New Prescription F/Women's Health

In a weighty, fact-filled volume that is sure to make waves, Healy, former director of the National Institutes of Health, sounds a ringing cry for women to wake up and take charge of their health. ``A woman's sense of herself, her degree of personal power, her ability to use her talents in society are all tightly linked to her overall health and well-being,'' she asserts. In exhaustive detail, Healy focuses on 10 key issues in women's health, including nutrition, sexually transmitted diseases and Alzheimer's disease, presenting historical background, facts, figures and advice on self-care, prevention and treatment. Each section features sidebars on ``Studies to Watch For'' and closes with ``What Women Can Do Personally and Politically.'' Readers may take exception to some of Healy's frank statements, e.g., that silicone implants ``have been shown to be free from any major health risks'' and such opinions as that women must have access to safe and legal abortions. Healy supports her statements, however, with cogent arguments based on scientific and anecdotal data. (Sept.)