Feb 27 Walmart is getting rid of greeters, worrying workers with disabilities By Michael Rubinkam, Associated Press The decision has come as a heavy blow to greeters with cerebral palsy, spina bifida and other physical disabilities, whose jobs provided needed income, served as a source of pride and offered a connection to the community. Continue reading
Feb 27 Drug company CEOs admit prescription prices are too high. But will they change? By Laura Santhanam Together, the pharmaceutical companies that testified before Congress this week earn billions of dollars treating the world’s maladies and operating under the premise that today’s profits will fund research and development for tomorrow’s cures. But at what price?… Continue reading
Feb 26 Watch 5:56 Lawmakers grill pharmaceutical executives over drug prices, but CEOs avoid big pledges Health care costs are a major concern for Americans, who spend more on prescription drugs than residents of any other country. On Tuesday, executives from seven of the biggest pharmaceutical companies appeared before a Senate committee to explain their rising… Continue watching
Feb 26 Pharma executives say they support ban on some anti-competitive practices By Associated Press Some drugmakers have blocked competition for their medications by preventing would-be competitors from obtaining samples of the drugs. Drug executives who testified before Congress Tuesday said they do not use this tactic. Continue reading
Feb 26 WATCH: Drug companies 'bear none of the consequences' of skyrocketing prices, Sen. Wyden says By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Matthew Perrone, Associated Press The hearing marks the first time lawmakers have called top industry executives to account for rising prices that are squeezing Americans. Continue reading
Feb 25 Watch 5:28 Why abortion opponents support Trump's Title X rule change The Trump administration intends to limit the Title X program that provides birth control and other reproductive health services. Under the new restrictions, any clinic accepting federal funds would be prevented from performing abortions -- or referring women to other… Continue watching
Feb 25 Watch 4:18 Why Planned Parenthood believes Title X rule change will compromise patient health Under a new rule proposed by the Trump administration, family-planning clinics that receive federal funds through Title X would be prevented from referring women to other providers for abortions. One organization that would be affected is Planned Parenthood, whose president,… Continue watching
Feb 24 Congress mulls cap on what Medicare enrollees pay for drugs By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Associated Press With health care a top issue for American voters, Congress may actually be moving toward doing something this year to address the high cost of prescription drugs. Continue reading
Feb 23 Watch 9:45 New York moves to regulate a 'likely human carcinogen' in drinking water By Hari Sreenivasan, Sam Weber, Connie Kargbo New York state is proposing the country’s first firm limit on a chemical found in drinking water in heavy concentrations in some Long Island, New York communities. 1,4-dioxane has been labeled a “likely human carcinogen” by the EPA, but is… Continue watching
Feb 23 How smallpox devastated the Aztecs – and helped Spain conquer an American civilization 500 years ago By Richard Gunderman, The Conversation Epidemics are nothing new, and some widespread infectious diseases have profoundly changed the course of human history. Continue reading