Health Headlines - April 24

U.N.: Marburg Virus Coming Under Control

Medical teams trying to stamp out the worst recorded incidence of Marburg virus in Angola are beginning to get the deadly outbreak under control as cooperation from stricken communities improves, the U.N. health agency said Saturday.

Angola at Critical Stage in Marburg Battle -WHO

Angola is at a critical stage in its fight against an outbreak of the deadly Marburg virus and must step up its drive to bring the disease under control, the U.N. World Health Organization (WHO) said Saturday.

N.Y. Looks Into Foster Kids in Drug Trials

A city agency that put more than 400 HIV-positive foster children into clinical trials for AIDS drugs has asked for an independent review of the program after children's rights advocates said it amounted to exploitation.

Researcher to Seek Clinical Trial on ALS

A University of Wisconsin-Madison researcher said he would ask federal regulators Friday to approve the first clinical trial injecting special stem cells into the spinal cords of people with the degenerative nerve ailment called Lou Gehrig's disease.

Dieting Hot Line Offers Eating Habit Tips

Dial the phone, drop some pounds. This month, a University of California hot line began offering 20 recorded messages on healthier eating habits.

CDC: Most Flu Virus Samples Destroyed

At least 99 percent of the killer flu samples mistakenly sent to laboratories around the world by a medical supply house have been recovered and destroyed, and there have been no infections, the government said Thursday.

Study: 1 in 5 Teens Tried Painkillers

About one in five teenagers have tried prescription painkillers such as Vicodin and OxyContin to get high, with the pill-popping members of "Generation Rx" often raiding their parents' medicine cabinets, according to a study by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America.

Experts Weigh Hibernation's Healing Powers

Consider it hibernation-on-demand. Researchers plunged mice into almost a state of suspended animation and then revived them, with no apparent ill effects, in an experiment that is generating excitement because it might ultimately lead to new ways to treat critically sick people.

Probe of FDA Breast Implant Review Sought

Six women's groups are asking Congress to investigate the Food and Drug Administration's review of silicone-gel breast implants, citing an agency e-mail that they say suggests officials were under inappropriate pressure to approve the devices.

Food Fact:
Ginger, no ail.

Want a neat trick for making health-giving ginger easier to grate?

Fitness Tip of the day:
Buddy up!

Struggling to stick to your exercise program? Try working out with a partner.

FAQ of the day:
Can I be fit and fat?

While obesity is strongly associated with increased health risks, recent population studies suggest much of that risk may stem from poor fitness. Increased physical activity makes a difference when combined with a calorie-controlled diet. As your fitness improves, you'll boost your health and feel better, even with only modest weight loss.