MEDICINE

Read Roald Dahl’s Heartbreaking 1986 Letter About the Importance of Vaccinations

Two of Roald Dahl’s books are dedicated to his daughter, Olivia, who died from measles complications in 1962.

Getting your flu shot this year is more important than ever.

The Best Time to Get a Flu Shot in 2020, According to the CDC

July and August were too early for flu shots, but September and October? Just right, according to experts.

Kenya's Wangari Maathai isn't a household name, but she should be.

Meet Nina Chhita, the Artist Celebrating Diverse Female Scientists With Her Instagram Illustrations

From ‘Hidden Figure’ Katherine Johnson to female Nobel Laureates you may not have heard of, Nina Chhita's Instagram is giving us some important history lessons.

Pharmacists are happy to help. But only after you've walked through the entire store.

The Reason Pharmacies Are Usually Located in the Back of a Store

There's an excellent reason why pharmacy locations like CVS and Walgreens make you walk all the way through the store before picking up your antibiotics.

Coronavirus vaccine trials pose a lot of questions for those looking to volunteer.

10 Questions About Joining a Coronavirus Vaccine Trial, Answered

Thinking of enrolling in one of the coronavirus vaccine trials being conducted around the country? Here's what you need to know.

A doctor draws blood from one of the study’s subjects.

Bad Blood: The Hidden Horror of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study

In September 1932, Public Health Service officials recruited 600 Black men in Tuskegee, Alabama, to receive treatment for “bad blood.” The men had no idea they had become unwitting participants in one of the most controversial medical studies in recent ti

10 Secrets of Epidemiologists

Maybe you know what the definition of ‘epidemiology’ is, but do you know what epidemiologists actually do?

Cheap tests may be the key to fighting coronavirus.

Why Researchers Believe a 'Crappy' Coronavirus Test Can Help Fight the Pandemic

Tests that offer low sensitivity and more false negatives are still valuable in the fight against coronavirus. But will the FDA agree?

10 Facts About the Racial Disparity in COVID-19

There isn't one factor behind COVID-19's racial disparity. Numerous forms of racism make Black, Latino, and Indigenous people more vulnerable to the coronavirus.

Cloth face masks can help slow the spread of coronavirus. But do they need filters, too?

Do Carbon Filters in Face Masks Offer More Protection Against Coronavirus?

A growing number of cloth face masks for sale online are offering a carbon or other type of filter. Do they help?

This man had too many dry martinis at a business lunch.

How the Scientist Who Invented Ibuprofen Accidentally Discovered It Was Great for Hangovers

It all started when Dr. Stewart Adams took too many vodka shots the night before speaking at a Moscow conference.

The Heal app allows patients to get in-home care from physicians.

Doctors Are Making House Calls Again Through the Heal App

The service, which is available in seven states and Washington, D.C., dispatches physicians to diagnose and treat patients who would prefer not to visit a walk-in clinic.

Children's Robitussin and Dimetapp Cough Medicines With Mislabeled Dosing Cups Pulled From Shelves

Children's Robitussin Honey Cough and Chest Congestion DM and Children's Dimetapp Cold and Cough have been recalled due to faulty dosing cups.

Dexamethasone is showing promise as an inexpensive treatment for coronavirus.

Oxford University Trial Finds Dexamethasone, a Widely Available Drug, Reduces Deaths in Critically Ill Coronavirus Patients

Oxford University researchers showed that dexamethasone, a widely available steroid medication, can cut coronavirus-related deaths for patients on ventilators by one-third.

Sir Isaac Newton Recommended an Innovative Cure for the Plague: Toad Puke

Sir Isaac Newton didn’t get the idea from a creepy old witch in the forest—he got it from a respected physician.

An actual nurse tends to a patient during the 1918 influenza pandemic.

“Slick” Julia Lyons: The Con Artist Who Posed as a Nurse During the 1918 Flu Pandemic—Then Robbed Her Patients

When Chicago was in desperate need of at-home nurses, one dastardly schemer named Julia Lyons saw an opportunity to turn a profit.

5 Facts About Kawasaki Disease

Dozens of children and young adults who test positive for COVID-19 antibodies are developing a mystery illness that shares symptoms with Kawasaki disease.

Remembering Sara Little Turnbull, Whose Bra Cup Design Became the N95 Mask

Design expert Sara Little Turnbull was consulting for 3M in 1958 when she was tasked with creating a better bra cup. Eventually, her design would inspire the N95 mask.

What Is CBD? What to Know Before You Buy

Navigating the CBD oil market can be overwhelming. Here's everything you need to know about what products to look for, what they may treat, and the potential risks involved with CBD.

A 1910 postcard depicts the Modern Woodmen of America sanatorium in Colorado Springs, Colo.

The Tiny Tuberculosis Huts of Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs boasts fresh, dry air and abundant sunshine—just what tuberculosis patients of the late 19th century needed.

Direct Relief is shipping masks and other personal protective equipment to healthcare institutions around the nation.

6 Charities Providing Coronavirus Relief—And How You Can Help

From Feeding America to the CDC Foundation, these charities are working hard to alleviate the effects of the pandemic across the nation.

Hospitals Are Opening On-Site Food Markets for Health Care Workers

Instead of waiting in line at a crowded supermarket, health care workers at this hospital chain can pick up groceries in the cafeteria and spend more time at home.

William Thomas Cain/Stringer/Getty Images

Drive-Thru Coronavirus Testing Site in Pennsylvania Amish Country Accommodates Horses and Buggies

Belleville, Pennsylvania, has a large Amish and Mennonite population, and a new coronavirus testing drive-thru is accommodating horses and buggies.

Coronavirus News Digest

The non-stop news about coronavirus and COVID-19 can cause a lot of anxiety. Here's our weekly digest of useful information, uplifting stories, and surprising tidbits to help you cope during the pandemic.

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