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.

The share of US children aged 5–17 who had ever received an attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis increased from 9.9% in 2019 to 13.8% in 2025, according to new CDC data.

Nearly 1 in 7 children and adolescents aged 5–17 in the US have received an ADHD diagnosis, according to a QuickStats report published in the CDC's latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).

The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) found that the percentage of children who had ever been diagnosed with ADHD increased by 3.9 percentage points over the seven years, representing a relative rise of approximately 39%.

More boys received the diagnoses than girls throughout the period, although the trends fluctuated from year to year.

ADHD Diagnoses Among US Children: Trends From 2019 to 2025

Also read: ADHD Linked To 71% Higher Risk Of Death; Suicide And Injuries Among Top Concerns

According to the CDC data, the percentage of US children and adolescents aged 5–17 who had ever received an ADHD diagnosis rose from 9.9% in 2019 to 11.6% in 2020. It dipped to 10.8% in 2021 before increasing to 11.5% in 2022.

The figure climbed to 13.4% in 2023, 13.6% in 2024 and 13.8% in 2025.

Among boys, the percentage increased from 13.2% in 2019 to 17.5% in 2025, reaching a high of 17.6% in 2024.

Among girls, it rose from 6.5% in 2019 to 9.9% in 2025, although it dipped from 9.9% in 2023 to 9.3% in 2024.

The estimates are based on household interviews with a sample of the civilian, noninstitutionalised US population. The survey considered children to have an ADHD diagnosis if a parent or respondent answered yes to whether a doctor or health professional had ever told them the child had ADHD or attention-deficit disorder (ADD).

What Is ADHD?

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects attention, executive function, impulse control and activity levels. It typically begins in childhood, with symptoms appearing before age 12, and can persist into adulthood.

Read More: Attention Deficit May Be The Wrong Way To Understand ADHD, Says US Psychiatrist

What Are the Symptoms of ADHD?

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), ADHD symptoms fall into two primary categories:

• Inattention: Difficulty sustaining focus, missing details, making careless mistakes, forgetfulness in daily routines and struggling to stay organised.
• Hyperactivity and impulsivity: Fidgeting, excessive talking, restlessness, interrupting others and acting without thinking. In adults, hyperactivity may also manifest as internal restlessness.

AAP Guidance on ADHD Evaluation and Treatment in Children

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) 2019 clinical practice guideline recommends that primary care clinicians initiate an ADHD evaluation for children and adolescents aged 4–18 who present with academic or behavioural problems and symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity or impulsivity.

The guideline recommends assessing children using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) criteria, based on information from parents, teachers and other school personnel.

It also calls for screening for coexisting emotional, behavioural, developmental and physical conditions.

For preschool-aged children, parent training in behaviour management is recommended as a first-line approach.

For school-aged children and adolescents, the AAP recommends FDA-approved medication alongside behavioural and school-based interventions. It also emphasises managing ADHD as a chronic condition, with ongoing monitoring and follow-up.

A patient has received a pioneering stem cell treatment for Parkinson's disease in Japan, marking a world first following the therapy's conditional approval in the country.

Developed by Japanese drugmaker Sumitomo Pharma in collaboration with Dr Jun Takahashi at Kyoto University, the therapy, Amchepry (also known as raguneprocel), is the world's first induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-based treatment for Parkinson's disease. It received conditional approval in March 2026 following successful clinical trial results.

The first transplant was performed at Kyoto University Hospital in October, the company said on Friday in an earnings press release, without providing further details, AFP reported.

How Does the Parkinson's Stem Cell Treatment Work?

Also read: Parkinson’s at 40: Why Younger Adults Are Being Diagnosed Earlier Than Before

The treatment uses iPSCs obtained from healthy donors, which are developed into precursors of dopamine-producing neurons and transplanted into the brain to replace cells lost due to Parkinson's disease.

iPSCs are created by reprogramming mature, specialised cells to return to an earlier state, allowing them to develop into different cell types.

Stem cell therapy, also known as regenerative medicine, uses stem cells or their derivatives to repair or replace damaged tissues.

What Did the Clinical Trial Find?

During the clinical trial, seven patients aged between 50 and 69 received implants of either five million or 10 million cells on both sides of the brain.

The patients were monitored for two years. Researchers found no major adverse effects, while four participants showed improvements in their symptoms, AFP reported.

Sumitomo Pharma said it plans to perform transplants in 20 to 30 patients by March 2029. The company is also conducting a clinical trial of the treatment in the United States.

The therapy will receive full approval in Japan if its safety and effectiveness are confirmed over the next seven years, according to local media reports.

Read More: Parkinson’s Disease: Women Have More Motor Complications, Depression

Japan Also Approves Stem Cell Therapy for Heart Failure

The announcement comes a month after a hospital in Osaka performed the world's first surgery using sheets of heart muscle cells derived from iPSCs.

The sheets are designed to promote new blood vessel formation and help restore heart function. The treatment also received conditional approval in Japan in March.

Conditional approval allows these therapies to be used clinically while additional data on their safety and effectiveness are collected.

What Is Parkinson's Disease?

Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by the loss of dopamine-producing brain cells. It primarily affects people over the age of 60 and is estimated to affect more than 10 million people worldwide, according to the Parkinson's Foundation.

Dopamine plays an important role in controlling movement. Its loss can cause symptoms such as:

• Tremors, often beginning in one hand, foot or the jaw.
• Muscle stiffness and slowed movement.
• Difficulty maintaining balance, increasing the risk of falls.
• Changes in speech, including softer or slurred speech.
• Difficulty swallowing.

The disease can also cause cognitive decline, depression and anxiety. Currently available treatments help manage symptoms but do not stop or reverse disease progression, according to the Parkinson's Foundation.

For the first time in nearly three decades, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing changes to nutrient requirements for infant formula. The proposed changes cover vitamins A and D, iodine and manganese under the Trump administration's Operation Stork Speed initiative, announced in March 2025.

The FDA’s first phase of a three-phase review covers eight of the 30 nutrients required in infant formula. It proposes revising requirements for four nutrients and reaffirming existing limits for the other four. It is also seeking public input on nutrients commonly added by manufacturers but not currently required. The agency is accepting comments for 120 days.

“Parents deserve confidence in every bottle they feed their baby,” US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a statement.

What Are The Proposed Changes?

Also read: Major FDA Study Confirms Baby Formula In US Safe, Testing to Continue

The FDA's first phase covers eight nutrients. It proposes changes to four and retaining existing limits for the other four.

1. Iodine

• Minimum: Increased from 5 to 15 µg/100 kcal.
• Maximum: Reduced from 75 to 50 µg/100 kcal.

2. Manganese

• Minimum: Reduced from 5 to 1 µg/100 kcal.
• Maximum: A new limit of 50 µg/100 kcal.

3. Vitamin A

• Measurement unit changed from IU to micrograms of retinol activity equivalents (µg RAE).
• Minimum: Reduced from 250 IU (75 µg RAE) to 70 µg RAE/100 kcal.
• Maximum: Reduced from 750 IU (225 µg RAE) to 120 µg RAE/100 kcal.
• Only preformed vitamin A, not beta-carotene, will count towards the limits.

4. Vitamin D

• Measurement unit changed from IU to micrograms (µg).
• Minimum: Increased from 40 IU (1 µg) to 2 µg (80 IU)/100 kcal.
• Maximum: Increased from 100 IU (2.5 µg) to 3 µg (120 IU)/100 kcal.

The FDA also proposes updating formula labelling requirements to reflect the changes.

Which Nutrient Limits Will Remain Unchanged?

Read More: New International Food Pyramid Highlights Plant Foods, Counters Trump’s Meat-Heavy Diet Advice

The FDA proposes retaining existing levels for:

• Chloride: 55–150 mg/100 kcal.
• Potassium: 80–200 mg/100 kcal.
• Selenium: 2–7 µg/100 kcal.
• Sodium: 20–60 mg/100 kcal.

What Do Parents Need To Know?

The FDA says formulas currently sold in the US remain safe for babies. The proposed changes are not prompted by safety concerns but aim to align standards with current scientific evidence.

Parents do not need to change the formula they currently use.

When Will The Changes Take Effect?

The FDA is reviewing all 30 nutrients in three phases. The first covers eight, with the remaining 22 to follow.

The final rule will take effect 60 days after publication in the Federal Register. Manufacturers will have three years from that date to reformulate and relabel their products.

This means the proposed changes will not appear on formula packaging immediately.

Dr Steven Abrams, a paediatrician and professor at the University of Texas' Dell Medical School, called the update overdue. He described the first phase as “really well done” and “very well thought-out”, CNN reported.

However, he said the phased approach means manufacturers could take several years to implement the changes.

“These changes that they're recommending today are not going to be something that'll show up on the can of formula potentially for several years,” Abrams said.

He identified the proposed vitamin D increase as the most consequential change in this phase.

Meanwhile, the FDA is also seeking input on making commonly added nutrients such as DHA, ARA and L-carnitine mandatory. These are not currently required in infant formula.