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Paramedic Papinki Lebelo waits for a police escort before responding to an emergency call-out in the Red Zone neighborhood of Philippi East in Cape Town, South Africa. Due to a rise in attacks on paramedics, large parts of the city are only accessible to ambulance crews when they have a police escort. This severely delays response times. Tommy Trenchard for NPR hide caption

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Tommy Trenchard for NPR

Farida Azizova-Such inside the nursery rocking her son to sleep. "He was 5 weeks when we started coming. It's just my husband and I taking care of him, so I was alone at home. I wanted to find new moms to connect with and a safe space to be able to come and learn about how to take care of a baby, and also my identity shifted when you become a mother." Ali Lapetina for NPR hide caption

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Ali Lapetina for NPR

Eddie Almance (left) and his sister Leila pose for their cousin Ailem Villarreal on the rooftop of the Marriott Hotel in downtown Odessa, Texas, before heading to prom. Their grandmother says that for seven generations, the family members have forged close bonds. Danielle Villasana for NPR hide caption

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Danielle Villasana for NPR

Mifepristone and misoprostol inside a Planned Parenthood clinic in Fairview Heights, Ill. in 2021. The drugs are used after miscarriage and for bleeding and other obstetrical procedures and problems. In combination, they can also induce an early abortion. Lawmakers in Baton Rouge are considering a bill to reclassify the medications as controlled dangerous substances. Jeff Roberson/AP hide caption

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Jeff Roberson/AP

Louisiana may reclassify drugs used in abortion as controlled dangerous substances

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Bumble pickleball ad. COVID masks. Charley Gallay/Getty Images; Miguel Medina/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Charley Gallay/Getty Images; Miguel Medina/AFP/Getty Images

A coalition of advocates call for full Medicaid expansion in Mississippi at a rally at the State Capitol in Jackson, Miss., Wednesday, April 17, 2024. The gathering drew supporters from throughout the state representing religious, social and human service organizations, medical professionals and legislators. Rogelio V. Solis/AP hide caption

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Rogelio V. Solis/AP

Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs embraces Taylor Swift after defeating the San Francisco 49ers during this year's Super Bowl in Las Vegas. Swift, who flew in from Tokyo to attend the game, jokingly told him, "jet lag is a choice." Ezra Shaw/Getty Images hide caption

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Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

A burial team in Liberia awaits decontamination after performing "safe burials" for people who died of Ebola during the 2014-15 outbreak. Strains of the virus are harbored by bats and primates. A new study looks at how human activity affects the transmission of infectious diseases like Ebola. John Moore/Getty Images hide caption

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John Moore/Getty Images

Fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills are flooding U.S. streets, but other street drugs, including methamphetamine and cocaine, are killing more and more people. U.S. Attorney's Office for Utah /AP hide caption

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U.S. Attorney's Office for Utah /AP

In college, Amylyx cofounders Josh Cohen and Justin Klee dreamed of finding a treatment for diseases like ALS. When their drug's promise did not pan out, they pulled it voluntarily from the market. Amylyx Pharmaceuticals hide caption

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Amylyx Pharmaceuticals

Lots of drug companies talk about putting patients first — but this one actually did

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Jackye Lafon, who's in her 80s, cools herself with a water spray at her home in Toulouse, France during a heat wave in 2022. Older people face higher heat risk than those who are younger. Climate change is making heat risk even greater. Fred Scheiber/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Fred Scheiber/AFP via Getty Images

Alondra Mercado, a community health worker with the Central California Asthma Collaborative, helps provide services through an ambitious California Medicaid initiative. On a recent morning in March, she visited a family in Turlock to teach a mother how to control in-home asthma triggers that cause flare-ups in her young son. Angela Hart/KFF Health News hide caption

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Angela Hart/KFF Health News

Abortion rights activists at the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. on March 26, the day the case about the abortion drug mifepristone was heard. The number of abortions in the U.S. increased, a study says, surprising researchers. Drew Angerer/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Drew Angerer/AFP via Getty Images

Despite state bans, abortions nationwide are up, driven by telehealth

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Dr. Thorsten Siess shows the Impella. Annegret Hilse/Reuters hide caption

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Annegret Hilse/Reuters

He invented a successful medical device as a student. Here's his advice for new grads

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A patient in European Gaza hospital this weekend — the last functioning hospital in Rafah. Staff placed an insect zapper above his bed to keep away the flies. Monica Johnston hide caption

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Monica Johnston

Weight-loss drugs like Semaglutide have skyrocketed in popularity among Americans. Douglas Cliff/Getty Images hide caption

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Douglas Cliff/Getty Images

Have the new weight-loss drugs changed what it means to be body positive?

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Research on MDMA has shown it can be effective for PTSD, but approval of the treatment isn't yet guaranteed. The Washington Post via Getty Images hide caption

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The Washington Post via Getty Images

Research shows kids who spend two hours a day outside are less likely to develop myopia. nazar_ab/Getty Images hide caption

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nazar_ab/Getty Images

Want to protect your kids' eyes from myopia? Get them to play outside

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Rick Slayman is pictured at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, where he became the first person to have a genetically modified pig kidney transplant. Michelle Rose/Massachusetts General Hospital hide caption

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Michelle Rose/Massachusetts General Hospital

Edward Peter-Paul is chief of the Mi'kmaq Nation in Maine. Decades ago, a sweat ceremony helped him improve his relationship with drugs and alcohol. He hopes the new healing lodge can do the same for other tribal citizens. Aneri Pattani/KFF Health News hide caption

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Aneri Pattani/KFF Health News

A tribe in Maine is using opioid settlement funds on a sweat lodge to treat addiction

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