Apr 22 Medicare and Social Security stay on unsustainable financial paths, reports show By Philip Moeller Mostly unchanged from last year's report, the outlook for Social Security improved slightly. Its solvency was extended to 2035 due to significant changes in the program’s disability insurance fund. Continue reading
Apr 22 Measles cases rise to 626 driven by New York outbreak By Mike Stobbe, Associated Press Health officials say 71 more cases were reported last week, with 68 of them from New York. Continue reading
Apr 21 What my polio-stricken mother would tell parents today about the importance of immunization By Fred Leonard, STAT The success of immunizations in the U.S., as well as in other developed countries, has had unintended consequences. Continue reading
Apr 19 Watch 7:29 How a volunteer surgical team in Rwanda chooses which patients to save By Fred de Sam Lazaro, Sarah Clune Hartman Rheumatic heart disease develops when strep throat goes untreated. It causes an estimated 275,000 premature deaths per year, mostly youth in developing countries like Rwanda, where antibiotics are rarely available. Surgery is the only treatment option for advanced cases. Special… Continue watching
Apr 19 Police are now taking roadside blood samples to catch impaired drivers By Jenni Bergal, Stateline While it’s easy for police to screen drivers for alcohol impairment using a breath-testing device, there’s no such machine to screen for drug impairment. As a result, more police are ordering electronic warrants and drawing blood roadside, sparking concerns about… Continue reading
Apr 19 Why are so many Latino children developing fatty liver disease? By Rob Waters, Kaiser Health News In California, researchers are exploring the disproportionate rise of a progressive form of fatty liver disease in Latino children. The condition is the fastest-growing cause of liver transplants in young adults and appears to be linked to excess consumption of… Continue reading
Apr 19 U.S. researcher says he's ready to start pregnancies with 'three-parent' embryos By Emily Mullin, STAT Researchers at Columbia University in New York have created embryos containing genetic material from three people and are ready to use them to start pregnancies. But they’re at a legal impasse. Continue reading
Apr 18 This genetic test can predict your odds for obesity from the day you're born By Vicky Stein Obesity could be in your future — and this $50 genetic test can predict your risk. Continue reading
Apr 18 Scientists restore some vitality in dead pig brains -- but without consciousness? By Sharon Begley, STAT The pigs were dead. But four hours later, scientists restored some cellular functions in their brains. Continue reading
Apr 17 Coverage of mass killings is bad for mental health -- yet makes people seek more By Nsikan Akpan Consuming media coverage of mass killings, whether via news or social media, creates a self-perpetuating cycle of mental distress, according to a new study. Continue reading