Friday, March 31, 2006

Health Headlines - March 31

FDA Approves Generic Capsule Form of HIV/AIDS Drug

The first generic HIV/AIDS drug in capsule form for the U.S. market has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The same drug, zidovudine, already had approval in tablet and oral dosage forms.

The approval of the capsule form of the drug, made by Aurobindo Pharma in India, follows the expiration of GlaxoSmithKline's patent on Retrovir, its brand name form of zidovudine, the FDA said.

"This is a significant generic approval," Dr. Andrew C. von Eschenbach, acting commissioner of the FDA, said in a prepared statement.

"Retrovir, which was initially approved in March, 1987, was the first of a group of breakthrough medications that have transformed what was then a disease with a very dismal prognosis into one with a much more hopeful prognosis. Approval of this additional dosage form of zidovudine should help reduce the cost of this therapy for American patients," von Eschenbach said.

Group Wants Most Consumer Warnings Removed From Drug Ads

A coalition of advertising and public relations groups wants U.S. federal regulators to remove most of the consumer warnings contained in prescription drug ads.

In a petition submitted Friday to the Food and Drug Administration, the Coalition for Healthcare Communication said current prescription drug ads directed at consumers "overwarn and underinform," which results in, "more confusion than communication," the Associated Press reported.

The coalition, which receives some funding from drug companies, represents trade associations that specialize in medical advertising, communications, marketing and publishing.

"Our goal is simpler, clear messages that communicate both the risks and benefits of prescription medicines, more informed doctor-patient dialogue and improved patient compliance," John Kamp, executive director of the coalition, told the AP.

However, a consumer advocate said the coalition is off the mark. Consumer drug ads should contain clearer, not less, information.

"To pull away or remove those fine details, we are against that. I guess we are saying, 'more is better,'" Bill Vaughn, a senior policy analyst at Consumers Union, told the AP.

Companies Sued Over Sun Lotions' Effectiveness

A class action lawsuit launched in Los Angeles against the five leading U.S. makers of sun protection lotions alleges that the companies lied about the effectiveness of their products in blocking harmful sun rays and protecting skin.

The lawsuit names the following brands: Coppertone (Schering-Plough); Banana Boat (Sun Pharmaceuticals and Playtex Products); Hawaiian Tropic (Tanning Research Laboratories); Neutrogena (Neutrogena Corp. and Johnson & Johnson); and Bullfrog (Chattem Inc.).

Combined, they account for 70 percent of U.S. sales of such products, Agence France Presse reported.

Mitchell Twersky, one of the lawyers involved in the legal action, said claims by these brands are "clearly misleading" insofar as they claim that "their products block all the harmful sun rays."

The lawsuit seeks to have words such as "sunblock" and "waterproof" taken off the labels of these products. It also wants the companies that make them to direct "the money that they wrongfully obtained" into a skin cancer research foundation, AFP reported.

Child's Death, Injuries Prompt Recall of Toy Building Kits

A recall of 3.8 million Magnetix toy building kits was announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) after one child died and four others suffered serious injuries from swallowing or inhaling tiny magnets used in the kits.

Overall, the CPSC has received reports of 34 incidents involving the tiny magnets in the Magnetic kits, including the X-treme Combo, Micro and Extreme versions, the Associated Press reported.

The magnets are fitted inside the toy's plastic building pieces and rods but can fall out.

The CPSC said a 20-month-old boy died after he swallowed magnets from a Magnetix kit. The magnets twisted his small intestine and caused a blockage. Three other children who swallowed magnets suffered intestinal perforations, had to have surgery and were hospitalized in intensive care.

Another case involved a five-year-old boy who inhaled two magnets that had to be surgically removed from his lungs, the AP reported.

The toys were sold across the United States at a number of stores, including Wal-Mart, Target and Toys R Us. The toys were made in China and imported by RoseArt Industries Inc.

Consumers should immediately take the toys away from children and return them to RoseArt for a full refund, the CPSC said. Contact RoseArt at 1-800-272-9667 or go to the company's Web site at www.roseart.com.

Gene Mutation Linked to Epilepsy

A genetic cause of epilepsy has been identified by U.S. researchers and the discovery could lead to the development of new medicines to treat both epilepsy and autism.

The researchers found a mutation that causes a gene to abnormally produce a protein called CASPR2, which they determined plays an important role in early human brain development, the Associated Press reported.

The genetic mutation was found in Amish children in Pennsylvania who have an epileptic disorder. All the children developed relatively normally until they started to experience frequent seizures in early childhood.

These children later experienced language regression and other characteristics of autism. This suggests that the gene mutation plays a role in autism as well, the AP reported.

The findings appear in the New England Journal of Medicine.

2 Million People Blinded by Preventable Eye Disease: WHO

A lack of resources means that about two million people in developing nations are blind due to trachoma, a disease that is easily preventable.

The disease affects about 70 million people, says the World Health Organization. Trachoma vanished from the United States and Europe as living conditions improved, but the disease still plagues much of Africa and parts of Latin America and Asia, The New York Times reported.

Trachoma can be spread from person to person or by flies that feed from seeping eyes. Eye damage caused by the disease builds up over decades of repeated infections. This recurring eye damage eventually leads to blindness.

A simple eyelid operation can prevent eye damage caused by trachoma, which can be controlled by antibiotics and improvements in hygiene. However, finding enough money or health workers to deal with trachoma is difficult in countries that also have to cope with other major health issues such as HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, The Times reported.

Food Fact:
Snacking is a must!


By changing the way you snack, you may make it easier to lose weight. Eating something every 3 - 4 hours sustains energy, helps build a day's worth of good nutrition, and prevents hunger that may lead to overeating. Stock your desk with the right stuff: Ready-to-eat whole-grain cereal; single-serving microwave popcorn, fruit juices or low-fat pudding; vanilla wafers, fig bars or ginger snaps without hydrogenated oils; instant oatmeal; applesauce; canned fruit (in its own juice).

Fitness Tip of the day:
Fitting in fitness.


Going on a business trip? Make a pact with yourself to exercise -- it's easy when you plan ahead. Before you leave on your next trip, call health clubs in the area you'll be visiting and find one that offers a day pass. Ask the hotel concierge to suggest safe running/walking routes near your hotel, and maybe provide maps. Or, simply walk to a room on a higher floor, and you won't need to reserve a stair climber in the gym.

FAQ of the day:
What are the best non-dairy sources of calcium?


If you're looking for good non-dairy sources of calcium, try kale, red kidney beans, figs, almonds, calcium-fortified breads and breakfast cereals, calcium-fortified orange juice, and tofu processed with calcium sulfate.

Thursday, March 30, 2006

Health Headlines - March 30

Mental-Health Coverage Doesn't Increase Costs: Study

A new U.S. study says that providing insurance coverage for mental illness that matches coverage for physical illness does not increase the cost of mental-health care.

This kind of equal coverage for mental illness took effect for U.S. federal employees in 2001. It forbids insurers from charging higher co-payments or imposing tighter limits on psychiatric care or treatment for drug and alcohol abuse, The New York Times reported.

Researchers studied the impact of that federal policy, known as parity, and concluded that if it is properly managed, expanding coverage of mental-health illness "can improve insurance protection without increasing total costs" beyond the costs that are paid by insurers who don't offer parity.

The study found that the federal program did not increase the use of mental-health services but did result in significant reductions in out-of-pocket spending for many government employees and retirees, the Times reported.

Dr. Howard H. Goldman, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Maryland, led the research team. The findings appear in the March 31 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Experts Offer Advice on Elective C-Sections

Women who plan to have several children should not have elective Cesarean sections, concluded scientists who attended a three-day meeting on the issue that was arranged by the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

But the panel of experts said there's not enough research to make a definitive pronouncement on whether elective C-sections are good or bad for women who plan to have only one or two children, the Associated Press reported.

The meeting was held to discuss the growing trend in the United States of elective C-sections -- planned surgical births that are done when there's no clear medical need. While there are no official figures, some studies suggest there may be about 80,000 elective C-sections done in the United States each year, the AP reported.

Among the panel's recommendations:

* Women planning to have more than one or two children should not have elective C-sections, due to potential risk to future pregnancies. For example, a prior C-section increases the risk of a life-threatening placenta problem in a later pregnancy.
* C-section increases the risk of respiratory problems in newborns. Because of this, doctors should only perform elective C-sections on women who're reached at least 39 weeks of gestation, when fetal lungs are fully mature.
* Doctors should never initiate discussion of a purely elective C-section. If a pregnant woman requests one, her doctor needs to determine her reasons and help her fully understand the risks and benefits.
* If fear of pain during labor and delivery is the reason a woman wants an elective C-section, doctors should outline other options, such as pain-numbing epidurals.

Drug Restrictions a Problem for Medicare Patients

Many elderly people enrolled in the new Medicare drug plan are encountering an unexpected maze of restrictions.

Insurance companies are using a number of methods to compel their customers to use cheaper drugs, the Associated Press reported. In some cases, doctors have to get prior approval for a drug before an insurer will cover it. In other instances, plans limit the quantity of a drug that a patient can get.

The Medicare plans are also using "tiering" to restrict patient access to more expensive drugs. It's normal for private sector plans to place 15 to 20 drugs in the specialty tier -- which requires customers to pay for a quarter, a third or even more of the cost of the drugs, the AP said.

However, the Medicare plans "have an average of 88 drugs on the fourth (specialty) tier. That's unprecedented," Dan Mendelson, president of the consulting firm Avalere Health, told the AP.

"What they're doing is funding the benefit by shifting the costs onto beneficiaries who have chronic illness," he said.

Guidant Suspends Heart Stent Shipments

Quality problems have prompted Indianapolis-based Guidant Corp. to suspend shipments of a new heart stent in Europe and to halt enrollment of patients in a clinical trial in Japan to test the stent.

About one percent of the new drug-coated Xience stents did not meet quality standards, but no patients were harmed by the stents, the company said in a statement released Wednesday. It did not divulge how many of the poor quality stents were implanted in patients.

The sale of Xience stents in 25 European countries will be delayed until later this year. The stent has not yet been approved for sale in the United States, but Guidant did notify the U.S. Food and Drug Administration about the suspension of shipments, Bloomberg news reported.

The faulty stents were made at Guidant's plant in Temecula, Calif.

"We have determined the root cause of the issue, have instituted corrective measures and have resumed manufacturing," the company said in its statement.

Last year, defects forced Guidant to recall more than 100,000 implantable heart defibrillators.

Candy Eggs Recalled

The Anthony-Thomas Candy Co. of Ohio is recalling packages of filled Easter candy eggs that may contain undeclared egg whites and the food colorings yellow # 5 and yellow #6.

People who are allergic or have a severe sensitivity to eggs could suffer a serious or life-threatening reaction if they eat the candies. The company said there have been no reports of such incidents.

The recall covers 6-ounce and 12-ounce packages of candy eggs filled with butter cream, peanut butter, fruit and nut, chocolate fudge, coconut cream, chocolate fudge pecan, and maple walnut fudge. The recalled packages carry production code numbers 6027 through 6083, the Associated Press reported.

The candy eggs were sold in a cardboard package with a clear cellophane top panel. The candies were sold in retail stores between Jan. 27 and March 27 in the following states: Alabama, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Consumers can return the candies to the place of purchase for a full refund. For more information, contact the Anthony-Thomas Candy Co. at (877) 226-3921.

FDA Approves 2nd Drug for Flu Prevention

The antiviral drug Relenza has been approved for prevention of influenza A and B in adults and children five years or older, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday. The drug was already approved to treat influenza.

Relenza is the second drug to be given FDA approval for prevention of influenza. The other is Tamiflu, which is also approved to treat influenza.

"This approval (of Relenza) is a welcome addition to the available defenses against the flu. This new use offers the medical community another option to prevent and control influenza A and B," Dr. Steven Galson, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a prepared statement.

Relenza is made and distributed by GlaxoSmithKline Inc. based in Research Triangle Park, N.C.

Food Fact:
Beat the low-energy blues.


Eat the right stuff at lunch, and you can cancel those desperate 3 p.m. coffee runs. The building blocks: Minimally processed carbohydrates (whole-wheat bread, whole-grain crackers, pasta, brown rice or bulgur); protein (lean chicken or turkey breast, low-fat or fat-free cheese, canned tuna or salmon); any fruit and/or any vegetable; and low-fat dairy (yogurt, pudding, certain low-fat cheeses, skim milk).

Fitness Tip of the day:
Touch-tone up!


Some of the best opportunities to burn calories arise as you're talking on the phone. Stand up and do front, back or side leg lifts while you chat. Add ankle weights for greater toning and calorie-burning effects. Stand on tip toes for as long as you can until the muscle starts to burn. If you're on a cordless, walk throughout your conversation. Or grab a heavy can of food and do alternating bicep curls for tighter arms. For a firmer butt, lean against the wall and sit on an imaginary chair.

FAQ of the day:
Do men need more calcium?


Guys, you need to bone up on your calcium totals, too. Osteoporosis occurs far more often in women, and since increasing calcium intake is one way to lower risk, it's often framed as a "woman's issue." But men also have good reasons to maintain optimal calcium intake. Many studies suggest that calcium helps regulate blood pressure. Other research suggests that dietary calcium lowers risk of colon cancer, the third leading cancer for both men and women. Intake for men should not exceed 2,000mg per day, as a recent study linked elevated levels with increased risk of prostate cancer.

Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Health Headlines - March 29

Guidant Suspends Heart Stent Shipments

Quality problems have prompted Indianapolis-based Guidant Corp. to suspend shipments of a new heart stent in Europe and to halt enrollment of patients in a clinical trial in Japan to test the stent.

About one percent of the new drug-coated Xience stents did not meet quality standards, but no patients were harmed by the stents, the company said in a statement released Wednesday. It did not divulge how many of the poor quality stents were implanted in patients.

The sale of Xience stents in 25 European countries will be delayed until later this year. The stent has not yet been approved for sale in the United States, but Guidant did notify the U.S. Food and Drug Administration about the suspension of shipments, Bloomberg news reported.

The faulty stents were made at Guidant's plant in Temecula, Calif.

"We have determined the root cause of the issue, have instituted corrective measures and have resumed manufacturing," the company said in its statement.

Last year, defects forced Guidant to recall more than 100,000 implantable heart defibrillators.

Candy Eggs Recalled

The Anthony-Thomas Candy Co. of Ohio is recalling packages of filled Easter candy eggs that may contain undeclared egg whites and the food colorings yellow # 5 and yellow #6.

People who are allergic or have a severe sensitivity to eggs could suffer a serious or life-threatening reaction if they eat the candies. The company said there have been no reports of such incidents.

The recall covers 6-ounce and 12-ounce packages of candy eggs filled with butter cream, peanut butter, fruit and nut, chocolate fudge, coconut cream, chocolate fudge pecan, and maple walnut fudge. The recalled packages carry production code numbers 6027 through 6083, the Associated Press reported.

The candy eggs were sold in a cardboard package with a clear cellophane top panel. The candies were sold in retail stores between Jan. 27 and March 27 in the following states: Alabama, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Consumers can return the candies to the place of purchase for a full refund. For more information, contact the Anthony-Thomas Candy Co. at (877) 226-3921.

FDA Approves 2nd Drug for Flu Prevention

The antiviral drug Relenza has been approved for prevention of influenza A and B in adults and children five years or older, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday. The drug was already approved to treat influenza.

Relenza is the second drug to be given FDA approval for prevention of influenza. The other is Tamiflu, which is also approved to treat influenza.

"This approval (of Relenza) is a welcome addition to the available defenses against the flu. This new use offers the medical community another option to prevent and control influenza A and B," Dr. Steven Galson, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a prepared statement.

Relenza is made and distributed by GlaxoSmithKline Inc. based in Research Triangle Park, N.C.

Two studies found that flu struck 4.1 percent of households that took Relenza, compared to 19 percent of households that took a placebo.

Tobacco Companies Contest Payment to States: Report

Large U.S. tobacco companies are negotiating with states in a dispute involving $1.2 billion of a $6.5 billion payment the companies must give the states by mid-April under the $246 billion Master Settlement Agreement of 1998.

The companies contend that they're entitled to pay less because the states did not "diligently enforce" statutes that require smaller tobacco companies that aren't part of the agreement to create escrow accounts to cover losses in any future legal action that might include them, The New York Times reported.

Because of this, the large tobacco companies say they should not have to pay $1.2 billion of the next installment of $6.5 billion that has to be paid to the states by April 17.

"We believe the states have diligently enforced their statutes. We are negotiating with the companies to make sure they pay the full amount," Tom Miller, the Iowa attorney general and co-chairman of the National Association of Attorneys General tobacco committtee, told the Times.

Doctors Remove 2 Dead Fetuses From Baby Girl

Doctors in Pakistan operated on a 2-month-old girl to remove two dead fetuses that grew inside her while she was in her mother's womb.

The infant was in critical condition following the two-hour operation Tuesday.

"It is extremely rare to have two fetuses being discovered inside another. Basically, it's a case of triplets, but two of the siblings grew in the other," Zaheer Abbasi, head of pediatric surgery at The Children's Hospital at Pakistan Institute of Medical Science, told the Associated Press.

Abbasi led the operation to remove the two partially grown fetuses that weighed a total of about two pounds. The two fetuses had died at about four months' gestation.

He said it was the first such case -- called fetus-in-fetu -- he was aware of in Pakistan. He did not know what caused it, the AP reported.

Fetus-in-fetu occurs in about one per 500,000 births, said a report in the June 2000 issue of the journal Pediatrics.

No Safety Concerns About Benzene in Soft Drinks: FDA

Tests for cancer-causing benzenes in soft drinks have raised no safety concerns, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday. But the agency did not release details about the test results.

The FDA began testing soft drinks after a private study released in late 2005 said it found small amounts of benzene in some soft drinks, the Associated Press reported.

While a few of the drinks sampled had slightly elevated levels of benzene, the vast majority did not have any benzene or had levels that were below the U.S. federal limit for drinking water, the FDA said.

The agency will continue testing soft drinks and plans to release findings "when we have a more complete understanding of the current marketplace," Robert E. Brackett, director of the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, wrote in a letter released Tuesday.

The FDA's letter was criticized by the Environmental Working Group, which wants the agency to warn the public about soft drinks that contain two ingredients -- ascorbic acid and benzoate preservatives -- that can form benzene.

"Notably, they don't give us the data," Richard Wiles, the group's senior vice president, told the AP. "We simply asked them to disclose the results of their testing. If there's nothing to hide, why won't they show us numbers? It might be a small percentage, but there is some percentage of drinks that have very elevated levels of benzene."

Food Fact:
Lose 15 lbs. this year.


One important change in your lunchtime routine can make all the difference. In one study, women who ate at least five restaurant/takeout meals a week took in almost 300 more calories a day than women who ate out less often, with a larger proportion of calories from fat. Over a year's time, those calories can add up to an extra 15 - 20 pounds. Try bringing lunch from home -- not only will it help you lose weight, but it'll fatten your wallet by cutting down on expenses!

Fitness Tip of the day:
Gotta move...


Fitting extra activity into your day is effortless when you make a few key choices. Take three examples: 1) Instead of sitting at a movie for two hours, go bowling. 2) Leave your car home and walk to public transportation. 3) Hide the remote control and get up every time you want to change channels.

FAQ of the day:
Is it better for me to eat cruciferous vegetables raw?


Cooking affects the cancer-protective compounds in cruciferous vegetables to a degree. The sulforophane in broccoli is fairly stable in the presence of heat, although cooking it for a long time will diminish it. Stick with quick-cook methods, such as steaming or boiling in a small quantity of water, if you can. The protective compound in watercress, PEITC, is present in cooked watercress, though at greatly diminished levels compared with raw watercress. But studies in people who've eaten cooked watercress show that some PEITC remains active.

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Health Headlines - March 28

Americans Uninformed About Lung Cancer Testing

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, but many Americans are uninformed about options for lung cancer testing, according to a national survey released Tuesday by the Lung Cancer Alliance.

The survey found that only 37 percent of Americans have talked to a health professional about getting tested for lung cancer. The survey also revealed a large gender difference: 23 percent of men thought about getting tested for lung cancer, compared to 9 percent of women.

Younger people were more likely than older people to think about getting tested for lung cancer -- 19 percent of those ages 18 to 54 compared to 9 percent of people 55 and older -- even though lung cancer risk increases with age.

The lack of public knowledge was highlighted by the finding that 48 percent of the survey respondents said they'd heard about a blood test for lung cancer -- something that doesn't exist.

Many of the respondents knew about older tests for lung cancer, such as chest x-ray (80 percent), MRI or CT scan (74 percent); only 26 percent knew about a new and effective test called autofluorescence bronchoscopy.

"The survey confirms a desperate need to educate Americans about lung cancer testing and underscores the need for new testing options," Laurie Fenton, president of the Lung Cancer Alliance, said in a prepared statement.

Lung cancer will kill about 163,000 Americans this year.

Virtual Reality Games May Help Correct Lazy Eye

People with lazy eye (amblyopia) may benefit from playing virtual reality (VR) computer games, say researchers at Nottingham University in the U.K.

They found that it's possible to use this approach in order to encourage the lazy eye to be more active and to get both eyes working together. As a patient plays a game, the computer sends different images to each eye. The eyes have to team up in order for the patient to be successful at the game, BBC News reported.

"Traditionally, VR has been used to present realistic environments in 3D so you imagine you're there because of the depth of the world around you," said researcher Richard Eastgate. "But we're using VR to make something unrealistic. You could call it virtual unreality."

In one experiment, one hour of a virtual reality racing game achieved the same results as 400 hours of the traditional approach that forces the lazy eye to work harder by wearing a patch over the good eye, BBC News reported.

"The technique hasn't been proven with rigorous trials, but the early results show a very rapid effective treatment through this system," Eastgate said.

HIV Treatment Program Misses Goal: WHO

Each day, about 18,000 babies worldwide are born with HIV because their mothers don't get the antiretroviral drugs they need, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) report that said a program to expand access to the drugs had failed to achieve its target.

The report said fewer than 10 percent of pregnant women with HIV in developing countries received antiretroviral drugs between 2003 and 2005.

Currently, about 1.3 million people get the drugs, which is well short of the goal of three million by 2005 set by the WHO and UNAids in 2003, BBC News reported.

The "Three by Five" target was not achieved due to inadequate supplies of drugs, weak health systems in developing countries, and ineffective partnerships among aid providers, the report said.

Even so, expanded access to antiretroviral drugs averted 250,000 to 350,000 premature deaths and 18 countries met the goal of providing antiretroviral treatment for at least half of their people in need, BBC News reported.

The WHO and UNAids have set a new goal of universal access to antiretroviral treatment by 2010.

Pre-Planned C-Section Topic of Meeting

More American mothers than ever -- nearly 33 percent -- are giving birth by Caesarean section and a growing number are opting for this method of delivery even when it's not medically necessary.

There's no tally of how many elective C-sections are done each year in the United States, but it could be tens of thousands annually, according to some estimates. Critics charge that many women who have elective C-sections are pressured into the surgery or don't fully understand the risks, the Associated Press reported.

These and other issues surrounding pre-planned C-sections are being discussed at a three-day meeting held by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). The meeting, which began Monday, will explore what's known about the risks and benefits of pre-planned C-sections and how to make sure women get all the necessary information.

In some cases, C-sections are needed to save the lives of mothers and babies. However, the procedure can cause rare, but serious, side effects and may increase the risk of future pregnancy complications.

Drug Combo May Prevent HIV Infection

Two drugs currently used to treat HIV infection -- tenofovir and emtricitabine -- may be able to prevent it when used in combination, say scientists.

Recent tests on monkeys found that the drugs protected the monkeys against infection by monkey and human AIDS viruses. The six monkeys were exposed to the viruses once a week for 14 weeks but none of them became infected, the Associated Press reported.

In another group of monkeys that didn't receive the drugs, all but one of the monkeys became infected, typically after two exposures to the viruses.

The fact that the drugs provided complete protection is "very promising" and something that's never been achieved in previous HIV prevention experiments, researcher Walid Heneine, a scientist at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told the AP.

The combination of the two drugs is sold as Truvada by Gilead Sciences Inc. of California.

Heart Failure Care Research Fails to Benefit Patients: Study

Research on how to improve the health of people with chronic heart failure does little to benefit patients because it rarely finds its way into routine clinical care in the United States, says a new RAND Corporation study.

The study identified 16 U.S.-based research projects that demonstrated ways to substantially improve the health of heart failure patients. Despite that, only two of those projects continued to provide those improved methods of care to their own patients.

"Research that shows us how to improve patients' lives, while reducing the cost of treating chronic heart failure, was abandoned without moving these good ideas into clinical practice," study senior author and RAND researcher Dr. Joanne Lynn, said in a prepared statement.

Financial constraints were the main reason that projects were shut down even after they demonstrated successful approaches to improving care of heart failure patients.

The study appears in the March issue of the Journal of the American Geriatric Society.

Food Fact:
Is apple juice healthy?


It's better than soda -- but it still shortchanges you and your kids. Whole apples have lots of fiber that's missing from juice, which is mostly water and sugar. An apple has just 80 calories, making it a great choice to satisfy between-meal hunger.

Fitness Tip of the day:
Nature's way.


Don't get mad next time someone tells you to "Take a hike!" -- thank them for the good fitness advice! Hiking gets you out in a natural environment, promotes relaxation and enhances creativity, not to mention toning your legs, buttocks and back muscles.

FAQ of the day:
What makes apples so nutritious?


Apples are rich in polyphenols, including flavonoids such as quercetin, anthocyanins, catechins and ellagic acid. Fresh apples can have three times as many polyphenols as the same weight of oranges. Raw apples are richer in phytochemicals than cooked apples or apple juice. An apple is also an excellent source of fiber, primarily the cholesterol-lowering soluble kind.

Monday, March 27, 2006

Health Headlines - March 27

Marijuana Tar Levels Seven Times Higher Than Cigarettes

Marijuana smoke has seven times more tar and carbon monoxide than cigarette smoke and the health risks of smoking three joints are about equal to the risks from a whole pack of cigarettes, according to a French National Consumers' Institute study.

The study also found that marijuana smoke contains more toxic chemicals than cigarette smoke.

Researchers used an artificial smoking machine to compare 280 specially rolled joints of marijuana leaves and resin to regular Marlboro cigarettes. The machine measured the smoke's content for tar and carbon monoxide, and for the toxic chemicals benzene, nicotine and toluene, Agence France Presse reported.

The study also found that a person who smokes a joint of cannabis resin rolled with tobacco will inhale twice the amount of benzene and three times the amount of toluene than someone who smokes a regular cigarette.

People who smoke pure marijuana leaves will also inhale more of these toxic chemicals than they would from a regular cigarette, AFP reported.

The findings were published in the April issue of the institute's magazine.

New Kind of Birth Control Pill May Cut Breast Cancer Risk

A new kind of birth control pill that does not carry an increased risk of breast cancer-- and may even reduce that risk -- could be on the market within five year, scientists said Monday at a news conference to mark the 50th anniversary of the original pill.

The current combined pill, which includes the hormones progesterone and estrogen, is believed to carry an increased risk of breast cancer. It's believed the progesterone is responsible for the increased risk.

The new pill is based on compounds used in the abortion pill RU486 and blocks the effects of progesterone, a hormone that prepares the body for pregnancy, The Times of London reported.

Animal tests of the new pill showed that it inhibited the introduction of breast cancer and trials on two groups of about 90 women showed positive results with few side effects.

Larger-scale studies are needed in to fully assess the new pill in humans, said David Baird, professor of reproductive endocrinology at the University of Edinburgh, who is leading the research into the new pill.

He also noted that early results of studies in women with advanced breast cancer suggested that the compounds used in the new pill "may be helpful," The Times reported.

Girls Binge Drinking More: Study

Binge drinking among underage girls in the United States is growing faster than among boys, says a study on underage drinking released Monday by Georgetown University's Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY). Binge drinking is defined as having at least five drinks on a single occasion.

The study said that three U.S. surveys all found that girls are binge drinking more and boys are binging less or increasing their binging at a slower rate than girls. The study also found that Grade 12 girls who drink or are binge drinkers are more likely to drink distilled spirits than beer.

Every day in the U.S., 5,400 young people under age 16 take their first drink of alcohol, said the study, which also noted that long-term studies show a direct link between alcohol advertising and youth drinking. The more alcohol ads young people see and hear, they more likely they are to drink.

Every day in the U.S., three teens die from drinking and driving, and at least six more die from other alcohol-related causes, such as murder, suicide and drowning. Heavy drinking during adolescence may hamper brain development.

Young people are more likely to drink alcohol than to smoke tobacco or use illegal drugs. A recent national survey found that more than seven million underage youth reported binge drinking at least once in the previous 30 days.

Soy Ingredient Reduces Obesity

A soy ingredient called genistein causes genetic changes that permanently reduce an embryo's risk of obesity after birth, according to an animal study by researchers at Duke University Medical Center.

Pregnant mice that were fed a diet rich in genistein gave birth to pups that stayed slimmer as adults. Mice in a control group that did not receive genistein when they were embryos were double the weight of the genistein-fed mice.

The Duke team concluded that genistein's effect occurred early in the mice pregnancies, at a time that would be equivalent to eight gestational days in humans.

The study appears in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

The finding have yet to be confirmed in humans but may explain whey Asians have lower rates of obesity and cancer, the Duke researchers said. Asians consume large amounts of soy.

The study results also lend support to the theory that a person's long-term health may be influenced by prenatal factors.

Czech Republic Detects 1st Bird Flu Case

The Czech Republic said it has detected its first case of an H5 form of bird flu and officials believe it is the dangerous H5N1 virus. Tests are being conducted to confirm whether that's the case, Agence France Presse reported.

The virus was detected in a dead swan found about 150 kilometers south of Prague on March 20.

"We have a serious suspicion of the presence of H5N1, which will either be confirmed or not," Minister of Agriculture Jan Mladek said at a news conference. "We want the information to be as precise as possible. We do not want to hide anything. Bird flu is dangerous but there is no reason to panic."

To date, the Czech Republic is the only central European country that has not announced a case of bird flu. The H5N1 virus has been found in the neighboring countries of Austria, Germany, Poland, and Slovakia.

Because of the presence of H5N1 in its neighbors, the Czech Republic has had plans to deal with the virus in place for several weeks, AFP reported. If H5N1 is confirmed in the dead swan, Czech officials will establish quarantine zones around the area where the bird was found.

Since 2003, the H5N1 virus has been detected in 45 countries in Africa, Asia, and Europe. More than 100 people have died after coming into contact with infected poultry.

In related news, a female migrant worker infected with the H5N1 avian flu strain died Tuesday in Shanghai, Chinese officials confirmed on Saturday. The death is the 11th fatal case of bird flu so far documented in the country, and the first in Shanghai, China's most populous city.

According to the Associated Press, Chinese health officials said blood tests confirmed the woman was infected with the bird flu virus. She was admitted to the hospital with cold and fever symptoms.

Also on Saturday, Indonesian officials said they were awaiting tests to confirm H5N1 infection as the cause of death of a 1-year-old Jakarta girl.

And in Hong Kong, a peregrine falcon found dead in a housing complex has tested positive for H5N1, officials there said. Hong Kong last reported a human case of bird flu in 2003.

Food Fact:
Is apple juice healthy?


It's better than soda -- but it still shortchanges you and your kids. Whole apples have lots of fiber that's missing from juice, which is mostly water and sugar. An apple has just 80 calories, making it a great choice to satisfy between-meal hunger.

Fitness Tip of the day:
9-to-5 fitness.


Learn 3 secrets for burning more calories during office hours. 1) Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator. 2) Park a greater distance from your building and walk to office door. 3) Don't e-mail or call your co-workers. Walk to their desks instead.

FAQ of the day:
Are beans good for weight loss?


If you replace high-calorie proteins such as meat and cheese with legumes, then eating more grain or bean dishes will help you cut your caloric intake. But remember that beans have more calories than green vegetables. A cup of black beans cooked without fat has about 230 calories, while a cup of steamed chopped broccoli has only about 45. So use modest portions of legumes for protein, and bulk up your dinners with fresh vegetables.

Sunday, March 26, 2006

Health Headlines - March 26

China Confirms Woman's Bird Flu Death

A woman who died in Shanghai tested positive for the H5N1 strain of bird flu, China announced Saturday. Indonesia awaited confirmation of tests showing that a dead 1-year-old girl in Jakarta had the virus.

In Hong Kong, the government said a dead peregrine falcon found in a housing complex tested positive for the H5N1 strain.

The woman who died in Shanghai was the Chinese mainland's 11th human death from bird flu and the first in Shanghai, the country's biggest city, according to the World Health Organization.

The migrant worker, identified only by the common surname Li, died Tuesday after being hospitalized with fever and cold symptoms.

Blood tests by China's national Center for Disease Control confirmed Li had bird flu, the Health Ministry said in a statement carried by the official Xinhua News Agency. It said the tests were conducted in line with WHO standards and results were reported to the agency.

Authorities haven't said how the woman might have contracted the virus. No bird flu outbreaks in poultry have been reported in Shanghai since 2004.

People who had close contact with Li were placed under observation but none has shown disease symptoms, Xinhua said.

Worldwide, the virus has killed more than 100 people in eight countries, mostly in Asia, according to WHO.

Tests on the Indonesian girl, who died Thursday, showed she had the H5N1 strain, said Hariadi Wibisono, a Health Ministry director. He said she fell ill after coming into contact with dead poultry.

A swab and blood sample have been sent to a WHO-sanctioned laboratory in Hong Kong for confirmation, Wibisono said.

The girl would be Indonesia's 23rd human death from bird flu, he said.

The falcon in Hong Kong was found Tuesday near the border with mainland China, and laboratory tests confirmed it had the H5N1 strain, according to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department.

Hong Kong hasn't reported a human case of bird flu since 2003.

More than 6,000 dead birds have been tested for bird flu in Hong Kong since late October, according to the government. Of those, two chickens and 14 wild birds were confirmed to have the H5N1 virus.

China has reported 16 human cases and dozens of outbreaks in chickens, ducks and other poultry in areas throughout the country. The government has destroyed millions of farm birds to contain outbreaks.

Most of China's human infections have been traced to contact with sick or dead birds. Experts say the virus might be spread by millions of migratory birds that cross China.

Allergies Spring Into Action

While budding trees and blooming flowers are among the delights of spring, the season also brings the threat of sneezing, itchy, watery eyes, and other allergy symptoms for more than 20 percent of Americans.

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology offers the following 10 tips on how people with allergies can ease their symptoms:

* Spring clean. Do a thorough cleaning inside your home. Through the winter, windows, bookshelves, and air conditioning vents can collect dust and mold that can trigger allergy symptoms.
* Avoid pollen. Close the windows in your home when pollen counts are high. Avoid using window fans that may draw pollen inside. When mowing the lawn or gardening, wear a filter mask. Minimize outdoor activity when pollen counts are high. Peak pollen times are usually between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. You can get up-to-date pollen information for your area by going to the National Allergy Bureau's Web site at www.aaaai.org/nab.
* Be prepared.Take allergy medications at least 30 minutes before your go outside. Consult with an allergist/immunologist to ensure medications are helping you or when you suffer reactions to medications.
* Wash n' dry right. Wash bedding weekly in hot water. Dry laundry indoors -- sheets hanging on outside lines can collect pollen.
* De-pollinate. Shower and wash your hair before bed in order to wash off pollen that's collected on your skin and hair.
* Watch pets, too. Keep pets off furniture and out of the bedroom. Pollen can cling to dogs and cats who've been outside.
* Drive (and breathe) safe. During peak pollen season, keep your car windows closed. Use air conditioning and point the vents away from your face.

Young Smiles Can Fall Prey to Tooth Decay

Add cavities to the growing list of health problems plaguing American kids.

More than 25 percent of preschoolers suffer from tooth decay, a recent federal study found.

"National studies are showing that early decay is on the increase, and that's shocking, actually," said Dr. Mary Hayes, a Chicago dentist and a spokeswoman for the American Dental Association. "It's really a silent epidemic."

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study found that more than 4 million preschoolers are affected by tooth decay, a leap of more than 600,000 children in a decade.

Dental professionals suspect the problem is being spurred by the increased consumption of sugary drinks and snacks, as well as lax tooth cleaning.

"The science now is, we aren't worried about teeth being hard or soft," Hayes said. "The issue more is the bacteria living in your mouth, and how happy they are there."

Plaque, a sticky film of bacteria, constantly forms on teeth from foods containing sugars or starches, according to the American Dental Association. The bacteria in plaque produce acids that attack tooth enamel, and the stickiness of the plaque keeps these acids in contact with your teeth. As the enamel breaks down, a cavity forms.

Parents need to realize that even though baby teeth are destined to be replaced by permanent teeth, they still need to be cared for, Hayes said.

For starters, a decayed baby tooth can cause pain and suffering for years if left untreated.

"Baby teeth are with us longer than people think," Hayes said. "People think if a baby tooth gets decay, that's OK because the tooth is disposable. But the last ones don't leave until kids are about 12."

Tooth decay in baby teeth also tends to predict future tooth decay and orthodontal problems in permanent teeth, according to the American Dental Association.

Care for a child's teeth should start before the first tooth is even in the mouth, experts say. Parents can get infants used to having their teeth cleaned by running a wet washcloth around their mouth before the first tooth erupts.

Once the first tooth emerges, parents must be ready to kick-start dental-health habits that can help their children for a lifetime, said Dr. Kimberly Harms, a dentist in Farmington, Minn.

"Most people don't understand they have to start cleaning those teeth the minute they erupt into the mouth," Harms said. "Bacteria can form on that tooth, plaque can form on that tooth, as soon as that tooth erupts."

Parents can use a gauze pad to clean toddlers' teeth, or rubber brushes that fit over their fingertips. They also should clean and massage gums in areas that remain toothless.

Early tooth decay also can be avoided by never allowing a child to fall asleep with a bottle containing milk, formula, fruit juice or sweetened liquids, according to the American Dental Association. Generally speaking, parents should avoid filling a child's bottle with sweet liquids such as sugar water or soft drinks.

"It's not the amount of sugar a child eats that causes the problem, but the number of exposures," Harms said. "Every time you expose your mouth to that, you get that bacteria active. Children sipping or drinking any drink other than water, every time they sip, it increases the amount of bacteria."

Parents should plan on taking their child to the dentist by the first birthday, to check for early signs of decay, Harms said.

And once all the baby teeth have grown in, flossing should be added to the regular dental health regimen. Harms said new devices like floss-on-a-stick have made flossing a little easier for parents.

"That has made a huge difference in getting kids to floss, because they love getting back in there with that little device," she said.

Once a child is 2 years old, parents can begin using a pea-sized amount of toothpaste on a toothbrush for cleaning. At that age, kids are able to spit out the toothpaste and not swallow it.

However, experts advise parents to continue brushing their child's teeth up to at least age 6 or 7, before handing over the task to the child.

"Most kids under 6 don't have the fine motor skills to brush their teeth," Hayes said. "The brush is in their mouth, but they aren't cleaning anything."

New Booklet Offers Free Pillow Talk

More and more people are sacrificing sleep to make more time for work, family and other demands. But cutting back on slumber can harm health, notes a new sleep handbook from the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI).

The new booklet is available in time for National Sleep Awareness Week, March 27 to April 2.

"Our brains are very active during sleep, and research has shown that adequate sleep is important to our overall health, safety, and performance," Michael Twery, acting director of NHLBI's National Center on Sleep Disorders Research, said in a prepared statement.

"Scientists also have a better understanding of how a chronic lack of sleep or an untreated sleep disorder can impair health. Like good nutrition and physical activity, adequate sleep is critical for continued good health," Twery said.

The 60-page handbook includes information about how and why we sleep and offers tips on how to get enough sleep, such as adhering to a sleep schedule, relaxing before going to bed, and using daylight or bright light to adjust to jet lag and shift work schedules.

The booklet, called Your Guide to Healthy Sleep, also discusses sleep disorders and includes a sample sleep diary to help you track your sleep-related habits.

Each year, about 70 million adult Americans experience some type of sleep problem.

"Although there are times during the day when we are naturally likely to feel drowsy, in many cases, sleepiness is a sign that something is amiss," Twery said. "This handbook offers several ideas to help you improve your sleep, but if you feel that you regularly have problems breathing during sleep, wake up unrefreshed after a full night's sleep, or frequently feel very sleepy during the day, you should see your doctor to find out if you could have a sleep disorder."

Food Fact:
Apples: A core curriculum.


An apple a day keeps the doctor away -- too bad Americans only eat about one per week. Apples are packed with fiber: One medium apple (including skin) provides one-fifth (5g) of the average daily needs. Most of an apple's dietary fiber is pectin, a soluble fiber that helps reduce cholesterol. Apples also promote a healthy heart. Apple skin is rich in antioxidant phytochemicals called flavonoids, which may slice the risk of coronary disease.

Fitness Tip of the day:
Calorie-burner, muy caliente!


Looking for a tasty low-calorie salsa? Get on the dance floor! If you're looking for a fun change in your Salsa dancing will burn more calories per half hour on the floor, than a brisk walk around the park -- about 200 calories for a 150-lb. dancer. And it's so much fun!

FAQ of the day:
Is apple juice safe for my toddler?


Apple juice is safe for toddlers, but don't overdo it. Too many calories from apple or other juices can crowd out more nutritious food. In one study of children ages 2 - 5, those who drank more than 12 oz. of juice a day tended to weigh more and be shorter than those who drank less. Pediatric experts advise that parents not feed fruit juice to an infant in his or her first year, and limit daily consumption afterward to less than 12 oz. Here's a tip: Dilute fruit juice with an equal part of water, so an 8-oz. bottle or cup delivers only 4 oz. of juice.

Saturday, March 25, 2006

Health Headlines - March 25

China Confirms Shanghai Bird Flu Death

A female migrant worker infected with the H5N1 avian flu strain died Tuesday in Shanghai, Chinese officials confirmed on Saturday. The death is the 11th fatal case of bird flu so far documented in the country, and the first in Shanghai, China's most populous city.

According to the Associated Press, Chinese health officials say blood tests confirmed the woman was infected with the bird flu virus. She was admitted to the hospital with cold and fever symptoms.

Also on Saturday, Indonesian officials said they are awaiting tests to confirm H5N1 infection as the cause of death of a 1-year-old Jakarta girl.

And in Hong Kong, a peregrine falcon found dead in a housing complex has tested positive for H5N1, officials there say. Hong Kong last reported a human case of bird flu in 2003.

So far, bird-to-human transmission of H5N1 has killed more than 100 people worldwide in eight countries, mostly in Asia. Health experts fear a pandemic if the virus ever mutates to a form that could be easily passed between humans.

Sodium Hyaluronate Effective for Chronic Shoulder Pain: Study

The drug sodium hyaluronate -- currently approved in the United States to treat knee osteoarthritis -- is also effective for chronic shoulder pain and may provide an alternative to Vioxx and other Cox-2 inhibitors, according to a Columbia University Medical Center study.

The six-month study of 602 patients found that the drug reduced chronic pain by nearly 50 percent in people with osteoarthritis of the shoulder. The findings were presented Friday at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, in Chicago.

"Chronic shoulder pain is a common problem that cannot be adequately treated with existing FDA-approved therapies," study principal investigator Dr. Theodore Blaine, assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at Columbia, said in a prepared statement.

"The results of the trial are very encouraging, and we hope will lead to this drug's approval as an effective therapy for thousands of suffering patients," Blaine said.

The FDA is currently reviewing the study's findings.

Vioxx and another Cox-2 painkiller, Bextra, were removed from the market after studies showed they increased the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Testicular Cells May Offer Alternative to Embryonic Stem Cells

Testicular cells may provide an alternative source of cells -- instead of embryonic stem cells -- for growing cells to repair damaged tissue or organs, suggests a German study in the latest online issue of the journal Nature.

The researchers isolated stem cells from adult mouse testes that exhibit properties similar to embryonic stem (ES) cells, New Scientist reported. These testicle-derived cells -- called multipotent adult germline cells -- can be grown into all tissues of the mouse body.

It may be possible to use a simple testicular biopsy to extract these kinds of cells from human males to provide them with a source of genetically matched cells, the researchers said.

"We're in the process of doing this in humans and we're optimistic," research team leader Gerd Hasenfuss, of the Georg-August University of Gottingen, told New Scientist.

If it is possible, this approach would avoid the technical and ethical issues associated with generating stem cells from human embryos left over from fertility treatments. Those embryos have to be destroyed in the process of obtaining stem cells.

More Than 27 Million People Now in Medicare Drug Plan

More than 27 million Medicare beneficiaries are now enrolled in the new prescription drug plan, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said.

Beneficiaries are signing up at the rate of 380,000 per week and more than 1.9 million signed up from mid-February to mid-March, a 25 percent increase over the number of people who signed up over the previous month.

Over the past four months, about 7.2 million people have enrolled individually for the new drug plan.

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt said Thursday that the federal government is well on its way to achieving its goal of 28 million to 30 million enrollees in the first year. The enrollment deadline is May 15.

The new enrollment figures don't impress Robert M. Hayes, president of the Medicare Rights Center, an independent source of information and assistance for Medicare beneficiaries.

"Sixteen million Americans with Medicare still have no drug coverage -- if the administration's numbers released (Thursday) are accurate. Less than seven million Americans who were uninsured before the drug program was launched are newly insured. On the other hand, six million of the poorest and frailest Americans who lost Medicaid coverage on Jan. 1 now have inferior, less reliable drug coverage," Hayes said in a prepared statement.

He contended that many people who have enrolled in private drug plans under the new Medicare program are angry and dissatisfied.

Mad Cow Disease Declining Worldwide: U.N.

Cases of mad cow disease (bovine spongiform encepalopathy -- BSE) worldwide have declined at a rate of about 50 percent a year for the last three years, according to the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

In 2005, 474 animals died of BSE, compared to 878 in 2004 and 1,646 in 2003. Deaths from BSE in 1992 peaked at several tens of thousands, the Central Valley Business Times in California reported.

In 2005, there were five reported human deaths caused by variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), the human form of BSE. All those deaths occurred in the United Kingdom, which has been hardest hit by BSE. The U.K. reported nine deaths from vCJD in 2004 and 18 deaths in 2003.

"It is quite clear the BSE is declining and that measures introduced to stop the disease are effective. But further success depends on our continuing to apply those measures worldwide," said Andrew Speedy, an FAO animal-production expert.

Food Fact:
The extraordinary berry.


Adding berries to your diet may help you stay sharp to a ripe old age. Studies have shown nutrient-rich berries may diminish the cognitive decline associated with aging. Berries are powerful antioxidants. Raspberries have as much antioxidant power as spinach -- strawberries have even more, and blueberries have twice as much.

Fitness Tip of the day:
Asphalt-y logic?


Choosing the right running surface goes a long way toward protecting your knees. Find a grass, dirt, all-weather track or some other soft surface if you want to pick up the pace of your workout and run. Avoid asphalt it increases the impact on your joints -- and your chance of injuries, sore knees and shin splints.

FAQ of the day:
If I have 4 oz. of raw meat, how much is it when cooked?


Apply these rules of thumb to convert raw quantities of meat to the cooked amount whenever you shop or review restaurant menus:
Raw meat with no bone: 4 oz. raw = 3 oz. cooked.
Raw meat with bone: 5 oz. raw = 3 oz. cooked.
Raw poultry with skin: 4 to 4 1/2 oz. = 3 oz. cooked. The extra 1/4 to 1/2 oz. accounts for the skin (which you should remove before eating to cut out lots of fat).

Friday, March 24, 2006

Health Headlines - March 24

Sodium Hyaluronate Effective for Chronic Shoulder Pain: Study

The drug sodium hyaluronate -- currently approved in the United States to treat knee osteoarthritis -- is also effective for chronic shoulder pain and may provide an alternative to Vioxx and other Cox-2 inhibitors, according to a Columbia University Medical Center study.

The six-month study of 602 patients found that the drug reduced chronic pain by nearly 50 percent in people with osteoarthritis of the shoulder. The findings were presented Friday at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, in Chicago.

"Chronic shoulder pain is a common problem that cannot be adequately treated with existing FDA-approved therapies," study principal investigator Dr. Theodore Blaine, assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at Columbia, said in a prepared statement.

"The results of the trial are very encouraging, and we hope will lead to this drug's approval as an effective therapy for thousands of suffering patients," Blaine said.

The FDA is currently reviewing the study's findings.

Vioxx and another Cox-2 painkiller, Bextra, were removed from the market after studies showed they increased the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Testicular Cells May Offer Alternative to Embryonic Stem Cells

Testicular cells may provide an alternative source of cells -- instead of embryonic stem cells -- for growing cells to repair damaged tissue or organs, suggests a German study in the latest online issue of the journal Nature.

The researchers isolated stem cells from adult mouse testes that exhibit properties similar to embryonic stem (ES) cells, New Scientist reported. These testicle-derived cells -- called multipotent adult germline cells -- can be grown into all tissues of the mouse body.

It may be possible to use a simple testicular biopsy to extract these kinds of cells from human males to provide them with a source of genetically matched cells, the researchers said.

"We're in the process of doing this in humans and we're optimistic," research team leader Gerd Hasenfuss, of the Georg-August University of Gottingen, told New Scientist.

If it is possible, this approach would avoid the technical and ethical issues associated with generating stem cells from human embryos left over from fertility treatments. Those embryos have to be destroyed in the process of obtaining stem cells.

More Than 27 Million People Now in Medicare Drug Plan

More than 27 million Medicare beneficiaries are now enrolled in the new prescription drug plan, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said.

Beneficiaries are signing up at the rate of 380,000 per week and more than 1.9 million signed up from mid-February to mid-March, a 25 percent increase over the number of people who signed up over the previous month.

Over the past four months, about 7.2 million people have enrolled individually for the new drug plan.

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt said Thursday that the federal government is well on its way to achieving its goal of 28 million to 30 million enrollees in the first year. The enrollment deadline is May 15.

The new enrollment figures don't impress Robert M. Hayes, president of the Medicare Rights Center, an independent source of information and assistance for Medicare beneficiaries.

"Sixteen million Americans with Medicare still have no drug coverage -- if the administration's numbers released (Thursday) are accurate. Less than seven million Americans who were uninsured before the drug program was launched are newly insured. On the other hand, six million of the poorest and frailest Americans who lost Medicaid coverage on Jan. 1 now have inferior, less reliable drug coverage," Hayes said in a prepared statement.

He contended that many people who have enrolled in private drug plans under the new Medicare program are angry and dissatisfied.

Mad Cow Disease Declining Worldwide: U.N.

Cases of mad cow disease (bovine spongiform encepalopathy -- BSE) worldwide have declined at a rate of about 50 percent a year for the last three years, according to the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

In 2005, 474 animals died of BSE, compared to 878 in 2004 and 1,646 in 2003. Deaths from BSE in 1992 peaked at several tens of thousands, the Central Valley Business Times in California reported.

In 2005, there were five reported human deaths caused by variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), the human form of BSE. All those deaths occurred in the United Kingdom, which has been hardest hit by BSE. The U.K. reported nine deaths from vCJD in 2004 and 18 deaths in 2003.

"It is quite clear the BSE is declining and that measures introduced to stop the disease are effective. But further success depends on our continuing to apply those measures worldwide," said Andrew Speedy, an FAO animal-production expert.

Cambodian Girl Dies of Bird Flu

Initial tests indicate that bird flu killed a three-year-old girl in Cambodia as that country reported its first outbreak of the virus in two years.

Seven other people with possible symptoms of bird flu and 42 other people who had contact with them are currently being tested for the H5N1 virus.

A government official said the girl became ill at her home in the western province of Kompong Speu and died Tuesday in Phnom Penh, Agence France Presse reported. It's the fifth bird flu death in Cambodia since 2003. The last human bird flu outbreak in Cambodia was in March 2004.

At least 200 chickens in the dead girl's village have died since Sunday, said an agricultural ministry official. Earlier this month, bird flu was found in several ducks in eastern Cambodia.

Since 2003, the H5N1 virus has killed more than 100 people, mostly in Asia.

Food Fact:
Carrots: Good as gold.


A 24-carrot solution leaves you rich in vitamin A -- and helps reduce cancer risk. You don't really have to eat 24 to get the benefits: A single carrot more than meets an average person's daily vitamin A needs, with 6mg of beta-carotene. But you can certainly eat more: Carrots are low in fat and high in fiber. Long-term studies have shown carrots to be powerful cancer fighters -- eating five or more carrots a week has been linked with a 60% reduction in risk of lung cancer.

Fitness Tip of the day:
Easy steps for weight loss.


Want to burn 160 calories in 30 minutes? You don't even need a gym! All you have to do is walk -- a great way to tone up, decrease your risk of heart disease and colon cancer, and help control your weight. A 150-lb. person, walking briskly for 30 minutes, can burn 160 calories.

FAQ of the day:
Is yellow or white corn more nutritious?


Yellow corn gets the nutritional nod over white corn because it contains more lutein, a yellow carotenoid pigment that's good for your eyes.

Thursday, March 23, 2006

Health Headlines - March 23

U.S. Doctors Providing Less Charity Care

Over the past decade, the percentage of U.S. doctors who provide free care to the poor has declined from about 75 percent to about 66 percent, according to a study released Thursday by the Center for Studying Health System Change.

The researchers said this trend, which indicates a growing problem for people without health insurance, is likely the result of stagnant government reimbursement rates and lower fees negotiated by insurers on behalf of their customers.

"In the past, a lot of physicians were able to afford (to provide free care) because they could charge paying patients higher rates," Dr. Peter Cunningham, lead researcher for the center, told the Associated Press.

Another factor is that more doctors are leaving solo practices and joining large group practices. "This means that they have less control over the types of patients they see," Cunningham said.

Rates of free care have declined across all major medical specialties since the mid-1990s, the report said. Currently, surgeons provide the highest rate of charity care (78.8 percent), perhaps because many of them treat uninsured patients in hospital emergency departments, the AP said.

TB Rates at All-Time Low in U.S.

Tuberculosis rates reached an all-time low in the United States in 2005, but there's been an increase in the incidence of drug-resistant TB, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.

The agency's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report said there were 14,093 TB cases reported in 2005, compared with 14,516 cases in 2004. The TB case rate in 2005 was 4.8 cases per 100,000 people, the lowest since reporting began in 1953.

However, the 3.8 percent decline in TB cases from 2004 to 2005 was one of the smallest decreases in more than a decade, the report noted.

It also said that the number of people with multi-drug resistant (MDR) tuberculosis increased 13.3 percent from 2003 to 2004, the most recent year for which data was available. MDR tuberculosis, which refers to disease that is resistant to at least two front-line therapies (isoniazid and rifampin), is difficult and costly to treat and can be fatal.

MDR tuberculosis now accounts for 1.2 percent of all TB cases for which drug-susceptibility data is available, the report said. It will be critical to monitor MDR tuberculosis trends in the coming years to determine whether the 2005 increase represents a nationwide trend and to help experts understand the implications of resistance for TB treatment and control.

In other TB-related news, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Thursday that providing the entire population of East Asia and the Pacific with access to TB treatment has led to a sharp reduction in TB-related infections and deaths.

The number of people infected with TB in 2005 was estimated to be about 500,000 less than the number infected in 2000. The annual number of TB deaths in 2004 was 40,000 less than in 2000, after the WHO introduced the DOTS (directly observed treatment, short-course) program, Agence France Presse reported.

Preliminary reports indicate that 70 percent of estimated TB cases in the region were now being detected and about 85 percent of detected cases were being treated.

California and New York Have Dirtiest Air: EPA

California and New York have the dirtiest air in the United States and residents in those states have a higher air pollution-related cancer risk than people in the rest of the nation, says a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency report.

The National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment is based on emissions of 177 chemicals in 1999, the most recent year for which data was available, the Associated Press reported.

The report said that New York residents' estimated risk of developing cancer from airborne toxins is 68 residents per million. It's 66 residents per million in California. The U.S. national average is 41.5 per million.

Oregon, Washington, D.C., and New Jersey rounded out the top five in terms of poor air quality. Rural areas of Wyoming, South Dakota and Montana had the cleanest air, the AP reported.

Omega-3 May Control Prostate Cancer

Men with prostate cancer who eat a diet rich in omega-3 fish fats may gain some protection from developing a more aggressive form of the cancer, suggests a U.K. study in the British Journal of Cancer.

The study found that omega-3 fats could prevent prostate tumor cells from migrating and invading other areas of the body, including bone marrow, BBC News reported.

Researchers tested two types of dietary fat -- omega-3 and omega-6 -- on prostate cancer cells in a lab. Omega-6 fats are found in vegetable oils, nuts and seeds and are part of a healthy diet.

Omega-6 actually increased the spread of prostate cancer cells into bone marrow, while omega-3 prevented it. The researchers said the cancer cells may use omega-6 as a high energy source for growth and migration while omega-3 appears to interfere with that process, BBC News reported.

Schools, Hospitals Need to Ready for Potential Pandemic: Experts

Hospitals and schools in the United States are being urged to prepare for the possibility of a human bird flu pandemic.

It's not alarmist or premature for school boards and superintendents to make such preparations, say federal health officials, who noted that school officials already do emergency planning for severe weather, terrorism, and student violence, the Associated Press reported.

There are a number of problems that school leaders would have to cope with in the event of a pandemic. These include: Closing schools or quarantining students; making sure children keep learning at home if schools are closed; easing parents' fears; providing food to children who rely on school meals.

"Those are the kinds of issues that I don't think people have spent a lot of time talking about yet," Stephen Bounds, director of legal and policy services for the Maryland Association of School Boards, told the AP.

"But if New Orleans and Katrina taught us nothing else, it taught us you need to be thinking about things ahead of time -- and preparing for the worst," Bounds said.

As for hospitals, many are still in the planning stages for a pandemic. The topic was discussed Tuesday at a meeting of epidemiologists in Chicago.

"Awful" decisions will need to be made by hospitals, noted Dr. Andrew Pavia, an infectious-disease specialist from Salt Lake City. For example, does a hospital deny a 65-year-old patient a ventilator in favor of a 25-year-old patient who has a better chance of survival?

One simple way to lessen the impact of a pandemic would be to increase low flu-vaccination rates among U.S. hospital staff, said Mayo Clinic vaccine specialist Dr. Gregory Poland.

Food Fact:
Now "ear" this.


It's a fact -- you don't need butter to make fresh corn taste great. For best flavor, cook corn on the cob the same day it's picked. Frozen corn has all the nutritive benefits of fresh corn because it's processed soon after it's picked -- one-half cup of corn kernels contains about 3 grams of fiber. Yellow corn contains lutein, a plant pigment that helps protect your eyes.

Fitness Tip of the day:
Chocolate on a diet!


Yes, you can find 25-calorie treats! The trick for dieters who get tripped up by feelings of deprivation is learning to indulge in favorites wisely rather than swearing them off entirely. If you love chocolate, a kiss has only 25 calories, compared to 270 in a chocolate bar. For many, such substitutions make them more likely to stick to a healthier eating plan. But everyone is different: If you find that "just a little" leads to a lot, stay away from temptation, at least for awhile.

FAQ of the day:
What's so bad about accelerated weight loss?


Try to lose weight too fast and your body will perceive the calorie deficit as a state of semi-starvation. To conserve energy, it will slow down the rate at which it burns calories. Crash diets may take weight off fast, but they also make it more likely the pounds will come right back when you resume your normal eating patterns.

Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Health Headlines - March 22

California and New York Have Dirtiest Air: EPA

California and New York have the dirtiest air in the United States and residents in those states have a higher air pollution-related cancer risk than people in the rest of the nation, says a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency report.

The National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment is based on emissions of 177 chemicals in 1999, the most recent year for which data was available, the Associated Press reported.

The report said that New York residents' estimated risk of developing cancer from airborne toxins is 68 residents per million. It's 66 residents per million in California. The U.S. national average is 41.5 per million.

Oregon, Washington, D.C., and New Jersey rounded out the top five in terms of poor air quality. Rural areas of Wyoming, South Dakota and Montana had the cleanest air, the AP reported.

Omega-3 May Control Prostate Cancer

Men with prostate cancer who eat a diet rich in omega-3 fish fats may gain some protection from developing a more aggressive form of the cancer, suggests a U.K. study in the British Journal of Cancer.

The study found that omega-3 fats could prevent prostate tumor cells from migrating and invading other areas of the body, including bone marrow, BBC News reported.

Researchers tested two types of dietary fat -- omega-3 and omega-6 -- on prostate cancer cells in a lab. Omega-6 fats are found in vegetable oils, nuts and seeds and are part of a healthy diet.

Omega-6 actually increased the spread of prostate cancer cells into bone marrow, while omega-3 prevented it. The researchers said the cancer cells may use omega-6 as a high energy source for growth and migration while omega-3 appears to interfere with that process, BBC News reported.

Schools, Hospitals Need to Ready for Potential Pandemic: Experts

Hospitals and schools in the United States are being urged to prepare for the possibility of a human bird flu pandemic.

It's not alarmist or premature for school boards and superintendents to make such preparations, say federal health officials, who noted that school officials already do emergency planning for severe weather, terrorism, and student violence, the Associated Press reported.

There are a number of problems that school leaders would have to cope with in the event of a pandemic. These include: Closing schools or quarantining students; making sure children keep learning at home if schools are closed; easing parents' fears; providing food to children who rely on school meals.

"Those are the kinds of issues that I don't think people have spent a lot of time talking about yet," Stephen Bounds, director of legal and policy services for the Maryland Association of School Boards, told the AP.

"But if New Orleans and Katrina taught us nothing else, it taught us you need to be thinking about things ahead of time -- and preparing for the worst," Bounds said.

As for hospitals, many are still in the planning stages for a pandemic. The topic was discussed Tuesday at a meeting of epidemiologists in Chicago.

"Awful" decisions will need to be made by hospitals, noted Dr. Andrew Pavia, an infectious-disease specialist from Salt Lake City. For example, does a hospital deny a 65-year-old patient a ventilator in favor of a 25-year-old patient who has a better chance of survival?

One simple way to lessen the impact of a pandemic would be to increase low flu-vaccination rates among U.S. hospital staff, said Mayo Clinic vaccine specialist Dr. Gregory Poland.

Poor BiDil Sales Prompt Executives' Resignations

Disappointing sales of the drug BiDil, which was promoted as a breakthrough for black heart failure patients when it was introduced last year, have led to the resignation of two top NitroMed executives who brought the drug to market.

The departures of chief executive Michael D. Loberg and chief business officer Lawrence E. Bloch were announced in a statement released by NitroMed, based in Lexington, Mass. The statement gave no reasons for the resignations and neither executive could be reached for comment, The New York Times reported.

Research suggested that BiDil could extend the lives of black heart failure patients by 43 percent over 18 months. When the drug was launched last July, some financial analysts predicted it could achieve $825 million in annual sales. Sales in 2005 were $4.5 million, The Times reported.

BiDil is NitroMed's only product. The company initially hired 195 sales representatives, which was later reduced to 144. Insurance reimbursement problems and the high cost of the drug were also cited as possible reasons for BiDil's poor slow sales.

Spinal Manipulation Offers No Benefits: Study

Spinal manipulation, used by chiropractors and osteopaths to treat neck and back pain and other ailments, offers little benefit to patients, says a study in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine.

Researchers at the Peninsula Medical School in Devon, England reviewed 26 studies on spinal manipulation that were done between 2000 and 2005. The studies examined the effects of spinal manipulation on back and neck pain, asthma, allergy, dizziness and colic, BBC News reported.

The review concluded that data from those studies did not show that spinal manipulation was effective for any of the conditions. The only exception was back pain, where spinal manipulation was superior to sham manipulation, but not better than conventional treatment.

The review authors also noted that spinal manipulation had been linked to mild side effects in about half the patients. These side effects included temporary stiffness and -- in rare cases -- strokes caused by damage to the gluteal artery in the back.

The authors said their findings should be regarded as a "wake-up call" to the chiropractic profession, BBC News reported.

The British Chiropractors Association disputed the findings and said the researchers focused on "negative" studies.

Experts Studying Human-Pet Resistant Bacteria Connection

Antibiotic resistance is showing up in a small but growing number of pets in Canada, Europe and the United States, and experts are starting to wonder about a possible human-pet connection in the spread of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics.

The issue was discussed Tuesday in New York at the International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases, The New York Times reported.

The same genetic strains of Staphylococcus aureus -- the most common cause of staphylococcus infections in humans -- have been found in both animals and people. This suggests there may be a link, according to experts.

The issue is serious enough that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will include questions about exposure to dogs, cats and other pets in large studies looking at human staphylococcal infections, CDC official Dr. Nina Morano said at a news conference.

It's not clear whether antibiotic-resistant staphylococcus infections are being transferred from pets to people or the other way around, the Times reported.

Food Fact:
The great pumpkin.


Pumpkin in its pure form -- including canned -- has fat-busting potential in baked goods. Use it to replace up to 3/4 of the fat in some of your favorite spiced muffins and quick-bread recipes. Pumpkin, a winter squash, is especially rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C, potassium and fiber, with some iron and few calories.

Fitness Tip of the day:
Make a splash.


Catch the fitness wave -- burn more calories under water. Jump in a pool for the perfect exercise between higher intensity workouts -- swimming tones and strengthens nearly every muscle group in the body, with virtually no impact on the joints.

FAQ of the day:
Can I lose weight by walking 30 minutes a day?


If that's 30 minutes more than you're doing now, go for it, but 45 minutes a day is usually recommended for weight loss. It doesn't have to be all at once; you'll benefit just the same from four 10-minute walks and a 5-minute stroll as from one 45-minute hike. As you get into shape, increasing your pace or walking uphill will burn more calories while challenging your cardiovascular system to make you more fit.

Tuesday, March 21, 2006

Health Headlines - March 21

Azerbaijan Reports 5 Deaths from Bird Flu

Five human deaths from the H5N1 bird flu virus have been reported in Azerbaijan, bringing the worldwide death toll to 103, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Tuesday.

The five victims were among seven people who tested positive for the virus. Some of them may have caught the virus through contact with feathers from infected swans, the Associated Press reported.

"The majority of cases have occurred in females between the ages of 15 and 20 years. In this community, the defeathering of birds is a task usually undertaken by adolescent girls and young women," the WHO said.

In some of the Azerbaijan cases, there is no indication that the infected people had direct exposure to dead or diseased poultry, which has been the usual source of exposure for people who've become infected with the H5N1 virus, the AP reported.

Meanwhile, the U.S. government predicted that bird flu will likely be detected this year in the United States.

Between 75,000 to 100,000 wild birds will be tested for bird flu this year, nearly six times the number tested in 1998, says a government plan that was finalized Monday. The plan also calls for the quarantine and slaughter of any poultry flocks that become infected with the virus, the Associated Press reported.

According to Interior Secretary Gale Norton, the wild bird testing could detect 20 to 100 suspected bird flu cases, but dozens of those are likely to be false alarms. Testing will be focused in Alaska and other locations along the Pacific flyway, a common route followed by migratory birds entering the U.S.

Scientists Identify Gene Linked to Eczema

A gene linked to eczema has been identified by an international team of scientists and the finding may help in the development of new treatments for the common skin condition.

The gene produces a protein called filaggrain, which helps the skin form a protective outer barrier. Reduction or absence of the protein, normally abundant in the outermost layers of skin, results in dry and flaky skin. This study found that about 10 percent of Europeans carry a mutation that switches off this gene.

"It was a really tough project, but because we had experience in this type of gene, we managed to crack it where others had failed," Professor Irwin McLean of the University of Dundee in Scotland, told BBC News. "We see this as the dawn of a new era in the understanding and treatment of eczema and the type of asthma that goes with eczema as well."

The findings appear in the journal Nature Genetics.

FDA Can Do More to Hasten Drug Approvals: Official

An official with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says the agency can do more to streamline and modernize its drug approval process.

Dr. Scott Gottlieb, FDA deputy commissioner for medical and scientific affairs, said that the agency had made improvements in how it manages drug reviews and approvals but that there are a number of ways to improve the process, the Seattle Times reported.

For example, it may be possible to improve the design of clinical trials so that drug developers can learn more about their drugs in a shorter time.

"Right now, clinical trials are highly empiric, and by that I mean we basically look for statistical results" that show what percentage of patients benefited from the treatment, Gottlieb told the Times.

He suggested that clinical trials could be structured in a way that enables researchers to learn not just what portion of patients might respond to a drug, but which specific type of patients derive the most benefit.

Gottlieb spoke Tuesday at a biotechnology conference in Seattle.

Researchers Testing New Ways to Prevent Esophageal Cancer

Esophageal cancer is the fastest-growing form of cancer in the United States and chronic heartburn may be the reason. Over the last two decades, there's been a six-fold increase in the main type of esophageal cancer. Researchers are trying to determine whether it's possible to heal heartburn-related damage to the esophagus in order to prevent cancer, the Associated Press reported.

About three million Americans are believed to have some form of esophageal damage that's caused by severe acid reflux and puts them at increased risk for esophageal cancer. An estimated 14,550 Americans will be diagnosed with the disease this year. Only about 16 percent of them will survive five years.

Currently, high-risk surgery to cut out sections of the esophagus damaged by acid reflux is the only proven method of preventing esophageal cancer.

Researchers are trying to develop new methods including: radiofrequency energy to burn away the damage; freezing away the damaged tissue; and photodynamic therapy that uses a laser in combination with a light-sensitizing drug, the AP reported.

Panel Critical of Guidant

The Guidant Corporation systematically failed to fully assess patient safety when it was deciding whether to alert the public about problems with one of its implantable heart defibrillator models, said an expert panel commissioned by the company.

Last year, it was revealed that Guidant had known about an electrical flaw in the defibrillator model for three years, but had failed to alert doctors or the public. At least seven people died due to defibrillator failures caused by the electrical defect.

In a report released Monday, the 12-member panel said Guidant's decisions about how to address or disclose product flaws were influenced by statistical projections from engineers instead of doctors' opinions about the medical consequences of those problems, The New York Times reported.

Guidant said that it did not notify doctors or patients about the electrical flaw in the defibrillator because the device met all engineering projections. Going public about the problem might cause more patient harm than good by leading to unnecessary surgery to remove the devices and replace them, the company argued.

The panel rejected that stance.

"The Independent Panel believes that under no circumstances should a potential or manifest risk of a preventable death be superseded by statistical analysis that indicate that performance remains within general guidelines."

The panel recommended that Guidant appoint an outside committee of doctors and other experts to regularly monitor the safety of the company's devices. The committee would also advise Guidant about when and how to notify doctors and patients about problems with medical devices, The Times reported.

Food Fact:
The sweeter tater.


For the record, sweet potatoes are not yams -- but they are a very nutritious choice. One baked sweet potato contains 5 1/2 times your daily requirement for vitamin A, and nearly half the recommended amount of vitamin C, along with a range of trace minerals and plenty of fiber. Buy only as many sweet potatoes as you plan to cook: They don't keep well, and should never be refrigerated. Store in a cool, dry place for a few days.

Fitness Tip of the day:
Hoop it up!


Score fitness points on a fast break -- 10 minutes at a mini basketball hoop. Whether it's on your porch or in your home office, a quick shootaround will clear your mind and you may be surprised at the workout you'll get -- and how motivated you'll be getting it.

FAQ of the day:
How much fat is too much?


We recommend a limit of 20% of calories from fat for weight loss. That's enough to make food palatable without providing empty calories. The best way to control fat is to determine your daily limit of fat in grams, and then monitor your fat budget by reading labels, using recipe analyses, and referring to a fat counter (available in any bookstore). The fat you add to your food should be monounsaturated (the kind found in olive and canola oils) and limited in saturated and hydrogenated fats as much as possible.

Monday, March 20, 2006

Health Headlines - March 20

Discredited South Korean Cloning Scientist Fired by University

Seoul National University said Monday that it had fired disgraced researcher Hwang Woo-suk, who faked cloning research published in the journal Science in 2004 and 2005.

Six other professors who worked with Hwang were either suspended or forced to take salary cuts, the Associated Press reported. As an interim disciplinary measure, the university in February suspended Hwang from teaching and doing research, but allowed him to remain a professor.

A university disciplinary committee decided to fire Hwang because he "took overall responsibility as the lead author and played a leading role in writing papers with fake facts and data," said Byun Chang-ku, the university's dean of academic affairs.

Hwang had been a professor at the university's Veterinary College since 1986. The school is state-run, so Hwang's firing means that he is not allowed to take any other public posts for five years, as dictated by law.

There may be more consequences for Hwang. He may also face criminal charges, as prosecutors have been investigating the cloning research scandal, the AP reported.

Japan Stands Firm on U.S. Beef Embargo

Citing continuing concerns about mad cow disease, Japan has refused a U.S. request to begin immediate resumption of U.S. beef imports.

"Unless safety is firmly secured, imports cannot resume," Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe said at a news conference. He said Japanese customers will not buy U.S. beef unless Washington does more to prove that the beef is safe, the Associated Press reported.

"U.S. measures should be considerable enough to get rid of concerns. We need to demand what we need to demand," Abe said.

At a meeting in Australia on Saturday, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice called on Japan to end the ban on U.S. beef imports.

Japan first banned U.S. beef in December 2003 after a case of mad cow disease was found in a herd in Washington state. Under intense U.S. pressure, Japan lifted the embargo in December 2005. However, a new ban was imposed just one month later after a shipment of U.S. beef violated Japanese safety guidelines, the AP reported.

Before the initial ban in 2003, Japan had been the largest overseas market for U.S. beef.

Egypt Reports Human Cases of Bird Flu

Two human cases of bird flu have been reported in Egypt, including a woman who died on Friday. A man infected with the H5N1 virus is in the hospital and is reported to be recovering.

Eight of Egypt's 25 provinces have reported bird-flu outbreaks, first detected in Egyptian poultry last month. Officials said that 121 people who were in contact with bird-flu outbreaks had tested negative for the infection, Agence France Presse reported.

The outbreaks in Egypt and other African nations prompted a three-day meeting of experts from 46 African nations and U.N. agencies. They met to develop an emergency strategy to deal with a potential pandemic on the continent.

"For us Africans, it is an additional challenge that comes on top of all the other well-known problems -- poverty, AIDS, malaria and many others," Gabonese President Omar Bongo Ondimba said Monday as he opened the conference.

In Romania, officials said they want to manufacture a new bird-flu vaccine for humans that was developed in Hungary. Romania's poultry flocks have been hard hit by bird flu and the country wants to use the vaccine to protect people working in close proximity to infected birds, AFP reported.

Hungarian experts have offered to help Romania. To avoid a lengthy approval process, the new vaccine will not be submitted to the European Union's drug authority for approval. Instead, countries that want to use the vaccine are being urged to speedily approve the vaccine through their own national drug authorities. That's what was done in Hungary.

Lawsuit Alleges Doctors Gave Patients Diluted Chemo Drugs

A lawsuit filed in Boone County Circuit Court in Missouri claims that 23 doctors administered diluted or tainted chemotherapy drugs to patients and charged full price for the treatments.

The lawsuit was filed last week on behalf of Ron Merchant, the husband of Artie Jean Merchant, who died in 2003 of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The doctor who treated her, James Hueser, is named as one of the co-defendants, the Associated Press reported.

An investigation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services launched in late 2001 found that between at least February 1999 and December 2001, Hueser "routinely billed Medicare for larger doses (of chemotherapy drugs) than were actually given to the patients," said an affidavit filed by investigator Daniel Coney.

Last November, Hueser reached a settlement with federal officials and paid a $1 million fine. Under the settlement, Hueser did not admit any wrongdoing.

Along with Hueser, the legal action launched last week names an affiliated company, Medical Network Technologies LLC, and former associates of Hueser's in the Boone Clinic medical partnership, the AP reported.

Controversial Drug Caused Swelling in Monkeys

In research conducted before the experimental drug TGN-1412 was tested on humans, monkeys suffered swelling of the lymph nodes after being given the drug.

This information contradicts claims by the German drug company TeGenero that there had been "no drug-related adverse effects" in tests conducted before the human clinical trials last week that left six men fighting for their lives in a London hospital, the The Daily Telegraph reported.

The six men suffered severe swelling after being given TGN-1412 as part of a clinical trail to test the safety of the drug in humans. Before they agreed to take part in the trial, the men claim they were told the drug had caused no serious adverse events in previous tests.

As of Sunday, two of the men remained in critical condition and two others were still receiving organ support. The other two men were off their support systems.

The Daily Telegraph reported that it had seen documents that showed the monkeys' serious reactions to the drug prompted TeGenero officials to warn doctors conducting the human trial in London to monitor the immune system of the human volunteers and to take immediate action if there were signs of swelling.

Web Site Provides Medical Procedure Costs to Consumers

Starting today, U.S. consumers can learn the cost of 42 medical procedures to help them shop for health care, says the Colorado company that's offering the online pricing information. It plans to soon add 14 more medical procedures to the list.

"What this helps an individual do is to shop for health care, which is a very new concept," HealthGrades Inc. spokesman Scott Shapiro told the Associated Press.

HealthGrades charges $7.95 for the service. Consumers provide their zip code, age, gender and insurance co-pay and the Web site will provide them with a report that outlines: The average price for the procedure negotiated by health insurers in the consumer's region; the expected out-of-pocket costs for people with insurance; and the average cost charged by the provider -- an amount that's usually paid only by uninsured patients.

Food Fact:
A cup of health.


For a rich load of antioxidants, pour yourself a daily cup of tea. All tea (green, oolong or black) contains compounds called catechins, which may help protect you against heart disease, stroke and cancer. Of the three varieties, green tea has the most catechins. Tea also has antibacterial qualities that may help prevent cavities and gum disease.

Fitness Tip of the day:
Rake's progress.


Want to see fitness grow -- and stress go? Plant yourself in the garden. A half-hour or more of continuous digging, planting, weeding, pruning, raking and mowing provides an excellent overall workout, raising your heartbeat and burning calories.

FAQ of the day:
How many calories do I need?


The average, moderately active person needs about 15 calories per pound to maintain weight. For instance, at 150 lbs., you need about 2,250 calories a day to stay at that weight. However, this is just a rough estimate; your true caloric needs are more closely linked to the amount of fat and lean tissue you carry. A well-muscled 150-lb. wrestler burns more calories than a 150-lb. couch potato, even on days when he decides to kick back and grapple with the remote control.