Addiction to heroin can trap women in a life of sex work and often leave them at risk of exploitation by human traffickers. One national hotline has tracked thousands of calls in the last three years from victims of human trafficking who report struggling with opioid addiction.
Syringe exchange programs are one of the most visible forms of harm reduction — an approach that strives to minimize drug use’s negative effects rather than punish people for using. But the philosophy isn’t without its critics, and an Indiana law means advocates need to debate harm reduction’s merits every year.
Doctors move fast in the ER. Every second counts. That’s why Dr. Gina Huhnke is excited about a new way to quickly check her patients’ history with narcotics. She’s the emergency department director of Deaconess Midtown Hospital in Evansville.
A drug discount program has become a financial lifeline for rural hospitals like Pemiscot County, nearly a third of which are struggling to keep their doors open. Now, a pending rule change may scale it back dramatically. It’s yet another hurdle for rural communities fighting to keep their healthcare local.
In 13 states, including Ohio, Indiana and Wisconsin, people under 18 who are in labor cannot consent to their own health care. They can receive emergency services, but nothing considered to be elective. For the many minors in those places who become pregnant, it's a painful gap in coverage.
