Your Health

December brought storm clouds to the Porter Ranch neighborhood in Southern California's San Fernando Valley.

Families Near The Huge Gas Leak Wonder: Is Home A Safe Place To Be?

7:57pm February 05, 2016

by Kelly McEvers

Most health officials say the small amounts of benzene and other components of the natural gas still leaking in Southern California are probably not a health threat. Still, some parents worry.

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Officials Question Reports Of Zika Transmission Via Urine, Saliva

5:00pm February 05, 2016

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, talks with Mary Louise Kelly about how the Zika virus may spread.

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Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, says it's not clear whether Zika virus can spread through saliva.

Zika May Not Spread In Saliva Or Urine, Health Officials Say

3:40pm February 05, 2016

by Rob Stein

Discovery of Zika virus in the saliva and urine of infected people is concerning but may not mean the pathogen can actually be transmitted through those fluids, experts caution.

Is It Time To Stop Using Race In Medical Research?

1:15pm February 05, 2016

by Angus Chen

Medical researchers often use race to define health risks. But a geneticist and a sociologist say racial categories don't accurately reflect who people are, and that science has to change.

Criminologist Joseph Richardson is skeptical that the federal government alone can solve the data problem for police shootings. "There has to be a more pioneering, innovative approach to doing it," he says.

Could Hospital ERs Provide Missing Data On Police Shootings?

6:18pm February 04, 2016

by Vanessa Rancaño

If police violence is considered a public health issue, then doctors and nurses might be able to compile basic information about shootings involving law enforcement that go unreported.

Sylvester Williams, a Denver Broncos nose guard, nabs Isaiah Crowell of the Cleveland Browns last October. If measured by BMI, Williams is obese.

If BMI Is The Test Of Health, Many Pro Athletes Would Flunk

3:59pm February 04, 2016

by Angus Chen

Proposed federal rules would let employers penalize overweight or obese workers by making them pay more for health insurance. But having a high BMI doesn't mean you're not healthy.

When so-called senescent cells were removed from mice, they were healthier and lived longer than mice that still had the cells.

Boosting Life Span By Clearing Out Cellular Clutter

6:44pm February 03, 2016

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

So-called senescent cells no longer divide, but they secrete a mixture of chemicals that can trigger inflammation, which is involved in many age-related disorders. What if the cells were removed?

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Scientists have the ability to use DNA from three adults to make one embryo. But should they?

Babies With Genes From 3 People Could Be Ethical, Panel Says

6:44pm February 03, 2016

by Rob Stein

An independent federal panel says the experimental procedure needs to be proven safe, and even then should only be tried with male embryos because of concerns about passing down genetic errors.

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R&B singer Kem helps Mwamini Wallace carry bottled water to her vehicle in Flint, Mich., last month.

Michigan Governor Wants $30 Million To Help Pay Bills For Lead-Tainted Water

4:31pm February 03, 2016

by Merrit Kennedy

Flint residents are still being billed for water that's unsafe to drink. Tens of thousands of petitions have demanded a moratorium on residents' drinking water bills.

Sexual transmission of Zika virus has happened, scientists say, but it appears to be rare.

What We Know So Far About Sexual Transmission Of Zika Virus

11:48am February 03, 2016

by Rae Ellen Bichell

The CDC reported the first case of sexually transmitted Zika virus in the U.S. related to the current outbreak. It's happened before. Here's what we know about how the virus could move between people.