Local Health Alerts
This Is Why Prescription Drugs Are So Expensive
High U.S. prescription drug costs are driven by a lack of price regulation, patent monopolies, and complex supply chain mechanics involving pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) that incentivize high list prices. Infographics highlight that these factors, combined with extensive marketing spend over R&D, lead…
CMS Hospital Price Transparency Enforcement: How to Estimate Costs from Posted Prices
CMS will begin enforcing updated hospital price transparency requirements for CY 2026 on April 1, 2026. The goal is to make it easier to compare prices before care—but posted hospital charges still won’t perfectly predict what you’ll pay after insurance. Here’s what CMS…
Cyclospora outbreak tied to Taylor Farms lettuce: what to do if you’re sick
If you’ve had watery diarrhea after eating certain iceberg lettuce, CDC and FDA say it may be linked to Cyclospora. Here’s how to replace fluids and electrolytes, what to tell your clinician about testing, and when diarrhea symptoms mean you should get urgent…
FDA’s July 2026 non-device software update: AI apps and patient safety
On July 14, 2026, FDA asked the public for input as it prepares its next report on “non-device software functions,” including certain forms of limited clinical decision support. Here’s what FDA is asking—and practical ways patients, caregivers, and clinicians-adjacent readers can verify AI-generated…
What FDA’s fall 2026 COVID-19 vaccine formula update (JN.1 XFG) means
FDA advised that the U.S. 2026–2027 seasonal COVID-19 vaccine should use a monovalent JN.1-lineage XFG target for use beginning in fall 2026. Here’s what a “formula update” changes, how families can think about timing with CDC guidance, who should be especially deliberate, and…
If intranasal epinephrine doesn’t work right away: anaphylaxis steps
Anaphylaxis is a medical emergency. Use your prescribed intranasal (nasal) epinephrine at the first signs, repeat after 5 minutes if symptoms aren’t improving, and call 911—then go to the ER for emergency treatment and monitoring.
FDA Expands Casgevy to Age 2: What It Means for Families
On July 1, 2026, the FDA expanded Casgevy (exagamglogene autotemcel) so some children with sickle cell disease (SCD) as young as age 2 can be evaluated for this one-time, CRISPR-based gene therapy. Here’s what changed, what the trial endpoints measured, what families can…
Self-Collected HPV Testing for Cervical Cancer: What’s New and Next Steps
Starting with 2027 plan years, HRSA-updated cervical cancer screening guidance includes an option for eligible patients to self-collect a sample for high-risk HPV (hrHPV) testing. Here’s who qualifies, how self-collection works, the usual screening intervals, and what to do if your result is…
CMS/HHS final 2027 Marketplace rules: verification and lower fees
CMS finalized the 2027 ACA Health Insurance Marketplace rules that tighten eligibility verification—especially for some people enrolling through Special Enrollment Periods—and put safeguards around premium tax credit eligibility. The rule also lowers Exchange user fees, which could affect insurer pricing, but the consumer…
FDA Recall: Baxter IV Cefazolin Bags With Cardboard Particulates—What to Do
FDA posted a voluntary nationwide recall (July 24, 2026) of one lot of Baxter IV cefazolin in dextrose bags after cardboard-type particles were reported in the solution. Here’s how to confirm the exact lot, what symptoms to watch for, and what your care…
Measles Is Surging: What Families Need to Do About MMR Records and School Exposure
Measles activity has been rising in the United States in 2026, and schools and families are again fielding questions about MMR records—especially when records are missing or incomplete. This step-by-step guide explains how “vaccinated” is typically determined from documentation, what to do while…
Wildfire Smoke and Asthma: What Families Can Do Now (and When to Get Help)
Wildfire smoke can irritate airways and trigger asthma symptoms—especially in children, older adults, and people with lung or heart conditions. The good news: you can make a simple “smoke plan” around air quality (AQI), cleaner indoor air, and the right kind of particle…
