Rob Stein

Scientists Clone Human Embryos To Make Stem Cells

Rob Stein — Wed, 15 May 2013 17:53:39 +0000

Scientists say they have, for the first time, cloned human embryos capable of producing embryonic stem cells.

The accomplishment is a long-sought step toward harnessing the potential power of embryonic stem cells to treat many human diseases. But the work also raises a host of ethical concerns.

"This is a huge scientific advance," said Dr. George Daley, a Harvard stem cell scientist who wasn't involved in the work.

Infections With 'Nightmare Bacteria' Are On The Rise In U.S. Hospitals

Rob Stein — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 20:02:09 +0000

Federal officials warned Tuesday that an especially dangerous group of superbugs has become a significant health problem in hospitals throughout the United States.

These germs, known as carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, or CRE, have become much more common in the last decade, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And the risk they pose to health is becoming evident.

"What's called CRE are nightmare bacteria," Dr.

Aging Poorly: Another Act Of Baby Boomer Rebellion

Rob Stein — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 19:44:17 +0000

Baby boomers have a reputation for being addicted to exercise and obsessed with eating well.

But that story didn't jibe with what physician Dana E. King and his colleagues see walking through the door of their family practice every day in Morgantown, W.Va.

"The perception is that the baby boomers are very active — they are, you know, climbing up mountains, and they are a very healthy bunch," says King, a professor in the department of family medicine at the West Virginia University School of Medicine.

Painkiller Paradox: Feds Struggle To Control Drugs That Help And Harm

Rob Stein — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 15:28:03 +0000

A few years ago, a doctor started prescribing Michael Israel painkillers for bad cramps in his gut. Israel had been struggling with Crohn's disease, a chronic digestive disorder, since he was a teenager.

"So he was prescribed, you know, Lortab, or Vicodin or whatever.

Can You Get A Flu Shot And Still Get The Flu?

Rob Stein — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 12:15:00 +0000

This year's flu season started about a month early, prompting federal health officials to warn it could be one of the worst in years. They're urging everyone to get their flu shots.

But like every flu season, there are lots of reports of people complaining that they got their shot but still got the flu.

Genome Sequencing For Babies Brings Knowledge And Conflicts

Rob Stein — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 20:13:48 +0000

When Christine Rowan gave birth prematurely in August, her new baby was having problems breathing.

Sandy Leaves Long List Of Health Threats

Rob Stein — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 14:51:25 +0000

Public health officials are warning that people in areas devastated by Superstorm Sandy face many risks in the aftermath and are urging people to protect themselves from health threats in the water, air and even their refrigerators.

As millions of people try to put their lives back together, the most obvious threat is the floodwaters themselves.

Geneticists Breach Ethical Taboo By Changing Genes Across Generations

Rob Stein — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 22:03:53 +0000

Geneticist reported Wednesday that they had crossed a threshold long considered off-limits: They have made changes in human DNA that can be passed down from one generation to the next.

The researchers at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland say they took the step to try to prevent women from giving birth to babies with genetic diseases.