Health + Medicine – The Conversation

Pill bottle that says "Ketamine 160 Mg Tablets" lying open with pills spilling out.

Pill bottle that says "Ketamine 160 Mg Tablets" lying open with pills spilling out.

Ketamine’s role in alleged Cornell rape highlights flood of psychoactive drugs on campus

Christopher P. Holstege, University of Virginia

Three children sitting in beach chairs and the back of a van at the beach, wearing nebulizers on their faces

Three children sitting in beach chairs and the back of a van at the beach, wearing nebulizers on their faces

Cystic fibrosis patients got their ‘miracle drug’ thanks to federal research funding – new Trump administration rules may cut future miracles short

Fred D. Ledley, Bentley University

Pope Leo XIV’s lung cancer highlights growing number of nonsmokers diagnosed with the disease – and younger people too

Estelamari Rodriguez, University of Miami

Pope Leo XIV looking down, a stained glass window behind him

Pope Leo XIV looking down, a stained glass window behind him

I’m a pediatrician and a mom - here’s how to treat lice without stigma

Emily J. C. Wong, University of Virginia

Close-up of a young child's scowling face and two hands pulling a lice comb through the child's hair.

Close-up of a young child's scowling face and two hands pulling a lice comb through the child's hair.

Nicotine pouches, vaping or cigarettes: Which nicotine product is actually the least harmful?

Emma Fenske, University of Colorado Anschutz; Oregon Health & Science University

A colorful variety of vapes lying on a counter surrounding a container of nicotine pouches.

A colorful variety of vapes lying on a counter surrounding a container of nicotine pouches.

That brightly packaged sexual enhancement pill at the gas station might be laced with dangerous drugs

Andrew Yockey, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

packages of sexual enhancement drugs hanging in a convenience store

packages of sexual enhancement drugs hanging in a convenience store

Global health

Study of 20,000 Nigerians explores the links between drug use, climate change and poverty

Abdullahi Abdulwahab Yakubu, Ahmadu Bello University

A dirt road with a motorcycle on it, heavy clouds in the sky and houses and buildings in the distance.

A dirt road with a motorcycle on it, heavy clouds in the sky and houses and buildings in the distance.

The death of a Russian plague researcher, explained by a microbiologist

Thomas Jeffries, Western Sydney University

79 deaths a day: South Africa’s diabetes crisis needs a new strategy

Patrick Ngassa Piotie, University of Pretoria

A person checking their blood sugar levels

A person checking their blood sugar levels

Global health research makes America richer and healthier

Joshua R. Ehrlich, University of Michigan

two doctors talking in front of a map of the world

two doctors talking in front of a map of the world

Read more about global health

Health Policy

A mother and daughter hike through a desert landscape.

A mother and daughter hike through a desert landscape.

Separating the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine could decrease access for Colorado parents

Jennifer Reich, University of Colorado Denver

CDC vs. Pennsylvania: Why conflicting public health messages jeopardize public safety

Katrine L. Wallace, University of Illinois Chicago

A gloved hand holding a vial of red that says Measles Test, a rack of beakers is in the background.

A gloved hand holding a vial of red that says Measles Test, a rack of beakers is in the background.

The CDC has a new director – now comes the hard part

Syra S. Madad, Harvard Kennedy School and Nahid Bhadelia, Boston University

What happens when your hospital is also your insurance company? We’re starting to see the effects

Geronimo Bejarano Cardenas, Brown University and Grace Mackleby, University of Southern California

Hospital building with red emergency sign

Hospital building with red emergency sign

US government is pushing to gain unprecedented access to your medical records – as data protections are weakening

Jennifer D. Oliva, Indiana University

Two women looking at a chest x-ray one of them is a doctor wearing a white coat and stethoscope.

Two women looking at a chest x-ray one of them is a doctor wearing a white coat and stethoscope.

Read more about health policy

Healthy lifestyles

Does your sleep tracker get it right? A Pittsburgh neuroscientist weighs in

J. David Creswell, Carnegie Mellon University

A woman wearing a smartwatch is asleep.

A woman wearing a smartwatch is asleep.

Cholesterol control gets personalized – a cardiologist explains how new guidelines tailor treatment to your unique risk profile

William Cornwell, University of Colorado Anschutz

Two large blocks of butter stacked on top of a butter package with a silver knife on the left side.

Two large blocks of butter stacked on top of a butter package with a silver knife on the left side.

Fiber is both diet fad and fixture for good health – a doctor explains why there is no one-size-fits-all way to increase your intake

Jean Liew, Boston University

Wooden cutting board with the word 'FIBER' written in flour, surrounded by various high-fiber fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, grains

Wooden cutting board with the word 'FIBER' written in flour, surrounded by various high-fiber fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, grains

Noise pollution is a serious but often forgotten public health problem

Laura Coco, San Diego State University

woman wearing ear protection works with drill press

woman wearing ear protection works with drill press

Read more about healthy lifestyles

Reproductive health

A pregnant person in a hospital gown and wristband, with an IV taped to one hand, rests in a hospital bed.

A pregnant person in a hospital gown and wristband, with an IV taped to one hand, rests in a hospital bed.

When abortion and surrogacy law collide, contracts can’t answer the hardest questions

Sonia Suter, George Washington University and Naomi Cahn, University of Virginia

Menopause is a major health milestone, yet health records barely track it - new research

Audrey Hendricks, University of Colorado Anschutz and Nanette Santoro, University of Colorado Anschutz

A group of middle-aged women lay and talk on a windy beach

A group of middle-aged women lay and talk on a windy beach

US immigration policies interfere with prenatal care and parenting choices, hurting people and communities

Jallicia Jolly, Amherst College

A handmade sign saying ICE stop separating families held up in front of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement building

A handmade sign saying ICE stop separating families held up in front of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement building

I’m a doctor who helped rename PCOS to PMOS – a 10-year process of listening to 14,000 patients and health professionals speak on how to improve care

Melanie Cree, University of Colorado Anschutz

Hand holding magnifying glass over icon of uterus, icons of the heart, lungs, kidney, liver and intestines surrounding it

Hand holding magnifying glass over icon of uterus, icons of the heart, lungs, kidney, liver and intestines surrounding it

Nearly half of maternal deaths in Pennsylvania occur more than 6 weeks after giving birth

Yenupini Joyce Adams, University of Notre Dame

A Black mother kisses her newborn on its head.

A Black mother kisses her newborn on its head.

Read more about reproductive health care

Infectious disease

A Walgreens sign that says "free flu shots, no cost to you with most insurance"

A Walgreens sign that says "free flu shots, no cost to you with most insurance"

Flu season is near – here’s a guide to available vaccines

Annette Regan, University of California, Los Angeles

One in eight cancers are likely caused by an infection worldwide – new study

John (Eddie) La Marca, WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research) and Sarah Diepstraten, WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research)

Gloved hands use a pipette in a lab.

Gloved hands use a pipette in a lab.

Does my kid have COVID-19 or just a cold? A pediatric nurse explains how to tell – and why it matters

Ann Sheehan, Michigan State University

Three elementary-aged children working at a table in school, the one in the middle is blowing her nose

Three elementary-aged children working at a table in school, the one in the middle is blowing her nose

Pittsburgh’s kindergartners fall below the measles safety threshold, testing the city’s vaccine legacy

Rebecca Smullin Dawson, Allegheny College

A clipboard holds an info sheet titled 'Measles.'

A clipboard holds an info sheet titled 'Measles.'

Shingles can cause severe chronic pain – new research on how exosomes alter neurons offers pathways to treatment

Andrew Bubak, University of Colorado Anschutz

Microscopy image of a blob composed of concentric circles, the innermost a vivid red

Microscopy image of a blob composed of concentric circles, the innermost a vivid red

Read more about COVID-19

Caregiving

What is a professional patient advocate, and why might you need one?

Jennifer Schlinger, University of North Dakota

An older man is in a reclining hospital bed at home; a small child has crawled into bed with him, two women stand one on either side

An older man is in a reclining hospital bed at home; a small child has crawled into bed with him, two women stand one on either side

Generous paternal leave policies improve maternal and newborn health, family finances and workplace equality

Megan Kuykendoll, Miami University

a father smiling down at his infant as the infant smiles back

a father smiling down at his infant as the infant smiles back

Dementia caregiving can expose hidden family tensions – but early planning can ease the strain

Sarah E. Patterson, University of Michigan

An older man sits on a couch with a younger woman, looking at a photo album together.

An older man sits on a couch with a younger woman, looking at a photo album together.

Dementia care navigators help Latino Coloradans get the support they need

Hillary Lum, University of Colorado Anschutz

A man wearing a yellow shirt and a white medical tag around his neck sits in bed and clasps hands with someone who is not pictured.

A man wearing a yellow shirt and a white medical tag around his neck sits in bed and clasps hands with someone who is not pictured.

Read more about caregiving

Mental health

A Banner saying 'Protect students, not rapists" hangs on the outside of a stone college building

A Banner saying 'Protect students, not rapists" hangs on the outside of a stone college building

Sexual assault survivors’ stories may shift over time – a psychologist explains why it doesn’t mean they’re lying

Michele Patterson Ford, Dickinson College

Detroit and Flint teens are struggling with their mental health – and worried adults around them feel ‘helpless’

Crystal Cederna, Michigan State University

A teen girl puts her hands on her forehead

A teen girl puts her hands on her forehead

When your child asks if they’ll be harmed like the people on the news, what do you say? Psychologists provide tips on how to talk about identity

Anahi Collado, University of Colorado Boulder and Colleen Cummings, Georgetown University

Parent holding child's head against chest with hand threaded through hair.

Parent holding child's head against chest with hand threaded through hair.

Why so few older Americans get counseling – and how it could help

Lee Ann Rawlins Williams, University of North Dakota

An older couple, woman and man, sit arguing on a therapists's couch during their session.

An older couple, woman and man, sit arguing on a therapists's couch during their session.

Are too many Americans taking antidepressants?

Andrew McLean, University of North Dakota

Young woman with troubled expression holds a pull to her lips in one hand and a glass of water in the other

Young woman with troubled expression holds a pull to her lips in one hand and a glass of water in the other

Read more about mental health

Mind and body

More than a dozen white smokeless tobacco pouches scattered on a reflective black surface next to an open round container in indoor lighting.

More than a dozen white smokeless tobacco pouches scattered on a reflective black surface next to an open round container in indoor lighting.

How the pro-nicotine ‘wellness’ movement rebranded an addictive drug

Hasmeena Kathuria, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Psilocybin may help the brain recover from concussion, new study shows

Argel Aguilar Valles, Carleton University

Three dried mushrooms with yellowish heads and grey stems.

Three dried mushrooms with yellowish heads and grey stems.

Decades after 9/11, toxic dust and PTSD may be accelerating brain aging among first responders

Roberto Lucchini, Florida International University

Silhouettes of people in uniform from behind at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, buildings rising into the sky

Silhouettes of people in uniform from behind at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, buildings rising into the sky

People with Tourette syndrome, like Billie Eilish, use everything in their power to suppress tics – this exhausting process is key to treatment

Michael Okun, University of Florida

A young person with eyes closed makes a face in front of a maroon background

A young person with eyes closed makes a face in front of a maroon background

What we remember when we remember 9/11

Jennifer Talarico, Lafayette College

A man in suit and tie speaks into the ear of a man in suit in tie sitting on a chair.

A man in suit and tie speaks into the ear of a man in suit in tie sitting on a chair.

Read more about the mind and body connection

Technology in health care

Many cancer survivors have impairments that make using mobile devices and websites difficult

Rachel F. Adler, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Devorah Kletenik, Brooklyn College

A older woman with a scarf on her head sitting on a couch.

A older woman with a scarf on her head sitting on a couch.

What Pennsylvania’s AI chatbot lawsuit teaches us about the psychology behind medical trust

Gretchen Chapman, Carnegie Mellon University

A man in glasses and a navy blue suit stands behind a microphone.

A man in glasses and a navy blue suit stands behind a microphone.

Reddit and TikTok - with the help of AI - are reshaping how researchers understand substance use

Layla Bouzoubaa, Drexel University

Detail of male drug user''s hands using a smart phone

Detail of male drug user''s hands using a smart phone

Focused sound energy holds promise for treating cancer, Alzheimer’s and other diseases

Richard J. Price, University of Virginia

Illustration of glowing circles entering a tunnel of concentric circles

Illustration of glowing circles entering a tunnel of concentric circles

Read more about technology in health care

Research insights

Are there toxic chemicals in your grocery store receipt?

Sean McCann, University of Illinois Chicago

Closeup of a hand handing a receipt to another hand over a grocery checkout counter

Closeup of a hand handing a receipt to another hand over a grocery checkout counter

Florida lost 450,000 ACA enrollees in 2026 as premiums rose an average of 37% nationally, new data shows

Robert Applebaum, Miami University

woman standing at a microphone in front of a sign that reads, Affordable Care Act premiums will rise more than 75%

woman standing at a microphone in front of a sign that reads, Affordable Care Act premiums will rise more than 75%

US teens are smoking and vaping less than their peers abroad

Holly Jarman, University of Michigan; Claire L. Ma, University of Michigan, and Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, UMass Amherst

Smoke-free campus sign posted on a school fence

Smoke-free campus sign posted on a school fence

The typical gig worker is changing – and struggling more than ever to make ends meet

Jacob Lederman, University of Michigan Flint

A Doordash worker with a face mask rides his bicycle along a path on the West Side Highway in New York City during the COVID pandemic.

A Doordash worker with a face mask rides his bicycle along a path on the West Side Highway in New York City during the COVID pandemic.

Read more health research