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, 22 May 2013 13:01:00 -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 Research Reveals Yeasty Beasts Living On Our Skin While studying microorganisms on humans is not new, tracking fungi is. In a census of sorts, scientists checked the skin of healthy volunteers. They found an expansive ecosystem of silent inhabitants. Wed, 22 May 2013 13:01:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/22/185821644/research-reveals-yeasty-beasts-living-on-our-skin?ft=1&f=1135 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/22/185821644/research-reveals-yeasty-beasts-living-on-our-skin?ft=1&f=1135 While studying microorganisms on humans is not new, tracking fungi is. In a census of sorts, scientists checked the skin of healthy volunteers. They found an expansive ecosystem of silent inhabitants.

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]]> ADHD In Childhood May Feed Obesity In Adults People diagnosed with ADHD as children may be more apt to be obese in adulthood, scientists say. Differences in brain biology or the impulsiveness typical of ADHD may contribute to lasting, bad eating habits. Mon, 20 May 2013 12:42:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/20/185521490/adhd-in-childhood-may-feed-obesity-in-adults?ft=1&f=1135 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/20/185521490/adhd-in-childhood-may-feed-obesity-in-adults?ft=1&f=1135 People diagnosed with ADHD as children may be more apt to be obese in adulthood, scientists say. Differences in brain biology or the impulsiveness typical of ADHD may contribute to lasting, bad eating habits.

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]]> If Your Shrink Is A Bot, How Do You Respond? A computer-simulated woman named Ellie is designed to talk to people who are struggling emotionally and take their measure — 30 times per second. Researchers hope their technology, which reads a person's body language and inflections, will yield diagnostic clues for clinical therapists. Mon, 20 May 2013 03:04:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/20/182593855/if-your-shrink-is-a-bot-how-do-you-respond?ft=1&f=1135 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/20/182593855/if-your-shrink-is-a-bot-how-do-you-respond?ft=1&f=1135 A computer-simulated woman named Ellie is designed to talk to people who are struggling emotionally and take their measure — 30 times per second. Researchers hope their technology, which reads a person's body language and inflections, will yield diagnostic clues for clinical therapists.

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]]> Illinois Lawmakers Send Medical Marijuana Bill To Governor Gov. Pat Quinn has not said whether he will sign the bill after the state Senate approved the measure, which includes tough guidelines for who is eligible. Fri, 17 May 2013 15:17:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/17/184827768/illinois-lawmakers-send-medical-marijuana-bill-to-governor?ft=1&f=1135 http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/17/184827768/illinois-lawmakers-send-medical-marijuana-bill-to-governor?ft=1&f=1135 Gov. Pat Quinn has not said whether he will sign the bill after the state Senate approved the measure, which includes tough guidelines for who is eligible.

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]]> Up For Discussion: Cost Of Cancer Care Avoided Too Often Even cancer patients with health insurance can face steep copayments for drugs, a sizable share of hospital bills and significant incidental expenses. So wouldn't it make sense for doctors and patients to talk about financial issues up front? Fri, 17 May 2013 14:42:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/17/184804719/up-for-discussion-cost-of-cancer-care-avoided-too-often?ft=1&f=1135 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/17/184804719/up-for-discussion-cost-of-cancer-care-avoided-too-often?ft=1&f=1135 Even cancer patients with health insurance can face steep copayments for drugs, a sizable share of hospital bills and significant incidental expenses. So wouldn't it make sense for doctors and patients to talk about financial issues up front?

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]]> Why Is Psychiatry's New Manual So Much Like The Old One? Unlike cardiology and most other fields of medicine, psychiatry still hasn't developed discrete, biological tests for diagnosing illnesses of the mind. That's because the brain "hasn't yielded its secrets yet," one psychiatrist says. Thu, 16 May 2013 17:21:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/16/184454931/why-is-psychiatrys-new-manual-so-much-like-the-old-one?ft=1&f=1135 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/16/184454931/why-is-psychiatrys-new-manual-so-much-like-the-old-one?ft=1&f=1135 Unlike cardiology and most other fields of medicine, psychiatry still hasn't developed discrete, biological tests for diagnosing illnesses of the mind. That's because the brain "hasn't yielded its secrets yet," one psychiatrist says.

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]]> How Researchers Cloned Human Embryos After decades of trying, scientists say they've finally figured out how to make personalized embryonic stem cells. One day, these designer cells may help treat an array of diseases. A jolt of caffeine and and a little electric shock helped to do the trick. Wed, 15 May 2013 15:14:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/15/184223277/how-scientists-cloned-human-embryos?ft=1&f=1135 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/15/184223277/how-scientists-cloned-human-embryos?ft=1&f=1135 After decades of trying, scientists say they've finally figured out how to make personalized embryonic stem cells. One day, these designer cells may help treat an array of diseases. A jolt of caffeine and and a little electric shock helped to do the trick.

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]]> Scientists Clone Human Embryos To Make Stem Cells The achievement is a long-sought step toward harnessing the potential power of such cells to treat diseases. But the discovery raises ethical concerns because it brings researchers closer to cloning humans. Wed, 15 May 2013 12:01:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/15/183916891/scientists-clone-human-embryos-to-make-stem-cells?ft=1&f=1135 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/15/183916891/scientists-clone-human-embryos-to-make-stem-cells?ft=1&f=1135 The achievement is a long-sought step toward harnessing the potential power of such cells to treat diseases. But the discovery raises ethical concerns because it brings researchers closer to cloning humans.

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]]> Breast Cancer, Risk And Women's Imperfect Choices When Angelina Jolie went public about her preventive mastectomy, women who have struggled with the same tough choices spoke out about the dilemmas of medical choice. Wed, 15 May 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/15/184188710/breast-cancer-risk-and-womens-imperfect-choices?ft=1&f=1135 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/15/184188710/breast-cancer-risk-and-womens-imperfect-choices?ft=1&f=1135 When Angelina Jolie went public about her preventive mastectomy, women who have struggled with the same tough choices spoke out about the dilemmas of medical choice.

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]]> Angelina Jolie's Mastectomy Decision And Weighing Cancer Risks Writer and breast cancer survivor Peggy Orenstein talks with David Greene about actress Angelina Jolie's decision to have a double mastectomy to reduce her risk of breast cancer. The cancer risk for most women is much lower than Jolie's. Wed, 15 May 2013 10:29:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/15/184166941/angelina-jolies-mastectomy-decision-and-weighing-cancer-risks?ft=1&f=1135 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/15/184166941/angelina-jolies-mastectomy-decision-and-weighing-cancer-risks?ft=1&f=1135 Writer and breast cancer survivor Peggy Orenstein talks with David Greene about actress Angelina Jolie's decision to have a double mastectomy to reduce her risk of breast cancer. The cancer risk for most women is much lower than Jolie's.

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]]> Genetic Counseling Can Help Women At Risk For Breast Cancer Following Angelina Jolie's op-ed in the <em>New York Times</em> revealing her double mastectomy, Audie Cornish talks with Sue Friedman, founder and executive director of <a href="http://www.facingourrisk.org/index.php" target="_blank">FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered</a>, about access to genetic testing and preventive surgery. Tue, 14 May 2013 15:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/14/183984436/genetic-counseling-can-help-women-at-risk-for-breast-cancer?ft=1&f=1135 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/14/183984436/genetic-counseling-can-help-women-at-risk-for-breast-cancer?ft=1&f=1135 Following Angelina Jolie's op-ed in the New York Times revealing her double mastectomy, Audie Cornish talks with Sue Friedman, founder and executive director of FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered, about access to genetic testing and preventive surgery.

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]]> Angelina Jolie And The Rise Of Preventive Mastectomies Doctors have seen a sharp increase in the number of women choosing breast surgery to prevent cancer. But the genetic mutation that contributed to Angelina Jolie's decision is relatively rare, and the vast majority of women who choose prophylactic mastectomy don't face the same level of risk. Tue, 14 May 2013 10:17:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/14/183892507/angelina-jolie-and-the-rise-of-preventive-mastectomies?ft=1&f=1135 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/14/183892507/angelina-jolie-and-the-rise-of-preventive-mastectomies?ft=1&f=1135 Doctors have seen a sharp increase in the number of women choosing breast surgery to prevent cancer. But the genetic mutation that contributed to Angelina Jolie's decision is relatively rare, and the vast majority of women who choose prophylactic mastectomy don't face the same level of risk.

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]]> Judge Denies Administration's Request To Delay Plan-B Ruling Iin denying the government's motion for a stay, U.S. District Court Judge Korman, who has overseen the case since 2005, also laid out several substantive problems with the situation that last week's approval by the Food and Drug Administration created. Fri, 10 May 2013 15:10:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/10/182901329/judge-denies-administrations-request-to-delay-plan-b-ruling?ft=1&f=1135 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/10/182901329/judge-denies-administrations-request-to-delay-plan-b-ruling?ft=1&f=1135 Iin denying the government's motion for a stay, U.S. District Court Judge Korman, who has overseen the case since 2005, also laid out several substantive problems with the situation that last week's approval by the Food and Drug Administration created.

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]]> It Came From Norway To Take On A Medical Goliath A company that got its start assessing the risks of ocean-going vessels now checks U.S. hospitals for quality. Known as DNV, the firm is bringing competition to an area of health care that obsesses insiders yet is little known by patients. Fri, 10 May 2013 10:16:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/09/182631394/it-came-from-norway-to-take-on-a-medical-goliath?ft=1&f=1135 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/09/182631394/it-came-from-norway-to-take-on-a-medical-goliath?ft=1&f=1135 A company that got its start assessing the risks of ocean-going vessels now checks U.S. hospitals for quality. Known as DNV, the firm is bringing competition to an area of health care that obsesses insiders yet is little known by patients.

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]]> Price Break For Cervical Cancer Shots In Developing World The two makers of HPV vaccines have agreed to lower the prices for their vaccines to less than $5 a shot for low-income countries. The cheaper vaccine may make it easier to vaccinate girls in places where the risk of death from cervical cancer is greatest. Thu, 09 May 2013 11:44:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/09/182567228/price-break-for-cervical-cancer-shots-in-developing-world?ft=1&f=1135 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/09/182567228/price-break-for-cervical-cancer-shots-in-developing-world?ft=1&f=1135 The two makers of HPV vaccines have agreed to lower the prices for their vaccines to less than $5 a shot for low-income countries. The cheaper vaccine may make it easier to vaccinate girls in places where the risk of death from cervical cancer is greatest.

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