Health & Safety
What's a fair price for a prescription drug? Medicare's about to weigh in
Medicare soon will start something it hasn't done in its 58-year history: Negotiate on drug prices. On Sept. 1, Medicare will target the first 10 drugs for price negotiations.
How New Orleans is coping with a surge in heat-related illnesses
Hospitals throughout the U.S. are seeing increases in patients with heat illnesses this summer. We look at how New Orleans is coping with the rise in heat-related EMS calls and ER visits.
Tornado damage to Pfizer factory highlights vulnerabilities of drug supply
A tornado that ripped through a Pfizer plant in Rocky Mount, N.C., raised worries about shortages of medicines used in hospitals. The drugs include commonly used painkillers and anesthetics.
Yet another summer COVID wave may have started in the U.S., according to the CDC
COVID infections, hospitalizations and emergency room visits appear to have ticked up for the first time in 2023.
Eating disorders in young men are being masked by muscle bulking and over-exercising
For some young men and boys, body building can lead to unhealthy behaviors. NPR's Juana Summers speaks with NYU psychologist Andrea Vazzana about compulsive exercise and eating disorders in males.
CDC warns about red meat allergy caused by some tick bites
Patients who have digestive symptoms only after eating red meat may have developed an allergy caused by ticks. The CDC says hundreds of thousands of people may have been affected over the past decade.
Many new bans on medical care for transgender children are being challenged in courts
Gender-affirming care bans are undergoing intense legal scrutiny and testing federal courts in new ways, setting up battles that may go all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.
A doctor leaves a lasting impression on a woman caring for her dying mom
When her mother was struggling with late-stage cancer, Julia had a conversation with a doctor that made her feel heard.
Here are the drugs that could be in short supply after a tornado hit a Pfizer factory
A tornado that tore through a Pfizer factory in North Carolina could exacerbate drug shortages. Records obtained by NPR show the plant made dozens of products, including painkillers and anesthetics.