Research News

New Review Finds Alcoholics Anonymous Is Effective, But Not For Everyone

4:18pm March 12, 2020

by Deborah Becker

Alcoholics Anonymous may be just as good or better than scientifically proven treatments to help people quit drinking, according to a new review. But AA still doesn't work for everyone.

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The test for the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 isn't simple, like the ones for the flu, strep or pregnancy. The current kits are configured more for a research lab than a hospital.

No Guarantee You'll Get Tested For COVID-19, Even If Your Doctor Requests It

6:28pm March 11, 2020

by Richard Harris

There's still a big gap between what the federal government is promising in terms of testing capacity in the U.S. and what state and local labs can deliver.

Science

Killer Kitties? Scientists Track What Outdoor Cats Are Doing All Day

6:18pm March 11, 2020

by Lauren Sommer

Cat owners may often wonder what their outdoor cats is doing all day. One study shows outdoor cats are bad news for birds and other critters. But there are some ways to make cats more visible.

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Pharmacist Raphael Lynne gives a flu shot in Miami in 2018. This year's vaccination against influenza has been reducing infections by "about 40 to 50 percent," says Emily Martin, an epidemiologist with the University of Michigan School of Public Health.

U.S. Flu Season Beginning To Ease, Modelers Say

6:05pm March 09, 2020

by Joe Palca

Though COVID-19 has captured the headlines, influenza places a huge burden on the health care system. This year's flu shot provides good protection, the CDC says, so do get one if you haven't already.

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After a coronavirus test came back positive on a patient who had been treated at NorthBay VacaValley Hospital in Vacaville, Calif., in February, about 100 NorthBay workers were sent into self-quarantine for 14 days.

Scarcity Of Health Workers A New Concern As Self-Quarantining Spreads With Virus

12:45pm March 09, 2020

by Jenny Gold

Should "potential exposure" by a health worker to someone with coronavirus be enough to send that worker home for two weeks of self-quarantine? Health systems have begun debating relative risks.

Science

Latest On New EPA Proposal

10:22am March 07, 2020

NPR's Scott Simon talks to Andrew Rosenberg of the Union of Concerned Scientists about the latest Environmental Protection Agency proposal that could limit scientific research used for regulations.

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Respirators Key To Coronavirus Battle But They Must Be Worn Correctly

10:18am March 06, 2020

by Joe Palca

A respirator is a central piece of protective gear vital for keeping health care workers healthy — but wearing one incorrectly can put the wearer at risk.

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Scientists at the Casey Eye Institute, in Portland, Ore., have have injected a harmless virus containing CRISPR gene-editing instructions inside the retinal cells of a patient with a rare form of genetic blindness.

In A 1st, Scientists Use Revolutionary Gene-Editing Tool To Edit Inside A Patient

12:41pm March 04, 2020

by Rob Stein

Doctors used CRISPR to edit genes of cells inside a patient's eye, hoping to restore vision to a person blinded by a rare genetic disorder. A similar strategy might work for some brain diseases.

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News Brief: Election Results, Stock Markets Drop, Gene-Editing Tool

10:28am March 04, 2020

After Super Tuesday, Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders are the front-runners. U.S. financial markets fell again on concerns over the coronavirus outbreak. And, details of a new development in medicine.

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Viral particles are colorized purple in this color-enhanced transmission electron micrograph from a COVID-19 patient in the United States. Computer modeling can help epidemiologists predict how and where the illness will move next.

How Computer Modeling Of COVID-19's Spread Could Help Fight The Virus

9:40am March 04, 2020

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

As the world watches the outbreak of a novel coronavirus, epidemiologists are watching simulations of that outbreak on their computers to try to predict what might happen next.

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