Medical Treatments

Amanda Dykeman, 33, of Coal Valley, Ill., had Essure devices removed after having multiple health problems.

FDA To Take Another Look At Essure Contraceptive Device After Health Complaints

12:37pm July 15, 2015

by Tara Haelle

Thousands of women say they've been harmed by the permanent contraceptive. But it's unclear whether the problems were caused by the device. The Food and Drug Administration is taking a closer look.

When Weed Is The Cure: A Doctor's Case for Medical Marijuana

11:25am July 15, 2015

Dr. David Casarett used to think of medical marijuana as "a joke." But after taking a deeper look, he's changed his mind. Casarett's new book is Stoned: A Doctor's Case for Medical Marijuana.

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States Make Laws To Protect Patients From Hidden Medical Bills

10:19am July 15, 2015

by Michelle Andrews

Too many patients only learn after they get the bill that their insurer won't cover some medical services provided in the hospital. New laws in several states aim to stop those nasty surprises.

The varicella zoster virus causes chickenpox in children, then lurks in the body for years and can cause painful shingles later in life.

Engineering A Shingles Vaccine That Doesn't Wimp Out Over Time

5:32pm July 14, 2015

by Patti Neighmond

The current vaccine loses its protective value as people get older. A vaccine in the works maintains its strength over time. The biggest challenge may be getting adults to use it.

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Waiting To Pick Your Baby's Name Raises The Risk For Medical Mistakes

5:32pm July 14, 2015

by Katherine Hobson

If parents don't have a name teed up, hospitals often give babies temporary ones, like Babygirl. But those generic names can be dangerously confusing, especially in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Would Banning Headers In Soccer Solve The Concussion Problem?

12:32pm July 14, 2015

by Jessie Rack

Most concussions in youth soccer happen during heading the ball. But it isn't the ball's fault, researchers say. Rather, it's player collisions. Avoiding aggressive play would help reduce injuries.

Should More Women Give Birth Outside The Hospital?

12:48pm July 13, 2015

by Dianna Douglas

The British medical system says healthy women with normal pregnancies should give birth at home or in a midwife-led facility. But 99 percent of babies in the U.S. are born in hospitals.

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Health & Safety

Administration Proposes Rules To Modernize Nursing Home Safety

11:26am July 13, 2015

by Susan Jaffe

If nursing homes want to be paid by Medicare and Medicaid, they'll likely have to meet a range of new requirements for quality and safety, including more training of nurses in dementia care.

Melissa Mathis holds a container of freeze-dried placenta capsules.

Texas Defends A Woman's Right To Take Her Placenta Home

1:36am July 11, 2015

by Carrie Feibel

Texas now explicitly allows the placenta to be taken home after giving birth in a hospital. It came about at the urging of people who feel consuming dried and encapsulated placenta helps new mothers.

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Vaccine Court Aims To Protect Patients And Vaccines

1:29am July 11, 2015

by Anders Kelto

It has been nearly 30 years since Congress established a special court to help keep good vaccines on the market and fairly compensate the rare person who has a severe reaction. Who wins these cases?

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