dr. john torres and presidential historian and author of the soul of america. john meecham, good morning. >> dr. torres, what is the issues the patient and family that's consider before making that decision. >> this is a hard decision patients make. if they have not talked about it beforehand, this is big news for them and a sudden burden. it is best you talk about it beforehand and understand what the patient wants. how much life support to they want? i think in this case with john mccain, they said we get to a certain point. he fought a great fight. this is a non curable brain tumor. they get to a stage and say enough is enough. at this point, he wants to stop treatment. let's honor his wishes and let nature take his course. >> john, as kelly o mentioned, as his p.o.w. at at the hilton, what has he come to symbolize in politics? >> he is one and george h.w. bush were another who were in combat for real and became public servants in a way that actually put the country first. they chose to try to keep party as always relevant, but national interests came first.

dr. john torres, nbc news. >>> there is more to tell you about this evening.strazeneca, working to make a meaningful difference in patients' health. at at&t, we believe in access. the opportunity for everyone to explore a digital world. cand because nothinkernia houset least one resident who receives snap or ssi benefits may qualify for home internet at a discounted rate of $10 a month. no commitment, deposit, or installation fee. visit att.com/accessnow to learn more. >>> we're back tonight with important safety news for the millions of americans who own or are considering buying a mini van. with many of you squeezing in a last-minute summer road trip or gearing up to take the kids to school, tonight, new crash test results are raising concerns about a popular model. here's nbc's tom costello. >> reporter: fear of a terrible crash is often the prime reason families choose a mini van. looking for the safest way to get kids to school, soccer and vacations. now new crash tests from the insurance institute for highway safety focused on mini vans. this time, front

dr. john torres is joining us from new york tonight to explain. is there something magical about the 39 weeks? should pregnant women thinking about having their pregncy induced, their labor induced, what should they make of this? >> wendy, the reason 39 weeks wake into the study here, full term for a baby they changed their standards a little bit. that's now 39 to 40 weeks and six days. there is a larger period there. at 39 weeks is when the baby is fully developed. what they didn't kno in the past and the thing that was a little confusing, if they induced labour at 39 weeks, does that mean that the woman has a bigger risk of having a c-section at the time? that's what we used to think was happening. this new study that came out of "the new england journal of medicine." they found if they induced labor at 39 two weeks they cut their chances of having to have a c-section just by a little bit. this doesn't mean that every woman should be getting this induction of labor, but for those who want it or need it for different reasons, it seems like it's a

dr. john torres explains. >> reporter: tonight, the new study may come as a surprise to new moms who for years have been told by doctors that inducing labor could be dangerous leading to complications and unnecessary c-sections. >> that's my panda. >> reporter: that confused lex owen. she wanted to induce because her husband is in a wheelchair and can't drive. >> i was hoping to avoid a c section if at all possibility as i think all women are. >> reporter: according to the new research, electively inducing labor could help some mothers avoid c-sections. scientists looked at more than 6,000 healthy first-time mothers. those who were induced near the due date at 39 weeks had a significantly lower risk of needing a c-section. about 3% lower. >> if it's not causing harm and potentially leading to benefit certainly something that we believe that women should have a choice about. >> reporter: the new study says elective inductions can have other surprising benefits. the new moms induced experienced less pain, new information giving peace of mind to lex who scheduled an induction helping her fe

dr. john torres reports. >> reporter: today's announcement long-awaited relief for millions of roamericansgic reactions, and she's watched epipen's price soar. >> the impact exponentially of this device being jacked up and over again is r taking such an incredible toll on american families. w > reporter: but the fda proving the first generic version of epipen which will be made by teva pharmaceuticals that it says will be haheaper, though the price 't been revealed. epipen maker mylan has come under fire forsi m price hikes, when it hiked the price nearly 500% from $100 to $600 for a two-ck, following public backlash offering a $300 geric. mylan's ceo grilled before congress. >> by introducing a generic which truly is unprecedented,e cut the price in half. >> well, it's unprecedented to raise the price $500. >> reporter: the fda announcement likely to spark more low-cost alternatives. >> it is absolely itical when it comes to protecting the lives of children that an epinephrine deve t only work but also be affordable. >> reporter: a life-saving drug at a lower price. dr. john tors, nbc new

dr. john torres looks at ldhow much you c save. >> reporter: today's announcement, long awaited relief forike robino' brian, mother of four kids with severe allergies, who always carries epipens. lifesaving injectionshat can reverse the effects of allergic reactions. and she's watched epipeepipen'se soar. >> this being jacked up over and over is taking such an incredible toll american families. >> reporter: with t approving the first generic ds version of epipen that it says will be cheapern tha the price hasn't been revealed. h myelin come under fire for massive price hikes after bing the rights to sell the drug,ri hiking the nearly 500% from $100 to $600 for a two pack. ing public backlash, offering a $300 generic. myelin's ceo grilled before congredu. >> by intng a generic, which truly is unprecedented -- we cut the price in half --en >> it's unprecd to raise the price $500. >> reporter: the fda announcement likely to spark more low-cost alternatives. >> it is critical when it comes to protecting the lives of ildren that an epinephrine device not only work but also be affordtele. >> rep

dr. john torres shows what one group of vets is doing to save thes lif our be loved eppooches.iately fell in love with the goofy dog with a special het. >> she's been so much fun, and she's a cook. >> reporter: special, not because of the sloppy kisses she likes togive, but something much more serious, the heartfe she was born with. >> for a really long time she seemed like she was doing well. shd be out of breath once in a while, but that was about the only thing you could tell that was wrong with her. >> reporter: three months ago the g3-year-oldat pyrenees mix collapsed. >> the vet came in and was saying she might die. nobody is ever prepared for that. >> reporte a shocking 8 million dogs are hit with aert disease every year. many like misty are born with it, but others develop it later in life just like humans. >>iv humans to 70, 80 years old and tend to get heart disease in their 60s or 70s. dogs live 15, 20 years, they still get heart disease, even in thosounger disease? >> dogs get degenerative diseases of the heart heart muscle diseases. >> reporter: now veterinarians a

dr. john torres shows what one group of vets is doing to save the lives of our beloved pooches. >>> good ago, they immediately fell in love with the goofy dog with a special heart. >> she's been so much fun. i mean, she's just -- she's a kook. >> reporter: special not just because of the sloppy kisses she likes to give, but because of something much more serious -- the heart defect she was born with. >> for a long time she seemed like she was doing really well. she'd be out of breath once in a while. but that was about the only thing you could tell that was wrong with her. >> reporter: three months ago, the 3-year-old great pyrenees mix collapsed. >> the vet came in and -- she was saying that she might die. nobody's ever prepared for that. >> reporter: a shocking eight million dogs are hit with heart disease every year. many like misty are born with it. others develop it later in life just like humanhumans. >> humans tend to get heart disease in their 60s and 70s. dogs live 15, 20 years. they still get heart disease even in the younger ages? >> they do. dogs get degenerative diseases of

dr. john torres is here with no. you look at those tubes and they say all natural, they say organic. oothpaste are you harming your self? >> turns out you are. you're harming your teeth. part of a healthy mouth, getting that fluoride in there. what dylan wki t about. without fluoride, toothpaste and toothbrush mechanical delivery device, gets in there,re takes f food and tartare, but doesn't take cfe cracks and crevices. that's what fluoride does builds up enammal, helps areas we can't get with toothpaste. >> all natural organic, if they aren't effective, what's the point of using them. >> that doesn'tn fluoride free. they have nat ra with and without. fluoride doesn't protect from cavities. the others clean and refresh your mouth. >> what about kids, are they supposed toave fluoride for their two teeth. talking about charlie. >> as soon as teeth erupt want to use fluoride toothpastes on them. the amounts differ. from 0 to 3,ust a small sliver. a grain of rice size on there. 3 to 6, a pea size. >> my pediatrician saysake sure your daughter drinks water from the tap, there's fluoride