Health
Hantavirus countdown: U.S. cruise passengers settle in for 42 days of waiting
The hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship has potentially exposed passengers to a deadly disease. Most returning Americans are now housed in Nebraska. Some may be cleared to quarantine at home.
By NPR Health
About 7 million kids live in a home with a loaded and unlocked gun, a study finds
The new study in JAMA Network Open also finds that more parents leave their guns loaded and unlocked when they have teenagers, despite the fact that suicide risk goes up for this age group.
By NPR Health
French hantavirus patient is critically ill as outbreak grows to 11
A French woman infected in the deadly hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship is critically ill and being treated with an artificial lung. The outbreak has now reached 11 total reported cases, 9 of which have been confirmed.
By NPR Health
The MAHA movement is coming to school cafeterias. Here's what that means for kids
U.S. school districts worry it could get even more expensive to prepare a meal under new federal dietary guidelines, as they also contend with cuts to programs that helped them buy local food.
By NPR Health
A brain-controlled system may help listeners with hearing loss cut through the noise
A hearing system that monitors brain waves could help people with hearing loss communicate in noisy environments.
By NPR Health
Linda McMahon defends dismantling the Education Department, shifting its work
The education secretary faced questions about the shrinking of her agency, limits on federal student loan borrowing and oversight of the education of students with disabilities.
By NPR Health
The Supreme Court keeps abortion pill mifepristone available by telehealth
The Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that the abortion pill mifepristone can continue to be prescribed online or over the phone and sent through the mail.
By NPR Health
Son reflects with his mother about growing up with autism
Jhovana Figueroa was diagnosed with autism when he was a toddler. For StoryCorps, Figueroa and his mom talk about his childhood and their hopes for the future.
By NPR Health
Elephants eat their crops. Farmers strike back. It's a war that's only getting worse
In Sri Lanka, the islanders revere elephants. But for farmers, there's rising tension that's leading to more fatal encounters — for both humans and hungry pachyderms.
By NPR Health
A new Ebola outbreak has already killed 87 people in Democratic Republic of Congo
Health officials are working to contain a new Ebola outbreak in the DRC of a virus strain with no known vaccine.
By NPR Health
The Trump team is quietly eliminating U.S. support for birth control abroad
Congress has allocated more than $500 million for family planning work internationally. The Trump administration hasn't spent it — and the consequences are already being felt.
By NPR Health
In real-world test, an AI model did better than ER doctors at diagnosing patients
Researchers evaluated how well an AI model could diagnose and make decisions about patient care.
By NPR Health
Trump pulls Casey Means' stalled surgeon general nomination, announces new pick
President Trump says he's nominating former Fox News Channel contributor Dr. Nicole Saphier for surgeon general after Dr. Casey Means' path forward stalled in the Senate over questions about her experience and her stance on vaccines.
By NPR Health
How a Supreme Court fight over fish oil could raise your prescription drug costs
The justices are set to hear Hikma v. Amarin, a battle over drug patents that could raise costs for patients and change the way generic companies do business.
By NPR Health
Baby teeth hold clues to the harms of toxic metals for infants — and older kids
By analyzing layers in these teeth, scientists have pinpointed a critical window when baby brains are most vulnerable to toxic metals — and linked that to behavior problems later in life.
By NPR Health
Welcome to 'Anxietyland' theme park, where the rides are no fun
From the Emotional Roller Coaster to the Worry-go-round, cartoonist Gemma Correll walks us through her brain's not-so-amusing amusement park in a darkly funny memoir.
By NPR Health
Long a dream, it's now real: a fast and accurate TB test that doesn't need phlegm
TB tests use phlegm — not the easiest thing to get or work with. It takes time for results. And there can be false negatives and positives. A new test is more accurate and takes less than half an hour.
By NPR Health
A look at one of the farms RFK Jr. has pointed to as a model for 'reparenting'
The U.S. health secretary says he wants to shift addiction care toward an approach that includes rural farms or camps for people in recovery. Many addiction experts say the idea is outdated.
By NPR Health
RFK pushes abstinence and wellness programs he says helped him recover from addiction
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy is promoting abstinence and 12-step addiction treatment programs that he says helped him recover from heroin use.
By NPR Health
To catch colorectal cancer early, advocates push to make 'poop talk' OK
It's a very treatable form of cancer if caught early, yet younger adults rarely get screened. Patient advocates want more people to talk to their doctors about risk factors and number two.
By NPR Health
So far, Florida has failed to end vaccine mandates. Now there's a last-ditch effort
Florida Republicans have pushed hard to drop some vaccine requirements for children. But after many months, their efforts stalled out. Could this week's special legislative session get the job done?
By NPR Health
What could Florida's vaccine mandate struggles teach other states?
Republicans in Florida pushed hard to drop some childhood vaccine requirements for school. But efforts petered out. What could this mean for other states considering similar moves?
By NPR Health
The MAHA movement is mad about the weedkiller glyphosate and Trump's EPA
The coalition focused on making Americans healthier is frustrated with the Trump administration's stance on environmental toxins and most recently, its support of the company that makes the pesticide.
By NPR Health
Natural disasters can cause another crisis for those recovering from opioid addiction
People recovering from opioid addiction risk relapse when they can't get their medications after natural disasters. A group of doctors is calling for lawmakers to ease access to the meds.
By NPR Health
World Press Photo Contest winners cast a lens on resilience, pain and bliss
A selection of prize honorees from the 2026 World Press Photo Contest capture the pain of the past year — but also focus on moments of strength, determination and joy.
By NPR Health