May 24 Watch 9:21 What's behind biting political fight in Congress over Zika funding? By PBS News Hour In February, the White House issued a $1.9 billion plan for combating Zika virus in the U.S., including provisions for mosquito control, education and research into a vaccine. While GOP lawmakers opposed that plan, the Senate passed a bipartisan $1.1… Continue watching
May 20 Watch 5:12 New food labels to emphasize calories, amount of 'added sugar' By PBS News Hour The FDA rolled out new rules for nutrition labels on packaged foods and drinks Friday, designed to highlight the amount of “added sugar” and calories in a given product. The measures, which take effect this summer, are part of a… Continue watching
May 20 Added sugar takes center stage in new food label rules By Darlene Superville, Mary Clare Jalonick, Associated Press Nutrition advocates have long asked for the added sugars line on the label because it's impossible for consumers to know how much sugar in an item is naturally occurring, like that in fruit and dairy products, and how much is… Continue reading
May 19 Watch 8:39 Our long and winding road to understanding 'The Gene' By PBS News Hour The field of genetics has seen exponential growth in recent years, and today may be on the verge of further breakthroughs that will radically change the way we function as a species. But to understand genetics now, one must first… Continue watching
May 13 Watch 6:05 How genetic sequencing can unlock secret DNA mutations — and save lives By PBS News Hour Every year, thousands of young people who seemed otherwise healthy die suddenly. The reason sometimes is long-rooted, secret gene mutations passed down through the generations. Doctors at the Scripps Translational Science Institute are using gene sequencing and “molecular autopsies” to… Continue watching
May 12 Watch 7:46 Its economy in shambles, Puerto Rico also stares down the Zika virus By PBS News Hour As if a crumbling economy and crippling debt weren’t enough to handle, Puerto Rico is also in the throes of a new looming crisis: the mosquito-borne Zika virus is gaining ground. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control predicts an astounding… Continue watching
May 10 Too many American women die during pregnancy By Michael Ollove, Stateline The Joint Commission, a nonprofit that accredits health care organizations and programs, calls maternal deaths “sentinel” events. “For every woman who dies, there are 50 who are very ill, suffering significant complications of pregnancy, labor and delivery,” Dr. William Callaghan,… Continue reading
Apr 27 These hospitals are trying to reduce surgeries by inexperienced doctors By Sandra G. Boodman, Kaiser Health News A contentious, long-running battle focuses on the largely unfettered ability of surgeons with minimal expertise to perform high-risk procedures. Continue reading
Apr 21 How Canada is working with indigenous peoples to prevent suicide By Laura Santhanam The Canadian government is working with indigenous communities to improve well-being and prevent suicide. Continue reading
Apr 18 Why genetic counseling is more popular than ever By Todd Bookman, WHYY The sheer number of genetic tests has exploded in the past decade or so. There are now thousands of different testable genetic disorders. Continue reading