Medical Treatments http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1135&ft=1&f=1135 Medical Treatments en Copyright 2013 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.94 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:58:00 -0400 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Medical Treatments http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1135&ft=1&f=1135 AMA Says It's Time To Call Obesity A Disease The American Medical Association still has a considerable bully pulpit. And the group's vote Tuesday could give more oomph to efforts to have obesity interventions paid for by insurers and to get the public focused on the problem. Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:58:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/19/193440570/ama-says-its-time-to-call-obesity-a-disease?ft=1&f=1135 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/19/193440570/ama-says-its-time-to-call-obesity-a-disease?ft=1&f=1135 The American Medical Association still has a considerable bully pulpit. And the group's vote Tuesday could give more oomph to efforts to have obesity interventions paid for by insurers and to get the public focused on the problem.

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]]> FDA Backs Off On Regulation Of Fecal Transplants Fecal transplants are being used more often to treat life-threatening bacterial infections. But the Food and Drug Administration worried that the still-experimental procedure put patients at risk. Now it is dropping plans to restrict transplants after doctors and patients complained. Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:08:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/18/193069110/fda-backs-off-on-regulation-of-fecal-transplants?ft=1&f=1135 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/18/193069110/fda-backs-off-on-regulation-of-fecal-transplants?ft=1&f=1135 Fecal transplants are being used more often to treat life-threatening bacterial infections. But the Food and Drug Administration worried that the still-experimental procedure put patients at risk. Now it is dropping plans to restrict transplants after doctors and patients complained.

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]]> House Passes Bill That Would Ban Abortions After 20 Weeks The legislation is one of the most far-reaching abortion bills in decades and follows the May murder convictions of Philadelphia abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell. The bill, which would ban nearly all abortions starting 20 weeks after fertilization, is unlikely to ever become law. Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/18/193197164/house-passes-bill-that-would-ban-late-abortions?ft=1&f=1135 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/18/193197164/house-passes-bill-that-would-ban-late-abortions?ft=1&f=1135 The legislation is one of the most far-reaching abortion bills in decades and follows the May murder convictions of Philadelphia abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell. The bill, which would ban nearly all abortions starting 20 weeks after fertilization, is unlikely to ever become law.

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]]> Patients Lead The Way As Medicine Grapples With Apps Smartphone apps can help count calories or detect a heart attack. People are embracing them to manage many aspects of their health. But medical apps are largely unregulated now, so there's no easy way to be sure which ones are trustworthy and which ones aren't. Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:49:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/18/192777704/patients-lead-the-way-as-medicine-grapples-with-apps?ft=1&f=1135 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/18/192777704/patients-lead-the-way-as-medicine-grapples-with-apps?ft=1&f=1135 Smartphone apps can help count calories or detect a heart attack. People are embracing them to manage many aspects of their health. But medical apps are largely unregulated now, so there's no easy way to be sure which ones are trustworthy and which ones aren't.

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]]> 3-D Printer Brings Dexterity To Children With No Fingers An enterprising carpenter and a creative puppeteer teamed up on a do-it-yourself project to build a mechanical hand for a little boy. They created an inexpensive prosthetic and published their designs on the Internet. So far, over 100 children have been outfitted. Tue, 18 Jun 2013 04:11:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/18/191279201/3-d-printer-brings-dexterity-to-children-with-no-fingers?ft=1&f=1135 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/18/191279201/3-d-printer-brings-dexterity-to-children-with-no-fingers?ft=1&f=1135 An enterprising carpenter and a creative puppeteer teamed up on a do-it-yourself project to build a mechanical hand for a little boy. They created an inexpensive prosthetic and published their designs on the Internet. So far, over 100 children have been outfitted.

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]]> Judge Reluctantly Approves Government Plan For Morning-After Pill Women and teenagers should soon be able to buy emergency contraception with no age restrictions, according to a federal district judge's memorandum. But the Obama administration's plan will put just one brand-name formulation of the "morning after" pill on store shelves. Thu, 13 Jun 2013 13:38:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/13/191338760/judge-reluctantly-approves-government-plan-for-morning-after-pill?ft=1&f=1135 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/13/191338760/judge-reluctantly-approves-government-plan-for-morning-after-pill?ft=1&f=1135 Women and teenagers should soon be able to buy emergency contraception with no age restrictions, according to a federal district judge's memorandum. But the Obama administration's plan will put just one brand-name formulation of the "morning after" pill on store shelves.

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]]> Prevention Pill Cuts HIV Risk For Injecting Drug Users Needle sharing and drug use put an estimated 4,000 people at risk for contracting HIV every year. Now, the same medications that are used to treat HIV-positive individuals might also protect the uninfected before they engage in risky behavior. Thu, 13 Jun 2013 12:52:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/13/191314158/prevention-pill-cuts-hiv-risk-for-injecting-drug-users?ft=1&f=1135 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/13/191314158/prevention-pill-cuts-hiv-risk-for-injecting-drug-users?ft=1&f=1135 Needle sharing and drug use put an estimated 4,000 people at risk for contracting HIV every year. Now, the same medications that are used to treat HIV-positive individuals might also protect the uninfected before they engage in risky behavior.

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]]> Could Brain Scans Reveal The Right Treatment For Depression? Treating depression is a hit-or-miss process; the first treatment works less than half the time. Scientists say they may be able to use PET brain scans to tell whether antidepressants or cognitive behavioral therapy will work best. But tailored treatments are still far off. Thu, 13 Jun 2013 12:02:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/13/191281803/could-brain-scans-reveal-the-right-treatment-for-depression?ft=1&f=1135 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/13/191281803/could-brain-scans-reveal-the-right-treatment-for-depression?ft=1&f=1135 Treating depression is a hit-or-miss process; the first treatment works less than half the time. Scientists say they may be able to use PET brain scans to tell whether antidepressants or cognitive behavioral therapy will work best. But tailored treatments are still far off.

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]]> New York Hospitals Shelve Rivalries For Proton Beam Project Instead of waiting for individual hospitals to apply to build proton centers, a health planning council solicited proposals, promising to favor collaborative approaches. A five-hospital group that teamed with a private company got the go-ahead to build in New York City. Thu, 13 Jun 2013 10:03:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/13/191275012/new-york-hospitals-shelve-rivalries-for-proton-beam-project?ft=1&f=1135 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/13/191275012/new-york-hospitals-shelve-rivalries-for-proton-beam-project?ft=1&f=1135 Instead of waiting for individual hospitals to apply to build proton centers, a health planning council solicited proposals, promising to favor collaborative approaches. A five-hospital group that teamed with a private company got the go-ahead to build in New York City.

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]]> In Arizona, An Unlikely Ally For Medicaid Expansion Republican Gov. Jan Brewer, one of President Obama's staunchest critics, has confounded conservatives in her own party by pushing for an extension of Medicaid coverage in the state. Wed, 12 Jun 2013 16:56:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/12/191047956/in-arizona-an-unlikely-ally-for-medicaid-expansion?ft=1&f=1135 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/12/191047956/in-arizona-an-unlikely-ally-for-medicaid-expansion?ft=1&f=1135 Republican Gov. Jan Brewer, one of President Obama's staunchest critics, has confounded conservatives in her own party by pushing for an extension of Medicaid coverage in the state.

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]]> Chopped: How Amputated Fingertips Sometimes Grow Back Since the 1970s, doctors around the world have reported cases in which young kids regrow fingertips if an accident leaves some of the fingernail. Now scientists have figured out how this lizard-like regeneration happens in mice and suspect the same mechanism works in young humans. Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:14:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/10/190385484/chopped-how-amputated-fingertips-sometimes-grow-back?ft=1&f=1135 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/10/190385484/chopped-how-amputated-fingertips-sometimes-grow-back?ft=1&f=1135 Since the 1970s, doctors around the world have reported cases in which young kids regrow fingertips if an accident leaves some of the fingernail. Now scientists have figured out how this lizard-like regeneration happens in mice and suspect the same mechanism works in young humans.

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]]> Life Resumes: Looking Ahead With Suleika Jaouad Two years after Suleika Jaouad was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, she is cancer free. A month before her 25th birthday, she is starting to travel and think about her career again. As part of <em>TOTN's</em> "Looking Ahead" series, Jaouad reflects on regaining a bit of normalcy. Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/12/191028685/life-resumes-looking-ahead-with-suleika-jaouad?ft=1&f=1135 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/12/191028685/life-resumes-looking-ahead-with-suleika-jaouad?ft=1&f=1135 Two years after Suleika Jaouad was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, she is cancer free. A month before her 25th birthday, she is starting to travel and think about her career again. As part of TOTN's "Looking Ahead" series, Jaouad reflects on regaining a bit of normalcy.

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]]> Fighting To Breathe: Living With COPD Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive lung disease that slowly robs sufferers of the ability to breathe. COPD is the third leading cause of death in the U.S., surpassed only by cancer and heart disease. There are treatments, but no cure for the disease. Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/12/191028683/fighting-to-breathe-living-with-copd?ft=1&f=1135 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/12/191028683/fighting-to-breathe-living-with-copd?ft=1&f=1135 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive lung disease that slowly robs sufferers of the ability to breathe. COPD is the third leading cause of death in the U.S., surpassed only by cancer and heart disease. There are treatments, but no cure for the disease.

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]]> Go Easy On The Soy Sauce, Bro, It Could Kill You While there's been quite a debate lately about whether salt in the modern American diet is risky, there's no question that a massive amount of salt ingested quickly can lead to death. A young man in Virginia who chugged a bottle of soy sauce survived after prompt, aggressive medical treatment. Wed, 12 Jun 2013 12:29:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/11/190707171/go-easy-on-the-soy-sauce-bro-it-could-kill-you?ft=1&f=1135 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/11/190707171/go-easy-on-the-soy-sauce-bro-it-could-kill-you?ft=1&f=1135 While there's been quite a debate lately about whether salt in the modern American diet is risky, there's no question that a massive amount of salt ingested quickly can lead to death. A young man in Virginia who chugged a bottle of soy sauce survived after prompt, aggressive medical treatment.

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]]> Drug-Resistant Gonorrhea Rises In Great Britain Gonorrhea cases resistant to one of the last effective drugs increased by nearly six times from 2004 to 2011 in Great Britain. Hard-to-treat gonorrhea is a growing trend worldwide, as the bacterium begins to thwart our last defenses. Tue, 11 Jun 2013 15:43:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/11/190699103/drug-resistant-gonorrhea-rises-in-great-britain?ft=1&f=1135 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/11/190699103/drug-resistant-gonorrhea-rises-in-great-britain?ft=1&f=1135 Gonorrhea cases resistant to one of the last effective drugs increased by nearly six times from 2004 to 2011 in Great Britain. Hard-to-treat gonorrhea is a growing trend worldwide, as the bacterium begins to thwart our last defenses.

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