Texas Governor Greg Abbott has signed legislation banning gender-affirming care for minors, making Texas the most populous state to enact such a ban. This has been met with criticism from the LGBTQ community and their allies, as well as medical organizations, who argue that it will put transgender youth in danger. The American Civil Liberties Union has already announced plans to challenge the ban in court.
Posts published in “Health”
Churchill Downs Racetrack has announced the suspension of racing after 12 horse deaths occurred in one month, with no single factor or pattern identified as the cause. Races scheduled at Churchill Downs will be moved to Ellis Park, and the company is taking precautionary measures to ensure the safety of their horses and jockeys. No statement has been released on when racing will resume at the track.
An 8-year-old migrant girl, Anadith Tanay Reyes Alvarez, died in Border Patrol custody in Texas on May 17th, sparking outrage among human rights activists. The CBP's internal investigation revealed that a nurse practitioner had denied requests to take the girl to the hospital despite her suffering from a chronic heart condition and a rare blood disorder. The CBP has committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all those in its custody and is conducting a full review of the circumstances surrounding the death.
The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) recently disabled its AI-powered chatbot, Tessa, after two users reported the program gave them dieting advice that promoted disordered eating behaviors. Sharon Maxwell and Alexis Conason shared their experiences with the chatbot on Instagram, and NEDA has since apologized and is looking into the issue. NEDA is committed to providing the best possible care to its users and is currently looking into ways to improve their services.
Health Canada is introducing warning labels on individual cigarettes in an effort to reduce smoking rates in Canada. The labels, which will be in English and French, will include messages such as "poison in every puff," "tobacco smoke harms children" and "cigarettes cause impotence." King-size cigarettes will be the first to feature the warnings, with regular-size cigarettes and little cigars with tipping paper and tubes following by the end of April 2025. This makes Canada the first country in the world to have warning labels on individual cigarettes.
The CDC reported that the number of babies born in the U.S. in 2022 was lower than in 2021, indicating that the rebound from the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic has ended. The teen birthrate also reached a record low, with a 3% decrease from the previous year. This is a smaller decrease than in previous years, suggesting that the nation is reaching a plateau due to years of progress.
The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled that two state laws banning abortion are unconstitutional, but the procedure remains illegal in most cases. The ruling found that the Oklahoma Constitution provides an "inherent right of a pregnant woman to terminate a pregnancy when necessary to preserve her life." The ruling is likely to be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, and provides a measure of clarity on the legality of abortion in the state.
A federal appeals court has approved a deal granting immunity to the Sackler family, owners of Purdue Pharma, from civil claims related to the opioid crisis. The plan will see Purdue Pharma become a new company, Knoa, with profits going to a fund to prevent and treat addiction. The family will contribute $5.5-$6 billion in cash over time, or around half of their collective fortune. This settlement is the latest development in the opioid crisis, and is hoped to help fund much-needed addiction programs.