Health
Israeli Company Removes THC for New Medicinal Marijuana
Israeli researchers say they have developed a variety of cannabis that can fight disease without inducing the effects associated with smoking a preparation of the plant’s dried leaves known as marijuana.
Limited Healthcare Resources Complicate Pregnancy for Teens in Liberia
Girls as young as 12 are getting pregnant in Liberia, suffering medical complications and then being rejected by their own families.
The Toll of Teen Pregnancy and Childbirth in Africa
Anchor Aaron Schachter talks to Agnes Odhiambo, a researcher on women’s rights in Africa for New York-based Human Rights Watch.
Turkey’s Abortion Debate Upsets Already Divided Society
Abortion is banned throughout most of the Middle East – except in Turkey, where abortion is legal up to 10 weeks from conception.
How the Supreme Court Ruling on Health Care is Playing Abroad
The US Supreme Court has said President Barack Obama’s landmark health care reform act is constitutional. The World explores how the decision is received abroad.
The Legacy of the World’s First IVF Mother
The British woman who gave birth to the world’s first test tube baby has died. Lesley Brown made history in July 1978 when her daughter Louise Brown was born following IVF treatment.
WHO: Fumes from Diesel Exhaust Cause Cancer
Exhaust fumes from diesel engines do cause cancer, a panel of experts working for the World Health Organization says.
Soda Size: Taking the Big Out of the Gulp
New York mayor Michael Bloomberg is proposing a ban on the sale of large sodas and other sugary drinks in the city’s restaurants, delis and movie theaters.
Crossed Eyes: Myth of Good Luck is Bad News for Visually Impaired in India
Treatment for cross-eyed children is widely available, but many families don’t pursue it because many believe that such a child brings good luck.
Stem Cells Restore Sight in India
Stem cells are often touted as potential treatments for conditions like spinal cord injury, diabetes, and Parkinson’s disease. Two Indian doctors are already putting stem cells to use, curing some cases of blindness.
Historic Albert Schweitzer Hospital Adapts to New Africa
In 1913, the German-born doctor and humanitarian Albert Schweitzer founded a hospital in Africa to atone for Europe’s sins on that continent. A century later, the hospital is trying to transform itself from an institution run by white outsiders to a hospital controlled by locals. It has been a difficult transition.
Superbugs: India and the Rise of Drug-Resistant Germs
India has become a breeding ground for antibiotic-resistant microbes, according to a story in the June issue of Bloomberg Markets Magazine. The World’s Marco Werman talks to reporter Jason Gale about what’s causing the problem and how India’s medical tourism industry could expose people worldwide to the resistant germs.
Gamers & Genomics: Crowdsourcing DNA Research
Scientists at McGill University in Montreal have developed an online game that uses crowdsourcing to study DNA. The game — called Phylo — helps solve complex problems in genomics by harnessing the human ability to spot visual patterns. Ari Daniel Shaprio of our partner program NOVA reports.
Doctors in Uzbekistan Say Government Forcibly Sterilizing Women
Journalist Natalia Antelava talks with Marco Werman about what she says is a secret program by the government of Uzbekistan to sterilize women against their will.
Why Churches Could be Crucial in the Fight Against HIV
In the history of the AIDS epidemic in Africa, there’s long been a divide between public health advocates and churches. Religious leaders often promote ideas about HIV and the use of condoms that run counter to public health campaigns. But in Swaziland, the two sides are starting to work together. The World’s Alex Gallafent has the story.
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