Nancy Shute

Cities and towns across the West are warning residents that high levels of smoke from forest fires threaten their health, with no sign of abating. That means indoor recess and no vacuuming.

Yes, health officials in Florida have reported nine cases of leprosy so far this year. And yes, armadillos can transmit leprosy. But scientists say we needn't fear the armored mammals.

Babies in the neonatal intensive care unit often get multiple tests and treatments a day. Not all of them help, and some can hurt. Neonatologists have picked the five least likely to do good.

Also this week, income inequality and the 2016 election, and the little-known Cascadia subduction zone.

It can be pretty miserable waiting to get the urine test when you're sure you've got a bladder infection and just need the antibiotics already. Some doctors think it's time for to let women prescribe.

A comparison of women in 547 U.S. counties found that getting more women in for screening mammograms didn't lower death rates from breast cancer. More small cancers were found.

The widely publicized measles outbreak linked to California theme parks appears to have made parents more confident about vaccine safety and benefits, a national poll finds.

Just because you can get your children's genome sequenced doesn't mean it's going to do their health any good, a report finds. Most benefits from genetic medicine come from a tight focus.

Drugs intended to treat psychosis are also used to treat behavioral problems in children with ADHD. Less risky behavioral treatments and medications should be the first choice, researchers say.

It turns out jeans really can be too tight. An Australian woman suffered nerve and muscle damage after wearing superskinny jeans. She couldn't walk and was hospitalized, but has since recovered.