Health & Safety

Health workers killed chickens in a Hong Kong market in 2014 in an effort to stop the spread of H7N9 flu. It's being watched closely as a virus that might spark a pandemic outbreak.

NIH Lifts Ban On Research That Could Make Deadly Viruses Even Worse

11:12pm December 19, 2017

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

After an unusual three-year moratorium, the federal government says it will once again allow research on deadly viruses that could spark pandemics. The work has sparked concerns about bioterrorism.

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What Happens To Obamacare If Individual Mandate Disappears?

5:39pm December 19, 2017

Republicans' tax overhaul gets rid of the tax penalty for people who fail to maintain insurance coverage. If it becomes law, what happens to the deficit and the number of uninsured?

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Health & Safety

First Gene Therapy For Inherited Disease Gets FDA Approval

2:18pm December 19, 2017

by Rob Stein

The Food and Drug Administration approved Luxturna, a genetically modified virus that restores by ferrying a healthy gene into the eyes of patients born with a genetic disease that impairs sight.

Standing on the bench, new girl Ericka is portrayed by Nabiyah Be. Ericka is from Ohio and she's biracial. Her lighter skin puts her in the lead when a recruiter for the Miss Ghana pageant comes calling.

Health & Safety

'African Mean Girls' Are The Toast Of New York Theater

1:04pm December 19, 2017

by Nurith Aizenman

Playwright Jocelyn Bioh is using a familiar premise to show us a different side of Africa.

George Patterson is one of the volunteers who run Phoenix's only syringe exchange program, a mobile program called Shot in the Dark.

Fight The Opioid Epidemic, All Agree. But Strategies Vary Widely

11:47am December 19, 2017

by Will Stone

Officials across Arizona agree that the state must solve its growing opioid problem. But some people fear that several strategies under consideration encourage drug use.

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Some Republicans see HSAs as a great way of helping consumers deal with mounting medical costs. It's still possible a change to the rules governing who can have an HSA and what they are allowed to cover could be added to another bill, some analysts say.

GOP Tax Bill Leaves Health Savings Accounts Untouched

10:47am December 19, 2017

by Michelle Andrews

Republicans tried last summer to expand the use of these tax-advantaged accounts that are linked to high-deductible health plans. But their expansion proposal didn't make it into the tax bill.

Greensboro Medical Society Encourages Young Women Of Color To Pursue Medicine

5:15am December 19, 2017

by Bethany Chafin

At Calvin Wiley Elementary School, Principal Tavy Fields asks a crowd of students in front of her if they're&nb

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The Food and Drug Administration plans to take action against risky homeopathic remedies under a policy unveiled Monday.

Food And Drug Administration Plans Crackdown On Risky Homeopathic Remedies

11:26pm December 18, 2017

by Rob Stein

FDA says homeopathy has grown into a $3 billion industry with treatments being sold for conditions ranging from the common cold to cancer. The agency will prioritize action against unsafe products.

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Researchers have identified a pattern of brain activity that precedes impulsive behavior like binge eating.

Could A Zap To The Brain Derail Destructive Impulses?

3:45pm December 18, 2017

by Esther Landhuis

A brain implant already used to treat severe epilepsy might also help fend off impulses to abuse drugs or overeat before they happen, researchers say. But so far it's been tested mostly in mice.

A new study suggests that the presence of Uber has decreased ambulance rates.

Cities With Uber Have Lower Rates Of Ambulance Usage

3:22pm December 18, 2017

by Emily Sullivan

Without insurance, an ambulance trip can be expensive. A new study suggests people are opting to avoid the cost by using the ride-hailing app, which frees up ambulances for more critical patients.