Latest KFF Health News Stories
Supreme Court Strikes Down Key Restrictions In Texas Anti-Abortion Law
The 5-to-3 decision could impact similar laws in about two dozen other states.
Flu-Miffed: Piecing Together Clues On How FluMist Lost Its Place In The Flu-Fighting Toolbox
After once being considered a preferred vaccine option for children, a CDC advisory panel recommended the spray should not be used in the upcoming flu season.
A Primer: How The Fight Against Zika Might Be Funded
The Senate approved an amendment to a must-pass appropriations bill that provides $1.1 billion to combat the virus’s spread. A separate House proposal, which has drawn a veto threat from the White House, is also pending and it is not clear how they might compromise. But public health advocates say efforts are needed soon to fight the mosquito-based disease.
Politics Makes Abortion Training In Texas Difficult
The hostile climate surrounding abortion in Texas has made it hard for doctors-in-training to learn to do abortions. Professors feel intimidated, and there are fewer clinics where residents can train.
Can Doctors Learn To Perform Abortions Without Doing One?
Accredited medical residency programs have to teach doctors how to perform abortions. But interpretation of the requirement varies, especially in a state like Texas where training options are scarce.
As Childhood Diabetes Rates Rise, So Do Costs — And Families Feel The Pinch: Study
Researchers estimated that a year’s worth of care for kids with diabetes cost more than $17,000.
Study Promotes Battlefields’ Lessons To Advance National Trauma Care
A report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine calls for the White House to lead a national strategy to promote and continue advances in trauma care.
Harmful Chemicals Are Everywhere — But What Does That Mean?
A report by the Environmental Working Group measures how much Americans are exposed to a variety of chemicals that may be linked to cancer.
Florida’s Mosquito Control Forces Mobilize Against Zika Threat
Local mosquito control authorities prepare spray-and-trap offensive to halt Zika-carrying mosquitos in damp breeding grounds.
At This Medical School, Students Mix Science And Health Policy
Health policy is far from an afterthought at George Washington University, where med students begin tackling the knotty topic in their first semester.
Death Talk Is Cool At This Festival
How to make thinking about death less somber? Hold a festival! Indianapolis did. Through art, film and book talks, residents explored everything from bucket lists to advance directives and cremation.
Mosquito Hunters Set Traps Across Houston, Search For Signs Of Zika
Harris County, Texas, operates one of the largest mosquito control operations in the country, with more than 50 people who trap, freeze and test mosquitoes for threats such as Zika.
A Tender Steak Could Be A Little Dangerous
A new label for mechanically tenderized beef helps consumers avoid foodborne illness.
Georgia Women Weigh Zika Risks As Mosquito Season Arrives
The CDC is advising pregnant women, especially in the South, to take some precautions to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes that could carry the Zika virus. So far, Zika cases in Georgia are linked to travel, not bites.
Fix For VA Health Snarls Veterans And Doctors In New Bureaucracy
A program that was supposed to help veterans see doctors closer to home more quickly is not fulfilling its promise.
‘Walking Wounded’ Share Jarring Stories For No-Smoking Campaign
But reaching Spanish speakers might take some extra effort.
States Urged To Reduce Pregnancy-Related Deaths
States are being asked to collect data on the deaths of pregnant women and new mothers to determine how to reduce maternal mortality rates.
FDA Retreats From Recall Of Scope-Cleaning Machines Tied To Outbreaks
After a wave of sometimes-deadly superbug infections, the agency last year ordered a recall of Custom Ultrasonics machines used to disinfect medical scopes. Now, with little explanation, it is backing off.
In Prince’s Age Group, Risk Of Opioid Overdose Climbs
In 2013 and 2014, people ages 45 to 64 accounted for about half of all deaths from drug overdose, according to the CDC.
FAQ: How The FDA’s New Tobacco Rule Affects Consumers
The FDA expands its purview over all tobacco products — including e-cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco — but the new regulatory process could permit many products sold in the U.S. to remain so for up to three years.