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respiratory

Respiratory illnesses are a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. There are many risk factors for these conditions, including smoking, air pollution, and exposure to certain chemicals.

Articles on this page cover respiratory afflictions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonia, tuberculosis and Covid-19. There’s also coverage of the problems with a key diagnostic tool for measuring oxygen levels in blood, pulse oximeters.

Latest

In the Lab Megan Molteni

A new discovery about carbon dioxide is challenging decades-old ventilation doctrine

Health Usha Lee McFarling

Removing race adjustment from lung test could mean higher disability payments for Black vets

Biotech Elaine Chen

STAT Plus: Eli Lilly’s Zepbound eases obstructive sleep apnea in trials

Health Annalisa Merelli

U.S. to set limits on silica exposure first recommended half a century ago

Health Katherine MacPhail

The latest twist in John Green’s anti-tuberculosis story: working with governments

Health Helen Branswell

RSV monoclonal Beyfortus was 90% effective at preventing hospitalizations in children this winter: CDC

Biotech Jason Laughlin — Boston Globe

STAT Plus: ‘It’s a nightmare’: One of the most common children’s asthma meds is no longer available, leaving families scrambling

In the Lab Isabella Cueto

Mystery of allergic memory gets closer to answer: a rare group of B cells

All Coverage

Health Felice J. Freyer — Boston Globe

STAT Plus: A breakthrough cystic fibrosis drug gave them the gift of time. But miracles come with complications.

Health Megan Molteni

As wildfires burn, scientists race to understand the health dangers of prolonged exposure

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Health Helen Branswell

CDC advisory panel recommends seniors ‘may’ get RSV vaccine

Health Isabella Cueto

The Canada wildfires are exposing the harmful effects — and health inequities — of air pollution

Health J. Emory Parker

How the public health lessons of Covid can help Americans protect themselves from wildfire smoke

Biotech Jason Mast

STAT Plus: Pliant claims early success in hard-to-treat progressive lung disease

Health Isabella Cueto

As respiratory diseases rise, EPA tightens air quality standards

Health Usha Lee McFarling

No one’s quite sure how to fix pulse oximeters. The FDA asked this lab to find answers

Health Usha Lee McFarling

FDA panel asks for improvements in pulse oximeters

Health Usha Lee McFarling and Casey Shenery

Watch: How pulse oximeters work, and why they sometimes do not

First Opinion Richard B. Woodward

Dying of a disease I never knew existed

Health Helen Branswell

Public health experts sketch a roadmap to get from the Covid pandemic to the ‘next normal’

Health Ron Winslow

How a Zoom forum is changing the way ICU doctors treat desperately ill Covid-19 patients

In the Lab Elizabeth Cooney

STAT Plus: A test you can breathe in: Scientists are developing synthetic biosensors to monitor lung disease

On the Front Lines Eric Boodman

For respiratory therapists, a shortage of a simple tube brings a new coronavirus risk

Health Sharon Begley

New analysis recommends less reliance on ventilators to treat coronavirus patients

Health Gabrielle Glaser

He ran marathons and was fit. So why did Covid-19 almost kill him?

Health Nicholas Florko

Are e-cigarette companies helping smokers quit? Survey suggests Americans don’t buy it

Politics Nicholas Florko

STAT Plus: Juul and other e-cig makers to Congress: FDA, not you, should regulate us

In the Lab Eric Boodman

A fitting memorial: Superbug treatment named for the patient who inspired its discovery

Health Nicholas Florko

Congress calls Juul, four other vape companies to testify about youth vaping