Flu vaccines must be updated annually to best match circulating strains of the virus. Vaccines made with the Nobel Prize-winning mRNA technology are faster to manufacturer than other types.

Oak Park’s West Suburban Medical Center and Uptown’s Weiss Hospital both closed this year following federal funding cuts and reports of poor infrastructure and working conditions.

While hospitals have so far not reported major disruptions to services, more frequent supply shortages show the need for contingency plans.

Most Illinois retailers will be required to accept cash payments beginning in 2028 under a bill Gov. JB Pritzker signed on Friday.

For only the second time in its history, the American Red Cross has declared a national blood supply crisis.

The bill is designed to protect abortion-seekers in Illinois from potential retaliation by shielding their digital medical records from out-of-state entities.

Illinois is among the top 13 states seeing a rise in alpha-gal syndrome cases caused by a bite from the lone star tick, with residents living in southern Illinois at the highest risk.

A federal lawsuit filed last week seeks to block an Illinois law allowing doctors to help terminally ill patients end their own lives ahead of its Sept. 12 effective date.

Eligible pharmacies in rural and medically underserved communities will receive over $56,000 on Friday, aimed at keeping doors open and expanding services.

Nurses at Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital rallied outside the hospital Thursday in a planned one-day strike after they allege nurses were fired by management in retaliation for trying to form a union. The hospital denied retaliating against employees.

Advocates argue the legislation will secure legal protections for Illinois children if they are placed in other states. Republican legislators fought the bill, arguing it infringes on other states and might deepen administrative burdens on DCFS.

The immunization schedule is specifically for pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women.

According to a report earlier this year from the Guttmacher Institute, an organization that advocates for and researches abortion access, nearly a quarter of all people seeking an abortion outside the state where they live came to Illinois.

Medications like Ozempic and Wegovy have been prescribed for patients to manage diabetes, obesity and other conditions. However, the soaring popularity of the drugs has some healthcare workers concerned over their accessibility to vulnerable populations. 

The push comes after a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling blocked a lower court decision that temporarily prohibited the use of telehealth for abortion care.

“Unheard Voices of Care: Filipino Nurses in America” runs until Aug. 2 at the International Museum of Surgical Science. The exhibit highlights stories of Filipino nurses from the 1940s to present day.