Walter Cronkite, Legendary TV Journalist, Dead at 92
Walter Cronkite, the iconic television journalist often referred to as "the most trusted man in America" during a tumultuous era that included the Kennedy assassination, the civil rights movement, the U.S. lunar landing, the Vietnam War and Watergate, died Friday evening at his New York City home after a long illness. He was 92.
As a reporter and eventually the anchorman of the CBS Evening News from 1962 to 1981, Cronkite -- with his signature sign-off line, "That's the way it is" -- came to dominate television news like few before him and no one since.
"It's hard to imagine a man for whom I had more admiration," Mike Wallace of 60 Minutes said on CNN. "He was a superb reporter and honorable man."
Cronkite was the one who broke the news to Americans that President John F. Kennedy had been shot Nov. 22, 1963, interrupting a live CBS broadcast of a soap opera.
Five years later, Cronkite returned from a trip to report on the war in Vietnam and declared on television: "It seems now more certain than ever that the bloody experience of Vietnam is a stalemate." Then-President Lyndon Johnson, hearing that comment, reportedly said, "If I've lost Cronkite, I've lost America." Soon afterward, Johnson announced he would not seek re-election, CBS News reported.
Cronkite, who also had a passion for the U.S. space program of the 1960s, died just three days before the 40th anniversary of the moon landing, another historic moment linked with his reporting.
"For decades, Walter Cronkite was the most trusted voice in America," said President Barack Obama in a statement. "His rich baritone reached millions of living rooms every night, and in an industry of icons, Walter set the standard by which all others have been judged."
-----
Hepatitis C Investigation Is Widened
An investigation into the spread of the hepatitis C virus by a Colorado hospital worker has been expanded to two other states -- New York and Texas -- where the woman previously worked, the Associated Press reported.
According to Colorado officials, the woman, reportedly addicted to painkillers, took syringes filled with fentanyl, a powerful narcotic painkiller, from operating room carts and replaced them with used syringes filled with saline solution. The action is believed to have contaminated not only the swapped syringes but the containers of saline solution, the AP said.
Because of this, the AP said, as many as 6,000 people who had surgery at two medical centers in Denver and Colorado Springs might have been exposed to hepatitis C, and surgical patients at hospitals in Mount Kisco, N.Y., and Houston might have been similarly exposed. The woman reportedly worked in those communities from 2005 to 2008, though it is unclear whether she was infected with hepatitis C at that time.
The woman is being held without bond in Colorado, where a federal grand jury is investigating the claim that she switched the needles despite knowing that she had hepatitis C, the news service said.
-----
Pope Breaks Wrist in a Fall
Pope Benedict XVI broke his right wrist when he fell Friday while on vacation in northern Italy.
According to the Vatican, the Pope, who is 82, fell during the night but ate breakfast and celebrated Mass before going to a local hospital, the BBC News reported. There, under local anesthesia, he had an operation to repair the break.
The Pope has been vacationing in the Valle d'Aosta region and staying at a chalet in the village of Les Combes, the news service said.
-----
Praise for NIH Pick Widespread, But Not Unanimous
Dr. Francis S. Collins, nominated to lead the U.S. National Institutes of Health, is respected by top scientists and research organizations, but praise for President Barack Obama's choice to direct the mammoth health agency isn't universal, The New York Times reported.
While Dr. Otis W. Brawley, the American Cancer Society's chief medical officer, called Collins "an extraordinary scientist and one of the nicest guys you could ever meet," others privately told the newspaper that they're worried about Collins' near-evangelistic embrace of religion.
Numerous times, he has publicly recounted his conversion to Christianity as a medical student in his late 20s, the Times reported. More recently, Collins penned a book called "The Language of God."
Others take issue with his leadership of the NIH's Human Genome Project. While Collins was lauded in 2003 when the program succeeded in its goal to map the billions of base pairs that comprise human DNA, some have soured on the accomplishment, saying it hasn't led to "an array of promising medical interventions," the Times reported.
Collins shouldn't shoulder blame for the genetic research industry's failure to come up with quick medical breakthroughs, the newspaper said, adding, "He played an important role in raising expectations impossibly high." Other critics cited the "extraordinary" cost of the project, the Times reported.
Collins has a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from Yale and a medical degree from the University of North Carolina. His confirmation by the U.S. Senate appears likely, the Times said.
The NIH, the world's primary source of medical research funding, is slated to distribute some $37 billion in research grants and spend $4 billion on its own research programs over the next 14 months, the newspaper said.
-----
Swine Flu Vaccine Could Get Scarce: Experts
The United States could find itself short of swine flu vaccine if the virus becomes much more lethal and countries start to scramble for more of the vaccine, experts warn.
They noted that the United States makes only 20 percent of the flu vaccines it uses. The situation is even worse in Britain, which imports all its flu vaccines. Only a few countries are self-sufficient in vaccines.
"This isn't rocket science. If there is more severe disease, countries will want to hang onto the vaccine for their own citizens," Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Diseases Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, told the Associated Press.
Leaders of countries with adequate supplies of swine flu vaccine won't be willing to share with other nations, experts predict.
"Pandemic vaccine will be a valuable and scarce resource, like oil or food during a famine," David Fidler, an Indiana University law professor who has consulted for the World Health Organization, told the AP. "We've seen how countries behave in those situations, and it's not encouraging."
Health Tip: Breathe Fresh Air at Home
If the air inside your home is dirty, you and your housemates can have symptoms including headache, dizziness, asthma and allergy symptoms, and fatigue.
The National Women's Health Information Center offers these suggestions to keep the air in your home clean:
Health Tip: Understanding Hay Fever
Hay fever -- an allergic reaction to pollen -- is what causes the runny eyes, sneezing, swelling and itching that makes you miserable when you head outside.
Hay fever worsens when outdoor trees, shrubs and other plants are pollinating, says the American Lung Association.
While anyone can have hay fever, it does tend to run in families, the association says. People who have been exposed to the pollens that trigger hay fever may quickly become more sensitive to these allergens.
The best thing you can do to prevent hay fever is to avoid the pollens that trigger it. Try to stay inside with an air conditioner and an air purifier running, and take an antihistamine to help manage symptoms. People with severe hay fever, if they need to be outdoors for long periods, should consider wearing a dust mask, the association says.
Walter Cronkite, Legendary TV Journalist, Dead at 92
Walter Cronkite, the iconic television journalist often referred to as "the most trusted man in America" during a tumultuous era that included the Kennedy assassination, the civil rights movement, the U.S. lunar landing, the Vietnam War and Watergate, died Friday evening at his New York City home after a long illness. He was 92.
As a reporter and eventually the anchorman of the CBS Evening News from 1962 to 1981, Cronkite -- with his signature sign-off line, "That's the way it is" -- came to dominate television news like few before him and no one since.
"It's hard to imagine a man for whom I had more admiration," Mike Wallace of 60 Minutes said on CNN. "He was a superb reporter and honorable man."
Cronkite was the one who broke the news to Americans that President John F. Kennedy had been shot Nov. 22, 1963, interrupting a live CBS broadcast of a soap opera.
Five years later, Cronkite returned from a trip to report on the war in Vietnam and declared on television: "It seems now more certain than ever that the bloody experience of Vietnam is a stalemate." Then-President Lyndon Johnson, hearing that comment, reportedly said, "If I've lost Cronkite, I've lost America." Soon afterward, Johnson announced he would not seek re-election, CBS News reported.
Cronkite, who also had a passion for the U.S. space program of the 1960s, died just three days before the 40th anniversary of the moon landing, another historic moment linked with his reporting.
"For decades, Walter Cronkite was the most trusted voice in America," said President Barack Obama in a statement. "His rich baritone reached millions of living rooms every night, and in an industry of icons, Walter set the standard by which all others have been judged."
-----
Hepatitis C Investigation Is Widened
An investigation into the spread of the hepatitis C virus by a Colorado hospital worker has been expanded to two other states -- New York and Texas -- where the woman previously worked, the Associated Press reported.
According to Colorado officials, the woman, reportedly addicted to painkillers, took syringes filled with fentanyl, a powerful narcotic painkiller, from operating room carts and replaced them with used syringes filled with saline solution. The action is believed to have contaminated not only the swapped syringes but the containers of saline solution, the AP said.
Because of this, the AP said, as many as 6,000 people who had surgery at two medical centers in Denver and Colorado Springs might have been exposed to hepatitis C, and surgical patients at hospitals in Mount Kisco, N.Y., and Houston might have been similarly exposed. The woman reportedly worked in those communities from 2005 to 2008, though it is unclear whether she was infected with hepatitis C at that time.
The woman is being held without bond in Colorado, where a federal grand jury is investigating the claim that she switched the needles despite knowing that she had hepatitis C, the news service said.
-----
Pope Breaks Wrist in a Fall
Pope Benedict XVI broke his right wrist when he fell Friday while on vacation in northern Italy.
According to the Vatican, the Pope, who is 82, fell during the night but ate breakfast and celebrated Mass before going to a local hospital, the BBC News reported. There, under local anesthesia, he had an operation to repair the break.
The Pope has been vacationing in the Valle d'Aosta region and staying at a chalet in the village of Les Combes, the news service said.
-----
Praise for NIH Pick Widespread, But Not Unanimous
Dr. Francis S. Collins, nominated to lead the U.S. National Institutes of Health, is respected by top scientists and research organizations, but praise for President Barack Obama's choice to direct the mammoth health agency isn't universal, The New York Times reported.
While Dr. Otis W. Brawley, the American Cancer Society's chief medical officer, called Collins "an extraordinary scientist and one of the nicest guys you could ever meet," others privately told the newspaper that they're worried about Collins' near-evangelistic embrace of religion.
Numerous times, he has publicly recounted his conversion to Christianity as a medical student in his late 20s, the Times reported. More recently, Collins penned a book called "The Language of God."
Others take issue with his leadership of the NIH's Human Genome Project. While Collins was lauded in 2003 when the program succeeded in its goal to map the billions of base pairs that comprise human DNA, some have soured on the accomplishment, saying it hasn't led to "an array of promising medical interventions," the Times reported.
Collins shouldn't shoulder blame for the genetic research industry's failure to come up with quick medical breakthroughs, the newspaper said, adding, "He played an important role in raising expectations impossibly high." Other critics cited the "extraordinary" cost of the project, the Times reported.
Collins has a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from Yale and a medical degree from the University of North Carolina. His confirmation by the U.S. Senate appears likely, the Times said.
The NIH, the world's primary source of medical research funding, is slated to distribute some $37 billion in research grants and spend $4 billion on its own research programs over the next 14 months, the newspaper said.
-----
Swine Flu Vaccine Could Get Scarce: Experts
The United States could find itself short of swine flu vaccine if the virus becomes much more lethal and countries start to scramble for more of the vaccine, experts warn.
They noted that the United States makes only 20 percent of the flu vaccines it uses. The situation is even worse in Britain, which imports all its flu vaccines. Only a few countries are self-sufficient in vaccines.
"This isn't rocket science. If there is more severe disease, countries will want to hang onto the vaccine for their own citizens," Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Diseases Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, told the Associated Press.
Leaders of countries with adequate supplies of swine flu vaccine won't be willing to share with other nations, experts predict.
"Pandemic vaccine will be a valuable and scarce resource, like oil or food during a famine," David Fidler, an Indiana University law professor who has consulted for the World Health Organization, told the AP. "We've seen how countries behave in those situations, and it's not encouraging."
Health Tip: Managing Your Child's Asthma
It's difficult to prevent your child's asthma symptoms entirely, but you can help control them so they don't interfere with your youngster's daily life.
The American Lung Association offers this advice about controlling asthma:
Health Tip: Easing Earache Pain
Earaches are common in young children, and can be quite painful.
The American Academy of Family Physicians offers this advice when your child complains of an earache:
Hepatitis C Investigation Is Widened
An investigation into the spread of the hepatitis C virus by a Colorado hospital worker has been expanded to two other states -- New York and Texas -- where the woman previously worked, the Associated Press reported.
According to Colorado officials, the woman, reportedly addicted to painkillers, took syringes filled with fentanyl, a powerful narcotic painkiller, from operating room carts and replaced them with used syringes filled with saline solution. The action is believed to have contaminated not only the swapped syringes but the containers of saline solution, the AP said.
Because of this, the AP said, as many as 6,000 people who had surgery at two medical centers in Denver and Colorado Springs might have been exposed to hepatitis C, and surgical patients at hospitals in Mount Kisco, N.Y., and Houston might have been similarly exposed. The woman reportedly worked in those communities from 2005 to 2008, though it is unclear whether she was infected with hepatitis C at that time.
The woman is being held without bond in Colorado, where a federal grand jury is investigating the claim that she switched the needles despite knowing that she had hepatitis C, the news service said.
-----
Pope Breaks Wrist in a Fall
Pope Benedict XVI broke his right wrist when he fell Friday while on vacation in northern Italy.
According to the Vatican, the Pope, who is 82, fell during the night but ate breakfast and celebrated Mass before going to a local hospital, the BBC News reported. There, under local anesthesia, he had an operation to repair the break.
The Pope has been vacationing in the Valle d'Aosta region and staying at a chalet in the village of Les Combes, the news service said.
-----
Praise for NIH Pick Widespread, But Not Unanimous
Dr. Francis S. Collins, nominated to lead the U.S. National Institutes of Health, is respected by top scientists and research organizations, but praise for President Barack Obama's choice to direct the mammoth health agency isn't universal, The New York Times reported.
While Dr. Otis W. Brawley, the American Cancer Society's chief medical officer, called Collins "an extraordinary scientist and one of the nicest guys you could ever meet," others privately told the newspaper that they're worried about Collins' near-evangelistic embrace of religion.
Numerous times, he has publicly recounted his conversion to Christianity as a medical student in his late 20s, the Times reported. More recently, Collins penned a book called "The Language of God."
Others take issue with his leadership of the NIH's Human Genome Project. While Collins was lauded in 2003 when the program succeeded in its goal to map the billions of base pairs that comprise human DNA, some have soured on the accomplishment, saying it hasn't led to "an array of promising medical interventions," the Times reported.
Collins shouldn't shoulder blame for the genetic research industry's failure to come up with quick medical breakthroughs, the newspaper said, adding, "He played an important role in raising expectations impossibly high." Other critics cited the "extraordinary" cost of the project, the Times reported.
Collins has a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from Yale and a medical degree from the University of North Carolina. His confirmation by the U.S. Senate appears likely, the Times said.
The NIH, the world's primary source of medical research funding, is slated to distribute some $37 billion in research grants and spend $4 billion on its own research programs over the next 14 months, the newspaper said.
-----
Swine Flu Vaccine Could Get Scarce: Experts
The United States could find itself short of swine flu vaccine if the virus becomes much more lethal and countries start to scramble for more of the vaccine, experts warn.
They noted that the United States makes only 20 percent of the flu vaccines it uses. The situation is even worse in Britain, which imports all its flu vaccines. Only a few countries are self-sufficient in vaccines.
"This isn't rocket science. If there is more severe disease, countries will want to hang onto the vaccine for their own citizens," Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Diseases Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, told the Associated Press.
Leaders of countries with adequate supplies of swine flu vaccine won't be willing to share with other nations, experts predict.
"Pandemic vaccine will be a valuable and scarce resource, like oil or food during a famine," David Fidler, an Indiana University law professor who has consulted for the World Health Organization, told the AP. "We've seen how countries behave in those situations, and it's not encouraging."
Health Tip: Help Prevent Birth Defects
While the cause of many birth defects remains a mystery, doctors do understand what causes many others -- and how to prevent them.
The Minnesota Department of Health says before and during pregnancy, you should:
Health Tip: High Blood Pressure While You're Pregnant
High blood pressure during pregnancy may develop into a dangerous condition called preeclampsia -- putting both mom and baby at risk.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists offers these suggestions to help make your pregnancy safer:
Swine Flu Vaccine Could Get Scarce: Experts
The United States could find itself short of swine flu vaccine if the virus becomes much more lethal and countries start to scramble for more of the vaccine, experts warn.
They noted that the United States makes only 20 percent of the flu vaccines it uses. The situation is even worse in Britain, which imports all its flu vaccines. Only a few countries are self-sufficient in vaccines.
"This isn't rocket science. If there is more severe disease, countries will want to hang onto the vaccine for their own citizens," Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Diseases Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, told the Associated Press.
Leaders of countries with adequate supplies of swine flu vaccine won't be willing to share with other nations, experts predict.
"Pandemic vaccine will be a valuable and scarce resource, like oil or food during a famine," David Fidler, an Indiana University law professor who has consulted for the World Health Organization, told the AP. "We've seen how countries behave in those situations, and it's not encouraging."
-----
Male Enhancement Products Recalled
Six male enhancement products made by Nature & Health Co. are being recalled because they contain drug ingredients that aren't declared on their labeling.
The recall includes: LibieXtreme; Y-4ever; Libimax X Liquid; Powermania Liquid; Powermania Capsule and Herbal Disiac, the Associated Press reported.
The undeclared ingredients in the products may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs, such as nitroglycerin, and may lower blood pressure to dangerous levels, the company said. The products may also cause side effects, such as flushing and headaches.
No illnesses related to the products have been reported, the AP said.
-----
Female Veterans Lack Privacy at VA Facilities: Report
Female veterans aren't assured of privacy when they bathe and undergo physical examinations at Veterans Affairs hospitals and clinics, federal government auditors say.
No VA facility under review is complying fully with federal privacy regulations, said the Government Accountability Office, the Associated Press reported.
In many VA facilities, gynecological tables face the door. At four hospitals, female patients weren't guaranteed access to private bathing facilities. In two cases, there were no locks on bathing room doors, the GAO investigators found.
Privacy isn't the only issue for female veterans. VA hospitals lack child care and it can be difficult to find diaper-changing tables, the AP reported.
The VA knows that services for women need improvement, but changes are being made to "build the system that will provide care equal to the health care needs of all America's veterans, regardless of gender," said Patricia Hayes, chief consultant of the veterans strategic health care group at the VA.
-----
World's Oldest Mother Dies
A Spanish woman who was the oldest ever to become a new mother died Saturday at the age of 69, according to her family, BBC News reported.
Maria del Carmen Bousada was 66 when she gave birth to twin boys in 2006. She said she received fertility treatments at a California clinic after telling doctors she was 55. A Spanish newspaper said she was diagnosed with cancer shortly after giving birth to sons Christian and Pau, who are now 2 years old.
Bousada had said there was no reason to believe she would not live as long as her mother, who was 101 when she died. Even if she died prematurely, she said, her sons would never be alone, BBC News reported.
"There are lots of young people in our family," Bousada said.
Health Tip: Talking to Loved Ones With Cancer
When a dear friend or family member has been diagnosed with cancer, you'll want to offer your love, support and sympathy.
Though it may be very difficult, the American Cancer Society says you should be supportive, honest and a good listener.
The Society offers these suggestions:
Health Tip: Your Diet After Cancer Treatment
Once you've completed treatment for cancer, it's not the time to stop planning healthy meals.
The American Cancer Society offers these suggestions for maintaining a healthy diet after cancer treatment:
House Bill Would Make Health Care a Right
As part of the overhaul of the U.S. health-care system, Democrats in the House of Representatives want to make health care a right and a responsibility for all Americans.
Under the $1.5 trillion proposal, the federal government would be responsible for ensuring that all people have access to an affordable health insurance plan. Employers and individuals would have new obligations to obtain coverage or be hit with major penalties, the Associated Press reported.
The House and Senate are under pressure from the White House to pass health-care reform bills before the August recess. President Barack Obama wants legislation that would slow rising health-care costs and extend coverage to about 50 million uninsured Americans.
"There's going to be a major debate over the next three weeks," Obama said during a speech in Warren, Mich., the AP reported. "And don't be fooled by folks trying to scare you saying we can't change the health-care system. We have no choice but to change the health-care system because right now it's broken for too many Americans."
On Wednesday, the Senate health committee chaired by Sen. Edward Kennedy, (D.-Mass.), passed a bill to overhaul health care, becoming the first congressional committee to act on Obama's goal of reforming the system this year.
The Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee voted 13-10 along party lines to pass a $600-billion measure that would expand coverage to nearly all Americans by requiring individuals to get insurance and employers to contribute to the cost, the AP reported.
Kennedy, who is being treated for brain cancer, wasn't on hand for the vote.
-----
Air Force Academy Cadets Hit by Swine Flu
Swine flu has been confirmed in 67 cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs and test results are pending for dozens of others, an academy spokesman said Tuesday. Cadets with confirmed or suspected swine flu have been isolated in a dormitory.
All of the cases were described as "moderate" and none of the sick cadets has been hospitalized, said spokesman John Van Winkle, The New York Times reported.
"Our priority right now is treating those that are ill, limiting the spread and educating our entire base population about what we have done and will continue to do," Van Winkle said.
The Air Force Academy outbreak is the single largest in Colorado. State health officials said that up until last week, there were 146 confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus, the Times reported.
About 37,000 cases of swine flu have been confirmed so far in the United States and its territories.
-----
Girl's Heart Heals Itself
If doctors can determine how a British girl's heart healed itself, it may lead to new ways to treat cardiac patients.
In 1995, Hannah Clark had a donor heart implanted directly onto her own failing heart. After 10 years, her original heart had healed itself to the point that doctors could remove the donated heart, the Associated Press reported.
Since her donor heart was removed in 2006, the 16-year-old has started playing sports, taken a part-time job, and plans to return to school in the fall. Her case history was published online Tuesday in The Lancet medical journal.
"This just shows that the heart can indeed repair itself given the opportunity," Dr. Douglas Zipes, past president of the American College of Cardiology, told the AP. "The heart apparently has major regenerative powers, and it is now key to find out how they work."
Another expert said Clark's case offers encouragement to both patients and doctors.
"It reminds us that not all heart failure is lethal," Dr. Ileana Pina, a heart failure expert at Case Western Reserve University, told the AP. "Some heart failure patients have a greater chance of recovery than we thought."
-----
Kidney Transplant Drugs Must Carry Infections Warning: FDA
Certain drugs used to prevent rejection of transplanted kidneys must carry a warning about the risk of serious infections, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday.
The drugs include CellCept (mycophenolate mofetil) and generics, Myfortic (mycophenolic acid), Rapamune (sirolimus), Sandimmune (cyclosporine) and generics, and Neoral (cyclosporine modified) and generics.
The drugs, which already carry the FDA's most serious boxed warning outlining their various risks, must now also mention the increased risk of "opportunistic infections," including activation of dormant viral infections such as one caused by the BK virus, the Dow Jones news service reported.
Infections associated with the immunosuppressive drugs may lead to serious problems, including kidney graft loss, said the FDA. The agency noted that a warning about the increased risk for opportunistic infections already is included in the labeling of the immunosuppressive drug Prograf (tacrolimus).
Health Tip: Lifting Safety for Caregivers
If you are caring for an ill or injured loved one, you could be at risk for serious injury yourself if your daily routine includes a lot of heavy lifting.
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons offers these suggestions for caregivers to help prevent injury:
When lifting a person or heavy object:
Health Tip: How a Caregiver Can Help
If a loved one has become ill and needs your help, you may be overwhelmed by the responsibilities that now become yours.
The University of Maine Cooperative Extension offers this list of common tasks that caregivers can help with:
Girl's Heart Heals Itself
If doctors can determine how a British girl's heart healed itself, it may lead to new ways to treat cardiac patients.
In 1995, Hannah Clark had a donor heart implanted directly onto her own failing heart. After 10 years, her original heart had healed itself to the point that doctors could remove the donated heart, the Associated Press reported.
Since her donor heart was removed in 2006, the 16-year-old has started playing sports, taken a part-time job, and plans to return to school in the fall. Her case history was published online Tuesday in The Lancet medical journal.
"This just shows that the heart can indeed repair itself given the opportunity," Dr. Douglas Zipes, past president of the American College of Cardiology, told the AP. "The heart apparently has major regenerative powers, and it is now key to find out how they work."
Another expert said Clark's case offers encouragement to both patients and doctors.
"It reminds us that not all heart failure is lethal," Dr. Ileana Pina, a heart failure expert at Case Western Reserve University, told the AP. "Some heart failure patients have a greater chance of recovery than we thought."
-----
Kidney Transplant Drugs Must Carry Infections Warning: FDA
Certain drugs used to prevent rejection of transplanted kidneys must carry a warning about the risk of serious infections, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday.
The drugs include CellCept (mycophenolate mofetil) and generics, Myfortic (mycophenolic acid), Rapamune (sirolimus), Sandimmune (cyclosporine) and generics, and Neoral (cyclosporine modified) and generics.
The drugs, which already carry the FDA's most serious boxed warning outlining their various risks, must now also mention the increased risk of "opportunistic infections," including activation of dormant viral infections such as one caused by the BK virus, the Dow Jones news service reported.
Infections associated with the immunosuppressive drugs may lead to serious problems, including kidney graft loss, said the FDA. The agency noted that a warning about the increased risk for opportunistic infections already is included in the labeling of the immunosuppressive drug Prograf (tacrolimus).
-----
Stop Routine Use Of Antibiotics in Farm Animals: White House
In an effort to reduce the spread of dangerous bacteria in humans, the Obama administration wants to ban routine use of antibiotics in farm animals.
Feeding antibiotics to healthy cattle, pigs and chickens in order to encourage rapid growth should be stopped and farmers should no longer be allowed to use antibiotics in farm animals without the supervision of a veterinarian, Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, principal deputy commissioner of food and drugs, said in written testimony to the House Rules Committee.
He said such routine use of antibiotics in farm animals leads to the development of bacteria that are immune to many treatments, The New York Times reported.
The House hearing was held to discuss a proposed measure to ban the use in animals of seven classes of antibiotics important to human health. It would also limit other antibiotics to therapeutic and some preventive uses in animals.
The measure is supported by the American Medical Association but opposed by farm groups, which means the measure is likely to fail. However, supporters hope the measure will be included in legislation to overhaul the U.S. health system, The Times reported.
-----
Fewer Drunks on U.S. Roads: Survey
Tougher laws, tighter enforcement and a shift in social attitudes may be among the reasons why there's been a major decrease in the number of drunk drivers on U.S. roads in the past 30 years, the Associated Press reported.
In 2007, 2.2 percent of drivers had blood-alcohol levels of 0.08 or higher, compared with 7.5 percent in 1973, 5.4 percent in 1986, and 4.3 percent in 1996, says a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration roadside survey.
The new survey also found that the highest number of drunk drivers (4.8 percent) were on the road between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. on Saturday and that 1.2 percent of drivers were drunk between 10 p.m. to midnight on Friday night, the AP reported.
Researchers conducting the survey of weekend nighttime drivers used breath samples to measure blood alcohol concentrations, and also collected oral fluid and blood samples to check for drugs.
While 16.3 percent of the drivers tested positive for drugs, researchers noted that drugs can remain in a person's system for weeks, which makes it difficult to determine whether the drivers are impaired, the AP reported.
Health Tip: Help Prevent Lawn Mowing Accidents
The next time you cut the grass, think about your safety before you drag out the lawnmower, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons advises.
Here's the academy's list of mowing safety suggestions:
Health Tip: Wear a Helmet
Wearing a helmet during certain sports or recreational activities can protect you against a serious head injury, including brain damage.
The U.S. National Safety Council recommends wearing a helmet if you participate in:
Rural Alabama Doctor Picked For U.S. Surgeon General
A rural Alabama family physician was nominated Monday to be the United States' next surgeon general. President Barack Obama made the announcement.
Dr. Regina Benjamin, the nominee, made headlines for her resolve to rebuild her nonprofit medical clinic after it was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, the Associated Press reported. A few months after it was rebuilt, it burned down. She started rebuilding it again.
Benjamin, 51, the first black woman and youngest doctor elected to the American Medical Association's board, received the Nelson Mandela Award for Health and Human Rights in 1998. She was also awarded the distinguished service medal Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice by Pope Benedict XVI.
The Senate must confirm Benjamin's nomination for surgeon general, who acts as the people's health advocate, the AP reported.
The American Medical Association said it is "delighted" with Benjamin's nomination.
"Dr. Benjamin's most important qualification for surgeon general is her deep commitment to her patients. We are particularly gratified to see her recognized for her work caring for patients in rural Alabama, and for her commitment to rebuilding her rural health clinic in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. She is a true professional who puts her patients first," the AMA said in a news release.
-----
1918 Flu Pandemic Survivors Immune to Swine Flu: Study
Many survivors of the 1918 flu pandemic appear to be immune to the current swine flu, but not to seasonal flu, says a University of Wisconsin researcher.
Yoshihiro Kawaoka also found that swine flu multiplies more severely in the respiratory system than seasonal flu, the Associated Press reported. In tests on mice, ferrets and monkeys, he found that the swine flu is present in greater numbers throughout the respiratory system instead of staying in the head, like common winter flu.
Kawaoka said the findings make him more concerned about the potential threat posed by swine flu, the AP reported.
The research was published Monday in the journal Nature.
-----
Congress Won't Finish Health-Care Reform by Summer Recess
The massive overhaul of the U.S. health-care system will be put on hold when members of Congress leave for their August recess, lawmakers say.
While that's likely to disappoint President Barack Obama, who made health-care reform a key part of his presidential campaign, Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) said the White House should be pleased with the progress so far. Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) said "there really is plenty of time," the Associated Press reported.
"Well, we don't expect (a bill) to be signed into law by the August recess. But we expect the House and Senate to have passed bills, yes," said Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), the AP reported.
But it's unlikely it would be the same bill because the House of Representatives and the Senate have been working on sometimes contradictory versions. House Democrats have proposed raising taxes on wealthy Americans to pay for the plan. Democratic leaders, meanwhile, have tried to calm moderate and conservative lawmakers about a proposal that could guarantee tough re-election bids, AP reported.
-----
Family Obesity Follows Gender Lines: Study
Obesity appears to follow gender lines in families, say British researchers who found that obese mothers were 10 times more likely to have obese daughters and obese fathers were six times more likely to have obese sons.
But the study of 226 families found that obese mothers and fathers didn't have an effect on children of the opposite sex, BBC News reported.
The findings suggest that the link is behavioral rather than genetic, which means that policies on fighting obesity may need to be reconsidered, the researchers said.
"It is the reverse of what we have thought and this has fundamental implications for policy," said study leader Professor Terry Wilkin of the Peninsula Medical School in Plymouth, BBC News reported. "We should be targeting the parents and that is not something we have really done to date."
The study was published in the International Journal of Obesity.
Health Tip: Who Gets Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis affects many women and men as they age, reducing bone density and increasing the risk of bone fractures.
The National Osteoporosis Foundation offers this list of risk factors for osteoporosis:
Health Tip: Smoking and the Musculoskeletal System
Damage to the lungs is one of the first things people think about when it comes to the health detriments of smoking. But smoking can affect much of your body, right down to your bones and muscles.
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons says smoking can have the following effects on the musculoskeletal system:
Posts
