Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:
Baby Born 4 Years After Parents Die
The baby boy of a Chinese couple who died five years ago was born to a surrogate mother last December, Chinese media reports.
The boy's name is Tiantian, or "sweet," and his family recently held a small party to celebrate his first 100 days, according to The Guardian newspaper in the U.K.
Tiantian's biological parents Shen Jie and Liu Xi were unable to conceive naturally and had opted for in vitro fertilization. In March 2013, the couple died in a car crash five days before one of their fertilized embryos was due to be transplanted into Liu.
Since then, the couple's parents fought a legal battle for custody of four frozen embryos left by their children. They won custody in January 2017 and went to Laos to find a surrogate mother. Surrogacy is illegal in China, The Guardian reported.
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E. Coli Outbreak Hits 7 States, Source Is Unknown
A multistate E. coli outbreak from an unknown source has led to a number of hospitalizations is being investigated by federal and state officials.
As of April 9, 17 cases of E. coli O157:H7 infection have been reported in 7 states. The illnesses began between March 22 and March 31, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
States affected are New Jersey (6 cases), Idaho (4 cases), Connecticut (2 cases), Pennsylvania (2 cases), Missouri (1 case), Washington (1 case) and Ohio (1 case).
The patients range in age from 12 to 84. Six patients have been hospitalized, including one who developed kidney failure. No deaths have been reported.
The ongoing investigation has not identified a specific food item, grocery store or restaurant chain as the source of the infections. More information will be provided as it becomes available, the CDC said.
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Former U.S. House Speaker Boehner Now Backs Marijuana Legalization, Joins Cannabis Company Board
Former U.S. House Speaker John Boehner used to oppose marijuana legalization but has changed his stance and is now involved with a marijuana company.
The 68-year-old Ohio Republican has joined the advisory board of cannabis company Acreage Holdings, the Associated Press reported.
"I decided to get involved because of the struggles of our country's veterans and the opioid epidemic, after learning how descheduling the drug can potentially help with both crises," Boehner said in a statement released Wednesday.
He's now in favor of federally-funded marijuana research and allowing the Department of Veterans Affairs to offer the drug as a treatment for conditions such as chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder, the AP reported.
Former Massachusetts Republican Gov. William Weld has also joined the advisory board of Acreage Holdings, which has cannabis operations in 11 states. In the 2016 presidential election, Weld ran on the Libertarian Party ticket that was headed by legal-marijuana advocate Gary Johnson.
Boehner and Weld will serve on its board of directors when that is formed, the company said.
