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.
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
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 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 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.May 26, 2026
Health Stories
As a child of the '80s, I got sunburn all the time. Now, I get regular check-ups for skin cancer
As a child of the 1980s, I've had my fair share of sunburns, having grown up at a time when wearing sunscreen wasn't prioritized. Here are some tips for protecting your skin and preventing skin cancer.May 26, 2026
Health News
Patients of Rittenhouse Square dentist suspended for 'unsanitary practices' are 'beside themselves,' attorney says
Patients of the Rittenhouse Square dentist whose license was suspended for unsanitary practices say they feel betrayed, a local attorney says. Patients of Smiles at Rittenhouse, run by Dr. Kirti Chopra, are being advised to undergo testing for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C.May 22, 2026
Addiction
Philly may crack down on smoke shops that sell kratom and hemp products. But some say the proposal lacks thought
Philadelphia is considering ways to crack down on smoke shops that sell unregulated drugs, including kratom and hemp-derived products. Legislation would limit the sale of kratom and hemp-derived products, and penalize landlords that rent to smoke shops that fail to follow new restrictions.May 21, 2026
Health News
Jefferson Einstein Hospital nurses protest system's cuts to pediatric care
Nurses at Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital protested planned cuts to pediatric care. Shuttering the hospital's pediatric unit and closing and transferring other local practices will make it harder for new moms and babies to get follow-up care, nurses said.Just In
- Which Eagles have the most at stake headed into training camp?
- Persistent financial stress may cause the brain to age faster, study finds
- Red Cross declares national blood crisis, offers incentives for donations
- New Jersey bans 'surveillance pricing' for grocery items
- How deaf Philadelphians developed their own sign language 'accent'
- Sixers and Jaylen Brown eligible to negotiate one-year contract extension
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