Why a new opioid alternative is out of reach for some pain patients

Donald Trump’s push to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (D.E.I.) programs isn’t just affecting marginalized groups—it’s also hitting rural, white Americans harder than expected. Many of these communities rely on federal grants and initiatives tied to D.E.I. for things like job training, healthcare access, and small-business support. Without those resources, they’re feeling the pinch, too.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has called off a meeting of a major preventive health panel that decides which screenings and preventive care services insurance must cover. This comes on the heels of his recent decision to dismiss 17 members of a CDC vaccine advisory committee—a move he claims will rebuild public confidence in vaccines, though critics argue it undermines expert oversight.

Editor’s Note: Kennedy’s actions signal a shake-up in how health recommendations are made—and who gets to make them. With these panels playing a crucial role in shaping insurance coverage and vaccine policies, sidelining experts could ripple out to affect everything from your doctor’s advice to what’s covered under your plan. Whether this actually boosts trust or just fuels more skepticism is up for debate.

The U.S. Department of Justice has issued subpoenas to over 20 doctors and clinics that provide gender-affirming medical care to minors, signaling a potential escalation in federal scrutiny of transgender healthcare for young people.

Editor’s Note: This isn’t just bureaucratic paperwork—it’s a move that could have real consequences for transgender youth and their access to care. With gender-affirming treatments already a hot-button political issue, these subpoenas suggest the DOJ may be building a case or gathering evidence, possibly signaling a broader legal or policy shift. For families and providers, it adds another layer of uncertainty in an already fraught debate over medical rights and personal autonomy.

The FDA has released a batch of letters that reveal its initial reservations about certain new drugs before they were ultimately approved. While many of these documents were already public, the collection highlights the back-and-forth between regulators and drugmakers—showing what hurdles medications had to clear before getting the green light.

Editor’s Note: This isn’t about unsafe drugs slipping through—it’s a peek behind the curtain at how the FDA scrutinizes medications before approval. For patients and doctors, it’s a reminder that even approved drugs often face tough questions about safety or effectiveness early on. Transparency like this helps demystify the process, even if the final outcome doesn’t change.

A surprising number of women report feeling intense pain during C-sections, despite the assumption that they should be numb under anesthesia. Susan Burton, a reporter and podcast host, digs into why this happens—whether it’s due to anesthesia errors, systemic gaps in care, or simply not being believed when they speak up. It’s a stark reminder that even routine medical procedures can go uncomfortably wrong.

Editor’s Note: Childbirth is already stressful enough without the added fear of being awake and in pain during surgery. This story matters because it exposes a hidden, often dismissed experience that many women face—raising bigger questions about how patients, especially women, are heard (or not) in medical settings. If this many people are reporting pain, something’s clearly slipping through the cracks.