Consumer News: Insurance denials for brand-name drugs climbed sharply over six years, study finds

The CDC reports hundreds of people have been sickened

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• A nationwide outbreak of the parasite Cyclospora has sickened hundreds of people across at least 31 states, with thousands of additional suspected cases under investigation.

• The illness can cause prolonged watery diarrhea, stomach cramps and fatigue, and health officials believe contaminated fresh produce is the most likely source.

• As a precaution, Taco Bell has temporarily removed several fresh ingredients from the menu at some locations, although health officials have not linked the chain to the outbreak.

A growing outbreak of a foodborne parasite that can cause severe diarrhea has prompted Taco Bell to temporarily remove several fresh produce items from the menus at some restaurants while federal and state health officials search for the source of the contamination.

The illness, known as cyclosporiasis, is caused by the microscopic parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people infected with the parasite often develop watery diarrhea, frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements, loss of appetite, stomach cramps, bloating, fatigue and nausea. Symptoms typically begin about a week after exposure but can take up to two weeks to appear, making outbreaks difficult to trace.

The CDC has confirmed 843 cases and 86 hospitalizations in 31 states since May 1, though state health officials believe the true number is considerably higher because of reporting delays and unconfirmed illnesses. Michigan has reported the largest number of cases, with thousands of confirmed and suspected infections under investigation. No deaths have been reported.

Taco Bell takes precautionary action

While investigators have not identified Taco Bell as the source of any illnesses, the restaurant chain has removed several fresh ingredients from some locations out of an abundance of caution.

Signs posted at affected restaurants say customers may receive menu items without lettuce, pico de gallo, guacamole, cilantro, and onions because those ingredients are temporarily unavailable. Taco Bell says menu items remain available but are being served without the affected produce where necessary.

The precaution reflects a longstanding pattern in Cyclospora outbreaks, which are frequently linked to fresh produce consumed raw.

Fresh produce under scrutiny

Health officials have not identified a specific food or supplier responsible for this year's outbreak. Historically, Cyclospora outbreaks have been associated with foods such as leafy greens, cilantro, basil, raspberries and other fresh produce that can become contaminated before reaching consumers.

Unlike many bacteria, the parasite is not easily removed by simply rinsing produce. The CDC advises consumers to wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly under running water, avoid cross-contamination in the kitchen and, when practical, cook produce because adequate heat can kill the parasite.

Who is most at risk?

Most healthy people recover without lasting complications, but symptoms can persist for weeks or even recur if left untreated. Older adults, young children, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are considered at greater risk for severe illness. Antibiotics are available for confirmed cases.

Health officials continue to investigate the outbreak and have not issued any nationwide recalls or advised consumers to stop eating fresh produce. Instead, they recommend careful food handling and seeking medical attention if diarrhea lasts more than a few days or is accompanied by severe dehydration or other concerning symptoms.

Chevy and Toyota are part of this week's recall roundup

Environmental group warns new approvals could expand exposure concerns nationwide

• The EPA has approved three new PFAS-based pesticides for use on food crops, according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG).

• One of the newly approved pesticides was previously flagged by EPA scientists as having "suggestive evidence of carcinogenic potential."

• EWG is urging regulators to pause additional PFAS pesticide approvals while more research is conducted on their long-term and cumulative health effects.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved three pesticides containing PFAS often called "forever chemicals" because they can persist in the environment for long periods according to a recent report from the Environmental Working Group (EWG).

The nonprofit says the approvals bring the total number of PFAS pesticides authorized by the agency to five all in less than two years.

The newly approved pesticides are trifludimoxazin, diflufenican, and epyrifenacil. The EWG says they can now be used on a variety of food crops, including wheat, citrus, and other agricultural products.

The EPAs hands-off approach to pesticide mixtures is leaving families exposed to a cocktail of forever chemicals on their food, Varun Subramaniam, a science analyst at the Environmental Working Group, said in a news release.

We know ultra-short-chain PFAS like TFA [trifluoroacetic acid] are accumulating in the environment and pose potential reproductive risks, yet regulators assess these hazards one by one and without considering the full range of potential health harms. The science shows combined chemical exposure can amplify health harms, but the EPA is consistently failing to enforce the extra safety protections legally required to safeguard children during pregnancy and early life.

Why is the EWG concerned?

According to the EWG, one of the newly approved herbicides trifludimoxazin was cleared for use despite EPA documents describing it as having "suggestive evidence of carcinogenic potential." The group also says the chemical can degrade into multiple persistent PFAS compounds after it is applied.

Beyond the three new approvals, the EWG notes that the EPA also expanded approved uses for bifenthrin, a PFAS pesticide the agency has previously classified as a possible human carcinogen.

The organization's broader concern is that regulators evaluate pesticides individually rather than considering how multiple PFAS chemicals might interact or contribute to overall exposure.

The EWG also says many PFAS pesticides have not undergone updated developmental, reproductive ,or immune-system toxicity testing, and argues that waiving certain studies leaves important questions unanswered. As a result, the group is calling on the EPA to halt additional PFAS pesticide approvals until more comprehensive testing and cumulative risk assessments are completed.

By the time these PFAS residues reach our plates, they have become part of a toxic cocktail that may suppress the immune system and harm reproductive health, said Subramaniam. That raises serious concerns about the long-term health risks of using these chemicals on food crops.

Were spraying millions of pounds of chemicals on food without understanding their full health impacts or considering what little we do already know. Its unconscionable.

What this means for consumers

For shoppers, the EWG says the findings shouldn't discourage people from eating fruits and vegetables.

A diet rich in fruits and vegetables is essential, said Subramaniam. Families should enjoy the significant health benefits of consuming produce while making informed choices to reduce pesticide exposure, particularly for children, without sacrificing nutrition."

Instead, the EWG says consumers should stay informed about PFAS research while regulators continue to study the chemicals' long-term health effects. The group is urging the EPA to require additional testing for PFAS pesticides, evaluate the combined effects of exposure to multiple PFAS compounds, expand environmental monitoring, and require fuller disclosure of pesticide ingredients.

According to the EWG, stronger oversight would help address unanswered questions about how these persistent chemicals behave in the environment and what their long-term impact could be on people and ecosystems.

Allowing an avalanche of new PFAS pesticides onto our fields will never make America healthy again, Jared Hayes, senior policy analyst at the EWG, said in the release.

Contaminating our agricultural fields with persistent forever chemicals does nothing to help the farmers who work tirelessly to feed us. By prioritizing corporate chemical approvals over public health, the EPA is actively undermining both our long-term food security and the very farming communities we rely on, said Hayes.

New study examines retired players in midlife

• Researchers found structural brain differences in some retired professional soccer players compared with people who had no history of repetitive head impacts.

• Former players also reported higher levels of anxiety, depression, and difficulties with thinking and decision-making in daily life.

• The findings do not show cognitive decline, but they highlight the need for more long-term research and monitoring.

Years of playing professional soccer may leave measurable changes in the brain, even before signs of neurodegenerative disease typically appear.

That's according to new research presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) 2026, where scientists shared findings from the largest study to date examining brain health in retired elite professional soccer players.

The researchers were interested in understanding how repeated head impacts over the course of a professional career might affect brain health later in life. While previous research has explored this topic, this study focused specifically on retired players in midlife, offering a snapshot of their brain health before diseases such as Alzheimer's would usually be expected to develop.

Importantly, the researchers did not find meaningful differences in objective thinking and memory tests between former players and people who had not experienced repetitive head impacts. However, they did identify other differences that suggest the topic deserves continued study.

These findings suggest there may be measurable effects on brain health in former elite soccer players even in mid-life, before clinically apparent neurodegenerative disease would typically emerge, researcher Caleigh Grace Lynch, M.Sc., said in a news release.

While we did not find significant differences in objective cognitive testing between the groups, we did observe important differences in symptoms and brain structure.

How the study was conducted

The study included 142 retired professional soccer players between the ages of 30 and 60. Most were men who had played professionally for at least three years, while 16 were women who competed in the top levels of professional soccer in the United Kingdom. Their results were compared with 56 healthy adults of similar ages who had not played contact sports, served in the military, or experienced repetitive head impacts or neurological conditions.

Participants completed questionnaires about their mental health and daily thinking abilities, along with standardized cognitive testing. Researchers also performed MRI scans on 124 of the former players to examine brain structure and compare those images with scans from members of the control group.

What the findings could mean

Former soccer players reported higher levels of depression and anxiety than the comparison group, along with more self-reported difficulties planning, focusing, solving problems, and managing everyday tasks.

Brain scans also showed lower gray matter volume in several regions involved in memory, attention, decision-making, and emotional regulation. A neuroradiologist reviewing the scans found that about 2% of former players showed brain shrinkage suggestive of neurodegeneration, although researchers said additional investigation is needed to better understand that finding.

At the same time, the players performed similarly to the control group on objective cognitive tests, meaning the study did not find evidence of measurable cognitive decline.

Researchers say these results underscore the importance of following participants over time to learn whether repeated head impacts influence long-term brain health and to help guide future efforts to make sports safer.

Research like this helps us better understand brain health factors across the lifespan and reinforces the importance of injury prevention and monitoring, researhcer Maria C. Carrillo, Ph.D., said in the release.

These findings can help players, physicians and sports organizations better understand the risks of contact sports and how to participate safely.