Health & Safety

Choosing a home health agency can be even more difficult than picking a nursing home.

Health & Safety

Home Health Agencies Get Medicare's Star Treatment

3:13pm July 16, 2015

by Jordan Rau

For the first time, the government is using a star system to rate agencies that care for seniors in their homes. Medicare was stingy with top ratings and also the poorest scores.

The Cryptsporidium parasite emerges from the oocyst ready to infect.

Progress In The Fight Against A Parasite That Causes Diarrheal Disease

2:50pm July 16, 2015

by Joe Palca

Scientists have had a hard time finding the weak spots of Cryptosporidium parvum, but now that's changing. It's not a common killer in the U.S., but it's a different story in the developing world.

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Family means a lot on Cayo Santiago, an island and monkey research colony off the coast of Puerto Rico. The colony of rhesus macaques living on the island since the 1930s has allowed scientists to trace kinship ties and effects across an extended communit

Puerto Rico's Monkey Island Lures Scientists For Generations

8:37am July 16, 2015

by Anders Kelto

The isle of Cayo Santiago has been home to at least nine generations of rhesus monkeys since the colony's founding in 1938. Primatologists here seek clues to primate kinship, cognition and ecology.

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Health & Safety

Federal Judge Orders Yadkin Valley Hospital Operator To Vacate

7:08am July 16, 2015

by Keri Brown

On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Terrence Boyle heard a motion filed by the county on July 6. He ordered

Even Mild Mental Health Problems In Children Can Cause Trouble Later

1:31pm July 15, 2015

by Ina Yang

Children with mental health issues are more likely to struggle with jobs, family and social life as adults. And that's true even for children whose problems aren't severe enough to be diagnosed.

Amanda Dykeman, 33, of Coal Valley, Ill., had Essure devices removed after having multiple health problems.

FDA To Take Another Look At Essure Contraceptive Device After Health Complaints

12:37pm July 15, 2015

by Tara Haelle

Thousands of women say they've been harmed by the permanent contraceptive. But it's unclear whether the problems were caused by the device. The Food and Drug Administration is taking a closer look.

When Weed Is The Cure: A Doctor's Case for Medical Marijuana

11:25am July 15, 2015

Dr. David Casarett used to think of medical marijuana as "a joke." But after taking a deeper look, he's changed his mind. Casarett's new book is Stoned: A Doctor's Case for Medical Marijuana.

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States Make Laws To Protect Patients From Hidden Medical Bills

10:19am July 15, 2015

by Michelle Andrews

Too many patients only learn after they get the bill that their insurer won't cover some medical services provided in the hospital. New laws in several states aim to stop those nasty surprises.

The varicella zoster virus causes chickenpox in children, then lurks in the body for years and can cause painful shingles later in life.

Engineering A Shingles Vaccine That Doesn't Wimp Out Over Time

5:32pm July 14, 2015

by Patti Neighmond

The current vaccine loses its protective value as people get older. A vaccine in the works maintains its strength over time. The biggest challenge may be getting adults to use it.

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Waiting To Pick Your Baby's Name Raises The Risk For Medical Mistakes

5:32pm July 14, 2015

by Katherine Hobson

If parents don't have a name teed up, hospitals often give babies temporary ones, like Babygirl. But those generic names can be dangerously confusing, especially in the neonatal intensive care unit.