NASA’s Artemis II lifts off on historic moon mission Four astronauts are expected to loop around the moon in a risky, technically challenging 10-day mission.

Breaking news: Four astronauts lifted off on a 10-day journey to fly by the moon and propel people farther into space than they have ever gone before.

The Artemis II mission is scheduled to loop around the moon for the first time since the Apollo era.

Jury finds Instagram and YouTube liable in a landmark social media addiction trial A jury has found Meta and YouTube liable in a first-of-its-kind lawsuit that aimed to hold social media platforms responsible for harm to children using their services.

A jury recommends Meta and YouTube pay an additional $3 million in punitive damages in a landmark social media addiction trial.

PBMs pivot to fees as clients, regulators shun old ways Key revenue sources for pharmacy benefit managers have gone by the wayside, leading companies to seek new ways to make money.

Now that federal and state governments are writing laws and regulations to crack down on rebates & spread pricing, PBMs are predicted to make up for the lost revenue by imposing larger fees on employer-sponsored health plans and drugmakers when they draw up contracts with clients.

Pittsburgh police step up patrols as threats, slurs continue to air on police radio Pittsburgh city officials say police are increasing their patrols around religious institutions in some areas following a third day of threatening and hateful messages broadcast over a public safety r...

Pittsburgh city officials say police are increasing their patrols around religious institutions in some areas following a third day of threatening and hateful messages broadcast over a public safety radio channel.

Can a digital tablet cut back a country's overuse of antibiotics? Overprescribing antibiotics breeds antibiotic resistance. A new tool aims to lower a notably high rate of such prescriptions in Rwanda.

Overprescribing antibiotics breeds antibiotic resistance. A new tool aims to lower a notably high rate of such prescriptions in Rwanda. n.pr/4u6bswd

Greetings from Tokyo, Japan! I’m here this month as part of a reporting trip with the @healthjournalism.org to learn more about how the country supports people living with dementia.

Pa. pharmacists call on the state to take a bigger role in how they’re paid for Medicaid patients • Pennsylvania Capital-Star Their plan would sideline middlemen in the pharmaceutical supply chain known as pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, which have come under increased scrutiny in recent years.

As hundreds of pharmacies close across Pennsylvania, some are asking the state to play a bigger role in how they’re paid for drugs dispensed to Medicaid patients. Their plan would sideline middlemen in the pharmaceutical supply chain — pharmacy benefit managers.
penncapital-star.com/health-care/...

Prior authorization delayed Pittsburgh teen's cancer treatment. This org helped her fight back Prior authorization requires doctors to get approval from a patient’s insurance company before they’ll cover a procedure, prescription or a service such as an imaging exam. Companies use the process a...

Prior authorization delayed a Pittsburgh teenager’s brain cancer treatment. But a Philadelphia-based nonprofit helped her family through the appeals process labyrinth.
www.wesa.fm/health-scien...

Pittsburgh judge again rejects DOJ access to transgender youth medical records at UPMC In an order Monday, Judge Cathy Bissoon reaffirmed her December denial of the DOJ’s subpoena to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh for records.

In an order Monday, Judge Cathy Bissoon reaffirmed her December denial of the DOJ’s subpoena to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh for records and rejected the DOJ’s offer to accept anonymized records.

Longtime Pittsburgh radio and TV host Chris Moore retires after decades at WQED, KDKA Chris Moore, longtime host of WQED TV's Black Horizons, will retire after his call-in show this Sunday on KDKA radio.

I count myself lucky to have produced a number of Chris Moore's Sunday radio shows as a young producer at KDKA a decade ago. He's a legendary talent and so generous with his time and wisdom. He also had the very best bumper music.

www.wesa.fm/arts-culture...

DNA sequencing identifies '92 Pittsburgh homicide victim, cracks medical examiner's oldest cold case Despite decades of chasing leads, investigators had been unable to identify the victim of a 1992 homicide on the North Side. Until now. Scientists used forensic-grade genome sequencing to build a comp...

Cutting-edge genealogy has cracked the oldest cold case of an unidentified person at the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's office. Forensic genome sequencing — increasingly used to identify crime suspects — led investigators to the identity of a 1992 homicide victim.

www.wesa.fm/courts-justi...

OK so now the former CEO of Tumblr is running the Washington Post. Tumblr. A company whose history is a textbook case study in corporate value destruction.

We found at least 18 of the drugs on TrumpRx have cheaper generics available ranging from potential savings of over $600 for Tikosyn to just around $2 for Diflucan. Most of the drugs are made by Pfizer.

So about TrumpRx: We crunched the numbers today and about half of the drugs on there have cheaper generics available already. www.statnews.com/2026/02/06/t...

‘People feel for this family': Officials respond to Oakmont ICE arrest ICE has remained tight-lipped about the reasons they took Jose Flores into custody last Thursday. His family has said he has a valid asylum claim and work permit.

The recent arrest of an immigrant from Nicaragua living in Oakmont is generating confusion from neighbors and blowback from local elected officials. They’re seeking clarity about the situation from ICE, but say the agency lacks transparency and has been largely unresponsive to their questions.

Former Pittsburgh Mayor Gainey appointed to state gaming control board The new position comes with a $145,018 salary, per information available as of December. The board oversees the state’s gambling industry, regulating slot machines and table games at casinos, as well ...

New from me and @cpotterpgh.bsky.social — former Pittsburgh mayor just got a new job!
www.wesa.fm/politics-gov...

A drop in CDC health alerts leaves doctors 'flying blind' Doctors and public health officials are concerned about the drop in health alerts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention since President Trump returned for a second term.

Doctors and public health officials are concerned about the drop in health alerts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention since President Trump returned for a second term. n.pr/3O3LRna

With ICE Using Medicaid Data, Hospitals and States Are in a Bind Over Warning Immigrant Patients - KFF Health News The Trump administration’s move to give deportation officials access to Medicaid data is forcing hospitals and states to consider alerting immigrant patients that information from emergency medical co...

After the Trump administration gave deportation officials access to Medicaid data, hospitals and states are in a bind over whether to alert patients that their information could help ICE locate them.

Trump administration officials blocked FDA effort to fast-track review of psychedelic treatment Trump administration officials vetoed the FDA's plan to fast-track the review of a psychedelic treatment for severe depression, STAT has learned.

The White House has to approve all voucher recipients, and Trump officials have used the promise of speedier reviews to reward companies that help them advance political priorities. The episode involving Compass underscores the ways in which political pressure has shaped the voucher program.

Measles outbreak confirmed in Lancaster County An outbreak of measles has been confirmed in Lancaster County, about 250 miles east of Pittsburgh. The Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed via...

In this @hannamwebster.bsky.social piece I’m quoted about a measles outbreak in Lancaster county Pennsylvania—Not surprising given that the virus is basically on the verge of becoming endemic again and the low rate of vaccination in that area www.post-gazette.com/news/health/...

Washington Post eliminates sports department and reduces overseas journalists, AP source says The troubled Washington Post has begun implementing large-scale cutbacks, including eliminating its sports department and shrinking the number of journalists it stations overseas.

BREAKING: The Washington Post eliminates its sports department and reduces overseas journalists in large-scale cuts, an AP source says.

Two CBP Agents Identified in Alex Pretti Shooting The two federal immigration agents who fired on Minneapolis protester Alex Pretti are identified in government records as Border Patrol agent Jesus Ochoa and Customs and Border Protection officer Raym...

BREAKING: The two federal immigration agents who fired on Minneapolis protester Alex Pretti are identified in government records as Border Patrol agent Jesus Ochoa and Customs and Border Protection officer Raymundo Gutierrez.

Catherine O'Hara, who starred in 'Home Alone' and 'Schitt's Creek,' dies at 71 O'Hara enjoyed a six-decade career in TV and films playing sometimes over-the-top, but endearing characters. "I loved playing cocky untalented people," she told Fresh Air in 1992.

O'Hara enjoyed a six-decade career in TV and films playing sometimes over-the-top, but endearing characters. "I loved playing cocky untalented people," she told Fresh Air in 1992. n.pr/4q2AuZT

“The AAP formerly partnered with the CDC to create a unified set of vaccine recommendations, but recent changes to the CDC immunization schedule depart from longstanding medical evidence and no longer offer the optimal way to prevent illnesses in children.”

From pushing stuck cars yesterday to half the block joining in to dig out parked cars today — in Pittsburgh, there will always be helpers.❄️

Formal U.S. withdrawal from WHO is decried as ‘scientifically reckless’ Trump justified withdrawing from the health alliance formed in 1948 based on what he viewed as the “mishandling” of the coronavirus pandemic and a failure to adopt changes.

NEW: US formally exits WHO. U.S. officials say nation will remain a global leader in health, but through “existing and new engagements directly with other countries, the private sector, nongovernmental organizations, and faith-based entities.” My story.
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2026/...

Kindergarten vaccination rates at many Pittsburgh-area schools are below herd immunity One in three kindergarteners in Allegheny County were in a classroom with vaccination rates below the herd immunity threshold during the 2023-2024 school year.

1 in 3 kindergarteners in Allegheny County were in a classroom with MMR vaccination rates below the herd immunity threshold during the 2023-2024 school year.

My @wesa.fm colleague Jillian Forstadt & I took a look at some school-level immunization data for this story.
www.wesa.fm/health-scien...

Kindergarten vaccination rates at many Pittsburgh-area schools are below herd immunity One in three kindergarteners in Allegheny County were in a classroom with vaccination rates below the herd immunity threshold during the 2023-2024 school year.

1 in 3 kindergarteners in Allegheny County were in a classroom with MMR vaccination rates below the herd immunity threshold during the 2023-2024 school year.

My @wesa.fm colleague Jillian Forstadt & I took a look at some school-level immunization data for this story.
www.wesa.fm/health-scien...

Nearly 15,000 Nurses Go on Strike at Major New York City Hospitals

Nearly 15k nurses at some of New York's top hospitals went on strike today to demand minimum staffing ratios, better security and better pay.

This major health care labor showdown comes amid a historic severe flu season in NYC.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/12/n...

Kindergarten vaccination rates at many Pittsburgh-area schools are below herd immunity One in three kindergarteners in Allegheny County were in a classroom with vaccination rates below the herd immunity threshold during the 2023-2024 school year.

In this @kileykoscinski.bsky.social @wesa.fm piece I’m quoted about declining vaccination rates in schools and severely flawed federal guidance on vaccines www.wesa.fm/health-scien...

Note for those who don’t read the story (tsk): abortion care will continue at Planned Parenthood’s Pittsburgh location. Other family planning will be paused.