Health & Safety

A New York law that requires mental health professionals to report potentially violent patients probably won't accomplish much, specialists say. Studies show that even highly trained professionals are often wrong about which patients become violent.

Influenza is especially intense this year, and people are flooding into hospitals and doctors' offices. But the flu is just one of a triple whammy of respiratory viruses — plus the nasty norovirus — that are making lots of people sick.

It's still too soon to say whether this is a historically bad flu season. But it's already clear that emergency rooms around the country are filled with feverish throngs that are much larger than during the last flu season.

The earliest flu outbreak in years continues to claim victims. Businesses are taking a hit, too. They're faced with an unsolvable problem: If they tell too many sick employees to stay home, the work doesn't get done; those who do come to the office can spread germs.

Lawyers for the adult entertainment industry are challenging a new rule requiring the use of condoms while filming sex scenes in Los Angeles County. Proponents say the rule protects adult film actors, but some actors and producers say films made with condoms don't sell.

As students return to class from winter break, campus health official are trying to avert an outbreak. Colleges in Boston are especially worried after the mayor's declaration last week of a public health emergency in the city.

Love berries? It seems a habit of eating them three times a week may stave off heart attacks, at least in middle-aged women, according to a new study. That's because of compounds called anthocyanins found in these brightly colored gems.

Forty-seven states now have widespread outbreaks of the influenza virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We look at the Philadelphia area, where health officials say flu season arrived early this year.

Three years ago, a massive earthquake destroyed much of Haiti's capital city. Aid agencies from around the world pledged billions of dollars to help Haiti rebuild. But since then, many of the grand plans have fizzled, and some 350,000 Haitians still live in makeshift camps.

Religious groups were among the first to object to a requirement that employers' health plans provide free birth control. But some companies have also objected, saying the mandate violates their religious freedom, too.