With few MDs practicing in rural areas, a different type of doctor is filling the gap
Osteopathic physician Kevin de Regnier of Winterset, Iowa, checks Chris Bourne, who came in for an adjustment of his anxiety medication on May 9, 2023. Tony Leys/KFF Health News For 35 years, this town’s residents have brought all manner of illnesses, aches, and worries to Kevin de Regnier’s storefront clinic on the courthouse square — […]
Vaccination and awareness could help keep mpox in check this summer
Student pharmacist Charles Liu administered a dose of mpox vaccine at a Los Angeles County Department of Public Health clinic in West Hollywood, Calif., last August. Mario Tama/Getty Images A dozen people came down with mpox in Chicago around early May, prompting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to warn doctors of a potential […]
Picking the ‘right’ sunscreen isn’t as important as avoiding these 6 mistakes
Using sunscreen plays a key role in protecting skin from ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. Namthip Muanthongthae/Getty Images If you find a bottle of sunscreen packed in last year’s pool bag, here’s a suggestion: Toss it out. Since the active compounds can degrade and lose their effectiveness, slathering on old lotion or spray is […]
Do Allina Health’s alleged billing practices violate MN law? The attorney general is looking into it
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is asking people who’ve experienced “aggressive billing practices” at Allina Health, or those with knowledge of the alleged practices and policies, to contact his office “so we can determine the scope of the problem and whether any laws or agreements have been broken.” On Thursday, the New York Times published […]
Corrections dept. to move trans woman to Shakopee prison next week
The Minnesota Department of Corrections will, for the first time, transfer a trans person to a facility that aligns with their gender identity next week, according to a release from the department. The move is the result of a settlement between the DOC and Christina Lusk, an incarcerated woman currently being housed at a facility […]
More LGBTQ+ people can now give blood, but Minnesota donation centers say the change could take months
Less than a week after the Food and Drug Administration announced new guidance that would allow more gay and bisexual people to give blood, Wesley Milla went out to donate. It’s been more than 10 years since he last gave blood. As a nurse, currently in graduate school to become a nurse anesthetist, the St. […]
ChangeMakers: Dr. Angela Kade Goepferd pioneers gender-affirming care for kids
In celebration of LGBTQ+ Pride Month, throughout June MPR News is featuring transgender and nonbinary Minnesotans making an impact. See more at mprnews.org/changemakers. For the past 17 years, Dr. Angela Kade Goepferd has worked to change the way Minnesotans view pediatric health care for gender-nonconforming youth. Goepferd, 45, is Children’s Minnesota’s chief education officer and […]
Addressing rising alcohol use among women
Alcohol use and misuse among women is on the rise and it’s causing severe health problems for some women. Women who drink have a higher risk than men for certain health problems, including liver disease, heart disease and cancer. And research suggests that the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with more drinking among […]
After cannabis legalized in Minnesota, state’s hemp growers prepare for uncertain future
[MUSIC PLAYING] CATHY WURZER: Governor Tim Walz is signing a bill at this hour that legalizes recreational use of marijuana in the state, making Minnesota the 23rd state to do so. Pot products should be in stores by 2025, but personal use, possession, and home growing will be legal starting August 1. As you know, […]
A ‘natural death’ may be preferable for many than enduring CPR
The traumatic nature of CPR may be why as many as half of patients who survive wish they hadn’t received it, even though they lived. Injuries sustained from the resuscitation can sometimes mean a patient will never return to their previous selves. Science Photo Library | Getty Images “Nurse refuses to perform CPR,” read the […]