Recent editorials published in Indiana newspapers (copy)

Here's what happens in Indy when we dream big

How to tell a cold from the flu

The common cold and flu are caused by different viruses but can have some similar symptoms, making them tough to tell apart. In general, the flu is worse and symptoms are more intense.

CDC says US flu season starts early, could be bad

Health officials on Monday said suspected flu cases have jumped in five Southern states, and the primary strain circulating tends to make people sicker than other types.

Testing for HIV together, hearing results together

Newly dating and slightly anxious, two men bared their arms for blood tests and pondered the possibility that one of them, or both, could be infected with HIV. An innovative program — called Testing Together — would allow them to hear their test results minutes later, while sitting side by side.

Elton John to write book about the AIDS crisis

Elton John is writing his first book, a personal account of the AIDS crisis.

More kids skip school shots in 8 states

A rising number of parents in more than half of states are opting out of school shots for their kids. And in eight states, more than 1 in 20 public school kindergartners do not get all the vaccines required for attendance, an Associated Press analysis found.

Annual cancer screening tests urged less and less

Annual cancer tests are becoming a thing of the past. New guidelines out this month for cervical cancer screening have experts at odds over some things, but they are united in the view that the common practice of getting a Pap test every year is too often and probably doing more harm than good.

Panel: Boys should get HPV vaccine given to girls

A vaccine against cervical cancer hasn't been all that popular for girls. It may be even a harder sell for boys now that it's been recommended for them too.

Study: Whooping cough vaccination fades in 3 years

The whooping cough vaccine given to babies and toddlers loses much of its effectiveness after just three years, which is a lot faster than doctors believed, and that could help explain a recent series of outbreaks in the U.S. among children who were fully vaccinated, a study suggests.

Back-to-school can mean vaccines for tweens, teens

Backpack. Notebooks. Whooping cough shot? If you haven't worried about back-to-school shots since your tween or teen was entering kindergarten, better put vaccines on the to-do list.

CDC: Food poisoning from salmonella up in U.S.

More Americans got food poisoning last year, with salmonella cases driving the increase, the government reported recently.

GUEST EDITORIALS: Hoosiers need a voice in college costs

Some of Indiana's state colleges and universities have begun to announce they'll hike tuition next year in excess of the caps advised by Indiana's Higher Education Commission.

GUEST EDITORIALS: 'Not welcome' sign for Indiana

Forty-six years ago, Indiana lawmakers repealed a state law banning interracial marriage, just two years before the U.S. Supreme Court declared such laws unconstitutional. On Tuesday, the Indiana House began the process of prohibiting marriage for same-sex couples, throwing in a ban on civil…

Study finds zinc effective against common cold, but debate continues

People who begin using zinc lozenges, tablets or syrup at the first signs of a cold are more likely to get well faster, researchers reported Tuesday. But the new findings probably won't be the last word on the issue, which has been the subject of back-and-forth debate since the idea was firs…

New drug-resistant superbugs found in 3 states, includiing Illinois

BOSTON | An infectious-disease nightmare is unfolding: Bacteria that have been made resistant to nearly all antibiotics by an alarming new gene have sickened people in three states and are popping up all over the world, health officials reported Monday.

Experts say big egg farms can mean big problems, 1st Ld-Writethru, US

CHAMPAIGN | From the first days of the recent recall of 550 million eggs from two Iowa farms, one issue about large-scale agriculture has been clear: When something goes wrong on a big farm, it's going to be a big problem.

Eggs from Iowa farms could come to table near you

Millions of eggs from the Iowa farms at the heart of a massive salmonella recall are not destined for the garbage but for a table near you.

Restaurants adjust after massive egg recall

CHICAGO | Eggs sunny side up still are on the menu. But restaurants nationwide are more closely watching egg suppliers and reminding diners of the dangers of undercooked food after a massive recall tied to a salmonella outbreak.

Recall expands to more than half a billion eggs

WASHINGTON | Half a billion eggs have been recalled in the nationwide investigation of a salmonella outbreak that has already sickened more than 1,000 people.