Courtenay Harris Bond

courtenay harris bond

Courtenay Harris Bond is the staff writer covering health for PhillyVoice. She enjoys writing about behavioral health, maternal health and inequities in the healthcare system, as well as human rights and criminal justice. A veteran daily newspaper reporter, Courtenay has also written for national outlets, including KFF Health News, Undark Magazine and Filter. She was a 2018 Rosalynn Carter Fellow for Mental Health Journalism and has master's degrees from Columbia Journalism School and the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education.

courtenay@phillyvoice.com

June 8, 2026

Mental Health

Summer may ease pressures on youth, but it's a good time to address mental health concerns

Pressures on youth tend to drop during the summer, making it a great time to prepare them for the mental health challenges that may return with the school year, a therapists says.

June 4, 2026

Healthy Eating

Americans want stricter regulations on ultra-processed food makers, poll shows

The majority of Americans want the federal government to crack down on ultraprocessed food manufacturers, a new survey says. Both Republicans and Democrats agree that there should be more safety testing and labeling of foods high in added sugars and salt.

June 3, 2026

Women's Health

GLP-1 weight-loss drugs may help lower risk of breast cancer, Penn study finds

Women taking GLP-1 weight-loss drugs for obesity and diabetes had a 30% lower risk of breast cancer than women who were not taking those medications, a new Penn study finds.

June 3, 2026

Health Insurance

Trump's new Medicaid work requirements come at huge cost to states, opponents say

The Trump administration has finalized new Medicaid work requirements without providing additional funding for states to implement them. Pennsylvania will have to hire 250 new employees and give additional training to 6,000 others to implement the new rules, state officials say.

June 2, 2026

Addiction

Laughing gas is being used by people to get high. To prevent this, a lawmaker wants to restrict its sale in Pennsylvania

PA lawmaker to introduce ban on nitrous oxide products abused to get high, sometimes called "whippets." Abuse of nitrous oxide can lead to serious health problems, including neuropathy, delusions and bizarre behavior.

June 1, 2026

Illness

New pancreatic cancer pill may revolutionize treatment for the deadly disease, experts say

Pancreatic cancer patients who received he experimental drug daraxonrasib during a clinical trial lived twice as long as those who received chemotherapy, researchers found. The drug may revolutionize pancreatic cancer treatment, they say.

May 28, 2026

Illness

New drug is a potential cure for the chronic hepatitis B, scientists say

Bepirovirsen, a hepatitis B drug awaiting FDA approval, shows the promise of being a functional cure, scientists say. The drug made the hepatitis B virus undetectable within 48 weeks in 20% of patients during a pair of clinical trials.

May 28, 2026

Adult Health

Weight-loss surgeries have plummeted as GLP-1 medications have become popular, study finds

Weight-loss surgeries have plummeted with the growing popularity of GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound, a new study finds. But most people with obesity do not receive either treatment, researchers found.

May 27, 2026

Prevention

Colorectal cancer screening guidelines now include new stool and blood tests

Updated colorectal cancer screening guidelines recommend the use of two new at-home stool tests and, for the first time, a blood test. Colonoscopies remain the gold standard, but the American Cancer Society says alternatives may help improve screening rates.

May 27, 2026

Mental Health

Most college students with psychosis do not get the help they need, study finds

Psychosis can lead to confused thinking, altered behavior and hallucinations, among other symptoms. Early intervention is key for improving quality of life and preventing relapse. But the majority of college students experiencing psychosis are not getting the help they need, a new study says.

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