Bacon, Hot Dogs Tied to Dementia

MEDICINE:
Report: Significant Markups Found on Critical Drugs

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), United Health Group’s Optum, Cigna’s Express Scripts and CVS Health’s Caremark marked up their prices by hundreds and even in some cases thousands of percent, resulting in $7.3 billion in revenue above cost for the years 2017 to 2022.

The $7.3 billion is the difference between what the three pharmacy benefit managers (PBM) are reimbursing themselves and the estimated cost they pay to acquire each drug.

In a report released by the FTC, Chair Lina M. Khan explained the three major PBMs hiked costs for a wide range of lifesaving drugs, including medications to treat heart disease and cancer.

CANCER:
Report: Cancer Rising Among Women, Young Adults

The American Cancer Society (ACS) says while total cancer deaths have declined by more than a third since the 1990s, the incidence of many cancer types in women and younger adults are on the rise. The ACS also noted “alarming disparities” in Native American and Black populations persisting.

The Society’s newest annual report on cancer trends also estimates more than two million new cancer diagnoses in the United States during 2025 alongside nearly 620,000 cancer deaths.

Medical professionals agree, early detection of cancer is crucial for improving patient outcomes and survival rates. It allows for more effective treatment and reduces morbidity and mortality associated with cancer. The American Cancer Society has an entire section of their website dedicated to understanding screenings for cancer.

For a closer look at the American Cancer Society’s report, Good Morning America sat down with Memorial Sloan Kettering physician, scientist and medical oncologist, Dr. Neil Iyengar.

DEMENTIA:
Study: U.S. Cases Predicted to Double by 2060

A newly released study by NYU Langone Health finds that dementia risk is higher than previously thought. Prior research suggested that up to 14% of men and 23% of women in the U.S. would get dementia at some point. However, NYU Langone Health researchers believe the risk is actually 35% for men and 48% for women after the age of 55, for a combined average of 42%.

The researchers predict that the number of new dementia cases will increase from about 514,000 in 2020 to around one million in 2060.

Dementia is the progressive erosion of memory, concentration and judgement. The Alzheimer’s Association says it currently affects 6.7 million Americans and accounts for more than 100,000 deaths each year.

Read the full study here.

To hear more about the study’s findings including at which age the dementia risk is greatest, ABC News sat down with researcher Dr. Josef Coresh, the Director of Optimal Aging Institute at NYU Langone Health.

DEMENTIA:
Study: Bacon and Hot Dogs Linked to Dementia Risk

NYU Langone Health researchers attribute a predicted rise in dementia cases by 2060 not just to the U.S. having an aging population, but also sited unhealthy diets as a cause in their newly published study.

Meanwhile, at Harvard University’s Mass General Brigham Hospital’s Department of Nutrition, researchers have been drilling down on diet’s impact on dementia. In a large and long-term study just published, the Harvard researchers found higher intake of processed red meat, including bacon, hot dogs, and bologna, is associated with a significantly elevated risk for cognitive decline and dementia.

A typical serving of red meat is approximately three ounces. With that in mind, researchers found people who consumed more than a quarter of a serving of processed meat per day, roughly two whole servings per week, had a 13% higher dementia risk compared to those who ate less than a 10th of a serving per day. That’s about three servings per month.

Researchers also found the association between dementia and unprocessed red meat, such as hamburger meat or steak, did not reach statistical significance.

CBS News investigates the link between processed red meat and dementia.

INFECTIOUS DISEASES:
Bird Flu Found at Georgia Poultry Producer

For the first time, bird flu has been found at a poultry producer in Georgia, the nation’s top state for chicken production. The state’s Department of Agriculture has suspended all poultry exhibitions, shows, swaps, meets and sales. The case was found in Elbert County, about 100 miles (165 kilometers) northeast of Atlanta.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced it is awarding $590 million to Massachusetts based pharmaceutical company Moderna to accelerate the development of flu vaccines, including protection against bird flu.

The company says its been working since 2023 to create a “pandemic influenza vaccine” which would help protect against certain viruses including the H5N1 bird flu.

This new funding award builds on the $176 million that HHS gave to Moderna in July 2024.

CHRONIC ILLNESS:
Free ‘New Opportunities’ Worksheet Helps with Grief

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) an estimated 129 million people living in the United States have at least one major chronic illness. This represents a significant portion of the U.S. population, with chronic conditions including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity and hypertension.

Grief plays a significant role in chronic illness management, as patients often experience multiple losses associated with their condition. Patients may grieve lost abilities, activities, relationships, or changes to their self-identify and self-esteem.

How to cope with grief is an age old question. Greek philosophers pondered how “the good life” might look a few thousand years ago. More recently, University of Pennsylvania psychologist Martin Seligman’s research focused on the positives. He looked at what could be right, rather than what is going wrong. The field of positive psychology stems from this research.

Living with a condition, caring for a loved-one with a condition, or losing a loved-one can leave a person feeling sad. Created with positive psychology concepts this ‘Seeking New Opportunties’ tool leverages cognitive behavioral techniques in a self-guided worksheet to help you consider what opportunities you have, so you can to try new things and visualize how life might look. Download the free “Seeking New Opportunities” worksheet here.