The Columbian

FILE - The U.S. Medicare Handbook is photographed in Washington, Nov. 8, 2018. Obesity drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound that are capturing the attention of celebrities and showing promising results in helping people shed pounds will stay out of reach for America's older adults. A decades-old law on the books bans Medicare from paying for weight loss drugs.

New weight loss drugs are out of reach for millions of older Americans because Medicare won’t pay

December 28, 2023, 9:40am Health

New obesity drugs are showing promising results in helping some people shed pounds but the injections will remain out of reach for millions of older Americans because Medicare is forbidden to cover such medications. Read story

A selection of eye drops line a shelf at a pharmacy in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023. A series of recalls involving over-the-counter drops is drawing new attention to just how little U.S. officials know about the conditions at manufacturing plants on the other side of the world and the limited tools they have to force products off the market when there's a problem.

After recalls and infections, experts say safer eyedrops will require new FDA powers

December 26, 2023, 9:49am Health

When you buy eyedrops at a U.S. store, you might assume you're getting a product made in a clean, well-maintained factory that’s passed muster with health regulators. Read story

Subscription-based care moves beyond peddling birth control and helping with hair loss

December 26, 2023, 7:26am Business

Need help losing weight or handling depression? How about a pill that lowers cholesterol and treats erectile dysfunction? Read story

A pharmacist administers a Moderna Spikevax COVID-19 vaccine at a drug store, Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023, in Cypress, Texas. Fall 2023 vaccination season is in full swing, with health officials in the U.S. urging both an updated COVID-19 shot and flu vaccine for most everyone. New this year are vaccines for older adults and women in late pregnancy to guard against another virus named RSV.

Does the new COVID vaccine work against the variant now spreading? Who can get it now?

December 25, 2023, 12:52pm Health

There’s no big rush to get the new COVID-19 vaccine, according to health experts. Many patients are hesitant to get the shot for a variety of reasons, including vaccine fatigue, fear of side effects and the feeling that COVID is over. Read story

Elijah Jack, 1, looks up from his mobility chair, which was built as a donation by Tulane University students, at his home in New Roads, La., Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. Tulane science and engineering students are making the second batch of mobility chairs for toddlers, that will eventually go to pediatric patients at Children’s Hospital. Wheelchairs are expensive, and insurance won’t cover the cost for children unless the child proves they can operate it independently.

Custom made by Tulane students, mobility chairs help special needs toddlers get moving

December 25, 2023, 6:00am Health

At 19 months old, Elijah Jack, born with no femur bone in one leg and a short femur in the other, is unable to walk on his own like most toddlers his age. Another 19-month-old, Freya Baudoin, born prematurely at 28 weeks and delayed in her mobility, has finally taken… Read story

Health Wire

New weight loss drugs are out of reach for millions of older Americans because Medicare won’t pay

After recalls and infections, experts say safer eyedrops will require new FDA powers

Subscription-based care moves beyond peddling birth control and helping with hair loss

Does the new COVID vaccine work against the variant now spreading? Who can get it now?

Custom made by Tulane students, mobility chairs help special needs toddlers get moving

U.S. medical schools grapple with first admissions since end of affirmative action

After dance hall shooting, pastor tried to de-stigmatize therapy for Asian immigrants

WA mental health providers say insurance reimbursement isn’t enough

‘I am just waiting to die’: Social Security clawbacks drive some into homelessness

Social Security chief apologizes to Congress for misleading testimony on overpayments