Wen: Md. a leader in protecting Planned Parenthood
Maryland has become a leader in the fight to protect women’s access to reproductive and preventive health care, said Dr. Leana Wen, president of Planned Parenthood and the former Baltimore City health commissioner. “I’m proud to be a Marylander,” she said in an interview. “Our Maryland champions are some of the first out of the gate […]
Looking back, Leana Wen wishes she’d pushed Md. harder for funds
Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen will leave her post this week, one whirlwind month after announcing she would become the new national president of Planned Parenthood. At Planned Parenthood Wen will travel the nation in support of the organization’s mission of providing sexual health care and preserving access for women to abortion services. […]
Two crucial hires for Baltimore
Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh now has two of the most important jobs in her administration to fill.
Wen takes helm of Planned Parenthood amid unprecedented challenges
Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen has been named the new president of Planned Parenthood. Wen, an emergency room physician by training, has led the city health department since 2015 and has been a leading figure in the fight in Maryland to combat opioid abuse. She takes over the national leadership of an organization […]
Democrats, health leaders protest potential loss of women’s health service funds
Maryland’s congressional delegation and Baltimore City officials denounced Monday a proposed federal rule that they say could restrict access to women’s health and reverse work made to improve health outcomes, especially for poor women. A proposed rule change at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services would prevent health care providers that receive Title […]
Baltimore law barring soda from kids’ meals takes effect
A Baltimore law took effect Wednesday requiring restaurants to include non-sugary drinks as the default option in kids’ meals.
Baltimore expands telehealth program for seniors
Baltimore has extended the Telehealth Intervention Program for Seniors program in the Park Heights community, hoping to reduce emergency room and hospital visits and emergency room visits.
Baltimore hospitals, city work to create substance abuse best practices
Baltimore hospitals will look to adopt a series of best practices as part of a citywide response to the opioid epidemic. The Levels of Care program will publicly recognize hospitals that have established certain treatments and support services for opioid misuse. “What we are seeing in our emergency room is often 50 percent or more […]
Baltimore to join lawsuit to restore teen pregnancy education funding
Baltimore city next week will join a federal lawsuit asking the federal government to restore promised grant funding to a program that provides evidence-based education to reduce teen birth rates. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ended the five-year program two years early, leaving the city without $3.5 million to put toward its […]
Affordable prescription drugs a human right
Mrs. M is a 65-year-old woman who couldn’t afford medications for her diabetes and heart problems. She began cutting her pills into half, then into thirds and quarters. One day, she suffered a massive heart attack. She was able to be resuscitated, but her heart function is so poor that she can barely walk from […]
Baltimore health official endorsing drug affordability plan
Baltimore’s health commissioner is scheduled to endorse plans to improve prescription drug affordability. Dr. Leana Wen is scheduled to express her support for the proposal on Wednesday in Baltimore. The proposals are backed by the Maryland Health Care for All Coalition. The group is urging the Maryland General Assembly to require drug price transparency to […]
Clinton joins Baltimore leaders in urging more funds to combat opioids
A week after President Donald Trump declared the nation’s opioid problem a public health emergency, Baltimore leaders, joined by former President Bill Clinton, are calling for more resources to be devoted to easing the crisis. The former president’s foundation Saturday released a report on the opioid crisis with Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health, lay[...]