Tag: public health
Obama administration drops objection to Plan B ruling
President Barack Obama's government has dropped its opposition to a court decision that allows the Plan B emergency contraceptive to be bought over-the-counter by women of any age. Proponents had argued the pill was safe and a useful safety net against unwanted pregnancy. ...
Bioethicist says parents who don't vaccinate should face liability for consequences
A doctor and medical ethicist says parents who choose not to vaccinate their children should be liable, in the form of lawsuits, for anyone who becomes sick from their child. Dr. Art Caplan's comments come as New York City is fighting to contain a growing epidemic of the measles....
Oregon to try paying pregnant women to quit smoking
Some 19 percent of U.S. adults smoke, some of them when they're pregnant. Oregon is launching a new program that will offer financial incentives to women who smoke and quit while they're pregnant. ...
Israeli medical experience influential in Boston response to marathon bombings
American hospitals don't have deep experience with injuries from explosions in urban areas. When the hospitals were faced with treating hundreds wounded by the Boston Marathon attacks, they could have been overwhelmed. But they weren't, in part because of lessons learned by Israel....
Monitoring infectious diseases online, on Twitter, gives early warning of outbreaks
Scientists and public health officials are increasingly using digital surveillance tools to monitor diseases and plan how to react to outbreaks. The new technology has shortened by half the amount of time it takes for public health officials to determine that an outbreak has occurred....
Scientists find surprisingly good health levels in ethnically homogeneous neighborhoods
Poverty is often associated with poor health, and that's still largely true. But, according to new research, some of those negative impacts can be countered when people live in an ethnically homogeneous neighborhood, even if it's largely poor....
In Sudan, women moving to shed pounds as ideal body image changes
It's been Sudanese tradition for generations to encourage women to weigh as much as possible when they marry. But, as the importance of health, and the impact of obesity on health, has become more apparent, and as global images of women have become more prevalent, that's all starting to change....
Bloomberg's New York sugary drink ban blocked in court
New York City's ban on the sale of sugary drinks was struck down in court earlier this week, one day before the ban was supposed to take effect. And while some critics cheered, other critics say the ban wasn't broad enough to cover the range of potentially harmful sugary drinks....
In Bulgaria, vulture a critical part of local economy, sanitation infrastructure
Vultures, yes vultures, are increasingly important to the economy and health and safety of a poor, rural area of Bulgaria. The vulture of the Eastern Rhodope Nature Reserve not only dispose of local dead animals, preventing disease, but also are a powerful tourist draw....
Rural Irish leaders pushing to loosen country's drunken driving laws, citing lost pub sales
Ireland has targeted drunken driving in recent years, tightening restrictions and beefing up penalties. But a group of pub operators say those tighter laws are cutting into their profits, and they're seeking help from local government to create a system that authorizes drunken driving on rural roads....
