PBS News Hour - Health

The ship at the epicenter of the hantavirus outbreak has been evacuated, and 16 Americans have now been transported to a specialized quarantine unit in Nebraska. Two are at a similar unit in Atlanta. The virus has claimed the lives of three people, including a Dutch couple and a German citizen. William Brangham discussed the virus with Dr. Ashish Jha. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Earlier this week, The Hershey Company announced that it is returning all of its classic brands to earlier milk and dark chocolate recipes. The move comes amid a growing backlash over the recipe changes and the use of chocolate alternatives in some of its candies. Deema Zein explores what's behind this latest battle in the chocolate wars. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

If you're under 50, it's likely that colorectal cancer isn't on your radar, but it should be. Once considered an older-age disease, rates are skyrocketing among young adults. Deema Zein spoke with two people diagnosed at an early age, and discussed the rise with Dr. Robin Mendelsohn, a gastroenterologist and co-director of the Center for Young Onset Colorectal and Gastrointestinal Cancers. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

New York has become the 13th state, along with Washington, D.C., to legalize medically assisted suicide. More than a dozen other states are also considering legalizing the practice, which supporters call medical aid in dying. Stephanie Sy traveled to both coasts to reexamine an issue that has divided Americans along moral and political lines. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The war between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah has claimed more than 1,000 Lebanese lives, including 40 emergency workers. The latest victims include two young civil defense workers killed in Nabatieh, a town the Israel Defense Forces have placed under forced evacuation orders. Special correspondent Simona Foltyn and videographer Adrian Hartrick report. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Across the U.S. and around the world, coastal cities are grappling with rising seas and worsening floods. With 42 million people, Jakarta, Indonesia, is the world's most populated city. It's sinking rapidly as climate change and overdevelopment collide. Fred de Sam Lazaro reports for our series Tipping Point. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Dealing with grief and trauma can look different for everyone, and a group in Miami has found an unconventional way of helping people cope. Alessandro de Palma of Student Reporting Labs, the PBS News journalism training program, has the story. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The sauna industry in the U.S. is heating up. More health-conscious Americans are embracing this ancient Finnish tradition as a modern way to help reduce stress and promote wellness. Nowhere has the sauna culture taken root more deeply than in Minnesota. Kaomi Lee from Twin Cities PBS has the story. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Dr. Casey Means, the wellness influencer and ally of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is the president's nominee for surgeon general. As a prominent voice in the MAHA movement, some of her ideas, such as prioritizing natural foods, reducing pesticide use and exercise, are widely accepted. But she has been criticized for her views on vaccines and raw milk. William Brangham reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The Environmental Protection Agency is moving to scale back limits on toxic emissions from coal-burning power plants, clearing the way for them to emit more hazardous pollutants, such as mercury. Advocates are warning that rolling back limits could harm human health and drive up health care costs. Stephanie Sy discussed more with John Walke of the Natural Resources Defense Council. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Maurine Molach lost her son, David, in 2016 when he died by suicide. She is the co-founder of Parents for Safe Online Spaces, a coalition of families who have lost children to online harms and are bringing similar lawsuits. She is not a plaintiff in the case currently on trial. Ali Rogin spoke with Molach about social media's risks to children. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

TrumpRX is now online. The new website lists drugs at reduced rates, with coupon codes to be used at participating pharmacies or directly through manufacturers' sites. It's part of Trump's pledge to lower prescription drug prices, but health policy experts caution the impact will likely be muted for many Americans. Stephanie Sy speaks with Washington Post reporter Dan Diamond for more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

South Carolina is experiencing one of the biggest measles outbreaks the U.S. has seen in decades. In that state, there are 876 confirmed cases of the highly contagious virus, which is preventable with a vaccine. While the current surge may be slowing, doctors warn there are still serious risks for vulnerable populations. William Brangham speaks with epidemiologist Katelyn Jetelina for more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In his new book "Meat," Bruce Friedrich argues that the way we produce meat is unsustainable — for the climate, the planet and public health — and that the solution isn't eating less of it, but making it differently. From lab-grown meat to plant-based alternatives, he says a food revolution is already underway, whether consumers realize it or not. Geoff Bennett speaks with Friedrich for more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Measles, one of the world's most contagious diseases, was declared eliminated in the U.S. more than 25 years ago. However, measles cases have skyrocketed in the U.S. as vaccination rates continue to decline, a trend that accelerated during the pandemic. Stephanie Sy spoke with Caitlin Rivers, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins University, about the ramifications and reasons behind the outbreak. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The death of a Black midwife following complications from giving birth has renewed difficult questions surrounding inequities in Black maternal health care. Black women are still three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women. Stephanie Sy reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

One day after the Trump administration cut off billions in funding for mental health and addiction programs across the country, the White House is reversing course and restoring about $2 billion in federal grants. The decision, which impacted thousands of organizations and grant recipients, was reversed after bipartisan pushback. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Brian Mann of NPR. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

By some estimates, about 90% of prescriptions in the U.S. are filled with generic drugs. The Food and Drug Administration says that all agency-approved generic drugs "have the same high quality" as brand-name drugs, but a ProPublica investigation found that the FDA rarely tests the quality of generic drugs. John Yang speaks with investigative reporter Debbie Cenziper for more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy