Illinois Senate approves medical marijuana bill

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. | Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn must decide if he will sign a measure allowing the use of marijuana for medical purposes after the state Senate approved legislation on Friday.

Male ultrasound plan has difficult time in House

INDIANAPOLIS | Hoosier men won't have to undergo penile ultrasounds prior to obtaining prescriptions for erectile dysfunction drugs thanks to a narrow reading of the Indiana House rules Monday.

Prescription drug take-back event planned in Schererville

SCHERERVILLE | Residents can discard unwanted and expired medication from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Schererville Police Department, 25 E. Joliet St.

Marriage seems to be good for your health, well-being

Many studies have looked at the correlation between marriage and health, and a recent study found that marriage may affect survival after coronary artery bypass surgery.

Chronic pain? A doctor recommends how to fight it

There are several "gifts" we start receiving after age 50. Unfortunately, one of them could be chronic pain, and some 116 million Americans suffer from it.

Chronic pain? Doctor knows how to fight it

There are several "gifts" we start receiving after age 50. Unfortunately, one of them could be chronic pain.

Boomers' aging casts light on geriatrics shortage

PALATKA, Fla. | In this sleepy, riverside town in northeast Florida, 86-year-old Betty Wills sees the advertisements of obstetricians and gynecologists on the main road's billboards and has found specialists ranging from cardiologists to surgeons in the phone book.

Stress overdose for doctors

According to a Mayo Clinic report, more than half of the internal medicine residents questioned, about 52 percent, reported some symptom of burnout.

Seniors' medical pot collective stirs up trouble

Joe Schwartz is a 90-year-old great-grandfather of three who enjoys a few puffs of pot each night before he crawls into bed in the Southern California retirement community he calls home. The World War II veteran smokes the drug to alleviate debilitating nausea.

FDA concerned about drug shortages

As the country continues to face a nationwide drug shortage, federal regulators are working with drug makers to ease the impact on consumers. The Food and Drug Administration said last week that it is asking for advanced warning of production shortages — particularly on "medically necessary"…

FDA concerned about drug shortages

As the country continues to face a nationwide drug shortage, federal regulators are working with drug makers to ease the impact on consumers. The Food and Drug Administration said last week that it is asking for advanced warning of production shortages — particularly on "medically necessary"…

Treatment for seniors with muscle atrophy researched

Muscle atrophy in older people is a big problem, but a common blood pressure drug shows promise in regenerating muscle and also in protecting against its wasting away from inactivity.

Revisiting ADHD and Ritalin

Fifteen years ago, Dr. Lawrence H. Diller ignited a national debate over the steep rise in children being diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and treated with stimulant medication.

Exercise helps fight fear of falling

Rolf Krojanker was at The Monday Club in Webster Groves, Mo., on a Tuesday evening wearing two hearing aids and a T'ai Chi Ch'uan T-shirt.

Folk remedies getting respect from doctors

Peppermint oil to help irritable bowel syndrome. Chile pepper seed rub to ease aching joints. Lavender to aid sleep. Hibiscus-flower tea to lower blood pressure.

Alternative medicines sometimes dangerous for kids

Giving alternative treatments such as homeopathic remedies instead of conventional medicines to children may have deadly side effects in rare instances, a new analysis says.

I get my Coumadin results within minutes, not days

In response to Pat Tuleja. I have been on warfarin for four years. My testing is done at St. Margaret Mercy hospital's Coumadin clinic in Hammond. This is done once a month unless my other medication is changed.

Calif measure shows state's conflicted link to pot

SAN FRANCISCO | California has a long history of defying conventional wisdom on the issue of marijuana, including its embrace of the drug in the 1960s and its landmark medical pot law 14 years ago. So it may not be all that surprising that a November ballot measure to legalize the drug has c…

$93,000 cancer drug: How much is a life worth?

BOSTON | Cancer patients, brace yourselves. Many new drug treatments cost nearly $100,000 a year, sparking fresh debate about how much a few months more of life is worth.

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.