Health Oct 02 U.S. health officials to endorse common antibiotic as ‘morning-after pill’ to combat STIs By Mike Stobbe, Associated Press
Health Jul 29 Watch 6:03 The potential benefits and risks of fighting STIs with doxycycline Doxycycline, a cheap and widely available antibiotic, is gaining attention as a promising new way to prevent the spread of some sexually transmitted infections. But some health officials are raising concerns that wider use of the preventative antibiotic could breed… By Laura Barrón-López, Claire Mufson
Health Apr 06 Dangerous fungal infections are on the rise in U.S. hospitals. Here’s what you need to know Candida auris is a relatively new addition to a family of fungi that can infect people. Most of these infections occur in sick, hospitalized patients and can be deadly. By Arif R. Sarwari, The Conversation
Health Apr 04 FDA finds sterility issues at factory that manufactured eyedrops linked to injuries, deaths Recalled eyedrops made at the plant have been linked to 68 bacterial infections in the U.S., including three deaths and eight cases of vision loss. The outbreak is considered particularly worrisome because the bacteria driving it is resistant to standard… By Matthew Perrone, Associated Press
Making Sen$e Jul 29 Watch 7:14 As a virus ravages the world, antibiotic makers are in disarray COVID-19 can be accompanied by secondary bacterial infections with deadly consequences. But the industry that researches and produces antibiotics to fight such illnesses has been upended -- and the pandemic is only making things worse. Now, medical experts worry about… By Paul Solman
Nov 14 Watch 6:11 Why overuse of antibiotics is a massive, ‘staggering’ problem in health care A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that we are losing ground in the battle against so-called superbugs -- the harmful or deadly bacteria resistant to nearly all our antibiotic defenses. William Brangham talks to… Continue watching
Aug 22 Nonprofit drug maker produces TB antibiotic after private companies wouldn’t By Zoe Rohrich The new antibiotic, called pretomanid and developed by the nonprofit TB Alliance, achieved a 90 percent success rate among patients with drug-resistant TB. 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 29 ‘Drug sanctuaries’ offer hope for a post-antibiotic world By Rees Kassen, The Conversation As a post-antibiotic future beckons, how can humanity protect itself against the proliferation of superbugs? Research suggests 'drug sanctuaries' in hospitals could be a promising solution. Continue reading
Mar 28 Watch 7:40 Global antibiotic overuse is like a ‘slow motion train wreck’ By Miles O'Brien Deadly antibiotic resistance is predicted to eclipse the number of people affected by cancer by 2050, and one of the biggest causes is overuse. A new study out Monday found the use of antibiotics worldwide has increased 65 percent in… Continue watching