Allana Akhtar is a senior health reporter for Insider, where she covers the emerging wellness industry and general health topics.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Allana wrote extensively about nurses, mask mandates, the vaccine rollout, and disparities in access to health. Her articles include features on nurses needing to re-use PPE in the early days of the pandemic, ones who struggled to get paid time off after getting COVID-19, and those who left bedside care after grueling pandemic working conditions. Allana also spoke to flight attendants and retail workers who faced violence as they enforced mask mandates, and community health workers who said they struggled to receive equitable vaccine access during the initial rollout.
Allana now reports on emerging trends within the wellness industry, including the Westernization of indigenous medicine and dangerous wellness trends spread through social media. She also writes about plastic surgery, racial disparities in healthcare, and breaking health news.
Allana has won numerous awards for her work, including the Best News Story by the Michigan Press Association in 2015, Best Reporter Covering Nurses in 2019, and the Morris and Lola Wasserstein Award for her contribution to the the University of Michigan's student paper as an Honors student. Before Insider, Allana wrote for USA TODAY, US News & World Report, Money Magazine, Health Magazine, Jalopnik, and more.
You can email her at aakhtar@businessinsider.com, call/text her at (646) 376-6058, or follow her on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Secure tips line: Signal # 248 760 0208
'We're grossly unprepared': Nurses share their frustration as the coronavirus spreads with little direction from the government or hospitals on how to mitigate it
'Sexy nurse' costumes demean one of the most in-demand professions in American life — and they're a bestseller on Amazon right now
Flight attendants describe 'unprecedented' violence as travel returns and passenger aggression soars
G/O Media fired a queer employee of color who wore crop tops, shorts, and heels to work, violating a brand-new dress code that others say they routinely violated without being punished
Contractors at controversial startup Rev say they worked long hours for little pay, feared they could lose their job at any time, and had to transcribe interviews with sexual-abuse survivors without warning
Historians rated the US presidents on leadership qualities. The survey did not include Joe Biden since he was still in office when it was conducted.
A Temu kid's jacket contained up to 622 times the legal limit for one toxin, per Korean officials. One expert highlighted five chemicals used to make clothes.
Mark Cuban built his net worth through a variety of business deals and has spent millions on luxury items.
Benzene, a chemical linked to cancer, was found in many dry shampoos last year. Here's what you need to know.
Throughout world history, strikers have strived for better working conditions for masses of workers.
Ashleigh Bing is proud of the 100 pounds she lost after weight-loss surgery, so she treated herself to multiple cosmetic procedures to get the body she said she deserves.
A comb-over, done at the hands of the right stylist, can make a man's hair appear fuller and hide bald spots, Small said.
People in their 70s and 80s who went on regular brisk walks were more mentally sharp than their sedentary counterparts, a new study revealed.
Cryotherapy helped lower blood sugar and cholesterol in obese patients in a small study. The practice exposes the body to extremely cold temperatures.
More young people are getting diagnosed with colon cancer. A new study suggests the gut microbiome might play a factor in who gets the disease.
Leurene Hildenbrand, 91, credits her longevity to daily exercise, namely swimming, cycling, and pickleball, which also gives her a community of friends.
Here's how you can fix sagging skin from Ozempic. A plastic surgeon said he's seeing patients come in with loose skin after taking the trendy weight-loss drug.
Strokes are a leading cause of death and disability in the US, but they are disproportionately misdiagnosed in young women.
A 2023 Boston Marathon runner reflects on the race she ran 20 years after suffering a stroke, and 10 years after surviving the 2013 bombing.
Martha Stewart is stunning on Sports Illustrated's swimsuit edition cover at age 81. Practicing Pilates and Dry January helps keep her looking young.
Richard Soller, who broke records by finishing the 2012 Chicago Marathon at 85, is now 94 and competes in races. Here are his longevity tips.
Priyanka Chopra and other celebs are sharing how plastic surgery fails impacted them. A Florida woman can relate, saying botched veneers made her stop smiling.
Denver Coleman received a novel surgery to treat a vein of Galen malformation (VOGM), a rare blood vessel abnormality, while she was still in the womb.
Researchers identified four symptoms people under 50 are most likely to experience prior to being diagnosed with colon cancer.
Eating more plants, exercising daily, and practicing deep breathing are ways to help your gut with more science-backing than taking supplements.