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New UW oral health training center doubles number of Spokane dental students

Fri., Sept. 19, 2025

The University of Washington’s new oral health training center doubles the capacity for Spokane-based students training to bring access to dentistry to rural Washington.

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People’s Pharmacy: Taking metoprolol for stage fright

Thu., Sept. 18, 2025

Q. I’ve read that beta blockers are being used for anxiety. I was given metoprolol for stage fright. It lasts only 12 hours and is better than atenolol, which lasts for 24 hours. I am an author. When I read or speak in public, I have terrible nerves that make my voice shake. The medicine is wonderful for me.

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What happens to your hair if you shave, cut or pluck it

Thu., Sept. 18, 2025

The question: Does cutting or shaving hair make it grow back faster, darker or thicker? What about tweezing or waxing?

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Ultra-processed diet decreases male sex hormones, new study suggests

Wed., Sept. 17, 2025

A small but rigorous new study found that eating ultra-processed foods caused otherwise healthy men to quickly gain body fat and led to reductions in their sex hormones. The men also seemed to have accumulated higher levels of a chemical found in plastics and food packaging.

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Pilot program aims to cut waste in Medicare with AI, but critics fear it could delay care

Tue., Sept. 16, 2025

Beginning next year, the federal government will begin using artificial intelligence to determine whether Medicare patients in Washington need prior authorization to receive certain treatments.

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Spokane seems to have dodged measles outbreak as no new cases reported from Sacred Heart exposures

UPDATED: Mon., Sept. 15, 2025

New measles cases in Spokane related to last month’s exposures are unlikely, according to local health officials.

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Why 1 in 6 U.S. parents say they skipped or delayed their kids’ vaccines

UPDATED: Mon., Sept. 15, 2025

The American parents who are choosing to skip or delay vaccines for their children are more likely to home-school their children, be White and very religious, identify as Republican or be under 35, according to a wide-ranging Washington Post-KFF poll that sheds new light on what drives vaccine hesitancy.

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Gonzaga climate report calls for changes at city to protect Spokane from extreme heat and wildfire smoke

Fri., Sept. 12, 2025

A new plan from the Gonzaga Climate Institute calls for the city to better prepare for extreme weather on a more regular basis.

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People’s Pharmacy: Does Cologuard replace colonoscopies?

Thu., Sept. 11, 2025

Q. My doctor prescribed a Cologuard test instead of a colonoscopy. No one mentioned how often Cologuard could result in false positive test results, as mine did. So, a colonoscopy was necessary after all, but it turned out fine. No polyps were detected. How often does that happen?

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Washington health insurance premiums to soar in 2026 amid rising costs and expiring tax credits

UPDATED: Thu., Sept. 11, 2025

Health insurance premiums are set to increase across the board next year in Washington.

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Providence adds 6 pediatricians in Spokane area

UPDATED: Fri., Sept. 5, 2025

While cutting services in other areas, Providence has hired six new pediatricians to serve Spokane-area families.

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Washington restores access to COVID vaccines while brushing aside federal rules

UPDATED: Fri., Sept. 5, 2025

Sidestepping federal restrictions, Washington’s new standing order allows COVID vaccine access without prescription regardless of age or health status.

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West Nile detected in Grant County mosquitos

UPDATED: Fri., Sept. 5, 2025

For the first time since 2023, a sample of mosquitoes caught north of Moses Lake last week tested positive for West Nile virus.

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Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell calls RFK Jr. a ‘charlatan’ in Senate hearing

UPDATED: Thu., Sept. 4, 2025

U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, of Washington, called Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. a “charlatan” over his stance against vaccines during a heated Senate hearing on Thursday.

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People’s Pharmacy: Xdemvy eye drops control pesky eyelid mites

Thu., Sept. 4, 2025

Q. My eyelid was irritated when I saw my ophthalmologist last year. He said I had eyelid mites and had me use Noveha, a tea tree oil-based eyelid cleanser. In addition, I used neo/poly B/Dexamethasone ointment for two weeks. After two weeks, he prescribed Xdemvy and recommended I continue use of the eyelid cleanser.

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West coast states form vaccine recommendation alliance amid CDC instability

UPDATED: Thu., Sept. 4, 2025

Washington will join California and Oregon as part of a West Coast coalition to make their own vaccine recommendations rather than rely on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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To stop spread of spread of measles, Washington law says if student is diagnosed with measles at a school, unvaccinated students will be sent home

UPDATED: Thu., Sept. 4, 2025

Parents of unvaccinated children in Spokane County could be in for more homeschooling this year.

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Federal government to restore removed public health information following lawsuit

UPDATED: Tue., Sept. 2, 2025

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has agreed to restore webpages containing resources for health issues that affect the LGBTQ+ community and information on opioid use by women to settle a lawsuit brought by a collection of medical organizations and public health nonprofits.

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A small change in how you walk may help reduce knee pain

UPDATED: Wed., Sept. 3, 2025

Changing your gait may help you reduce knee arthritis pain. And the relief could be comparable to the effect of over-the-counter pain medications.

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Medicaid cuts threaten ‘devastating blow’ to Idaho nursing homes, hospice care

UPDATED: Tue., Sept. 2, 2025

In our Reality Check stories, Idaho Statesman journalists seek to hold the powerful accountable and find answers to critical questions in our community. Read more. Story idea? Tips@idahostatesman.com. Gary Connell’s senior assisted living center in Nampa will soon have a choice to consider: Should it stop accepting residents on Medicaid? At Table Rock Senior Living at Park Place, the finances ...

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