NPR Health Blog

Doctors Call For Pullback On Narcotics For Chronic Pain

An editorial published in the Archives of Internal Medicine says there's a troubling shortfall in the evidence to support the use of narcotics like Oxycontin for long-term treatment of pain. And, there's ample evidence of harm. Read More...

Published Fri, Sep 16 2011 2:26 PM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health Blog

Cocaine Mule Busted In Sao Paulo

A man arrested Monday at an airport in Brazil had quite a bit of undeclared carry-on luggage: 72 bags containing almost a kilogram of cocaine inside his body. Read More...

Published Fri, Sep 16 2011 8:20 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

First Lady Leans On Darden Restaurants To Shave Calories Off Menus

The company has pledged to reduce its calorie and sodium footprints with a goal of 10 percent reduction over the next five years and 20 percent in the next decade. It says its restaurants will also downsize meal portions. Read More...

Published Thu, Sep 15 2011 2:16 PM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health Blog

Tempest In A Lunch Box: Arsenic Traces In Apple Juice

Dr. Oz isn't the only one whose testing has turned up arsenic in apple juice. But his methods have been challenged, and the Food and Drug Administration maintains the drink remains safe to consume. Read More...

Published Thu, Sep 15 2011 1:15 PM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health Blog

Judge Blocks Florida Law Curbing Doctors' Questions About Guns

A federal judge in Florida ruled that the right of doctors to free speech wouldn't interfere with gunowners' rights to bear arms. She enjoined a state law that effectively restricted what doctors could ask patients about gun ownership. Read More...

Published Thu, Sep 15 2011 12:35 PM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health Blog

Medicare Advantage Premiums To Drop Next Year

The plans offered by health insurance companies are an alternative to traditional, government fee-for-service Medicare. Nearly 12 million seniors are in the plans, about one-quarter of all Medicare beneficiaries. Read More...

Published Thu, Sep 15 2011 9:16 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

Why You Should Wash A Melon Before Chowing Down

An outbreak of listeriosis linked to cantaloupes has led to the deaths of four people. Most of the cases have occurred in Colorado and New Mexico. Read More...

Published Wed, Sep 14 2011 2:12 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

Fear of Antidepressants Leads People To Shun Treatment

Many people don't want to tell their doctor that they have symptoms of depression. And they've got a variety of reasons: fear of antidepressants, fear of being sent to a psychiatrist and worries about the confidentiality of medical records. Read...

Published Wed, Sep 14 2011 8:28 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

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