Unraveling a hidden cause of UTIs — plus how to prevent them
Some urinary tract infections may be caused by food-borne E. coli bacteria, research finds. Getty Images/Westend61 If you’ve had a urinary tract infection, you’re in good company. About 60 percent of women will develop one in their lifetime. UTIs lead to more than a million emergency room visits each year and more than $2 billion […]
Supreme Court preserves access to abortion pill for now
The Supreme Court on Friday preserved women’s access to a drug used in the most common method of abortion, rejecting lower-court restrictions while a lawsuit continues. The justices granted emergency requests from the Biden administration and New York-based Danco Laboratories, maker of the drug mifepristone. They are appealing a lower court ruling that would roll […]
Minnesota could soon join these other states in protecting transgender care this year
Sarah Newton stands with a trans pride flag during a rally to protest the passing of SB 150 on March 29 at the Kentucky State Capitol in Frankfort. Kentucky is one of at least 12 states that has restricted gender-affirming care for minors this year. Jon Cherry/Getty Images This year, at least 12 states have […]
This family moved to Minnesota to access gender-affirming care. More might soon
Living in Minnesota has made a positive difference for Wes Samuelson and his 11-year-old child Liz. The two moved to Duluth from Wyoming in 2020 after they could not get access to gender-affirming care. “I was going to be worried if we stayed in Wyoming much longer,” Samuelson, who is transgender, said on a recent […]
Biden promised a watchdog for opioid settlement billions, but feds are quiet so far
States filed lawsuits against opioid manufacturers and distributers. Now, about $50 billion in settlement funds have begun to flow to state governments. Advocates want to make sure it is used to treat the addiction crisis. ERIC BARADAT/AFP via Getty Images Early in President Joe Biden’s tenure, his administration promised to play a key role in […]
One reason the push for diversity in medicine is lagging
A group of students at the University of Minnesota celebrate their induction into medical school. The U.S. has disproportionately few Black and Hispanic doctors. Some of the barriers to entering the profession start before even getting in to medical school, recent research finds, including financial pressures and racism. Anthony Souffle/Star Tribune via Getty Images Sabina […]
Americans die younger than others in wealthy nations. What can we do about it?
A recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that American life expectancy is the lowest it’s been in two decades at 76.4 years. And Americans live shorter lives than people in other wealthy nations like Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom. That’s across all demographic groups, meaning even the richest Americans […]
Medtronic announces plans to reduce global workforce
Medtronic says it’s reducing its global workforce, with layoffs starting Tuesday, amid economic and supply chain headwinds. The medical device maker — legally based in Dublin, Ireland, with corporate headquarters in Fridley — did not say how many employees will be affected. In a statement Tuesday, the company said the layoffs will take place over […]
Sun’s out, ticks out. Lyme disease-carrying bloodsucker season is getting longer
Blacklegged ticks, also called deer ticks, are not insects, but rather arachnids. They can carry more than a dozen rare diseases, including Lyme disease. Getty Images Spring is here and temperatures are heating up. That means cases of tick-borne illnesses, particularly Lyme disease, are on the rise in the U.S. And the problem is only […]
COVID during pregnancy may alter brain development in boys
A COVID infection during pregnancy could raise baby boys’ risk of some neurodevelopmental delays, study finds. JGI/Tom Grill/Getty Images/Tetra images RF Boys born to mothers who got COVID-19 while pregnant appear nearly twice as likely as other boys to be diagnosed with subtle delays in brain development. That’s the conclusion of a study of more […]