Apr 19 Poll: Gun control should be Congress’ top priority, half of Americans say By Laura Santhanam The debate over guns is back in the spotlight, as schools across the country plan walkouts this week to mark the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School mass shooting, and this poll shows that Americans are still divided on… Continue reading
Apr 18 Watch 9:59 Why are black mothers and infants far more likely to die in U.S. from pregnancy-related causes? By PBS News Hour The U.S. has a problem with maternal mortality, especially for women of color. Black infants are more than twice as likely to die as white infants; black women are three to four times as likely to die from pregnancy-related causes… Continue watching
Apr 17 Marijuana-based drug gets positive review from FDA By Matthew Perrone, Associated Press The Food and Drug Administration posted its review Tuesday of the experimental medication ahead of a public meeting later this week. Continue reading
Apr 12 How much alcohol is too much? A new study says it’s found the number By Laura Santhanam Looking at data from 600,000 people across 19 countries, researchers set out to answer one question: How do you define moderate drinking?… Continue reading
Apr 12 Franklin D. Roosevelt’s painfully eloquent final words By Dr. Howard Markel FDR’s health finally gave out after years of carrying the weight of the United States, and ultimately the free world, on his muscular shoulders. Continue reading
Apr 11 Congress’ latest spending bill could bring major changes to Medicare Advantage. Here’s what you need to know By Philip Moeller The upcoming changes to MA plans have the potential to trigger an even larger shift away from original Medicare. Continue reading
Apr 06 Drug companies paid $116 million to patient advocacy groups in 2015 alone, new data suggests By Emily Kopp, Sydney Lupkin, Elizabeth Lucas, Kaiser Health News The database, called Pre$cription for Power shows that donations to patient advocacy groups tallied for 2015 — the most recent full year in which documents required by the Internal Revenue Service were available — dwarfed the total amount the companies… Continue reading
Apr 05 Surgeon general urges Americans to carry opioid overdose antidote By R.J. Rico, Associated Press Speaking at the National Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit in Atlanta on Thursday morning, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams issued his office's first national public health advisory in 13 years. Continue reading
Apr 04 2 things you should know about Medicare this month By Philip Moeller Medicare is beginning in April to expand diabetes education and prevention efforts and will pay all expenses of people who qualify for the program. Plus, your Medicare card is about to change. Continue reading
Apr 04 Places with legal marijuana issue fewer opioid prescriptions, large studies find By Kate Sheridan, STAT An analysis of more than five years of Medicare Part D and Medicaid prescription data found that after states legalized weed, the number of opioid prescriptions and the daily dose of opioids went way down. Continue reading