Health Care
Alabama’s racial, ethnic health disparities are ‘more severe’ than other states, report says
Data from the Commonwealth Fund show that the quality of care people receive and their health outcomes worsened because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
IVF could help her start the family she wants. Will Alabama’s personhood law derail it?
Despite a law meant to protect IVF in Alabama, patients and advocates worry the protections won’t hold — and warn of future attacks on reproductive rights.
What happens when a rural hospital shuts its doors? Look to Pickens County
Residents in the west Alabama county warn that the lack of emergency care can have deadly consequences. It's a fate that could befall a growing number of rural communities.
Alabama pharmacists urge lawmakers to pass HB 238
Supporters of the legislation say it would create a more transparent reimbursement system for struggling pharmacies. The bill's opponents worry it could drive up insurance costs.
Two Alabama IVF providers resume treatment under new law
Patients celebrated the new legislation, which grants civil and criminal immunity to providers involved in IVF procedures.
Alabama governor signs legislation protecting IVF providers from legal liability into law
Republican Gov. Kay Ivey signed the bill after it was approved in a late-night session by lawmakers scrambling to address a wave of criticism after services were halted at some of the state's largest fertility clinics.
Alabama IVF patients describe heartbreak, anger after ruling
The panel of patients came in the wake of an Alabama Supreme Court ruling that called into question the future of some fertility treatments in the state.
Alabama fertility care in limbo as lawmakers discuss legislation
As patients lose access to care, the clock is ticking for Alabama lawmakers to agree on legislation to protect IVF.
A mother asks what’s next after Alabama Supreme Court ruling that frozen embryos are children
Dr. Aubrey Coleman, who’s a mom, pediatrician, and IVF patient, discusses the far-reaching repercussions of the Alabama Supreme Court ruling that finds embryos are legally the same as children.
How an Alabama court ruling that frozen embryos are children could affect IVF
The Alabama Supreme Court recently ruled that frozen embryos can be considered children under state law, raising concerns about how the decision could affect in vitro fertilization, commonly known as IVF.
UAB puts pause on IVF in wake of ruling saying frozen embryos are children
The University of Alabama at Birmingham health system said in a statement that it must evaluate whether its patients or doctors could face criminal charges or punitive damages for undergoing IVF treatments.
Alabama Supreme Court rules frozen embryos are ‘children’ under state law
The decision, issued in a pair of wrongful death cases brought by couples who had frozen embryos destroyed in an accident at a fertility clinic, brought a rush of warnings from advocates who said it would have sweeping implications for fertility treatments.
Opioid overdoses are on the rise. A Louisiana medical student believes Narcan training can help
Losing his brother to an overdose inspired Jacob Bassin to arm his fellow medical students with free doses of Narcan and train them on how to use it.
Alabama judge puts a temporary hold on medical marijuana companies
A Montgomery circuit judge issued a temporary restraining order late Wednesday to stop the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission from issuing licenses for “integrated” facilities that grow, transport and sell medical marijuana. The coveted licenses will be on hold while he hears a challenge to the selection process.
Why trees are an environmental and health Swiss army knife
Cool Green Trees plants trees in under-resourced communities in the Birmingham area to help mitigate climate change and advance environmental justice initiatives.
The flu is soaring in the South and rising elsewhere
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted new flu data on Friday, showing very high activity last week in Louisiana, and high activity in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, New Mexico and South Carolina.
LGBTQ doctors are leaving the Gulf South due to discrimination: ‘We weren’t welcome anymore’
The loss of specialized doctors due to the influx of anti-LGBTQ laws is the latest blow to a region already dealing with a shortage of health care providers.
Pastor’s suicide brings grief, warnings of the dangers of outing amid erosion of LGBTQ+ rights
Copeland he took his own life two days after a conservative news site exposed social media posts where he appeared in women’s clothing, a wig and makeup.
Court ruling offers temporary victory for Alabama birth centers
The preliminary injunction requires Alabama public health officials to license birth centers that meet certain national standards.
After 12 years and a pandemic, Jefferson County’s health officer steps down
Dr. Mark Wilson is well-known for leading residents through the COVID-19 pandemic, but his legacy includes a larger effort to expand the role of public health.
Q&A: Why New Orleans’ unhoused people face increased danger from relentless heat
Delaney Nolan discusses her report for The Guardian that revealed a spike in heat-related illness calls among New Orleans’ unhoused people this summer.
With spread of fentanyl, opioids kill record number of Black men in Birmingham
The number of opioid overdose deaths among Black men in Jefferson County has quadrupled since 2019, sparking action from residents and health experts.
A ‘catastrophic’ loss: Severe heat puts a heavy strain on rural farmers in the Gulf South
For one family of farmers in Louisiana, this year’s record-breaking extreme heat is taking a toll on both their crops and their health.
In fight to remove divisive New Orleans highway, activists turn to new strategy — an EPA study
The Claiborne Avenue Alliance hopes a study on the health impacts caused by the expressway will support efforts to remediate and potentially remove the highway.
A campaign aims to bridge the breastfeeding gap for Black mothers in the Gulf South
Despite its well-documented advantages, many regions in the US — especially in the South — continue to grapple with low breastfeeding rates. States like Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana have some of the the lowest rates in the country.
Alabama can enforce ban on puberty blockers and hormones for transgender children, court says
A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals lifted a judge’s temporary injunction against enforcing the law. The judge has scheduled trial for April 2 on whether to permanently block the law.
A medical equipment company is trying to turn the tide on the Gulf South’s ‘diaper divide’
Aeroflow Healthcare has been pushing state lawmakers to end sales tax on necessary items such as diapers, breast pumps and other incontinence products.
7 cases of tuberculosis found in 4 Alabama chicken processing plants
Alabama state health officials are asking workers in the region’s poultry industry and their close contacts to get screened for TB after the outbreak.
Lawsuit challenges Alabama’s ‘de facto ban’ on freestanding birth centers
The lawsuit — filed by the operators of one birth center that closed and two others that paused plans to open — asks a judge to block the Alabama Department of Public Health from requiring the facilities be licensed as hospitals.
As infertility rates rise, data shows much of the US lives in a ‘fertility desert’
Factors like the cost of treatment, the location of clinics and a lack of specialized doctors have contributed to the lack of care across the country.
NIH selects UAB’s Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo to replace Dr. Anthony Fauci
Marrazzo, who has led UAB's Division of Infectious Diseases since 2016, served as a national expert throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Those struggling with addiction meet ‘law and order’ treatment in Walker County
Anthony Mitchell allegedly froze to death after spending 14 days in a concrete room at the Walker County Jail according to a federal lawsuit his family filed in February. The case is drawing attention to how law enforcement treats those struggling with addiction.
