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GLP-1 Benefits Beyond Weight Loss: Heart Health, Lower Cancer Risk And More
Doctors say GLP-1 drugs seem to have “profound benefits” beyond weight loss and diabetes. Some wonder whether they can help people live longer, but stress need for more research.
From Diagnoses to Treatments, Why Americans Use AI Chatbots for Health
Americans use chatbots for a host of health-related reasons, from helping make diagnoses on their own to learning more about information they may have gotten from a doctor. Nearly all chatbot health users find this AI information helpful.
Shingles vaccine linked to 24% lower dementia risk
Older adults who received the Shingrix shingles vaccine were 24% less likely to be diagnosed with dementia over four years in a study of more than 500,000 people. Researchers estimate the difference could amount to roughly one dementia case prevented for every 17 people vaccinated.
Paraguayan doctors launch a five-day national strike amid a collapsed health system
Paraguayan doctors started a five-day national strike on Monday to demand better working conditions, pay adjustments, and more medical supplies amid a worsening health crisis in the South American country, where seven out of ten people rely on public healthcare.
El Paso provider raises awareness for pelvic floor health, urges patients to talk
An El Paso health care leader is urging people to talk with their doctors about pelvic floor dysfunction this month, saying many patients live with symptoms for years without realizing the condition is treatable.
Why politicians are punchlines at the Edinburgh Fringe
There was a time when satire had an easier gig. Politicians said something ridiculous, comedians made fun of them, audiences laughed, and everyone went home. Subscribe Now the joke is often the headline. In a world where the unbelievable regularly makes the news, where politics can veer into parody before the comedians have had time to write the punchline, you might reasonably wonder: is satire running out of material? Not in Edinburgh. At the Fringe, I can confirm satire has a pulse, even in a relentless and rapid news cycle. Politicians as punchlines Take NewsRevue, the world’s longest-running live sketch show, where politicians are turned into punchlines at industrial speed. Its latest target? Andy Burnham - or, more accurately, his doppelganger, pictured below in the middle. The joke, he tells us, is that there have been so many politicians coming and going that even satire risks suffering from political fatigue. But perhaps that revolving door is precisely why comedy matters. When the news cycle moves faster than our ability to process it, comedians can hold up a mirror - and make us think twice. Small talk Take Ayoade Bamgboye, the Saturday Night Live UK star who won the Best Newcomer prize at last year’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards. Her Fringe debut was critically acclaimed; this year she is turning her attention to one of Britain’s most baffling social rituals: small talk. Share It’s a reminder that satire doesn’t always need a politician in its sights. Sometimes the target is simply us civilians - the strange little rules and rituals we have collectively agreed to pretend are normal. Politics and Palestinian identity For British-Palestinian comedian Sami Abu Wardeh, pictured below, comedy has a more urgent job. His new show, Sami Abu Wardeh Hates You, asks who gets to hate, and whether anger belongs to everyone, not just the far right. His comedy confronts politics and Palestinian identity while refusing to surrender the simple business of making people laugh. Shakespeare meets climate crisis And then there is HAM: an “eco-hijacking” of Hamlet, which its creators describe as “a sordid wrestle between a vegan and a sausage-lover”. Shakespeare meets the climate crisis. Meat meets moral panic. The end result? You’ll leave promising to become vegan and swiftly bulk buying Linda McCartney sausages. HAM was created by theatre company Hotter Project, aka Ell Potter and Mary Higgins, pictured below. They say comedy helped them avoid the preachiness sometimes associated with climate activism - using Shakespeare as a vessel for uncomfortable questions about the planet, politics and the way we live. Perhaps that is satire’s secret weapon. It doesn’t necessarily make the world less absurd. It makes the absurdity crystal clear. And at a moment when reality increasingly feels like it has been written by a sketch writer, the Fringe is proving there is still plenty to laugh and cry at. Satire isn’t dead. It’s alive, subletting and having the time of its life at the Fringe. Subscribe Share Channel 4 News Leave a comment
Research Fellowships in Space Science 2027: applications now open!
ESA's postdoctoral Research Fellowship Programme offers early-career scientists and engineers the opportunity to carry out innovative research in a variety of disciplines related to space science, space applications or space technology at our establishments across Europe. Within this programme are the Research Fellowships in Space Science, which open for applications once per year – and now is the time to apply for the 2027 selection!
Health plans will cost more in 2027, for employers and workers
Insurance broker Aon says employer-sponsored plans are poised to increase 9.5% next year, to average more than $19,000 per worker.
Doctors at corporate practices report struggles with burnout, broken equipment and delayed care
A survey from the Physician Advocacy Institute found that doctors in corporate medicine are regularly feeling pressured to make decisions that align with business interests rather than what’s best for patients.
I’m a retired doctor. Volunteering at a community clinic gave me an entirely new medical education
“It was only after retiring from mainstream medicine when I fully comprehended the callous limitations of our health care system,” writes Benjamin I. Lee.
Spiraling health costs force Iranians to delay care
A single chemotherapy session in Iran can cost six times the monthly minimum wage. As drug prices soar and medicine is in short supply, doctors say more patients are delaying or abandoning treatment.
A deep dive into climate change
Some policymakers continue to question the science of climate change, despite the growing evidence of significant damage to life on land and in the ocean.Katja Matthes, director of the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel in Germany, believes the ongoing attempts to politicise climate science and discredit researchers are hindering international cooperation and public understanding. The ocean provides clear evidence of the extent to which changes are occurring, she says.“We are seeing severe, unprecedented and accelerating changes in the ocean — warming ocean temperatures, acidification and oxygen depletion — that are destabilising the most important system that makes life on this planet possible,” Matthes explains. Visible signs of these changes include the melting of ice sheets in the Arctic and Greenland. Deeper down, the growing frequency of hypoxia — or oxygen-deprived “dead zones”, where marine life can no longer survive — in the Baltic and record-high Mediterranean surface temperatures are indicators of the “dramatic warming” of the ocean, she adds.The ocean, which covers around 70% of the Earth’s surface, acts as a vital carbon sink, absorbing around 30% of the planet’s carbon dioxide (CO2) and 90% of the excess heat. However, the global ocean surface temperature has risen by an average of half a degree Celsius since 1982, according to the EU Copernicus observatory. More significant rises have been recorded in the Mediterranean, Black, Baltic and other shallower seas.Some ocean temperature increases do occur naturally, such as during El Niño events. But sustained rises can trigger extreme weather on land — including droughts, floods and catastrophic storms — while also harming marine ecosystems. Only 10% of marine species have been studied, Matthes notes, “so the consequences might be even more severe than we know.”Fostering European cooperation amid uncertaintyMatthes, who holds a doctorate in meteorology, is a professor of atmospheric physics as well as director of GEOMAR. She serves as one of Kiel’s ambassadors to Science Comes to Town (SCTT), an EU-funded programme that aims to promote science’s role in society and strengthen cross-border collaboration in research, innovation and sustainability. SCTT is hosted by the coastal cities of Kiel, Brest (in France) and Split (in Croatia).The SCTT project also provides a platform for raising awareness and understanding between scientists and the public about major issues, such as climate change. Having worked on both sides of the Atlantic, Matthes is frustrated by recent attempts to erode decades of international climate collaboration and question the credibility of research. Earlier this year, the US administration delivered a major blow to global cooperation by withdrawing from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and other global climate organisations, claiming they were “contrary to the interests of the United States.”In addition, a US Department of Energy (DOE) report cast doubt on the latest IPCC climate assessment, which was published in 2024. As a contributing author to the IPCC study, Matthes says the DOE sought to discredit scientists like herself. “Climate change is not a matter of opinion, it really exists and we are witnessing dramatic changes,” she notes. “It’s not climate change as a whole that is being targeted, but scientists and their research.”Other US actions have also hit home for Matthes, who spent three years at the US National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado. The White House has announced plans to close the facility, a move that was “pretty tough” due to the German scientist’s personal connections with the staff and their reputation for excellence.Changing the narrative on climate changeEurope’s scientific community remains a driving force on climate research and collaboration. As one of the world’s leading marine research institutions, GEOMAR attracts students from more than 50 countries and plays an important role in global observation initiatives that contribute to understanding and protecting the ocean basins. At a European level, GEOMAR works closely with other top marine research facilities, including France’s Ifremer, an SCTT partner in Brest. GEOMAR has also developed innovative and safe strategies for removing unexploded wartime munitions from the seabed, which release toxic substances that pose a danger to humans and the marine environment. Through the Horizon Europe MMinE-SwEEPER project, this knowledge has been transferred to the European level.These initiatives are examples of how local action can have a global impact, Matthes says, and how Europe can strengthen climate research and partnerships. “This is a chance for Europe to step up and work on climate cooperation and agreements,” she notes. “Climate change is an international problem and a real threat, and we need more speed on climate action than we have now.”Matthes believes her fellow scientists need to communicate that climate change is not only a threat, but an opportunity to find solutions. “We need to change our narrative and expand our strategic alliances with those who are willing,” she says, “and luckily there are a lot of willing people and countries.”Science|Business, which connects policymakers, academics and industry through its news reporting, analysis and events, is an SCTT partner.
A deep dive into climate change
Some policymakers continue to question the science of climate change, despite the growing evidence of significant damage to life on land and in the ocean.Katja Matthes, director of the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel in Germany, believes the ongoing attempts to politicise climate science and discredit researchers are hindering international cooperation and public understanding. The ocean provides clear evidence of the extent to which changes are occurring, she says.“We are seeing severe, unprecedented and accelerating changes in the ocean — warming ocean temperatures, acidification and oxygen depletion — that are destabilising the most important system that makes life on this planet possible,” Matthes explains. Visible signs of these changes include the melting of ice sheets in the Arctic and Greenland. Deeper down, the growing frequency of hypoxia — or oxygen-deprived “dead zones”, where marine life can no longer survive — in the Baltic and record-high Mediterranean surface temperatures are indicators of the “dramatic warming” of the ocean, she adds.The ocean, which covers around 70% of the Earth’s surface, acts as a vital carbon sink, absorbing around 30% of the planet’s carbon dioxide (CO2) and 90% of the excess heat. However, the global ocean surface temperature has risen by an average of half a degree Celsius since 1982, according to the EU Copernicus observatory. More significant rises have been recorded in the Mediterranean, Black, Baltic and other shallower seas.Some ocean temperature increases do occur naturally, such as during El Niño events. But sustained rises can trigger extreme weather on land — including droughts, floods and catastrophic storms — while also harming marine ecosystems. Only 10% of marine species have been studied, Matthes notes, “so the consequences might be even more severe than we know.”Fostering European cooperation amid uncertaintyMatthes, who holds a doctorate in meteorology, is a professor of atmospheric physics as well as director of GEOMAR. She serves as one of Kiel’s ambassadors to Science Comes to Town (SCTT), an EU-funded programme that aims to promote science’s role in society and strengthen cross-border collaboration in research, innovation and sustainability. SCTT is hosted by the coastal cities of Kiel, Brest (in France) and Split (in Croatia).The SCTT project also provides a platform for raising awareness and understanding between scientists and the public about major issues, such as climate change. Having worked on both sides of the Atlantic, Matthes is frustrated by recent attempts to erode decades of international climate collaboration and question the credibility of research. Earlier this year, the US administration delivered a major blow to global cooperation by withdrawing from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and other global climate organisations, claiming they were “contrary to the interests of the United States.”In addition, a US Department of Energy (DOE) report cast doubt on the latest IPCC climate assessment, which was published in 2024. As a contributing author to the IPCC study, Matthes says the DOE sought to discredit scientists like herself. “Climate change is not a matter of opinion, it really exists and we are witnessing dramatic changes,” she notes. “It’s not climate change as a whole that is being targeted, but scientists and their research.”Other US actions have also hit home for Matthes, who spent three years at the US National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado. The White House has announced plans to close the facility, a move that was “pretty tough” due to the German scientist’s personal connections with the staff and their reputation for excellence.Changing the narrative on climate changeEurope’s scientific community remains a driving force on climate research and collaboration. As one of the world’s leading marine research institutions, GEOMAR attracts students from more than 50 countries and plays an important role in global observation initiatives that contribute to understanding and protecting the ocean basins. At a European level, GEOMAR works closely with other top marine research facilities, including France’s Ifremer, an SCTT partner in Brest. GEOMAR has also developed innovative and safe strategies for removing unexploded wartime munitions from the seabed, which release toxic substances that pose a danger to humans and the marine environment. Through the Horizon Europe MMinE-SwEEPER project, this knowledge has been transferred to the European level.These initiatives are examples of how local action can have a global impact, Matthes says, and how Europe can strengthen climate research and partnerships. “This is a chance for Europe to step up and work on climate cooperation and agreements,” she notes. “Climate change is an international problem and a real threat, and we need more speed on climate action than we have now.”Matthes believes her fellow scientists need to communicate that climate change is not only a threat, but an opportunity to find solutions. “We need to change our narrative and expand our strategic alliances with those who are willing,” she says, “and luckily there are a lot of willing people and countries.”Science|Business, which connects policymakers, academics and industry through its news reporting, analysis and events, is an SCTT partner.
Fact Checking Dr. Oz And Byron Donalds On Vaccines: What The Science Actually Says
A doctor fact checks Dr. Oz and Rep. Byron Donalds claims on vaccines and measles during their recent CBS appearances on "Face The Nation"
Missouri doctors group jumps into state politics with $1.5M PAC investment
The Missouri State Medical Association donated $1.5 million to Asclepius PAC and Patients First PAC, one of the largest political contributions this year.
San Diego woman, 41, has arms and legs amputated after routine checkup went horribly wrong
The Spring Valley woman had gone for a routine heart checkup in May this year when doctors found that she was suffering from a life-threatening Type A aortic dissection.
Bret Michaels cancels remaining 2026 tour dates hours after 'comeback' performance due to health scare
Bret Michaels' doctors pulled him off the road for months of recovery after recent surgeries, canceling all of his remaining 2026 tour dates.
NYITCOM at A-State Welcomes 11th Class
New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University (NYITCOM at A-State) welcomed 121 new future doctors to Northeast Arkansas in August as the medical school...
NYITCOM at A-State Welcomes 11th Class
New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University (NYITCOM at A-State) welcomed 121 new future doctors to Northeast Arkansas in August as the medical school...
15K views · 249 reactions | President Donald Trump has faced scrutiny...
President Donald Trump has faced scrutiny for bruising on his hands, swelling in his ankles and apparent drowsiness, among other questions about his health. Some doctors say they’re worried about...
Could a 'sacred moment’ with your doctor improve your health care?
Researchers say those seemingly small interactions may be more meaningful than you think.
Trump has long wanted to lose 15 pounds. Physicians wish he would.
Doctors say it’s worrying that the president has, according to his statements and those of aides, gained about 20 pounds since his campaign.
Trump has long wanted to lose 15 pounds. Physicians wish he would.
Doctors say it’s worrying that the president has, according to his statements and those of aides, gained about 20 pounds since his campaign.
Are You In Perimenopause? Signs, Symptoms, and What to Ask Your Doctor
Many women are still confused about perimenopause. An expert shares how to recognize and manage symptoms and when to talk with your doctor.
In rural Chad, solar kiosks bring healthcare closer
Solar-powered telemedicine is helping rural Chadians overcome distance and limited access to doctors.
New Madras doctors at St. Charles, Mosaic Community Health, Warm Springs
This month three new residents have joined the Central Oregon medical community to provide family medicine care for patients in the area over the next two years. The Three Sisters […]
As a doctor, I'm fighting in Congress to lower health costs
My time in the U.S. House has been marked by work to make healthcare more affordable, writes Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks.
Rock legend pulled off of tour by doctors, paramedics: ‘Slow recovery ahead’
The singer returned to the stage on Friday and announced on Saturday that he will be out of action for months.
Doctors come out against Big 12 Monster Energy sponsorship
The sponsorship deal the Big 12 signed with Monster Energy has been met with resistance since it was first unveiled. First, there’s the idea that an entire college sports conference could sell its name, image, and likeness. Second, there’s the fact that at $20 million per year, the entire conference signed over those rights for…
‘Reading Rainbow’ Host Mychal Threets Shares Health Update After ‘5-Day Psychiatric Hold,’ Says Doctors ‘Saved My Life’
Mychal Threets revealed in a video on Threads on Aug. 22 that he was hospitalized for five days on a ‘psychiatric hold’ and thanked medical staff for saving his life.
Your Doctor’s Office Might Soon Start Charging an Unexpected Fee
Some physicians say it's a positive thing. Would you pony up?
Lindsay Clancy trial: Fragmented mental health system under scrutiny
When patients move among doctors, therapists, hospitals, and medications, no one may be responsible for seeing the whole picture.
More than 500 applicants seek share of Louisiana rural health millions
By Nolan Mckendry | The Center Square More than 500 applicants are seeking a share of Louisiana’s new federal rural health funding, but not every request will be approved as they […]
Reimagining how scientists study the chemistry of the air
Professor Victoria Barber and doctoral student Cooper Crabtree are spearheading Keck Foundation-funded project charting a path toward better understanding atmospheric oxidation. by Álvaro Castillo, UCLA College of Letters and Science From the vantage point of Victoria Barber, a UCLA assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry, understanding the chemical reactions that shape air quality and climate are among the most pressing scientific challenges of our time. And thanks to a recent grant from the W.M. Keck Foundation, she and doctoral student Cooper Crabtree will spearhead a new research project exploring exactly how pollutants form in the atmosphere. Specifically, the project will examine how volatile organic compounds transform through atmospheric oxidation and explore how pollutants, like smog, form in the atmosphere. VOCs are released by sources ranging from trees and wildfires to vehicle exhaust pipes and consumer products such as cologne and perfume. As they undergo atmospheric oxidation, they can transform into a wide range of other compounds. Anyone in Southern California can attest to the urgency of this area of research — for example, in late July of this year, Los Angeles County was under an active ozone pollution advisory for almost a full week. While many people associate ozone with the protective ozone layer high in the stratosphere, ground-level or tropospheric ozone is a harmful secondary pollutant formed through atmospheric oxidation. Understanding how VOCs transform into pollutants like ozone is therefore critical to improving air-quality forecasts and informing strategies to reduce exposure. “My group is focused on trying accelerate our understanding of these networks of reactions so that we can do a better job of predicting how those pollutants form,” Barber said. “When we make decisions about how we might alter emissions, we can understand how that’s going to influence the production of these downstream pollutants.” With support from the W. M. Keck Foundation, Barber and Crabtree are developing new experimental approaches that will combine — and improve — techniques to study hundreds of chemical systems more efficiently than traditional methods allow. Instead of spending years decoding a single VOC, the project seeks to dramatically expand the pace and scale of discovery. The grant comes at a particularly important moment for environmental research. Barber, who joined UCLA in 2023, says funding for climate and air-quality research, especially for early career scientists, has become increasingly difficult to secure, a challenge compounded for ambitious projects that require building entirely new research infrastructure. The Keck Foundation’s support, Barber said, provides the flexibility to pursue bold early-stage, high-risk ideas that may be more difficult to fund using conventional federal funding sources. “It’s really, really hard to do environmental research under the current federal paradigm,” Barber said. “By stepping in and providing stable and flexible funding to explore this new idea, the Keck Foundation is making a huge difference to my research program.” In addition to funding early-career faculty, the Keck Foundation’s support is also focused on empowering graduate students like Crabtree in their scientific growth. The project gives Crabtree the opportunity to help develop an entirely new experimental approach to studying atmospheric chemistry — an experience that will provide him with valuable technical skills, scientific training and preparation for the next stage of his career. Stable funding also allows doctoral students like Crabtree to devote themselves more fully to research rather than balancing their scientific work with additional teaching responsibilities needed to cover funding gaps. “Getting to devote more of my time to research this past school year has greatly improved the pace and quality of our experiments, data analysis and planning for our future work,” said Crabtree, who is pursuing a Ph.D. in chemistry. “I feel very lucky — especially amid the current uncertainty surrounding scientific funding — to be able to continue exploring exciting knowledge gaps in our field and growing as a scientific researcher.” For Barber, mentorship is among the most rewarding and important aspects of her role as a faculty member. “Our jobs as faculty are to do good science and make good scientists,” she said. “I believe the Keck Foundation shares this belief and sees the potential positive impact this project can have.”
Spin Doctors headline SIU’s biggest Homecoming celebration
CARBONDALE — One of Southern Illinois' most anticipated traditions is back.
Missouri doctors group jumps into state politics with $1.5M PAC investment
Missouri’s oldest business association is the state’s newest big political donor.On Aug. 14, the Missouri State Medical Association split $1.5 million between t
'Got to play the game': Missouri doctors group jumps into state politics with $1.5M PAC investment
The Missouri State Medical Association is the state’s newest big political donor after contributing $1.5 million to fund two new PACs.
4 Doctor-Approved Exercises To Manage Cortisol Levels
In TODAY.com’s Expert Tip of the Day, Dr. Natalie Azar, rheumatologist and NBC News medical contributor, shares common myths about the stress hormone and how to keep it in check.
4 Doctor-Approved Exercises To Manage Cortisol Levels
In TODAY.com’s Expert Tip of the Day, Dr. Natalie Azar, rheumatologist and NBC News medical contributor, shares common myths about the stress hormone and how to keep it in check.
One type of pregnancy-related high blood pressure is becoming more common. A doctor explains
Gestational hypertension, a form of high blood pressure during pregnancy, has become substantially more common in the United States, according to a new report.
Immigration policies put stress on the health care of immigrants; new study finds their doctors feel it too.
Despite the challenges, physicians and health systems adapted to support patients and staff, which has helped .
'It's a bit odd at first': The robot helping with NHS health checks
A Dundee GP has trialled a robot that takes patients through health checks to save the doctor's time.
Health Care
NRF wants true health care reform that makes coverage more accessible by making it more affordable.
‘I need a bandage’: A quick look at everything University Health Services offers
Going to college marks many firsts for a lot of college students—including going to the doctor or trying to schedule an appointment on their own for the first time. Luckily, University Health Services at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga provides medical care for UTC students and helps make the healthcare process as smooth as possible.
Best Way To Reduce Heart Disease Risk Is Getting This 1 Health Factor Under Control, Doctor Says
In TODAY.com’s Expert Tip of the Day, a doctor reveals “the most important modifiable risk factor for heart disease” and how to get it to a healthy level if it’s too high.
Cancer doctor reveals 5 habits that may reduce disease risk and improve outcomes
A breast surgical oncologist shares five everyday strategies to reduce cancer risk, including how GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic could play a role.
Vaping could lead to health harm in children and young people, doctors warn
A Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health has published a report with concerns vaping is a gateway to smoking
Trump picks White House aide Dr. Heidi Overton to lead FDA
Overton is a medical doctor and deputy director of the White House Domestic Policy Council who has worked on several of President Donald Trump's second-term health initiatives.
Tommy John, Dr. Frank Jobe changed sports and medicine
Commentary: As time passed and Tommy John became further removed from a marvelous 26-year Major League Baseball pitching career that saw him win nearly 300 games, people often would come up to him and thank him for devising the revolutionary elbow surgery that has saved thousands of athletic careers. John would thank them and politely correct them, pointing out that he was the patient, not the doctor.
Cuba has plenty of doctors. So why is its healthcare system collapsing?
The crisis reveals a forgotten variable in the health equation: energy.
Doctors argue their role in the age of AI
Humans must remain in the loop, the AMA maintains.
In Good Health: Finding A Primary Care Physician
When was the last time you went to the doctor?Not necessarily for something big, not for a broken finger or the flu. Just a checkup. A regular annual visit to make sure everything is ok with your health.For about a third of Americans, it’s probably been too long. In 2024, more than 100 million people did not have a regular primary doctor at all, according to the National Association of Community Health Centers.The outlook is particularly bleak for young people. More than a quarter of people aged 18 to 29 polled in a national survey this summer said they didn’t have a primary care doctor. And over half of them who did have a doctor said they skipped or didn’t schedule an annual wellness check up in the past year.But the blame shouldn’t fall solely on the patients. Primary care doctors are getting squeezed by the current healthcare system. There’s a growing shortage of primary care physicians. That can mean wait times of months just to get an appointment.For today’s installment of our series, “In Good Health,” we’re unpacking the state of primary care—and what to do if you don’t have access to it.Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.
Can the existence of an afterlife be proven? The scientists looking for God
There are doctors, neuroscientists and physicists who believe science can prove life after death, although for most this remains a matter of faith rather than laboratory work
Loneliness Is A Health Crisis, But Doctors Alone Can't Cure It, Analysis Argues
By Dennis Thompson HealthDay ReporterTUESDAY, Aug. 18, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Loneliness is contributing to illness, but it’s a fool’s errand to expect doctors alone to cure this particular ailment, a new study says. Social isolation — whether it be from loss, health problems or other factors that ...
In Good Health: Finding a primary care physician
In 2024, more than 100 million people did not have a regular primary doctor at all.
Try This Doctor-Approved Walking Routine to Preserve Bone Health in Mid-Life
In TODAY.com’s Expert Tip of the Day, an orthopedic surgeon breaks down how interval walking training can help protect bone density and boost heart health.
Mississippi weighs three-year short-term health plan as coverage drops
One-year short-term plans are already available. The state is working on a three-year option through an online portal where people could compare doctors, drugs and provider networks.
Doctors Worry Grant Changes Will Derail Biomedical Science
Proposed OMB grant review changes could shift science funding from peer-reviewed to subject to political whims, impacting drug development and patient care.
Woman's Doctor: Why are women more prone to sports injuries?
In this Woman's Doctor segment, what's behind the several factors that may make women more prone to sports injuries than men?
Dolly Parton provides health update after skipping Dollywood ride opening
The 80-year-old star sent a video to Dollywood fans after her doctor told her not to travel for the ride opening.
Dolly Parton provides health update after skipping Dollywood ride opening
The 80-year-old star sent a video to Dollywood fans after her doctor told her not to travel for the ride opening.
Dolly Parton provides health update after skipping Dollywood ride opening
The 80-year-old star sent a video to Dollywood fans after her doctor told her not to travel for the ride opening.
What happened to Dolly Parton? Singer shares update after missing Dollywood event
Dolly Parton appeared in a prerecorded video at the opening of Dollywood's NightFlight Expedition, explaining that her doctor urged her to stay home.
Marvel Cosmic Invasion reeals Siege of Castle Doom DLC
Today, Dotemu and Tribute Games unveiled brand new Siege of Casstle Doom DLC for Marvel Cosmic Invasion. The first piece of art can be found above. The DLC will feature a brand new game mode along with two new playable characters. Unsurprisingly, the infamous Doctor Doom will be central to that mode. With the Avengers: Doomsday movie coming up, it...
Marvel Cosmic Invasion Doctor Doom DLC Arrives this Fall
The Siege of Castle Doom includes a brand-new game mode
Stunned by a glowing green light: what happened when the ground lit up at night? - Futura-Sciences
The Aurora Hunter of Alaska Vincent Ledvina is a doctoral student in space physics, but don’t be fooled by the academic credentials—he’s also a social media star. Ledvina scours the Alaskan skies night after night, always on the lookout for the magical spectacle of the Northern Lights, and he regularly...
Insurer reviews get an automation boost
The federal government's effort to modernize prior authorization is beginning to show up in the software doctors use.
Healthcare Providers Hit With New Accessibility Requirements
A pair of federal rules are imposing first-ever requirements designed to ensure that people with disabilities are better served when they visit the doctor.
Gen Z is eyeing up ‘secure’ healthcare jobs to AI-proof their careers, but be warned: Chiropractors, doctors and paramedics are the unhappiest workers
Health care workers report burnout and lower job satisfaction. So Gen Z's safest bet might just be behind a counter, not a stethoscope, research suggests.
Science & Medicine: San Antonio's fungus lab is on the front line of a growing drug-resistance crisis
When doctors can't identify a fungal infection, they often turn to UT Health San Antonio's Fungus Testing Laboratory, which has discovered more than 60 new species since 2013. The lab is now racing to fight drug-resistant fungi while helping bring new antifungal treatments to market.
Doctors and women who've had it call for more attention on postpartum psychosis
The high-profile murder trial of Lindsay Clancy's has put the condition in the spotlight. Women who have had it call for more research and understanding of a difficult mental illness.
With measles cases on the rise, doctors stress childhood vaccination
As nationwide measles cases climb to the highest levels seen in 35 years, Lucas County medical practitioners are raising the importance of vaccinating ...
Dolly Parton’s ongoing health battle forces country legend to miss major Dollywood event
Dolly Parton appeared virtually at Dollywood's new roller coaster opening after her Nashville doctor grounded her travel over dizziness and dehydration.
A doctor shares 4 bare minimum food rules to boost healthspan
Making small changes to your diet can make a big impact on your health, Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel said.
Additional charges filed against former UF Health doctor found dead in Alachua County Jail
A former UF Health doctor facing child pornography charges was found dead inside the Alachua County Jail on Aug. 13, as investigators were pursuing additional charges against him.
Mike Beltran sues political group over doctored campaign image
Former State Rep. Mike Beltran sued a political action committee that he says forged an image of him that did not depict reality, and that it failed to disclose it was built with AI — as required under Florida law.
Measles case confirmed in western Kentucky, health officials suspect outbreak
Officials confirmed at least one unvaccinated person in western Kentucky's Christian County contracted measles, a highly contagious respiratory disease. Officials warn of several unconfirmed cases in the area too.
People are injecting fat from dead bodies. It’s called ‘zombie filler’
People are injecting fat from corpses and calling it "zombie filler." Doctors say the GLP-1 boom is driving the trend.
Health advocacy group sues AMA to make billing codes public
PatientRightsAdvocate.org is challenging the doctor’s association’s copyright of the current procedural terminology, or CPT, system. Use of the codes is required by law, and that means they should be freely available, per the suit.
Make policy based on science, not on RFK Jr. ’s lifestyle choices
Kennedy is neither a doctor nor a medical researcher, and his personal practices should not guide federal policies.
Top Doctor Sounds the Alarm About Trump’s ‘Most Extraordinary’ Health Issue
Among the litany of issues, this is the most concerning, according to Dr. Jonathan Reiner.
‘We’re seeing lots of people who feel dizzy’: how heatwaves are taking a toll on people’s health and the NHS
Doctors and nurses describe rise in fall injuries and other heat-related problems on top of stifling working conditions
Exploring how discretionary time impacts health | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Time may be money, but is time health? That’s what doctoral candidate Laura Chen is trying to find out.
UF Health doctor, professor facing child porn charges found dead in jail
A UF Health doctor charged in July with child porn possession was found dead at the Alachua County Jail on Aug. 13. Cause of death not yet determined.
UF Health doctor dies in custody at Alachua County Jail
Incident occurs Thursday morning.
New Executive Order Undermines Child Health
On August 10, 2026, President Trump signed an executive order aimed at making major changes to federal vaccine policy. Among several other actions, this order would make major revisions to the childhood vaccination schedule, direct care providers to administer monovalent vaccines as soon as they are available (starting with splitting up the MMR (measles, mumps, […]
HHS Releases Report Exposing Fraudulent Insurance Coding For Sex-rejecting Procedures On Minors
HHS released a report Wolves in White Coats: How Doctors and Hospitals Pushed and Profited from the Fraud of “Gender Medicine”.
Emergency Medicine Residency Program strengthens South Texas healthcare workforce
For more than a decade, the UT Health San Antonio program has trained doctors to address shortages in care across the region.
In Good Health: Why Measles Numbers Are On The Rise
Nationwide, students, teachers, and parents are gearing up for the school year.And measles is spreading. The U.S. has already logged more cases this year than in all of 2025. It’s the highest count in 35 years. That’s in large part because measles vaccination rates have slipped below 95 percent – the threshold public health experts say is needed to stop community spread. Last week on CNN, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said children should be vaccinated for measles after being pressed on-camera, even as he used the same interview to push a debunked claim about respiratory syncytial virus. And on Monday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at upending the childhood vaccine schedule, including changes to the measles vaccine and others. But what will actually change at the doctor’s office?Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.
Make policy based on science, not on RFK’s lifestyle choices
Kennedy is neither a doctor nor a medical researcher, and his personal practices should not guide federal policies.
Small Business Spotlight: Specialty dental practice takes root on Market St.
WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO OPEN BLUE HERON ROOT CANAL SPECIALISTS? OWNER SARAH ERMOSHKIN: “I’ve always been an entrepreneur at heart. When I was 23 years old, I owned a cafe in Seattle, where I even fought to oppose oppressive sales taxes on espresso drinks. After selling that business, I got married and started a family. Once my children were in school, I attended dental school through the Navy Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP), which covered my tuition and provided a stipend. From the beginning, my goal was to eventually own my own practice after completing my military service. The work I do is incredibly rewarding and being able to create an environment that puts patients first while helping employees grow professionally makes every day as a business owner meaningful.” WHAT DOES YOUR BUSINESS PROVIDE? ERMOSHKIN: “Endodontists are often called ‘pain doctors’ because our primary mission is to relieve pain and save natural teeth. We specialize in root canal therapy, retreatment of nonhealing root canals, treatment of root resorption, apicoectomies – microsurgical root-end procedures – and vital pulp therapy for children. Our goal is to preserve teeth that might otherwise need to be extracted and replaced with implants. Saving a patient’s natural tooth is almost always the best long-term solution for their oral health.” HOW DOES YOUR MILITARY TRAINING HELP YOUR BUSINESS? ERMOSHKIN: “My military service taught me how to lead, collaborate and make decisions under pressure. I worked closely with senior leadership while treating a large patient population and collaborating with specialists across multiple disciplines. During the COVID-19 pandemic, (I) served a dual role as Navy dentist and as the public affairs officer for Naval Health Clinic Annapolis, where I helped develop medical and dental communications for the midshipmen and support staff, while coordinating with the broader Navy Capital Region. We worked closely with other military treatment facilities to share best practices and deliver consistent public health messaging. Those leadership experiences continue to shape how I lead my team and serve our patients today.” WHAT CHALLENGES ARE YOU FACING RIGHT NOW IN YOUR BUSINESS? ERMOSHKIN: “One of our biggest challenges is overcoming the misinformation surrounding root canal treatment. Root canals are safe, effective and often the best way to relieve pain while preserving a natural tooth. Unfortunately, many people choose extraction because they believe it’s less expensive or because they’ve seen misleading information online. What they may not realize is that losing a tooth can lead to shifting teeth, changes in the way they bite and chew and significantly higher costs to restore their smile later.”
Experimental Pulse Oximeter Accurate Regardless Of Skin Tone, Researchers Say
By Dennis Thompson HealthDay ReporterWEDNESDAY, Aug. 12, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Pulse oximeters became widely known during the COVID-19 pandemic, as doctors used the finger clip devices to tell whether a respiratory infection was robbing patients of needed oxygen. But skin tone impairs the ...
Your address holds clues to knowing your child's hospitalization risk
Researchers at Cincinnati Children's used local data to create a framework that predicts a child's hospitalization risk based on their address.
USC Scientists Are Using Quantum Computing to Rethink Cancer Detection - USC Viterbi
By combining quantum computing with artificial intelligence, USC researchers are laying the groundwork for medical imaging tools that could help doctors diagnose cancer and plan treatments more precisely
'Blue Bloods' star Jennifer Esposito says she was locked in psych ward as health battle spiraled
Jennifer Esposito reveals how celiac disease caused liver failure, a psychiatric ward stay and thoughts of suicide before doctors finally diagnosed her.
AHA resource: Economic Impact of Disparities in Health Outcomes
The AHA Aug. 11 released a new resource guide designed to address a critical gap by helping leaders understand and quantify the economic burden of disparities of health outcomes. The guide provides practical methods to identify and assess the financial impact of health disparities, along with data-driven approaches to implement interventions that both improve outcomes and reduce costs. READ MORE
Has science finally made up its mind about coffee’s health benefits?
Doctors used to warn coffee drinkers. Now research reassures them
The U.S. Healthcare System is Already Mostly Socialized
Now that Abdul El-Sayed is the Democratic nominee for Michigan’s open Senate seat, the outcome of this crucial race will depend mainly on two things: Whether Republicans succeed in demonizing El-Sayed because he’s brown and a Muslim, and whether they succeed in demonizing him as a left-wing radical. I will defer for the now the question of whether bigotry will be effective this year, although I will address it another day. What I want to address instead is El-Sayed’s signature issue — healthcare. Yes, El-Sayed advocates Medicare for All, a position the usual suspects denounce as “socialism.” I will get to the politics of his stance soon. Today, however, I want to talk about the substance. We should be clear that El-Sayed doesn’t even call himself a socialist. On the contrary, he explicitly disavows the label, saying “I’m a capitalist who just knows about capitalism”. In fact, as I explained in a previous post, the policies that El-Sayed advocates qualify him as a social democrat, not a socialist. Still, El-Sayed advocates a system under which the government would pay almost all medical expenses. Isn’t that socialism? Well, if that is the criterion then much of U.S. healthcare is already socialist. In fact, the government’s role is so large that U.S. healthcare is better described as partially privatized socialism than as anything resembling a free market. Let’s start with the raw numbers on health insurance, which pays the bulk of Americans’ medical expenses. Americans receive health insurance either from private companies or from public programs, overwhelmingly Medicare and Medicaid. Here’s what the breakdown of coverage and spending between private and public looked like in 2024: While a majority of Americans with health insurance get it from private companies, well over 100 million of us are covered by government programs instead. And these government programs pay more total dollars for medical bills than the private insurers do. Why do government programs that cover a minority of the population account for a majority of health insurers’ outlays? Mainly because Medicare covers seniors, and we’re expensive. Also, while Medicaid covers many younger Americans, disabled and elderly beneficiaries account for most of its spending. Even by the raw numbers, then, U.S. health insurance looks as much public as private. But that understates the government’s role: Private health insurance in the U.S. is both highly regulated and heavily subsidized. This is obviously true for the insurance coverage purchased by tens of millions of Americans through the exchanges established by the Affordable Care Act. But employment-based health insurance, which covers 161 million Americans, is far more of a government creation than most people realize. For employment-based insurance exists largely because of huge implicit government subsidies that come with major strings attached. Here’s how that works. If your employer pays you $10,000, that’s taxable income. But if your employer pays $10,000 toward a company health insurance plan that meets certain criteria, it isn’t taxable. That’s a huge effective subsidy, running at more than $300 billion a year. Take that subsidy into account, along with the more than $100 billion per year spent subsidizing policies purchased under the ACA, as well as the outlays on Medicare and Medicaid, and net effect is that the government pays for more than two-thirds of Americans’ health insurance. Granted, there are strings attached. Roughly speaking, employment-based health plans can’t discriminate based on medical history — that is, they can’t deny coverage to employees with pre-existing conditions — and they also can’t offer the plans only to highly compensated employees — a health plan that is only for the C-suite is considered taxable income. So given the restrictions of the federal tax code, employer-based health insurance is a lot like Obamacare, which also prohibits discrimination based on medical history and provides subsidies to make insurance affordable to lower-paid workers. The fact is that virtually all of private healthcare insurance is already well under some form of government control through regulation and tax subsidies. How should we think about this system? First of all, is Medicare socialist? Don’t tell anyone, but the way Medicare operates — it covers every senior’s medical expenses, whatever they turn out to be, while being funded by taxes that depend on one’s income — could be summarized by the old Marxist slogan “From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.” And back in 1961, when Ronald Reagan was the face of a last-ditch effort by the American Medical Association to block the creation of Medicare, he denounced Medicare as “socialized medicine” and warned that it would destroy our freedom. In reality, American freedom survived until Jan. 20, 2025, while Medicare is immensely popular, with an 82 percent favorable rating in the most recent KFF survey. Medicaid, government health insurance for lower-income Americans, comes in at 73 percent. This is in sharp contrast to public views about private insurers, who are widely disliked if not hated and accused of denying essential care. Furthermore, if Medicare is socialism, then the whole U.S. health insurance system, with the government paying most of the bills and placing conditions on private insurers, is almost equally socialist. If you insist on calling any program the government pays for and regulates socialist, then U.S. healthcare would best be described as a partially privatized form of socialism. And one must ask, what is the point of the part that is privatized? Do private insurers add anything positive? Or are they simply parasites, skimming off money that could have been paying for care? The case for viewing insurers as parasites is strong. Many Medicare benefits are now delivered via Medicare Advantage, that is, plans paid for by the government but run through insurance companies. MedPAC, an independent advisory commission, estimates that last year Medicare Advantage plans were overpaid by $84 billion, thanks to practices such as “upcoding,” in which patients’ health problems are overstated to get larger sums from Medicare. Assessing the waste from employer-based insurance is harder, but most evidence suggests that private insurers have substantially higher administrative costs than Medicare does. Furthermore, the complexity of private insurance, with multiple payers all trying to deny care when they can, is a huge burden both on providers — doctors, nurses, and hospitals — and on patients. What do private insurers offer to compensate for these costs? One must go through intellectual contortions to avoid the conclusion that they are, in fact, parasites. Which brings me back to El-Sayed. In supporting Medicare for All, he’s basically calling for an end to the partial, parasitic privatization of a healthcare system that is already hugely dependent on public funding. When one looks at it that way, it’s not at all a radical proposal. Admittedly, the political lift requires overcoming the opposition to higher taxes to pay for Medicare for All. Political realism rather than economics was the reason I and many other progressives supported Obamacare, with all its complexities, rather than demanding an immediate move to Medicare for All. But the political calculus may very well have shifted since the 2000s, as Americans are fed up with a system of unaffordable premiums, rampant claim denials, and byzantine claim administration. Moreover, funding healthcare insurance through taxation would allow for a much more progressive distribution of the cost. That is, compared to the present system, middle-income households would pay less as high-income households would pay more. And the U.S. would stop wasting large sums on pointless administrative costs. So let’s be clear: El-Sayed’s healthcare platform is perfectly reasonable on the merits of cost, fairness and health efficacy. And with private insurers never more hated, while millions of Americans are losing their health insurance, 2026 may be its time. MUSICAL CODA