OHSU in the news

How the New At-Home HPV Test, Teal Wand, Compares to Pap Smear Cancer Screenings

Woman's World January 15, 2026
A story in Woman’s World on how the new at-home HPV test compares with pap smear cancer screenings quotes Amy Cantor, M.D., who notes it depends on risk factors such as age, history of abnormal pap smears and risk of cervical cancer. She says, “There are many women who can skip the speculum exam and instead use HPV testing.”

Oregon patients turn to urgent care as primary care suffers

The Lund Report January 15, 2026
The Lund Report covers the doubling of urgent care clinics in the past decade as primary care services suffer. Eric Wiser, M.D., said the OHSU Primary Care, Gabriel Park clinic in southwest Portland has 24-hour nurse triage but still sends some people to urgent care. He says, “We have imaging some days, but not every day. We don't have availability every day for urgent visits either.”

Why more doctors are billing their patients like it’s the 1920s

Straight Arrow News January 14, 2026
In a story in Straight Arrow News on how clinicians are transitioning to a cash-based clinic model where patients pay them directly, bypassing health insurance entirely, Jane Zhu, M.D., says, “It’s been growing really unfettered over the past several years.”

New Standards Address Pharmacologic Obesity Treatment

Medscape January 14, 2026
Medscape covers The Obesity Association’s new standards of care on the pharmacologic treatment of obesity and overweight in adults. Jonathan Purnell, M.D., says, “We welcome the addition of these standards to the growing body of recent statements helping to position obesity medications as standard therapy in the comprehensive care of patients living with complicated overweight and obesity.”

Abortion Restrictions Affect Fertility Treatment Outcomes, Study Says

Newsweek January 13, 2026
A study led by Molly Kornfield, M.D., finds laws restricting access to abortion may disproportionately affect pregnancies conceived through fertility treatment; Kornfield says: "People with highly planned and desired pregnancies may not be who we typically think of when we discuss the impacts of abortion restrictions, but their health and safety are being considerably impacted."

Exercise: A New Breast Cancer 'Drug'?

WebMD January 13, 2026
In a WebMD article on whether exercise is “a new breast cancer drug,” Kerri Winters-Stone, Ph.D., says exercise also helps you tolerate cancer treatment better; if you experience less side effects, you are more likely to complete treatment, which leads to better health outcomes.

Opioid use in pregnancy has more than doubled

Axios January 13, 2026
Axios reports on research led by Kristin Prewitt, M.D., and Jamie Lo, M.D., that finds the rate of opioid use during pregnancy has risen two-fold over the past decade; Lo says: "The real situation is more dire and more severe.”

This Daily Habit Could Be Slowly Shortening Your Life

SELF January 12, 2026
Research led by Andrew McHill, Ph.D., finds that as a behavioral driver for life expectancy, sleep stands out more than any other factor except smoking: "I didn't expect it to be so strongly correlated to life expectancy. We’ve always thought sleep is important, but this research really drives that point home: People really should strive to get seven to nine hours of sleep if at all possible.”
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