DOJ expands health care fraud crackdown to Massachusetts; childhood stress tied to chronic disease later in life; loss of smell persists years after COVID-19 – Morning Medical Update

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Justice Department expands health care fraud crackdown to Boston

The Justice Department is expanding its Health Care Fraud Unit’s New England Strike Force to Massachusetts, bolstering oversight in one of the nation’s largest health care and biotech hubs. Federal officials said the move will bring more resources to prosecute complex fraud involving pharmaceutical firms, medical device companies, physicians and executives. In 2025 alone, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts recovered more than $450 million in fraudulently obtained funds. Officials say the expansion will serve as a “force multiplier” to protect Medicare, Medicaid and patients from sophisticated schemes.

Childhood stress tied to chronic disease later in life

Children with higher stress levels face a significantly greater risk of developing chronic health problems as adults, according to new Duke University research published in PNAS. Using biomarkers collected from the long-running Great Smoky Mountains Study, researchers found that stress in children as young as 9 predicted poorer cardiometabolic outcomes — including higher blood pressure, body mass index and inflammation — decades later. The findings underscore how poverty and unstable home environments can leave lasting physiological imprints, highlighting the need for early interventions to reduce childhood stress and improve long-term health.

Loss of smell may persist years after COVID-19

A study of more than 3,500 adults led by the National Institutes of Health (NIH)’s RECOVER initiative found that many people who had COVID-19 continue to experience lasting smell loss — even if they don’t notice it. Using a 40-scent scratch-and-sniff test, researchers reported that two years after infection, 80% of those who recalled smell changes scored poorly and nearly a quarter had severe or total loss. Two-thirds of participants who never reported smell problems also showed impaired function, underscoring the need for routine testing and new therapies to address this hidden consequence of the virus.