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More than 1,000 people in New Jersey and New York, many of them adolescent Orthodox Jews, have been sickened with mumps since August, health authorities said Monday.

Michael Jackson’s doctor was charged Monday with involuntary manslaghter in connection with the pop star’s June 25 death at age 50.

President Obama’s bipartisan meeting on health care reform planned for February 25 will be broadcast live, a senior administration official said Monday.

Are you in a gray mood today? How about a blue funk? Maybe you’re seeing red, because you’re green with jealousy. The colors we use to describe emotions may be more useful than you think, according to new research.

Californian scientists think they may have discovered the part of the brain which makes people fear losing money.

“Electronic cigarettes” that vaporize nicotine juice to inhale instead of smoke from burning tobacco do not deliver as promised, according to research at Virginia Commonwealth University.

The popular antidepressant drug Paxil may interfere with breast cancer treatments, making patients more likely to relapse and die, researchers in Canada reported on Monday.

Attending religious services or having spiritual experiences may not protect against heart attacks and strokes, a new study suggests.

Worried about your child’s weight? You can do more than just nag him or her about eating too much junk food. Implementing three healthy family habits–eating dinner together, making sure they get enough sleep, and limiting TV–may help.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains how your care may change and how much you’ll pay if the current health care bill is approved.

The convenience store near my house is where I first became aware of the problem.

A critical safety net for babies — that heelprick of blood taken from every newborn in the U.S. — is facing an ethics attack.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains how your care may change and how much you’ll pay if the current health care bill is approved.

A 10-year study examining 4.9 million births in the 1990s has found more evidence that there’s a link between autism and the mother’s age at conception.

Eating a diet rich in healthy fats and limiting dairy and meat could do more than keep your heart healthier. It could also help keep you thinking clearly.

After laying the groundwork for nearly a year, first lady Michelle Obama launches a campaign on Tuesday against childhood obesity that she hopes will change the way millions of Americans eat, exercise, look and feel.

The discovery has punched a 170-ton hole in China’s promises to overhaul its food safety system. Officials say they’ve found yet another case where large amounts of tainted milk powder from the country’s 2008 scandal that should have been destroyed were instead repackaged.

According to a new study, by paralyzing the frown muscles that ordinarily are engaged when we feel sad or angry, Botox short-circuits the emotions themselves.

A new study finds three household routines lower the risk of obesity in children: having family dinners, getting enough sleep and limiting weekday TV time.

If you downed one too many while watching the Super Bowl, here’s at least one reason to hold your head high: Drinking beer can be good for your health.

Estrogen-only hormone replacement therapy may increase the risk of developing asthma after the menopause, scientists report.

A woman’s chance of having a child with autism increase substantially as she ages, but the risk may be less for older dads than previously suggested, a new study analyzing more than 5 million births found.

High rates of the most effective type of malaria-fighting drugs sold in three African countries are poor quality  raising fears of increased drug resistance to a killer disease.

The 30 years that Tom and Vera Forkner have loved each other have been up and down, smooth and rocky, but a chronic illness presented a new challenge.

The federal government advises throwing most unused or expired medications into the trash instead of down the drain, but they can end up in the water anyway, a study from Maine suggests.

President Obama and a bipartisan group of leaders from the Senate and the House will meet February 25 for specific talks aimed at a compromise on health care legislation, a White House official told CNN on Sunday.

People who drink two or more sweetened soft drinks a week have a much higher risk of pancreatic cancer, an unusual but deadly cancer, researchers reported on Monday.

Peeking into your future isn’t as simple as taking a look at your mom.  Studies suggest that while your genes may determine up to 80 percent of your weight and body shape, environment and personal choice still play a significant role.

As the first cases in a massive battle over illnesses linked to 9/11 near trial, an Associated Press investigation has found that several of the initial 30 suits contain inconsistent or exaggerated claims about how the workers got sick or how much time they spent at ground zero.

Scientists have found specific genetic variants which may explain why some people age earlier than others and say their findings have important implications for understanding cancer and age-related diseases.

More than 300 people have been diagnosed with the mumps in suburban New York as America’s largest outbreak of the disease in years spreads. Almost all the cases are among Orthodox Jews.

Certain foods can be a dieter’s downfall. By cutting out just one vice, you can reshape your body.

Bald eagles are being attacked by an emerging predator. It’s in the food they eat.

Federal health officials urged Friday that more Americans get vaccinated against the H1N1 flu virus, sometimes referred to as swine flu, which continues to kill.

George Visger is one of several ex-NFL athletes struggling with memory loss, depression and sudden, frightening bouts of rage. Experts believe the reason for the brain damage is concussion.

The latest research shows a resting heart’s numbers can signal more serious problems.

Married couples who refer to themselves as “we” or “us” and describe possessions as “ours” are happier than those who use singular pronouns, a new study shows.

A Rhode Island man who says he couldn’t afford medical care for his dog has been charged with illegally operating on the pet.

All U.S. military health facilities around the world will now carry the emergency contraception pill known as Plan B One-Step, according to a new Department of Defense policy.

Super Bowl Sunday: A day of first downs, touchdowns, and, often, unwanted pounds.

With health care legislation stalled, Republicans are touting their own remedies, including allowing Americans to buy health coverage across state lines. Currently, consumers can buy policies only from insurers licensed by the states in which they live.

Alaska is famous for wildlife: moose, bear, whales. Not capuchin monkeys and kinkajous. And the Alaska Board of Game wants it to stay that way.

Federal health officials warned doctors Friday that the risk of a deadly brain inflammation linked to the multiple sclerosis treatment Tysabri increases with use of the drug.

Is the U.S. swine flu epidemic over? Federal health officials won’t go so far as to day that, but on Friday they reported for the fourth week in a row that no states had widespread flu activity.

Whether you are betting on the Super Bowl, roulette or even online poker, winning and losing can have unexpected effects on the brain that keep people coming back for more.

Women who are depressed while pregnant may be more likely than other expecting moms to have kids who are physically aggressive as teens, a new study finds.

The retraction of a controversial study that suggested a link between autism and a childhood vaccine has been little comfort to some parents.

In her memoir, “High on Arrival,” actress Mackenzie Phillips revealed details of her incestuous relationship with her father, which she called “consensual.” Now, she’s taking that word back. By definition, incest is never consensual, although often the perpetrator will convince the victim otherwise, experts say.

Self-help guru James Ray will appear in court Thursday to face manslaughter charges in the deaths of three participants at an Arizona sweat lodge ceremony he organized last year.

Scientists have used an “artificial pancreas” system of pumps and monitors to improve blood sugar control in diabetes patients in the first study to show the new device works better than conventional treatment.

The Food and Drug Administration is saying in letters to two tobacco companies that flavored, dissolvable tobacco products — that the agency compares with candy and says contain a lot of nicotine — could be particularly appealing to kids and young adults.

Max Conradt was a high school quarterback. That is, until the wrenching hit that changed everything. It was a concussion that his doctors believe caused Conradt to sink to the ground, blood pooling dangerously in his brain.

Can straight talk convince a dirty man to change his ways? And will a woman judge a man if he has a crooked erection? Sexploration answers your most intimate queries.

President Obama called Thursday for high-level talks with Republicans on a Democratic health care bill, then putting the resulting legislation to a vote in Congress.

The Pentagon for the first time will require military bases worldwide to offer emergency contraception or the so-called morning-after pill, a military spokeswoman said Thursday.

A new study suggests specific genes may determine, at least in part, how much we really benefit from exercise.

U.S. border inspectors nationwide will soon start using a new computer system to identify risky food and medicine from abroad, the head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Thursday.

Your baby’s DNA is sitting in a state lab somewhere, with your baby’s name on it, where it will stay there for months, years, or even decades. In this week’s Empowered Patient, what you can do if you worry about genetic privacy for your baby.

Researchers have now figured out the precise chemical switch that turns on the sperm’s motors, which could lead to the development of new treatments for infertility.

Hormone replacement therapy can carry serious health risks, but a new study suggest that menopausal women who use the hormones may have lower odds of developing colon cancer.

Tens of thousands of American adults die each year from pneumonia, influenza and other infectious diseases that could be prevented by routine vaccinations, according to a report.

The saturated fat found mainly in meat and dairy products has a bad reputation, but a new analysis finds no clear link between intake of saturated fat and one’s risk of developing heart disease.

A new study shows that bacteria-killing jets of plasma could soon replace the drills used to treat cavities in our teeth, making visits to the dentist’s office a bit less nerve-racking.

“Avatar,” now the highest grossing film ever, has thrilled audiences with the idea that humans could inhabit faux, avatar bodies. Sounds creepy, but is “Avatar” tech possible in reality?

A man presumed to have been in a vegetative state for five years has communicated with the outside world for the first time since suffering severe head injuries in a car crash, researchers said Thursday.

Cancer isn’t just emotionally devastating. New research shows that the global economic toll is huge. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Overweight people may want to vacation in the mountains rather than at the beach — and not just to avoid putting on a swimsuit.  A new study finds obese people lose weight at high altitudes.

Genes in the mother and the fetus play a role in the risk of preterm labor, a leading cause of infant death and disability, U.S. government researchers said on Thursday.

Expectant mothers are getting a new tool to help keep themselves and their babies healthy: pregnancy tips sent directly to their cell phones.

The resurfacing of tainted milk products in China highlights the challenges of policing the food supply in a country where close ties between local authorities and companies hamper regulation while producers are undertrained, experts said Thursday.

Mahesh Poddar can barely hold back tears when he talks about his daughter, Mini, who committed suicide when she was 15 years old.

The medical journal The Lancet on Tuesday retracted a controversial 1998 paper that linked the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine to autism.

You might not know it to read the news of the discredited research that had long linked vaccines to autism, but there really is good progress on the autism research front.

Scientists have detected glimmers of awareness in some vegetative brain-injury patients and have even communicated with one of them.

Tests have shown that the same strain of salmonella that sickened more than 200 people in at least 42 states has been found in black pepper, but it’s not clear if it’s the only source of the outbreak.

Having difficulty getting pregnant? Perhaps your sofa is to blame. Or your stereo or carpet or any of the things in your house that contain common flame-retardant chemicals known as PBDEs that a new study suggests may be associated with decreased fertility.

Babies who died from sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS, show lower amounts of the brain chemical serotonin, says a study published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

More and more people are getting involved in setting priorities for medical research, for diseases as common as autism and as rare as progeria. There is a real problem that sometimes arises when families throw themselves into medical funding or research—or, as critics call it, “guerilla science.”

In an era when “extreme fighting” has become a popular phenomenon, scientists are testing the extremes that athletes at the peak of their game can reach in order to help the rest of us.

Nestlé barks when Mike Marder and his wife come home, and he barks when they leave. He barks at delivery boys, he barks at the doorbell, and he barks at the Marders’ new puppy, Truffle. But for all that effort, the only sound Nestlé makes is a raspy squeak.

West Missouri Beef LLC, of Rockville, Missouri, is recalling 14,000 lbs of fresh boneless beef because it may be contaminated with E.coli 0157:H7, the U.S. Agriculture Department said.

A dozen years ago, a physician named Dr. Andrew Wakefield published a paper in the prestigious British medical journal The Lancet that did immeasurable harm to children.

An abstinence-only education program is more effective than other initiatives at keeping sixth- and seventh-graders from having sex within a two-year period, according to a study described by some as a landmark.

If you’re trying to quit smoking, wearing a nicotine patch for up to six months — far longer than is generally recommended — may increase your chances of staying smoke-free, a new study has found.

For many, motherhood is one of life’s greatest joys, but getting along with your children, particularly daughters, isn’t always a piece of cake. In “Side by Side: The Revolutionary Mother-Daughter Program for Conflict-Free Communication,” author Dr. Charles Sophy examines this family dynamic and how moms and daughters can have an open, loving relationship. An excerpt.

More and more cities and states around the country are banning smoking in public places, much to the chagrin of smokers.

Horrified by headlines about the connection between a sedentary lifestyle and serious health issues, our writer tests a tiny exercise bike she can use while she works.

Idaho, Hawaii, Kentucky, Mississippi and North Dakota have the weakest animal protection laws in the nation, according to a recent report.

The mythology of the Wild West suggests the person who draws first in a gunfight is usually the first to get shot, and new findings now hint at a reason why this might happen.

Health authorities in the Dominican Republic are increasing surveillance along the border with Haiti after a Dominican pastor who was helping earthquake victims died from a bacteria.

People who suffer a traumatic injury during the weekend or at night will fare just as well as people injured during the day or on a weekday, as long as they make it to a Level 1 trauma center for treatment, new findings show.

People who spend a lot of time surfing the Internet are more likely to show signs of depression, British scientists said on Wednesday.

Concern about the heavy metal cadmium in jewelry grew Tuesday as a California environmental group said new testing of adult jewelry bought at three leading retailers.

The first few months after a prostate cancer diagnosis may be an especially perilous time for men, but not because of the cancer, new research suggests.

A massive new federal study has found a significant decrease in serious child abuse in America. Incidents of serious child abuse have dropped by 26 percent between 1993 and 2006.

If you take heart medication, you may want to avoid some of the most popular over-the-counter herbal supplements on the market, including ginseng, saw palmetto, and echinacea. These herbal remedies — and many others — can cause potentially serious problems in people taking heart medications, a new report warns.

An obsession with one or more bodily features, normally in the face, indicates a condition called body dysmorphic disorder. A new study shows people with this condition have abnormal brain function when seeing their own face.

Got a fur coat gathering dust? The Humane Society suggests the ultimate recycling — putting it on the backs of other animals.

CNN’s Elizabeth Cohen reports on a new study that shows abstinence-only education may work.

The Lancet medical journal formally retracted a paper on Tuesday that caused a 12-year international battle over links between the three-in-one childhood vaccine MMR and autism.

Forty percent of the 12 million people diagnosed with cancer worldwide each year could avert the killer disease by protecting themselves against infections and changing their lifestyles, experts said Tuesday.

TODAY columnist and former obstetrics nurse Kitty Schindler examines the explosive growth of C-sections around the world and what that means for the health of moms and babies.

Trouble remembering your meds? High-tech products on the horizon may be able to help.

Temple Grandin talks to msnbc.com about how autism affects her life, a life that she believes is different, but not less.

Thinking about a derriere implant? Chances are you’re from the South Atlantic region. Lip augmentation? You’re probably in Los Angeles. New data show where you live has a lot to do with which cosmetic surgery you desire.

Fish oil pills may be able to save some young people with signs of mental illness from descending into schizophrenia, according to a preliminary but first-of-its-kind study.

An experimental abstinence-only program without a moralistic tone can delay teens from having sex, a provocative study found.

A pill to ease a type of mental retardation? An experiment is under way to develop one, aimed at a genetic disorder that might unravel some of the mysteries of autism along the way.

Greg Sapp, a former marathon runner from Waycross, Ga., was temporarily paralyzed by a rare neurological condition called transverse myelitis.

Scientists say they have solved a crucial puzzle about the AIDS virus after 20 years of research and that their findings could lead to better treatments for HIV.

In Haiti, children are regularly loaned to other households, and the unluckiest are treated like slaves. The quake won’t change that.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has ordered two state agencies to investigate a rash of birth defects that have confounded impoverished Kettleman City for more than a year.

Decades of progress in the United States on cutting cholesterol, blood pressure and smoking are being stalled by rising obesity rates, and heart disease will kill around 400,000 Americans this year, experts said on Monday.

Gum disease, the most commonly diagnosed problem in dogs and cats, is linked to diabetes, strokes, kidney disease and other life-threatening disorders.

They come from all walks of life. One teenage girl cuts her thighs after piano lessons to avoid the crushing pressure for perfection. She sees a therapist twice a week, but she never gets better.

Flights transporting critically injured Haitians to the United States are set to resume Monday morning, according to a spokeswoman for a University of Miami team of volunteers in Port-au-Prince.

How much sleep we need is largely a mystery, and sleep seems tougher to come by as we age. Many studies — often funded by the pharmaceutical industry — have suggested that we’re all sleep-deprived zombies, risking our health for lack of shut-eye.

Did you know that more than 41 million women in America have heart disease? The good news is you can cut your risk with these surprisingly easy lifestyle changes.

Could a yearlong program of weekly sessions with a nutritionist, exercise trainer and doctor, all preaching major lifestyle changes, keep a 14-year-old girl from becoming obese?

What does it take to become a doctor? Take a look at one of the most intense jobs on the planet: A year in the life of a medical resident. Dateline NBC goes behind the scenes and catches all the stresses and successes of the residents of Arkansas Children’s Hospital.

Matt Chandler is trying to suffer well. He would never ask for such a trial, but in some ways he welcomes this cancer. He says he feels grateful that God has counted him worthy to endure it.

What does it take to become a doctor? Filmmaking brothers Brent and Craig Renaud went behind the scenes at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, where they followed a group of first-year residents. Watch a web-exclusive video with them here, and see the documentary on Dateline Sunday at 7 p.m. ET, 6 p.m. CT. (Dateline NBC)

The U.S. has suspended its medical evacuations of critically injured Haitian earthquake victims until a dispute over who will pay for their care is settled, military officials said.

CNN’s Melissa Long reports on the importance of dental care for your pets in this Health Minute.

Federal consumer safety regulators on Friday announced the recall of “The Princess and The Frog” pendants because of high levels of the toxic metal cadmium, an unprecedented action that reflects concerns of an emerging threat in children’s products.

Singer Etta James is hospitalized for treatment of a serious infection, but her son said Friday he’s more concerned with her Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

Authorities and medical experts warned Friday that a rabies outbreak in Central Park could spread from raccoons to humans.

Adolescent children of frequently deployed soldiers are less stressed than conventional wisdom might indicate, according to a recent study.