South Carolina looks at most restrictive abortion bill in the U.S. as opponents keep pushing limits
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Sending women who get abortions to prison for decades. Outlawing IUDs. Sharply restricting in-vitro fertilization. These are the strictest abortion prohibitions and punishments in the nation being considered by South Carolina lawmakers, even as opponents of the procedure are divided over how far to go. The bill...
North Carolina resident stops in Pittsburgh advocating for lung cancer patients
For Dusty Donaldson, one journey led to another. After navigating the emotional path of a lung cancer diagnosis, operation, chemotherapy and recovery, Donaldson decided to travel down another road. She purchased a Ford Transit Connect van and drove across the country to create awareness for early detection of lung cancer....
Formula recalled in Pa. after infant botulism outbreak
Pennsylvania is one of 12 states included in an outbreak of infant botulism — linked to ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula. Parents and caregivers should stop using any ByHeart infant formula products “immediately,” Allegheny County said Friday in an announcement, as all of its products have been recalled. The recall...
Pa.’s independent home care workers get pay raise in state budget but agencies miss out
Pennsylvania lawmakers granted $21 million in additional funding to a sliver of in-home caregivers in the state budget passed Wednesday. Workers directly hired by the people they care for will see their per-hour state payments rise to more than $15 from $13.51, an increase that could make a small dent...
UPMC Altoona attack spurs demand for enhanced workplace safety
Pennsylvania’s top health care union launched a petition drive Wednesday for improved workplace safety after the beating of a worker at UPMC Altoona hospital last week. Service Employees International Union Healthcare Pennsylvania argues the assault of Travis Dunn should be the catalyst for UPMC and other health systems to invest...
FDA removes the black box warning on hormone therapy for menopause
For the past decade, Dr. Heather Hirsch has tried to convince women that hormone therapy drugs are the best way to treat symptoms of menopause and perimenopause. But warning labels on estrogen have scared many women away from getting the care they need. Now the Food and Drug Administration is...
Phages to the rescue? Pitt lab develops viruses to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria
Bacteria-killing viruses built from scratch in a University of Pittsburgh lab could be a breakthrough in the battle against fearsome antibiotic-resistant infections. Pitt biotechnology researcher Graham Hatfull spearheaded the development of the viruses made entirely of synthetic genetic material in a study set for publication this week in the Proceedings...
U.S. government launches program to lower Medicaid drug prices
The U.S. government on Thursday unveiled a new program to cut prescription drug costs for Medicaid patients by tying prices to those paid in other countries. The announcement follows previous agreements between the White House and pharmaceutical companies to reduce drug prices for Americans, who often pay significantly more for...
Shaler Area senior suffering from kidney failure hopes a donor will be found
Editor’s note: The following story was submitted for the Shaler Area Student Section, a collaboration between TribLive and The Oracle, the student newspaper of Shaler Area High School. For many teenagers, the hardest part of their day is figuring out what to wear or what they will eat for lunch....
Pitt lab launches $42M project to merge latest in wheelchair, robotic arm tech
A laboratory in Pittsburgh’s Bakery Square is poised to make the next breakthrough in wheelchairs, a mostly stagnant industry with huge quality of life implications for millions of disabled Americans. Researchers at the Human Engineering Research Laboratories, a collaboration between the University of Pittsburgh and the U.S. Department of Veterans...
Lilly, Novo near White House deals to cut obesity drug prices, gain Medicare access, media reports
Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk are expected to announce deals with the White House to offer the lowest dose of their weight-loss drugs at $149 per month, in exchange for Medicare coverage, Endpoints News reported on Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter. Patients in the U.S. currently pay the...
Attack on UPMC Altoona employee causes cracked skull, brain bleed
A Blair County man is in prison after what UPMC officials deemed a “horrific attack” on one of their employees in Altoona. A patient care technician in the UPMC Altoona emergency department was attacked on Saturday, according to a statement released by UPMC. Bradley S. Lloyd, 40, of Tyrone was...
Sewickley orthodontist has been creating smiles for decades
Dr. Tom Forrest gives patients something to smile about. It’s not just his profession — it’s his passion. People are smiling more than ever for their cell phone cameras and Forrest wants to help those smiles be the brightest. “Since the introduction of the smartphone, everyone now has a camera...
Study says long-term melatonin use may pose heart risks
For many, a good night’s sleep is hard to come by. More than 30% of Pennsylvanians sleep fewer than seven hours a night, according to data from the United Health Foundation. In an effort to fight insomnia and get adequate rest, many turn to over-the-counter sleep aids or supplements like...
Kimberly-Clark’s $50 billion leap into health and beauty tests investor faith
NEW YORK — Kimberly-Clark’s nearly $50 billion offer for Tylenol maker Kenvue is a risky bet that the world’s biggest consumer market, the United States, will keep growing even as lower-income shoppers trim their budgets, according to analysts. The cash-and-stock deal, announced earlier on Monday, is set to close late...
ACA premiums double, adding post Halloween fright for health insurance shoppers
NEW YORK/WASHINGTON — Americans shopping for 2026 health insurance plans from the Affordable Care Act are facing a more than doubling of monthly premiums on average and are likely to postpone signing up in hopes of a last-minute reprieve, or walk away, health experts say. Covid-19 pandemic-era subsidies, due to...
Class-action suit seeks to uphold in-network drug benefits for Ligonier pharmacy customers
A federal court could decide whether customers of Ligonier Pharmacy and several additional locations operated by Martella’s Pharmacies can have in-network insurance coverage through Highmark or UPMC Health Plan when they fill their prescriptions. A Pittsburgh law firm has filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of customers against those insurers...
U.S. pediatrician group recommends against routine use of drug for autism
CHICAGO — The American Academy of Pediatrics on Friday said it does not recommend the routine use of leucovorin — a form of vitamin B9 — in children with autism, citing a lack of evidence on the treatment’s benefits and risks to support widespread use in this population. The announcement...
Eye implant co-created by Pitt researcher helps the near-blind see again
A retinal implant the size of a strawberry seed co-created by a University of Pittsburgh researcher has helped partially restore vision for older people suffering from macular degeneration. The study was conducted in Europe and co-led by Dr. José-Alain Sahel, chair of Pitt’s ophthalmology department and director of the UPMC...
Rising health insurance costs are pinching business owners — and driving them to cheaper alternatives
It’s a never-ending battle for Rebecca Kasavich, owner of Copies at Carson, to fund health insurance for workers at her commercial print shop in Pittsburgh’s South Side. About 15 years ago, she made employees pay into their plans for the first time — a common move for businesses struggling with...
5 things to know about Obamacare open enrollment
Steep discounts for millions of Americans on Obamacare won’t expire until Dec. 31, but an exodus from the government health insurance program is expected to start Saturday when open enrollment kicks off for 2026. Nearly all people browsing Affordable Care Act plans will see higher prices than last year because...
What to know as the annual sign-up window for health insurance arrives
Higher prices, less help and a government shutdown all hang over health insurance markets as shoppers start looking for coverage this week. The annual enrollment window for millions of people to pick an individual plan opens Saturday in nearly all states, and a heavy dose of politics weighs on this...
3 Pittsburgh area Oak Street Health locations to close in coming months
Three Pittsburgh-area Oak Street Health facilities will close their doors by February, according to the company. Among 16 total closures nationwide, locations in Homestead, Wilkinsburg and Ingram are each set to shutter. Owned by CVS Health, Oak Street Health operates more than 200 primary care centers throughout the country, specializing...
Afflicted Baldwin native’s nonprofit fights rare spinal disease
When members of the Baldwin High School Class of 1983 held their 30-year reunion, Doug Strott declined to attend. “I was embarrassed because I had to use a cane,” he explained. “When I told my friends, they were kind of mad at me. But they said, ‘OK. We understand.’” As...
USDA memo says it will not use emergency funds for November food benefits
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will not use agency contingency funds to pay for food aid benefits set to lapse in November during the federal government shutdown, according to a memo seen by Reuters. More than 41 million people are set to lose Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, also known...
