Health & Medicine

  1. Health & Medicine

    Baby Rescue: Cord blood saves infants with rare disease

    Using umbilical cord blood, doctors can rescue babies from Krabbe's disease, a lethal enzyme deficiency that causes brain damage.

    By Nathan Seppa
  2. Health & Medicine

    To Fight Cataracts, It’s Fish Yea, Mayo Nay

    Which fats predominate in a person's diet may influence that individual's susceptibility to cataracts.

    By Janet Raloff
  3. Health & Medicine

    Watch and Wait, or Not: Studies weigh risks of delaying prostate surgery

    Two long-running studies of men with prostate cancer have partly clarified the risks of postponing treatment of the disease.

    By Ben Harder
  4. Health & Medicine

    Proteins’ Promise: New test could reveal early ovarian cancer

    A screening test for ovarian cancer shows promise in preliminary trials.

    By Nathan Seppa
  5. Health & Medicine

    Waking up that lazy eye

    Wearing an eye patch can improve vision in children with amblyopia, or lazy eye, up to age 17.

    By Nathan Seppa
  6. Health & Medicine

    Microwavable Cancers: Heat plus radiation shrinks some tumors

    Heat along with radiation treatment shrinks some tumors faster than does radiation alone.

    By Nathan Seppa
  7. Health & Medicine

    Bread and Chocolate, No Longer D-Minimus

    Heavy fortification of foods with vitamin D offers one way to overcome chronic deficiencies of the nutrient among many people and can even help build bone.

    By Janet Raloff
  8. Health & Medicine

    Anti-inflammatory, anticholesterol drugs vs. cancer

    Cholesterol-lowering drugs, especially when combined with anti-inflammatory medication, may inhibit some cancers.

    By Nathan Seppa
  9. Health & Medicine

    Calcium’s lingering effect slows growths

    Calcium supplements' protective effect against colorectal cancer lasts years after a person stops taking the pills.

    By Nathan Seppa
  10. Health & Medicine

    Anti-inflammatories cut risk of mouth cancer

    Taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication can reduce a smoker's likelihood of developing mouth cancer.

    By Nathan Seppa
  11. Health & Medicine

    Marijuana ingredient slows artery hardening

    Low doses of the chemical that causes marijuana's high can slow the progression of atherosclerosis.

    By Christen Brownlee
  12. Health & Medicine

    Surgical risk from painkiller may be brief

    A new study suggests that patients might safely use painkillers such as ibuprofen up to 24 hours before surgery.

    By Ben Harder