Suddenly, cannabis-related, hemp-derived CBD is almost everywhere. CBD’s FDA status is murky, and we know very little about its benefits, thanks in part to its former place on DEA Schedule 1. How much has been proven about its supposed health qualities? What are the risks? Experts discuss in depth.
Read More
When most of us think of genetic testing for health, we imagine tests to detect whether we’ve inherited genes that predispose us for cancer or other serious disease. But another kind of gene testing—genomic testing of tumor cells for their susceptibility to targeted treatments—is giving thousands of people hope of survival they’ve never had before. Experts discuss both genetic and genomic testing.
Read More
Since the 1980’s, almost all production of generic drugs has moved overseas, where FDA inspectors have a much tougher time making sure they’re following rules for safety. An investigative journalist describes the ways she’s found that many drugmakers cut corners, putting safety at risk, and details what consumers can do to protect themselves.
Read More
: Each year, the humanitarian organization Save the Children develops a nation-by-nation scorecard on how likely children are to grow up healthy, educated, and safe. The organization’s CEO discusses how most nations have improved the ways children are treated over the past generation, and why the US ranks 36th.
Read More
Most forms of cancer have a built-in constituency of patients, loved ones, and concerned others. Lung cancer patients, instead, are often blamed for their own disease because of its frequent connection with smoking. Patients are often isolated, and research dollars lag behind other, less common cancer killers.
Read More
Many Americans believe that healthy food doesn’t taste good, and tasty food isn’t healthy. A chef who is also a cardiologist discusses how to find a balance by seeking out healthy ingredients rather than whole categories of foods.
Read More
Loneliness is increasing across all ages, but it’s especially noteworthy among seniors, and it can dramatically affect health. An expert geriatrician who has studied the effects of loneliness and the leader of an organization that provides friendly visitors to the isolated elderly discuss causes of increasing loneliness, its impact, and the effectiveness of visitor programs.
Read More
Many Americans believe if they have good health care, they’ll have good health. But many factors beyond medicine contribute to our level of health. A noted public health expert explains these factors, and why our own health is much more than an individual concern.
Read More
Measles had been declared eliminated in 2000, but has come roaring back because of the increasing number of people who have not been vaccinated. Parents may have legitimate fears of side effects, but claims vaccines are unsafe are not true. Experts discuss the complicated psychological reasons vaccine refusal exists despite this, and what may help change minds to promote public health.
Read More
Most infants are breastfed in the US today, but breastfeeding often doesn’t look the way most of us think of it, as a result of adoption, same sex marriage, and other changes in parenting. An expert discusses some of the hurdles and challenges to getting infants the best nutrition possible.
Read More
The proportion of severely obese teenagers continues to rise. Doctors increasingly understand that only weight loss surgery is likely to help them lose weight and avoid health consequences of obesity. But teens are often held back until they’re so heavy that even bariatric surgery isn’t enough to return them to normal weight. Experts discuss.
Read More
Millions of Americans cannot afford the medications they’ve been prescribed. Many skip doses, split pills or don’t fill prescriptions at all as a result, with sometimes even fatal consequences. But doctors are often unable to consider cost very well in prescribing, as the same drug often costs patients vastly different amounts due to insurance differences. Experts discuss the problem and what patients can do to save.
Read More
Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus carry a genetic predisposition, but need an environmental trigger to take hold. Triggers are poorly understood, but some women claim their disease is a result of contraceptives, including birth control pills and IUD’s. Experts and one women suffering from autoimmune disease discuss the issue.
Read More
Preeclampsia, an irregularity in the placenta during pregnancy, is the leading cause of premature delivery worldwide, and causes nearly 20 percent of maternal deaths in the US. Little is known about its cause and how it can be treated, but an inexpensive new test could help flag those suffering from it and lessen complications. The test’s inventor discusses it and the disorder.
Read More
DNA mutations happen all the time in the body, but the immune system usually detects and deals with them. When the system fails, cancer results. Yet some animals, such as elephants, almost never get cancer, and scientists have learned that the elephant DNA repair system is 20 times more powerful than the human system. Experts explain how they hope to tap this knowledge.
Read More
Dementia has a much wider range than most people think, and people with dementia are usually functional for years. An expert discusses the course of the disease and how life can still be positive for years before it reaches the late, debilitating stage most people think of when they hear the word “dementia.”
Read More
Millions of Americans cannot afford the medications they’ve been prescribed. Many skip doses, split pills or don’t fill prescriptions at all as a result, with sometimes even fatal consequences. But doctors are often unable to consider cost very well in prescribing, as the same drug often costs patients vastly different amounts due to insurance differences. Experts discuss the problem and what patients can do to save.
Read More
Brain aneurysms—bulging in a brain blood vessel, like an inflated balloon—affect 1 in 50 people and are generally without symptoms until they burst. This occurs in about 30,000 people per year in the US, accounting for 3-5 percent of all new strokes. Here is the story of one survivor in her own words.
Read More
Millions of Americans believe they are allergic to penicillin. However, most of them are wrong. Experts discuss how these misdiagnoses happen and what results when so many of us avoid the most effective, yet cheapest antibiotic.
Read More
The flu’s unique ability to mutate makes it one of the toughest diseases to solve, as it evades vaccines and treatment. It also has a deadly history, which prompts fears each flu season. A noted expert discusses all about the flu and its myths.
Read More
