Health Topics Overviews

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

Wednesday (Update 1)

Mar-10-2009 -- Despite Recession, Elective Cosmetic Procedures Only Down 2%
In 2008, men and women between the ages of 35 and 50 underwent nearly 4.4 million appearance enhancement procedures.
"People just couldn't go for the big items," said Renato Saltz, the association's president. More...

Mar-10-2009 -- Moderate Drinking Linked to Weight Control
A recent study of the effect alcohol consumption has on female weight gain has led to some surprising results: it seems that women who were moderate drinkers gained less weight over time than those who drank heavily or not at all.
41 percent of the women became either overweight or obese (based on BMI calculations) during the course of the study. More...

Mar-10-2009 -- Most Drug Studies Don't Help Docs Pick Best Treatment
An analysis by researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) has found that only 32 percent of medication studies published in top medical journals compare the effectiveness of existing treatments.
What is often missing is formal, scientific research about how that new treatment compares with existing ones, the authors of the new report discovered. More...

Mar-10-2009 -- Some thoughts on health care reform
The nation's leading radio host Rush Limbaugh said Tuesday that he would leave the United States for medical care if President Barack Obama's healthcare plan is passed and implemented - a comment that was erroneously reported as meaning he'd permanently move to the Central American nation of Costa Rica.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 . More...

Mar-10-2009 -- Public Health Trust: Jackson in 'health care spiral'
Facing a $230 million budget shortfall and the prospect of thousands in layoffs, a marathon meeting involving Jackson Memorial Hospital administrators and the Miami-Dade Public Trust was held Tuesday to get the hospital out of the red.
The hospital, located at the Golden Glades, used to be known as Parkway Medical Center, but the Public Health Trust bought it in December 2006. More...

Mar-10-2009 -- States' Legislative Initiatives On Health Changes Stall
"The idea of foregoing heroic efforts and new technologies to save dying patients is anathema for most Americans.
Having failed to excite the majority of American about covering 30 million of their fellow citizens at the expense of jeopardizing their own medical care, the Obama Administration has settled on an even more implausible reform argument -- extending these benefits will lower medical costs. More...

Mar-10-2009 -- Sleep Habits Vary by Ethnicity
WASHINGTON — Most African-Americans like to pray just before they do it, white Americans like to do it with their pets, Asians tend to do it best and Hispanics fret about work just beforehand.
Recession-related stresses affected sleep to different degrees, with Hispanics and blacks more affected than whites or Asians. More...

Mar-10-2009 -- FDA Panel Votes in Favor of InterMune Drug
Exceed investors' expectations, even if the results are far from exhilarating, and the stock is likely to go up.
InterMune ( ITMN ) shares soared over 60% in after-hours trading after a Food and Drug Administration panel voted in favor of its experimental drug pirfenidone for treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a fatal disease in which the lungs scar for no apparent cause. More...

Mar-10-2009 -- Baby Sling Deaths Lead to CPSC Warning
Washington, Mar 10, (THAINDIAN NEWS) When safety lines become death traps, it does become a serious issue to consider.
I never liked the sling I had. More...

Mar-10-2009 -- Cancer society casts doubt on prostate tests
The American Cancer Society'''s recent guidelines regarding prostate screening have created a lot of confusion, which is why it is important to know just what they are suggesting and why.
Perhaps not surprisingly, the situation is very similar when men visit physicians who treat localized prostate cancer: Surgeons are more likely to recommend surgery, andradiation specialists will call for X-rays or proton beams, researchers reported Monday in the Archives of Internal Medicine. More...

Mar-10-2009 -- FDA Okays Botox Use in Elbow, Wrist Muscle Spasms
WASHINGTON -- The FDA has approved a new indication for botulinum toxin type A (Botox) as a flexor muscle spasm treatment for the elbow, wrist, and fingers in adult patients.
TUESDAY, March 9 (HealthDay News) -- Botox (onabotulinumtoxin A) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat spasms (spasticity) in the flexor muscles of the elbow, wrist and fingers in adults who have had a stroke, the agency said Tuesday in a news release. More...

Mar-10-2009 -- Britain gives one million pounds to S.Africa for condoms
Compiled by the Government Communication and Information System Date: 10 Mar 2010 Title: SA welcomes HIV/AIDS assistance from Britain Pretoria - The Department of Health has welcomed the support by a British department to buy additional condoms for the country.
The government is currently capable of reaching less than 10 percent of the country's gay population who are at high risk of contracting HIV/AIDS, in order to intervene if an epidemic is in danger of breaking out, former vice-health minister Wang Longde told China Daily on the sidelines of the National People's Congress (NPC) session. More...

Wednesday

Mar-10-2009 -- 'Drowning in Alzheimer's': Minorities struggle with dementia
African-Americans are twice as likely as Caucasians to have Alzheimer's and related memory-robbing diseases, and Hispanics, the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population, are 1.5 times as likely, according to a new report released this morning by the Alzheimer's Association.
The report authors note that a late Alzheimer's diagnosis among minorities can have a number of effects, including not benefitting from early treatment, when medications that can slow the disease are more likely to be effective. More...

Mar-10-2009 -- Limbaugh: I'm Not Moving To Costa Rica
RUSH LIMBAUGH's remark to a caller that he would go to COSTA RICA for health care if Pres.
Answer: Probably because a lot of prescription drugs in Costa Rica can be purchased over the counter without the need of a doctor's prescription. More...

Mar-10-2009 -- Specialty may bias doctors' prostate cancer advice
The American Cancer Society'''s recent guidelines regarding prostate screening have created a lot of confusion, which is why it is important to know just what they are suggesting and why.
The American Urological Association has similar recommendations on discussing options and outcomes before screening for prostate cancer. More...

Mar-10-2009 -- Healthier men want more sex for more years
Sexually active people tend to be healthier, and healthier people tend to be sexually active.
The survey analysis concluded, '''Sexual activity, quality of sexual life, and interest in sex were positively associated with health in middle age and later life. More...

Mar-10-2009 -- Sleep Habits Revealed in New Survey
WASHINGTON — Most African-Americans like to pray just before they do it, white Americans like to do it with their pets, Asians tend to do it best and Hispanics fret about work just beforehand.
Research on sleep in general had suggested there might be differences. More...

Mar-10-2009 -- Senators probe Select Medical after report
The Times ' unflattering portrait came just days before Select announced that income from operations grew 20.1 percent to $235.8 million for fiscal year 2009 ended Dec. 31.
Last month, the newspaper reported about allegations of poor treatment and deaths at long-term care hospitals, which treat seriously ill patients. More...

Mar-10-2009 -- Do Americans oppose health-care reform? Why?
Why? Because the CBO declared , after rigorous analysis of the Senate bill, that premium prices would actually go down by 7-10%.
It can just be told, "we're CUTTING OFF YOUR WELFARE." More...

Mar-10-2009 -- New York unwraps winning condom
"After tallying more than 15,000 online ballots," New York City's Health Department reports , "the winning design for the special limited-edition NYC Condom wrapper. is the electronic power button submitted by Luis Acosta of Kew Gardens, Queens.
A panel of local artists, advertising professionals and public health and social-marketing experts chose five finalists whose entries best captured the city's spirit and the NYC Condom program's public health message. More...

Mar-10-2009 -- Ugandan Government Unable to Afford Treatment for AIDS Patients
Scientists have discovered that the AIDS virus can avoid treatment by infecting bone marrow, becoming dormant, and later converting into blood cells.
WASHINGTON — The virus that causes AIDS can hide in the bone marrow, avoiding drugs and later awakening to cause illness, according to new research that could point the way toward better treatments for the disease. More...

Mar-10-2009 -- FDA Expands Approval Of Botox For Elbow, Wrist Spasticity
Although not a life-threatening condition, upper limb spasticity can be severely debilitating and painful, producing disfiguring muscle contractions that can result in stiff, tight muscles in the elbow, wrist and fingers, or a clenched fist.
TUESDAY, March 9 (HealthDay News) -- Botox (onabotulinumtoxin A) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat spasms (spasticity) in the flexor muscles of the elbow, wrist and fingers in adults who have had a stroke, the agency said Tuesday in a news release. More...

Mar-10-2009 -- Power symbol wins NY condom design contest
Food manufacturers rushed to recall products made with hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it found Salmonella Tennessee in one company'''s supply of the ingredient, widely-used used as a flavor enhancer in many processed foods, including soups, sauces, chilis, stews, hot dogs, gravies, seasoned snack foods, dips and dressings.
Foodmaker giant Proctor & Gamble is voluntarily recalling two of its Pringles potato snack flavors on the recommendation of the Food and Drug Administration. More...

Mar-10-2009 -- Power symbol wins NY condom design contest
"After tallying more than 15,000 online ballots," New York City's Health Department reports , "the winning design for the special limited-edition NYC Condom wrapper. is the electronic power button submitted by Luis Acosta of Kew Gardens, Queens.
A panel of local artists, advertising professionals and public health and social-marketing experts chose five finalists whose entries best captured the city's spirit and the NYC Condom program's public health message. More...

Tuesday (Update 1)

Mar-09-2009 -- Court to decide if vaccine makers can be sued
Lebanon family learned that they'll be taking their fight to the highest level.
The case would determine whether federal law protects vaccine makers from liability lawsuits in state court. More...

Mar-09-2009 -- Specialty may bias doctors' prostate cancer advice
The only trial for men over 65, in fact, found that surgical removal of the tumor was no more likely to improve survival than watchful waiting.
The median PSA was 0.89 ng/mL by Hybritech assay and 0.73 by WHO assay. More...

Mar-09-2009 -- Medical Miracles More Likely, But At What Cost?
This whole effort was never about reform from the day last March when the new president called on Congress to begin deliberations on health care reform.
Knowing families who have sacrificed food on the table in order to pay for health care insurance, which has doubled in the past several years. More...

Mar-09-2009 -- State Insurance Experts See Flaw in Obama's Plan to Curb Health Premiums
Small businesses and ordinary citizens are suffering under the crushing increases in health insurance premiums, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said today at a press conference with Chicago -area business owners and residents meant to underscore the need for healthcare reform.
The individual insurance market is notoriously volatile, and Susan E. Voss, the Iowa insurance commissioner, said she had seen some companies paying out 50 percent more in claims than they collected in premiums for some policies in that market. More...

Mar-09-2009 -- North Carolinians urged to check pantries after recall of flavoring ingredient
Food manufacturers rushed to recall products made with hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it found Salmonella Tennessee in one company'''s supply of the ingredient, widely-used used as a flavor enhancer in many processed foods, including soups, sauces, chilis, stews, hot dogs, gravies, seasoned snack foods, dips and dressings.
About eight years ago, it got into a contract dispute with Nevada architect Christopher T. Kourafas, who was hired to design a building and manage construction. More...

Mar-09-2009 -- Colon Cancer Awareness Month: Early detection key to survival
Last Modified: Monday, March 8, 2010 at 11:22 p.m. This year an estimated 150,000 Americans will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and one in three will die of the disease.
The investigators, who presented their data on March 6 at the 2010 Society of Surgical Oncology Annual Cancer Symposium (SSO), said that they believe their study is the first in the United States to explore the relationship between health outcomes and colon cancer surgeon visits. More...

Mar-09-2009 -- To treat or not to treat high pressure in the eyes
The Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study (OHTS) investigators, led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, report in the Archives of Ophthalmology that most patients with high eye pressure but no glaucoma damage can be carefully monitored rather than given eye drops.
There are rarely any symptoms in the early stages of the disease so regular eye checks by qualified professionals are important. More...

Mar-09-2009 -- Spring Break may Bring H1N1 Back
"We are particularly still encouraging people to receive an H1N1 vaccination," stated Health Director, Donna Moultrup.
The call for flu jabs for pregnant women was backed by international evidence which showed no evidence of harm to the fetus from immunisation of pregnant women using influenza inactivated viral vaccines. More...

Mar-09-2009 -- Colorado: Halt Sought on Medical Marijuana Raids
Four Colorado lawmakers are urging the U.S. Attorney General to temporarily stop Federal Drug Enforcement Agency raids on local medical marijuana businesses until the Legislature passes bills to regulate the industry.
Supporters of the bill say the current status quo of little regulation for the state's booming medical marijuana is unacceptable. More...

Mar-09-2009 -- US military sends doctors to Chile
Sergeant Young, a public affairs specialist, is deploying in support of an Air Force Expeditionary Medical Support team composed of more than 80 Airmen who deployed to Chile March 8 to aid local medics in response to victims of the Feb. 27, 2010, 8.8 magnitude earthquake there.
On March 7, U.S. Southern Command deployed a 10-person command-and-control team to Santiago to assist the U.S. military group overseeing U.S. military assistance to Chile in the aftermath of the earthquake. More...

Mar-09-2009 -- 6 Women Hospitalized After Botched Butt-Enhancing Procedures
Six cases of women being injected with material used to caulk bathtubshave surfaced and a warning has been issued about more such cases being possible.
Health officials have shared that after messed-up attempts to get fuller bottoms like naturally well-endowed celebrities like Kim Kardashian, the victims' own rear ends seem to resemble "moonscapes" filled with lumps and craters. More...

Mar-09-2009 -- Clinton, beverage group: School efforts working
The American Beverage Association, which represents''Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Dr Pepper Snapple Group and others, said the industry has made large progress on a promise to remove regular soft drinks from schools.
The Alliance School Beverage Guidelines are a tool for reducing students' access to calories during the school day and changing behaviors that may lead to a lifelong improvement in caloric consumption." More...

Tuesday

Mar-09-2009 -- Flu bug spares Ohio deep bite
"We are particularly still encouraging people to receive an H1N1 vaccination," stated Health Director, Donna Moultrup.
Less than 5 percent of cases were the regular seasonal flu, but there was a lot of swine flu. More...

Mar-09-2009 -- Report: Minorities more likely to suffer Alzheimer's disease
High blood pressure and diabetes, which are known risk factors for Alzheimer's and other dementias in all groups, are more common in Hispanics and African-Americans than in whites.
Medicare costs are almost three times higher for people with Alzheimer's and other dementias than for other older people, and Medicaid costs are almost nine times higher. More...

Mar-09-2009 -- Nursing home drug use puts many at risk
I f they opened the windows to let in fresh air; if they served real fruit instead of syrupy pineapples from a can; if staff didn't turn over every other week and new dresses didn't "disappear" in the laundry and you knew what went on when you're not there - which is most of the time - then it might be different."
In many cases, staff failed to develop or follow through on plans required to protect residents from extreme weight loss, falls and leaving the home unattended, leading to serious injuries and health setbacks. More...

Mar-09-2009 -- Adults Can't Agree What 'Sex' Means
Researchers at the Kinsey Institute first examined the question of what "had sex" meant to people in 1991, among college students at Indiana University.
The act that was primarily thought of and discussed as 'the sex act,'" June Reinisch, one of the 1991 study's authors, told ABC News. More...

Mar-09-2009 -- Philippine health chief, church fight over condoms
According to Post article, "the project is funded through a $500,000 grant from the MAC AIDS Fund, a subsidiary of MAC Cosmetics, which contributes to numerous city programs, including two of the city's needle exchange programs.
Latino women are also disproportionately impacted by HIV infection and are four times more likely than white women to become infected. More...

Mar-09-2009 -- Free colonoscopies offered for 50 at 50
Last Modified: Monday, March 8, 2010 at 4:59 p.m. This year, an estimated 150,000 Americans will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and one in three will die of the disease.
Unlike other colorectal screening exams, the colonoscopy is performed under sedation, resulting in the best possible experience for the patient. More...

Mar-09-2009 -- Drug industry pays for Mo. cold medicine database
Gov. Jay Nixon announced Monday that the new database will help pharmacists and law enforcement to determine whether the buyer has gone from store to store buying large amounts of the cold medicine at the time of the sale.
Appriss also will provide free training to pharmacy staff on how to use the system as well as law enforcement personnel on how to track suspicious purchases. More...

Mar-09-2009 -- Relay refrain: 'A cure for cancer will be music to our ears'
WAVERLY -- In 1999, at 61 years of age, avid runner Greg Rougeux decided he wanted to attempt a full marathon.
Additional information on American Cancer Society programs and events is available on the web at www.cancer.org or by calling 1-800-ACS-2345. More...

Mar-09-2009 -- Blue Care Network halts plan to buy HMO
The Obama administration dealt another blow to the insurance industry on Monday after it forced two Michigan companies to abandon plans for a deal because of antitrust concerns.
Efforts to complete the acquisition of Physicians Health Plan of Mid-Michigan, an 80,000 member HMO, were dropped, the companies said, because the transaction "would not get clearance without litigation." More...

Mar-09-2009 -- Durbin: Insurance Company Premiums'''And Profits'''Soar At Families' Expense
Small businesses and ordinary citizens are suffering under the crushing increases in health insurance premiums, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said today at a press conference with Chicago -area business owners and residents meant to underscore the need for healthcare reform.
March 7, 2010 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin says that if a federal health care reform bill is passed, it will severely restrict the ability of insurance companies to raise prices. More...

Mar-09-2009 -- Clinton, beverage group: School efforts working
As the amount of alcohol drunk increased, the weight gain decreased.
"The impact of alcohol consumption on body weight needs to be considered in the context of energy balance," Wang explained. More...

Mar-09-2009 -- Clinton, beverage group: School efforts working
The American Beverage Association, which represents''Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Dr Pepper Snapple Group and others, said the industry has made large progress on a promise to remove regular soft drinks from schools.
Shipments of full-calorie soft drinks to schools declined 95 percent between 2004 and the first half of the 2009-2010 school year, as beverage companies pushed the new guidelines into schools. More...

Monday (Update 1)

Mar-08-2009 -- What Kind of Health Care Reform Would Actually Help the Debt?
Solutions to the challenges facing our health care system are much broader and deeper than one segment alone.
The fact that the nation has needs for increasing services to an aging and expanding population of seniors matters not. More...

Mar-08-2009 -- Cell Therapeutics, Zoom Technologies: Midday Volume Plays
March 8 (Reuters) - Cell Therapeutics Inc ( CTIC.O ) said U.S. health regulators approved the facility to manufacture its experimental cancer drug currently under review, sending its shares up 14 percent before the bell.
Volume topped 61.96 million shares, compared to the 50-day average daily volume of 16.65 million, according to the Nasdaq. More...

Mar-08-2009 -- Philippine health chief, church fight over condoms
According to Post article, "the project is funded through a $500,000 grant from the MAC AIDS Fund, a subsidiary of MAC Cosmetics, which contributes to numerous city programs, including two of the city's needle exchange programs.
The female condom has been available in Europe for nearly two decades, but was first approved for use in the United States by the FDA in 1993. More...

Mar-08-2009 -- Sane Elderly Given Antipsychotic Drugs at Mass. Nursing Homes
The Boston Globe reports that data collected by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services show that 28 percent of Massachusetts nursing home residents were given antipsychotics in 2009.
Rating a two-week period in July could be vastly different from a two-week period in September. More...

Mar-08-2009 -- Say farewell to flu season
"We are particularly still encouraging people to receive an H1N1 vaccination," stated Health Director, Donna Moultrup.
Less than 5 percent of cases were the regular seasonal flu, but there was a lot of swine flu. More...

Mar-08-2009 -- Could Sports Drinks be Causing Diabetes?
Estimates presented at the American Heart Association's annual conference say that the increased consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks between 1990 and 2000 contributed to 1,30,000 new cases of diabetes and 14,000 new cases of coronary heart disease (CHD) in the U.S. over the past decade.
Sports drinks with extra sugar added to make them taste sweeter maybe contributing to an increase of diabetes cases. More...

Mar-08-2009 -- Palin, as a child, went to Canada for care
'''My first five years of life we spent in Skagway, Alaska, right there by Whitehorse.
People, please quit using "retard" with Palin; it offends us that are always late or developmentally challenged: ie, if I am late for work today and late for work tomorrow, I am "retardy." More...

Mar-08-2009 -- Deep Conversations Make People Lead a Happy Life
The happiest participants had twice as many deep and meaningful conversations and engaged in one third as much small talk as the unhappiest participants.
The device used in the study also "captures something real," rather than relying on self-reports, said Sonja Lyubormirsky, professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside, a long-time happiness researcher who wrote The How of Happiness. More...

Mar-08-2009 -- Foods Recalled Over Salmonella
Food manufacturers rushed to recall products made with hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it found Salmonella Tennessee in one company'''s supply of the ingredient, widely-used used as a flavor enhancer in many processed foods, including soups, sauces, chilis, stews, hot dogs, gravies, seasoned snack foods, dips and dressings.
The agency has also revealed that the magnitude of the processed food recall is likely to grow while it continues to work with the Canadian clients of the Nevada company and the contaminated processed food importers. More...

Mar-08-2009 -- Hearing set on Wis. bill to OK raw milk sales
U.S. Senate candidate Rob Taylor is to attend the WI Raw Milk Bill (SB 434) Public Hearing and support the local and small family farmers who produce raw milk. Taylor is an advocate of the raw milk and honey movement.
I realize Wisconsin is a major dairy state and that most of the milk consumed by the public is from commercial dairy operations. More...

Mar-08-2009 -- This is Colorectal Cancer Awareness month
Virtual Colonoscopy offers a viable, less invasive option for colon cancer screening, and helps increase screening compliance.
The astonishing thing about colon cancer is that it is more than 90% preventable with early screening. More...

Mar-08-2009 -- Updated prostate screening guidelines emphasize weighing risks and benefits
The American Cancer Society'''s recent guidelines regarding prostate screening have created a lot of confusion, which is why it is important to know just what they are suggesting and why.
The test primarily picked up clinically significant cancers (about 80%) and for those had 85% to 100% specificity compared with biopsy or prostatectomy, reported John T. Wei, MD, of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and colleagues. More...

Monday

Mar-08-2009 -- For South Florida companies, business of rebuilding Haiti begins
Without heat, amenities, much food or a solid roof at night either.
The Cleveland Disablement Services Centre, which is part of South Tees Acute Hospital NHS Trust in Middlesbrough, makes and maintains prosthetic limbs for people in Teesside, County Durham and North Yorkshire. More...

Mar-08-2009 -- The Hawkeye: Is Happiness Found in Your Conversations?
The happiest participants had twice as many deep and meaningful conversations and engaged in one third as much small talk as the unhappiest participants.
The long-term implications of happiness have been studied extensively; little is known, though, about the daily social behavior of happy people, due primarily to the difficulty of objectively measuring that behavior. More...

Mar-08-2009 -- Jackson decision is a tough one -- and a wise one
MIAMI -- At risk of running out of money in May, Miami's public health care system is considering closing two of its five hospitals and laying off 4,487 employees -- a third of its work force, the chief executive said Friday.
Frank Mata's elderly has been admitted three times since December. More...

Mar-08-2009 -- Anti-drinking campaigns hardly any use--study
A study by researchers at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management suggests public service announcements that aim to discourage binge drinking by portraying its shameful consequences may backfire, fostering resistance that leads to more drinking.
A new study finds anti-drinking ads can actually spur increased binge drinking for some audiences. More...

Mar-08-2009 -- FDA panel sees user errors with insulin pumps
Reports of deaths of insulin pump users "have not been thoroughly investigated and evaluated by manufacturers in determining causality and device failure," the agency said.
Panel member Lamont G. Weide, MD, PhD, said many issues may be related to user errors, including changing infusion sets and patient training. More...

Mar-08-2009 -- Freezing Technique May Stop Breast Cancer
The study will focus on triple negative breast cancer ''' an aggressive form of cancer representing as many as 20 percent of breast cancer cases.
Researchers at the University Of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center released a study that shows that freezing cancerous tumors can kill the cancer, another up-side to this being that it causes an immune system response that could provide a natural barrier to this disease. More...

Mar-08-2009 -- Caught off guard: A Maggie memo
March 5, 2010 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- Chicago's first lady is recovering at a hospital following a preventative surgery related to her ongoing battle with cancer.
Rosen stressed that Mrs. Daley's pre-surgery blood work was 'fine' and doctors 'don't have any evidence' at this point that the bone tumor in her leg has grown or spread to other parts of her body. More...

Mar-08-2009 -- Cancer study triggers fears in Crestwood
Prompted by a Tribune investigation that revealed the village's secret use of its tainted well, the Illinois Department of Public Health looked at cancer cases in Crestwood between 1994 and 2006 and found higher-than-expected cases of kidney cancer in men, lung cancer in men and women, and gastrointestinal cancer in men.
With residents raising the specter of fouled water as a cancer causer, the state Department of Public Health chose to examine. More...

Mar-08-2009 -- Colorectal cancer screenings available
Oak Brook, Ill., March 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A family history of colon cancer, also known as colorectal cancer or CRC, puts people at higher than average risk for developing the disease.
The first is Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP). More...

Mar-08-2009 -- Problem Gambling Awareness Week
"National Problem Gambling Awareness Week not only heightens awareness of the issue, but lets affected persons know of ways to identify a problem and treatment options."
Some older adults may have cognitive impairment that interferes with their ability to make sound decisions. More...

Mar-08-2009 -- Soft drinks blamed for diabetes and heart disease
The sugar-sweetened beverages account for about 6,000 surplus deaths.
Researchers estimate that the increased consumption of sugary drinks between 1990 and 2000 contributed to 130,000 new cases of diabetes, 14,000 new cases of coronary heart disease and 50,000 additional life-years burdened by coronary heart disease. More...

Mar-08-2009 -- Failure of health-care reform would endanger lives, report says
That's according to a new report by Families USA. If the U.S. fails to enact health care reform this year, 900 Maine residents will die prematurely over the next decade.
In the U.S., doctors accidentally ill over 200,000 people per year. More...

Sunday (Update 1)

Mar-07-2009 -- Jackson decision is a tough one -- and a wise one
MIAMI -- At risk of running out of money in May, Miami's public health care system is considering closing two of its five hospitals and laying off 4,487 employees -- a third of its work force, the chief executive said Friday.
Jackson CEO Dr. Eneida Roldan rolled out the system's recovery plan at a meeting of the Public Health Trust, Jackson's governing body, on Friday afternoon. More...

Mar-07-2009 -- Anti-drinking campaigns hardly any use--study
A study by researchers at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management suggests public service announcements that aim to discourage binge drinking by portraying its shameful consequences may backfire, fostering resistance that leads to more drinking.
"We argue that it's very infrequent when people aren't under the influences of some emotion," Duhachek said. More...

Mar-07-2009 -- What do you mean you 'had sex'?
It may sound like a simple question: Have you had sex? But results of a new study from the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University reveal that there is no consensus among adults of any age about what the phrase '''had sex''' means to them.
I'm confused as to why orgasm factors in to some people's definition of "sex." More...

Mar-07-2009 -- Freezing Technique May Stop Breast Cancer
The study will focus on triple negative breast cancer ''' an aggressive form of cancer representing as many as 20 percent of breast cancer cases.
Researchers at the University Of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center released a study that shows that freezing cancerous tumors can kill the cancer, another up-side to this being that it causes an immune system response that could provide a natural barrier to this disease. More...

Mar-07-2009 -- FDA panel sees user errors with insulin pumps
Reports of deaths of insulin pump users "have not been thoroughly investigated and evaluated by manufacturers in determining causality and device failure," the agency said.
Panel member Lamont G. Weide, MD, PhD, said many issues may be related to user errors, including changing infusion sets and patient training. More...

Mar-07-2009 -- How safe is your cruise ship?
Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramps.
The virus may have come on board the ship with passengers, crew members or supplies. More...

Mar-07-2009 -- March Month of Colon Cancer Awareness
According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer rates have declined during the past 20 years because screening tests have become more prevalent.
It's called the super colon, 20-foot-long, 8-foot-high, and you can take a walk on the inside, as Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center highlights Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. More...

Mar-07-2009 -- Biggest swine flu regret for US: vaccine chaos
"We told people to prepare to be vaccinated in October and then we didn't show up with vaccine", said Texas State Health Commissioner David Lakey.
Local media, including the The Star, chronicled the slow delivery of vaccine into our county and the frustration among various populations who had to wait until the most vulnerable members of our community were vaccinated first ''' children, young adults and pregnant women. More...

Mar-07-2009 -- Caught off guard: A Maggie memo
March 5, 2010 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- Chicago's first lady is recovering at a hospital following a preventative surgery related to her ongoing battle with cancer.
Associated Press - March 5, 2010 11:44 AM ET CHICAGO (AP) - Chicago Mayor Richard Daley's office says his wife is having surgery in her ongoing fight against breast cancer More...

Mar-07-2009 -- Official blows whistle on food-safety agency
In testimony before a House subcommittee hearing on March 4, Dr. Dean Wyatt, public health veterinarian for the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the USDA, expressed frustration about the USDA's lack of support for inspectors who are "just trying to do their job" to protect animal welfare and food safety.
The allegations by Dean Wyatt of Williston, a supervisory veterinarian at FSIS, detail instances in which he and other inspectors were overruled when citing slaughterhouses for violations such as shocking and butchering days-old calves that were too weak or sick to stand. More...

Mar-07-2009 -- Failure of health-care reform would endanger lives, report says
That's according to a new report by Families USA. If the U.S. fails to enact health care reform this year, 900 Maine residents will die prematurely over the next decade.
If health reform fails, that number will reach 84 Americans every day by 2019. More...

Mar-07-2009 -- Cancer study triggers fears in Crestwood
Prompted by a Tribune investigation that revealed the village's secret use of its tainted well, the Illinois Department of Public Health looked at cancer cases in Crestwood between 1994 and 2006 and found higher-than-expected cases of kidney cancer in men, lung cancer in men and women, and gastrointestinal cancer in men.
Research also links lung and some types of gastrointestinal cancer to perc and related chemicals, which state officials first detected in the well water in 1985. More...

Sunday

Mar-07-2009 -- What do you mean you 'had sex'?
It may sound like a simple question: Have you had sex? But results of a new study from the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University reveal that there is no consensus among adults of any age about what the phrase '''had sex''' means to them.
I'm confused as to why orgasm factors in to some people's definition of "sex." More...

Mar-07-2009 -- A New Possible Cure For Breast Cancer: Freezing
The women who had used the drugs for the longest time (two years) were found to be 40% less likely to develop breast cancer than women who had never used the pills.
Animal studies and research using human cells in the laboratory have found some signs that the growth of cancers sampled from tumours that have spread to the bones (bone metastases) may be slowed by the drugs. More...

Mar-07-2009 -- Caught off guard: A Maggie memo
March 5, 2010 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- Chicago's first lady is recovering at a hospital following a preventative surgery related to her ongoing battle with cancer.
Associated Press - March 5, 2010 11:44 AM ET CHICAGO (AP) - Chicago Mayor Richard Daley's office says his wife is having surgery in her ongoing fight against breast cancer More...

Mar-07-2009 -- Is the swine flu season finally over?
In a given year, there are normally two flu seasons, one in the spring and one in the fall.
In the northern temperate zones of the Americas, pandemic influenza virus continues to circulate at very low levels yielding an overall low and declining pattern of pandemic influenza activity. More...

Mar-07-2009 -- Guilt Makes People Drink More, Says Studies
A study by researchers at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management suggests public service announcements that aim to discourage binge drinking by portraying its shameful consequences may backfire, fostering resistance that leads to more drinking.
Someone doesn't have to be feeling guilty specifically about drinking to be sent on a binge by a shaming PSA. "If you're talking to a student about cheating on an exam, and one of those ads comes up, you can bet they are headed straight to the bar," said Agrawal who conducted the study with her Indiana University colleague, Adam Duhacheck. More...

Mar-07-2009 -- Willow Glen's Relay for Life kicks off March 6
There will also be information available about the Relay For Life of Madison/Florham Park, which raised more than 50,000 for the American Cancer Society last year.
Anderson-McQueen Family Tribute Centers has donated all net proceeds from their annual Tree of Memories event, $2,565.00, to the American Cancer Society in support of Relay for Life. More...

Mar-07-2009 -- March Month of Colon Cancer Awareness
According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer rates have declined during the past 20 years because screening tests have become more prevalent.
Removing polyps during a colonoscopy can prevent colorectal cancer from developing. More...

Mar-07-2009 -- Genes Point to Best Diets
NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) ''' Shares of Interleukin Genetics rose 16 percent in Thursday afternoon trade after the firm announced yesterday that the results of a retrospective study suggest that individuals who base their diet on genotype could potentially benefit from the firm's weight management genetic test.
Healthy diet is the only healthy weight loss solution that can be planned without the DNA test. More...

Mar-07-2009 -- FDA panel sees user errors with insulin pumps
Reports of deaths of insulin pump users "have not been thoroughly investigated and evaluated by manufacturers in determining causality and device failure," the agency said.
In 41 death reports, a device problem wasn't identified but the circumstances involving the death involved diabetic coma and problems associated with blood-sugar levels being too high or too low, suggesting the device may not have been working properly. More...

Mar-07-2009 -- Biggest swine flu regret for US: vaccine chaos
"We told people to prepare to be vaccinated in October and then we didn't show up with vaccine", said Texas State Health Commissioner David Lakey.
Local media, including the The Star, chronicled the slow delivery of vaccine into our county and the frustration among various populations who had to wait until the most vulnerable members of our community were vaccinated first ''' children, young adults and pregnant women. More...

Mar-07-2009 -- Food safety: Veterinarian to detail slaughterhouse breaches
WASHINGTON - Department of Agriculture officials failed to act on reports of illegal and unsafe slaughterhouse practices, letting suspect operations continue despite public health risks, a USDA veterinarian alleges in testimony to be aired today at a congressional hearing.
FSIS is the primary government department charged with monitoring the inner workings of food processing plants, and guarding against any threats to public safety or inhumane animal treatment. More...

Mar-07-2009 -- Aurora Las Encinas Hospital faces renewed scrutiny
Aurora Las Encinas Hospital has been notified that it risks losing federal financial support after the latest incidents, one of which involved a woman known to be suicidal who was able to remove a battery from a TV remote-control device and swallow it.
The facility has come under "renewed scrutiny" after inspectors became aware of security and safety risks and incidents involving patient escapes and "near suicides." More...

Saturday (Update 1)

Mar-06-2009 -- Education should accompany prostate screening, new guidelines say
Mohler agreed with Brawley on that point.
Last year more than 300 men were screened for prostate and testicular cancer through the health department's education and awareness program. More...

Mar-06-2009 -- What do you mean you 'had sex'?
It may sound like a simple question: Have you had sex? But results of a new study from the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University reveal that there is no consensus among adults of any age about what the phrase '''had sex''' means to them.
The new study was conducted in conjunction with the Rural Center for AIDS/STD Prevention (RCAP), which is part of Indiana University'''s School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. More...

Mar-06-2009 -- Washington to offer free female condoms
Washington will be the first American city to distribute free female condoms in areas where HIV/AIDS rates are spiraling out of control, according to a report in this morning's Washington Post.
Alright, so more readily available, free contraception for women in high-risk areas of the city? Great! But, just like with any kind of HIV/AIDS prevention initiative, the distribution of knowledge, rather than pure materials, will be at the true root of all success. More...

Mar-06-2009 -- Could germs be making you fat?
In the current study, scientists found that in TLR5-deficient animals, the total percentage of 150 species of bacteria in the gut was three to four times higher than in normal mice, while 125 other types of bacteria were less common.
Ley's earlier research on mice and humans shows that obesity results in more bacteria of the Firmicutes family and less of the Bacteroidetes, which increases the intestine's ability to harvest calories from food. More...

Mar-06-2009 -- Biggest swine flu regret for US: vaccine chaos
"We told people to prepare to be vaccinated in October and then we didn't show up with vaccine", said Texas State Health Commissioner David Lakey.
Build 9: 15 ms (Content).Completed macro go4_flexiblebranding.Build 9: 47 ms (Content).Completed macro go4_loginboxbranding.Parsing macro GO4_ArticlePagination.Build 3: 375 ms (Article).Build 9: 62 ms (Content).Completed macro GO4_ArticlePagination.Parsing macro GO4_articlecomments.Build 9: 32 ms (Content).Completed macro GO4_articlecomments.Build 3: 31 ms (Article).Parsing macro go4_vnplayeronly.Build 9: 32 ms (Content).Completed macro go4_vnplayeronly.Parsing macro go4_sponsoredlinks.Build 9: 31 ms (Content).Completed macro go4_sponsoredlinks.Parsing macro go4_Footer.Parsing macro go4_footer_nav_links. More...

Mar-06-2009 -- Willow Glen's Relay for Life kicks off March 6
There will also be information available about the Relay For Life of Madison/Florham Park, which raised more than 50,000 for the American Cancer Society last year.
Anderson-McQueen Family Tribute Centers has donated all net proceeds from their annual Tree of Memories event, $2,565.00, to the American Cancer Society in support of Relay for Life. More...

Mar-06-2009 -- State's H1N1 pandemic declared mild
In a given year, there are normally two flu seasons, one in the spring and one in the fall.
Flu season is always a burden on college students, especially with this year's outbreak of swine flu, but the worst seems to be over now. More...

Mar-06-2009 -- Genes Point to Best Diets
If you take out the macronutrient that helps you the "most you're going to have a harder time losing weight.
The women followed different regimes for a year. More...

Mar-06-2009 -- Caught off guard: A Maggie memo
March 5, 2010 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- Chicago's first lady is recovering at a hospital following a preventative surgery related to her ongoing battle with cancer.
At the time, Rosen described it as a temporary disability and said he expected Chicago's first lady to be back on her feet walking normally after just a few weeks. More...

Mar-06-2009 -- March Month of Colon Cancer Awareness
According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer rates have declined during the past 20 years because screening tests have become more prevalent.
Symptoms of colorectal cancer include fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, change in bowel habits, narrow stools, diarrhea or constipation, red or dark blood in stool, weight loss, abdominal pain, cramps or bloating. More...

Mar-06-2009 -- Bugs in the gut can cause obesity: study
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is actively investigating findings of Salmonella in hydrolyzed vegetable protein opnbrktHVPclsbrkt manufactured by Basic Food Flavors, Inc., in Las Vegas, NV. HVP is a flavor enhancer used in a wide variety of processed food products, such as soups, sauces, chilis, stews, hot dogs, gravies, seasoned snack foods, dips, and dressings.
How do I know if I might have tainted HVP in my food? Check ingredient lists. More...

Mar-06-2009 -- Bugs in the gut can cause obesity: study
In the current study, scientists found that in TLR5-deficient animals, the total percentage of 150 species of bacteria in the gut was three to four times higher than in normal mice, while 125 other types of bacteria were less common.
Ley's earlier research on mice and humans shows that obesity results in more bacteria of the Firmicutes family and less of the Bacteroidetes, which increases the intestine's ability to harvest calories from food. More...

Saturday

Mar-06-2009 -- Miami Board Looks to Close Two Hospitals
MIAMI -- At risk of running out of money in May, Miami's public health care system is considering closing two of its five hospitals and laying off 4,487 employees -- a third of its work force, the chief executive said Friday.
The cuts would save $160 million for a hospital system that fears it may be out of money by the beginning of the summer. More...

Mar-06-2009 -- Guilted Into Not Drinking? Studies Prove Otherwise
A study by researchers at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management suggests public service announcements that aim to discourage binge drinking by portraying its shameful consequences may backfire, fostering resistance that leads to more drinking.
Someone doesn't have to be feeling guilty specifically about drinking to be sent on a binge by a shaming PSA. "If you're talking to a student about cheating on an exam, and one of those ads comes up, you can bet they are headed straight to the bar," said Agrawal who conducted the study with her Indiana University colleague, Adam Duhacheck. More...

Mar-06-2009 -- Biggest swine flu regret for US: vaccine chaos
No one knew just how unpredictable the production of vaccines would turn out to be, top U.S. public health leaders agreed on Friday.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - First, people were clamoring for H1N1 vaccines, but there were not enough to go around. More...

Mar-06-2009 -- Diamond Foods Told To Change Labels
WASHINGTON ' The Food and Drug Administration is notifying a number of food manufacturers whose labels contain false or misleading claims, FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg said in an open letter to the industry Wednesday.
The agency accused the companies of pumping up the nutritional claims of their products or masking contents like unhealthy fats. More...

Mar-06-2009 -- Genes Point to Best Diets
If you take out the macronutrient that helps you the "most you're going to have a harder time losing weight.
The women followed different regimes for a year. More...

Mar-06-2009 -- Happy Colon Cancer Awareness Month
According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer rates have declined during the past 20 years because screening tests have become more prevalent.
"I feel like my strong relationship with the Lord has been a big part of my recovery." More...

Mar-06-2009 -- Catholic school boots student with gay parents
A meeting was held to discuss the issue at Wesley Chapel in Boulder Friday evening.
In a statement sent to 9NEWS, the Archdiocese said, "Homosexual couples living together as a couple are in disaccord with Catholic teaching." More...

Mar-06-2009 -- Willow Glen's Relay for Life kicks off March 6
Because of the amount of people in Alpha Phi Omega we have three teams set up, and one for our current pledges," Varano said.
The 'fight back' component is the hallmark of the relay for life. More...

Mar-06-2009 -- Childhood Obesity Prevention Should be Started at an Early Age, Says Research
The costs for treating a child who is obese is approximately three times higher than the costs for treating an average weight child.
In an examination of Pennsylvania's response to the federal WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, Claudia Probart of Pennsylvania State University and colleagues found improvements to the nutritional quality of foods offered in conjunction with school meal programs. More...

Mar-06-2009 -- Freezing Technique May Stop Breast Cancer
The women who had used the drugs for the longest time (two years) were found to be 40% less likely to develop breast cancer than women who had never used the pills.
The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) is a Phoenix, Arizona-based non-profit organization dedicated to conducting groundbreaking research with life changing results. More...

Mar-06-2009 -- Cancer study triggers fears in Crestwood
Prompted by a Tribune investigation that revealed the village's secret use of its tainted well, the Illinois Department of Public Health looked at cancer cases in Crestwood between 1994 and 2006 and found higher-than-expected cases of kidney cancer in men, lung cancer in men and women, and gastrointestinal cancer in men.
The numbers show that gastrointestinal cancers among men were noticeably up. More...

Mar-06-2009 -- Bugs in the gut can cause obesity: study
Everyone is born with a sterile digestive tract that within days is flooded with bacteria from first foods and the environment.
The researchers remembered a recent study in which normal, slender mice became obese when fed gut bacteria from fat mice. More...

Friday (Update 1)

Mar-05-2009 -- Stockton Food Co. Told To Change Labels
WASHINGTON ' The Food and Drug Administration is notifying a number of food manufacturers whose labels contain false or misleading claims, FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg said in an open letter to the industry Wednesday.
The FDA is targeting health and nutrition claims that it says would cause the food products to be regulated as drugs. More...

Mar-05-2009 -- gut microbes hold'second genome'
The human genome may have been sequenced back in 2004, but that was a far cry from documenting all the genes inside us.
The researchers have developed what is called a metagenome, a combined genome of all the bacteria sequenced at once. More...

Mar-05-2009 -- Death with Dignity: 36 lethal doses taken in Washington in 2009
Washington residents used the Death With Dignity Act at about twice the rate of Oregonians in 1998, the first full year of Oregon's law, said Dr. Tom Preston, medical director of Compassion & Choices of Washington, which supports the law.
Montana became the third state to allow assisted suicide at the end of 2009 after the Montana Supreme Court ruled that nothing in state law prevents patients from seeking physician-assisted suicide. More...

Mar-05-2009 -- Study: Anti-Drinking Ads May Backfire
A study by researchers at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management suggests public service announcements that aim to discourage binge drinking by portraying its shameful consequences may backfire, fostering resistance that leads to more drinking.
What our research shows is that well-intended anti-drinking messages can actually cause people to drink more. More...

Mar-05-2009 -- Foodborne illness costs $152 billion annually
A consumer and public health group has released a new report that proposes acute foodborne illnesses cost the nation an estimated $152 billion per year in healthcare, workplace and other economic losses: the report also suggests that $39 billion of these costs (more than a quarter) are due to foodborne illnesses linked to fresh, canned and processed produce.
Food poisoning from consuming bad produce alone is responsible for $39 billion in costs. More...

Mar-05-2009 -- Certain Bone Drugs May Lower Breast Cancer Risk
The study will focus on triple negative breast cancer ''' an aggressive form of cancer representing as many as 20 percent of breast cancer cases.
The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) is a Phoenix, Arizona-based non-profit organization dedicated to conducting groundbreaking research with life changing results. More...

Mar-05-2009 -- Time for reform
As most people realize, Congress'''under the influence of corporate lobbyists'''seldom seeks the simplest solution to social and economic problems.
Uninsured women are less likely to receive clinical breast exams, Pap tests, and other preventive health care and screening tests than insured women. More...

Mar-05-2009 -- UN Launches Initiative to Help Tackle Health Problems in Developing Countries
An innovative fundraising movement is taking to the skies on Thursday, with the potential to raise millions of dollars for HIV and global health.
Launched today by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, MASSIVEGOOD was an offshoot of UNITAID, a mechanism developed by Brazil, Chile, France, Norway and the United Kingdom, said Mr. Salom', who was accompanied by Philippe Douste-Blazy, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Innovative Financing for Development; Ray Chambers, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Malaria; Jorge Bermudes, Executive Secretary of UNITAID, an international facility for the purchase of drugs to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis; Julian Schweitzer, Vice-President of the World Bank's Human Development Network; and William Maloney, Chief Executive Officer of the American Society of Travel Agents. More...

Mar-05-2009 -- Childhood Obesity Prevention Should be Started at an Early Age, Says Research
The costs for treating a child who is obese is approximately three times higher than the costs for treating an average weight child.
Child obesity is the focus of the March edition of Health Affairs, and we heard a number of policymakers and health care leaders explore strategies for addressing the crisis at a Health Affairs briefing here this week. More...

Mar-05-2009 -- Haiti in trouble again
WASHINGTON — Hundreds of thousands of Haitians living in makeshift shelters and thousands of aid workers providing relief since a powerful quake rocked the country in January are now threatened by malaria, a U.S. report said Thursday.
Eleven cases of P. falciparum malaria infection have been reported by the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More...

Mar-05-2009 -- I'm a Medicare doctor. Here's what I make
'''We need a rational Medicare physician payment system that automatically keeps up with the cost of running a practice and is backed by a fair, stable funding formula,''' Fleming said.
With nearly one in six Nebraskans enrolled in Medicare, the federal health program for retirees, recent events could accelerate the program's transformation into an ugly twin of underfunded Medicaid. More...

Mar-05-2009 -- Haiti refugees, aid workers risk malaria: US study
WASHINGTON — Hundreds of thousands of Haitians living in makeshift shelters and thousands of aid workers providing relief since a powerful quake rocked the country in January are now threatened by malaria, a U.S. report said Thursday.
Eleven cases of P. falciparum malaria infection have been reported by the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More...

Friday

Mar-05-2009 -- Foodborne illness costs $152 billion annually
A consumer and public health group has released a new report that proposes acute foodborne illnesses cost the nation an estimated $152 billion per year in healthcare, workplace and other economic losses: the report also suggests that $39 billion of these costs (more than a quarter) are due to foodborne illnesses linked to fresh, canned and processed produce.
Some high profile outbreaks in recent years, involving peanut butter, hot peppers and spinach, have sickened thousands of people and generated new momentum for food safety reform. More...

Mar-05-2009 -- Henrico-linked Mondial Assistance assists anti-AIDS campaign
An innovative fundraising movement is taking to the skies on Thursday, with the potential to raise millions of dollars for HIV and global health.
March 4 (Bloomberg) -- Former President Bill Clinton and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon are asking travelers to give $2 to fight deadly diseases whenever they buy a plane ticket, book a hotel room or rent a car. More...

Mar-05-2009 -- Genes Point to Best Diets
NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) ''' Shares of Interleukin Genetics rose 16 percent in Thursday afternoon trade after the firm announced yesterday that the results of a retrospective study suggest that individuals who base their diet on genotype could potentially benefit from the firm's weight management genetic test.
"The weight loss differences between the various diets were not that dramatic, but the weight loss difference within a particular diet was," said lead study author Mindy Dopler Nelson, a Stanford postdoctoral research fellow. More...

Mar-05-2009 -- Official blows whistle on food-safety agency
WASHINGTON - Department of Agriculture officials failed to act on reports of illegal and unsafe slaughterhouse practices, letting suspect operations continue despite public health risks, a USDA veterinarian alleges in testimony to be aired today at a congressional hearing.
USDA spokesman Caleb Weaver says inaction on Wyatt's reports occurred before the tenure of current Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, who is "fully committed" to enforcing safe and humane slaughtering rules. More...

Mar-05-2009 -- US Warns of Malaria Risk in Haiti
WASHINGTON — Hundreds of thousands of Haitians living in makeshift shelters and thousands of aid workers providing relief since a powerful quake rocked the country in January are now threatened by malaria, a U.S. report said Thursday.
The Red Cross was spearheading plans to provide more durable cover to the homeless. More...

Mar-05-2009 -- New Drug Fights Advanced Prostate Cancer
Final phase-3 results from TROPIC, a randomized trial of the novel taxane cabazitaxel, showed that compared with standard chemotherapy the drug improved OS in patients with metastatic castrationresistant prostate cancer who previously failed while being treated with docetaxel.
March 3, 2010 -- A new drug shows promise for extending the lives of men with advanced prostate cancer who have run out of treatment options. More...

Mar-05-2009 -- What do you mean you 'had sex'?
It may sound like a simple question: Have you had sex? But results of a new study from the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University reveal that there is no consensus among adults of any age about what the phrase '''had sex''' means to them.
The Kinsey study, conducted in conjunction with the Rural Centre for Aids/STD Prevention in Indiana University's School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, delves deeper into a question first examined in 1999, in the midst of the Clinton sex scandal which centred on the definition of sex. More...

Mar-05-2009 -- State can't cut Medi-Cal payments to hospitals
We are once again asked to consider whether the California Department of Health Care Services (Department) Director, David Maxwell-Jolly (Director), should be enjoined from implementing state legislation reducing payments to certain medical service providers.
Previously, the court ruled that the federal Medicaid Act requires the Department of Health Care Services to set payment rates at levels that cover reasonable costs of care. More...

Mar-05-2009 -- Better Blood Test for Diabetes
WEDNESDAY, March 3 (HealthDay News) -- The newer hemoglobin A1C test predicts diabetes as well as the traditional fasting blood sugar test, but it beats that old standard in predicting a patient's future risk of heart disease and stroke, new research shows.
Program Overview Among the many issues clinicians face today, staying current with advances in medicine is becoming a major challenge. More...

Mar-05-2009 -- Baby Einstein DVD fails to boost language
UC Riverside professor Rebekah Richert says educational videos do not help very young children learn new words, according to "Influences of Digital Media on Very Young Children," a study conducted at UCR. The study involved an ethnically diverse group of Inland children and their parents.
"Most of the videos were rapidly paced, filled with lots of changes in time and place that will be quite difficult for infants and toddlers to understand," Dr. Sandra L. Calvert from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., told Reuters Health at the time. More...

Mar-05-2009 -- Name Change Approved for Heartburn Drug Kapidex
After receiving reports of dispensing errors between KAPIDEX and the products Casodex (bicalutamide) and Kadian (morphine sulfate extended-release), Takeda, in coordination with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), determined that, in the interest of patient safety, a name change would be the best way to minimize future medication errors with KAPIDEX. It is important to stress that the formulation, indication and approved dosages of DEXILANT will remain the same as KAPIDEX. Markings on the capsules will not change and their appearance will be identical to those marked under the KAPIDEX trade name.
The newly named heartburn drug will begin appearing on store shelves in late April, the FDA said. More...

Mar-05-2009 -- Food poisoning costs 152 billion dollars a year: US report
A consumer and public health group has released a new report that proposes acute foodborne illnesses cost the nation an estimated $152 billion per year in healthcare, workplace and other economic losses: the report also suggests that $39 billion of these costs (more than a quarter) are due to foodborne illnesses linked to fresh, canned and processed produce.
The new survey's figures are based on government estimates of 76 million reported cases of food-related illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 associated deaths each year. More...

Thursday (Update 1)

Mar-04-2009 -- Mo. House seeks to block health insurance mandate
If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor."
The campaign arm of House Republicans is making robo calls today to voters in 40 Democratic-held districts, warning them that their member of Congress is under pressure to support President Obama and Speaker Pelosi's health reform effort. More...

Mar-04-2009 -- A Simple solution our health care reform problem
Tell the Members of Congress to put forth three health care reform bills on the nation wide November elections ballot and let U.S. the American people decide what we want.
More...

Mar-04-2009 -- Lawsuit Claims Fish Oil Supplements Contain Toxic Compound
PCBs are industrial chemicals recognized for causing cancer and reproductive toxicity.
The fish oil in Orthomega is processed to prevent oxidation and fish proteins, eliminating the burping experienced with other fish oils. More...

Mar-04-2009 -- What Does 'Had Sex' Mean? It Depends
It may sound like a simple question: Have you had sex? But results of a new study from the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University reveal that there is no consensus among adults of any age about what the phrase '''had sex''' means to them.
The Kinsey study, conducted in conjunction with the Rural Centre for Aids/STD Prevention in Indiana University's School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, delves deeper into a question first examined in 1999, in the midst of the Clinton sex scandal which centred on the definition of sex. More...

Mar-04-2009 -- The Flu Season That Fizzled
With it being the peak of flu season, The Leon County Health Department continues to hold H1N1 vaccine clinics.
A few states have reported small increases in the percentage of doctors' visits by patients with flu-like symptoms. More...

Mar-04-2009 -- FV Mayor: Your participation in 2010 Census is important
U.S. Commerce Deputy Secretary Dennis F. Hightower met with local government officials and community leaders to assess the U.S. Census Bureau's 2010 Census efforts to ensure a complete count of Gulf Coast residents affected by hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Ike.
"Counting people is very important," said John Boyd, a planner with the Douglas County Planning Department who regularly uses census data. More...

Mar-04-2009 -- Baylor to use alum's $200M gift to study old people
The interdisciplinary nature of the gift enables Baylor to address physical, psychological, social, emotional and spiritual needs and strengths of the aging in a truly holistic approach, university spokesmen noted.
The gift also benefits programs in the university's newest school, the School of Social Work, which prepares social workers to serve in a diversity of public and private settings, with a special emphasis on working effectively with issues of faith and spirituality and with congregations and faith-based organizations. More...

Mar-04-2009 -- Digesting the facts on the 'New Atkins' low-carb diet
March 1, 2010 -- A low-carb diet may offer quick results, but a new study suggests that a low-fat diet may be best for long-term weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight .
The healthiest way to keep the weight off is to have a diet low in fat and salt and to add exercise as part of a regular lifestyle. More...

Mar-04-2009 -- Rush to meet e-health deadlines could yield chaos
In an e-mail statement, David Blumenthal, MD, national coordinator for health information technology, explained : " The proposed rule incorporates two phases of development for the certification program to ensure that eligible professionals and eligible hospitals are able to adopt and implement certified EHR technology in time to qualify for meaningful use incentive payments.
To qualify for reimbursement funds, a hospital must prove that at least 80% of patients it admits have that data recorded in a structured format. More...

Mar-04-2009 -- Healthier Ways for Kids to Snack
Popkin and Carmen Piernas, also of University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, studied nationally representative surveys of food consumption in more than 31,000 kids ages 2 to 18 in the U.S. from 1977 to 2006.
Although daily snack calories have increased by 168, overall daily eating during the study period increased by only 113 calories. More...

Mar-04-2009 -- Court Rules Against State Cuts to Medi-Cal Rates, IHSS Wages
We are once again asked to consider whether the California Department of Health Care Services (Department) Director, David Maxwell-Jolly (Director), should be enjoined from implementing state legislation reducing payments to certain medical service providers.
Trucking Ass'ns, Inc. v. City of Los Angeles, 559 F.3d 1046, 1052 (9th Cir. 2009). More...

Mar-04-2009 -- Pfizer Alzheimer's disease drug fails in study
One of the world's great hopes for treating Alzheimer's disease fell flat Wednesday, when the drug failed a late-stage clinical trial.
Medivation, Inc. (NASDAQ: MDVN) is the next biotech implosion.'' More...

Thursday

Mar-04-2009 -- Child seizure study finds oldest drug works best
Valproic acid (Valproate, Depakote) came second, and the newest drug, lamotrigine (Lamictal), was third, according to a report in the March 4 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
The children ranged in age from 2 to 13 years and were seen at 32 medical centers across the United States. More...

Mar-04-2009 -- Lawsuit: Woman Claims Doctor Gave Her 'Four Breasts' During Augmentation
A Staten Island mother has filed a $5 million lawsuit against a plastic surgeon who she claims botched her breast implant surgery, leaving her with a disfigured chest that ruined her marriage.
Maria Alaimo underwent the first surgery in 2003. More...

Mar-04-2009 -- Census jobs unfilled in some places
In Martha's Vineyard, Mass., a summer resort, there aren't enough people living on the island in the offseason to hire.
More...

Mar-04-2009 -- City urges census participation
In 2008, according to Census officials, the federal government spent $909 million in crop insurance, $42 million in livestock compensation and $279 million in crop disaster assistance.
Enter your ZIP code when prompted and you will be put in touch with the census office closest to you. More...

Mar-04-2009 -- Sebelius, Targeting Health Premiums, Is Well-Versed
Feb. 27--Sharp rate hikes by health insurer Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield are causing ripples in many states amid a well-publicized plan by the company to increase premiums by as much as 39 percent in California.
Over time, the pool of older, sicker customers who choose to stay end up trapped in the closed policies, prevented by pre-existing medical conditions from finding affordable plans elsewhere and subjected to rising rates until finally forced to accept lesser insurance or to drop coverage altogether. More...

Mar-04-2009 -- FDA Sees Increasing Number Of Insulin Pump Problems
Reports of deaths of insulin pump users "have not been thoroughly investigated and evaluated by manufacturers in determining causality and device failure," the agency said.
The FDA report did not name specific manufacturers, but makers of insulin pumps include Medtronic Inc ( MDT.N ), Roche Holding AG ( ROG.VX ) and Johnson & Johnson ( JNJ.N ). More...

Mar-04-2009 -- Why DVDs are no way to nurture a baby
Scores on general language knowledge tests weren't significantly different between the two groups, the researchers said.
There was no evidence that children learned words highlighted and watching DVDs was unrelated to measures of language learning. More...

Mar-04-2009 -- Maine panel weighs cell phone cancer warning
The bill before the Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee would require warning labels on cell phones, and cell phone packaging sold in Maine.
AUGUSTA, Maine — Ignoring the health risks of heavy cell phone use invites a cancer epidemic, supporters of a bill requiring manufacturers to put labels on mobile phones and packaging said Tuesday. More...

Mar-04-2009 -- Medicare situation worries doctors, patients
The passage of the bill came after Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) agreed to vote on the bill.
Family physicians and internists, doctors who carry a heavy Medicare patient load, already struggle with low reimbursement rates, Weiland said. More...

Mar-04-2009 -- Industry crackdown on salt could save US billions
Americans' sodium consumption may be reduced 9.5 percent if U.S. regulators emulated a U.K. initiative by working with the industry to cut salt in packaged foods, the study found.
Because about one third of U.S. adults have hypertension and another 28% have levels above the desirable range ( 9 ), and because sodium consumption contributes to the increase in blood pressure observed with increasing age ( 9 ), reductions in salt intake will lead to substantial population-wide improvements in health. More...

Mar-04-2009 -- Medical marijuana advocates sue Los Angeles
"Dozens and dozens of people spoke at the public hearing against the ordinance, and only a handful spoke in favor of it.
Whether the market is ever able to arrive at that point is another question, thanks largely to the unknowns surrounding medical marijuana legislation championed by Representative Tom Massey that will be up for public comment at the Capitol tomorrow. More...

Mar-04-2009 -- Pfizer Alzheimer's disease drug fails in study
NEW YORK (Mar. 3) Hopes that a drug Soviet scientists created in the 1980s might provide a treatment for Alzheimer'''s disease were dashed as the two companies developing it got lackluster results from a late-stage clinical trial.
Pfizer paid $225 million for rights to Dimebon, and could pay another $500 million in development milestones if the drug makes it to market. More...

Wednesday (Update 1)

Mar-03-2009 -- Hot to spot Census scams
"But it really began in earnest March 1 for another 9 million (rural) households when census takers started delivering forms by hand to residences where city-style addresses are not available and the U.S. Postal Service does not deliver."
Letters go out in early March to all identified households, followed by questionnaires, with the most activity reserved for Census Day, April 1. More...

Mar-03-2009 -- AAA: Aspirin not warranted in healthy subjects with low ABI, based on ...
After an average of 8.2 years, the researchers (led by Gerald Fowkes at the University of Edinburgh) found no difference in rates of fatal or non-fatal heart attack, stroke or revascularization surgery between the aspirin and placebo group.
In patients who have suffered a heart attack in the past, aspirin has been shown in trials to reduce a repeat by a fifth. More...

Mar-03-2009 -- Aspirin Won't Prevent Heart Attack in Healthy-Looking
After an average of 8.2 years, the researchers (led by Gerald Fowkes at the University of Edinburgh) found no difference in rates of fatal or non-fatal heart attack, stroke or revascularization surgery between the aspirin and placebo group.
In patients who have suffered a heart attack in the past, aspirin has been shown in trials to reduce a repeat by a fifth. More...

Mar-03-2009 -- Healthy people should not take aspirin to ward off heart attack research shows
After an average of 8.2 years, the researchers (led by Gerald Fowkes at the University of Edinburgh) found no difference in rates of fatal or non-fatal heart attack, stroke or revascularization surgery between the aspirin and placebo group.
In patients who have suffered a heart attack in the past, aspirin has been shown in trials to reduce a repeat by a fifth. More...

Mar-03-2009 -- Study Examines Effectiveness Of Aspirin In Some Heart Patients
After an average of 8.2 years, the researchers (led by Gerald Fowkes at the University of Edinburgh) found no difference in rates of fatal or non-fatal heart attack, stroke or revascularization surgery between the aspirin and placebo group.
In patients who have suffered a heart attack in the past, aspirin has been shown in trials to reduce a repeat by a fifth. More...

Mar-03-2009 -- Aspirin a day may HARM your health and 'does not cut heart attack risk in ...
After an average of 8.2 years, the researchers (led by Gerald Fowkes at the University of Edinburgh) found no difference in rates of fatal or non-fatal heart attack, stroke or revascularization surgery between the aspirin and placebo group.
In patients who have suffered a heart attack in the past, aspirin has been shown in trials to reduce a repeat by a fifth. More...

Mar-03-2009 -- The Benefits of Popping an Aspirin (and Some Risks)
As most people realize, Congress'''under the influence of corporate lobbyists'''seldom seeks the simplest solution to social and economic problems.
Except for Massachusetts, few states have even tried to fix the private health insurance mess and are unwilling to tackle the problem in a meaningful way. More...

Mar-03-2009 -- Aspirin as Preventive Therapy in Patients With Asymptomatic Vascular Disease
As most people realize, Congress'''under the influence of corporate lobbyists'''seldom seeks the simplest solution to social and economic problems.
The recent fiscal woes of state and local government have caused a rollback of safety net programs for the county's unemployed and working poor. More...

Mar-03-2009 -- Aspirin risks can outweigh benefits
As most people realize, Congress'''under the influence of corporate lobbyists'''seldom seeks the simplest solution to social and economic problems.
The attempt to destroy the health care delivery system is a power grab. More...

Mar-03-2009 -- Patients with low ankle-brachial index did not benefit from aspirin therapy
Adding 31 million people (45 million now don't have coverage) to the health care system will cost the taxpayers trillions over time.
Angela Braly can't kid me. More...

Mar-03-2009 -- Study Questions Value of Test for Peripheral Artery Disease
As most people realize, Congress'''under the influence of corporate lobbyists'''seldom seeks the simplest solution to social and economic problems.
Our system may be flawed, but it does work, and why fix something that isn't broken? From the outside looking in, that isn't seen. More...

Mar-03-2009 -- Aspirin use does not significantly reduce events among those identified by ...
Adding 31 million people (45 million now don't have coverage) to the health care system will cost the taxpayers trillions over time.
Angela Braly can't kid me. More...

Wednesday

Mar-03-2009 -- Coffee Is Generally Heart-Friendly
Good news for those who can't get their day started without a morning cup of joe -- a new study says coffee drinkers are less likely to be hospitalized for heart rhythm disturbances.
Explain to interested patients that, in one study, people who drank at least four cups of coffee a day were 18% less likely to be hospitalized with an arrhythmia than those who drank no coffee at all. More...

Mar-03-2009 -- The Benefits of Popping an Aspirin (and Some Risks)
After an average of 8.2 years, the researchers (led by Gerald Fowkes at the University of Edinburgh) found no difference in rates of fatal or non-fatal heart attack, stroke or revascularization surgery between the aspirin and placebo group.
F. Gerald R. Fowkes, F.R.C.P.E., of the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, and colleagues conducted a study to determine whether screening the general population for a low ABI could identify a higher-risk group that might benefit from aspirin therapy. More...

Mar-03-2009 -- Study: Snacks Make Up 27% of Kids Calories
When American kids reflect upon their childhoods decades from now, snacks may figure more prominently in their memories -- and around their waists -- than meals shared around a table.
Even as public health officials remove sodas and fat- and salt-laden snacks from school vending machines, parents hoping to roll back the tide of snacking face some daunting challenges, including a food industry dedicated to satisfying the nation's voracious between-meal appetite with snack wraps, burger bites and miniature candy bars marketed as midafternoon pick-me-ups. More...

Mar-03-2009 -- Digesting the facts on the 'New Atkins' low-carb diet
March 1, 2010 -- A low-carb diet may offer quick results, but a new study suggests that a low-fat diet may be best for long-term weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight .
The low-carb group also showed increases in free fatty acids, which increase blood sugar levels and can lead to diabetes. More...

Mar-03-2009 -- House lawmakers target health insurer CEOs
Angela Braly, WellPoint Inc.''' s Chief Executive faces her biggest test, as the country'''s largest health insurer is being severely criticised for its plans to increase rates by as much as 39% in California.
Small business drops coverage. More...

Mar-03-2009 -- Report: Cohabiting has little effect on marriage success
Living together before going to the altar increases the risk that the marriage will fail, says a U.S. study.
Couples who live together before marriage and those who don't both have about the same chances of a successful union, according to a federal report out Tuesday that turns earlier cohabitation research on its head. More...

Mar-03-2009 -- Industry crackdown on salt could save US billions
Americans' sodium consumption may be reduced 9.5 percent if U.S. regulators emulated a U.K. initiative by working with the industry to cut salt in packaged foods, the study found.
Levying a "sodium tax" could decrease U.S. sodium consumption by another percent and save $22.4 billion in medical costs, the study found. More...

Mar-03-2009 -- Census 2010: What's new?
Some people who live in southern Colorado will begin to see census forms, nearly two weeks before the rest of the nation.
INDIANA (WISH) - Census workers will begin hand-delivering the 2010 questionnaires to some Indiana households Monday, according to the census center in Chicago. More...

Mar-03-2009 -- Parents Better than TV at Teaching Babies to Speak
Scores on general language knowledge tests weren't significantly different between the two groups, the researchers said.
"Parents who use baby DVDs early may be less likely to engage in behaviours that promote language development or early viewing of baby DVDs may actually impair language development". More...

Mar-03-2009 -- Survey Shows Parents Worry About Vaccines
MONDAY, March 1 (HealthDay News) -- Although most American parents vaccinate their children, many are concerned about the safety of vaccines and some choose not to have their children protected from potentially deadly diseases, a new study found.
My doctor refused to give it to me at age 13 for that reason. More...

Mar-03-2009 -- U.S. Pays a Price for Dirty Air
The study, "The Impact of Air Quality on Hospital Spending," documented 29,808 emergency room visits and hospital admissions in the state for problems related to air pollution from 2005 through 2007.
A future Rand study will look at the effects of California's air pollution among minority groups, Romley said. More...

Mar-03-2009 -- Living a Purposeful Life Can Stave Off Alzheimer's
There are around 700,000 people with dementia in Britain and two thirds of them have Alzheimer's disease.
The results of the study, published online in the American Journal of Epidemiology, are expected to draw a new picture of poor vision as a predictor of dementia rather than as a symptom after diagnosis of the disease. More...

Tuesday (Update 1)

Mar-02-2009 -- Study shows tests could identify at-risk youth athletes
Sudden cardiac deaths among U.S. high school and college athletes aged 14 to 22-years were examined by researchers from the Stanford University School of Medicine, who conducted a calculation for finding out what kind of influence different screening types would have.
High school and college athletes are usually screened for cardiovascular abnormalities with just a physical and health history, although some high schools and colleges also employ ECG tests. More...

Mar-02-2009 -- Census 2010: What's new?
Some people who live in southern Colorado will begin to see census forms, nearly two weeks before the rest of the nation.
Make yourself count," the state's census website has posters, brochures, and post cards for downloading. More...

Mar-02-2009 -- Cannabis use in under 15s linked to psychosis
Around 18 percent reported using cannabis for three or fewer years, 16 percent for four to five years and 14 percent for six or more years.
Even though, the use of marijuana is illegal, according to the United Nations estimates, up to 190 million people worldwide use cannabis, which equates to 4% of the adult population. More...

Mar-02-2009 -- CORRECTED: Climate change may extend allergy season: study
The study found that the percentage of patients with allergic reactions increased throughout the study, but doctors are not clear if longer pollen seasons actually put more people at risk for developing allergies.
"We observed a constant increase of the percentage of subjects sensitized to olive, parietaria and cypress, whereas the percentage of subjects sensitized to dust mites remained unchanged over 27 years," Passalacqua said. More...

Mar-02-2009 -- Race to Pin Blame For Health Costs
As most people realize, Congress'''under the influence of corporate lobbyists'''seldom seeks the simplest solution to social and economic problems.
Language in the federal health reform bills will help close the donut hole that currently exists in Medicare Part D coverage and will protect the assets and promote the health of Massachusetts seniors. More...

Mar-02-2009 -- Dell sees "little limitation" in M&A strategy
ATLANTA, Mar 01, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The American Medical Association (AMA) and Dell announced today that they are collaborating to help physicians adopt useful health information technology such as electronic medical records (EMR), ePrescribing, and laboratory services through the AMA's new health information solutions platform for physicians, which will launch nationally later this year.
Dell is working with the American Medical Association to make it easier for medical professionals and organizations to adopt and implement health care IT. In a partnership announced March 1 at the HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society) event in Atlanta, Dell and the AMA said they want to make it easier for physicians to adopt such health IT measures as EMRs (electronic medical records), e-prescribing and laboratory services. More...

Mar-02-2009 -- Letter from Catholic Charities president and CEO to staff
Portion of a Catholic Charities memo as posted by the Washington City Paper and Washington Post.
Catholic Charities will continue to honor the health plan coverage that current employees have as of March 1, 2010. More...

Mar-02-2009 -- New Senate Bill Would Put Off 21.2% Medicare Pay Cut Until Oct. 1
WASHINGTON, March 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Senate's failure to act before today's 21 percent Medicare physician payment cut has put seniors at grave risk of reduced access to health care and choice of physician.
Web Exclusive: MedPAC Recommends Small Inpatient Pay Increase for Hospitals In its annual report to Congress, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission recommended on Monday that Congress give hospitals a fiscal 2011 payment update equal to the rate of change in the marketbasket index. More...

Mar-02-2009 -- Radiation Risks Prompt Push to Curb CT Scans
In December, two damning reports were issued in the Archives of Internal Medicine, in which a research team of doctors lambasted the casual treatments of children and the overuse of multiple CT scans on a single patient.
If a scan isn't recommended, it comes up red." More...

Mar-02-2009 -- Parity law requires mental health benefits comparable to physical care benefits
Facing Our Mental Health Crisis: A Community Conversation will be held on Wednesday, March 17 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. in the Mount Union Theatre on the Mount Union College campus.
One group will step into an environment that is prone to deadly landslides. More...

Mar-02-2009 -- FDA panel to target menthol cigarettes
WASHINGTON 'The Food and Drug Administration appointed a group of scientists and health professionals to its Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee Monday.
Lawmakers exempted menthol, the most popular flavoring accounting for about 27 percent of the cigarette market, and instead called for an FDA review. More...

Mar-02-2009 -- Consumer group sues insurer over policy changes
Feb. 27--Sharp rate hikes by health insurer Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield are causing ripples in many states amid a well-publicized plan by the company to increase premiums by as much as 39 percent in California.
One thing that makes our health system more expensive than any other in the world is our high overhead, including salaries for a lot of high-paid executives. More...

Tuesday

Mar-02-2009 -- Low-fat, Mediterranean and low-carb diets 'help heart'
People who ate a diet low in carbohydrates but relatively high in fat lost the same amount of weight over six weeks as those who consumed a high-carb diet.
When narrowing leads to a full blockage of blood flow, heart attacks or strokes are the result. More...

Mar-02-2009 -- Childhood Obesity Linked to Heart Risk
Children as young as 3 years old who are obese have been found to have elevated levels of inflammatory biomarkers, particularly C-reactive protein, that can lead to future cardiovascular disease risk.
Researchers at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine examined data on more than 16,000 children and looked for markers in the blood that help predict the risk for heart disease. More...

Mar-02-2009 -- FDA panel to target menthol cigarettes
WASHINGTON 'The Food and Drug Administration appointed a group of scientists and health professionals to its Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee Monday.
Lawmakers exempted menthol, the most popular flavoring accounting for about 27 percent of the cigarette market, and instead called for an FDA review. More...

Mar-02-2009 -- New Senate Bill Would Put Off 21.2% Medicare Pay Cut Until Oct. 1
WASHINGTON, March 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Senate's failure to act before today's 21 percent Medicare physician payment cut has put seniors at grave risk of reduced access to health care and choice of physician.
Big / global business runs this country. More...

Mar-02-2009 -- Walgreen combines pharmacy, wellness divisions
DEERFIELD, Ill. - Walgreen Co. is restructuring its health care division sales force to provide employers, managed care organizations, pharmacy benefit managers and governmental clients one-stop shopping, the company said Monday.
DEERFIELD, Ill. — Drugstore chain Walgreen said Monday that it was restructuring its health care division and placing it under a new executive. More...

Mar-02-2009 -- Parity law requires mental health benefits comparable to physical care benefits
Facing Our Mental Health Crisis: A Community Conversation will be held on Wednesday, March 17 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. in the Mount Union Theatre on the Mount Union College campus.
Today's study points to the reason why electroconvulsive therapy is still the most efficacious therapy for major depressive disorder, Dr. Levinson adds. More...

Mar-02-2009 -- Regular use of pain killers worsens hearing in men
Regularly taking aspirin, acetaminophen or other over-the-counter painkillers may increase the risk of hearing loss in men under age 60, a new study says.
A questionnaire determined analgesic use, hearing loss and a variety of physiological, medical and demographic factors. More...

Mar-02-2009 -- US health care a 'tapeworm,' Buffett warns
While Buffett, the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, applauded Obama for taking up the reform effort, he said that "unfortunately, we came up with a bill that really doesn't attack the cost situation that much."
Warren Buffett, the world''s second-richest person, says health care costs in the United States are out of control, a "tapeworm" eating up potential economic growth while the economy recovers from the financial crisis in fits and starts. More...

Mar-02-2009 -- WellPoint CEO Takes On Critics of Rate Hikes
Wellpoint is a major nationwide health care insurer which recently announced a 39 percent increase in premiums in California and similar massive increases in many other states, providing us an instructive preview of a future without health care reform.
One physician tells me that Medicaid recipients get free hospital care plus stipends at taxpayers' expense. More...

Mar-02-2009 -- State near bottom in federal health dollars
State funding for public health services in Minnesota dropped by $6.4 million, or nearly 8 percent, in fiscal 2009.
State funding for public health ranged dramatically as well, from a low of $3.54 per person in Nevada to a high of $169.49 per person in Hawaii, although the report noted that the structure and responsibilities of health departments can vary from state to state. More...

Mar-02-2009 -- Drug to Help Transplants Wins Support
A U.S. federal advisory panel recommended approval of Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.' s organ-transplant drug belatacept for use in patients undergoing kidney transplants.
Panel members said additional studies are needed, however, to look at long-term safety and effectiveness of the product. More...

Mar-02-2009 -- Consumer group sues insurer over policy changes
LOS ANGELES — Mary Feller's family of three spends nearly $25,000 a year on health insurance premiums, which is more than they pay on their home's mortgage in California's Marin County.
Anthem has become the poster child for what's wrong with the nation's health care, a numbingly complex and expensive system driven more by services than outcomes, whose major players seem more interested in cost shifting than benefit paying, and that still leaves some 47 million Americans without coverage. More...

Monday (Update 1)

Mar-01-2009 -- US approves Shire's drug for Gaucher disease
The injectable drug, which treats patients with Type 1 Gaucher disease, will serve as an alternative to Genzyme's ( GENZ.O ) Cerezyme, which is in short supply due to manufacturing problems.
A new drug, Vpriv, manufactured by Massachusetts-based Shire Human Genetic Therapies Inc. has got U. S approval for treating children and adults with the most common form of Gaucher Disease. More...

Mar-01-2009 -- Some LA County areas shorted on swine flu vaccine
Officials have distributed the H1N1 flu vaccine unevenly throughout Los Angeles County, with fewer doses going to medically underserved areas in the county's north and south, according to public health agency figures.
The vaccines have been offered at all public and private schools in the state, McVay said. More...

Mar-01-2009 -- More eating disorders for women over 30
The rigid policy with which Columbia singles out students with eating disorders is indicative of a larger trend'''despite employing a potentially versatile team approach to treatment, the Eating Disorder Team of Health Services at Columbia follows a rather formulaic procedure for all students suspected of having an eating disorder.
Now, LiCausi is the only staffer -- a largely unpaid one -- of the association, which remains the first-approach place for many Buffalo-area families seeking help. More...

Mar-01-2009 -- HIMSS Survey: Meaningful Use is Driver of Health IT Spending
Signed February 17, 2009, the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) promises financial incentives to providers and hospitals for the "meaningful use" of certified healthcare IT products.
The Melbourne Convention and Visitors Bureau (MCVB) says it beat strong competition from Sydney and Singapore to secure the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Asia Pacific annual conference and exhibition for Melbourne. More...

Mar-01-2009 -- Race to Pin Blame For Health Costs
Some of us are nonpartisan or identify as political moderates.
"There is one part of our reform package that is simple to explain, easy to justify, and 60 years overdue," Representative Louise Slaughter, a New York Democrat, said during debate. More...

Mar-01-2009 -- Stents as Good as Surgery at Preventing Stroke
FRIDAY, Feb. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Both stents and conventional surgery appear to be equally effective in preventing strokes in people whose carotid arteries are blocked, according to research presented Friday at the American Stroke Association's annual meeting in San Antonio.
Currently, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) offers reimbursement for a limited pool of high risk, symptomatic patients. More...

Mar-01-2009 -- Kroger recalls 2 onion soup and dip mixes
Kroger is recalling two onion soup and dip mixes because of possible salmonella contamination.
Guidance for calculation of efficiency (PUE) in real data centers Learn more, download free white paper. More...

Mar-01-2009 -- Indiana's health commissioner heading to CDC
The state health commissioner is resigning to take a job with the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Indiana's governor announced today.
"Fortunately, I will continue to be involved with the health departments in my new position." More...

Mar-01-2009 -- Painkillers May Cause Hearing Loss
A questionnaire was used to determine the men'''s use of analgesics, hearing loss, and various other factors.
The risk, however, continued to fall as volunteers got older. More...

Mar-01-2009 -- Physical Therapists Protest Anthem Blue Cross Payment Decrease
As Anthem Blue Cross takes flak for proposing premium increases of as much as 39 percent on individual policyholders, other health insurance providers have shocked small businesses with increases that in certain cases surpass 75 percent.
Lazar and his wife Jane own Coldwell Banker Commercial Lazar & Associates, a commercial real estate brokerage firm in Redlands. More...

Mar-01-2009 -- Children's dental care gets 'B'
A recent study conducted by the Pew Center on the States shows that at least one in five U.S. children don't receive annual dental care, and most states don't have policies to ensure access to cost-saving preventative treatments.
In all, approximately 150 kids received the free dental care. More...

Mar-01-2009 -- Liz Cheney: Dad is well, following doctor's orders
WASHINGTON — One of Dick Cheney's daughters says the former vice president is recovering well from the mild heart attack that sent him to the hospital last week.
More...

Monday

Mar-01-2009 -- US approves Shire's drug for Gaucher disease
The injectable drug, which treats patients with Type 1 Gaucher disease, will serve as an alternative to Genzyme's ( GENZ.O ) Cerezyme, which is in short supply due to manufacturing problems.
The safety and effectiveness of VPRIV was assessed in three clinical studies involving 82 patients with Type 1 Gaucher disease ages 4 years and older. More...

Mar-01-2009 -- Gestational Diabetes Underdiagnosed
The findings, released Friday and published in the March issue of Diabetes Care , were based on a study that included more than 23,000 women in nine countries.
A team of researchers at the Northwestern University in Illinois recently revealed that blood sugar levels which were once considered "normal" for pregnant women are not safe for either the mother or the baby. More...

Mar-01-2009 -- To be counted, here's what counts with the 2010 census
The number of members on the County Board of Commissioners also was reduced from 15 to 12 after the 2000 census due to a loss in population.
Some of the New Bern-area residents who applied on Saturday for the approximately 220 jobs needed in the county to complete Census 2010 were looking to earn some much-needed extra cash, while others showed up because they saw it as their civic duty. More...

Mar-01-2009 -- Medicare and Medicaid Payments to Doctors Cut by 21 Percent
'''The only solution is to fix the system.'''
In 1986, a Harvard economist named William Hsiao decided to figure out a better way to pay doctors. More...

Mar-01-2009 -- The Autism Vaccine Debate: Who's Afraid of Jenny McCarthy?
In an interview bound to open many heated discussions, actress and author Jenny McCarthy has told Time magazine that her 7-year-old son Evan, has been all but cured of his autism.
Jenny McCarthy and Jim Carrey attended a fundraiser at a private home 'recently to raise money for autism research. More...

Mar-01-2009 -- Sex addiction divides mental health experts
Proposed changes to the nation's leading manual on mental disorders call for improved criteria for eating disorders, new categorizations of learning disorders and an introduction of tools to help health professionals better identify patients at risk for suicide.
To begin, the American Association of Psychology is considering reclassifying Asperger's syndrome into a more general category under the autistic spectrum. More...

Mar-01-2009 -- Health status varies by county: Where patients live matters
The University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation published the new report, 'County Health Rankings,' which reflects the overall health of counties across the country.
Much of what influences how healthy we are and how long we live happens outside the doctor's office," said Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, MD, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's president and CEO. The rankings can be accessed online. More...

Mar-01-2009 -- Hyping H1N1: Did It Create a Dangerous Flu Fatigue?
According to the Centers for Disease Control, cases of H1N1, also called swine flu, have tapered off sharply over the last two months since peaking in the fall, but the virus is still circulating.
"The H1N1 virus could well make a big return to South Africa during our next flu season," said Pete Vincent. More...

Mar-01-2009 -- Give Kids a Smile weekend success
A few admitted they were nervous, and some held hands to calm their fears.
"I used to work at a children's clinic so I was aware of the need for children's dental care." More...

Mar-01-2009 -- Interval training can shrink a week's worth of training down to one hour
Short and intense exercise regimes known as interval training are twice as effective as regular exercise, researchers in Norway claimed.
''High-intensity interval training is twice as effective as normal exercise,'' said Jan Helgerud, an exercise expert at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. More...

Mar-01-2009 -- Free breast cancer tests in Abu Dhabi
Breast density is generally greater in younger women, therefore, making it more difficult to see clearly through the breast.
The vast majority of screening mammograms actually relieve anxiety about breast cancer. More...

Mar-01-2009 -- Granola bars lead recall list
Fears that its granola bars may cause salmonella poisoning have caused Trader Joe's to expand its recall of Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars from specific lots to every box that was made, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced .
No illnesses related to the recalls have been reported. More...

Sunday (Update 1)

Feb-28-2009 -- Study: Removing healthy breast affects cancer odds
HOUSTON - Contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM), a preventive procedure to remove the unaffected breast in patients with disease in one breast, may only offer a survival benefit to breast cancer patients age 50 and younger, who have early-stage disease and are estrogen receptor (ER) negative, according to researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.
After crunching the numbers, the researchers discovered one group of patients that actually benefited from the elective surgery ''' women under 50 with Stage 1 or Stage 2 breast cancer that was estrogen receptor negative . More...

Feb-28-2009 -- Free flu vaccination clinics aimed at seniors
According to the Centers for Disease Control, cases of H1N1, also called swine flu, have tapered off sharply over the last two months since peaking in the fall, but the virus is still circulating.
The CDC usually follows the panel's advice and spreads the message to doctors and hospitals. More...

Feb-28-2009 -- Businesses struggling with health insurance
Metz was prepared for bad news.
Regardless of what happens at the White House's health care meeting on Thursday, we've got to make sure health insurers compete for every one of our dollars. More...

Feb-28-2009 -- Medicare payments cut 21%
'''The only solution is to fix the system.'''
The House voted Nov. 19 to approve spending $210 billion over 10 years to adopt a new formula. More...

Feb-28-2009 -- Why Psychiatry Needs Therapy
The latest American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, which has been released after 7 years of constant analysis and work, seems to have disappointed many, with some experts stressing that the latest release is like a proof of the "discipline's floundering writ".
The actual incidence of autistic symptoms in the population is likely not dramatically different than it was 30 years ago." More...

Feb-28-2009 -- Tom Coburn To 'Face The Nation' After Health Care Summit
Obama himself didn't bring it up until the very end, when nobody would have a chance to respond.
I think the amount of fraud and medical malpractice is very low, unless you are talking about hospitals. More...

Feb-28-2009 -- Interval training can shrink a week's worth of training down to one hour
Short and intense exercise regimes known as interval training are twice as effective as regular exercise, researchers in Norway claimed.
''High-intensity interval training is twice as effective as normal exercise,'' said Jan Helgerud, an exercise expert at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. More...

Feb-28-2009 -- New inhaled drug protects from flu in single dose
The researchers led by Professor Yoshihiro Kawaoka from the University of Wisconsin-Madison mixed up the H5N1 deadly bird flu virus strain with the more commonly known H3N2 strain and produced three terrifyingly virulent and powerful new strains.
Some strains of bird flu, or H5N1, have become resistant to Tamiflu, creating a need for other drugs. More...

Feb-28-2009 -- What's the best age to start mammograms?
Breast density is generally greater in younger women, therefore, making it more difficult to see clearly through the breast.
Next, the panel assessed the potential harms of screening, namely that false-positive results can lead to unneeded follow-up tests, biopsies and psychological distress. More...

Feb-28-2009 -- Lactose Intolerance: What you need to know
If you think you're lactose intolerant, the National Institutes of Health says, well. maybe you're not.
Lactose may also be present in some prescription medicines, including birth control pills, and over-the-counter medicines like products to treat stomach acid and gas. More...

Feb-28-2009 -- Show me that smile
A few admitted they were nervous, and some held hands to calm their fears.
Plans and Programs offered by DentalPlans.com do not make payments directly to the providers of medical services. More...

Feb-28-2009 -- Immigrants sue state over exclusion from health care
Patrick signed the state budget that included the health care cut but also announced a plan that would provide some health care coverage for legal immigrants starting last October.
The impact of the cuts has been serious and widespread. More...

Sunday

Feb-28-2009 -- At Hearing on Radiation, Calls for Better Oversight
The move comes amid increasing debate in America over the level of radiation the public is receiving from medical scans (see: Huge rise in US medical radiation doses ).
WASHINGTON — A medical imaging trade group said Thursday that manufacturers of CT scanners will begin installing safety controls to prevent patients from receiving excessive radiation. More...

Feb-28-2009 -- Interval training can shrink a week's worth of training down to one hour
Jan Helgerud, an exercise expert at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, said, "High-intensity interval training is twice as effective as normal exercise.
New studies conducted among older people proved otherwise. More...

Feb-28-2009 -- Penicillin Allergy Might Not Include Related Antibiotic
Gradually building up a tolerance to peanuts and other foods may prevent dangerous allergic reactions , new research suggests.
SATURDAY, Feb. 27 (HealthDay News) -- A blood test may help identify children with milk allergy who can tolerate baked-milk products and those who may have a serious allergic reaction to any form of cow's milk, a new study shows. More...

Feb-28-2009 -- Salmonella Found in Crushed Red Pepper
Wholesome Spice Recalls 25 Lb.
On January 10, Daniele International recalled 1.2 million pounds of ready-to-eat salami; that recall was expanded to include another 23,754 pounds of salami products on February 4, said the Post. More...

Feb-28-2009 -- CMA After Congress to Prevent Medicare Cuts
'''The only solution is to fix the system.'''
"So we've fallen behind, and that's about as much as we can handle." More...

Feb-28-2009 -- MEDICAL MARIJUANA SPECIAL REPORT: The laws and dispensaries
"In my opinion, it would constitute de facto legalization."
NEWSCHANNEL 13 had been told Mr. May placed calls to the chief of police, code enforcement and regional building in efforts to get the medical marijuana dispensary closed down for violating city code enforcement laws. More...

Feb-28-2009 -- Got milk intolerance? US experts say it's unclear
If you think you're lactose intolerant, the National Institutes of Health says, well. maybe you're not.
Dr Robert P Heaney, a prominent researcher at Creighton University who presented findings to the panel on the health outcomes of dairy exclusion diets, said that lactose intolerance is a topic that is frequently misunderstood. More...

Feb-28-2009 -- The Autism Vaccine Debate: Who's Afraid of Jenny McCarthy?
In an interview bound to open many heated discussions, actress and author Jenny McCarthy has told Time magazine that her 7-year-old son Evan, has been all but cured of his autism.
And, here'''s some published science for all of the haters: Children who receive the entire 3-shot series of Hepatitis B Vaccine have a 9x higher rate of developmental disabilities than unvaccinated children. More...

Feb-28-2009 -- Insider seen as next CFO at Jackson Health System
After weeks of grim news about financial problems at Jackson Memorial Hospital, employees were given some good news Friday from Jackson's President Eneida Roldan.
The two sides had been at odds recently over Jackson's finances , but presented a united front before employees. More...

Feb-28-2009 -- New inhaled drug protects from flu in single dose
The report in the Public Library of Science Journal PLoS Pathogens covers one of the dozens of ongoing studies of a new batch of influenza drugs being developed by a variety of companies.
MADISON, Wisconsin, February 26, 2010 (ENS) - Genetic interactions between avian influenza and human seasonal influenza viruses have the potential to create hybrid strains that combine the virulence of bird flu with the ability to spread like a pandemic, new research has found. More...

Feb-28-2009 -- New Ruling Made by Ohio Judge
If the smoking ban is causing bars to go out of business why are there so many bars/resturants opening up locally?? Doesnt the fact that South Carolina (a major tobacco producing state) just outlawed smoking in public places tell you something?? Smoking kills! Second hand smoke kills! And even if it didn't, I sure dont miss coming home from my favorite bar smelling like a dirty ashtray.
Businesses that sell alcohol and smoking products enforce underage use everyday or get fined and license revoked. More...

Feb-28-2009 -- Long-time cannabis use linked to psychosis: study
"Apart from the implications for policy makers and health planners, we hope our findings will encourage further clinical and animal-model research to unravel the mechanisms linking cannabis use and psychosis," the study authors wrote.
Marijuana became demonized when hemp became a threat to the big oil companies. More...

Saturday (Update 1)

Feb-27-2009 -- Study: Removing healthy breast affects cancer odds
HOUSTON - Contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM), a preventive procedure to remove the unaffected breast in patients with disease in one breast, may only offer a survival benefit to breast cancer patients age 50 and younger, who have early-stage disease and are estrogen receptor (ER) negative, according to researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.
According to Bedrosian and others, experts have long known that women diagnosed with breast cancer have an elevated risk of developing cancer in the opposite breast. More...

Feb-27-2009 -- Do Flu Vaccines Really Work? A Skeptic's View
The CDC says that the annual flu vaccine is a safe and preventive health action that benefits all people.
In December, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched a public health campaign in the U.S. encouraging vulnerable patients - particularly the elderly - to "protect yourself and the ones you love against flu: GET VACCINATED!" At least one flu-vaccine researcher disagreed with the message: Tom Jefferson, an epidemiologist with the prestigious Cochrane Collaboration, which has headquarters in Britain. More...

Feb-27-2009 -- Interval training can cut exercise hours sharply
"High-intensity interval training is twice as effective as normal exercise," said Jan Helgerud, an exercise expert at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.
In Britain and the United States, officials suggest that people should indulge in about 2 ½ hours every week of moderate exercise. More...

Feb-27-2009 -- Students Should be Counted in Census, Officials Demand
The numbers will be tallied by the end of the year and states will get the results by March 2011.
In 2000, U.S. Census workers counted 38,381 residents in SCC, but the Department of Economic Security put the number at 47,900 last year, said Mary Dahl, county director of community development. More...

Feb-27-2009 -- Got milk intolerance? US experts say it's unclear
If you think you're lactose intolerant, the National Institutes of Health says, well. maybe you're not.
Lactose may also be present in some prescription medicines, including birth control pills, and over-the-counter medicines like products to treat stomach acid and gas. More...

Feb-27-2009 -- Long-time cannabis use linked to psychosis: study
"Apart from the implications for policy makers and health planners, we hope our findings will encourage further clinical and animal-model research to unravel the mechanisms linking cannabis use and psychosis," the study authors wrote.
"Individuals who had experienced hallucinations early in life were more likely to have used cannabis longer and to use it more frequently," it said. More...

Feb-27-2009 -- Using an exemption to make an example
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the '''Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act''' by a vote of 406 to 19.
The bill, which the U.S. House of Representatives will vote on Wednesday, would remove insurers' long-time exemption to competition laws, which Democrats hope will lower premiums in insurance markets by giving consumers more choices. More...

Feb-27-2009 -- Salmonella Found in Crushed Red Pepper
Wholesome Spice Recalls 25 Lb.
On January 10, Daniele International recalled 1.2 million pounds of ready-to-eat salami; that recall was expanded to include another 23,754 pounds of salami products on February 4, said the Post. More...

Feb-27-2009 -- Insider seen as next CFO at Jackson Health System
After weeks of grim news about financial problems at Jackson Memorial Hospital, employees were given some good news Friday from Jackson's President Eneida Roldan.
According to the Miami Herald, even with the cuts, Jackson is likely going to finish the fiscal year in debt. More...

Feb-27-2009 -- New Ruling Made by Ohio Judge
If the smoking ban is causing bars to go out of business why are there so many bars/resturants opening up locally?? Doesnt the fact that South Carolina (a major tobacco producing state) just outlawed smoking in public places tell you something?? Smoking kills! Second hand smoke kills! And even if it didn't, I sure dont miss coming home from my favorite bar smelling like a dirty ashtray.
Jimmy Ego wrote on Feb 26, 2010 7:40 AM: " What continues to amaze me about the whole thing, is that people drive to bars, drink, and then drive home, all the time. More...

Feb-27-2009 -- 6 Things You Should Know About Avandia
The new press release immediately states that the Senate Finance Committee's January 2010 report on Avandia is inaccurate, unbalanced and refrains from giving a '''complete view''' of the information currently available on the drug.
Every diabetic must take a statin and antiplatelet agent like aspirin to prevent heart disease and control BP tightly. More...

Feb-27-2009 -- Long-time cannabis use linked to psychosis: study
"Apart from the implications for policy makers and health planners, we hope our findings will encourage further clinical and animal-model research to unravel the mechanisms linking cannabis use and psychosis," the study authors wrote.
"Individuals who had experienced hallucinations early in life were more likely to have used cannabis longer and to use it more frequently," it said. More...

Saturday

Feb-27-2009 -- Congress Likely to Stiff AMA on Medicare Reimbursement Fix
Congress must cease the short-term "fixes" and address the actual problem: the flawed sustainable growth rate formula.
"America's family physicians are already straining to make ends meet with Medicare payment rates that have fallen behind inflation," said Heim. More...

Feb-27-2009 -- Frequently asked questions about the US census
The numbers will be tallied by the end of the year and states will get the results by March 2011.
Staffers for the 2010 Census are visiting college campuses in February and March to remind students that they, too, must be counted. More...

Feb-27-2009 -- Got milk intolerance? US experts say it's unclear
If you think you're lactose intolerant, the National Institutes of Health says, well. maybe you're not.
One key is to tell a patient to avoid milk products for a few days and see if the symptoms go away. More...

Feb-27-2009 -- 6 Things You Should Know About Avandia
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) -- the world's foremost body monitoring drugs -- is reviewing data from the clinical study on rosiglitazone by GSK, and once it completes the review, the agency will present an updated assessment of the risks and benefits of the drug at the joint public meeting of drug safety and risk management advisory committee in July 2010.
"Glaring omissions" in the Senate report included a lack of discussion of the final results of important clinical trials that were assessed by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisors, who voted to keep Avandia on the market, it said. More...

Feb-27-2009 -- Report: Workers hidden on Jackson payroll
After weeks of grim news about financial problems at Jackson Memorial Hospital, employees were given some good news Friday from Jackson's President Eneida Roldan.
More...

Feb-27-2009 -- House votes to strip health insurance companies of antitrust exemption
Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO) joined a majority of the House of Representatives in supporting H.R. 4626, the Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act, which will repeal the special antitrust exemption for health insurance companies, introduced by his fellow freshmen members of Congress, Betsy Markey (D-CO) and Tom Perriello (D-VA).
The exemption has been in place since 1945. More...

Feb-27-2009 -- Preventive mastectomy doesn't benefit most, study finds
HOUSTON - Contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM), a preventive procedure to remove the unaffected breast in patients with disease in one breast, may only offer a survival benefit to breast cancer patients age 50 and younger, who have early-stage disease and are estrogen receptor (ER) negative, according to researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.
The results make good clinical sense. More...

Feb-27-2009 -- Guidant charged in US device inquiry
The justice department said a Nov. 2009 Boston Scientific press release said the company would pay $296 million on be half of Guidant in connection to the charges, which were filed Thursday in St. Paul after a four-year investigation.
According to a criminal information filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota in St. Paul, Guidant became aware in 2002 that one model was prone to electrical arcing, rendering the device inoperative. More...

Feb-27-2009 -- Bill for more investigation of '01 anthrax case passes House
Further review is being sought by the United States House of Representatives over the 2001 anthrax mailings that resulted in five deaths that was recently closed by the FBI. An amendment to an intelligence authorization bill was approved this week by House members to require the government to further search for credible evidence of foreign involvement in the attacks, which sickened 17 people in the days after the September 11, 2001 terror attacks.
The government, after several years, conceded that Hatfill was not involved in the case. More...

Feb-27-2009 -- The Autism Vaccine Debate: Who's Afraid of Jenny McCarthy?
In an interview bound to open many heated discussions, actress and author Jenny McCarthy has told Time magazine that her 7-year-old son Evan, has been all but cured of his autism.
Was Evan misdiagnosed? There are murmurings from scientists and doctors asking if Evan was ever really autistic. More...

Feb-27-2009 -- Colo. hep C surgery tech gets 30 years in prison
Parker was sentenced in Denver federal court and, while prosecutors initially recommended the 20-year sentence as part of a plea agreement, the judge rejected the agreement, sentenced Parker to 30 years and ordered Parker to pay $506,935 in restitution to the hospitals as well as another $1,000 to the court-sponsored victims' fund, wrote the Post.
The judge, in imposing a much stiffer sentence than federal prosecutors had initially agreed to, called the crime "as incomprehensible as it is unconscionable." More...

Feb-27-2009 -- Belly Fat Is Culprit in Stroke Gender Gap
A new study presented Wednesday at the American Stroke Association International Stroke Conference 2010 found that high fat diets , particularly those high in trans-fatty acids, can significantly raise the risk of stroke for women over 50.
The participants were part of a large ongoing health study that had shown a doubled stroke risk for women age 45 to 54 compared with men when analyzed from 1999 to 2004. More...

Friday (Update 1)

Feb-26-2009 -- Preventive mastectomy doesn't benefit most, study finds
HOUSTON - Contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM), a preventive procedure to remove the unaffected breast in patients with disease in one breast, may only offer a survival benefit to breast cancer patients age 50 and younger, who have early-stage disease and are estrogen receptor (ER) negative, according to researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.
The researchers note, the study captured neither family history nor BRCA status; it also did not include DCIS, or stage 0 breast cancer patients. More...

Feb-26-2009 -- House passes repeal of McCarran-Ferguson Act for health insurers
Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO) joined a majority of the House of Representatives in supporting H.R. 4626, the Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act, which will repeal the special antitrust exemption for health insurance companies, introduced by his fellow freshmen members of Congress, Betsy Markey (D-CO) and Tom Perriello (D-VA).
Advocates of an exemption repeal say the exemption has allowed health insurance companies to essentially divide the country into geographic zones. More...

Feb-26-2009 -- Bulk of census jobs won't come until late spring
The U.S. Census Bureau will be hiring about 20-30 census takers in Beloit and around 100 in Rock County, according to Rick Zynda, recruiting manager for the U.S. Census Bureau's Madison office.
A 'historical and institutional distrust' is still present among some Blacks and among African immigrants as well, U.S. Representative Keith Ellison pointed out. More...

Feb-26-2009 -- Law center: Ohio bars can fight smoking ban fines
If the smoking ban is causing bars to go out of business why are there so many bars/resturants opening up locally?? Doesnt the fact that South Carolina (a major tobacco producing state) just outlawed smoking in public places tell you something?? Smoking kills! Second hand smoke kills! And even if it didn't, I sure dont miss coming home from my favorite bar smelling like a dirty ashtray.
You are trying to relate the "Public Nusiance" law. More...

Feb-26-2009 -- 6 Things You Should Know About Avandia
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) -- the world's foremost body monitoring drugs -- is reviewing data from the clinical study on rosiglitazone by GSK, and once it completes the review, the agency will present an updated assessment of the risks and benefits of the drug at the joint public meeting of drug safety and risk management advisory committee in July 2010.
Every diabetic must take a statin and antiplatelet agent like aspirin to prevent heart disease and control BP tightly. More...

Feb-26-2009 -- Heart disease risk tied to mom's number of births
Taking age, sex and cardiovascular risk factors into account, the researchers found that over the 10 years, “increased positive affect” lessened the risk of heart disease by 22 percent for each point on the scale.
I am pleased to report that every year since 1964, the president has designated the month to highlight the importance of heart disease awareness and prevention. More...

Feb-26-2009 -- Eating Disorder Awareness Week panel stirs students' emotions
Eating disorders and poor body image affect roughly 70 million people worldwide, and without proper treatment, can have life-threatening consequences.
Some readers have worried that my emphasis on being kind to your body and critical of our society'''s devotion to thinness somehow endorses an unhealthy lifestyle. More...

Feb-26-2009 -- Colo. hep C surgery tech gets 30 years in prison
Parker was sentenced in Denver federal court and, while prosecutors initially recommended the 20-year sentence as part of a plea agreement, the judge rejected the agreement, sentenced Parker to 30 years and ordered Parker to pay $506,935 in restitution to the hospitals as well as another $1,000 to the court-sponsored victims' fund, wrote the Post.
COLORADO SPRINGS - A drug-addicted surgery tech who admitted stealing painkillers and infecting patients with hepatitis C was sentenced to 30 years in prison Wednesday. More...

Feb-26-2009 -- Diet High in Fat, Particularly Trans Fat, Raises Risk for Ischemic Stroke
A new study presented Wednesday at the American Stroke Association International Stroke Conference 2010 found that high fat diets , particularly those high in trans-fatty acids, can significantly raise the risk of stroke for women over 50.
According to a new report from a researcher at the Keck School of Medicine of USC , women between the ages of 35 and 64 are almost three times more likely to have a stroke compared to men in the same age group. More...

Feb-26-2009 -- FDA approves new pneumonia vaccine with wider reach
NEW YORK -- February 24, 2010 -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (diphtheria CRM197 protein; Prevnar 13) for active immunisation of children aged 6 weeks to 5 years for the prevention of invasive disease caused by 13 Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes 1, 3, 4, 5, 6A, 6B, 7F, 9V, 14, 18C, 19A, 19F, and 23F. Prevnar 13 is also indicated for the prevention of otitis media caused by serotypes 4, 6B, 9V, 14, 18C, 19F, and 23F. No otitis media efficacy data are available for serotypes 1, 3, 5, 6A, 7F, and 19A. In connection with the approval by the FDA, the manufacturer, Pfizer, has agreed to certain post-marketing commitments involving conducting a study to further evaluate the safety profile of the vaccine, a study to evaluate the prevention of overall invasive pneumococcal disease, and various studies to evaluate reduction in otitis media.
Prevnar 13 is indicated for active immunization of children 6 weeks through 5 years of age for the prevention of invasive disease--including sepsis, bloodstream infections and meningitis--caused by 13 Streptococcus pneumoniae. More...

Feb-26-2009 -- Part 2: "The US Census: Forecasting Our Needs, Preserving Our Past"
Even the national figure for participation in the long-form questionnaire'''63 percent'''was far higher than the average participation rate in Harlem, according to the U.S. Census Bureau mail return rate report.
One of the most important civic events for our nation is fast approaching - the 2010 Census. More...

Feb-26-2009 -- Interval training can cut exercise hours sharply
"High-intensity interval training is twice as effective as normal exercise," said Jan Helgerud, an exercise expert at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.
Some experts say intense exercise sessions could help people squeeze a week's workout into less than an hour. More...

Friday

Feb-26-2009 -- US Census tour will stop in Jackson on Sunday
The U.S. Census Bureau will be hiring about 20-30 census takers in Beloit and around 100 in Rock County, according to Rick Zynda, recruiting manager for the U.S. Census Bureau's Madison office.
The 2010 U.S. Census will have an enormous impact on Folsom and other cities across the country in the coming decade. More...

Feb-26-2009 -- Breast implant may have saved woman's life, doctor says
Lydia Carranza was shot in the chest when a gunman opened fire at the Family Dental Care Clinic in Simi Valley on July 1, 2009, KTLA.com reported.
Carranza was shot in the chest when a co-worker's husband allegedly stormed the "Family Dental Care" clinic and opened fire on July 1. More...

Feb-26-2009 -- Study: High-fat diets raise stroke risk in women
A new study presented Wednesday at the American Stroke Association International Stroke Conference 2010 found that high fat diets , particularly those high in trans-fatty acids, can significantly raise the risk of stroke for women over 50.
Research from another recent study presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology found the best diet to reduce the risk of cerebrovascular disease was the Mediterranean diet, which is rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and low in total fat, saturated fat, and trans fat. More...

Feb-26-2009 -- Got milk intolerance? US experts say it's unclear
If you think you're lactose intolerant, the National Institutes of Health says, well. maybe you're not.
Dr. Wilma Wooten, president of the San Diego chapter of the National Medical Association, presented research on the ethnic prevalence of lactose intolerance to the panel. More...

Feb-26-2009 -- FDA creates partnership to boost regulatory science
The agencies' leaders, with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, unveiled the new partnership Wednesday at a briefing on the NIH campus in suburban Bethesda, Md. The initiative aims to bring together two branches of science: translational science, which turns basic discoveries into treatments, and regulatory science, which creates standards and tools to develop products and test their safety and efficacy.
The agency will collaborate with the National Institutes of Health in an effort to more quickly rule on the safety and effectiveness of new products and procedures. More...

Feb-26-2009 -- Local center helps most extreme eating disorder cases
What is a normal, often enjoyable human activity for most of us is an all-controlling, dangerous and sometimes fatal compulsion for others.
Thursday will highlight Peach Friedman, a spokeswoman for the National Disorders Association. More...

Feb-26-2009 -- FDA Offers Docs Guidance on Rosiglitazone as Safety Review Nears Completion
The Glaxo response argues that the company kept the FDA continually abreast of safety information on potential problems with Avandia, and notes that an FDA committee looked at numerous clinical trials before determining that Avandia should be left on the market.
The company was responding to Senate Finance committee report based on a two-year inquiry of Avandia (rosiglitazone), prompted by the publication in May 2007 of a meta-analysis in the New England Journal of Medicine which warned of the possible cardiovascular risk of the drug (see links below). More...

Feb-26-2009 -- Law center: Ohio bars can fight smoking ban fines
If the smoking ban is causing bars to go out of business why are there so many bars/resturants opening up locally?? Doesnt the fact that South Carolina (a major tobacco producing state) just outlawed smoking in public places tell you something?? Smoking kills! Second hand smoke kills! And even if it didn't, I sure dont miss coming home from my favorite bar smelling like a dirty ashtray.
You are trying to relate the "Public Nusiance" law. More...

Feb-26-2009 -- How Health Reform Could Cost Less
America'''s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) President and CEO Karen Ignagni this afternoon made the following remarks as prepared for delivery on the status of health care reform.
In a significant departure from current law, millions of women would be unable to purchase an insurance plan which covers necessary reproductive health care services. More...

Feb-26-2009 -- A week's worth of exercise in less than an hour
"High-intensity interval training is twice as effective as normal exercise," said Jan Helgerud, an exercise expert at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.
One expert at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology says "high-intensity interval training is twice as effective as normal exercise." More...

Feb-26-2009 -- NY-Made Robotic Surgery Simulator Rolled Out
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- A collaboration between the Center for Robotic Surgery at Roswell Park Cancer Institute and the University at Buffalo's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences has produced one of the world's first simulators that closely approximates the "touch and feel" of the da Vinci' robotic surgical system.
One of the first things Mike Ameroso asked while contemplating robotic surgery for his prostate cancer was how many surgeries his doctors had done with the robot. More...

Feb-26-2009 -- FDA approves new pneumonia vaccine with wider reach
NEW YORK -- February 24, 2010 -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (diphtheria CRM197 protein; Prevnar 13) for active immunisation of children aged 6 weeks to 5 years for the prevention of invasive disease caused by 13 Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes 1, 3, 4, 5, 6A, 6B, 7F, 9V, 14, 18C, 19A, 19F, and 23F. Prevnar 13 is also indicated for the prevention of otitis media caused by serotypes 4, 6B, 9V, 14, 18C, 19F, and 23F. No otitis media efficacy data are available for serotypes 1, 3, 5, 6A, 7F, and 19A. In connection with the approval by the FDA, the manufacturer, Pfizer, has agreed to certain post-marketing commitments involving conducting a study to further evaluate the safety profile of the vaccine, a study to evaluate the prevention of overall invasive pneumococcal disease, and various studies to evaluate reduction in otitis media.
About an hour after the Pfizer announcement, a CDC advisory panel on immunizations -- meeting in Atlanta -- voted to recommend that doctors start using Prevnar 13 to replace the older Prevnar vaccine. More...

Thursday (Update 1)

Feb-25-2009 -- Cheney's 5 heart attacks unusual, shows good care
WASHINGTON (AP) ''' An aide says former Vice President Dick Cheney had a mild heart attack but is likely to leave the hospital within a day or two.
Washington, DC (AP) - The screams of a thousand minds cracking at once into depths of madness unimaginable within this universe were heard on the streets of the U.S. Capitol as former Vice President Dick Cheney inadvertently lowered his human shell, revealing the timeless horror of his true form to a gathering of supporters there to rally for the increased use of torture in interrogations of jaywalkers. More...

Feb-25-2009 -- FDA approves new pneumonia vaccine with wider reach
NEW YORK -- February 24, 2010 -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (diphtheria CRM197 protein; Prevnar 13) for active immunisation of children aged 6 weeks to 5 years for the prevention of invasive disease caused by 13 Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes 1, 3, 4, 5, 6A, 6B, 7F, 9V, 14, 18C, 19A, 19F, and 23F. Prevnar 13 is also indicated for the prevention of otitis media caused by serotypes 4, 6B, 9V, 14, 18C, 19F, and 23F. No otitis media efficacy data are available for serotypes 1, 3, 5, 6A, 7F, and 19A. In connection with the approval by the FDA, the manufacturer, Pfizer, has agreed to certain post-marketing commitments involving conducting a study to further evaluate the safety profile of the vaccine, a study to evaluate the prevention of overall invasive pneumococcal disease, and various studies to evaluate reduction in otitis media.
Prevnar 13 is indicated for active immunization of children 6 weeks through 5 years of age for the prevention of invasive disease--including sepsis, bloodstream infections and meningitis--caused by 13 Streptococcus pneumoniae. More...

Feb-25-2009 -- Stanford hosts eating disorders seminar on Feb. 25
What is a normal, often enjoyable human activity for most of us is an all-controlling, dangerous and sometimes fatal compulsion for others.
"Eating disorders are caused by a whole range of complex issues there is no one simple cause." More...

Feb-25-2009 -- Hoffman: Save the classic hot dog!
MONDAY, Feb. 22 (HealthDay News) -- The leading group of pediatricians in the United States is pushing for a redesign of common foods such as hot dogs and candies, along with new warning labels placed on food packaging, to help curb sometimes fatal incidents of child choking.
"Choking on food causes the death of approximately one child every five days in the U.S.," the AAP statement asserted. More...

Feb-25-2009 -- Mother has second child after ovary transplant
For the first time, a woman has given birth to two children after her fertility was restored using transplants of ovarian tissue that had been removed and frozen during her cancer treatment and then restored once she was cured.
Six pieces of ovarian tissue (around 15'''20% of an entire ovary) were thawed and then re-implanted into Dr Bergholdt'''s remaining right ovary in December 2005. More...

Feb-25-2009 -- Glaxo fires off 30-page rebuttal of Avandia claims
The Glaxo response argues that the company kept the FDA continually abreast of safety information on potential problems with Avandia, and notes that an FDA committee looked at numerous clinical trials before determining that Avandia should be left on the market.
The agency also sought advice from external experts at the July 30 th 2007 2 joint meeting of the FDA Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs and Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committees. More...

Feb-25-2009 -- Osteoporosis Drug May Fight Several Diseases
Researchers from the California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute in San Francisco randomly assigned over 8,500 women aged 59 to 80 to treatment with a high dose of lasofoxifene, a low dose of this drug, or a placebo for 5 years.
Topics: osteoporosis, drug, risk, bone, fractures, breast, cancer, stroke. More...

Feb-25-2009 -- Pregnancy: Some Depression Relief, Without Drugs
About 1 in 7 pregnant women experiences full-blown depression during pregnancy and must make the difficult choice of whether to take drugs to treat it.
"Acupuncture that we have tested works for pregnant, depressed women," said Rachel Manber, a study author and professor at Stanford University. More...

Feb-25-2009 -- Denver Woman Sentenced in Hepatitis Infection Case
Lastly, Parker is to pay $1,000 to a court sponsored victims of crime fund.
"I do feel that 30 years is far better than the 20 year sentence," said Trudy Moser, who was a patient at Rose Medical Center when Parker worked in the operating room where she had surgery. More...

Feb-25-2009 -- Bulk of census jobs won't come until late spring
A census taker is a person from your community who is hired by the Census Bureau to make sure that your neighborhood gets represented as accurately as possible.
If the Census job pays less than a person's weekly unemployment benefit, the person will receive the difference plus 20 percent. More...

Feb-25-2009 -- The Health Care Reform Summit: Bona Fide Trending Topic!
There's BBC News, CNBC, Fox News, NPR, The Huffington Post, and last, but certainly not least, CNN. Like many others, the cable news network has been streaming the summit over the interwebz, and broadcasting the debate on television, where a myriad of talking heads have been adding their precious two cents to the national debate.
The possibility that the only successful product of the health care summit is that people are able to tell CNN to put a lid on it strikes us as a deeply ironic development. More...

Feb-25-2009 -- Doctors in America in Short Supply
Any pain or discomfort anywhere else? Youre quite a bit below normal so I think thats why you are still feeling that way."
Among nonresident physicians in patient care, the study found a 5.7 percent drop in hours worked per week. More...

Thursday

Feb-25-2009 -- Health Care Models Bubble up in Local Communities
On the East Coast, WHYY looks at doctor shortages , a rising concern as Congress pushes for more health care access.
More...

Feb-25-2009 -- Radiation Errors Reported in Missouri
Stereotactic radiation therapy: BrainLAB was put into service in 2004; the chief physicist chose the wrong measuring device; despite training, the error was made.
We will pay for all exams, testing or treatment recommended by the patient's radiation oncologist. More...

Feb-25-2009 -- America's best hospitals get the grade
To be identified in the annual report, hospitals must have had risk-adjusted mortality and complication rates that were in the top 5% in the nation for the most consecutive years, indicating sustained, outstanding patient outcomes.
According to the report, hospitals including Good Samaritan Hospital that received America's 50 Best Hospital distinctions were found to have an approximate 27 percent lower mortality rate than all other U.S. hospitals and a complication rate that was eight percent lower. More...

Feb-25-2009 -- FDA Sees Possible Safety Concern For HIV Drug Combination
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday that preliminary data suggests taking Invirase and Norvir together may affect electrical activity in the heart.
"Preliminary findings suggest that some patients using Invirase and Norvir may be at an increased risk for heart abnormalities leading to irregular heart rhythms," the FDA said in a news release. More...

Feb-25-2009 -- Pregnancy: Some Depression Relief, Without Drugs
About 1 in 7 pregnant women experiences full-blown depression during pregnancy and must make the difficult choice of whether to take drugs to treat it.
Explain to interested patients that in this small randomized study, all three groups had relief of depressive symptoms, but that the gains were greatest in the depression-specific acupuncture group. More...

Feb-25-2009 -- Beverly state rep. supports 'Go Red For Women'
Taking age, sex and cardiovascular risk factors into account, the researchers found that over the 10 years, “increased positive affect” lessened the risk of heart disease by 22 percent for each point on the scale.
Women need more help after heart attack Women are in greater need of social support in the critical year after a heart attack than men, new research shows. More...

Feb-25-2009 -- Feeding the debate
In this photo released by Wellpoint Inc., the company's CEO Angela Braly is shown.
WASHINGTON Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced on Tuesday a $10 million grant for Utah to improve care for children enrolled in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). More...

Feb-25-2009 -- Freshman 15 Myth Makes Anorexia A College Norm
In this photo released by Wellpoint Inc., the company's CEO Angela Braly is shown.
The requests come after reports by outraged Anthem customers in Indiana and other states over rate increases. More...

Wednesday (Update 1)

Feb-24-2009 -- Doctors Are Working Fewer Hours
Any pain or discomfort anywhere else? Youre quite a bit below normal so I think thats why you are still feeling that way."
Although the United States has more doctors now than ever before, the reduction in work hours is equivalent to losing about 35,000 full-time doctors, according to Staiger. More...

Feb-24-2009 -- Public survey developed to fight increase in local HIV/AIDS diagnoses
Maybe that's being optimistic, but we're facing Armageddon".
The questions were raised because immediately after the world learned that ARVs can dramatically extend the lives of HIV-positive people, the bad news of ARV side effects was learned. More...

Feb-24-2009 -- For kids' dental health, Massachusetts gets a C
At least one in five U.S. children go without annual dental care and most states lack key policies to ensure access to cost-saving preventive treatments, according to a study released Tuesday by the Pew Center on the States.
It might not be gold-star-worthy, but Ohio's grade on a national review of state dental policies isn't bad. More...

Feb-24-2009 -- Roche cancer drug Xeloda gets new EU recommendation
The miss could take 0.5 to 2 percent off consensus sales estimates and around 1 to 4 percent from core earnings per share, Deutsche Bank said.
Xeloda is indicated as a monotherapy to treat colorectal cancer that has spread (metastasized) to other parts of the body. More...

Feb-24-2009 -- Flightless mosquitoes may curb dengue: study
New Delhi, Feb. 23: A British-American research team has created female mosquitoes incapable of flight using a genetic engineering trick that some scientists hope to use in India to control mosquitoes that spread dengue.
Scientists are breeding a genetically altered strain of mosquito in an effort to curb the spread of dengue fever. More...

Feb-24-2009 -- Metro Atlanta counties among the state's healthiest
Lower-risk lifestyles by Flagler County residents helped push the county to a ranking of one of the state's healthiest, topping neighboring Volusia County, according to a county-by-county look at the health of Florida's residents.
The people are the ones who keep Cumberland county surviving it sure isn't the law makers. More...

Feb-24-2009 -- High blood pressure in US a "neglected disease"
The report was released by Institute of Medicine researchers and paints a grim picture when it comes to the country's blood pressure.
The report recommends a range of tactics to better address the nation's struggle with high blood pressure'''from implementing policies that require health care providers to adhere more strictly to treatment guidelines to advocating for smaller co-payments and reduced cost of hypertension medications through health insurance companies. More...

Feb-24-2009 -- Eating Healthy Can Lead to Obsession
Cathy Orzolek-Kronner, chairwoman of the social work department at McDaniel College, came out to the show Monday and said it was the perfect event for the college.
Being nonjudgmental is vital to communicating with someone whose eating or body image has caused concern, Obarsky said. More...

Wednesday

Feb-24-2009 -- A Drug Trial Cycle: Recovery, Relapse, Reinvention
Even small Phase 1 trials can cost over a million dollars.
Another way to find a trial is at http://www.CancerTrialsHelp.org . More...

Feb-24-2009 -- Flu lives longer in drier air
The study also found that the onset of outbreaks might be encouraged by anomalously dry weather conditions - at least in temperate regions.
The research depicts that the mortality rate due to flu is more in the periods of low humidity. More...

Feb-24-2009 -- Chronic ailment got you anxious? Try exercising
In accordance with the study report, issued in the February 22 edition of the Archives of Internal Medicine, related researchers made a thorough scrutiny of the results of 40 randomised clinical trials involving almost 3,000 patients with an assortment of medical conditions.
According to the researchers, exercise might be the best prescription a physician can offer a patient for anxiety. More...

Feb-24-2009 -- Students hear about eating disorders
Cathy Orzolek-Kronner, chairwoman of the social work department at McDaniel College, came out to the show Monday and said it was the perfect event for the college.
A person with bulimia nervosa eats large amounts of food at a time, but then throws it up, thus appearing to eat normal but actually not eating normal at all. More...

Feb-24-2009 -- Mammogram Plus MRI Cost-Effective in High-Risk Women
States are using the '''deeply flawed and widely discredited''' U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) mammography recommendations to deny women coverage for mammograms, and many women are forgoing mammography care based on those recommendations, according to a survey conducted by the Avon Foundation for Women.
A mammogram, provided free through a state breast cancer screening program for low-income women, and a subsequent biopsy confirmed Cliver had breast cancer. More...

Feb-24-2009 -- Merck, Pfizer, Eli Lilly form nonprofit agency for cancer research in Asia
Three major U.S. drugmakers, Eli Lilly and Co., Merck & Co. and Pfizer Inc., said Tuesday they have formed a not-for-profit company in Asia to focus on cancer research and treatments.
McConnell said Eli Lilly, Pfizer and Merck will work closely to identify partners in countries throughout Asia for sample collection, data annotation and data preparation. More...

Feb-24-2009 -- Avastin fails stomach-cancer trial
The miss could take 0.5 to 2 percent off consensus sales estimates and around 1 to 4 percent from core earnings per share, Deutsche Bank said.
Avastin is an antiangiogenesis antibody targeting VEGF. The drug was first approved in the U.S. in 2004 as a treatment for advanced colorectal cancer. More...

Feb-24-2009 -- Vision problems linked to higher dementia risk
During the study period, 168 participants developed Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia.
Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of Dementia. More...

Tuesday (Update 1)

Feb-23-2009 -- Eating Disorder Awareness Week Kicks Off
Waif-like bodies may not have vanished completely, but there is a deliberate attempt to bring more diversity to the industry with the likes of size-16 supermodel Crystal Renn taking to the runway at the weekend.
I felt like I didn't fit in and I just wanted to disappear." More...

Feb-23-2009 -- Scientists advocate radical HIV drug treatment to halt spread of Aids
An individual who has HIV generally infects five to 10 other people before succumbing to the complications of AIDS. Experts believe that if people are treated with ARVs within a year of becoming infected, transmission of the disease can be reduced tenfold, which is sufficient to cause the epidemic to die out.
LONDON: AIDS that kills 2.1 million people every year globally can be contained within just five years by testing everybody in high-risk regions and providing immediate treatment for those found to be HIV positive, a leading scientist has claimed. More...

Feb-23-2009 -- Miracle Drugs vs. Medical Inflation
First I should say that when I started following patients on the trial, I decided that I would not write anything until after Dr. Flaherty presented the initial results at the American Society of Clinical Oncologists in June because until then, I would have had only individual anecdotes that might not represent the reality of what the doctors saw in the group as a whole.
One of the more heartbreaking moments in my talks with the patients on the trial was when I asked one, a relatively young, unmarried man, what he had been doing before he was diagnosed with melanoma. More...

Feb-23-2009 -- Teen birth rate falls to new low in California
The national teen birth rate was 42.5 in 2007, the latest time frame for which the U.S. Centers for Disease Control has released statistics, and has risen two years in a row since hitting a low of 40.5 in 2005.
The birth rate in the age group 18-9 years declined 27 percent from 81.9 in 1998 to 59.6 in 2008. More...

Feb-23-2009 -- Marijuana use up for seniors as Boomers age
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has reported that for folks over 50, marijuana usage has increased from 1.9 percent to 2.9 percent from 2002 to 2008.
There's also the risk that health problems already faced by older people can be exacerbated by regular marijuana use. More...

Feb-23-2009 -- Early Pregnancy Weight Gain Ups Diabetes Risk
A new study by Kaiser Permanente shows excessive weight gain, especially in the first trimester, can increase the risk of developing diabetes later in the pregnancy, CBS station KCNC-TV reports.
Previously, it was suggested that obese women gain 15 pounds on the low end, with no ceiling noted. More...

Feb-23-2009 -- An Apology With Echoes of 12 Steps
MARYVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- Tiger Woods' public apology Friday could do more than fuel tabloids.
With God all things are possible. More...

Feb-23-2009 -- WHO scientists decide if flu pandemic has passed peak
Compared to recent years, the level of flu activity in the region and statewide is lower right now, which health officials attribute to circulation of the H1N1 virus and its vaccine.
A new study published by the Institute for Women's Policy Research draws a connection between the lack of paid sick days and the spread of H1N1, the so-called "swine flu" virus. More...

Tuesday

Feb-23-2009 -- Genetic Differences for 'Test Tube' Babies?
More than 3 million children have been born worldwide as a result of what is called assisted reproductive technology, and injecting sperm into the egg outside the human body now accounts for about 4 per cent of live births, researchers reported Sunday at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Children conceived through IVF are more likely to weigh less than 2.5 kilograms than are babies conceived naturally. More...

Feb-23-2009 -- Births by teen girls hit record low in California
According to the California Department of Public Health , California's teen birth rate is at a record low.
'''California is bucking a national trend in which we see the teen birth rate across the country climb, while California'''s rate has fallen,''' said department spokesman Ken August. More...

Feb-23-2009 -- UnitedHealth, other health insurers' stock up on Medicare news
Insurers WellPoint Inc. and UnitedHealth Group Inc. would get a delay in taxes on premiums and high-cost medical benefits, along with additional funding for expanding Medicaid, under a White House proposal released Monday.
The S&P Pharmaceuticals Index declined 0.3 percent. More...

Feb-23-2009 -- Analyzing the President's Health Care Proposal
Health insurance should cover needed medical care with affordable deductibles and co-payments and plans should make preventive and wellness care available with minimum financial barriers.
Five years ago, Medicare Advantage was set up as a voluntary plan that has successfully helped 10 million seniors to pay for the care that Medicare does not cover. More...

Feb-23-2009 -- Employers: Workers Still Slugs
Employers also are greatly concerned about their workers' poor health habits, which they cite as a primary cost driver, but also say they are disappointed in the effectiveness of vendor programs, according to the survey by the National Business Group on Health and Towers Watson & Co. Employers are so frustrated that they are losing confidence that they will be able to continue to provide such benefits in the future.
As Washington dissects President Obama’s health-care plan and both parties prepare to grapple with health woes at Thursday's summit, employers are saying their biggest cost problem lies at home. More...

Feb-23-2009 -- UF alumna kicks off eating disorder week
Eating disorders affect seven girls in every 1,000, and one boy in every 1,000.
Throughout the symposium, the documentary "Slim Hopes" will play in the Keeney Room, and at 2:30 p.m. there will be a presentation of "Muscle Mass-culinity," a demonstration focused on males and body image. More...

Feb-23-2009 -- Guidelines for controlling TB on airlines a waste: study
According to a highly provocative new study, international rules barring infectious tuberculosis patients from flying are much too stringent, as there is little risk of airline passengers catching TB from a fellow traveller.
Researcher Dr Ibrahim Abubakar said global and U. S. health authorities at time go over board and advise conducting a test of crew and passengers when an infected flier is found. More...

Feb-23-2009 -- Infections in US hospitals kill 48000, cost billions: study
' Two common conditions caused by hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) killed 48,000 people and ramped up health care costs by $8.1 billion in 2006 alone, according to a study released today in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Feb. 22, 2010 - Every year, 48,000 Americans die of infections they caught while in the hospital -- and that's a conservative estimate, a new study finds. More...

Monday (Update 1)

Feb-22-2009 -- States Look Beyond Washington on Health
Governors listed an overhaul of the health-care system as a top priority for discussion.
I told him, I said, Secretary, I think there's a misconception or a perception that West Virginia and other energy states really don't care about the environment, which is furthest from the truth. More...

Feb-22-2009 -- Correction: Belgium-Coma Recovery story
LONDON — It was heralded as a medical miracle.
At the time there was considerable scepticism, with commentators questioning about the speed of the typing, noting that Houben wasn't even looking at the screen and suggesting that it was the therapist behind the messages. More...

Feb-22-2009 -- High blood pressure in US a 'neglected disease'
Public health officials should work with health insurance plans to reduce or eliminate deductibles and co-payments for anti-hypertensive drugs to improve patients' compliance with treatment regimens.
High blood pressure or hypertension is easily preventable through diet, exercise and drugs, yet it is the second-leading cause of death in the United States, said committee chair David Fleming, who directs Public Health for Seattle and King County in Washington. More...

Feb-22-2009 -- 'Crazy Bruce' nailed for anthrax attacks
The Justice Department released tons of materials related to its investigation of the 2001 anthrax letter attacks as it closed the books on the case. According to the Washington Post , "The records offer substantial support for the FBI's contention that biologist Bruce E. Ivins single-handedly prepared and mailed deadly anthrax spores that killed five people and terrorized a nation still reeling from the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington. starkly portray the mental unraveling of the deceased Army scientist accused of committing the worst act of bioterrorism in U.S. history."
Officials spent the first years with suspicions that the anthrax mailings were the work of al- Qaeda. More...

Feb-22-2009 -- Pancake Day Benefits Children's Hospital
Time to fill up on pancakes for free while supporting your local charity.
IHOP will be giving out free pancakes all day tomorrow from 7am to 10pm for National Pancake Day (aka the best holiday in February, no offense to our founding fathers). More...

Feb-22-2009 -- Local Church Invites You to Learn More About Heart Health
The researchers ranked the "positive affect" across five levels ranging from "none" to "extreme" and found that for each rank the risk of heart disease fell by 22 percent.
"Essentially, spending some few minutes each day truly relaxed and enjoying yourself is certainly good for your mental health, and may improve your physical health." More...

Feb-22-2009 -- Sex hormone progesterone to get head injury trial
Trial leader Dr David Wright, who announced the research at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in San Diego, California, said: "No new treatment for severe TBI (traumatic brain injury) has been approved in over 30 years.
Scientists from the Medicine University of Emory stated that: "We are ready for testing in a controlled environment and in several laboratorie the hormone, in an experiment in which will be treated more than a thousand patients with brain damage." More...

Feb-22-2009 -- Guidelines for controlling TB on airlines a waste: study
Abubakar chaired a European scientific panel that looked at tuberculosis and air travel.
The U.K.' s National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) issued guidelines in March 2006 that said tracing is not necessary, although passengers should be warned of a "small risk" of getting the disease. More...

Monday

Feb-22-2009 -- Green Tea Health Benefits Could Include Glaucoma Prevention
The research was conducted on the eye tissues of laboratory rats fed on Green tea revealed that different parts of the eye absorbed different amounts of catechins.
Green tea contains catechins which are absorbed by the eye.'' More...

Feb-22-2009 -- Census IT headaches never end
At the beginning of March, census forms will be mailed to every U.S. household, asking people to answer 10 questions and return the forms beginning April 1.
Most Super Bowl ads seem to bomb anyway, and the hapless Census ad was generally rated among the worst by critics. More...

Feb-22-2009 -- "Bending the Curve": What Really Drives Health Care Spending
The public option is part of the House-approved bill but was dropped from Senate legislation.
Last month, Massachusetts attorney general Martha Coakley used it to issue an explosive report on what'''s driving health costs there. More...

Feb-22-2009 -- Belgian coma 'writer' Rom Houben can't communicate
LONDON — It was heralded as a medical miracle.
At the time there was considerable scepticism, with commentators questioning about the speed of the typing, noting that Houben wasn't even looking at the screen and suggesting that it was the therapist behind the messages. More...

Feb-22-2009 -- Man arrested for not disclosing HIV diagnosis
Greenwood - A Greenwood man is in jail for allegedly not telling the women he dated he is HIV-positive.
Tony Perkins, 47, was arrested Friday night after an ex-girlfriend turned him in for what he didn't tell her, according to WTHR (Channel 13), The Indianapolis Star's news-gathering partner. More...

Feb-22-2009 -- Taiwan to include tobacco in film rating scheme
Health experts have been particularly showing great concern on smoking in public places that exposes the non-smoker population to serious health risks of tobacco smoke.
Dr Ashraf like many other health experts believe that comprehensive tobacco control would help the country in reducing the rising number of heart attacks, strokes, cancers and other non-communicable diseases. More...

Feb-22-2009 -- 'Helping to fight cancer'
Over the past two years, the Newport Beach Relay for Life team Rusty's Dangeroos has raised about $40,000 for the American Cancer Society.
If you or anyone you know is a cancer survivor and you would like to take part in Relay for Life, contact Kim Richter at 830-263-0763 or Sarah Zamora at 830-263-0991. More...

Feb-22-2009 -- Wisconsin county health ranking system now applied to entire US
Broomfield ranked fifth in health outcomes and 12th in health factors out of 56 Colorado counties, according to a report released Wednesday by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.
Julie Willems Van Dijk, associate scientist with the Population Heath Institute, said the county health rankings study differs from other studies because it focus on the quality of care in medical offices. More...

Sunday (Update 1)

Feb-21-2009 -- City Corner column: Don't be afraid to fill out simple census form
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, taking a few minutes to fill out the form when it arrives and sending it back by April 1 will save everyone time and money.
Census records are used to determine how more than 400 billion in federal funds will be distributed to state and local communities for infrastructure and services like hospitals; job training centers; schools; senior centers; bridges, tunnels and other public works projects; and emergency services. More...

Feb-21-2009 -- Sex hormone progesterone to get head injury trial
Trial leader Dr David Wright, who announced the research at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in San Diego, California, said: "No new treatment for severe TBI (traumatic brain injury) has been approved in over 30 years.
The final phase of the clinical trials, which is to begin in March, is being funded by the National Institutes of Health through Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, it was announced at the annual gathering of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in San Diego. More...

Feb-21-2009 -- Anticancer Effects of Aspirin: FAQ
Cancer Research UK said large scale clinical trials must take place to determine the validity of research carried out by the Harvard Medical School, which found that women who took the drug two to five times a week cut their chances of breast cancer death by 71%.
Regular use of aspirin has also been shown to reduce the incidence of colon adenomas, colorectal, gastric, head and neck, esophageal, breast, and pancreatic cancers. More...

Feb-21-2009 -- Bay Area Smokers Beware; a Crackdown Is in the Air
Health experts have been particularly showing great concern on smoking in public places that exposes the non-smoker population to serious health risks of tobacco smoke.
"You don't feel the smoke hit your lungs." More...

Feb-21-2009 -- LA cracks down on 21 marijuana dispensaries
The council passed the law last month, but it has not taken effect.
The civil lawsuits seek to stop the sale of marijuana at the facilities. More...

Feb-21-2009 -- First lady touts Pa.'s health-food initiative
The initiative is a partnership between the Departments of Treasury, Agriculture, and Health and Human Services.
'''Our effort to improve access to healthy and affordable food is a critically important step toward First Lady Michelle Obama'''s goal to solve the challenge of childhood obesity within a generation, said Agriculture Secretary Vilsack.'' More...

Feb-21-2009 -- AIDS vaccine effects may wear off, researchers say
Mr. Mbeki's public doubts about the cause of the disease, and his suspicions about the safety of the lifesaving anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs that target the HIV virus that causes AIDS, were thought by many to have contributed to South Africa's grim distinction as the country with the largest number of infected people in the world.
Peruse A. Cornelius Baker's résumé, and you might get more than you bargained for. More...

Feb-21-2009 -- Belgian patient unable to communicate by computer: doctor
LONDON — It was heralded as a medical miracle.
"The story of Rom is about the diagnosis of consciousness, not communication", said Dr. Laurey. More...

Sunday

Feb-21-2009 -- "Bending the Curve": What Really Drives Health Care Spending
The public option is part of the House-approved bill but was dropped from Senate legislation.
20-year-olds would continue to enjoy access to low-cost health insurance. More...

Feb-21-2009 -- Local residents learn the importance, relevance of 2010 census
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, taking a few minutes to fill out the form when it arrives and sending it back by April 1 will save everyone time and money.
Census records are used to determine how more than 400 billion in federal funds will be distributed to state and local communities for infrastructure and services like hospitals; job training centers; schools; senior centers; bridges, tunnels and other public works projects; and emergency services. More...

Feb-21-2009 -- Bay Area Smokers Beware; a Crackdown Is in the Air
Health experts have been particularly showing great concern on smoking in public places that exposes the non-smoker population to serious health risks of tobacco smoke.
People do still want to smoke despite the health risks. More...

Feb-21-2009 -- Study: Happiness Good for the Heart
Feeling happy can help people boost their life expectancy, by lowering their risk of developing heart disease, according to new research.
Those who feel happy, enthusiastic, and most content are less likely to get a heart disease compared to the unhappy people, say researchers. More...

Feb-21-2009 -- Anderson area ranks high on the health scale in new report
Lower-risk lifestyles by Flagler County residents helped push the county to a ranking of one of the state's healthiest, topping neighboring Volusia County, according to a county-by-county look at the health of Florida's residents.
The least healthy? Lake County along the North Shore of Lake Superior, and impoverished Beltrami County, home to the Red Lake Reservation. More...

Feb-21-2009 -- Pot comics Cheech and Chong roll out new film
The Chron and the Trib report that clinical trials conducted by the University of California's Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research found that medical pot helps relieve pain from muscle spasms associated with multiple sclerosis and certain neurological conditions.
Thirteen other states have similar laws. More...

Feb-21-2009 -- Belgian patient unable to communicate by computer: doctor
Cancer Research UK said large scale clinical trials must take place to determine the validity of research carried out by the Harvard Medical School, which found that women who took the drug two to five times a week cut their chances of breast cancer death by 71%.
Regular use of aspirin has also been shown to reduce the incidence of colon adenomas, colorectal, gastric, head and neck, esophageal, breast, and pancreatic cancers. More...

Feb-21-2009 -- Belgian patient unable to communicate by computer: doctor
LONDON (AP) -- Doctors in Belgium now concede that the communication that was supposedly coming from a man who was thought to have been in a vegetative state for more than 20 years wasn't really happening.
It was heralded as a medical miracle. More...