Studies show that by this time of year, most of us have failed new year’s resolutions to lose weight. A noted expert discusses how most people get in trouble with obesity and a more reasonable way to try to lose weight than most people follow.

The Institute of Medicine report “To Err Is Human” in 1999 shook health care with the finding that as many as 120,000 Americans die each year due to medical mistakes. A noted researcher re-examines how far we’ve come since then and the difficult cooperation it will take to make patient safety more certain.

A look at the top medical headlines for the week of March 8, 2020: The chemical known as BPS can pass through the placenta of pregnant rats and hindered brain development in their offspring; For those under age 50 who develop Parkinson's, the seeds may have been planted in the womb; Men who use marijuana may have a higher risk of fathering children with brain abnormalities; And finally, something at your doctor's office has 46,000 times more germs than the average toilet seat—a shared pen.

Polycystic ovary syndrome affects about 10% of American women, but has such a wide variety of troubling symptoms that it’s often misdiagnosed. Experts discuss the disorder and what women should know.

Poor children often can’t access healthcare or other needs in spite of decades of efforts. A pediatrician who has established clinics for the poor discusses the problem.

A look at the top medical headlines for the week of March 1, 2020, including: A study showing that a molecular switch governing chronic inflammation can be turned off. Then, a study shows that few of us are taking advantage of the great outdoors. And finally, doctors are reporting a strange, rare side effect of the active ingredient in Viagra—intensely blue-tinted vision.

Public policy is built on the food desert theory: the lack of neighborhood supermarkets drives people to eat less fresh food and more junk food. New research is challenging that theory, but finding values of grocery stores in other, unexpected places. Experts discuss how nearby supermarkets change people and the neighborhoods where they live.

Some experts believe the healthy lifespan eventually may be extended to hundreds of years through genetic manipulation. This brings many philosophical and ethical questions, which a noted science author discusses.

A look at the top medical headlines for the week of February 23, 2020, including: A study that finds water chlorination may also be unsafe. Then, children have a much higher risk of becoming obese if a home is cross-generational and grandparents are raising the kids. And finally, another reason to eat your brussels sprouts.

More than 100 million Americans have high cholesterol, a major risk factor for heart disease. Most people think of their diets as the main cause, but genetics also play a role in both good and bad ways. A noted expert discusses how scientists are harnessing cholesterol genes to lower the risk of heart attacks.