Five Things to Know About MAID in Canada

British Columbia is taking a hard look at its home-sharing program—where people with disabilities live with caregivers in private homes—after a tragic case where a woman with Down syndrome starved to death in a shared home. The province is bringing in outsiders to review the system, signaling they’re not just brushing this under the rug.

Editor’s Note: This isn’t just bureaucratic box-ticking. That death exposed cracks in a system meant to protect vulnerable people, and the review suggests the government knows it’s got to do better. For families relying on these programs, it’s a tense but necessary step—hopefully one that leads to real change.

A 22-year-old man tragically died after he couldn’t afford his asthma inhaler when his insurance stopped covering it. Instead, he left the pharmacy with a cheaper emergency inhaler—later found empty by his father—which wasn’t enough to save him. This heartbreaking case is part of NBC News’ series exposing how people are suffering due to gaps in healthcare coverage.

Editor’s Note: This isn’t just a story about one person’s misfortune—it’s a glaring example of how systemic failures in healthcare can have deadly consequences. When life-saving medications become unaffordable, real people pay the price. It forces us to ask: How many others are risking their lives because they can’t afford basic care?

A heartbreaking report reveals that mothers in Northern Ireland dealing with severe mental health issues are being separated from their newborns—a practice that doesn’t happen elsewhere in the UK. One mother described feeling "like a prisoner" after being forced to leave her baby behind, highlighting a stark disparity in postpartum care.

Editor’s Note: This isn’t just about policy differences—it’s about real families enduring trauma because of outdated or inconsistent systems. Mental health support for new moms is already fragile, and this separation adds another layer of distress. It raises urgent questions about why Northern Ireland’s approach lags behind the rest of the UK and what can be done to fix it.

A 22-year-old named Cole Schmidtknecht, who had asthma and health insurance, died just days after being unable to afford his inhaler when the price suddenly spiked from $70 to over $500 at his local pharmacy. His story highlights how unpredictable drug costs can have devastating, even fatal, consequences.

Editor’s Note: This isn’t just another story about rising drug prices—it’s a life cut short because of them. Cole’s death underscores how brittle the healthcare system can be, even for insured people. When essential meds become unaffordable overnight, real lives are on the line. It’s a wake-up call about who pays the price—literally—for unchecked pharmaceutical pricing.

The CDC is sounding the alarm about measles outbreaks in other countries and advising Americans to get vaccinated before heading overseas this summer. With international travel picking up, health officials want to avoid bringing more cases back to the U.S., where vaccination rates have slipped in some areas.

Editor’s Note: Measles isn’t just a relic of the past—it’s still causing problems worldwide, and unvaccinated travelers can unknowingly bring it home. This warning isn’t just about personal risk; it’s a reminder that vaccines help protect entire communities, especially kids and vulnerable folks who can’t get immunized. If you’ve got summer travel plans, double-check your vaccine status—it’s a quick step that could save a lot of hassle (or worse) down the road.