October 2011 - NPR Health Blog - The Network of Care

Medical Schools Say Magazine's Ratings Get An Incomplete

U.S. News & World Report 's ratings count when it comes to marketing to prospective medical students and fundraising, med school deans acknowledge. But they take the rankings less seriously as a scientific gauge of what actually goes on at their...

Published Fri, Oct 28 2011 10:58 AM by Shots - Health Blog

A Tweak To Health Law Would Eliminate Medicaid For Some

Medicaid, the health program funded jointly by the feds and the states, was devised to cover the poor. But if a provision in last year's federal health law isn't changed, even people with pretty healthy incomes could qualify for Medicaid. Read...

Published Thu, Oct 27 2011 9:45 AM by Shots - Health Blog

Democrats Lose Enthusiasm For Health Law

For the first time since President Obama signed it into law in March 2010, more than half of those polled — 51 percent — told researchers from the Kaiser Family Foundation they had an unfavorable view of the measure overhauling health care. Only 34 percent...

Published Fri, Oct 28 2011 6:59 AM by Shots - Health Blog

Looking For Lung Cancer With A Yearly X-Ray Doesn't Reduce Deaths

Yearly chest X-rays to look for lung cancer aren't worth doing because they don't save lives, according to a federally funded study. More than 150,000 people took part in the research. Read More...

Published Wed, Oct 26 2011 12:34 PM by Shots - Health Blog

Private Medicare Plans Use Stars To Navigate For Profits

Consumers aren't the only ones paying attention to the quality ratings of private Medicare coverage. Health plans stand to make big bucks by scoring higher in Medicare's rating system. Read More...

Published Thu, Oct 13 2011 12:17 PM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health Blog

Biggest Study Yet Finds No Cancer Risk From Cellphones

When researchers dug into Danish cancer data, teasing out cases involving people who'd had cellphones with those who hadn't, they found no increased risk of brain tumors. Swedish researchers also noted in an editorial that national rates of glioma...

Published Fri, Oct 21 2011 7:46 AM by Shots - Health Blog

Nobelists Showed How Immune Defenses Work And Go Awry

The three scientists who won this year's Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine opened important windows on how the immune system works to defend against microbial invaders and refrain from attacking animals' cells. Read More...

Published Mon, Oct 03 2011 5:22 AM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health Blog

Flu Shots: Far From Perfect, Still Advised

The flu vaccine has proven itself for most people, but researchers say it needs an overhaul to further reduce infection and death rates. Many doctors would like to see a universal vaccine that protects against all strains of flu. Read More...

Published Tue, Oct 25 2011 3:32 PM by Shots - Health Blog

Losing Weight: A Battle Against Fat And Biology

Most people who lose weight end up gaining it back — and it's not just a matter of willpower. In fact, once we begin to shed those first few pounds, says one expert, "the biology really kicks in and tries to resist the weight loss." Read...

Published Mon, Oct 31 2011 1:52 AM by Shots - Health Blog

Tainted Cantaloupes Claim 18 Lives, Sicken 100

Even now, weeks after the suspect cantaloupes were recalled, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cautions that there may be more reports of illness to come. The incubation period for listeriosis varies, but it can take as long as two months...

Published Wed, Oct 05 2011 7:52 AM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health Blog

Influential Panel Giving Thumbs Down To Routine Prostate Cancer Test

Routine testing of men's blood to detect prostate cancer is unwarranted, and causes more harm than good, according to findings of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. The panel of experts sets the agenda for doctors and, increasingly, insurance...

Published Fri, Oct 07 2011 9:23 AM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health Blog

After A Half-Million Cholera Cases, Vaccination Will Begin In Haiti

The goal of the vaccinators isn't to stop cholera in its tracks. They can't do that in Haiti with only enough vaccine for 100,000 people. The aim is to show the world that vaccination against the illness can be done. Read More...

Published Thu, Oct 20 2011 7:54 AM by Shots - Health Blog

Crash Rates Don't Tell the Whole Story Of Risky Teen Driving

Teen drivers have fewer accidents as they gain experience. But that doesn't mean they are cutting down on dangerous habits like taking sharp turns and braking quickly, research shows. Read More...

Published Thu, Oct 20 2011 2:25 PM by Shots - Health Blog

Why Gingrich Opposes Recommendation Against Routine PSA Tests

Newt Gingrich invoked Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach, former head of the National Cancer Institute, in criticizing proposed changes in prostate cancer screening. A close watcher of von Eschenbach at NCI questioned whether he is the right person to lean on...

Published Wed, Oct 12 2011 1:44 PM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health Blog

High-Tech Shoes Aim To Stop Wandering Alzheimer's Patients

GPS can help you navigate a new city, train for a marathon, or keep tabs on your kids. Now, some nifty footwear aims to bring peace of mind to the families of Alzheimers' patients. Read More...

Published Thu, Oct 27 2011 7:15 AM by Shots - Health Blog

October 2011 - NPR Health Blog

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