Health & Safety

The Food and Drug Administration, which must approve all new tobacco products or any changes to existing brands, has not cleared any products since assuming that responsibility in 2009.

Cigarette Makers Frustrated As Product Approvals Stall

7:28pm January 11, 2013

by Debbie Elliott

The Food and Drug Administration must review all new tobacco brands, and changes to existing ones, under a 2009 law giving the agency jurisdiction over tobacco. But the FDA has yet to approve any products under the new system, leaving some cigarette makers frustrated with the pace.

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Our Lady of Assumption Catholic Church in downtown Port-au-Prince, Jan. 17, 2010.

Haiti Then And Now: 3 Years After The Earthquake

4:07pm January 11, 2013

by Ben de la Cruz

Evidence of loss remains even three years after a massive earthquake claimed the lives of as many as 200,000 people in Haiti. One of the first photojournalists to capture the grim aftermath of the quake, NPR's David Gilkey traveled back to Haiti to revisit images he originally took in 2010.

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Getting A Handle On Why Fingers Wrinkle

1:03pm January 11, 2013

Why do your fingers get pruney after a long water bath? Only a handful of researchers (ever) have looked into the finger-wrinkling experience. Reporting in the journal Biology Letters, researchers make the case for finger wrinkles as treads — wet wrinkled fingers seem to grip better than wet smooth ones.

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Health & Safety

Black Market Pharmacies And The Big Business Of Spam

8:35am January 11, 2013

by Tracey Samuelson

An apparent feud between two black market pharmacies sheds light on a shady global industry.

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The active ingredient in Ambien stays in the body longer than thought, FDA officials say.

Wake-Up Call: FDA Pushes Drugmakers To Weaken Sleeping Pills

6:26pm January 10, 2013

by Rob Stein

The active ingredient in many sleep aid medications like Ambien stays in the body longer than had been thought, which could leave people drowsy the next day. So the Food and Drug Administration is ordering pharmaceutical companies to change the labeling on drugs containing the ingredient zolpidem.

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Florida Gov. Rick Scott speaks in Fort Lauderdale in May.

Estimated Costs Drive Debate As Florida Weighs Medicaid Expansion

6:26pm January 10, 2013

by Greg Allen

Gov. Rick Scott says he's concerned about how much expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act would cost. But after he was charged with exaggerating, his administration released a new study with much lower estimates.

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Health & Safety

Families And Fat: What Can Help, What Can Hurt

2:33pm January 10, 2013

Living with an overweight parent, child or spouse can be difficult. Loved ones who want to help a family member struggling with obesity may be hesitant to broach the subject for fear of causing shame or making matters worse.

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U.S. Ranks Below 16 Other Rich Countries In Health Report

6:46pm January 09, 2013

by Richard Knox

Americans are sicker and die sooner than their counterparts in comparable nations. No single cause can account for the difference, but improving medical care will only help so much, as disparities can be traced to dietary choices, drugs and alcohol, guns, and even cars.

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A picture from the photo story "Keg Stand Queens," which explores the gender dynamics of undergraduate binge drinking.

Health & Safety

Binge Drinking Among Women Is Both Dangerous And Overlooked

11:59am January 09, 2013

by Scott Hensley

About 13 percent of U.S. women go on drinking binges each month, say officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The damage from binge drinking runs the gamut from death to unintended pregnancy. Public health officials say binge drinking can be curbed with greater awareness and thoughtful interventions.

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The nation's largest provider of nonmedical home care for seniors is now offering training to help family caregivers deal with the challenges of caring for an Alzheimer's patient.

Workshops Help Families Grappling With Alzheimer's Home Care

9:24pm January 08, 2013

by Ina Jaffe

With most of the more than 5 million people with Alzheimer's cared for at home, the nation's largest provider of nonmedical senior home care now offers free training workshops for family caregivers. Caregivers are taught how to make use of long-term memories and to recognize what triggers anxiety.

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