Allison Aubrey

New research adds to growing concern over zero-calorie drinks. Consuming artificial sweeteners may confuse our body, leading to increased hunger and weight gain.

The COVID surge is ebbing though deaths remain high. Meanwhile, the FDA has set a date to review data on vaccines for kids under 12 and the NIH has launched long-hauler study.

New COVID-19 cases dropped by 20% over the last two weeks. There's optimism this downward trend could continue. At the same time, millions of Americans are eligible for a Pfizer booster shot.

An independent advisory committee of the CDC is evaluating the need for a Pfizer booster dose — meeting one day after the FDA granted emergency use authorization for a booster dose in certain adults.

The Food and Drug Administration gave the OK for a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine booster for anyone 65 or older or at high risk for severe disease. People whose work puts them at risk will also be eligible.

A smaller dose of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective for children ages 5 to 11, according to data the company released Monday. The data will now go before the FDA and CDC for review.

The U.S. is averaging about 140,000 new cases of coronavirus per day and about 1,500 people are dying each day from the virus. Amid this surge, the Biden administration's booster strategy is in flux.

The FDA has ruled on which e-cigarette products can remain on the market and which must be taken off, but deferred action on products made by Juul, which accounts for 40% of the e-cigarette market.

The FDA will rule on applications from e-cigarette makers who want to stay on the market. Advocates who sued the agency say products that contain flavors and high levels of nicotine should be banned.

Because of toxins linked to Ground Zero, first responders have higher rates of certain cancers. A study says that group is more likely to survive the cancers, perhaps because of the care they receive.

The Biden administration's COVID booster plan for the general population is supposed to start soon, but the FDA still wants to review its safety — and whether kids under 12 should be vaccinated.

Due to more mandates around the U.S., White House COVID advisors say first-time vaccination rates are now on the rise after a slowdown this summer. Millions of unvaccinated children are now in school.

Vaccines remain the best way to protect against serious illness. A week after the FDA gave full approval to Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine, it's not known if that's nudging more people to get the shot.

The current COVID-19 surge shows few signs of abating. New coronavirus cases keep rising as hospitals remain crowded and even overrun.

A third shot will be offered to all adults vaccinated with Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, even though those vaccines still offer high protection against the delta variant.

The Biden administration is expected to outline a booster strategy. Pending a review by the FDA and a panel of CDC advisors, the third dose could be offered as soon as Sept. 20.

A COVID-19 vaccine for children younger than 12 is not yet available, but research is well underway and the first shot for some kids in this age group is expected in the fall, doctors say.

Hospitals in the South are burdened by the new surge. In Mississippi, only 35% of people are vaccinated, ICUs are full, elective surgeries are being postponed and more kids are being hospitalized.

People with weakened immune systems who already got two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines can now get a third shot. But exactly who is eligible? Here's what we know so far.

Employers are making vaccinations mandatory for workers in various sectors, and the head of the country's first hospital to mandate them says 99% of employees rolled up their sleeves.