THE RUNDOWN BLOG | May 15, 2013

Study Pinpoints Link Between Fitness and Cancer in Men

  • Study Pinpoints Link Between Fitness and Cancer in Men
  • There's new evidence that being fit reduces your risk for getting cancer. The study, released at the American Society of Clinical Oncology's annual meeting, looked at the link between fitness in middle-aged men and the likelihood of a cancer diagnosis later in life.

THE RUNDOWN BLOG | May 14, 2013

Jolie's Decision Sheds Light on BRCA Gene, Importance of Genetic Counseling

  • Jolie's Decision Sheds Light on BRCA Gene, Importance of Genetic Counseling
  • Angelina Jolie announced today that she has undergone a preventative double mastectomy due to a gene she has that increases her risk of of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer. What makes this gene so devastating and who is affected by it? We talked to a leading oncologist Dr. Sandra Swain for answers.

THE RUNDOWN BLOG | May 14, 2013

The Day Doctors Began to Conquer Smallpox

  • The Day Doctors Began to Conquer Smallpox
  • For millennia, smallpox was humankind's deadliest foe -- that is, until Dr. Edward Jenner figured out a means of preventing it entirely. Jenner discovered a vaccine after he proved that inoculating people with a small amount of the disease cowpox would protect them from the feared smallpox.

THE RUNDOWN BLOG | May 14, 2013

Commander Hadfield Reports to Ground Control

  • Commander Hadfield Reports to Ground Control
  • Commander Chris Hadfield is a great many things: photographer, educator, social media maven -- did I mention astronaut? Add troubadour to the laundry list. That his music video -- a cover of David Bowie's "Space Oddity" -- has already scored 6.6 million hits is a testament to his success as a popularizer of science and space.

THE RUNDOWN BLOG | May 10, 2013

In South Africa, Using Mobile Technology to Improve Maternal Health Access

  • In South Africa, Using Mobile Technology to Improve Maternal Health Access
  • More than 43,000 babies die in South Africa each year before they're one-month old. A full 75,000 don't make it to their fifth birthday. But a network affectionately known as MAMA is hoping to bring those numbers down dramatically with a simple tool: cell phones.

THE RUNDOWN BLOG | May 9, 2013

Eight Types of Nurses You Never Knew Existed

  • Eight Types of Nurses You Never Knew Existed
  • Photographer Carolyn Jones spent the last two years profiling changes in the health care system and the compassion of those on the front lines. She speaks with Hari Sreenivasan about her new book, "The American Nurse," how the profession is evolving with the industry, and types of nurses you probably never knew existed.

ANALYSIS | May 8, 2013

Seeking Method Behind the Madness of Hospital Billing Disparities

  • Seeking Method Behind the Madness of Hospital Billing Disparities
  • Different hospitals charge wildly different amounts for the same procedures, even in the same city. New data from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid shows a vast billing disparity between health care centers. Jeffrey Brown explores some striking examples and what these numbers mean with Barry Meier of The New York Times.

THE RUNDOWN BLOG | May 8, 2013

New Report Shows Staggering Differences in the Cost of Medical Treatments

  • A new report released by the federal government raises questions about how exactly hospitals determine the cost of treatment, after it revealed that facilities across the country are charging wildly different amounts for the same medical procedures.

THE RUNDOWN BLOG | May 8, 2013

Preventing Drug Shortages with Cell Phones in Malawi

  • Preventing Drug Shortages with Cell Phones in Malawi
  • Eighty percent of the 13 million Malawians live in rural areas, making delivering health services challenging, especially in remote parts with no roads.

THE RUNDOWN BLOG | May 7, 2013

Best and Worst Countries for Babies on Their First Day of Life

  • Best and Worst Countries for Babies on Their First Day of Life
  • One million babies die each year on the day they are born, according to a new study released by the international nonprofit Save the Children. In its annual "State of the World's Mothers" report, the group has ranked which countries are best and worst at helping newborns survive their first day of life.

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