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A recent study from the Environmental Working Group made the startling discovery that a large percent of Americans tested positive for chlormequat, a crop-warping pesticide which is laced through a staggering 92 percent of oat-based foods bought in May 2023 alone. (Saboto Caesar, 2/28)

It has been well-documented that covid-19 took a devastating toll on emergency departments nationwide, revealing and exploiting the fragility of our acute-care system. Less has been written, however, about the side effects of hospitals’ attempts to recover from that era — one of the most serious of which is the proliferation of boarding. (Hashem Zikry, 2/28)

For years, I have interviewed women around the world who resorted to violence to survive. I have studied hundreds of cases of abused women who were prosecuted for defending themselves and interviewed dozens more in prison. The more I’ve learned about these women, many of whom picked up a gun or knife after decades of abuse, the better I’ve come to understand that sometimes, the vulnerable must turn to violence to live — and that the American legal system is not built to conform to this reality. (Elizabeth Flock, 2/29)

February is American Heart Month – when cardiovascular disease, the No. 1 killer of women, gets its moment in the spotlight. Every year when this month comes around, as co-founders of a women’s heart health organization dedicated to fighting gender inequity in cardiovascular research, treatment and prevention, we wonder the same thing: How far have we come? (Barbra Streisand and Dr. Noel Bairey Merz, 2/29)

Like many Minnesotans who've relied on IVF, Dybvig is increasingly concerned about access to this medical procedure for others struggling to have children. These concerns are valid. After an Alabama court ruling declared that frozen embryos are human beings, high-profile health care systems in that state suspended IVF care. Unfortunately, a bill introduced in Congress called the "Life At Conception Act" would likely have a similar chilling effect on IVF availability nationwide. (2/28)

Racism in the Kansas Legislature’s actions is subtle, but powerful. Lawmakers don’t even have to see us or acknowledge us. Our issues and positions are largely overlooked. (Ford Carr, 2/29)