
What's in a name? WHO revising naming system for COVID variants to avoid stigmatizing nations where they were first spotted
CBSN
COVID-19 variants are to be known by letters of the Greek alphabet to avoid stigmatizing nations where they were first detected, the World Health Organization announced Monday.
The new system applies to "variants of concern" -- the most troubling -- and the second-level "variants of interest." There are currently four variants of concern being tracked. "They will not replace existing scientific names, but are aimed to help in public discussion," said Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO's COVID-19 technical lead.
Merryl Hoffman knew she was taking good care of her heart. The 63-year-old attorney didn't smoke or drink, and she was an avid hiker who used to run marathons and other distance races. In her 40s, she had been diagnosed with a leaky mitral valve and underwent surgery to repair it. Every year since, she has seen a cardiologist to check her heart and its function. The reports always came back clear.

FDA to "review the latest data" on mifepristone. What could it mean for access to the abortion pill?
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has asked Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary "to review the latest data on mifepristone," raising questions about the drug commonly referred to as the abortion pill.