health care

Health & Safety

A Clinical Dilemma: Recommending Pot To Patients

4:29pm March 12, 2013

Eighteen states have legalized the medical use of marijuana. As state laws change, physicians face new decisions about whether or not to recommend pot. Doctors have varying views on its therapeutic effects, as well as the ethical and legal ramifications.

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Health & Safety

How To Track And Attack A Superbug

2:30pm March 07, 2013

Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, held a press conference Tuesday to announce the need to "sound an alarm" on the advance of CRE, a highly drug-resistant bacteria. CRE and other superbugs are found mostly in hospitals and long-term care facilities.

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Mapping The Effects Of The Sequester On Science

1:03pm March 01, 2013

On Friday March 1, automatic cuts known as the 'sequester' go into effect across the federal budget. Michael Lubell of the American Physical Society discusses what scientific programs will likely be affected, in fields from medical research to renewable energy development.

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The Changing Politics Of Health Care

2:30pm February 27, 2013

After vocal GOP opposition to President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, three prominent Republican governors recently signed-on to one key element of the law. NPR Political Junkie Ken Rudin and NPR health policy correspondent Julie Rovner explain on the shifting politics of health care.

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Governors' D.C. Summit Dominated By Medicaid And The Sequester

7:31pm February 25, 2013

by Julie Rovner

Since the governors last met in July, some have shifted their views on the federal health care law. A few Republicans have even changed their minds about the potential benefits of the president's plan to expand Medicaid.

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This Year's Flu Vaccine Falters In Protecting Elderly

6:47pm February 22, 2013

This year's flu shot looks like it's unusually poor at protecting the elderly. The flu vaccine's only about 27 percent effective overall for those ages 65 and older and just 9 percent effective against the flu strain causing the most illness, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Melissa Block talks to Rob Stein.

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Plan B is one of two emergency contraceptives available in the U.S.

Morning-After Pills Don't Cause Abortion, Studies Say

4:51pm February 22, 2013

by Julie Rovner

Emergency contraceptives like Plan B and ella are effective at preventing pregnancy after unprotected sex. Claims that the pills are tantamount to abortion, however, aren't supported by science, say researchers. The only way the drugs work is by stopping a woman's body from ovulating.

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Walgreens is one of several pharmacies that have partnered with hospitals to help manage patients after they've returned home.

Health & Safety

Why The Hospital Wants The Pharmacist To Be Your Coach

9:41am February 20, 2013

by Eric Whitney

Hospitals are partnering with pharmacies to keep discharged patients from returning too soon. Walgreens, for one, is helping hospitals to manage patients' medications after they go home.

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On Tuesday, President Obama urged congressional action to prevent automatic spending cuts scheduled to begin on March 1.

How The Sequester Could Affect Health Care

6:56pm February 19, 2013

by Julie Rovner

Federal programs, including many that provide health care, could soon be hit with deep cuts to their budgets. Agencies won't close, but services ranging from food inspections to vaccinations could be cut back. And the health care industry warns that half a million jobs could be lost within a year.

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STAR-certified physical therapist Jennifer Goyette works with cancer patients at South County Physical Therapy in Westborough, Mass.

Cancer Rehab Begins To Bridge A Gap To Reach Patients

6:42am February 18, 2013

by Rachel Gotbaum

Cancer patients often have to deal with side effects from their treatments. They may need speech therapy or help rebuilding their strength. The STAR program is helping break down the barriers to rehabilitation services.

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