Health & Safety

Health & Safety

New Quarantine Authority Gives CDC More Power To Stop Outbreaks

6:25pm February 02, 2017

by Rob Stein

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is about to acquire strong new powers to quarantine people to prevent or stop a dangerous outbreak. It's a step being welcomed by many public health authorities as long overdue, but raising fears the new authority could violate civil liberties.

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VIDEO: When Humans Got Cozy, Germs Got Deadly

3:02pm February 02, 2017

Our first germs didn't do much damage, until we gave up our hunter-gatherer ways and started farming. Episode 1 of a three-part animated miniseries on the battle between humans and germs.

Escaping artificial light even for a winter weekend can reset sleep patterns for the better, researchers say. One good place to do it: Heliotrope Ridge near Mount Baker in Washington state.

Not Getting Enough Sleep? Camping In February Might Help

2:04pm February 02, 2017

by Angus Chen

Living most of life indoors can get your body clock out of phase. A fairly painless way to synch it is to spend a weekend camping, researchers say. Even the dim light of winter will do.

Health Savings Accounts Are Back In The Policy Spotlight

1:12pm February 02, 2017

by Julie Appleby

Republicans hope to expand the use of health savings accounts to encourage consumers to be more judicious in using their coverage. How do the accounts work?

Under the old rules, the CDC's authority was primarily limited to detaining travelers entering the U.S. or crossing state lines. With the new rules, the CDC would be able to detain people anywhere in the country, without getting approval from state and lo

CDC Seeks Controversial New Quarantine Powers To Stop Outbreaks

7:53am February 02, 2017

by Rob Stein

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wants more flexibility in deciding whom to quarantine and why. But critics say the changes the agency has proposed raise civil liberties questions.

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Just because Dad is tall doesn't mean you'll be. And figuring out why is turning out to be a real challenge.

Which Genes Make You Taller? A Whole Bunch Of Them, It Turns Out

6:23pm February 01, 2017

by Richard Harris

You'd think it would be a simple matter of looking at a few genes from Mom and Dad. But scientists say they've already found more than 700 variants that affect height and are still counting.

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A newborn has its umbilical cord cut after birth in a Nigerian hospital. In a contest last week, MBA students came up with plans to get moms and dads to use an antiseptic on the cord stump to ward off infection.

Health & Safety

Contest For Biz Students Is All About Umbilical Cord Stumps

4:59pm February 01, 2017

by Susan Brink

Students from 11 business programs around the U.S. came together to see who could make the best business plan to address infant mortality in Nigeria.

Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., center, nominee for Health and Human Services secretary, is seen with Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, before his Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing on Jan. 24.

Senate Republicans Defy Democrats' Boycott To Advance Trump Nominees

4:47pm February 01, 2017

by Arnie Seipel

Republicans suspended committee rules this morning to advance the nominations for Health and Human Services and Treasury. Democrats staged another boycott over Trump's pick for the EPA.

Players who headed a lot of balls — an average of 124 in two weeks — were three times more likely to get a concussion compared to soccer players who rarely headed.

With Concussion Risk In Soccer, Headers May Kick It Up A Notch

4:43pm February 01, 2017

by Jessica Boddy

While a large number of the concussions in soccer come from players knocking skulls, heading the ball poses its own threat, a study finds.

Passport holders from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen are suspended from entering the U.S. in the next 90 days.

3 Ways Trump's Travel Ban Could Affect Humanitarian Aid Workers

3:52pm February 01, 2017

by Malaka Gharib

The order will have a direct impact on the thousands of international aid employees who travel from country to country to provide life-saving aid.