Health Headlines - March 5

Court Allows HIV Lawsuit Against American Airlines

Three applicants denied flight attendant jobs at American Airlines can sue even though they lied about their HIV-positive status, a federal appeals court ruled on Friday.

Older Patients Benefit from Obesity Surgery, Too

Stomach bypass surgery, using "keyhole," or laparoscopic techniques, is a safe method of achieving weight loss in older patients and the benefits in this age group are similar to those seen in younger patients, new research shows.

Leflunomide Useful for Drug-Resistant Juvenile Arthritis - 5 hours ago

Leflunomide therapy is well tolerated and benefits some patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) resistant to the drug methotrexate, according to results of a new study.

Forearm Test Not Good for Checking Blood Sugar

People with diabetes who need to monitor their blood sugar levels should not use their forearm to get a blood sample if they think their levels are low, two teams report.

Calif. Jury Clears Philip Morris in Smoker Case

A state jury on Friday rejected an ex-smoker's claim that Philip Morris caused his fatal lung cancer by hiding the dangers of smoking, the first clear victory for tobacco makers after a long losing streak in California courts.

Novartis Sees Jaw Damage in Cancer Drug Patients

Novartis AG has received 875 reports of jaw problems in patients treated with two cancer drugs, but it is not clear if the medicines are responsible, company officials told a U.S. advisory panel on Friday.

The Secret to Man's Aggression: in His Finger?

How long a man's second finger is relative to his fourth finger appears to predict whether he is prone to be physically aggressive toward others, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.

U.S. Seizes Batches of Two Glaxo Drugs

U.S. officials on Friday seized batches of GlaxoSmithKline Plc's diabetes drug Avandamet and controlled-release antidepressant Paxil CR because of concerns over manufacturing quality.

Pfizer HDL Drug Linked to Hypertension in Some

Pfizer Inc.'s experimental drug to raise "good" HDL cholesterol was effective and well tolerated in two small mid-stage trials, but appeared to cause a small increase in blood pressure among some patients, according to industry analysts.

More Seek Help for Marijuana Addiction

Treatment rates for marijuana nearly tripled between 1992 and 2002, the government says, attributing the increase to greater use and potency.

Elan, Biogen Confirm 2nd Case of Disease

A second patient taking a recently suspended multiple sclerosis-fighting drug, Tysabri, has contracted a rare disease of the central nervous system, the Irish and American companies who developed the highly touted medication confirmed Friday.

Officials Recommend Limiting Gene Therapy

Federal health advisers recommended Friday that gene therapy treatments for children with a severe immune deficiency be restricted to those who have no alternative.

WHO: Global Measles Deaths Drop 39 Pct.

Global deaths from measles have plummeted 39 percent since the 2001 launch of an international vaccination campaign to curb the disease, the World Health Organization and UNICEF said Friday.

Study of Lung Cancer Drug Iressa Under Way

A last-chance lung cancer drug that helped patients in preliminary trials didn't do well in a follow up, a failure that surprised manufacturer AstraZeneca PLC. The company is trying to determine why things didn't go better.

Maggots Make Move to Mainstream Medicine

First came the leeches, moving from the land of medical lore to modern doctors' offices. Now another creepy crawler -- the lowly maggot -- is poised to become the next big thing in animal-assisted care.

Discovery Could Prevent Blindness in Preemies

Doctors say they have discovered a protein that could prove key to preventing blindness in premature babies.

Double Carotid Artery Procedures Can Be Safe

In patients at high risk for stroke due to a narrowing of the carotid arteries that supply blood to the brain, doctors often resort to placing a stent -- a flexible tube -- within the artery, to help prop it open.

Dietary Fiber Fights High Blood Pressure

A high-fiber diet may help reduce high blood pressure and may even improve healthy blood pressure levels, a new study finds.

Meditate, and Feel Blood Pressure Fall

FRIDAY, March 4 (HealthDay News) -- Transcendental meditation (TM) may help blood vessels relax as it relaxes the mind, reducing heart disease risks along the way.

Joint Replacement Won't Banish Obesity

After undergoing joint replacement surgery of the knee or hip, many patients with arthritis expect to lose weight, assuming they'll be more active when their new joints work and feel better.

Thailand mulls human bird flu vaccine trial

Thailand was mulling whether to embark on a trial of US-manufactured human bird flu vaccine, as health officials said it would take at least two months before a final decision would be made.

U.N. says poor water sanitation among problems in Aceh tsunami barracks

The United Nations said poor water sanitation was among problems found in temporary housing for tsunami victims in Indonesia's Aceh province.

Toxic waste spawning radioactive diseases in Somalia coastline

Highly toxic waste washed on to Somali's coastline by last December's tsumani has spawned illnesses with symptoms like radioactive exposure in villagers along the shore of the shattered African nation, the UN Environment Programme said.