Blake Farmer, Nashville Public Radio

Author's posts

Smokers Need Not Apply: Fairness Of No-Nicotine Hiring Policies Questioned

U-Haul will not hire nicotine users in 21 states where it is legal to do so. Ethicists say such policies disproportionately affect the poor and are a sign of employers becoming overly involved in workers’ lifestyle choices.

In The Fight For Money For The Opioid Crisis, Will The Youngest Victims Be Left Out?

The opioid epidemic is intergenerational, with tens of thousands of babies born every year dependent on opioids. Advocates worry that settlement dollars resulting from lawsuits against the drug industry might not benefit these children.

‘Food Pharmacies’ In Clinics: When The Diagnosis Is Chronic Hunger

It’s hard to manage chronic conditions without a steady source of healthy food. That’s why more health care providers are setting up food pantries — right inside hospitals and clinics.

Some Academics Quietly Take Side Jobs Helping Tobacco Companies In Court

Faced with lawsuits from sick smokers, tobacco firms argue the health risks were “common knowledge” for decades, and they often pay professors to help make that point as expert witnesses.

Some Academics Quietly Take Side Jobs Helping Tobacco Companies In Court

Faced with lawsuits from sick smokers, tobacco firms argue the health risks were “common knowledge” for decades, and they often pay professors to help make that point as expert witnesses.

Hospitals Take Shot At Opioid Makers Over Cost Of Treating Uninsured For Addiction

A few hundred hospitals have banded together to sue drugmakers in state courts, but far more are staying on the sidelines to avoid ‘unflattering attention’ about their role in the opioid crisis.

At This Summer Camp, Struggling With A Disability Is The Point

At a camp for kids in Nashville, physical therapists use “constraint-induced movement therapy.” It makes life tougher, temporarily, in hopes of strengthening the campers’ ability to navigate the world.

On A Mission To Help People Control Diabetes — And Save Money On Insulin

Patients with Type 2 diabetes are often steered toward medicine or insulin treatment. But with additional support, it’s possible to use diet and exercise to control blood sugar. The rising price of insulin drives patients to lower their dependence on the medicine.

On A Mission To Help People Control Diabetes — And Save Money On Insulin

Patients with Type 2 diabetes are often steered toward medicine or insulin treatment. But with additional support, it’s possible to use diet and exercise to control blood sugar. The rising price of insulin drives patients to lower their dependence on the medicine.

Amid Opioid Prescriber Crackdown, Health Officials Reach Out To Pain Patients

After dozens of health care workers were charged with illegally prescribing opioids in Appalachia, local health agencies are trying to make sure chronic pain patients don’t fall through the cracks.