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Friday

Weekend Vote Will Bring Controversial Changes To Psychiatrists' Bible
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Shots - Health News

Weekend Vote Will Bring Controversial Changes To Psychiatrists' Bible

A vote this weekend by a small group of academics could result in changes to several entries in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual. Doctors may no longer be advised to avoid diagnoses of depression after the death of a loved one, and Asperger's syndrome may be folded into the spectrum of autism.

Weekend Vote Will Bring Controversial Changes To Psychiatrists' Bible

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Health Care

What Obamacare Means For Patients--And Their Docs

House Speaker John Boehner said it himself: "Obamacare is the law of the land." But what does that mean for patients--and their doctors and nurses? Ira Flatow and guests map out the road ahead for the Affordable Care Act, and when insurance exchanges, employer rewards for exercise and other features of the law take effect.

What Obamacare Means For Patients--And Their Docs

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Radiologists Say It's Time To Come Out Of The Dark

Who's there? A radiologist studies digital X-rays in a viewing room at what is now called the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. Seth Rossman/U.S. Navy hide caption

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Seth Rossman/U.S. Navy

Shots - Health News

Radiologists Say It's Time To Come Out Of The Dark

Radiologists have an image problem with patients. Many of them don't know who the doctors are or what they do. A survey finds that only about half of patients receiving CT scans even knew radiologists are doctors.

Thursday

A Life's Ministry Springs From A Dilemma Over AIDS

The Rev. Eric Williams and his colleague Jannette Berkley-Patton visited StoryCorps in Kansas City, Mo., where they discussed a funeral that shaped Williams' future. StoryCorps hide caption

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StoryCorps

StoryCorps

A Life's Ministry Springs From A Dilemma Over AIDS

For more than 20 years, the Rev. Eric Williams has devoted himself to educating people about AIDS and helping those who suffer from the disease. As he recalls, one funeral — and a "favor" — led him to the undertaking. World AIDS Day is Saturday.

A Life's Ministry Springs From A Dilemma Over AIDS

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National

In Wake Of Recession, Immigrant Births Plunge

The Pew Research Center reports that the U.S. birth rate has hit its lowest level ever, led by a dramatic decline among the foreign-born. The birth rate for Mexican women fell the most, down a stunning 23 percent since the recent recession began in 2007.

In Wake Of Recession, Immigrant Births Plunge

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Clinton Reveals Blueprint For An 'AIDS-Free Generation'

United Nations Aids Executive Director Michel Sibide hugs Secretary of State Hillary Clinton after they they presented the a road map for stopping HIV around the world. Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images

Shots - Health News

Clinton Reveals Blueprint For An 'AIDS-Free Generation'

HIV has been declining in many parts of the world over the past decade. Today the U.S. unveiled an ambitious plan to stop most new HIV infections around the world. But some health leaders question whether their goals are realistic, especially with impending budget cuts.

Clinton Reveals Blueprint For An 'AIDS-Free Generation'

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Tried And True Tricks For Beating A Cold

Earlier this week, we talked with chefs about global folk cures for a cold. Now Melissa Block reads some recommendations from listeners for methods of easing the sniffles.

Tried And True Tricks For Beating A Cold

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Key To E. Coli-Free Spinach May Be An Ultrasonic Spa Treatment

Spinach has lots of opportunities to pick up E. coli and other bugs during harvest and growing. Here, a Mexican migrant worker cuts organic spinach during the fall harvest at Grant Family Farms in Wellington, Co. John Moore/Getty Images hide caption

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The Salt

Key To E. Coli-Free Spinach May Be An Ultrasonic Spa Treatment

A new way to clean spinach combines an old technique and a new one to get the disease-causing bacteria. But there aren't any commercial orders for the ultrasonic spinach spa just yet.

A Huge Pay Cut For Doctors Is Hiding In The Fiscal Cliff

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Planet Money

A Huge Pay Cut For Doctors Is Hiding In The Fiscal Cliff

On Jan. 1, Medicare is set to cut payments to doctors by nearly 30 percent. Lawmakers of both parties want to prevent this. So why is it imminent?

A Huge Pay Cut For Doctors Is Hiding In The Fiscal Cliff

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The Hidden Costs Of Raising The Medicare Age

Keith Gresham, 65, lines up four medications he takes at his home in Detroit in 2011. The self-employed painter was without health insurance for about a decade and was happy to finally turn 65 last year so he could qualify for Medicare. Patricia Beck/MCT/Landov hide caption

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Patricia Beck/MCT/Landov

Shots - Health News

The Hidden Costs Of Raising The Medicare Age

By delaying the age at which people can join Medicare, the federal government could save millions of dollars. But if 65- and 66-year-olds have to find health insurance on the open market, states, employers and individuals of all ages will end up paying a lot more.

The Hidden Costs Of Raising The Medicare Age

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Wednesday

Flame Retardants From Furniture Found In Household Dust

Scientists say that the best way to reduce a person's contact with the flame retardant chemicals in sofas and other furniture is to vacuum more. SINAN DONMEZ/iStockphoto.com hide caption

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SINAN DONMEZ/iStockphoto.com

Shots - Health News

Flame Retardants From Furniture Found In Household Dust

The chemicals are meant to prevent a sofa from going up in flames, but there are concerns about health risks. With efforts to ban the chemicals moving slowly, the solution for now may be a simple vacuum cleaner.

Evidence Mounts On Shortcomings In Whooping Cough Vaccine

At a Los Angeles media briefing in 2010, Mariah Bianchi describes how her own case of whooping cough caused the death of her newborn son. Reed Saxon/AP hide caption

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Reed Saxon/AP

Shots - Health News

Evidence Mounts On Shortcomings In Whooping Cough Vaccine

There were more than 9,000 whooping cough cases in California in 2010, a 60-year high. There has been a resurgence of the disease across the country lately. Why? People going without vaccination is one factor. Another may lie in the vaccines themselves.

Health Care

Preparing For The Looming Dementia Crisis

According to the World Health Organization, about 36 million people worldwide currently suffer from some degree of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. Experts predict the number is set to double by 2030. Most families and health care systems are largely unprepared.

Preparing For The Looming Dementia Crisis

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