The Columbian

Health Wire

Jennifer Met, co-founder and CEO of Satya Therapeutics, sorts mushrooms for quality, size and appearance.

Oregon’s legal psilocybin clinics draw hundreds – mostly from out of state

December 4, 2023, 6:03am Health Free

Hundreds of people have used psilocybin legally in Oregon since the first licensed center opened in Eugene in June. But only a minority appear to be from Oregon. Read story

FILE- This May 1, 2018, file photo shows Merck corporate headquarters in Kenilworth, N.J. Shares of Merck and Moderna jumped early Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022, after the drugmakers said a potential skin cancer vaccine they are developing using the same technology behind COVID-19 preventive shots did well in a mid-stage study.

Big Pharma is ‘reeling’ over the Inflation Reduction Act. Now Merck is fighting back

December 3, 2023, 6:00am Business

The pharmaceutical industry suffered a huge legislative defeat last year when Congress and President Joe Biden enacted a law aimed in part at lowering prescription drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries. Read story

U.S. Speaker Pro Tempore Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) (left), Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) (center) and Rep. Garret Graves (R-IA) talk as the House of Representatives holds an election for a new Speaker of the House at the U.S. Capitol on Oct. 25, 2023, in Washington, DC.

Bipartisan consensus elusive on government retirees’ benefits

December 2, 2023, 6:00am Health

There are renewed signs of life for congressional efforts to overhaul a pair of much-maligned Social Security policies that cut some public workers’ retirement benefits. But in a year of tumult in the House, there’s still a long way to go. Read story

Flu is on the rise while RSV infections may be peaking, US health officials say

December 1, 2023, 3:18pm Health

Flu is picking up steam while RSV lung infections that can hit kids and older people hard may be peaking, U.S. health officials said Friday. Read story

Washington lawmakers look at shielding people from surprise ambulance costs

December 1, 2023, 3:05pm Health Free

People in Washington often face high costs for ambulance rides, despite not having a choice about the service, an October state Office of the Insurance Commissioner report found. Read story

Anthony Fauci will testify before Congress on COVID origins and the US pandemic response

November 30, 2023, 8:35am Health

Anthony Fauci, former chief White House medical adviser, is expected to testify before Congress early next year as part of Republicans' yearslong investigation into the origins of COVID-19 and the U.S. response to the disease. Read story

FILE - Homeless men watch a movie, hydrate and rest inside the Justa Center, a day cooling center for homeless people 55 years and older, Friday, July 14, 2023, in downtown Phoenix.The United States is ill-prepared to ensure housing and care for the swelling ranks of America’s older people. That’s the conclusion of a new report being released Thursday by Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies.

Study says the U.S. is ill-prepared to ensure housing for the growing number of older people

November 30, 2023, 8:08am Health

Michael Genaldi’s road to homelessness began early this year when a car slammed into the rear of his motorcycle, crushed three of his ribs, and left him in a coma for over a month. Read story

Suicides in US hit historic high in 2022, driven by increase among older adults

November 29, 2023, 8:24am Health

Rising rates of suicide among older adults drove the number of such deaths to a historic high in the United States last year, even as suicide declined among youth, according to a report released Wednesday by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Read story