Texas Governor’s Order for Cancer Vaccine Blocked

Staff / Truthdig Apr 27, 2007 Gov. Rick Perry of Texas has been rebuked by the state Legislature for ordering Texan girls to be vaccinated against HPV, the leading cause of cervical cancer. Lawmakers passed a bill by a comfortable margin that would block the governor's order for four years. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

The Benefits of Slow Journalism

Ellen Goodman / Truthdig Apr 5, 2007 Is Justice Ruth Ginsburg in poor health, or did she just lose a shoe? The answer depends on how quickly -- and accurately -- you get your news. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Free Trade’s Bitter Pill

Staff / Truthdig Apr 4, 2007 U.S. trade agreements are endangering public health systems in developing countries by driving up the cost of lifesaving drugs, according to a new study by the British relief agency Oxfam. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Politics Is Personal

Ellen Goodman / Truthdig Mar 28, 2007 The caricature of John Edwards as a preening politico evaporated the day he and Elizabeth publicly faced cancer with the same humanity and sense of mission that have been the hallmarks of his campaign. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

‘The Campaign Goes On’

Staff / Truthdig Mar 23, 2007 Elizabeth Edwards' cancer is back, in an incurable but treatable form. However, the couple announced Thursday that the campaign would go on. John Edwards called his wife the most unselfish woman he has ever met, and said that when she received the news her first thoughts, after their children, were of John and the American people. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Podcast: California Pioneer on the Healthcare Crisis

Staff / Truthdig Mar 13, 2007 Sheila Kuehl, former child star, Harvard legal scholar and California's first openly gay legislator joins Truthdig's James Harris and Josh Scheer for a discussion on the urgent need for public healthcare, the myths about Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's plan and the details of her own proposal. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Lost in the Lobbying

Ellen Goodman / Truthdig Mar 1, 2007 Merck raised suspicions about its cancer-fighting HPV vaccine with a cluelessly aggressive lobbying campaign, but a lifesaving drug is still a lifesaving drug. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Bush Afflicted by Non-Cancerous Moles

Staff / Truthdig Feb 18, 2007 The president has had two benign growths removed from his temple, the latest of several sun-exposure moles he's had to deal with. Perhaps if he spent less time clearing brush in Crawford, both Bush's face and the nation would be in better working order. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Texas Governor Ignores the Zealots

Staff / Truthdig Feb 3, 2007 Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) has issued an executive order mandating the use of the HPV vaccine, which can help prevent cervical cancer. The conservative Christian's decree trumps opposition in the Legislature and elsewhere from opponents who feel the treatment encourages premarital sex. Texas will be the first state to require that schoolgirls receive the vaccine. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

The Health Risks of Modesty

Staff / Truthdig Feb 2, 2007 A new study in The Lancet says doctors need to be more aggressive in questioning their patients about sex. According to the authors of the study, sexual problems are often related to serious health risks: "If a man comes in with erectile dysfunction, it can be the tip of the iceberg." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Judge Says Doctor Can’t Treat Terrorists

Staff / Truthdig Jan 31, 2007 A judge has ruled that a Florida doctor can be prosecuted under federal law for vowing to treat members of al-Qaida. Dr. Rafiq Abdus Sabir argued unsuccessfully that the Constitution protects a doctor's right to perform medical services. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Forgetting Addiction

Staff / Truthdig Jan 26, 2007 When a stroke victim and two-pack-a-day smoker woke up having forgotten his habit, researchers went looking for the damaged part of his brain that seemed to have switched off his cravings. Having found it, scientists are hoping to discover new methods to understand and treat addiction. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )