Your Health

Police officers check drivers at a sobriety checkpoint in Escondido, Calif.

Traffic Stops Persuade People To Avoid Drinking And Driving

4:17pm January 04, 2015

by Patti Neighmond

Everyone knows it's dangerous to drink and drive, but a lot of people still do it. Strict enforcement of traffic laws makes it less likely that people will get behind the wheel when soused.

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Number of providers by state who wrote at least 3,000 prescriptions for Schedule 2 controlled substances in 2012 in Medicare Part D.

Health & Safety

Prolific Prescribers Of Controlled Substances Face Medicare Scrutiny

4:11pm January 04, 2015

In the face of abuse concerns, Medicare covered more prescriptions for potent controlled substances in 2012 than in 2011. Top prescribers often have faced disciplinary action or criminal charges.

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To Stop Teen Drinking Parties, Fine The Parents

3:18pm January 04, 2015

by Patti Neighmond

For some teenagers, parties with alcohol are almost a rite of passage. Surveys show the vast majority of parents in these homes know the alcohol is flowing. Cities are now cracking down on the adults.

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Health & Safety

Flu Vaccines Still Helpful Even When The Strain Is Different

6:23pm January 02, 2015

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

The influenza season is under way and experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warn it may be particularly severe. We have an update on the flu and what you can do to protect yourself.

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One teaspoon of pure caffeine powder delivers about the same jolt as 25 cups of coffee.

Potent Powdered Caffeine Raises Safety Worries

7:32am January 02, 2015

by Rob Stein

With two young men dead, the Food and Drug Administration is considering banning sales to consumers of a highly concentrated form of pure caffeine. It's too easy to overdose, officials warn.

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Using Both Quit Lines And Websites Helps Smokers Stop

1:50pm December 31, 2014

by Nancy Shute

Every state offers quit lines and other aids to help smokers end the habit. Using both telephone and online aids works best, a study finds.

Texted Reminders Help Parents Get Kids In For Flu Shots

9:29am December 31, 2014

by Maanvi Singh

It's hard enough to get kids in for one flu shot, let alone two. But when parents got texts that explained why the child needed a second dose, they were much more likely to get the job done.

Demonstrators on both sides of the abortion debate protest in front of the Supreme Court in 2011.

As More Women Tell Abortion Stories, Both Sides Claim Advantage

9:29am December 31, 2014

by Jennifer Ludden

Does telling your abortion story help end stigma about the procedure, or does it help opponents make the case against abortion? The answer to that question depends very much on whom you talk to.

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Seeing double after toasting? Just wait for the hangover that's coming, thanks in part to those bubbles in sparkling wine.

Health & Safety

Hangover Helper: Tips To Prevent A Horrible Headache

6:45pm December 30, 2014

by Allison Aubrey

Champagne and other booze flow freely on New Year's Eve. But if you want to wake to a new year without the side effects of alcohol, don't fret: Science offers some guidance.

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A passenger wearing a face mask arrives at Los Angeles International Airport Friday. Federal officials now require people traveling from West Africa to enter the U.S. at one of five airports equipped to screen them for signs of Ebola.

Poll: Broad Support In U.S. For Ebola Travel Ban

2:43pm December 30, 2014

by Scott Hensley

An NPR poll finds a majority of Americans are worried about Ebola. Fifty-six percent of people are either "very concerned" or "somewhat concerned" about the spread of the Ebola virus to the U.S.