Health & Safety

Alan Hoffman, shown with his wife Nancy at their home in Dumfries, Va., found that his Parkinson's symptom improved when he took a cancer drug.

Can A Cancer Drug Reverse Parkinson's Disease And Dementia?

5:29pm October 17, 2015

by Jon Hamilton

People with Parkinson's and related forms of dementia improved dramatically when they took a leukemia drug called nilotinib. Researchers say the drug seems to help brain cells eliminate toxins.

Health & Safety

Study: The Hidden Financial Cost of Drinking Rises

1:47pm October 17, 2015

Some sobering statistics released this month show there's more than just a personal cost to excessive drinking.

Dr. Ian Crozier survived Ebola, only to have his normally blue left eye turn green because of inflammation. Though the rest of his body was Ebola-free, his eye was teeming with the virus.

So It Turns Out There's A Lot We Don't Know About Ebola

7:03am October 17, 2015

by Rae Ellen Bichell

New data on survivors shows a range of health problems, from loss of vision to arthritis. It's making researchers realize they need to learn more about how the virus affects the human body.

Chart: Who's Doing The Best (And Worst) Job Fighting Hunger?

The World Is Not As Hungry As You Might Think

7:00pm October 16, 2015

by Rae Ellen Bichell

A new report on world hunger says that the age of mass famines is behind us. That's the good news. Unfortunately, there's sad news, too.

When drink enters the picture, first sexual experiences tend to be riskier and less wanted.

Drinking Makes Teens' First Sexual Experience Riskier, Less Satisfying

4:23pm October 16, 2015

by Nancy Shute

When drinking is part of the picture, young women are more apt to say their first sexual experience was coerced, and that it wasn't planned with a romantic partner in an ongoing relationship.

New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman asked 20 urgent care clinics for information about how they represent insurance coverage to customers. Now four companies have agreed to change their practices.

Health & Safety

N.Y. Takes Action Against Surprise Medical Bills From Urgent Care Clinics

11:29am October 16, 2015

by Julie Appleby

An agreement between New York's attorney general and four companies that operate urgent care centers in the state aims to curb confusing billing practices that left unwitting consumers on the hook.

Hunter-Gatherers Don't Get More Sleep Than We Do, Study Finds

9:02pm October 15, 2015

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

A new study shows people living in hunter-gatherer societies don't get any more sleep than people in the more modern world, despite living without TVs, computers, cell phones and other electronic distractions.

Queue Listen Now

Virginia farmer Joel Salatin says the PRIME Act would make it easier for consumers to buy more affordable local meat and give small farmers more access to the market.

Small Meat Producers Take Their Slaughterhouse Gripes To Congress

7:49pm October 15, 2015

by Abbie Fentress Swanson

Many small meat producers have a hard time getting their animals processed. A group of farmers and local food advocates is trying to help by pushing for changes to federal meat inspection law.

McTeacher's Nights: Teachers Unions Say No To School Fundraisers

7:19pm October 15, 2015

by Allison Aubrey

The fundraising events cast schoolteachers as servers at local McDonald's. Supporters say the events bring families and teachers closer. Critics say they turn teachers into billboards for fast food.

Although false alarms are not at all unusual when it comes to mammograms, they can cause women much anxiety. Doctors are thinking about ways to ease those fears.

Called Back After A Mammogram? Doctors Are Trying To Make It Less Scary

7:03pm October 15, 2015

by Katherine Hobson

Mammograms often find spots that turn out to be nothing serious. But cancer worries can start with the phone call about a follow-up test. Letting women know how common callbacks are could help.