Nursing homes press MN lawmakers for financial help
Roberta Rankin, known to her family and friends as Bobbi, said it was an easy pick when she decided to move to the Northfield Retirement Community 13 years ago. The long-term care facility was close enough for her kids to visit and the former LPN who spent her career working in nursing homes said there […]
A smart move on tax day: Sign up for health insurance using your state’s tax forms
Your tax form could be a fast track to getting signed up for subsidized health insurance or Medicaid in certain states. d3sign/Getty Images Many of her clients don’t believe it when Maryland-based tax preparer Diana Avellanda tells them they might qualify for low-cost health coverage. Or they think she’s trying to sell them something. But […]
How an abortion pill ruling could threaten the FDA’s regulatory authority
A federal judge in Texas ruled that U.S. Food and Drug Administration improperly approved an abortion pill over 20 years ago, testing the agency’s authority. Jacquelyn Martin/AP Two contradictory court rulings are raising questions not only about the future of the abortion pill mifepristone, but the federal government’s authority to approve and regulate drugs in […]
How Minnesota peer support groups are bolstering mental health
We all need other people to help us through tough times and there’s power in feeling like someone understands you and your experience. Supporters of peer-to-peer groups for mental health say that’s exactly their power. Coming up at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, MPR News host Angela Davis speaks with two Minnesotans who have been to […]
Abortion drug still available in Minnesota
Updated 3 p.m. People seeking an abortion in Minnesota will still be able to get the drug mifepristone — at least for now — after a pair of federal judges issued conflicting rulings last week on the medication. Dueling rulings from Texas and Washington put the future of the drug in question and are expected […]
With abortion pill access uncertain, 3 states strike deals to stock up
Mifepristone was approved more than 20 years ago to induce first-trimester abortions in combination with a second drug, misoprostol. Charlie Neibergall | AP Several states say they are stocking up on medications used to induce abortions as a major abortion pill appears poised to potentially become unavailable in the U.S. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office says […]
Strep is bad right now — an antibiotic shortage is making it worse
Some Amoxicillin products are hard to find on pharmacy shelves as a nationwide shortage continues. Luis Alvarez/Getty Images Downing a spoonful of bubblegum pink amoxicillin is a regular part of being a kid, but a nationwide shortage of the antibiotic is making a particularly bad season of strep throat tougher. That hit home for Caitlin […]
This doctor fought Ebola in the trenches. Now he’s got a better way to stop diseases
For over 20 years, Dr. Daniel Bausch has responded to disease outbreaks, spending months at a time treating patients with diseases such as dengue, yellow fever, Lassa fever and Ebola. Now he’s focusing on the importance of diagnostics. It’s “one of the key aspects of preparedness,” he says. Shuran Huang for NPR For decades, Dr. […]
Judges’ dueling decisions put access to a key abortion drug in jeopardy nationwide
Mifepristone is part of a two-drug protocol that a recent study showed was used in 98% of medication abortions in 2020. Allen G. Breed | AP Federal judges in two states issued contradictory decisions Friday evening that could drastically impact access to a drug used in nearly all medication abortions in the U.S. In Texas, […]
More pollen, more allergies: Exposure therapy in several forms treats symptoms
The iconic cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C., reached their peak bloom on March 28 this season, earlier than most years. Mild winters lead to a longer pollen season and that is bad news for allergy sufferers. Drew Angerer | Getty Images If you’re sniffling and sneezing you’re not alone. Mild winters, like the one the […]