The Union Health Ministry implemented a ban on 156 "irrational" FDC medicines, effective immediately. These medicines, including widely used antibiotics, painkillers, and multivitamins, were commonly used to treat fever, cough, and infections. The ban was imposed due to the associated health risks and lack of therapeutic justification for the ingredients in these FDCs.

What are FDC medicines?

FDCs or fixed-dosed combinations, also known as "cocktail drugs," are medications that combine multiple drugs in a single pill. They are designed to treat multiple symptoms or conditions simultaneously. While they offer convenience, they can pose significant risks. These risks include the possibility of overdose, adverse interactions between the drugs, and the development of antibiotic resistance. Additionally, many FDC medicines lack sufficient scientific evidence to support their safety and efficacy.

Expert opinions on FDC medicines

Experts have raised concerns about the use of FDC medicines. They believe that many of these combinations lack sufficient scientific evidence to support their safety and effectiveness. Additionally, the combination of multiple drugs in a single pill can increase the risk of adverse side effects and interactions with other medications.

Experts have also found that FDC medicines may not be as effective as individual drugs in treating certain conditions. It is important to note that safer and more effective alternatives are available for most of the medical conditions that FDC medicines were used to treat. One particular concern is the inclusion of antibiotics in some FDCs. Overuse of antibiotics can contribute to the development of antibiotic resistance, a major public health threat.

The risks of FDC medicines

The use of FDC medicines can lead to adverse effects, including serious ones. Additionally, safer alternatives, tested in clinical trials, are available to treat the same medical conditions. Experts recommend prescribing drugs individually based on a patient's clinical symptoms rather than combining them in FDCs.

The ban on irrational FDC medicines by the Union Health Ministry can be seen as a positive step towards promoting rational drug use and protecting public health. The goal is to eliminate unnecessary and potentially harmful drug combinations. This is a step forward in reducing the risks associated with medication and ensure safer and more effective treatment options for patients.

As many as 500 newborns at Albany Medical Center in New York received hepatitis B vaccine doses that had been stored at an improper temperature in a refrigerator.

While the improperly stored doses pose no health threat to the infants who received them, the hospital said the storage lapse may have compromised the vaccines' effectiveness. The newborns may now need repeat doses to ensure they are protected against hepatitis B.

State Department of Health workers reviewing refrigeration logs ahead of a hospital site visit found that the vaccines had been stored below the manufacturer's recommended temperature range, The Times Union reported.

Why Repeat Hepatitis B Vaccine Doses May Be Needed

Also read: Hepatitis B Infections Could Rise 83% If US Changes Newborn Vaccine Policy: Study

The improper storage may have affected the vaccines' effectiveness, meaning the infants who received them may not have developed adequate protection against hepatitis B and could need repeat doses.

Albany Medical Center said it has sent letters to affected parents and their children's doctors explaining that repeat doses may be necessary. A hospital spokesperson added that the Center has also apologised for the error and has implemented additional safeguards.

Hepatitis B vaccines require strict temperature control to maintain their effectiveness. Immunize.org recommends storing all hepatitis B-containing vaccines between 2°C and 8°C (36°F and 46°F) and cautions against freezing them.

According to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, vaccine storage errors must be assessed individually in consultation with health authorities. Doses found to be expired or nonviable generally cannot be counted as valid, and non-live vaccine doses may need to be repeated as soon as possible.

Why Hepatitis B Birth Dose Is Important For Newborns

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The universal hepatitis B birth-dose recommendation was introduced in the US in 1991. The first dose provides early protection, including in cases where maternal infection is missed or a child's exposure risk is not recognised.

Newborns typically receive their first hepatitis B vaccine dose shortly after birth, often before they leave the hospital. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that newborns receive the first dose within 24 hours of birth, followed by a second dose within two months. School-aged children must receive three doses in total.

The vaccine protects against a virus that can cause serious liver disease. In New York, about 90% of children complete the full three-dose vaccine series before age three, according to Kaiser Family Foundation figures cited in The Times Union report.

What is Hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B is a viral infection that affects the liver and spreads through infected blood and certain bodily fluids, including during childbirth.

An infection acquired during infancy is particularly concerning because it is more likely to become chronic. Over time, chronic hepatitis B can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure or liver cancer.

In December 2025, the US Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended replacing universal vaccination at birth with shared decision-making for infants whose mothers test negative for hepatitis B.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention adopted this approach in January 2026. Babies born to mothers who test positive or whose infection status is unknown continue to be recommended to receive the birth dose promptly, along with hepatitis B immune globulin when indicated.

Colorectal cancer rates are rising across nearly all age groups in the United States, reversing more than two decades of decline, according to a new study.

The disease is the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths overall in the US and the leading cause among adults younger than 50. The latest findings, published in the journal NEJM Evidence, show that the increase now extends to older adults.

“This is the first time that we have seen an increase in the overall rate in more than 20 years,” said Caitlin Murphy, professor of pediatrics and public health sciences at the University of Chicago.

Rates Rise Across Age Groups

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Researchers analyzed National Cancer Institute data from 2000 to 2023. The age-adjusted incidence rate fell from 55.2 per 100,000 people in 2000 to 36.7 in 2022, before rising to 38.3 in 2023.

The sharpest increase was seen among adults aged 45–49, with rates rising 12.76% annually from 2019 to 2023. Researchers attributed this partly to increased screening after US guidelines lowered the starting age from 50 to 45.

Currently US guidelines recommend that adults at average risk begin screening at 45 and continue through 75.

“That means that screening is doing as we intend it to do—it’s catching cancer earlier,” Murphy said.

However, screening alone does not explain the broader trend. Rates are also rising among adults aged 65–69 and have plateaued among those aged 70–74, despite about 80% of these groups being up to date with screening. The findings suggest unknown risk factors may be offsetting its benefits.

Birth Cohort Effect May Explain the Rise

Murphy described a possible “birth cohort effect,” in which people born in the 1960s and later face higher risks as they age.

“As people born around the same time move through time and age together, we’re going to see more colorectal cancers being diagnosed,” she said.

The researchers also examined whether COVID-19 disruptions contributed to the increase. However, the trend persisted after data from 2020 and 2021 were excluded, making the pandemic an unlikely explanation for the rise in 2023.

Read More: Aspirin & Colon Cancer: Lancet Study Explains Why It Could Help At An Earlier Stage But Not After Spread

Environmental Chemicals Likely Reason

Researchers have yet to identify the drivers, but environmental chemical exposures are one possible contributor.

The team plans to measure thousands of exposures in small blood samples, then use organoids—specialized models of colon tissue—to study the effects of chemicals warranting further investigation.

American Cancer Society statistics show that incidence among adults aged 20–49 increased by 3% annually from 2013 to 2022.

Sonia Kupfer, director of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Risk and Prevention Clinic at UChicago Medicine, said identifying the causes could help researchers pinpoint and potentially reduce risk factors.

Screening Remains Key

The American Cancer Society notes that colorectal cancer is a cancer that starts in the colon or the rectum. Colorectal cancer impacts around 1.9 million people every year, noted the World Health Organization (WHO) as per its 2022 data.

It is a disease of large bowel and a type of cancer that originates from the rectum or colon. A person's colon, cecum, rectum and anus make up the large intestine.

The researchers called for continued monitoring as cancer registry data are updated annually. If the trend continues, rising diagnoses could increase demand for treatment and survivorship care.

Colonoscopy remains the gold standard, while blood-based and home-based stool tests offer alternatives. Adults younger than 45 who are not eligible for routine screening should watch for blood in the stool, changes in bowel habits and unexplained weight loss, and seek medical attention if these occur.

In January 2025, Los Angeles was ravaged by wildfires, which reportedly exposed an estimated 7 million people to lead concentrations more than 80 times higher than normal levels. The findings were published in Science Advances.

Researchers from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) found that smoke from the Eaton Fire contained excessive concentrations of toxic metals and other chemicals than smoke from a wildfire that burned mainly vegetation. The findings highlight the health risks caused when fires spread through populated areas and burnt homes, vehicles and electronic equipment.

The lead exposure for an estimated 24-hour period across the Los Angeles metropolitan area was more than 80 times typical levels. The researchers also found that the fire plume contained 50 times more lead, three times more arsenic and seven times more chlorine and bromine than the smoke.

LA Wildfire Smoke Was Highly Toxic

Wildfire smoke is releases particulate matter from the burning of trees, grass and other vegetation. However, when fires spread deeper into cities, they can also burn building materials, paint, vehicles, plastics and electronic devices, releasing more toxic pollutants.

The Eaton Fire began on January 7, 2025, and ravaged communities in and around Altadena, California. As the fire burned homes and vehicles, concentrations of toxic metals in the atmosphere increased drastically.

The researchers compared the chemical composition of the Eaton Fire plume to measurements from the 2024 Airport Fire in Southern California, which predominantly burned vegetation. They found that the urban fire plume had a completely different chemical composition.

“Urban fire plumes are chemically distinct from those of wildfires. Now that we have these observational data about how they differ, we can go back and adjust our models to more accurately estimate how smoke might affect people,” said Haroula Baliaka, the study’s lead author, in a statement released by Caltech.

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Health Risks Of Lead And Arsenic Exposure

Lead is a toxic metal that can damage the nervous system. In children, exposure can impair brain development and lower IQ. In adults, it can cause high blood pressure and other health problems.

Arsenic exposure is also connected to several cancers. Chlorine and bromine are halogens that can be released when certain materials burn.

However, scientists have not established the full health consequences of the short-term, high-concentration lead exposure estimated in the study. The findings establish that millions of people may have encountered elevated levels of toxic pollutants, but they do not show how many developed health problems as a result.

Urban Fire Smoke Needs Stricter Monitoring

Wildfire smoke threatens populated areas. Smoke can travel beyond the fire zone, exposing people who may not face an immediate risk from flames.

Researchers and outside experts have called for better monitoring of smoke composition, better public alerts and emergency responses that account for toxic pollutants as well as fire danger.

The study also points to a gap in current understanding of air quality models that are based on wildfire emissions. They may not be fully be able capture the chemical hazards from fires that burn buildings and vehicles.

“Smoke travels; it's not just about the burn area. What does a plume mean for people who are miles away from a fire but receive the smoke? We evacuate for fire, but we don't evacuate for smoke exposure,” Baliaka said according to CBS Los Angeles.