(NewsUSA) - September marks the beginning of a new school year, and for many students, it also marks the first time they will live away from home. College students are packing up, heading to campuses in other cities and states, and beginning new chapters of their lives. For the friends they leave behind, that can mean suddenly being hundreds of miles—and sometimes a time zone—apart.

Distance can make maintaining close friendships more difficult. But technology is giving friends new ways to stay connected, and communication platforms built for gaming such as Discord are increasingly becoming digital spaces where friends can continue to spend time together, talk and socialize even when they can no longer meet in person.

“When I had to move to college in another county, I didn't have proper communication channels set up for when I wanted to talk to my friends back home,” said Zen Dailo from Bakersfield, California. “Discord helps me stay in touch with some of my closest friends from home that I probably wouldn't have kept in touch with.”

Discord Gives Friends a Place to Hang Out

For many users, Discord is more than a messaging app for gaming. It can function as a virtual gathering place where friends can talk, share experiences and spend time together whether or not they are playing a game.

More than 90 million people use Discord every day to text, talk and video chat before, during and after playing games. The platform is free to join and is designed around conversations in smaller communities rather than algorithm-driven feeds or viral content.

That difference can make online interaction feel more personal. Friends can use voice chat, video calls and high-quality streaming across devices, creating an experience that can feel less like sending messages and more like hanging out in the same room.

For college students who have suddenly moved away from their hometowns, that kind of always-available social space can make maintaining friendships easier.

Why Gaming Can Strengthen Friendships

Gaming is also helping friends stay connected because it gives them something active to do together rather than simply exchanging messages.

Research published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships examined how friendships develop and found that the amount of time people spend together is not the only factor. The type of interaction matters as well. Shared activities, including playing games together, were found to be meaningful predictors of friendship.

The popularity of gaming also means that friends do not have to live in the same place to participate in the same activity. The Entertainment Software Association reports that 67 percent of Americans ages 5 to 90 play video games for at least an hour each week, while 49 percent say games help them stay connected with friends and family.

That makes gaming different from many traditional social activities. Going to a movie, joining a local sports league or meeting for dinner generally requires people to be in the same location. Online gaming allows friends to participate together even when they are separated by hundreds or thousands of miles.

The result is an activity that can turn a simple online conversation into shared time.

Keeping an Entire Friend Group Connected

Maintaining one friendship across distance can be difficult. Keeping an entire friend group together can be even harder.

Schedules change after high school. Some friends leave for college, others start working, and people may move to different cities or states. Over time, coordinating a group gathering can become increasingly difficult.

Discord is designed for both individual conversations and larger communities. Friends can create Group Direct Messages or establish private Servers—invite-based spaces organized around a friend group, game or shared interest.

These communities give friends a place to return to even when their schedules do not line up perfectly. Users can see which friends are online, join an ongoing conversation or start a gaming session without having to organize a formal gathering every time.

For Logan Iacobo of Pomona, California, Discord has helped preserve a large friend group that might otherwise have become harder to maintain.

“Once I was out of high school, I accumulated a very large friend group, so it was hard to always talk to everyone,” he said. “Discord has enabled us to stay connected. When I moved across the country, I could still talk to everyone, and we’ve stayed close to this day – it’s been a real blessing.”

How to Use Discord to Stay Connected With Friends

Getting started with Discord is relatively simple. The platform is available for mobile devices, consoles and desktop computers, and an account can be created in just a few minutes.

Friends can start a one-on-one Direct Message or Group Direct Message with people they already know. They can also create a private Server specifically for their friend group or join an existing community based on a favorite game or shared interest.

Joining a Server can be as simple as clicking an invitation link from a friend. Users can also browse Discord's directory to discover communities based on games, hobbies and other interests.

For friends separated by college, work or a move to another part of the country, these features can make it easier to maintain a regular connection without requiring everyone to be available at the same time.

Distance Doesn't Have to Mean Disconnection

Moving away from home can change friendships, but it does not necessarily have to end them. Gaming gives friends a shared activity, while Discord provides a persistent place where they can talk, stream, play and spend time together.

For college students starting a new chapter, staying connected may be as simple as logging on and finding familiar friends waiting in the same digital space.

Today, distance doesn't have to mean disconnection. With Discord, the hangout can always be with you.

(Dr. Matthew Holman) - There is a piece of good public health news that deserves more attention: youth tobacco use in the United States has fallen to historically low levels. That progress did not happen by accident. It reflects years of prevention work, stronger age restrictions, public education, and a broad consensus that tobacco and nicotine products should not be used by anyone under the legal age.

That progress is worth saying plainly, especially at a time when public discussion often leaves people with the impression that youth tobacco use is only moving in the wrong direction. The data tell a more encouraging story. But encouraging does not mean solved. Any youth use is unacceptable, and prevention must remain central to how nicotine products are marketed, sold, monitored, and regulated.

The public health challenge now is to protect that hard-won progress while confronting a different, persistent problem: cigarettes. According to the CDC, cigarette smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Millions of adults continue to smoke despite decades of warnings, restrictions, taxes, and cessation campaigns. Complete cessation is always the best choice for health. But for adults who would otherwise continue smoking, access to accurate information about scientifically substantiated smoke-free nicotine alternatives matters.

That is why FDA's recent action on ZYN nicotine pouches is significant. After scientific review, the agency issued modified risk orders for 20 ZYN nicotine pouch products, allowing them to be marketed with a specific FDA-authorized claim: "using ZYN instead of cigarettes puts adults at lower risk of mouth cancer, heart disease, lung cancer, stroke, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis." FDA did not say these products are safe. It did not say people who do not use nicotine should start. It authorized a claim to help adults who smoke better understand relative risk.

That distinction is important. Nicotine products are addictive and not risk-free. They are not substitutes for quitting tobacco and nicotine altogether, and they are not intended as nicotine replacement therapies (e.g., patches, gums, etc.). But science-based policy should recognize meaningful differences in risk between cigarettes and smoke-free nicotine products for adults who switch completely.

The latest youth tobacco data show these goals are not mutually exclusive. According to FDA's analysis of the 2025 National Youth Tobacco Survey, current use of tobacco products, combustible tobacco products, and e-cigarettes declined between 2022 and 2025. FDA also reported that youth use of nicotine pouches remained low and stable, with 1.7 percent of students reporting current nicotine pouch use in 2025, compared with 1.8 percent in 2024.

Those numbers should give policymakers confidence, not complacency. They show that historically low youth tobacco use can coexist with a marketplace that includes FDA-authorized smoke-free alternatives for adults. Keeping youth use low requires continued discipline from regulators, retailers, manufacturers, parents, educators, and public health leaders.

PMI U.S. has been clear that smoke-free nicotine products are for current nicotine consumers who are 21 and older—not youth, not non-users, and not people who are trying to quit nicotine altogether. The company's responsible marketing practices reflect that commitment. Advertising features only individuals aged 35 or older. Branded websites require independent online age verification for visitors 21 and older. PMI U.S. limits its social media presence to platforms that allow age-restricted controls. It does not pay social media influencers to endorse its products and does not engage in product placement in movies or television programs.

Those practices are part of a broader 10-point approach to underage prevention that includes responsible marketing, retail support programs, real-world monitoring, and a call for collective action. The approach includes age-gated website access, monitoring of underage-use data, responsible marketing standards, retail technology advancement, responsible social media policies, FDA regulation, continued innovation for age restriction, support for enforcement against illicit products, responsible retail practices, and support for compliance checks such as mystery shopping by FDA.

No single company, regulator, or public health organization can do this alone. The right framework is practical and evidence-based: keep nicotine products away from anyone under 21, enforce minimum age of purchase laws, address illicit products, maintain clear product standards, and require responsible marketing.

The United States has made extraordinary progress reducing youth tobacco use. That is worth saying plainly, and it is worth protecting. The next step is to bring the same seriousness to the adults who still smoke. A mature tobacco policy should be able to do both: prevent young people from starting and help adults who continue to smoke move to better alternatives. Those goals belong together.

Dr. Matthew R. Holman is the vice president and chief science and regulatory strategy officer for PMI U.S. Holman is the former chief scientist at the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products. 

(John M. Bridgeland) - On September 11, America marks the 25th anniversary of the day 19 terrorists hijacked four airliners and turned them into weapons against our country. It was among the darkest days in our history. Yet from that darkness came a remarkable display of light.

I remember every hour.

As Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, I was meeting with EPA Administrator Christie Todd Whitman when word came that a plane had struck the World Trade Center. Seventeen minutes later, a second plane hit the South Tower. America was under attack.

A terrible succession of events followed: the strike on the Pentagon, the evacuation of the White House, reports of another incoming plane, meetings in the Presidential Emergency Operations Center, the grounding of civilian aircraft and the emergency response to New York, the Pentagon and, soon, Shanksville.

In an instant, the domestic agenda was eclipsed by the protection of the nation.

But something else happened that deserves equal remembrance.

Americans responded not only with resolve, but with generosity and compassion. President Bush later reflected that after America was attacked, “it was as if our entire country looked into a mirror and saw our better selves.”

I saw it firsthand. The White House was flooded with offers of help. Restaurant owners from Seattle loaded their van with supplies and drove 3,000 miles to New York to feed exhausted workers at Ground Zero.

They were hardly alone. Blood banks overflowed. Houses of worship opened. Volunteers appeared everywhere. At Ground Zero, people moved toward the disaster rather than away from it.

President Bush believed this civic awakening should become more than a passing emotion. He called Americans to build on the “millions of acts of kindness and decency and service” revealed after September 11. He expanded national service opportunities—in the Peace Corps, VISTA, Conservation Corps, Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and new disaster response corps—to their highest levels then and since. Volunteering swelled with new opportunities to help neighbor and nation. Democracy, he understood, depends on what citizens willingly do for one another.

He also knew that unity required moral courage. Six days after the attacks, he visited the Islamic Center of Washington and declared: “The face of terror is not the true faith of Islam. Islam is peace.” Fear would not be permitted to become prejudice.

Other moments of unity now seem unimaginable. Before President Bush addressed Congress, Democratic Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle embraced him. Some things stood above politics. That memory is more poignant today.

Our public life rewards the performance of contempt, and treats the search for common ground as a kind of surrender. Yet democracy depends on habits of character: humility, courage, reconciliation and service.

This anniversary should be more than remembrance. It should be an examination of conscience. The terrorists sought to make fear our future. Instead, for a season, courage became contagious. Compassion outran hatred. Service overwhelmed despair. Strangers became neighbors.

The mirror President Bush described still waits for us.  Perhaps the most fitting memorial to those we lost would be to become, once again, the country reflected in it.

(Peter Pitts, President and Co-founder of the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest ) - Consumers purchasing retatrutide online may think they are buying a safe, clinically tested weight-loss drug. They are not. Medical spas and online sellers have built a booming black market around an unapproved investigational drug – exploiting polished websites and professional packaging to sell illegal drugs to unsuspecting Americans. What is especially concerning about today’s version of this deception is how FDA is doing nothing to stop it, allowing this black market to turn into a digital-age Wild West. 

Retatrutide is an investigational molecule currently being studied in clinical trials for the treatment of obesity. It has not yet received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and cannot be lawfully sold. That is not an opinion. That is the law. And yet sellers are aggressively marketing it as equivalent to – or even superior to – FDA-approved therapies already on the market.

Illicit retatrutide is being sourced from unregistered foreign manufacturers with no assurance of sterility, potency, or ingredient authenticity. When something goes wrong, distributors face no accountability and no obligation to report it. Consumers have no meaningful way of knowing what they are actually injecting – and the consequences are already showing up in hospitals and poison centers across the country. 

Documented reports describe hospitalizations for acute kidney damage and severe gastrointestinal distress. One 42-year-old woman was rushed to the emergency room after experiencing severe symptoms from black market “retatrutide” she purchased online. Poison center reports have surged – with hundreds of reports in the first four months of 2026. 

FDA’s response to this explosion of illegal drugs – a handful of warning letters with no follow up – amounts to less than a slap on the wrist. Warning letters do not shut down black markets. Arrests and seizures do. 

The deeper threat is institutional – every day this market operates without aggressive enforcement, it becomes more entrenched, profitable, and normalized. The message that FDA is sending to these criminal sellers is that there is no cop on the beat.  When they turn to even more dangerous and brazen schemes to sell these illegal drugs, it will be that much harder for FDA to put a stop to them when it finally decides to act. That erosion of institutional credibility has consequences that outlast any single drug. 

Clinical trials exist because consumer demand is not a substitute for scientific evidence. Allowing investigational peptides to become internet lifestyle products before FDA review and approval is not the democratization of medicine, but the degradation of it. 

The FDA must take aggressive steps to shut down this market and must coordinate with the Department of Justice, Customs and Border Protection, and the Federal Trade Commission to pursue seizures, injunctions, and criminal referrals against the sellers and platforms fueling this illegal market. The longer regulators hesitate, the harder this black market becomes to unwind.  The FDA must act now – before the window closes to rein in this new frontier for illegal drugs in the digital age. 

(NewsUSA) - If you own a small business, you're likely focused on growing revenue, serving customers, supporting employees, and staying competitive. But when you think about the business you've worked so hard to build, how do you envision it supporting you and your family’s financial future?

For many owners, success isn't measured solely by the growth of the business. It's also about what that success makes possible, whether that's retiring comfortably, funding a child's education, or leaving something meaningful behind for your family. The challenge for many is that business growth and personal financial planning don't always move in lockstep, even though they are deeply connected.

Taking a holistic look at your financial picture

According to research from Guardian, 86% of small business owners say they are on track to meet their financial goals, and 60% feel very confident about the future of their business. Yet for many, that optimistic outlook coexists with the persistent realities of stress and economic exposure. Retirement planning is their top financial priority, for instance, but concerns about outliving savings remain common. 

"Small business owners invest enormous amounts of time, energy, and personal commitment into building their businesses," said Nancy DeRusso, Head of Client Solutions at Guardian. "For many, their business is also their largest financial asset." Without the right financial strategies in place, she noted, owners may face challenges turning that hard-earned value into long-term financial security. 

Translating financial aspirations into action

Fortunately, there are practical steps small business owners can take to strengthen retirement planning, business continuity, and long-term financial preparedness. Here are five ways to get started.

• Protect what you've built. Review whether life insurance, disability insurance, key person insurance, and other business continuity strategies can help safeguard your family, employees, and business if the unexpected occurs. 
• Align your business and personal goals. A financial performance analysis can evaluate both business and personal finances to help you understand how today's business decisions may affect your family's future plans.
• Examine your retirement strategy. Business value doesn't always translate into retirement income. Take a look at solutions that may help create more predictable cash flow, including annuities. 
• Start succession planning early. Whether you plan to pass your business to family members, sell it, or transition ownership in another way, waiting to plan can limit your options. Start conversations early and align succession plans with your broader financial ambitions.
• Connect with a financial advisor. A trusted professional can help connect your business, retirement, protection, and legacy goals into a more holistic strategy, while helping identify gaps and prioritize next steps.

The bottom line

Building a successful business takes vision, persistence, and hard work. Reaching your long-term financial goals doesn't happen by accident, but with the right support, taking action can be simpler than you might think.

By protecting your business, preparing for future transitions, and working with a financial advisor, you can help ensure that the value you're creating today supports what matters most tomorrow.

To learn more, visit https://www.guardianlife.com/reports/financial-fitness/small-business-brief.

9080429.1 (08/2028)

(NewsUSA) - Many parents think kindergarten readiness starts with learning letters, numbers and how to write a name. Those skills matter, but educators know that the social-emotional and executive function skills children develop before they ever walk into elementary school play an important role in kindergarten readiness.

That's why choosing the right pre-K program matters. In a high-quality pre-K classroom, children don't just learn early academics. They learn how to collaborate with peers, solve problems, manage emotions, adapt to new situations and build independence. These foundational skills help children make the most of every learning opportunity they encounter when they reach elementary school.

"One of the biggest surprises for parents is that being ready for kindergarten isn't just about what children know. It's about how they learn," said Dr. Lisa Grant, vice president of KinderCare Learning Companies' Education Programs. "A child might know their letters and numbers, but they also need to be able to join a group, follow directions, bounce back from challenges, and work through disagreements with classmates. Those everyday skills help children feel confident, participate in the classroom, and get the most out of learning."

At KinderCare Learning Centers, teachers intentionally create opportunities throughout the day for children to practice these skills while also building literacy, math, science and language knowledge. Through guided play, classroom routines, collaborative activities and teacher support, children learn how to navigate the social and academic demands they'll encounter when they transition to kindergarten.

Here are a few key skills children learn in pre-K that help them build the skills they’ll use in kindergarten and beyond. 

1. Sharing: Children need to learn that giving something away doesn’t always mean it’s gone for good. “Young children are still grasping the idea that other people have wants and needs,” said Dr. Grant. “To a four-year-old an object shared is a thing that’s given away, never to return. We have to help them understand the value of sharing, of helping others, so when they get to elementary school they’re prepared for the collective ownership of things like classroom crayons or books from the school library.”
2. Taking turns: Taking turns is a vital classroom and social skill, whether it means raising your hand and waiting your turn to speak when a teacher asks a question you know the answer to or waiting for a turn on the swings at recess. This kind of control is challenging for young children but without it a classroom quickly becomes chaotic and that hinders everyone’s ability to learn. Mastering some basic turn-taking skills in pre-K means children are better able to function within a group, creating a classroom environment in which everyone has the ability to learn.

3. Conflict resolution: At some point, every child will have a moment when they disagree with someone about something. Learning how to move past the initial disagreement and find a solution that meets everyone’s needs is the most basic kind of problem-solving and it’s a skill that any pre-K teacher helps their students with many times a day.

   “Conflict resolution is about more than stopping the argument. It’s about developing self-control, to calm yourself emotionally to the point where you’re able to think creatively to find a solution that works for everyone involved,” said Dr. Grant. “That leads to problem-solving, which is a skill that can be applied to so much more than figuring out who gets to play with a toy.”

4. Independence: Learning to manage personal responsibilities, participate in classroom routines, and make choices independently helps children transition more smoothly to kindergarten. Whether it's putting away materials, following multi-step directions, or moving confidently between activities, these everyday experiences help children build confidence and self-reliance before they enter elementary school.

As families weigh their pre-K options, it's worth looking beyond academics alone. Kindergarten readiness happens when children develop strong social-emotional, executive function, and academic skills together. What may seem like basic manners, like taking turns, sharing, learning to resolve conflict peacefully, are actually the early building blocks for collaboration, self-regulation, flexibility, and problem-solving. These skills don't just help children have a smoother transition to school. They help them become more confident learners, helpful classmates, and stronger problem-solvers throughout their educational journey.

A high-quality pre-K experience can help children transition into school. Families interested in helping their children build both the academic and life skills that support kindergarten readiness can learn more about KinderCare's pre-K programs at KinderCare.com.

(Novartis) - Dr. Koo, EVP and CMO at Prostate Cancer Foundation, and Bill, who is living with prostate cancer, answer some frequently asked questions about PSMA testing. Talk to your doctor and visit GetYourScan.com. Sponsored by Novartis

Hi, I am Dr. Phillip Koo, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at the Prostate Cancer Foundation, here on behalf of Novartis, to talk about PSMA testing and how a scan can help men take charge.

I am also joined by an amazing patient advocate Bill, who is living with prostate cancer. We’re here to answer some frequently asked questions.

DR. KOO, HOW COMMON IS PROSTATE CANCER?

Unfortunately, prostate cancer is very common and affects roughly 1 in 8 men, that’s why early screening and detection is so important. 

DR. KOO, WHAT SHOULD MEN KNOW ABOUT SCREENING?

The screening is performed using a simple blood test called PSA, prostate specific antigen. It's been used for decades to detect disease early, so you maximize your chances for the best outcomes, including cure. So, I recommend speaking to your doctor about getting this test when appropriate. 

DR. KOO, FOR MEN HEARING ABOUT PSMA FOR THE FIRST TIME, WHAT EXACTLY IS IT?

PSMA is a biomarker that can be imaged using PET to determine if the prostate cancer cells have spread to other parts of the body, which is vital to determining your next steps for care. 

DR. KOO, WHY DOES PSMA MATTER IN PROSTATE CANCER?

PSMA is so important with regards to detecting disease and also determining the appropriate treatments that patients should receive down the road. The good news is over 80 to 90% of prostate cancer patients express that biomarker, which allows us to again determine the appropriate therapies at the right time. 

BILL, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW YOU FIRST LEARNED ABOUT PSMA?

I would tell you that I'm always been a person that should take charge, and one of the things I did right after I was diagnosed 18 years ago with prostate cancer was seek knowledge, and as I looked for more and more information, I came across this listing about PSMA, and I took that to my doctor, and we decided that that would be a great course of action in our attack plan to this disease.

BILL, WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH PSMA TESTING?

Once I found out exactly what it was, I was very, very excited, because it helped me understand truly where I am in this journey and the status of our based on the PSMA results, and knew it was going to give me a leg up on moving forward with treatments.

BILL, WHAT DID YOU DO AFTER RECEIVING YOUR PSMA SCAN RESULTS?

The first thing we did was get together with my oncologist, and we examined, you know, all the results and crafted a plan of action, because taking a look at the choices, I've never been a passive participant in this process, I always take that the active role because information is power, and when you ask the questions and insist upon getting the right answers you want until you do get them is key to your success

DR. KOO, HOW CAN PATIENTS AND DOCTORS WORK TOGETHER WHEN DECIDING IF THE PSMA TEST IS RIGHT FOR THEM?

First off, patients need to speak up, and they also need to be heard, and in order to accomplish this, patients need to go out and learn as much about this as possible, because that'll allow them to feel empowered to have those conversations, because knowing your PSMA status is vitally important to your cancer care. 

DR. KOO, WHERE CAN PEOPLE GO FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PSMA?

Patients can go to GetYourScan.com to learn all you need to know about the PSMA scan. And also how to advocate for this important test for your care.

(Gilead and Kite Oncology) - Vanessa had a plan. As a travel nurse from Memphis, Tennessee, she was working across the country, building her career and saving up to buy a home. She had mapped out her next steps and was looking ahead to a future she worked hard to create. 

Then, everything changed. 

Vanessa was diagnosed with stage 3 triple-negative breast cancer, the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer. The diagnosis forced her to put her life on hold and shift her focus entirely to treatment.

Hearing the words “you have cancer” changed everything for Vanessa, but also her family. 

Even as a nurse, Vanessa found herself navigating unfamiliar territory. 

“I’ve taken care of patients my whole life,” she says. “But I didn’t really know what breast cancer truly entailed.”

Treatment began quickly. In the months that followed, Vanessa bravely navigated the uncertainty and emotional toll of breast cancer. 

Then came the news that every cancer patient dreads: the cancer had spread, and Vanessa was now facing metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. 

“When I found out I had metastatic breast cancer, it was just an awful feeling to know you have to go through treatment again,” she says.

Triple-negative breast cancer tends to grow and spread more quickly than many other breast cancer types. For about half of women with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer, their first treatment might be their only opportunity to keep the cancer from growing, making it critical to choose the best option on day one.

Triple-negative breast cancer also occurs more often in younger women, and it appears at higher rates in Black and Hispanic women than other breast cancer subtypes. For these communities, access to the latest education isn’t just helpful—it’s a matter of survival.

Like many people living with metastatic breast cancer, Vanessa wanted to clearly understand her treatment options and what questions she should be asking her doctor. She quickly learned that metastatic triple-negative breast cancer treatment options have historically been limited to chemotherapy-based therapy, which impacts cancer cells more than normal cells, so they then tend to take up more of the chemotherapy. 

Her doctor suggested a clinical trial for a newer class of medicine called antibody-drug conjugates, more commonly known as ADCs. Unlike traditional chemotherapy, ADCs are designed to find specific markers and deliver medicines more directly to cancer cells.

Until recently, ADCs were used later in treatment, after other options had been tried. Now, patients may be able to receive an ADC as their first treatment after a metastatic triple-negative breast cancer diagnosis. 

Innovations, like ADCs, have already made a difference for many people living with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer by helping to keep cancer from growing. For Vanessa, that means being able to better plan ahead, knowing her good days and her bad days —whether that’s the next girls’ trip or time with her family.

However, not all ADCs are the same. Safety and efficacy can vary for each ADC.   

While not every patient will be eligible, understanding when they may be considered and how treatment can impact daily life can help patients feel more informed when discussing treatment options with their care team.

“When selecting treatment, it’s important to consider patients’ goals, wishes and needs so that we can try to realistically plan around those,” says Vanessa’s medical oncologist, Dr. Gregory Vidal, MD, PhD, Director of Clinical Research at West Cancer Center and Associate Professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. “All patients are different and may qualify for different ADCs.”

Dr. Vidal encourages patients to feel empowered to have open conversations with their care team and ask questions, such as what treatment goals make the most sense at their stage of care. 

Every person’s experience is different, but many people living with metastatic breast cancer remain on treatment for life, with the goal of helping manage disease and slow progression while maintaining quality of life.

While the physical and emotional impact of treatment could be difficult at times, Vanessa kept going. She leaned on her close friends and family to help her keep “faith over fear” by focusing on the positives and planning outings around her treatments.

Vanessa encourages others living with metastatic breast cancer to stay positive, ask questions and advocate for themselves during treatment conversations.

“You definitely have a fight in front of you, but you can get through this.” Vanessa says. “You have to do your research and get answers.”

To see how Vanessa and others living with metastatic breast cancer navigate ADC treatment for metastatic triple-negative breast cancer, visit Expose-MBC.com/ADC.

GILEAD is a trademark of Gilead Sciences, Inc.KITE is a trademark of Kite Pharma, Inc.All other marks are the property of their respective owners.

(NewsUSA) - It's no secret that kids today are struggling with mental health. Heightened academic pressure, the stress of growing up, family dynamics and lack of social connection all play a role, alongside the overuse of phones and devices. 

Young people and parents alike need – and have been asking for – practical, comprehensive solutions designed to help kids thrive in today's fast-paced, increasingly online world. This week's landmark agreement between the states and Meta is incredibly important because it offers new protections for teens and expanded tools for parents. The agreement is meaningful progress for families and should serve as the model for the entire industry.  

The safeguards for young people in the agreement represent important components of a comprehensive approach to youth wellbeing. For example, time limits will help ensure that young people are not overexposed to social media and instead are spending more time on activities like after-school sports, clubs and other extracurriculars. Prohibiting message alerts during school hours and overnight will help kids maintain focus in the classroom and protect their uninterrupted sleep. Teenagers and parents will also have the option to turn off "autoplay" and algorithmic recommendations in teens' feeds, and likes will automatically be hidden, which will help reduce anxiety. Taken together, these changes will make a real difference in broader efforts to protect kids online. 

We all know that social media usage is complex, however. According to the Pew Research Center, 92 percent of teens use YouTube, 68 percent use TikTok, 63 percent use Instagram and 31 percent use Facebook. Twenty-one percent report using TikTok almost constantly; 17 percent say the same about YouTube. And this doesn't even account for other platforms like Discord, Reddit, Roblox and Snapchat. 

While a real and meaningful step forward, the reforms reached between the states and Meta still require others to join; otherwise, kids will simply migrate to the apps with the fewest safeguards. That is why my organization is calling on all other social media platforms where young people spend their time to adopt similar safeguards. 

That fact is, parents are hungry for tools and support that contribute to safe, sensible use of technology. The Coalition to Empower our Future's latest survey found that more than eight-in-10 voters and nearly nine-in-10 parents agree that young people should be taught how to use emerging technologies safely and responsibly. Across the board, there is support for a wide range of solutions to increase digital literacy, including solutions such as online safety lessons for students (84 percent); digital wellness guides for parents (85 percent); and media literacy training programs for teachers (87 percent). 

There is still much more work to be done to meet the youth mental health and wellbeing challenge. That includes investing in mental healthcare, normalizing conversations about mental health, teaching digital literacy in the classroom, increasing opportunities for after-school programs and cultivating third spaces where young people can build connections. But this week's agreement opens the door to expanding the adoption of important safeguards across social media. 

It is essential that we build on this momentum and continue our work toward a comprehensive approach to youth wellbeing. There is no higher priority than protecting kids and helping them thrive in the modern world. 

Glen Weiner is Executive Director of Coalition to Empower our Future, an organization dedicated to convening a comprehensive conversation on the state of youth mental health.

(Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies) - Over the past few months, you may have come across advertisements online or on social media for a new weight loss drug called retatrutide, also commonly referred to as “Reta” or “GLP-3.” Despite savvy marketing and “personal testimonials,” there is something critical consumers need to know: retatrutide is not FDA approved for human-use, and the companies selling it are operating illegally through unregulated channels. 

You Can’t Verify What’s in Illicit Retatrutide – Or Where It Even Came From 

Retatrutide is an investigational product still being studied in controlled clinical trials. It has not been approved by FDA or any regulatory body worldwide, meaning no one can sell it to consumers.

And yet, online sellers, telehealth providers, and compounders are using deceptive advertising to market illegal powders, vials and injectables that put consumers’ health at risk. Some label their products as “research-grade” to suggest legitimacy. Buyers should be aware that this label means it was manufactured strictly for lab experiments—not for human or even animal use. Others deploy scientific and medical language to create the impression that their products are safe and clinically validated. They are not—these products have never gone through clinical trials, let alone been found to be safe and effective. 

Given that sellers are operating illegally, consumers have no reliable way to verify where these products are coming from, how they were manufactured, or whether the dosage and ingredients match the label. Their products may be mislabeled, contaminated, incorrectly dosed or entirely different from what is being advertised. 

This creates serious patient safety concerns. Since the beginning of 2026, poison control center reports involving illegal retatrutide have increased 265 percent compared to the final four months of 2025. Retatrutide products sold online have been found to contain entirely different chemicals. Some patients have been hospitalized after taking black-market retatrutide, including several who were hospitalized after taking a potentially contaminated batch. 

Taking Control: How to Spot and Avoid Illegal Online Sellers 

As online marketplaces and wellness platforms multiply, it’s getting harder for consumers to tell safe and approved products from dangerous imitations. In fact, an ASOP Global Foundation  consumer survey found that 65 percent of Americans falsely believe all online pharmacies or health-service websites are reviewed or approved by FDA or state regulators, while 51 percent incorrectly believe only safe sellers appear on the first page of search results.

Before purchasing any medication online, take these steps to ensure you are protecting yourself from an illicit and unsafe product:

• Verify online pharmacies through trusted resources such as https://safe.pharmacy/ or http://www.legitscript.com/
• Avoid any website offering medicines without a prescription, especially unapproved drugs
• Get prescriptions from licensed healthcare providers

Patients should never have to wonder whether they are getting genuine medicine. Awareness is an important first line of defense, and consumers should also encourage platforms, regulators and policymakers to ensure that illegal sellers can’t hide behind search rankings, social media ads and polished websites.

Learn more at buysaferx.pharmacy.