Category: Departments

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration updated its seasonal hurricane outlook, maintaining its prediction for a below-normal Atlantic hurricane season, the agency announced Aug. 6. Tropical Storm Bertha was active in the Atlantic basin at the time of the forecast update. Below-normal seasons historically produce fewer named storms and major hurricanes, though NOAA emphasized that individual storms can still cause catastrophic damage regardless of overall seasonal activity, the agency said. The updated forecast takes into account sea surface temperatures, atmospheric conditions and the current phase of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation cycle. These large-scale climate drivers influence the formation and intensification

The Federal Trade Commission, joined by Utah and California, filed a lawsuit against Hims and Hers Health alleging the telehealth company shared consumers’ sensitive health data without proper disclosure, the FTC announced July 29. Hims and Hers serves millions of users who seek treatment for sensitive conditions including sexual health, mental health and weight loss through its online platform. The lawsuit alleges the company’s data sharing practices violated FTC rules on health data privacy and state consumer protection laws. The bipartisan state coalition joining the FTC signals broad regulatory concern about data privacy practices across the rapidly growing telehealth industry,