Breakthrough Immunotherapy Drugs Are Turning Body On Itself

The New York Times: Immune System, Unleashed By Cancer Therapies, Can Attack Organs
As Chuck Peal lay in a Waterbury, Conn., emergency room one Sunday in early September, doctors furiously tried to make sense of his symptoms. Mr. Peal, 61, appeared to be dying, and they were not sure why. ... A doctor suspected a heart attack, but uncertainty left him urgently researching the situation on his phone. This was not a heart attack. Mr. Peal’s body was attacking itself, a severe reaction by his immune system that was a side effect of a seemingly miraculous cancer treatment aimed at saving his life. (Richtel, 12/3)

The Washington Post: Michael Bloomberg May Be Big Tobacco’s Biggest Enemy
Despite decades of scientific confirmation and reconfirmation that smoking is a menace to your health, the decline of the myth of the Marlboro man, and a World Health Organization treaty on tobacco control signed by 180 countries, we still have a long way to go in the war against tobacco. While the prevalence of smokers has fallen dramatically in the United States thanks in large part to education campaigns, the big five tobacco companies have found a new market in developing countries. The number of people smoking the leaves globally has remained sky high — 1.1 billion — with an estimated 6 million dying each year from the health effects. Can Michael Bloomberg make a difference? (Cha, 12/5)

The New York Times: Older Adults Are Still Skipping Vaccinations
People once vigilant about vaccinating their children aren’t nearly as careful about protecting themselves as they age, even though diseases like influenza, pneumonia and shingles (a.k.a. herpes zoster) are particularly dangerous for older people. “Trying to prevent these common and often debilitating conditions is incredibly important for older adults,” said Dr.Carolyn Bridges, associate director for adult immunization at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Yet in the C.D.C.’s 2014 and 2015 reports on vaccination coverage, she said, “we really didn’t see much change.” (Span, 12/2)

NPR: Helping Ex-Offenders Manage Health Care Can Pay Off
People with a history of incarceration are typically much sicker than the general population, especially returning inmates. Studies done primarily in Ohio and Texas have found that more than 8 in 10 returning prisoners have a chronic medical condition, from addiction to asthma. Egins says a lot of it has gone untreated, for a range of reasons — because the health care system is tough to navigate, because they're homeless and don't have insurance, or because they don't trust doctors. (Bichell, 12/5)

NPR: Brief Doctor Chats Make Parents More Likely To OK HPV Vaccine
A full decade after the Food and Drug Administration approved a vaccine to fight the sexually transmitted, cancer-causing human papillomavirus, almost half of all adolescents have still not received their first dose. This low vaccination rate is dramatic when compared to other routine childhood immunizations like polio and measles, mumps and rubella, where compliance is above 90 percent. (Neighmond, 12/5)

San Jose Mercury News: Trouble Sleeping? Updated Remedies For Insomniacs
For people who regularly struggle with disrupted sleep, sticking to consistent bedtimes, cutting back on caffeine or alcohol or removing electronics from the bedroom may not always be enough. Health experts have explored many remedies over the years with varying results, which makes them cautious about hailing some new intervention as the magic cure for people’s sleep issues. “There are a lot of things for insomnia that come along, but if it doesn’t work, it really doesn’t work,” said Anil Rama, director of Sleep Medicine Services at Kaiser Permanente in San Jose. (Ross, 12/2)

The Washington Post: Minnesota Woman With Rare Illness Develops Allergies To Everything — Including Her Husband
For someone battling a life-threatening illness, being surrounded by loved ones can be a source of strength and recovery. But for Johanna Watkins, a Minnesota woman locked in a desperate struggle for survival, being close to others is not an option. (Holley, 12/3)

Marketplace: Your Office Could Be Making You Sick
In offices across the country, someone is probably sneezing, spreading a cold that's been going around. It sometimes seems like when one person at work gets sick, it's only a matter of time before everyone does. One potential reason why is the office itself. Most of the buildings we work in are completely sealed off from the outside world, in part to help save on heating and cooling costs.But this can also mean that when someone gets sick, the germs just circulate through the ventilation system. (O'Leary and Mills, 12/2)