Feb 15th, 2010 · It's been nearly half a century since U.S. Surgeon General Luther Terry declared that smoking was linked to lung cancer and was hazardous to health. Since then, smoking in the United States has been on the decline. How have most smokers left the habit behind? Some need medications like nicotine gum and patches to kick the habit.
Feb 14th, 2010 · Even as the nation has made big progress in reducing smoking rates, the rates remain high among the poorest Americans. A program in Massachusetts shows that providing counseling and quitting medications can help: Smoking among low-income people in the program decreased by 26 percent.
Feb 6th, 2010 · In the nation's capital, African-Americans make up more than 75 percent of the city's HIV/AIDS cases. To combat the disease and its spread, advocates and city health officials have decided to try to improve the link between being tested and being treated. Washington, D.C., and the Bronx in New York will be the site of a pilot research program designed to connect patients with a doctor, and put those patients on anti-retroviral medication as soon as they are diagnosed.
Feb 5th, 2010 · Roughly 27 million Americans took prescription antidepressants in 2005, making them the most commonly prescribed class of medications in America. Ira Flatow and guests discuss depression, from how it's diagnosed and treated to how antidepressants stack up against psychotherapy and placebos.
Jan 6th, 2010 · Antidepressant drugs — like many medications — are tested primarily in people with major depressive illness, yet they also are prescribed for those who have mild to moderate symptoms. A recent study found that for those with mild or moderate depression, drugs have an effect similar to a placebo.
Dec 21st, 2009 · Film star Brittany Murphy, 32, died Sunday morning after collapsing at her Hollywood Hills home. The Los Angeles County coroner's office said Monday that Murphy had been ill and that prescription medication was taken from her home. Police said there was no evidence of foul play.
Dec 21st, 2009 · In 1990 the bone condition called osteopenia — slight thinning of the bones — didn’t exist. Today all over America women are diagnosed with osteopenia and given medication. This is the story of how a drug company's marketing efforts changed the definition of a disease and created a new category of people who saw themselves as needing treatment.
Nov 24th, 2009 · Many academics regard melody and rhythm as contributing to health in much the same way diet and exercise do. While the nation hyperventilates over healthcare, could music be as important as medicine, and at a fraction of the price?