NYT > Money & Policy City’s Efforts Fail to Dent Child Obesity Forty percent of the nearly 637,000 children in kindergarten through the eighth grade were found to be overweight or obese in the 2008-9 school year. Modified Salmon Is Safe, F.D.A. Says The assessment makes it more likely that the fish will become the first genetically modified animal to enter the American food supply. F.D.A. Backtracks and Returns Drug to Market After being flooded with complaints, the agency said it would continue to allow the sale of the drug midodrine. Employers Push Costs for Health on Workers Employers passed all of the increases in insurance premiums this year to their employees, a survey found. Deal Would Provide Dialysis to Illegal Immigrants in Atlanta The deal, if completed, would end a yearlong impasse that has come to symbolize the health care plight of the country’s uninsured immigrants and the hospitals that end up caring for them. Sanofi’s Bid Puts Pressure on Genzyme The French drug maker Sanofi-Aventis disclosed its $18.5 billion bid for the American biotechnology firm Genzyme. Stem Cell Ruling Will Be Appealed The head of the National Institutes of Health said a judge’s decision would most likely force the cancellation of dozens of experiments in diseases ranging from diabetes to Parkinson’s. U.S. Rejected Hen Vaccine Despite British Success British farmers virtually wiped out salmonella in eggs, but American regulators decided against a mandate. News Analysis: Egg Recall Exposes Flaws in Nation’s Food Safety System Some consumer advocates say the broader problem in the nation is a food safety system that is complicated and often dysfunctional. AARP Says Brand-Name Drug Prices Up 8% in 2009 Drug industry officials countered that selecting brand-name drug prices did not reflect the reality of more people using low-price generic drugs. U.S. Judge Rules Against Obama’s Stem Cell Policy A district judge said the 2009 executive order violated a ban on federal funds being used to destroy embryos. Tighter Medical Privacy Rules Sought The Obama administration is rewriting new rules on medical privacy after an outpouring of criticism from consumer groups and members of Congress who say the rules do not adequately protect the rights of patients. Slipstream: Fixing a World That Fosters Fat In the fight against obesity, the entire food landscape — from pricing to advertising to availability — may need reshaping. U.S. Inaction Lets Look-Alike Tubes Kill Patients Efforts to stop deadly mix-ups of interchangeable medical tubes face industry resistance and obstacles at the F.D.A. Glaxo Memo on Avandia Is Questioned A federal official and some F.D.A. panel members are taking issue with the contents of a letter about a drug trial at the heart of controversies over the heart risks of the diabetes drug. Economy Led to Cuts in Use of Health Care Cutbacks in the United States were much deeper than in countries with universal health care, a study says. Johnson & Johnson Moves to Ensure Drug Safety After a series of recalls, the company will create a single quality-control framework for its drug, medical device and consumer health care units. Some States Are Lacking in Health Law Authority Insurance commissioners in half the states say they lack the authority to enforce consumer protection standards. Patient Money: Filling In the Insurance Gap for Adult Children Under the health law, young adults can be covered by their parents’ insurance. Still, many are likely to face a gap in coverage. F.D.A. Approves 5-Day Emergency Contraceptive The pill, called ella, will require a prescription but is more effective than Plan B, which is available over the counter. U.S. Inquiry of Drug Makers Is Widened The inquiry focuses on whether companies made illegal payments to doctors and officials in foreign countries. Eat an Apple (Doctor’s Orders) Some doctors in Massachusetts are handing out coupons for use at farmers’ markets in an effort to promote healthy eating and combat childhood obesity. Missouri Voters Reject Health Law Voters passed a measure intended to overrule the federal health law’s requirement that most people be required to get health insurance or pay a tax penalty. New Jersey Is Sued Over the Forced Medication of Patients at Psychiatric Hospitals Disability Rights New Jersey is seeking a court order to compel the state to provide judicial review of involuntary medication. Covering New Ground in Health System Shift Officials face a delicate task: not to destabilize the market in a way that makes coverage less available or affordable. Gay Men Condemn Blood Ban as Biased The F.D.A.’s ban on gay men’s donations, some say, is scientifically and medically unjustified. Groups Seek Ban on Lead in Sporting Ammunition A petition argues that lead fragments in the bodies of animals shot with lead are “a serious source of lead exposure to scavenging animals” and a health risk to humans who eat hunters’ kills. Move to Restrict Pain Killers Puts Onus on Doctors Regulators in Washington State are attempting to stem what some see as the excessive use of prescribed narcotics. Rules Seek to Expand Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Experts predict a two- to threefold increase in the number of people with the disease if new guidelines are adopted, as expected. Groups Find Trauma Rule for Veterans Lacking At issue is a provision saying that a determination on whether post-traumatic stress disorder is tied to military service can be made only by a federal clinician. The New Landscape: Preparing More Care of Elderly Seventy million Americans will have turned 65 by 2030, and doctors and nurses are struggling to deal with an explosive growth in high-risk older patients. For Young and Old, the Best Ways to Study As students around the country go back to school and hit the books, scientists are offering new insights into the best ways to study and learn. Learning to Talk the Talk in a Hospital Communicating a patient's story is a matter of getting right and saying it fast. Vegetarian Recipes for Barbecue Season If your Labor Day plans include a picnic or barbecue, be sure to check out Martha Rose Shulman's latest installment of Recipes for Health, which offers flavorful options for vegetarian eaters. Sunday Shopping Takes Toll on Happiness If the traditional day of rest and worship has become your day to shop, it may be taking a toll on your happiness. Creating a Safer Kitchen Food scares, such as the latest contaminated egg problem, often trigger a rethinking in cooking and shopping habits. In today's Patient Money column, Walecia Konrad explores the costs and options consumers face on their quest for germ-free kitchens. Personal Health: Weight Problems May Begin in the Womb Excessive weight gain in pregnancy can result in bigger-than-average babies who are prenatally programmed to become overweight children. Really?: The Claim: The Day’s Events are Incorporated Into That Night’s Dreams. Scientists have discerned a peculiar but predictable pattern in which dreams tend to occur. Helping a Neighbor in Need New Web sites aim to connect those in need with friends and acquaintances willing to provide rides and meals, do chores or pay visits. Fear of Falling Can exaggerated anxiety about falling -- even if tests show your risk to be low -- increase the probability that you'll actually fall? Fighting the Muscle Loss That Comes With Age Why muscles wither with age is captivating a growing number of scientists, drug and food companies and aging baby boomers.