Wash Post Health

Investigators Suspect Multiple E. Coli Strains in Tainted Cookie Dough

Lyndsey Layton — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Federal and state investigators found two different strains of E. coli bacteria in samples of recalled Nestlé Toll House cookie dough, and neither matches the type that has caused a national outbreak of illness, suggesting that the product may have been contaminated by multiple kinds of bacteria.

School-Age Children to Get First Vaccinations Against Pandemic Flu

David Brown and Spencer S. Hsu — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

School-age children will be a key target population for a pandemic flu vaccine in the fall, and they may be vaccinated at school in a mass campaign not seen since the polio epidemics of the 1950s.

Discord on Health Care Dulls Luster Of New Pacts

Ceci Connolly and Michael D. Shear — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

The Obama administration, hoping to boost its health-care reform effort with financial concessions from the hospital and pharmaceutical industries, is instead confronting deep dissension on several fronts within Democratic ranks and possible defections among key constituencies.

8-Way Kidney Transplant, a First, at Johns Hopkins Is Part of 16-Surgery Chain

Lori Aratani — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

The logistics are mind-boggling: an eight-way, multi-hospital, domino kidney transplant involving six men and 10 women in four states. The surgeries were successfully completed, and the patients, including a Rockville couple and a Fredericksburg man, are recovering and in good condition.

Blacks Getting Equal Health Care Are Still More Likely to Die From Some Cancers

Rob Stein — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

African Americans are less likely than whites to survive breast, prostate and ovarian cancer even when they receive equal treatment, according to a large study that offers provocative evidence that biological factors play a role in at least some racial disparities.

In Retooled Health-Care System, Who Will Set Limits?

Alec MacGillis — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:16:57 EDT

The question came from a Colorado neurologist. "Mr. President," he said at a recent forum, "what can you do to convince the American public that there actually are limits to what we can pay for with our American health-care system? And if there are going to be limits, who . . . is going to enforc...

Why Do Some With HIV Not Get AIDS? Study of 'Elite' Group May Help Others

Charles Slack — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

At first Karen Pancheau figured her son Tyler's nasty rash came from friction on the mats at judo class. But when the rash began dissolving layers of flesh, his father took the teenager for tests, which revealed he had HIV. Karen, too, tested positive for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, which sh...

Arlington AIDS/HIV Clinic Replaces Whitman-Walker Facility

Ibby Caputo — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Large orange koi still swim in the pond in what used to be known as the healing garden at the former Whitman-Walker Clinic site in Arlington County. But the clinic's name on the side of the building has been painted over, and some of the only remnants of its former use are two white LabCorp boxes...

Darvon, Similar Drugs to Carry Stronger Warnings

Post — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:05:59 EDT

The Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday that it will require stricter labeling of drugs containing propoxyphene, a mild opioid painkiller that the European Union's FDA-equivalent decided last month to phase out of use.

Having a Pet May Improve a Person's Health

washingtonpost.com — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:27:41 EDT

Caring goes both ways. People who take good care of their pets protect them -- and the whole household -- by preventing diseases from entering the home.

Medical Mysteries: That Noise Was Not Tinnitus

Sandra G. Boodman — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

The noise, an incessant loud whooshing in his left ear, was driving Roger Luchs crazy -- literally.

Stillbirth Gets Short Shrift, Even From Physicians

Alan Goldenbach — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

About a month after our son died, my wife and I made our first visit back to her obstetrician's office hoping to get answers to some of the questions that haunted us.

With Online Training, You Can Run With Elite Coaches by Your Side

Lenny Bernstein — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

I had already joined a local running group to begin gearing up for the Oct. 11 Chicago Marathon when Runner's World called to ask if I wanted to talk to Bart Yasso about the magazine's new online training program.

Bay Is a Threat To Humans, Too: Report Cites Pollutants in Chesapeake

David A. Fahrenthold — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

The same pollution problems that afflict the Chesapeake Bay's fish and crabs -- high levels of mercury in fish, neon-colored algae blooms and voracious bacteria -- can also threaten the health of people who fish, boat and swim in the estuary, according to a new report.

Research Shows That Some Excess Weight May Not Be Fatally Dangerous

Jennifer LaRue Huget — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

These days it seems our entire way of life is predicated on the belief that being overweight is terrible for you. We're waging war against the obesity epidemic, which public health experts call one of the great threats to our society. Countless diet books and programs promise to help us get thin ...

Compromise Is Key to Health-Care Legislation

Shailagh Murray and Lori Montgomery — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

For the next five weeks, Congress will attempt the daunting feat of turning a mishmash of half-written proposals into health-care reform legislation that can pass the House and the Senate before the August recess.

Restrictions Are Eased for Research Using Embryonic Stem Cells

Shankar Vedantam — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Hundreds of embryonic stem cell lines, whose use in the United States had effectively been curtailed by the Bush administration, can be used to study disorders and develop cures if researchers can show the cells were derived using ethical procedures, according to new rules issued by the federal...

Former Lawmakers and Congressional Staffers Hired to Lobby on Health Care

Dan Eggen and Kimberly Kindy — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

The nation's largest insurers, hospitals and medical groups have hired more than 350 former government staff members and retired members of Congress in hopes of influencing their old bosses and colleagues, according to an analysis of lobbying disclosures and other records.

Va. Man, 107, Finds Blessings and Burdens In Longevity

Emma Brown — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Ask Larry Haubner for the secret to living 107 years, and the Fredericksburg man flexes his biceps, flashes a mostly toothless smile and growls. "Nutrition!" he bellows. "Exercise! I think we should all exercise more than we do."

Obama Holds Health-Care Forum in Virginia

Michael D. Shear and Jose Antonio Vargas — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

President Obama offered a wonkish defense of his embattled health-care reform effort during an hour-long town hall meeting in Northern Virginia yesterday that featured seven questions, including one sent via Twitter and several from a handpicked audience of supporters.

Integrity of Federal 'Organic' Label Questioned

Kimberly Kindy and Lyndsey Layton — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Three years ago, U.S. Department of Agriculture employees determined that synthetic additives in organic baby formula violated federal standards and should be banned from a product carrying the federal organic label. Today the same additives, purported to boost brainpower and vision, can be found...

Arlington Man's Death Is Second Tied to Swine Flu in Va.

Clarence Williams — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

An Arlington County area man whose health was already compromised has died after coming down with swine flu, becoming Virginia's second fatality related to the virus, state health officials said.

What 'Organic' Really Means Under the Law

Post — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

What "organic" really means under federal law: "100 Percent Organic" products must show an ingredient list, the name and address of the handler (bottler, distributor, importer, manufacturer, packer, processor) of the finished product, and the name and seal of the organic certifier. These products...

To Curb Rising Costs, Hospitals Try to Reduce Repeat Admissions

Joanne Kenen — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Doctors call them frequent fliers. They are the patients who leave the hospital, only to boomerang back days or weeks later. They have become a front-burner challenge not only for hospitals and doctors but also for those trying to rein in rising costs. Typically elderly and suffering from the chr...

Acetaminophen Worries

The Checkup — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:10:58 EDT

The Food and Drug Administration is pondering what to do about the wildly popular painkiller in Tylenol, Excedrin, Vicodin, Percocet and many other commonly used drugs to treat aches and pains and alleviate fevers. That's after an FDA panel called for sweeping changes yesterday at the conclusion of...

Wal-Mart Endorses Employer Health Insurance Mandate

Ceci Connolly — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

After years of strenuous opposition, Wal-Mart, the nation's largest private employer, announced yesterday that it supports a controversial proposal requiring businesses to contribute to the cost of employee health insurance.

Dog 'Guilt' Probably Just Reaction to Owners' Cues, Study Finds

Rob Stein — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Many dog owners have had this experience: Arriving home, they discover their pooch looking sheepish, with its head down, ears pulled back, tail tucked between the legs, maybe slinking behind the sofa. Puzzled, they soon discover the reason: a favorite pair of shoes chewed to pieces, or perhaps the...

Odenton Couple Has Brand-New Quadruplets

Post — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Doctors at Howard University Hospital successfully delivered quadruplets yesterday and said Folashade Omoyele and her three sons and daughter were doing well.

Newborns' Blood Samples Are Used for Research Without Parents' Consent

Rob Stein — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Matthew Brzica and his wife hardly noticed when the hospital took a few drops of blood from each of their four newborn children for routine genetic testing. But then they discovered that the state had kept the dried blood samples ever since -- and was making them available to scientists for medic...

Critics Cite Serious Side Effects of Benzodiazepine Antidepressants

Katie Balestra — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Stan Starr, a 54-year-old financial consultant, sat in the back of the room filled with blue chairs, quietly tapping his Converse sneakers on the carpet. The 12 steps to recovery, enshrined by Alcoholics Anonymous, were printed in large black letters on a wall. But Starr was there because of a di...

Advisers to FDA Urge Bans on Percocet, Vicodin

Post — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

The prescription painkillers Percocet and Vicodin should be banned, and Tylenol, sold over the counter, should be taken in reduced doses, because one of the three medications' ingredients, acetaminophen, is linked to liver damage, federal advisers said.

Recession Takes a Bite Out of Snacking

washingtonpost.com — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:37:23 EDT

Eighty-five percent of women admit to eating between meals, having an average of two snacks a day, according to the Consumer Reports National Research Center's recent telephone survey of 1,003 women age 18 and older.

FDA Confirms Presence of E. Coli in Nestle Cookie Dough

Lyndsey Layton and Greg Gaudio — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

The Food and Drug Administration said yesterday that it had confirmed the presence of E. coli 0157, a deadly strain of bacteria, in samples of Nestlé Toll House refrigerated cookie dough produced at the company's plant in Danville, Va.

A Locavore's Fourth: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Really Fresh Produce

Jennifer LaRue Huget — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Is eating locally produced food a civic duty? The folks at Kitchen Gardeners International might not call it a duty, exactly. But the group -- one of the organizations whose efforts led to the planting of a kitchen garden at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. this spring -- argues that buying and eating loca...

Aided by a Proponent of Mindfulness, Cancer Patient Focuses on Joys of Today

Mindy Greenstein — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

It was the size of the needle that made the biggest impression on me. Cindy Sanderson, a clinical psychologist in her mid-40s, was delivering a lecture to the psychiatry service of the cancer hospital where I was training. She didn't offer the usual research on this or that psychiatric issue; ins...

The Checkup

Adapted from voices.washpost.com/checkup — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

D.C. Bocce Fans Put a Quasi-Healthful Spin on Happy Hour

Vicky Hallett — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

The time has come to stop mocking Washington's young professionals for acting like a bunch of elementary school kids -- and mock them instead for acting like gray-haired gentlemen with a fondness for red sauce.

Health-Care Activists Are Targeting Democrats Who Are Usually Allies

Ceci Connolly — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

In the high-stakes battle over health care, a growing cadre of liberal activists is aiming its sharpest firepower against Democratic senators who they accuse of being insufficiently committed to the cause.

Congress May Look to Ky. Schools' Healthy Example in Creating Nutritional Policy

Jane Black — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

It didn't seem like a radical idea at the time. First, Ginger Gray, the food service director for Kenton County, Ky., schools, took away fried potato chips, offering students baked versions instead. Next, she phased out fruit drinks such as Kool-Aid in favor of 100 percent juices. She considered ...

Senators Near Agreement on Health-Care Bill

Shailagh Murray and Lori Montgomery — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Senate health-care negotiators said yesterday they were closing in on a $1 trillion health-care bill that would be fully funded by tax increases, Medicare cuts and new penalties for employers who do not offer health insurance.

New York to Pay Women Who Give Eggs for Stem Cell Research

Rob Stein — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

New York has become the first state to allow taxpayer-funded researchers to pay women for giving their eggs for embryonic stem cell research, a move welcomed by many scientists but condemned by critics who fear it will lead to the exploitation of vulnerable women.

Corporate Coalition Announces Help for District's AIDS Effort

Darryl Fears — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A coalition of major corporations announced yesterday that the District is one of three cities in which it will help fight the spread of HIV and AIDS with better marketing, appearances by professional basketball players and financial donations to city health departments.

States Assert Place in Health-Care Debate: Governors Fear Shifting of Costs

Michael A. Fletcher — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A bipartisan group of governors told President Obama yesterday that they share his urgent desire to restructure the nation's health-care system but warned that any changes should not place more burdens on strained state budgets or eliminate innovative programs they already have in place.

U.S. Appeals Court Votes 6-5 to Uphold Virginia's 'Partial Birth' Abortion Ban

Josh White — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A sharply divided federal appeals court ruled constitutional yesterday a Virginia law banning "partial birth" abortion that was overturned four years ago, bringing the state in line with a federal ban on the controversial procedure.

Most Americans Want Health Reform but Worry About Costs, Quality

Ceci Connolly and Jon Cohen — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A majority of Americans see government action as critical to controlling runaway health-care costs, but there is broad public anxiety about the potential impact of reform legislation and conflicting views about the types of fixes being proposed on Capitol Hill, according to a new Washington Post-...

Toys and Games Ease Kids Into the Dentist's Chair

Mark Trainer — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Just the idea of the dentist turns many adults into petulant children. Reasonable grown-ups leave that reminder postcard pinned up on the bulletin board for months before shuffling to the telephone like a mopey teenager to make the appointment. Once there, leaned back and incapable of anything mo...

Violence Is One of the Many Options No Longer Off-Limits to Seniors

Abigail Trafford — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Shocking, you say, that the man charged in the shooting at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum is 88! Could an octogenarian really commit such a horrific, hate-filled crime?

Nonprofit Group Teaches D.C. How to Take a Breather

Rachel Saslow — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

About 200 people are sitting on yoga mats in a Washington hotel ballroom trying to learn how to do something they already do about 21,600 times a day: breathe.

Consumer Reports Insights: How to Hear Well in a Noisy World

Post — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Consumer Reports recently set out to test hearing aids and encountered the same challenges that hearing-aid shoppers face every day: a fragmented and confusing marketplace, and difficulty sorting out good hearing-aid providers from less-capable ones.

By Studying a Syndrome That Affects Only a Few, Scientists Hope to Help the Many Who Overeat

Jennifer LaRue Huget — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Imagine feeling hungry -- starving, even -- all the time, no matter how much you eat. So hungry that you would shoplift, sneak, steal or secretly order takeout food to sate your appetite, without regard for consequences.

A Good Dentist Sees More Than Teeth: The Mouth Holds Clues to Many Ills

Michael Birnbaum — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Your mouth can tell you a lot about your overall health.

Nestle Recall Leaves Mystery in Its Wake: the Link of Cookie Dough to E. Coli

Lyndsey Layton and Valerie Strauss — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Federal microbiologists and food safety investigators have descended on the Danville, Va., plant that makes Nestlé's refrigerated cookie dough, trying to crack a scientific mystery surrounding a national outbreak of illness from E. coli 0157, a deadly strain of bacteria, which has been linked to the...

AARP to Endorse Plan to Cut Drug Costs

Ceci Connolly — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

AARP, the nation's largest seniors lobby, will give its blessing today to an offer by drug manufacturers to contribute $80 billion over the next decade to reduce the cost of comprehensive health reform, in part by discounting the price of Medicare prescriptions.

Dental Crowns Can Be a Royal Pain, Not to Mention a Sign of Aging

Ibby Caputo — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

You probably don't feel like royalty when your dentist says you need a crown. Though you might feel as if you're paying a king's ransom.

Putting Teeth in Health-Care Reform: Advocates Pursue Dental Issues

Mary Otto — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

The 2007 death of a Prince George's County boy because of an untreated dental abscess was a tragic reminder of the connection between oral health and overall health.

Book World: Christine Montross on 'A Brain Wider Than the Sky' by Andrew Levy

Christine Montross — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

This unflinching self-scrutiny is what elevates "A Brain Wider Than the Sky" beyond many less successful memoirs of illness. As readers, we're caught in Levy's conundrum.

Obama Announces Agreement With Drug Companies

Michael A. Fletcher and Ceci Connolly — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:40:00 EDT

President Obama today announced an offer by drug manufacturers to contribute $80 billion over the next decade to narrow the controversial gap in Medicare prescription drug coverage, a deal the president said moves the nation a step closer to comprehensive health-care reform.

Price Tag of Health Reform Bill Prompts Sparring and a Delay in Congress

Ceci Connolly — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

President Obama's hopes for quick action on comprehensive health-care reform ran headlong this week into the realities of Congress, as lawmakers searching for the money to pay for a broad expansion of coverage discovered that it wasn't easy to find and descended into partisan -- and intraparty --...

Senate's Health-Care Draft Calls for Most to Buy Insurance, Nixes Obama's 'Public Option'

Lori Montgomery and Shailagh Murray — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A draft proposal in the Senate to overhaul the nation's health-care system would require most people to buy health insurance, authorize an expansion of Medicaid coverage and create consumer-owned cooperative plans instead of the government coverage that President Obama is seeking.

You Don't Need High-Tech Tests to Figure Out Your Degree of Fitness

Lenny Bernstein — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

I've never paid much attention to the number salad of statistics that experts use to measure fitness. For one thing, I'm convinced that "body mass index" and its ilk were devised by the same people who predict how much money I'll need in retirement: In both cases, it's just too depressing to do the...

Primary-Care Doctor Shortage May Undermine Health Reform Efforts

Ashley Halsey III — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

As the debate on overhauling the nation's health-care system exploded into partisan squabbling this week, virtually everyone still agreed on one point: There are not enough primary-care doctors to meet current needs, and providing health insurance to 46 million more people would threaten to...

Under Agreement, Medicare Would Pay Less for Drugs

Ceci Connolly — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Drug manufacturers have tentatively agreed to provide as much as $80 billion worth of discounts on medicines purchased for government programs such as Medicare, providing a bit of cash for President Obama's expensive and ambitious attempt to give health coverage to every American.

By the Numbers

Post — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 21:10:00 EDT

There was a dramatic shift away from the four primary-care disciplines and toward specialization between 1998 and 2006. Here's how the numbers changed as medical school graduates selected residency programs:

E. Coli Fears Prompt Recall of Toll House Cookie Dough

Post — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

NEW YORK, June 19 -- Federal authorities are investigating a new outbreak of bacteria-triggered illness related to packaged raw cookie dough.

EPA to Pay Health Bills for People Sickened by Asbestos From Montana Mine

David A. Fahrenthold — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

The Environmental Protection Agency yesterday declared its first-ever "public health emergency," saying the federal government will funnel $6 million to provide medical care for people sickened by asbestos from a mine in northwest Montana.

Debate on Health-Care Reform Gets Started With Delay

Lori Montgomery — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

The debate over a sweeping overhaul of the nation's health-care system got off to a rocky start in the Senate yesterday as lawmakers delayed action on one key bill and engaged in partisan sniping over another.

Obama Health-Care Cuts Could Shift Costs to Private Sector

David S. Hilzenrath — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

President Obama's plan to rein in federal spending on health care could end up shifting costs to the private sector, economists say.

Obama's Health Plan Needs Spending Controls, CBO Says

Lori Montgomery, Shailagh Murray and Ceci Connolly — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

President Obama's plan to expand health coverage to the uninsured is likely to dig the nation deeper into debt unless policymakers adopt politically painful controls on spending, such as sharp reductions in payments to doctors, hospitals and other providers, congressional budget analysts said yes...

FDA Commissioner Faces Formidable To-Do List

Lyndsey Layton — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 05:28:57 EDT

Margaret A. Hamburg, the new commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, wants to reorient the sprawling bureaucracy and remake it into the key federal agency that protects public health.

Unexplained Fatigue? Sometimes It's Sleep Apnea.

Valerie Strauss — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Sleeping used to be one of my favorite activities -- until I got lousy at it.

Drug Firms Jockey for Space Online

Francesca Lunzer Kritz — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

If you're relying solely on TV ads to get drug-company pitches, you're so last month. A growing number of drug firms are trying their luck with social media tools such as Facebook (which is being used to promote several attention-deficit-disorder drugs), YouTube (the asthma drug Symbicort), Twitt...

Their Parents' Keepers: Children Who Care for Elders Often Find It Rewarding

Paula Span — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

My father and I were waiting in the director's office for our tour to begin. With a recent haircut, he looked almost dapper despite the two hearing aids.

Report: Pedestrians and Cyclists Account for Almost Half of Traffic Deaths

David Brown — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Nearly half of the 1.2 million people killed in traffic accidents around the world each year are not in cars. They are on motorcycles and bicycles or walking along roadsides.

Study Finds Possible Link Between Childhood Deaths and Stimulants for ADHD

Shankar Vedantam — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Children taking stimulant drugs such as Ritalin to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder are several times as likely to suffer sudden, unexplained death as children who are not taking such drugs, according to a study published yesterday that was funded by the Food and Drug Administration...

Diabetes Lobbyist Speaks Up: Third-Grader Joins Plea for Funds

Rachel Saslow — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A month after President Obama nominated Sonia Sotomayor for a seat on the U.S. Supreme Court, 150 children with Type 1 diabetes will go to Capitol Hill to urge Congress to raise awareness of the disease and increase funding for research. The disease was diagnosed in Sotomayor when she was 8.

Obama Under Pressure to Push Unpopular Tax on Health Benefits

Lori Montgomery and Ceci Connolly — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

The White House is caught in a battle within its own party over how to finance a comprehensive overhaul of America's health-care system , as key Democrats advocate a tax plan that could require President Obama to break his campaign pledge not to raise taxes on the middle class .

Md. Fines Doctors Community Hospital for Failing to Report Serious Errors

Lisa Rein — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Doctors Community Hospital in Prince George's County has been fined by Maryland health regulators after failing to notify them that a patient had died and that at least seven others suffered serious harm last year as a result of mistakes by the medical staff.

People With Symptoms of Sleep Apnea Should Tell a Doctor

Post — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

It is hard to tell that someone has sleep apnea simply by reviewing symptoms. A firm diagnosis can be made only after a patient undergoes an overnight sleep study, in which his or her breathing is monitored. If you have symptoms that might indicate apnea, discuss them with your regular doctor, wh...

House Passes Tobacco Regulation Bill

Lyndsey Layton — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

By a ratio of 3 to 1, the House of Representatives yesterday approved the Senate version of a bill that gives the federal government sweeping new powers to regulate tobacco.

WHO Calls Swine Flu a Pandemic

David Brown — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

The World Health Organization yesterday declared the seven-week-old outbreak of the novel H1N1 influenza virus a pandemic, marking it as a historic global health event, one whose consequences may not be known for years.

Senate Approves Bill to Allow FDA Regulation of Tobacco

Lyndsey Layton — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Landmark legislation approved by the Senate yesterday will give the federal government sweeping new powers to oversee tobacco products, allowing regulators to control factors including the amount of addictive nicotine in a cigarette and how that cigarette is packaged and marketed.

Obama Administration Eyes Health Care in Green Bay as Possible Model

Ceci Connolly — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

When President Obama touches down today in Green Bay, Wis., he will be landing in one of the highest-value health communities in the nation, a city that by numerous measures has managed to control medical spending while steadily improving health outcomes.

Visits to Immigrant Detention Facility Suspended Due to Swine Flu Fears

Post — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:31:00 EDT

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement today suspended attorney and social visits to the federal government's immigrant detention facility in Miami through this weekend because of a suspected swine flu epidemic.

Family of Slain Doctor George Tiller Shutters Abortion Clinic

Peter Slevin and Rob Stein — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

CHICAGO, June 9 -- The family of slain abortion provider George R. Tiller announced Tuesday that it will not reopen his Kansas clinic, eliminating one of the few medical practices in the country that performed abortions late in pregnancies.

On Health Care, Congress Must Navigate Tricky Political Terrain

Shailagh Murray — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

The new president stood before a joint session of Congress and called for health-care reform in the most urgent terms possible.

Pr. William Student Contracts Swine Flu

Post — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 23:44:58 EDT

A student at a Prince William County elementary school has contracted swine flu and is recovering at home, the school system said Tuesday night.

Few Diners Wash Their Hands Before Digging Into Finger Food at District Eateries

Sindya N. Bhanoo — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Come lunchtime, Washingtonians step out of their germ-laden offices to grab a bite to eat. And likely as not, they'll be eating with their fingers.

Peanuts, Anyone? Researchers Expose Kids to Risky Foods in Order to Cure Them

Rob Stein — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Ever since she was an infant, Reagan Roberts could not tolerate being anywhere near cow's milk. A mere sip would leave her vomiting and gasping for breath. If she were even touched by someone with milk on their hands, she would break out in hives and a bright red rash.

Doctors 'Were Not Thinking Outside Their Box'

Sandra G. Boodman — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

For weeks doctors had been debating what to do about Anna Jewell's rising liver enzyme levels.

Decision Makers Differ on How to Reshape Nation's Medical Services Into Better System

Ceci Connolly — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Nowhere else in the world is so much money spent with such poor results.

The Checkup

Adapted from voices.washingtonpost.com/checkup — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Mainstream Physicians Try Such Alternatives as Herbs, Acupuncture and Yoga

Lori Aratani — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A patient who comes to Marie Steinmetz with clogged sinuses might be in for a surprise.

A Boy Outgrows His Peanut Allergy, at Least for a While

John Villa — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Thirteen years ago, when I was 1, I was diagnosed with a peanut allergy. So it was always second nature for me to ask whether I could have any food that I was offered. My parents told me I would get really sick if I ate something that contained peanuts, so every time I came across a food we didn'...

A Blogging Dietitian Invites People to Watch Her Watch What She Eats

Jennifer LaRue Huget — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

On June 2, Cristin Dillon-Jones had Kashi Heart to Heart cereal mixed with Total Cinnamon Crunch, skim milk and blueberries for breakfast, canned vegetarian black-bean chili and a mozzarella/tomato/basil salad for lunch, and grilled salmon and potatoes with steamed broccoli for dinner. And she ha...

In the Long Run, Boomers May Discover That Racewalking Is the Way to Go

Lenny Bernstein — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

There's a running gag in my family that goes like this: We'll be driving through some neighborhood and come upon one of those women (it's always a woman) power-walking down the sidewalk. You know the type: wildly exaggerated stride, arms pumping furiously, sometimes with a small weight in each hand.

Bipartisan WMD Panel Criticizes Obama Plan to Fund Swine Flu Vaccine

Spencer S. Hsu — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

President Obama's contingency plan to help finance production of a swine flu vaccine with funds set aside to develop defenses against biological attacks would weaken the nation's preparedness for terrorism, the leaders of a bipartisan commission on weapons of mass destruction said yesterday.

Antiabortion Efforts Move to the State Level

Peter Slevin — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

JACKSON, Miss. -- Twelve women sat gloomily in a windowless conference room as Joseph Booker, M.D., recited the instructions required by the state of Mississippi before he can perform an abortion.

Slaying of George Tiller Focuses Attention on Late-Term Abortions

Rob Stein — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

When Susan Fitzgerald went in for a routine ultrasound near the end of her pregnancy, she was expecting good news. Instead, she was stunned to learn that the fetus had a rare condition that left his bones so brittle he would live less than a day.

Republicans Can Win the Debate Over Health Care

Michael Gerson — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Republicans still have a chance to win the health-care debate.

Wash Post Health

Investigators Suspect Multiple E. Coli Strains in Tainted Cookie Dough

School-Age Children to Get First Vaccinations Against Pandemic Flu

Discord on Health Care Dulls Luster Of New Pacts

8-Way Kidney Transplant, a First, at Johns Hopkins Is Part of 16-Surgery Chain

Blacks Getting Equal Health Care Are Still More Likely to Die From Some Cancers

In Retooled Health-Care System, Who Will Set Limits?

Why Do Some With HIV Not Get AIDS? Study of 'Elite' Group May Help Others

Arlington AIDS/HIV Clinic Replaces Whitman-Walker Facility

Darvon, Similar Drugs to Carry Stronger Warnings

Having a Pet May Improve a Person's Health

Medical Mysteries: That Noise Was Not Tinnitus

Stillbirth Gets Short Shrift, Even From Physicians

With Online Training, You Can Run With Elite Coaches by Your Side

Bay Is a Threat To Humans, Too: Report Cites Pollutants in Chesapeake

Research Shows That Some Excess Weight May Not Be Fatally Dangerous

Compromise Is Key to Health-Care Legislation

Restrictions Are Eased for Research Using Embryonic Stem Cells

Former Lawmakers and Congressional Staffers Hired to Lobby on Health Care

Va. Man, 107, Finds Blessings and Burdens In Longevity

Obama Holds Health-Care Forum in Virginia

Integrity of Federal 'Organic' Label Questioned

Arlington Man's Death Is Second Tied to Swine Flu in Va.

What 'Organic' Really Means Under the Law

To Curb Rising Costs, Hospitals Try to Reduce Repeat Admissions

Acetaminophen Worries

Wal-Mart Endorses Employer Health Insurance Mandate

Dog 'Guilt' Probably Just Reaction to Owners' Cues, Study Finds

Odenton Couple Has Brand-New Quadruplets

Newborns' Blood Samples Are Used for Research Without Parents' Consent

Critics Cite Serious Side Effects of Benzodiazepine Antidepressants

Advisers to FDA Urge Bans on Percocet, Vicodin

Recession Takes a Bite Out of Snacking

FDA Confirms Presence of E. Coli in Nestle Cookie Dough

A Locavore's Fourth: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Really Fresh Produce

Aided by a Proponent of Mindfulness, Cancer Patient Focuses on Joys of Today

The Checkup

D.C. Bocce Fans Put a Quasi-Healthful Spin on Happy Hour

Health-Care Activists Are Targeting Democrats Who Are Usually Allies

Congress May Look to Ky. Schools' Healthy Example in Creating Nutritional Policy

Senators Near Agreement on Health-Care Bill

New York to Pay Women Who Give Eggs for Stem Cell Research

Corporate Coalition Announces Help for District's AIDS Effort

States Assert Place in Health-Care Debate: Governors Fear Shifting of Costs

U.S. Appeals Court Votes 6-5 to Uphold Virginia's 'Partial Birth' Abortion Ban

Most Americans Want Health Reform but Worry About Costs, Quality

Toys and Games Ease Kids Into the Dentist's Chair

Violence Is One of the Many Options No Longer Off-Limits to Seniors

Nonprofit Group Teaches D.C. How to Take a Breather

Consumer Reports Insights: How to Hear Well in a Noisy World

By Studying a Syndrome That Affects Only a Few, Scientists Hope to Help the Many Who Overeat

A Good Dentist Sees More Than Teeth: The Mouth Holds Clues to Many Ills

Nestle Recall Leaves Mystery in Its Wake: the Link of Cookie Dough to E. Coli

AARP to Endorse Plan to Cut Drug Costs

Dental Crowns Can Be a Royal Pain, Not to Mention a Sign of Aging

Putting Teeth in Health-Care Reform: Advocates Pursue Dental Issues

Book World: Christine Montross on 'A Brain Wider Than the Sky' by Andrew Levy

Obama Announces Agreement With Drug Companies

Price Tag of Health Reform Bill Prompts Sparring and a Delay in Congress

Senate's Health-Care Draft Calls for Most to Buy Insurance, Nixes Obama's 'Public Option'

You Don't Need High-Tech Tests to Figure Out Your Degree of Fitness

Primary-Care Doctor Shortage May Undermine Health Reform Efforts

Under Agreement, Medicare Would Pay Less for Drugs

By the Numbers

E. Coli Fears Prompt Recall of Toll House Cookie Dough

EPA to Pay Health Bills for People Sickened by Asbestos From Montana Mine

Debate on Health-Care Reform Gets Started With Delay

Obama Health-Care Cuts Could Shift Costs to Private Sector

Obama's Health Plan Needs Spending Controls, CBO Says

FDA Commissioner Faces Formidable To-Do List

Unexplained Fatigue? Sometimes It's Sleep Apnea.

Drug Firms Jockey for Space Online

Their Parents' Keepers: Children Who Care for Elders Often Find It Rewarding

Report: Pedestrians and Cyclists Account for Almost Half of Traffic Deaths

Study Finds Possible Link Between Childhood Deaths and Stimulants for ADHD

More Problems Than Solutions in Medicare Report

Diabetes Lobbyist Speaks Up: Third-Grader Joins Plea for Funds

Obama Under Pressure to Push Unpopular Tax on Health Benefits

Md. Fines Doctors Community Hospital for Failing to Report Serious Errors

People With Symptoms of Sleep Apnea Should Tell a Doctor