Pope Francis injured his right arm after suffering a fall earlier this week. According to the Vatican, while the 88-year-old pontiff did not break his arm, a sling was put on as a precaution. This incident comes just weeks after another fall on December 7, where he hit his chin on a nightstand, resulting in another, visible bruise. The pope's health has been a topic of ongoing speculation due to his age and medical history, which includes long bouts of bronchitis and mobility challenges. Often seen using a wheelchair or a cane, Francis also uses a walker within the Vatican's Santa Marta hotel, where he resides. Notably, his frailty has brought renewed attention to the risks of falls among elderly individuals and the steps one must follow to mitigate such falls.

Preventive Measures For Bone Health

A study published in Frontiers in Aging Neurosciences people get older, the bone density in the lower back and thigh bone decreases significantly. This raises the risk of osteoporosis (OP). Therefore it becomes pivotal to pay early attention to nutrition, exercise ability, vitamin D levels, and uric acid levels in older individuals to prevent Ostreopsis and mitigate fall risks. The risk of falls and bone injuries among elderly individuals underscores the importance of preventive measures for maintaining bone health and minimizing fall risks.

Elderly, particularly menopausal women, require a daily calcium intake of 1,200 mg, divided into two or more doses. This can be achieved through dietary sources such as dairy and non-dairy products or through supplements like calcium carbonate and calcium citrate. However, total daily calcium intake should not exceed 2,500 mg to avoid potential health risks.

Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption and bone mineralization. While sunlight exposure helps synthesize vitamin D, older individuals often require supplements due to reduced skin synthesis and the limited availability of foods. Fortified milk and supplements containing 200–600 IU of vitamin D daily are recommended, with higher doses required for those with deficiencies. Severe cases may necessitate high-dose treatments, such as 50,000 IU weekly for up to three months, along with regular monitoring of calcium and vitamin D levels.

Regular exercise is vital for preserving bone mass and reducing fall risk. Weight-bearing activities, strength training, and balance exercises like brisk walking or skipping can enhance bone density and improve coordination. Experts recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week, supplemented by strength training twice weekly. For individuals unable to engage in standard exercise routines, alternatives like vibrating platforms may help maintain bone health.

Falls remain a leading cause of fractures among individuals over 60. Addressing contributing factors such as balance issues, vision problems, and environmental hazards can significantly reduce risks. Preventive measures include regular vision checks, minimizing medications causing dizziness, improving home safety (e.g., installing railings and removing loose rugs), and wearing rubber-soled footwear. Hip protectors may also help mitigate the impact of falls.

Dr Rachna Shroff, an Indian-American cancer researcher at the University of Arizona, has died at the age of 47 from an aggressive form of cancer she had spent her career studying, the university announced.

Earlier this year, Shroff, associate director of clinical investigations at the University of Arizona Cancer Center, was diagnosed with incurable, terminal adenocarcinoma, a cancer that develops in glandular cells lining certain organs.

Dr Rachna Shroff’s Cancer Diagnosis

Dr Rachna first noticed a swollen lymph node in May. By the end of the month, the cancer had spread elsewhere in her body, and tests suggested it had likely originated in her stomach or intestine.

Her medical team initially suspected lymphoma, a type of blood cancer. Further testing later confirmed terminal adenocarcinoma.

“It’s been a journey,” Dr Rachna told NBC News in a Zoom interview shortly before her death. “I’ve spent my entire life trying to eradicate cancer, primarily pancreatic cancer, but also liver cancers.”

Also read: Swimmer Archie Goodburn’s Plea Prompts UK Brain Cancer Research Review

Dr Rachna Shroff’s Scientific Work

Dr Rachna was a clinician-scientist and internationally respected expert in cholangiocarcinoma, a rare cancer of the bile ducts. She authored more than 80 publications and participated in more than 130 professional engagements.

In September, despite her own life-limiting diagnosis, one of her final wishes was to establish the Conquer Cancer – Rachna Shroff, MD, MS, FASCO Endowed Young Investigator Award in Biliary Cancers. Within weeks, she achieved her goal of raising more than $1.35 million to support future cancer research and innovation.

A Career Dedicated to Advancing Cancer Treatment

READ: Survival In Aggressive Brain Tumors Improves By Up To 50% in India, Say Doctors

The daughter of a nephrologist mother and a biochemist father, Dr Rachna developed an early interest in cancer research in Tucson. As a high school student, she won the 1993 Osler Fellowship, which gave her the opportunity to work in the laboratory of Margaret Briehl, a University of Arizona Cancer Center member and professor at the College of Medicine – Tucson.

She completed her undergraduate studies at Brown University and earned her medical degree from Thomas Jefferson University. In 2010, she completed her fellowship at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, where she subsequently served as an associate professor of gastrointestinal medical oncology from 2010 to 2018.

She returned to Tucson in 2018 after being recruited to the University of Arizona.

Dr Rachna became internationally recognized for her work in cholangiocarcinoma, focusing on a rare and historically difficult-to-treat disease at a time when treatment options were limited and no therapies had been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration specifically for the disease. The field has since advanced significantly, in part through landmark clinical trials she led as a principal investigator.

In a video recorded for a conference five years ago, Dr Rachna discussed how gastrointestinal cancer research was beginning to catch up with advances in better-known cancers.

“I will admit that we had a little bit of envy of the targeted therapy space in, say, lung cancer and breast cancer...but I think in the last decade or so, we have seen a dramatic improvement in terms of understanding the relevant targets for all of the different GI malignancies,” she told the 2021 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium.

Shroff was also renowned for her work developing novel therapies for pancreatic and hepatobiliary cancers.

Dr Rachna Shroff’s Family

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Dr Rachna's most cherished roles were those of wife, mother and friend.

She is survived by her husband, Dr Puneet Shroff, a professor of medicine and associate director of the Banner Medical Group’s Allergy Clinic; their children, Simran and Sachin.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering easing restrictions on certain peptides, potentially allowing specialty pharmacies to produce injections not approved for medical use, raising safety concerns.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has submitted an interim access policy for peptides to the White House for review, according to a government website posting on Thursday. The proposal was sent to the Office of Management and Budget, the Associated Press reported.

The list of peptides includes BPC-157, an unapproved peptide promoted online for pain relief, healing and performance enhancement, has gained popularity among wellness influencers and followers of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement. A recent study found that its use increased 33-fold between 2020 and 2026.

What Is The FDA Planning?

Also read: RFK Jr-Backed ‘Wolverine’ Peptide Use Surges: Why Are People Taking An Unapproved Drug For Injury Recovery?

The proposal could allow compounding pharmacies to produce certain peptides, including BPC-157, according to AP, citing two people familiar with the matter

The policy would reportedly give pharmacies greater assurance that they would not face enforcement action for producing these substances.

Formally permitting peptides for compounding would require federal rulemaking, a process that could take years. It remains unclear whether the administration intends to pursue that route.

In July, an FDA advisory committee recommended allowing six of seven peptides under review to be used by compounding pharmacies for patients with prescriptions. The recommendation went against FDA staff concerns that there was insufficient evidence to establish their safety and effectiveness.

The proposal has drawn support from some peptide sellers. Telehealth companies Hims & Hers and Noom have also announced plans to offer peptides if federal restrictions are eased. Wall Street analysts estimate the market could be worth $2 billion to $3 billion.

What Are Peptides?

Peptides are short chains of amino acids that play various roles in the body, including regulating hormones and processes involved in growth, metabolism and healing. Some peptide-based medicines are approved for conditions such as diabetes and obesity.

However, other peptides promoted online have not been adequately studied or approved as medicines.

BPC-157 is often combined with TB-500, a peptide derived from thymosin beta-4, in a combination marketed as the “Wolverine stack.” It is promoted online for tissue repair and recovery from muscle, tendon and other injuries. BPC-157 is not approved by the FDA for medical use.

Read More: 4 in 10 US High School Students Report Binge Eating: What Are the Risks?

What Are The Safety Concerns?

The FDA has raised concerns about limited human safety data, potential immune reactions and impurities in BPC-157 products. It has also cited risks associated with certain compounded peptides, including contamination, allergic reactions and tumor growth.

The agency's adverse-event database includes reports of injection-site reactions, shortness of breath and skin or gum pigmentation changes among people who used BPC-157. However, these reports do not establish that the peptide caused the events.

Compounded medicines can meet specific patient needs, but they are not FDA-approved. The agency does not verify their safety, effectiveness and quality through the same premarket approval process used for approved drugs.

Allowing pharmacies to compound certain peptides would not mean the substances had received FDA approval or that their safety and effectiveness had been established.

Nearly 4 in 10 US high school students reported binge eating at least once in the previous 30 days in 2025, according to a new survey by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The biennial Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that 40.5% of students reported binge eating on at least one day, while 17.2% reported it on three or more days. Frequent binge eating was more common among female students (18.6%) than male students (15.9%).

Binge Eating Linked to Poor Mental Health

The survey was conducted among 10,710 students in grades 9–12. However, valid responses to the binge-eating question were available for 6,898 students.

Students reporting poor mental health were more likely to report binge eating on three or more days in the previous 30 days than those who did not report poor mental health (27.2% versus 14%).

The prevalence was also higher among students reporting persistent sadness or hopelessness (25.4% versus 12.8%) and those who had seriously considered attempting suicide (27.1% versus 15.3%).

Previous research has linked binge eating with depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. However, the CDC noted that its cross-sectional findings cannot establish cause and effect or determine which condition came first.

“It was extremely alarming seeing how high those numbers were,” Ariel Beccia, a researcher in the adolescent and children’s medicine division at Boston Children’s Hospital, told STAT News.

“Eating disorders not only affect everyone, they also affect marginalized youth more, actually,” Beccia said.

Frequent Social Media Use Also Linked to Binge Eating

Students who used social media at least hourly were more likely to report binge eating on three or more days than those who used it once a day or less (22.8% versus 12.9%).

Exposure to appearance- and diet-related content, comparisons with others and idealized body standards have been proposed as possible pathways linking social media use to body dissatisfaction and binge eating. However, the survey measured how frequently students used social media, not the content they viewed, and cannot establish that social media use causes binge eating.

Differences Across Student Groups

Frequent binge eating was reported by 20.5% of Hispanic students and 18.7% of Black students, compared with 14.6% of White students. The prevalence was 19.6% among multiracial students and 9.9% among Middle Eastern or North African students.

The CDC cautioned that the estimate for Middle Eastern or North African students was imprecise because of the small sample size. These figures refer to binge eating on three or more days in the previous 30 days.

The findings highlight the need for continued monitoring of disordered eating among adolescents, along with prevention, early identification and access to appropriate support. The CDC said schools, families, health care providers and mental health professionals could play a role in these efforts.

What Is Binge Eating?

Binge eating involves consuming an unusually large amount of food in a short period while feeling a loss of control over eating. It is a form of disordered eating, but it does not necessarily meet the criteria for a diagnosis of binge-eating disorder.

Signs and symptoms of binge-eating disorder may include:

• Eating until uncomfortably full
• Eating more quickly than usual
• Eating despite not feeling hungry
• Turning to food during stress or emotional distress
• Eating alone out of embarrassment
• Experiencing guilt, shame or a sense of losing control over eating

How Is Binge Eating Treated?

Treatment may include psychotherapy (talk therapy), such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT). Depending on individual needs, treatment may also involve medication and nutritional counseling.