The military found more than 1 in 4 essential medicines are at "very high risk" because of their reliance on Chinese ingredients or their unknown origins.
Why it matters: Senators who released a new Defense Department report said it underscored the need to shore up the military's pharmaceutical supply chain as U.S. drug shortages hit the highest level in nearly a decade.
UnitedHealth Group is facing growing class-action lawsuits from health care providers over financial losses they say they've suffered from a massive cyberattack that's crippled payments across the industry for weeks.
Why it matters: It adds to the potential legal fallout for UnitedHealth over the attack at subsidiary Change Healthcare, as it also faces a federal investigation and patient lawsuits over breached data and trouble filling prescriptions.
A successful global AIDS program that was in limbo for months got a temporary reprieve this week when congressional negotiators agreed to a one-year renewal in the next government funding package.
Why it matters: It marked a temporary truce over the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, which is credited with saving 25 million lives since its inception in 2003 but recently became mired in abortion politics.
The 2024 presidential election is shaping up to be the first in a long time that won't feature sweeping plans to overhaul American health care.
Why it matters: President Biden's campaign is emphasizing pocketbook health care issues after already securing major health care victories and amid overriding voter concerns about the economy, while former President Trump has offered little about his health care plans.
Rates of colorectal cancer are rising among people under 50 in the U.S., though experts remain unsure about what's causing the worrying phenomenon.
Why it matters: As March marks Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, many experts are highlighting the need to be proactive in learning about the disease and testing for it.
Medication abortion accounted for about two out of three abortions performed in the U.S. in 2023, the highest figure on record, according to a new study by the Guttmacher Institute.
Why it matters: The Supreme Court is slated to hear oral arguments next week on access to the abortion pill, mifepristone. The case could further limit reproductive rights in the wake of the court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade nearly two years ago.
