Public Health & Prevention

First lady Melania Trump with 10-year-old Grace Eline, a guest of President Trump at the State of the Union address Tuesday. Grace was diagnosed with brain cancer last year. Trump cited her experience in calling for more research into childhood cancer tre

Trump Highlights Health Agenda And Vows To Lower 'Unfair' Drug Prices

1:09pm February 06, 2019

by Julie Rovner

The president's State of the Union address laid out a series of goals, including lowering prescription prices, pursuing an end to the HIV epidemic and increasing research for childhood cancers.

U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams said Tuesday that local restrictions, including bans on indoor vaping, are needed to reduce youth e-cigarette use.

Surgeon General Warns Youth Vaping Is Now An 'Epidemic'

4:16pm December 18, 2018

by Rob Stein

U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams issued a forceful advisory about vaping by U.S. teenagers, saying electronic cigarette use among young people has reached levels that require urgent action.

Mourners comfort each other Thursday during a vigil at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza for the victims of the mass shooting at Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, Calif.

Another Mass Shooting? 'Compassion Fatigue' Is A Natural Reaction.

3:00pm November 09, 2018

As the incidents of mass shootings in the U.S. occur, some people are starting to feel numbed by them. Psychologists says this is normal.

Drug addiction is a big concern to rural Americans, according to a new poll from NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

NPR Poll: Rural Americans Are Worried About Addiction And Jobs, But Remain Optimistic

4:36pm October 16, 2018

What's on people's minds in rural America? A new poll shows that the addiction crisis and economic issues have people worried. But many retain an upbeat outlook about the future of their communities.

Queue Listen Now

At a recent National LGBTQ Task Force conference in Washington D.C., Luis Felipe Cebas (right) from Whitman-Walker Health, talks with Sarah Fleming about PrEP, the pre-exposure drug that can help protect against HIV infection.

PrEP Campaign Aims To Block HIV Infection And Save Lives In D.C.

5:21pm April 10, 2018

by Selena Simmons-Duffin

PrEP is shorthand for a pill that prevents HIV infection, if taken daily. As Washington, D.C. aims to cut new infections in half by 2020, it hopes to quadruple the number of residents on the medicine.

Candida auris is a fungus that can cause invasive infections, is associated with high mortality and is often resistant to multiple antifungal drugs, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

First Cases Of New, Infectious Fungus Reported In U.S.

3:21pm November 04, 2016

by Richard Harris

The fungus Candida auris has infected hospitalized patients with weakened immune systems or other serious conditions. Four of the seven patients died, but it's unclear if the fungus was the cause.

A federal law that aims to put insurance coverage of mental health care on equal footing with physical health care hasn't succeeded fully.

Federal Panel Calls For Stricter Enforcement Of Mental Health Care Parity Law

1:43pm October 31, 2016

by Jenny Gold

Since a federal parity law was enacted in 2008, health insurers and employers have made progress toward improving coverage for mental health and substance abuse. But enforcement has been lax.

Four days after Rory Staunton cut himself in gym class, he died from septic shock.

Health Officials Struggle To Fight Deadly Sepsis Infections

3:18pm August 23, 2016

by Michelle Andrews

Although a CDC study released today found that 80 percent of cases develop outside the hospital or at a nursing home, many people still don't know about this lethal medical condition.

A health department pickup truck sprays insecticide against mosquitoes in a San Juan, Puerto Rico, neighborhood in January.

Zika Cases Surge In Puerto Rico As Mosquitoes Flourish

6:25pm August 05, 2016

by Jason Beaubien

The warm, wet summer months in Puerto Rico are the perfect breeding time for the mosquitoes that carry Zika virus. As the mosquitoes multiply there, so do the human cases of infection.

Queue Listen Now

Dr. Christine Curry says Zika virus has been a "game changer" in obstetrics and gynecology.

Zika Changes The Conversations Between OB-GYNs And Patients In Florida

11:54am August 05, 2016

by Sammy Mack

For some obstetricians and gynecologists, Zika virus is transforming how they practice medicine. Talks with pregnant patients now include testing for the virus and the risks of long-term effects.