Health News Roundup: WHO sounds Ebola alarm as risks intensify; Male victims of domestic violence struggle to disclose abuse

U.S. women with less income, education often lack access to infertility care

Although women from all walks of life tend to experience infertility at similar rates, a new U.S. study suggests there are wide disparities in access to treatment. Researchers examined survey data collected between 2013 and 2016 from 2,052 women, ages 20 to 44, who were representative of more than 45 million women nationwide.

Puerto Rico faces tougher scrutiny over federal Medicaid funding

U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday called for heightened scrutiny of Puerto Rico's Medicaid program as the bankrupt territory seeks increased federal healthcare funding while it deals with repercussions from a government corruption scandal. The House Committee on Energy and Commerce agreed to several accountability measures linked to a $12 billion funding boost over four years for the low-income healthcare program in Puerto Rico. A group of Republican U.S. senators, meanwhile, sought information on whether any safeguards are in place to deter misuse of the island's federal Medicaid dollars.

Biden versus Sanders: Top 2020 contenders snipe over healthcare policy

Democratic presidential front-runner Joe Biden and rival Bernie Sanders are waging a public battle this week over universal healthcare, staking out competing turf on an issue that has become the most divisive in the party's primary campaign. The sniping between the two White House contenders, highlighted on Wednesday when Sanders delivered a defense of his ambitious "Medicare for All" plan, has split Democrats and forced other candidates to choose sides on an issue certain to play prominently in next year's general election race.

Maintaining or starting exercise in middle age tied to longer life

Even if they were inactive during their younger years, middle-aged and older adults who get at least the minimum recommended amount of exercise each week may live longer than their sedentary counterparts, suggests a large UK study. Physical activity has long been linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. But most research has looked at exercise habits at a single point in time rather than activity patterns across the years, researchers note in The BMJ.

Male victims of domestic violence struggle to disclose abuse

Men who experience domestic violence and abuse often don't seek help until the problem becomes a crisis, researchers say. Men tend to worry they would not be believed, or that they would be perceived as less masculine if they reported abuse, their analysis found.

WHO sounds Ebola alarm as risks intensify

The World Health Organization on Wednesday declared Congo's Ebola outbreak an international health emergency, sounding a rarely used global alarm after the virus threatened to spread to a major city and into neighboring countries. Despite a highly effective vaccine and a swift international response after it was declared 11 months ago, the outbreak has proved tenacious in an unstable region beset by violence, becoming Congo's worst ever, with almost 1,700 dead.

Merck's treatment for urinary, abdominal infections gets FDA approval

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Merck & Co Inc's combination treatment for complicated forms of the urinary tract and abdominal infections, the drugmaker said on Wednesday. Recarbrio, approved for patients over 18 years of age, is a combination of a previously approved antibiotic imipenem-cilastatin and Merck's relebactam.

California settles a decades-long lawsuit over lead paint, but the outcome is bittersweet

When Californian counties and cities first sued paint makers in 2000, they wanted the companies to pay billions to remove dangerous old lead paint from hundreds of thousands of homes. After a 19-year legal struggle, they have finally succeeded in getting the companies to fund a remediation program, albeit on a much smaller scale. Sherwin-Williams, ConAgra Grocery Products Co. and NL Industries have agreed to a $305 million settlement, according to a filing in Santa Clara County Superior Court in California on Wednesday.

'Habit' of workouts at a consistent time of day tied to meeting activity goals

People who always work out at the same time of day get more exercise overall and are more likely to get the recommended minimum amounts of weekly activity, a small U.S. study suggests. Among 375 people who had lost weight and kept it off for at least a year, those who typically worked out at the same time every day averaged about 350 minutes of exercise per week, versus 285 minutes for those with inconsistent exercise schedules.