Medical Treatments

A group at MIT built this tiny package of sensors to collect vital signs as it travels through the digestive system.

A Tiny Pill Monitors Vital Signs From Deep Inside The Body

3:34pm November 18, 2015

by Rae Ellen Bichell

Sensors that work inside the body are gaining new skills. The latest version can track heart rate and respiratory rate, as well as temperature, as it travels through the digestive system.

Testing for prostate cancer has declined after a recommendation in 2012 said it shouldn't be routine.

Health & Safety

Prostate Screening Drops Sharply, And So Do Cancer Cases

7:32pm November 17, 2015

by Rob Stein

A decrease in PSA testing came after a controversial recommendation against routine screening. As a result, many fewer cases of the most common cancer to hit men are being diagnosed, research finds.

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Atropine is a drug used to treat multiple eye disorders including nearsightedness and farsightedness.

Could Atropine Eyedrops Help Reduce Nearsightedness In Children?

4:57pm November 17, 2015

by Angus Chen

Atropine, a medication commonly used to dilate the eyes for exams, can slow nearsightedness in children, a study finds. A dilute solution worked and had fewer side effects like blurry vision.

Measuring skin temperature is less accurate than internal readings, a review finds.

For The Most Accurate Read, Where Should You Put That Thermometer?

1:42pm November 17, 2015

by Patti Neighmond

Intensive care units often take temperatures in the armpit, but those can be off by as much as 1.5 degrees. More accurate (and invasive) internal thermometers can help detect hidden infections.

An image from the Allen Institute's Brain Explorer shows gene expression across the human brain.

A Genetic Map Hints At What Makes A Brain Human

7:20pm November 16, 2015

by Jon Hamilton

Differences in the patterns of genes that are turned on in brains of people and mice suggest glial cells may have helped humans develop brains that can acquire language and solve complex problems.

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Kate Teague, a registered nurse at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, in Palo Alto, Calif., holds a premature baby's hand.

In Caring For Sickest Babies, Doctors Now Tap Parents For Tough Calls

3:43pm November 16, 2015

by Jenny Gold

Doctors were once unquestioned authorities on how aggressively to treat the sickest and most premature babies. Then parents started pushing back for more say. The responsibility can be excruciating.

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Babies born prematurely are at risk of eye damage and, in severe cases, permanent blindness. Treatments can help. And human milk looks like it helps, too.

Mother's Milk May Help Prevent Blindness In Preemies

3:35pm November 16, 2015

by Tara Haelle

Babies born premature are at risk for eye damage that can cause blindness, like it did for Stevie Wonder. Babies who are fed breast milk are much less likely to be affected.

Omar looks through Kai's photo book. The charges for the infant's six months of care in the neonatal intensive care unit totaled about $11 million, according to the family, though their insurer very likely negotiated a lower rate.

An Ill Newborn, A Loving Family And A Litany Of Wrenching Choices

6:01pm November 13, 2015

by Jenny Gold

As families consider how far to push an infant's medical care, a chasm can open between the parents' hopes and what doctors and nurses consider realistic. How do you measure a baby's quality of life?

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Yolanda Roberson, who directs the Empowerment program, teaches a class at a Boys and Girls Club in the Bronx. The classes are funded by the state of New York.

To Prevent Addiction In Adults, Help Teens Learn How To Cope

3:56pm November 12, 2015

by Elaine Korry

Many people who become addicted to drugs, tobacco or alcohol start using as teenagers. So more effort is being put into helping teenagers stop before they get in too deep.

For it to work, you have to do it. And doing can be difficult when depressed.

Depressed? Look For Help From A Human, Not A Computer

10:24am November 12, 2015

by Lynne Shallcross

Researchers asked people with depression to use an online cognitive behavioral therapy program at home. It helped no more than primary care visits. Most said they were too depressed to use it.