Feb 03 Watch 5:26 Mosquito breeding grounds are front line in fight against Zika By PBS News Hour The Zika virus has been found in more than 25 countries and at least nine cases have been identified in Florida, prompting the governor to declare a health emergency in some areas. Mosquitoes are the main source, but officials say… Continue watching
Jan 27 Will red and blue lawmakers clear a path for a heroin abuse bill? By Alan Fram, Associated Press WASHINGTON — In a testy election year likely to see scant collaboration between Republicans and Democrats, there's a glint of hope in Congress for a bipartisan bill aimed at fighting heroin and opioid addiction — a deadly, growing problem that… Continue reading
Jan 26 Research begins for possible vaccine against Zika virus By Lauran Neergaard, Associated Press WASHINGTON — The U.S. government is beginning research into a possible vaccine for the mosquito-borne Zika virus that is suspected of causing an unusual birth defect as it spreads in Latin America. Continue reading
Jan 21 Watch 5:10 Why these anti-smoking TV ads are working By PBS News Hour Five years ago, the Centers for Disease Control launched the first federal education campaign against smoking. Today the government says it has helped 400,000 smokers quit for good. In a series of TV ads called "Tips From Former Smokers," Americans… Continue watching
Jan 20 Watch 7:38 If pregnant, beware of travel to countries with Zika virus By PBS News Hour Transmitted by mosquitos, the Zika virus can cause babies to be born with unusually small heads and brain damage. It has spread from Brazil to several countries and territories in the Americas, with a handful of cases confirmed in the… Continue watching
Jan 14 Ebola epidemic is over in West Africa, WHO says By Joshua Barajas The last patient tested negative for the Ebola virus in Liberia, making all three West African countries hardest hit by the outbreak to be free of the disease, the World Health Organization announced Thursday. Though the agency warned that more… Continue reading
Jan 14 Fewer teen moms could help slow U.S. population growth By Laura Santhanam More women are waiting longer to have kids, according to new analysis of a decades-long trend that could signal a slowdown in the U.S. population growth. Continue reading
Jan 06 Having kids is exhausting, but these parents sleep the least By Laura Santhanam A new report reveals how little sleep single parents get compared to adults who either live in two-parent households or without children. Continue reading
Jan 05 Clinton announces new autism initiative By Ken Thomas, Associated Press DES MOINES, Iowa — Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton proposed a new initiative directed at boosting autism screening, treatment and research Tuesday aiming to ramp up the federal government's role in helping millions of Americans affected by the development disorder. Continue reading
Dec 18 Deaths from drug overdoses reach record-high levels in 2014 By Joshua Barajas Nearly 50,000 people died from drug overdoses in the U.S. in 2014, a new record driven by the deaths of heroin addicts and people misusing prescription painkillers, new federal statistics showed. Continue reading