Medicine

Some clinical trials subject volunteers to fake surgeries to determine whether a surgical procedure has any real value. But does the long-term benefit to society outweigh the risks to patients?

By Alia Hoyt

Battles won — and lost — against AIDS hold valuable lessons for managing COVID-19.

By Linda-Gail Bekker

How long does it take for a pandemic to end? History suggests the disease itself will fade but will almost never be truly gone.

By Nükhet Varlik

Drilling a hole in somebody's skull was all the rage 4,000 to 12,000 years ago. In fact, 5 to 10 percent of skulls from this period have a hole in them, made while the person was still alive. The question is, why?

By Jesslyn Shields

As both human and animal bodies age, the cushioning connective tissue known as cartilage begins to wear down. That's where glucosamine comes in.

By Wendy Bowman

Not crazy about going into your doctor's or therapist's office these days? You might be interested in a telemedicine service like Doctor on Demand.

By Rhiannon Ball

Surgery to increase your height for cosmetic reasons is becoming more popular. But what's involved and should people do it?

By Alia Hoyt

Venomous snakebites are one of the world's largest hidden health problems. But now researchers believe they've found a new way to treat the problem onsite, before victims get to the hospital.

By Carrie Whitney, Ph.D.

Since the COVID-19 outbreak has people self-quarantining as much as possible, telemedicine has become a big alternative. But if you've never done it before, what can you expect?

By Alia Hoyt

A little girl with epilepsy caused the mash-up of a beloved children's book title and a CBD oil that changed medical history.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

U.S. President Donald Trump has been touting the malaria drug chloroquine as a possible miracle drug for coronavirus. Should we all be taking chloroquine?

By Patty Rasmussen

A ventilator is a machine that helps a person breathe by blowing oxygen into the lungs and removing carbon dioxide out of the lungs. They're a critical piece of equipment for coping with the COVID-19 pandemic.

By Patrick J. Kiger

Who do you call when there's a new disease outbreak? An epidemiologist. These disease detectives investigate the who, what, why, when and where of disease epidemics worldwide.

By Carrie Whitney, Ph.D.

Machine learning, or artificial intelligence, might just save us from bacterial infections in the future.

By Jesslyn Shields

Medicare supplement plans, or Medigap, covers costs that Medicare doesn't. But there are a lot of things to beware off before you buy one.

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

You've probably seen the ads for drugs to treat depression, and the warnings that they may cause suicidal thoughts. But why would that be?

By Alia Hoyt

If you've got a pain in your head or body, you'll probably reach for whatever's in your medicine cabinet. But is it really the right treatment? One size doesn't fit all – we explain the differences in pain relievers.

By Alia Hoyt

Doctors in the U.S. still perform about 500,000 surgeries each year with his life-saving technique.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

Performing CPR on a woman means that, yes, there will be some hand-to-breast contact. Womanikin is designed to help reduce the stress and hesitation.

By Cherise Threewitt

Doctors' waiting rooms often have signs that a fee will be charged for no-shows or late arrivals. So, should patients ask doctors for reimbursement when they have to wait a long time?

By Alia Hoyt

He was able to detect a significant number of early cancers with his method, paving the way for the first mass screening program, launched in Tennessee in 1928.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

When you feel like you're between a rock and a hard place, a stool softener could get you out of a jam.

By Loraine Fick

We're all familiar with the lists of active ingredients on the products we use, but what are inactive ingredients and how can they affect you?

By Alia Hoyt

Laparoscopic surgery has become the preferred method of minimally invasive surgery. It involves making tiny incisions in the body, and doctors remove some organs via the belly button.

By Alia Hoyt

Donating blood is critical to ensure ample blood supply across the U.S. But what steps does it take once you give?

By Shelley Danzy