988 New Suicide Prevention Hotline

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is getting an upgrade this weekend (July 16) as it debuts a new three-digit number for calls and texts.  The new number is 988 and the hope is that the shorter number will be more memorable during a crisis.  Underscoring how important the service is, latest numbers show that one in six calls to the hotline go unanswered, so it is more important then ever to get people connected.  Brianna Abbott, health reporter at the WSJ, joins us for what to know about 988, the new National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number.

Next, recent news out of the field of xenotransplantation, two brain-dead people has pig hearts transplanted which offered doctors a chance to use new infectious disease protocols designed to help ensure that pig viruses aren’t transmitted to patients.  This is all leading up to plans for the FDA to allow clinical trials for pig organ transplants.  Amy Dockser Marcus, health and science reporter at the WSJ, joins us for more.

Finally, another 40-year high, inflation has soared to 9.1%.  Driving the increases have been continued high energy costs, but also rising food and housing costs.  The big challenge is how to curb inflation without causing a recession.  The main tool of the Fed is to keep raising interest rates and they have signaled they will keep doing so.  Rachel Siegal, economics reporter at The Washington Post, joins us for the nation’s most challenging economic problem.

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