CNN: White House Announces IVF Drug Pricing Deal For ‘TrumpRx’ Site
President Donald Trump on Thursday announced an agreement to sell common fertility drugs at steeply reduced prices on TrumpRx, a direct-to-consumer drug platform the White House plans to launch in January 2026. Under the plan, cost to patients for three in vitro fertilization (IVF) drugs made by EMD Serono, the US arm of German company Merck KGaA, could be reduced by more than 70%, Trump and administration officials said. The drugs, sold under the brand names Gonal-F, Ovidrel and Cetrotide, currently typically cost $5,000 per IVF cycle, the president said. ... the EMD Serono deal would include a reprieve from certain tariffs in exchange for manufacturing and research investment in the US. (Owermohle and Tirrell, 10/16)

The Wall Street Journal: Trump: Cost Of Ozempic Could Be $150. Dr. Oz: Not Yet.
President Trump said in the Oval Office on Thursday that the cost of Ozempic, or "the fat loss drug," could be $150—or "much lower" than the current cost. Dr. Mehmet Oz, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services administrator, jumped in to say the cost of those drugs hadn't yet been negotiated. The administration is negotiating the price of drugs with several pharmaceutical companies and has already struck deals with Pfizer and AstraZeneca. (Andrews, 10/16)

AP: California To Sell Affordable Insulin Under State Label Starting Jan. 1
Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday that California will begin selling affordable insulin under its own label on Jan. 1, nearly three years after he first announced a partnership to sell state-branded generic drugs at lower prices. But California won’t be the only state making lower-cost insulin available. The nonprofit Civica said it will also distribute its economical diabetes medication to pharmacies nationwide. California began partnering with Civica in 2023 for its “CalRx” brand of insulin and put $50 million toward its development, the company said. (Weber, 10/16)

AP: FDA Unveils Drugs To Receive Expedited Review 
The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday announced the first round of experimental drugs that will receive drastically expedited reviews at the agency, part of an effort to prioritize medicines the Trump administration deems as “supporting U.S. national interests.” The nine medicines announced by the FDA include potential treatments for vaping addiction, deafness, pancreatic cancer and other conditions. Several of the drugs would compete with higher-priced drugs already on the U.S. market. (Perrone, 10/16)

FiercePharma: Genentech’s 1st Direct-To-Patient Program Centers On Discounted Influenza Treatment
With the launch of its first direct-to-patient (DTP) program, Genentech is joining the wave of drugmakers setting up direct-to-consumer sales of popular products at steep discounts for cash-paying patients. The Roche subsidiary’s inaugural DTP program will center on Xofluza, its prescription influenza treatment, according to Thursday’s announcement. The single-dose oral antiviral med will be available to eligible uninsured, underinsured and self-pay patients for $50, down about 70% from its list price, per Genentech. (Park, 10/16)

Roll Call: USDA's Rollins Says Food Stamp Funding To Dry Up In Two Weeks 
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said Thursday that the food stamp program will run out of funds in two weeks because of the partial government shutdown, potentially leaving nearly 42 million people without monthly benefits. (Bridges, 10/16)

Politico: It’s ‘Too Late’ To Extend ACA Subsidies Without Major Disruptions, Some States And Lawmakers Say
Time is quickly running out to shield Obamacare customers from explosive sticker shock. State insurance officials are warning that the longer Congress waits to extend enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies, which help low- and middle-income people afford premiums, the more difficult it will be to update rates before consumers start shopping for 2026 coverage on Nov. 1. (King and Hooper, 10/16)

Politico: Republicans Again Find Themselves In An Obamacare Pickle 
The ongoing debate over soon-to-expire Affordable Care Act insurance subsidies has reopened an old wound for Republicans: What should they do about the health care law they have railed against for more than a decade but has now taken root with their own constituents? While some GOP hard-liners are again embracing repeal-and-replace rhetoric, the scars from the party’s failed attempt to undo the ACA in 2017 have left a broader swath of Republicans extremely wary of trying to rip out the law — even as they continue to criticize it. (Guggenheim, Carney and Hill, 10/17)

The Washington Post: Health Care Premiums For Small Businesses And Their Employees Are In The Balance In Shutdown
They are restaurateurs and beauticians, landscapers and mediators, chiropractors and funeral directors. They are freelancers, contractors and gig workers. And they now find themselves stuck in the middle of the political battle that has shut down the government.At the core of the congressional stalemate is how much people should pay for their Affordable Care Act health policies, also known as Obamacare, and how much the government should pay in federal subsidies. (Whoriskey, 10/16)

AP: Democrats Say Trump Should Be Involved In Shutdown Talks
President Donald Trump is showing little urgency to broker a compromise that would end the government shutdown, even as Democrats insist no breakthrough is possible without his direct involvement. Three weeks in, Congress is at a standstill. The House hasn’t been in session for a month, and senators left Washington on Thursday frustrated by the lack of progress. Republican leaders are refusing to negotiate until a short-term funding bill to reopen the government is passed, while Democrats say they won’t agree without guarantees on extending health insurance subsidies. For now, Trump appears content to stay on the sidelines. (Cappelletti and Min Kim, 10/17)

In related news about Medicaid cuts —

Modern Healthcare: AEH's Jennifer DeCubellis Preps Members For Medicaid, ACA Cuts
America’s Essential Hospitals President and CEO Jennifer DeCubellis had no time to ease into her new role in September. The association and its nearly 400 members, a mix of urban safety-net hospitals and rural community hospitals, are facing steep federal funding cuts starting next year, plus ongoing economic pressures and right now a two-week government shutdown. DeCubellis said her role is to advocate for patients and support members as they respond to policy shifts. (Hudson, 10/16)

North Carolina Health News: Medicaid Rate Cuts Criticized As NC Health Officials Defend ‘Difficult’ Decision 
State health officials fielded questions and criticism from lawmakers on Tuesday about recently implemented cuts to Medicaid reimbursement rates for health care providers. The cuts, which took effect Oct. 1, were made after the state Senate and House of Representatives reached a stalemate over Medicaid’s annual “rebase,” the amount of funding needed each year to cover changes in the number of people covered by the program and the cost of caring for them. (Baxley, 10/17)

KFF Health News: States Jostle Over $50B Rural Health Fund As Trump’s Medicaid Cuts Trigger Scramble
Nationwide, states are racing to win their share of a new $50 billion rural health fund. But helping rural hospitals, as originally envisioned, is quickly becoming a quaint idea. Rather, states should submit applications that “rebuild and reshape” how health care is delivered in rural communities, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services official Abe Sutton said late last month during a daylong meeting at Washington, D.C.’s Watergate Hotel. Simply changing the way government pays hospitals has been tried and has failed, Sutton told the audience of more than 40 governors’ office staffers and state health agency leaders — some from as far away as Hawaii. (Tribble, 10/17)

What the AMA says about Trump's policies —

Stat: AMA President Defends Doctor Group's Response To Trump Policies 
American Medical Association President Bobby Mukkamala defended the restrained advocacy strategy that the country’s largest professional medical organization has taken with the Trump administration, while playing up the alignment between federal health officials and the AMA on issues like prior authorization, as part of a Thursday conversation at the STAT Summit. (Gaffney, 10/16)

Stat: Former NIH Leaders Detail The 'Constant Chaos' They Left Behind 
Jeremy Berg walked on stage sporting a curious look: a red tie patterned with a word cloud drawn from the applications of 197 researchers who vied to be part of a National Institutes of Health initiative aimed at accelerating junior scientists’ academic careers. (Broderick, 10/16)

NBC News: Fired CDC Workers' Fates Hang In The Balance After Week Of Chaos
After a week of chaos and confusion, as Centers for Disease Control and Prevention employees described it, the fates of more than 600 workers hang in the balance now that a federal judge has temporarily blocked their terminations. (Bendix and Edwards, 10/16)

MedPage Today: 'Voice Of CDC' Goes Silent 
The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) isn't publishing during the federal government shutdown, a departure from the past, according to sources. CDC's flagship scientific publication "was published during every previous shutdown back into the 1990s, at least," Charlotte Kent, PhD, MPH, the most recent former editor of the journal, told MedPage Today. (Fiore, 10/16)

More on RFK Jr. —

The Hill: John Thune Questions Robert F. Kennedy Jr's Medical Advice For Women
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said if he was a woman he wouldn’t take medical advice from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., citing recent claims the secretary made that President Trump endorsed. MSNOW’s senior Capitol Hill correspondent Ali Vitali asked Thune in a Thursday interview whether the GOP was becoming a “party of no dissent,” noting that lawmakers like Republican Sens. Bill Cassidy (La.) and Susan Collins (Maine) — who are up for reelection — are among the few who have publicly disagreed with party leadership and the White House on some issues. (Choi, 10/16)

Stat: Joe Kennedy III Split With Uncle RFK Jr. Over ‘Grave Concerns’ About U.S. Health
Joe Kennedy III has “great memories” of growing up with his uncle, health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. But the younger Kennedy’s “grave concerns about the safety and integrity of our health system” have moved him to condemn his uncle’s leadership as head of the Department of Health and Human Services, he said at the STAT Summit in Boston on Thursday. Those concerns prompted Kennedy, a former Democratic congressman from Massachusetts, to call on his uncle to resign last month. He elaborated on his thinking in his most extensive comments on his uncle since the elder Kennedy took office. (Todd, 10/17)

On vaccines and funding cuts —

The Colorado Sun: Colorado Joins New Multistate Alliance For Public Health Guidance
In the latest attempt to push back on changing federal health policy under President Donald Trump’s administration, Colorado has joined with 13 other states and one territory to form a new group called the Governors Public Health Alliance. (Ingold, 10/17)

The New York Times: Harvard’s Wealth Is Growing, Despite Trump’s Attacks On Its Funds 
In its latest financial report, Harvard said its endowment grew even bigger in the last fiscal year. But it still faces financial problems because of federal cuts. (Blinder, 10/16)

Healthcare Dive: Prospect Inks Deal To Sell Two Shuttered Pennsylvania Hospitals For $13M
Should the deal go through, it will mark the end of a tumultuous chapter for healthcare in Delaware County, which has sought to be rid of Prospect's influence for years. (Vogel, 10/15)

The CT Mirror: CT And Prospect Medical Holdings Landlord Clash Over Tax Debt
Medical Properties Trust — a real-estate investment company that owns the land and buildings occupied by bankrupt hospital operator Prospect Medical Holdings — is at odds with Connecticut officials over what its tenant owes the state in unpaid taxes, State Comptroller Sean Scanlon said during an interview with The Connecticut Mirror on Wednesday. (Golvala and Altimari, 10/16)

Chicago Tribune: Weiss, West Suburban Owe More Than $69 Million In Taxes
The now-shuttered Weiss Memorial Hospital and its sister hospital West Suburban Medical Center owe more than $69 million in unpaid taxes and penalties to the state of Illinois, according to documents and information from the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. (Schencker, 10/16)

Modern Healthcare: Private Equity Investors Target Cardiology At Outpatient Centers 
Private equity investors are training their attention on cardiology — a fast-growing specialty rife with financial opportunity. Investor interest in outpatient cardiology practices has grown in recent years, driven by a fragmented market landscape facing financial pressures and an aging population of patients and providers. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services also is reimbursing more cardiac procedures in ambulatory settings, which has been an impetus for private equity firms to make investments. (Hudson, 10/16)

The Independent: Colorado Hospital Paused Surgeries For A Week After Inspectors Found Dozens Of Dirty Instruments Covered In ‘Dried Blood And Tissue’
State inspectors have revealed that UCHealth’s University of Colorado Hospital’s week-long shutdown of nonemergency surgeries came after they found dozens of contaminated surgical instruments caked with dried blood and tissue around the facility. In July, inspectors uncovered a massive backlog of uncleaned tools, prompting the hospital to halt all nonemergency surgeries from July 16 to July 25 while safety violations were addressed. (Keller, 10/16)

On layoffs and staff shortages —

Modern Healthcare: Jefferson Health Layoffs To Affect 650 Employees 
Jefferson Health is laying off 1% of its workforce, or about 650 employees, due to financial constraints. A Jefferson spokesperson declined to say which roles would be affected or when the layoffs would go into effect. (Hudson, 10/16)

Becker's Hospital Review: Visa Changes Disrupt Clinician Hiring At 5 Systems
New visa rules and fees have disrupted international recruiting at healthcare systems across the nation this fall, leaving many worried about long-term effects on existing staff shortages. ... While White House officials have said the fee will address abuses of the visa program, healthcare experts have warned it could worsen personnel shortages. Hospitals and health systems often use H-1B work visas to sponsor physicians and medical residents, and the fee would make it more difficult for them to train and practice. Immigrants make up 27% of physicians and surgeons, 22% of nursing assistants and 16% of registered nurses in the U.S. (Taylor, 10/16)

In tech news —

Healthcare Dive: Google Cloud Unveils Health AI Agent Partnerships 
Google Cloud revealed several artificial intelligence partnerships with healthcare organizations on Thursday, including for projects that summarize clinical notes and automate prior authorizations. The partnerships come as more healthcare and life science firms are deploying AI agents, or advanced tools that can more autonomously plan and perform tasks, according to a Google Cloud survey of 605 leaders released Thursday. Forty-four percent of executives said their organizations were actively using agents, with 34% reporting they use 10 or more agents. (Olsen, 10/16)

Modern Healthcare: Microsoft's Dragon Copilot Adds Ambient AI Tool For Nurses
Microsoft is expanding the capabilities of its generative artificial intelligence assistant Dragon Copilot by adding a specialized tool for nurses. The tool will allow nurses to document care using ambient AI, a technology that captures audio conversations between patients and clinicians and enters summaries of those interactions into the electronic health record, the company said Thursday. (Perna, 10/16)

Modern Healthcare: HistoSonics Gets $250M From Bezos Expeditions, K5, Thiel Bio
Cancer treatment technology company HistoSonics said Thursday it raised $250 million to help launch its Edison Histotripsy System in new global markets and speed efforts to use it on other parts of the body. The round was led by its new ownership group, which included Bezos Expeditions, which manages Jeff Bezos’ personal wealth and investments, K5 Global and Wellington Management. The $2.25 billion acquisition took place in August. (Dubinsky, 10/16)

MedPage Today: Magnetic Cosmetics Fly Under The Radar As MRI Risks
A new challenge for MRI safety is linked to one particular beauty trend: ferromagnetic nail polish. Based on the available literature, magnetic nail polish is increasingly observed -- with reports rising 250-300% over the past decade -- and has been associated with worse image quality due to streak artifacts on 3T MRI, according to Melanie Hall, MD, of Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, reporting here at the annual meeting of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA). (Lou, 10/16)

The Guardian: How Chicago Succeeded In Reducing Drug Overdose Deaths
Among US counties containing the nation’s 10 largest cities, Cook county, Illinois – where Chicago is located – has seen the largest reduction in overdose deaths since the national peak of the crisis in 2023, by 37%, according to an exclusive Guardian analysis. (Green and Kiefer, 10/17)

WLRN Public Media: Florida Overdose Deaths Plummet With Fentanyl Fatalities Down 35%, FDLE Reports 
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement on Thursday reported a significant drop in drug-related fatalities last year across the state. According to the data, total drug-related deaths in 2024 decreased by 14% statewide. The sharpest reductions were seen in opioid-related fatalities, with opioid-caused deaths dropping 32% and fentanyl-caused deaths decreasing by 35%. (Bustos, 10/16)

The Guardian: Overdose In America: Analysis Reveals Deaths Rising In Some Regions Even As US Sees National Decline
Overdose deaths continued to rise in some communities across the US even as they declined nationally in 2024, according to an exclusive data analysis by the Guardian, which found wide geographical disparities in fatalities linked to the public health crisis. (Green and Kiefer, 10/17)

On gender care and mental health —

KFF Health News: After Chiding Democrats On Transgender Politics, Newsom Vetoes A Key Health Measure
California Gov. Gavin Newsom this week signed a suite of privacy protection bills for transgender patients amid continuing threats by the Trump administration. But there was one glaring omission that LGBTQ+ advocates and political strategists say is part of an increasingly complex dance the Democrat faces as he curates a more centrist profile for a potential presidential bid. (Mai-Duc, 10/17)

The 19th: Anti-Trans Policies Are Derailing The Fight To Stop Genital Mutilation
Connecticut is one of only a handful of states without a law banning female genital mutilation and cutting, a human rights violation and one of the most extreme forms of gender-based violence. FGM/C, as the practice is often abbreviated, can be done for cultural reasons or a way to exert control over sexuality. It is most often performed on young girls without their consent, has no medical value, and can result in severe medical complications like obstructed childbirth and sensory deprivation. (Mithani and Rummler, 10/16)

CBS News: Mental Health Distress Among The Nation's LGBTQ+ Youth Is Increasing, Study Finds
Mental health distress among LGBTQ+ youth in the United States has been increasing amid a surge in anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, but strong support networks and access to health care were shown to ease symptoms for some, a study found. The findings were published Thursday by The Trevor Project, an LGBTQ+ advocacy organization that provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services. Researchers followed 1,689 LGBTQ+ young people between the ages of 13 and 24 between September 2023 and March 2025. (Cutrona, 10/16)

If you need help —

Dial 988 for 24/7 support from the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It's free and confidential.

More health news from across the U.S. —

CIDRAP: First Locally Acquired US Case Of More Severe Clade 1 Mpox Identified In California 
The first US case of locally acquired clade 1 mpox has been reported in Long Beach, California, according to city and state health authorities. The clade 1 case is the nation's first in a person with no recent travel history and the seventh clade 1 case in the country. The patient required hospitalization and is now isolating and recovering at home, the City of Long Beach news release said. (Van Beusekom, 10/16)

CIDRAP: US Documents Dozens Of New Avian Flu Cases In Wild Birds As PAHO Notes Human Case
The US Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has reported dozens of new H5N1 avian flu detections in wild waterfowl in several states, and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has published an epidemiologic update tallying 76 human H5N1 cases, including 2 deaths, in five countries in the Americas in the past 4 years. (Van Beusekom, 10/16)

Capital & Main: In Small Town Texas, Clean Water Can Be Elusive.
The water isn’t always brown, but Scarlet Weathers lives like it is. Not once has she drank the tap water from her kitchen sink in her house in Sweeny. She knows, like everyone else in the town, that it can’t be trusted. Even her small grandchildren have noticed it during bathtime. Why is the water brown? (Bruess, 10/16)

Live Science: Black Eyes, Orbital Fractures And Retinal Detachment: Pickleball-Related Eye Injuries Are On The Rise In The US
Eye injuries related to pickleball have increased at an "alarming rate" as the sport's popularity has exploded in the United States, a new study finds. (Lanese, 10/16)

AP: Walking Backward Puts A New Twist On A Familiar Fitness Routine
Taking a brisk walk is an exercise rich in simplicity, and it can have impressive mental and physical benefits: stronger bones and muscles, cardiovascular fitness and stress relief, to name a few. But like any workout, hoofing it for your health may feel repetitive and even boring after a while. Backward walking, also known as retro walking or reverse walking, could add variety and value to an exercise routine, when done safely. Turning around not only provides a change of view, but also puts different demands on your body. (Wade, 10/15)

MedPage Today: And The Best Type Of Exercise For Managing Knee Osteoarthritis Is ... 
Not all types of exercise are equal when it comes to helping people with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee minimize the pain without needing arthroplasty, a large meta-analysis found. Although the 217 randomized trials included in the analysis had yielded differing results, taken together it appeared that aerobic exercise is best overall when compared with strength training, neuromotor exercises, activities emphasizing mind-body connections, and mixed approaches, Bin Wang, MD, PhD, of Zhejiang University School of Medicine in Hangzhou, China, and colleagues reported in The BMJ. (Gever, 10/16)

CBS News: As Influencers And Others Push Protein Powders, Here's What Dietitians Say
The demand for protein has soared as 61% of consumers in the U.S. increased their protein intake last year, according to new research from Minnesota-based food corporation Cargill. And social media influencers and brands alike are taking note. "We're seeing that influencers, fitness professionals – they're all encouraging more protein after lifting," said Yasi Ansari, a clinical dietician at UCLA. (Moniuszko and Yamaguchi, 10/16)

Also —

The Guardian: Three-Year-Old Michigan Boy Saves Mother’s Life With Quick Thinking After She Has Seizure 
Authorities in Michigan are saying a three-year-old boy is a hero after he managed to unlock his mother’s phone using her face while she experienced a severe epileptic seizure and then summoned life-saving help on a video call. Cody James Williams’ actions serve as “a good reminder for all parents that you should talk to your kids [about what to] do in an emergency”, said the Oakland county sheriff, Michael Bouchard. (Vargas, 10/17)

The Washington Post: A Boy With Autism Drowned Near His Home. He Fled School 700 Times Before. 
Children with autism can be prone to wandering and are often drawn to water. Parents are often faced with the burden on their own. (Golden, 10/13)

NBC News: Exposure To Any Germs Could've Killed Her. 11 Years Later, She's Living A Normal Life Thanks To A Gene Therapy Treatment.
At 4 months old, Eliana Nachem received her diagnosis: severe combined immunodeficiency, or SCID. (Sullivan, 10/15)

Undark: Will Science Journalism Funders Step Up Or Retreat?
Amid Trump-era funding turmoil, foundations are finding themselves pulled in many directions to fill in the gaps. (López Lloreda, 10/15)

Stat: This Scientist Is Revealing The Immune System In Our Nasal Passages
The La Jolla Institute for Immunology researcher has helped lead the way in understanding a critical part of the immune system: the upper airway. (DiCorato, 10/16)

ABC News: Ancient Lead Exposure May Have Helped Humans Evolve Over Neanderthals, Study Finds
Exposure to lead by ancient humans could have given modern humans a survival advantage over other species – more specifically, their ability to better resist lead's harmful effects, according to a new study. (Leath, 10/16)

Undark: What The Anti-Sunscreen Movement Misses
New research suggests sunlight has unexpected benefits, but this doesn't mean everyone should ditch their sunscreen. (Cohen, 10/13)

The Washington Post: Photos From Under The Microscope: Winners Of Nikon Small World 2025 
A world of the brilliant color, texture and detail found in science comes to life under the microscope through photographs in the 51st annual Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition. (10/16)

The New York Times: The Autism Spectrum Is Too Broad 
In 2021, a Lancet commission report on the future of autism research and care introduced the term “profound autism” for individuals requiring round-the-clock care, with an I.Q. below 50 or minimal verbal ability or both. Just over a quarter of people with autism would qualify. (Emily May, 10/16)

The Boston Globe: Perimenopause Caused Me Cognitive Problems — But There's A Solution
A growing body of research shows that cognitive problems during perimenopause are widespread and clinically significant, and they diminish quality of life. Verbal learning and memory are the most negatively affected areas, followed closely by processing speed, attention, and working memory. (Olivia Campbell, 10/17)

The Washington Post: FDA Should Require Prescription Drug Ads To Quantify Benefits, Harms 
After years of passivity, the Food and Drug Administration announced in September that it is “no longer asleep at the wheel” — yes, that’s a real quote from the announcement — on drug ads. In an extraordinary burst of regulatory activity, the agency issued dozens of warning letters to companies about ads “filled with dancing patients, glowing smiles and catchy jingles” implying that “a drug will instantly transform you into singing and dancing endlessly.” (Steven Woloshin and Baruch Fischhoff, 10/16)

The Marshall Project: What Being A Mortician To Homicide Victims Taught Me About Grief 
Getting an education in death was almost like free therapy, if that makes sense, because I was learning how to help people in my exact situation. And the beauty was that, by learning how to help them, I was able to help myself. So what I do now is try to educate people when I’m meeting with them, let them know that it’s OK to feel your feelings, and to be comfortable in that, even though it's uncomfortable. When you understand what it is that you're going through, it doesn't make it easier, but it makes it a little more bearable. (Shamari Jackson, 10/17)

The War Horse: I Was Exposed To 150 Blasts While Deployed To Iraq. My Brain Was Changed 
The one thing you cannot escape in your life is yourself. You can really try, though. I spent four years after my deployment trying. Alcohol, work, and being buried in more work did a decent job of it. Then I had a baby and exited active duty. Once I became a civilian again, I realized there were a lot of things wrong with me. A lot. I couldn’t go to the grocery store without panicking. I couldn’t drive my car without anxiously scanning the roadside. Daily tasks had to be written down, or else I would forget. I compulsively cleaned my house and awoke every night from disturbing dreams. Did the blasts really affect my brain that severely? (Katie Strain, 10/15)