Health Headlines - December 24

Alcohol May Boost HIV Risk from Oral Sex

Lab experiments show that cells that line the mouth become more susceptible to infection with HIV when they're exposed to alcohol.

FDA Urges Limited Use of Pfizer's Celebrex, Bextra

U.S. health officials on Thursday called on doctors to limit prescribing Pfizer Inc. painkillers Celebrex and Bextra in light of recent evidence that they may increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Women Doctors at Heightened Risk for Suicide

Physicians -- especially female physicians -- face a higher suicide risk than the general population, according to a new report.

DNA Stool Test Promising for Cancer Detection

A non-invasive test that detects mutated tumor DNA in feces may be a useful method of screening for colorectal cancer, according to new research findings.

Early Bronchiolitis Tied to Adult Lung Problems

Infants who come down with a respiratory virus infection that causes inflammation of the lungs -- a condition called bronchiolitis -- are more likely to have respiratory symptoms and asthma in adulthood than are those without such a history.

Substantial Bone Loss Seen with Depo-Provera Use

The results of a new study confirm that using the contraceptive Depo-Provera is associated with bone loss.

Night Shift Linked to Late Pregnancy Loss

Pregnant women who regularly work the night shift may have an increased risk of a miscarriage late in pregnancy or a stillbirth, a new study suggests.

Boy With New Heart Goes Home for Christmas

Giving a bear hug to his surgeon and a thumbs-up to other hospital staff, a 14-year-old boy went home for Christmas — the first child to receive a new heart after relying on a newly developed miniature heart pump.

Medicare to Help Smokers Kick the Habit

Medicare said Thursday it intends to pay for counseling to help some of the nation's 4 million older smokers kick the habit.

Government Approves First Genetic Lab Test

Doctors can check patients' DNA when choosing medication for them, using a test the Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it has approved.

Money Problems Leading Cause of Holiday Stress

Money problems are the leading cause of holiday stress for Americans, says a survey by the American Psychological Association (APA).

Health Tip: Clogged Sinuses

You're coughing, tired, and achy. You think you might be getting a cold, but cold medicines aren't working and now you've got a splitting headache. You head to your doctor and are told you have sinusitis.

Health Tip: Recognizing Tourette Syndrome

If you hear someone shouting in the grocery store, it may not be because they're hard of hearing; they may have a neurological disorder called Tourette Syndrome (TS).

A Pill to Prevent AIDS?

Over the next few months, officials in two U.S. cities and several other countries will begin testing whether a popular AIDS drug can protect healthy people against HIV infection.

Breast Implants Don't Hurt Survival of Mastectomy Patients

The long-term survival of breast cancer patients isn't reduced when they receive breast reconstruction with implants after mastectomy.

Celebrating 50 Years of Organ Transplantation

Fifty years ago today, Dr. Joseph E. Murray led a team of surgeons at Boston's Peter Bent Brigham Hospital -- now Brigham and Women's Hospital -- that gave Richard Herrick a second shot at life.

Gray Hair Shares Genetic Root With Melanoma

A cure for cancer and a cure for gray hair may not be equally urgent benefits for mankind, but scientists are reporting a discovery that could lead to both.

South Korea to allow cloning of human cells

A law allowing the cloning of human cells has cleared the final hurdle in South Korea, giving legal backing to controversial genetic research aimed at fighting incurable diseases, officials said.

Vietnam reports bird flu in six provinces, 11,000 birds destroyed

Outbreaks of bird flu have been reported in six provinces in Vietnam and 11,000 birds have been culled to try to contain the disease, which has killed 20 humans here since last year, authorities said.

Swedish study says surgery best way to cut the fat

Gastric surgery is a more effective way to fight severe obesity than dieting, according to a Swedish study.

Bayer abandons clinical trials of new anti-stroke treatment

German pharmaceuticals giant Bayer said it had decided to pull out of clinical testing of Repinotan, a compound used to treat stroke patients, because the drug had not lived up to expectations.

Household chemical products linked to child asthma

Ordinary household products like bleach, carpet cleaners and paint strippers can cause asthma in children.

Canadian lawsuit launched against Pfizer

A Canadian law firm has launched a 1.5 billion dollar (1.2 billion US) class action lawsuit against US pharmaceutical company Pfizer, on behalf of a woman who claims she had heart problems after taking Celebrex.

Japan confirms first human bird flu infection, bans SKorean imports

Japan confirmed its first human case of bird flu and said four other people were suspected of catching the disease which has gripped Southeast Asia, but none of them have developed symptoms.

Anti-malaria fight hampered by drug shortage

The World Health Organization (WHO) said that shortage of a key anti-malaria drug is expected to last well into next year because of difficulty in obtaining a raw material from China.