Health Journal Online

Category: Diseases & Conditions

  • New World Screwworm Has Reached 16 U.S. Animals as Experts Say This Is Not an Isolated Incident

    New World Screwworm Has Reached 16 U.S. Animals as Experts Say This Is Not an Isolated Incident

    A flesh-eating parasite that the United States eradicated in 1966 has returned — and the 16 confirmed animal cases represent only the beginning of what veterinary experts and public health officials are working to contain.

    USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the first U.S. animal case on June 3, 2026, in a three-week-old calf in Zavala County, Texas, near the Mexico border. By the CDC’s most current accounting, 16 domestically acquired animal cases have been confirmed — spread across multiple Texas counties and Lea County, New Mexico, involving cattle, goats, and at least one dog.

    There have been no confirmed human infestations with New World Screwworm acquired in the United States. The Texas Animal Health Commission has quarantined a zone covering more than 20 Texas counties, and sterile fly releases are underway. But the public health challenge now is ensuring that ranchers, pet owners, and veterinarians understand what they are looking for — because what officials can count is likely only a fraction of what is actually out there.

    Why This Matters

    The New World Screwworm is not merely an economic pest. It is a uniquely dangerous parasitic fly because it targets living tissue — not dead or decaying material. The female fly lays eggs in any open wound, body opening, or skin abrasion on a warm-blooded animal. The larvae burrow into living flesh, producing compounds that attract more female flies, which lay more eggs, which produce more larvae. An infested, untreated animal can die within one week.

    The parasite affects cattle, sheep, goats, horses, deer, feral hogs, dogs, cats, and wildlife of all kinds. It can, in rare cases, infest humans — particularly through wounds or nasal passages. While human infestations in the United States are not expected under current conditions, the risk is not zero.

    The United States eradicated NWS domestically in 1966 using the sterile insect technique — a program that has been continuously maintained in Central America to prevent northward spread. The parasite’s reappearance now reflects the northward migration of screwworm populations from Mexico, where it was detected in Chiapas in November 2024 and has been spreading ever since.

    What We Know So Far

    From USDA APHIS, CDC, Texas Animal Health Commission, and the American Farm Bureau Federation:

    • First U.S. case: June 3, 2026 — a calf in Zavala County, Texas
    • Total confirmed U.S. animal cases: 16 domestically acquired (Texas and New Mexico)
    • Species affected: Cattle, goats, and at least one dog
    • Geographic spread: Multiple Texas counties, including Zavala, La Salle, Gillespie, and others; Lea County, New Mexico
    • Quarantine zone: More than 20 Texas counties covered by Texas Animal Health Commission quarantine orders; animals cannot be moved out of the zone without prior authorization
    • Sterile fly releases: More than 129 million sterile NWS flies released in the sterile fly release zone since February 2026
    • Human cases: No locally acquired human infestations in the U.S. confirmed
    • Food safety: USDA confirms the U.S. food supply is not at risk; NWS does not infest meat

    Where the Risk Is Highest

    The primary risk zone is South Texas — specifically the ranching and farming counties near the Mexico border. The Texas Animal Health Commission’s quarantine zone includes Bandera, Coke, Crockett, Edwards, Gillespie, Jim Hogg, Kerr, Kimble, La Salle, Medina, Pecos, Schleicher, Starr, Sutton, Terrell, Tom Green, Uvalde, Val Verde, Webb, Zapata, and Zavala Counties.

    A key vulnerability that concerns veterinary parasitologists is wildlife. White-tailed deer, exotic game species, and feral hogs are abundant throughout South Texas and can serve as NWS hosts. Unlike managed livestock, these populations cannot be routinely inspected. Any infested deer or hog can carry adult flies that then lay eggs on livestock or pets within the surrounding area.

    The confirmed dog case in Lea County, New Mexico — an area outside the primary South Texas detection zone — raises specific concerns about geographic spread through pet animals that may travel or that come into contact with infested wildlife.

    The American Farm Bureau Federation noted that the South Texas detection zone includes more than 160,000 sheep and goats, and many operations involve extensive rangeland where daily animal inspection is less common than on smaller farms.

    What Doctors and Experts Say

    “Report suspicions immediately,” said Bud Dinges, executive director of the Texas Animal Health Commission, in remarks following the first confirmed detection. “Quick notification leads to quick detection. A quick response will stop the pest from spreading.”

    USDA’s Rear Admiral Michael Schmoyer, APHIS Associate Administrator and Director of the NWS Directorate, said in June that the agency had deployed 8,000 fly traps at and near the U.S.-Mexico border and collected more than 58,000 fly samples and 19,000 wild animal samples — all of which had been negative for NWS at that time. That surveillance infrastructure is expanding as confirmed cases accumulate.

    Veterinary experts and livestock industry analysts have warned that confirmed cases represent only a subset of infestations that were both detected and reported. Animals in remote rangeland, wildlife, and feral hog populations are not systematically inspected, and infestations can progress rapidly before they are identified.

    What the Evidence Shows — and What It Does Not

    The epidemiological picture is confirmed: NWS is back in the United States. The current case count reflects only what has been detected and reported through the official surveillance system — which covers managed livestock that receive veterinary attention. Wildlife and large rangeland herds without daily inspection are almost certainly carrying more cases that have not been identified.

    Scaling sterile fly production to full eradication capacity — the method that successfully eliminated NWS from the United States in the 1960s — is expected to require 18 months to two years. That means U.S. ranchers and pet owners in the affected region face an extended containment period, not a quick resolution.

    MedicalDaily Evidence Check

    • Data source: USDA APHIS, CDC, Texas Animal Health Commission
    • Confirmed U.S. animal cases: 16 domestically acquired (Texas and New Mexico, as of most recent reporting)
    • Human cases: None confirmed in the U.S.
    • Available treatments: Multiple FDA Emergency Use Authorization (EUA)-approved products exist for cattle, horses, dogs, cats, and livestock; discuss with a veterinarian
    • Key limitation: Confirmed cases are an undercount; wildlife and large rangeland herds have limited inspection capacity
    • What readers should know: Livestock owners should inspect animals daily; pet owners in affected Texas counties and southern New Mexico should check for wounds; contact a veterinarian immediately if NWS is suspected

    Who Faces the Greatest Risk?

    • Livestock producers in South Texas and southern New Mexico counties — particularly those with cattle, sheep, and goats on extensive rangeland
    • Pet owners in the affected region, particularly owners of dogs and cats that spend time outdoors or that may have wound exposure
    • Wildlife (deer, feral hogs, exotic game) that serve as unmanageable host populations
    • Newborn animals, whose umbilical area is a common wound site for initial NWS infestation
    • Animals with any wound, cut, or body opening that has not been properly cleaned and treated

    Symptoms and Warning Signs to Watch For

    On livestock and pets:

    • Draining or enlarging wounds — especially wounds that do not heal normally
    • Signs of unusual distress or pain in an animal with a wound
    • Small, cream-colored larvae (maggots) visible in or around body openings — including the nose, ears, genitalia, and navel of newborns
    • Animals shaking their heads, rubbing against fences, or scratching excessively at wound areas
    • Foul-smelling discharge from a wound

    Infestations progress rapidly. An animal showing these signs should receive immediate veterinary attention. Without treatment, NWS can kill a full-grown animal within one week.

    What You Can Do Now

    • Inspect livestock and pets daily in affected Texas and New Mexico counties — particularly any animal with a wound, cut, or recent surgery.
    • Treat all wounds promptly with an approved insecticide or wound care product. Ask your veterinarian which FDA-authorized products are appropriate for your animals — multiple EUA products are now available for cattle, horses, dogs, and cats.
    • If you suspect NWS in an animal, do not wait. Contact your veterinarian immediately and report to the Texas Animal Health Commission (1-800-550-8242) or USDA APHIS.
    • Do not move animals out of the quarantine zone without authorization from TAHC.
    • Pet owners whose dogs or cats spend time outdoors in affected counties should inspect animals after outdoor time and keep wounds covered and treated.

    Cost and Access: What Patients Should Know

    The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service confirms that the U.S. meat supply is not at risk — screwworm does not infest meat, and affected animals would be identified before entering commerce. Consumer food safety is not a concern in this outbreak.

    Veterinary treatment of confirmed NWS cases is covered by standard livestock health insurance in most cases. For producers concerned about coverage, the USDA’s Risk Management Agency provides livestock risk protection programs. Small-scale and hobby farm owners without commercial policies should contact their county Extension office for guidance on treatment costs and emergency assistance resources.

    What Happens Next

    USDA is continuing sterile fly releases, which represent the primary long-term eradication strategy. The 18-to-24-month timeline to full eradication capacity means this will be an ongoing management challenge throughout the rest of 2026 and into 2027.

    Updated case counts and quarantine zone maps are available at Screwworm.gov. MedicalDaily will report on any expansion of the quarantine zone, new confirmed cases in additional states, or any confirmed human infestations.

    The Bottom Line

    New World Screwworm has returned to the United States for the first time in 60 years. The 16 confirmed animal cases are almost certainly a fraction of the true infestation, and the multi-year eradication timeline means ranchers, pet owners, and veterinarians in affected regions of Texas and New Mexico face a sustained public health challenge. The food supply is safe. Human risk remains very low. But animal owners in the quarantine zone need to act now — inspect daily, treat wounds immediately, and report any suspected infestation without delay.

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  • The FDA Just Approved a Powerful Biologic for Children as Young as 6 with Severe Psoriasis or Psoriatic Arthritis

    The FDA Just Approved a Powerful Biologic for Children as Young as 6 with Severe Psoriasis or Psoriatic Arthritis

    Children as young as 6 years old with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis or active psoriatic arthritis now have access to one of the most effective biologics in dermatology and rheumatology, following an FDA approval announced June 26, 2026.

    AbbVie announced that the FDA has approved risankizumab (Skyrizi) for children 6 years of age and older with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy, and for active psoriatic arthritis in the same age group. A new 55 mg prefilled syringe was simultaneously approved to support weight-based dosing for patients weighing less than 40 kg, filling a critical gap in pediatric treatment access.

    Risankizumab is now the first and only interleukin-23 (IL-23) inhibitor approved in the United States for pediatric patients 6 years of age and older who weigh less than 40 kg with either plaque psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis.

    Why This Matters

    According to Drug Topics, approximately 30 percent of people who develop psoriasis first experience symptoms before age 18. For these patients, severe psoriatic disease can mean painful, visible skin lesions that affect school participation, social development, and mental health in addition to causing physical discomfort.

    Psoriatic arthritis in children — called juvenile psoriatic arthritis or psoriatic juvenile idiopathic arthritis — causes joint pain, swelling, and stiffness that can impair a child’s ability to walk, write, or participate in normal childhood activities. Before biologics in this class were available for children, treatment options were more limited, and some children were treated off-label with adult formulations in adult doses, which is not ideal from a pharmacokinetic standpoint.

    “Plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis can affect much more than skin and joints — these conditions can shape daily life and disrupt important childhood experiences,” said Roopal Thakkar, MD, executive vice president of research and development at AbbVie.

    What We Know So Far

    Risankizumab is a humanized IgG1 monoclonal antibody that selectively blocks the p19 subunit of IL-23, a cytokine that drives the inflammatory cascade responsible for the skin plaques and joint inflammation in psoriatic disease. It was first approved for adults with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in 2019 and has since received approvals for adult psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis.

    The pediatric approval is supported by data from the Phase 3 OptIMMize clinical trial program, which enrolled children and adolescents aged 6 through 17. Key findings from the trial:

    In adolescents aged 12 to 17: At week 16, 85.2 percent of risankizumab-treated patients achieved PASI75 (75% reduction in psoriasis severity), comparable to ustekinumab (85.7%). However, PASI100 (complete clearance) favored risankizumab at 40.7% versus 17.9% for ustekinumab.

    In children aged 6 to 11: Response rates at week 16 were high: PASI75 in 86.7%, PASI90 in 76.7%, and PASI100 (complete clearance) in 43.3%. Nearly all patients (90.0%) achieved a physician global assessment score of clear or almost clear.

    Durability: In adolescents who responded and continued treatment through week 52, approximately 95% maintained clear or almost clear skin — a strong durability finding for this age group.

    The safety profile in pediatric patients was consistent with the established adult safety profile, according to AbbVie and Contemporary Pediatrics.

    Who Qualifies for Skyrizi — Children and Dosing

    Age: 6 years and older

    Conditions: Moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy; OR active psoriatic arthritis

    Dosing by weight:

    • Children weighing less than 40 kg: 55 mg subcutaneous injection (new weight-based formulation)
    • Children weighing 40 kg or more: 150 mg subcutaneous injection (same as adult dosing)

    Administration schedule: An initial dose, followed by a dose 4 weeks later, then maintenance dosing every 12 weeks thereafter — the same schedule used in adults.

    The psoriatic arthritis approval for children 6 and older is supported by the OptIMMize psoriasis data plus population pharmacokinetic modeling from well-controlled adult PsA studies.

    What Doctors and Experts Say

    Amy S. Paller, MD, chair of dermatology and professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a lead OptIMMize study investigator, called the approval significant: “These clinical responses, combined with weight-based dosing for younger patients, may help physicians better support a broad range of children living with these conditions.”

    Medscape’s analysis noted that this is the first IL-23 inhibitor to reach the under-40 kg pediatric population, distinguishing Skyrizi from other biologics in this class that have not yet reached this weight category in children.

    What the Evidence Shows — and What It Does Not

    MedicalDaily Evidence Check

    • Study type: Phase 3 randomized controlled trial (OptIMMize psoriasis program) — active-controlled in adolescents; single-arm open-label in children 6 to 11
    • Participants: Children and adolescents aged 6–17 with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis; PsA approval additionally supported by adult data plus PK modeling
    • Published in: Journal of Investigative Dermatology (conference data); FDA review completed June 26, 2026
    • What it found: High rates of PASI75, PASI90, and PASI100 at week 16 with durable responses through week 52
    • Key limitation: The psoriatic arthritis approval for children is partially supported by adult study data extrapolation through PK modeling rather than a dedicated pediatric PsA efficacy trial
    • Safety limitation noted: Detailed pediatric adverse event rates and serious adverse event rates were not publicly released in the press announcement

    What You Can Do Now

    • If your child has moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis that has not been adequately controlled with topical therapies, ask your pediatric dermatologist or pediatric rheumatologist about risankizumab at your next appointment.
    • Before starting any biologic, standard screening includes tuberculosis testing, hepatitis B testing, and a review of current infections — discuss these with your child’s specialist.
    • The European Commission approved risankizumab for pediatric plaque psoriasis (ages 6 and up) on June 23, 2026 — just days before the U.S. approval — making this a global regulatory milestone for pediatric psoriatic disease.

    Cost and Access: What Patients Should Know

    Skyrizi is a biologic specialty medication. Insurance coverage and prior authorization requirements vary by plan. AbbVie has a patient support program — myAbbVie Assist — for eligible patients who need help with access or cost. Contact your specialty pharmacy or AbbVie’s patient support team for current assistance program details.

    The Bottom Line

    Skyrizi (risankizumab) is now FDA-approved for children 6 and older with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis or active psoriatic arthritis — making it the first and only IL-23 inhibitor available for the under-40 kg pediatric population in the United States. Clinical trial data showed high rates of complete skin clearance in both adolescents and younger children, with durable responses through a year of treatment. Families of children with severe psoriatic disease should ask their pediatric specialist whether risankizumab is appropriate.

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  • How Same-Day IV Drip Services Are Changing the Future of Personalized Wellness

    How Same-Day IV Drip Services Are Changing the Future of Personalized Wellness

    Same-day IV drip services are reshaping how people approach wellness in a fast-moving world. Traditional health routines often require planning, travel, and waiting, which can discourage consistent care. In contrast, on-demand solutions are redefining expectations by bringing support directly to individuals when they need it most.

    One reason for this shift is the growing number of IV drip options available today. These options are designed to target specific concerns such as hydration, energy levels, or immune support, giving users more control over their wellness choices.

    Clarity around how the service works has also contributed to rising interest. A trained professional administers fluids, vitamins, and electrolytes through an intravenous line, allowing nutrients to enter the bloodstream without passing through the digestive system.

    In major metropolitan areas, NYC mobile IV drips reflect how urban lifestyles are driving demand for flexible care. Busy professionals and frequent travelers often prefer services that fit into their schedule rather than disrupt it.

    Cost planning has become easier as well. Many providers offer IV package deals, allowing people to commit to regular sessions while managing expenses more predictably.

    A Shift Toward Immediate Access in Wellness

    Healthcare and wellness services have undergone noticeable changes in recent years. People expect faster access to solutions that match up with their routines. Waiting days or weeks for an appointment no longer feels practical for those managing demanding schedules.

    Same-day IV drip services respond to this expectation by offering near-instant availability. This immediacy changes how people think about recovery and maintenance. Instead of postponing care, individuals can act as soon as they notice signs of fatigue or dehydration.

    This approach reflects a broader cultural shift. Convenience is no longer viewed as a luxury; it is becoming a standard expectation across industries, including wellness.

    Personalization Beyond Generic Solutions

    Personalized wellness has gained attention as people look for approaches that reflect their unique needs. Generic advice or one-size-fits-all products often fail to tend to specific concerns.

    Same-day IV drip services allow for a more individualized experience. Users can select treatments based on their current condition rather than following a fixed plan. This flexibility supports a more responsive approach to wellness.

    Personalization extends beyond the formula itself. Timing, location, and frequency can all be adjusted to match individual preferences. This level of customization creates a more engaging and practical experience.

    Time Efficiency as a Driving Influence

    Modern schedules leave little room for lengthy appointments. Time efficiency plays a big part in the adoption of same-day services. Individuals can receive care without sacrificing productivity or rearranging their day.

    Appointments are often scheduled around existing commitments. This allows users to continue working, relaxing, or managing responsibilities while receiving treatment. The ability to combine wellness with daily activities adds to the appeal.

    Reducing travel time is another advantage. Eliminating the need to commute to a clinic saves valuable time and reduces stress, making it easier to maintain consistency.

    Adapting to High-Performance Lifestyles

    High-performance environments demand consistent energy and focus. Professionals, entrepreneurs, and creatives often face long hours and high expectations. Maintaining physical and mental stamina becomes a priority in these settings.

    Same-day IV drip services meet these demands by offering targeted support when it is needed most. Instead of waiting for fatigue to build, individuals can respond quickly to changes in their energy levels.

    This proactive approach supports ongoing performance rather than reactive recovery. It fits well within lifestyles that prioritize productivity and efficiency.

    Expanding Access to Wellness Services

    Accessibility has long been a barrier in healthcare and wellness. Geographic limitations, scheduling conflicts, and availability can prevent individuals from searching for support.

    Same-day IV drip services reduce these barriers by bringing care directly to the user. This model expands access to individuals who may not have considered IV therapy in the past.

    The ability to receive treatment in a preferred setting also improves comfort. Familiar environments can make the experience more relaxed compared to traditional clinical spaces.

    Supporting Preventive Wellness Habits

    Preventive care has become a central focus in modern health discussions. Instead of waiting for symptoms to escalate, many individuals are adopting habits that support long-term well-being.

    Same-day IV drip services fit into this approach by offering a way to deal with minor concerns before they develop into larger issues. Hydration, nutrient support, and energy maintenance can all be managed proactively.

    The Importance of Technology in On-Demand Care

    Technology has played a big part in the rise of same-day services. Online booking systems, mobile apps, and real-time communication make it easier to schedule appointments quickly.

    These tools also allow users to explore different treatment options and select what meets their needs. Transparency in offerings helps people make the best possible decisions without unnecessary delays.

    Digital platforms have also improved coordination between providers and users. This efficiency supports the rapid response model that defines same-day services.

    Changing Expectations Around Recovery

    Recovery is no longer seen as something that requires extended downtime. Instead, people are looking for ways to maintain momentum while tending to their needs.

    Same-day IV drip services contribute to this shift by offering solutions that fit within active lifestyles. Users can continue their routines while receiving support, reducing the need for interruptions.

    This perspective reflects a broader change in how wellness is viewed. It is becoming an ongoing process rather than an occasional activity.

    Flexibility in Frequency and Commitment

    Flexibility is a defining feature of same-day IV drip services. Individuals can choose how often they receive treatments based on their goals and schedules.

    Some may opt for occasional sessions during periods of high demand. Others may incorporate regular treatments as part of a consistent routine. This adaptability allows users to customize their approach without rigid commitments.

    The availability of different scheduling options supports a number of preferences, making the service accessible to a broader audience.

    A New Direction for Personalized Wellness

    Same-day IV drip services represent a shift toward more responsive and individualized care. They match with the needs of modern lifestyles by offering convenience, flexibility, and targeted support.

    As expectations continue to progress, services that adapt to individual needs are likely to gain further attention. Personalized wellness is moving away from static routines and toward dynamic solutions that respond in real time.

    This transformation highlights a growing demand for options that fit smoothly into daily life. Same-day IV drip services are at the forefront of this movement, offering a new perspective on how wellness can be approached.

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  • Virginia’s Measles Outbreak Has Expanded to a Second County as Cases Reach 129

    Virginia’s Measles Outbreak Has Expanded to a Second County as Cases Reach 129

    Virginia’s measles outbreak is no longer confined to one county.

    On June 25, 2026, the Virginia Department of Health announced that the Buckingham County measles outbreak had expanded geographically to include Cumberland County, a directly adjacent rural county in central Virginia’s Piedmont region. Health officials confirmed that new cases in Cumberland County reflect community transmission — meaning the virus is circulating locally, not merely being imported from Buckingham.

    As of the June 25 announcement, the Piedmont Health District, which includes both counties, reported 106 outbreak-associated measles cases. Virginia’s total statewide case count for 2026 stands at 129 — compared to just five confirmed cases in all of 2025.

    Why This Matters

    A measles outbreak that expands from one county to a second in the same Piedmont Health District signals that containment has not held. The expansion to Cumberland County means anyone who lives in, works in, or visits either county is at elevated risk of exposure if they are not fully vaccinated — and the virus can survive in the air for two hours after an infected person leaves a room.

    Piedmont Health District Director Maria Almond said: “As this outbreak expands to Cumberland County, I ask for the community’s help to stop measles from gaining further ground by ensuring you are vaccinated.”

    Measles is one of the most contagious infectious diseases known. One infected person can spread measles to nine out of ten unprotected people in the same room or space.

    What We Know So Far

    The Buckingham County outbreak was first confirmed by VDH on May 13, 2026. Since then, it has grown to become one of Virginia’s largest measles clusters in modern state history. The outbreak began among individuals in Buckingham County with below-threshold vaccination coverage and has since spread through close-contact networks.

    The VDH measles disease page shows that Virginia is now in the midst of one of the worst measles years in recent memory: 129 confirmed cases in less than six months, compared to five for all of 2025.

    The outbreak has generated exposure sites across the two-county area, including schools, medical facilities, and community gathering places. Every case confirmed in the outbreak involves a person who was either unvaccinated or could not confirm their vaccination status — consistent with the national pattern.

    Cumberland County borders Buckingham to the east and shares the same rural character: dispersed population, limited access to health services, and historically lower vaccination uptake in some communities.

    What VDH Recommends: Specific Vaccination Guidance for the Affected Area

    The Virginia Department of Health has issued outbreak-specific vaccination recommendations that go beyond standard routine guidance for people in or visiting Buckingham and Cumberland Counties:

    • Infants aged 6 to 11 months are advised to receive an early dose of MMR vaccine. This is an outbreak-specific recommendation — routine MMR vaccination does not begin until 12 months. Infants who receive this early dose should still receive two more doses at the recommended ages (12 months and 4–6 years) at least 28 days apart.
    • Children aged 12 months to 18 years who have not yet been vaccinated or have never had measles infection should receive their first MMR dose immediately, with a second dose at least 28 days after the first.
    • Adults who are not up to date on MMR vaccination should contact a health care provider or local health department for vaccination guidance.
    • Residents and visitors of both counties should avoid large gatherings if they are unvaccinated and should consult a health care provider immediately if they develop measles symptoms.

    Where the Risk Is Highest

    Buckingham and Cumberland Counties are in the heart of the Piedmont Health District in central Virginia, approximately 60 miles west of Richmond. Communities in both counties with documented below-threshold vaccination rates face the most immediate risk of continued spread.

    Travel through the area — particularly to or from the Charlottesville metro, Richmond metro, or the Appomattox and Farmville areas — should be considered by people assessing their vaccination status. The VDH maintains a list of specific exposure sites at vdh.virginia.gov/measles.

    Statewide, Virginia’s 129 total cases in 2026 make this the state’s largest measles year in decades. All confirmed cases have been in unvaccinated or unverified individuals.

    What Doctors and Experts Say

    Dr. Brannon Traxler, Virginia’s deputy state health director, described measles containment as a race between vaccination and transmission. The expansion to Cumberland County indicates that race is still ongoing.

    Pediatricians in the affected area have been on heightened alert for potential measles cases since May. The VDH issued guidance to area clinicians to maintain high suspicion for measles in unvaccinated patients presenting with fever and rash, and to contact the health department and isolate potential cases immediately before laboratory confirmation.

    The early MMR dose recommendation for infants aged 6 to 11 months is a significant step — the CDC typically reserves early dosing recommendations for situations where the outbreak risk is high enough to warrant protecting babies before the standard schedule begins.

    Who Faces the Greatest Risk?

    • Unvaccinated residents of Buckingham and Cumberland Counties
    • Children under 12 months who cannot yet receive standard MMR vaccination
    • People traveling through the area who are unvaccinated or have only one documented MMR dose
    • Anyone whose vaccination history is uncertain — particularly adults born between 1957 and 1989, who may have received only one dose before two-dose schedules became standard

    Symptoms and Warning Signs to Watch For

    Measles symptoms appear 7 to 14 days after exposure and progress in a predictable pattern:

    • High fever (often above 104°F)
    • Cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes
    • Small white spots inside the cheeks (Koplik spots — an early, distinctive sign)
    • A red blotchy rash beginning on the face and spreading downward, appearing 3 to 5 days after initial symptoms

    Infected people are contagious from four days before the rash appears through four days after. If you develop these symptoms, do not go to a medical facility without calling ahead — notify them of your possible measles exposure so they can prepare isolation protocols.

    What You Can Do Now

    • If you live in or plan to visit Buckingham or Cumberland Counties, confirm your MMR vaccination status and your children’s vaccination records.
    • Infants 6 to 11 months old in or visiting the outbreak area should receive an early MMR dose — discuss this with your pediatrician now.
    • If you are unsure whether you have had two MMR doses, contact your physician, local health department, or the VDH Record Request Portal.
    • Report symptoms consistent with measles — fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and rash — to your health care provider before seeking in-person care.
    • Residents can email questions to the Virginia Department of Health at epi_response@vdh.virginia.gov or contact their local health department.

    Cost and Access: What Patients Should Know

    MMR vaccine is covered at no cost under the ACA preventive services mandate for insured patients. The Vaccines for Children (VFC) program covers MMR for eligible uninsured children. Virginia health departments are providing MMR vaccination at no cost to area residents during the outbreak. Contact the Piedmont Health District for information on local vaccination clinics.

    What Happens Next

    The VDH is continuing contact tracing, case investigation, and targeted vaccination outreach in both counties. The outbreak will be declared resolved after 42 consecutive days with no new outbreak-related cases. MedicalDaily will report on any further geographic expansion and on case count updates as they are released.

    The Bottom Line

    Virginia’s measles outbreak has crossed into a second county, with 106 confirmed outbreak-associated cases and 129 statewide in 2026. Vaccination is the only tool that stops this spread. The VDH has issued specific outbreak guidance for infants as young as 6 months in the affected area — an unusually early recommendation that reflects the seriousness of the current risk. Confirm your vaccination status and your children’s MMR records now, before a potential exposure occurs.

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  • June Brought Two Major FDA Advances for Children with Type 1 Diabetes: Here’s What Each One Does

    June Brought Two Major FDA Advances for Children with Type 1 Diabetes: Here’s What Each One Does

    June 2026 brought two separate FDA decisions that, together, represent a meaningful shift in how children with Type 1 diabetes can be monitored and treated.

    On June 12, the FDA cleared the Dexcom Stelo continuous glucose monitor (CGM) for over-the-counter use in children as young as 2 years old — the first OTC CGM ever cleared for a pediatric population. And also on June 12, the FDA granted accelerated approval to teplizumab (Tzield; Sanofi) for a new indication: slowing the loss of insulin production in children and adolescents aged 8 to 17 who were recently diagnosed with Stage 3 Type 1 diabetes.

    These two developments address different stages and aspects of the same disease, one making it easier for families to track glucose levels without a prescription, and the other giving newly diagnosed children a disease-modifying therapy option that did not exist before.

    Why This Matters

    Type 1 diabetes is a lifelong autoimmune disease in which the immune system destroys the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. An estimated 1.9 million Americans live with Type 1 diabetes, with a significant share diagnosed in childhood. Unlike Type 2 diabetes, Type 1 has no lifestyle-driven cause and no cure. Management has historically consisted entirely of insulin replacement, keeping glucose levels in range through multiple daily injections or an insulin pump, guided by continuous glucose monitoring.

    These two approvals change what is available to families. One makes glucose monitoring more accessible without the barrier of a prescription or insurance prior authorization. The other introduces the first therapy that targets the disease’s underlying mechanism — the autoimmune destruction of beta cells — rather than simply replacing what those cells would have produced.

    The OTC Children’s CGM: What the Stelo Clearance Means

    According to HCPLive reporting on the June 12 FDA announcement, the FDA cleared Dexcom’s Stelo Glucose Biosensor System for OTC use in children aged 2 and older who do not use insulin. This expands a clearance that previously existed for adults without insulin use.

    The Stelo is designed for real-time blood glucose monitoring without the need for a prescription. It can be purchased directly by consumers and is intended for children managing blood sugar through diet, exercise, and oral medications, as well as those who want to understand how food and physical activity affect glucose levels.

    “Children deserve access to the best tools available to manage their health,” said Michelle Tarver, MD, PhD, Director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health, in the agency’s announcement. “Today’s clearance reflects the FDA’s commitment to fostering innovation for pediatric patients and supporting the safe and effective use of medical devices where children live, learn, and play.”

    This is an important distinction: the Stelo OTC clearance is for children not currently on insulin. Children with Type 1 diabetes using insulin will continue to use prescription-level CGMs (like the Dexcom G7) that integrate with insulin pumps and have more intensive monitoring features. The OTC clearance primarily benefits children with Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes — and those at risk for blood sugar fluctuations from other causes — whose families have previously faced barriers accessing CGM technology without a prescription.

    Teplizumab for Stage 3 Type 1 Diabetes: The First Disease-Modifying Treatment

    The FDA’s June 12, 2026 accelerated approval of teplizumab (Tzield) for Stage 3 Type 1 diabetes in patients aged 8 to 17 is the more clinically transformative of the two decisions.

    What the stages mean: Type 1 diabetes is a staged disease. Stage 1 is the presence of autoantibodies with normal glucose. Stage 2 is autoantibodies plus dysglycemia (abnormal glucose levels but no clinical symptoms). Stage 3 is the onset of clinical diabetes — the point at which symptoms appear and insulin treatment begins.

    What teplizumab does: Teplizumab is an anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody. It works by targeting and partially exhausting the autoimmune T cells that attack and destroy the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. By limiting this autoimmune destruction, teplizumab preserves residual beta cell function, allowing the pancreas to continue producing some insulin even after diagnosis.

    The pivotal PROTECT trial enrolled 328 newly diagnosed Type 1 patients aged 8 through 17 within six weeks of diagnosis. Participants received two 12-day infusion courses — one at baseline and one at 26 weeks. Those who received teplizumab showed significantly better preservation of beta cell function, measured by stimulated C-peptide levels at 78 weeks, compared to placebo.

    According to Patient Care Online, Mahtab Niyyati, MD, acting associate director at the FDA’s Division of Diabetes, Lipid Disorders and Obesity, stated: “Based on robust evidence of safety and effectiveness, this accelerated approval provides a chance for pediatric patients with recently diagnosed Stage 3 type 1 diabetes to alter the course of their disease.”

    What Preserved Beta Cell Function Means Clinically

    Teplizumab does not cure Type 1 diabetes. Children who receive it still need insulin. But preserving some residual beta cell function — even for one to two years longer than without treatment — is clinically meaningful in several ways:

    • Lower insulin requirements
    • Better glycemic control with less hypoglycemia (dangerous low blood sugar)
    • A longer window of the “honeymoon period,” when some natural insulin production reduces the intensity of insulin management

    The Pediatric Endocrine Society notes that the drug is given as a 14-consecutive-day IV infusion cycle at baseline and again at 26 weeks, and that prescribers must monitor for Epstein-Barr virus and cytomegalovirus reactivation, cytokine release syndrome in the first five days, and transient drops in lymphocytes and neutrophils.

    The approval is accelerated, meaning a post-marketing confirmatory study is required.

    Where Teplizumab Has Been and Where It Is Going

    Teplizumab was first FDA-approved in November 2022 for individuals aged 8 and older with Stage 2 Type 1 diabetes — to prevent or delay progression to Stage 3. In April 2026, that Stage 2 indication was extended to children as young as 1 year old. The June 2026 action is the first approval for Stage 3 disease, meaning teplizumab can now be used across multiple stages of T1D in pediatric patients.

    This progression matters: it means a child could potentially receive teplizumab at Stage 2 to delay clinical onset, and again at Stage 3 to preserve beta-cell function after diagnosis.

    Who Qualifies for Each Approval?

    Dexcom Stelo OTC CGM: Children aged 2 and older who do not use insulin. No prescription required. Available for purchase directly by consumers.

    Teplizumab (Tzield) for Stage 3 T1D: Children and adolescents aged 8 to 17 who have been recently diagnosed (within 6 weeks) with Stage 3 Type 1 diabetes. Administered by infusion in a clinical setting. Requires a physician’s prescription and monitoring for adverse effects.

    What You Can Do Now

    • If you are the parent of a child with Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, talk to your pediatrician or endocrinologist about whether the Dexcom Stelo OTC CGM is appropriate for monitoring your child’s glucose levels.
    • If your child has been recently diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes (within the past six weeks) and is between 8 and 17 years old, ask their pediatric endocrinologist about teplizumab (Tzield) and whether they are a candidate for treatment.
    • If your child was previously diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes more than six weeks ago, they likely fall outside the current approval window for Stage 3 teplizumab, but your endocrinologist can advise on whether clinical trial participation is an option.

    Cost and Access: What Patients Should Know

    The Dexcom Stelo OTC CGM can be purchased without a prescription at major retailers and online. Without insurance, the cost of CGM sensors is approximately $90 to $100 per month. Some insurance plans cover OTC CGMs, but coverage varies — check with your insurer.

    Teplizumab (Tzield) is an infusion drug that requires administration in a clinical setting. Insurance coverage for teplizumab has historically been a significant access barrier. Sanofi has a patient assistance program for eligible patients; families should contact their endocrinologist or the manufacturer for current access program details.

    What Happens Next

    The accelerated approval for teplizumab in Stage 3 requires a post-marketing confirmatory study. Sanofi has ongoing clinical research programs. The OTC CGM market for children is likely to expand as additional manufacturers seek similar clearances. MedicalDaily will report on confirmatory study results and any guideline updates from the American Diabetes Association or Pediatric Endocrine Society.

    The Bottom Line

    June 2026 delivered two meaningful changes for children living with Type 1 diabetes and those at risk. A prescription barrier for glucose monitoring in non-insulin-dependent children has been removed with the OTC CGM clearance. And for newly diagnosed children ages 8 to 17, teplizumab is now the first FDA-approved therapy that targets the autoimmune destruction underlying their disease, not just its metabolic consequences. Families should discuss both developments with their pediatric endocrinologist.

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  • A Telehealth Mental Health Company Billed Medicaid for Visits That Never Happened — And It Is Not Alone

    A Telehealth Mental Health Company Billed Medicaid for Visits That Never Happened — And It Is Not Alone

    A telehealth company that provided mental health services through video appointments admitted it billed Medicare and Medicaid for patient appointments that never took place — and agreed to pay $300,000 to resolve the allegations.

    The company, Aptihealth, Inc., and Aptihealth Medical, PLLC, is based in Clifton Park, New York. According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s announcement on June 23, 2026, the settlement resolves False Claims Act allegations that included billing for patient appointments where patients did not show up, billing for patient messages without regard to whether those communications involved billable clinical content, and billing for psychological testing services that were not adequately documented.

    Aptihealth also admitted to implementing a patient incentive program involving $25 gift cards that the government contends violated the Anti-Kickback Statute.

    Why This Matters

    Telehealth mental health services have transformed access to psychiatric care for millions of Americans — reducing geographic barriers, eliminating transportation requirements, and expanding appointment availability for people who previously could not access care at all.

    That growth has attracted fraudulent billing on a significant scale. The DOJ’s 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, announced simultaneously with the Aptihealth settlement, charged 455 defendants — including 90 licensed medical professionals — in connection with more than $6.5 billion in alleged fraud. Telehealth and digital health billing fraud were specifically named as one of the takedown’s key targets, with 49 defendants charged in connection with $1.17 billion in allegedly fraudulent telehealth and genetic testing claims.

    When telehealth companies bill for services that never occurred, two harms result: the federal programs are defrauded, and patients may develop billing records that do not accurately reflect their care history, with consequences for insurance, disability claims, or future treatment.

    What We Know So Far

    According to the DOJ announcement, Aptihealth’s billing violations included:

    • No-show billing: Submitting claims to Medicare and Medicaid for patient appointments that did not occur because the patient did not attend.
    • Message billing: Billing for responses to patient messages without determining whether those communications involved clinically billable content.
    • Documentation failures: Billing for psychological testing services without sufficient documentation to support the claims.
    • Anti-Kickback violation: Offering $25 gift cards to patients who attended therapy sessions — a financial incentive that the government determined violated the Anti-Kickback Statute because it could improperly influence patients’ decisions to use the service.
    • Compliance program failures: Aptihealth’s compliance program did not meet New York statutory requirements for billing oversight, compliance monitoring, and training.

    The settlement was filed as a whistleblower action by a former Aptihealth employee under the False Claims Act’s qui tam provisions. The whistleblower will receive approximately $51,000 of the settlement proceeds.

    Not an Isolated Case

    The Aptihealth settlement is one of the smaller cases in the 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, but it illustrates a fraud pattern that investigators say is systemic in the telehealth sector.

    According to the DOJ’s Fraud Division, the largest telehealth fraud case in the takedown was United States v. Blackman, involving Brett Blackman, founder and CEO of HealthSplash. His company, DMERx, used foreign call centers to blast spam to Medicare beneficiaries, pressuring elderly patients to accept medically unnecessary orthotic braces. The fraud involved $1 billion in allegedly fraudulent Medicare claims for equipment that, in many cases, was never ordered by a legitimate physician or needed by the patient.

    The Southern District of Florida takedown included charges against 12 defendants in connection with more than $4 billion in allegedly fraudulent claims for community mental health services, among other categories, illustrating the scale at which telehealth billing fraud now operates.

    What the Evidence Shows — and What It Does Not

    The Aptihealth settlement involves admitted conduct — the company admitted responsibility for the billing practices described. This is a settlement, not a jury trial verdict, and the $300,000 payment is not described as encompassing the full amount billed improperly. Settlement amounts in False Claims Act cases typically do not represent the full extent of alleged fraud.

    The DOJ’s 2026 Takedown data represent alleged fraud that has been charged or settled, not a comprehensive picture of the total volume of telehealth billing irregularities that may exist in the market. Experts in health care fraud have noted that telehealth billing is particularly difficult to monitor in real time because virtual care occurs without the physical presence of oversight, and documentation standards vary widely.

    Who Is Most Affected?

    • Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries who received mental health services through telehealth platforms and may have claims in their records for sessions they did not attend
    • Patients who were billed for message-based consultations that did not meet the clinical threshold for a billable service
    • Taxpayers and program beneficiaries generally, since telehealth billing fraud increases costs borne by the Medicare and Medicaid trust funds

    What You Can Do Now

    • If you receive mental health services through telehealth and are covered by Medicare or Medicaid, review your Explanation of Benefits (EOB) or Medicare Summary Notice carefully. Check that every listed service date corresponds to an appointment you actually attended.
    • If you see a claim for a session you did not have, contact your insurance company or 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) to report it.
    • If you receive telehealth care, you have the right to ask your provider for a copy of your billing records. These records should reflect only services that were actually provided.
    • Report suspected Medicare or Medicaid billing fraud to the HHS OIG Hotline at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477).
    • If you work for a telehealth company and suspect fraudulent billing, the False Claims Act’s whistleblower provisions allow you to report it and, if the case results in a recovery, receive a portion of the settlement proceeds.

    Cost and Access: What Patients Should Know

    Patients whose Medicare or Medicaid records contain claims for services they did not receive should not owe out-of-pocket costs for those fraudulent claims. If a co-payment or cost-sharing was collected for a session that did not occur, patients should request a refund from the provider. If the provider does not respond, contact your insurance plan or state Medicaid agency.

    Patients who have experienced genuine fraudulent billing should not discontinue telehealth mental health care as a result of this fraud. The fraud problem lies with the billing practices of specific providers, not with telehealth as a modality for delivering legitimate mental health services.

    What Happens Next

    The DOJ’s 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown is ongoing, with additional enforcement actions expected. CMS has suspended billing privileges for 1,403 providers and revoked them for 1,079 more as part of the 2026 action. A newly announced Health Care Fraud Data Fusion Center will deploy artificial intelligence and cloud computing tools to identify telehealth billing fraud patterns more rapidly. MedicalDaily will continue tracking enforcement actions in the telehealth sector.

    The Bottom Line

    A telehealth mental health company admitted it billed Medicare and Medicaid for appointments that never happened, and the DOJ’s 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown makes clear this is not an isolated case. Telehealth billing fraud is one of the fastest-growing categories of health care fraud. Patients who use telehealth for mental health care should review their billing records regularly, confirm that every claim in their record corresponds to an actual appointment, and report any discrepancies promptly.

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  • Seniors Taking Antidepressants May Benefit from Adding a Daily Probiotic, New Clinical Trial Finds

    Seniors Taking Antidepressants May Benefit from Adding a Daily Probiotic, New Clinical Trial Finds

    A small but carefully designed clinical trial has added meaningful weight to the idea that gut health and mood are biologically connected — with practical implications for millions of older Americans living with depression.

    The trial, published June 17, 2026, in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS), enrolled 58 adults aged 60 and older with moderate depression. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either a daily probiotic supplement (containing Lactobacillus helveticus and Bifidobacterium longum) or a placebo for 12 weeks, while both groups continued their prescribed antidepressant treatment.

    The result: older adults who added the probiotic experienced meaningfully greater reductions in both depressive and anxiety symptoms than those who received the placebo.

    Why This Matters

    Depression is common in older adults and difficult to treat. Standard antidepressants are effective in roughly half of patients — a success rate that leaves millions without adequate relief. In older adults specifically, antidepressant response rates are lower still, side effects are more pronounced, and polypharmacy (taking many medications simultaneously) adds complexity to treatment decisions.

    A daily probiotic is inexpensive, widely available without a prescription, and has a well-established safety profile in healthy older adults. If it can augment the effect of antidepressants already being taken — with no significant drug interactions — that is a meaningful low-risk option worth discussing with a physician.

    The qualification is equally important: this was a pilot trial of 58 people. It is preliminary evidence, not a treatment recommendation.

    What We Know So Far

    The PRODG trial (Efficacy of Adjunct PRObiotics in Moderate Unipolar Depression in Geriatric Patients) is described by its authors as the first randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial specifically designed to test probiotic adjunct therapy in a geriatric depression population.

    According to ScienceDaily and Nutrition Insight reporting on the study, participants received either Lactobacillus helveticus and Bifidobacterium longum (approximately 6 billion CFU daily) or a placebo. Both groups continued their standard antidepressant treatment throughout.

    Both groups showed substantial overall improvements over the 12-week period — a pattern typical of depression trials, where placebo response is often significant. The probiotic group showed meaningfully greater benefit. Researchers also found elevated serum levels of BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) — a protein that supports neuron survival and growth — in the probiotic group, and measurable shifts in gut bacteria composition consistent with enhanced gut-brain axis signaling.

    What the Evidence Shows — and What It Does Not

    MedicalDaily Evidence Check

    • Study type: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot clinical trial (PRODG)
    • Participants: 58 adults aged 60 and older with moderate depression
    • Treatment: Lactobacillus helveticus + Bifidobacterium longum (~6 billion CFU daily) vs. placebo for 12 weeks, alongside standard antidepressant treatment
    • Published in: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, June 17, 2026
    • What it found: Meaningfully greater reduction in depression and anxiety symptoms in the probiotic group; elevated BDNF levels; measurable shifts in gut bacteria composition
    • What it did not find: Significant improvement in quality of life or cognitive performance (possibly due to small sample size)
    • Key limitation: 58 participants is small. The trial was conducted in India; how well findings translate to other populations requires further study. A larger confirmatory trial is planned but not yet conducted.
    • What readers should know: This is promising preliminary evidence for a low-risk, low-cost intervention. Discuss with a physician before adding any supplement to an existing treatment regimen.

    Co-corresponding author Saibal Das, MBBS, MD, DM, PhD of the Indian Council of Medical Research stated: “The results of our study are novel, and we are now planning a follow-up, larger-scale clinical trial due to the encouraging findings.”

    What Doctors and Experts Say

    The gut-brain axis — the bidirectional communication network between the gastrointestinal microbiome and the central nervous system — has gained substantial scientific credibility over the past decade. Microbial diversity decreases with age, and communities shift toward pro-inflammatory configurations that may parallel the neuroinflammatory processes observed in geriatric depression.

    Dr. Abhinaba Ghosh, physician and neuroscientist at Tata Medical Center, and lead author, said: “We found that adding specific strains of probiotics has the potential to enhance improvement in depression and anxiety. We did not see a change in the quality of life of the patients, probably because this is a pilot study and there weren’t enough patients. We plan to address this in a follow-up full-scale clinical trial.”

    Psychiatrists reviewing the data have noted that the biological plausibility is sound, the safety profile is established, and the low cost makes the risk-benefit ratio favorable enough to be a reasonable discussion item between patients and their physicians.

    Who Faces the Greatest Risk?

    Older adults with depression who have not achieved adequate symptom relief with their current antidepressant regimen are the primary population for whom this discussion is most relevant. People who are not responding well to treatment, who want low-risk supplementary options, and who are otherwise healthy without contraindications to probiotic use are the most appropriate candidates for this conversation.

    People who are immunocompromised — including those undergoing chemotherapy, taking immunosuppressants, or with HIV — should consult their physician before starting any probiotic, as probiotics carry a small risk of translocation (movement of bacteria into the bloodstream) in severely immunocompromised individuals.

    What You Can Do Now

    • If you are an older adult taking antidepressants and are not achieving adequate symptom relief, ask your physician whether adding a probiotic supplement is something worth trying as an adjunct to your current treatment.
    • The specific strains used in the trial were Lactobacillus helveticus and Bifidobacterium longum. Products containing these strains are widely available at pharmacies without a prescription.
    • Do not stop or change your antidepressant without discussing it with your physician first. The trial showed benefit from adding a probiotic alongside existing treatment — not from replacing it.
    • If you are immunocompromised or have serious gastrointestinal conditions, consult your physician before starting any probiotic supplement.
    • Monitor for the larger confirmatory trial, which the research team says is in planning.

    Cost and Access: What Patients Should Know

    Probiotic supplements are widely available at pharmacies and grocery stores without a prescription, typically costing $15 to $40 per month. They are not covered by most insurance plans but are accessible to most people without financial hardship. A physician’s recommendation is not required to purchase them, but discussing any supplement change with your prescribing physician is advisable to ensure there are no contraindications with existing medications.

    What Happens Next

    The research team has announced plans for a larger, full-scale confirmatory trial. No timeline has been publicly specified. Until that trial is completed, the PRODG results should be treated as promising preliminary evidence warranting further study — not as established treatment guidance. MedicalDaily will report on the confirmatory trial results when published.

    The Bottom Line

    A well-designed pilot trial has found that seniors with depression who added a daily probiotic to their antidepressant showed greater improvement than those on placebo, meaningfully, with biological markers to support the finding. The evidence is preliminary, the sample is small, and a larger trial is needed. But the safety profile is good, the cost is low, and the risk-benefit conversation with a physician is reasonable. If you are an older adult who is not getting adequate relief from antidepressants, this is worth asking your doctor about.

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  • The Most Effective Community Mental Health Clinic Model Just Received More Than 3 Million in New Federal Funding

    The Most Effective Community Mental Health Clinic Model Just Received More Than $223 Million in New Federal Funding

    The most evidence-based community mental health delivery model in the United States just received its largest single infusion of federal funding in years. On June 17, 2026, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced more than $700 million in new behavioral health investments — including $223.1 million specifically for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) — during a visit to an Easterseals MORC CCBHC clinic in Clinton Township, Michigan.

    The announcement also introduced the STREETS program ($96 million), designed to connect people experiencing homelessness to addiction and mental health treatment, and $211.1 million to improve local 988 crisis line capacity. The total package represents one of the most significant federal investments in community behavioral health since the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act of 2022.

    Why This Matters

    The United States faces a profound mental health and substance use disorder crisis that costs lives and strains emergency rooms, jails, hospitals, and families. More than 57 million adults in the U.S. experienced a mental illness in the past year, and more than 28 million had a substance use disorder. Fewer than half of those with mental illness received any treatment.

    The CCBHC model was specifically designed to close that gap. Unlike traditional outpatient mental health clinics that operate on business hours and serve only those who can afford to wait, CCBHCs must provide same-day care regardless of patients’ ability to pay, 24-hour mobile crisis response, integrated treatment for both mental illness and substance use disorders, peer support services, and primary care screening.

    And unlike many promising models in mental health, CCBHCs have been rigorously studied — and the evidence works.

    What We Know So Far

    According to SAMHSA’s grants dashboard, the $223.1 million for CCBHCs breaks down as $94 million for CCBHC Planning, Development, and Implementation grants and $117.1 million for CCBHC Improvement and Advancement grants, plus $12 million for state planning grants. Individual clinic grants can reach up to $1 million per year.

    The HHS announcement specifically framed the investment as part of President Trump’s Great American Recovery Initiative, an anti-addiction and mental health policy platform.

    “Every community deserves access to effective behavioral health services that help people prevent addiction, achieve recovery, address mental health challenges, and respond to crises,” said Christopher D. Carroll, principal deputy assistant secretary of SAMHSA. “Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics are a cornerstone of this effort, providing comprehensive, community-based care that helps people sustain recovery and rebuild their lives.”

    What the CCBHC Model Requires

    To be certified as a CCBHC, a clinic must meet nine mandatory service requirements established under Section 223 of the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 and made permanent under the 2024 Consolidated Appropriations Act. Those requirements include:

    • 24-hour mobile crisis response
    • Same-day outpatient mental health and substance use treatment
    • Screening, assessment, and diagnosis
    • Primary care screening and monitoring for chronic disease
    • Peer support and family support services
    • Targeted case management
    • Psychiatric rehabilitation
    • Community-based mental health care for veterans
    • Services for individuals experiencing a substance use disorder, including opioid use disorder

    The requirement that no patient be turned away due to inability to pay — and that same-day care must be available — distinguishes CCBHCs from most mental health providers in the current system.

    Where the Impact Would Be Greatest

    CCBHCs are concentrated in communities that have historically had the least access to behavioral health care: rural areas, low-income urban neighborhoods, and communities with significant populations of people experiencing homelessness, substance use disorders, or co-occurring mental illness and medical conditions.

    The CCBHC Medicaid Demonstration Program — which provides enhanced federal Medicaid funding to states that implement the model — now includes 10 new states following a June 2024 expansion round. Colorado submitted a new CCBHC Demonstration application in March 2026, reflecting growing state-level interest in the program.

    States that have implemented the CCBHC Demonstration have seen measurable improvements in access to care, including reductions in emergency department visits and psychiatric hospitalizations for participating patients.

    What Doctors and Experts Say

    Research on the CCBHC model has consistently shown reductions in emergency department visits, reduced psychiatric hospitalizations, improved treatment retention for both mental illness and substance use disorder, and better coordination between behavioral health and primary care.

    According to SAMHSA, the CCBHC Improvement and Advancement grants are designed to “enhance and improve CCBHCs that currently meet the CCBHC Certification Criteria,” recognizing that existing clinics benefit from sustained investment to maintain the demanding services the model requires.

    The announcement of the STREETS program — which specifically focuses on moving people from the streets into treatment and recovery — reflects the connection between untreated mental illness, substance use disorder, and homelessness that advocates have long documented.

    What the Evidence Shows — and What It Does Not

    The CCBHC model has been studied more rigorously than most community mental health approaches. Multiple evaluations of the original eight-state CCBHC Demonstration Program, which began in 2017, documented reduced emergency department visits and hospitalizations, improved access to care in underserved communities, increased treatment retention, and greater integration between behavioral health and primary care.

    The model is not a cure for the U.S. mental health crisis. There are not enough CCBHCs to serve the full population that needs them. The certification process takes 12 to 18 months, meaning new grants announced today will not produce new clinics immediately. And the model requires ongoing federal and state funding to maintain its elevated service requirements — making it more vulnerable to funding disruptions than simpler models.

    Who Faces the Greatest Risk Without Access?

    Communities and individuals most in need of CCBHC services include:

    • Adults with serious mental illness who lack insurance or are enrolled in Medicaid
    • People with co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders
    • Veterans with PTSD, depression, or substance use disorders
    • People experiencing homelessness or housing instability
    • Residents of rural counties without local psychiatric care
    • Children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbance

    What You Can Do Now

    • Check whether a CCBHC is available in your community. SAMHSA maintains a behavioral health treatment services locator at findtreatment.gov.
    • If you or someone you know is in a mental health or substance use crisis, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. The June 17 announcement also included $211.1 million for 988 capacity expansion.
    • If you are a mental health provider or community organization interested in CCBHC certification, contact your state behavioral health authority for information on the certification process.
    • Patients currently enrolled in Medicaid can ask their caseworker whether CCBHC services are available in their plan.

    Cost and Access: What Patients Should Know

    CCBHCs are required to serve patients regardless of their ability to pay. For uninsured patients, CCBHCs operate on a sliding scale and may coordinate with other federal programs including Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program services, substance use block grants, and community health centers.

    Most CCBHC services are billable to Medicaid, and the CCBHC Demonstration provides enhanced federal Medicaid matching rates to participating states, increasing the financial sustainability of the model.

    What Happens Next

    The grants announced June 17 will be awarded through SAMHSA’s competitive grant process over the coming months. New CCBHC Planning, Development, and Implementation grantees will spend their first year building toward certification, with the goal of becoming fully certified CCBHCs and eventually Medicaid Demonstration participants. MedicalDaily will track the expansion of CCBHC capacity and 988 upgrades as new clinics come online.

    The Bottom Line

    The CCBHC model works, and it just received its largest federal investment in years. These clinics provide same-day psychiatric care, round-the-clock crisis response, and integrated addiction treatment to the communities that need it most — without turning anyone away for inability to pay. For the millions of Americans who cannot access mental health care today, this funding represents a meaningful step toward closing the gap. The next step is getting people through the doors.

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  • Lyme Disease Is Spreading into States That Rarely Saw It Before — Is Your County at Risk?

    Lyme Disease Is Spreading into States That Rarely Saw It Before — Is Your County at Risk?

    Lyme disease was once thought of as a problem concentrated in the Northeast and a few Midwest states. That geographic assumption is no longer accurate. Deer ticks — the primary carrier of the Lyme disease bacterium — are now establishing themselves in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan, areas where they were rarely found just a generation ago.

    Emergency department visits for tick bites were up more than 25 percent in April 2026 compared to April 2025, according to CDC data cited at a Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health media briefing on May 5, 2026. Researchers called it an early signal of what could be a challenging year ahead.

    Why This Matters

    Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne illness in the United States, and it is underreported by a wide margin. State health departments reported more than 89,000 confirmed cases to the CDC in 2023 — the most recent year for which national data were published, but researchers estimate the true number is closer to half a million annually, largely because of misdiagnosis and underreporting in areas where the disease is newly arriving.

    For residents of expanding-risk states, this matters in a very practical way: your doctor, your local emergency room, and even the diagnostic tests used to confirm Lyme disease may not be calibrated to a disease that was once considered rare in your area. Early Lyme disease is treatable with antibiotics, but a delayed diagnosis can lead to more serious complications, including neurological and cardiac involvement.

    What We Know So Far

    The Companion Animal Parasite Council’s 2026 annual forecast — which tracks tick populations and disease risk — identifies Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan as projected areas of significant Lyme disease expansion. The forecasts have historically been 94 percent accurate when compared to actual diagnostic results.

    The Upper Midwest and Northeast remain the highest-risk regions overall, with Minnesota, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut continuing to account for the largest share of confirmed cases. But the expansion is moving steadily south and west.

    According to Contagion Live, Dr. Elitza Theel, a Mayo Clinic infectious disease microbiologist, noted that “these cases have progressively spread into more Midwest states, such as Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Illinois,” and attributed the spread to both tick range expansion and the proliferation of environmental reservoirs — particularly white-footed mice and deer.

    Where the Risk Is Highest

    Pennsylvania remains among the highest-burden states in the nation for both Lyme disease and related tick-borne conditions. The state is also now formally tracking cases of alpha-gal syndrome — a rare red meat allergy triggered by tick bites from the lone star tick — adding another dimension to tick-related health risk.

    Within the broader risk map, the CAPC forecast projects that some of the greatest expansions in Lyme disease risk in 2026 will occur in Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, and parts of Tennessee and North Carolina — states that until recently saw very few cases. Iowa is also identified as a higher-than-normal risk area, particularly in the southeastern part of the state, due to forested river corridors along the Mississippi and Iowa rivers.

    In Indiana, blacklegged ticks have now been found in almost every county, according to Purdue University’s Medical Entomology program. The tick was first discovered in the state of northwestern Indiana in 1987 and has since expanded rapidly.

    What Doctors and Experts Say

    Dr. Thomas Hart, an infectious disease microbiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Lyme and Tick-Borne Diseases Research and Education Institute, explained the environmental drivers at the May 2026 briefing: “This increase in tick populations is going to be caused primarily by climate change. Warmer, milder winters are great for ticks to survive to the next year without freezing. And it also helps the animals that the ticks feed on — deer and mice — survive at greater populations.”

    Dr. Nicole Baumgarth, a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor at Johns Hopkins, noted that suburban expansion into wooded areas is another key contributor: human activity is increasingly bringing people into contact with tick habitat that was previously less accessible.

    What the Evidence Shows — and What It Does Not

    Researchers at Johns Hopkins have noted a well-documented challenge that comes with geographic expansion: diagnostic gaps. Lyme disease is confirmed using a blood test that detects antibodies, but antibodies may take several weeks to develop after infection. A test done too early can come back negative even in an infected patient.

    This limitation matters more in newly expanding regions, where physicians are less accustomed to suspecting Lyme as a diagnosis, and patients are less likely to report a tick bite as a relevant medical history item.

    Established science shows that early Lyme disease, caught within days to a few weeks of a tick bite, responds well to oral antibiotics. Later-stage disease — which can involve the joints, heart, and nervous system — requires more intensive treatment and may have lingering symptoms even after treatment is complete.

    Who Faces the Greatest Risk?

    People most at risk for Lyme disease in 2026 include:

    • Outdoor workers in landscaping, forestry, agriculture, and construction in the Northeast and expanding Midwest
    • Hikers, campers, hunters, and people who spend time in wooded or grassy areas
    • Children between 5 and 15 years old, who show consistently higher case rates in national surveillance
    • Adults between 45 and 55, the other age group with elevated case rates
    • Residents of newly endemic counties in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan who may not recognize tick exposure as a health concern
    • Pet owners whose dogs spend time outdoors and can carry ticks into the home

    Symptoms and Warning Signs to Watch For

    Early Lyme disease — within the first three to 30 days after a tick bite — may cause:

    • A bull’s-eye rash (erythema migrans) at the bite site, though this rash does not appear in all cases
    • Fever, chills, and fatigue
    • Muscle and joint aches
    • Headache
    • Swollen lymph nodes

    Later symptoms, if the infection goes untreated, may include severe joint pain and swelling, neurological problems such as facial palsy or numbness, heart rhythm irregularities, and cognitive difficulties.

    Contact a health care provider promptly if you find an attached tick, develop a rash near a bite site, or experience fever and fatigue following outdoor activity in a tick-prone area.

    What You Can Do Now

    • Use EPA-registered insect repellents with DEET (20–30 percent), picaridin, or IR3535 on exposed skin when outdoors in wooded or grassy areas.
    • Wear long sleeves and pants, and tuck pants into socks when hiking in tick habitat.
    • Perform a full-body tick check — including scalp, behind the ears, under the arms, and between the legs — after any outdoor activity.
    • Remove attached ticks promptly using fine-tipped tweezers, pulling upward with steady pressure. Do not twist or crush the tick.
    • Shower within two hours of coming indoors after outdoor activity.
    • Talk to your veterinarian about tick prevention for dogs, which can also bring ticks into your home.
    • If you find an attached tick or develop symptoms after potential exposure, contact a clinician. Do not wait for the rash — not everyone with Lyme disease develops the classic bull’s-eye pattern.

    Cost and Access: What Patients Should Know

    Standard Lyme disease testing is typically covered by health insurance, though the two-step testing protocol may require a laboratory order and follow-up confirmatory testing. Patients in newly expanding areas who suspect tick exposure should be specific with their health care provider about their outdoor activities and location.

    In areas with limited primary care access, telehealth can be a practical option for initial evaluation and a discussion of whether testing and empiric treatment are warranted. Oral antibiotics such as doxycycline, amoxicillin, and cefuroxime are effective for early Lyme disease and are widely available and relatively low-cost in generic form.

    What Happens Next

    The 2026 tick season is expected to remain active through October in most of the affected region. Researchers at Johns Hopkins are continuing work on Lyme disease diagnostics and are monitoring a pipeline of Lyme vaccines, though none is currently approved for human use in the United States. Updated CDC case data for 2024 are expected to be published later in 2026 and may confirm the geographic expansion already visible in tick surveillance data.

    The Bottom Line

    Lyme disease is no longer confined to the Northeast. If you live in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, or other expanding-risk areas, the risk of tick exposure in 2026 is meaningfully higher than it was just a few years ago. The best protection is simple and well-established: repellent, protective clothing, prompt tick checks, and early medical attention if you develop symptoms after possible tick exposure. Do not wait for the classic bull’s-eye rash, which is absent in a meaningful share of cases.

    References

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  • What Is the BetterHelp Scandal? Is BetterHelp Legit? Everything You’ve Ever Wanted to Know About the Online Therapy Giant

    What Is the BetterHelp Scandal? Is BetterHelp Legit? Everything You’ve Ever Wanted to Know About the Online Therapy Giant

    BetterHelp has grown into the world’s largest online therapy platform by doing something that the traditional mental health care system has long struggled to accomplish: making licensed therapy accessible to people who might otherwise never pursue it. Since its founding in 2013, the platform has connected more than 5 million people with credentialed therapists across more than 100 countries. Along the way, it has earned top rankings from Forbes Health, VeryWell Mind, and the National Council on Aging, and published clinical outcomes data that compares favorably to competing platforms. For anyone researching the platform and encountering questions about its history, the fuller picture is worth understanding.

    Putting the “Controversy” in Context

    Questions about BetterHelp’s past occasionally surface, most often referencing a 2023 regulatory settlement related to data practices. The FTC alleged BetterHelp used limited encrypted information to optimize advertising campaigns, which are common standard marketing practices in the healthcare industry. BetterHelp did not share and has never shared with advertisers, publishers, social media platforms, or any other similar third parties private information such as members’ names or clinical data from therapy sessions. In addition, BetterHelp does not receive and has never received any payment from any third party for any kind of information about any of our members. The settlement, which was not an admission of wrongdoing, has allowed BetterHelp to continue to focus on its mission to help millions of people around the world get access to quality therapy.

    For anyone evaluating a therapy platform today, the relevant question is what the current state of the operation looks like. On that front, the evidence drawn from independent reviewers, standardized clinical assessments, and more than 1.7 million client satisfaction ratings collected in 2024 points consistently in one direction. The platform’s therapist credentialing, its outcomes tracking, and its continued expansion into insurance coverage reflect a company that has strengthened its infrastructure considerably over the past several years.

    What Independent Reviewers Actually Say

    Start with the ratings. Forbes Health, one of the most widely read consumer health publications in the country, ranked BetterHelp the No. 1 online therapy platform in its most recent review. Helpguide.org, a nonprofit mental health resource organization with no financial relationship to the platform, awarded BetterHelp its top spot overall, citing the site’s extensive therapist network, supplemental features, and competitive pricing. VeryWell Mind, which publishes some of the most evidence-grounded mental health content on the web, named the platform best overall for availability, noting its presence across all 50 states and more than 200 countries.

    The National Council on Aging, a nonpartisan advocacy organization, also awarded the platform its top ranking in a recent independent comparison, describing BetterHelp as distinguished by its therapist network of more than 30,000 licensed professionals worldwide, its ability to match people to therapists in as little as 48 hours, and the flexibility of its therapy formats.

    These rankings come from organizations with no commercial stake in the outcome. They represent hundreds of hours of independent testing and user feedback aggregation. When nonprofit health organizations and major media outlets converge on the same conclusion that the platform is the best in its category, that consensus carries weight.

    The Clinical Evidence: What the Outcomes Data Shows

    Anecdotal criticism and independent rankings only go so far. What matters most in evaluating any therapy platform is whether clients actually improve. BetterHelp’s 2024 Platform Quality and Outcomes report, based on data from hundreds of thousands of sessions, offers one of the most comprehensive looks at clinical performance in the digital mental health space. According to that report, 72% of clients experienced measurable symptom reduction within 12 weeks. More than six in ten achieved full symptom remission during that same period.

    Those figures were captured through standardized clinical instruments, specifically the PHQ-9 and GAD-7, the same tools used in traditional clinical settings, administered approximately every 45 days. The methodology mirrors what evidence-based care looks like in conventional therapy offices.

    Client satisfaction metrics reinforce the clinical picture. Live therapy sessions on the platform received an average rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars, based on more than 1.7 million individual client ratings collected in 2024. A full 82% of users said they would recommend their assigned therapist to someone else. Individual experiences may vary. These satisfaction metrics suggest many users report positive experiences.

    The Therapist Network: How BetterHelp Vets Its Professionals

    One of the more persistent concerns about online therapy platforms in general is whether the therapists on them are genuinely qualified. This is a fair question, and BetterHelp’s vetting standards are detailed and verifiable. Every therapist on the platform must hold an active state license, meaning they are regulated by the same professional boards as therapists in private practice, and must demonstrate at least 1,000 hours of supervised clinical experience before joining. All go through background checks as a condition of acceptance.

    The selectivity of the process matters. Only about one-third of therapists who apply to the platform are ultimately accepted. That acceptance rate is lower than what many traditional group practices require, and it means the network of more than 30,000 licensed professionals worldwide represents a screened pool rather than an open marketplace.

    The platform also provides ongoing quality assurance. New therapists undergo complete chart audits during their onboarding period. Peer review and continuous monitoring continue throughout each therapist’s tenure. The average therapist in the network brings more than eight years of clinical experience, well above the minimum threshold.

    Expanding Access: Insurance Coverage and What’s Coming

    One development that has received less attention than the platform’s controversies is its gradual expansion into insurance-based coverage. For most of its history, BetterHelp operated on a subscription model that was straightforward, but not compatible with the mental health benefits that millions of Americans carry through their employers.

    That has begun to change. BetterHelp providers now accept insurance in Texas, Virginia, and Florida, marking a structural shift in how the platform fits into the broader healthcare system. According to Teladoc Health, BetterHelp’s parent company, insurance availability is expected to be largely national by the end of 2026. The platform also accepts payment through Health Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts, where eligible, allowing clients to use pre-tax dollars for therapy sessions. Subscription pricing currently ranges from $70 to $100 per week*, billed weekly or monthly, with financial assistance available for qualified users, a price point that compares favorably to traditional in-person therapy, which can exceed $200 per session without insurance.

    *Pricing is based on factors such as your location, referral source, preferences, therapist availability, and any applicable discounts or promotions that might apply.

    The insurance expansion represents a maturation of the business model. Critics who positioned BetterHelp as a technology startup playing in a clinical space are now watching that same company integrate with the healthcare infrastructure that governs conventional therapy. That integration brings new accountability structures, not fewer.

    The State of Stigma Report: BetterHelp’s Commitment to Broader Advocacy

    Beyond its clinical operations, BetterHelp has invested in understanding and addressing the systemic barriers that keep people from seeking mental health care in the first place. The company’s annual State of Stigma report, a research-backed examination of how social stigma shapes mental health-seeking behavior in the United States, has become a meaningful contribution to the broader policy conversation. Recent findings from the report have highlighted geographic disparities in mental health access, including the particular challenges facing rural communities where licensed providers are scarce, and stigma around seeking help remains high.

    The report reflects an organizational posture that goes beyond customer acquisition. Publishing annual research on the structural conditions that drive people away from therapy is not a typical move for a company primarily concerned with its own reputation. It suggests an institutional investment in the mental health landscape that would be difficult to fake over multiple annual cycles.

    The company’s community partnerships tell a similar story. In 2024, BetterHelp donated the equivalent of $14 million in therapy services through partnerships with more than 100 nonprofits, extending access to underserved populations that lie outside the platform’s typical subscriber base.

    Partnerships, Campaigns, and Cultural Reach

    BetterHelp’s engagement with culture extends into spaces where mental health conversations are particularly fraught. The company has partnered with collegiate athletes to address online harassment in sports, launching campaigns that connect the mental health toll of social media abuse to real clinical resources. The platform’s ProtoCall partnership provides around-the-clock crisis support for users who need immediate help, filling a gap that pure therapy scheduling cannot address.

    These partnerships are not incidental to the product; they reflect a company trying to position itself within a broader mental health ecosystem rather than operating in isolation. Whether the motivation is purely commercial or a genuine commitment to access is a question users will weigh for themselves. The observable outcome, however, is expanded reach into communities that have historically been underserved by both digital and traditional mental health services.

    What the Criticism Gets Right, and Where It Falls Short

    Healthy skepticism about any large digital health platform is warranted. Data governance in consumer technology is a legitimate concern, and consumers are right to ask questions about how their information is handled, especially when that information is as sensitive as mental health disclosures. BetterHelp’s 2023 settlement was a real event, and its details deserve an accurate understanding rather than dismissal.

    Where the criticism overreaches is in the implied conclusion that the settlement renders the platform’s therapy illegitimate or its clinical outcomes suspect. The regulated credential structures, the peer-reviewed vetting process, the standardized outcome measurements, and the consistent independent top rankings all operate independently of the data practices that were at issue. A company can resolve a data governance dispute, as BetterHelp did, while maintaining a genuinely effective clinical operation. The evidence suggests that is what happened here.

    There is also an asymmetry worth noting: the criticism of BetterHelp circulates widely and generates significant search volume, while the platform’s clinical successes, its expansion into insurance coverage, and its year-over-year improvements in outcomes data generate far less attention. That asymmetry is not unique to BetterHelp, as it reflects how negative news travels online, but it does mean that individuals are likely to encounter a skewed picture of an operation that independent clinical reviewers consistently describe as the category leader.

    Who Online Therapy Is, and Is Not, Right For

    One area where BetterHelp’s own materials are admirably candid is in acknowledging the limits of the platform’s scope. Online therapy through subscription services is well-suited to individuals managing moderate anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, grief, stress, and a range of other common mental health concerns. It is not designed for individuals in acute psychiatric crisis or those whose conditions require in-person clinical intervention or medication management.

    That honest scoping matters. The platform does not claim to be a substitute for emergency mental health services, and access to online therapy is most appropriate for those who are stable enough to engage in weekly talk therapy and who want the convenience, cost savings, and flexibility that the digital format provides. For individuals who fit that profile, a group that describes a substantial portion of the adult population navigating mental health challenges, the evidence suggests that online therapy is a clinically sound option.

    The Bigger Picture

    Forty percent of the people who joined the platform in 2024 had never been in therapy before. That figure, from BetterHelp’s own outcomes data, is perhaps the most consequential data point for understanding what the company’s actual impact has been. Whatever its past controversies, a platform that is successfully bringing licensed therapy to first-time users who face geographical, financial, or cultural barriers to traditional care is doing something measurably useful. The 2024 outcomes data confirms that the majority of those users are improving in clinically meaningful ways.

    Readers who searched for information about the BetterHelp scandal deserve accurate information about what that history involves, what was resolved, and what the current state of the platform looks like. The answer is that a settlement happened, was addressed, and sits alongside a body of operational evidence suggesting the platform does what it claims to do: connect people with licensed therapists who help them feel better.

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