health and wellness
FDA Provides Update on Agency Response to Monkeypox Outbreak
Last Updated on June 30, 2024 by Daily News Staff
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is providing an update on its multipronged response to monkeypox in the United States, including its efforts in the areas of diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutics. The agency has also established a dedicated website to provide important information about the FDA’s ongoing regulatory activities related to monkeypox along with frequently asked questions. The FDA will provide updates as developments occur and will continue to work with federal public health partners and industry to ensure timely access to all available medical countermeasures.
“The FDA has been closely tracking reports of monkeypox transmissions in the United States with our federal public health partners and coordinating preparedness efforts accordingly,” said FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf, M.D. “We understand that while we are still living with COVID-19, an emerging disease may leave people feeling concerned and uncertain, but it’s important to note that we already have medical products in place, specifically an FDA-approved vaccine for the prevention of monkeypox disease and an FDA-cleared diagnostic test. The FDA is using the full breadth of its authorities to make additional diagnostics and treatments available. We will continue to collaborate with our partners across all sectors to expand accessibility to countermeasures and bolster the tools in our arsenal as appropriate.”
The monkeypox virus is part of the same family of viruses as variola virus, the virus that causes smallpox (a virus that has been eradicated globally). Both monkeypox and smallpox fall into the category of “orthopoxviruses.” Monkeypox is generally not fatal and typically resolves on its own without treatment. The current outbreak in the U.S. usually presents as a rash on the body, face or genital area. Although there is a very low risk of dying, there have been reported complications including severe pain, at times requiring hospital admission.
Diagnostics
Since the first case of monkeypox in the U.S. was detected, the FDA has been working with commercial laboratories and manufacturers to make monkeypox tests more readily available to consumers who need them. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has an FDA-cleared non-variola orthopoxvirus test that can detect monkeypox by a swab from a monkeypox lesion (rash or growth). At this time, this is the only FDA-cleared test. The FDA is not aware of clinical data supporting the use of other sample types, such as blood or saliva, for monkeypox virus testing. In July 2022, the FDA issued a safety communication advising people to use swab samples taken directly from a lesion when testing for the monkeypox virus.
The FDA-cleared monkeypox test is being offered by the CDC and throughout many laboratories that include the CDC’s public health Laboratory Response Network. In addition, federal public health authorities have worked with industry to make the test available through five large commercial laboratories. The agency is working closely with the CDC to increase production of its FDA-cleared test and the FDA has cleared the use of additional reagents and instruments to increase the throughput of the CDC test.
The FDA will continue to work with the diagnostic community to augment access to accurate testing to support the response.
Vaccines
In 2019, the FDA approved the JYNNEOS Vaccine for the prevention of smallpox and monkeypox in adults 18 years of age and older determined to be at high risk of infection. JYNNEOS is the only vaccine approved for the prevention of monkeypox in the United States. Although clinical trials and data are limited because of the small number of cases until now, the immunological response to vaccine administration is consistent with effective prevention of the disease.
Following the emerging public health crisis closely, the FDA was aware that there were close to 800,000 doses of this vaccine pending release this fall following approval of additional manufacturing capabilities at one of the plants where the vaccine is made. With this in mind, the agency worked with HHS partners and expedited the submission of the required application for the company’s manufacturing changes in order to make these doses available to those in need. After accelerating the timeline for an inspection of the plant from fall to earlier this month, the FDA has finished its evaluation of the required information to validate product quality and has determined that the vaccine meets its quality standards.
On July 26, the agency approved a supplement to the biologics license for the JYNNEOS Vaccine, to allow for additional manufacturing capabilities at the facility. Given the emerging public health need, the FDA previously facilitated the shipment of manufactured doses to the U.S. so that they would be ready to be distributed once the manufacturing changes were approved. With the supplement approval, those manufactured doses may now be further distributed and administered. Additional doses manufactured at this plant can help address the need for this vaccine moving forward.
Therapeutics
There is no FDA-approved or authorized medicine for the treatment of monkeypox disease; however, TPOXX (tecovirimat), an antiviral medication, is being made available through the CDC under an FDA authority called Expanded Access or “compassionate use.” The FDA continues to work with the CDC to streamline their Expanded Access Program for monkeypox to facilitate access.
There are currently no human data demonstrating the efficacy of TPOXX for the treatment of monkeypox, or the safety and pharmacokinetic profile (which helps us understand what the human body does to a drug). Although expanded access program is available, conducting randomized, controlled trials to assess TPOXX’s safety and efficacy in humans with monkeypox infections is essential.
The FDA has more information on TPOXX’s approval for smallpox under the “Animal Rule” regulations on its monkeypox webpage.
Source: FDA
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(Feature Impact) Most people don’t set out to ignore their health. It usually slips down the list somewhere between the morning alarm and the last email of the day. Breakfast gets rushed or skipped. Exercise is postponed until tomorrow. Sleep is cut short to catch up on everything else. By the end of the week, healthy intentions are still there, but the follow-through feels harder than expected.
For many, the challenge is not motivation but finding habits that fit into real life. Small, repeatable choices around sleep, exercise, nutrition, mental well-being and social connection can support how the body and mind function over time.
Sleep Well
Sleep is essential for physical recovery, mental focus and emotional balance, but it’s often the first habit to slip when schedules get busy.
Establishing a regular bedtime routine helps signal when it’s time to rest. Limiting screen exposure in the evening, keeping sleep and wake times consistent and creating a dark, quiet sleep environment can support more restorative sleep. Over time, better sleep contributes to improved mood, focus and overall heart health.
Exercise in Manageable Ways
Exercise often falls into the same trap as sleep. When schedules get full, it becomes something to get back to rather than something that fits into the day as it unfolds. A missed workout can quickly turn into a missed week, even for people who value staying active.
Regular movement supports heart health, muscle strength and overall energy, but it doesn’t need to be all-or-nothing. Short periods of activity spread throughout the day can still make a difference, especially when long stretches of sitting are the default.
Walking between meetings, stretching in the morning or adding light strength exercises at home are simple ways to stay active without blocking out extra time.
Eat Nutritiously
Food decisions often happen on autopilot as meals are squeezed into busy schedules and long days, making nutrition one of the most influential daily habits.
Meals do more than provide fuel. When built around nutrient-rich foods, they support muscle health, brain health and heart health. An overall healthy eating pattern includes a variety of whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins, helping the body keep up with everyday demands.
Protein plays an important role in maintaining muscle and supporting daily movement, especially as people age. High-quality protein from foods, along with a balanced diet and regular exercise, can help support all the muscles in the body. Choosing protein sources that are easy to prepare and repeat supports consistency when schedules are full.
As part of a balanced approach to healthy habits, nutrition guidance from the American Heart Association’s Healthy for Good initiative, nationally sponsored by the Egg Nutrition Center, highlights how everyday food choices can support the body and brain over time. Eggs are an example of a high-quality protein and they fit easily into meals throughout the day.
Eggs also deliver choline, a nutrient many Americans don’t get enough of. Choline is a critical nutrient, among others, for supporting brain development, memory and mood. Along with protein, choline helps support brain health, making it an important consideration across life stages.
According to the American Heart Association, healthy people can include one egg daily, up to seven eggs per week, as part of a heart-healthy diet. For healthy older adults with normal cholesterol, two eggs per day can be included as part of a heart-healthy dietary pattern.
Mind Your Mental Well-Being
The way people eat, sleep and move does not just affect the body. It also shapes how the brain responds to stress and daily demands. When routines feel rushed or inconsistent, mental well-being is often one of the first areas to feel the strain.
Ongoing stress can interfere with focus, sleep and eating habits, making it harder to maintain healthy routines. Simple practices like deep breathing, mindfulness or stepping away from screens for a few minutes can help reduce tension and restore attention.
Making time for rest and reflection, and setting realistic expectations, can also support emotional balance. What supports the brain often supports the heart as well, reinforcing the value of caring for mental and physical health together.
Socialize and Stay Connected
Mental well-being is shaped by both daily routines and relationships. When life feels busy or stressful, social connection is often the first thing to get pushed aside, even though it plays an important role in emotional health.
Staying connected doesn’t require packed calendars or constant interaction. Shared meals, short conversations or a quick check-in with a friend or family member can help maintain a sense of connection.
Build Habits That Fit Real Life
Healthy routines are more likely to last when they fit into the rhythm of everyday life rather than compete with it. Big changes can feel motivating at first, but it is often the small, repeatable choices that quietly shape how people feel over time.
Choosing foods that are easy to prepare, finding enjoyable ways to exercise and protecting time for sleep can make healthy habits feel more realistic. When routines are built around what is already happening during a typical day, they are easier to return to even when schedules get busy.
For more information and educational resources on nutrition and healthy living, visit Heart.org.
Photos courtesy of Shutterstock
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Our Lifestyle section on STM Daily News is a hub of inspiration and practical information, offering a range of articles that touch on various aspects of daily life. From tips on family finances to guides for maintaining health and wellness, we strive to empower our readers with knowledge and resources to enhance their lifestyles. Whether you’re seeking outdoor activity ideas, fashion trends, or travel recommendations, our lifestyle section has got you covered. Visit us today at https://stmdailynews.com/category/lifestyle/ and embark on a journey of discovery and self-improvement.
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health and wellness
Seeing the Possibilities: Living with Low Vision
Millions of Americans face challenges due to low vision, a condition that is not an inevitable part of aging. February’s Low Vision Awareness Month highlights the importance of eye exams and awareness. Effective management strategies include environmental modifications, assistive devices, and vision rehabilitation services to improve daily living and maintain independence.
Last Updated on March 3, 2026 by Daily News Staff
(Family Features) Millions of Americans are living with low vision, a visual impairment that can turn everyday moments – recognizing a friend’s face across the street, reading a recipe or checking a text message – into unexpected challenges.
Low vision isn’t a natural part of getting older, though the conditions that cause it do become more common with age.
Whether low vision is affecting you or a loved one, Low Vision Awareness Month is a perfect time to have your eyes examined for signs of eye diseases and to take steps to make daily life easier if you are experiencing low vision.
Consider this information from the National Eye Institute to make the most of your vision and improve your quality of life.
Understanding low vision
You may have low vision if you can’t see well enough to read, drive, recognize faces, distinguish colors or see screens clearly.
Many different eye conditions can cause low vision, but the most common causes are age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, a condition that can cause vision loss in people with diabetes.
The most common types of low vision are:
- Central vision loss (not being able to see things in the center of your vision)
- Peripheral vision loss (not being able to see things out of the corners of your eyes)
- Night blindness (not being able to see in low light)
- Blurry or hazy vision
Diagnosing low vision
Your doctor can check for low vision as part of a simple, painless comprehensive dilated eye exam. He or she will ask you to read letters that are up close and far away and will check whether you can see things in the center and at the edges of your vision.
Then eye drops are used to widen your pupils and check for other eye problems – including conditions that could cause low vision.
Low vision is usually permanent, but glasses, medicine or surgery may help with daily activities or slow progression.
Living with low vision
If you have low vision, you aren’t alone. There are steps you can take to make life easier.
For minor vision loss, simple adjustments like using brighter lights, wearing anti-glare sunglasses and using magnifiers can help. Changing the settings on your phone and computer to increase contrast, make text larger or have the device read out loud may also help.
If your vision loss is getting in the way of everyday activities, ask your eye doctor about vision rehabilitation. These services can give you skills and resources to help manage your daily life and keep your independence. Examples include:
- Employment and job training
- Environmental modifications, like improving lighting and contrast
- Assistive devices and technologies, like magnifiers, filters and screen readers
- Adaptive strategies for daily living and independent living skills training
- Emotional support, like counseling or support groups
- Transportation and household services
Finding the right vision rehabilitation services and support may take time, but working closely with your eye doctor or care team is an important first step. Discuss your needs and goals for living with your visual impairment so they can help identify the best services for you.
For additional resources and information on vision rehabilitation, visit nei.nih.gov/VisionRehab.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
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(Feature Impact) Heart disease is something many adults push to the back of their minds if they are not experiencing symptoms; a concern for “later” in life. However, that mindset may be changing. New research suggests younger generations are thinking about their cardiovascular health earlier and with greater urgency.
They’re right to be thinking about it, too. Data from the American Heart Association shows heart disease is still the No. 1 killer of Americans. In fact, someone dies from cardiovascular disease every 34 seconds in the United States.
Risk factors such as obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and kidney disease are on the rise, too. Nearly half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure (47%), and obesity (42%), and more than half (57%) have type 2 diabetes or prediabetes.
Despite growing concern about heart health, many adults remain unclear about their personal risk. In fact, a majority of respondents (62%) in a survey conducted by Atomik Research on behalf of Doctor’s Best said they don’t know their current risk for heart disease. To provide context on these findings and highlight emerging heart health trends, Dr. Tania Elliott, a dual board-certified physician in internal medicine, offers some insights.
Feeling Fatigue
In the study, only 50% of respondents reported feeling energetic on a daily basis. Among those who reported feeling fatigued, 46% listed stress as their top perceived contributor, followed by insufficient sleep (38%), both of which are closely tied to cardiovascular health.
Troubling Symptoms
Among Gen Z respondents, 25% reported having shortness of breath during activity or while lying down, compared to just 16% of Baby Boomers, which is commonly associated with compromised heart health.
Statins and Youth
Statins, which help address cardiovascular risk factors such as high cholesterol, are among the most commonly prescribed drugs in America, with more than 92 million Americans currently taking them, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Although most survey respondents (76%) aren’t currently taking a statin, 17% of adults ages 25-34 reported using statin therapy, which is an unexpectedly high proportion given their age and the group’s low anticipated risk of cardiovascular disease.
Side Effects of Statins
Among those taking statins, which are considered a first-line treatment for treating high cholesterol and reducing heart disease risk, 54% reported experiencing side effects, particularly muscle pain (23%) and fatigue (31%). However, taking statins can also affect levels of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), which supports cellular energy and cardiovascular function.
All About CoQ10
Cells use CoQ10 to produce energy and detoxify. Studies have shown people with heart failure who took CoQ10 had around a 50% reduction in mortality. Despite this, awareness is low. Nearly two-thirds (66%) of respondents had never heard of CoQ10 and that number jumps to 76% of adults ages 25-34. Additionally, only a small percentage of respondents (8%) who were on a statin reported having their CoQ10 level tested.
“We have a real opportunity to help younger adults take a more proactive approach to heart health,” Elliott said. “CoQ10 plays a critical role in cellular energy production and heart muscle function, and it can decline with age and statin use.”
If you’re among the 71% of survey respondents who expressed a willingness to learn more about improving your heart health, talk with your health care provider and visit DoctorsBest.com to learn more.
Strategies to Support Heart Health
While some risk factors for heart disease, like age and family history, are out of your control, you can make lifestyle changes to help lower your risk:
- Eat Whole Foods: A heart-healthy eating plan includes plenty of lean proteins as well as fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains and foods high in omega-3s, such as salmon, nuts and plant oils.
- Know Your CoQ10 Levels: If you’re low, look for a high-quality, bioavailable formula, like Doctor’s Best High Absorption CoQ10 with BioPerine, which supports energy production and muscle function.
- Get Moving: The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week to help control weight and lower the risk for conditions that negatively impact the heart.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock (woman with hand over chest)
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Our Lifestyle section on STM Daily News is a hub of inspiration and practical information, offering a range of articles that touch on various aspects of daily life. From tips on family finances to guides for maintaining health and wellness, we strive to empower our readers with knowledge and resources to enhance their lifestyles. Whether you’re seeking outdoor activity ideas, fashion trends, or travel recommendations, our lifestyle section has got you covered. Visit us today at https://stmdailynews.com/category/lifestyle/ and embark on a journey of discovery and self-improvement.
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