Sickle cell patient’s success with gene editing raises hopes and questions
In London to address a gene-editing summit last week, Victoria Gray took a break to visit Sir John Soane’s Museum. In 2019, Gray became the first patient to be treated for sickle cell disease using CRISPR, an experimental gene-editing technique. She was invited to talk about her experiences at the Third International Summit on Human […]
The U.S. has a high rate of preterm births, and abortion bans could make that worse
Physicians say roughly half of all preterm births are preventable, caused by social, economic and environmental factors, as well as inadequate access to prenatal health care. ER Productions Limited/Getty Images Tamara Etienne’s second pregnancy was freighted with risk and worry from its earliest days — exacerbated by a first pregnancy that had ended in miscarriage. […]
Federal judge in Texas hears case that could force a major abortion pill off market
Abortion rights advocates gather in front of the J. Marvin Jones Federal Building and Courthouse in Amarillo, Texas, on Wednesday. U.S. abortion opponents are hoping to get a national ban on a widely used abortion pill through their lawsuit against the FDA. Moises Avila/AFP via Getty Images Was the FDA wrong to approve a drug […]
Future of Us: Applauded during the pandemic, now nurses want to be heard
This story is part of a series called “The Future of Us,” exploring how a pandemic, a murder and a city on fire have changed us and our path forward. In November 2020, Kelley Anaas begged Minnesotans to stay home for Thanksgiving during one of the state’s daily COVID-19 briefings. “Up until nine months ago, […]
Can you catch a hidden virus from a dog kiss or a cat cuddle?
Can cuddling or kissing a pet put you at risk of contracting an unknown virus? Can people pass a virus to pets? Those are questions that pet owners ponder. And if Centu (left) and Ruby (right) could talk, they’d probably ask as well. Ben de la Cruz/NPR; Lauren Migaki/NPR “Get ready for a silly question,” […]
Red Lake leader sets opioid crisis and land return as priorities for 2023
Red Lake Nation Chairman Darrell Seki Sr., said during his State of the Band address that one of the band’s goals is to reestablish the original boundary of the reservation. He delivered the message as he laid out the tribal agenda for 2023. “We have made it a priority to restore a portion of Upper Red […]
Metrics show encouraging declines, while older adults continue to be at risk
While most COVID metrics this week show encouraging declines, wastewater data remains elevated and suggests COVID is still circulating. Health department data shows that older adults continue to be the most at risk. Hospitalization rates for Minnesotans 65 and older have been three to four times higher than any other age group in recent weeks, […]
A bill to declassify COVID-19’s origins clears the House and heads to Biden
A man crosses an empty highway road on February 3, 2020 in Wuhan, Hubei province, China. Stringer/Getty Images The House has unanimously passed a bill to require the Director of National Intelligence to declassify information regarding the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. It cleared the chamber 419-0, with 204 House Democrats joining Republicans in support […]
Millions who rely on Medicaid may be booted from program
If you get health care coverage through Medicaid, you might be at risk of losing that coverage over the next year. Roughly 84 million people are covered by the government-sponsored program, which has grown by 20 million people since January 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. But as states begin checking everyone’s eligibility for Medicaid for the […]
High inflation and housing costs force Americans to delay needed health care
Substitute teacher Crystal Clyburn, 51, doesn’t have health insurance. She got her blood pressure checked at a health fair in Sarasota, Fla. Stephanie Colombini/WUSF At a health-screening event in Sarasota, Florida, people milled around a parking lot waiting their turn for blood pressure or diabetes checks. The event was held in Sarasota’s Newtown neighborhood, a […]