Supersized debate: opinions flowed over at the public hearing on New York City’s proposed ban on large-sized sodas, on which the Board of Health is set to vote on Sept. 13
Public Health
HIV Treatment Results Are Improving — But Maybe Not as Much as We Thought
The proportion of U.S. patients who receive effective treatment has jumped from 45% in 2001 to 72% in 2010, according to a large national study, but that’s still lower than some previous estimates
HIV Patients Should Start Drug Treatment Right Away, New Guidelines Say
Thousands of scientists, doctors, policymakers and people living with HIV are meeting this week for the annual International AIDS Conference in Washington, D.C., the first time the conference is being held on U.S. soil in 22 years.
HIV Continues to Spread Among Gay Men, Studies Show
Even in countries that have made great gains in reducing the burden of AIDS, the epidemic is still growing among gay men
Truvada: 5 Things to Know About the First Drug to Prevent HIV
Doctors now have another weapon against HIV/AIDS in their arsenal, and it’s a potent one.
NYC’s Trans Fat Ban Worked: Fast-Food Diners Are Eating Healthier
In 2006, New York City passed a first-in-the-nation ban on trans fats in restaurant food. Here’s how it worked
Doctors Should Screen All Adults for Obesity, U.S. Panel Says
With more American adults qualifying as obese than ever before, doctors should be screening all adult patients for unhealthy weight, says a government panel.
H5N1: Bird Flu Pandemic May Be Closer than Thought, Study Finds
It may take as few as five mutations for H5N1 to go from being a bird-only problem to a potentially deadly human pandemic flu, researchers report.
Prescriptions for Kids: ADHD Meds and Birth Control Pills Are Up, Antibiotics Are Down
The FDA reports that drug prescriptions for kids have dropped overall since 2002, but while the use of certain drugs like antibiotics fell, prescriptions for others, including ADHD meds, increased significantly.
Graphic Cigarette Warning Labels Stick Better in Your Memory
People can more accurately remember the health warnings included in graphic cigarette labels than in standard text-only Surgeon General’s warnings, a study finds.
Too Many Scans? Use of CT Scans Triples, Study Finds
The use of CT scans, MRIs and other imaging tests has skyrocketed over the last 15 years, leading some experts to raise alarms over the potential risks of patients’ increased exposure to radiation.
6 Products to Keep You Sunburn-Free this Summer
Covering up is no fun in the summer sun, but it’s a must-do: skin cancer affects more than 2 million people in the U.S. each year. To reduce the risks for your and your family, here are a few sun-protective products that experts recommend.
Drug-Resistant Gonorrhea Spreading Worldwide, WHO Warns
Officials at the World Health Organization (WHO) are urging governments and doctors to increase surveillance of potentially untreatable strains of drug-resistant gonorrhea and are calling for more vigilance on the proper …