Despite our efforts, healthcare spending is often like Whack-A-Mole: hammer down the costs here and they pop up there. For instance, Medicare’s payment for some forms of diagnostic testing show that regulations designed to lower costs instead make them steadily rise.

The 1956 American classic musical tells the story of Eliza Doolittle and Professor Henry Higgins, in which he tries to elevate her station in life by improving her speech. It may be worth re-examining the premise, in contemporary America, specifically: Does our speech give away our social status?

The Centers for Disease Control says that the “American food supply is among the safest in the world.” But a read of some recent news reports about toxic metals in baby food may have you feeling somewhat concerned. So what's really the state of the supermarket aisle? Let's take a closer look.

In nutrition, bashing sugar is all the rage. Over roughly the last 20 years, many researchers and health commentators have moved beyond implicating sugar as a cause of life-threatening disease, to blaming it for more mild concerns, even acne. Is it true? Let's find out.

Paradoxically, for scientists, the more you express your uncertainty, the more likely you are to be trusted ... that is, to a point.

Well, it's official. Scientific American, the once-reputable publication, will publish absolutely anything. Just like The Huffington Post or InfoWars.

Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is more than a bad cold. Seasonal outbreaks cause not only tremendous misery but huge numbers of hospital admissions and fatalities. Although the "holy grail" – a universal flu vaccine that recognizes all strains, including newly-arising ones – is not yet available, this does not mean that you should not get the seasonal vaccine. You should, and soon.

Not that we needed it, but there's now even more evidence that prescription analgesic opioids play a very small part in fatal overdoses that continue to plague America. How small? According to a new study published in Public Health Reports, let's just say: get out your magnifying glass.

Why do teaching hospitals feel the need to write articles justifying why they are better? It makes you believe they have an inferiority complex. Do they?

Here's what's on tap: Is tackle football the "New Smoking?" ... Private equity investment + healthcare = SURPRISE Billing. ... Is there an evolutionary role for parasites? ... And time: Is it subjective, fleeting or agonizingly long? A look at the underlying neurobiology.