PBS NewsHour - Health PBS NewsHour

Tyson Foods is one of the world's biggest meat and poultry producers. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, it's also a major polluter in the United States. A new report from the group says Tyson plants dumped more than 371 million pounds of pollutants into U.S. waterways between 2018 and 2022. John Yang speaks with UCS research director Stacy Woods about the report's findings. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

As many as 476,000 people in the U.S. contract Lyme disease each year, according to the CDC. For most people, symptoms go away after two to four weeks of antibiotics, but five to 10 percent of patients have debilitating, long-term symptoms. To discuss, Ali Rogin is joined by Lindsay Keys, who's been battling the disease for years, all while advocating for more awareness and research. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Hospitalizations for COVID are at an all-time low four years after the start of the pandemic, but new variants are in circulation. Meanwhile, bird flu has been found in 36 dairy herds across nine states, though there has been only one confirmed human case so far in 2024. To find out how concerned we should be about all of this, John Yang speaks with epidemiologist Katelyn Jetelina. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

America's population is older than it's ever been, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. About 18 percent of Americans are at least 65 years old, a number that's projected to hit 28 percent in 30 years. And as that demographic grows, some of them are reimagining retirement. Ali Rogin reports for our series, "Rethinking Aging." PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

For former congressman Patrick J. Kennedy, advocating for mental health care is part of his family's legacy. His uncle, President John F. Kennedy, signed the bill that established the nation's community-based mental health care system. Ali Rogin sat down with Patrick Kennedy to discuss his new book, which details the mental health struggles and triumphs of everyday Americans. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In late April, the Biden administration issued new rules designed to keep prosecutors from obtaining medical records of patients who seek legal abortions. The expansion of HIPAA prohibits the disclosure of health information to state officials as part of a criminal investigation. Carmel Shachar, head of the Health Law and Policy Clinic at Harvard University, joins John Yang to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders