2025 Health Risks and Cancer

• The FDA has approved the first at-home cervical cancer screening device, designed to make women feel more comfortable with the process, and help them stay on top of crucial health care screenings. 

• Teal Health, the company behind the device, completed a 16-site clinical trial that found its at-home collection kit to be just as successful as in-person tests. 

• With FDA approval, the Teal Wand will be available starting in June in California, with access in more states to follow.  

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has officially approved the first at-home cervical cancer screening device. 

Teal Health, a women’s health company, has created the Teal Wand. The device allows women to collect a sample for cervical cancer screenings at home, instead of in their doctors’ office, and then they’re able to mail the sample to a lab for analysis. 

“As a mom and a woman, I get how easy it is to put your own health last,” Kara Egan, CEO and co-founder of Teal Health, said in a news release. 

“That’s why this FDA approval means so much; it’s not just about an innovative new product, it’s about finally giving women an option that makes sense for their lives – something that can be done quickly and comfortably at home. Because when we make care easier to get, we help women stay healthy, for themselves and for the people who rely on them every day."

Looking at the research

Prior to FDA approval, Teal conducted and completed its SELF-CERV clinical trial. The 16-site clinical trial included over 600 women of varying ages from across the country. The primary goal of the study was to determine if the Teal Wand was as effective as cervical cancer screenings traditionally done in doctors’ offices. 

The Teal Wand detected cervical precancer 96% of the time, which is equivalent to in-person doctors’ screenings. 

On top of that, the women involved in the study preferred the Teal Wand. Overall, 86% of study participants said they’d be more likely to stay up to date on their cervical cancer screenings with the Teal Wand, while 94% said they’d prefer the at-home test compared to the in-person test. 

“As a Principal Investigator in the SELF-CERV trial, I saw firsthand how receptive and excited women were to use the Teal Wand,” Dr. Christine Conageski, associate professor, OB-GYN and Director of the Complex Dysplasia Clinic at the University of Colorado, said in a news release. 

“Cervical cancer is largely preventable, yet screening rates in the U.S. continue to lag, and the FDA approval of this at-home Teal Wand self-collection device is a critical step forward. It offers an evidence-based way to expand access without compromising accuracy.” 

How it works

The Teal Wand allows women to test for HPV – human papillomavirus – the virus that causes nearly all types of cervical cancers. Teal follows the same recommended medical guidelines technology that’s used in medical offices, which allows for safety and accuracy for at-home testing.  

Once you order an at-home kit, Teal will connect you with a telehealth provider for a brief virtual consultation. The provider will go through your past screening history, as well as the process for collecting the sample at home. 

The kit comes with everything you’ll need to collect the sample, which women can do in the comfort and privacy of their homes. Then, they mail it off, and the results are analyzed following the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP) defined guidelines.

Lastly, the results will be available in your secure Teal account, and a virtual follow-up is scheduled with your Teal health care provider to answer any questions and go over your results. 

“Comprehensive screening must go hand in hand with structured, reliable follow-up,” Dr. Conageski said. “That’s why Teal Health’s approach to not only advancing screening technology but also providing education and support to women through every step of their care and follow-up journey is crucial. That’s how we ensure this breakthrough truly closes the gap.”

Starting in June, kits will be available on Teal’s website, first available in California, and then rolling out to other parts of the country. 

When it comes to payment, Teal is currently working with insurance providers, as well as creating payment plans, to ensure the testing kits are accessible to as many women as possible. 

More information is available on Teal’s website here.

Key takeaways: 

• Vitamin A poison risk: Poison centers around the country have reported more calls related to vitamin A misuse during the measles outbreak. 

• Preventing measles: Some health care providers will prescribe a vitamin A supplement for children with measles – most often to prevent severe complications; however, in excess, it can be dangerous. 

• Protect kids: The MMR vaccine remains the best way to protect kids against measles, and parents are encouraged to consult their health care providers before starting their child on any kind of supplement regimen. 

America’s Poison Centers have shared that locations across the country are seeing a significant increase in calls related to vitamin A since the start of the measles outbreak. 

Experts say that children hospitalized with measles may receive vitamin A in an attempt to reduce the risk of serious complications. However, parents across the country have been calling poison centers with more regularity since the start of the measles outbreak. 

“At times, vitamin A may be used in the management of patients hospitalized for measles to reduce the risk of serious complications,” said Diane Calello, executive and medical director of the New Jersey Poison Control Center at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. 

“Since taking too much vitamin A can make you sick, this supplement should only be used under the direct care and supervision of a medical provider treating a patient with measles.”

An increase in calls

Insights from the National Poison Data System (NPDS) revealed the recent uptick in vitamin A-related calls to poison centers around the country. 

Their work showed that there were 86 pediatric vitamin A exposures reported to poison centers from January 1 – March 31, 2025. Compared to that same time period in 2024, that figure represents a nearly 39% increase. 

While there has been no increase in the severity of related poisonings, the increase in calls directly correlates to the ongoing measles outbreak. 

Experts from America’s Poison Centers explain that overusing vitamin A can be toxic, and any and all use should be directed by a medical professional. Additionally, the MMR vaccine remains the best way for parents to protect their children from measles. 

Signs and symptoms of vitamin A poisoning

America’s Poison Centers also shared some of the primary signs and symptoms related to vitamin A poisoning. These include: 

• Nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain

• Headache due to intracranial pressure

• Bone pain

• Liver damage

• Vision changes 

Consumers are encouraged to contact Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 or PoisonHelp.org if they suspect an overdose or have concerns.

Key Takeaways 

• ​Two-thirds of U.S. adults have heard the false claim that the MMR vaccine causes autism
• Vaccine misinformation linked to rising measles cases and declining childhood vaccination
• Health experts criticize RFK Jr. for promoting disproven claims amid growing outbreak

As the U.S. grapples with a resurgence of measles, new polling from nonprofit KFF reveals that widespread misinformation is undermining public health and putting children at risk.

According to the nationally representative survey, two-thirds of American adults have heard the false claim that the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine causes autism, and about a third believe or have heard that the measles vaccine is more dangerous than the disease itself.

The growing circulation of these myths, often amplified by public figures like Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has coincided with the largest measles outbreak in decades and a steady decline in childhood vaccination rates.

A worrying shift in public belief

KFF found that around 25% of U.S. adults now believe the MMR vaccine is linked to autism, despite decades of research showing no causal connection. In addition, about a fifth believe the vaccine is more dangerous than the measles virus, and another quarter believe vitamin A can prevent measles—a claim not backed by health authorities.

Many Americans fall into what KFF calls the “malleable middle”—expressing uncertainty about the validity of these claims. While more adults say the statements are “definitely false” than “definitely true,” a large segment remains unconvinced, creating fertile ground for continued misinformation.

These false beliefs were especially prevalent among Republican voters and Hispanic adults, according to the poll.

RFK Jr.’s role and the public health fallout

Kennedy has a long and controversial history with vaccines and autism, and has publicly shared each of the three false claims flagged in the KFF survey. Although he recently offered a qualified endorsement of the measles vaccine, he continues to frame vaccination as a “personal choice” rather than a public health imperative.

Earlier this month, Kennedy launched a new initiative at HHS—a “massive testing and research effort” aimed at uncovering what he calls the “autism epidemic.” He has suggested environmental toxins may be to blame, drawing criticism from both scientists and autism advocacy groups.

“Vaccines do not cause autism,” several leading autism organizations said in a joint statement Thursday. “Decades of scientific research have confirmed this. Public health messaging must reflect scientific consensus and protect all communities.”

Outbreak grows as vaccination declines

So far in 2024, the U.S. has recorded nearly 900 measles cases, with over half the states reporting at least one infection. The majority of these cases are among unvaccinated individuals, according to the CDC. Most are tied to a multistate outbreak centered in West Texas, pushing national case counts to their highest levels since measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000.

Worryingly, only about half of U.S. adults are even aware that measles cases are spiking, the KFF survey found.

Parents who believe misinformation are twice as likely to skip or delay vaccines for their children. Nearly a quarter of parents who said at least one of the false claims is “definitely” or “probably” true admitted to delaying or skipping childhood immunizations—compared to just 11% among parents who rejected the claims outright.

As experts warn of the real threat of measles spreading further, they emphasize that the most effective tools remain the same: accurate information, community trust, and widespread vaccination.