Health & Safety

Graphic facilitator Emily Jane Steinberg rendered a visual summary in real time of the conversation at an opioid summit held in Stroud, Okla., in late February.

Health & Safety

Commentary: Can Oklahoma Eliminate Overdose Deaths?

1:32pm March 08, 2019

by John Henning Schumann

While there's been progress in lowering the death rate from prescription opioids in Oklahoma, the number of opioid prescriptions written in the state outpaces the national average.

Marini de Livera, a pro bono lawyer from Sri Lanka, was honored at the U.S. Department of State on Thursday.

She's A Lawyer ... A Thespian ... And Now A State Department 'Woman Of Courage'

12:44pm March 08, 2019

by Rebecca Ellis

The U.S. Department of State has honored Sri Lanka's Marini de Livera for her innovative combination of drama and legal work to aid women and children.

Jonah Reeder prepares a special protein shake that helps him manage a metabolic condition called phenylketonuria.

A Gulp Of Genetically Modified Bacteria Might Someday Treat A Range Of Illnesses

11:57am March 08, 2019

by Rob Stein

Researchers think genetically engineered versions of microbes that can live in humans could help treat some rare genetic disorders and perhaps help with Type 1 diabetes, cirrhosis and cancer.

Queue Listen Now

This colorized scanning electron micrograph shows human cells in a lab infected with "pink" influenza viruses. As many as 650,000 people each year die from flu, according to the World Health Organization.

An Antibody-Inspired Small Molecule Could Make For A Better Flu Treatment

8:54pm March 07, 2019

by Jonathan Lambert

To outsmart influenza, researchers are leveraging the biological information encoded in infection-fighting antibodies to design new drugs. One attempt neutralizes near-lethal levels of flu in mice.

After widespread pressure to repudiate anti-vaccine misinformation on the social media platform, Facebook announced on Thursday it's taking several steps to tackle the issue.

Health & Safety

Facebook Vows To Quash Anti-Vaccine Misinformation

8:32pm March 07, 2019

The company said ads and other content containing false information about vaccines will be pulled from the platform and accounts that persist in disseminating discredited opinions will be disabled.

Zulekha Dawood leads female cyclists through a neighborhood in Karachi, Pakistan. They ride early in the morning to avoid the worst of traffic.

Daring To Ride A Bike And 5 Other Ways Women Are Changing The World

6:56pm March 07, 2019

by Malaka Gharib

For International Women's Day, we're spotlighting women and movements that have made an impact around the globe.

One health insurance startup charges patients extra for procedures not covered by their basic health plan. The out-of-pocket cost for a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy might range from $900 to $3,000 extra, while a lumbar spine fusion could range from $5,

Some 'Cheaper' Health Plans Have Surprising Costs

4:42pm March 07, 2019

by Julie Appleby

Well-known insurers are selling new sorts of health plans outside the Affordable Care Act exchanges that may sound cheaper but aren't necessarily. Some, for example, charge extra for common surgeries.

Two Ohio Mothers Open Up About Their Sons' Drug Addictions

4:40pm March 07, 2019

by Jess Mador

Guilt, frustration, hope: two mothers from Dayton, Ohio, talk about how their sons' struggles with addiction have affected them.

Queue Listen Now

The coal-fired Tata Mundra power plant in western India was funded by a branch of the World Bank. A group of farmers and fishermen is suing, claiming that contamination of local water sources has disrupted their livelihoods.

U.S. Supreme Court Rules That World Bank Can Be Sued

1:20pm March 07, 2019

by Tim McDonnell

The 7-1 decision overturns a 70-plus-year standard of immunity for the bank and its branches. Now a lawsuit filed on behalf of fisherfolk in India can go forward.

Ethan Lindenberger of Norwalk, Ohio, told senators "the information in defense of vaccines outweighed the concerns heavily."

18-Year-Old Testifies About Getting Vaccinated Despite Mother's Anti-Vaccine Beliefs

7:32am March 06, 2019

by James Doubek

Ethan Lindenberger got vaccinated against the wishes of his mother. He told senators on Tuesday that anti-vaccination misinformation online "should be the primary concern of the American people."