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Almost unnoted, the fourth anniversary of the beginning of the COVID pandemic in the U.S. passed in January. Missteps made in the early weeks of that tragedy, however, still offer vital lessons about what public health agencies need to do better to keep us safe. (Jill Taylor, Ewa King and Scott Becker, 2/12)

It is normal to be more forgetful as you get older. Broadly speaking, memory functions begin to decline in our 30s and continue to fade into old age. However, age in and of itself doesn’t indicate the presence of memory deficits that would affect an individual’s ability to perform in a demanding leadership role. (Charan Ranganath, 2/12)

Gyasi Sellers, a native of Springfield, was among the first entrepreneurs to get a license to deliver marijuana in the state. His mission was “to serve communities that have suffered under the war on drugs and to provide job training and skills to ex-offenders.” But because marijuana is still an illegal drug under federal law, his highly regulated state business can’t get a loan from the federal Small Business Administration. (2/13)

When the public health emergency around covid-19 ended, vaccines and treatments became commercial products, meaning companies could charge for them as they do other pharmaceuticals. Paxlovid, the highly effective antiviral pill that can prevent covid from becoming severe, now has a list price of nearly $1,400 for a five-day treatment course. (Leana S. Wen, 2/13)

There's always a flip side to those living-your-best-life images featured in prescription drug ads. The medication may aid an ailment, but there's often a long list of potential side effects to consider. The decision comes down to whether the advantages outweigh the trade-offs. (2/12)

The U.S. Surgeon General has a warning for Americans about a pervasive condition that worsens the risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety and premature death. (Jessica Bakeman, 2/12)