October 2012 - NPR Health Blog - The Network of Care

CDC: Meningitis Mold In Tainted Drug Can Incubate For Months

The mold is so rare as a cause of human illness that nobody knows its incubation period. That makes it hard to predict when the outbreak will be over. Read More...

Published Sat, Oct 20 2012 4:00 AM by Shots - Health News

'Addictive' Cigarette Smoking Games On Smartphones Target Kids

Researchers have found dozens of free apps on iPhones and Androids that promote and glamorize smoking. Many of the apps target children and teens by using cartoons, celebrities and games. Health experts say these apps, downloaded by millions of people...

Published Tue, Oct 23 2012 8:41 AM by Shots - Health News

How Does The Polio Vaccine Reach A Remote Corner Of The World?

We're right on the verge of wiping out polio globally. But to do that, children in remote regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan must be inoculated with the heat-sensitive vaccine — not once, but multiple times. Time to call in the donkeys. Read More...

Published Wed, Oct 24 2012 8:49 AM by Shots - Health News

Medicare Rolls Out Carrots And Sticks For Hospital Quality

Medicare is withholding 1 percent of its regular hospital payments to fund bonuses for hospitals that score well on quality tests. Separately, Medicare will penalize hospitals that have higher than expected readmission rates. Read More...

Published Mon, Oct 01 2012 10:11 AM by Shots - Health Blog

How Some Parents Could Learn Adult Daughters' Birth Control Habits

Under the federal health law, adult children can remain on parents' insurance plans until they reach age 26. Parents may find out about their daughters' prescriptions for birth control pills from notices of insurance benefits. Read More...

Published Tue, Oct 02 2012 7:54 AM by Shots - Health Blog

Why Experts Can Pounce On New Diseases Faster As They Emerge

Public health experts have gotten much better at detecting new diseases and figuring out their cause since the SARS outbreak nearly 10 years ago. Advances in communications and genetics mean information about new microbes is more accessible. Read More...

Published Wed, Oct 03 2012 12:31 AM by Shots - Health Blog

Admit It: Medicare Errs In Crackdown On Hospital Quality

Just before new penalties kicked in for hospitals that readmit too many Medicare patients, the government discovered that the data it used to were out of date. The changes from the error are tiny, amounting on average to a fraction of a percent for most...

Published Wed, Oct 03 2012 12:55 PM by Shots - Health Blog

Ketamine Relieves Depression By Restoring Brain Connections

A few years ago, scientists discovered that the club drug ketamine worked as a quick and effective treatment for people depression who didn't respond to other treatments. New research goes further in explaining just how it works. Read More...

Published Thu, Oct 04 2012 1:51 PM by Shots - Health Blog

More Clues About Hazards From Laundry Detergent Pods

Kids exposed to laundry detergent pods appeared more likely to have vomiting, drowsiness or lethargy than those who were exposed to other forms of laundry detergent. An analysis of reports of poisoning by detergent pods finds they represent "an emerging...

Published Thu, Oct 18 2012 3:07 PM by Shots - Health News

Romney: People Don't Die For Lack Of Insurance

Mitt Romney's claim is belied by a large and growing body of academic studies. Democrats pounced on the remarks, which came a day after the GOP presidential nominee's comments on abortion stirred controversy. Read More...

Published Thu, Oct 11 2012 4:02 PM by Shots - Health Blog

Vice Presidential Candidates Spar Over Medicare

Fact checkers have raised some flags about some of the claims the candidates made about Medicare. Ryan tried to insist that his Medicare plan is bipartisan, while Biden at one point may have confused Medicare with Medicaid. Read More...

Published Fri, Oct 12 2012 3:23 PM by Shots - Health Blog

Girls Vaccinated For HPV Not More Likely To Be Sexually Active

Researchers found that 11- and 12-year-old girls who had the vaccine were no more likely to have had sexual health issues than ones who didn't. Still, parents' concerns about daughters and sexual activity remain a barrier to widespread adoption...

Published Mon, Oct 15 2012 12:34 PM by Shots - Health Blog

Medicare: Where Presidential Politics And Policy Collide

Medicare is emerging as the most important health care voting issue — more important than even the Affordable Care Act. And with 10,000 baby boomers qualifying for the program every day, whoever wins the election will have to find some way to rein in...

Published Tue, Oct 16 2012 1:43 PM by Shots - Health News

Romney Tries To Soften Birth Control Message

In Tuesday's debate, Mitt Romney accused President Obama of misrepresenting his position on the issue. "Every woman in America should have access to contraceptives," the GOP nominee said. His position is not that surprising given recent...

Published Wed, Oct 17 2012 3:38 PM by Shots - Health News

Take Shots With You, Please

NPR's health blog, Shots, has a new look and feel to make it easier for you to navigate, particularly on smartphones and tablets. You'll notice bigger photos and graphics in stories, and a lot less clutter. On the landing page, you'll be able...

Published Wed, Oct 17 2012 10:45 AM by Shots - Health News

October 2012 - NPR Health Blog

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