NPR Health Blog

Fast Tests Are Latest Weapons Against Infections

Tests that take hours instead of days can help doctors make a better diagnosis of infectious diseases. The results can help them decide which antibiotic to use, and which one to keep in reserve. Read More...

Published Fri, Jun 29 2012 1:32 PM by Shots - Health Blog

A Parasite Carried By Cats Could Increase Suicide Risk

A study of more than 45,000 women in Denmark finds an association between suicide attempts and infection with a common parasite. The findings don't prove the parasite is the cause, but they add more evidence to a hypothesis that's been gaining...

Published Mon, Jul 02 2012 2:28 PM by Shots - Health Blog

Glaxo Settlement Pulls Back Curtain On Drug Marketing

The government released a slew of documents in the Glaxo settlement that serve as a one-stop guide to sales practices that allegedly ran rampant for years. Read More...

Published Tue, Jul 03 2012 12:04 PM by Shots - Health Blog

Just Talking With Your Doctor Could Help You Lose Weight

The right sort of talk with your doctor could help get you on the road to weight loss. But many physicians are reluctant to bring it up, out of fear they might offend patients. Read More...

Published Fri, Mar 11 2011 10:47 AM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health Blog

Electric Fans May Do More Harm Than Good In A Heat Wave

Researchers say there's no evidence electric fans actually provide relief in a heat wave. So they're calling for more research, even though heat waves are hard to predict and even harder to study once they hit. Read More...

Published Fri, Jul 13 2012 10:32 AM by Shots - Health Blog

Is HIV Still A Death Sentence? Young People Weigh In

Young Americans who came of age in a world with AIDS say worrying about HIV in 2012 isn't much different than worrying about other sexually-transmitted diseases. But others say there isn't much discussion about the risks of the disease in their...

Published Mon, Jul 16 2012 12:25 AM by Shots - Health Blog

Deciding On Truvada: Who Should Take An HIV Prevention Pill?

Truvada, the first HIV prevention pill, costs about $13,000 a year, and it's not clear whether insurers will pay for it. And while taking a daily pill sounds simple, the new prevention strategy involves some complicated issues. Read More...

Published Tue, Jul 17 2012 12:05 AM by Shots - Health Blog

HIV Prevention Drug Truvada No Quick Fix For Brazil's Epidemic

Some Brazilian researchers say Truvada should only be given to very specific groups at risk of getting HIV, like young, gay men. Others are concerned that a drug that blocks the transmission of HIV could be a set-back for safe sex campaigns and might...

Published Tue, Jul 17 2012 2:15 PM by Shots - Health Blog

Prostate Cancer Surgery Shows No Benefit For Many Men

A study of more than 700 men with prostate cancer found no difference in rates of death among men who had their prostates surgically removed compared to those who didn't. The findings suggest that men with low-risk cancers could forgo surgery. Read...

Published Wed, Jul 18 2012 3:03 PM by Shots - Health Blog

People Can Spread Herpes Easily, Even When Free Of Symptoms

Most people infected with the genital herpes virus pick it up from partners who do not show symptoms of infection. But not very many people without symptoms know they have the virus, and testing for it isn't routine. Read More...

Published Tue, Apr 12 2011 1:19 PM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health Blog

More Than Half Of Americans Take Dietary Supplements

More women than men take supplements. And women 60 and over take the most of all, especially when it comes to calcium and vitamin D. Overall, multivitamins are the most commonly consumed supplements. Read More...

Published Wed, Apr 13 2011 1:11 PM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health Blog

Stillbirths Still Haunt Parents Around The World

Some 2.6 million babies are born with no signs of life after 28 weeks' gestation — what's known as a stillbirth — according to a collection of papers published online this week in The Lancet . Most happen in developing countries, but they haven't...

Published Thu, Apr 14 2011 9:14 AM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health Blog

New Zealand Honey Could Be Handy In Fighting Superbugs

Preliminary research suggests that honey made from the nectar of the New Zealand Manuka tree helps fight drug-resistant bacteria like MRSA. But don't run out and buy some just yet — much more research is needed. Read More...

Published Fri, Apr 15 2011 10:25 AM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health Blog

Prominent Surgeon Resigns Post After Backlash Over Editorial

A distinguished vascular surgeon who was on tap to become the next president of the American College of Surgeons has stepped aside. In a publication for surgeons, he wrote a controversial Valentine's Day editorial that said semen had mood-enhancing...

Published Mon, Apr 18 2011 6:57 AM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health Blog

Mixed Feelings About Side Effects From Cholesterol Pills

There's ample evidence cholesterol-lowering pills called statins can reduce the risk of a repeat heart attack. But there's fresh debate about the widespread use of statins to prevent heart attacks in people who've never had one. Are the benefits...

Published Thu, Aug 02 2012 6:42 AM by Shots - Health Blog

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