Democrats who argue his campaign, Project 2025, and the Republican Party have worked overtime to pass legislation that takes away women’s reproductive rights.
Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign noted Trump’s role in ending Roe v. Wade in a statement reacting to Melania’s stance of abortion rights.
“Sadly for the women across America, Mrs. Trump’s husband firmly disagrees with her and is the reason that more than one in three American women live under a Trump abortion ban that threatens their health, their freedom and their lives,” Harris campaign spokesperson Sarafina Chitika said.
This week, Trump said he would veto a federal abortion ban if he is reelected and added the issue should be left to the states.
Melania’s book is set to be released Oct. 8, just a month before the election.
