Health Headlines for Wednesday, November 22

Nearly half of US cancer deaths blamed on unhealthy behavior

AP News

A new look at cancer in the U.S. finds that nearly half of cancer deaths are caused by smoking, poor diet and other unhealthy behaviors.

Read more


Obamacare Sign-Ups Are Surging, but There’s a Twist

New York Times

Despite the Trump administration’s efforts to scale back the health law, about 300,000 more people have signed up for health insurance in the Affordable Care Act marketplaces in the first weeks of this enrollment period than last year.

Read more


Self-harm, suicide attempts climb among US girls, study says

AP News

Attempted suicides, drug overdoses, cutting and other types of self-injury have increased substantially in U.S. girls, a 15-year study of emergency room visits found.

Read more


Federal drug discount program grows too big and courts political fight

USA Today

A 25-year-old federal drug discount program has grown so big and controversial that it faces a fight for survival as federal officials and lawmakers furiously debate the program’s reach.

Read more


Alcohol abuse: The drunkest city in every state

USA Today

Excessive drinking claims the lives of tens of thousands of Americans each year and is responsible for about 1 in every 10 deaths among working-age adults. Alcohol abuse also takes a heavy economic toll.

Read more


Sugar Industry Long Downplayed Potential Harms

New York Times

The sugar industry funded animal research in the 1960s that looked into the effects of sugar consumption on cardiovascular health — and then buried the data when it suggested that sugar could be harmful, according to newly released historical documents.

Read more