Scientists have discovered six gene variants that are linked to male-pattern baldness; findings may lead to new treatments.

Infants, children, and teens should get at least 400 international units per day of vitamin D, according to new guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

New research shows that the use of probiotics to treat eczema in children is not effective and may carry a risk of bowel damage and infection.

The rate of premature heart disease among obese teens is set to triple, and the increasing prevalence of high blood pressure in children is a major culprit, experts warn.

A Nerf Blaster toy, manufactured by Hasbro, has been voluntarily recalled because the toy's plunger can pull the user's skin during firing -- causing bruising, cuts, blood blisters, and welts on the face, neck, and chest.

Fictional nurses in movies are going through an image change, and this time, it's a positive one, a new study shows.

A new data review shows that St. John’s wort can be as effective as prescription antidepressants for easing symptoms of major depression.

Health insurance coverage rates are much lower for Hispanics in the U.S. than for African-Americans and whites, new Census Bureau figures confirm.

The FDA is reconsidering its warning that the lung disease drug Spiriva might up stroke risk. A recent study shows no link between stroke and Spiriva.

Experts weigh in with tips on staying healthy amid financial stress in the struggling economy.

25% of teen girls have been vaccinated against sexually transmitted HPV, which causes cervical cancer. It's a good start toward its 90% goal, CDC says.

The FDA has "cleared" the NeuroStar TMS brain-stimulating device for treating depressed adults for whom 1 antidepressant has failed to work.

A new immune therapy -- called "GAD" treatment --for type 1 diabetes shows promise for newly diagnosed patients, Swedish researchers report.

Beginning in 2010, group insurance plans that cover mental illness already must now equalize its value with medical and surgical coverage.

Eight out of 10 Americans are stressed about the economy, and more people are reporting stress-related symptoms such as fatigue and irritability than they were a year ago.

The second presidential debate included a substantive face-to-face discussion of health care policy between Sen. John McCain and Sen. Barack Obama.

Testicular germ cells that provide an unending source of sperm appear to be able to become embryo-like stem cells able to morph into any cell of the body.

Eating calcium-rich foods may do a body good, but calcium probably won’t help you lose weight, new research shows.

A new study shows that pregnant women who listen to music for a half hour per day see a reduction in stress, anxiety and depression after two weeks.

A new review of studies delves into how to beat bad breath (halitosis) -- and gives high marks to mouthwashes.

Researchers who analyzed existing studies on whether honey can help heal wounds are cautiously optimistic that this ancient treatment may help in some cases.

Children and adolescents should get at least one hour of exercise every day, and adults should get at least two and one-half hours of physical activity per week, according to new federal guidelines.

Millions of men suffer from an enlarged prostate gland. There are many drugs available for treatment, but what effects do these drugs have on bone health?

CDC: Circumcision offers little HIV protection to gay/bisexual men -- overall. But it might cut HIV risk in predominantly insertive men.

Don't use over-the-counter pediatric cough and cold drugs in kids younger than 4, according to new label changes made voluntarily by leading drugmakers.

Red wine may reduce the risk of lung cancer in men, especially smokers, a new study shows.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the CDC urge parents considering "nontraditional" pets to weigh the health risks those pets may pose to kids.

Children who are diagnosed with bipolar disorder can continue to suffer from the disease as they develop into young adults.

A CT heart scan may help predict the odds of dying over the next 15 years in people with suspected coronary artery disease, new research shows.

A risk-free, early-pregnancy blood test can tell women whether their fetus has Down syndrome. The new DNA test may be available within 3 years.

With a month to go before the election, health care took center stage in the presidential campaign as Barack Obama launched a major attack on John McCain's health care plan.

Children rarely die from flu, but pediatric flu deaths are increasingly also linked to other bacterial infections (such as MRSA), CDC researchers report.

Young infants who sleep in bedrooms with fans have a lower risk of sudden infant death syndrome than babies who sleep in less well-ventilated rooms, new research shows.

Vaccinating young children against the flu appeared to have no impact on flu-related hospitalizations or doctor visits during two recent flu seasons, a new study shows.

Heed the cooking directions on frozen, stuffed, raw chicken entrees; 32 people who wrongly microwaved those products got salmonella, says the U.S. Dep't. of Agriculture.

Adding the inhaled drug Spiriva to other respiratory drugs helps people with COPD breathe better, although their lung decline continues.

When nominees Sarah Palin and Joe Biden faced off in the only vice presidential debate, whose message came across clearer? The answer may depend as much on body language and speech patterns as on what the candidates said.

Neither the newer contact lenses that allow more oxygen into the eye nor daily disposable lenses have reduced the risk of a dangerous eye infection as hoped, according to two new studies.

Male teens with conduct disorder may have a dampened physical response to stress, a British study shows.

Consumer groups and medical experts called on the FDA to pull children's cough and cold medications off the market or make them available only by prescription.

Twice as many uninsured people in the U.S. will have health insurance in 10 years under Sen. Barack Obama's health care plan than under Sen. John McCain's plan, according to a report by the health care research group The Commonwealth Fund.

An Environmental Working Group report on certain chemicals in cosmetics and body care products is raising eyebrows, with the nonprofit group sounding the alarm and the cosmetics industry standing by cosmetics' safety.

CDC: 1.1 million Americans had HIV in 2006 -- up 11% from 2003. 46% are African-American.

When delinquent mortgages tripled in Kern County, Calif., mosquitoes swarmed in neglected swimming pools -- and West Nile virus cases surged 276% in 2007.

Curbing inflammation in a brain region called the hypothalamus may help prevent obesity, lab tests on mice show.

Some kids' cereals have as much sugar as a doughnut and have about the same nutritional value, an investigation by Consumer Reports shows.

Worldwide, 536 million people aged 15-49 are infected with the herpes simplex virus type 2, according to a study published by the World Health Organization.

HIV from a 1960 tissue sample from an infected woman compared to HIV from a 1959 infection shows that HIV most likely came from one ancestor in Africa and started evolving long before becoming a pandemic.

Vitamin C supplements and chemotherapy aren't a good combination, says a team of New York researchers. Vitamin C reduced the effectiveness of many cancer drugs, they found in laboratory and animal studies.

A vegan diet may be better at reducing cardiovascular disease in diabetic patients than a diet recommended by the American Diabetes Association, a new study says.

Rob Sandler comforted his infant son as he lifted him out of the crib, cooing in his ear while he walked to the living room. Two months ago, he might have handed the baby off to his wife and then found an excuse to leave the house. "Honestly, it felt like when I was at home, the walls became very, very close in," Sandler said. Sandler's anxiety was more than cabin fever: He has a male version of postpartum depression.

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About one in seven men has a combination of genes -- one new and one first discovered in 2001 -- that increases his risk of male pattern baldness sevenfold, compared to men without the combination.

The Dalai Lama was hospitalized Thursday night in New Delhi, one of his secretaries told CNN Friday.

Like the rest of us, Presidents work best when they take regular respites from the burdens of their position, according to White House insiders. From golfing to horeseback riding to bowling, each Chief Executive had his own way of unwinding.

About one in four teen girls last year got the groundbreaking vaccine that prevents cervical cancer, federal health officials reported Thursday.

It's one of the largest age gaps between presidential candidates in American history.

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Can taking aspirin or ibuprofen reduce your risk of getting breast cancer? One of the largest studies of its kind suggests that the answer might be yes.