Open enrollment for Medicare begins this week.

Fewer than 6% of American physicians identify as Black, but census data show roughly 12% of the U.S. population is Black. Some experts say that disparity is one reason communities of color tend to experience worse health outcomes in the U.S., including higher rates of high blood pressure, shorter life expectancy and higher risks during childbirth. A new book from a former ProPublica reporter links today’s inequalities to a long history of structural racism — part of which runs through North Carolina.

Vaccination is the best way to protect yourself against measles. For most adults, one shot of the MMR is considered enough protection. But there are certain situations that call for a second dose.

An antibiotic morning-after pill has been shown to be effective for preventing STIs among gay men, but some doctors worry about antibiotic resistance. This story discusses STIs and their symptoms.

Listeners of NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday may already know that host Ayesha Rascoe loves horror. But why do scream queens (and kings) like her like what's frightening? The answer may surprise you.

Her epic ride — carrying her injured dad on her $20 hot pink bicycle — made headlines. Promises were made — financial help, training for a cycling career, even a movie deal. Were any of them kept?

A group of international researchers is pushing to rigorously study the potential health benefits of sauna and other heat therapies. They hope to bring scientific legitimacy to the age-old practices.

Scant data about serious adverse effects makes it harder to answer scientific and legal questions about how often the drugs might cause serious harm like blindness or pancreatitis.

A global treaty signed by 197 countries — including Russia — requires reporting any death that could be a sign of an outbreak to come.

A study from Common Sense Media says most safeguards in ChatGPT for Teens failed. The chatbot talks to teens like a friend and doesn't alert parents when users talk about self-harm and suicide.

Middle schooler Cora Walsh of Long Island, N.Y., has won the 2026 NPR Student Podcast Challenge with a story about her journey with dyslexia.

Why one teen can't let go of the time he ate fries with his great-grandpa.