Dec 18 First severe bird flu case in U.S. reported in Louisiana, according to health officials By Mike Stobbe, JoNel Aleccia, Associated Press A person in Louisiana has the first severe illness caused by bird flu in the U.S., health officials said Wednesday. Continue reading
Dec 17 Watch 10:21 Opioid crisis renews focus on expanding access to methadone treatment By William Brangham, Mike Fritz While the numbers are finally starting to decline, more than 74,000 Americans are still dying every year from opioid overdoses. Despite that, very few people who are struggling with addiction get treatment. William Brangham looks at the renewed focus on… Continue watching
Dec 17 Alabama woman recovering well after latest experimental pig kidney transplant By Lauran Neergaard, Associated Press Towana Looney is the fifth American given a gene-edited pig organ in a quest to make animal-to-human transplants a reality. Continue reading
Dec 16 How to support grieving loved ones at the holidays By J. Kim Penberthy, The Conversation Holidays and special occasions can amplify the pain, leaving those grieving feeling isolated and overwhelmed. Continue reading
Dec 15 McConnell says Trump’s nominees should ‘steer clear’ of undermining polio vaccine By Moriah Balingit, Associated Press The statement by Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who had polio as a child, appeared to be directed at Trump’s pick for health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., after a report that one of his advisers filed a petition to revoke approval for the… Continue reading
Dec 15 Watch 6:03 Why Americans are stockpiling abortion medication ahead of Trump’s second term By Ali Rogin, Kaisha Young Since Trump’s reelection, many women and health care providers across the U.S. have been stockpiling supplies of abortion pills and emergency contraception. One of the largest suppliers of abortion medication reported a 17-fold increase in requests the first 24 hours… Continue watching
Dec 15 Researchers have developed a way to break down long-lasting PFAS compounds using light By Arindam Sau, Mihai Popescu, Xin Liu, The Conversation Long-lasting environmental pollutants known as PFAS, or "forever chemicals," can remain in the environment for up to 1,000 years after being used. A team of researchers has developed a chemical system that uses light to break down the incredibly strong… Continue reading
Dec 14 Watch 5:46 Hospitals nationwide grapple with IV fluid shortage caused by Hurricane Helene By Ali Rogin, Harry Zahn It’s been about three months since Hurricane Helene pummeled the mountains of North Carolina, but its effects are still being felt well beyond the storm’s path. After the hurricane flooded a manufacturing plant that produces about 60 percent of the… Continue watching
Dec 13 Watch 6:47 CEO murder reveals simmering anger with American health care system By William Brangham, Jackson Hudgins The murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has revealed a simmering anger with the American healthcare system in the spotlight. William Brangham discussed more with Wendell Potter. He spent decades working for the health insurance company, Cigna, before leaving and… Continue watching
Dec 12 Watch 5:26 Drug overdose deaths dropped nationwide. Experts are working to understand why By Amna Nawaz New data from the CDC shows a drop in drug overdose deaths, down nearly 17 percent compared year-over-year. The annual death toll dropped from approximately 113,000 to just over 94,000. It’s a rare bit of good news after decades of… Continue watching