Health & Safety

Members of the activist group ACT UP, which has fought for the rights of people with AIDS, held a demonstration in New York's Times Square in 1992.

A Veteran AIDS Activist Has Déjà Vu From Ebola Panic

11:59am November 06, 2014

by Susan Brink

Activist Gregg Gonsalves issues a call to action in an essay in this week's New England Journal of Medicine: "Panic, Paranoia, and Public Health — The AIDS Epidemic's Lessons for Ebola."

Berkeley's efforts to pass a penny-per-ounce tax on sugary drinks faced opposition with deep pockets — but it also got sizable cash infusions from some big-name donors.

How Did Berkeley Pass A Soda Tax? Bloomberg's Cash Didn't Hurt

10:47am November 06, 2014

by Allison Aubrey

The American Beverage Association poured tons of cash into the effort to defeat the penny-per-ounce sugary-drink tax. But the effort to pass the tax also got cash infusions from some big-name donors.

Air Force personnel put up tents to house a 25-bed, U.S.-built hospital for Liberian health workers sick with Ebola in Monrovia, Liberia's capital. The hospital is scheduled to open this weekend.

U.S. Military Response To Ebola Gains Momentum In Liberia

10:23am November 06, 2014

by Jason Beaubien

The number of U.S. troops fighting Ebola in West Africa is set to increase dramatically this month, and the first two field hospitals erected by U.S. troops in Liberia will open in the coming days.

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These button cell batteries can prove too tempting for toddlers looking for something to put in their mouth

Health & Safety

Armor For Batteries Could Protect Hungry Kids From Harm

12:42pm November 05, 2014

by Alison Bruzek

Thousands of children swallow tiny batteries used in watches, calculators and toys each year. A team from MIT and Harvard is working on a pressure-sensitive insulating shield to prevent damage.

To keep kidney stones at bay, drink plenty of cool, clear water.

Health & Safety

To Prevent Kidney Stones: Go Easy On Soda And Drink Lots Of Water

12:42pm November 05, 2014

by Allison Aubrey

Research shows that simple changes in drinking habits can help people who've had kidney stones lower the odds that they'll strike again. Consuming plenty of fiber may make a difference, too.

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Contemplating Brittany Maynard's Final Choice

12:41pm November 05, 2014

by Nancy Shute

People who choose assisted suicide tend to be over 65, white and well-educated. And they want to feel in control of their fate. When a young person chooses that route, it draws fresh questions.

Daniela Chavarriaga holds her daughter Emma as Dr. Jose Rosa-Olivares administers a measles vaccination at Miami Children's Hospital.

Vaccine Controversies Are As Social As They Are Medical

11:02am November 05, 2014

by NPR Staff

In writing her new book On Immunity, Eula Biss found that questions about vaccination touch on attitudes about environmentalism, citizenship and trust in the government.

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Researchers Tap Web Chatter To Figure Out Who's Sick

9:03am November 05, 2014

by Alison Bruzek

With the help of online data, doctors and public health officials are tracking the spread of illnesses and predicting where they might strike next. The analyses also provide clues for prevention.

Debra Blackmon (left) was sterilized by court order in 1972, at age 14. With help from her niece, Latoya Adams (right), she's fighting to be included in the state's compensation program.

Payments Start For N.C. Eugenics Victims, But Many Won't Qualify

8:13am November 05, 2014

by Eric Mennel

North Carolina forcibly sterilized thousands of people between 1929 and 1976. The state has begun compensating victims, but some who were sterilized may never receive restitution from the fund.

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The scariest part of the holiday comes in the days that follow, as parents fight and negotiate to limit how much candy their kids eat. NPR's Gisele Grayson decided to pay her kids off to give up their loot.

How To Wean Your Kids Off Halloween Candy: Cold, Hard Cash

10:34pm November 04, 2014

by Gisele Grayson

After the costumes and candy comes the hard part: the fights and negotiations that go along with trying to limit kids' sugar intake. Why not skip the ordeal by paying kids to give up their treats?