The explosive popularity of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound is transforming the way Americans treat obesity, with demand soaring beyond doctors’ offices and into online marketplaces, med spas and unregulated gray-market vendors. And while the medications are helping many people lose significant weight and improve their health, one Madison doctor warns the trend is outpacing the science.
Dr. James H. Stein, a cardiologist at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, said a patient who listened to a podcast episode about cardiology now might arrive at his clinic and announce, “I have advanced heart disease and I need a coronary CT angiogram and I need you to measure my homocysteine level.”
Within the next five years, Wisconsin should have more workers who can help run clinical trials for important research.
That’s the aim of a new program that Madison Area Technical College and the UW-Madison School of Medicine are launching in 2027.
During a panel discussion at the U.S. News Healthcare of Tomorrow conference today in Washington, D.C., Antman; Dr. Sanjay Desai, vice dean for education at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Maryland; Dr. Robert N. Golden, professor and dean emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison; and Dr. Alison J. Whelan, chief academic officer at the Association of American Medical Colleges, discussed ways to reduce the financial burden for aspiring doctors.
A Madison man was arrested Wednesday morning after police say he attempted to sexually assault a hospital employee at UW Health University Hospital while armed with a knife.
Rural areas of Wisconsin typically rely on volunteers to staff their EMS and fire departments. While the courage of those individuals is necessary, it can translate to longer wait times for patients in critical condition.
The towns of Manitowish Waters, Boulder Junction, Presque Isle and Winchester in Vilas County used to rely on volunteers, and have collaborated in a first-of-its-kind way to solve that problem.
“You’re hoping on people that are working full time jobs and they have families, and are they available?” said Jason Joling, Chief of the Northwoods EMS District.
Participating in physical activity, particularly while surrounded by “elements of nature,” can improve classroom focus and concentration for young students, said Dr. Dipesh Navsaria, a UW professor of pediatrics and human development and family studies. Yet environmental and economic disparities can prove significant barriers to many, he said.
Q: I eat frozen yogurt regularly, assuming it’s better for me than ice cream. Is it?
Since frozen yogurt took off in the 1970s, it has been pitched as a healthier alternative to ice cream. In TCBY advertisements from the 1990s, their low-calorie, nonfat version was said to have “all of the pleasure, none of the guilt.” Today, some Greek yogurt shops tout gut-friendly probiotic benefits.
A new federal rule aimed at increasing access to nutritious foods for SNAP recipients is raising questions for some small grocery stores in rural communities.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced in May that retailers participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will be required to carry a wider variety of staple foods beginning in November.
UW Health has delivered prescriptions to their patients’ homes since 2012, but now those deliveries will come much faster.
For patients in Dane County, UW Health can now deliver prescriptions to the patient’s home the day after the order is placed – for free, Aaron Webb, the director of ambulatory care pharmacy services at UW Health said Tuesday.
“We are trying to make this as convenient as possible for patients, by meeting them where they are,” Webb explained.
Prescription home delivery through UW Health used to take several days, using outside vendors such as USPS and UPS.
Summer is here and with children already or about to be on summer break, many parents are looking for productive ways for their children to spend their break.
UW Health Dr. Shilagh Mirgain shares some budget friendly summer activities for children.
While students may be done with homework for the summer, that doesn’t mean they have to stop reading.
Dr. Mirgain suggests visiting a library for books and fun.
It took something as small as the width of a motorcycle tire to change Jack Brucks’ life forever.
Brucks, then 10 years old, was riding a single-piston motorcycle in a flat-track training session — his specialty — in Texas when his front wheel struck a tire that was on the track as a marker, sending him flying in the air. When he landed, his right hip was virtually shattered.
“I hit a tire, did a front flip, landed, screamed, and I don’t remember much after that,” he said.
Maks Makarenkov couldn’t help but smile on car rides through the capital city. He saw homes with blue and yellow flags pinned in their windows or dangling from flagpoles.
“Seeing the Ukrainian flags here, it touches my heart,” Makarenkov said. “In this war, we feel the American support.”
A group of more than 65 Wisconsin organizations that advocate for gender-affirming care is demanding that the state’s two largest hospitals, including Madison’s UW Health, reestablish the medical treatments for transgender youth.
In January, Wisconsin’s two largest pediatric hospitals, Madison-based UW Health and Children’s Wisconsin in Milwaukee, confirmed they paused gender-affirming care for patients younger than 18.
UnityPoint Health Meriter and UW Health were recently found to be among the highest-quality healthcare providers in the nation by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
The agency gave the hospital and healthcare system a five-star rating for its quality of care including patient experience, safety and clinical outcomes.
UW Health has announced the creation of WorkForward, a new non-profit organization that is designed to bolster the national health care workforce.
“Building on the health system’s nationally recognized leadership in developing innovative career pathways in health care, WorkForward is the first employer-based intermediary in health care, aligning employers, educators, governing bodies and other organizations around shared workforce development goals and outcomes,” UW Health said in a news release.
Mention the “Dream Team” to a longtime sports fan, and they will assume you’re referring to the 1992 U.S. men’s Olympic basketball team, a powerhouse with a roster that included Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson.
University of Wisconsin-Madison professors, Jane Paulsen and Michael Newton discovered that two proteins decline in the human brain as Huntington disease develops, furthering improvements for treatments of the disease.
Huntington’s disease (HD) is a rare, genetic disease that causes neurons in the brain to degenerate over time, affecting a person’s movement, cognition and overall quality of life.
A federal disaster recovery program is reimbursing some Wisconsin hospitals for costs related to COVID-19 response, years after the start of the pandemic.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency recently announced $5.4 billion in funding awarded from its Public Assistance program to states, local governments and health care systems across the country.
Hundreds of anglers took to south central Wisconsin lakes Saturday for the annual Casting for Kids tournament, raising money for children fighting cancer at the UW Carbone Cancer Center and American Family Children’s Hospital
As more than two billion people worldwide still lack access to safely managed drinking water, new research from the La Follette School of Public Affairs investigates the effects of early-life exposure to citywide water filtration on longevity in the early 20th-century.
Patients hospitalized with nonsevere COVID-19 infections who received empiric antibiotics targeting community-acquired pneumonia may not experience clinically meaningful improvement in outcomes and could have a slightly increased risk of clinical deterioration or in-hospital mortality.
A deadly hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean has alarmed health officials worldwide, but Madison infectious disease specialists say the risk to Wisconsin residents is extremely low, as long as residents haven’t been exposed to a passenger of the cruise ship.
Signs of neurodegeneration in individuals with Down syndrome may start as early as birth, a critical stage of brain development, a new study shows. The research, from investigators at the Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, provides an atlas of early brain development in Down syndrome that could inform potential targeted treatments to address the developmental and degenerative aspects of the condition.
Health experts say Wisconsinites should not panic over recent international hantavirus headlines, despite concerns the outbreak could mirror the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Nasia Safdar, a professor of Infectious Disease at UW Madison, said the situation with the hantavirus outbreak is exceedingly rare.
Wisconsin and Dane County are in bloom — and so is allergy season, which experts say is trending longer and becoming more severe for sufferers.
Tree pollen levels are high across Wisconsin this week, affecting many with seasonal allergies. While this spring’s pollen allergies may have arrived at a normal time, toward the end of March, trends in recent years point to earlier seasons that last longer, UW Health allergist Dr. Mark Moss said.
An ancient practice may hold significant benefits for your mental and physical well-being.
UW Health distinguished psychologist Dr. Shilagh Mirgain highlighted the benefits of therapeutic journaling.
Harm reduction tools like fentanyl and xylazine test strips have years of evidence behind their use, according to Dr. Elizabeth Salisbury-Afshar, a professor in the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health and an addiction medicine specialist.
UW MedFlight is scheduled to land at the Iowa County Sheriff’s Office Wednesday evening as part of a training event.
The sheriff’s office said the training will occur at approximately 7 p.m.
Iowa County Emergency Services will be training with the UW MedFlight team on landing zone safety.
“For everyone’s safety, anyone wishing to watch should not park in our parking lot or along the roadway. Please use adjacent parking lots and remain a safe distance away,” Sheriff Michael Peterson said in a statement.
In recent weeks, researchers have announced several breakthroughs in treatment for pancreatic cancer. Researchers in New York shared results of a small study with promising signs for mRNA vaccines, and scientists shared research on ways to target and block the KRAS protein.
“For the first time, we have a phase two trial that has told us that we can help patients live longer when we block this protein,” UW Health medical oncologist Dr. Jeremy Kratz told 27 News anchor Caroline Dade.
Pediatric oncologist and researcher Dr. Christian Capitini was named the new director of the UW Carbone Cancer Center.
Capitini said the new role is both a personal milestone and a statewide promise.
“This was the biggest honor of my career… to be able to serve everyone in the state through this leadership role is just an enormous privilege and opportunity,” Capitini said.
Yihana Melendez Alejandro decided at age 7 she wanted to be a doctor.
Alejandro, now a first-year medical student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is from Vieques, an island eight miles off the east coast of Puerto Rico. Vieques has no hospital and had only one small primary care clinic that was destroyed by Hurricane Maria in 2017 and has yet to reopen. For Alejandro, this served as inspiration to pursue medical school.
Members of the Wisconsin women’s hockey team brought their NCAA Championship trophy to the American Family Children’s Hospital on Friday afternoon.
This visit is part of Badger Fridays, during which UW athletes from various sports visit patients at American Family Children’s Hospital.
Kimaya Soin was diagnosed with celiac disease at age 4, but it took some pushing from her mother.
“My doctors actually weren’t really going to check me for it, so it wasn’t on their radars,” Soin said. “My mom had to research my symptoms. She looked them up, and based on the symptoms I had, it was either likely celiac disease or leukemia, and she had never heard of celiac disease, like most people haven’t.”
Mike Abernethy had an unexpected meeting with a former patient in 2020 — one he’ll never forget.
It was after a shift in the emergency department. He was checking out with groceries at Walmart when a man approached him and asked, “Are you Dr. Abernethy?”
Abernethy had no recollection of the man until he unzipped his jacket and revealed a large scar.
the Trump Administration has slashed the number of grants from the National Institutes of Health, with far fewer focused on women, cancer and mental health
Wisconsin mothers on Medicaid will soon have access to a full year of postpartum health coverage after Gov. Tony Evers signed legislation extending benefits from 60 days to 12 months after giving birth.
The policy change addresses what doctors consider a dangerous and long-standing gap in care, when many pregnancy-related complications and mental health challenges emerge.
UW Health has become the Official Health Care Partner of the Green Bay Packers through a new multi-year agreement.
The partnership, announced at a Thursday press conference, includes joint community initiatives, fan-focused events throughout the year and a visible presence at Lambeau Field. UW Health will have permanent signage at the north entry gate of Lambeau Field and logo patches on Packers practice jerseys.
Spring cleaning can feel good, but have you thought about applying that same effort to other parts of your life?
UW Health distinguished psychologist Dr. Shilagh Mirgain provides a four-step checklist to help you lighten the load and make room for the things that bring joy and overall well-being.
The University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center welcomed the public this weekend for its annual open house, giving visitors a closer look at cancer research and prevention efforts.
The event featured lab tours, interactive exhibits and family-friendly activities, including appearances by Bucky Badger.
Ukrainian surgeons are in Madison this week, training at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to learn specialized techniques they can take back home to treat patients injured in the war.
Six surgeons are taking part in a two-week intensive training at UW’s Microsurgery Regenerative Medicine Lab, working under microscopes to practice reconnecting tiny blood vessels and nerves.
It began with a fall. Then another, and another.
LuAnn Guffey had watched over the years as her brother suffered with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a progressive neurodegenerative disease that gradually disrupts a person’s basic muscle functions. When she began losing strength in her own legs, falling without tripping, suddenly losing the ability to stand, she feared she was following the family footsteps.
UW Health said Wednesday it has acquired University Podiatry Associates of Madison.
The podiatry clinic, which opened in 1981, is located in a roughly 7,600-square-foot facility at 450 S. Yellowstone Dr. on the West Side.
The practice provides podiatry care for a wide range of conditions, including diabetic foot ulcers, arthritis, bunions, hammertoes and other deformities or injuries.
UW-Madison’s women’s sports teams will soon have some extra branding on their jerseys.
UW Health on Thursday announced it would become the official jersey patch sponsor for the Badgers women’s squads. The healthcare provider’s logo will appear on basketball, volleyball, hockey and softball uniforms beginning with the 2026-27 season.
The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and UW Health are pleased to announce that Dr. Christian Capitini, a national expert in the treatment and research of childhood cancers, has been named the next director of the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center. Capitini will also hold the title of director of UW Health Cancer Services. He will assume the role of Carbone Cancer Center director on April 19.
UW Health is joining organizations across the country to recognize April as Donate Life Month, honoring organ, eye, and tissue donors.
Over 108,000 adults and children in the U.S. are awaiting an organ transplant, including 1,500 people in Wisconsin.
UW Health states that most individuals on the waitlist need a kidney, but more than 13 people die each day while waiting for a transplant, according to Michael Anderson, executive director of UW Organ and Tissue Donation.
Genevieve Simmons grimaced the more Mitch Reuter tightened a tourniquet around her arm.
“Definitely don’t have a pulse,” Simmons chuckled as Reuter checked her wrist.
Reuter was demonstrating how to use a tourniquet as he led a Stop the Bleed training last month at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Students filled a classroom in Birge Hall to learn how to pack a wound and apply pressure in a medical emergency.
We live in a heyday of meat. Americans ate $45 billion of beef in 2025, up more than 10 percent from the previous year, according to Beef Research, an industry marketing group. Ground beef is driving sales — McDonald’s recently released its new half-pounder, the Big Arch — but steak sales remain robust. In a February interview at CattleCon, the beef industry conference, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. revealed that his favorite beef cut was strip steak. He eats beef every day — “usually twice a day,” he said, to applause.
Dr. Lauren W. Yowelunh McLester-Davis is a Research Fellow in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and on the advisory council for the Native American Center for Health Professions.
Dr. Jeneile Luebke is an assistant professor in the School of Nursing at UW-Madison and an enrolled member of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians. Her research focuses on gender-based violence in the lives of Indigenous women, using community-engaged and Indigenous-specific research methodologies.
Tara Tindall, an enrolled member of the Ho-Chunk Nation, is the Native American teacher leader for the Madison Metropolitan School District, where she oversees the Native American Education Program and the federal Title VI program serving Native students from pre-K through 12th grade.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in history from UW-Stevens Point and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from UW-Madison.
Written by Jonathan Patz, the Vilas Distinguished Professor & John P. Holton Chair of Health and the Environment at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Nelson Institute & Department of Population Health Sciences.
A physical medicine and rehabilitation resident at UW Health is reimagining crayons by creating adaptive crayons for people with developmental disabilities, stemming from her past experiences.
Amber McKenna was in her first residency program back in 2022 at Louisiana State University Health Shreveport when she came up with the idea to use molds to melt wax and make fun-shaped crayons. Her friend suggested she take them to work and hand them out to kids at the hospital where she was doing a pediatrics residency.
Researchers from several prominent universities examined the self-reported sleep habits of nearly 130,000 teens. They found that the number of teens getting insufficient sleep, defined as seven hours or less a night, rose from 69% in 2007 to 78% in 2023, the most recent year for which data was available.
“We know that sleep plays a really critical role in adolescent brain development,” said Tanner Bommersbach, a child and adolescent psychiatrist and assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and one of the authors of the study. “So when large numbers of teens aren’t getting enough sleep, it really raises concerns about the downstream effects that that could be having on their mental health, on their academic performance, on their engagement and risk behaviors.”
The importance of relationships cannot be overstated, said Robert McGrath, a University of Wisconsin-Madison psychologist who gives public talks on how to live with vitality and resilience. He pointed to one of the longest-running studies on well-being, where Harvard University scientists followed the same group of men since 1938. The study revealed a simple yet profound conclusion: Good relationships lead to health and happiness.
Share experiences with others, even if it’s a solitary activity, McGrath recommended. He teaches a meditation class, for example, which is not exactly made for sparking conversation. But he sees strangers connect before and after class.
“Any form of connection is going to boost one’s mood,” he said. “Make that effort. Get out and connect.”
Madison-based biotech leader Exact Sciences has gifted UW-Madison’s foundation $2.5 million to improve early cancer detection discoveries through research.
The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association’s new grant will establish the James Dahlberg Fund for Cancer Detection and Clinical Integration, named after UW-Madison professor emeritus James Dahlberg, to support university researchers and clinical trials at UW Health focused on detecting and preventing cancer.
Physical therapists Lori Thein Brody and Jill Thein-Nissenbaum return to talk about solutions for knee and hip osteoarthritis.
They’re tiny organisms, invisible to the human eye, and they’re inside you right now. This isn’t a description of a sci-fi monster but it is one of bacteria — single-celled organisms that can cause illness and death but might also help us to sleep better or find the motivation to exercise.
In short, we depend on bacteria, said Timothy Paustian, a professor in the Department of Bacteriology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
“They’re really important for your health. You have a whole group of organisms that live inside you,” Paustian said.
Once the viruses adapted to microgravity by subtly shape-shifting, though, they became even more effective bacteria killers. “A simple microgravity experiment exposes these mutations that have much higher efficacy against pathogens,” says senior study author Srivatsan Raman, a chemical and biological engineer at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
A roadside sign that welcomes drivers to Burlington notes that the Wisconsin city was the boyhood home of Tony Romo, a former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and current television commentator.
There is no mention of Frederic Edward Mohs, born there in 1910, the visionary physician who invented a skin-cancer procedure bearing his name that has benefited millions.
After taking community and tribal input, the Manoomin Team aimed to address mixed concerns regarding the state of the restored wild rice — some members of the community feared the rice because of the water it was living in, while others thought that if manoomin was present and growing, it must be healthy, according to Ojibway.
The Hua Lab at UW, led by associate professor within the Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology Jessica Hua, has been a key partner in testing samples for heavy metals and PFAS.
“What we know so far … is that wild rice plants, the way that they grow, the way they make seed, is pretty protective of people’s health,” Erickson said. “I think we feel pretty good about people eating rice in the estuary and we can share that with people.”
“Adolescence is one of the big time periods of growth, next to infants,” said Taiya Bach, a member of the teaching faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Department of Nutritional Sciences told Gizmodo. “They need way more calories than a grown adult does.”
“Even if you are overweight, you still have that growth piece because a bunch of your calories are still going towards hormones and development and bone growth,” Bach said.
