Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

This Week In Public Health: EpiPen Maker Drops The Price -- For Some; A New Cancer, Obesity Link

Phillip Bradshaw/via Flickr

This week: Under fire, Mylan says it'll make its EpiPen more affordable for some. ... A ban on veganism for kids. ... How old is too old for men who want the HPV vaccine?  ...  These stories and more.

Under Fire, Mylan Takes Steps To Make $600 EpiPen More Affordable The $600 EpiPen, that lifeline for kids with food allergies, is getting a little cheaper -- at least for some. Its maker, Mylan, under fire for hiking the price of the device, is widening programs to make the drug and device cheaper for those who need assistance paying for it and offering greater copay assistance. Ed Silverman reports for STAT.

Is 20-Something Too Late For A Guy To Get The HPV Vaccine? The risks of contracting HPV are there, even for males: mouth and throat cancers, genital warts. But does the FDA's recommendation that young women -- and more recently, young men -- ages 11-26 get vaccinated to protect against HPV also apply to men older than that? Side Effects' Jake Harper wonders if the vaccine can help put his mind at ease too.

Another Reason To Diet: Experts Find Additional Evidence Of Obesity-Cancer Link More reason to watch your weight: Scientists have found an additional link between people who are considered obese and cancer. Twenty-one experts examined data from 1,000 studies and found greater risk for cancers of the uterus and esophagus. California Healthline's Zhai Yun Tan has this story.

Italian Lawmakers Consider Ban Of Veganism For Kids — What Are The Pros And Cons? Is forcing your kids to eat vegan akin to child abuse? That's the crux of a new proposal in Italy that would criminalize an animal-free diet for your children. The proposed penalty? Up to 7 years in prison if a child is found to have died as a result of their veganism. Here's why and how, from KPCC.

Quick Hits

A cut to family-planning funding may be contributing to a spike in pregnancy-related deaths in Texas, making that state one of the most dangerous places in the developed world to have a child. But critics say more research is needed into why. ProPublica's Nina Martin looks at both sides.

More for-profit companies are getting into elder care -- helping older people stay in their homes -- and they're pocketing the savings that happens when the elderly stay out of nursing homes. Kaiser Health News' Sarah Varney reports on the trend in The New York Times.

Finally, how bad is the Zika virus outbreak in Florida, really? NPR's Michaeleen Doucleff reports on why some experts think that we're just seeing the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how many people are actually infected with the virus.