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Americans are increasingly at risk of having lower incomes, poorer health, and a worse shot at opportunity even before they are born. More babies are now born with low birthweights than in the last 30 years. This has caused growing inequalities that can persist if not properly addressed. In certain parts of the country, that risk may be ten-times greater. Underweight newborns are at an increased risk of long term health challenges, lower IQ scores, and developmental delays. New data shows that the frequency of this problem is rising with more than 300,000 newborns now experiencing low birthweight. This public health and equity issue is increasingly common in low-income communities, communities with poor access to healthy foods, and homes that are near high-polluting sites. Emily Oster, a p...

Pfizer Inc.’s RSV shot produced immune reactions in young adults at higher risk of severe illness just as well as in older people, spurring the company’s plans to apply for wider U.S. approval.A single dose of the vaccine, called Abrysvo, produced a strong immune response in adults ages 18 to 59 with conditions such as asthma, diabetes, or chronic lung disease, Pfizer said. Based on the final-stage trial results, the company plans to ask the Food and Drug Administration to extend the shot’s approval to adults 18 and older.RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, is a flu-like illness that affects elderly adults and babies most severely. The market for adult vaccines alone could reach $11 billion by 2032, according to Bloomberg Intelligence, making it a lucrative target for drugmakers like Pfiz...

If you have a headache or eye pain after viewing the solar eclipse—even if you wore eclipse glasses—you’re not alone. But don’t panic. Experts say it’s probably not a sign of serious damage.Looking straight at the eclipse without protective glasses can potentially cause permanent damage to your vision. It’s dangerous to look directly at an eclipse—except during the period of "totality," when the sun is entirely covered by the moon—for the same reason it’s never a good idea to stare at the sun: its light can burn your retina, a risk that’s formally known as solar retinopathy.But if you suffered this kind of damage, you’d be more likely to experience visual disruptions—such as blurriness, light sensitivity, or dark spots—over the following hours, rather than eye pain. The retina doesn’t have...