PBS NewsHour - Health

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The latest medical news, analysis and reporting. (Updated periodically)

PBS NewsHour


    • Jul 7, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekdays NEW EPISODES
    • 6m AVG DURATION
    • 1,232 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from PBS NewsHour - Health

    Who will be affected by Trump administration’s Medicaid, SNAP work requirements

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 7, 2025 6:20


    President Trump’s big tax law includes a major provision the GOP has endorsed for years: work requirements for Medicaid recipients and for food stamp benefits. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 11.8 million Americans could lose medical coverage over the next decade and more than 3 million could lose SNAP benefits. Laura Barrón-López discussed the stakes with Pamela Herd. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    Why tick season is worse than usual and how to protect yourself

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 6, 2025 7:09


    Every year, nearly 31 million people in the U.S. are bitten by a tick. Tick-related illnesses like Lyme disease are on the rise, a trend experts attribute to climate change, human expansion into forested areas and overpopulations of deer. Ali Rogin speaks with pediatric infectious diseases specialist Dr. Andrew Handel about how to best avoid these tiny insects. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    The long-term health risks as extreme heat becomes a new normal

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 4, 2025 8:12


    Extreme heat is becoming a dangerous new normal that brings with it a number of health risks. From severe burns to accelerated aging, the effects of long periods of high temperatures on the human body are getting more attention in this time of rising climate change. Stephanie Sy reports from Phoenix, the epicenter of extreme heat in the United States, for our series, Tipping Point. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    How a new twice-yearly drug is prompting hopes of curbing HIV cases

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2025 7:18


    The FDA has approved a breakthrough preventative treatment for HIV that could change the course of the AIDS epidemic. But deep cuts to health initiatives could hinder the rollout. Lenacapavir not only offers nearly 100 percent protection from HIV, but people only need two injections per year. William Brangham discussed more with Mitchell Warren of the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    New book by former FDA head explores the science behind GLP-1 weight loss drugs

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2025 6:16


    According to the CDC, 1 in 5 American adults is living with obesity. In recent years, many have turned to weight loss drugs containing GLP-1, a hormone that slows digestion and helps with sustained weight loss. In a new book, former FDA head Dr. David Kessler advocates for their use, but says they shouldn’t be seen as a quick and easy fix. Ali Rogin speaks with Kessler for more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    Former top CDC vaccine expert on why she resigned in protest over firing of advisory panel

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2025 5:54


    Earlier in June, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired all 17 members of a key vaccine advisory panel and handpicked eight new members, including several who have expressed skepticism about some vaccines. The move prompted the resignation of Dr. Fiona Havers, one of the CDC’s leading vaccine experts. Ali Rogin speaks with Havers about her decision. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    Trump’s former surgeon general raises concerns about vaccine panel overhauled by RFK Jr.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 26, 2025 7:09


    A shift in a key vaccine advisory committee has raised alarms among public health experts. The ACIP routinely makes recommendations to the CDC. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired every prior member of the panel and appointed seven new ones. They just finished a two-day meeting pushing for a new direction. Geoff Bennett discussed more with former Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    How proposed cuts to Medicaid could affect rural hospitals

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2025 4:04


    Rural hospitals across the country, many already struggling to stay afloat, could face devastating consequences if proposed Medicaid cuts in the domestic spending bill become law. To help understand what’s at stake, Geoff Bennett spoke with Tim Wolters, the director of reimbursement for the Citizens Memorial Hospital system in southwestern Missouri. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    How to stay safe from the dangers of extreme heat

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 20, 2025 6:05


    For more on the dangers of extreme temperatures and key tips for dealing with the heat, Stephanie Sy speaks with Ashley Ward, director of the Heat Policy Innovation Hub at Duke University. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    U.S. states agree to multi-billion dollar settlement with Purdue Pharma over opioid crisis

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2025 5:59


    A historic and national $7.4 billion dollar settlement has been reached with Purdue Pharma, the maker of the opioid OxyContin that spurred a major start of the opioid epidemic. A prior settlement had been struck down by the Supreme Court. NPR'S national addiction correspondent, Brian Mann, joins Lisa Desjardins with more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    Former CDC director reacts to RFK Jr.’s firing of entire vaccine advisory panel

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2025 7:24


    The abrupt removal of all of the members of the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has sparked outrage and worry among many public health experts. That includes the American Medical Association, which called for a Senate investigation into Kennedy today. Geoff Bennett has reaction from Dr. Tom Frieden, a former director of the CDC. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    Study shows link between CT scans and the risk of developing cancer

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2025 6:13


    CT scans are quick, painless, non-invasive tests that can identify everything from brain tumors to injuries from an accident. But a new study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine shows a link between the radiation exposure from the imaging tool and cancer. Ali Rogin spoke with Dr. Rebecca Smith-Bindman, the study's lead author, to learn more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    New study finds link between pre-teen use of social media and depression

    Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2025 5:06


    Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco have found a link between use of social media by pre-teens and future depression. The study, published this week in the American Medical Association’s journal JAMA, said more time spent on social media “may contribute to increased depressive symptoms over time.” Ali Rogin speaks with lead researcher Dr. Jason Nagata to learn more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    What’s behind the significant drop in opioid overdose deaths

    Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2025 5:45


    Drug overdose deaths in the U.S. plunged last year to their lowest level since 2019, according to the CDC. In 2024, nationwide overdose deaths fell by nearly 30,000 from the year before, a drop of about 27 percent. There were declines across all categories of drug use, including opioids, the source of most overdose deaths over the past decade. John Yang discussed more with Brian Mann of NPR. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    New book ‘Four Mothers’ explores the first year of parenthood around the world

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2025 5:33


    This Mother’s Day, we explore how government policies and society’s expectations shape the experience of new moms. Ali Rogin speaks with journalist Abigail Leonard, whose new book “Four Mothers” follows the ups and downs of the first year of motherhood around the world. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    Family planning clinics lose Title X funding over statements supporting DEI

    Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2025 4:22


    For more than 50 years, millions of federal dollars in Title X grants have funded clinics that offer free or discounted family planning services to mostly low-income Americans. In April, the Trump administration froze more than $65 million in grants, forcing some providers to shut their doors. Brittni Frederiksen, associate director for Women's Health Policy at KFF, joins Ali Rogin to discuss. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    How vaccine hesitancy may be driving a spike in pediatric flu deaths

    Play Episode Listen Later May 3, 2025 4:38


    The CDC reported 12 seasonal flu-related deaths of children this week, bringing the total number of pediatric flu deaths this season to 216 — the most in 15 years. Experts say one reason for this new record could be the plummeting flu vaccination rate among American children. John Yang speaks with Dr. Peter Hotez at Baylor College of Medicine to learn more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    What the new FDA commissioner says about possible restrictions on abortion medication

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 24, 2025 2:02


    Many conservatives want the FDA to impose tighter restrictions on mifepristone and misoprostol, which can be delivered by mail. The medication accounted for 63 percent of U.S. abortions in 2023. Amna Nawaz spoke with the new FDA commissioner, Dr. Marty Makary, about what the agency may do. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    Religious directives at Catholic hospitals complicate emergency care for pregnant women

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 24, 2025 9:12


    For decades, Catholic leaders in the U.S. have placed restrictions on certain reproductive health services at Catholic-run hospitals. But as abortion is becoming harder to access nationwide, there’s a new spotlight on care at these facilities. Special correspondent Sarah Varney traveled to Eureka, California, to meet one woman who ran into the limits of Catholic-run healthcare. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    How the closure of EPA offices puts poor and minority communities at risk

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2025 5:20


    For three decades, the EPA established offices nationwide to address disproportionately high levels of pollution in poor and minority communities. Now, the Trump administration is eliminating these environmental justice offices as part of its effort to end DEI programs and cut spending. Ali Rogin speaks with Amudalat Ajasa, who covers environmental health for The Washington Post, for more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    How synthetic braiding hair may be putting Black women’s health in jeopardy

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2025 7:19


    For years, Black women have used synthetic braids to help style their hair. But a recent study by Consumer Reports found that these fake hair strands can contain dangerous chemicals that pose a health threat. Ali Rogin reports on the history of braiding in Black culture and speaks with Adana Llanos, co-leader of the Cancer Population Science Program at Columbia University, to learn more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    What research reveals about the rise in autism diagnoses and why vaccines aren’t the cause

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2025 7:17


    Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pledged to find out what's driving the country's rise in autism spectrum disorder after a new CDC report said that rate had continued to climb. There are reports that the CDC plans to study a supposed connection between autism and vaccines, despite dozens of studies showing no connection between the two. Ali Rogin reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    ‘Good science takes time’: Researcher skeptical autism cause will be found by September

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2025 5:12


    In a news conference on the rise in autism spectrum disorder, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made no mention of vaccines and instead emphasized the government’s plans to study potential environmental factors. To help put Kennedy's pledge in context, Stephanie Sy spoke with Christine Ladd-Acosta of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    Why insurance companies are denying coverage for prosthetic limbs

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 13, 2025 5:49


    More than 2 million Americans are living with limb loss. A federal report says that number is expected to almost double by 2050. Recent reporting by KFF Health News found that many who have lost limbs are hitting roadblocks when they try to get insurance to cover the cost of prosthetic limbs. Ali Rogin speaks with KFF Health News contributing writer Michelle Andrews to learn more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    Why patients are getting hit with surprise hospital fees for routine medical care

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2025 8:00


    In recent years, hospital systems have been buying up medical practices at a rapid pace. Now, patients getting routine medical care are being hit with high costs and unexpected hospital fees — even if they never visited a hospital. Special correspondent Megan Thompson reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    Man whose blood helped develop measles vaccine weighs in on recent outbreak

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2025 5:52


    A second child died from measles-related causes in Texas where an outbreak has infected at least 505. Until this year, the U.S. had no reported measles deaths in a decade. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a former anti-vaccine advocate, now says the MMR vaccine is the most effective way to prevent the spread of measles. Deema Zein spoke with someone who had a front-row seat to its creation. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    Are gummy vitamins as effective as traditional vitamin pills?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2025 5:40


    Making sure you get the right amount of daily vitamins can be difficult. Today, a booming multi-billion-dollar industry of gummy vitamins and supplements claims its products make it both easier and tastier. But how do they compare with traditional vitamin pills? Ali Rogin speaks with registered dietitian Shyla Davis-Cadogan to learn more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    How private equity’s increasing role in health care is affecting patients

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2025 8:21


    Economics correspondent Paul Solman is exploring the impact on communities in Massachusetts after a private equity firm bought struggling hospitals. In his second report, he looks at how private equity's increasing role in health care is affecting patients. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    CDC the latest federal agency to face leadership shakeup and cuts

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2025 6:11


    President Trump has put into place a very different team than his predecessors when it comes to public health and research. The CDC is very much in the thick of it. Five senior leaders at the CDC have announced their departures and staff are anticipating cuts that could affect as much as a third of its workforce. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Lena Sun of The Washington Post. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    Why IUD insertions are painful for many patients and what can be done better

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2025 6:07


    Millions of American women use some form of contraception to prevent pregnancy, and one of the most popular forms is an intrauterine device, or IUD. Lately, IUDs have been going viral not because of their popularity, but because of the pain associated with getting them. Ali Rogin speaks with Dr. Aaron Lazorwitz, a professor at Yale School of Medicine, to learn more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    Nurse reflects on struggles of working the frontlines during COVID

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2025 4:09


    As we mark five years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we're speaking with a small handful of the countless people whose lives were turned upside down by the virus. Our latest reflection is from a nurse who worked on the frontlines in New York. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    The COVID pandemic’s lingering physical and mental toll, five years later

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2025 8:31


    Five years ago this week, the World Health Organization called the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic. In the United States, officials declared a national emergency, triggering travel bans for non-U.S. citizens and shutdowns nationwide. Now, many who lived through the pandemic, including those who treated infected patients, are still dealing with the fallout. Ali Rogin reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    What’s behind the growing measles outbreak and how the Trump administration is responding

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2025 4:53


    The growing measles outbreak in the U.S. Southwest claimed a second life this week. So far this year, more than 220 cases have been reported across 12 states, with the majority in Texas. John Yang speaks with infectious disease epidemiologist Jessica Malaty Rivera to learn more about the outbreak and how it differs from previous ones in recent years. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    News Wrap: Nearly 200 people infected with measles in Texas

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2025 6:24


    In our news wrap Friday, health officials in western Texas say an ongoing measles outbreak has now infected nearly 200 people as the virus also spread to even more parts of the U.S., Russia launched dozens of missiles and drones toward Ukraine and a lunar lander mission has come to an early end. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    Dementia risk in the U.S. after age 55 higher than previously thought, study finds

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2025 6:52


    A new study shows that Americans’ risk of developing dementia after turning 55 is more than double what earlier research had found. The New York University study estimates that the number of dementia cases will double by 2060, reaching 1 million new diagnoses each year. John Yang speaks with Dr. Josef Coresh, one of the authors of the study, for more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    Health officials concerned as FDA cancels meeting to update flu vaccines

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2025 10:47


    The FDA canceled a critical meeting of flu vaccine experts where officials decide which strains to target in the next vaccine. It comes amid one of the worst flu seasons in 15 years, according to the CDC. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Dr. Paul Offit, one of the FDA committee advisors and director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    West Texas measles outbreak spreads amid vaccine hesitancy in some communities

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2025 7:01


    There are now more than 120 confirmed measles cases linked to an outbreak in western Texas, the largest such outbreak the state has seen in over 30 years. It's raising questions about vaccine hesitancy in some communities and the growing challenge of these periodic outbreaks. William Brangham discussed more with Caitlin Rivers, author of "Crisis Averted: The Hidden Science of Fighting Outbreaks." PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    What Trump’s IVF executive order means for access to fertility assistance for Americans

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2025 5:30


    One of the executive orders Trump signed this past week seeks policy recommendations to expand access to in vitro fertilization. According to a 2024 survey, 1 in 10 women of reproductive age say they received fertility assistance, including IVF, but insurance coverage for the procedure is limited. Ali Rogin speaks with Barbara Collura about how the order stacks up to Trump’s campaign pledge. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    Epidemiologist analyzes Trump administration’s strategies against bird flu

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2025 5:55


    The Trump administration plans to roll out a new strategy against the bird flu. There are few details, but to bring egg prices down, the plan is aimed at trying to minimize the slaughter of chickens when the flu strikes a flock. More than 150 million poultry have been affected since 2022 and 58 people have been sickened by it. Geoff Bennett discussed more with epidemiologist Dr. Katelyn Jetelina. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    Examining the truth about fighting fires in California amid water management claims

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2025 5:59


    Last month’s wildfires in California destroyed thousands of homes, killed at least 29 people and will likely cost hundreds of billions of dollars. President Trump has claimed that state officials made the disaster worse by how they managed the state’s complex water system. William Brangham looks at those allegations and the realities of water management in the nation’s most populous state. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    As winter swimming gains popularity, the benefits and risks of taking an icy plunge

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2025 4:13


    It’s the middle of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, and while it might not feel like the season for jumping in the water, more and more people are finding an icy plunge invigorating. William Brangham takes a look at the world of winter swimming and both its potential benefits and risks. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    The possible long-term impact of Trump’s cuts to medical research funding

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2025 9:32


    The Trump administration recently announced the National Institutes of Health will make big changes in the way it funds researchers. Scientists say the move will have a huge effect on their work. We hear from medical researchers about the cuts and Amna Nawaz discusses more with Dr. David Skorton of the Association of American Medical Colleges. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

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