Health

What's The Prognosis For $3 Billion Zuckerberg Health Plan?

7:29pm September 23, 2016

by Susan Brink

The goal of curing all diseases "in our children's lifetime" sounds a lot like hype. But is it? It's the goal of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his pediatrician wife, Priscilla Chan.

Dr. Harry Selker, a cardiologist, works on collaborations to improve delivery of medical care.

This Doctor Is Trying To Stop Heart Attacks In Their Tracks

4:59pm September 23, 2016

by Arun Rath

Harry Selker has spent his life trying to come up with better ways to keep people from dying of heart attacks. Now he's intent on figuring out if a simple, cheap medication could be a game changer.

Who Is Responsible For That Pile Of Poop?

12:13pm September 23, 2016

by Danielle Preiss

To stop open defecation, a U.N.-affiliated group takes villagers on a "walk of shame." But critics raise questions about the ethics of this approach.

Changing habits and better health care have vastly reduced the risk of death by heart disease.

Are We Reaching The End Of The Trend For Longer, Healthier Lives?

11:52am September 23, 2016

by Richard Harris

In the past 50 years, better medical care and healthier habits have greatly reduced the risk of dying young from heart disease. But the obesity epidemic threatens to reverse that happy trend.

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Dr. Lars Aanning, seen at his home outside Yankton, S.D., said he lied to protect a colleague in a malpractice case. Now, Aanning is a patient safety advocate.

Health & Safety

Doctor Confesses: I Lied To Protect Colleague In Malpractice Suit

9:36am September 23, 2016

by Marshall Allen

A surgeon who lied on the witness stand about his partner's skills is haunted by the deception nearly two decades later. Now retired from medicine, the regretful witness is a patient advocate.

Theater Artist Anne Basting Named MacArthur Fellow

4:33pm September 22, 2016

NPR's Kelly McEvers interviews Anne Basting, a theater artist and educator at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, about being awarded the MacArthur fellowship this year. She describes her work with people with cognitive impairment, such as Alzheimer's and dementia, using improv theater and storytelling techniques to improve their lives.

Chickens at a poultry farm in Hefei, eastern China. Antibiotics are often used to keep them healthy in densely packed quarters.

U.N. Pledges To Fight Antibiotic Resistance In Historic Agreement

2:36pm September 22, 2016

by Michaeleen Doucleff

Drug resistance is no longer a matter of health. It could have massive implications for the world's economy and food supply.

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Easy and precise editing of DNA is making possible experiments with human embryos that raise a host of ethical questions.

Breaking Taboo, Swedish Scientist Seeks To Edit DNA Of Healthy Human Embryos

9:58am September 22, 2016

by Rob Stein

A Swedish biologist wants to change the genes of healthy human embryos to find ways to treat infertility and other diseases. The experiments intensify ethical questions about genetic engineering.

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All that holiday grubbing really does pack on the pounds. How much? Researchers tracked the weights of 3,000 people in Germany, Japan and the U.S. and found a weight spike after every major holiday.

We Really Do Get A Little More Santa-Like, Physically, During The Holidays

5:12pm September 21, 2016

by Angus Chen

All that holiday grubbing does indeed pack on the pounds. How much? Researchers tracked the weights of 3,000 people in Germany, Japan and the U.S. and found a weight spike after every major holiday.

How A 'Sixth Sense' Helps Simone Biles Fly, And The Rest Of Us Walk

5:03pm September 21, 2016

by Jon Hamilton

Scientists are finally beginning to understand proprioception, a sense that tells us where our body is in space. Much of what they've learned comes from two girls with a rare genetic disorder.