Friday, February 11, 2005

Health Headlines - February 11

Southern Europe Countries Have High Antibiotic Use

Over-prescribing of antibiotics in Spain, Greece, Italy, Portugal and France is causing high rates of antibiotic resistance," researchers said on Friday.

Vaccine Advisers Call for Teen Meningitis Jab

Teen-agers and preteens should be routinely immunized against meningitis using Sanofi-Aventis's newly approved Menactra, U.S. vaccine advisers agreed on Thursday.

FDA Says May Study Hyperactivity Drug Risk

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned that people with heart problems should not take the hyperactivity drug Adderall, and studies may be done to see if it raises risk in others, a top official at the agency said on Thursday.

Flu Vaccination Rate Up Among High-Risk Children

The number of toddlers vaccinated against influenza in the United States has jumped during the current flu season, but fewer older Americans are lining up for the shots, federal officials said on Thursday.

Britons Underestimate Impact of Heart Disease

Heart disease is Britain' biggest single killer disease but more people are more worried about developing Alzheimer's or cancer, according to a survey released on Friday.

Lawmakers Criticize White House Drug War Budget

The Bush administration on Thursday claimed major successes in reducing illegal drug use among teens, but lawmakers from both parties criticized its proposed budget that would cut several anti-drug programs.

Migraine with Loss-Of-Vision Linked to Stroke Risk

Migraine with visual auras associated with vision loss is a risk factor for stroke in young women. However, not all types of visual auras predict stroke risk, say researchers with the Stroke Prevention in Young Women study.

Mom's Work Schedule Affects Child's Development

Children whose mothers work nights, evenings or rotating shifts are more likely to be behind the curve in mental development at age 2 and in language ability at age 3, new research reports.

Pfizer, Microsoft Sue Web Sites Over Illegal Viagra

Pfizer Inc. and Microsoft Corp. said on Thursday they filed parallel lawsuits against Web site operators and spam advertisers that sell illegal versions of Pfizer's Viagra.

Chiron Making Flu Jab Progress, FDA Says

Chiron Corp. is making progress in fixing the problems at its British vaccine plant that cost the United States half its expected flu shot supply this year, a Food and Drug Administration official said on Thursday.

Doctors Say Kids Should Skip Juices

Soda in a sippy cup? Most parents wouldn't dream of it. But researchers say that when a baby's bottle or cup is filled with juice — even the 100 percent, all-natural, no-sugar-added stuff — parents might as well be pouring Pepsi.

Panel Urges Meningitis Shots for Children

All college freshmen who live in dorms should be vaccinated for meningitis, a government panel recommended Thursday for the first time, reversing policy of the past.

Fast-Food Documentary Heading to Schools

What happens when a man eats nothing but McDonald's food for 30 days? It's a lesson that schoolchildren across the country are about to find out.

Baby With 'Mermaid Syndrome' Faces Surgery

Peruvian surgeons have performed an initial operation to separate the fused legs of a 9-month-old girl with a rare congenital defect known as sirenomelia, or "mermaid syndrome," her doctor said Thursday.

Idaho to Study MS Link, Nuclear Testing

A study is under way to determine whether Idaho has a higher rate of multiple sclerosis than other Western states because of nuclear testing in Nevada decades ago.

Minn. Governor Seeks Candy Cigarette Ban

Cigarettes infused with lime, vanilla, berry and other candy flavors would be pulled off Minnesota store shelves under a proposed ban by Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who accused the tobacco industry Thursday of marketing the specialty products to teens.

Experts Urge Routine HIV Tests for All

Urging a major shift in U.S. policy, some health experts are recommending that virtually all Americans be tested routinely for the AIDS virus, much as they are for cancer and other diseases.

CDC Says Some Spots Short on Flu Shots

It's not too late to get a flu shot if you can find one, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.

Mass. Gov. Slammed for Stem Cell Comments

Medical researchers Thursday said Gov. Mitt Romney's opposition to certain stem cell research would hamstring some of their work and slow progress on potential new treatments for a host of illnesses.

Defense Rests in Teen Zoloft Murder Trial

Defense lawyers who say their teenage client killed his grandparents because his mind was clouded by the antidepressant Zoloft rested their case Thursday without calling the youth to testify.

When Your Biological Clock Says Time's Up

More women are waiting longer to have children as they pursue college degrees and careers or simply enjoy young adulthood without kids in tow.

Babies Learn Words Long Before Speaking

Children less than 1 year old are already learning to match up words with common objects, according to a new study.

Rainforest Plant Yields Breast Cancer Fighter

A compound derived from a rare South American plant shows promise as a treatment for breast cancer, according to a University of Virginia Health System study.

Illness, Disability May Not Dampen Spirits

Many people with severe, disabling illnesses are just as happy as healthy, able-bodied people, says a study by University of Michigan Health System researchers.

Mouse Allergen Ups Asthma Risk in Inner-City Homes

Airborne levels of mouse allergen in many inner-city homes may be high enough to trigger asthma attacks in children.

Scientists Find Clue to Brain Development

Abundant but poorly understood brain cells called glia turn out to be essential in the development of synapses -- critical connections that form between neurons in the brain during its development.

Foods Like Fish May Buoy Your Mental Health

In research that literally offers food for thought, scientists have found that omega-3 fatty acids and uridine -- a natural substance found in foods -- work as well as antidepressants.

Scientists Shy Away From Controversial Research

Scientists engage in a sort of self-censorship in response to various social, political and cultural pressures they perceive around them, new research suggests.

Green solution to dengue peril

Dengue fever, a growing threat in poor tropical countries in Asia and Africa, is being gradually rolled back in Vietnam thanks to a low-tech, grassroots and environmentally friendly strategy, a study says.

Australian researchers find antibody that triggers narcolepsy

Australian researchers announced they have discovered an antibody that triggers narcolepsy, opening the way for the development of a test and treatment for the disabling sleep disorder.

Herbal extract as effective as widely-used anti-depressant

An extract of the herb St. John's Wort is at least as effective in treating depression as the commonly-prescribed drug Paxil and has fewer side effects, according to a study published.

Australian researchers create spray that helps women enjoy sex

Australian researchers said they had conducted successful trials of a spray that helps increase women's enjoyment of sex.

No comments: