Search results

Needle exchange programs where addicts can exchange dirty syringes for clean ones are effective in preventing the spread of HIV, a finding that's highlighted in a new CDC report. But in terms of curbing the overall drug abuse problem, the programs themselves remain controversial.

There is a dearth of information about the transmissibility of the flu virus through breast milk from mother to infant. However, a new study using a ferret model finds that transmission might be possible.

The findings may seem obvious, but they hold a lot more substance. Experts say when a woman is trying to conceive, having intercourse more often triggers the psychological changes that improve the chance of conception, even outside of the ovulation window.

A new study claims that people who undergo weight loss surgery have higher rates of suicide attempts than those who don't. Is this really true? Maybe, maybe not. A flaw in the study makes it impossible to tell.

Many may think the Ebola epidemic ended when major U.S. news outlets stopped covering it. However, the epidemic has raged on for over a year in West Africa. But there is some good news: the three countries at the center of the epidemic have not reported any new cases in over a week.

Weight-loss surgery has been shown to help control weight and improve metabolic parameters among obese diabetics. This new study, which produced very impressive results, shows the actual degree of improvement of various types of surgery.

While the U.S. Court of Appeals for the NY region threw out a lawsuit by parents seeking to allow religious exemptions for their kids, the matter remained unsettled. Until now. The U.S. Supreme Court has decided not to review the decision, which now puts an end to this debate -- with a welcome outcome.

A news report says Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson was associated with a supplement maker, and actually took a regimen of products to treat his prostate cancer diagnosis. After hearing his dubious views on vaccines during the debates, this latest discovery makes us feel even more uncomfortable about his commitment to sound science.

Ever thought of refreezing meat or fish you thawed for dinner (but didn't cook) but chose not to because you felt it might not be safe to eat later? Well, refreezing can be safe under the right circumstances, if you follow the proper guidelines.

Mother Jones is once again in a panic. That's because the public might engage in evidence-based decision-making if the American Council on Science and Health is not stopped -- so a writer there engages in yellow journalism.

A new study suggests that certain plant-based (organic) pesticides that are used in organic farming kill bees something that they're not supposed to do. But the study is flawed. Although these botanical pesticides do kill bees, the conditions under which they were tested render the entire study meaningless.

Students with peanut allergies have forced many schools to ban these nuts. However, scientists are working on a solution: trying to create a peanut without the allergenic proteins. They report they are close to a finished product, but regulatory questions abound as the definition of "GMO" is examined.

Dr. Tu Youyou was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for her discovery of artemisinin, a very important anti-malarial drug. While this is being touted as a triumph of ancient Chinese medicine over modern western, it's nothing of the sort. Dr. Tu used the same methods that chemists have been using for many years.

Over the past few days several European countries have announced they'll opt out of an EU law permitting the cultivation of approved GMO crops. However, Romania bucking the trend and aligning itself with science, has proudly announced it is opting-in.

A study claims that infants given corticosteroids to treat asthma may face stunted growth in their future. However, the coverage of the study misses the point: despite the concern about potential height, asthma is still a deadly disease and steroids are still an effective treatment.

Beta-blockers have been integral in the treatment of heart disease and high blood pressure since the invention of Inderal almost 50 years ago. But new research indicates they may not be the medical miracle they were once considered to be.

Two new studies, which deal with the extra information a calcium scan can contribute to risk calculation for predicting coronary heart disease events over a 10-year course, found that coronary artery calcium scores of very low or zero reduced the likelihood of CHD events by about half. This can eliminate the need for statins.

A second research group, this one from Portland State University, says it's testing a single-pill cure for malaria. That now makes two studies that look very promising. The availability of a single-pill cure would go a long way toward wiping out the infection in Africa, where it still kills more than 400,000 children each year.

A recent online article attacks several Nobel Prize winners whose contributions to humanity saved many millions of lives.

A well-written and illustrative article in the Washington Post explains a great deal about the U.N.'s International Agency for Research on Cancer, and Monsanto's herbicide glyphosate, Roundup. It should be required reading for Americans concerned about the chemical, as well as GMO food. We'll explain.

Endometriosis is an often painful condition among women, associated with menstruation and often accompanied by excessive bleeding. It is quite common and under-diagnosed, and may account for half of all infertility. About seven million U.S. women are thought to have it. Medical and surgical treatments can help.

On the heels of a defeated attempt to overturn a vaccination law, California delivers another victory for public health: a sex education law, which mandates comprehensive, science-based instruction for all teens. It includes important topics like consent, sexual orientation and HIV/AIDS awareness, and the important basics like contraception.

Take a look at this short, clever video from the American Chemical Society for tips on how to avoid getting kidney stones.

If your goal is to lose weight, a team of California researchers recommends that you get to bed earlier. We all know that you should cut down on calories and exercise more to keep off unwanted pounds, but their new study says that late bedtimes may be a contributing factor to weight gain.

It has been 25 years since the first clinical trial of gene therapy was conducted, but one still has not been approved in the U.S. However, following two new studies showing that researchers are closing in on therapies for a common brain cancer and a rare eye disease, hope for approval is on the rise.