Jul 28 Next time you see him, give your doctor a fist-bump By Travis Daub Scientists at Aberystwyth University in the United Kingdom tested the germ-exchange rates of handhakes, fist bumps and high-fives to determine which mode of mano-to-mano contact spreads the most bacteria. In the study, one participant wore a sterile glove and exchanged… Continue reading
Jul 28 Marketplace shoppers discover new health plans have many limitations By Julie Appleby, Kaiser Health News Nationally, regulators and insurance agents are inundated with complaints, while state lawmakers are considering rules to ensure consumers’ access to doctors. For 2015 plans which will be on sale beginning in November, the federal Department of Health and Human Services… Continue reading
Jul 27 Second American tests positive for Ebola in Liberia By Xander Landen A second American citizen working to treat Ebola patients in Liberia has tested positive for the deadly virus, an international aid organization reported Sunday, amid the outbreak that has ravaged West Africa since March. It was reported Saturday that a… Continue reading
Jul 27 Why automatic renewal of 2015 health coverage may backfire By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Associated Press Insurance exchange customers who opt for convenience by automatically renewing their coverage for 2015 are likely to receive dated and inaccurate financial aid amounts from the government, say industry officials, advocates and other experts. Continue reading
Jul 26 FDA will consider approval of biosimilar drug for first time By Hannah Yi Americans are a small step closer to accessing less-expensive specialty drugs known as biologics. The Food and Drug Administration for the first time accepted an application for the approval of a copycat “generic” version of the brand name drug Neupogen,… Continue reading
Jul 25 Watch Connecting strength and vulnerability of the creative brain By PBS News Hour Why have so many creative minds suffered from mental illness? Nancy Andreasen, Andrew H. Woods Chair of Psychiatry at the University of Iowa, has devoted decades of study to the physical differences in the brains of writers and other highly… Continue watching
Jul 25 House and Senate try to find compromise on VA health care plan By Associated Press A day after offering competing plans to improve veterans' health care, the chairmen of the House and Senate Veterans Affairs committees are again attempting to find a compromise. Continue reading
Jul 25 Probing the creative brain By Jenny Marder "As a psychiatrist and neuroscientist who studies creativity, I’ve had the pleasure of working with many gifted and high-profile subjects over the years, but Kurt Vonnegut—dear, funny, eccentric, lovable, tormented Kurt Vonnegut—will always be one of my favorites."… Continue reading
Jul 24 Watch Pinpointing genetic links to schizophrenia may open doors to better treatment By PBS News Hour Continue watching
Jul 24 Watch Giving traumatized kids a head start in healing By PBS News Hour Every year, thousands of children in the U.S. are expelled from school before they reach Kindergarten. Special correspondent Molly Knight Raskin reports on a program in Kansas City, Missouri, that’s trying to stem the trend by looking beyond the classroom… Continue watching