September 2011 - NPR Health Blog - The Network of Care

Weight-Loss Program Beats Doctor's Advice To Shed Pounds

People who joined Weight Watchers lost twice as much weight in a year as people who were advised by their doctors, a new study finds. Paying for diet and exercise programs for baby boomers at risk of diabetes could save Medicare billions of dollars in...

Published Thu, Sep 08 2011 5:39 AM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health Blog

Conservatives Step Up Attacks On Public Funding For Birth Control

Some opponents object to subsidizing contraception on moral grounds; others say it's simply too expensive in an era of tight budgets. The recent battles over the federal budget and the health law may help explain why critics seem to be growing more...

Published Tue, Sep 06 2011 9:01 PM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health Blog

To Cut Deficit, Obama Takes A Scalpel To Health Programs

But the president made clear that he doesn't intend to make any health cuts unless the Republicans relent on their pledge against new revenues. Read More...

Published Mon, Sep 19 2011 12:37 PM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health Blog

FDA Confirms Source Of Cantaloupe Contamination

Tests show cantaloupes from Jensen Farms carried bacteria linked to an outbreak of listeriosis that has sickened 35 people. The germs were also found found on packing equipment. Last week the company recalled the affected melons. Read More...

Published Tue, Sep 20 2011 11:44 AM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health Blog

Packaging Mix-Up For Birth Control Pills Prompts Recall

A maker of is recalling a slew of birth control pills because a mistake in the factory put the pills in the wrong place inside plastic packages. The error could leave women taking the pills at risk for unintended pregnancy. Read More...

Published Fri, Sep 16 2011 6:58 AM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health Blog

Fatal Car Crashes Drop For 16-Year-Olds, Rise For Older Teens

Tougher licensing laws may explain the findings of a study that analyzed more than 130,000 fatal teen crashes over 22 years. Experts note that teens who wait until they are 18 can get their license without jumping through as many hoops — or facing as...

Published Tue, Sep 13 2011 9:01 PM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health Blog

CDC Basks In 'Contagion's' Admiring Take On Disease Detectives

The director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the film Contagion was designed for entertainment purposes, but that the scenario of a global pandemic is plausible. "We can't know what's going to happen," says...

Published Wed, Sep 14 2011 11:22 AM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health Blog

Bioethicists Offer Reward For Proof On HPV Vaccine Claim

Now there's money riding on Rep. Bachmann's claims that a cervical cancer vaccine is harmful. Two prominent bioethicists said they will pay more than $10,000 if claims that the HPV vaccine caused mental retardation can be proved. Read More...

Published Thu, Sep 15 2011 7:29 AM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health Blog

Is Human Resistance Futile? Maps Show March Of Drug-Resistant Germs

Here in the U.S., we're doing better than average when it comes to antibiotic-resistant pneumonia with a resistance score of 19, compared with, say, Greece, which gets a 90 on a scale of 100, which is the worst. Read More...

Published Wed, Sep 21 2011 1:50 PM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health Blog

Virus As The Cause Of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome? Shot Down, Again

Chronic fatigue syndrome is by all accounts a difficult illness – there's no known cause and consequently no test to detect it. Though a series of recent studies have shown there's no link with the XMRV virus, some advocates insist more research...

Published Thu, Sep 22 2011 12:56 PM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health Blog

Watson, IBM's Quiz Show Champ, Moves Into Health Care

Health insurer WellPoint is signing up IBM's Watson, the mainframe computer outfitted with some nifty software to make human-like decisions in seconds. The computer will sift through medical data and patient information to make recommendations to...

Published Mon, Sep 12 2011 7:57 AM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health Blog

What We Eat Shapes Microbe Societies Inside Us

The microbes in the human intestine exert a powerful influence on nutrition and health. Turns out that you can control the bacteria, too. Researchers have found what you eat has a big effect on the microbes inside your gut. Read More...

Published Thu, Sep 01 2011 1:30 PM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health Blog

FDA Chides Pfizer For Omitting Drug Risks On Lipitor Website

The company's website linked to pages about several drugs without mentioning any of the risks they pose in the promotional text, FDA said. Pfizer said it has removed the "cited content" and is working on a response to the agency. Read More...

Published Fri, Sep 02 2011 9:00 AM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health Blog

Nearly 1 Million Young Adults Get Insurance Under Health Law

A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds the number of people getting coverage is running ahead of the administration's estimate of how many young adults would become insured this year under the law. Read More...

Published Wed, Sep 21 2011 11:33 AM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health Blog

When It Comes To Pain Relief, One Size Doesn't Fit All

A recent study confirms what many pain specialists and patients already know: Pain relief differs from person to person. In fact, some medications that were highly effective for some individuals were barely noticeable for others. Read More...

Published Mon, Sep 26 2011 1:30 AM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health Blog

September 2011 - NPR Health Blog

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