Health Care

Cancer: The Final Frontier

Landmark breakthroughs in cancer treatment and a policy structure where those advances can flourish have given fuel to the ambitious “Moonshot” to cure the disease. But is it really possible?

• Vann R. Newkirk II
• April 21, 2016

When Doctors Refuse to Treat LGBT Patients

A new law in Mississippi makes it legal for physicians and therapists to opt out of care on religious grounds. What does this mean for medicine?

• Emma Green
• April 19, 2016

Legalizing Assisted Suicide in Canada

A new measure would legalize the procedure—but only for Canadians.

• Matt Vasilogambros
• April 14, 2016

The Election, on Drugs

Drug prices are emerging as the most important health-care issue to voters, but can either of the front-running candidates differentiate themselves with real solutions?

• Vann R. Newkirk II
• March 18, 2016

How Antibiotic Resistance Could Make Common Surgeries More Dangerous

If prophylactic antibiotics get 30 percent less effective, there will be 120,000 more infections in the U.S. every year from procedures like C-sections and appendectomies.

• Julie Beck
• October 16, 2015

The 4 Kinds of People Who Don’t Vaccinate Their Kids

And how to change their minds

• Julie Beck
• October 6, 2015

When Patients Ignore Doctors' Emotions

When people are in need of medical care, recent research says they’re less likely to recognize physicians’ interiority.

• Julie Beck
• September 24, 2015

Vaccine Skepticism and 'Big Government'

Donald Trump and Ben Carson’s remarks on vaccines during the Republican debates show how hard it is to fight ideology with facts.

• Julie Beck
• September 17, 2015

The Transportation Barrier

Many low-income people in urban and suburban areas struggle to find reliable transportation. The result is missed appointments and poor illness management, even when care is readily available.

• Imran Cronk
• August 9, 2015

The Toxins in Feminine-Hygiene Products

How perfumed toiletries—particularly douches—lead to dangerously high levels of chemicals in the body

• Olga Khazan
• July 20, 2015

Online Symptom Checkers Are Often Wrong (Phew)

It's probably not cancer: Looking up conditions on sites like WebMD has inconsistent results.

• Julie Beck
• July 16, 2015

Better Keep Plastic Out of the Microwave

New studies find chemicals in some plastics are linked to higher blood pressure and insulin resistance.

• Julie Beck
• July 8, 2015

Ebola Returns to Liberia

Three cases of the disease have been confirmed in the country, which previously had been Ebola-free for nearly two months.

• Julie Beck
• July 1, 2015

The Downside of Medical Screening

Depending on the disease, getting tested could do more harm than good.

• Julie Beck
• June 29, 2015

In Death, Maximizing Control and Minimizing Suffering

How would you prefer to die? And how can doctors make that a reality?

• Julie Beck
• June 28, 2015

Antibiotic Resistance Is Everyone's Problem

How can doctors, drug companies, and governments prevent a future where people die of minor infections?

• Julie Beck
• June 27, 2015

Preventing the Next Pandemic

As the Ebola outbreak nears its end, the world prepares for future public-health threats.

• Julie Beck
• June 27, 2015

What Does It Mean to Be Healthy, Anyway?

The search for answers often leads to more questions. Notes from Spotlight Health.

• Julie Beck
• June 25, 2015

Call the Midwife

Why a growing number of U.S. mothers are turning to midwives, rather than physicians, for prenatal care, labor, and delivery

• Jamie Santa Cruz
• June 12, 2015