A committee of experts examined about a dozen different synthetic biology technologies that could be potentially misused. For each, they considered how likely it was to be usable as a weapon.
Infants do better with their parents, studies find, as long as parents have support to get and stay sober. This program starts during pregnancy, to rally and train a strong family support network.
An overdose is a wake-up call for many people with addiction. So why aren't patients being offered medications that could keep them from looking for the next dangerous hit of drugs?
With 113 locations in the U.S., Brain Balance says its drug-free approach has helped tens of thousands of children. But experts say there's insufficient proof of its effectiveness.
As home genetic testing continues to boom, more people are getting their DNA tested for health reasons. The tests may signal future disease, but there are many limitations that might falsely reassure.
Scientists and National Institutes of Health officials met with alcohol company executives and appeared to solicit money from them in violation of government policy. The NIH canceled the study.
Seeking solutions for the opioid crisis, policymakers in Illinois and many other states are looking to expand access to marijuana for chronic pain sufferers.
One in 5 Medicare patients who leaves the hospital for a nursing home ends up back in the hospital. The federal government will soon use bonuses and penalties to try to lower readmissions.
Some public health officials fear Trump's move to change how the Title X family planning funding is handled may hurt the effort to cut the record number of sexually transmitted diseases in the U.S.
Part of a parent's job is to help kids do their best, but pushing too hard can backfire. Research shows kids in high-achieving communities are at higher risk of anxiety, depression and substance use.
The Trump administration has declined to defend key provisions of the Affordable Care Act in court, saying protections for people with pre-existing conditions should be declared unconstitutional.
The Justice Department has announced it will not defend the Affordable Care Act in an ongoing lawsuit brought by 20 states that challenge the legality of core pillars of the law.
Guns are the most common method used for suicide, accounting for the deaths of almost half the people who kill themselves, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study finds.
Public health officials worry vaping is an emerging disaster that could reverse years of decline in smoking by young people. What's the latest evidence that e-cigarettes are a gateway to tobacco?
Are some people getting too much treatment for their cancers? The answer, from the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in Chicago, is an emphatic yes.
A severe allergic reaction sent a patient at night to an ER, which now wants to charge more than for a daytime visit. Billing specialists say the patient might have grounds for an appeal.
The anesthetic ketamine first wowed the medical world with its ability to relieve severe depression in hours. Now it's showing promise for other psychiatric disorders, including bipolar and PTSD.
One of the less visible effects of Hurricane Maria has been PTSD. Many Puerto Ricans are dealing with trauma related to the storm, especially as the next hurricane season begins.
We asked Americans about genetic testing in the latest NPR-Truven Health Analytics Health Poll. People were generally OK with sharing the information with relatives and doctors, but not employers.
Data from patient medical records are being used to develop commercial products. What rights do we have over the use of our personal health information?
The Virginia State Senate voted Wednesday to expand Medicaid to 400,000 low-income residents. This comes after months of fierce political debates between Republicans.
Women are at high risk for getting concussions from domestic violence. A neurologist and a social worker have paired up to try to get women the specific medical help and counseling that they need.
Noting a sharp rise in colorectal cancer among younger people, the American Cancer Society now suggests that healthy adults get their first screening five years earlier — at age 45.
