Flesh-eating screwworms spread to third state and are attacking pets
USDA has identified 74 animal cases in US since parasitic flies invaded in June.
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Beth Mole
Senior Health Reporter
beth.mole@arstechnica.com
Beth is Ars Technica’s Senior Health Reporter. Beth has a Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and attended the Science Communication program at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Before becoming a science writer and journalist, she conducted post-doctoral research on drug development and antibiotic resistance. Now, with over a decade of experience reporting on life sciences and biomedical research, she specializes in covering infectious diseases, public health, and microbes. Before joining Ars in 2015, her stories were featured in publications such as Nature, Science, The Scientist, The Chronicle of Higher Education, and Science News. In 2014, her work was honored by the DC Science Writers Association. She currently resides in the Raleigh, NC area, where she runs, bakes, decorates cakes, and builds Lego and train sets with her family. You can find her on Bluesky @bethmariem.bsky.social.
Recent stories by
Beth Mole
Over 25% of people lie to get antibiotics—and their lies aren’t even good
Faked symptoms still point to infections that antibiotics don’t treat.
Beth Mole
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67
Peptide peddlers cheer as RFK Jr. unilaterally grants access, overruling FDA
Six unproven peptides popular with MAHA now under “enforcement discretion policy.”
Beth Mole
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216
South Carolina’s measles outbreak jumped to Washington state 5 times in 2 weeks
International travel used to be the main risk of measles cases in the US—not anymore.
Beth Mole
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Worms mate in man’s eyes, get plucked out right before larvae burst out
Case study gives a whole new meaning to “bedroom eyes.”
Beth Mole
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RFK Jr.’s vaccine injury clinic could damage NIH hospital, board warns
“Trust is slow to build and quick to lose,” board chair Jack Leslie said.
Beth Mole
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Moderna and Merck say their mRNA cancer vaccine cut death, recurrence by 42%
Markers released top-line results today after previously reporting the trial succeeded.
Beth Mole
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“Disillusioned” MAHA leader quits as Trump admin’s food agenda spoils: Report
The departure comes amid turmoil in Kennedy’s Make America Healthy Again movement.
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Most Read
US-backed vaccine trial on babies canceled after international outcry
The decried trial was canceled last week before police seized vaccine doses.
Beth Mole
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Cops raid office of RFK Jr. allies planning “unethical” vaccine trial on babies
Guinea-Bissau police said hepatitis B vaccine doses were taken as part of an investigation.
Beth Mole
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148
Pennsylvania issues alert on congenital measles—something US hasn’t seen for decades
Congenital measles can be fatal, and survivors require monitoring for years.
Beth Mole
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151
RFK Jr. proposes FDA look the other way on unproven peptides, report says
FDA scientists said none of the popular drugs have been proven safe or effective.
Beth Mole
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124
Hegseth’s dubious low-T screening may flag up to 25 percent of the Army
Medical experts explicitly recommend against blanket screenings.
Beth Mole
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161
Martin Shkreli livestreamed himself violating lifetime pharma ban, FTC says
“I can always find a couple of biotech stocks to smoke,” Shkreli said in a livestream.
Beth Mole
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39-year-old unvaccinated woman becomes 6th measles death in Pennsylvania
As of Friday, state health officials reported 1,136 cases across 41 counties.
Beth Mole
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214
WHO report on Russian lab worker death highlights “key uncertainty”
Without a cause of death, it’s unclear if Russia’s precautions were the right ones.
Beth Mole
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Outrage grows as CDC reportedly poised to fund “unethical” vaccine trial
CDC allocated $1.6M for study on alleged harms of hepatitis B vaccine.
Beth Mole
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106
RFK Jr. unveils sweeping federal initiative to find evidence of vaccine injuries
“[T]he Trump-RFK Jr. anti-vax agenda keeps getting more corrupt and dangerous.”
Beth Mole
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132
PA measles outbreak tops 1,000 cases, largest since disease was eliminated
Pennsylvania reported 1,066 outbreak-linked cases on Wednesday.
Beth Mole
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Pediatricians renew call to ban raw milk as anti-science rhetoric reigns
In renewed policy, pediatricians review the benefits of heating milk to kill germs.
Beth Mole
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156
Mass quarantine issued in Russia after unexplained death of plague researcher
Unconfirmed reports have suggested there was a laboratory accident.
Beth Mole
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255
Patient-zero drill put health facilities to the test—40% of them failed
Actors with makeup and fake symptoms staggered into 73 healthcare facilities.
Beth Mole
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Fifth unvaccinated person dies of measles; CDC still not counting all deaths
State health officials race to vaccinate residents by giving over 8,500 doses.
Beth Mole
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RFK Jr. thinks AI will free us from the “tyranny” of medical facts, expertise
AI is far from a perfect resource. But it seems to hallucinate less than Kennedy.
Beth Mole
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132
Most powerful obesity drug yet: People lost up to 25% of weight in trial
Retatrutide is a triple-hormone obesity drug simulating GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon.
Beth Mole
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160
To keep drug prices high, pharma has been piling up the patents
Add-on patents have increased drug patent periods from two years to over six.
Beth Mole
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Can Trump ever be wrong? His pick to lead FDA refused to say.
Heidi Overton faced questions focused on vaccines, birth control, and vapes.
Beth Mole
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263
Trump admin using AI to deny medical care for seniors in disastrous experiment
Vendors rolling out AI have an “incentive to deny as many claims as possible.”
Beth Mole
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290
CDC opens state ordering for COVID-19 vaccines after unexplained delay
Health department previously blamed delay on “not yet finalized procurement decisions.”
Beth Mole
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RFK Jr.’s CDC isn’t letting states order COVID-19 shots for kids, blocking access
US health deptartment said it wants to ensure the vaccine orders are “appropriate.”
Beth Mole
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158
Woman’s brain worm infection confirmed after eggs grow tails in lab test
There is no single definitive test for these worms, but the tail is fairly convincing.
Beth Mole
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RFK Jr. names 8 new members to influential preventive medicine task force
The USPSTF sets insurance coverage for preventive services, like colonoscopies.
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107
IV drips used for “detoxification” actually filled with toxins; dozens poisoned
The IV drips included glutathione, which was not made to be injected.
Beth Mole
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178
18-year-old dies of measles in PA from severe neurological complication
Teen developed acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, a known measles complication.
Beth Mole
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178
RFK Jr. headlines sold-out anti-vaccine conference alongside Andrew Wakefield
The event is hosted by Kennedy’s anti-vaccine group Children’s Health Defense.
Beth Mole
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144
Unvaccinated Pennsylvania woman died of measles complications, coroner says
The 40-year-old unvaccinated woman reportedly had underlying health conditions.
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