Health & Safety

Hospitals and organ banks could get more leeway in decisions about donations.

Proposed Changes In Organ Donation Stir Debate

11:55am June 24, 2013

by Rob Stein

Donation after cardiac death involves removing organs minutes after life-support has been stopped for patients who still have at least some brain activity. Is that enough time to make sure a person won't recover?

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Young women listen to a talk on domestic violence and HIV prevention near Lome, Togo, in April. Abused women in sub-Saharan Africa and India are at higher risk for HIV than women who haven't experienced violence.

Health & Safety

WHO Finds Violence Against Women Is 'Shockingly' Common

9:15am June 24, 2013

The first comprehensive global study to be conducted finds that domestic violence kills many women and leaves others with long-standing physical and mental health problems, including sexually transmitted diseases and depression.

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Political Fight Jeopardizes Medicaid In Mississippi

7:11pm June 22, 2013

by Jeffrey Hess

Medicaid in Mississippi provides insurance to 1 in 5 residents. But funding could stop July 1 if politicians don't act. The Legislature has brought the program to the brink over a debate about expanding it under the Affordable Care Act.

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Family-planning clinics would be pushed down the list of health services receiving funding from the state if a budget bill moving through the Ohio Legislature is signed into law.

Ohio Family-Planning Services At Mercy Of Budget Bill

6:53pm June 22, 2013

by NPR Staff

The bill would put family-planning clinics at the bottom of the list for funding. Even those clinics that do not perform abortions but offer referrals expect a major financial blow. Proponents of the measure are clear in their goal: end abortions. But how will it affect other women's health services?

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With Health Exchanges Poised To Open, PR Push Draws Scrutiny

9:07pm June 21, 2013

by Julie Rovner

The nonprofit Enroll America wants to encourage uninsured Americans to sign up for the exchanges when the time comes. Though the group has support across industries and from the Health and Human Services secretary, it's still been hit by congressional controversy.

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Researchers at Rice University conducted lab studies using light-dark cycles to try to coax more beneficial compounds out of fruits and vegetables.

Health & Safety

How Circadian Rhythms Give Vegetables A Healthy Boost

4:56pm June 21, 2013

by Allison Aubrey

A study finds there may be a way to boost some of the beneficial compounds in plants by simulating the light-dark cycle after crops are harvested. Plants use circadian rhythms to help them judge when to turn on their chemical defenses.

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At A Texas Base, Battling Army's Top Threat: Suicide

6:42pm June 20, 2013

by Quil Lawrence

Suicide killed more U.S. troops last year than combat in Afghanistan, a trend that's likely to continue this year. The causes and remedies are complicated, but Fort Bliss in Texas has bucked the trend. Suicides have declined there, after implementation of an interactive suicide prevention program.

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A 13-year-old girl gets an HPV vaccination from Judith Schaechter, a pediatrician at the University of Miami, in 2011.

Vaccine Against HPV Has Cut Infections In Teenage Girls

10:18pm June 19, 2013

by Richard Knox

A vaccine against a virus that causes cervical cancer has cut infections among teenage girls by over half in the first four years of use, scientists report. Only about one-third of girls in that age group have received the recommended shots.

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One version of the Robohand includes 3-D printed parts assembled with metal hardware. New parts can be easily "printed" as the child grows.

3-D Printer Brings Dexterity To Children With No Fingers

3:24pm June 19, 2013

An enterprising carpenter and a creative puppeteer teamed up on a do-it-yourself project to build a mechanical hand for a little boy. They created an inexpensive prosthetic and published their designs on the Internet. So far, over 100 children have been outfitted.

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How many calories in that bite? My Fitness Pal and other fitness and nutrition apps can help find the answer.

Patients Lead The Way As Medicine Grapples With Apps

10:39pm June 18, 2013

by Martha Bebinger

Smartphone apps can help count calories or detect a heart attack. People are embracing them to manage many aspects of their health. But medical apps are largely unregulated now, so there's no easy way to be sure which ones are trustworthy and which ones aren't.

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