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
Sep 06 Watch 4:55 Deaths linked to vaping reveal a complex array of inhaled substances Following several mysterious deaths linked to vaping, the federal government is now warning Americans not to use e-cigarettes. The Centers for Disease Control also said there are 450 reported cases of lung illnesses tied to vaping, in more than 30… Continue watching
Jul 29 Trump administration tightens opioid prescriptions for federal employees By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Associated Press The Federal Employee Health Benefits Program is the world's largest job-based health plan, covering an estimated 9 million people, including workers, retirees and family members. Continue reading
Jun 18 Watch 9:04 Why another flu pandemic is likely just a matter of when By William Brangham, Rachel Wellford Despite the availability of vaccines, the flu still kills tens of thousands of people in the U.S. each year, and hundreds of thousands more worldwide. But public health officials fear that an even graver threat lies ahead: the emergence of… Continue watching
Jun 06 This year the flu came in two waves. Here’s why By Patricia L. Foster, The Conversation The 2018-2019 flu season was relatively mild compared to last year's, but it was unusual in that it had two peaks, one in December and one in May. Continue reading
Jan 26 Measles outbreak grows in northwest U.S., 31 cases reported By Gillian Flaccus, Associated Press The number of confirmed measles cases near Portland grew to 31 on Friday — an outbreak boosted by lower-than-normal vaccination rates in what has been called an anti-vaccination U.S. “hot spot.”… Continue reading
Dec 13 FDA identifies a farm linked to the romaine lettuce E. coli outbreak By Laura Santhanam Adams Bros. Farms, the producer linked to the pre-Thanksgiving outbreak, has not shipped lettuce since Nov. 20 and has cooperated with the investigation, the FDA said in a statement. Continue reading
Oct 23 U.S. health chief says overdose deaths beginning to level off By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Carla K. Johnson, Associated Press The number of U.S. drug overdose deaths has begun to level off after years of relentless increases driven by the opioid epidemic, health secretary Alex Azar said Tuesday, cautioning it's too soon to declare victory. Continue reading
Oct 11 A quiet rise in unvaccinated children could put the U.S. at risk of outbreaks By Jamie Leventhal For the third consecutive year, unvaccinated communities have grown, the CDC reported Thursday. One school in Oregon has toddler vaccination rates lower than those in Venezuela. Continue reading
Aug 07 CDC says 1 in 7 babies exposed to Zika have health problems By Amanda Grennell One in seven infants exposed to Zika in utero experienced microcephaly, seizures, hearing deficiencies or other health problems during their first year of life, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Tuesday. Continue reading