April 5, 2026 (San Diego’s East County) — Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.
HEALTH
- C.D.C. Pauses Testing for Rabies and Pox Viruses (New York Times)
- Supreme Court ruling imperils California’s ban on conversion therapy (Sacramento Bee)
- What is hydroxyapatite toothpaste and is it safe to use? We asked dentists about the oral care ingredient (CNN)
SCIENCE AND TECH
- Your data is everywhere. The government is buying it up without a warrant (NPR)
- New Mexico jury says Meta harms children’s mental health and safety, violating state law (AP)
- Iran-linked hackers breach FBI director’s personal email, publish photos and documents (Reuters)
For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.
HEALTH
C.D.C. Pauses Testing for Rabies and Pox Viruses (New York Times)
The diseases were removed from a list of tests the agency conducts for state and local health departments. Experts worry that with drastic staff reductions, the testing may not resume.
Supreme Court ruling imperils California’s ban on conversion therapy (Sacramento Bee)
The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that a Colorado ban on conversion therapy violates the First Amendment, potentially invalidating other state laws like California’s that have long prohibited the practice as junk science.
Fluoride has long been the standard ingredient in anti-cavity toothpaste — it’s probably a part of your current oral hygiene routine — but modern oral care brands have recently been bringing attention to another science-backed alternative: hydroxyapatite. Despite having over four decades of research and dental care applications to back it up, hydroxyapatite is still not as widely known as fluoride, but is becoming more popular. And because it’s nontoxic and biocompatible, it’s a viable option for those seeking alternative oral care solutions.
SCIENCE AND TECH
Your data is everywhere. The government is buying it up without a warrant (NPR)
…privacy advocates say that the best chance for Congress to close the well-known loophole around the Fourth Amendment that allows for that sort of governmental snooping is coming up in just a few weeks. That’s when Congress is expected to take up reauthorization of what is known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which is set to expire on April 20.
New Mexico jury says Meta harms children’s mental health and safety, violating state law (AP)
New Mexico jurors sided with state prosecutors who argued that Meta — which owns Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp — prioritized profits over safety, and violated parts of the state’s Unfair Practices Act.
Iran-linked hackers breach FBI director’s personal email, publish photos and documents (Reuters)
Iran-linked hackers have broken into FBI Director Kash Patel’s personal email inbox, publishing photographs of the director and other documents to the internet, the hackers and the bureau said on Friday…The hackers published a series of personal photographs of Patel sniffing and smoking cigars, riding in an antique convertible, and making a face while taking a picture of himself in the mirror with a large bottle of rum.