The Department of Homeland Security insists that backscatter X-ray machines pose no danger to public health. Are you persuaded?
Public Health
Colonoscopies Cut the Risk of Cancer Death by Half
Katie Couric was right: colonoscopies are uncomfortable, but they lower the risk of cancer and save lives.
FDA Approves a 10-Minute, No-Comb Treatment for Head Lice
The new treatment, called Sklice, promises to be a real time-saver.
Vaccines: They’re Not Just for Kids (But Too Few U.S. Adults Are Getting Immunized)
Don’t blame adults too much: adult vaccine schedules are much tricker to manage than the standard immunization requirements for children.
Exposure to Common Chemicals May Weaken Vaccine Response
A study finds disturbing evidence that chemicals found in furniture, fast-food packaging and microwave popcorn bags may compromise children’s immune systems.
Google Helps Emergency Room Docs to Predict Flu Trends
How bad is the flu season? Doctors are Googling the answer
Nicotine Gum and Patch Don’t Help Smokers Quit Long Term
Attention smokers: if you feel nicotine gum and patches aren’t helping you stay off cigarettes, you’re right
When Cancer Screening Does More Harm than Good
Screening for cancer is supposed to save lives, but not all experts recommend regular testing for cancer. Why?
8 Health Stories to Watch in 2012
These events captivated the American public in 2011 — and they may matter even more in 2012. Keep an eye out.
Louisiana Warns About Neti Pots After Fatal Brain-Eating Amoeba Infections
The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals is warning people against the improper use of neti pots, following the deaths of two people who were infected with Naegleria fowleri — the so-called “brain-eating amoeba” — …
Healthiest U.S. States Ranked. Where Do You Live?
The rankings are out: The United Health Foundation recently released its annual list of the healthiest U.S. states. Where does your state rank?
Study: Another Reason to Keep the Drinking Age at 21
Young women who came of age in the late 1960s and ’70s, when many states had lowered their legal drinking ages to under 21, remained at higher risk of suicide and homicide into adulthood, a new study finds.
CDC Tracks Thoughts of Suicide in Adults, State by State
More than 8 million Americans thought seriously about suicide in the previous year, according to a new government survey. More adults who considered suicide lived in the Midwest and West than in other parts of the country.