Health Headlines - December 2

HIV Found in More U.S. Gay, Bisexual Men

The number of newly diagnosed HIV infections in gay and bisexual men has risen in many U.S. states, according to a federal study on Wednesday which stoked concerns AIDS may be poised for a resurgence in the country.

FDA Questions P&G Female Sex-Drive Patch

U.S. regulatory reviewers on Wednesday said it was unclear if Procter & Gamble Co.'s (PG.N) testosterone patch for boosting sexual desire in women produces meaningful benefit, or is safe over the long term.

Multiple Births a Health Risk: Canadian Study

Women pregnant with twins, triplets or quadruplets are at greater risk of serious health complications than are women carrying just one fetus, according to a Canadian study published on Wednesday.

Carbon to Blame for Pollution Heart Damage

Air pollution clearly causes immediate damage to the heart, including heart attacks, but its short-term effects on asthma and other respiratory symptoms are harder to document, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday.

Poor Childhood Nutrition Tied to Behavior Problems

Nutritional deficiencies early in life may predispose children to behavioral problems into their teenage years, new research suggests.

Diabetes in Midlife Linked to Later Dementia

Middle-aged people with diabetes are nearly three times more likely to develop dementia in old age than people without diabetes, according to a new study.

Women Key to Reversing AIDS Epidemic, Experts Say

Any effort to battle the AIDS epidemic must focus on changing the fate of women by educating them, helping them own property and giving them the power to stand up to men, experts said on Wednesday.

Nations Pledge to Eradicate Ignorance About AIDS

The world's two most populous nations promised on Wednesday to eradicate ignorance about AIDS, a disease dismissed at first as a Western evil confined to drug users, homosexuals and prostitutes.

Drug May Ease Alzheimer's-Related Memory Defects

If experiments in mice with a form of Alzheimer's disease are any indication, treatment with a drug called rolipram appears to produce lasting improvement in learning and memory deficits, investigators from New York report.

Cannabis Increases Risk of Psychosis

Teenagers and young adults who frequently use cannabis are increasing their risk of suffering from psychotic symptoms such as bizarre behavior and delusions later in life, Dutch scientists said on Wednesday.

HIV Infection Rates Unchanged in U.S.

Nearly a million Americans now have the AIDS virus and the nation's ability to keep others from becoming infected still lags despite a government pledge four years ago to "break the back" of the AIDS epidemic by 2005.

Safety of American Drugs Questioned

In a sharp pivot, many medical authorities are questioning the fundamental safety guarantees for American drugs, threatening to dull the national appetite that has demanded and devoured pharmaceuticals at a faster clip for nearly a generation.

Study: Pill Safe for Irregular Heartbeats

Some people who occasionally have upsetting bouts of irregular heartbeats may be able to treat themselves and avoid a trip to the emergency room by popping a pill, much as those with chest pain do now with nitroglycerin, new research suggests.

AIDS Day Is Observed Around the Globe

From Armenia to Zambia, thousands of activists turned out to sing in mighty cathedrals, light candles in city squares and march and hold dance-athons on World AIDS Day.

FDA Panel OKs Childhood Leukemia Drug

Federal health advisers on Wednesday recommended approval of the first new cancer drug in the past decade specifically aimed at treating the most common childhood leukemia.

Consumer Reports Will Rate Drugs

Consumer Reports will begin comparing the effectiveness and cost of a few types of widely used prescription drugs, giving consumers the same type of analysis now provided on such items as refrigerators and cars.

U.S. Urged to Help Women With AIDS

Health experts urged the Bush administration on Wednesday to move beyond the ABCs of global AIDS prevention — abstinence, being faithful and using condoms — and help women who are infected through factors beyond their control.

Merck Sued by New York Fund Over Vioxx

The New York state comptroller sued Merck & Co., claiming the drug maker hid certain risks associated with the painkiller Vioxx.

Surgery Performed Aboard 'Air Hospital'

Doctors on a turbulence-free flight performed surgery 19,000 feet above the jungles of Colombia on the inaugural outing of the military's "Air Hospital," the country's new effort to save the lives of troops wounded in its war against Marxist insurgents.

Surface Brain Stimulation May Ease Parkinson's Symptoms

Movement problems caused by Parkinson's disease can be eased through electronic stimulation of the brain surface, says a study in the Dec. 2 issue of Neuron.

Cheap Test Can Close Colorectal Screening Gap

Some 42 million Americans who should be screened for colorectal cancer are not.

Magnesium Maintains Memory

Along with its many other functions in the body, magnesium may also help maintain learning and memory in middle age and beyond, according to a study in the Dec. 2 issue of Neuron.

Green Tea Seems to Stem Spread of Prostate Cancer

Green tea appears to inhibit the spread of prostate cancer in a number of ways, says a study in the Dec. 1 issue of Cancer Research.

Some Breast Cancer Screens Better Than Others

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) helps radiologists identify breast tumors missed by mammography, says a study presented Dec. 1 at the Radiological Society of North America annual meeting in Chicago.

Iodine Treatments Can Set Off Security Alarms

People who have had iodine treatment for thyroid disorders can trigger homeland-security alarms for up to three months following their therapy, new research shows.

Patients Can Self-Treat Atrial Fibrillation

A "pill-in-the-pocket" self-treatment program can reduce emergency room visits and hospitalizations by nearly 90 percent for people with the heartbeat abnormality called atrial fibrillation, a new study says.

Single Egg Implants Reduce Chances of Multiple Births

A modified strategy of in vitro fertilization (IVF) cut the rate of multiple births in younger women while keeping the rate of live births almost the same.