H5N1 Virus Found in German Cat
The dangerous H5N1 bird flu virus has been confirmed in a cat in northern Germany, the first time that the virus has been found in an animal other than a bird in Europe, the Associated Press reported.
The cat lived on the island of Ruegen. Most of the 100 wild birds infected with H5N1 in Germany have been found on that island.
In Geneva, World Health Organization spokeswoman Maria Cheng said this was the first time she knows of an animal other than a bird being infected in Europe. Tigers and leopards were infected by H5N1 in Thailand, where they were fed chicken carcasses in a zoo.
It is not clear whether cats can pass the disease to humans, Cheng said.
In other news, the United States said late Monday that it has banned poultry and live bird shipments from France's Ain region, where H5N1 was found at a turkey farm, the AP reported.
Previously, the U.S. has banned poultry imports from countries that have had bird flu outbreaks. This latest U.S. ban does not apply to poultry and birds from other regions of France. However, Japan and Hong Kong have halted imports of all French poultry.
The World Health Organization on Monday raised its official tally of human bird flu cases worldwide to 173, including 93 deaths. Almost all human deaths from bird flu have been linked to contact with infected birds.
U.S. Hospitals Could Improve Pediatric Emergency Care: Report
More needs to be done to ensure that U.S. hospitals are equipped and staffed to treat the youngest patients who require emergency care, says a new survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The survey, conducted in 2002-2003, found that 90 percent of all U.S. hospitals admitted pediatric patients, but only 40 percent had separate inpatient pediatric wards. Half the hospitals had on hand more than 85 percent of the recommended medical supplies for pediatric patients, but less than 6 percent had all the supplies in a full range of sizes.
Other findings:
Sixty-two percent of emergency departments had board-certified pediatric physicians on call or available elsewhere within the hospital, but only 25 percent of the emergency departments had written protocols outlining when to call in the pediatric specialist.
Between 1998 and 2002-2003, the percentage of hospitals with a pediatric intensive care unit remained at 10 percent.
Most children who need emergency care are brought to hospitals that treat more than 10,000 child patients a year.
Children account for about 30 million emergency department visits a year in the United States.
FDA Approves Depression Patch
The first transdermal patch for depression has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The FDA approval was based on results of two double-blind, placebo-controlled studies of Emsam. One study found that six weeks of treatment with Emsam was more effective than placebo in relieving symptoms of major depression disorder in adults, United Press International reported.
A second trial found that Emsam was effective over an eight-week dose titration study.
The once-a-day patch works by delivering selegiline, a monoamine oxidase inhibitor or MAOI, through the skin and into the bloodstream. Emsam is designed to interact with three brain neurotransmitters that are believed to play a role in depression. The patch is not approved to treat depression in patients 17 and younger.
The final FDA approval comes two years after the agency first said the patch was "approvable." However, concerns about potential interactions with food and beverages high in tyramine -- such as salami, aged cheese, beer, and wine -- contributed to the delay in Emsam gaining final approval, MarketWatch reported.
It's believed that Emsam's active ingredient -- selegiline -- could interact with tyramine and cause a sudden, rapid increase in blood pressure. The FDA said patients who use the higher dose patches -- 9 and 12 milligrams per 24 hours -- must be advised to avoid foods and beverages high in tyramine. Patients who use the lowest dose -- 6 milligrams -- do not require any dietary restrictions, MarketWatch reported.
Bush Budget Proposal Would Cut Vets' Medical Care: Report
The Bush administration's proposed budget could mean that tens of thousands of U.S. veterans with non-critical medical issues might experience delays in care or even be denied care, the Associated Press reported.
The cost of providing medical care for veterans has been steadily increasing, but the White House budget assumes a cutback in 2008 and more cuts in the years after that. The documents have not been officially released by the White House budget office, but were obtained by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a Washington, D.C.-based organization, the AP reported.
Funding for veterans' medical services stands at $24.5 billion this year and would increase to $27.7 billion in 2007. However, the documents show a 3 percent cut in 2008 and funding below $27 billion a year for the following four years.
That would be a major problem for the VA medical system, which would have to cut staff, delay investment in new medical equipment, and refuse care to hundreds of thousands of veterans, the AP reported.
According to the Bush administration, its spending policies are set a year at a time, meaning that long-term veterans' budget figures are subject to change.
Documents Reveal Heart-Device Maker's Response Efforts: Report
Guidant executives scrambled to control damage last year as the company was bombarded with criticism for not informing doctors about potentially deadly problems with its heart devices, according to newly released documents.
The records, which are part of a product liability lawsuit against Guidant, show that the company was plunged into crisis due to a number of miscalculations, including its initial decision not to recall the defective heart devices and its misreading of doctors' tolerance for being kept in the dark about the issue, The New York Times reported.
As they struggled to deal with the crisis, Guidant executives repeatedly changed course, even as the company publicly remained upbeat and insisted concerns about the safety of its products were overblown, the Times reported.
According to the documents, some executives warned that scrutiny of Guidant might intensify if doctors or other people searched a public database that detailed product failures, the newspaper reported.
Other records show that Guidant sales representatives said they were worried because some doctors were questioning Guidant's ethics and had stopped implanting the heart devices, the paper said.
Some Guidant executives did recommend that the best way to regain the trust of doctors was to change the way the company disclosed problems with its products. The documents may harm the company's ability to defend itself against lawsuits alleging that Guidant put patients' lives at risk by not publicizing heart device defects, the Times reported.
Food Fact:
Tea for tumors.
Research shows one kind of tea can be up to 100 times more potent at blocking growth of cancer cells than another. While all tea (green, oolong or black) contains antioxidant compounds called catechins that protect against cancer (especially of the lung, breast, colon, stomach and skin) by neutralizing free radicals, green tea contains about 7 times more catechins than black tea. Green tea also has unique catechins that block an enzyme involved in breast, prostate and colon cancers. Green tea is 10 to 100 times stronger than black tea in blocking the growth of cancer cells. Catechins also prevent heart disease and stroke, primarily by defending against the harmful effects of artery-clogging LDL cholesterol.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Carry that weight?
How much should you be lifting? Here's a good rule of thumb. When you can perform 12 to 15 reps using excellent form, it's time to increase the weight used by 5%. In weight training, always use weights you can handle. Remember, we are training our bodies not our egos.
FAQ of the day:
What is a "serving?"
All the nutrition information on a food label is based on one serving, the amount most typically eaten of that food. For example, a serving of salad dressing is 2 tablespoons. These serving sizes are not necessarily the amount you eat at a typical meal. Take breakfast cereal. The box may define a serving as one cup, but if you typically pour twice as much into your bowl; that's two servings, which means you'll be taking in twice the calories listed. Always consider the portion size when you read the nutrition information on the label.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Monday, February 27, 2006
Health Headlines - February 27
Niger Is 2nd African Country to Confirm Bird Flu
The deadly H5N1 bird flu virus has been found in birds in Niger, making it the second African country to have confirmed cases of the disease, the Associated Press reported.
The virus had previously been confirmed in Nigeria, which is Niger's southern neighbor. The virus in Niger was detected in a small village about 45 miles from the border with Nigeria. There was no information available on how many birds may have died, a senior Health Ministry official said.
Confirmation of the H5N1 virus in a second African country is cause for increased concern among health experts who fear it may be a prelude to the virus becoming widespread in Africa, which is poorly equipped to deal with such a crisis.
In France, a program began Monday to give nearly a million domestic free range ducks and geese vaccinations to protect them against bird flu, BBC News reported.
The inoculation effort comes after 15 dead swans in France were found to have the H5N1 virus. The swans were found in the same district where a turkey farm was found to be contaminated with bird flu. The virus killed about 400 of the 11,000 turkeys on the farm and the rest were slaughtered. It was the first known bird-flu outbreak in commercial poultry in the European Union, BBC News reported.
The French geese and ducks -- destined for production of foie gras -- are being vaccinated because it's not practical to move them indoors to protect them against bird flu.
Since 2003, the H5N1 virus has spread from Asia to Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. It has decimated poultry flocks in many countries and has killed more than 90 people. Experts worry that the continued spread of the virus increases the likelihood that it will mutate into a form that's easily transmitted between humans, resulting in a pandemic.
In other news:
China reported two new human cases of bird flu, bringing to 14 the known number of human infections in that country, Bloomberg news reported.
Pakistan reported its first cases of bird flu, but tests have yet to confirm whether it's the H5N1 virus.
Switzerland said it had identified its first case of bird flu, in a wild duck in Geneva.
In Kenya, officials are testing for bird flu in hundreds of dead chickens found dumped in the capital Nairobi.
Three days of house checks in Indonesia turned up 37 poultry infected with the H5N1 virus, which as killed at least 20 people in that country.
There's no word yet on whether bird flu killed about 1,000 chickens in India's northeastern Assam state. Bird flu led to the slaughter of about 250,000 fowl in two other Indian states earlier this month.
Campaign Targets Obesity and Diabetes Among U.S. Veterans
U.S. veterans are about three times more likely than the general population to have diabetes, which is one of the major health complications of being overweight and obese.
The rate of diabetes among veterans receiving VA health care is 20 percent, compared to a rate of 7 percent in the overall U.S. population, says the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
That's why the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Health and Human Services have launched a coordinated campaign to educate veterans and their families about how to prevent obesity and diabetes.
The HealthierUS Veterans campaign will promote healthy eating and physical activity. VA medical centers will be the hubs of the program.
"Inactive lifestyles and unhealthy eating habits can cause needless suffering for America's veterans. Obesity and diabetes are major threats to the health and lifestyles of our veterans, who are deserving of a robust campaign to educate them on healthy habits," VA Secretary R. James Nicholson said in a prepared statement.
Overweight patients receiving VA health care can sign up for individualized weight-loss programs.
Steroids May Have Long-Term Effect on Brain: Report
A U.S. study suggests that anabolic steroids may have a long-term effect on teens' brains.
Researchers at Northeastern University in Boston studied the effects of the steroids in adolescent hamsters and found that the steroids "flip a switch" in the brain and trigger lasting aggression, BBC News reported.
When injected with the steroids, the hamsters became about 10 times more aggressive than normal. The effects of the steroids lasted for nearly two weeks, which is about half the length of adolescence in hamsters.
The hamsters injected with the steroids had changes in brain activity in a part of the brain that regulates aggression and social behavior, the study found.
In human teens, the effect of the steroids may last for at least two years and cause permanent brain changes, the researchers warned. The findings appear in the journal Behavioral Neuroscience.
However, Professor Jonathon Seckl of the University of Edinburgh told BBC News that it's not possible to use results in hamsters to predict the length of effect that steroids would have in humans.
Premature Birth Affects Personality: Study
Very premature babies are more likely than full-term babies to be anxious and withdrawn as adults, and may also have a greater risk of depression, says an Institute of Psychiatry study in the journal Pediatrics.
The study included 108 young adults who had been born before 33 weeks' gestation and 67 people the same age who were born at full-term. They were all asked to complete a personality questionnaire, BBC News reported.
When the researchers analyzed the results, they concluded that the participants who'd been born very prematurely were less likely to have outgoing and confident personalities and more likely to have lower self-esteem and increased anxiety. This was especially true for girls who were born early.
The scores on the questionnaires suggest that very premature birth may be linked to a type of personality that increases the likelihood of developing anxiety and depression disorders, the researchers said.
Their study did not examine how premature birth might affect personality, but there are a few theories.
"It's possible that being born very small might be linked to some damage to the brain, possibly an infection," research leader Dr. Matthew Allin told BBC News.
"It may be that being in an incubator makes it difficult to bond with parents, and for them to bond with you. While another possibility is that personality is in the genes to some extent, so could be inherited to some degree," Allin said.
Food Fact:
Soymilky way.
A splash of soy milk on your breakfast cereal may help lower your cholesterol. According to the FDA, 25 grams of soy protein, or about four daily servings, is a good part of a dietary plan for a healthy heart. One cup of soymilk has 6.25 grams. Calcium-fortified soymilk is sold in supermarkets and whole foods stores. It's available in plain, vanilla, chocolate or strawberry flavors. Not all soymilk is calcium-fortified, however, so check labels. You can also use soymilk in custards, baked goods and other desserts -- just as you would with regular dairy milk.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Exercise? It's in the bag.
Road trips won't stop you from exercising -- if you know what to pack. Find a little room in your suitcase for exercise tubes, a great compact tool for weight training and resistance exercises when away from home or your gym. If you travel a lot, ask a fitness pro to design an on-the-go exercise program.
FAQ of the day:
What's a Daily Value?
The Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) and a related number, the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs), are suggested intakes of nutrients based on age and sex. They do not appear on food labels, but they were used to develop the Daily Values you see on a label. The Daily Value is a single number for everyone that is set high enough to ensure that the vast majority of people get enough of each nutrient. It's the best general guide for the public.
The deadly H5N1 bird flu virus has been found in birds in Niger, making it the second African country to have confirmed cases of the disease, the Associated Press reported.
The virus had previously been confirmed in Nigeria, which is Niger's southern neighbor. The virus in Niger was detected in a small village about 45 miles from the border with Nigeria. There was no information available on how many birds may have died, a senior Health Ministry official said.
Confirmation of the H5N1 virus in a second African country is cause for increased concern among health experts who fear it may be a prelude to the virus becoming widespread in Africa, which is poorly equipped to deal with such a crisis.
In France, a program began Monday to give nearly a million domestic free range ducks and geese vaccinations to protect them against bird flu, BBC News reported.
The inoculation effort comes after 15 dead swans in France were found to have the H5N1 virus. The swans were found in the same district where a turkey farm was found to be contaminated with bird flu. The virus killed about 400 of the 11,000 turkeys on the farm and the rest were slaughtered. It was the first known bird-flu outbreak in commercial poultry in the European Union, BBC News reported.
The French geese and ducks -- destined for production of foie gras -- are being vaccinated because it's not practical to move them indoors to protect them against bird flu.
Since 2003, the H5N1 virus has spread from Asia to Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. It has decimated poultry flocks in many countries and has killed more than 90 people. Experts worry that the continued spread of the virus increases the likelihood that it will mutate into a form that's easily transmitted between humans, resulting in a pandemic.
In other news:
China reported two new human cases of bird flu, bringing to 14 the known number of human infections in that country, Bloomberg news reported.
Pakistan reported its first cases of bird flu, but tests have yet to confirm whether it's the H5N1 virus.
Switzerland said it had identified its first case of bird flu, in a wild duck in Geneva.
In Kenya, officials are testing for bird flu in hundreds of dead chickens found dumped in the capital Nairobi.
Three days of house checks in Indonesia turned up 37 poultry infected with the H5N1 virus, which as killed at least 20 people in that country.
There's no word yet on whether bird flu killed about 1,000 chickens in India's northeastern Assam state. Bird flu led to the slaughter of about 250,000 fowl in two other Indian states earlier this month.
Campaign Targets Obesity and Diabetes Among U.S. Veterans
U.S. veterans are about three times more likely than the general population to have diabetes, which is one of the major health complications of being overweight and obese.
The rate of diabetes among veterans receiving VA health care is 20 percent, compared to a rate of 7 percent in the overall U.S. population, says the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
That's why the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Health and Human Services have launched a coordinated campaign to educate veterans and their families about how to prevent obesity and diabetes.
The HealthierUS Veterans campaign will promote healthy eating and physical activity. VA medical centers will be the hubs of the program.
"Inactive lifestyles and unhealthy eating habits can cause needless suffering for America's veterans. Obesity and diabetes are major threats to the health and lifestyles of our veterans, who are deserving of a robust campaign to educate them on healthy habits," VA Secretary R. James Nicholson said in a prepared statement.
Overweight patients receiving VA health care can sign up for individualized weight-loss programs.
Steroids May Have Long-Term Effect on Brain: Report
A U.S. study suggests that anabolic steroids may have a long-term effect on teens' brains.
Researchers at Northeastern University in Boston studied the effects of the steroids in adolescent hamsters and found that the steroids "flip a switch" in the brain and trigger lasting aggression, BBC News reported.
When injected with the steroids, the hamsters became about 10 times more aggressive than normal. The effects of the steroids lasted for nearly two weeks, which is about half the length of adolescence in hamsters.
The hamsters injected with the steroids had changes in brain activity in a part of the brain that regulates aggression and social behavior, the study found.
In human teens, the effect of the steroids may last for at least two years and cause permanent brain changes, the researchers warned. The findings appear in the journal Behavioral Neuroscience.
However, Professor Jonathon Seckl of the University of Edinburgh told BBC News that it's not possible to use results in hamsters to predict the length of effect that steroids would have in humans.
Premature Birth Affects Personality: Study
Very premature babies are more likely than full-term babies to be anxious and withdrawn as adults, and may also have a greater risk of depression, says an Institute of Psychiatry study in the journal Pediatrics.
The study included 108 young adults who had been born before 33 weeks' gestation and 67 people the same age who were born at full-term. They were all asked to complete a personality questionnaire, BBC News reported.
When the researchers analyzed the results, they concluded that the participants who'd been born very prematurely were less likely to have outgoing and confident personalities and more likely to have lower self-esteem and increased anxiety. This was especially true for girls who were born early.
The scores on the questionnaires suggest that very premature birth may be linked to a type of personality that increases the likelihood of developing anxiety and depression disorders, the researchers said.
Their study did not examine how premature birth might affect personality, but there are a few theories.
"It's possible that being born very small might be linked to some damage to the brain, possibly an infection," research leader Dr. Matthew Allin told BBC News.
"It may be that being in an incubator makes it difficult to bond with parents, and for them to bond with you. While another possibility is that personality is in the genes to some extent, so could be inherited to some degree," Allin said.
Food Fact:
Soymilky way.
A splash of soy milk on your breakfast cereal may help lower your cholesterol. According to the FDA, 25 grams of soy protein, or about four daily servings, is a good part of a dietary plan for a healthy heart. One cup of soymilk has 6.25 grams. Calcium-fortified soymilk is sold in supermarkets and whole foods stores. It's available in plain, vanilla, chocolate or strawberry flavors. Not all soymilk is calcium-fortified, however, so check labels. You can also use soymilk in custards, baked goods and other desserts -- just as you would with regular dairy milk.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Exercise? It's in the bag.
Road trips won't stop you from exercising -- if you know what to pack. Find a little room in your suitcase for exercise tubes, a great compact tool for weight training and resistance exercises when away from home or your gym. If you travel a lot, ask a fitness pro to design an on-the-go exercise program.
FAQ of the day:
What's a Daily Value?
The Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) and a related number, the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs), are suggested intakes of nutrients based on age and sex. They do not appear on food labels, but they were used to develop the Daily Values you see on a label. The Daily Value is a single number for everyone that is set high enough to ensure that the vast majority of people get enough of each nutrient. It's the best general guide for the public.
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Health Headlines - February 26
Two Rare Clotting Genes Hike Heart Disease Risk
Some rare variant forms of genes that control blood clotting can increase the risk of heart disease, a British study finds.
The genes are not common enough and the risk they pose is not great enough to warrant screening for them now, said Dr. John Danesh, a professor of epidemiology and medicine at the University of Oxford, and lead author of a report in the Feb. 25 issue of The Lancet.
"But it is helpful to identify genetic variants that may be associated with increased risk," Danesh said. "This helps increase our understanding of the biological pathways that lead to heart disease. These findings could have implications for designing new therapies that target blood clotting pathways to help prevent heart disease."
There has been a back-and-forth controversy about the possible role of such genes in heart disease, Danesh said. "The whole purpose of this exercise was to try to pool the studies that have been reported and produced conflicting results, and clarify the evidence by pooling the data," he said.
Danesh and his colleges analyzed results of 191 studies that included 66,155 people with heart disease and 91,307 people with no heart trouble, looking for the incidence of seven variants of clotting genes that have been associated with increased risk in some studies. Most of the studies were done in Europe.
The analysis showed no significant association with increased risk for five of the genes. But there was a moderately increased risk for one variant of a gene for plasma protein V and one for the protein prothrombin. Both genetic variants increase the body's production of thrombin, an enzyme that encourages formation of blood clots.
The increased risk is not great, Danesh said. Persons who carry the variant genes have a 15 percent to 20 percent higher risk of developing heart disease than those who do not, the analysis showed. And the genetic variants aren't common, with about 3 percent of whites carrying the protein V version and 1 percent carrying the prothrombin version.
"They are not common enough or associated with enough risk to warrant screening for them," Danesh said. "In the future, if a number of weakly acting gene variants are identified, that might warrant screening. At the moment, the question is hypothetical."
Virus May Have Links to Prostate Cancer
A new virus has been identified in human prostate tumors, but the virus's link to prostate cancer is unclear and requires more research, researchers say.
"This is a virus that has never been seen in humans before. This is consistent with previous epidemiologic and genetic research that has suggested that prostate cancer may result from chronic inflammation, perhaps as a response to infection," researcher Dr. Eric Klein, head of urologic oncology at the Cleveland Clinic's Glickman Urologic Institute, said in a prepared statement.
The virus, which is closely related to viruses found in mice, has never before been detected in humans. Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, and the Cleveland Clinic found it using the same DNA-hunting "virus chip" used three years ago to confirm the identity of the SARS virus.
The finding was reported Friday at an American Society of Clinical Oncology prostate symposium in San Francisco. A full report will be published in the journal PloS Pathogens.
The virus was found more often in human prostate tumors with two copies of the RNASEL gene mutations than in tumors with at least one normal copy of the gene. RNASEL is a gene that serves as an important defense against viruses. Scientists have previously speculated that a virus may be involved in some types of prostate cancer in men with mutated RNASEL genes.
Klein and his colleagues say the finding further validates the use of the virus chip to discover previously unknown viruses, and to learn more about viral causes of disease.
"The power of the virus chip resides in its ability to simultaneously screen for all viruses, without preconceptions or bias. In the case of these prostate tissues, no one would have suspected a virus of this class," UCSF researcher Joe DeRisi, who developed the chip, said in a prepared statement.
Deadly Strain of Bird Flu Found in India
A second state in India reported an outbreak of the H5N1 strain of bird flu on Saturday. The deadly virus was discovered earlier this month among chickens in the western state of Maharashtra, leading officials to slaughter more than half a million birds.
The latest outbreak is in the neighboring state of Gujarat, where at least two chickens have been found to be infected with the H5N1 strain.
The birds were discovered at a farm in the Utchal area of Gujarat, the region's administrator Vatsala Vasudev told The Associated Press.
No human cases of H5N1 have been reported in either state.
The H5N1 strain has spread from Asia to 10 European countries and Africa. At least 92 people have died of the disease.
Scientists fear the H5N1 strain could mutate into a form that is easily transmitted between humans, causing a pandemic. But the WHO says it remains difficult for humans to catch the virus.
Indonesia raised its death toll to 20 on Saturday. A senior health ministry official said tests confirm that a 27-year-old woman who died Monday in capital Jakarta succumbed to H5N1.
Medicare May Limit Drug Plan Offerings
The Bush administration is looking at ways to simplify the new Medicare prescription drug benefit, but initial proposals are unlikely to win over the program's critics.
In a 39-page draft memorandum to insurers, employers and others administering the drug benefit, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services asked for advice on how to simplify the program in 2007.
The agency proposed limiting to two the number of drug plans a company can offer per region. Many insurers now offer three, and since there are often more than a dozen insurers per region, consumers often have more than 40 choices.
The agency also said it expects that an insurer's two plans must have meaningful differences to make comparisons easier.
The recommendations appear to be a direct response to concerns that some older and disabled people are confused by the vast array of options.
Ron Pollack, executive director of the activist group Families USA, said the plans can't generate enough enrollment to generate bargaining clout with drug manufacturers. Slightly reducing the number of plans won't change that scenario, he said, nor will it make the program easier to understand.
"When you have such a huge number of companies providing this coverage and no effort to standardize benefits it creates chaos," Pollack said.
Rep. Pete Stark, D-Calif., a frequent critic of the program, gave the Medicare-Medicaid agency credit for seeking to simplify the plan, but he did so while also chiding the administration.
"It is too bad this recognition comes 2 1/2 years after passage of the law, and two months into implementation," Stark said.
The administration said competition from insurers is lowering the cost of the program. In early February, it said premiums will average about $25 a month, as opposed to the $37 projected when the program was approved. It now estimates the program will cost about $678 billion over 10 years rather than about $730 billion estimated originally.
"We're seeing the cost of drugs come down in a rapid way because of an organized, competitive marketplace," Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt said earlier this month.
A spokesman for the Medicare-Medicaid agency, Gary Karr, said the draft memorandum should not be viewed as a sign the administration is backing away from the view that all the choices are a good thing for the elderly and disabled.
"It's simply asking for comment," Karr said. "Earlier, there were predictions we would not have enough plans. That's clearly not the case now. The question is will it still be of service to beneficiaries if you had fewer. Again, it's not a commitment."
About 42 million people are eligible to enroll in a private plan that is designed to subsidize some of their prescription drug expenses. Most of the larger insurers give beneficiaries more than one option.
For example, one company will offer a plan that charges consumers less, but the trade-off can be a more limited choice of drugs. Another plan will offer more drug coverage but the customer will have to pay higher premiums.
The range of plans available vary by region. In Alaska, there are 11 insurers offering 27 drug plans. In Pennsylvania, there are 23 insurers offering 52 plans.
Beneficiaries also can choose from more comprehensive medical coverage, called Medicare Advantage, which operates like an HMO. Most beneficiaries can choose from more than a dozen Medicare Advantage plans.
Food Fact:
Tater gallery.
A surprisingly small serving of sweet potatoes meets your entire daily needs for vitamin E. Most vitamin E-rich foods, such as vegetable oils, nuts and avocados, contain a hefty dose of fat, but just 2/3 cup of sweet potatoes provides 100% of your daily vitamin E needs, and it's virtually fat-free. A medium sweet potato has just 118 calories, and its orange-hued flesh is rich in cancer-fighting beta carotene. Sweet potatoes also contain vitamin B6, potassium, iron and fiber -- pop one in the microwave for a great late afternoon snack.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Mirror, mirror...
Ever wonder why health clubs have all those mirrors? No, it's not for vanity's sake! The mirrors are there to assure you're maintaining proper form when exercising. You're not being a narcissist when you position yourself in front of the mirror; pay careful attention to see you're doing the exercise right. If you are uncertain as to how to perform an exercise, don't hesitate to ask for help.
FAQ of the day:
Why do food labels say "Less than" for some nutrients?
Eating too much of certain nutrients -- total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium -- may increase your risk of developing heart disease, so their Daily Value is given as an upper limit not to be exceeded, rather than an amount you should try to achieve. There's no problem if you exceed the Daily Value for fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron or calcium.
Some rare variant forms of genes that control blood clotting can increase the risk of heart disease, a British study finds.
The genes are not common enough and the risk they pose is not great enough to warrant screening for them now, said Dr. John Danesh, a professor of epidemiology and medicine at the University of Oxford, and lead author of a report in the Feb. 25 issue of The Lancet.
"But it is helpful to identify genetic variants that may be associated with increased risk," Danesh said. "This helps increase our understanding of the biological pathways that lead to heart disease. These findings could have implications for designing new therapies that target blood clotting pathways to help prevent heart disease."
There has been a back-and-forth controversy about the possible role of such genes in heart disease, Danesh said. "The whole purpose of this exercise was to try to pool the studies that have been reported and produced conflicting results, and clarify the evidence by pooling the data," he said.
Danesh and his colleges analyzed results of 191 studies that included 66,155 people with heart disease and 91,307 people with no heart trouble, looking for the incidence of seven variants of clotting genes that have been associated with increased risk in some studies. Most of the studies were done in Europe.
The analysis showed no significant association with increased risk for five of the genes. But there was a moderately increased risk for one variant of a gene for plasma protein V and one for the protein prothrombin. Both genetic variants increase the body's production of thrombin, an enzyme that encourages formation of blood clots.
The increased risk is not great, Danesh said. Persons who carry the variant genes have a 15 percent to 20 percent higher risk of developing heart disease than those who do not, the analysis showed. And the genetic variants aren't common, with about 3 percent of whites carrying the protein V version and 1 percent carrying the prothrombin version.
"They are not common enough or associated with enough risk to warrant screening for them," Danesh said. "In the future, if a number of weakly acting gene variants are identified, that might warrant screening. At the moment, the question is hypothetical."
Virus May Have Links to Prostate Cancer
A new virus has been identified in human prostate tumors, but the virus's link to prostate cancer is unclear and requires more research, researchers say.
"This is a virus that has never been seen in humans before. This is consistent with previous epidemiologic and genetic research that has suggested that prostate cancer may result from chronic inflammation, perhaps as a response to infection," researcher Dr. Eric Klein, head of urologic oncology at the Cleveland Clinic's Glickman Urologic Institute, said in a prepared statement.
The virus, which is closely related to viruses found in mice, has never before been detected in humans. Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, and the Cleveland Clinic found it using the same DNA-hunting "virus chip" used three years ago to confirm the identity of the SARS virus.
The finding was reported Friday at an American Society of Clinical Oncology prostate symposium in San Francisco. A full report will be published in the journal PloS Pathogens.
The virus was found more often in human prostate tumors with two copies of the RNASEL gene mutations than in tumors with at least one normal copy of the gene. RNASEL is a gene that serves as an important defense against viruses. Scientists have previously speculated that a virus may be involved in some types of prostate cancer in men with mutated RNASEL genes.
Klein and his colleagues say the finding further validates the use of the virus chip to discover previously unknown viruses, and to learn more about viral causes of disease.
"The power of the virus chip resides in its ability to simultaneously screen for all viruses, without preconceptions or bias. In the case of these prostate tissues, no one would have suspected a virus of this class," UCSF researcher Joe DeRisi, who developed the chip, said in a prepared statement.
Deadly Strain of Bird Flu Found in India
A second state in India reported an outbreak of the H5N1 strain of bird flu on Saturday. The deadly virus was discovered earlier this month among chickens in the western state of Maharashtra, leading officials to slaughter more than half a million birds.
The latest outbreak is in the neighboring state of Gujarat, where at least two chickens have been found to be infected with the H5N1 strain.
The birds were discovered at a farm in the Utchal area of Gujarat, the region's administrator Vatsala Vasudev told The Associated Press.
No human cases of H5N1 have been reported in either state.
The H5N1 strain has spread from Asia to 10 European countries and Africa. At least 92 people have died of the disease.
Scientists fear the H5N1 strain could mutate into a form that is easily transmitted between humans, causing a pandemic. But the WHO says it remains difficult for humans to catch the virus.
Indonesia raised its death toll to 20 on Saturday. A senior health ministry official said tests confirm that a 27-year-old woman who died Monday in capital Jakarta succumbed to H5N1.
Medicare May Limit Drug Plan Offerings
The Bush administration is looking at ways to simplify the new Medicare prescription drug benefit, but initial proposals are unlikely to win over the program's critics.
In a 39-page draft memorandum to insurers, employers and others administering the drug benefit, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services asked for advice on how to simplify the program in 2007.
The agency proposed limiting to two the number of drug plans a company can offer per region. Many insurers now offer three, and since there are often more than a dozen insurers per region, consumers often have more than 40 choices.
The agency also said it expects that an insurer's two plans must have meaningful differences to make comparisons easier.
The recommendations appear to be a direct response to concerns that some older and disabled people are confused by the vast array of options.
Ron Pollack, executive director of the activist group Families USA, said the plans can't generate enough enrollment to generate bargaining clout with drug manufacturers. Slightly reducing the number of plans won't change that scenario, he said, nor will it make the program easier to understand.
"When you have such a huge number of companies providing this coverage and no effort to standardize benefits it creates chaos," Pollack said.
Rep. Pete Stark, D-Calif., a frequent critic of the program, gave the Medicare-Medicaid agency credit for seeking to simplify the plan, but he did so while also chiding the administration.
"It is too bad this recognition comes 2 1/2 years after passage of the law, and two months into implementation," Stark said.
The administration said competition from insurers is lowering the cost of the program. In early February, it said premiums will average about $25 a month, as opposed to the $37 projected when the program was approved. It now estimates the program will cost about $678 billion over 10 years rather than about $730 billion estimated originally.
"We're seeing the cost of drugs come down in a rapid way because of an organized, competitive marketplace," Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt said earlier this month.
A spokesman for the Medicare-Medicaid agency, Gary Karr, said the draft memorandum should not be viewed as a sign the administration is backing away from the view that all the choices are a good thing for the elderly and disabled.
"It's simply asking for comment," Karr said. "Earlier, there were predictions we would not have enough plans. That's clearly not the case now. The question is will it still be of service to beneficiaries if you had fewer. Again, it's not a commitment."
About 42 million people are eligible to enroll in a private plan that is designed to subsidize some of their prescription drug expenses. Most of the larger insurers give beneficiaries more than one option.
For example, one company will offer a plan that charges consumers less, but the trade-off can be a more limited choice of drugs. Another plan will offer more drug coverage but the customer will have to pay higher premiums.
The range of plans available vary by region. In Alaska, there are 11 insurers offering 27 drug plans. In Pennsylvania, there are 23 insurers offering 52 plans.
Beneficiaries also can choose from more comprehensive medical coverage, called Medicare Advantage, which operates like an HMO. Most beneficiaries can choose from more than a dozen Medicare Advantage plans.
Food Fact:
Tater gallery.
A surprisingly small serving of sweet potatoes meets your entire daily needs for vitamin E. Most vitamin E-rich foods, such as vegetable oils, nuts and avocados, contain a hefty dose of fat, but just 2/3 cup of sweet potatoes provides 100% of your daily vitamin E needs, and it's virtually fat-free. A medium sweet potato has just 118 calories, and its orange-hued flesh is rich in cancer-fighting beta carotene. Sweet potatoes also contain vitamin B6, potassium, iron and fiber -- pop one in the microwave for a great late afternoon snack.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Mirror, mirror...
Ever wonder why health clubs have all those mirrors? No, it's not for vanity's sake! The mirrors are there to assure you're maintaining proper form when exercising. You're not being a narcissist when you position yourself in front of the mirror; pay careful attention to see you're doing the exercise right. If you are uncertain as to how to perform an exercise, don't hesitate to ask for help.
FAQ of the day:
Why do food labels say "Less than" for some nutrients?
Eating too much of certain nutrients -- total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium -- may increase your risk of developing heart disease, so their Daily Value is given as an upper limit not to be exceeded, rather than an amount you should try to achieve. There's no problem if you exceed the Daily Value for fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron or calcium.
Saturday, February 25, 2006
Health Headlines - February 25
Powder Found In College Dorm Laundry Confirmed as Deadly Poison Ricin
A roll of quarters being used by a University of Texas student in Austin to do her laundry Friday was found to contain ricin, a deadly chemical for which there is no known antidote.
The student and her roommate were being treated Saturday for exposure to the substance, which is a by-product of castor beans, the Associated Press reported, although neither person has yet exhibited any symptoms of being affected by the chunky powder found in the roll of quarters.
"We were very concerned as soon as we heard about the positive testing late this evening," Dr. Theresa Spalding of UT Student Health Services, told the wire service Friday night. She added that the roll of quarters had been in the students' room at the Moore-Hill dormitory for several months.
As law enforcement official continue their investigation, the A.P. reports that the dorm was fumigated and students had been told they can return to the building.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ricin is a poison that can be in the form of a powder, a mist, or a pellet, or it can be dissolved in water or weak acid. It is not affected much by extreme conditions such as very hot or very cold temperatures.
Ricin may have some potential medical uses, the CDC says, such as bone marrow transplants and cancer treatment (to kill cancer cells). Unlike anthrax, ricin poisoning is not contagious. It cannot be spread from person to person through casual contact, according to the CDC.
Sheryl Crow Recovering From Breast Cancer Surgery
Speaking through her publicist, singer Sheryl Crow says she is recuperating from breast cancer surgery and that her doctors tell her she should recovery fully.
The Associated Press reports that Crow, 44, says she underwent minimally invasive surgery for breast cancer in a Los Angeles hospital Feb. 22 and will have follow-up radiation treatment. "Her doctors think her prognosis is excellent," Crow's publicist Dave Tomberlin told the wire service.
The singer, who recently amicably ended her engagement to champion bicyclist Lance Armstrong -- himself a cancer survivor -- also posted a statement on her Web site, emphasizing that she benefited from early detection and urged women to have regularly scheduled mammograms.
The A.P. quotes Armstrong as saying he was "devastated" by the news of Crow's illness. "Once again I'm reminded of just how pervasive this illness is, as it has now touched someone I love deeply," he said.
On her Web site Crow cited a cancer survivor group founded by Armstrong -- the LIVESTRONG Survivor Care group -- as a good source for information about the disease.
Glaxo Blocks Generic Nasal Spray Sales
GlaxoSmithKline has obtained a temporary restraining order blocking the shipment and sales of the just-approved generic competitor to its Flonase nasal spray for allergies.
A federal judge in Baltimore granted the 10-day order late Thursday, GlaxoSmithKline spokeswoman Mary Anne Rhyne said Friday, according to an Associated Press report.
The order covers Roxane Laboratories Inc.'s Fluticasone Propionate Nasal Spray, which the Food and Drug Administration approved Wednesday, as well as Par Pharmaceutical Companies Inc.'s own generic version of Flonase, which GlaxoSmithKline authorized.
Par said in a statement that it would comply with the order. Roxane Laboratories spokeswoman Dawn Plante said her company also ceased shipments, which had begun the day it received FDA approval.
But Plante said she expected that the restraining order would be lifted following a March 6 hearing.
"The FDA determined that Fluticasone is bioequivalent to Flonase, and we're confident that once the court has the opportunity to review the facts, the suspension will be lifted," Plante said.
The court order, which expires March 6, comes one day after GlaxoSmithKline sued the FDA alleging the agency failed to follow its own regulations in approving the Flonase generic and failed to apply the same quality standards, Rhyne said. The company made the same arguments in petitions it filed with the FDA, which the FDA rejected.
French Officials Awaiting Results of Turkey Bird Flu Tests
Bird flu has been found on a turkey farm in France, but officials said Friday that they're still awaiting test results to confirm whether it's the deadly H5N1 strain, Agence France Presse reported.
If confirmed, it would be the first outbreak of the virus in poultry stocks in France, which is the largest poultry producerer in the European Union (EU). The H5N1 virus has been found in wild birds in France.
So far, the virus has been confirmed in 10 European countries.
EU health ministers were scheduled to meet Friday with international health experts on how to deal with large-scale outbreaks of H5N1. It's expected the EU ministers will agree to launch a public education campaign to raise awareness about bird flu, AFP reported.
Since it first appeared in 2003, the H5N1 virus has devastated poultry flocks and killed 92 people. Experts fear it may mutate into a form that's easily transmitted between humans and spark a pandemic.
Meanwhile, a new poll shows that about 60 percent of Americans are concerned about bird flu, but fewer than a third believe it will show up in the United States this year. The poll of 1,043 adults also found that blacks are more worried about bird flu than whites, the Associated Press reported.
The poll also found that only 2 percent of the respondents had talked to their doctor about Tamiflu or other antiretroviral drugs that might be used to treat bird flu in humans. Even fewer reported that they'd obtained a prescription, the AP reported.
That seems to contradict reports that many Americans are trying to stockpile Tamiflu.
Three More People Placed on Antibiotics in Anthrax Case
As officials widened their investigation into an anthrax case in New York City, three people at a Brooklyn residence were placed under medical observation and put on antibiotics, Newsday reported.
In total, seven people in New York exposed to raw animal hides being used to make drums have been placed on antibiotics, the city's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene said in statement.
A 44-year-old Greenwich Village man with inhalation anthrax is listed in stable condition in a hospital in Pennsylvania. It's believed that Vado Diomande, a dancer and drummer, contracted the potentially fatal bacteria from untreated goat hides he got in West Africa two months ago, Newsday reported.
He was diagnosed with anthrax after he collapsed following a performance he gave in Sayre, Pennsylvania.
This is an isolated incident that does not pose a threat to public health or safety and there's not a shred of evidence suggesting criminal or terrorist activity, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg emphasized.
Food Fact:
Sounds shellfishy...
Think you should avoid shrimp because it's high in cholesterol? Think again... All shellfish are low in fat, have almost no saturated fat, and fit squarely into a heart-healthy diet when boiled, steamed, grilled or pan-seared. The one no-no is ordering it fried, which boosts the fat totals way higher than they need to be.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Home sweat home.
A home gym can remake your body and save money -- if you know how to use it. For home exercise programs to succeed, you need to treat a room in your home like your own private health club. When you enter the room you have entered the gym. Be sure to establish a training time that you will stick to keep all other activities OUT of the room.
FAQ of the day:
What are the most cancer-protective vegetables?
In population surveys, the following categories seem to be the the most cancer-protective: Raw vegetables, alliums (onions, garlic), carrots, green vegetables, cruciferous vegetables and tomatoes.
A roll of quarters being used by a University of Texas student in Austin to do her laundry Friday was found to contain ricin, a deadly chemical for which there is no known antidote.
The student and her roommate were being treated Saturday for exposure to the substance, which is a by-product of castor beans, the Associated Press reported, although neither person has yet exhibited any symptoms of being affected by the chunky powder found in the roll of quarters.
"We were very concerned as soon as we heard about the positive testing late this evening," Dr. Theresa Spalding of UT Student Health Services, told the wire service Friday night. She added that the roll of quarters had been in the students' room at the Moore-Hill dormitory for several months.
As law enforcement official continue their investigation, the A.P. reports that the dorm was fumigated and students had been told they can return to the building.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ricin is a poison that can be in the form of a powder, a mist, or a pellet, or it can be dissolved in water or weak acid. It is not affected much by extreme conditions such as very hot or very cold temperatures.
Ricin may have some potential medical uses, the CDC says, such as bone marrow transplants and cancer treatment (to kill cancer cells). Unlike anthrax, ricin poisoning is not contagious. It cannot be spread from person to person through casual contact, according to the CDC.
Sheryl Crow Recovering From Breast Cancer Surgery
Speaking through her publicist, singer Sheryl Crow says she is recuperating from breast cancer surgery and that her doctors tell her she should recovery fully.
The Associated Press reports that Crow, 44, says she underwent minimally invasive surgery for breast cancer in a Los Angeles hospital Feb. 22 and will have follow-up radiation treatment. "Her doctors think her prognosis is excellent," Crow's publicist Dave Tomberlin told the wire service.
The singer, who recently amicably ended her engagement to champion bicyclist Lance Armstrong -- himself a cancer survivor -- also posted a statement on her Web site, emphasizing that she benefited from early detection and urged women to have regularly scheduled mammograms.
The A.P. quotes Armstrong as saying he was "devastated" by the news of Crow's illness. "Once again I'm reminded of just how pervasive this illness is, as it has now touched someone I love deeply," he said.
On her Web site Crow cited a cancer survivor group founded by Armstrong -- the LIVESTRONG Survivor Care group -- as a good source for information about the disease.
Glaxo Blocks Generic Nasal Spray Sales
GlaxoSmithKline has obtained a temporary restraining order blocking the shipment and sales of the just-approved generic competitor to its Flonase nasal spray for allergies.
A federal judge in Baltimore granted the 10-day order late Thursday, GlaxoSmithKline spokeswoman Mary Anne Rhyne said Friday, according to an Associated Press report.
The order covers Roxane Laboratories Inc.'s Fluticasone Propionate Nasal Spray, which the Food and Drug Administration approved Wednesday, as well as Par Pharmaceutical Companies Inc.'s own generic version of Flonase, which GlaxoSmithKline authorized.
Par said in a statement that it would comply with the order. Roxane Laboratories spokeswoman Dawn Plante said her company also ceased shipments, which had begun the day it received FDA approval.
But Plante said she expected that the restraining order would be lifted following a March 6 hearing.
"The FDA determined that Fluticasone is bioequivalent to Flonase, and we're confident that once the court has the opportunity to review the facts, the suspension will be lifted," Plante said.
The court order, which expires March 6, comes one day after GlaxoSmithKline sued the FDA alleging the agency failed to follow its own regulations in approving the Flonase generic and failed to apply the same quality standards, Rhyne said. The company made the same arguments in petitions it filed with the FDA, which the FDA rejected.
French Officials Awaiting Results of Turkey Bird Flu Tests
Bird flu has been found on a turkey farm in France, but officials said Friday that they're still awaiting test results to confirm whether it's the deadly H5N1 strain, Agence France Presse reported.
If confirmed, it would be the first outbreak of the virus in poultry stocks in France, which is the largest poultry producerer in the European Union (EU). The H5N1 virus has been found in wild birds in France.
So far, the virus has been confirmed in 10 European countries.
EU health ministers were scheduled to meet Friday with international health experts on how to deal with large-scale outbreaks of H5N1. It's expected the EU ministers will agree to launch a public education campaign to raise awareness about bird flu, AFP reported.
Since it first appeared in 2003, the H5N1 virus has devastated poultry flocks and killed 92 people. Experts fear it may mutate into a form that's easily transmitted between humans and spark a pandemic.
Meanwhile, a new poll shows that about 60 percent of Americans are concerned about bird flu, but fewer than a third believe it will show up in the United States this year. The poll of 1,043 adults also found that blacks are more worried about bird flu than whites, the Associated Press reported.
The poll also found that only 2 percent of the respondents had talked to their doctor about Tamiflu or other antiretroviral drugs that might be used to treat bird flu in humans. Even fewer reported that they'd obtained a prescription, the AP reported.
That seems to contradict reports that many Americans are trying to stockpile Tamiflu.
Three More People Placed on Antibiotics in Anthrax Case
As officials widened their investigation into an anthrax case in New York City, three people at a Brooklyn residence were placed under medical observation and put on antibiotics, Newsday reported.
In total, seven people in New York exposed to raw animal hides being used to make drums have been placed on antibiotics, the city's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene said in statement.
A 44-year-old Greenwich Village man with inhalation anthrax is listed in stable condition in a hospital in Pennsylvania. It's believed that Vado Diomande, a dancer and drummer, contracted the potentially fatal bacteria from untreated goat hides he got in West Africa two months ago, Newsday reported.
He was diagnosed with anthrax after he collapsed following a performance he gave in Sayre, Pennsylvania.
This is an isolated incident that does not pose a threat to public health or safety and there's not a shred of evidence suggesting criminal or terrorist activity, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg emphasized.
Food Fact:
Sounds shellfishy...
Think you should avoid shrimp because it's high in cholesterol? Think again... All shellfish are low in fat, have almost no saturated fat, and fit squarely into a heart-healthy diet when boiled, steamed, grilled or pan-seared. The one no-no is ordering it fried, which boosts the fat totals way higher than they need to be.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Home sweat home.
A home gym can remake your body and save money -- if you know how to use it. For home exercise programs to succeed, you need to treat a room in your home like your own private health club. When you enter the room you have entered the gym. Be sure to establish a training time that you will stick to keep all other activities OUT of the room.
FAQ of the day:
What are the most cancer-protective vegetables?
In population surveys, the following categories seem to be the the most cancer-protective: Raw vegetables, alliums (onions, garlic), carrots, green vegetables, cruciferous vegetables and tomatoes.
Friday, February 24, 2006
Health Headlines - February 24
French Officials Awaiting Results of Turkey Bird Flu Tests
Bird flu has been found on a turkey farm in France, but officials said Friday that they're still awaiting test results to confirm whether it's the deadly H5N1 strain, Agence France Presse reported.
If confirmed, it would be the first outbreak of the virus in poultry stocks in France, which is the largest poultry producerer in the European Union (EU). The H5N1 virus has been found in wild birds in France.
So far, the virus has been confirmed in 10 European countries.
EU health ministers were scheduled to meet Friday with international health experts on how to deal with large-scale outbreaks of H5N1. It's expected the EU ministers will agree to launch a public education campaign to raise awareness about bird flu, AFP reported.
Since it first appeared in 2003, the H5N1 virus has devastated poultry flocks and killed 92 people. Experts fear it may mutate into a form that's easily transmitted between humans and spark a pandemic.
Meanwhile, a new poll shows that about 60 percent of Americans are concerned about bird flu, but fewer than a third believe it will show up in the United States this year. The poll of 1,043 adults also found that blacks are more worried about bird flu than whites, the Associated Press reported.
The poll also found that only 2 percent of the respondents had talked to their doctor about Tamiflu or other antiretroviral drugs that might be used to treat bird flu in humans. Even fewer reported that they'd obtained a prescription, the AP reported.
That seems to contradict reports that many Americans are trying to stockpile Tamiflu.
Three More People Placed on Antibiotics in Anthrax Case
As officials widened their investigation into an anthrax case in New York City, three people at a Brooklyn residence were placed under medical observation and put on antibiotics, Newsday reported.
In total, seven people in New York exposed to raw animal hides being used to make drums have been placed on antibiotics, the city's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene said in statement.
A 44-year-old Greenwich Village man with inhalation anthrax is listed in stable condition in a hospital in Pennsylvania. It's believed that Vado Diomande, a dancer and drummer, contracted the potentially fatal bacteria from untreated goat hides he got in West Africa two months ago, Newsday reported.
He was diagnosed with anthrax after he collapsed following a performance he gave in Sayre, Pennsylvania.
This is an isolated incident that does not pose a threat to public health or safety and there's not a shred of evidence suggesting criminal or terrorist activity, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg emphasized.
Many Nursing Home Residents Need New Drug Benefit: Study
There's a greater than expected need for the new Medicare drug benefit in U.S. nursing homes, where 20 percent of residents lack prescription drug coverage, says a University of Maryland study in the March issue of the journal Medical Care.
Of the nursing home residents without prescription drug coverage, 37 percent have incomes below the federal poverty level and 35 percent have incomes between 100 and 200 percent of the poverty level.
The study authors concluded that "there is a much greater need for Part D drug coverage among nursing home residents than commonly thought." They also found that many nursing home residents would likely qualify for subsidized Part D coverage for those with low incomes.
The authors noted that 56 percent of nursing home residents on Medicare also qualify for Medicaid. This could leave them vulnerable to changes in access to drugs that they need as the system switches from Medicaid to Medicare drug benefits.
"The Medicare drug benefit is a potentially important benefit for many of our most vulnerable Americans, particularly patients with low incomes, who are in poor health. It will be important to monitor whether low-income nursing home residents qualify for premium and cost-sharing subsidies," said Karen Davis, president of the Commonwealth Fund, which provided financial support for the study.
Compounds May Slow Parkinson's Disease
The antibiotic minocycline and the muscle-related compound creatine may slow the progression of Parkinson's disease, suggests a pilot study funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
The study included 200 people in the earliest stages of Parkinson's disease who did not yet require any medication to control symptoms. The disease didn't seem to progress as rapidly in patients who took either minocycline or creatine as it did in patients who took a placebo, the Associated Press reported.
The findings were published online this week in the journal Neurology and presented Thursday at the World Parkinson Congress in Washington, D.C.
It's believed the two compounds may reduce a type of cellular stress or combat inflammation that can damage cells.
Minocycline is a prescription antibiotic while creatine is available in dietary supplements. However, researchers noted that creatine products in stores may not be as potent as those used in the study, the AP reported.
Industry Withheld Data on Chromium-Related Lung Cancer Risks
The chromium industry withheld important data on the links between hexavalent chromium and lung cancer when it presented research to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OHSA) last year, concludes a study by researchers at George Washington University and consumer advocacy group Public Citizen.
The study, published in the journal Environmental Health, charged that the chromium industry withheld the data because it was worried about stricter workplace regulations, the Associated Press reported.
About 380,000 jewelers, steelworkers and welders in the U.S. are exposed to hexavalent chromium on the job, the researchers said.
The study found that industry data submitted to the OHSA suggested that only the highest -- and not intermediate -- levels of exposure to the carcinogenic metal resulted in a significantly higher risk of lung cancer, the AP reported.
The revelation about the withheld data comes about a week before OHSA is set to issue a new standard on acceptable workplace levels of chromium. It's not clear what impact this study will have on that.
Current regulations limit chromium workplace levels to 52 micrograms per cubic meter. The OHSA supports restricting levels to 1 microgram per cubic meter, slightly lower than what's considered intermediate exposure. Public Citizen wants levels capped at 0.25 microgram per cubic meter, the AP reported.
Food Fact:
Fillet buster.
When trying to decide on the freshest fish, a few simple rules will help end the debate. First, let your nose by your guide. Fresh fish should smell like seawater, not "fishy." Fillets should look moist, not slimy or dried out. Fish has a reputation as "brain food," and while eating it hasn't been shown to actually increase your IQ, it's certainly smart to eat fish often. Fish is a protein with little artery-clogging saturated fat. Lean, white-fleshed fish, such as cod or flounder, has about one gram of fat and 125 calories in a 4-oz. portion.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Uncover hidden muscles.
The key to six-pack abs is not 500 sit-ups a day; it's skipping the excess calories. Improved muscle definition comes from losing body fat, not from increasing muscle size. For a healthy lean body, you need to find a balance between exercise and diet. Weight training will condition the muscle, but unless you address your total calorie intake, all that hard work will be hiding under a layer of fat.
FAQ of the day:
Why cut back on calories if I have diabetes?
Listen to your doctor. Cutting back on calories will improve your blood sugar, blood cholesterol profile and blood pressure -- classic signifiers of insulin resistance syndrome -- whether or not you lose weight. Even if you are eating only slightly more calories than you are burning each day, you are overloading your system, which is triggering an inherited tendency for Type 2 diabetes. If you continue to take in your current number of calories from middle age on, the imbalance will get worse, and your risk of heart disease will go up.
Bird flu has been found on a turkey farm in France, but officials said Friday that they're still awaiting test results to confirm whether it's the deadly H5N1 strain, Agence France Presse reported.
If confirmed, it would be the first outbreak of the virus in poultry stocks in France, which is the largest poultry producerer in the European Union (EU). The H5N1 virus has been found in wild birds in France.
So far, the virus has been confirmed in 10 European countries.
EU health ministers were scheduled to meet Friday with international health experts on how to deal with large-scale outbreaks of H5N1. It's expected the EU ministers will agree to launch a public education campaign to raise awareness about bird flu, AFP reported.
Since it first appeared in 2003, the H5N1 virus has devastated poultry flocks and killed 92 people. Experts fear it may mutate into a form that's easily transmitted between humans and spark a pandemic.
Meanwhile, a new poll shows that about 60 percent of Americans are concerned about bird flu, but fewer than a third believe it will show up in the United States this year. The poll of 1,043 adults also found that blacks are more worried about bird flu than whites, the Associated Press reported.
The poll also found that only 2 percent of the respondents had talked to their doctor about Tamiflu or other antiretroviral drugs that might be used to treat bird flu in humans. Even fewer reported that they'd obtained a prescription, the AP reported.
That seems to contradict reports that many Americans are trying to stockpile Tamiflu.
Three More People Placed on Antibiotics in Anthrax Case
As officials widened their investigation into an anthrax case in New York City, three people at a Brooklyn residence were placed under medical observation and put on antibiotics, Newsday reported.
In total, seven people in New York exposed to raw animal hides being used to make drums have been placed on antibiotics, the city's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene said in statement.
A 44-year-old Greenwich Village man with inhalation anthrax is listed in stable condition in a hospital in Pennsylvania. It's believed that Vado Diomande, a dancer and drummer, contracted the potentially fatal bacteria from untreated goat hides he got in West Africa two months ago, Newsday reported.
He was diagnosed with anthrax after he collapsed following a performance he gave in Sayre, Pennsylvania.
This is an isolated incident that does not pose a threat to public health or safety and there's not a shred of evidence suggesting criminal or terrorist activity, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg emphasized.
Many Nursing Home Residents Need New Drug Benefit: Study
There's a greater than expected need for the new Medicare drug benefit in U.S. nursing homes, where 20 percent of residents lack prescription drug coverage, says a University of Maryland study in the March issue of the journal Medical Care.
Of the nursing home residents without prescription drug coverage, 37 percent have incomes below the federal poverty level and 35 percent have incomes between 100 and 200 percent of the poverty level.
The study authors concluded that "there is a much greater need for Part D drug coverage among nursing home residents than commonly thought." They also found that many nursing home residents would likely qualify for subsidized Part D coverage for those with low incomes.
The authors noted that 56 percent of nursing home residents on Medicare also qualify for Medicaid. This could leave them vulnerable to changes in access to drugs that they need as the system switches from Medicaid to Medicare drug benefits.
"The Medicare drug benefit is a potentially important benefit for many of our most vulnerable Americans, particularly patients with low incomes, who are in poor health. It will be important to monitor whether low-income nursing home residents qualify for premium and cost-sharing subsidies," said Karen Davis, president of the Commonwealth Fund, which provided financial support for the study.
Compounds May Slow Parkinson's Disease
The antibiotic minocycline and the muscle-related compound creatine may slow the progression of Parkinson's disease, suggests a pilot study funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
The study included 200 people in the earliest stages of Parkinson's disease who did not yet require any medication to control symptoms. The disease didn't seem to progress as rapidly in patients who took either minocycline or creatine as it did in patients who took a placebo, the Associated Press reported.
The findings were published online this week in the journal Neurology and presented Thursday at the World Parkinson Congress in Washington, D.C.
It's believed the two compounds may reduce a type of cellular stress or combat inflammation that can damage cells.
Minocycline is a prescription antibiotic while creatine is available in dietary supplements. However, researchers noted that creatine products in stores may not be as potent as those used in the study, the AP reported.
Industry Withheld Data on Chromium-Related Lung Cancer Risks
The chromium industry withheld important data on the links between hexavalent chromium and lung cancer when it presented research to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OHSA) last year, concludes a study by researchers at George Washington University and consumer advocacy group Public Citizen.
The study, published in the journal Environmental Health, charged that the chromium industry withheld the data because it was worried about stricter workplace regulations, the Associated Press reported.
About 380,000 jewelers, steelworkers and welders in the U.S. are exposed to hexavalent chromium on the job, the researchers said.
The study found that industry data submitted to the OHSA suggested that only the highest -- and not intermediate -- levels of exposure to the carcinogenic metal resulted in a significantly higher risk of lung cancer, the AP reported.
The revelation about the withheld data comes about a week before OHSA is set to issue a new standard on acceptable workplace levels of chromium. It's not clear what impact this study will have on that.
Current regulations limit chromium workplace levels to 52 micrograms per cubic meter. The OHSA supports restricting levels to 1 microgram per cubic meter, slightly lower than what's considered intermediate exposure. Public Citizen wants levels capped at 0.25 microgram per cubic meter, the AP reported.
Food Fact:
Fillet buster.
When trying to decide on the freshest fish, a few simple rules will help end the debate. First, let your nose by your guide. Fresh fish should smell like seawater, not "fishy." Fillets should look moist, not slimy or dried out. Fish has a reputation as "brain food," and while eating it hasn't been shown to actually increase your IQ, it's certainly smart to eat fish often. Fish is a protein with little artery-clogging saturated fat. Lean, white-fleshed fish, such as cod or flounder, has about one gram of fat and 125 calories in a 4-oz. portion.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Uncover hidden muscles.
The key to six-pack abs is not 500 sit-ups a day; it's skipping the excess calories. Improved muscle definition comes from losing body fat, not from increasing muscle size. For a healthy lean body, you need to find a balance between exercise and diet. Weight training will condition the muscle, but unless you address your total calorie intake, all that hard work will be hiding under a layer of fat.
FAQ of the day:
Why cut back on calories if I have diabetes?
Listen to your doctor. Cutting back on calories will improve your blood sugar, blood cholesterol profile and blood pressure -- classic signifiers of insulin resistance syndrome -- whether or not you lose weight. Even if you are eating only slightly more calories than you are burning each day, you are overloading your system, which is triggering an inherited tendency for Type 2 diabetes. If you continue to take in your current number of calories from middle age on, the imbalance will get worse, and your risk of heart disease will go up.
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Health Headlines - February 23
U.S. Panel Recommends Flu Shots for Children Ages 2 to 5
U.S. children ages 2 to 5 should get flu shots, the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended Wednesday.
The panel also recommended regular flu shots for people who provide in-home and out-of-home care for children ages 2 to 5. Committee members voted against encouraging all Americans to get a flu shot, citing the need for further study and planning, the Associated Press reported.
The committee's advice is normally accepted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which issues vaccination guidelines to doctors and hospitals.
Currently, flu shots are recommended for children ages 6 months to 23 months, people 65 and older, pregnant women, and people of all ages with chronic health problems. This recommendation would add 5.3 million healthy U.S. children to the list, the AP reported.
The panel's decision was welcomed by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID).
"This augmented vaccination approach is a positive step toward protecting an increased number of children from this serious respiratory illness and its dangerous complications," Dr. Carol J. Baker, NFID president elect, said in a prepared statement.
Metal Particles Prompt Baby Formula Recall
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a nationwide recall for some GENTLEASE powdered infant formula that may contain metal particles up to 2.7 millimeters in size.
The recall affects 41,464 24-ounce cans of formula with lot number BMJ19, use by 1 Jul 07, which can be found on the bottom of the can. Anyone with a can from this batch of formula should not use the product and should contact manufacturer Mead Johnson at 1-888-587-7275.
While no injuries have been reported, the presence of the metal particles could pose a serious risk to an infant's throat or respiratory system if an infant inhaled the formula, the FDA said.
Any injuries would likely show up within three to four hours after using the formula and symptoms would vary depending on whether there is damage to the throat or lungs. Coughing, difficulty swallowing or difficulty breathing may be signs of throat damage. Coughing and difficulty breathing could be signs of damage to the lungs.
Anyone who has fed formula from this batch to their baby and has concerns about their baby's health should contact their doctor for advice, the FDA said. The agency and Mead Johnson are investigating how the metal particles ended up in the formula.
Editors and Authors Clash Over Vioxx Study
In letters released Thursday, the editors of the New England Journal of Medicine squared off with the authors of a disputed study that compared the Vioxx pain pill to another prescription painkiller called naproxen.
The letters, posted on the journal's Web site, give conflicting opinions about the accuracy of the study. They will appear in the March 16 print issue of the journal, Bloomberg news reported.
The disputed study was published by the New England Journal of Medicine in 2000. In their letter, the editors repeated their concern that the study was "misleading" because it had left out three heart attack cases, an omission the editors said skewed the study's findings.
The study "did not accurately reflect the potential for serious cardiovascular toxicity. We therefore reaffirm our expression of concern," the editors wrote.
The researchers rejected a request by the editors to correct the study, and wrote, "We stand by our original article, which was written in line with basic clinical trial principles. Cardiovascular events were not deleted from the manuscript, and there is no material difference in the conclusions that arise from the addition of the events" that occurred after the trial was halted.
Vioxx was pulled from the market in 2004 after a study found that the painkiller doubled the risk of heart attack after 18 months of use.
American Infected With Inhaled Anthrax
A 44-year-old New York City man has been diagnosed with inhaled anthrax, which officials believe he probably contracted naturally by working with African animal hides used to make drums, the Associated Press has reported.
The case is not believed related to terrorism, and doesn't appear to pose a public health threat, New York City television station WABC TV quotes Mayor Michael Bloomberg as saying. "We have every reason to believe this infection is an accidental ... case. No other cases have been reported whatsoever," Bloomberg said at a news conference.
The drum maker, identified as Vado Diomande, recently traveled to Africa and became sick last week upon his return to the United States, the AP said. At least four others who may have been exposed are being given antibiotics.
Officials were running tests on the man's rented workspace in Brooklyn, N.Y., his car, and his Manhattan apartment, Bloomberg told the AP.
The man was recovering at a hospital in Sayre, Pa., where he had been attending a dance recital and collapsed during the performance, the wire service said.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed the man's illness as inhalation anthrax, the AP said. Anthrax spores are found naturally in many parts of the world, and can be transmitted to livestock via contaminated soil or feed. People can acquire the infection by coming in contact with the animals or contaminated body parts.
Shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, several letters containing inhaled anthrax were mailed to various points nationwide, including to prominent media and congressional figures. The still unsolved attacks killed five people and sickened 17, the AP said.
FDA Approves First Generic Form of Flonase
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Wednesday it had approved the first generic version of the anti-allergy medication Flonase.
Like GlaxoSmithKline's brand-name equivalent, the new generic (Fluticasone Propionate Nasal Spray) is an inhaled corticosteroid approved for adults and children over 4 years of age for the relief of nasal symptoms linked to allergic or non-allergic rhinitis.
GlaxoSmithKline introduced Flonase in 1994, and its patents on the drug ran out in late November.
"Except for their price, which is much lower, generic drugs are in every way equivalent to their brand-name counterparts," Dr. Steven Galson, director of FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a prepared statement.
FDA's iPledge Program to Begin March 1
Despite objections from dermatologists, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will stick to March 1 as the start date for iPledge, a program designed to prevent birth defects caused by an acne drug.
The iPledge goal is to register women of childbearing age who use the drug Accutane and its generic versions and to require them to have pregnancy tests before getting a prescription for the drugs.
Dermatologists argue that the program to prevent pregnant women from using the drug may keep the drug away from patients who need it to treat severe acne, the Associated Press reported.
The FDA already delayed implementation of iPledge, which had been scheduled to take effect last November.
Food Fact:
Super nova
Eating one meal of salmon a week can spawn a much healthier you. Salmon and other fatty fish like mackerel or bluefish contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are linked to a lower risk of heart attacks. As little as one weekly serving of fish can cut a middle-aged adult's chances of a fatal heart attack by as much as 50%. More good news: Eating fish rich in omega-3s helps reduce diabetes risk, in part by lowering blood triglycerides. Conversely, diets low in omega-3 fatty acids may contribute to insulin resistance, a risk for developing diabetes. Salmon also bolsters your body's ability to process serotonin, which can help relieve a tendency toward depression. Poach it. Grill it. Pan-sear it. Bake it. Just eat it.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Water on the knee?
Here's a tip for anyone whose exercise routine is hindered by sore knees. A water aerobics class is a perfect way to exercise while minimizing stress on your joints. The water provides a fair amount of resistance, yet at the same time it provides a vital protective cushion for sore joints.
FAQ of the day:
Why is fat so fattening?
Fat has more calories than carbohydrate, in part because it has a different balance of oxygen and carbon atoms; a gram of fat has 9 calories, while a gram of carbohydrates has 4. Also, carbohydrate-rich foods absorb water while fat does not, which makes a big difference in calories. Apple slices, which are mostly carbohydrates and water, have 65 calories per cup. Lard, which is nearly pure fat, contains 1,850 calories in a cup.
U.S. children ages 2 to 5 should get flu shots, the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended Wednesday.
The panel also recommended regular flu shots for people who provide in-home and out-of-home care for children ages 2 to 5. Committee members voted against encouraging all Americans to get a flu shot, citing the need for further study and planning, the Associated Press reported.
The committee's advice is normally accepted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which issues vaccination guidelines to doctors and hospitals.
Currently, flu shots are recommended for children ages 6 months to 23 months, people 65 and older, pregnant women, and people of all ages with chronic health problems. This recommendation would add 5.3 million healthy U.S. children to the list, the AP reported.
The panel's decision was welcomed by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID).
"This augmented vaccination approach is a positive step toward protecting an increased number of children from this serious respiratory illness and its dangerous complications," Dr. Carol J. Baker, NFID president elect, said in a prepared statement.
Metal Particles Prompt Baby Formula Recall
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a nationwide recall for some GENTLEASE powdered infant formula that may contain metal particles up to 2.7 millimeters in size.
The recall affects 41,464 24-ounce cans of formula with lot number BMJ19, use by 1 Jul 07, which can be found on the bottom of the can. Anyone with a can from this batch of formula should not use the product and should contact manufacturer Mead Johnson at 1-888-587-7275.
While no injuries have been reported, the presence of the metal particles could pose a serious risk to an infant's throat or respiratory system if an infant inhaled the formula, the FDA said.
Any injuries would likely show up within three to four hours after using the formula and symptoms would vary depending on whether there is damage to the throat or lungs. Coughing, difficulty swallowing or difficulty breathing may be signs of throat damage. Coughing and difficulty breathing could be signs of damage to the lungs.
Anyone who has fed formula from this batch to their baby and has concerns about their baby's health should contact their doctor for advice, the FDA said. The agency and Mead Johnson are investigating how the metal particles ended up in the formula.
Editors and Authors Clash Over Vioxx Study
In letters released Thursday, the editors of the New England Journal of Medicine squared off with the authors of a disputed study that compared the Vioxx pain pill to another prescription painkiller called naproxen.
The letters, posted on the journal's Web site, give conflicting opinions about the accuracy of the study. They will appear in the March 16 print issue of the journal, Bloomberg news reported.
The disputed study was published by the New England Journal of Medicine in 2000. In their letter, the editors repeated their concern that the study was "misleading" because it had left out three heart attack cases, an omission the editors said skewed the study's findings.
The study "did not accurately reflect the potential for serious cardiovascular toxicity. We therefore reaffirm our expression of concern," the editors wrote.
The researchers rejected a request by the editors to correct the study, and wrote, "We stand by our original article, which was written in line with basic clinical trial principles. Cardiovascular events were not deleted from the manuscript, and there is no material difference in the conclusions that arise from the addition of the events" that occurred after the trial was halted.
Vioxx was pulled from the market in 2004 after a study found that the painkiller doubled the risk of heart attack after 18 months of use.
American Infected With Inhaled Anthrax
A 44-year-old New York City man has been diagnosed with inhaled anthrax, which officials believe he probably contracted naturally by working with African animal hides used to make drums, the Associated Press has reported.
The case is not believed related to terrorism, and doesn't appear to pose a public health threat, New York City television station WABC TV quotes Mayor Michael Bloomberg as saying. "We have every reason to believe this infection is an accidental ... case. No other cases have been reported whatsoever," Bloomberg said at a news conference.
The drum maker, identified as Vado Diomande, recently traveled to Africa and became sick last week upon his return to the United States, the AP said. At least four others who may have been exposed are being given antibiotics.
Officials were running tests on the man's rented workspace in Brooklyn, N.Y., his car, and his Manhattan apartment, Bloomberg told the AP.
The man was recovering at a hospital in Sayre, Pa., where he had been attending a dance recital and collapsed during the performance, the wire service said.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed the man's illness as inhalation anthrax, the AP said. Anthrax spores are found naturally in many parts of the world, and can be transmitted to livestock via contaminated soil or feed. People can acquire the infection by coming in contact with the animals or contaminated body parts.
Shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, several letters containing inhaled anthrax were mailed to various points nationwide, including to prominent media and congressional figures. The still unsolved attacks killed five people and sickened 17, the AP said.
FDA Approves First Generic Form of Flonase
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Wednesday it had approved the first generic version of the anti-allergy medication Flonase.
Like GlaxoSmithKline's brand-name equivalent, the new generic (Fluticasone Propionate Nasal Spray) is an inhaled corticosteroid approved for adults and children over 4 years of age for the relief of nasal symptoms linked to allergic or non-allergic rhinitis.
GlaxoSmithKline introduced Flonase in 1994, and its patents on the drug ran out in late November.
"Except for their price, which is much lower, generic drugs are in every way equivalent to their brand-name counterparts," Dr. Steven Galson, director of FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a prepared statement.
FDA's iPledge Program to Begin March 1
Despite objections from dermatologists, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will stick to March 1 as the start date for iPledge, a program designed to prevent birth defects caused by an acne drug.
The iPledge goal is to register women of childbearing age who use the drug Accutane and its generic versions and to require them to have pregnancy tests before getting a prescription for the drugs.
Dermatologists argue that the program to prevent pregnant women from using the drug may keep the drug away from patients who need it to treat severe acne, the Associated Press reported.
The FDA already delayed implementation of iPledge, which had been scheduled to take effect last November.
Food Fact:
Super nova
Eating one meal of salmon a week can spawn a much healthier you. Salmon and other fatty fish like mackerel or bluefish contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are linked to a lower risk of heart attacks. As little as one weekly serving of fish can cut a middle-aged adult's chances of a fatal heart attack by as much as 50%. More good news: Eating fish rich in omega-3s helps reduce diabetes risk, in part by lowering blood triglycerides. Conversely, diets low in omega-3 fatty acids may contribute to insulin resistance, a risk for developing diabetes. Salmon also bolsters your body's ability to process serotonin, which can help relieve a tendency toward depression. Poach it. Grill it. Pan-sear it. Bake it. Just eat it.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Water on the knee?
Here's a tip for anyone whose exercise routine is hindered by sore knees. A water aerobics class is a perfect way to exercise while minimizing stress on your joints. The water provides a fair amount of resistance, yet at the same time it provides a vital protective cushion for sore joints.
FAQ of the day:
Why is fat so fattening?
Fat has more calories than carbohydrate, in part because it has a different balance of oxygen and carbon atoms; a gram of fat has 9 calories, while a gram of carbohydrates has 4. Also, carbohydrate-rich foods absorb water while fat does not, which makes a big difference in calories. Apple slices, which are mostly carbohydrates and water, have 65 calories per cup. Lard, which is nearly pure fat, contains 1,850 calories in a cup.
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Health Headlines - February 22
Report Slams New Medicare Drug Program Costs
It will cost American taxpayers and seniors more than $80 billion a year to pay for specific provisions of the new Medicare drug program that were included at the request of drug companies and HMO's, according to a report by the Institute for America's Future and the Center for Economic and Policy Research.
The report said that health insurance, health services and drug company profits will increase by at least 500 percent as the new legislation goes into effect. It also noted that health industry political donations totaled $96 million from 2000 to 2004, with 71 percent of that money going to Republicans.
"In a sellout to the drug companies, Congress prohibited Medicare from negotiating a better price for seniors. Then it threw in billions of subsidies to HMOs, adding another layer of confusion, bureaucracy and costs to the program. America's most vulnerable -- seniors in need of prescription drugs -- will pay the cost of this corruption," Roger Hickey, co-director of the Institute for America's Future, said in a prepared statement.
Report author Dr. Dean Baker said the primary problem is the Bush administration's decision to provide coverage through private insurers and to prohibit Medicare from using its power as a bulk purchaser to negotiate lower drug prices.
U.S. Federal Panel Recommends Rotavirus Vaccine for Babies
A U.S. federal advisory panel decided Tuesday that every healthy newborn in the country should be given a new oral vaccine called RotaTeq that protects against the rotavirus intestinal germ, the Washington Post reported.
The vaccine was approved early this month by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Tuesday's decision by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices comes nearly seven years after an earlier rotavirus vaccine called RotaShield was taken off the market because it caused a potentially fatal form of intestinal blockage in some infants.
In light of that problem, vaccine safety advocates are telling parents to be wary about this new vaccine, the Post reported.
The advisory panel's decision means that, beginning almost immediately, pediatricians will recommend a three-dose treatment of RotaTeq for every child at two months, four months and six months old.
Medicare to Cover Obesity Surgery for Elderly and Disabled People
New U.S. national standards for Medicare coverage of obesity surgery announced Tuesday were welcomed by healthcare officials.
Previously, the rules for reimbursement of this type of surgery varied across the country. The new regulations mean that Medicare will cover certain gastric bypass and banding procedures across the country for elderly and disabled people, the Associated Press reported.
Coverage will not be provided to Medicare beneficiaries who are only overweight -- they must also have at least one disease associated with obesity, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension.
Medicare had been considering excluding coverage of obesity surgery for the elderly and expanding it for disabled people. However, a review of new data showed there was no reason to exclude elderly people from the procedures.
"The new rules represent formal recognition of morbid obesity as a severe health problem," Dr. Neil Hutcher, president of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery, told the AP.
He said it would put pressure on private insurers to follow the lead of the government.
U.S. Supreme Court Reopens Late-Term Abortion Ban Issue
On Justice Samuel Alito Jr.'s first day on the bench, the U.S. Supreme Court announced it will hear a challenge to a federal law that bans late-term abortion, The New York Times reported.
The Partial Birth Abortion Act was passed in 2003 but was immediately challenged in court and has never taken effect.
Within the last year, three federal appeals courts have ruled the law unconstitutional. Their rulings were based on a 2000 Supreme Court decision against a similar law in Nebraska.
The 2000 Supreme Court ruling said that any abortion ban must include an exception for the health of the mother
The announcement Tuesday that the Supreme Court will reopen the issue comes just three weeks after Alito was sworn in to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. During Alito's confirmation process, there were many questions about his views on abortion.
Tuesday's move by the Supreme Court is likely to re-ignite debate about how it will rule on efforts to limit abortion rights, The Times reported.
Heart Attack Linked to Later Bone Density Loss in Men
Male heart attack survivors have an increased risk of bone density loss and osteoporosis in later life, says a Tulane University study in the journal Osteoporosis International.
Researchers analyzed data from 5,050 U.S. men and women who took part in a national health and nutrition survey between 1988 and 1994.
"According to our data, people who reported a previous heart attack were more likely to have low bone mineral density than those who did not report a heart attack, but when examining this association separately for men and women, it was only significant for men," study author Jeanette H. Magnus said in a prepared statement.
Heart attack wasn't the only factor associated with bone density loss. The researchers also found that cigarette smoking, lack of physical activity, and being overweight also increased the risk of bone density loss.
"We have long known that heart disease and osteoporosis have similar risk factors, but this is the first study to examine the relationship between heart attack survivors and low bone mineral density," Magnus said.
"We recommend that men who survive heart attacks be screened for bone density loss," she concluded.
ReNu Contact Lens Solution Taken Off Market in Singapore
A spike in rare eye infections has prompted U.S. eyecare company Bausch & Lomb Inc. to suspend sales of its ReNu contact lens solution in Singapore.
The move is a precautionary measure and, "investigations are still ongoing on the cause of the recent reported incidence of contact lens-related fungal corneal infections," the Singapore health ministry said Tuesday.
This kind of infection can cause significant loss of vision and, in serious cases, patients may require corneal transplant, MarketWatch reported.
The health ministry said 39 cases of fungal corneal infection have been detected over the past year in people who use contact lenses. Of those 39 cases, it was confirmed that 34 people used ReNu. Four people were unsure of the brand they used and one other person used a different brand of contact lens solution.
The ReNu solution sold in Singapore is made at Bausch & Lomb's plant in North Carolina.
Food Fact:
Boil meets grill.
If you're boiling vegetables, you're losing key nutrients. There is a better way. Turn up the oven to 425 degrees and roast 'em. High heat seals in the veggies' juices -- and the nutrients, which leech out in boiling water. The flavor is remarkably better, too -- roasting caramelizes veggies' natural sugars, and you won't need a pat of butter or a cheese sauce to dress them up. When roasting, cut the vegetable into evenly sized pieces to ensure even cooking. Spray a baking sheet with heart-healthy canola or olive oil. Spread the veggies evenly out on the sheet, and spray with the oil. Add your favorite seasoning and roast until the veggies are tender on the inside.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Prestretch routines.
Do you know the one thing you should always do before stretching? To prevent injury you should perform at least 10-15 minutes of cardiovascular exercise (walking, biking) prior to stretching. Never stretch a "cold muscle" -- one that does not have sufficient blood flowing through the tissue to be stretched.
FAQ of the day:
Do I burn calories even when I'm just sitting around?
You burn calories all the time, even when you're asleep. Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the amount of energy (calories) your body uses for basic chores such as breathing, circulating blood, powering the nervous system and maintaining body temperature. A normal BMR for the average healthy male is around 1 calorie per kilogram (2.2 lbs) of body weight per hour; for women it is slightly lower, at around .9 calorie/kg/hr. But BMRs are very personal. Body composition helps determine BMR; a woman's BMR is generally lower than a man's because she carries more body fat. Other factors that affect BMR include age, activity level, nutrition, growth, pregnancy, body size and overall health.
It will cost American taxpayers and seniors more than $80 billion a year to pay for specific provisions of the new Medicare drug program that were included at the request of drug companies and HMO's, according to a report by the Institute for America's Future and the Center for Economic and Policy Research.
The report said that health insurance, health services and drug company profits will increase by at least 500 percent as the new legislation goes into effect. It also noted that health industry political donations totaled $96 million from 2000 to 2004, with 71 percent of that money going to Republicans.
"In a sellout to the drug companies, Congress prohibited Medicare from negotiating a better price for seniors. Then it threw in billions of subsidies to HMOs, adding another layer of confusion, bureaucracy and costs to the program. America's most vulnerable -- seniors in need of prescription drugs -- will pay the cost of this corruption," Roger Hickey, co-director of the Institute for America's Future, said in a prepared statement.
Report author Dr. Dean Baker said the primary problem is the Bush administration's decision to provide coverage through private insurers and to prohibit Medicare from using its power as a bulk purchaser to negotiate lower drug prices.
U.S. Federal Panel Recommends Rotavirus Vaccine for Babies
A U.S. federal advisory panel decided Tuesday that every healthy newborn in the country should be given a new oral vaccine called RotaTeq that protects against the rotavirus intestinal germ, the Washington Post reported.
The vaccine was approved early this month by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Tuesday's decision by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices comes nearly seven years after an earlier rotavirus vaccine called RotaShield was taken off the market because it caused a potentially fatal form of intestinal blockage in some infants.
In light of that problem, vaccine safety advocates are telling parents to be wary about this new vaccine, the Post reported.
The advisory panel's decision means that, beginning almost immediately, pediatricians will recommend a three-dose treatment of RotaTeq for every child at two months, four months and six months old.
Medicare to Cover Obesity Surgery for Elderly and Disabled People
New U.S. national standards for Medicare coverage of obesity surgery announced Tuesday were welcomed by healthcare officials.
Previously, the rules for reimbursement of this type of surgery varied across the country. The new regulations mean that Medicare will cover certain gastric bypass and banding procedures across the country for elderly and disabled people, the Associated Press reported.
Coverage will not be provided to Medicare beneficiaries who are only overweight -- they must also have at least one disease associated with obesity, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension.
Medicare had been considering excluding coverage of obesity surgery for the elderly and expanding it for disabled people. However, a review of new data showed there was no reason to exclude elderly people from the procedures.
"The new rules represent formal recognition of morbid obesity as a severe health problem," Dr. Neil Hutcher, president of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery, told the AP.
He said it would put pressure on private insurers to follow the lead of the government.
U.S. Supreme Court Reopens Late-Term Abortion Ban Issue
On Justice Samuel Alito Jr.'s first day on the bench, the U.S. Supreme Court announced it will hear a challenge to a federal law that bans late-term abortion, The New York Times reported.
The Partial Birth Abortion Act was passed in 2003 but was immediately challenged in court and has never taken effect.
Within the last year, three federal appeals courts have ruled the law unconstitutional. Their rulings were based on a 2000 Supreme Court decision against a similar law in Nebraska.
The 2000 Supreme Court ruling said that any abortion ban must include an exception for the health of the mother
The announcement Tuesday that the Supreme Court will reopen the issue comes just three weeks after Alito was sworn in to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. During Alito's confirmation process, there were many questions about his views on abortion.
Tuesday's move by the Supreme Court is likely to re-ignite debate about how it will rule on efforts to limit abortion rights, The Times reported.
Heart Attack Linked to Later Bone Density Loss in Men
Male heart attack survivors have an increased risk of bone density loss and osteoporosis in later life, says a Tulane University study in the journal Osteoporosis International.
Researchers analyzed data from 5,050 U.S. men and women who took part in a national health and nutrition survey between 1988 and 1994.
"According to our data, people who reported a previous heart attack were more likely to have low bone mineral density than those who did not report a heart attack, but when examining this association separately for men and women, it was only significant for men," study author Jeanette H. Magnus said in a prepared statement.
Heart attack wasn't the only factor associated with bone density loss. The researchers also found that cigarette smoking, lack of physical activity, and being overweight also increased the risk of bone density loss.
"We have long known that heart disease and osteoporosis have similar risk factors, but this is the first study to examine the relationship between heart attack survivors and low bone mineral density," Magnus said.
"We recommend that men who survive heart attacks be screened for bone density loss," she concluded.
ReNu Contact Lens Solution Taken Off Market in Singapore
A spike in rare eye infections has prompted U.S. eyecare company Bausch & Lomb Inc. to suspend sales of its ReNu contact lens solution in Singapore.
The move is a precautionary measure and, "investigations are still ongoing on the cause of the recent reported incidence of contact lens-related fungal corneal infections," the Singapore health ministry said Tuesday.
This kind of infection can cause significant loss of vision and, in serious cases, patients may require corneal transplant, MarketWatch reported.
The health ministry said 39 cases of fungal corneal infection have been detected over the past year in people who use contact lenses. Of those 39 cases, it was confirmed that 34 people used ReNu. Four people were unsure of the brand they used and one other person used a different brand of contact lens solution.
The ReNu solution sold in Singapore is made at Bausch & Lomb's plant in North Carolina.
Food Fact:
Boil meets grill.
If you're boiling vegetables, you're losing key nutrients. There is a better way. Turn up the oven to 425 degrees and roast 'em. High heat seals in the veggies' juices -- and the nutrients, which leech out in boiling water. The flavor is remarkably better, too -- roasting caramelizes veggies' natural sugars, and you won't need a pat of butter or a cheese sauce to dress them up. When roasting, cut the vegetable into evenly sized pieces to ensure even cooking. Spray a baking sheet with heart-healthy canola or olive oil. Spread the veggies evenly out on the sheet, and spray with the oil. Add your favorite seasoning and roast until the veggies are tender on the inside.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Prestretch routines.
Do you know the one thing you should always do before stretching? To prevent injury you should perform at least 10-15 minutes of cardiovascular exercise (walking, biking) prior to stretching. Never stretch a "cold muscle" -- one that does not have sufficient blood flowing through the tissue to be stretched.
FAQ of the day:
Do I burn calories even when I'm just sitting around?
You burn calories all the time, even when you're asleep. Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the amount of energy (calories) your body uses for basic chores such as breathing, circulating blood, powering the nervous system and maintaining body temperature. A normal BMR for the average healthy male is around 1 calorie per kilogram (2.2 lbs) of body weight per hour; for women it is slightly lower, at around .9 calorie/kg/hr. But BMRs are very personal. Body composition helps determine BMR; a woman's BMR is generally lower than a man's because she carries more body fat. Other factors that affect BMR include age, activity level, nutrition, growth, pregnancy, body size and overall health.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Health Headlines - February 21
U.S. Supreme Court Reopens Late-Term Abortion Ban Issue
On Justice Samuel Alito Jr.'s first day on the bench, the U.S. Supreme Court announced it will hear a challenge to a federal law that bans late-term abortion, The New York Times reported.
The Partial Birth Abortion Act was passed in 2003 but was immediately challenged in court and has never taken effect.
Within the last year, three federal appeals courts have ruled the law unconstitutional. Their rulings were based on a 2000 Supreme Court decision against a similar law in Nebraska.
The 2000 Supreme Court ruling said that any abortion ban must include an exception for the health of the mother
The announcement Tuesday that the Supreme Court will reopen the issue comes just three weeks after Alito was sworn in to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. During Alito's confirmation process, there were many questions about his views on abortion.
Tuesday's move by the Supreme Court is likely to re-ignite debate about how it will rule on efforts to limit abortion rights, The Times reported.
Heart Attack Linked to Later Bone Density Loss in Men
Male heart attack survivors have an increased risk of bone density loss and osteoporosis in later life, says a Tulane University study in the journal Osteoporosis International.
Researchers analyzed data from 5,050 U.S. men and women who took part in a national health and nutrition survey between 1988 and 1994.
"According to our data, people who reported a previous heart attack were more likely to have low bone mineral density than those who did not report a heart attack, but when examining this association separately for men and women, it was only significant for men," study author Jeanette H. Magnus said in a prepared statement.
Heart attack wasn't the only factor associated with bone density loss. The researchers also found that cigarette smoking, lack of physical activity, and being overweight also increased the risk of bone density loss.
"We have long known that heart disease and osteoporosis have similar risk factors, but this is the first study to examine the relationship between heart attack survivors and low bone mineral density," Magnus said.
"We recommend that men who survive heart attacks be screened for bone density loss," she concluded.
ReNu Contact Lens Solution Taken Off Market in Singapore
A spike in rare eye infections has prompted U.S. eyecare company Bausch & Lomb Inc. to suspend sales of its ReNu contact lens solution in Singapore.
The move is a precautionary measure and, "investigations are still ongoing on the cause of the recent reported incidence of contact lens-related fungal corneal infections," the Singapore health ministry said Tuesday.
This kind of infection can cause significant loss of vision and, in serious cases, patients may require corneal transplant, MarketWatch reported.
The health ministry said 39 cases of fungal corneal infection have been detected over the past year in people who use contact lenses. Of those 39 cases, it was confirmed that 34 people used ReNu. Four people were unsure of the brand they used and one other person used a different brand of contact lens solution.
The ReNu solution sold in Singapore is made at Bausch & Lomb's plant in North Carolina.
Hungary Confirms First Bird Flu Cases
Test results released Tuesday showed that three dead swans found in Hungary had the H5N1 bird flu virus -- the first confirmed cases in that country.
In Malaysia, culling of birds resumed after that country reported its first case of bird flu in a year, and Germany confirmed 22 new cases of bird flu in swans.
In Hong Kong, bird flu was detected in a dead magpie found near a flower market and a massive slaughter of chickens in western India has been expanded, the Associated Press reported.
The Indian government plans to kill a total of 700,000 chickens in the Navapur district, and has ordered 48 farms in the area to be emptied and remain closed for three months.
Along with killing birds, the Malaysian government has ordered house-to-house searches for sick people in an area where bird flu killed 40 chickens last week. The area is located close to the country's capital, Kuala Lumpur, the AP reported.
In Europe, veterinary experts debated the use of poultry vaccines to protect commercial poultry stocks. France and the Netherlands support the idea while several other countries say it would be too costly and difficult.
Bird flu has been confirmed in seven European Nations -- Austria, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, France and Slovenia.
50-Something Men Happy With Sex Lives
Despite declining sex drives and more problems with impotence, men in their 50s have more satisfying sex lives than men in their 30s, says a survey of 1,185 men aged 20 to 79.
In fact, men in their 50s reported being as happy with their sex lives as men in their 20s, the American and Norwegian researchers reported. The findings appear in the urology journal BJU International.
The men rated their satisfaction with various aspects of their sex life on a scale of zero to four -- with four being the highest, BBC News reported.
Men in their 20s had an average overall satisfaction level of 2.79, while men in their 50s had an average of 2.77. Men in their 30s had an average of 2.55 and men in their 40s scored an average of 2.72.
When it came to sexual function, scores moved steadily downward with age. For example, men in their 20s had an average score of 2.79 for sexual drive, compared with 1.54 for men in their 70s, BBC News reported.
"Our results show that, although men experience more problems and less sexual function as they get older, it doesn't necessarily follow that they are less satisfied with their sex lives," the study authors noted.
White House Wants Military Retirees to Pay More for Health Care
U.S. military retirees would have to pay more for health care under a Bush administration proposal that includes increased annual enrollment fees for retirees younger than 65 years old.
The proposal would also increase prescription drug co-payments for all beneficiaries of military health care, except people on active duty, the Associated Press reported.
Current enrollment fees for the Pentagon's health-care system, TRICARE, are $230 a year for an individual and $460 a year for a family. The Bush plan would increase the individual cost to between $325 and $700 by 2006, and the family cost to between $650 and $1,400. The fees would vary according to military rank at the time of retirement.
In the past five years, annual health-care costs for the U.S. military have doubled, to nearly $38 billion, and are projected to reach $64 billion by 2015. Health care accounts for nearly one dollar of every $12 spent by the Pentagon, the AP reported.
Health Tip: Are Artificial Sweeteners Safe?
Between meals, snacks and drinks, the average American eats the equivalent of about 20 teaspoonfuls of sugar a day, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says.
To save calories and still satisfy a craving for sweets, many people have turned to artificial sweeteners such as saccharin and aspartame.
In an article published in the online magazine FDA Consumer, the agency said, "Questions still linger about whether saccharin may cause cancer in humans, and though the sweetener is still widely used, it carries a label that warns of its potential risks."
Aspartame, the agency continued, "has come under fire in recent years from individuals who have used the Internet in an attempt to link the sweetener to brain tumors and other serious disorders. But FDA stands behind its original approval of aspartame, and subsequent evaluations have shown that the product is safe."
"A tiny segment of the population is sensitive to one of the sweetener's byproducts and should restrict intake. However, the agency continually monitors safety information on food ingredients such as aspartame and may take action to protect public health if it receives credible scientific evidence indicating a safety problem," the FDA publication said.
Health Tip: Signs of Autism
Autism, a complex neurological disease, often appears in infants as a lack of responsiveness to others.
The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke says symptoms of the disease include:
Impaired social interaction, which can range from inability to connect with others, to an obsessive focusing on one thing to the exclusion of anything else.
Problems with verbal or nonverbal communication.
Repetitive behaviors, such as rocking or twirling.
Failing to respond to one's name and avoiding eye contact.
Researchers do not know what causes autism, though there may be a genetic link.
There is no cure for autism. But some with the disorder can improve with therapy.
Food Fact:
Raspberry preserve.
Fresh raspberries are delicious -- but fragile. Here's how to treat them right. Because all fresh berries are highly perishable, they should be refrigerated (unwashed) as soon as possible after they're picked. Before refrigerating, spread the juicy, fragile berries in a single layer on a large tray or baking sheet. Wash berries gently but thoroughly before you eat them or use them in a recipe. Juicy and sweet, raspberries are jam-packed with vitamin C, folate and potassium; one cup has more than a third of your daily requirement of fiber. Raspberries are particularly powerful antioxidants. When researchers at Tufts University in Boston measured levels of antioxidants in various fruits and vegetables, berries consistently cropped up at the top of the list.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Drink up.
By the time you feel thirsty during a workout, you may already be dehydrated! Your body requires constant hydration during exercise. Drink at least 8 oz. of water every 15 minutes while you are exercising.
FAQ of the day:
How many calories do I need each day?
Fifteen calories per pound per day is a good rule of thumb for maintaining your weight. But remember, this is a rough estimate for the average, moderately active person; the actual number you need will depend on your relative amounts of lean and fat body tissue, and your fitness level. If you're very lean and active, you may burn as many as 17 calories per pound per day. Here's a rough guide to the number of calories a 125-lb. woman burns during different activities: About 1 calorie a minute sleeping or sitting quietly, 3 calories a minute doing light housework, and 14 calories a minute walking up stairs.
On Justice Samuel Alito Jr.'s first day on the bench, the U.S. Supreme Court announced it will hear a challenge to a federal law that bans late-term abortion, The New York Times reported.
The Partial Birth Abortion Act was passed in 2003 but was immediately challenged in court and has never taken effect.
Within the last year, three federal appeals courts have ruled the law unconstitutional. Their rulings were based on a 2000 Supreme Court decision against a similar law in Nebraska.
The 2000 Supreme Court ruling said that any abortion ban must include an exception for the health of the mother
The announcement Tuesday that the Supreme Court will reopen the issue comes just three weeks after Alito was sworn in to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. During Alito's confirmation process, there were many questions about his views on abortion.
Tuesday's move by the Supreme Court is likely to re-ignite debate about how it will rule on efforts to limit abortion rights, The Times reported.
Heart Attack Linked to Later Bone Density Loss in Men
Male heart attack survivors have an increased risk of bone density loss and osteoporosis in later life, says a Tulane University study in the journal Osteoporosis International.
Researchers analyzed data from 5,050 U.S. men and women who took part in a national health and nutrition survey between 1988 and 1994.
"According to our data, people who reported a previous heart attack were more likely to have low bone mineral density than those who did not report a heart attack, but when examining this association separately for men and women, it was only significant for men," study author Jeanette H. Magnus said in a prepared statement.
Heart attack wasn't the only factor associated with bone density loss. The researchers also found that cigarette smoking, lack of physical activity, and being overweight also increased the risk of bone density loss.
"We have long known that heart disease and osteoporosis have similar risk factors, but this is the first study to examine the relationship between heart attack survivors and low bone mineral density," Magnus said.
"We recommend that men who survive heart attacks be screened for bone density loss," she concluded.
ReNu Contact Lens Solution Taken Off Market in Singapore
A spike in rare eye infections has prompted U.S. eyecare company Bausch & Lomb Inc. to suspend sales of its ReNu contact lens solution in Singapore.
The move is a precautionary measure and, "investigations are still ongoing on the cause of the recent reported incidence of contact lens-related fungal corneal infections," the Singapore health ministry said Tuesday.
This kind of infection can cause significant loss of vision and, in serious cases, patients may require corneal transplant, MarketWatch reported.
The health ministry said 39 cases of fungal corneal infection have been detected over the past year in people who use contact lenses. Of those 39 cases, it was confirmed that 34 people used ReNu. Four people were unsure of the brand they used and one other person used a different brand of contact lens solution.
The ReNu solution sold in Singapore is made at Bausch & Lomb's plant in North Carolina.
Hungary Confirms First Bird Flu Cases
Test results released Tuesday showed that three dead swans found in Hungary had the H5N1 bird flu virus -- the first confirmed cases in that country.
In Malaysia, culling of birds resumed after that country reported its first case of bird flu in a year, and Germany confirmed 22 new cases of bird flu in swans.
In Hong Kong, bird flu was detected in a dead magpie found near a flower market and a massive slaughter of chickens in western India has been expanded, the Associated Press reported.
The Indian government plans to kill a total of 700,000 chickens in the Navapur district, and has ordered 48 farms in the area to be emptied and remain closed for three months.
Along with killing birds, the Malaysian government has ordered house-to-house searches for sick people in an area where bird flu killed 40 chickens last week. The area is located close to the country's capital, Kuala Lumpur, the AP reported.
In Europe, veterinary experts debated the use of poultry vaccines to protect commercial poultry stocks. France and the Netherlands support the idea while several other countries say it would be too costly and difficult.
Bird flu has been confirmed in seven European Nations -- Austria, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, France and Slovenia.
50-Something Men Happy With Sex Lives
Despite declining sex drives and more problems with impotence, men in their 50s have more satisfying sex lives than men in their 30s, says a survey of 1,185 men aged 20 to 79.
In fact, men in their 50s reported being as happy with their sex lives as men in their 20s, the American and Norwegian researchers reported. The findings appear in the urology journal BJU International.
The men rated their satisfaction with various aspects of their sex life on a scale of zero to four -- with four being the highest, BBC News reported.
Men in their 20s had an average overall satisfaction level of 2.79, while men in their 50s had an average of 2.77. Men in their 30s had an average of 2.55 and men in their 40s scored an average of 2.72.
When it came to sexual function, scores moved steadily downward with age. For example, men in their 20s had an average score of 2.79 for sexual drive, compared with 1.54 for men in their 70s, BBC News reported.
"Our results show that, although men experience more problems and less sexual function as they get older, it doesn't necessarily follow that they are less satisfied with their sex lives," the study authors noted.
White House Wants Military Retirees to Pay More for Health Care
U.S. military retirees would have to pay more for health care under a Bush administration proposal that includes increased annual enrollment fees for retirees younger than 65 years old.
The proposal would also increase prescription drug co-payments for all beneficiaries of military health care, except people on active duty, the Associated Press reported.
Current enrollment fees for the Pentagon's health-care system, TRICARE, are $230 a year for an individual and $460 a year for a family. The Bush plan would increase the individual cost to between $325 and $700 by 2006, and the family cost to between $650 and $1,400. The fees would vary according to military rank at the time of retirement.
In the past five years, annual health-care costs for the U.S. military have doubled, to nearly $38 billion, and are projected to reach $64 billion by 2015. Health care accounts for nearly one dollar of every $12 spent by the Pentagon, the AP reported.
Health Tip: Are Artificial Sweeteners Safe?
Between meals, snacks and drinks, the average American eats the equivalent of about 20 teaspoonfuls of sugar a day, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says.
To save calories and still satisfy a craving for sweets, many people have turned to artificial sweeteners such as saccharin and aspartame.
In an article published in the online magazine FDA Consumer, the agency said, "Questions still linger about whether saccharin may cause cancer in humans, and though the sweetener is still widely used, it carries a label that warns of its potential risks."
Aspartame, the agency continued, "has come under fire in recent years from individuals who have used the Internet in an attempt to link the sweetener to brain tumors and other serious disorders. But FDA stands behind its original approval of aspartame, and subsequent evaluations have shown that the product is safe."
"A tiny segment of the population is sensitive to one of the sweetener's byproducts and should restrict intake. However, the agency continually monitors safety information on food ingredients such as aspartame and may take action to protect public health if it receives credible scientific evidence indicating a safety problem," the FDA publication said.
Health Tip: Signs of Autism
Autism, a complex neurological disease, often appears in infants as a lack of responsiveness to others.
The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke says symptoms of the disease include:
Impaired social interaction, which can range from inability to connect with others, to an obsessive focusing on one thing to the exclusion of anything else.
Problems with verbal or nonverbal communication.
Repetitive behaviors, such as rocking or twirling.
Failing to respond to one's name and avoiding eye contact.
Researchers do not know what causes autism, though there may be a genetic link.
There is no cure for autism. But some with the disorder can improve with therapy.
Food Fact:
Raspberry preserve.
Fresh raspberries are delicious -- but fragile. Here's how to treat them right. Because all fresh berries are highly perishable, they should be refrigerated (unwashed) as soon as possible after they're picked. Before refrigerating, spread the juicy, fragile berries in a single layer on a large tray or baking sheet. Wash berries gently but thoroughly before you eat them or use them in a recipe. Juicy and sweet, raspberries are jam-packed with vitamin C, folate and potassium; one cup has more than a third of your daily requirement of fiber. Raspberries are particularly powerful antioxidants. When researchers at Tufts University in Boston measured levels of antioxidants in various fruits and vegetables, berries consistently cropped up at the top of the list.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Drink up.
By the time you feel thirsty during a workout, you may already be dehydrated! Your body requires constant hydration during exercise. Drink at least 8 oz. of water every 15 minutes while you are exercising.
FAQ of the day:
How many calories do I need each day?
Fifteen calories per pound per day is a good rule of thumb for maintaining your weight. But remember, this is a rough estimate for the average, moderately active person; the actual number you need will depend on your relative amounts of lean and fat body tissue, and your fitness level. If you're very lean and active, you may burn as many as 17 calories per pound per day. Here's a rough guide to the number of calories a 125-lb. woman burns during different activities: About 1 calorie a minute sleeping or sitting quietly, 3 calories a minute doing light housework, and 14 calories a minute walking up stairs.
Monday, February 20, 2006
Health Headlines - February 20
Pig Islet Cells Reverse Diabetes in Monkeys
In a finding that may be an important step forward for diabetes treatment, researchers at the University of Minnesota were able to reverse diabetes in monkeys by transplanting insulin-producing cells from pigs.
This "proof of principle" study of a dozen monkeys showed that pig islet cells, which make insulin, can cure diabetes in animals closely related to humans, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported.
After they received the pig islet cells, the diabetic monkeys survived without insulin shots for up to six months. Some of the monkeys did reject the pig islet cells. The findings appear in the journal Nature Medicine.
The results may prove to be a breakthrough for scientists, who have been trying to determine whether islet cells from one species could be used to control diabetes in another species.
"I would say it's one of the more promising things on the horizon," Dr. Brian Flanagan of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation in New York, told the Star Tribune.
The use of pig islet cells could help make up for the shortage of human islet cells.
"This overcomes the issue of source, so potentially you have an unlimited supply of islets for transplantation. That is a major hurdle to overcome," Flanagan said.
Animal Diseases a Growing Human Health Threat: Experts
Animal diseases that mutate and infect humans are a growing global health threat, scientists warn.
Over the past 25 years, there have been 38 diseases that have made the jump from animals to humans, scientists note. Each year over the past quarter century, at least one new pathogen and numerous variations of existing pathogens have infected humans for the first time, the Associated Press reported.
"Humans have always been attacked by novel pathogens. This process has been going on for millennia. But it does seem to be happening very fast in these modern times," Mark Woolhouse of the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, said at a weekend news conference at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Factors influencing increased animal-to-human disease transmission may include human interaction with the environment in a world that's more densely populated and growing warmer, along with faster, more extensive travel, the AP reported.
While most diseases that jump from animals to humans never cause pandemics, experts are increasingly worried that the H5N1 bird flu virus could mutate into a form that's easily transmitted between humans and cause a pandemic.
Chocolate Makers Target Health Food Market
Recent reports that flavanol antioxidants in dark chocolate might boost heart health are leading U.S. candy companies to produce a line of premium (and pricey) bars aimed at the health-conscious, the Associated Press reported Sunday.
Mars, Inc. -- which makes the Milky Way and Snickers bars -- plans to roll out its new CocoaVia line of flavanol-rich dark chocolate next month. The products will also be enriched with vitamins and injected with cholesterol-busting plant sterols.
Chocolate "is the number one flavor ingredient in the world," Mars' vice president of marketing, Jimmy Cass, told the AP. "Heart health is the No. 1 concern of adults over the age of 40 in every civilized nation. Putting those two together is automatically a big idea."
Not so fast, some nutrition experts say. "CocoaVia's benefits are still unproven," said researchers at University of California-Berkeley, who published their own analysis of CocoaVia in the university's Wellness Letter. "Eat it only if you like it and are willing to pay the premium price," they advised.
Mars isn't the only company jumping on the choco-health bandwagon: the Hershey Co.'s Extra Dark bar, introduced last fall, highlights its high level of flavanols on the label.
Clinton Pushes for Use of Low-Cost AIDS Drugs
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton is urging public and private groups to buy HIV-suppressing medications from low-cost manufacturers to help ensure more poor children get access to the lifesaving treatments, the Associated Press reported.
Speaking on Saturday while on a private trip to India, Clinton noted that his own HIV/AIDS-centered foundation has saved money by buying generic versions of AIDS drugs from makers in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean.
The strategy has allowed the Clinton Foundation to use its resources "wisely and be more cost effective," said Clinton, who toured a production plant run by generics maker Cipla in the southwestern Indian city of Goa. "We've had a three-year partnership with Cipla," he told the AP, "and because of them an enormous number of HIV/AIDS-infected people are alive."
Clinton said his organization hopes to distribute anti-AIDS drugs to 60,000 HIV-infected children in the developing world this year.
France, India Report First Bird Flu Cases
Health officials in India and France reported their first cases of H5N1 avian flu among fowl over the weekend, with India planning to cull over a half million domestic birds in an attempt to curb the spread of the virus, the Associated Press reported.
The French case occurred in a wild duck found dead in a bird reserve in the town of Joyeux, 20 miles northeast of Lyon. Officials there have ordered that all domestic fowl be kept indoors or vaccinated against the disease.
"There's a little bit of panic because we don't know what to do," Joyeux resident Madeleine Monnet, 60, told the AP. "Here everybody has a little bit of fowl -- chickens or ducks -- for their personal consumption."
In India, over 30,000 chickens have died in the area around Navapur, in the state of Maharashtra. Anees Ahmed, the state's minister for animal husbandry, told the AP that police have cordoned off the area around the affected poultry farms. Authorities plan to kill 500,000 birds to help stem the spread of disease. All poultry not killed will be vaccinated against the H5N1 strain, Ahmed said.
So far bird flu has failed to mutate to human-to-human transmission, the step needed to spark a deadly worldwide pandemic. Cases of bird-to-human transmission have so far killed 91 people in Asia and Turkey.
Food Fact:
Plum role?
America has a prune glut, so help yourself -- and help your heart. Prunes, aka dried plums, are loaded with pectin, the soluble fiber that lowers blood cholesterol. They're also rich in iron and cancer-fighting antioxidants. As a health-conscious American, do your part by having a few prunes every day -- California orchardists, as well as your family doctor, will be glad you did.
Fitness Tip of the day:
We've got your back!
Back feeling sore after exercising? Take our tip to relieve tension. If back muscles become tight and sore after exercise -- a common feeling -- a great way to relieve this stress is to lie on the floor with a tennis ball between your back and the floor and give yourself a massage.
FAQ of the day:
Is grape juice good for me?
White grape juice is mostly sugar and water, but purple grape juice, which includes the grape skins, is rich in the same heart-healthy compounds found in red wine. In a study at the University of Wisconsin Medical School, drinking a 12-oz. glass of purple grape juice a day reduced the tendency of blood clots to form by 40%. That's about the same as when people take aspirin to prevent heart attacks.
In a finding that may be an important step forward for diabetes treatment, researchers at the University of Minnesota were able to reverse diabetes in monkeys by transplanting insulin-producing cells from pigs.
This "proof of principle" study of a dozen monkeys showed that pig islet cells, which make insulin, can cure diabetes in animals closely related to humans, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported.
After they received the pig islet cells, the diabetic monkeys survived without insulin shots for up to six months. Some of the monkeys did reject the pig islet cells. The findings appear in the journal Nature Medicine.
The results may prove to be a breakthrough for scientists, who have been trying to determine whether islet cells from one species could be used to control diabetes in another species.
"I would say it's one of the more promising things on the horizon," Dr. Brian Flanagan of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation in New York, told the Star Tribune.
The use of pig islet cells could help make up for the shortage of human islet cells.
"This overcomes the issue of source, so potentially you have an unlimited supply of islets for transplantation. That is a major hurdle to overcome," Flanagan said.
Animal Diseases a Growing Human Health Threat: Experts
Animal diseases that mutate and infect humans are a growing global health threat, scientists warn.
Over the past 25 years, there have been 38 diseases that have made the jump from animals to humans, scientists note. Each year over the past quarter century, at least one new pathogen and numerous variations of existing pathogens have infected humans for the first time, the Associated Press reported.
"Humans have always been attacked by novel pathogens. This process has been going on for millennia. But it does seem to be happening very fast in these modern times," Mark Woolhouse of the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, said at a weekend news conference at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Factors influencing increased animal-to-human disease transmission may include human interaction with the environment in a world that's more densely populated and growing warmer, along with faster, more extensive travel, the AP reported.
While most diseases that jump from animals to humans never cause pandemics, experts are increasingly worried that the H5N1 bird flu virus could mutate into a form that's easily transmitted between humans and cause a pandemic.
Chocolate Makers Target Health Food Market
Recent reports that flavanol antioxidants in dark chocolate might boost heart health are leading U.S. candy companies to produce a line of premium (and pricey) bars aimed at the health-conscious, the Associated Press reported Sunday.
Mars, Inc. -- which makes the Milky Way and Snickers bars -- plans to roll out its new CocoaVia line of flavanol-rich dark chocolate next month. The products will also be enriched with vitamins and injected with cholesterol-busting plant sterols.
Chocolate "is the number one flavor ingredient in the world," Mars' vice president of marketing, Jimmy Cass, told the AP. "Heart health is the No. 1 concern of adults over the age of 40 in every civilized nation. Putting those two together is automatically a big idea."
Not so fast, some nutrition experts say. "CocoaVia's benefits are still unproven," said researchers at University of California-Berkeley, who published their own analysis of CocoaVia in the university's Wellness Letter. "Eat it only if you like it and are willing to pay the premium price," they advised.
Mars isn't the only company jumping on the choco-health bandwagon: the Hershey Co.'s Extra Dark bar, introduced last fall, highlights its high level of flavanols on the label.
Clinton Pushes for Use of Low-Cost AIDS Drugs
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton is urging public and private groups to buy HIV-suppressing medications from low-cost manufacturers to help ensure more poor children get access to the lifesaving treatments, the Associated Press reported.
Speaking on Saturday while on a private trip to India, Clinton noted that his own HIV/AIDS-centered foundation has saved money by buying generic versions of AIDS drugs from makers in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean.
The strategy has allowed the Clinton Foundation to use its resources "wisely and be more cost effective," said Clinton, who toured a production plant run by generics maker Cipla in the southwestern Indian city of Goa. "We've had a three-year partnership with Cipla," he told the AP, "and because of them an enormous number of HIV/AIDS-infected people are alive."
Clinton said his organization hopes to distribute anti-AIDS drugs to 60,000 HIV-infected children in the developing world this year.
France, India Report First Bird Flu Cases
Health officials in India and France reported their first cases of H5N1 avian flu among fowl over the weekend, with India planning to cull over a half million domestic birds in an attempt to curb the spread of the virus, the Associated Press reported.
The French case occurred in a wild duck found dead in a bird reserve in the town of Joyeux, 20 miles northeast of Lyon. Officials there have ordered that all domestic fowl be kept indoors or vaccinated against the disease.
"There's a little bit of panic because we don't know what to do," Joyeux resident Madeleine Monnet, 60, told the AP. "Here everybody has a little bit of fowl -- chickens or ducks -- for their personal consumption."
In India, over 30,000 chickens have died in the area around Navapur, in the state of Maharashtra. Anees Ahmed, the state's minister for animal husbandry, told the AP that police have cordoned off the area around the affected poultry farms. Authorities plan to kill 500,000 birds to help stem the spread of disease. All poultry not killed will be vaccinated against the H5N1 strain, Ahmed said.
So far bird flu has failed to mutate to human-to-human transmission, the step needed to spark a deadly worldwide pandemic. Cases of bird-to-human transmission have so far killed 91 people in Asia and Turkey.
Food Fact:
Plum role?
America has a prune glut, so help yourself -- and help your heart. Prunes, aka dried plums, are loaded with pectin, the soluble fiber that lowers blood cholesterol. They're also rich in iron and cancer-fighting antioxidants. As a health-conscious American, do your part by having a few prunes every day -- California orchardists, as well as your family doctor, will be glad you did.
Fitness Tip of the day:
We've got your back!
Back feeling sore after exercising? Take our tip to relieve tension. If back muscles become tight and sore after exercise -- a common feeling -- a great way to relieve this stress is to lie on the floor with a tennis ball between your back and the floor and give yourself a massage.
FAQ of the day:
Is grape juice good for me?
White grape juice is mostly sugar and water, but purple grape juice, which includes the grape skins, is rich in the same heart-healthy compounds found in red wine. In a study at the University of Wisconsin Medical School, drinking a 12-oz. glass of purple grape juice a day reduced the tendency of blood clots to form by 40%. That's about the same as when people take aspirin to prevent heart attacks.
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Health Headlines - February 19
Chocolate Makers Target Health Food Market
Recent reports that flavanol antioxidants in dark chocolate might boost heart health are leading U.S. candy companies to produce a line of premium (and pricey) bars aimed at the health-conscious, the Associated Press reported Sunday.
Mars, Inc. -- which makes the Milky Way and Snickers bars -- plans to roll out its new CocoaVia line of flavanol-rich dark chocolate next month. The products will also be enriched with vitamins and injected with cholesterol-busting plant sterols.
Chocolate "is the number one flavor ingredient in the world," Mars' vice president of marketing, Jimmy Cass, told the AP. "Heart health is the No. 1 concern of adults over the age of 40 in every civilized nation. Putting those two together is automatically a big idea."
Not so fast, some nutrition experts say. "CocoaVia's benefits are still unproven," said researchers at University of California-Berkeley, who published their own analysis of CocoaVia in the university's Wellness Letter. "Eat it only if you like it and are willing to pay the premium price," they advised.
Mars isn't the only company jumping on the choco-health bandwagon: the Hershey Co.'s Extra Dark bar, introduced last fall, highlights its high level of flavanols on the label.
Clinton Pushes for Use of Low-Cost AIDS Drugs
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton on Saturday urged public and private groups to buy HIV-suppressing medications from low-cost manufacturers to help ensure more poor children get access to the lifesaving treatments, the Associated Press reported.
Speaking on Saturday while on a private trip to India, Clinton noted that his own HIV/AIDS-centered foundation has saved money by buying generic versions of AIDS drugs from makers in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean.
The strategy has allowed the Clinton Foundation to use its resources "wisely and be more cost effective," said Clinton, who toured a production plant run by generics maker Cipla in the southwestern Indian city of Goa. "We've had a three-year partnership with Cipla," he told the AP, "and because of them an enormous number of HIV/AIDS-infected people are alive."
Clinton said his organization hopes to distribute anti-AIDS drugs to 60,000 HIV-infected children in the developing world this year.
France, India Report First Bird Flu Cases
Health officials in India and France reported their first cases of H5N1 avian flu among fowl on Saturday, with India planning to cull over a half million domestic birds in an attempt to curb the spread of the virus, the Associated Press reported.
The French case occurred in a wild duck found dead in a bird reserve in the town of Joyeux, 20 miles northeast of Lyon. Officials there have ordered that all domestic fowl be kept indoors or vaccinated against the disease.
"There's a little bit of panic because we don't know what to do," Joyeux resident Madeleine Monnet, 60, told the AP. "Here everybody has a little bit of fowl -- chickens or ducks -- for their personal consumption."
In India, over 30,000 chickens have died in the area around Navapur, in the state of Maharashtra. Anees Ahmed, the state's minister for animal husbandry, told the AP that police have cordoned off the area around the affected poultry farms. Authorities plan to kill 500,000 birds to help stem the spread of disease. All poultry not killed will be vaccinated against the H5N1 strain, Ahmed said.
So far bird flu has failed to mutate to human-to-human transmission, the step needed to spark a deadly worldwide pandemic. Cases of bird-to-human transmission have so far killed 91 people in Asia and Turkey.
Merck Wins Another Vioxx Lawsuit
Pharmaceutical giant Merck is batting .666 with a victory in federal court Friday concerning its controversial pain-killing drug Vioxx.
The Wall Street Journal reports that a jury in New Orleans U.S. District court found that Merck & Co. did not have any responsibility in the death of a Florida man who had a heart attack after taking Vioxx for only a month.
This was the second time around for the family of Richard "Dicky" Irvin. His widow sued Merck after Irvin, 53, suffered a fatal heart attack. Vioxx and other prescription pain-killers, known as cox-2 inhibitors, had come under medical scrutiny after evidence surfaced showing there might be an association between their use and increased heart attack and stroke risk.
Merck had voluntarily pulled Vioxx, used for severe pain, from distribution in the autumn of 2004. Even though an FDA panel narrowly recommended its use in 2005, the drug has remained off the market.
Since the medical evidence became public, thousands of legal actions have been filed against Merck. Last year, Merck lost a multi-million dollar suit in a Texas court, but it won a similar case in New Jersey. The New Orleans case is the first federal case to be concluded.
Ebola Vaccine Passes First Safety Test
Researchers at the U.S. National Institutes of Health announced Friday that a vaccine aimed at protecting against deadly Ebola virus has passed its initial safety test, the Associated Press reported.
Speaking at a microbiology meeting in Washington, the research team said 21 people received the experimental vaccine, which is made of DNA strands encoding for three Ebola proteins.
The volunteers were given increasing doses of the vaccine and began to produce Ebola-specific immune antibodies, providing "some confidence that the vaccine is having an effect on the immune system," according to lead researcher Dr. Gary Nabel. The scientists also noted no side effects from the vaccine.
Ebola hemorrhagic fever is highly contagious and kills between half and 90 percent of those infected within days. The disease has so far been confined to Africa, but officials worry that the virus might be used as a bioterror weapon.
Nabel stressed that the vaccine is still in the very early testing phase. The next step, he said, is to see if the volunteers' immune systems reacted similarly to those of monkeys already immiunized against Ebola by the vaccine.
Food Fact:
No-fry zone.
Potatoes can be a dieter's secret weapon -- if you know how best to prepare them. Keep them away from the deep fryer or high-fat toppings, and they're excellent choices. On its own, a cooked medium-size potato has only about 200 calories, and it's very filling. Top it with yogurt and a sprinkling of chives -- you'll never miss the sour cream. Potatoes are rich in protein, iron, potassium and, if you eat the skin, fiber. They also contain glutathione, an antioxidant that may help protect against cancer. Never store potatoes in the refrigerator -- it makes them turn dark when cooked. Keep them in a cool, dark, ventilated place. Trim away any green spots before cooking.
ness Tip of the day:
If the shoe fits...
Choosing the right type of shoe for your activity is only a start to avoid foot pain. A good fit is essential to providing comfort and preventing injury. When buying shoes, look for knowledgeable salespeople and be sure to have your feet measured -- size and width can change over time. For the best fit, try on shoes after you've exercised and your feet are at their largest, and be sure to put on the socks you normally wear.
FAQ of the day:
What are the best fruits for vitamin C?
The best fruit sources of vitamin C are apricots, cantaloupe, grapefruit, honeydew, kiwi, mango, orange, pineapple, plum, strawberry, tangerine and watermelon. Apricot, cantaloupe and mango are also rich in health-protective carotenoids, including the beta-carotene our bodies make into vitamin A.
Recent reports that flavanol antioxidants in dark chocolate might boost heart health are leading U.S. candy companies to produce a line of premium (and pricey) bars aimed at the health-conscious, the Associated Press reported Sunday.
Mars, Inc. -- which makes the Milky Way and Snickers bars -- plans to roll out its new CocoaVia line of flavanol-rich dark chocolate next month. The products will also be enriched with vitamins and injected with cholesterol-busting plant sterols.
Chocolate "is the number one flavor ingredient in the world," Mars' vice president of marketing, Jimmy Cass, told the AP. "Heart health is the No. 1 concern of adults over the age of 40 in every civilized nation. Putting those two together is automatically a big idea."
Not so fast, some nutrition experts say. "CocoaVia's benefits are still unproven," said researchers at University of California-Berkeley, who published their own analysis of CocoaVia in the university's Wellness Letter. "Eat it only if you like it and are willing to pay the premium price," they advised.
Mars isn't the only company jumping on the choco-health bandwagon: the Hershey Co.'s Extra Dark bar, introduced last fall, highlights its high level of flavanols on the label.
Clinton Pushes for Use of Low-Cost AIDS Drugs
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton on Saturday urged public and private groups to buy HIV-suppressing medications from low-cost manufacturers to help ensure more poor children get access to the lifesaving treatments, the Associated Press reported.
Speaking on Saturday while on a private trip to India, Clinton noted that his own HIV/AIDS-centered foundation has saved money by buying generic versions of AIDS drugs from makers in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean.
The strategy has allowed the Clinton Foundation to use its resources "wisely and be more cost effective," said Clinton, who toured a production plant run by generics maker Cipla in the southwestern Indian city of Goa. "We've had a three-year partnership with Cipla," he told the AP, "and because of them an enormous number of HIV/AIDS-infected people are alive."
Clinton said his organization hopes to distribute anti-AIDS drugs to 60,000 HIV-infected children in the developing world this year.
France, India Report First Bird Flu Cases
Health officials in India and France reported their first cases of H5N1 avian flu among fowl on Saturday, with India planning to cull over a half million domestic birds in an attempt to curb the spread of the virus, the Associated Press reported.
The French case occurred in a wild duck found dead in a bird reserve in the town of Joyeux, 20 miles northeast of Lyon. Officials there have ordered that all domestic fowl be kept indoors or vaccinated against the disease.
"There's a little bit of panic because we don't know what to do," Joyeux resident Madeleine Monnet, 60, told the AP. "Here everybody has a little bit of fowl -- chickens or ducks -- for their personal consumption."
In India, over 30,000 chickens have died in the area around Navapur, in the state of Maharashtra. Anees Ahmed, the state's minister for animal husbandry, told the AP that police have cordoned off the area around the affected poultry farms. Authorities plan to kill 500,000 birds to help stem the spread of disease. All poultry not killed will be vaccinated against the H5N1 strain, Ahmed said.
So far bird flu has failed to mutate to human-to-human transmission, the step needed to spark a deadly worldwide pandemic. Cases of bird-to-human transmission have so far killed 91 people in Asia and Turkey.
Merck Wins Another Vioxx Lawsuit
Pharmaceutical giant Merck is batting .666 with a victory in federal court Friday concerning its controversial pain-killing drug Vioxx.
The Wall Street Journal reports that a jury in New Orleans U.S. District court found that Merck & Co. did not have any responsibility in the death of a Florida man who had a heart attack after taking Vioxx for only a month.
This was the second time around for the family of Richard "Dicky" Irvin. His widow sued Merck after Irvin, 53, suffered a fatal heart attack. Vioxx and other prescription pain-killers, known as cox-2 inhibitors, had come under medical scrutiny after evidence surfaced showing there might be an association between their use and increased heart attack and stroke risk.
Merck had voluntarily pulled Vioxx, used for severe pain, from distribution in the autumn of 2004. Even though an FDA panel narrowly recommended its use in 2005, the drug has remained off the market.
Since the medical evidence became public, thousands of legal actions have been filed against Merck. Last year, Merck lost a multi-million dollar suit in a Texas court, but it won a similar case in New Jersey. The New Orleans case is the first federal case to be concluded.
Ebola Vaccine Passes First Safety Test
Researchers at the U.S. National Institutes of Health announced Friday that a vaccine aimed at protecting against deadly Ebola virus has passed its initial safety test, the Associated Press reported.
Speaking at a microbiology meeting in Washington, the research team said 21 people received the experimental vaccine, which is made of DNA strands encoding for three Ebola proteins.
The volunteers were given increasing doses of the vaccine and began to produce Ebola-specific immune antibodies, providing "some confidence that the vaccine is having an effect on the immune system," according to lead researcher Dr. Gary Nabel. The scientists also noted no side effects from the vaccine.
Ebola hemorrhagic fever is highly contagious and kills between half and 90 percent of those infected within days. The disease has so far been confined to Africa, but officials worry that the virus might be used as a bioterror weapon.
Nabel stressed that the vaccine is still in the very early testing phase. The next step, he said, is to see if the volunteers' immune systems reacted similarly to those of monkeys already immiunized against Ebola by the vaccine.
Food Fact:
No-fry zone.
Potatoes can be a dieter's secret weapon -- if you know how best to prepare them. Keep them away from the deep fryer or high-fat toppings, and they're excellent choices. On its own, a cooked medium-size potato has only about 200 calories, and it's very filling. Top it with yogurt and a sprinkling of chives -- you'll never miss the sour cream. Potatoes are rich in protein, iron, potassium and, if you eat the skin, fiber. They also contain glutathione, an antioxidant that may help protect against cancer. Never store potatoes in the refrigerator -- it makes them turn dark when cooked. Keep them in a cool, dark, ventilated place. Trim away any green spots before cooking.
ness Tip of the day:
If the shoe fits...
Choosing the right type of shoe for your activity is only a start to avoid foot pain. A good fit is essential to providing comfort and preventing injury. When buying shoes, look for knowledgeable salespeople and be sure to have your feet measured -- size and width can change over time. For the best fit, try on shoes after you've exercised and your feet are at their largest, and be sure to put on the socks you normally wear.
FAQ of the day:
What are the best fruits for vitamin C?
The best fruit sources of vitamin C are apricots, cantaloupe, grapefruit, honeydew, kiwi, mango, orange, pineapple, plum, strawberry, tangerine and watermelon. Apricot, cantaloupe and mango are also rich in health-protective carotenoids, including the beta-carotene our bodies make into vitamin A.
Saturday, February 18, 2006
Health Headlines - February 18
Merck Wins Another Vioxx Lawsuit
Pharmaceutical giant Merck is batting .666 with a victory in federal court Friday concerning its controversial pain-killing drug Vioxx.
The Wall Street Journal reports that a jury in New Orleans U.S. District court found that Merck & Co. did not have any responsibility in the death of a Florida man who had a heart attack after taking Vioxx for only a month.
This was the second time around for the family of Richard "Dicky" Irvin. His widow sued Merck after Irvin, 53, suffered a fatal heart attack. Vioxx and other prescription pain-killers, known as cox-2 inhibitors, had come under medical scrutiny after evidence surfaced showing there might be an association between their use and increased heart attack and stroke risk.
Merck had voluntarily pulled Vioxx, used for severe pain, from distribution in the autumn of 2004. Even though an FDA panel narrowly recommended its use in 2005, the drug has remained off the market.
Since the medical evidence became public, thousands of legal actions have been filed against Merck. Last year, Merck lost a multi-million dollar suit in a Texas court, but it won a similar case in New Jersey. The New Orleans case is the first federal case to be concluded.
Egypt Confirms First Bird Flu Cases
Egypt confirmed its first cases of bird flu and France reported its first probable case Friday, the Associated Press reported.
Egyptian officials said 18 to 20 dead birds tested positive for the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus and the country's health ministry was preparing the declare a state of emergency. The dead birds were found in Cairo, Giza and in the southern cities of Minya and Qena.
France's probable case of bird flu was in a dead wild duck found in the southeast Ain region. Further tests are being conducted to confirm whether the bird had the H5N1 virus, the AP reported.
In Germany, 10 more cases of bird flu on a northern island were confirmed Friday. Federal officials warned state governments to prepare for the spread of bird flu throughout the country.
In other news, United Nations officials said they were growing increasingly concerned about the likelihood that bird flu will spread from Nigeria to other West African countries. In an attempt to control the outbreak in Nigeria, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization proposed paying farmers to report possible outbreaks early, the AP reported.
UN experts are especially worried about bird flu outbreaks in Africa because poor countries are not equipped to handle such a crisis. Experts worry that the more bird flu spreads, the greater the risk it will mutate into a form easily transmitted between humans.
Since 2003 bird flu has killed 91 people in Asia and Turkey.
Don't Overthink Difficult Decisions: Study
If you need to make tough decision, stop thinking about it.
That's the advice from Dutch researchers who concluded that it's more difficult to make a wise choice -- such as what house or car to buy -- if you spend a lot of time consciously weighing the pros and cons, the Boston Globe reported.
Instead, the best approach is to pull together all the important information -- such as price and features -- and then put it out of your mind for a bit. Then, when it comes down to decision-making time, go with your instinct.
"It is much better to follow your gut," said research leader Ap Dijksterhuis, professor of psychology at the University of Amsterdam.
He and his colleagues conducted a series of studies on shoppers and students and concluded that the conscious mind can only consider a few facts at a time and that the unconscious mind may be better at balancing the pros and cons and reaching a sound conclusion, the Globe reported.
However, a conscious, rational approach is better when making simple decisions, the researchers said. The findings appear in the journal Science.
Countries Agree to Strengthen Anti-Tobacco Treaty
More than 100 nations agreed Friday to give more teeth to an international anti-tobacco treaty meant to reduce smoking-related illness and death, Agence France Presse reported.
The 113 nations at the first formal conference on the anti-tobacco treaty pledged to find ways to boost crackdowns on cigarette smuggling and radio and television tobacco advertising beamed from countries that haven't signed the accord.
They decided to hold a follow-up conference early next year to decide how to begin negotiations to strengthen the treaty's provisions, AFP reported. The representatives also agreed to begin a pilot program to assess each other's progress in implementing the accord and to single out countries that are doing too little.
The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which came into force in early 2005, has been ratified by 124 countries. Holdouts include the United States, Switzerland and a number of developing countries.
The treaty calls for bans on tobacco advertising and sponsorship, along with public smoking restrictions and larger health warnings on cigarette packages. It also advocates taxation as a way of reducing tobacco consumption and says the tobacco industry should be excluded from government policy-making.
Governments that ratified the treaty must implement its provisions by 2010, AFP reported.
Device Approved Over FDA Staff Objections: Review
Ignoring the advice of scientific staff, a top U.S. medical official last year approved a pacemaker-device for treatment of persistent depression, says a Senate committee report released Thursday.
Dr. Daniel G. Schultz, director of the Center for Devices and Radiological Health at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, approved the vagus nerve stimulator even though a single clinical trial offered no evidence that the device was effective in treating depression, The New York Times reported.
FDA scientists had repeatedly and unanimously recommended rejecting approval of the device for treatment of depression. Despite that, Schultz gave his approval to the application by Cyberonics Inc. to sell the device as a treatment for depression, the newspaper said.
The vagus nerve stimulator, approved by the FDA in 1997 for treatment of epilepsy in some patients, is surgically implanted in the upper chest. Wires from the device are threaded into the neck and the device stimulates a nerve leading to the brain.
The Senate report revealed that many FDA reviewers were puzzled by Schultz's support for the device, the Times reported. "In my opinion, they do not have adequate data, and I don't understand how this can move forward," one FDA reviewer wrote in an e-mail to a colleague.
Schultz could not be reached for comment on Thursday, the Times reported. But Robert P. Cummins, Cyberonics chairman and chief executive, issued a written response that said Senate investigators had failed to interview many experts on serious depression.
Food Fact:
Sweeter pineapple
Know what kind to buy, and you can triple the vitamin C. Golden Pineapple, a new variety tagged with a Golden label, is making a splash -- it's sweeter, juicier and contains 3 times as much vitamin C as other varieties of the tropical fruit. When choosing a pineapple, look for fresh, green leaves and be certain they are not wilted or brown. The pineapple should smell sweet and be firm with no soft spots. Diced or sliced fresh pineapple is the perfect way to end a meal. Toss it with some chopped candied ginger if you like.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Food for thought.
If weight loss is part of your plan, you've got good reasons to watch your portions. Don't deny yourself your favorite foods, but don't go overboard, either. Keep track of what you eat and each day focus on small successes. They can add up to a new you, and a lifetime of feeling better about yourself and your weight.
FAQ of the day:
Are dried fruits safe if I'm sensitive to sulfites?
Sulfites that are added to many dried fruits can cause allergy-like reactions in some individuals -- in some cases these can be life-threatening. That's why the FDA now requires that any foods with sulfites say so on the label. If you are sulfite-sensitive, look for "unsulphured" dried fruits, sold in some supermarkets and natural food stores.
Pharmaceutical giant Merck is batting .666 with a victory in federal court Friday concerning its controversial pain-killing drug Vioxx.
The Wall Street Journal reports that a jury in New Orleans U.S. District court found that Merck & Co. did not have any responsibility in the death of a Florida man who had a heart attack after taking Vioxx for only a month.
This was the second time around for the family of Richard "Dicky" Irvin. His widow sued Merck after Irvin, 53, suffered a fatal heart attack. Vioxx and other prescription pain-killers, known as cox-2 inhibitors, had come under medical scrutiny after evidence surfaced showing there might be an association between their use and increased heart attack and stroke risk.
Merck had voluntarily pulled Vioxx, used for severe pain, from distribution in the autumn of 2004. Even though an FDA panel narrowly recommended its use in 2005, the drug has remained off the market.
Since the medical evidence became public, thousands of legal actions have been filed against Merck. Last year, Merck lost a multi-million dollar suit in a Texas court, but it won a similar case in New Jersey. The New Orleans case is the first federal case to be concluded.
Egypt Confirms First Bird Flu Cases
Egypt confirmed its first cases of bird flu and France reported its first probable case Friday, the Associated Press reported.
Egyptian officials said 18 to 20 dead birds tested positive for the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus and the country's health ministry was preparing the declare a state of emergency. The dead birds were found in Cairo, Giza and in the southern cities of Minya and Qena.
France's probable case of bird flu was in a dead wild duck found in the southeast Ain region. Further tests are being conducted to confirm whether the bird had the H5N1 virus, the AP reported.
In Germany, 10 more cases of bird flu on a northern island were confirmed Friday. Federal officials warned state governments to prepare for the spread of bird flu throughout the country.
In other news, United Nations officials said they were growing increasingly concerned about the likelihood that bird flu will spread from Nigeria to other West African countries. In an attempt to control the outbreak in Nigeria, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization proposed paying farmers to report possible outbreaks early, the AP reported.
UN experts are especially worried about bird flu outbreaks in Africa because poor countries are not equipped to handle such a crisis. Experts worry that the more bird flu spreads, the greater the risk it will mutate into a form easily transmitted between humans.
Since 2003 bird flu has killed 91 people in Asia and Turkey.
Don't Overthink Difficult Decisions: Study
If you need to make tough decision, stop thinking about it.
That's the advice from Dutch researchers who concluded that it's more difficult to make a wise choice -- such as what house or car to buy -- if you spend a lot of time consciously weighing the pros and cons, the Boston Globe reported.
Instead, the best approach is to pull together all the important information -- such as price and features -- and then put it out of your mind for a bit. Then, when it comes down to decision-making time, go with your instinct.
"It is much better to follow your gut," said research leader Ap Dijksterhuis, professor of psychology at the University of Amsterdam.
He and his colleagues conducted a series of studies on shoppers and students and concluded that the conscious mind can only consider a few facts at a time and that the unconscious mind may be better at balancing the pros and cons and reaching a sound conclusion, the Globe reported.
However, a conscious, rational approach is better when making simple decisions, the researchers said. The findings appear in the journal Science.
Countries Agree to Strengthen Anti-Tobacco Treaty
More than 100 nations agreed Friday to give more teeth to an international anti-tobacco treaty meant to reduce smoking-related illness and death, Agence France Presse reported.
The 113 nations at the first formal conference on the anti-tobacco treaty pledged to find ways to boost crackdowns on cigarette smuggling and radio and television tobacco advertising beamed from countries that haven't signed the accord.
They decided to hold a follow-up conference early next year to decide how to begin negotiations to strengthen the treaty's provisions, AFP reported. The representatives also agreed to begin a pilot program to assess each other's progress in implementing the accord and to single out countries that are doing too little.
The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which came into force in early 2005, has been ratified by 124 countries. Holdouts include the United States, Switzerland and a number of developing countries.
The treaty calls for bans on tobacco advertising and sponsorship, along with public smoking restrictions and larger health warnings on cigarette packages. It also advocates taxation as a way of reducing tobacco consumption and says the tobacco industry should be excluded from government policy-making.
Governments that ratified the treaty must implement its provisions by 2010, AFP reported.
Device Approved Over FDA Staff Objections: Review
Ignoring the advice of scientific staff, a top U.S. medical official last year approved a pacemaker-device for treatment of persistent depression, says a Senate committee report released Thursday.
Dr. Daniel G. Schultz, director of the Center for Devices and Radiological Health at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, approved the vagus nerve stimulator even though a single clinical trial offered no evidence that the device was effective in treating depression, The New York Times reported.
FDA scientists had repeatedly and unanimously recommended rejecting approval of the device for treatment of depression. Despite that, Schultz gave his approval to the application by Cyberonics Inc. to sell the device as a treatment for depression, the newspaper said.
The vagus nerve stimulator, approved by the FDA in 1997 for treatment of epilepsy in some patients, is surgically implanted in the upper chest. Wires from the device are threaded into the neck and the device stimulates a nerve leading to the brain.
The Senate report revealed that many FDA reviewers were puzzled by Schultz's support for the device, the Times reported. "In my opinion, they do not have adequate data, and I don't understand how this can move forward," one FDA reviewer wrote in an e-mail to a colleague.
Schultz could not be reached for comment on Thursday, the Times reported. But Robert P. Cummins, Cyberonics chairman and chief executive, issued a written response that said Senate investigators had failed to interview many experts on serious depression.
Food Fact:
Sweeter pineapple
Know what kind to buy, and you can triple the vitamin C. Golden Pineapple, a new variety tagged with a Golden label, is making a splash -- it's sweeter, juicier and contains 3 times as much vitamin C as other varieties of the tropical fruit. When choosing a pineapple, look for fresh, green leaves and be certain they are not wilted or brown. The pineapple should smell sweet and be firm with no soft spots. Diced or sliced fresh pineapple is the perfect way to end a meal. Toss it with some chopped candied ginger if you like.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Food for thought.
If weight loss is part of your plan, you've got good reasons to watch your portions. Don't deny yourself your favorite foods, but don't go overboard, either. Keep track of what you eat and each day focus on small successes. They can add up to a new you, and a lifetime of feeling better about yourself and your weight.
FAQ of the day:
Are dried fruits safe if I'm sensitive to sulfites?
Sulfites that are added to many dried fruits can cause allergy-like reactions in some individuals -- in some cases these can be life-threatening. That's why the FDA now requires that any foods with sulfites say so on the label. If you are sulfite-sensitive, look for "unsulphured" dried fruits, sold in some supermarkets and natural food stores.
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