Oct 06 Watch 4:51 How drug companies helped drive the opioid crisis By PBS News Hour The abuse of opioids has become a major public health concern; more than 28,000 people died by overdose in 2014. According to reporting by STAT News, drug companies downplayed the addictive effects of opioid drugs in the late 1990s, assuring… Continue watching
Oct 06 Even with medical advances, humans may not live past 130, study says By Andrew Joseph and Natalia Bronshtein, STAT Humans have squeezed almost as much they can out of their natural lifespans and are approaching the biological limit of how long they can extend their years. Continue reading
Oct 05 Watch 6:56 In Florida, controlling Zika is no simple matter By PBS News Hour Florida's battle against the outbreak of Zika is intensifying as the number of cases climbs. The state currently has 940 documented instances of the virus, with 230 in Miami-Dade County alone. Efforts to contain the spread of the disease focus… Continue watching
Oct 05 Prostate cancer patients are paying hefty price for controversial new treatment By Julie Appleby, Kaiser Health News Men hoping to avoid some side effects of prostate cancer treatment are shelling out tens of thousands of dollars for a procedure whose long-term effects are unknown and insurers, including Medicare, won’t pay for. Continue reading
Oct 05 Epic yawns boost brain growth, study says By Sharon Begley, STAT If you have a big brain, you can credit yawning for promoting brain growth and activity, the researchers found. And if you have a small brain, you can blame the fact that you don’t yawn long enough. Continue reading
Oct 04 What happens when someone has ‘treatment-resistant depression’? By Anna Gorman, Kaiser Health News LOS ANGELES — Rini Kramer-Carter has tried everything to pull herself out of her dark emotional hole: individual therapy, support groups, tai chi and numerous antidepressants. Continue reading
Oct 02 Watch 9:57 Full interview: Can DNA tests help repair social ruptures from transatlantic slavery? By PBS News Hour Continue watching
Oct 02 The need to replace EpiPens regularly adds to concerns about cost By Carmen Heredia Rodriguez, Kaiser Health News EpiPens expire quickly, forcing users to regularly bear the cost of replacing the medicine. Continue reading
Oct 01 Watch 3:51 Oxford study could point to new treatments for HIV By PBS News Hour This week, Oxford University researchers released a study that may impact treatments for HIV. The study looked at young children in South Africa with HIV and found that 10 percent of them never developed symptoms of AIDS. Philip Goulder, a… Continue watching
Oct 01 The flu vaccine is set to get a makeover By Helen Branswell, STAT The World Health Organization recommended that flu vaccine manufacturers swap out a component based on one flu virus with an updated version. Continue reading