March 2010 - NPR Health Blog - The Network of Care

Court: Vaccines Don't Cause Austism

By Jon Hamilton The nation's "vaccine court" has once again concluded that vaccines don't cause autism. The U.S. Court of Federal Claims has rejected claims in three test cases that tried to show that vaccines preserved with thimerosal...

Published Fri, Mar 12 2010 2:49 PM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health News

Filed under: Autism

Naughty Kids More Likely To Report Chronic Pain As Adults

By Joanne Silberner Kids who behave badly may wind up feeling the pain as adults. Researchers who checked up on 45-year-olds whose parents and teachers said they were naughty as children were more likely to have chronic pain as adults. "We found...

Published Mon, Mar 15 2010 12:31 PM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health News

Filed under: Research, Children

Midnight Munchies Keep Elderly Safer In NY Nursing Home

By Peggy Girshman Midnight snacks aren't just for college students anymore. Making late-night snacks, like a cake and coffee, available to elderly dementia patients at a New York nursing home helped reduce their risks of accidents associated with...

Published Tue, Mar 16 2010 10:00 AM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health News

Filed under: Aging

Doctors Appear Downbeat On Health Law

By Scott Hensley If you ask doctors what they think the new health law means for them, the responses aren't too cheery. Doc, this health law might hurt just a bit. (NPR/iStockphoto.com) An online community for docs called Sermo and Athenahealth, a...

Published Thu, Mar 25 2010 2:31 PM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health News

Filed under: Health Overhaul

Health Law Prompts Bigger Tax Bills For Some Firms

By Scott Hensley Some big-name corporations are setting aside some big money to deal with the aftermath of the new law overhauling health care. Telecommunications giant AT&T said in a securities filing Friday that it would take a $1 billion hit to...

Published Fri, Mar 26 2010 1:50 PM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health News

Filed under: Health Overhaul, Pharmaceuticals, Medicare

Georgia Cases Put Swine Flu Back On Radar

By Richard Knox Most people may think the new flu strain that popped up about a year ago has gone away. Largely, it has. But it's still putting some Americans in the hospital. Just like last spring, the nation's influenza hot spot --- well, call...

Published Mon, Mar 29 2010 4:38 PM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health News

Filed under: Swine Flu (H1N1)

Policing Doctors Remains A Challenge

By Scott Hensley Pennsylvania suspended Dr. Kermit Gosnell's medical license after federal and state agents raided his clinic in West Philadelphia in February. Authorities found unsanitary conditions and an unlicensed worker providing care for patients...

Published Tue, Mar 30 2010 2:24 PM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health News

Filed under: Doctors

Obama Launches Final Push For Health Legislation

By Scott Hensley and Julie Rovner President Obama kicked off the beginning of the endgame on health overhaul this afternoon in a White House speech intended to galvanize Democrats to action. The status quo is unacceptable, he said, in a midday speech...

Published Wed, Mar 03 2010 11:16 AM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health News

Filed under: Health Overhaul

Sebelius Talks Tough Before Insurance Meeting

By Phil Galewitz In a warm-up for a confab with insurers at the White House Thursday, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius put them on notice this morning that they had a lot of explaining to do about what they charge for policies. HHS...

Published Thu, Mar 04 2010 8:55 AM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health News

Filed under: Insurance

Sex Addiction: A Disease Or An Excuse?

By Kathleen Masterson Sex addiction, nymphomania or sexual compulsion might sound like the stuff of novels or over-hyped celebrity angst. Yet excessive sexual behaviors have been documented for over two centuries in American medical literature. In fact...

Published Fri, Mar 05 2010 8:00 AM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health News

Filed under: Mental Health

Obama Stumps For Health Overhaul, Ripping Insurers

President Obama talks up health overhaul at Arcadia University, Monday, March 8, 2010. (Charles Dharapak/AP) President Obama talks up health overhaul at Arcadia University, Monday, March 8, 2010. (Charles Dharapak/AP) President Obama talks up health overhaul...

Published Mon, Mar 08 2010 9:16 AM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health News

Filed under: Health Overhaul, Insurance

Obese Men Fare Worse In Car Crashes

Watch your weight for crash safety. (iStockphoto.com) By Brenda Wilson If you're an obese man, you not only have a higher risk for heart disease and diabetes but also of being seriously injured in a car crash. Watch your weight for crash safety. Read...

Published Wed, Mar 31 2010 10:34 AM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health News

Filed under: Research, Obesity

Gawande Gets Big Check From Warren Buffett's Partner

By Scott Hensley When it comes to investing, nobody gets more respect for rooting out value than Warren Buffett and his sidekick Charlie Munger at Berkshire Hathaway. Atul Gawande speaks at the 2009 New Yorker Festival. (Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images...

Published Tue, Mar 02 2010 8:10 AM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health News

Filed under: Health Overhaul, Costs

Prostate Cancer Screening Should Be A Personal Decision

By Scott Hensley Men looking for easy answers on when to be tested for prostate cancer won't find them anytime soon. For the first time since 2001, the American Cancer Society has updated its advice on prostate cancer screening. And the upshot is...

Published Wed, Mar 03 2010 8:32 AM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health News

Filed under: Cancer, Public Health, Men's health

Health Care For All Leaves 23 Million Uninsured

By Maggie Mertens When President Obama signed health care overhaul into law Tuesday, did he fulfill a campaign promise to "bring health care to all?" The short answer is no. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the overhaul law, as it expected...

Published Wed, Mar 24 2010 8:37 AM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health News