Trans teens' families ask Supreme Court to protect gender affirming care in Tennessee
Families of transgender youth in Tennessee are appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court to block a state law that bans gender affirming care.
Health & Safety
Palestinian children exposed to violence are suffering from PTSD and depression
Years of research on kids in Palestine have found high rates of post traumatic stress and depression as a result of being exposed to chronic ethnic-political violence.
This week in science: Melting arctic ice, sea star anatomy and sleep deprived mice
NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Regina Barber and Aaron Scott of NPR's Short Wave about Antarctica's melting ice, the weird anatomy of sea stars, and how a sleepless night can ease depression in mice.
Ady Barkan, activist who championed health care reform, dies of ALS at 39
The activist and attorney had long fought for progressive causes. After his ALS diagnosis in 2016, Barkan became a leading voice in the fight for health care reform — even as his health deteriorated.
Chronic drug shortages stress hospitals and patients
Pharmacists struggle to find key medicines and now have to anticipate drug shortages caused by extreme weather and global instability.
As some medical debt disappears from Americans' credit reports, scores are rising
Credit rating agencies have removed small unpaid medical bills from consumer credit, and some people are seeing their credit scores improve, a new study finds.
Hospitals are struggling to overcome various drug shortages
Shortages of drugs ranging from life-saving chemotherapies to basic generics are straining the health care system. Hospitals are adapting to chronic interruptions in the supply of medicines.
Despite post-COVID efforts, the U.S. is still undersupplied with domestic-made PPE
Nearly a billion dollars went to trying to boost domestic manufacturing of PPE like masks and gloves. Experts say the effort is foundering and the nation isn't better off than it was three years ago.
Munchkin the miniature horse is ready to comfort patients at the Mayo Clinic
It's not uncommon to see comfort dogs coming to visit patients at hospitals and nursing homes but now a new animal is making the rounds at Minnesota's Mayo Clinic — meet Munchkin, the miniature horse.
A 'tropical disease' carried by sand flies is confirmed in a new country: the U.S.
Leishmaniasis, a disease spread by a parasite carried by sand flies, is generally considered a tropical disease. Now, thanks to climate change, new research finds it's endemic to the United States.