Health Topics Overviews

Automatically compiled digests of HEALTH news stories
(originally aggregated by the Google News)

Saturday

Feb-04 -- Surprises about Planned Parenthood cancer testing
Running for Pink Ribbons, Inc. Director Léa Pool couldn't have asked for a more propitious day for her important documentary Pink Ribbons, Inc. to roll out in theatres across Canada.
It's going to take a lot more, they say, to win back the almost universal goodwill the organization had before it became embroiled in abortion politics. More...

Feb-04 -- HPV vaccine now recommended for all boys, CDC says
As part of a revised standard published this week, the American Academy of Pediatrics says boys should be routinely vaccinated against the human papillomavirus (HPV), a common virus that is spread through sexual contact.
Are adults, including pregnant women. More...

Feb-04 -- Minn. food company recalls about 1 million eggs in 34 states
Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. is recalling hard-cooked eggs, as well as prepared foods that contain hard-cooked eggs, sold between Janu. 23 and Feb. 1 because the eggs have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.
Super 1 Foods, which operates supermarkets in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas, on Thursday recalled deli potato salad made with Michael eggs. More...

Feb-04 -- Malaria kills more people worldwide than once thought, study says
To better understand the state of malaria in the world, authors of the study collected data on malaria deaths for more than two decades.
The Guardian also reveals that the study "demolishes conventional thinking" that almost all malaria deaths are in babies and small children under the age of five. More...

Feb-04 -- Same Gene Variants in Early- and Late-Onset Alzheimer's
Scientists reported Thursday that their work indicates that abnormal tau protein -- already identified in the brains of those with Alzheimer's -- starts in one region of the brain and spreads along linked cellular circuits.
Imaging studies in people have suggested that Alzheimer's spreads from region to region in the brain rather than popping up spontaneously in different areas, but the evidence was not strong enough to say for sure. More...

Feb-04 -- Lack of Sunlight, Vitamin D Tied to Stroke Risk
Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States and the number one cause of disability, according to the American Stroke Association.
Over the course of the study, 1,820 strokes were reported, including 364 people who died after the stroke. More...

Feb-04 -- Latest illnesses point to raw milk's popularity
State health officials say there has been an increase in the number of people reporting illnesses since consuming raw milk from a Franklin County farm.
To prevent Campylobacter infection, the CDC advises cooking poultry products thoroughly, washing hands with soap before preparing food, avoiding cross-contamination in the kitchen, and not drinking unpasteurized milk or untreated surface water. More...

Feb-04 -- Child Abuse And Neglect Toll $124 Billion, USA
ATLANTA, Feb. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- The total lifetime estimated financial costs associated with just one year of confirmed cases of child maltreatment (physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse and neglect) is approximately $124 billion, according to a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, published in Child Abuse and Neglect, The International Journal.
Child maltreatment has been shown to have many negative effects on survivors, including poorer health, social and emotional difficulties and decreased economic productivity. More...

Feb-04 -- Hamilton Township workers wear red to raise awareness of heart disease
You can show a lot of heart by wearing a little red.
While anyone can get heart disease, some of the main risk factors are family history, obesity, and high cholesterol, among others. More...

Feb-04 -- Siblings' brain scans may hold key to addictions
The discovery, reported in the Feb. 3 Science,suggests that there are inherited but conquerable risk factors involved in drug dependency.
That indicates that the brain vulnerabilities had a family origin, though somehow the siblings of addicts -- either due to environmental factors or other differences in brain structure -- were able to resist addiction. More...

Feb-04 -- Sleep Troubles May Up Prostate Cancer Risk
Dr. Klein and the Cleveland Clinic have also recently completed a study evaluating whether the expression of key genes and gene groups previously identified in radical prostatectomy specimens can be similarly predictive of aggressive prostate cancer when assessed in the small tissue volumes found in prostate needle biopsies.
Work will resume on the National Oncology Centre (NOC) at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EWMSC) this year, Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan announced yesterday. More...

Feb-04 -- Walgreen Co.'s January sales fall after loss of Express Scripts
Walgreen said on Friday that it now expects prescriptions filled in fiscal 2012 to be around the low end of its previous forecast of 97 percent to 99 percent of the prescriptions it filled last year.
Despite the corresponding loss in customer traffic as a result of filling fewer prescriptions, Walgreen grew front-end sales in stores open at least a year by 1.6 percent, following a 0.6 percent increase in December. More...

Feb-04 -- Sugar should be regulated like alcohol, tobacco, commentary says
Step aside, saturated fat.
Sugar is so heavily entrenched in the food culture in the United States and other countries that getting people to kick the habit will require much more than simple education and awareness campaigns, the UCSF scientists said. More...

Feb-04 -- CORRECT: Cardinal Health Protests DEA Suspension For Florida Facility
DUBLIN, Ohio, Feb. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Cardinal Health was granted a temporary restraining order against the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) immediate suspension order of its Lakeland, Fla. DEA registration.
Cardinal Health said it will ask a federal court to block the DEA's effort, which the company called a "drastic overreaction." More...

Feb-04 -- Free dental service in Waukesha keeps kids smiling
PETERSBURG - Liz Berry, an assistant professor of pediatric dentistry at Virginia Commonwealth University, was in Petersburg yesterday with a team of residents treating children as part of Give Kids a Smile Day.
If they need any extractions, if they need any space maintainers, any filings." More...

Feb-04 -- Pfizer Cites Packaging Flaws in Birth-Control Pill Recall
Pfizer Inc, the drugmaker giant is recalling one million packets of birth control pills and is reaching out to inform women about the risks of unplanned pregnancy that the flawed pills can cause.
Oral birth control products use a series of 21 drug tablets and 7 inactive sugar tablets to regulate the menstrual period while providing contraception. More...

Feb-04 -- Doctors cheating in dermatology exams
Whether someone is providing or using test questions, ABMS Member Boards enforce sanctions that may include permanent barring from certification, and/or prosecution for copyright violation."
About 20% of the questions each year are recycled from old tests, compared with about 50% for the written exam in radiology. More...

Feb-04 -- Study works out kinks in understanding of massage
WASHINGTON (Xinhua) Massage helps relieve pain in damaged muscles by sending anti-inflammation messages to muscle cells, according to a Canadian study published Wednesday in the online edition of Science Translational Medicine.
Inflammation is an indicator of tissue damage, while mitochondrial production is a sign of tissue recovery. More...

Feb-04 -- The Hidden Outbreak: Why Restaurants Stay Anonymous
Some of the people sickened in a salmonella outbreak last October ate at Taco Bell, but the restaurant chain's parent company says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believes the source of the outbreak was "at the supplier level."
Earlier this week, the food news world started buzzing about the CDC and its investigation of a multi-statewide Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak, an investigation shrouded in mystery as it refused to reveal the "Mexican-style fast food chain" responsible ( cryptically referring to it instead as “Restaurant Chain A” ). More...

Feb-04 -- NY town still baffled by teens' mysterious tics
Some of the people sickened in a salmonella outbreak last October ate at Taco Bell, but the restaurant chain's parent company says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believes the source of the outbreak was "at the supplier level."
Tao of wow - In some cases, they identify the source while the outbreak is still happenening. More...

Friday

Feb-03 -- Cancer Group Backs Down on Cutting Off Planned Parenthood
Supporters of abortion rights also pointed to Komen's hiring of Karen Handel, a former Republican gubernatorial candidate in Georgia who opposes funding Planned Parenthood, for the breast cancer charity's initial decision this week to cancel its grant.
The funding has directly supported more than 170,000 breast exams and mammogram referrals by Planned Parenthood over the past five years, predominantly for low-income women with limited access to other care. More...

Feb-03 -- Malaria deaths hugely underestimated - Lancet study
To better understand the state of malaria in the world, authors of the study collected data on malaria deaths for more than two decades.
The new study also defies the belief that children under five are more likely to die of malaria than adults. More...

Feb-03 -- US Pediatricians Recommend Routine HPV Vaccination For Boys
As part of a revised standard published this week, the American Academy of Pediatrics says boys should be routinely vaccinated against the human papillomavirus (HPV), a common virus that is spread through sexual contact.
"The new data should give parents more to think about as they consider whether to vaccinate their childrenespecially their sons," says Gilson, in the words of the LA Times. More...

Feb-03 -- Path Is Found for the Spread of Alzheimer's
Scientists reported Thursday that their work indicates that abnormal tau protein -- already identified in the brains of those with Alzheimer's -- starts in one region of the brain and spreads along linked cellular circuits.
The disease, first described in 1906 by German physician Alois Alzheimer, arises from destruction of neurons linked to deposits, called beta-amyloid plaques, and tangled bundles of fibres that form in the brain. More...

Feb-03 -- Child Abuse And Neglect Toll $124 Billion, USA
ATLANTA, Feb. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- The total lifetime estimated financial costs associated with just one year of confirmed cases of child maltreatment (physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse and neglect) is approximately $124 billion, according to a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, published in Child Abuse and Neglect, The International Journal.
The costs of each death due to abuse are even higher, according to the report. More...

Feb-03 -- Siblings' brain scans may hold key to addictions
The discovery, reported in the Feb. 3 Science,suggests that there are inherited but conquerable risk factors involved in drug dependency.
That indicates that the brain vulnerabilities had a family origin, though somehow the siblings of addicts -- either due to environmental factors or other differences in brain structure -- were able to resist addiction. More...

Feb-03 -- National Wear Red Day
You can show a lot of heart by wearing a little red.
Women and cardiovascular diseases-Statistics. 2004 American Heart Association www.americanheart.org. More...

Feb-03 -- Walgreen January Same-Store Sales Fall More Than Expected
"With January now behind us, we are moving forward with relationships with large and small employers, health systems, physician groups and other PBMs who value Walgreens ability to help lower overall health care costs.
Prescriptions filled at comparable stores slipped 8.6 percent, while calendar day shifts in January, which had one additional Tuesday and one fewer Saturday versus January 2011, positively impacted prescriptions filled in comparable stores by 1.3 percentage points. More...

Feb-03 -- Sugar should be regulated like alcohol, tobacco, commentary says
Step aside, saturated fat.
The consumption of sugar has tripled worldwide over the past 50 years, with links to obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes. More...

Feb-03 -- Egg recall in 34 states over Listeria concerns
Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. is recalling hard-cooked eggs, as well as prepared foods that contain hard-cooked eggs, sold between Jan. 23 and Feb. 1, 2012, because the eggs have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.
Michael Foods, Inc. in Minnetonka, Minnesota is recalling specific lot dates of hard-cooked eggs in brine sold in 10- and 25-pound pails for institutional use that were produced at its Wakefield, Nebraska facility because the product has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. More...

Feb-03 -- Girl has 6 organs replaced at once
HOLLIS, Maine -- A 9-year-old Maine girl is home after undergoing a transplant of six organs to remove a tumor that was spreading throughout her abdomen.
The family was told there was a 50 percent chance Alannah wouldn't survive the procedure. More...

Feb-03 -- Exclusive: Doctor cheating warnings expand to dermatology
Whether someone is providing or using test questions, ABMS Member Boards enforce sanctions that may include permanent barring from certification, and/or prosecution for copyright violation."
The American Board of Medical Specialties said on its website that, "It should be made abundantly clear that recalling and sharing questions from exams violates exam security, professional ethics and patient trust in the medical profession. More...

Feb-03 -- The Hidden Outbreak: Why Restaurants Stay Anonymous
A 2011 salmonella outbreak that sickened 68 people in 10 states including Texas has been linked to Taco Bell, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
"In that case, we don't think that one salmonella is a lot different from another salmonella," Tauxe said. More...

Feb-03 -- Senior Moment or Something Worse? Yes/No Test May Tell
Psychometry is an area of psychology concerned with psychological measurements.
For example it is normal to forget where your placed your keys, but abnormal if you placed your keys in the refrigerator. More...

Feb-03 -- Hockey icon Gordie Howe suffering from dementia
Unfortunately, Howe's condition may be a bit more serious than the simple aging process.
None of us who were in attendance were aware that Donna Spencer of The Canadian Press had been in conversation with the Howe family and had prepared a story on Gordie and the onset of dementia. More...

Feb-03 -- Cardinal Heath says DEA suspends drug center
Thanks Sally and good afternoon everyone.
In that case, federal regulators said despite earlier warnings, Cardinal failed to report to the DEA suspicious orders of the painkiller hydrocodone, best known under the brand name Vicodin. More...

Feb-03 -- Birth control pill recall terrifies womankind -- see if your brand is affected ...
Pfizer Inc, the drugmaker giant is recalling one million packets of birth control pills and is reaching out to inform women about the risks of unplanned pregnancy that the flawed pills can cause.
Pfizer, Inc. has also recalled any Norgestrel and Ethinyl Estradiol products (NDC 24090-961-84) with lot numbers E15677 (expiration date 08/31/2013), E15704 (expiration date 01/31/2014), E15706 (expiration date 01/31/2014), E80440 (expiration date 08/31/2013), F16388 (expiration date 01/31/2014), F16390 (expiration date 02/28/2014), F22132 (expiration date 02/28/2014), F31330 (expiration date 02/28/2014), F36911 (expiration date 03/31/2014), F36913 (expiration date 03/31/2014), F43924 (expiration date 03/31/2014), F43925 (expiration date 03/31/2014), F43934 (expiration date 03/31/2014) and F53238 (expiration date 03/31/2014). More...

Feb-03 -- Study of deadly flu sparks debate amidst fears of new pandemic
In a letter released by the journals Science and Nature, the 23-member National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity said the data behind a new strain of the virus can be used to help prepare for a possible future outbreak.
"The asymptomatic people are not being counted," Palese said. More...

Feb-03 -- Scientists decode brain waves to eavesdrop on what we hear
Sounds nuts, sure, but it's got a huge medical upside: Mapping how the brain processes sound may one day unlock a way for people who physically can't speak to project their thoughts.
Neurosurgeons cut a hole in the skull and put electrodes on the surface of the brain to work out where the seizures were being generated. More...

Feb-03 -- Anaesthetic use linked to ADHD
ATLANTA, Feb. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- The total lifetime estimated financial costs associated with just one year of confirmed cases of child maltreatment (physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse and neglect) is approximately $124 billion, according to a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, published in Child Abuse and Neglect, The International Journal.
The costs of each death due to abuse are even higher, according to the report. More...

Friday

Feb-03 -- Supporters rally around Planned Parenthood
Twenty-six U.S. Senators, in a blistering letter, on Thursday denounced the Susan G. Komen Foundation for the Cure of Breast Cancer for its "politically motivated" decision to cut off financial support to Planned Parenthood for breast exams.
"I just donated to Komen as a thank-you for cutting off funding to Planned Parenthood. More...

Feb-03 -- Malaria death toll possibly twice as high
For the Lancet study, Prof Christopher Murray from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington , collected all available data for malaria mortality from 1980 to 2010.
The new findings are being published today in The Lancet in Global malaria mortality between 1980 and 2010: a systematic analysis. More...

Feb-03 -- 9-year-old Maine girl bouncing back after 6 organs are replaced in ...
Alannah Shevenell, 9, speaks to a reporter at her home in Hollis, Maine, Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012.
The family was told there was a 50 percent chance Alannah wouldn't survive the procedure. More...

Feb-03 -- Health officials: Number of sick from raw milk from southern Pa. farm rises to ...
State health officials say there has been an increase in the number of people reporting illnesses since consuming raw milk from a Franklin County farm.
Thirty states, including Pennsylvania, allow raw milk sales, according to the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture. More...

Feb-03 -- Siblings' brain scans may hold key to addictions
The discovery, reported in the Feb. 2 Science,suggests that there are inherited but conquerable risk factors involved in drug dependency.
That indicates that the brain vulnerabilities had a family origin, though somehow the siblings of addicts -- either due to environmental factors or other differences in brain structure -- were able to resist addiction. More...

Feb-03 -- Sugar should be regulated like alcohol, tobacco, commentary says
Step aside, saturated fat.
Chicago residents surveyed on the street had mixed feelings about government controls on sugar products. More...

Feb-03 -- What to do if you have recalled birth control pills
The pills, about half of which were the brand name Lo/Ovral-28 and the other half were generic norgestrel and ethinyl estradiol tablets, may be improperly arranged so that inactive pills are taken at the wrong time in the monthly cycle.
The company recalled 14 lots of Lo/Ovral-28 tablets and 14 lots of a generic version of the medicine, New York-based Pfizer said yesterday in an e-mail. More...

Feb-03 -- Vaccines: They're Not Just for Kids (But Too Few US Adults Are Getting Immunized)
The vaccine already has been recommended for girls and young women since 2006 largely to prevent cervical cancer.
Oral HPV was also shown to disproportionately affect men, the CDC report said. More...

Feb-03 -- Lawmakers delay hearing on school trans fat ban
A Colorado House committee is expected to hear a bill Thursday to forbid any trans-fat in school food _ not just the food served through regular cafeteria lunches.
Several states already limit trans-fat in school cafeterias, but none has a trans-fat ban that extends before and after school. More...

Feb-03 -- Anemics at higher death risk after stroke
Investigators reviewed the medical records of 3,750 men treated for a first ischemic stroke at 131 Veterans Health Administration facilities in 2007.
In the three- to seven-day window, 13 percent of children had an infection compared to 2 percent of controls. More...

Feb-03 -- Tiny Turtles Again Tied to Salmonella
The Mexican fast food chain Taco Bell has now been connected to an outbreak of salmonella that occurred in October and November of last year and affected some 68 people across 10 states, according to a report published by the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
You transfer the virus or biologic form source to source to product source to product every time. More...

Feb-03 -- 'Wear Red Day' promotes heart disease awareness
LOS ANGELES, Feb 01, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- theFashionSpot (TFS) ( www.thefashionspot.com ), the largest fashion-focused community and fashion editorial site on the web, announced today its partnership with The Heart Truth(R) a national campaign for women about heart disease.
"As proud supporters of the National Go Red for Women movement, we want to spread the word to women about living heart healthy and getting regular heart screenings." More...

Feb-03 -- Path Is Found for the Spread of Alzheimer's
Scientists reported Thursday that their work indicates that abnormal tau protein -- already identified in the brains of those with Alzheimer's -- starts in one region of the brain and spreads along linked cellular circuits.
Increased amounts of beta-amyloid found on brain scans were linked with lower test scores associated with working memory reasoning and speed of processing information. More...

Feb-03 -- Exercise improves survival in cancer patients
Less intense, less frequent activity had little impact on gene expression, Chan reported at a press briefing in advance of a presentation at the Genitourinary Cancers Symposium here.
From Maryland - A novel drug may improve survival in advanced prostate cancer patients, according to a report presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting. More...

Feb-03 -- Highest level of drug-resistant TB found in Europe
GENEVA, Feb 3 (KUNA) -- The highest levels of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) ever recorded have been revealed in a study published on Friday in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization.
Experts said trends in drug-resistant TB in most countries "are still unclear." More...

Feb-03 -- Anesthesia before age 3 raises child's ADHD risk
Children exposed to two or more anesthetics before age 3 had more than double the incidence of ADHD than children who had no exposure, says David Warner, M.D., a Mayo Clinic pediatric anesthesiologist and investigator on the observational study.
More...

Feb-03 -- Orange Juice Futures Fall for a Third Straight Day in New York
The Environmental Protection Agency has determined that levels of the fungicide carbendazim below 80 ppb do not pose a health risk.
See FDA Sampling of Import Orange Juice/Juice Products for Carbendazim ]]. More...

Feb-03 -- Son downplays report that Gordie Howe, 83, has dementia
Marty downplayed the seriousness of the report.
Gordie Howe is a minority owner of that team. More...

Feb-03 -- Study works out kinks in understanding of massage
WASHINGTON (Xinhua) Massage helps relieve pain in damaged muscles by sending anti-inflammation messages to muscle cells, according to a Canadian study published Wednesday in the online edition of Science Translational Medicine.
Many athletes would attest to the fact that massages help in treating pain, and speed up recovery, but now scientists have the evidence to go along with their testimonies. More...

Feb-03 -- Scientists decode brain waves to eavesdrop on what we hear
State health officials say there has been an increase in the number of people reporting illnesses since consuming raw milk from a Franklin County farm.
CHAMBERSBURG - Six cases of a bacterial infection are suspected to stem from raw milk from a Chambersburg dairy, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. More...

Friday

Feb-03 -- Outcry Grows Fiercer After Funding Cut by Cancer Group
Twenty-six U.S. Senators, in a blistering letter, on Thursday denounced the Susan G. Komen Foundation for the Cure of Breast Cancer for its "politically motivated" decision to cut off financial support to Planned Parenthood for breast exams.
Komen, which put pink ribbons everywhere, has been engulfed in a firestorm since it yanked about $700,000 in annual grants to Planned Parenthood after hiring a new pro-life executive. More...

Feb-03 -- Brains may be wired for addiction
The discovery, reported in the Feb. 2 Science,suggests that there are inherited but conquerable risk factors involved in drug dependency.
Understanding why certain family members abstained from drugs while others didn't is a complicated problem, Troiani explained. More...

Feb-03 -- What to do if you have recalled birth control pills
The pills, about half of which were the brand name Lo/Ovral-28 and the other half were generic norgestrel and ethinyl estradiol tablets, may be improperly arranged so that inactive pills are taken at the wrong time in the monthly cycle.
An investigation by Pfizer found that some blister packs of the contraceptives may not contain enough of the active ingredient to prevent pregnancy or the pills may be out of sequence. More...

Feb-03 -- Maine girl bounces back after 6-organ transplant
HOLLIS, Maine A 9-year-old Maine girl is home from a Boston hospital healthy, active and with high hopes -- and a new stomach, liver, spleen, small intestine, pancreas, and part of an esophagus to replace the ones that were being choked by a huge tumor.
It was 2008 when Alannah, then 5, began running a fever and losing weight while her belly swelled. More...

Feb-03 -- Malaria death toll possibly twice as high
For the Lancet study, Prof Christopher Murray from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington , collected all available data for malaria mortality from 1980 to 2010.
In November, the Global Fund, which is headquartered in Geneva, said it would not make any new grants for two years. More...

Feb-03 -- The Real Reason Why Your Kid Has ADHD?
A retrospective study published Thursday in the journal Proceedings has found children who have more than one surgery with general anesthesia by age 3 may be at higher risk for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ).
A new study of 5,357 children born in Rochester, Minnesota, between 1976 and 1982 found that kids who underwent at least two such surgeries before their second birthday were roughly twice as likely as their peers to develop ADHD by the time they were 19. More...

Feb-03 -- Should Sugar Be Regulated like Alcohol and Tobacco?
Step aside, saturated fat.
Ordinarily I would be opposed to this kind of government oversight of independent liberties. More...

Feb-03 -- Is Alzheimer's Caused by Contagious Proteins?
Some theories about Alzheimer's, the most common form of dementia, suggest that it starts developing independently in different regions of the brain.
Studies have shown that MRI, PET, spinal taps--and yet newer methods now in the lab--can detect the buildup of aberrant proteins characteristic of the disease before the first symptom appears. More...

Feb-03 -- Massage Reduces Inflammation, Study Finds
WASHINGTON (Xinhua) Massage helps relieve pain in damaged muscles by sending anti-inflammation messages to muscle cells, according to a Canadian study published Wednesday in the online edition of Science Translational Medicine.
Many athletes would attest to the fact that massages help in treating pain, and speed up recovery, but now scientists have the evidence to go along with their testimonies. More...

Feb-03 -- Cancer Patients' Health Benefits From Physical Activity
"Vigorous physical activity may provide clinical benefits for men diagnosed with early stage prostate cancer," said study author June Chan, professor at the UCSF. The finding is based on two studies conducted earlier by the UCSF and the Harvard School of Public Health that compared the activity of 20,000 genes in healthy prostate tissue biopsied from dozens of patients, according to a statement from the UCSF. They showed that brisk walking or vigorous exercise such as jogging for three or more hours a week was linked to a lowered risk of prostate cancer progression and death after diagnosis, but offered no explanation as to why.
More than 217,000 U.S. men are diagnosed with the disease, and some 32,000 men die from prostate cancer, each year, according to the National Cancer Institute. More...

Feb-03 -- Benefit of red wine chemical gets 2nd look
In the study, scientists aimed to figure out exactly how resveratrol , a compound in red wine, acts inside cells.
Pass it on: A class of drugs called PDE4 inhibitors mimic the effect of resveratrol. More...

Feb-03 -- Howe's Sons Deny Reports That He Has Dementia
Marty downplayed the seriousness of the report.
" Gordie actually loves doing these things," Marty Howe said. More...

Feb-03 -- Reports link Taco Bells to 2011 multi-state salmonella outbreak
The Mexican fast food chain Taco Bell has now been connected to an outbreak of salmonella that occurred in October and November of last year and affected some 68 people across 10 states, according to a report published by the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
About 70 people in ten states have been affected, including one in Michigan and another in Ohio. More...

Feb-03 -- Go Red for Women on Friday
The community is encouraged to show support for National Wear Red Day on February 3rd by wearing red.
Macy's will also sell Go Red For Women red dress lapel pins with all proceeds going directly to the heart association's program. More...

Feb-03 -- Mum held baby before death as doctors warn on home births
The benefit is that midwives tend to be much more inclined towards non-intervention and natural methods, but there are doctors and medical equip on hand if a surgery becomes necessary.
There are risks in birthing whether you are at home or at the hospital, while at home you are more likely to have a completely natural birthbetter for you and for baby. More...

Feb-03 -- Colorado lawmakers consider trans-fat ban in schools
A Colorado House committee is expected to hear a bill Thursday to forbid any trans-fat in school food _ not just the food served through regular cafeteria lunches.
Janelle Asmus, a spokeswoman for the state education department, said a review "found the amount of trans fat in a school meal to be minimal." More...

Feb-03 -- UMass marrow registry fined for being a 'consumer scam'
The Caitlin Raymond International Registry and UMass Memorial Health Ventures Inc. paid models to help recruit potential registrants during donor drives at malls, festivals and sporting ventures, including Gillette Stadium and the Mall of New Hampshire.
UMass Memorial runs a $2.5 billion nonprofit health system that includes a 1,000-doctor medical group plus Clinton Hospital, Marlboro Hospital, Wing Memorial Hospital in Palmer and HealthAlliance hospital campuses in Leominster and Fitchburg. More...

Feb-03 -- FDA confirms fungicide in orange juice
According to the FDA, the quantity and presence of carbendazim can be accurately confirmed at levels of 10 parts per billion (ppb) or greater in orange juice products and it has refused to import shipments in which the carbendazim levels are 10 ppb or greater.
The opinions expressed in WebMD User-generated content areas like communities, reviews, ratings, or blogs are solely those of the User, who may or may not have medical or scientific training. More...

Feb-03 -- How brain hears words decoded, to aid paralytic
Marty downplayed the seriousness of the report.
" Gordie actually loves doing these things," Marty Howe said. More...

Thursday

Feb-02 -- Komen founder: Defunding controversy 'mischaracterization'
We hope that any investigation prohibiting Planned Parenthood from receiving Komen grants is promptly resolved."
More...

Feb-02 -- Siblings' brain scans may hold key to addictions
"Our findings now shed light on why the risk of becoming addicted to drugs is increased in people with a family history:.
More...

Feb-02 -- Reports link Taco Bells to 2011 multi-state salmonella outbreak
For days, the speculation has been rampant: Which Mexican food chain - only identified as "Restaurant Chain A" by federal investigators earlier this month -- was linked to a large salmonella outbreak late last year? This week, Food Safety News named Taco Bell as the chain in question.
More...

Feb-02 -- Colorado lawmakers delay considering nation's toughest restrictions on trans ...
A Colorado House committee was expected to discuss a bill that represents the nation's toughest regulations meant to keep trans fat away from students, but lawmakers Thursday delayed the hearing without explanation.
Post Forum members consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on politics, national and international affairs. More...

Feb-02 -- Mass.: Bone Marrow Donor Recruiting Case Settled
The Caitlin Raymond International Registry and UMass Memorial Health Ventures Inc. paid models to help recruit potential registrants during donor drives at malls, festivals and sporting ventures, including Gillette Stadium.
More...

Feb-02 -- Hall of Famer Gordie Howe has mild dementia
While the long-term effects of concussions have been very much in the news lately, the family is hesitant to link the Hall of Famer's condition to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the degenerative brain disease typically found in autopsies of people who have had multiple head injuries, including more than a dozen former NFL and NHL players.
More than $16 million has been raised by the Gordie and Colleen Howe Fund for Alzheimer's. More...

Feb-02 -- The Medical Minute: Fighting heart disease in women
Being overweight adversely affects quality of life and increases the risk of heart disease.
More...

Thursday

Feb-02 -- Susan G. Komen: We won't 'bow down'
Editor's note: Laura Sessions Stepp is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, formerly with The Washington Post, who specializes in the coverage of young people.
Some found themselves stuck in the middle. More...

Feb-02 -- Pfizer Birth Control Pills Recall Could Create Unwanted Pregnancies
The pills, about half of which were the brand name Lo/Ovral-28 and the other half were generic norgestrel and ethinyl estradiol tablets, may be improperly arranged so that inactive pills are taken at the wrong time in the monthly cycle.
Doctors say taking three placebos or more in a row negates the pregnancy protection. More...

Feb-02 -- Should Sugar Be Regulated Like Alcohol and Tobacco?
Step aside, saturated fat.
Scientists at the University of California say sugar is a poison that's as toxic and addicting as alcohol and cigarettes, and age restriction should be enforced, according to a San Francisco Chronicle report. More...

Feb-02 -- Scientists decode how the brain hears words
Sounds nuts, sure, but it's got a huge medical upside: Mapping how the brain processes sound may one day unlock a way for people who physically can't speak to project their thoughts.
"We're trying to figure out how the brain decodes acoustics into words," says study senior author Bob Knight of the University of California-Berkeley. More...

Feb-02 -- Can Anesthesia Raise the Risk of ADHD?
The longer a child was unconscious, the greater the ADHD risk, which suggests that even several short exposures to anesthesia could heighten risk, says senior study author David O. Warner, M.D., a pediatric anesthesiologist at the Mayo Clinic, in Rochester.
Concerns about the potential impact of general anesthesia on brain development first arose about 10 years ago, after studies showed that young animals exposed to anesthesia had brain changes that were associated with behavioral problems. More...

Feb-02 -- Study gives new clues on how Alzheimer's spreads
For their study, the team used mice that were genetically engineered to accumulate deposits of tau in a key memory center of the brain known as the entorhinal cortex, which is where that toxic protein starts to deposit in people.
Amyloid is believed to start accumulating many years before symptoms appear -- so by the time patients have memory problems, there is little that can be done. More...

Feb-02 -- Study works out kinks in understanding of massage
WASHINGTON (Xinhua) Massage helps relieve pain in damaged muscles by sending anti-inflammation messages to muscle cells, according to a Canadian study published Wednesday in the online edition of Science Translational Medicine.
The massage had no effect on reducing lactic acid, which builds up in muscles during exercise, Tarnopolsky added. More...

Feb-02 -- New debate: When is medical marijuana "usable?"
Whatever the legal amount, vulnerability to arrest remains.
California allows eight ounces, but unlike most states, only counts the buds, the most potent part of the plant. More...

Feb-02 -- health officials search for source of stomach bug
According to a media release from North Carolina Public Health, several health departments in the state have reported multiple outbreaks of norovirus, which caused state public health officials to issue advice on how to avoid it.
Health officials confirmed yesterday that about 135 customers of Harbor Inn Seafood in Conover had been infected with the Norovirus. More...

Feb-02 -- If Your Dining Partner Overeats, So May You
"This demonstrates the power of social influence over food intake," says lead author Roel Hermans, a doctoral candidate in developmental psychopathology at Radboud University Nijmegen, in the Netherlands.
The finding suggests that behavioral mimicry -- the process by which people unwittingly imitate the behavior of another person -- may be at work during dinner. More...

Feb-02 -- Judge: health labels may stem tobacco co rights
RICHMOND, Va. -- The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, weighing in on a lawsuit over graphic cigarette warning labels, says the federal government has no legitimate authority to take space on a tobacco company's packaging or advertising to persuade consumers not to buy the product.
The images will include pictures of diseased lungs, rotting teeth and various other pictures meant for illustrating the harmful and life-threatening consequences of smoking. More...

Feb-02 -- European Commission Orders In-Depth Inquiry Into Fraud On Breast Implants
CARACAS, Venezuela - A line snakes out of the plastic surgeon's office as women wait to find out if their breast implants have ruptured and how soon they can have them removed.
In the nearly two years since, the cheap silicone used in PIP's fake breasts has continued to leach into women's bodies. More...

Feb-02 -- Colorado lawmakers consider trans-fat ban in schools
A Colorado House committee was scheduled to hear a bill Thursday to forbid any trans-fat in school food -- not just the food served through regular cafeteria lunches.
The ban would apply to school lunches, school breakfasts, a la carte side items and vending machines. More...

Feb-02 -- Steve Yzerman to Go Red for Women
You can help raise awareness for women's heart disease simply by donning something red on Friday.
The Heart Truth campaign was launched on 2002 in America. More...

Feb-02 -- Re-operation common after breast-conserving surgery
One in four women who have breast-conserving surgery for cancer need a second operation to remove more breast tissue, suggests a new study that also found the rate of re-operation varied widely by surgeon.
Dr. McCahill co-authored a study on the re-excision or re-operation rates of more than 2,200 women. More...

Feb-02 -- Measures 'reduced suicide rate'
In 2001, a series of recommendations were made to try and reduce suicide rates in the number of health insurance customers that were receiving mental health care.
In areas where official recommendations have been ignored by health bosses the death rate remained largely unchanged between 1997 and 2006. More...

Feb-02 -- Mich. teen suspended for growing hair for cancer patients
J.T. Gaskins wants his school to let him grow his hair for Locks of Love.
The Flint Journal J.T. Gaskins has been spending the past few days at home following a suspension - because his hair was too long. More...

Feb-02 -- 'People Pleasers' Feel Pressured to Snack
Being a people-pleaser might make you popular at parties, but it probably isn't doing much good for your waistline.
If you are a people-pleaser who strives to keep your social relationships smooth and comfortable, you might find yourself overeating in certain social situations like Super Bowl watch parties. More...

Feb-02 -- Taco Bell linked to salmonella outbreak, report says
Oklahoma health officials say that Taco Bell restaurants were the source of salmonella food poisoning linked to an outbreak that sickened 68 people in 10 states last fall.
The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it could not confirm the identity of the restaurant. More...

Feb-02 -- Gaining on Prostate Cancer
Dr. Sawyers, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, played important roles in the development of Novartis AG's breakthrough leukemia drug Gleevec and a second-generation version called Sprycel from Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. In the mid-1990s, while at University of California at Los Angeles, Dr. Sawyers became interested in why men with prostate cancer relapsed on hormone therapythe standard treatments, which starve prostate tumors of testosterone, the primary fuel that makes them grow.
During a news conference to announce the findings, Nicholas J. Vogelzang, chairman and medical director of the developmental therapeutics committee of U.S. Oncology, a cancer treatment company, called the results "unprecedented." More...

Thursday

Feb-02 -- Planned Parenthood says Komen decision causes donation spike
In the last 24 hours, thousands of women turned to Twitter and Facebook to express their anger over the decision by the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation, the world's largest breast cancer organization, to halt financial support for cancer screening and education services at Planned Parenthood affiliates.
"Grant-making decisions are not about politics -- our priority is and always will be the women we serve. More...

Feb-02 -- Pfizer Cites Packaging Flaws in Birth-Control Pill Recall
The pills, about half of which were the brand name Lo/Ovral-28 and the other half were generic norgestrel and ethinyl estradiol tablets, may be improperly arranged so that inactive pills are taken at the wrong time in the monthly cycle.
Dr. Brian Bear says women taking these pills, should watch for a change in their cycle, such as cramping or unscheduled bleeding. More...

Feb-02 -- UCSF scientists declare war on sugar in food
Step aside, saturated fat.
The U.S. produces masses of High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) which is used an alternative to Sucrose (table sugar) to sweeten processed foods/drinks. More...

Feb-02 -- Massage May Help Sore Muscles Recover
The study showed that massage dampened the expression of inflammatory cytokines in the muscle cells and promoted biogenesis of mitochondria, which are the energy-producing units in the cells.
WASHINGTON (Xinhua) Massage helps relieve pain in damaged muscles by sending anti-inflammation messages to muscle cells, according to a Canadian study published Wednesday in the online edition of Science Translational Medicine. More...

Feb-02 -- Faulty Protein Is Like a Virus in Alzheimer's
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 1 (HealthDay News) -- A new study suggests that a brain-clotting plaque linked to Alzheimer's disease may cause cognitive decline even in healthy people, potentially setting the stage for the development of the devastating illness later in life.
"If, as our data suggest, tau pathology starts in the entorhinal cortex and emanates from there, the most effective approach may be to treat Alzheimer's the way we treat cancer--through early detection and treatment, before it has a chance to spread," said Dr. Small. More...

Feb-02 -- Sleep Apnea Common in Stroke
NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 1, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- People with severe sleep apnea may have an increased risk of silent strokes and small lesions in the brain, according to a small study presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2012.
Sleep apnoea can be treated by wearing a mouthpiece or mask overnight, to keep the airways open. More...

Feb-02 -- Judge: health labels may stem tobacco co rights
RICHMOND, Va. -- The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, weighing in on a lawsuit over graphic cigarette warning labels, says the federal government has no legitimate authority to take space on a tobacco company's packaging or advertising to persuade consumers not to buy the product.
The FDA rules, Francisco said, force tobacco companies to serve as the "mouthpiece" for the government's anti-smoking advocacy campaign. More...

Feb-02 -- Pakistan Says Prime Minister Was Mailed Anthrax Spores
ISLAMABAD — Pakistani police said Wednesday they were investigating how and why an envelope containing anthrax was sent to the prime minister's office in the capital Islamabad last year.
ISLAMABAD -- Pakistani police say a package containing "toxic" white powder has been sent to the prime minister's office. More...

Feb-02 -- Scientists decode how the brain hears words
Sounds nuts, sure, but it's got a huge medical upside: Mapping how the brain processes sound may one day unlock a way for people who physically can't speak to project their thoughts.
Pasley and his team are interested in the similarities between perceived and imagined speech. More...

Feb-02 -- Lightning Look To Paint The Town Red
Ninety percent of us have at least one risk factor for heart disease.
Today, about 33 percent of the patients we're implanting are women. More...

Feb-02 -- Report Cites French Maker of Implants, Authorities
CARACAS, Venezuela - A line snakes out of the plastic surgeon's office as women wait to find out if their breast implants have ruptured and how soon they can have them removed.
Arroyo is one of 495 Venezuelans who are suing companies that sold the implants demanding payment of medical costs. More...

Feb-02 -- Medivation Surges on Prostate Cancer Drug: San Francisco Mover
Phase 3 results from the international AFFIRM trial showed that the investigational androgen receptor signaling inhibitor MDV3100 extended OS and PFS compared with placebo for men with castration-resistant prostate cancer.
The study enrolled men whose cancer was progressing despite prior treatment with docetaxel, a standard chemotherapy regimen for the disease. More...

Feb-02 -- Bird flu data should be kept under wraps, science panel says
The U.S. National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) acknowledged that experiments on the potential threat of H5N1 bird flu "could lead to greater preparedness and potential development of novel strategies for disease control."
When ferret-to-ferret transmission was achieved, the amino acid changes involved can provide information on the mechanisms that regulate airborne transmission of viruses, a topic that is poorly understood. More...

Feb-02 -- Heartburn drugs linked to hip factures in women
The absolute risk is small, with the drugs causing an additional five hip fractures per 10,000 women per year.
Hamed Khalili, M.D., from the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and colleagues prospectively followed 79,899 postmenopausal women enrolled in the Nurses' Health Study who provided data on the use of PPIs biennially from 2000 to 2008. More...

Feb-02 -- Health Watch: Problems with Partial Mastectomies
One in four women who have breast-conserving surgery for cancer need a second operation to remove more breast tissue, suggests a new study that also found the rate of re-operation varied widely by surgeon.
Even in the absence of effects on local control, the wide level of unexplained clinical variation itself represents a potential barrier to high-quality and cost-effective care of patients with breast cancer. More...

Feb-02 -- Stomach illness strikes 300 San Francisco students
St. Ignatius College Preparatory, a 157-year-old school in the city's Outer Sunset district, contacted the San Francisco Department of Public Health on Tuesday after 50 students called in sick and 90 more experiencing stomach flu symptoms were sent home.
Health officials will be on campus Wednesday. More...

Feb-02 -- Michelle Obama promotes healthy eating at Inglewood store site
That's set to change after first lady Michelle Obama visits the site of the grocer's future store in Inglewood on Wednesday to showcase efforts being made to draw grocers to low-income neighborhoods.
The store -- which is scheduled to open next summer in a Hispanic neighborhood -- is being financed by part of a $20 million loan from the California Fresh Works Fund, a public-private partnership designed to bring supermarkets to underserved areas. More...

Feb-02 -- Enrollment Up, Premiums Down in Medicare Advantage Plans
The biggest cuts won't come until 2015.
WASHINGTON, DC - On February 1, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen reported that Medicare Advantage Premiums had decreased by 7% and enrollment has risen by about 10% since this time last year. More...

Feb-02 -- Device Makers, FDA Agree on Fees
The recommendations would authorize the FDA to collect $595 million in user fees over five years, plus adjustments for inflation.
"FDA days" measure how many working days the agency has spent on a particular application, but do not include periods when the agency has "stopped the clock" by, for example, putting the ball back in the device maker's court by asking for more information on an application. More...

Wednesday

Feb-01 -- Internet heats up over Komen's Planned Parenthood decision
Anti-abortion groups, in contrast, welcomed the news.
"I, too, will no longer support SGK," said Jennifer Rose. More...

Feb-01 -- Pfizer birth-control recall: What to do
The pills, about half of which were the brand name Lo/Ovral-28 and the other half were generic norgestrel and ethinyl estradiol tablets, may be improperly arranged so that inactive pills are taken at the wrong time in the monthly cycle.
Merely announcing the recall has opened the company up to cases where - even if just a few women taking the pills become pregnant - Pfizer will likely have to pay the price. More...

Feb-01 -- Tax 'toxic' sugar, doctors urge
Non-communicable diseases now pose a greater health burden worldwide than infectious diseases, according to the United Nations.
Americans consume on average more than 600 calories per day from added sugar, equivalent to a whopping 40 teaspoons. More...

Feb-01 -- Repeat breast cancer surgeries may be unnecessary, study says
One in four women who have breast-conserving surgery for cancer need a second operation to remove more breast tissue, suggests a new study that also found the rate of re-operation varied widely by surgeon.
Noting that "currently, there are no readily identifiable quality measures that allow for meaningful comparisons of breast cancer surgical outcomes among treating surgeons and hospitals," the investigators examined re-excision rates across four geographically diverse health systems. More...

Feb-01 -- Prostate Cancer Bone Mets Target of New Agent
Phase 3 results from the international AFFIRM trial showed that the investigational androgen receptor signaling inhibitor MDV3100 extended OS and PFS compared with placebo for men with castration-resistant prostate cancer.
MDV3100 offered a better survival rate versus placebo than Johnson & Johnson's ( NYS: JNJ ) Zytiga (4.8 months vs. 3.9 months), and there's speculation that, if approved, MDV3100 could be used as a pre-chemotherapy treatment in conjunction with Dendreon's ( NAS: DNDN ) Provenge treatment. More...

Feb-01 -- Indigestion Medications Raise Hip Fracture Risk In Post-menopausal Females
The absolute risk is small, with the drugs causing an additional five hip fractures per 10,000 women per year.
Person years are the number of years in a study multiplied by the number of people in the study. More...

Feb-01 -- Feds argue for graphic images on cigarette packs
RICHMOND, Va. -- The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, weighing in on a lawsuit over graphic cigarette warning labels, says the federal government has no legitimate authority to take space on a tobacco company's packaging or advertising to persuade consumers not to buy the product.
Oral arguments on motions for summary judgment over whether to bar the new labels are scheduled for Wednesday in U.S. District Court. More...

Feb-01 -- Censoring Research Results
The U.S. National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) acknowledged that experiments on the potential threat of H5N1 bird flu "could lead to greater preparedness and potential development of novel strategies for disease control."
To date, the transmission of influenza A/H5N1 virus from human to human has been rare, and no human pandemic has occurred. More...

Feb-01 -- Report Cites French Maker of Implants, Authorities
CARACAS, Venezuela - A line snakes out of the plastic surgeon's office as women wait to find out if their breast implants have ruptured and how soon they can have them removed.
Women who have had breast augmentation with PIP implants are genuinely worried if they are at risk of systemic harm from the deceitful use of non-medical grade of silicone gel in their implants. More...

Feb-01 -- How massage aids muscle healing
Now there's a scientific basis that supports booking a session with a massage therapist: On the cellular level massage reduces inflammation and promotes the growth of new mitochondria in skeletal muscle.
Experts who reviewed the study for WebMD say it is one of the first to document how human muscle cells respond to massage, a popular therapy that has struggled to gain respect as serious medicine. More...

Feb-01 -- Erivedge - Treatment For Most Common Form Of Skin Cancer
The first drug for an advanced form of the most common type of skin cancer won approval from the Food and Drug Administration on Monday.
Mayo Clinic Dr. Aleksandar Sekuliclater became the lead investigator for the Phase 2 trials of the drug. More...

Feb-01 -- Scientists decode words from brain signals
If you can understand the relationship well enough between the brain recordings and sound, you could either synthesize the actual sound a person is thinking, or just write out the words with a type of interface device."
In 2009, IBM (NYSE: IBM) scientists Craig Becker and Leugim Bustelo were awarded United States Patent US7574357 for a method of communicating using synthesized speech based on subvocal speech signals. More...

Feb-01 -- Anthrax mailed to Pakistani PM's office: spokesman
PAKISTANI police are investigating how and why a parcel containing anthrax was sent to the prime ministers official residence.
In November 2001, Pakistani police arrested two men suspected of sending a letter containing anthrax to Pakistan's largest newspaper, The Daily Jang. More...

Feb-01 -- Ladies, show some heart by wearing red
"The American Heart Association predicts that by the year 2030 the cost to treat heart disease will triple."
"We like to take care of the family and everyone else first. More...

Feb-01 -- Medicare Advantage Premiums Decline as Enrollment Rises
The biggest cuts won't come until 2015.
Premiums for privately run Medicare plans have dropped 7 percent over last year while enrollment is up 10 percent, the Obama administration announced Wednesday. More...

Feb-01 -- Vertex backs up pricey new CF drug with co-pay help
Kalydeco was approved ahead of the drug's April 18, 2012, prescription user fee goal date and is designated as an orphan drug, which identifies the disease as affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the United States.
In clinical trials, Kalydeco significantly improved lung function, reduced the number of lung problems that required treatment with antibiotics and led to weight gain, which is desirable for CF patients who typically have trouble maintaining a healthy weight. More...

Feb-01 -- Jailed con artist describes role in Google case
In an interview with The Associated Press at a private prison in Central Falls, Whitaker, 37, described for the first time how he took up the online pharmacy business while hiding in Guadalajara, Mexico, from a federal indictment for a multimillion dollar fraud case in Rhode Island.
The forfeiture allowed Google to avoid criminal prosecution for allegations that it improperly profited from ads promoting Canadian pharmacies that illegally imported drugs into the United States. More...

Feb-01 -- Indoor tanning: Not as sunny as depicted, Congress' Democrats say
The recent investigation found that nearly all indoor tanning salons contacted denied the known risks of indoor tanning, and four out of five salons falsely claimed that indoor tanning is beneficial to a young person's health.
A sister organization to the Academy, the American Academy of Dermatology Association is the resource for government affairs, health policy and practice information for dermatologists, and plays a major role in formulating policies that can enhance the quality of dermatologic care. More...

Feb-01 -- San Francisco high school closes amid flu outbreak
St. Ignatius College Preparatory, a 157-year-old school in the city's Outer Sunset district, contacted the San Francisco Department of Public Health on Tuesday after 50 students called in sick and 90 more experiencing stomach flu symptoms were sent home.
Karen Kipp is the principal's secretary and she did not get word that campus was closed Wednesday. More...

Wednesday

Feb-01 -- Pfizer recalls 1 million birth control packets
About one million packets are involved in the recall.
The recall involves Lo/Ovral-28 tablets and a generic version of the birth control pills. More...

Feb-01 -- Komen breast cancer charity severs ties with Planned Parenthood
The decision by the nation's leading breast cancer charity to stop funding breast health screenings at Planned Parenthood health centers should not affect women in the area, said the executive director of the Pittsburgh affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
We are working directly to ensure there is no interruption or gaps in services for women who need breast health screening and services," the group said. More...

Feb-01 -- Many repeat breast cancer surgeries could be unnecessary
McCahill and colleagues analyzed information from 2,206 women with invasive breast cancer who underwent a partial mastectomy at four hospitals between 2003 and 2008.
A study of Medicare records found that men treated with proton beams later had one-third more bowel problems, such as bleeding and blockages, than similar men given conventional radiation. More...

Feb-01 -- National Science Advisory Board Explains Decision To Censor Bird Flu Research
The U.S. National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) acknowledged that experiments on the potential threat of H5N1 bird flu "could lead to greater preparedness and potential development of novel strategies for disease control."
A statement signed by all the NSABB members was published simultaneously in Nature and Science. More...

Feb-01 -- Sex and Statins
Dr. Lori Mosca, director of preventive cardiology at New-York Presbyterian Hospital in New York City and author of an accompanying journal editorial, said that "women and men have the same relative benefit with statins as far as reducing the future risk of a heart problem is concerned, but because women often start off at a lower risk level than men the net benefit is likely less."
Dr. Lori Mosca, who wrote a journal editorial to accompany the study, explained that health care professionals likely rated statins as less effective in women because women have a lower risk of heart disease overall. More...

Feb-01 -- Stanford scientists bypass stem cells to create nervous system cells
I was excited last week to learn about the recent work of stem cell scientist Marius Wernig , MD, published today (direct link to come) in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
In the meantime, however, the ability to quickly and efficiently generate neural precursor cells that can be grown in the laboratory to mass quantities and maintained over time will be valuable in disease and drug-targeting studies. More...

Feb-01 -- New Type of Cancer Drug Gets Approval
WASHINGTON — U.S. authorities on Monday approved a new drug to treat the most common form of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma, which is rarely lethal but can spread if left untreated.
Vismodegib (Erivedge, Genentech Inc.), a hedgehog pathway inhibitor, received indications for treatment of metastatic disease and for locally advanced disease in patients who are not candidates for radiation therapy or surgery. More...

Feb-01 -- Hip fracture risk rises with acid reflux drug use
The absolute risk is small, with the drugs causing an additional five hip fractures per 10,000 women per year.
For years, there has been concern about the prolonged use of PPIs and the increased risk of fractures because the drugs inhibit the absorption of calcium, which in turn has a detrimental effect on bone health. More...

Feb-01 -- Mind-reading breakthrough hailed by US scientists
If you can understand the relationship well enough between the brain recordings and sound, you could either synthesize the actual sound a person is thinking, or just write out the words with a type of interface device."
Scientists believe in future it may be possible to "decode" the thoughts of brain-damaged patients who cannot speak. More...

Feb-01 -- Study: Radioactive Seeds Beat Out Other Prostate Cancer Treatments
Global QOL scores were significantly better at one and two years after treatment with IMRT than with 3D conformal radiation therapy ( P <0.001), Allen Chen, MD, of the University of California Davis in Sacramento, and colleagues reported.
Despite lower rates of complications, brachytherapy is not commonly used to treat high-risk cancers, and EBRT was the only therapy used to treat 73.5 percent of the patients in the study. More...

Feb-01 -- Dr. Richard Olney dies at 64; researcher sought cure for Lou Gehrig's disease
Olney was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig's Disease, in June 2004.
Hoerth said that Olney was quite brave. More...

Feb-01 -- Drug breakthrough for handful of cystic fibrosis patients
Kalydeco was approved ahead of the drug's April 18, 2012, prescription user fee goal date and is designated as an orphan drug, which identifies the disease as affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the United States.
An European Medicines Agency accelerated review of Kalydeco is now in process after Vertex last October submitted a marketing authorization application. More...

Feb-01 -- Screening for cancer missing the mark
Repeat flexible sigmoidoscopy increased detection of colorectal cancer or advanced adenoma by one-fourth in women and one-third in men, according to the latest results from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial.
Flexible sigmoidoscopies ( FSG ) should also start at age 50 and are best repeated at least every five years. More...

Feb-01 -- France calls for Europe-wide control on prosthetics following PIP breast ...
CARACAS, Venezuela - A line snakes out of the plastic surgeon's office as women wait to find out if their breast implants have ruptured and how soon they can have them removed.
A French court last week charged the company's founder, 72-year-old Jean-Claude Mas, with causing "involuntary injuries" and the courts are also pursuing a mass fraud investigation. More...

Feb-01 -- Brazilian Blowout label changes
As the formaldehyde furor rolls on, Attorney General Kamala D. Harris has announced a settlement with the manufacturer of Brazilian Blowout products that will require the company to warn consumers and hair stylists that two of its most popular hair smoothing products emit formaldehyde gas.
BB also has to cough up $600,000 in fees and penalties. More...

Feb-01 -- Hospital Reconsiders Transplant Denial for Disabled Girl
PHILADELPHIA The parents of a mentally disabled New Jersey girl say they've won a review of a children's hospital's decision to deny the girl a kidney transplant because of her mental disability.
Amelia, whose condition is called Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome, became the focus of national attention after the initial meeting. More...

Feb-01 -- Medivation prostate cancer drug well-tolerated in trial
The multi-national trial is evaluating MDV3100 versus placebo in some 1,200 men with advanced prostate cancer who had been treated with hormonal therapy and docetaxel-based chemotherapy.
During a news conference to announce the findings, Nicholas J. Vogelzang, chairman and medical director of the developmental therapeutics committee of U.S. Oncology, a cancer treatment company, called the results "unprecedented." More...

Feb-01 -- St. Mary Medical Center joins Wear Red Day
According to the American Heart Association, cardiovascular disease claims the lives of more than 500,000 women each year.
Lesley Jones, deputy director of public health at NHS Bolton, said: "Heart disease has long been recognised as one of Bolton's biggest health problems and was the drive behind NHS Bolton's Big Bolton Health check, supported by The Bolton News. More...

Feb-01 -- Kaiser union workers stage one-day strike
"Despite record profits over the last three years of more than $5.6 billion, Kaiser management is insisting on major reductions to workers' health care coverage and retirement benefits.
By the end of Tuesday, more than 66 percent of the region's nurses still showed up for work -- essentially rejecting the call from CNA to walk off the job. More...

Wednesday

Feb-01 -- Susan G. Komen Foundation
Democrats say the far-reaching investigation is a political witch hunt and abuse of government resources .
The stated reason does not make sense. More...

Feb-01 -- Breast Cancer Surgery Rules Are Called Unclear
Nearly one in four women who undergo a partial mastectomy for treatment of breast cancer have another surgery to remove additional tissue (reexcision), and there is substantial surgeon and institutional variation in the rate of reexcisions that cannot be explained by patients' clinical characteristics, according to a study in the February 1 issue of JAMA.
Laurence McCahill found that one in four had to go back for a re-exision, a second surgery, after having had a partial mastectomy. More...

Feb-01 -- Ulcer drugs 'link to fractures'
The absolute risk is small, with the drugs causing an additional five hip fractures per 10,000 women per year.
Several studies have already been carried out in response to the growing concerns between the long-term use of PPIs and the risk of hip fractures. More...

Feb-01 -- Bird flu data should be kept under wraps, science panel says
The U.S. National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) acknowledged that experiments on the potential threat of H5N1 bird flu "could lead to greater preparedness and potential development of novel strategies for disease control."
The studies threaten public safety, the board and some scientists say, because the altered bird flu viruses could be accidentally released from the lab or replicated by terrorists. More...

Feb-01 -- A mother's love can boost a child's brainpower, study shows
MONDAY, Jan. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Preschool children whose moms are loving and nurturing have a larger hippocampus, an area of the brain involved in learning, memory and stress response, when they reach school age, a new study finds.
Our study suggests a clear link between nurturing and the size of the hippocampus. More...

Feb-01 -- Study Finds Women Benefit From Statins
Dr. Lori Mosca, director of preventive cardiology at New-York Presbyterian Hospital in New York City and author of an accompanying journal editorial, said that "women and men have the same relative benefit with statins as far as reducing the future risk of a heart problem is concerned, but because women often start off at a lower risk level than men the net benefit is likely less."
Mosca pointed out that little is known about whether women are more vulnerable to side effects than men are. More...

Feb-01 -- FDA Approves Cystic Fibrosis Drug
Kalydeco was approved ahead of the drug's April 18, 2012, prescription user fee goal date and is designated as an orphan drug, which identifies the disease as affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the United States.
The new cystic fibrosis drug has been highly anticipated for years, and the application to the FDA is based on clinical trial results that arrived in February. More...

Feb-01 -- FDA approves basal cell carcinoma treatment
WASHINGTON — U.S. authorities on Monday approved a new drug to treat the most common form of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma, which is rarely lethal but can spread if left untreated.
The regulator also approved Erivedge for patients whose basal cell carcinoma has spread to other parts of the body. More...

Feb-01 -- Whistleblowers Sue FDA, Claim Emails Monitored
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration secretly monitored employees who warned Congress that the agency was approving dangerous medical devices, the Washington Post reported .
The inspector general also declined a second FDA request, made a month later, for a probe of the scientists and doctors. More...

Feb-01 -- TOWIE's Lauren Pope makes the best of a bad situation after discovering she ...
CARACAS, Venezuela - A line snakes out of the plastic surgeon's office as women wait to find out if their breast implants have ruptured and how soon they can have them removed.
THREE times as many Australian women have had PIP breast implants rupture than first thought, the medicines watchdog has said, warning the number of those affected by the faulty device will rise. More...

Feb-01 -- Paper clip-using dentist gets 1 year in jail
A mother is blasting the one-year jail sentence handed down to a former dentist who used paper clips instead of stainless steel posts in her son's root canal, causing him to lose his tooth.
The judge said he considered Clair's acceptance of responsibility, lack of a criminal record and "certain mental health issues" Clair is dealing with in deciding on the one-year sentence. More...

Feb-01 -- E-Prescribing Cuts Medication Error Rates
At another hospital, the authors compared the error rates on two wards before and after the introduction of the e-prescribing system iSoft MedChart.
"Prescribing errors are one of the most significant patient safety issues internationally," Professor Westbrook said. More...

Feb-01 -- Brazilian Blowout Maker Agrees To Warn Consumers
As the formaldehyde furor rolls on, Attorney General Kamala D. Harris has announced a settlement with the manufacturer of Brazilian Blowout products that will require the company to warn consumers and hair stylists that two of its most popular hair smoothing products emit formaldehyde gas.
The attorney general's office filed a lawsuit in November 2010 against GIB, LLC, which manufactures Brazilian Blowout Acai Smoothing Solution and Brazilian Blowout Professional Smoothing Solution. More...

Feb-01 -- Richard Olney, renowned ALS researcher, dies at 64 of the disease
Olney was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig's Disease, in June 2004.
Dr. Olney joined the faculty of UC San Francisco School of Medicine in 1986 as an academic neurologist and became professor of neurology in 1989. More...

Feb-01 -- Birth control pills recalled, may not prevent pregnancy
Pfizer said an investigation found some blister packs of the oral contraceptive might contain an inexact count of inert or active ingredients in the tablets.
The drugmaker said the issue involved 14 lots of Lo/Ovral-28 tablets and 14 lots of Norgestrel and Ethinyl Estradiol tablets. More...

Feb-01 -- Children's Hospital reverses decision not to perform disabled girl's ...
The parents of 3-year-old Amelia Rivera, the disabled girl who was initially rejected for a kidney transplant at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, now say the hospital is willing to consider such an operation.
When the media first reported the story two weeks ago, the hospital would not respond to questions about the Rivera case, citing privacy laws, but it provided a prepared statement, which read: "The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia does not disqualify potential transplant candidates on the basis of intellectual abilities. More...

Feb-01 -- South Africa recalls 1.35m condoms
South Africa's leading anti-Aids group claims that allegedly faulty condoms are among more than 1.35 million handed out at the African National Congress' 100th birthday party.
The Health Ministry said many of the condoms failed the air burst test. More...

Feb-01 -- Kaiser hit by one-day strike
"Despite record profits over the last three years of more than $5.6 billion, Kaiser management is insisting on major reductions to workers' health care coverage and retirement benefits.
Most of the action will be in Northern California. More...

Feb-01 -- Big Pharma donates drugs for neglected diseases
In the largest effort to date to combat NTDs, 13 pharmaceutical companies, the U.S., U.K., and U.A.E governments, the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Bank, and other global health organisations committed to providing more than US$785 million to help 1.4 billion people worldwide affected by NTDs, most of whom are among the world's poorest.
"Today, we have joined together to increase the impact of our investments and build on the tremendous progress made to date. More...

Feb-01 -- Swine flu spikes in Mexico after hiatus, but government says cases are within ...
Post Forum members consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on politics, national and international affairs.
"Last year, H1N1 barely circulated in the country or in the world," Chertorivski said to explain the dramatic jump in cases in January. More...

Tuesday

Jan-31 -- Disparities Found in Repeat Breast Cancer Surgery
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - One in four women who have breast-conserving surgery for cancer needs a second operation to remove more breast tissue, suggests a new study that also found the rate of re-operation varied widely by surgeon.
Objective To assess hospital and surgeon-specific variation in reexcision rates following partial mastectomy. More...

Jan-31 -- Panel explains decision to limit publication of bird flu research
The U.S. National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) acknowledged that experiments on the potential threat of H5N1 bird flu "could lead to greater preparedness and potential development of novel strategies for disease control."
In the interest of biosecurity, the NSABB recommended that the federal government move to restrict information in the study that would enable a reader to replicate the experiments that enhanced the transmissibility of the virus. More...

Jan-31 -- Parents: Mentally disabled girl, 3, might be eligible for life-saving ...
PHILADELPHIA The parents of a mentally disabled New Jersey girl say they've won a review of a children's hospital's decision to deny the girl a kidney transplant because of her mental disability.
Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum with his wife Karen. (Matt Rourke - AP) GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum's youngest daughter, Isabella, is recovering at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia after a bout of pneumonia forced her family to rush her to the hospital this weekend and her father to temporarily abandon the campaign trail . More...

Jan-31 -- Cystic fibrosis drug Kalydeco approved by FDA: What does it mean for patients?
Kalydeco was approved ahead of the drug's April 18, 2012, prescription user fee goal date and is designated as an orphan drug, which identifies the disease as affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the United States.
KALYDECO is not for use in people with CF due to other mutations in the CF gene. More...

Jan-31 -- Statins Work As Well On Females As Males
Dr. Lori Mosca, director of preventive cardiology at New-York Presbyterian Hospital in New York City and author of an accompanying journal editorial, said that "women and men have the same relative benefit with statins as far as reducing the future risk of a heart problem is concerned, but because women often start off at a lower risk level than men the net benefit is likely less."
A 2009 Heart journal study found even if women did exhibit heart disease symptoms, women were less likely than men to receive statins. More...

Jan-31 -- South Africa Recalls Millions Of Condoms
South Africa's leading anti-Aids group claims that allegedly faulty condoms are among more than 1.35 million handed out at the African National Congress' 100th birthday party.
"People would claim that the condoms burst. More...

Jan-31 -- FDA approves new skin cancer drug
WASHINGTON — U.S. authorities on Monday approved a new drug to treat the most common form of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma, which is rarely lethal but can spread if left untreated.
Curis advanced 4.6 percent to $4.97 at 10:51 a.m., after the Lexington, Massachusetts-based drugmaker rose as high as $5.04. More...

Jan-31 -- Mom's support tied to child's brain development
MONDAY, Jan. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Preschool children whose moms are loving and nurturing have a larger hippocampus, an area of the brain involved in learning, memory and stress response, when they reach school age, a new study finds.
As part of the initial study, the children were closely observed and videotaped interacting with a parent, almost always a mother, as the parent was completing a required task, and the child was asked to wait to open an attractive gift. More...

Jan-31 -- Big Pharma donates drugs for neglected diseases
In the largest effort to date to combat NTDs, 13 pharmaceutical companies, the U.S., U.K., and U.A.E governments, the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Bank, and other global health organisations committed to providing more than US$785 million to help 1.4 billion people worldwide affected by NTDs, most of whom are among the world's poorest.
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and the Carter Center have led public health efforts tackling neglected diseases most Americans have never heard of. More...

Jan-31 -- Brazilian Blowout Maker Settles California Lawsuit
As the formaldehyde furor rolls on, Attorney General Kamala D. Harris has announced a settlement with the manufacturer of Brazilian Blowout products that will require the company to warn consumers and hair stylists that two of its most popular hair smoothing products emit formaldehyde gas.
California Attorney General Kamala Harris says a settlement has been reached with the makers of the popular hairstyle treatment "Brazilian Blowout". More...

Jan-31 -- ALS Researcher Dies From Disease He Studied
Olney was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig's Disease, in June 2004.
Olney was in the group that received the actual drugs. More...

Jan-31 -- Summary Box: Venezuelans ditch PIP breast implants
CARACAS, Venezuela - A line snakes out of the plastic surgeon's office as women wait to find out if their breast implants have ruptured and how soon they can have them removed.
Like most surgeons in Venezuela, Obayi recommends that PIP implants eventually be removed but advises that surgery is not urgent in most cases. More...

Jan-31 -- With memories of the 2009 pandemic, Mexico braces for flu season
MEXICO CITY -- Mexico's federal health secretary says swine flu cases in January have surpassed the number for all of 2011, a year when the virus barely appeared worldwide.
For the month of January, health officials have confirmed 1,456 cases of the virus, popularly known as swine flu. More...

Jan-31 -- Baby weighing nearly 14 pounds delivered without C-section
Baby Asher was born naturally at 13 pounds and 13 ounces after his mother endured six hours of labor -- and NO epidural.
Asher's birth was the largest on record for the hospital but falls short of the state record by roughly a pound. More...

Jan-31 -- Ketamine: A miracle antidepressant?
That's because "Special K," which is actually an FDA-approved anesthetic named ketamine, can relieve even suicidal depression in a matter of hours.
Ketamine could be really beneficial for treating major depression, according to some doctors. More...

Jan-31 -- Thousands of Kaiser Workers Participate in One-Day Strike
"Despite record profits over the last three years of more than $5.6 billion, Kaiser management is insisting on major reductions to workers' health care coverage and retirement benefits.
Gay Westfall, Senior Vice President, Human Resources, Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and Health Plan, issued a statement today and said, "Our first priority is always the safety and care of our members and patients." More...

Jan-31 -- Dentist who used paper clips in root canals gets one year in jail
FALL RIVER, Mass. -- A Maryland man was sentenced to one year in jail Monday for using paper clips instead of stainless steel posts in root canals.
Clair, who was taken from court in shackles, will also be on probation for five years after his release and is required to pay restitution to the state and the two former patients who were identified as victims in the case, according to the Herald News. More...

Jan-31 -- Vermont, where Irene flooded key hospital, struggles to rebuild mental health ...
Gov. Peter Shumlin declared the forced closure an opportunity to create a new dispersed system of care with more emphasis on outpatient services.
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Jan-31 -- AP Exclusive: Amid abortion debate, Komen cancer charity halting grants to ...
Komen spokeswoman Leslie Aun said the cutoff results from the charity's newly adopted criteria barring grants to organizations that are under investigation by local, state or federal authorities.
Post Forum members consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on politics, national and international affairs. More...

Tuesday

Jan-31 -- Doctor says he has duty to tell the truth
Editor's note: CNN conditions expert Dr. Otis Webb Brawley is the chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society, a world-renowned cancer expert and a practicing oncologist.
Prostate cancer advocate Tom Kirk is familiar with Brawley's arguments, and his rhetorical flourishes. More...

Jan-31 -- FDA Approves New Skin Cancer Drug
WASHINGTON — U.S. authorities on Monday approved a new drug to treat the most common form of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma, which is rarely lethal but can spread if left untreated.
The drug, called vismodegib (Erivedge), will be prescribed to patients with carcinomas that have spread to other parts of the body or that have returned after surgery or prior treatment. More...

Jan-31 -- South Africa recalls 1.35 million condoms
JOHANNESBURG-- South Africa is recalling 1.35 million condoms given away at the African National Congress party's centenary celebrations amid charges some broke during intercourse and others were porous, an official said Tuesday.
South Africa has the world's highest number of AIDS victims at 5.6 million. More...

Jan-31 -- Brazilian Blowout maker agrees to labeling changes
The office originally filed suit against GIB LLC (Brazilian Blowout's parent company) in November, blasting it for lying in ads and failing to issue warning labels about the product's use of a carcinogen. "California laws protect consumers and workers and give them fair notice about the health risks associated with the products they use," said attorney general Kamala Harris in a statement.
Brazilian Blowout is a brand of keratin hair smoothers that first were popularized in Brazil but have been available in U.S. salons for several years. More...

Jan-31 -- Big pharma joins fight against tropical diseases
In the largest effort to date to combat NTDs, 13 pharmaceutical companies, the U.S., U.K., and U.A.E governments, the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Bank, and other global health organisations committed to providing more than US$785 million to help 1.4 billion people worldwide affected by NTDs, most of whom are among the world's poorest.
As part of the effort against neglected diseases, the Gates foundation has pledged $23.3 million toward eradicating Guinea worm. More...

Jan-31 -- Brockovich's efforts in Le Roy halted
School Superintendent Kim M. Cox blasted the unauthorized effort, saying the district is already working with environmental, health and safety officials to determine what has caused 15 students to suffer Tourette's-like symptoms of involuntary twitching and gestures.
As for Saturday's incident, school district officials said camera crews from a number of national and local media outlets, along with Brockovich's team, illegally entered district property. More...

Jan-31 -- Dentist who used paper clips in root canals gets year in jail
A mother is blasting the one-year jail sentence handed down to a former dentist who used paper clips instead of stainless steel posts in her son's root canal, causing him to lose his tooth.
Prosecutors said Clair sometimes used sections of paperclips when performing root canals in an effort to save money. More...

Jan-31 -- Lawsuit says FDA monitored e-mails
Can You Sue the Government? FDA Whistleblowers Sue Over Surveillance of.
According to the Washington Post, "the startup screen on FDA computers warns employees, 'you have no reasonable expectation of privacy,' " including any communication accessed or sent from the machine." More...

Jan-31 -- Children in Carpools Often Go Without Booster Seats
Among parents who reported carpooling and using child safety seats, only 79% said they would always ask another driver to use a booster seat for their child and only 55% said they always have their child use a booster seat when friends without a seat were in the car, according to Michelle Macy, MD, of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and colleagues.
Florida has the lowest cutoff of all, with child restraints required only for children 3 and under. More...

Jan-31 -- 'Spam' meat tied to diabetes risk in Native Americans, study finds
"We know sodium impacts blood pressure, and perhaps other health effects that we need to study more."
The findings support an earlier analysis by Mozaffarian and his colleagues that tallied the results from multiple studies examining the link between diabetes and meat. More...

Jan-31 -- Dr. Richard Olney dies: expert on, victim of ALS
Nineteen years later, the center now serves 375 patients.
More...

Jan-31 -- Why obese doctors shouldn't avoid giving weight loss advice
A physician's body mass index (BMI) may have an impact on how he or she cares for overweight and obese patients, according to a nationwide survey.
If your doctor is overweight and you are too, then chances are he or she will not have the weight loss talk with you or give you a diagnosis of obesity. More...

Jan-31 -- US Woman Gives Birth To Big Bouncing Baby Boy
It has been found by the report that he has been born in the state's most busy-birthing unit and is found to be huge in weight.
The heaviest baby born to a healthy mother occurred in September 1955 in Aversa, Italy, according to Guiness World Records. More...

Jan-31 -- Doctors Rush for Boy in Peru With 'Parasitic Twin'
A three-year-old boy will have an operation today to remove his own partially formed 'parasitic twin' embedded in his stomach.
Surgeons in Peru, meantime, said the partially formed fetus in the boys stomach weighed a pound and measured nine inches. More...

Jan-31 -- Researchers study 'Special K' drug as potential tonic for depression
Christopher Stephens has been taking it ever since his ketamine treatment at NIH. It's been more than a year now, and his depression hasn't returned, he says.
ONE DOSE of ketamine can provide up to a month of relief for some patients. More...

Jan-31 -- A New Target in Fighting Brain Disease: Metals
The first meeting of the Advisory Council to the Department of Health and Human Services took place in November 2011, and on Jan. 6, HHS released a draft framework.
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Jan-31 -- Health officials: Luxor guests had Legionnaires'
In the past year, there have been three reported cases of Luxor guests getting diagnosed with the illness caused by Legionella bacteria, according to data shared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with the Southern Nevada Health District.
The health district said it was informed about the cases through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More...

Jan-31 -- Kaiser nurses on 24-hour strike today in Woodland Hills, Downey
"Despite record profits over the last three years of more than $5.6 billion, Kaiser management is insisting on major reductions to workers' health care coverage and retirement benefits.
The union said the walkouts are in response to Kaiser's proposal to cut health-care and retirement benefits for thousands of NUHW members that the nonprofit HMO employs statewide, including about 2,500 in Southern California. More...

Jan-31 -- Phoenixville Hospital to Celebrate Go Red for Women Month
Some clothing stores will go a step further and deck out mannequins in red clothing, says Robyn Reese of the Charleston-based affiliate of the American Heart Association.
Women younger than 45 who suffer a heart attack are at a higher risk of death. More...

Tuesday

Jan-31 -- Quick Fix for Severe Depression?
NPR reports that the drug is being used for depression in an experiment at the NeuroPsychiatric Center next to Ben Taub hospital.
The hospital's 24-hour Psychiatric Emergency Center gets a steady stream of people with suicidal depression, says Charlzetta McMurray-Horton, who is in charge of mental health nursing. More...

Jan-31 -- WHO, Drug Firms Pledge to Control 10 Tropical Diseases
Washington, DC -- The Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases , a major initiative of the Sabin Vaccine Institute , applauds today's announcement of unprecedented collaboration to fight neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).
Current treatments effectively kill only the larvae, not adult worms, and have serious side effects. More...

Jan-31 -- Doctors to remove remains of twin from boy's stomach
A three-year-old boy will have an operation today to remove his own partially formed 'parasitic twin' embedded in his stomach.
Doctors in Peru say the partially formed foetus has eyes, bones and hair on the cranium, but did not develop a brain, lungs, heart or intestines. More...

Jan-31 -- Both Sexes Enjoy Statin Benefits
The studies involved 141,235 participants, including 40,275 women, with a total of 21,468 cardiovascular events.
The problem, experts say, is less than 20 percent of Americans actually do that. More...

Jan-31 -- Heavier Docs Less Likely to Tackle Patient Weight
A national cross-sectional survey of 500 primary care physicians in the U.S. finds their weight may influence obesity diagnosis and care.
The percent increase of reported pain in comparison to the normal weight group grew rapidly in the obese groups: 68 percent higher for Obese 1 group, 136 percent higher for Obese 2 group, and 254 percent higher for Obese 3 group", the report stated. More...

Jan-31 -- New Type of Cancer Drug Gets Approval
WASHINGTON — U.S. authorities on Monday approved a new drug to treat the most common form of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma, which is rarely lethal but can spread if left untreated.
The drug, which will be marketed under the brand name Erivedge, is expected to be made available in the next two weeks for more than 10,000 patients in the United States who suffer from the more serious form of basal cell cancer. disease. More...

Jan-31 -- Lawsuit says FDA monitored staffers' private email
Last week, six current and former FDA scientists and physicians filed a lawsuit alleging that FDA monitored their personal email after they warned congressional staffers that the agency approved medical devices that might pose risks to patients, the Washington Post reports.
According to the Washington Post, "the startup screen on FDA computers warns employees, 'you have no reasonable expectation of privacy,' " including any communication accessed or sent from the machine." More...

Jan-31 -- Children in Carpools Often Go Without Booster Seats
Among parents who reported carpooling and using child safety seats, only 79% said they would always ask another driver to use a booster seat for their child and only 55% said they always have their child use a booster seat when friends without a seat were in the car, according to Michelle Macy, MD, of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and colleagues.
"Parents need to understand the importance of using a booster seat for every child who does not fit properly in an adult seat belt on every trip." More...

Jan-31 -- "Spam" meat tied to diabetes risk in Native Americans: study
"We know sodium impacts blood pressure, and perhaps other health effects that we need to study more."
Native Americans are at especially high risk of developing diabetes, with nearly half having the condition by age 55. More...

Jan-31 -- Brazilian Blowout maker settles with state over formaldehyde claim
GIB, LLC, which does business under the name Brazilian Blowout, will also have to pay $600,000 in fees, penalties and costs.
Gen. Kamala D. Harris said in a statement. More...

Jan-31 -- Activist Erin Brockovich looking into teens' mystery ailment
Environmental activist Erin Brockovich has started her own investigation into the mysterious illness that's caused symptoms of facial tics and verbal outbursts among teenagers in Le Roy, N.Y. , in light of new evidence about a toxic chemical spill more than 40 years ago that caused water and ground contamination nearby.
The New York Department of Health has found no link between the water contamination and the students'symptoms. More...

Jan-31 -- Woman gives birth to 13lb 13oz baby
Asher Stewardson was born at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa, weighing 13 pounds and 13 ounces.
Asher's birth was the largest on record for the hospital but falls short of the state record by roughly a pound. More...

Jan-31 -- How doctors do harm
Indeed, while everyone is vulnerable, minorities and the poor are especially so.
We need to embrace an interest in public health and adopt preventive strategies. More...

Jan-31 -- Testicular zap 'may stop sperm'
The journal Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology details a study using commercially available therapeutic ultrasound equipment to reduce sperm counts of male rats to levels which would result in infertility in humans.
While we've been busy discussing natural family planning , scientists have been busy messing with rats' testicles in hopes of discovering entirely [[ new methods of contraception. More...

Jan-31 -- Heart health: Long term implications of early choices
Doctors should measure blood pressure in both arms as routine, as a difference between the left and the right arm could indicate an increased risk of vascular disease and death, a new study has claimed.
Dr Christopher Clark, who led the study, said it was likely that one arm was giving a lower reading because of a reduction in blood flow, which could signal arterial disease. More...

Jan-31 -- PM Bay Area Buzz: Kaiser nurses in Marin to join regional strike Tuesday ...
Thousands of Kaiser Permanente workers are expected to walk off the job Tuesday over contract disputes involving the health maintenance organization's mental health and optical employees.
The one-day strike is meant to call attention to the cuts while asserting that "Kaiser has frequently failed to comply with California laws aimed at protecting patients' timely access to appropriate services," the union claimed in announcing the strike. More...

Jan-31 -- Cancer Survivor Teen Suspended From School for 'Locks of Love'
"I'm not going to not give back just because my school says no."
The school board did not respond to request for comment. More...

Jan-31 -- VA Sen Proposes Rectal Exams for Men Seeking Viagra
The amendment called for men to undergo a digital rectal exam and a cardiac stress test before being prescribed erectile dysfunction medication.
If pregnant women should have to get an ultrasound before having an abortion in Virginia, Sen. Janet Howell (D-Fairfax Co.) thought it would only be fair that men should have to undergo additional medical procedures before getting a prescription for erectile dysfunction. More...

Jan-31 -- Active brain may ward off Alzheimer's
"Beta amyloid is the protein that many people feel may be the initiating factor in Alzheimer's disease.
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Monday

Jan-30 -- U.S. FDA approves Roche skin cancer drug
WASHINGTON — U.S. authorities on Monday approved a new drug to treat the most common form of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma, which is rarely lethal but can spread if left untreated.
The drug, called vismodegib (Erivedge), will be prescribed to patients with carcinomas that have spread to other parts of the body or that have returned after surgery or prior treatment. More...

Jan-30 -- Fat Doctors Are Less Likely to Help Patients Lose Weight
A national cross-sectional survey of 500 primary care physicians in the U.S. finds their weight may influence obesity diagnosis and care.
Doctors' weight may be playing an indirect role in perpetuating the obesity epidemic on several levels. More...

Jan-30 -- Drugmakers Join Gates Foundation in Tropical-Disease Fight
Today, 13 pharmaceutical companies, the U.S., U.K. and U.A.E governments, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Bank and other global health organisations announced a new, coordinated push to accelerate progress toward eliminating or controlling 10 neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) by the end of the decade.
Helminth infections include filarial diseases, onchocerciasis (river blindness) and lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis) caused by parasitic worms, which inflict the heaviest socioeconomic burden of all the neglected tropical diseases and affect millions in poverty-stricken areas. More...

Jan-30 -- Study: Caffeine May Alter Estrogen Levels in Women
Participants, on average, consumed about 90 milligrams of caffeine daily, which is the equivalent of one cup of coffee.
Soda and green tea appeared to cause the highest increase in estrogen levels among all women. More...

Jan-30 -- Carpooling parents often skip booster seats for kids
Among parents who reported carpooling and using child safety seats, only 79% said they would always ask another driver to use a booster seat for their child and only 55% said they always have their child use a booster seat when friends without a seat were in the car, according to Michelle Macy, MD, of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and colleagues.
My daughter is almost 5, 41 pounds and very tall for her age. More...

Jan-30 -- Oral HPV Rates Higher In Men Than Women
HPV, the human papillomavirus, is best known for causing cervical cancer and genital warts, but it also causes cancers at the back of the throat, tonsils and base of the tongue, says study author Maura Gillison, a professor at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Persistent infections can cause cancer. Vaccines are now available for children and young adults to prevent cervical and anal cancers caused by the most troublesome HPV strains. More...

Jan-30 -- Suit Says FDA Monitored Staffers' Private Email
WASHINGTON, Jan. 30 (UPI) Six current and former U.S. Food and Drug Administration scientists and doctors allege the FDA violated their privacy by monitoring their private e-mail.
Now six FDA scientists and doctors, who worked for the agency's Office of Device Evaluation, are suing the FDA for peering into their personal Gmail accounts for at least two years. More...

Jan-30 -- Erin Brockovich reps ordered off school grounds
Environmental activist Erin Brockovich has started her own investigation into the mysterious illness that's caused symptoms of facial tics and verbal outbursts among teenagers in Le Roy, N.Y. , in light of new evidence about a toxic chemical spill more than 40 years ago that caused water and ground contamination nearby.
Some reported fainting and seizures and, until recently, all were girls, but a male has now made the same complaints, the Chronicle said. More...

Jan-30 -- Ultrasound significantly reduces sperm levels in rats and could be the future ...

Jan-30 -- McNugget addict collapses; experts warn of high-salt diet
Irvine has been eating chicken nuggets from McDonald's every day since she turned 2 and it's taking a real toll on her health.
Unless you want to end up sick and in the hospital with an IV hooked to your arm pumping you full of all the vitamins you should have been getting for years. More...

Jan-30 -- Dentist ordered to jail for fraud over paper clip root canals
FALL RIVER, Mass. (WPRI) - The former Massachusetts dentist becoming notorious for using paper clips instead of stainless steel posts in root canals to save money will serve one year in jail of a two-and-a-half year sentence -- the remaining year and a half sentence being suspended.
The remaining one and a half years will be held on a suspended sentence, it said. More...

Jan-30 -- Varying blood pressure between arms risky to heart
Doctors should measure blood pressure in both arms as routine, as a difference between the left and the right arm could indicate an increased risk of vascular disease and death, a new study has claimed.
Peripheral vascular disease is a risk factor for future heart and circulatory diseases. More...

Jan-30 -- Iowa woman births 14-pound baby without painkillers
It has been found by the report that he has been born in the state's most busy-birthing unit and is found to be huge in weight.
Asher's brother Judah -- now 15 months old -- weighed a little over 12 pounds at birth. More...

Jan-30 -- Spotted leopard from Ohio farm euthanized at zoo
A leopard that was released by a Zanesville man in October was euthanized Sunday after it suffered an injury to its spinal cord at the zoo where it was quarantined and held for observation.
State Veterinarian Dr. Tony Forshey made the decision to euthanize the animal. More...

Jan-30 -- Teen Cancer Survivor Suspended For Wanting To Donate Hair
J.T. Gaskins wants his school to let him grow his hair for Locks of Love.
BURTON, Mich. -- A Michigan high school cancer survivor has been kicked out of his school for letting his hair grow too long. More...

Jan-30 -- Amylin Shares Surged: What You Need to Know
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: AMLN ) has won approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Bydureon, an injectable diabetes drug that will cost patients and their insurers 11% more than an older version of the drug, Byetta, but is more convenient.
The DURATION-5 trial showed weight loss rather than gain -- a major plus from the patient perspective -- with the once-weekly drug and no major hypoglycemic events. More...

Jan-30 -- Here's what your health care future holds
Governor Deval Patrick called on legislators last week, in his State of the Commonwealth address, to eliminate the traditional fee-for-service system that pays health care providers separate fees for every procedure, test, and office visit.
Among the reforms spelled out in the Affordable Care Act is development of two fundamental activities largely absent in health care -- recognizing and rewarding quality care. More...

Jan-30 -- Why the Pink Ribbon campaign matters
Marquette's PINK OUT is part of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's "Play 4 Kay" initiative to help raise breast cancer awareness on the court, across campuses, in communities and beyond.
Studies dating back as far as 1998 had begun to indicate that parabens (alkyl esters of p -hydroxybenzoic acid) might possess estrogenic properties, and estrogen is known to play a central role in the development, growth, and progression of breast cancer. More...

Jan-30 -- McDonald's scraps "pink slime" from burgers
The tide could be turning on ammonia.
When it comes to floors and bathrooms, no one can deny that ammonia is a great cleaning agent. More...

Jan-30 -- Rise of the not-so-teeny bikini as demand soars from Brazil's 'little fatties'
While the bottoms provide too much coverage to qualify for the famed 'fio dental' or 'dental floss' category of Brazilian string bikinis, they're significantly more audacious than the standard U.S. cut.
"Plus-size lines". heh, that's rich. More...

Monday

Jan-30 -- Ruling on Contraception Draws Battle Lines at Catholic Colleges
Kevin Donovan, spokesman for the Diocese of Manchester, said health insurance for employees doesn't cover contraception, morning-after pills or sterilization.
Interestingly, because of a conscientious objection to health insurance, the Amish are exempted from the law, but Catholics' religious objections are ignored. More...

Jan-30 -- CDC: Too few Americans getting screened for common cancers
For the ethnic subgroups, Asians were classified as Chinese, Filipino, or other Asian and Hispanics as Puerto Rican, Mexican, Mexican-American, Central or South American, or other Hispanic.
On average, cervical screening helps save the lives of 4,500 women in England every year. More...

Jan-30 -- Asian women see boost in estrogen when drinking coffee: Study
White women who consumed the same amount of caffeine had slightly lower estrogen levels than women who consumed less.
Although there appeared to be variation in estrogen levels within certain groups, it is important to recognize that variations in estrogen levels can be associated with other medical conditions, including endometriosis, osteoporosis, and endometrial, breast and ovarian cancers. More...

Jan-30 -- Weekly Shot Gets FDA Nod for Type 2 Diabetes
Nearly two years after the FDA issued what became the first of two rejections, the agency has finally approved the Bydureon diabetes treatment, setting up what is going to be heated battle between Amylin Pharmaceuticals and Novo Nordisk , which sells a rival medicine called Victoza.
"Bydureon is now the first and only weekly diabetes therapy approved in the United States," Amylin Chief Executive Officer Daniel Bradbury said today on a conference call. More...

Jan-30 -- Blood pressure'should be measured in both arms'
For the study, a team led by Dr. Christopher Clark, from the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Exeter in Devon, England, reviewed 28 studies that looked at differences in systolic blood pressure between arms.
Writing in The Lancet, Prof Richard J McManus, department of primary care health sciences at the University of Oxford and Prof Jonathan Mant, from the department of public health and primary care at the University of Cambridge, said the review supports existing guidelines. More...

Jan-30 -- Testicular zap 'may stop sperm'
While we've been busy discussing natural family planning , scientists have been busy messing with rats' testicles in hopes of discovering entirely much more fertile than humans .
More...

Jan-30 -- Study: No link between HPV vaccine and autoimmune disorders
Besides Gardasil, another approved HPV vaccine called Cervarix is made by GlaxoSmithKline.
The participants had been followed for six months after receiving each dose of the quadrivalent HPV vaccine in 2006-2008. More...

Jan-30 -- Erin Brockovich Launches Investigation Into Tic Illness Affecting NY Teenagers
National environmental groups such as one led by environmental activist Erin Brockovich, and others are in LeRoy this weekend to launch their own investigation.
A statement released by the district denounced the sample collection as "grandstanding" and said any samples gathered would have "no scientific value." More...

Jan-30 -- Teva Drops Most in Month on Competition, Recall: Tel Aviv Mover
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Nasdaq: TEVA ; TASE: TEVA ) U.S. subsidiary Cephalon has recalled a lot of its Treanda leukemia drug, because glass fragments were found in one of the vials.
Jan. 29 (Bloomberg) -- Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. declined the most in a month, closing the gap with U.S. -traded shares, as a competitor received clearance to sell a generic version of Lovenox and a unit recalled a drug. More...

Jan-30 -- Ohio bishops rally Catholics to oppose federal birth-control rule
The bishops are urging parishioners to pray or fast and to consider contacting lawmakers in Congress to push for legislation reversing the requirement.
Government could give them a credit for that option, as long as it is not used." More...

Jan-30 -- Iowa woman gives birth to baby boy that could be largest child ever delivered ...
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Baby boy Asher Stewardson is the second child born to parents Kendall and Joshua Stewardson. More...

Jan-30 -- Health Costs, Regardless of Your Politics
As a requirement of the Affordable Care Act of 2010, each state must establish an insurance exchange as a mechanism for consumers to purchase health insurance plans.
Belgrade, Neb., farmer Jim Knopik understands the challenge well. More...

Jan-30 -- Rats overwhelm desperate owner
BOSTON (CBS) What started as an attempt to rescue two rats from becoming snake food has turned into a woman from Sandwich surrendering 71 rats to the MSPCA. The woman, who is not being identified, told officials she had rescued the two rats from a pet store just a few months ago.
The rats, which appear to be young and in good health, are undergoing veterinary exams and then will go up for adoption, the MSPCA said. More...

Jan-30 -- MA Health Reform: Got to Admit It's Getting Better
Perhaps many of you, like me, watched the debate and saw the exchange as it happened.
Mitt Romney may not like to hear it, but if you want to know what health reform will look like for the United States, look to what's happening in Massachusetts, a team of experts said on Wednesday. More...

Jan-30 -- Cancer survivor suspended for long hair
The Flint Journal Madison Academy senior J.T. Gaskins, 17, is growing his hair out for Locks of Love, was suspended from school for violating the school's dress code policy because his hair is too long.
A young man in Burton, MI, was recently suspended from his school because his attempt to grow his hair for Locks of Love did not fit into the school's dress code. More...

Jan-30 -- Paula Deen is caught chomping on cheeseburger despite revealing she has Type 2 ...
Paula Deen's sons were so distraught over her decision to plug a $500-a-month diabetes drug, they nearly bolted from the family management to strike out on their own.
Although, I can clear a doorway pretty easily. not really any trouble for me there. More...

Jan-30 -- American Heart Association aims to educate women on disease risk
In honor of National Wear Red Day, NCBW 100 presents a heart healthy wine tasting event.
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Jan-30 -- Running for a cause can boost motivation
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The South Florida Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure® is working to better the lives of people facing breast cancer in the local community and through events like the Komen South Florida Race for the Cure®. More...

Jan-30 -- US FDA approves Pfizer's Inlyta for kidney cancer
NEW YORK--( BUSINESS WIRE )--Pfizer Inc. announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved INLYTA® (axitinib), a kinase inhibitor, for the treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) after failure of one prior systemic therapy.
In a study of 723 people with the advanced form of kidney cancer, the most common side effects of Inlyta included diarrhea, high blood pressure, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, loss of voice, weight loss, weakness and constipation. More...

Jan-30 -- Relax in the new yoga room at San Francisco airport
San Francisco International Airport now has a yoga room where frazzled travelers can take a few moments to relax.
More...

Sunday

Jan-29 -- Mystery teen illness: Brokovich team meets resistance
Environmental activist Erin Brockovich has started her own investigation into the mysterious illness that's caused symptoms of facial tics and verbal outbursts among teenagers in Le Roy, N.Y. , in light of new evidence about a toxic chemical spill more than 40 years ago that caused water and ground contamination nearby.
The school district claims medical and environmental investigations show no evidence of an infectious cause for the symptoms, but a 1999 report from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said the spilled TCE was absorbed into the ground, unlike the cyanide, which was removed completely. More...

Jan-29 -- FDA seizes nearly 14% of imported orange juice over fungicide
Test results released Friday by the Food and Drug Administration found that 11 shipments of orange juice stopped at the
Food Safety watch dog groups say a better solution would be for Brazil to find a better way to grow oranges or imports will cease, and for FDA to set stronger limits for banned pesticides. More...

Jan-29 -- CDC: Too few Americans getting screened for common cancers
For the ethnic subgroups, Asians were classified as Chinese, Filipino, or other Asian and Hispanics as Puerto Rican, Mexican, Mexican-American, Central or South American, or other Hispanic.
For colorectal cancer, screening for which is recommended for men and women between 50 and 75 years of age, the study found Hispanics were the least likely to report regular screenings (46.5%), followed by Asians (46.9%), African-Americans (55%), and whites (59.8%). More...

Jan-29 -- Caffeine may alter women's estrogen levels, study says
White women who consumed the same amount of caffeine had slightly lower estrogen levels than women who consumed less.
Moderate caffeine intake is associated with higher estrogen levels for Asians, but lower levels for whites. More...

Jan-29 -- Study: No link between HPV vaccine and autoimmune disorders
Besides Gardasil, another approved HPV vaccine called Cervarix is made by GlaxoSmithKline.
The participants had been followed for six months after receiving each dose of the quadrivalent HPV vaccine in 2006-2008. More...

Jan-29 -- Weekly Shot Gets FDA Nod for Type 2 Diabetes
Nearly two years after the FDA issued what became the first of two rejections, the agency has finally approved the Bydureon diabetes treatment, setting up what is going to be heated battle between Amylin Pharmaceuticals and Novo Nordisk , which sells a rival medicine called Victoza.
Severe allergic reactions can happen with BYDUREON. There have been no clinical studies establishing conclusive evidence of macrovascular risk reduction with BYDUREON or any other antidiabetic drug. More...

Jan-29 -- MA Health Reform: Got to Admit It's Getting Better
Perhaps many of you, like me, watched the debate and saw the exchange as it happened.
"And what Gov. Romney did last night was stand up and forcefully defend government controlling the health care system at the state level," Santorum said. More...

Jan-29 -- Federal birth control ruling upsets religious groups
Kevin Donovan, spokesman for the Diocese of Manchester, said health insurance for employees doesn't cover contraception, morning-after pills or sterilization.
Employers are having to face tough choices when it comes to complying with the burdensome federal mandates proposed under the health care law. More...

Jan-29 -- When health plans go high deductible
As a requirement of the Affordable Care Act of 2010, each state must establish an insurance exchange as a mechanism for consumers to purchase health insurance plans.
There are more similarities than differences between the state health care law Mitt Romney signed as governor of Massachusetts in 2006 and the federal health care law President Obama signed in 2010. More...

Jan-29 -- American Heart Association aims to educate women on disease risk
In honor of National Wear Red Day, NCBW 100 presents a heart healthy wine tasting event.
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Jan-29 -- Running for a cause can boost motivation
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The South Florida Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure® is working to better the lives of people facing breast cancer in the local community and through events like the Komen South Florida Race for the Cure®. More...

Jan-29 -- Free haircuts at Artistry in Hair Feb. 11 benefit Locks of Love
Madison Academy on Friday referred calls to Will Kneer, vice president of Romine Group Inc., in Utica, which manages the school.
I congratulate young Mr. Gaskins for surviving cancer, and I applaud him for his charitable intentions. More...

Jan-29 -- Paula Deen is caught chomping on cheeseburger despite revealing she has Type 2 ...
Paula Deen's sons were so distraught over her decision to plug a $500-a-month diabetes drug, they nearly bolted from the family management to strike out on their own.
The condition, linked to obesity, is a result of genetic factors and lifestyle choices. More...

Jan-29 -- Florida lawmakers push again to restrict abortions
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I am talking about deep-seated, irrational anger--anger at the world and at oneself--followed by depression and various other destructive psychological behaviors. More...

Jan-29 -- Winter Weather Leaves 40 Dead From Cold, 32 From flu in Mexico
Flu experts have said that people older than about 20 should have some protection against the swine H3N2 viruses, because similar viruses were circulating in humans in the 1990s.
Global health officials have remained vigilant for any unusual increases in oseltamivir-resistant 2009 H1N1 cases in the wake of earlier reports from Australia of clusters of resistant cases in certain areas of New South Wales during the Southern Hemisphere's 2011 flu season. More...

Jan-29 -- Autism: Brainwaves'show risk from age of six months'
The findings, published in the journal Current Biology, suggest direct brain measures might help predict the future risk of autism in babies as young as six months old, said Mark Johnson director of the Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development at Birkbeck College, University of London, who led the study.
Debate is raging over whether autism - a lifelong developmental disability - is grossly over-diagnosed following a huge increase in the number of kids diagnosed over the past decade. More...

Jan-29 -- Bird flu mutation studies must go on, says scientist
Professor Kawaoka leads one of the two teams of scientists that have created "airborne" strains of the H5N1 bird flu virus that can be transmitted in coughs and sneezes between laboratory ferrets, the standard animal "model" of human influenza.
"If we are asking society to take the substantial and unprecedented risks associated with a human-transmissible H5N1 strain with a nearly 60 percent case-fatality rate, we had better have a compelling, concrete, and realistic public health justification for it," Dr. Inglesby writes. More...

Jan-29 -- Pudgy pussycat gets revolutionary knee joint
Cyrano the cat is on the road to recovery.
Cyrano's owner is Sandy Lerner, who helped found Cisco Systems in 1984 and was forced out of the company in 1990. More...

Jan-29 -- Relay kickoff meeting set for Monday night
The kickoff starts at 6 p.m. in the Salem Conference Center ballroom.
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Jan-29 -- Why Home Births Are on the Rise
Home births are not a rejection of modern health care, says Vedam, who notes that planned home births -- not the "oops, the baby's coming and I can't make it to the hospital" kind -- involve a qualified birth attendant who brings oxygen, equipment for monitoring fetal heart rate and for resuscitation, if necessary, as well as medications to stop bleeding.
More...

Sunday

Jan-29 -- Erin Brockovich reps ordered off Le Roy school grounds
Environmental activist Erin Brockovich has started her own investigation into the mysterious illness that's caused symptoms of facial tics and verbal outbursts among teenagers in Le Roy, N.Y. , in light of new evidence about a toxic chemical spill more than 40 years ago that caused water and ground contamination nearby.
The school district said Saturday it is working with local and state agencies about the matter. More...

Jan-29 -- US Cancer Screening Below National Targets
For the ethnic subgroups, Asians were classified as Chinese, Filipino, or other Asian and Hispanics as Puerto Rican, Mexican, Mexican-American, Central or South American, or other Hispanic.
The report provides guidance for development programs to increase the use of screening tests to meet Healthy People 2020 targets and simultaneously reduce cancer morbidity and mortality. More...

Jan-29 -- Caffeine may alter women's estrogen levels, study says
White women who consumed the same amount of caffeine had slightly lower estrogen levels than women who consumed less.
Black women who consumed 200 mg of caffeine also had elevated levels of estrogen, but not elevated enough to be statistically significant for the number of women tested. More...

Jan-29 -- Teva Falls Most in Month on Competition, Recall: Tel Aviv Mover
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Nasdaq: TEVA ; TASE: TEVA ) U.S. subsidiary Cephalon has recalled a lot of its Treanda leukemia drug, because glass fragments were found in one of the vials.
Frazer, Pa. -based Cephalon recalled a production lot of Treanda's 25mg/8mL injections, used to treat chronic lymphocytic leukemia and a certain type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Teva said in a statement. More...

Jan-29 -- MA Health Reform: Got to Admit It's Getting Better
Perhaps many of you, like me, watched the debate and saw the exchange as it happened.
"What have YOU done to solve the heatlh care issues in the country?" Independents and others will care about that, and for them, RomneyCare would be an asset to Romney's general election campaign, assuming the base at least will vote no on Obama. More...

Jan-29 -- Pittsburgh Bishop Zubik: 'To Hell' With New Contraception Rules
Kevin Donovan, spokesman for the Diocese of Manchester, said health insurance for employees doesn't cover contraception, morning-after pills or sterilization.
The particular exemption applis "only to religious organizations engaged primarily in serving people of the same religion." More...

Jan-29 -- Running for a cause can boost motivation
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The South Florida Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure® is working to better the lives of people facing breast cancer in the local community and through events like the Komen South Florida Race for the Cure®. More...

Jan-29 -- Weekly Shot Gets FDA Nod for Type 2 Diabetes
Nearly two years after the FDA issued what became the first of two rejections, the agency has finally approved the Bydureon diabetes treatment, setting up what is going to be heated battle between Amylin Pharmaceuticals and Novo Nordisk , which sells a rival medicine called Victoza.
Severe allergic reactions can happen with BYDUREON. There have been no clinical studies establishing conclusive evidence of macrovascular risk reduction with BYDUREON or any other antidiabetic drug. More...

Jan-29 -- Paula Deen is caught chomping on cheeseburger despite revealing she has Type 2 ...
Paula Deen's sons were so distraught over her decision to plug a $500-a-month diabetes drug, they nearly bolted from the family management to strike out on their own.
Although, I can clear a doorway pretty easily. not really any trouble for me there. More...

Jan-29 -- Chambersburg-area dairy halts raw milk sales over bacteria concerns
The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is reporting multiple Campylobacter infection cases associated with consumption of unpasteurized, or raw, milk from the Family Cow dairy store in Chambersburg, PA. Health department officials are advising consumers to discard any product purchased from the farm since Jan. 1, 2012.
Information about the regulation of milk and dairy products in Maryland can be found on the health department's web site . More...

Jan-29 -- 7 percent of Americans infected with HPV virus
One in ten men are orally infected with the human papillomavirus, the nasty microscopic villain that can cause cancer of the genitals or throat.
Infection with human papillomavirus heightens the risk of developing cancer of the mouth and throat. More...

Jan-29 -- HPV Vaccine Not Linked To Autoimmune Disorders, Study
Besides Gardasil, another approved HPV vaccine called Cervarix is made by GlaxoSmithKline.
The study was founded by Merk & Co. and followed the participants six months after each dose of the Gardasil vaccine. More...

Jan-29 -- Cancer survivor suspended from school for long hair that he was growing for ...
Madison Academy on Friday referred calls to Will Kneer, vice president of Romine Group Inc., in Utica, which manages the school.
Friday was the fourth straight day of classes Gaskins has missed. More...

Jan-29 -- Why Home Births Are on the Rise
Women who are married and have already had a child are also more likely to have a home birth, the report found.
"Forty, 50 years ago, there was this idea that hospital birth was more modern. More...

Jan-29 -- Ex-clinic manager becomes abortion protester
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I am talking about deep-seated, irrational anger--anger at the world and at oneself--followed by depression and various other destructive psychological behaviors. More...

Jan-29 -- Winter Weather Leaves 40 Dead From Cold, 32 From flu in Mexico
Flu experts have said that people older than about 20 should have some protection against the swine H3N2 viruses, because similar viruses were circulating in humans in the 1990s.
Officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the percentage of respiratory specimens that were positive for seasonal flu inched higher to 4.9 percent for the week of Jan. 21 from 4.3 percent reported the week before, while doctor visits for flu-like illness are below national and regional baselines. More...

Jan-29 -- Redefining autism worries some Upstate parents
Under proposed changes to the definition and diagnosis of autism, much more specific symptoms would be needed in order for a doctor to make an autism diagnosis.
Autism is a spectrum of developmental and behavioral symptoms marked by impaired social and communication skills as well as a tendency for repetitive behaviors like rocking, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More...

Jan-29 -- The Tall Toll of High Heels
The nature and extent of the differences were surprising.
Australian scientists have found that wearing a three- to four-inch heel every day can permanently change the way that you walk by forcing the foot into a 'plantarflexed' position with downward-pointing toes. More...

Jan-29 -- Relay kickoff meeting set for Monday night
The kickoff starts at 6 p.m. in the Salem Conference Center ballroom.
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Jan-29 -- Pudgy pussycat gets revolutionary knee joint
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More...

Sunday

Jan-29 -- CDC: Too few Americans getting screened for common cancers
For the ethnic subgroups, Asians were classified as Chinese, Filipino, or other Asian and Hispanics as Puerto Rican, Mexican, Mexican-American, Central or South American, or other Hispanic.
Colorectal cancer screening is particularly underutilized, with 58.6 percent of the population getting one of three recommended tests for the malignancy that kills more than 50,000 Americans each year, according to the report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute. More...

Jan-29 -- Brockovich reps, media ordered off Le Roy school grounds
Environmental activist Erin Brockovich has started her own investigation into the mysterious illness that's caused symptoms of facial tics and verbal outbursts among teenagers in Le Roy, N.Y. , in light of new evidence about a toxic chemical spill more than 40 years ago that caused water and ground contamination nearby.
Brockovich has said "the facts simply do not add up." More...

Jan-29 -- CDC: Number of U.S. home births explode by 29%
Women who are married and have already had a child are also more likely to have a home birth, the report found.
The government analysis shows that the increase in home births came after a 14-year decline between 1990 and 2004. More...

Jan-29 -- WellPoint change may increase time with doc
Some of our pilots have experienced an 18 percent decrease in acute inpatient admissions and a 15 percent decrease in total ER visits while improving compliance with evidence-based treatment and preventative care guidelines," said Levine, who is responsible for leading the company's payment innovation strategies.
Fourth-quarter earnings excluding investment gains and losses were 99 cents a share, missing the average analyst estimate of $1.11. More...

Jan-29 -- Skin lesions typical of Morgellons, some containing blue fibers. (PLoS One)
The most distinctive and bizarre feature is unexplained fibers sticking out from the skin.
More broadly, the findings suggest that Morgellons disease may result from the downward mind/body spiral known as somatization or somatoform disorder. More...

Jan-29 -- Caffeine Alters Estrogen Levels
In African American women, caffeine's effect was inconclusive.
Consuming 200 milligrams or more of caffeine from coffee mirrored the findings for overall caffeine consumption, with Asians having elevated estrogen levels, whites having lower estrogen levels, and the results for blacks not statistically significant. More...

Jan-29 -- HPV Vaccine Not Linked To Autoimmune Disorders, Study
Besides Gardasil, another approved HPV vaccine called Cervarix is made by GlaxoSmithKline.
The study was founded by Merk & Co. and followed the participants six months after each dose of the Gardasil vaccine. More...

Jan-29 -- New school food guidelines mean healthier fare
First Lady Michelle Obama eats a healthy lunch with Virginia elementary kids Wednesday: The USDA is setting new calorie limits on school lunches.
The new rules "will greatly improve the nutrition quality of lunches and breakfasts," said Margo Wootan, director of nutrition policy for the Washington-based Center for Science in the Public Interest, which also supported an earlier set of rules. More...

Jan-29 -- Republicans fret about Romney and his Mass. health plan
Perhaps many of you, like me, watched the debate and saw the exchange as it happened.
Santorum, I think, did the best job of hitting Romney on Romneycare that has been done. More...

Jan-29 -- Our View: Bishops, Obama should work this one out
The new rules from the Department of Health and Human Services mandate insurance coverage for "preventive services," a category which the department ruled covers sterilization and contraception, including an abortifacient drug.
A Nov. 10 Times story, "Democrats Urge Obama to Protect Contraceptive Coverage in Health Plans," reported on Archbishop Dolan's meeting with Obama, but focused on the backroom efforts by Democratic abortion-rights activists to block any expansion of the religious exemption. More...

Jan-29 -- After surviving cancer, 10-year-old cat gets a new knee and chance at more ...
Cyrano the cat is on the road to recovery.
Cyrano's owner is Sandy Lerner, who helped found Cisco Systems in 1984 and was forced out of the company in 1990. More...

Jan-29 -- Winter Weather Leaves 40 Dead From Cold, 32 From flu in Mexico
Flu experts have said that people older than about 20 should have some protection against the swine H3N2 viruses, because similar viruses were circulating in humans in the 1990s.
Several of the people who have been infected have been hospitalized, but all have recovered. More...

Jan-29 -- Chambersburg-area dairy halts raw milk sales over bacteria concerns
The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is reporting multiple Campylobacter infection cases associated with consumption of unpasteurized, or raw, milk from the Family Cow dairy store in Chambersburg, PA. Health department officials are advising consumers to discard any product purchased from the farm since Jan. 1, 2012.
Information about the regulation of milk and dairy products in Maryland can be found on the health department's web site . More...

Jan-29 -- Amylin's Once-Weekly Diabetes Injection Finally Wins FDA Approval
The approval marks the third time the FDA has considered Bydureon, which is manufactured by Alkermes PLC and Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc. Previously the FDA had expressed concerns that it may increase the risk of heart problems.
"Bydureon is now the first and only weekly diabetes therapy approved in the United States," Amylin Chief Executive Officer Daniel Bradbury said today on a conference call. More...

Jan-29 -- Paula Deen is caught chomping on cheeseburger despite revealing she has Type 2 ...
Paula Deen's sons were so distraught over her decision to plug a $500-a-month diabetes drug, they nearly bolted from the family management to strike out on their own.
Type 2 diabetes is an ever-growing problem in the U.S., with around 20 million people suffering from the condition. More...

Jan-29 -- Cancer survivor suspended from school for long hair that he was growing for ...
Madison Academy on Friday referred calls to Will Kneer, vice president of Romine Group Inc., in Utica, which manages the school.
I congratulate young Mr. Gaskins for surviving cancer, and I applaud him for his charitable intentions. More...

Jan-29 -- Genetic Tests On Lung Cancer May Someday Guide Treatment
The study results, published Thursday in the medical journal The Lancet, come from the two largest clinical trials ever conducted on the molecular genetics of lung cancer and included early-stage patients from Northern California Kaiser hospitals as well as from China.
The Chinese trial had similar results (71%). More...

Jan-29 -- How wearing high heels regularly can ruin the way you walk ¿ even after you ...
The nature and extent of the differences were surprising.
The high heel wearers' feet, calves, muscles, and tendons were royally messed up. More...

Jan-29 -- Massachusetts woman overwhelmed by 71 rats hands them to shelter
BOSTON (CBS) What started as an attempt to rescue two rats from becoming snake food has turned into a woman from Sandwich surrendering 71 rats to the MSPCA. The woman, who is not being identified, told officials she had rescued the two rats from a pet store just a few months ago.
A rat delivered to the MSPCA's adoption center in Boston by a Sandwich woman. More...

Jan-29 -- Schools deal with whooping cough
Since the 1980s, the number of cases of pertussis in the U.S. has gradually increased, with 25,000 reported cases in 2005, the highest number of cases since 1959.
More...

Saturday

Jan-28 -- Tainted imported orange juice banned in U.S.
Test results released Friday by the Food and Drug Administration found that 11 shipments of orange juice stopped at the
The FDA say 19 of the 45 samples are safe, but the rest are "pending analysis and/or are under compliance review." More...

Jan-28 -- Erin Brockovich Launches Investigation Into Tic Illness Affecting NY Teenagers
Environmental activist Erin Brockovich has started her own investigation into the mysterious illness that's caused symptoms of facial tics and verbal outbursts among teenagers in Le Roy, N.Y., in light of new evidence about a toxic chemical spill more than 40 years ago that caused water and ground contamination nearby.
The environmental activist Erin told the reporters that several families of teenagers having the disease along with similar symptoms came to her. More...

Jan-28 -- CDC report: U.S. breast cancer screening below national targets
For the ethnic subgroups, Asians were classified as Chinese, Filipino, or other Asian and Hispanics as Puerto Rican, Mexican, Mexican-American, Central or South American, or other Hispanic.
Experts say women in Texas face a greater-than-average risk of being diagnosed with cervical cancer. More...

Jan-28 -- Caffeine Alters Estrogen Levels
In African American women, caffeine's effect was inconclusive.
Consuming 200 milligrams or more of caffeine from coffee mirrored the findings for overall caffeine consumption, with Asians having elevated estrogen levels, whites having lower estrogen levels, and the results for blacks not statistically significant. More...

Jan-28 -- Study: No link between HPV vaccine and autoimmune disorders
Besides Gardasil, another approved HPV vaccine called Cervarix is made by GlaxoSmithKline.
CHICAGO (AP) -- An acid reflux drug often used for hard-to-treat asthma doesn't help children with the breathing disease and may cause side effects, a study in 300 children found. More...

Jan-28 -- WellPoint change may increase time with doc
Some of our pilots have experienced an 18 percent decrease in acute inpatient admissions and a 15 percent decrease in total ER visits while improving compliance with evidence-based treatment and preventative care guidelines," said Levine, who is responsible for leading the company's payment innovation strategies.
Doctors will earn additional revenue through an increase in regular fees and shared savings payments based on quality outcomes and medical costs, the company said. More...

Jan-28 -- Breast implant company's founder charged, attorney says
French authorities have been criticised for being slow to react to a case that has sown fear among tens of thousands of women who carry PIP implants.
Authorities worldwide have been scrambling to deal with the scandal and decide who will pay to remove the implants made with cheap, industrial-grade silicone instead of medical-grade gel. More...

Jan-28 -- Skin lesions typical of Morgellons, some containing blue fibers. (PLoS One)
The most distinctive and bizarre feature is unexplained fibers sticking out from the skin.
The 15-man team found that 115 patients had the symptoms of Morgellons. More...

Jan-28 -- Diabetes Drug Injected Weekly Wins FDA Approval
The approval marks the third time the FDA has considered Bydureon, which is manufactured by Alkermes PLC and Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc. Previously the FDA had expressed concerns that it may increase the risk of heart problems.
The label for the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist came as expected, indicating the drug as an adjunct to diet and exercise for improving glycemic control in adults with Type II diabetes. More...

Jan-28 -- New school food guidelines mean healthier fare
First Lady Michelle Obama eats a healthy lunch with Virginia elementary kids Wednesday: The USDA is setting new calorie limits on school lunches.
School meals will now offer twice as many fruits and vegetables and a greater variety, and eventually, all the grains will need to be whole grain. More...

Jan-28 -- Autism signs 'can be detected in 6-month-old babies' by measuring brain activity
The findings suggest direct brain measures might help predict the future risk of autism in babies as young as 6 months old, said Mark Johnson of Birkbeck at the University of London, who led the study.
A study has revealed that if doctors detect autism symptoms in the first year of baby then they would be able to predict the pattern of autism which a child is going to develop in his later years. More...

Jan-28 -- After surviving cancer, 10-year-old cat gets a new knee and chance at more ...
Cyrano the cat is on the road to recovery.
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Jan-28 -- MA Health Reform: Got to Admit It's Getting Better
Matt Rourke / AP Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney offered a spirited defense of the individual mandate during Thursday night's GOP presidential candidate debate in Jacksonville, Fla. For a candidate who keeps vowing to repeal the 2010 federal Affordable Care Act, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney sure can make a convincing argument on its behalf.
Now, taking it Federal is another thing. More...

Jan-28 -- Md. health officials issue warning on raw milk
The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is reporting multiple Campylobacter infection cases associated with consumption of unpasteurized, or raw, milk from the Family Cow dairy store in Chambersburg, PA. Health department officials are advising consumers to discard any product purchased from the farm since Jan. 1, 2012.
Information about the regulation of milk and dairy products in Maryland can be found on the health department's web site . More...

Jan-28 -- Cancer survivor suspended from school for long hair that he was growing for ...
Madison Academy on Friday referred calls to Will Kneer, vice president of Romine Group Inc., in Utica, which manages the school.
I agree with you 100%, Wryview. More...

Jan-28 -- Studies show men are more likely to experience slight memory loss than women ...
Washington, Jan 26 (ANI): A new study has revealed that men may be at a higher risk of experiencing mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or the stage of mild memory loss that occurs between normal aging and dementia, than women.
"We need to take a step back and ask if we are really doing the job we need to control the things we know are modifiable." More...

Jan-28 -- New Avastin tests add to confusion over use in breast cancer
The drugs Avastin and Sutent have been looked at as potential breast cancer treatments.
Stem cells, which make up just a tiny bit of a tumor, continuously replicate, providing organs and tissues an endless supply of new cells. More...

Jan-28 -- HHS Mandate an Affront to Truth: Catholics Must Defend Religious Freedom
The new rules from the Department of Health and Human Services mandate insurance coverage for "preventive services," a category which the department ruled covers sterilization and contraception, including an abortifacient drug.
"I don't know why our president is not doing so after speaking so wonderfully about compromise and all of us working together and joining together." More...

Jan-28 -- Bars would get a short breather under a statewide smoking ban proposed in the ...
The current bill would prohibit smoking in nearly all public places and workplaces, including bars.
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Saturday

Jan-28 -- US Cancer Screening Below National Targets
For the ethnic subgroups, Asians were classified as Chinese, Filipino, or other Asian and Hispanics as Puerto Rican, Mexican, Mexican-American, Central or South American, or other Hispanic.
"We have made progress, but breast and cervical cancer screening rates appear to have plateaued," says Marcus Plescia, MD, MPH, who directs the CDC Division of Cancer Prevention and Control. More...

Jan-28 -- Erin Brockovich Launches Investigation Into Tic Illness Affecting NY Teenagers
Environmental activist Erin Brockovich has started her own investigation into the mysterious illness that's caused symptoms of facial tics and verbal outbursts among teenagers in Le Roy, N.Y., in light of new evidence about a toxic chemical spill more than 40 years ago that caused water and ground contamination nearby.
Many of the teens in the group have "been diagnosed with conversion disorder -- a psychological condition that causes physical symptoms like jerky tics, convulsions and even paralysis" but Erin Brockovich thinks there may be more to the story. More...

Jan-28 -- Maker of Faulty Breast Implants Is Released on Bail
PARIS: A French judge on Friday charged the founder of the breast implant company at the heart of a global health scare with "involuntary injuries", prosecutors said.
A secretary at the Toulon office of Haddad told The Associated Press that the defense lawyer was with Mas during police questioning, and was not immediately available for comment. More...

Jan-28 -- US FDA approves Pfizer's Inlyta for kidney cancer
Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) announced today that the FDA has approved Inlyta, a kinase inhibitor, for the treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma after failure of one prior systemic therapy.
In a study of 723 people with the advanced form of kidney cancer, the most common side effects of Inlyta included diarrhea, high blood pressure, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, loss of voice, weight loss, weakness and constipation. More...

Jan-28 -- Autism signs 'can be detected in 6-month-old babies' by measuring brain activity
The findings suggest direct brain measures might help predict the future risk of autism in babies as young as 6 months old, said Mark Johnson of Birkbeck at the University of London, who led the study.
The study suggests that the "autistic brain" processes social information differently right at the start of life. More...

Jan-28 -- HPV study finds 7% of US teens, adults carry virus in mouths
HPV, the human papillomavirus, is best known for causing cervical cancer and genital warts, but it also causes cancers at the back of the throat, tonsils and base of the tongue, says study author Maura Gillison, a professor at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Here's evidence the vaccine is essential to men as well: The CDC just released the results of a new study that found that men have significantly more oral HPV infections than women. More...

Jan-28 -- Study finds no link between school junk food, obesity
First Lady Michelle Obama eats a healthy lunch with Virginia elementary kids Wednesday: The USDA is setting new calorie limits on school lunches.
Nobody is mandating what you feed your children. More...

Jan-28 -- Too many rheumatoid arthritis patients inactive, study finds
While there is a lot said about people living sedentary lifestyle, it is being believed that there are as many as over 40% of rheumatoid arthritis patients who are living such life.
Some other factors which were also monitored during the study were link between sedentary lifestyle and obesity and frequency of pain in the joints. More...

Jan-28 -- Amylin diabetes drug approved
The approval marks the third time the FDA has considered Bydureon, which is manufactured by Alkermes PLC and Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc. Previously the FDA had expressed concerns that it may increase the risk of heart problems.
Under the terms, Lilly handed over all U.S. sales of the exenatide franchise to Amylin at the end of 2011. More...

Jan-28 -- After surviving cancer, 10-year-old cat gets a new knee and chance at more ...
Cyrano the cat is on the road to recovery.
Marcellin-Little said the tabby's girth and big bones were a plus. More...

Jan-28 -- MA Health Reform: Got to Admit It's Getting Better
Governor Romney was the author of Romneycare, which is a top- down government-run health care system which, read an article today, has 15 different items directly in common with Obamacare, everything from the increase in the Medicaid program, not just that government is going to mandate you buy something that's a condition of breathing, mandate that you buy an insurance policy, something that Governor Romney agreed to at the state level, something Congressman Gingrich for 20 years advocated, that the federal government can force each and every person to enter into a private contract.
ROMNEY: I didn't say I'm in favor of top-down government-run health care. More...

Jan-28 -- Mike Stechshulte: Obama's attack on Catholicism continues
The new rules from the Department of Health and Human Services mandate insurance coverage for "preventive services," a category which the department ruled covers sterilization and contraception, including an abortifacient drug.
Catholics are expressing their serious concerns about the Department of Health and Human Services' implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that will force business owners to fund employee birth control, abortion drugs and sterilization procedures. More...

Jan-28 -- Paula Deen is caught chomping on cheeseburger despite revealing she has Type 2 ...
Paula Deen's sons were so distraught over her decision to plug a $500-a-month diabetes drug, they nearly bolted from the family management to strike out on their own.
Haaa. Well, given that she told the TODAY show that she doesn't want to "let diabetes stand in the way of enjoying life," I guess we shouldn't be all that surprised that Paula is, in fact, enjoying her favorite way of life. More...

Jan-28 -- How wearing high heels regularly can ruin the way you walk ¿ even after you ...
The nature and extent of the differences were surprising.
Alternate your shoes so the tendon will not get use to the same height every day. More...

Jan-28 -- An Rx? Pay More to Family Doctors
Some of our pilots have experienced an 18 percent decrease in acute inpatient admissions and a 15 percent decrease in total ER visits while improving compliance with evidence-based treatment and preventative care guidelines," said Levine, who is responsible for leading the company's payment innovation strategies.
WellPoint is of the view that by bringing necessary changes in the primary-care reimbursement, it would provide doctors an opportunity to pay more attention over the care of the patients by utilizing more time. More...

Jan-28 -- Studies show men are more likely to experience slight memory loss than women ...
Washington, Jan 26 (ANI): A new study has revealed that men may be at a higher risk of experiencing mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or the stage of mild memory loss that occurs between normal aging and dementia, than women.
"We need to take a step back and ask if we are really doing the job we need to control the things we know are modifiable." More...

Jan-28 -- Lower-limb amputations have declined among diabetics
There has been a large drop in the rate of leg and foot amputations among Americans aged 40 and over with diagnosed diabetes, according to a new study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published in the February issue of Diabetes Care.
To evaluate trends in rates of hospitalization for nontraumatic lower-extremity amputation between adults with diabetes and those without the disease, Yanfeng Li, MD, MPH, Burrows and colleagues examined data from the National Hospital Discharge Survey on lower-limb amputation procedures and the National Health Interview Survey on diabetes prevalence from 1988 to 2008. More...

Jan-28 -- Hooked ... Stacey Irvine eating chicken nuggets
A TEENAGE girl who has eaten almost nothing else except chicken nuggets for 15 years has been warned by doctors the junk food is killing her.
'McDonald's chicken nuggets are my favourite. More...

Jan-28 -- Grasping at autism
Part of the human condition is loss, and the normal grief following the death of a loved one.
Currently, to qualify for a diagnosis of depression, five of nine symptoms are needed for at least two weeks. More...

Jan-28 -- Home births rose during recent five-year stretch
About half of home births were to women with at least two previous children, compared with 28% of hospital births.
More...

Saturday

Jan-28 -- Erin Brockovich Launches Investigation Into Tic Illness Affecting NY Teenagers
Environmental activist Erin Brockovich has started her own investigation into the mysterious illness that's caused symptoms of facial tics and verbal outbursts among teenagers in Le Roy, N.Y., in light of new evidence about a toxic chemical spill more than 40 years ago that caused water and ground contamination nearby.
Brockovich, whose California water-contamination case became a motion picture starring Julia Roberts, and Lois Gibbs, who led the homeowners at Love Canal in Niagara Falls, N.Y., have been talking to parents of some of the 15 teens who have developed involuntary twitches and verbal outbursts, the Rochester (N.Y.) More...

Jan-28 -- CDC: U.S. cancer screening remains below national targets
For the ethnic subgroups, Asians were classified as Chinese, Filipino, or other Asian and Hispanics as Puerto Rican, Mexican, Mexican-American, Central or South American, or other Hispanic.
The report provides guidance for development programs to increase the use of screening tests to meet Healthy People 2020 targets and simultaneously reduce cancer morbidity and mortality. More...

Jan-28 -- Maker of Faulty Breast Implants Is Released on Bail
PARIS: A French judge on Friday charged the founder of the breast implant company at the heart of a global health scare with "involuntary injuries", prosecutors said.
The detention could lead within hours to Mr Mas being placed under formal investigation on suspicion of manslaughter and causing bodily harm. More...

Jan-28 -- White House: Don't Scrap ACA If Mandate Thrown Out
California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today led 10 states in filing a friend-of-the-court brief in the U.S. Supreme Court urging the high court not to invalidate the federal health care reform law in its entirety if that court decides the minimum coverage provision is unconstitutional.
The court will hear oral arguments in March in a case brought by 26 states and others. More...

Jan-28 -- Maker Recalls 2200 Tubes Of Aveeno Baby Lotion
The company said a test by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration showed that the lot of Aveeno lotion "exceeded the specifications for common bacteria" allowed for consumer products.
More...

Jan-28 -- Caffeine Alters Estrogen Levels in Younger Women
White women who consumed the same amount of caffeine had slightly lower estrogen levels than women who consumed less.
When you consider that a 12-ounce cup of coffee provides 230 milligrams of caffeine and a 12-ounce soda can provides 36 milligrams, most of us can safely continue to enjoy our favorite caffeinated drinks without worry. More...

Jan-28 -- Morgellons disease probably a delusion
A half-million-dollar study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found no obvious medical explanation for a mysterious and controversial skin disease whose sufferers report a crawling sensation on or under their skin and fibers emerging from it.
I think it probably is a psychiatric condition. More...

Jan-28 -- HPV study finds 7% of US teens, adults carry virus in mouths
HPV, the human papillomavirus, is best known for causing cervical cancer and genital warts, but it also causes cancers at the back of the throat, tonsils and base of the tongue, says study author Maura Gillison, a professor at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Studies show that about 42% of women have a current genital HPV infection. More...

Jan-28 -- New Avastin tests add to confusion over use in breast cancer
A U.S. study of 1,206 patients and a German study of 1,948 patients found that adding Avastin to chemotherapy in patients with breast tumors that haven't spread to other organs slightly increased the likelihood of a tumor shrinking to an undetectable level.
Stem cells, which make up just a tiny bit of a tumor, continuously replicate, providing organs and tissues an endless supply of new cells. More...

Jan-28 -- Letter: School meal guidelines good choice for students
The new school-meal standards announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wednesday are the first changes to the standards in more than 15 years, and are a major component of the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act passed last year.
Many school districts, including Parkway and Clayton, are working to source more produce locally. More...

Jan-28 -- Three Becomes Magic Number for Amylin; Bydureon Finally Secures Approval in the US
The approval marks the third time the FDA has considered Bydureon, which is manufactured by Alkermes PLC and Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc. Previously the FDA had expressed concerns that it may increase the risk of heart problems.
For more information, please visit Alkermes' website at www.alkermes.com. More...

Jan-28 -- Autism: Brainwaves'show risk from age of six months'
The findings suggest direct brain measures might help predict the future risk of autism in babies as young as 6 months old, said Mark Johnson of Birkbeck at the University of London, who led the study.
Earlier insights Children who develop autism already show signs of different brain responses in their first year of life, say scientists in a study that may in the future help doctors diagnose the disorder earlier. More...

Jan-28 -- Study Finds Virus to Be Fast Learner on Infecting
"When you have three of the four mutations, the virus is still unable to infect (the E. coli)," Meyer said.
All four of the mutations were necessary for the viruses to latch onto OmpF. "When you have three of the four mutations, the virus is still unable to infect (the E. coli)," Meyer said, as quoted by MSNBC. "When you have four of four, they all interact with each other. More...

Jan-28 -- Romney's Unlikely And Persuasive Defense Of The 'Individual Mandate'
Governor Romney was the author of Romneycare, which is a top- down government-run health care system which, read an article today, has 15 different items directly in common with Obamacare, everything from the increase in the Medicaid program, not just that government is going to mandate you buy something that's a condition of breathing, mandate that you buy an insurance policy, something that Governor Romney agreed to at the state level, something Congressman Gingrich for 20 years advocated, that the federal government can force each and every person to enter into a private contract.
"Massachusetts's 2006 reform effort was built on many years of incremental reforms, with bipartisan political support, strong commitment to reform across stakeholders, and a strong economic environment," the study says. More...

Jan-28 -- WellPoint to pay doctors more for better care
Some of our pilots have experienced an 18 percent decrease in acute inpatient admissions and a 15 percent decrease in total ER visits while improving compliance with evidence-based treatment and preventative care guidelines," said Levine, who is responsible for leading the company's payment innovation strategies.
WellPoint plans to begin implementing the patient-centered primary care program during the third quarter in select markets that show the greatest need based on health quality data, member outcomes and health care costs. More...

Jan-28 -- Paula Deen is caught chomping on cheeseburger despite revealing she has Type 2 ...
Paula Deen's sons were so distraught over her decision to plug a $500-a-month diabetes drug, they nearly bolted from the family management to strike out on their own.
Looks like Paula Deen's sons aren't exactly thrilled their mom has been plugging a diabetes drug that costs $500 each month. More...

Jan-28 -- Pfizer Wins US Approval for Advanced Kidney-Cancer Drug
Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) announced today that the FDA has approved Inlyta, a kinase inhibitor, for the treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma after failure of one prior systemic therapy.
Inlyta is a pill that patients take twice a day. More...

Jan-28 -- Genetic Tests On Lung Cancer May Someday Guide Treatment
The two independent clinical trials included one blinded study involving the analysis of tissue samples from 433 people with early-stage lung cancer in northern California and another study involving 1,006 people with early-stage lung cancer in China.
Only about 30 percent of patients in the United States are detected in the earliest stage of the disease, contributing to the low overall survival rate. More...

Jan-28 -- How wearing high heels regularly can ruin the way you walk ¿ even after you ...
The nature and extent of the differences were surprising.
Well, that's certainly not an ideal attribute in a shoe. More...

Friday

Jan-27 -- Breast implant scandal: What went wrong?
PARIS: A French judge on Friday charged the founder of the breast implant company at the heart of a global health scare with "involuntary injuries", prosecutors said.
Mas was arrested over an investigation opened last month in Marseille into the health implications of PIP's breast implants. More...

Jan-27 -- Erin Brockovich Launches Investigation Into Tic Illness Affecting NY Teenagers
Environmental activist Erin Brockovich has started her own investigation into the mysterious illness that's caused symptoms of facial tics and verbal outbursts among teenagers in Le Roy, N.Y. , in light of new evidence about a toxic chemical spill more than 40 years ago that caused water and ground contamination nearby.
Two neurologists treating 10 girls conclude the cause is conversion disorder, a condition that causes real symptoms but has no physical cause. More...

Jan-27 -- CDC: Too few Americans getting screened for common cancers
For the ethnic subgroups, Asians were classified as Chinese, Filipino, or other Asian and Hispanics as Puerto Rican, Mexican, Mexican-American, Central or South American, or other Hispanic.
Colorectal cancer - average risk males and females aged 50 to 75 years should be screened using high-sensitivity FOBT (fecal occult blood test) at home annually. More...

Jan-27 -- FDA OKs Axitinib for Kidney Cancer
Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) announced today that the FDA has approved Inlyta, a kinase inhibitor, for the treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma after failure of one prior systemic therapy.
Inlyta is a pill that patients take twice a day. More...

Jan-27 -- Lung Tumor Gene Test Predicts Surgery Outcomes
The two independent clinical trials included one blinded study involving the analysis of tissue samples from 433 people with early-stage lung cancer in northern California and another study involving 1,006 people with early-stage lung cancer in China.
In multivariate analyses, no other risk factors -- including age, sex, smoking history, histology, and disease stage -- could account for the prognostic information provided by the assay. More...

Jan-27 -- HPV study finds 7 percent of US teens, adults carry virus in mouths
HPV, the human papillomavirus, is best known for causing cervical cancer and genital warts, but it also causes cancers at the back of the throat, tonsils and base of the tongue, says study author Maura Gillison, a professor at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center.
A first-of-its kind study released Thursday estimates that about one in 14 Americans carries in their mouths and throats a sexually transmitted virus that can cause a virulent form of cancer. More...

Jan-27 -- Excessive overtime doubles depression risk
The study, published in PLoS ONE focused on more than 2,000 Whitehall civil servants with various jobs, salaries and working hours, who had been recruited in the early 1990s for the study of employees aged 35 to 55.
'Overtime work and incident coronary heart disease: the Whitehall II prospective cohort study', Marianna Virtanen, European Heart Journal. More...

Jan-27 -- Caffeine Alters Estrogen Levels in Younger Women
About 89 percent of U.S. women ages 18 to 34 consume the caffeine equivalent of 1.5 to two cups of coffee a day, according to the authors.
Why caffeine would have a different impact depending on race was unclear, though Dr. Schisterman said it was likely that genetics has an influence on caffeine metabolism. More...

Jan-27 -- Amylin, Alkermes Diabetes Drug Wins Approval on Third Try
The drug is designed to work by helping the body to make more insulin, which can reduce high blood-sugar levels.
For more information, please visit Alkermes' website at www.alkermes.com. More...

Jan-27 -- Santorum's Attacks on Romney Health Plan Could Help Democrats
Governor Romney was the author of Romneycare, which is a top- down government-run health care system which, read an article today, has 15 different items directly in common with Obamacare, everything from the increase in the Medicaid program, not just that government is going to mandate you buy something that's a condition of breathing, mandate that you buy an insurance policy, something that Governor Romney agreed to at the state level, something Congressman Gingrich for 20 years advocated, that the federal government can force each and every person to enter into a private contract.
Mitt Romney may not like to hear it, but if you want to know what health reform will look like for the United States, look to what's happening in Massachusetts, a team of experts said on Wednesday. More...

Jan-27 -- Early warning: Soon, a test to spot autism in 6-month-olds
The findings suggest direct brain measures might help predict the future risk of autism in babies as young as 6 months old, said Mark Johnson of Birkbeck at the University of London, who led the study.
A lack of eye contact is a feature in many older children with autism. More...

Jan-27 -- Researchers: Experiment shows viruses evolving more quickly
"When you have three of the four mutations, the virus is still unable to infect (the E. coli)," Meyer said.
The publication of the study in the journal Science comes amid controversy over an experiment in which a deadly strain of the bird flu virus developed the ability to spread among mammals. More...

Jan-27 -- Too many rheumatoid arthritis patients inactive, study finds
53 percent of the patients weren't motivated to do physical activity and 49 percent didn't think exercise would benefit them, Lee's group found.
Of the risk factors measured, two stood out: a lack of motivation to exercise, and a lack of awareness that exercise can protect joints and ease pain. More...

Jan-27 -- Mental Stimulation Might Cut Dementia Risk
Keeping the brain active and stimulated throughout life can prevent the build up of amyloid plaque associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Dr. William Jagust of the University of California, Berkeley, explained that "Beta amyloid is the protein that many people feel may be the initiating factor in Alzheimer's disease. More...

Jan-27 -- Paula Deen's Sons Were Also Upset Over Her Deenabetes
Paula Deen's sons were so distraught over her decision to plug a $500-a-month diabetes drug, they nearly bolted from the family management to strike out on their own.
According to the People magazine, Paula is said to be under doctor's orders to steer clear of high-calorie foods. More...

Jan-27 -- Health insurer WellPoint plans to revamp primary care pay to improve quality ...
Some of our pilots have experienced an 18 percent decrease in acute inpatient admissions and a 15 percent decrease in total ER visits while improving compliance with evidence-based treatment and preventative care guidelines," said Levine, who is responsible for leading the company's payment innovation strategies.
Fourth-quarter earnings excluding investment gains and losses were 99 cents a share, missing the average analyst estimate of $1.11. More...

Jan-27 -- Jumbo problem: 'Elephant cuisine' fad poses fresh extinction threat
"The poachers took away the elephants' sex organs and trunks for human consumption," Damrong Phidet, director-general of Thailand's wildlife agency, told The Associated Press.
In Australia today, the Herald-Sun, largest circulating newspaper in the country, carried the article under the headline: ''Poachers get a taste for elephant meat.'' More...

Jan-27 -- Infinity craters after lead drug flunks PhII cancer study
Infinity Pharmaceuticals' ( $INFI ) lead therapy failed a critical mid-stage hurdle as investigators moved to shut down a study for pancreatic cancer after the treatment in combination with a common chemotherapy failed to outperform the placebo-chemo combo in improving the overall survival of the metastatic patients involved.
Infinity is also testing IPI-926 in Phase 2 trials as a potential treatment for myelofibrosis, a bone marrow malignancy that currently has no cure, and chondrosarcoma, a rare cartilage cancer that can be life threatening. More...

Jan-27 -- Lower-limb amputations have declined among diabetics
There has been a large drop in the rate of leg and foot amputations among Americans aged 40 and over with diagnosed diabetes, according to a new study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published in the February issue of Diabetes Care.
To evaluate trends in rates of hospitalization for nontraumatic lower-extremity amputation between adults with diabetes and those without the disease, Yanfeng Li, MD, MPH, Burrows and colleagues examined data from the National Hospital Discharge Survey on lower-limb amputation procedures and the National Health Interview Survey on diabetes prevalence from 1988 to 2008. More...

Friday

Jan-27 -- PIP breast implant founder arrested
PARIS: A French judge on Friday charged the founder of the breast implant company at the heart of a global health scare with "involuntary injuries", prosecutors said.
A secretary at the Toulon office of Haddad told The Associated Press that the defense lawyer was with Mas during police questioning, and was not immediately available for comment. More...

Jan-27 -- CDC: Too few Americans getting screened for common cancers
For the ethnic subgroups, Asians were classified as Chinese, Filipino, or other Asian and Hispanics as Puerto Rican, Mexican, Mexican-American, Central or South American, or other Hispanic.
Colorectal cancer almost always develops from precancerous growths in the colon or rectum. More...

Jan-27 -- Lower Limb Amputation Rates Associated With Diabetes Drop, US
Among diabetes patients ages 40 and up, hospital discharge rates for nontraumatic lower-extremity amputation fell an average of 8.6% per year between 1996 and 2008 ( P <0.01), Nilka Rios Burrows, PhD, of the CDC, and colleagues reported in Diabetes Care.
While the decline is encouraging, CDC epidemiologist Nilka Rios Burrows, MPH, says much more could be done to reduce amputation rates among diabetic people. More...

Jan-27 -- New Gene Test Could 'Sort' Lung Cancer Cases
The two independent clinical trials included one blinded study involving the analysis of tissue samples from 433 people with early-stage lung cancer in northern California and another study involving 1,006 people with early-stage lung cancer in China.
Then an algorithm developed by Pinpoint is used to calculate the patient's risk of dying from the disease. More...

Jan-27 -- Overtime overwhelms your mind, study shows
The study, published in PLoS ONE focused on more than 2,000 Whitehall civil servants with various jobs, salaries and working hours, who had been recruited in the early 1990s for the study of employees aged 35 to 55.
"Although occasionally working overtime may have benefits for the individual and society," said lead author Marianna Virtanen in a news release, "it is important to recognize that working excessive hours is also associated with an increased risk of major depression." More...

Jan-27 -- Health Insurers Say Telling Truth On Costs Is Just Too Expensive
Consumer advocates say they fear the administration may heed industry complaints that the regulation as proposed last summer is too costly, burdensome and intrusive.
Lynn Quincy, a senior policy analyst for Consumers Union, said the advocacy groups have learned that two of the coverage examples may be omitted in the final regulation, leaving only a comparison of maternity costs, at least at the outset. More...

Jan-27 -- Men Are More Likely to Have Oral HPV than Women
HPV, the human papillomavirus, is best known for causing cervical cancer and genital warts, but it also causes cancers at the back of the throat, tonsils and base of the tongue, says study author Maura Gillison, a professor at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center.
The current finding comes on the heels of a report published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology last October that showed a dramatic two-decade rise in the incidence of oral cancers attributed to HPV infection. More...

Jan-27 -- Babies' gaze may reveal early signs of autism
The findings suggest direct brain measures might help predict the future risk of autism in babies as young as 6 months old, said Mark Johnson of Birkbeck at the University of London, who led the study.
Earlier studies have revealed characteristic patterns of brain activity in response to eye contact with another person, and older children with autism are known to show unusual patterns of eye contact and brain responses. More...

Jan-27 -- Too many rheumatoid arthritis patients inactive, study finds
"Our results suggest that public health initiatives need to address the lack of motivation to exercise and promote the benefits of physical activity to reduce the prevalence of inactivity" in rheumatoid arthritis patients, Lee said in a statement.
Aerobic exercise in particular has been recommended for rheumatoid arthritis patients for improving overall body function and lessening joint pain. More...

Jan-27 -- Brain Bank Examines Athletes' Hard Hits
His mom, Connie, recalls, "He was an athlete, but school was important.
The Brain Bank is a joint project between the Department of Veterans, Boston University, and the Sports Legacy Institute. More...

Jan-27 -- Santorum: 'Get mad' about health care
The CNN debate: As to health care in Massachusetts, after Romney said that people who didn't want to buy insurance under his plan could pay a fee (a tax payment) to compensate the state for the (federally mandated) hospital care that they are entitled to, and Santorum countered by saying that the number of people who choose to pay the fine has gone up by a multiple of five, given that the cost of insurance has gone so high under this cover-everybody system.
Despite high costs, the study authors said the state has made impressive gains in improving healthcare coverage, access, and (at least the self-reported) health of residents. More...

Jan-27 -- Insurer WellPoint to revamp primary care pay
Some of our pilots have experienced an 18 percent decrease in acute inpatient admissions and a 15 percent decrease in total ER visits while improving compliance with evidence-based treatment and preventative care guidelines," said Levine, who is responsible for leading the company's payment innovation strategies.
WellPoint plans to begin implementing the patient-centered primary care program during the third quarter in select markets that show the greatest need based on health quality data, member outcomes and health care costs. More...

Jan-27 -- Skin lesions typical of Morgellons, some containing blue fibers. (PLoS One)
A half-million-dollar study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found no obvious medical explanation for a mysterious and controversial skin disease whose sufferers report a crawling sensation on or under their skin and fibers emerging from it.
More broadly, the findings suggest that Morgellons disease may result from the downward mind/body spiral known as somatization or somatoform disorder. More...

Jan-27 -- Home births gaining popularity in the US
Women who are married and have already had a child are also more likely to have a home birth, the report found.
Home births gaining popularity in the U.S. Skip to navigation Skip to content Help using this website - Accessibility statement JavaScript disabled. More...

Jan-27 -- USDA's New Rules for School Lunches
First Lady Michelle Obama eats a healthy lunch with Virginia elementary kids Wednesday: The USDA is setting new calorie limits on school lunches.
Obama and Vilsack announced the new guidelines -- the first major nutrition overhaul of school meals in more than 15 years -- at the Parklawn elementary school in Alexandria, Virginia. More...

Jan-27 -- More Swine Flu Screening as Cases Increase in Mexico
According to the Arizona Department of Health Services flu season has started, with 25 laboratory confirmed cases throughout the state as of Jan. 16, 2012.
Per the CDC, every year in the United States on average between 5 and 20 percent of the population gets the flu, more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu complications; and about 36,000 people die from the illness. More...

Jan-27 -- Men Have Higher Risk of Memory Loss
Washington, Jan 26 (ANI): A new study has revealed that men may be at a higher risk of experiencing mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or the stage of mild memory loss that occurs between normal aging and dementia, than women.
An accompanying editorial in the journal of Neurology by Kenneth Rockwood, M.D., a professor of geriatric medicine at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, says in some cases, the brain can actually repair itself. More...

Jan-27 -- Exposure to Common Chemicals May Weaken Vaccine Response
Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) -- organic chemicals containing fluorine -- are used in food packaging and industrial manufacturing.
TIME reports that kids "whose PFC levels were twice as high had half the amount of antibodies to diphtheria and tetanus," and that by the seven-year mark, "kids with a twofold increase in PFC levels were also two to four times more likely to show an immune response that was so low that it was no longer clinically protective." More...

Jan-27 -- Activist Erin Brockovich looking into teens' mystery ailment
Environmental activist Erin Brockovich has started her own investigation into the mysterious illness that's caused symptoms of facial tics and verbal outbursts among teenagers in Le Roy, N.Y., in light of new evidence about a toxic chemical spill more than 40 years ago that caused water and ground contamination nearby.
Some report fainting spells and seizures, too. More...

Friday

Jan-27 -- French implant boss released, faces bodily harm charge
MARSEILLE, France (Reuters) - Jean-Claude Mas, whose breast implant firm Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) has sparked an international health scandal by using substandard silicon, was arrested on Thursday and could be charged with manslaughter, a French police source told Reuters.
The ex-chief executive of a French company that was a world-leading manufacturer of breast implants has been charged with 'involuntary injury' in the wake of an international health scandal. More...

Jan-27 -- HPV study finds 7% of US teens, adults carry virus in mouths
HPV, the human papillomavirus, is best known for causing cervical cancer and genital warts, but it also causes cancers at the back of the throat, tonsils and base of the tongue, says study author Maura Gillison, a professor at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center.
The current finding comes on the heels of a report published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology last October that showed a dramatic two-decade rise in the incidence of oral cancers attributed to HPV infection. More...

Jan-27 -- Skin lesions typical of Morgellons, some containing blue fibers. (PLoS One)
A half-million-dollar study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found no obvious medical explanation for a mysterious and controversial skin disease whose sufferers report a crawling sensation on or under their skin and fibers emerging from it.
What stood out was how the patients did on the psychological exams. More...

Jan-27 -- Study Finds Virus to Be Fast Learner on Infecting
"When you have three of the four mutations, the virus is still unable to infect (the E. coli)," Meyer said.
Justin Meyer An image of a protein, LamB, found on the surface of a bacterial cell. More...

Jan-27 -- Health Insurers Say Telling Truth On Costs Is Just Too Expensive
At issue is the health care law's requirement that insurance plans provide simple, standard summaries of coverage and costs to help consumers pick benefits that are right for them -- a sort of "CliffsNotes" version of the cryptic jargon.
The requirement for employer plans to provide the benefit summaries may be delayed or weakened. More...

Jan-27 -- Activist Erin Brockovich looking into teens' mystery ailment
A boy from western New York has become the latest victim.
"The state steps in if there is something we can make a difference in and as of now the response has been more than adequate." More...

Jan-27 -- Autism: Brainwaves'show risk from age of six months'
Study leader Professor Mark Johnson, from Birkbeck College, University of London, said: "Our findings demonstrate for the first time that direct measures of brain functioning during the first year of life associate with a later diagnosis of autism - well before the emergence of behavioural symptoms.
Earlier insights Children who develop autism already show signs of different brain responses in their first year of life, say scientists in a study that may in the future help doctors diagnose the disorder earlier. More...

Jan-27 -- Drinking Black Tea May Lower Blood Pressure
Half of the participants drank three cups of black tea per day for six months, and the other half drank a placebo drink with a similar flavour and caffeine content.
Recent studies have shown that drinking black tea can improve the function of the endothelial cells, which line the interior of blood vessels. More...

Jan-27 -- How Will New School Lunch Guidelines Affect SD?
First Lady Michelle Obama eats a healthy lunch with Virginia elementary kids Wednesday: The USDA is setting new calorie limits on school lunches.
Mrs. Obama and Vilsack, who were joined by celebrity chef Rachael Ray, made the announcement at an elementary school in Alexandria, Va. "As parents, we try to prepare decent meals, limit how much junk food our kids eat, and ensure they have a reasonably balanced diet," Mrs. Obama said in a news release. More...

Jan-27 -- Working long hours doubles depression odds
The study, published in PLoS ONE focused on more than 2,000 Whitehall civil servants with various jobs, salaries and working hours, who had been recruited in the early 1990s for the study of employees aged 35 to 55.
'Overtime work and incident coronary heart disease: the Whitehall II prospective cohort study', Marianna Virtanen, European Heart Journal. More...

Jan-27 -- Santorum: Romney, Obama healthcare mandates one and the same
The similarities between the Massachusetts plan and the national reform law have been well-documented. PolitiFact notes that both include an individual mandate, health care exchanges, affordability subsidies, expansion of Medicaid, and insurance market regulation, among other similar measures, although details do differ.
The 94 percent rate of non-elderly Massachusetts residents with coverage far outpaced the national rate of 77.7 percent. More...

Jan-27 -- Men at higher risk for mental decline
Washington, Jan 26 (ANI): A new study has revealed that men may be at a higher risk of experiencing mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or the stage of mild memory loss that occurs between normal aging and dementia, than women.
According to a National Public Radio report, the study found that 72 men per 1,000 are diagnosed with the condition leading to dementia, while only 57 per 1,000 women experience mild cognitive impairment. More...

Jan-27 -- Homebirths in US rise by 29 per cent after lower costs and 'Hollywood influence'
Women who are married and have already had a child are also more likely to have a home birth, the report found.
Women have been giving birth in fields, or on their own or with the assistance of midwives forever. More...

Jan-27 -- Risk of Cardiac Death Pretty Much Set by 55
"Just even one small increase in risk, from all optimal risk factors to one that isn't optimal, like slightly elevated cholesterol or blood pressure, significantly bumps up a person's lifetime risk," Lloyd-Jones said. (Non-optimal means a person doesn't have diabetes and doesn't smoke but either cholesterol is 180 to 199 or blood pressure is 120 to 130 on top or 80 to 89 on the bottom.
95 percent of middle-aged Americans (ages 45-55) have at least one risk factor for heart disease. More...

Jan-27 -- CDC: Cancer Screening Below Target Rates
For the ethnic subgroups, Asians were classified as Chinese, Filipino, or other Asian and Hispanics as Puerto Rican, Mexican, Mexican-American, Central or South American, or other Hispanic.
Women ages 50 to 74 years should be screened for breast cancer with a mammogram every two years, according to the United States Preventive Services Task Force. More...

Jan-27 -- Chemicals make kids' vaccines less effective
Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) -- organic chemicals containing fluorine -- are used in food packaging and industrial manufacturing.
At a doubled postnatal exposure, the overall vaccine concentration at age 7 was approximately halved. More...

Jan-27 -- Lab Paradox May Explain Avastin's Effects
The drugs Avastin and Sutent have been looked at as potential breast cancer treatments.
Treatment with bevacizumab was associated with more hypertension, left ventricular systolic dysfunction, hand-foot syndrome, and mucositis. More...

Jan-27 -- Scientists to Pause Research on Deadly Strain of Bird Flu
In the heated debate about two labs that engineered a variant of the deadly H5N1 avian flu virus that for the first time easily transmits between mammals, one critical voice has been missing: Yoshihiro Kawaoka.
"Could we pick up a mutation in real time and stop a pandemic? Not with the surveillance we have now," said Ilaria Capua, an animal flu expert at the Experimental Animal Health Care Institute of Venice in Legnaro, Italy. More...

Jan-27 -- Woman drives Mercedes into Verdugo Wash
Officials are preparing to temporarily close San Fernando Road between Doran Street and Kenilworth Avenue as they remove the car.
About a mile later, and after reaching speeds of up to 70 mph, the woman finally stopped after barreling down about nine, 3-foot long steps. More...

Jan-27 -- How wearing high heels regularly can ruin the way you walk ¿ even after you ...
The Griffith University, Queensland, Scientists asked the women to walk along a 26-foot runway specially underlaid with sensors, said the newspaper.
More...

Thursday

Jan-26 -- French Breast Implant Firm's Former Execs Arrested
MARSEILLE, France (Reuters) - Jean-Claude Mas, whose breast implant firm Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) has sparked an international health scandal by using substandard silicon, was arrested on Thursday and could be charged with manslaughter, a French police source told Reuters.
A secretary at the Toulon office of Haddad told The Associated Press that the defense lawyer was with Mas during police questioning, and was not immediately available for comment. More...

Jan-26 -- Skin lesions typical of Morgellons, some containing blue fibers. (PLoS One)
A half-million-dollar study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found no obvious medical explanation for a mysterious and controversial skin disease whose sufferers report a crawling sensation on or under their skin and fibers emerging from it.
The study does show some correlations that can lead to different kinds of studies, and possible treatments. More...

Jan-26 -- HPV study finds 7% of US teens, adults carry virus in mouths
HPV, the human papillomavirus, is best known for causing cervical cancer and genital warts, but it also causes cancers at the back of the throat, tonsils and base of the tongue, says study author Maura Gillison, a professor at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Dr. Ezra Cohen, a head and neck cancer specialist at the University of Chicago, said the study provides important information confirming similarities in risk factors for HPV oral infections and oral cancer. More...

Jan-26 -- Working 11 hours a day may be linked with depression
The study, published in PLoS ONE focused on more than 2,000 Whitehall civil servants with various jobs, salaries and working hours, who had been recruited in the early 1990s for the study of employees aged 35 to 55.
The study also found that although in general, it was men who were in relationships and held higher job positions who worked the longest hours , younger women with lower job positions or other chronic diseases were also at risk. More...

Jan-26 -- Lab Paradox May Explain Avastin's Effects
The drugs Avastin and Sutent have been looked at as potential breast cancer treatments.
The primary endpoint was pCR, defined as no residual tumor in the breast or lymph nodes. More...

Jan-26 -- Cancer Screenings Remain Low for Minorities and the Uninsured, CDC Report Says
For the ethnic subgroups, Asians were classified as Chinese, Filipino, or other Asian and Hispanics as Puerto Rican, Mexican, Mexican-American, Central or South American, or other Hispanic.
The CMA Foundation is part of the nationwide Cervical Cancer-Free campaign, which aims to reduce the prevalence of cervical cancer through increased screening and vaccination. More...

Jan-26 -- In Real Time, a Virus Learns a New Way to Infect
"When you have three of the four mutations, the virus is still unable to infect (the E. coli)," Meyer said.
Justin Meyer An image of a protein, LamB, found on the surface of a bacterial cell. More...

Jan-26 -- New York uses altered photo to combat obesity, diabetes
"Sometimes we use individuals who are suffering from the particular disease, other times we have to use actors," health department spokesman John Kelly said in a statement.
A red banner reads, "Portions Have Grown: So Has Type 2 Diabetes, Which Can Lead to Amputations." More...

Jan-26 -- New school food guidelines mean healthier fare
First Lady Michelle Obama eats a healthy lunch with Virginia elementary kids Wednesday: The USDA is setting new calorie limits on school lunches.
Nobody is mandating what you feed your children. More...

Jan-26 -- Fried Food with Friend Potential
Analysis showed no differences between the four groups of people in the risk of heart disease or dying.
Frying itself may not be bad as long as the type of oil used for frying is good, says the British Medical Journal . More...

Jan-26 -- Mild memory problems may be more common in men
Washington, Jan 26 (ANI): A new study has revealed that men may be at a higher risk of experiencing mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or the stage of mild memory loss that occurs between normal aging and dementia, than women.
A diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment doesn't mean you are fated to get Alzheimer's disease. More...

Jan-26 -- CDC: Home births rise nearly 30 percent in US
Women who are married and have already had a child are also more likely to have a home birth, the report found.
The number of home births in the U.S. jumped by 29% from 2004 to 2009. More...

Jan-26 -- Scientists to Pause Research on Deadly Strain of Bird Flu
In the heated debate about two labs that engineered a variant of the deadly H5N1 avian flu virus that for the first time easily transmits between mammals, one critical voice has been missing: Yoshihiro Kawaoka.
As we reported at the time, Nature (a British journal) and Science (an American one) were about to publish studies by two separate teams which had been tinkering with H5N1 influenza, better known as bird flu, to produce a strain that might be able to pass through the air between humans. More...

Jan-26 -- Judge won't delay decision in 12-year-old tobacco case
Kessler said that the corrective advertising that the Justice department wants the industry to pay for under a 2006 ruling is "significantly different from the verbal and pictorial advertisements" required by the FDA. She also noted that tobacco companies have brought two newer challenges to regulations the FDA proposed using its new authority.
The Justice Department argued that postponing a decision would harm smokers, potential smokers and young people. More...

Jan-26 -- How wearing high heels regularly can ruin the way you walk ¿ even after you ...
Many women know that high heels are hardly the most comfortable, stable or practical shoe around - but persist in wearing them for obvious, confidence-boosting reasons.
Flat shoes tend to hurt my feet, and most are just ugly. More...

Jan-26 -- The public's message: Keep health reform, dump the mandate
Just two months before the court is to hear the case, nearly 60 percent of the public "expect the justices to depend more on personal ideology than a legal analysis of the individual mandate," the core of the law that requires most people to buy health insurance, according to a just-released Kaiser Family Foundation health tracking poll .
The current law also says that come Mar 1, 2012, Medicare will no longer reimburse individuals involved in care, but give out a certain amount based solely upon diagnosis. More...

Jan-26 -- Microwave popcorn bag chemicals ruin vaccine efficacy
Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) -- organic chemicals containing fluorine -- are used in food packaging and industrial manufacturing.
PFCs are used worldwide in food packaging and the treatment of textiles. More...

Jan-26 -- 2 in 5 Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Sedentary
"Our results suggest that public health initiatives need to address the lack of motivation to exercise and promote the benefits of physical activity to reduce the prevalence of inactivity" in rheumatoid arthritis patients, Lee said in a statement.
The two risk factors accounted for 65% of excess inactivity among the participants, Lee and colleagues estimated. More...

Jan-26 -- Drinking Black Tea May Lower Blood Pressure
Half of the participants drank three cups of black tea per day for six months, and the other half drank a placebo drink with a similar flavour and caffeine content.
High blood pressure increases your risk for heart diseases and heart failure. More...

Thursday

Jan-26 -- Ex-head of French breast implant maker arrested
An audacious inventor for some, a crook to scores of women, Jean-Claude Mas for 30 years enjoyed fame and fortune in the breast implant industry until his substandard gel doomed his company.
An emergency scan has revealed the silicone is leaking into her body after she became one of 40,000 women to receive breast implants made from industrial-grade silicone . More...

Jan-26 -- Job Stress Doubles Depression Risk
Marianna Virtanen, of the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and University College London, and the study's lead author, said: "Although occasionally working overtime may have benefits for the individual and society, it is important to recognise that working excessive hours is also associated with an increased risk of major depression."
Working too many hours could lead to depression, according to a new study out of the United Kingdom. More...

Jan-26 -- Breast Cancer Survival - Why Avastin And Sutent Don't Help
The drugs Avastin and Sutent have been looked at as potential breast cancer treatments.
The women in the studies had tumors that were large enough to warrant treatment besides surgery. More...

Jan-26 -- Morgellons disease probably a delusion
A half-million-dollar study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found no obvious medical explanation for a mysterious and controversial skin disease whose sufferers report a crawling sensation on or under their skin and fibers emerging from it.
Verna Gallagher, who claims to be suffering from a rare infliction called, Morgellons, points to a sore on her skin that she believes the bugs of the condition emerged from, at her Roseville, Calif., home, Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2006. More...

Jan-26 -- Stem cell treatment breakthrough reported
UPDATED: 9:20 pm CST January 23, 2012 (CNN) -- Two women with untreatable eye diseases said they had dramatic improvements in their vision after injections of human embryonic stem cells, making it the first documented time these controversial cells have helped someone.
In October 2010 a paralysed man in Atlanta, Georgia, became the first to be treated with the cells, as part of a trial funded by biotechnology company Geron. More...

Jan-26 -- Oral HPV infections more common than expected
HPV, the human papillomavirus, is best known for causing cervical cancer and genital warts, but it also causes cancers at the back of the throat, tonsils and base of the tongue, says study author Maura Gillison, a professor at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center.
"Nearly everyone who is sexually active will get a genital infection with HPV," says Kevin Ault, an obstetrician/gynecologist at Atlanta's Emory University School of Medicine, who wasn't involved in the new study. More...

Jan-26 -- Large Drop In Leg And Foot Amputations Among Adult Diabetics, CDC
There has been a large drop in the rate of leg and foot amputations among Americans aged 40 and over with diagnosed diabetes, according to a new study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published in the February issue of Diabetes Care.
Amputations were once a common fate for diabetics, but health officials said that the rate of foot and leg amputations among diabetes patients aged 40 and older fell by 65 percent between 1996 and 2008, according to a data analysis by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More...

Jan-26 -- USDA issues new lunch standards for schools
Under the new guidelines the amount of fruits and vegetables in cafeteria lunches will be doubled, whole grain-rich foods will be increase, maximums for calories will be set, and sodium and trans fat will be cut.
The First Lady used a visit to a school cafeteria in Alexandria, Va. to talk about the new standards. More...

Jan-26 -- Common scans could hurt thyroid, researchers say
The authors said that the patients were matched with euthyroid, normal thyroid function controls and exposure to iodinated contrast media was assessed using claims data.
The people with abnormal thyroid function were matched with controls based on race, gender, age and other factors. More...

Jan-26 -- Help and hope for autism
Certainly this child and his family need help.
Dr. Lord also pointed out that the study used old data, collected by doctors who were not aware of what kinds of behaviors the proposed definition requires. More...

Jan-26 -- Fried food not to blame for heart attacks, study shows
Analysis showed no differences between the four groups of people in the risk of heart disease or dying.
At the end of the decade, it got revealed that 600 people suffered from heart disease and another 1,100 died from some or the other reason. More...

Jan-26 -- Studies show men are more likely to experience slight memory loss than women ...
MCI with memory loss present was more common at 38 per 1,000 people than MCI where memory loss was not present, which affected 15 per 1,000 people.
The study, "The Incidence of MCI Differs by Subtype and is Higher in Men," which was published in the Jan. 25, 2012, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, reports that 296 of the 1,450 study participants developed MCI, an incidence rate of 6.4 percent per year overall. More...

Jan-26 -- Common chemicals in products may harm kids' immune systems
Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) -- organic chemicals containing fluorine -- are used in food packaging and industrial manufacturing.
Children who also tested for high levels of the chemical were also at risk of a deficient immune response after tetanus and diphtheria vaccines. More...

Jan-26 -- Bird flu researcher: H5N1 work is 'urgent'
In the heated debate about two labs that engineered a variant of the deadly H5N1 avian flu virus that for the first time easily transmits between mammals, one critical voice has been missing: Yoshihiro Kawaoka.
Siti Fadilah wanted the protocol revised so data could be accessed by all WHO member states. More...

Jan-26 -- Drinking black tea may cut blood pressure
Half of the participants drank three cups of black tea per day for six months, and the other half drank a placebo drink with a similar flavour and caffeine content.
Recent studies have shown that drinking black tea can improve the function of the endothelial cells, which line the interior of blood vessels. More...

Jan-26 -- Landmark condom law for porn filming signed by LA mayor
PORN VALLEY --On Monday, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa signed into law the bill passed last week by the LA City Council, based on AIDS Healthcare Foundation's (AHF) ballot initiative that would require that all filming permits issued in the City of Los Angeles by permitting agency FilmLA to adult producers to include a requirement that the male performers wear condoms during the filming of sex scenes.
Thomas grew up in the valley and has been in the porn industry for 10 years. More...

Jan-26 -- Keeping brain sharp may ward off Alzheimer's protein
Greater mental exercise in the past did correlate with reduced amyloid buildup, even after adjustment for age, sex, and education and when additionally controlling for current memory performance (both P <0.001).
The study, published in the Archives of Neurology, looked at the levels of a protein called beta-amyloid plaque in 65 healthy patients who were all 76 years old. More...

Jan-26 -- NYC health department campaign vs diabetes uses digitally altered photo _ man ...
"Sometimes we use individuals who are suffering from the particular disease, other times we have to use actors," New York City Health Department spokesman John Kelly explained to The Daily Caller in a statement.
A red banner reads, "Portions Have Grown: So Has Type 2 Diabetes, Which Can Lead to Amputations." More...

Jan-26 -- Heart dropped on the way to Mexican hospital successfully transplanted
A HEART that was dropped to the ground while being transported to a hospital has been successfully transplanted into a 28-year-old hair stylist.
Two Mexican medics were likely breathing a sigh of relief yesterday after a heart they dropped on the ground while transporting it to hospital was successfully transplanted. More...

Thursday

Jan-26 -- Federal study of Morgellons yields no answers
A half-million-dollar study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found no obvious medical explanation for a mysterious and controversial skin disease whose sufferers report a crawling sensation on or under their skin and fibers emerging from it.
A long-awaited government study on a mysterious skin condition known as Morgellons disease concludes that it isn't infectious or caused by something in the environment. More...

Jan-26 -- Studies show men are more likely to experience slight memory loss than women ...
In a cohort of older individuals living in Olmsted County, Minn., about one in every five who was cognitively normal at baseline developed mild cognitive impairment within three or four years, according to Rosebud Roberts, MBChB, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and colleagues.
Lead author R.O. Roberts of the Mayo Clinic said in a news release that the results, released online Wednesday in the journal Neurology , were surprising, given that women overall have higher rates of dementia compared with men. More...

Jan-26 -- Avastin may be helpful in earlier-stage breast cancers [Updated]
A U.S. study of 1,206 patients and a German study of 1,948 patients found that adding Avastin to chemotherapy in patients with breast tumors that haven't spread to other organs slightly increased the likelihood of a tumor shrinking to an undetectable level.
The North American study enrolled 1,206 patients and also showed that patients receiving Avastin significantly increased the rate of complete tumor disappearance, by 8 percent. More...

Jan-26 -- USDA school lunch rules 'best ever' -- though pizza is still a 'vegetable'
Today the government is releasing new nutrition standards for school meals that spell out dramatic changes, including slashing sodium, limiting calories and offering students a wider variety and larger portions of fruits and vegetables.
The quality of school meals has been hotly debated for years because one-third of children in the USA are overweight or obese. More...

Jan-26 -- Researchers replicate Alzheimer's disease neurons with stem cells
Greater mental exercise in the past did correlate with reduced amyloid buildup, even after adjustment for age, sex, and education and when additionally controlling for current memory performance (both P <0.001).
The team characterized beta-amyloid uptake in healthy older people and compared it to young participants and patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). More...

Jan-26 -- Kids' health predicts parents' future heart disease
In 37 percent, a parent had developed diabetes.
The screening will include cholesterol, height, weight, body mass index, blood sugar and blood pressure. More...

Jan-26 -- Microwave popcorn bag chemicals ruin vaccine efficacy
Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) -- organic chemicals containing fluorine -- are used in food packaging and industrial manufacturing.
If you look at the stats, vaccine preventable diseases killed or disabled thousand to millions of people. there are still many diseases for which we have no vaccines that kill or severely effect millions of children every year. More...

Jan-26 -- Medical scan dye may damage the thyroid gland, cause hyperthyroidism or ...
The authors said that the patients were matched with euthyroid, normal thyroid function controls and exposure to iodinated contrast media was assessed using claims data.
In an editorial accompanying the paper, Dr. Elizabeth N. Pearce, a thyroid expert at Boston University School of Medicine, pointed out that doctors who order the tests should consider a patient's overall health. More...

Jan-26 -- Grief Could Join List of Disorders
Certainly this child and his family need help.
Experts, convened by the American Psychiatric Association, want to create a new category called "autism spectrum disorder." More...

Jan-26 -- Working long hours doubles depression odds
Dr Marianna Virtanen, of the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and University College London, said the study found a "robust" association between overtime work and depression.
You may also make more mistakes on the job, or have trouble getting organized or concentrating. More...

Jan-26 -- Risk of Cardiac Death Pretty Much Set by 55
The NHLBI supported several of the cohort studies involved, including the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study, Cardiovascular Heart Study, Framingham Heart Study, Framingham Offspring Study, Honolulu Heart Program, Puerto Rico Heart Health Program, and Women's Health Initiative.
For heart attacks alone (fatal or nonfatal), the risk was 1.7% for the healthiest men and 42% for the least healthy. More...

Jan-26 -- Landmark condom law for porn filming signed by LA mayor
The pornography industry is offering stiff resistance to a new law, signed by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on Monday, that will require porn performers to use condoms on sets that require a film permit.
"The City of Los Angeles has done the right thing for performers and public health," Weinstein said during a press conference. More...

Jan-26 -- Blame Photoshop, Not Diabetes, for This Amputation
"Sometimes we use individuals who are suffering from the particular disease, other times we have to use actors," department spokesman John Kelly said.
A red banner reads, "Portions Have Grown: So Has Type 2 Diabetes, Which Can Lead to Amputations." More...

Jan-26 -- Patient with dropped heart leaves hospital after successful transplant
A heart that was dropped on the ground while being transported to a hospital has been successfully transplanted into a 28-year-old hair stylist.
Erika Hernandez, 28, gives a thumbs up from inside an ambulance after being discharged from the hospital where she had a heart transplant in Mexico City, Tuesday Jan. 24, 2012. More...

Jan-26 -- Man Refuses Surgery, Drops 270 Pounds
My condition was unacceptable."
More...

Jan-26 -- Congo: 15000 Will Die of AIDS Waiting for Drugs, Group Warns
KINSHASA, Congo - (AP) -- Some 15,000 AIDS victims in Congo likely will die waiting for lifesaving drugs in the next three years, Doctors Without Borders warned Wednesday in a report describing "horrific" health care access.
Medical coordinator Anja De Weggheleire said in a released statement that although the estimated 15,000 dead in three years is a horrifying number it only represents the "tip of the iceberg" since most AIDS victims don't know they are infected. More...

Jan-26 -- Medicare, Medicaid, Tort Reform in Play in Florida Primary
Certain popular physicians whose practices have been closed to new patients for years are opening up slots.
California health advocate Anthony Wright of Health Access says talk of economic security must include health care. More...

Jan-26 -- Disney changes dress code to allow employees to grow beards
"Disney Look guidelines are periodically reviewed in relation to industry standards, as well as the unique environment of our theme parks and resorts," Betsy Sanchez, a Disneyland Resort spokeswoman, said in a statement reported by the LA Times.
Company officials decided now was a good time to give the hair policy a healthy trim, according to a Disney spokeswoman. More...

Jan-26 -- Drinking Black Tea May Lower Blood Pressure
Half of the participants drank three cups of black tea per day for six months, and the other half drank a placebo drink with a similar flavour and caffeine content.
The other group drank a placebo that had the same flavor and caffeine content but had no tea solids. More...

Wednesday

Jan-25 -- New USDA Rules Spell Out Healthier School Lunches
Today the government is releasing new nutrition standards for school meals that spell out dramatic changes, including slashing sodium, limiting calories and offering students a wider variety and larger portions of fruits and vegetables.
The cafeteria was filled with raucous screams and squeals from the students when Obama entered. More...

Jan-25 -- Common household chemicals tied to immune problems in kids
Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) -- organic chemicals containing fluorine -- are used in food packaging and industrial manufacturing.
For decades now, PFCs have been used in nonstick coatings, stain-resistant fabrics and some food packaging. More...

Jan-25 -- Age-related memory loss more common in men
The rate of developing MCI was higher among men than women.
"We need to start our efforts to reduce obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure earlier," Roberts says. More...

Jan-25 -- Iodine in Contrast Material Poses Thyroid Threat
The authors said that the patients were matched with euthyroid, normal thyroid function controls and exposure to iodinated contrast media was assessed using claims data.
In an editorial accompanying the paper, Dr. Elizabeth N. Pearce, a thyroid expert at Boston University School of Medicine, pointed out that doctors who order the tests should consider a patient's overall health. More...

Jan-25 -- Health Risk Higher for Guys Who Think They're 'All That'
A new study involving men diagnosed with narcissism - which describes an inflated sense of self-importance, over-estimations of uniqueness and a sense of grandiosity - has revealed the health risks associated with this personality trait.
Narcissism is a trait that exhibits "grandiosity, an inflated sense of self-importance, and over-estimations of uniqueness." More...

Jan-25 -- Eating Fried Food Not Always Bad for the Heart
No association was observed between fried food consumption and the risk of coronary heart disease or death.
Would you buy the Alibis fragrance? A gentleman's club in Cape Town, South Africa, has released a line of fragrances designed to help stave off any olfactory evidence of an after-work visit to a strip club. More...

Jan-25 -- Pork, the surprise remedy for a nosebleed
"Cured salted pork crafted as a nasal tampon and packed within the nasal vaults successfully stopped nasal hemorrhage promptly, effectively this represents the first description of nasal packing with strips of cured pork for treatment of life-threatening hemorrhage in a patient."
In this season of cold weather and dry air, nosebleeds are not uncommon. More...

Jan-25 -- Device makers urge coverage of weight-loss surgery
"For self-pay patients, the cost of weight loss surgery can be a significant factor in the patient's decision to undergo surgery or not.
Perhaps there are options that you haven't considered that your doctor can recommend. More...

Jan-25 -- Los Angeles mayor signs porn star condom requirement
AHF President Michael Weinstein hailed Villaraigosa's final step to enforce the law, calling it "a great day for Los Angeles, a great day for the performers and a great day for safer sex."
While it didn't stop every case, it significantly reduced STI transmission in the industry more than any regulation ever could. More...

Jan-25 -- Eye Study Is a Small but Crucial Advance for Stem-Cell Therapy
The controversial development could provide hope for hundreds of thousands of people suffering from macular degeneration - one of the most common forms of blindness in developed countries - and has been praised as a historic step by stem cell scientists.
"I feel a bit bruised but OK," Mr Hilton told the Financial Times on Monday, after leaving the hospital in London and before heading home to Wakefield. More...

Jan-25 -- Donor Heart Recipient Unaware It Was Dropped On The Street
A HEART that was dropped to the ground while being transported to a hospital has been successfully transplanted into a 28-year-old hair stylist.
Erika Hernandez, 28, gives a thumbs up from inside an ambulance after being discharged from the hospital where she had a heart transplant in Mexico City, Tuesday Jan. 24, 2012. More...

Jan-25 -- Researchers create working Alzheimer's neurons with stem cells
Greater mental exercise in the past did correlate with reduced amyloid buildup, even after adjustment for age, sex, and education and when additionally controlling for current memory performance (both P <0.001).
Now a small but intriguing study suggests starting crossword puzzles later in life won't help. More...

Jan-25 -- Man Refuses Surgery, Drops 270 Pounds
My condition was unacceptable."
More...

Jan-25 -- Brown Fat, Triggered by Cold or Exercise, May Yield a Key to Weight Control
Over a three-hour period, the authors explained that 250 extra calories were burned while the brown fat cells were active.
An obese person has a BMI (body mass index) of at least 30. More...

Jan-25 -- Medicare, Medicaid, Tort Reform in Play in Florida Primary
Unlike the case with insurance companies, Medicare's claim denials are effectively final.
California health advocate Anthony Wright of Health Access says talk of economic security must include health care. More...

Jan-25 -- Concern Over Changes to Autism Criteria Unfounded, Says APA
Certainly this child and his family need help.
"We have to make sure not everybody who is a little odd gets a diagnosis of autism or Asperger disorder," said Dr. David J. Kupfer, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh and chairman of the task force making the revisions, which are still subject to change. More...

Jan-25 -- Lots of Fun in the Sun, but Little Use of Sunscreen by Kids
Three years later, the kids answered the same questions.
In today's Health Matters, only a quarter of young teens use sunscreen regularly. More...

Jan-25 -- FDA Turns Down Expanded Use of Mercks' Vytorin and Zetia
In SHARP, VYTORIN 10/20 mg lowered LDL cholesterol in patients with moderate to severe chronic kidney disease (CKD), and major vascular events were reduced in the treatment group compared to placebo.
The results of SHARP as described in the new label for Vytorin can help the medical community understand the role of lowering lipids with Vytorin in managing CV risk in patients with CKD. More...

Jan-25 -- Disney changes dress code to allow employees to grow beards
"Disney Look guidelines are periodically reviewed in relation to industry standards, as well as the unique environment of our theme parks and resorts," Betsy Sanchez, a Disneyland Resort spokeswoman, said in a statement reported by the LA Times.
The "Disney Look," an important part of the theme parks brand, is "clean, natural, polished and professional," the companys site claims. More...

Wednesday

Jan-25 -- Commentary: fried food may not be all bad
There was no link between fried food cosumption and death (from any cause).
The main thing to look at when one consumes fried food is the type of oil used for frying and things being used for frying. More...

Jan-25 -- Exposure to Common Chemicals May Weaken Vaccine Response
Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) -- organic chemicals containing fluorine -- are used in food packaging and industrial manufacturing.
Kids whose PFC levels were twice as high had half the amount of antibodies to diphtheria and tetanus, compared with children who tested lower for PFCs. More...

Jan-25 -- First patients shown to improve with embryonic stem cells
The controversial development could provide hope for hundreds of thousands of people suffering from macular degeneration - one of the most common forms of blindness in developed countries - and has been praised as a historic step by stem cell scientists.
The results of the cautious first-stage test, designed to evaluate whether the treatment is safe, had been previously announced by Massachusetts biotech firm Advanced Cell Technology (ACT) Inc. More...

Jan-25 -- Study: Magic mushrooms may help treat depression
A study published last year found that people with anxiety who received a single psilocybin treatment had lower depression scores six months later.
A study published last year found that people with anxiety who received a single psilocybin treatment had lower depression scores six months later. More...

Jan-25 -- 'Talking things through in their head' may aid children with autism
"Most people will 'think in words' when trying to solve problems, which helps with planning or particularly complicated tasks.
LONDON (Reuters) - Teaching children with autism to "talk things through" in their heads may help them solve tricky day-to-day tasks and could increase the chances of them living independent lives when they grow up, British scientists said Wednesday. More...

Jan-25 -- Swimming Lowered Blood Pressure In Sedentary Over 50s
On average, the swimming group had a 24-hour systolic blood pressure of 119 mm Hg -- down from 128 mm Hg at the study's start.
More...

Jan-25 -- Whooping Cough Cases on the Rise in Vermont
The disease is sometimes, but not often, fatal.
Public health officials announced Tuesday that 2011 was the first time in more than two decades that the bacterial disease, known at Pertussis, did not claim a life in the Golden State. More...

Jan-25 -- Brown fat burns calories in adults during cold
Brown fat is something that occurs more in thin people than fat, younger people than older and young women than men.
Doctor says I am about 5 = 7 pounds over the "average" and my body fat is fine yet I stand around outside without a coat and am comfortable as long as the wind isn't cutting me into. More...

Jan-25 -- To grow, Catholic hospital system pares religious ties
San Francisco-based Catholic Healthcare West, the nation's fifth-largest health care system, said Jan. 23 it is changing its name to Dignity Health as part of a restructuring that, it says, "will position the organization to succeed in a changing health care environment."
The change will have no effect on any patients or the medical care provided at the 25 Catholic and 15 secular hospitals in the system. More...

Jan-25 -- Women Feel More Pain
"To the best of our knowledge, this is the first-ever systematic use of data from electronic medical records to examine pain on this large a scale, or across such a broad range of diseases," said the study's senior author Dr Atul Butte.
The difference is social conditioning. More...

Jan-25 -- Sextuplets born to Afghan woman
The mother, a 24-year-old woman named Sharah, according to BBC, reportedly arrived at the hospital on Monday from a remote village in the Balkh province and produced three boys and three girls on the same day.
A young Afghanistan woman has given birth to six children at a hospital in Mazar-e-Sharif, producing the same number of children in her first pregnancy as women in her country typically average over a lifetime. More...

Jan-25 -- Heart Dropped on Ground Was Successfully Transplanted
A HEART that was dropped to the ground while being transported to a hospital has been successfully transplanted into a 28-year-old hair stylist.
Erika Hernandez, 28, gives a thumbs up from inside an ambulance after being discharged from the hospital where she had a heart transplant in Mexico City, Tuesday Jan. 24, 2012. More...

Jan-25 -- The Floch brothers, bariatric surgeons, help patients battle obesity
"For self-pay patients, the cost of weight loss surgery can be a significant factor in the patient's decision to undergo surgery or not.
NORWALK -- When patients come into their office for follow-up visits and tell Drs. More...

Jan-25 -- Kids seek tans, use less sunscreen as they age
Three years later, the kids answered the same questions.
In today's Health Matters, only a quarter of young teens use sunscreen regularly. More...

Jan-25 -- Landmark condom law for porn filming signed by LA mayor
The pornography industry is offering stiff resistance to a new law, signed by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on Monday, that will require porn performers to use condoms on sets that require a film permit.
Critics claim the regulation jeopardises the long-term future of the industry in the nation's porn capital as many firms have threatened to abandon the area. More...

Jan-25 -- Narcissism puts men's health at risk
The relationship between the two was much weaker in women.
Narcissism is a trait that exhibits "grandiosity, an inflated sense of self-importance, and over-estimations of uniqueness." More...

Jan-25 -- After nearly 60 years, beards are back at Disney
"Disney Look guidelines are periodically reviewed in relation to industry standards, as well as the unique environment of our theme parks and resorts," Betsy Sanchez, a Disneyland Resort spokeswoman, said in a statement reported by the LA Times.
The new policy allows neatly trimmed facial hair that is no longer than one-quarter of an inch, according to a notice sent to Disney employees. More...

Jan-25 -- Dentist pleads guilty to fraud over paper clip root canals
Michael Clair is scheduled to be sentenced next Monday after pleading guilty last week in New Bedford Superior Court to a variety of charges, including defrauding Medicaid of $130,000 assault and battery, illegally prescribing prescription drugs and witness intimidation.
The former dentist billed the Medicaid program for the costs of the posts and submitted false claims using other dentists' provider numbers. More...

Jan-25 -- Common scans could hurt thyroid, researchers say
The authors said that the patients were matched with euthyroid, normal thyroid function controls and exposure to iodinated contrast media was assessed using claims data.
Dr. Elizabeth Pearce, assistant professor of medicine and Boston University School of Medicine who studies thyroid problems, called the data "novel." More...

Wednesday

Jan-25 -- Eating Fried Food Not Always Bad for the Heart
During the follow-up there were 606 events linked to heart disease and 1,134 deaths.
Professor Michael Leitzmann, from the University of Regensburg, Germany, added: "The myth that frying food is generally bad for the heart is not supported by the evidence." More...

Jan-25 -- New study suggests an oral flu vaccine may be more effective than flu shots ...
Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) -- organic chemicals containing fluorine -- are used in food packaging and industrial manufacturing.
Childhood vaccinations are a staple of disease prevention. More...

Jan-25 -- Study: Magic mushrooms may help treat depression
"But, surprisingly, we found that psilocybin actually caused activity to decrease in areas that have the densest connections with other areas."
"Previous studies have suggested that psilocybin can improve people's sense of emotional well-being and even reduce depression in people with anxiety," said lead author and neuropsychopharmacologist Robin Carhart-Harris from the Imperial College London. More...

Jan-25 -- Embryonic stem cells: can we make the blind see?
The controversial development could provide hope for hundreds of thousands of people suffering from macular degeneration - one of the most common forms of blindness in developed countries - and has been praised as a historic step by stem cell scientists.
Lanza cautioned that the findings are preliminary, the improvements could disappear and complications could emerge. More...

Jan-25 -- Brown Fat, Triggered by Cold or Exercise, May Yield a Key to Weight Control
Brown fat is something that occurs more in thin people than fat, younger people than older and young women than men.
More...

Jan-25 -- Depression's Criteria Might Include Grieving
San Francisco, Calif., Jan 24, 2012 / 06:08 am ( CNA/EWTN News ).- Catholic Healthcare West, one of the largest health systems in the U.S., is changing its name to Dignity Health while adopting a non-denominational governing board in an effort to expand.
Catholic Healthcare West (now Dignity Health) had been run by a complex management system, with top level governance by "corporate members" from the six women's religious orders, who in turn appointed CHW's board of directors. More...

Jan-25 -- To grow, Catholic hospital system pares religious ties
San Francisco, Calif., Jan 24, 2012 / 06:08 am ( CNA/EWTN News ).- Catholic Healthcare West, one of the largest health systems in the U.S., is changing its name to Dignity Health while adopting a non-denominational governing board in an effort to expand.
Catholic Healthcare West (now Dignity Health) had been run by a complex management system, with top level governance by "corporate members" from the six women's religious orders, who in turn appointed CHW's board of directors. More...

Jan-25 -- Vaccination program credited in fight against whooping cough
The disease is sometimes, but not often, fatal.
Public health officials announced Tuesday that 2011 was the first time in more than two decades that the bacterial disease, known at Pertussis, did not claim a life in the Golden State. More...

Jan-25 -- For diabetics, amputations of feet and legs have decreased by more than half ...
The rate of amputations was the highest for adults aged 75 and older at 6.2 per 1,000 compared to all other age groups.
Adults aged 75 years and older had the highest rate - 6.2 per 1,000 - compared to other age groups. More...

Jan-25 -- Men, Women and Pain
"To the best of our knowledge, this is the first-ever systematic use of data from electronic medical records to examine pain on this large a scale, or across such a broad range of diseases," said the study's senior author Dr Atul Butte.
Its evolutionary, men (and males of human ancestors) did fighting, hunting, etc. and were exposed to risk much more often then women. More...

Jan-25 -- Los Angeles mayor signs porn star condom requirement
The pornography industry is offering stiff resistance to a new law, signed by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on Monday, that will require porn performers to use condoms on sets that require a film permit.
While sexually transmitted infection is certainly a risk on adult film sets, a condom mandate is a one-size-fits-all solution that certainly doesn't "fit all". More...

Jan-25 -- Sanofi's Genzyme Receives FDA Approval of Framingham Plant
The opening of the plant, which won clearance from the European regulator last week, is a critical step in resolving manufacturing woes that have bedeviled Genzyme since before Sanofi acquired the U.S. rare disease specialist last year.
G enzyme said today it secured U.S. regulatory approval of its Framingham biotech factory, a key step in resuming production of its Fabrazyme drug and increasing patient treatments. More...

Jan-25 -- Dentist pleads guilty to fraud over paper clip root canals
Michael Clair is scheduled to be sentenced next Monday after pleading guilty last week in New Bedford Superior Court to a variety of charges, including defrauding Medicaid of $130,000 assault and battery, illegally prescribing prescription drugs and witness intimidation.
In March 2010, Clair was indicted by a Bristol County grand jury and was arraigned in April. More...

Jan-25 -- Police investigate Pakistan heart drug deaths
Prof Dr Javed Akram, head of investigation team probing deaths caused by drugs, said death toll could cross alarming figure of 150 to 200.
In the same conference, the health secretary put the toll at 27. More...

Jan-25 -- Dropped Heart Successfully Transplanted in Mexico
Erika Hernandez, 28, gives a thumbs up from inside an ambulance after being discharged from the hospital where she had a heart transplant in Mexico City, Tuesday Jan. 24, 2012.
More...

Jan-25 -- More kids seek tans, may raise skin cancer risk
Three years later, the kids answered the same questions.
"We're not sure why." He suggested that behavioral issues, like children wanting to enhance their tans, contributed to decreased sunscreen use. More...

Jan-25 -- Expensive Egos & Narcissism
The relationship between the two was much weaker in women.
Narcissism is a trait that exhibits "grandiosity, an inflated sense of self-importance, and over-estimations of uniqueness." More...

Jan-25 -- Reflux Drugs No Help for Children With Asthma
The proton pump inhibitor lansoprazole was no better than placebo for improving symptoms and lung function in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial involving more than 300 children with poorly controlled asthma without overt gastroesophageal reflux.
For the current double-masked study, children were enrolled between April 2007 and September 2010 at 19 academic clinical centers throughout the United States. More...

Jan-25 -- Keeping brain sharp may ward off Alzheimer's protein
Greater mental exercise in the past did correlate with reduced amyloid buildup, even after adjustment for age, sex, and education and when additionally controlling for current memory performance (both P <0.001).
It's comparable to saying that those who exercise regularly are less likely to have heart problems. More...

Jan-25 -- Drinking Black Tea May Lower Blood Pressure
Jan. 24, 2012 -- Lowering your blood pressure may a major factor behind the many health benefits of tea .
More...

Tuesday

Jan-24 -- Chemical exposure may compromise vaccine response
Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) -- organic chemicals containing fluorine -- are used in food packaging and industrial manufacturing.
The study is provocative, but the findings are not of immediate public health concern, said Dr. William Schaffner, chairman of the department of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. More...

Jan-24 -- Alzheimer's: French scientists focus on key target
Greater mental exercise in the past did correlate with reduced amyloid buildup, even after adjustment for age, sex, and education and when additionally controlling for current memory performance (both P <0.001).
"There was no emphasis on what games were played, but just at what age and how often people were participating in brain stimulating activities, including reading, writing, and games," Landau said. More...

Jan-24 -- Stem cell blindness treatment study reaction roundup
The controversial development could provide hope for hundreds of thousands of people suffering from macular degeneration - one of the most common forms of blindness in developed countries - and has been praised as a historic step by stem cell scientists.
The therapy with embryo mother cells of the retina epithelium was applied to two women suffering two different forms of macular degeneration. More...

Jan-24 -- Magic Mushrooms For Depression
"But, surprisingly, we found that psilocybin actually caused activity to decrease in areas that have the densest connections with other areas."
Prof Nutt and his team scanned the brains of volunteers who had been injected with a moderate dose of psilocybin, the active ingredient of magic mushrooms. More...

Jan-24 -- No whooping cough deaths in California last year
Public health officials credited the decline to greater awareness, faster diagnosis and a new state law requiring that middle and high school students get a booster shot before starting school.
Public health officials announced Tuesday that 2011 was the first time in more than two decades that the bacterial disease, known at Pertussis, did not claim a life in the Golden State. More...

Jan-24 -- Do Women Feel More Pain Than Men? Study Says, 'Yes'
"To the best of our knowledge, this is the first-ever systematic use of data from electronic medical records to examine pain on this large a scale, or across such a broad range of diseases," said the study's senior author Dr Atul Butte.
The only thing this study proves is that Linda has learned the most important lesson in the quest of a PHD (Piled High and Deep) it doesn't matter what you publish, just that you publish and keep those Government Grants coming into the university. More...

Jan-24 -- Kids seek tans, use less sunscreen as they age
Three years later, the kids answered the same questions.
Consumers Reports recommends that older children protect themselves against sunburn by wearing tightly woven hats and clothing, as well as applying sunscreen to any exposed skin. More...

Jan-24 -- Police investigate Pakistan heart drug deaths
Prof Dr Javed Akram, head of investigation team probing deaths caused by drugs, said death toll could cross alarming figure of 150 to 200.
In a statement the Pakistan Medical Association urged the government to buy life-saving drugs from other suppliers. More...

Jan-24 -- BRCA Mutations Also Play Good Role in Ovarian Cancer
Germline mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are the strongest known genetic risk factors for both breast and epithelial ovarian cancer, according to Paul Pharoah, BMBCh, PhD, of the University of Cambridge, and colleagues.
BRCA2 carriers had an even greater advantage when compared with noncarriers (HR, 0.61), particularly after adjustment for other prognostic factors (HR, 0.49). More...

Jan-24 -- Sextuplets born to Afghan woman
The mother, a 24-year-old woman named Sharah, according to BBC, reportedly arrived at the hospital on Monday from a remote village in the Balkh province and produced three boys and three girls on the same day.
Experts say that despite recent improvements, Afghanistan remains one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a pregnant woman or a young child. More...

Jan-24 -- Former dentist pleads guilty in Mass. to using unsafe materials, scamming Medicare
Michael Clair is scheduled to be sentenced next Monday after pleading guilty last week in New Bedford Superior Court to a variety of charges, including defrauding Medicaid of $130,000 assault and battery, illegally prescribing prescription drugs and witness intimidation.
In March 2010, Clair was indicted by a Bristol County grand jury and was arraigned in April. More...

Jan-24 -- Genzyme Receives FDA Approval for New Plant
The opening of the plant, which won clearance from the European regulator last week, is a critical step in resolving manufacturing woes that have bedeviled Genzyme since before Sanofi acquired the U.S. rare disease specialist last year.
The new biologics production plant, based in the state of Massachusetts, should help remove capacity constraints and enable Genzyme to win back market share it lost to Shire's Replagal. More...

Jan-24 -- Narcissism Can Be Deadly
Three of narcissism's five personality components are considered useful or healthy: leadership/authority, superiority/arrogance and self-absorption/self-admiration.
Cortisol, which tends to rise when people feel threatened or anxious, activates the body's stress response, elevating the heart rate, sharpening the senses and burning a lot of energy to keep the body on alert. More...

Jan-24 -- Paula Deen's not to blame for your waistline
For 10 years, wielding slabs of cream cheese and mounds of mayonnaise, Paula Deen has become television's self-crowned queen of Southern cuisine and one of the country's most popular chefs, with an empire built on layers of gooey butter cake, fried chicken and sheer force of personality.
Apparently, the common-sense assumption that her audience would understand that eating a steady diet of deep-fried, sugar- and butter-laden dishes might be deleterious was lost on Deen's critics. More...

Jan-24 -- Global AIDS Fund head to quit
A lengthy legal battle with the school ensued and White became a galvanizing force in educating the country about HIV & AIDS at a time when misinformation about the disease was widespread.
We just had a baby. What would I do?" So she works long hours, hiding the fatigue and the irritation to her digestive system--side effects of her HIV medications--in order to maintain her standing on the job. More...

Jan-24 -- Drinking three cups of tea a day may help lower blood pressure
Half of the participants drank three cups of black tea per day for six months, and the other half drank a placebo drink with a similar flavour and caffeine content.
January 24, 2012 (WLS) -- A new discovery points to another health benefit of tea. More...

Jan-24 -- LA man allegedly smoke pot on JetBlue flight
Adam Blumenkranz, 43, of Los Angeles reportedly lit up a marijuana pipe mid-flight on Monday in the plane's bathroom, KTLA-TV ]] KTLA-TV reported.
Photo: A man was arrested for allegedly smoking marijuana on a Jet Blue plane. More...

Jan-24 -- Bishop reacts to law requiring contraceptive coverage
San Francisco, Calif., Jan 24, 2012 / 06:08 am ( CNA/EWTN News ).- Catholic Healthcare West, one of the largest health systems in the U.S., is changing its name to Dignity Health while adopting a non-denominational governing board in an effort to expand.
Mangarin-Scott says it will continue to carry out the Catholic mission to care for the poor. More...

Jan-24 -- Study: Heartburn drugs don't aid children's asthma
The proton pump inhibitor lansoprazole was no better than placebo for improving symptoms and lung function in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial involving more than 300 children with poorly controlled asthma without overt gastroesophageal reflux.
"In conclusion, the results of our study indicate that PPI treatment of children with poorly controlled asthma without symptomatic GER was not an effective therapy for asthma and there may be significant safety concerns for long-term PPI use in children that warrant further study." (JAMA. 2012;307 :373-381.) More...

Tuesday

Jan-24 -- Human stem cell therapy works in blind patients in first trial
Schwartz warns that the stem cell treatment is being developed as a way to prevent blindness in people with early-stage macular degeneration.
The scientists noted that while surgeries sometimes produce false "placebo" benefits for patients, the current treatments showed new retinal cells growing in patches ravaged by blindness in the patient's eyes. More...

Jan-24 -- Do Women Feel More Pain Than Men? Study Says, 'Yes'
"To the best of our knowledge, this is the first-ever systematic use of data from electronic medical records to examine pain on this large a scale, or across such a broad range of diseases," said the study's senior author Dr Atul Butte.
Pain intensity among patients with acute sinusitis or neck pain is greater in women than in men. More...

Jan-24 -- Keeping brain sharp may ward off Alzheimer's protein
Greater mental exercise in the past did correlate with reduced amyloid buildup, even after adjustment for age, sex, and education and when additionally controlling for current memory performance (both P <0.001).
My late wife did crosswords, sudoku and puzzles for as long as I can remember and within one short year went from a Primary Head Teacher to a lost soul. More...

Jan-24 -- Kids Need To Use More Sunscreen
Looking at changes in sun-protective behaviors over that period of time, the team found that more than half (53 percent) of the youngsters had already suffered at least one sunburn by the age of 11 and that that rate of sunburn remained constant over the next three years.
A shocking three-quarters of pre-adolescent children are not wearing any suncream, despite warnings about skin cancer and associated risks of skin exposure to sun. More...

Jan-24 -- Heart Drugs Suspected in 25 Pakistan Deaths
Prof Dr Javed Akram, head of investigation team probing deaths caused by the drugs, said the death toll could cross alarming figure of 150 to 200.
OPP DUBS CM "QAATAL--E-AALA': Disallowed by the speaker to discuss the issue of the deaths, the Punjab Assembly resounded with the slogans of "Qaatal-e-Aala' over the government's failure to deal with the disease and to control the distribution of fake medicines. More...

Jan-24 -- Dutasteride for Low-Risk Prostate Cancer: Debate Heats Up
Men diagnosed with low-risk, localized prostate cancer who were given the drug dutasteride had a significant delay in progression of the disease over a three-year period, according to a study published online Monday in The Lancet, a respected medical journal .
At final biopsy, 36% of men in the dutasteride group had no cancer detected compared with 23% in the placebo group. More...

Jan-24 -- Disney OKs staff beards, goatees -- to a point
"Disney Look guidelines are periodically reviewed in relation to industry standards, as well as the unique environment of our theme parks and resorts," spokeswoman Betsy Sanchez told the LA Times.
Disney in the memo added that it also is starting a "Casual Friday" attire for staff not working directly with park visitors. More...

Jan-24 -- Magic mushrooms help treat depression
The scans showed that activity decreased in "hub" regions of the brain - areas that are especially well connected with other areas.
The brain regions that showed the most consistent decline in activity under psilocybin's influence were the same brain regions that are most active in everyday cognition, said the study's authors, who come from a consortium of British universities and the University of Copenhagen in Denmark. More...

Jan-24 -- New Genzyme Factory Gets FDA Approval
The opening of the plant, which won clearance from the European regulator last week, is a critical step in resolving manufacturing woes that have bedeviled Genzyme since before Sanofi acquired the U.S. rare disease specialist last year.
A similar approval was granted last week by the European Medicines Agency, or EMA, thanks to which Genzyme anticipates that European patients will return to full dosing by first-quarter 2012. More...

Jan-24 -- Paula Deen: How She Can Help Reverse The Diabetes Epidemic
Nearly every dish is replete with lard, sugar, bacon, heavy cream, salt, ground beef, or some disgusting combination thereof.
Deen has always argued that cooking is about more than food -- it's about family and community. More...

Jan-24 -- Baltimore named best city for hospital care
The complete list of Top Cities for Hospital Care and all Distinguished Hospitals for Clinical Excellence can be found at www.healthgrades.com.
The report also found that top-rated hospitals (Distinguished Hospitals for Clinical Excellence) were found in 38 states and that the top cities for hospital quality are found in 26 states. More...

Jan-24 -- HIV-Positive Pro-Wrestler Sentenced to Prison
Assistant Hamilton County Prosecutor Amy Tranter convinced Metz that Davis was a narcissistic sex addict who cared only about himself, traveling around the country as a professional wrestler while having sex with up to 350 women.
Davis, who could have received over 100 years in prison, faces similar charges in Warren County, north of Cincinnati. More...

Jan-24 -- Marijuana-Based Painkiller Seeks FDA Approval
GW Pharma is in advanced clinical trials for the world's first pharmaceutical developed from raw marijuana instead of synthetic equivalents - a mouth spray it hopes to market in the U.S. as a treatment for cancer pain.
Sativex is the drug that GW Pharma developed. More...

Jan-24 -- That's'smoking' crazy!
A large number of people continue to smoke despite being diagnosed with cancer, a new study has found.
The UICC organised the first World Cancer Day in 2006. More...

Jan-24 -- Proposal to change criteria for diagnosing autism triggers concern
Certainly this child and his family need help.
Now for the New York Times article that has everyone freaking out. More...

Jan-24 -- Obama Administration: One year for religious exemption to birth control provision
In a controversial decision regarding women's health care, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius has announced a final rule that requires employers that provide insurance coverage to their employees to cover contraceptives at no extra charge.
A llowing the Church to coerce non-Catholic employees, associates, students, patients or customers into following Church teachings on pain of financial penalty would be giving the Church a right to control the activities of people with different religious beliefs. More...

Jan-24 -- SLO County CHW hospitals split from the Catholic Church
The system's Catholic hospitals will continue to adhere to Catholic directives and have relationships with the religious orders of nuns that governed the system.
After extensive consultations and "formal consultations with leading Catholic moralists and authorities in church law who are expert in matters relating to health care," Archbishop Niederauer concluded the "restructuring does not conflict with the teachings of the Catholic Church," said the archdiocesan statement. More...

Jan-24 -- Illinois Alcohol Abuse: Midwest 'Binge Drinking Belt,' By The Numbers
A binge drinker is defined as a man who consumes at least five alcoholic drinks in a short period of time or a woman who consumes at least four, according to the CDC. While binge drinking has been recognized as a nationwide problem in past years, the CDC says the number of binge drinkers is climbing.
Based on a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, you might want to add a vision of your 85-year-old Nana, knocking back a box of wine at her nursing home two or three times a month. More...

Jan-24 -- Study: Brain Injuries in Childhood Have Lasting Effects on Learning
Children who suffer brain injuries in early childhood can have lingering effects for at least 10 years, according to a study published today in Pediatrics.
Initially, while the brain was recovering from the injury, the children didn't make significant developmental gains for about three years. More...

Jan-24 -- Narcissistic Men May Pay High Cost in Stress, Cardio Health
Investigators assessed cortisol levels at two points in time in order to assess baseline levels of the hormone, which signals the level of activation of the body's key stress response system, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.
More...

Tuesday

Jan-24 -- Embryonic stem cells restores some sight
Schwartz warns that the stem cell treatment is being developed as a way to prevent blindness in people with early-stage macular degeneration.
"You never know until you go into the clinical setting," Coffey says. More...

Jan-24 -- Women feel pain more intensely than men
A difference of one point in the pain score is significant, the authors explained; enough to make doctors decide that a pain medication is effective.
Women may feel more pain no man can ever understand what childbirth feels like but we tolerate it better because we simply have to. More...

Jan-24 -- Recommended: How books, puzzles may help ward off Alzheimer's
Greater mental exercise in the past did correlate with reduced amyloid buildup, even after adjustment for age, sex, and education and when additionally controlling for current memory performance (both P <0.001).
PET scans reveal amyloid plaques, which appear as warm colors such as red and orange. More...

Jan-24 -- Kids Need To Use More Sunscreen
Looking at changes in sun-protective behaviors over that period of time, the team found that more than half (53 percent) of the youngsters had already suffered at least one sunburn by the age of 11 and that that rate of sunburn remained constant over the next three years.
A survey of more than 1000 Australian parents found children are 16 times more likely to use sunscreen if their parents do. More...

Jan-24 -- Drug may help slow prostate tumour growth
Men diagnosed with low-risk, localized prostate cancer who were given the drug dutasteride had a significant delay in progression of the disease over a three-year period, according to a study published online Monday in The Lancet, a respected medical journal .
Results of the primary analysis showed that 54 of 144 men in the dutasteride group and 70 of 145 in the control group had disease progression ( P =0.009). More...

Jan-24 -- Mind-altering drugs research call from Prof David Nutt
Brain scans of people under the influence of the psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, have given scientists the most detailed picture to date of how psychedelic drugs work.
Jan. 23 (Bloomberg) -- Psilocybin, the active ingredient in so-called magic mushrooms, may help people with depression, based on two studies that suggest that the drug could have an enduring effect on patients. More...

Jan-24 -- How to tell early on if your child has dyslexia
Dyslexia affects roughly 5 percent to 17 percent of all children and up to 1 in 2 children with a family history of the disorder will struggle with reading, have poor spelling and experience difficulty decoding words.
CHICAGO: Instead of waiting for a child to experience reading delays, scientists now say they can identify the reading problem even before children start school, long before they become labeled as poor students and begin to lose confidence in themselves. More...

Jan-24 -- China reports another H5N1 death
Aman in southwest China who contracted the bird flu virus died on Sunday, health authorities said, the second human death from the virulent disease in the Asian country in just under a month.
They propose an international forum for the scientific community to discuss these issues. More...

Jan-24 -- Mary Sanchez | A bit less buttah, a bit more love for Paula Deen
Celebrity cook Paula Deen’s revelation Tuesday that she was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes three years ago has people talking, including TODAY's Professionals: Star Jones, Donny Deutsch, and Dr. Nancy Snyderman.
Vagnini pointed to all the dangers of working in a kitchen all day - chefs have to constantly taste food for flavor, multiple times a day, leading to high-caloric intake. More...

Jan-24 -- Experts React To New Definition Of Autism
Certainly this child and his family need help.
One study suggested that children diagnosed with autism were able to outgrow the mental disorder, and another study found that changing the definition of autism could leave out thousands of patients who currently qualify for a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. More...

Jan-24 -- Narcissistic men may pay a price--worse health
Three of narcissism's five personality components are considered useful or healthy: leadership/authority, superiority/arrogance and self-absorption/self-admiration.
Narcissism is a trait that exhibits "grandiosity, an inflated sense of self-importance, and overestimations of uniqueness." More...

Jan-24 -- Marijuana-Based Painkiller Seeks FDA Approval
GW Pharma has developed a mouth spray called Sativex that contains marijuana's two best known components_delta 9-THC and cannabidiol.
A quarter-century after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first prescription drugs based on the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, additional medicines derived from or inspired by the cannabis plant itself could soon be making their way to pharmacy shelves, according to drug companies, small biotech firms and university scientists. More...

Jan-24 -- 'Sex Addict' Davis Sentenced In HIV Sex Case
Assistant Hamilton County Prosecutor Amy Tranter convinced a judge that Davis was a narcissistic sex addict who cared only about himself, traveling around the country as a professional wrestler while having sex with up to 350 women.
The judge in Hamilton County did not allow the jurors to hear whether any of the victims became infected. More...

Jan-24 -- Help cancer patients to quit smoking
When a patient receives a cancer diagnosis, the main focus is to treat the disease.
Lung cancer kills more people annually than breast, prostate, colon, liver and kidney cancers combined! Lung cancer is the second most diagnosed cancer. More...

Jan-24 -- Kids' brain injuries can cause lingering problems for years, study finds
Children who suffer brain injuries in early childhood can have lingering effects for at least 10 years, according to a study published today in Pediatrics.
"Contrary to speculation about 'growing into deficits,' after protracted recovery to 30 months, young children make age-appropriate progress at least to 10 years post-insult." More...

Jan-24 -- HHS to allow some organizations extra year to comply with contraceptive benefits
In a controversial decision regarding women's health care, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius has announced a final rule that requires employers that provide insurance coverage to their employees to cover contraceptives at no extra charge.
Women are covered for sterilization procedures without co-payments or deductibles. More...

Jan-24 -- S.F.'s Catholic Healthcare West cuts church ties
The system's Catholic hospitals will continue to adhere to Catholic directives and have relationships with the religious orders of nuns that governed the system.
Deck pointed out Dominican's Catholic affiliation prevents doctors there from doing a tubal ligation, a procedure to prevent future pregnancies, at the time of a Caesarean section, or an abortion. More...

Jan-24 -- Columbia Labs Didn't Provide Adequate Data on Preterm Birth Gel
Shares of Columbia Laboratories Inc. ( NASDAQ: CBRX ), a biotechnology company engaged in the development, manufacturing and sale of pharmaceutical products that use its bioadhesive drug delivery technologies to treat various medical conditions, are sinking in pre-market trading today after the FDA advisory committee on Friday declined to recommend approval of its Proogesterone Vaginal gel 8% for the reduction of risk of preterm birth in women with short uterine cervical length.
Columbia Laboratories, Inc. is an international pharmaceutical company that develops and markets women's health care and endocrinology products. More...

Jan-24 -- The cold, hard truth: Most hot flash remedies fail
The first choice -- except for women with a history of breast cancer or other health conflicts -- is hormone therapy (estrogen, often combined with progestin).
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Monday

Jan-23 -- First patients shown to improve with embryonic stem cells
Two clinical trials testing retinal cells derived from human embryonic stem cells report positive preliminary results today. A paper published today in The Lancet says that the cells appear to be safe four months after being injected into the eyes of two blind patients, and also describes visual improvements in the patients.
In addition to showing no adverse safety issues, structural evidence confirmed that the hESC-derived cells survived and continued to persist during the study period reported. More...

Jan-23 -- Chemicals Used During Medical Imaging Tests May Damage Thyroid
In most cases, if a large amount of iodine, like that found in iodinated contrast media, gets into the body, the thyroid would either shut down thyroid hormone production or the body would decrease the amount of iodine it allows to get into the thyroid, said Elizabeth Pearce, an associate professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine, who wrote an accompanying editorial in the journal.
"The observed association between ICM exposure and incident hyperthyroidism is likely explained by the iodine or iodide load conveyed by ICM," wrote the authors. More...

Jan-23 -- Autism linked to other disorders
Certainly this child and his family need help.
A study released in the journal Pediatrics suggested that some children diagnosed with autism no longer had the disorder when later evaluated, possibly because they originally had other issues like anxiety, depression or hearing disorders. More...

Jan-23 -- Only 25% of children wear sunscreen regularly
Looking at changes in sun-protective behaviors over that period of time, the team found that more than half (53 percent) of the youngsters had already suffered at least one sunburn by the age of 11 and that that rate of sunburn remained constant over the next three years.
At age 40, I was diagnosed with melanoma. More...

Jan-23 -- Women found to report much more pain than men
Women hurt more than men, or they're at least more willing to own up to the pain, according to a new study.
We still need to individualize treatments for pain." More...

Jan-23 -- Tysabri: The Model For Facing A Drug Safety Crisis
The bulls proved right and not only did the MS drug return, it turned into the blockbuster it was always thought to be.
The link between JC virus infection and the development of PML is particularly high in patients who have prior immunosuppressive therapy and been taking Tysabri for more than two years. More...

Jan-23 -- Korean research, a first step toward Dr. Smartphone?
Scientists explained that touch screens on smartphones, PDAs and other electronic devices work by sensing electronic charges from the user's body as it comes in contact to the screen, and biochemical like proteins and DNA molecules carry specific electronic charges.
Touch Screen Testing: A biomolecular detection platform is presented that utilizes a capacitive touchscreen to measure DNA concentration. More...

Jan-23 -- Mind-alteringdrugs research call from Prof David Nutt
Brain scans of people under the influence of the psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, have given scientists the most detailed picture to date of how psychedelic drugs work.
Nutt and his colleagues suggest their results could explain some of the therapeutic effects of psilocybin. More...

Jan-23 -- Abortion: Worldwide Rate Stopped Falling After 2003
Dr Sedgh said family planning services around the world appeared to be failing to keep up with rising demand for effective contraception driven by the desire for small families and better control over the timing of births.
Writing in the UK medical journal The Lancet , where the Guttmacher/WHO abortion study was published, Beverly Winikoff of Gynuity , a New York organization that promotes abortion, pontificated for access to a safe procedure, declaring that "unsafe abortion is one of the five major contributors to maternal mortality, causing one in every seven or eight maternal deaths in 2008." More...

Jan-23 -- Paula Deen: From Big Food to Big Pharma
Get over the celebrityitis and report and opine on the REAL news stories.
She’s famous and rich but clearly not to the manor born. More...

Jan-23 -- Positive Thoughts Boost Blacks' Rx Adherence
GW Pharma has developed a mouth spray called Sativex that contains marijuana's two best known components_delta 9-THC and cannabidiol.
"To the extent that companies can produce effective medication that utilizes the components of the plant, that's great. More...

Jan-23 -- Marijuana mouth spray seeks FDA approval as painkiller
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is said to be approving prescription drugs from marijuana soon. 25 years ago, the FDA first approved drugs based on pot.
The trials come a quarter of a century after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first prescription drugs based on the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. More...

Jan-23 -- There is a Plan B for Birth Control and Health Care Plans
In a controversial decision regarding women's health care, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius has announced a final rule that requires employers that provide insurance coverage to their employees to cover contraceptives at no extra charge.
If we are going to argue a "religious" exemption from social policy then that would appear to be limited to clearly religious matters. More...

Jan-23 -- Pro wrestler Andre Davis gets 32 years in prison in HIV assault case
Assistant Hamilton County Prosecutor Amy Tranter convinced a judge that Davis was a narcissistic sex addict who cared only about himself, traveling around the country as a professional wrestler while having sex with up to 350 women.
Ohio law requires anyone who tests positive for HIV to reveal the information before having sexual contact with a partner because it is a potentially deadly virus. More...

Jan-23 -- Kids' brain injuries can cause lingering problems for years, study finds
The new study followed a group of 40 children aged 2 to 7 with traumatic brain injuries, generally caused by car accidents or a bad fall.
More stable homes with less family conflict appeared to contribute to a child's recovery. More...

Jan-23 -- Disabled father-of-two suffering from locked-in syndrome goes to High Court to ...
The Ministry of Justice has applied to dismiss Mr Nicklinson's suit since it could involve changing the law - which must be done by Parliament, not the High Court.
"Most people who want to die, who are physically able to do so, can lawfully commit suicide," said Mr Nicklinson's lawyer, Saimo Chahal. More...

Jan-23 -- Heart Drugs Suspected in 25 Pakistan Deaths
Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif has constituted yet another committee headed by Chairman CM Inspection Team Najam Saeed to probe the matter.
The patients who were given spurious medicines showed signs of a drop in platelets and white blood cells and died afterwards. More...

Jan-23 -- HCA-Owned Hospital Ordered to Pay $178M in Suit
A Duval County jury has found Memorial Hospital negligent in its care of a patient and awarded his family $167 million in damages for medical negligence and fraud, and added $10 million in punitive damages.
According to a news release from the Legal PR agency, the liability portion of the lawsuit against the hospital concluded Friday when the jury decided the award was the right amount for Clay Chandler and his family. More...

Jan-23 -- AP IMPACT: Crude new meth recipe fills hospitals with burn patients ...
A poll of hospitals in some of the nation's most active meth states showed that nearly a third of patients in some burn units were hurt while making the illicit drug and most of them had no insurance, according to an AP survey.
A survey of key hospitals in America's most-active meth states showed that up to a third of patients in some burns units were hurt while making meth, and most were uninsured. More...

Monday

Jan-23 -- Prediabetes: the silent menace
Nearly every dish is replete with lard, sugar, bacon, heavy cream, salt, ground beef, or some disgusting combination thereof.
Most, like Deen, have Type 2, an eminently avoidable form that is usually brought on by a combination of unhealthy eating, excess weight, high blood pressure and a couch-potato lifestyle. More...

Jan-23 -- Stanford study shows women report more intense pain than men
Although electronic medical records, or EMRs, are used only by about one percent of hospitals in the U.S. today, they are routinely produced and updated during patient visits to two Stanford-affiliated hospitals.
The Stanford University study used electronic patient data collected between January 2007 and September 2010. More...

Jan-23 -- Briton with locked-in syndrome wants right to die
The Ministry of Justice has applied to dismiss Mr Nicklinson's suit since it could involve changing the law - which must be done by Parliament, not the High Court.
Euthanasia battle: Former corporate manager, rugby player and skydiving sports enthusiast Tony Nicklinson is fighting a legal battle to have a doctor end his life. More...

Jan-23 -- New Autism Criteria May Mean Fewer Diagnoses
Certainly this child and his family need help.
A study presented Thursday at a meeting of the Icelandic Medical Association estimated that less than half (45 percent) of 372 children and adults diagnosed with autism in a 1993 paper would qualify under the new criteria, The New York Times reported. More...

Jan-23 -- Scientists to Pause Research on Deadly Strain of Bird Flu
According to the Hong Kong health department, the Guizhou province victim, who has not been named, had not reported any obvious exposure to poultry before the onset of symptoms.
Neighboring countries to China are currently reporting bird flu cases and deaths. More...

Jan-23 -- Obama administration gives groups more time to comply with birth control rule
After evaluating comments, we have decided to add an additional element to the final rule.
Objecting religious employers would merely get "an additional year, until August 2013, to comply with the new law." More...

Jan-23 -- Korean research, a first step toward Dr. Smartphone?
A team of scientists at Korea Advanced Institute of Science of Technology (KAIST) said in a paper published in Angewandte Chemie, a German science journal, that touch screen technology can be used to detect biomolecular matter, much as is done in medical tests.
Since nobody would put blood or urine on a touch screen, the sample would be placed on a strip, which would then be fed into the phone or a module attached to the phone through what Park called an 'entrance point'. More...

Jan-23 -- Lots of Fun in the Sun, but Little Use of Sunscreen by Kids
Looking at changes in sun-protective behaviors over that period of time, the team found that more than half (53 percent) of the youngsters had already suffered at least one sunburn by the age of 11 and that that rate of sunburn remained constant over the next three years.
"Even though you're 10, 11 or 12, that doesn't mean that you can't have problems because of having too much sun exposure," Haas noted. More...

Jan-23 -- Many keep smoking after cancer diagnosis
About one in seven people diagnosed with lung cancer report that they keep smoking, as do one in 11 colorectal cancer patients, despite smoking reducing the effectiveness of their treatment and significantly increasing the chances that the cancer will kill them.
According to a new study in the American Cancer Society journal CANCER, Manes is just one of many patients who've found themselves smoking after diagnosis. More...

Jan-23 -- Pot-based prescription drug looks for FDA approval
GW Pharma has developed a mouth spray called Sativex that contains marijuana's two best known components_delta 9-THC and cannabidiol.
"To the extent that companies can produce effective medication that utilizes the components of the plant, that's great. More...

Jan-23 -- EU regulator reviews Novartis multiple-sclerosis drug Gilenya
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said Friday that the review was prompted by reports of heart problems in patients taking Gilenya, as well as the November death of a 59-year-old patient in the U.S. less than 24 hours after taking the first dose of the drug.
The risk of bradycardia after the first dose of Gilenya was known when it was authorised. More...

Jan-23 -- Study hints that statins might fight breast cancer
Very frequently the gene mutates, giving it new erroneous functions that promote cancer formation, resulting in disorganised, invasive growth of cells.
The common link between the two is defective version of a gene known as p53. More...

Jan-23 -- Revealed: The extreme dangers of new, cheap'shake-and-bake' method of making ...
An Associated Press survey finds that manufacturing meth is putting thousands of uninsured people in hospitals for burns.
More...

Jan-23 -- Heart Drugs Suspected in 25 Pakistan Deaths
Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif has constituted yet another committee headed by Chairman CM Inspection Team Najam Saeed to probe the matter.
LAHORE - Spurious medicines of Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) took nine more lives on Saturday as death toll climbed up to 23 prompting the secretary health to constitute a committee to probe the alleged reaction of cardiac medicines. More...

Jan-23 -- Divisions arise on deadline for Alzheimer's treatment
We applaud Congress for approving the NAPA last year.
C.C.E. NACDD's members David Hoffman and Anita Albright entered the national spotlight this week for their contribution to the government's advisory committee on Alzheimer's Disease. More...

Jan-23 -- World's third smallest baby survives
Melinda Star Guido was born last August, 16 weeks early, weighing only 270 grams (9.5 ounces) - less than a can of soft drink or the same as two iPhones - and has spent nearly five months in a neo-natal intensive care unit.
The doctor estimated that the cost of medical care for the infant has run between $500,000 and $700,000. More...

Jan-23 -- Government fights court decision that says bone marrow donors may be paid
I put "bone marrow donors" in quotes, because most "marrow donations" are not actually donations of marrow at all. peripheral blood stem cells are isolated from circulating blood , and those stem cells develop into bone marrow in the new patient.
The National Marrow Donor Program claims that "a donor system that relies on the human desire to help others is far superior to one that focuses on self-gain." More...

Jan-23 -- Turkish Hospital Performs Triple Limb Transplant
Atilla Kavdir, 34, is the one who has undergone triple limb surgery.
A team Turkish doctors on Saturday gave a Turkish man double arms and a leg in what they said the world's first ever such transplant surgery just hours after they performed the country's first face transplant. More...

Jan-23 -- Why School Junk Food Isn't Making Kids Fat
Part of the justification was "the school environment profoundly influences students' attitudes, preferences and behaviours."
Regulators rid schools of so-called junk food resulting in black markets for candy --"Willy-Wonka-meets- Casablanca," in the words of one observer--and students disgusted with the new "healthy" menus. More...

Monday

Jan-23 -- China Reports a Second Bird Flu Death in Less Than a Month
HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam on Thursday reported its first human death from bird flu in nearly two years, as the virus also claimed the life of a toddler in .
An official of southern Kien Giang province's health department said test results confirmed that the Vietnamese teenager died of the disease on Monday after being hospitalised a day earlier. More...

Jan-23 -- Religious employers must cover pill, Feds say
After evaluating comments, we have decided to add an additional element to the final rule.
Scientific and public health evidence are unequivocal on the health benefits of access to contraception. More...

Jan-23 -- Statins show promise against breast cancer
Very frequently the gene mutates, giving it new erroneous functions that promote cancer formation, resulting in disorganised, invasive growth of cells.
The findings also suggest that mutations in a single gene could be used to identify tumors likely to respond to statin therapy. More...

Jan-23 -- 5 diabetes-friendly swaps Paula Deen should try
I use coconut oil for cooking and modest amounts of butter on my veggies, along with eating eggs every day, and have no cholesterol issues. (I don't dump a pound of butter into a cake recipe like Ms. Deen).
If you can't win an argument you can certainly attack a person's perceived lack of accomplishment. More...

Jan-23 -- Korean research, a first step toward Dr. Smartphone?
Since nobody would put blood or urine on a touch screen, the sample would be placed on a strip, which would then be fed into the phone or a module attached to the phone through what Park called an "entrance point."
More...

Jan-23 -- British firm tests pot-based drug
GW Pharma has developed a mouth spray called Sativex that contains marijuana's two best known components_delta 9-THC and cannabidiol.
Guy proposed the idea at a scientific conference that heard anecdotal evidence that pot provides relief to multiple sclerosis patients, and the British government welcomed it as a potential way "to draw a clear line between recreational and medicinal use," company spokesman Mark Rogerson said. More...

Jan-23 -- Man shoots 3½-inch nail into brain -- and survives
Gail Glaenzer often teased her accident-prone fiance, Dante Autullo, about their long engagement, joking that she wanted to marry before he hurt himself too badly.
Glaenzer told Toner that it was "a miracle" and "un-freaking-believable." More...

Jan-23 -- Tiny baby gets Hollywood treatment as she leaves LA hospital
Melinda Star Guido was born last August, 16 weeks early, weighing only 270 grams (9.5 ounces) - less than a can of soft drink or the same as two iPhones - and has spent nearly five months in a neo-natal intensive care unit.
Parents take the third smallest baby ever born home from a Los Angeles hospital after more than four months. More...

Jan-23 -- Redefining Autism For DSM-V
NEW YORK - Proposed changes in the definition of autism would sharply reduce the skyrocketing rate at which the disorder is diagnosed and might make it harder for many people who would no longer meet the criteria to get health, educational and social services, a new analysis suggests.
According to a preliminary analysis, proposed changes to the definition of autism would likely exclude higher functioning individuals, making it more difficult to obtain health, educational, and social services. More...

Jan-23 -- Turk who underwent world's first triple limb transplant has leg removed again
Medics at the hospital also made history by performing the worlds first triple limb transplant, attaching two arms and one leg of the same donor to a 34-year-old man, an official said.
"For the first time a hospital has transplanted two arms and a leg on one patient." More...

Jan-23 -- Novartis's Gilenya Pill Reviewed by EU, US After 11 Deaths
According to the findings, Gilenya can temporarily slow the heart rate but it usually returns to normal after a few hours.
Mark Schoenebaum, an analyst at ISI Group, said the call for active ECG monitoring was very different from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommendation of observation and could encourage European doctors to use Biogen Idec's experimental BG-12. More...

Jan-23 -- Government fights court decision that says bone marrow donors may be paid
I put "bone marrow donors" in quotes, because most "marrow donations" are not actually donations of marrow at all. peripheral blood stem cells are isolated from circulating blood , and those stem cells develop into bone marrow in the new patient.
Saturday's bone marrow donation drive is in honor of one of York City's retired detectives. More...

Jan-23 -- Why School Junk Food Isn't Making Kids Fat
Part of the justification was "the school environment profoundly influences students' attitudes, preferences and behaviours."
And, anecdotally, there's evidence that when schools ban unhealthy foods, a student-run black market springs up to provide the contraband. More...

Jan-23 -- Kids may have higher obesity risk if dad is overweight, study says
LOS ANGELES -- After a 30-year, record-shattering rise, U.S. obesity rates appear to be stabilizing.
Even if mom was obese, there was no increased risk of obesity for the child so long as dad was normal weight. More...

Jan-23 -- Cancer Patient Sells Artwork
Liam Myrick is like most three-year-olds.
ST. LOUIS, Mo. A three-year-old Missouri boy is using his painting skills in an effort to save his life. More...

Jan-23 -- High teen birth rate tied to lack of sex ed
Although the number of teens who get pregnant in the United States has fallen in recent years, the U.S. teen birth rate is still the highest of any developed country, with more than 400,000 births in 2009, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Everyone makes mistakes, including young people caught up in the heat of a passionate moment. More...

Jan-23 -- Quinn to close Tinley Park Mental Health Center in July
Gov. Pat Quinn this week announced plans to close the Tinley Park Mental Health Center as part of his administration's goal to transition more people with mental health needs and developmental disabilities from state institutions into community care settings.
Burke's son, Brian, has been living at the Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center in Anna in southern Illinois since 1990. More...

Jan-23 -- Kid's cancer fight takes turn for the worse
Fans of the New York Met's 1986 champ continue to hope for the best.
Photo by Scott Lituchy / The Star-Ledger Gary Carter on Opening Day at Shea Stadium in 2006. More...

Jan-23 -- Repeal of Affordable Care Act Not a Likely Election Outcome
The law, when it takes full effect in 2014, is also expected to provide coverage for 32 million people who are uninsured.
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Sunday

Jan-22 -- China Reports 2nd Bird Flu Death in Month
According to the Hong Kong health department, the Guizhou province victim, who has not been named, had not reported any obvious exposure to poultry before the onset of symptoms.
Some scientists and biosecurity experts worry that such a mutated virus could trigger a human pandemic that might rival the Spanish flu outbreak of 1918-19 that killed an estimated 20 million and 40 million people worldwide. More...

Jan-22 -- 5 diabetes-friendly swaps Paula Deen should try
Celebrity cook Paula Deen’s revelation Tuesday that she was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes three years ago has people talking, including TODAY's Professionals: Star Jones, Donny Deutsch, and Dr. Nancy Snyderman.
Of course, Picard is mainly a restaurant chef. More...

Jan-22 -- Mum-to-be takes to catwalk after five-year cancer battle
For the study, Lee and her colleagues sent surveys to 746 women who had undergone surgery for stage one or stage two breast cancer at one of four medical centers: the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston; the University of California, San Francisco; and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
More...

Jan-22 -- Religious employers must cover pill, Feds say
After evaluating comments, we have decided to add an additional element to the final rule.
As if religious convictions are some pliable veneer that just needs time to bend around governmental policy choices. More...

Jan-22 -- The Autism Label Controversy: A Child ™s View
NEW YORK - Proposed changes in the definition of autism would sharply reduce the skyrocketing rate at which the disorder is diagnosed and might make it harder for many people who would no longer meet the criteria to get health, educational and social services, a new analysis suggests.
"There is a group of people who are currently meeting diagnostic criteria who may not meet according to the proposed DSM5 criteria," said James McPartland, Ph.D., of the Child Study Center at the Yale School of Medicine. More...

Jan-22 -- Statins show promise against breast cancer
Very frequently the gene mutates, giving it new erroneous functions that promote cancer formation, resulting in disorganised, invasive growth of cells.
The findings also suggest that mutations in a single gene could be used to identify tumors likely to respond to statin therapy. More...

Jan-22 -- Man shoots 3½-inch nail into brain -- and survives
Gail Glaenzer often teased her accident-prone fiance, Dante Autullo, about their long engagement, joking that she wanted to marry before he hurt himself too badly.
It was real, and so is his recovery, doctors said, not matter how hard it is to believe. More...

Jan-22 -- Tiny baby leaves hospital amid fanfare
Melinda Star Guido was born last August, 16 weeks early, weighing only 270 grams (9.5 ounces) - less than a can of soft drink or the same as two iPhones - and has spent nearly five months in a neo-natal intensive care unit.
"We don't expect miracles every day." More...

Jan-22 -- Turk who underwent world's first triple limb transplant has leg removed again
Medics at the hospital also made history by performing the worlds first triple limb transplant, attaching two arms and one leg of the same donor to a 34-year-old man, an official said.
The hospital reported that Kavdır's body has rejected the transplanted leg. More...

Jan-22 -- Ministry endorses European precautions on MS drug
According to the findings, Gilenya can temporarily slow the heart rate but it usually returns to normal after a few hours.
Mark Schoenebaum, an analyst at ISI Group, said the call for active ECG monitoring was very different from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommendation of observation and could encourage European doctors to use Biogen Idec's experimental BG-12. More...

Jan-22 -- Snowboarding pioneer Burton says chemo worked, cancer is "toast"
Post Forum members consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on politics, national and international affairs.
In September, Burton was diagnosed with cancer and said he faced three months of therapy. More...

Jan-22 -- Kid's cancer fight takes turn for the worse
Fans of the New York Met's 1986 champ continue to hope for the best.
Carter, 57, part of the New York Mets' 1986 World Series championship team, was diagnosed in May with four brain tumors. More...

Jan-22 -- Kids may have higher obesity risk if dad is overweight, study says
LOS ANGELES -- After a 30-year, record-shattering rise, U.S. obesity rates appear to be stabilizing.
According to the reports, men became more obese in the latest decade, rising to 35.5 percent at the end of the decade from 27.5 percent. More...

Jan-22 -- Many teen moms didn't think it could happen, were surprised by pregnancy: CDC
Although the number of teens who get pregnant in the United States has fallen in recent years, the U.S. teen birth rate is still the highest of any developed country, with more than 400,000 births in 2009, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
ACSH's Dr. Gilbert Ross, who was dismayed by the high rate of teenagers who are skipping birth control altogether, endorses the CDC's recommendations. More...

Jan-22 -- The facts on Quinn plan to close Ill. facilities
Gov. Pat Quinn this week announced plans to close the Tinley Park Mental Health Center as part of his administration's goal to transition more people with mental health needs and developmental disabilities from state institutions into community care settings.
Burke's son, Brian, has been living at the Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center in Anna in southern Illinois since 1990. More...

Jan-22 -- Cancer Patient Sells Artwork
Liam Myrick is like most three-year-olds.
Liam just finished 3 new paintings and plans to make more in the coming days. More...

Jan-22 -- Greenwich Relay honored
The 2012 Relay For Life event is scheduled to take place from 7 p.m. on May 25 to 7 a.m. on May 26 at the George Washington High School track and field.
An opening ceremony, where participants celebrate survivors and caregivers, is held and survivors walk an opening lap. More...

Jan-22 -- Repeal of Affordable Care Act Not a Likely Election Outcome
The law, when it takes full effect in 2014, is also expected to provide coverage for 32 million people who are uninsured.
Seven managed care plans serve more than 1.6 million Medicaid enrollees, including 125,000 aged, blind and disabled people, and 37,000 children with special needs, according to Kasich's office. More...

Jan-22 -- Pot-based prescription drug looks for FDA OK
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- A British pharmaceutical company is working its way toward FDA approval for the world's first prescription drug developed from raw marijuana instead of synthetic equivalents, a medical milestone that could presage a new era for the plant and the nation's uneasy relationship with it.
In 1985, the FDA approved two drug capsules containing synthetic THC, Marinol and Cesamet, to ease side-effects of chemotherapy in cancer patients. More...

Sunday

Jan-22 -- China suffers second bird flu death in a month
According to the Hong Kong health department, the Guizhou province victim, who has not been named, had not reported any obvious exposure to poultry before the onset of symptoms.
The scientists involved feel that the work should not be hindered as the details that they expect to learn about the development and early warning signs of pandemic diseases is vital to protecting society. More...

Jan-22 -- Obama administration gives groups more time to comply with birth control rule
After evaluating comments, we have decided to add an additional element to the final rule.
Scientific and public health evidence are unequivocal on the health benefits of access to contraception. More...

Jan-22 -- Tiny baby leaves Los Angeles hospital amid fanfare
Melinda Star Guido was born last August, 16 weeks early, weighing only 270 grams (9.5 ounces) - less than a can of soft drink or the same as two iPhones - and has spent nearly five months in a neo-natal intensive care unit.
About 7,500 babies are born each year in the U.S. weighing less than 1 pound, and about 10% survive. More...

Jan-22 -- No joke: 3-inch nail removed from Ill. man's brain
Autullo was recovering Friday after undergoing surgery at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where doctors removed the nail that came within millimeters of the part of the brain controlling motor function.
After firing off the final nail, the gun recoiled, wound up next to Autullo's head, and discharged. More...

Jan-22 -- Complication in first triple limb transplant
At another hospital doctors also transplanted the face of the limb donor onto a 19-year-old patient, in what is Turkey's first face transplant, Sky News reported.
In the 12-hour operation, surgeons attached two arms and a leg to a 34-year-old man called Atilla Kavdir. More...

Jan-22 -- Why Junk Food at School Isn't Making Kids Fat
Some scientists who study childhood obesity caution that the new investigation may underestimate a tendency for students to gain weight in middle schools that offer high-calorie alternatives to standard lunches.
And, anecdotally, there's evidence that when schools ban unhealthy foods, a student-run black market springs up to provide the contraband. More...

Jan-22 -- New Definition of Autism Will Exclude Many, Study Suggests
NEW YORK - Proposed changes in the definition of autism would sharply reduce the skyrocketing rate at which the disorder is diagnosed and might make it harder for many people who would no longer meet the criteria to get health, educational and social services, a new analysis suggests.
The new guidelines are designed make the diagnostic criteria clearer and more consistent for autism disorders. More...

Jan-22 -- Kid's children give emotional speech at awards ceremony
Fans of the New York Met's 1986 champ continue to hope for the best.
"Dr. V told my mom that there are now several new spots/tumors on my dad's brain." More...

Jan-22 -- Snowboarding pioneer Burton says chemo worked, cancer is "toast"
Post Forum members consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on politics, national and international affairs.
In September, Burton was diagnosed with cancer and said he faced three months of therapy. More...

Jan-22 -- Repeal of Affordable Care Act Not a Likely Election Outcome
The law, when it takes full effect in 2014, is also expected to provide coverage for 32 million people who are uninsured.
The risk pool in any given insurance plan gets skewed towards less healthy people. More...

Jan-22 -- Many teen moms didn't think it could happen, were surprised by pregnancy: CDC
Although the number of teens who get pregnant in the United States has fallen in recent years, the U.S. teen birth rate is still the highest of any developed country, with more than 400,000 births in 2009, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The truth won't hurt you. More...

Jan-22 -- First photos emerge since injured model's accident
Photos have emerged of model and fashion blogger Lauren Scruggs, the first since her plane propeller accident in December.
Instead the pilot kept the engine on as new passengers proceeded to get on the plane after Ms Scruggs half hour flight to view Christmas lights. More...

Jan-22 -- Red Cross schedules blood drive in Abington for Feb. 11
OCEAN CITY -- For each of the 50,334 people on Delmarva who took the time to donate lifesaving blood over the past year, there are about 20,000 recipients across the Peninsula who may have been thanking them as they were ringing in 2012.
Give blood before the winter weather hits, and as soon as safely possible after the storm to ensure the blood supply is sufficient at local hospitals. More...

Jan-22 -- Dangerous abortions 'on the rise', says WHO
Around the world, unsafe abortions accounted for 220 deaths per 100,000 procedures in 2008 -- 35 times the rate for legal abortions in the United States -- and for nearly one in seven of all maternal deaths.
Abortion is major medical surgery & can't be made safe. More...

Jan-22 -- Study: Glendora Gets Failing Grade in Tobacco Control
Prohibit smoking within the actual units, patios and balconies of multi-unit housing units that are under the control of the city, such as low-income, senior or migrant housing.
The grades are based on local tobacco control laws and regulations, and Pacifica received a C. More...

Jan-22 -- Novartis drug studied; possible ties to deaths
According to the findings, Gilenya can temporarily slow the heart rate but it usually returns to normal after a few hours.
The risk of slow heart rate, or bradycardia, after the first dose was known when the drug was approved, EMA said. More...

Jan-22 -- Obesity rates stall but don't decline
LOS ANGELES -- After a 30-year, record-shattering rise, U.S. obesity rates appear to be stabilizing.
Most obesity is untreated or under-treated. More...

Jan-22 -- Mineral quashes deadly bacterial poisons
If you are infected with a Shiga-producing bacterium, like Shigella dysenteriae or some E. coli strains, there is no clear treatment: if you are given antibiotics, your infected cells will explode, spraying the toxin all over neighboring cells and exacerbating your symptoms.
Manganese, commonly found in nature, protected cells against as much as 4,000 times the amount of that toxin required to cause death in the lab, according to scientists in the journal Science . More...

Sunday

Jan-22 -- Obama administration gives groups more time to comply with birth control rule
After evaluating comments, we have decided to add an additional element to the final rule.
How the requirement that "health plans. provide all FDA-approved contraceptives" presents a moral problem escapes me. More...

Jan-22 -- Bio-terror fear halts bird flu research
In an effort to better understand the deadly bird flu virus, Ron Fouchier of Erasmus Medical College in the Netherlands, Adolfo Garcia-Sastre of Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York and Yoshihiro Kawaoka of the University of Wisconsin, Madison have been slaving over their study of the avian influenza.
"We will remain vigilant regarding bird flu as it remains a threat, primarily due to poultry. More...

Jan-22 -- Mum-to-be takes to catwalk after five-year cancer battle
For the study, Lee and her colleagues sent surveys to 746 women who had undergone surgery for stage one or stage two breast cancer at one of four medical centers: the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston; the University of California, San Francisco; and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Surgical treatments are recommended based on the size, location or type of breast cancer. More...

Jan-22 -- Tighter autism criteria to limit aid
Proposed changes in the definition of autism would sharply reduce the skyrocketing rate at which the disorder is diagnosed and might make it harder for many people who would no longer meet the criteria to get health, educational and social services, a new analysis suggests.
The new definition, the panel says, will provide clarity to diagnosing a disorder that badly needs it. More...

Jan-22 -- Statins show promise against breast cancer
Very frequently the gene mutates, giving it new erroneous functions that promote cancer formation, resulting in disorganised, invasive growth of cells.
Muscle deteriation caused by statins. More...

Jan-22 -- Diabetics call Paula Deen a hypocrite for hiding disease while promoting sugar ...
Celebrity TV cook Paula Deen (the Southern belle of butter and heavy cream, as the Associated Press called her ) is rightfully taking her lumps (of gravy, as it were) for waiting three years to announce that she has diabetes, while still serving up her fat and sugar-laden recipes, and working out an agreement to promote a diabetes treatment as a paid spokesperson for a pharmaceutical company.
Many celebrity chefs aren't really trying to make everyday food. More...

Jan-22 -- 3-Inch Nail Removed from Illinois Man's Brain
Gail Glaenzer often teased her accident-prone fiance, Dante Autullo, about their long engagement, joking that she wanted to marry before he hurt himself too badly.
After firing off the final nail, the gun recoiled, wound up next to Autullo's head, and discharged. More...

Jan-22 -- Dangerous abortions 'on the rise', says WHO
Around the world, unsafe abortions accounted for 220 deaths per 100,000 procedures in 2008 -- 35 times the rate for legal abortions in the United States -- and for nearly one in seven of all maternal deaths.
In Latin American and African regions with restrictive abortion laws, 95 to 97% of abortions were unsafe. More...

Jan-22 -- Analysis: Goal for Alzheimer's drug by 2025 too ambitious?
CHICAGO (Reuters) - The U.S. government has set a deadline of 2025 for finding an effective way to treat or prevent Alzheimer's disease, an ambitious target considering there is no cure on the horizon and one that sets a firm deadline unlike previous campaigns against cancer or AIDS. A panel of Alzheimer's experts this week has been fleshing out the first comprehensive plan by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to fight Alzheimer's disease, an effort mandated by the National Alzheimer's Project Act signed into law by President Barack Obama last year.
The Council has been told to provide the HHS Secretary with recommendations for a national plan. More...

Jan-22 -- Born at 270 grams, baby Melinda finally ready for home
Melinda Star Guido was born last August, 16 weeks early, weighing only 270 grams (9.5 ounces) - less than a can of soft drink or the same as two iPhones - and has spent nearly five months in a neo-natal intensive care unit.
"We don't expect miracles every day." More...

Jan-22 -- Snowboarding pioneer Burton says chemo worked, cancer is "toast"
Post Forum members consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on politics, national and international affairs.
More...

Jan-22 -- Turkish Hospital Performs Triple Limb Transplant
CAIRO: A team of doctor's at Akdeniz University Hospital, in the Mediterranean coastal city of Antalya, has attempted the world's first triple limb transplant.
Doctors at Akdeniz University Hospital, in the Mediterranean coastal city of Antalya, transplanted the donors face onto a 19-year-old man. More...

Jan-22 -- ACA Repeal? For Massachusetts, So What?
The law, when it takes full effect in 2014, is also expected to provide coverage for 32 million people who are uninsured.
Tea Party activists and health care advocates packed a public hearing yesterday at the state Capitol. More...

Jan-22 -- Kid's cancer fight takes turn for the worse
Fans of the New York Met's 1986 champ continue to hope for the best.
"Dr. V told my mom that there are now several new spots/tumors on my dad's brain." More...

Jan-22 -- First photos emerge since injured model's accident
Photos have emerged of model and fashion blogger Lauren Scruggs, the first since her plane propeller accident in December.
Instead the pilot kept the engine on as new passengers proceeded to get on the plane after Ms Scruggs half hour flight to view Christmas lights. More...

Jan-22 -- Half of Teen Moms Don't Use Birth Control -- Why That's No Surprise
Although the number of teens who get pregnant in the United States has fallen in recent years, the U.S. teen birth rate is still the highest of any developed country, with more than 400,000 births in 2009, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
How bad is it? About half of the teens who got pregnant while not using any form of birth control say they didn't contraceptively arm themselves because they didn't believe that it was possible for them to get pregnant. More...

Jan-22 -- Many with mental illness go without treatment, survey says
One in five adults in the , or nearly 50 million people, suffered mental illnesses in the past year with women and young adults suffering disproportionately, a government report released on Thursday found.
The SAMHSA report defined "any mental illness" as having had, at the current time or at any time during the past year, "a diagnosable mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder (excluding developmental and substance use disorders) of sufficient duration to meet diagnostic criteria" specified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), regardless of functional impairment. More...

Jan-22 -- Most states get an F for tobacco prevention
Prohibit smoking within the actual units, patios and balconies of multi-unit housing units that are under the control of the city, such as low-income, senior or migrant housing.
None of the states earned "A" grades in all four policy areas covered in the report: cigarette taxes, smoking bans, tobacco-prevention spending and cessation coverage. Delaware , Hawaii, Maine and Oklahoma were the only states that received passing grades in all four areas. More...

Jan-22 -- Novartis drug studied; possible ties to deaths
After the November death of a 59-year-old patient who'd just begun Gilenya therapy, triggering an FDA safety review, the European Medicines Agency has received more reports of unexplained deaths of patients taking the med.
The Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis says last November it was notified of the first reported case of a patient death that occurred within 24 hours after receiving the first dose of Gilenya. More...