Health & Safety

Philadelphia City Council Set To Pass Soda Tax

6:43pm June 09, 2016

by Katie Colaneri

Philadelphia's City Council agreed to support a tax of 1.5 cents per ounce on sweetened beverages, including all sweetened drinks, whether they are sugar-based or diet. The proposal still requires a second council vote, expected to pass on June 16. Cities interested in similar taxes include Oakland, Calif., San Francisco and Boulder, Colo.

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Learning to get along with others is critical for kids to succeed as adults. These youngsters are working hard at the skill on a playground in Manila.

Why Countries Need To Make Sure Their Kids Learn To Play Nice

6:13pm June 09, 2016

by Nurith Aizenman

A study offers a rare look at how well toddlers are doing in low- and middle-income countries.

California Raises Smoking Age To 21

4:27pm June 09, 2016

NPR's Robert Siegel talks to state Sen. Ed Hernandez about California becoming the second state to raise the smoking age to 21. Hernandez authored the bill to raise the smoking age.

Opponents of a proposed sugary drink tax demonstrate outside City Hall in Philadelphia on Wednesday.

Taxing Sugar: 5 Things To Know About Philly's Proposed Soda Tax

4:19pm June 09, 2016

by Allison Aubrey

The Philadelphia City Council this week took a major step toward approving a tax on sweetened drinks. Passing a tax in a city this big would be historic and could set a precedent.

Joe Palca (left) with Jim Allison (second from right) and friends, circa 1975. Allison has gone on to make landmark discoveries in science, and is still passionate about outlaw country music.

Cancer Scientist Jams With Willie Nelson One More Time

4:13pm June 09, 2016

by Joe Palca

Joe Palca was fresh out of college in 1975, when he got a job as a lab tech, working for a young scientist and country music fan who would one day harness the immune system to fight cancer.

Luis Alberto de la Rosa says he sells lots of misoprostol, a drug used in abortions and in ulcer treatment, to women from Texas who come to his Miramar Pharmacy in Nuevo Progreso, Mexico.

Legal Medical Abortions Are Up In Texas, But So Are DIY Pills From Mexico

10:23am June 09, 2016

by John Burnett

Women seeking an abortion in restrictive Texas now often pick the medical version, thanks to FDA rules making it easier. Others seek cheaper pills in Mexico, and aren't getting guidance from a doctor.

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In Texas, Strict Laws On Clinics Drive Demand For Abortion Pill

7:35pm June 08, 2016

by John Burnett

The abortion pill is booming in Texas. Since the FDA loosened restrictions, more women are circumventing strict state laws on Texas abortion clinics by taking the pill as an alternative to surgery.

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Dr. Christian Macedonia led the military's Gray Team of doctors and scientists charged with finding the "ground truth" about traumatic brain injuries. Now, he's a maternal and fetal health specialist at Lancaster General Health's Women and Babies Hospital

An Army Buddy's Call For Help Sends A Scientist On A Brain Injury Quest

5:34pm June 08, 2016

by Jon Hamilton

Harvard researcher Kit Parker built his academic career studying the heart. But Parker, also an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve, switched his focus to figuring out how IED blasts damage the brain.

Genetically modified mosquitoes are released in Piracicaba, Brazil, in an effort to combat Zika virus. These mosquitoes were modified using conventional techniques.

New Genetic Engineering Method Called Promising — And Perilous

5:06pm June 08, 2016

by Rob Stein

A technology known as a gene drive might be deployed to re-engineer species and stop diseases like malaria. But a scientific advisory panel says research and use should proceed with great caution.

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Beyonce inked a $50 million endorsement deal with Pepsi in 2012.

This Is How Much Celebrities Get Paid To Endorse Soda And Unhealthy Food

3:49pm June 08, 2016

by Allison Aubrey

Beyonce got $50 million to push Pepsi. Justin Timberlake: $6 million in a deal with McDonald's. A study describes the lucrative deals celebs popular with teens and young adults inked to sell food.

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