Latest KFF Health News Stories
How Easy Are Vaccine Exemptions? Take A Look At The Oregon Model
About 95% of parents in Oregon who skip vaccines opt to use the state’s online education tool to print their own exemption certificates.
Popular Weed Killer’s Alleged Link To Cancer Spreads Concern
The main ingredient in numerous popular herbicides has been implicated by two juries in the cancers of frequent users, but major public health agencies disagree over whether it is a carcinogen. Can you use it safely in your garden? Here are some answers to questions you may have about the weed killer glyphosate.
Finding Homeless Patients A Place To Heal
California hospitals must comply with a new state law that requires them to try to find a safe place for homeless patients upon discharge. But hospitals say doing so isn’t as easy as calling a shelter and securing a cot.
California Hospitals See Massive Surge In Homeless Patients
Homeless patients accounted for about 100,000 visits to California hospitals in 2017, marking a 28% increase from just two years earlier. Health officials attribute the surge to the overall rise in California’s homeless numbers and the large proportion of people living on the streets with mental illness.
Health Officials’ Plug For Next FDA Chief: Go Big On E-Cig Regulation
With Scott Gottlieb making his exit from the Food and Drug Administration’s top spot, city and country health officials call for backup in the fight to curb teen use of e-cigarettes.
Aspiring Doctors Seek Advanced Training In Addiction Medicine
Once a tiny specialty that drew mostly psychiatrists, addiction medicine is expanding its accredited training to include primary care residents and “social justice warriors” who see it as a calling.
Fentanyl-Linked Deaths: The U.S. Opioid Epidemic’s Third Wave
Overdose deaths involving fentanyl are soaring, says a new study from the CDC.
Trump’s Budget Offers $291M To Fight HIV In U.S. But Trims Overseas Efforts
The budget would increase funding for efforts like the state-centered initiatives run by the Centers for Disease Control and the Ryan White Program, which offers services and treatment to patients. But it would also dramatically cut funding for global HIV efforts.
‘Medieval’ Diseases Flare As Unsanitary Living Conditions Proliferate
Outbreaks of infectious diseases such as typhus and hepatitis A are resurging in California and around the country, particularly among homeless populations. Public health officials warn that such diseases could spread broadly.
Why Measles Hits So Hard Within N.Y. Orthodox Jewish Community
More than 275 people — mostly in Orthodox Jewish communities — have been infected since the disease began spreading in October. That’s about half of the confirmed cases in 11 states that were reported nationwide by the federal officials since January 2018.
Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes
Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes wades through hundreds of health articles from the week so you don’t have to.
Patients Question How FDA Approves Medical Devices
High-profile failures of implantable medical devices — such as certain hip joints and pelvic mesh — have prompted the Food and Drug Administration to revise its assessment process.
The Measles Success Story In California Shows Signs Of Fading
California’s highly touted gains in vaccinating schoolchildren against measles stalled last year, possibly related to an increase in the number of students who have been exempted from vaccinations on medical grounds.
More States Say Doctors Must Offer Overdose Reversal Drug Along With Opioids
In an emerging new tactic against the rising toll of opioid deaths, California, Ohio, Virginia and Arizona are among the states requiring physicians to offer patients naloxone when they give them prescriptions for the powerful painkillers. The Food and Drug Administration is weighing a national recommendation to do so.
‘These Women’s Lives Mattered’: Nurse Builds Database Of Women Murdered By Men
For dozens of hours each week, Dawn Wilcox scours the internet for news stories of women killed by men for a public list called Women Count USA.
Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes
Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes wades through hundreds of health articles from the week so you don’t have to.
Two Crises In One: As Drug Use Rises, So Does Syphilis
A significant portion of syphilis transmission in heterosexuals occurs among people who use drugs, particularly methamphetamine, a new report shows. Public health officials warn that you can’t treat one problem without addressing the other.
Vaccine Storage Too Often Fails To Meet Standards
Federal officials regulate the handling of vaccines that are provided through the Vaccines for Children program, which offers the medicines generally for children whose families could not afford them. But there is no federal oversight of how these drugs are stored among other health care providers.
Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes
Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes wades through hundreds of health articles from the week so you don’t have to.
Trump’s Pediatric Cancer Crusade A Drop In Bucket Compared With Past Presidential Pitches
President Donald Trump wants Congress to allot $500 million over 10 years for pediatric cancer research. While it’s welcomed by researchers and advocates, it’s not a lot of money.
