Health Headlines - March 15

FDA Staff: Glaxo, Sanofi Vaccines Effective

Experimental vaccines made by GlaxoSmithKline Plc and Sanofi-Aventis appear effective at boosting immunity to diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, U.S. Food and Drug Administration staff said in reports released on Monday.

Mountain Living Good for Heart and Health

If you want to live longer and lower the risk of heart disease, a move to the mountains may help.

Doctors Suspect Bird Flu Killed a Vietnamese Man

A Vietnamese man, who died at the weekend, may have been killed by the bird flu virus that has claimed the lives of 46 people in Asia, a doctor said on Tuesday.

Malt Liquor Drink of Homeless and Unemployed

Malt liquor, a type of beer that is higher in alcohol than other brews, is largely a drink of the homeless and unemployed, and is likely to be abused, U.S. researchers reported on Monday.

AIDS Virus Came to Britain Six Times, Study Shows

The AIDS virus came to Britain at least six separate times in the early and mid-1980s, not once as has been widely believed, researchers reported on Monday.

Genentech Targeted Drug Helps Lung Cancer

Lung cancer patients given Genentech Inc.'s targeted drug Avastin along with standard chemotherapy lived longer, the U.S. National Cancer Institute said on Monday.

Major Cause of Blindness Inherited

Age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in older adults, is greatly influenced by a person's genes, according to a study of twins released Monday.

Report Raises Questions About U.S. Cattle Feed Ban

The effectiveness of the most important U.S. safeguard against mad cow disease was questioned on Monday when a government report accused the Food and Drug Administration of "overstating" feed mill compliance with a ban on cattle remains in animal feed.

FDA Refuses to Ban AstraZeneca Cholesterol Drug

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday denied a consumer group's petition asking for a ban on AstraZeneca Plc's cholesterol-lowering drug Crestor.

Study: Tattoo Ink May Contain Heavy Metals

Dirty needles may be the chief health concern with tattoos, but preliminary research suggests the inks used to make the body art may harbor potentially toxic heavy metals.

Test Could Be Predictor of Heart Disease

A simple and inexpensive test for elevated white blood cell counts could be used to predict heart disease, a study of more than 66,000 women suggests.

Experts Say 30 Minutes of Exercise Enough

Sixty to 90 minutes of exercise? Every day? That's what the government now suggests. Even people working out at the gym say most folks won't consider that, and the experts behind the government's recommendation say 30 minutes a day is enough for most.

Study: Pacemakers Can Cause Heart Failure

People with the most common pacemaker types are more likely than similar people without pacemakers to die from or be hospitalized for gradual heart failure, sometimes within six months, according to a large study.

Report: FDA Needs to Do More on Feed Ban

The Food and Drug Administration is not doing enough to enforce the ban on feed linked to the spread of mad cow disease, congressional auditors say.

FDA Rejects Petition to Ban Crestor

The Food and Drug Administration said Monday it has rejected a petition to remove the cholesterol drug Crestor from the market.

Drug Side-Effect Complaints at New High

The Food and Drug Administration received more than 422,500 reports of drug side effects last year, a record, the agency said Monday.

Drug Stops Cancer in Its Tracks

An experimental drug that stops cancer cell division and triggers tumor death has been developed by researchers at Temple University.

Study Links Alcoholism, Poor Childhood Coordination

Developmental problems in childhood in an area of the brain responsible for coordination may be linked to alcoholism in adulthood, new research suggests.

Gene-Silencing Technique Could Fight ALS

A technique that effectively silences a mutated gene responsible for some cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) shows promise as a treatment for the fatal motor neuron disease, say French researchers.

Genes May Link Breast Cancer in Africa, America

Data on breast cancer in African women may provide important insights into the nature of the disease in black American women, researchers contend.

White Blood Cell Counts Hint at Heart Disease Risk

A high level of white blood cells indicates an increased risk of heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular problems in women, a major study finds.

AIDS epidemic slowed by change in sexual habits

Changes in sexual behavior helped more to slow the spread of HIV in the early 1990s than the ensuing introduction of AIDS therapy drugs, a study revealed.

Doctors warn of danger of relapse, infection for pope

Pope John Paul II must do and speak as little as possible to prevent any danger of a relapse, doctors warned in the Italian press, with several saying the pontiff should have stayed in hospital.

Filipinos at Thai livestock fair told to avoid farms, feed mills

Filipinos attending a livestock fair in Thailand this week are under orders to avoid farms and feed mills amid fears of catching bird flu.

Bangladesh bans smoking in public places

A law banning smoking in public places and tobacco advertising came into force across Bangladesh, and was hailed an important first step by anti-tobacco campaigners.

South Africa once again stumbles on AIDS treatment plan

South Africa's ambitious AIDS treatment plan is lagging as the government struggles to plug a shortage of doctors and pharmacists and other professionals needed to battle the world's biggest AIDS caseload.

Nine die in Vietnam after drinking suspected bad alcohol

Vietnamese doctors suspect a bad rice alcohol to be the cause of the death last week of nine Vietnamese men in a village in southern Vietnam.

Chinese more aware of dangers of genetically modified food

Increasing numbers of Chinese are coming out against genetically modifed (GM) crops as China moves towards using the tenchnology to address its food security issues.

Singapore may ask HIV carriers to help trace sexual partners

Singapore may introduce legislation empowering health workers to ask HIV patients for information on their sexual partners, a senior health official said in remarks published.

Paris Montparnasse skyscraper riddled with asbestos

Asbestos has been found throughout the Montparnasse Tower in southern Paris, the 56-story skyscraper that houses offices and welcomes 600,000 tourists a year, officials said.

Hong Kong researchers find gene to fight liver cancer

Researchers in Hong Kong have found a gene that can attack cancer cells, giving hope a cure can be found for liver cancer, a media report said.