Health & Safety

Health & Safety

AMA Declares Gun Violence 'A Public Health Crisis'

2:13pm June 16, 2016

After the mass shooting at an Orlando nightclub, the American Medical Association proclaims that gun violence is a public health crisis. Steve Inskeep talks to outgoing AMA president Dr. Steven Stack.

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Rep. Quigley: Orlando Tragedy Highlights Discriminatory Blood Donation Rule

6:37am June 16, 2016

Renee Montagne talks to Rep. Mike Quigley, D-IL, about his push to end the FDA's blood deferral policy. Gay and bisexual men are required to remain celibate for a year before donating blood.

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Eight months pregnant, Mara Torres stands next to a mosquito net placed over her bed in Cali, Colombia. Health officials in Cali have delivered mosquito nets to pregnant women to help protect them from the bites of mosquitoes that can transmit dengue, chi

Zika Infection Late In Pregnancy Carries Little Risk of Microcephaly

9:52pm June 15, 2016

by Michaeleen Doucleff

Scientists tracked nearly 600 pregnant women in Colombia, who were reportedly infected with Zika during their third trimester. None of these women gave birth to a baby with apparent problems.

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Methadone, and similar drugs, are legal synthetic opioids that are used to help block the cravings and withdrawal symptoms of people trying to wean themselves off prescription painkillers or heroin.

Despite Overdose Epidemic, Georgia Caps The Number Of Opioid Treatment Clinics

7:36pm June 15, 2016

by Michell Eloy

Georgia has stopped licensing new clinics that provide medication-assisted treatment for opioid addiction. Some call the state's move irresponsible. Others say the clinics aren't regulated enough.

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Coffee gets the all-clear from the World Health Organization's cancer research agency.

Health & Safety

Java Lovers, Rejoice: Coffee Doesn't Pose A Cancer Risk, WHO Panel Says

6:14pm June 15, 2016

by Allison Aubrey

The World Health Organization's cancer research agency listed coffee as a possible carcinogen in 1991. But the body of evidence now suggests that's not the case, and coffee may even protect health.

Ex-Wife Reveals Orlando Gunman's History Of Domestic Violence

5:57pm June 15, 2016

The ex-wife of Omar Mateen — who attacked an Orlando, Fla., nightclub killing at least 49 people — has described suffering physical and psychological abuse from Mateen during their marriage. NPR's Kelly McEvers speaks to Deborah Epstein of Georgetown University about the possible connections between domestic violence and mass shootings.

In Namibia, a clear view of the Milky Way is a nightly norm.

Health & Safety

#NPRNightSky: Send Us Your Pix Of The World's Least Light-Polluted Skies

2:26pm June 15, 2016

by NPR Staff

Eighty percent of the world lives under light-polluted skies. For the 20 percent who can see clear views of the heavens at night, we want to see your photos.

When it comes to the end of life, hospital stays are more intensive and more expensive than alternatives.

Health & Safety

Dying In A Hospital Means More Procedures, Tests And Costs

1:25pm June 15, 2016

by Alison Kodjak

Hospital deaths are more expensive and intrusive than deaths at home, in hospice care or even in nursing homes. Financial incentives favor more care, even when it's not always wanted.

Opponents of a proposed sugary drink tax demonstrate outside City Hall in Philadelphia on June 8. The Philadelphia City Council is set to consider a sugary drink tax that Mayor Jim Kenney wants to pay for universal prekindergarten, community schools and p

Can The Soda Industry's $4 Million Ad Blitz Fend Off A Sugary Drink Tax?

10:48am June 15, 2016

by Allison Aubrey

Philadelphia's City Council on Thursday will vote on a 1.5 cents-per-ounce tax on sugary beverages, as well as on diet sodas. Big Soda is spending big bucks on ads to sway public opinion against it.

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Personnel examine a body at the medical examiner's office on Sunday in Orlando, Fla. A gunman opened fire inside a crowded gay nightclub early Sunday, before dying in a gunfight with SWAT officers, police said.

Gun Violence 'A Public Health Crisis,' Says AMA

10:03pm June 14, 2016

by Richard Gonzales

The AMA says it will continue to lobby Congress to overturn the 20-year prohibition of gun violence research by the Centers for Disease Control.