Medical Treatments

FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb says the agency will close a loophole that lets drug manufacturers skip pediatric testing in some drugs intended for children.

FDA Moves To Rein In Drugmakers' Abuse Of Orphan Drug Law

5:02pm September 13, 2017

by Sarah Jane Tribble

Following an investigation by Kaiser Health News and NPR, the Food and Drug Administration has moved to close a loophole that lets drugmakers skip pediatric testing of drugs to treat rare diseases.

Testing for changes in cells of the cervix or for presence of the HPV virus are both good ways to screen for cervical cancer, health organizations say.

For Many Women, Cervical Cancer Screening May Get A Lot Simpler

11:29am September 12, 2017

by Tara Haelle

For decades the Pap test was the only option for cervical cancer screening. Now there's the HPV test, too. A federal task force says that for most women, either test will do just fine.

A study of chemotherapy medicines produced by 10 companies found that, on average, each drug produced seven times as much revenue for its manufacturer as it cost in research and development.

R&D Costs For Cancer Drugs Are Likely Much Less Than Industry Claims, Study Finds

4:33pm September 11, 2017

by Richard Harris

Industry says it costs about $2.7 billion to bring a cancer drug to market. But oncologists who ran the numbers put the average closer to $650 million. Drugs are priced way too high, the doctors say.

The blood-sucking conenose assassin bug (Triatoma sanguisuga) is also called a "kissing bug" because of its tendency to bite human faces. It feeds on human blood and is the vector of the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which causes Chagas disease.

Drug For 'Neglected' Chagas Disease Gains FDA Approval Amid Price Worries

6:00am September 10, 2017

by Courtney Columbus

U.S. doctors treating Chagas disease have long wanted FDA approval for a treatment that's widely used in Latin America. But when Martin Shkreli took interest, those doctors panicked — then mobilized.

Third-year students at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine learn how to trim crowns and prep a tooth for a crown. They're also learning to deal with the aftereffects, studying alternatives to opioids for pain relief.

Dental Schools Add An Urgent Lesson: Think Twice About Prescribing Opioids

7:20pm September 08, 2017

Opioid painkillers prescribed by dentists have helped fuel the nation's addiction epidemic. Dental schools are teaching the next generation of dentists that there are other ways to treat pain.

Queue Listen Now

Younger people are more likely to shop around for prices on prescription drugs, according to the latest NPR-Truven Health Analytics poll.

Why Do People Stop Taking Their Meds? Cost Is Just One Reason

11:46am September 08, 2017

by Katherine Hobson

The latest NPR-Truven Health Analytics poll finds that one-third of people say they're stopped taking a prescription drug without telling their doctor. And that could be putting their health at risk.

The shelter at Houston's Convention Center, seen here Aug. 29, isn't equipped to provide medication-assisted treatment for opioid abuse.

Houston Methadone Clinics Reopen After Harvey's Flooding

9:36am September 06, 2017

by Rebecca Hersher

Hurricane Harvey disrupted treatment for people addicted to opioids. Many need to get connected to a specialty clinic that can provide medication-assisted treatment.

Queue Listen Now

These days, a radiologist at UCSF will go through anywhere from 20 to 100 scans a day, and each scan can have thousands of images to review.

Health & Safety

Scanning The Future, Radiologists See Their Jobs At Risk

9:57pm September 04, 2017

by Lauren Silverman

In a new series called "Is My Job Safe?" NPR looks at the future of jobs at a time of rapid gains in artificial intelligence and robotics. We start with a high-paying job in medicine: radiologists.

Queue Listen Now

Doctors say don't delay getting the flu shot this year.

Fall Weather Headed Your Way? Time For Flu Shots

4:15am September 04, 2017

by Tara Haelle

The American Academy of Pediatrics reminds us that shots — not a nasal spray — are the most effective way to protect kids 6 months and older against the flu.

The notion that every dog or cat should be neutered at 6 months isn't based on evidence, says veterinarian Brennen McKenzie, author of The SkeptVet blog. It depends on the breed and other factors. Talk to your vet, he advises, about pros, cons and timing.

Pets Deserve Evidence-Based Medicine, Too, Says The SkeptVet

7:37am September 03, 2017

by Ingfei Chen

Veterinarian Brennen McKenzie writes The SkeptVet, a blog that pushes for evidence-based medicine instead of relying on tradition, anecdotes or pseudoscience in the treatment of cats and dogs.