Health

Inside a diminished CDC as it confronts Ebola
The Centers for Disease Control has lost as much as a third of its staff under the Trump administration. How the Ebola outbreak in Africa exposes a weakened CDC.

Opioid deaths fall below 1,000 for first year since 2013
Massachusetts Department of Public Health says the declining trend mirrors data unfolding nationally.

Mass. bills would ban PFAS in food packaging, kids' toys and more
More than a dozen states already ban PFAS in some consumer products. Research has linked the toxic "forever chemicals" to health problems including kidney cancer. But some business groups warn...

With minimal protection, test kits or training, Congo doctors struggle to contain Ebola outbreak
In a remote mining town in Ituri province, doctors, many of them with little or no training, are fighting the Ebola virus.
One week until the World Cup begins, officials want fans to stay healthy
From Vancouver to Mexico City to Philadelphia, 16 cities across Canada, Mexico and the U.S. are preparing to host millions of soccer fans from around the world for the 2026...
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For some chronically ill Mass. residents, food is medicine
New research shows people on Medicaid who receive medically tailored meals are less likely to need hospital care or land in emergency departments.
Two presumed dead in Kenya after protests against proposed U.S. Ebola facility turn violent
The facility is for Americans potentially exposed to the deadly virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo, more than 1,500 miles away.
The Women’s Tennis Association is focusing on maternal health, and they want you to join them
Former Wimbledon Champion Marion Bartoli is pushing for access to care and support for pregnant women around the globe.
Neuroscientist diagnosed with terminal cancer contemplates mind-body connection in health
Five year after a terminal cancer diagnosis, David J. Linden is still here, and he's still thinking about how his own mind is contemplating the end of his life.

The scope of long COVID is bigger than we think, Mass. researchers say
The disease has always been tricky to define. A study from Mass General Brigham suggests the healthcare system is missing millions of long COVID cases.

UnitedHealthcare defrauded MassHealth of $100M, AG Campbell alleges
United fired back that Campbell's lawsuit is "meritless" and inaccurately captures the purpose of a managed care program.

Boston health officials to offer residents mpox vaccines at Pride event, amid uptick in cases
State and local officials are encouraging potentially at-risk individuals to take the mpox vaccine amid an uptick in cases nationwide and in Boston. The city will hold a vaccine clinic...

‘We’re kids’: R.I. trans youth push back as DOJ seeks hospital records
The U.S. Department of Justice is seeking patient records from Rhode Island Hospital and at least a dozen other health centers. For Rhode Island families with transgender children, the shifting...

The emotional toll of infertility
Infertility can take a profound toll on relationships, identity and overall well-being, often in ways that go unspoken.
Why Congo's Ebola outbreak could be devastating for women and girls
There are now more than 1,000 cases of a rare type of Ebola in eastern Congo.
How one insurance company wants to gamify good health
A life insurance company wants to incentivize good health and longevity with lower rates and extra bonuses for people who adopt and maintain healthy habits.

Former anti-vax influencer now provides support to parents deciding to vaccinate
Heather Simpson was convinced that if she vaccinated her child, the little girl would die. She also remembers pro-vaccine parents attacking her on social media, calling her a 'baby killer'...

How Katie Herzog drank her way to sobriety
For 20 years, journalist Katie Herzog tried to stop drinking. But nothing seemed to work. Until she stumbled upon a lesser-known path to sobriety.

One reporter spent years lobbying for those sickened during 9/11. Now, he's one of them
Barry Nolan has been a broadcaster since the 1970s. Recently, he was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, an interstitial lung disease with a median survival time of two to five...

Ambulances function like public infrastructure, but they’re financed like a transportation business
When it comes to stroke treatment, we need to align incentives with urgency, writes Sandeep Kumar, a vascular neurologist. "That means reimbursing not just for transport, but for readiness and...