Medical Treatments

At least 43 million Americans have overdue medical bills on their credit reports, according to a 2014 report on medical debt by the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Mired In Medical Debt? Federal Rule Changes Proposed For Bill Collectors

7:20am May 29, 2019

by Michelle Andrews

More than half of Americans contacted about an overdue bill said it related to medical debt. Some consumer advocates say newly proposed limits on debt collectors don't do enough.

Avastin got an accelerated Food and Drug Administration approval for treatment of glioblastoma, but additional research found the drug didn't extend patients' lives.

Health & Safety

Cancer Drugs Approved Quickly Often Fail To Measure Up Later

8:35pm May 28, 2019

by Richard Harris

Regulators give many cancer drugs a fast track to market while requiring drugmakers to do more studies after approval. Researchers have found the follow-up studies frequently come up short.

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A file photo shows the campus of Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. Dr. Anthony Rostain, co-author of The Stressed Years of Their Lives, says today's college students are experiencing an "inordinate amount of anxiety."

College Students (And Their Parents) Face A Campus Mental Health 'Epidemic'

8:25pm May 28, 2019

by Terry Gross

Anthony Rostain and B. Janet Hibbs say college students today face an "inordinate amount of anxiety" — but parents can help their kids cope. Their book is The Stressed Years of Their Lives.

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Charges for nitrous oxide during labor and delivery haven't been standardized.

Health & Safety

Bill Of The Month: $4,836 Charge For Laughing Gas During Childbirth Is No Joke

5:30pm May 28, 2019

by Lauren Weber

Nitrous oxide is making a comeback for pain relief during childbirth. But charges for the option vary from free at some hospitals to thousands of dollars at others.

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Health & Safety

Walmart And Homeopathic Medicines

8:20am May 25, 2019

NPR's Scott Simon asks Nicholas Little of the Center for Inquiry about suing Walmart for the way it markets homeopathic medicines.

Zolgensma, a new drug approved by the FDA Friday, costs more than $2.1 million. It's made by AveXis, a drugmaker owned by pharmaceutical giant Novartis.

At $2.1 Million, New Gene Therapy Is The Most Expensive Drug Ever

9:45pm May 24, 2019

by Rob Stein

The Food and Drug Administration approved a new gene therapy for a rare but devastating genetic disorder. The drugmaker says the cost is worth it because it's a one-time treatment that saves lives.

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The drug buprenorphine blocks the cravings associated with addiction. It comes in tablets and dissolvable film. The only injectable form available is a drug called Sublocade; a rival drug is ready for market but may be blocked for several years by the FDA

Health & Safety

In Midst Of Opioid Crisis, FDA May Block New Addiction Drug From Market

9:00pm May 24, 2019

by Alison Kodjak

A quirk in the law gives an older opioid addiction treatment "orphan drug" status — and a period of exclusive market access. That may prevent some new therapies from reaching patients for years.

'Reluctant Psychonaut' Michael Pollan Embraces 'New Science' Of Psychedelics

1:32pm May 24, 2019

by Terry Gross

Author Michael Pollan experimented with mushrooms, LSD and other psychedelics while researching his latest book, How to Change Your Mind. Originally broadcast May 15, 2018.

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About two years ago, Alphonso Evans went to the hospital for what he thought was just another bladder infection and ended up in intensive care. In an effort to combat antibiotic-resistant superbugs, scientists have created "living antibiotics" made of vir

Scientists Modify Viruses With CRISPR To Create New Weapon Against Superbugs

8:49pm May 22, 2019

by Rob Stein

Superbugs are bacteria that can beat modern medicine's most powerful drugs. So doctors are racing to find new ways to fight back.

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Allen Institute in Seattle has produced a visualization of human cell division.

Computerized Model Reveals Details Of How Human Cells Divide

11:15am May 22, 2019

by Richard Harris

The nonprofit Allen Institute in Seattle has produced a visualization of human cell division that promises to be useful for professional scientists and curious amateurs alike.