U.S. Moves to Cut Health Risks from Trans Fats in Food

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health Report. Food safety agencies in the United States have launched an effort to end the use of partially hydrogenated oils. These oils are the main cause of “trans fats” in some processed foods. Health officials say the use of trans fats in food products is possibly harmful and can lead […]

New Device Could Make Identifying AIDS Easier

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health Report. People around the world recently joined together to celebrate progress in fighting the disease AIDS. December 1st marked World AIDS Day. Now, a new device aims to make identification of AIDS easier. It could also lower the cost of testing in developing countries. The device is used […]

With Telemedicine, No Need to Leave Home to See a Doctor

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health Report. Telemedicine is the name for when doctors give advice to patients by telephone or the Internet. It also describes when health care providers in rural areas connect with specialists in big cities. Telemedicine has existed for a long time. But the rise of smartphones, tablets and webcam-equipped computers […]

Study Says PTSD Therapy Helps Sexually-Abused Girls

Mental health experts often use a treatment called “prolonged exposure therapy” to help soldiers returning from battle. In prolonged exposure therapy, or PET, patients are asked to remember painful incidents and talk about the feelings. They repeat this process until these memories no longer make them suffer. PET can help soldiers who suffer from post-traumatic […]

US Officials Question Use of Antibacterial Soaps

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health Report. One of the best ways to avoid getting sick is to wash your hands repeatedly with soap and water. Health experts say hand washing removes harmful germs and helps prevent germs from spreading. Some companies now manufacture germ-killing products, like antibacterial soaps. People may think such products […]

A New Device Can Find Malaria Infections in Seconds

Researchers have developed a medical device which they say can recognize malaria infections in the human body. The laser beam scanner is said to be the first device to identify the disease without a blood test. The test is painless, does not require blood from the sick person, and appears to be correct every time. At present, […]

US Report Says Smoking is Even Worse Than Believed

A new report from the United States Surgeon General finds that smoking tobacco is even deadlier than was known. The report says smoking causes birth defects – a leading cause of death among babies. It also links smoking to cancer of the liver and colon, diabetes and other diseases. The first U.S. surgeon general’s report on tobacco […]

World Health Organization Warns of Polio in Pakistan

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health report The World Health Organization has declared the Pakistani city of Peshawar, the world’s “largest reservoir” of endemic poliovirus. And WHO officials fear Pakistanis could face travel restrictions unless steps are taken immediately to stop the disease from spreading. Researchers studied all the cases of poliomyelitis in Pakistan last year. […]

Scientists Search for a New Way to Stop Mosquitoes

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health Report. The sound of a mosquito can mean trouble in many parts of the word. But the bite of a mosquito can sometimes kill. The flying insect can carry diseases like malaria. The World Health Organization estimates that almost 630,000 people died in 2012 from malaria and causes linked to […]

Children in Burkina Faso Educate Families about Malaria

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health Report. Malaria can be both prevented and treated. Yet the disease is still the third biggest killer of children in the world. There is a lack of good information about malaria in some areas. Malaria is spread by bites from mosquitoes. The insects are less likely to bite people who […]