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A 'potentially powerful model' for treating sickle cell

A sickle cell clinic in South L.A. is believed to be the first of its kind: It brings primary and specialty care providers under one roof to treat the disease. Rebecca Plevin
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Rebecca Plevin/KPCC
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Recent Health coverage

Novavax Says Its COVID Vaccine Is Extremely Effective

Joe Palca | NPR |

In a large-scale study, Novavax said its vaccine was completely effective against the original coronavirus strain and also effective against some variants. It works differently than other vaccines.

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Anti-Vaccine Activists Use A Federal Database To Spread Fear About COVID Vaccines

Geoff Brumfiel | NPR |

The system is designed to provide early warning of what might or might not be actual side-effects. But anti-vaccine groups are bending the data to their own ends.

Rural Communities Fall Farther Behind In COVID-19 Vaccination Rates

Austin Fast | NPR |

Cities are leaving rural areas behind in the race to vaccinate against COVID-19, but some states' suburbs are struggling, too. To close the gap experts say, outreach needs to be hyperlocal.

States Scale Back Pandemic Reporting, Stirring Alarm

Rob Stein | NPR |

More than two dozen states have reduced how frequently they report what's happening with the pandemic in their states, raising alarm among some public health experts.

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In Montana, Crisis Support Teams Offer Alternatives To Policing Mental Health

Katheryn Houghton | NPR |

Montana now has six mobile crisis response teams — up from one in 2019 — with more in the works. Each team has a different makeup, but all use mental health support to diffuse tricky situations.

New Evidence Suggests COVID-19 Vaccines Remain Effective Against Variants

Joe Palca | NPR |

An analysis of blood from people who had received the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine found a lower level of neutralizing antibodies against viral variants but a strong response involving T cells.

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The Highly Contagious Delta Variant Is On The Rise In the U.S.

Jane Greenhalgh | NPR |

The variant accounts for more than 6% of all infections in the U.S. and in some Western states is responsible for more than 18% of cases.

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Anti-Vaccine Film Targeted To Black Americans Spreads False Information

Will Stone | NPR |

A new movie produced by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s anti-vaccine group tries to capitalize on the COVID-19 pandemic, the racial justice movement, and renewed interest in the history of medical racism.

The FDA Has Approved A New Alzheimer's Drug — Here's Why That's Controversial

Scott Hensley, Jon Hamilton, and Laurel Wamsley | NPR |

This is the first new drug approved for Alzheimer's disease since 2003. It's the first to show significant progress against the sticky brain plaques that are the hallmark of Alzheimer's disease.

Once Banned, For-Profit Medical Schools Are On The Rise Again In The U.S.

Victoria Knight | NPR |

Montana is one of only four states without a medical school, and two groups with different financial models hope to remedy that. One plans a for-profit school, but critics say students may suffer.

New Type Of COVID Vaccine Could Debut Soon

Joe Palca | NPR |

Instead of putting genetic instructions into people whose cells then make a viral protein, the vaccines from Novavax, Medicago and Sanofi carry a spike protein payload.

The FDA Has Approved An Obesity Drug That Helped Some People Drop Weight By 15%

The Associated Press | NPR |

In company-funded studies, participants taking the Novo Nordisk drug Wegovy had average weight loss of about 34 pounds. In a comparison group getting dummy shots, the average loss was under 6 pounds.

FDA Poised For Decision On Controversial Alzheimer's Drug

Jon Hamilton | NPR |

The FDA has until Monday to decide whether to approve the first new Alzheimer's drug in nearly two decades. Two big studies of the drug produced conflicting results.

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Want To Mix 2 Different COVID-19 Vaccines? Canada Is Fine With That

Bill Chappell | NPR |

As of late May, 50.6% of Canada's population had received at least one vaccination shot — but only 4.6% of the population was fully vaccinated.

5 Things We Learned From Anthony Fauci's Emails

Laurel Wamsley | NPR |

Thousands of pages of Dr. Fauci's emails have been released to reporters. Here's what they tell us about his life and manner during the early months of the pandemic.

Expanding Health Coverage Is Top Priority For New Head of Medicare/Medicaid

Julie Rovner | NPR |

Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, the new head of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, says she'll focus her time in charge on getting more Americans insured.