Performing IVF without making or destroying unused embryos is possible, albeit more exhausting and expensive.
Why it matters: Considering embryos human life — a view two-thirds of Americans oppose — has long clashed with the use of in vitro fertilization to build families.
Health insurers nationwide must continue to provide coverage of certain preventive services like cancer screenings and behavioral counseling at no cost, a federal appeals court ruled Friday.
Why it matters: The decision in the closely watched case largely preserves the Affordable Care Act's free preventive services requirement.
The Food and Drug Administration on Friday authorized the sale of the first menthol e-cigarettes for adults, saying evidence showed they could reduce the health consequences of traditional cigarette smoking.
Why it matters: It's the strongest government endorsement to date of manufacturers' argument that e-cigarettes are effective smoking cessation tools, despite their appeal to youths.
We've spent the last nine weeks going through health care's defining topics, but if there's a thread tying them all together it's this: Health care in America is deeply unequal, and it might get worse.
Why it matters: All of the innovation in the world won't make any difference to patients if it's unaffordable or inaccessible, and right now everything in the pipeline is headed for a two-tiered system.
