What are ‘gas station drugs’? Medical professionals warn of addictive effects
Easily found on store shelves, the small blue bottle labeled “Feel Free” is sparking concern as doctors and social media users warn about the dangers of so-called “gas station drugs.” Manufacturer Botanic Tonics touts the Feel Free drink as a blend of “plant ingredients,” claiming it provides an energy boost...
Former Trump surgeon general warns RFK Jr.’s vaccine cuts will ‘cost lives’
A member of President’s Trump first administration has come forward to criticize Department of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s recent decision to cut vaccine research. Jerome Adams, who served as surgeon general during Trump’s first term, warned in a post on X that Kennedy’s decision will “cost lives.” “I’ve tried...
VA voids union contracts for 400K workers, prompting backlash
The Department of Veterans Affairs is voiding union contracts for more than 400,000 workers, part of the Trump administration’s bid to weaken organized labor in the federal bureaucracy. Affected employees include doctors, nurses, benefits administrators — everyone at the VA except for roughly 4,000 police officers, firefighters and security guards....
‘We’re trying to disrupt an industry’: Mark Cuban touts pharmacy deal with Giant EagleVideo
Mark Cuban, the billionaire and Western Pennsylvania native now knee-deep in the pharmaceutical industry, offered strong words Wednesday toward the pharmacy benefit managers some say are bleeding drugstores dry. “Get rid of them,” Cuban said at Market District in Robinson after announcing a partnership between his company, Cost Plus Drugs,...
‘The public in jeopardy’: Experts react to RFK Jr.’s cancellation of vaccine research
Pittsburgh-area science experts are warning that the public’s health could be in jeopardy after Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the sudden cancellation of 22 federally funded vaccine projects. The halted projects focused on next-generation vaccines designed to generate stronger and longer-lasting immune responses. On Tuesday, the Department of...
Study says ChatGPT giving teens dangerous advice on drugs, alcohol and suicide
ChatGPT will tell 13-year-olds how to get drunk and high, instruct them on how to conceal eating disorders and even compose a heartbreaking suicide letter to their parents if asked, according to new research from a watchdog group. The Associated Press reviewed more than three hours of interactions between ChatGPT...
RFK Jr. pulls $500 million in funding for vaccine development
WASHINGTON — The Department of Health and Human Services will cancel contracts and pull funding for some vaccines that are being developed to fight respiratory viruses such as covid-19 and the flu. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced in a statement Tuesday that 22 projects, totaling $500 million, to develop vaccines...
Giant Eagle partners with billionaire Mark Cuban to slash some drug prices
Billionaire Mark Cuban’s drug company has partnered with Giant Eagle pharmacies to make certain medications more affordable. As of Friday, customers across Giant Eagle’s five-state pharmacy network may be able to fill their prescriptions for less money through Cost Plus Drug’s Team Cuban Card. The company buys drugs directly from...
Raw milk sickens 21 people in Florida including 6 children
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Six children are among 21 people who have E. coli or campylobacter infections after consuming raw milk from a farm in Florida, public health officials said. Seven people have been hospitalized, and at least two of them are suffering severe complications, the Florida Department of Health said...
The world nearly beat polio. But fake records, an imperfect vaccine and missteps aided its comeback
KARACHI, Pakistan — For the past decade, Sughra Ayaz has traveled door to door in southeastern Pakistan, pleading with parents to allow children to be vaccinated against polio as part of a global campaign to wipe out the paralytic disease. She hears their demands and fears. Some are practical —...
Got the sniffles? Here’s what to know about summer colds, covid-19 and more
Summer heat, outdoor fun … and cold and flu symptoms? The three may not go together in many people’s minds: partly owing to common myths about germs and partly because many viruses really do have lower activity levels in the summer. But it is possible to get the sniffles —...
500K in Pa. face soaring health care premiums as insurers seek rate hikes
Nearly 500,000 Pennsylvanians could see their health insurance premiums spike next year. Insurers selling coverage on the state’s Affordable Care Act marketplace, Pennie, want to raise premiums by an average of 19% for customers who buy their own insurance and 13% for small businesses, the Pennsylvania Insurance Department announced Friday....
Deluzio demands answers on VA town hall cancellations
U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio is investigating whether the Trump administration axed a regional town hall tour for veterans to obscure the impact of staff cuts on their health care. In a letter sent Thursday to Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins, Deluzio demanded answers as to who called off the events...
Childhood vaccination rates fall again as exemptions set another record
NEW YORK — U.S. kindergarten vaccination rates inched down again last year and the share of children with exemptions rose to an all-time high, according to federal data posted Thursday. The fraction of kids exempted from vaccine requirements rose to 4.1%, up from 3.7% the year before. It’s the third...
How much will that procedure cost? You might not find the full answer at Independence Health, report claims
All five of Independence Health System’s hospitals failed this year to fully comply with federal rules ordering them to post prices online for their services, according to a report released this week by an advocacy group. The Philadelphia-based Pennsylvania Health Access Network found Independence’s hospitals — Butler Memorial, Clarion, Frick,...
Justice Department subpoenas UPMC for information on gender-affirming care
Pittsburgh-based health system UPMC has been subpoenaed by the Department of Justice over its program for gender-affirming care for trans men and women. UPMC, which represents 40 hospitals and 800 doctors’ offices statewide, on Tuesday said it remained “steadfast in its commitment” to providing “exceptional care” for all patients. In...
Trump administration is launching a new private health tracking system with Big Tech’s help
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is pushing an initiative for millions of Americans to upload personal health data and medical records on new apps and systems run by private tech companies, promising that will make it easier to access health records and monitor wellness. Leaders from more than 60 companies,...
FDA vaccine chief leaving agency after less than 3 months
WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration’s polarizing vaccine chief is leaving the agency after a brief tenure that drew the ire of biotech executives, patient groups and conservative allies of President Donald Trump. Dr. Vinay Prasad “did not want to be a distraction” and was stepping down from his...
West Nile, Jamestown Canyon viruses found in Westmoreland mosquitoes; Lyme risk high
Westmoreland Conservation District is urging residents to take precautions against tick and mosquito bites as samples of the pests collected in the county have tested positive for Lyme disease, West Nile virus and a less familiar new threat: Jamestown Canyon virus. Chrissy Edwards-McCune, West Nile virus coordinator for the conservation...
$58 million in medical debt erased for over 43,000 Pittsburgh residents
Pittsburgh City Councilman Bobby Wilson on Monday announced that more than 43,000 city residents saw their medical debt erased. This comes after Wilson, D-North Side, in 2023 sponsored a bill that allocated $1 million in federal covid-19 relief money to contract with a company that bought dischargeable health care debt...
A mother’s fight to save son shows tragic consequences of Pa.’s failure to build better mental health system
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters. Editor’s note: Sue, Robert, and Jonathan are pseudonyms. Their names and some details have been changed to protect their...
Allegheny County reports more West Nile Virus seen in mosquito samples
Allegheny County Health Department officials Monday announced additional mosquito samples have tested positive for West Nile virus, spurring additional mosquito treatments throughout the area. The health department will treat areas in the Pittsburgh neighborhoods of Point Breeze, Regent Square, East Hills, Homewood and Highland Park. Also treated will be the...
Skin Solutions Dermatology and Cosmetics debuts walk-in clinic in O’Hara
Getting a prompt dermatologist appointment can be challenging, but a new dermatology practice in O’Hara is taking steps to make appointments a thing of the past — at least on Tuesdays. Skin Solutions Dermatology and Cosmetics offers a same-day, walk-in clinic from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Tuesday. Implementing...
Pittsburgh VA abruptly cancels town hall tour after just 1 stop
Without explanation, the Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System has canceled a series of town halls in Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio. The agency broke the news in a bare-bones press release Thursday. What was supposed to be a regional tour where veterans could interact directly with leaders of the Pittsburgh...
East Huntingdon facility among bankrupt nursing homes scheduled for auction
A 35-bed nursing home in East Huntingdon is among six facilities in Western Pennsylvania targeted for sale this year. A public auction will be held in September to transfer ownership of Scottdale Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center in East Huntingdon, a closed facility in Jefferson Hills, the 67-bed Beaver Healthcare and...
