health care

Some doctors have been hesitant to recommend the HPV vaccine for boys and girls.

CDC Endorses A More Effective HPV Vaccine To Prevent Cancer

5:02pm February 01, 2016

by Tara Haelle

An HPV vaccine that protects against nine strains of the virus that causes cancer gets the nod from the CDC. So does a vaccine for a rare but often lethal form of meningitis.

Ben Lecomte has swum across the Atlantic Ocean, and now he aims to traverse the Pacific, which will take him five or six months.

Can Extreme Exercise Hurt Your Heart? Swim The Pacific To Find Out

4:41pm February 01, 2016

by Lauren Silverman

Ben Lecomte wants to be the first person to swim across the Pacific Ocean — a 5,500-mile journey. Doctors will monitor his heart remotely to see how intensive exercise affects this vital muscle.

Queue Listen Now

Carolina "Maria" Hurtado in the now abandoned maternity ward of the Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, where she was sterilized four decades ago.

Film Portrays A 'Perfect Storm' That Led To Unwanted Sterilizations For Many Latinas

2:00pm February 01, 2016

by Shereen Marisol Meraji

About 40 years ago, Consuelo Hermosillo went to the hospital for an emergency cesarean section. Against her will, she left unable to have more children. No Más Bebés airs tonight on PBS.

Queue Listen Now

A less expensive generic version of Gleevec, the cancer pill from Novartis, is on the way.

Health & Safety

Modest Price Cut Expected For Generic Version Of Cancer Pill Gleevec

1:45pm February 01, 2016

by Alison Kodjak

The generic form of the blockbuster cancer drug is being shipped to pharmacies. The generic is likely to cost 30 percent less than the brand-name version, but Gleevec's price doubled in recent years.

Feds Hopeful Hispanics Will Respond As Open Enrollment Comes To A Close

7:35pm January 30, 2016

by Carrie Feibel

Sunday January 31st is the deadline in most states to buy health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. Federal officials are reaching out to those previously uninsured, with a focus on Hispanics.

Queue Listen Now

Clinton Runs As Wonk In Chief, Trying To Win Hearts With Plans

6:30pm January 30, 2016

by Tamara Keith

Clinton has more than two dozen policy proposals from Alzheimer's to drug addiction — more than 50,000 words of them. But can all those plans inspire people to caucus for her in Iowa?

Queue Listen Now

After knee surgery, David Larson, 66, of Huntington Beach, Calif., experienced pain in a calf muscle. His answer to an automated email from the doctor led to the diagnosis and treatment of a potentially dangerous blood clot.

Health & Safety

The Doctor's Computer Will Email You Now

5:47pm January 29, 2016

by Barbara Feder Ostrov

Though it may sound like an oxymoron, "automating empathy" is becoming a catchphrase in health care. The goal is to help doctors engage with patients cheaply and with minimal effort. Does it work?

How Can We Prepare For A Graceful Death?

10:01am January 29, 2016

by NPR/TED Staff

At the end of our lives, what do we most wish for? BJ Miller is a palliative care physician who thinks about how to create a dignified, graceful end of life for his patients.

Queue Listen Now

Texas Tries To Repair Damage Wreaked Upon Family Planning Clinics

9:59am January 29, 2016

by Wade Goodwyn

When Texas passed laws designed to shut down Planned Parenthood clinics, it slashed the state's family planning budget. Of the 82 clinics that closed, only a third were Planned Parenthood.

Queue Listen Now

The Planned Parenthood undercover videos helped intensify calls around the country for states to cut the organization's funding.

Planned Parenthood Investigations Find No Fetal Tissue Sales

5:25pm January 28, 2016

by Danielle Kurtzleben

On Monday, a grand jury indicted two anti-abortion activists who made videos purporting to show the organization illegally sells fetal body parts. The videos prompted a wave of state investigations.