Health Headlines - July 31

Alcohol Increases Bowel Cancer Risk: Study

The more alcohol you drink, the more likely you are to develop bowel cancer, says a British study that found that a large glass of wine or a pint of beer a day increases the risk by about 10 percent, while those who drink more than 30 grams of alcohol a day have a 25 percent increased risk.

The study authors analyzed data on almost 480,000 people, who were asked how much alcohol they drank and then were followed for six years, BBC News reported. During that time, 1,833 of the study volunteers developed bowel cancer. The findings appear in the International Journal of Cancer.

"The research shows quite clearly that the more alcohol you drink the greater your risk of bowel cancer," said Professor Tim Key, a Cancer Research UK epidemiologist and deputy director of the cancer epidemiology unit in Oxford.

"The increase in risk is not large but it is important that people understand they can reduce their risk of a number of different cancers -- including bowel cancer -- by cutting down on alcohol," Key said.

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Instant Steam Device May Help Control Hospital Infections

A device that produces instant superheated steam may prove an effective method of killing bacteria that cause infection outbreaks in hospitals, says an article in Chemical and Industry magazine.

The handheld unit makes steam in seconds by passing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide through a fine powder catalyst, BBC News reported. The device can produce 70 liters of steam at 650 degrees C per minute.

Prototypes of the device -- which could also be used to remove gum from sidewalks and pavement -- are currently being developed by the U.K. company Oxford Catalysts.

The Chemical and Industry article said a study by a team at University College Hospital London found that dry steam applied at temperatures ranging from 150-180 degrees C could kill bacteria -- including dangerous antibiotic-resistant forms such as MRSA -- in less than two seconds.

More tests are needed to determine if a device that produces instant steam would be an effective method of controlling infections in hospitals. Dr. Jodi Lindsay, a senior lecturer at St. Georges Hospital Medical School, noted that steam is used to clean medical instruments and laboratory equipment.

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VP Cheney's Heart Monitoring Device Replaced

Vice President Dick Cheney's heart monitoring device was replaced Saturday with a similar, updated model.

The New York Times reports the minor surgery to implant the cardioverter-defibrillator that monitors and corrects Cheney's heart rhythm, was conducted without incident.

The vice president was sedated for the Saturday morning procedure, the Times reports, and he walked out of the George Washington University Hospital clinic at midday and returned home. The device "was successfully replaced without complication," the newspaper quotes Cheney spokeswoman Megan E. McGinn, as saying.

The device was implanted in 2001 and acts as both a pacemaker and defibrillator to shock the heart back into normal rhythm. The wires that run from the device into the heart were not replaced, the Times reported.

McGinn said Friday the need to replace the aging battery had been determined at a physical examination in June. She said the vice president, 66, was scheduled to have the procedure at George Washington University Hospital, located a few blocks from the White House.

At last month's checkup, Cheney also had a stress test, which found nothing unexpected, the Associated Press said.

Cheney has a history of cardiovascular problems, including a clot in his left leg discovered in March; a weak spot in an artery called an aneurism that was surgically repaired in 2005; four prior heart attacks; and quadruple bypass surgery, the wire service said.

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NIH Division Director Under Investigation in Ethics Inquiry

A director of one of the divisions of the National Institutes of Health spent more than triple the amount allocated for his laboratory and continued to hire out his services as an expert on asbestos despite an ethics policy recommending against doing so, Congressional investigators have found, The New York Times reports.

Dr. David A. Schwartz, a Schwartz, who in 2005 became head of the NIHs National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, spent $6 million in 2006 on his laboratory, despite agreeing to spend $1.8 million, billed the U.S. for personal items and asked staff members to run personal errands for him, the newspaper reports. Sen. Charles Grassley, (R-Iowa), ranking Republican member of the Senate Finance Committee is investigating the allegations.

NIH spokesman John Burklow told the Times that the Institutes had initiated a number of measures in response to the investigation: Schwartz no longer had permission to consult with law firms, he no longer ran his laboratory, he had resigned his faculty position at Duke University, and that he repaid unauthorized office and travel expenses.

The newspaper quotes a statement from Schwartz: "I firmly believe that I have acted ethically and in the best interests" of the health institute and that he was working to resolve "the issues raised."

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Next Year's Vioxx Trials May Include Stroke Cases

Until now, all of the lawsuits brought to trial involving the controversial painkiller Vioxx had centered on plaintiffs who had suffered heart attacks.

But according to the Associated Press, the federal judge appointed to oversee pretrial motions for the more than 8,500 federal lawsuits against Vioxx's maker Merck and Co. said that some of the trials next year could involve people who had suffered a stroke.

"We may carve out five or six stroke cases and try them," the wire service quotes U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon as telling attorneys for the plaintiffs and Merck.

Merck pulled Vioxx from the market in 2004 after studies revealed that using it increased a person's heart attack twofold.

Plaintiffs have sued Merck in both federal in state courts. In federal cases, Merck has won four of five. In all, there are almost 30,000 lawsuits filed against Merck. The company has won about half the cases, but it lost a big jury award in Texas, which is now on appeal.

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Sara Lee Recalls 27 Whole Wheat Bread Brands

Sara Lee Corp. has announced a recall of 27 different whole wheat bread products because a routine inspection at its plant in Meridian, Miss. found "small metal pieces" in some of its baked goods, the Associated Press reports.

The problem apparently developed in a flour-sifting machine, which company spokesman Mark Goldman described to the wire service as "not up to our specification and raised the possibility some metal could have dislodged." The problem was only at the Meridian bakery, Goldman added.

The products have been sold in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee, the A.P. reports. The brands are EarthGrains, Publix, Sara Lee Delightful, Sara Lee Hearty and Delicious. Other affected brands were stamped "best if purchased by" July 25, 2007, to Aug. 7, 2007, and included the code "222."

Consumers can return the bread to the store where they bought it for a refund, the wire service reported.

Health Tips for July 31

Health Tip: Check Skin for Cancer Signs

Some moles can become cancerous, so it's important to examine your skin frequently.

The American Academy of Family Physicians advises that you should speak with your doctor if you notice any of these symptoms on a mole:

* Bleeding.
* Itching.
* Rapid growth.
* A sore or area that won't heal.
* A scaly or crusty growth.
* Rough patches that feel like sandpaper.

Health Tip: When a Pet Dies

The death of a pet is a significant loss to every member of the family, but it can be particularly difficult for young children.

Here are suggestions to help your child deal with the loss of a pet, courtesy of the Nemours Foundation:

* Explain to her that it's normal to feel sadness, anger, frustration and even guilt.
* Let her see that you are sad and upset too, and that it's OK to cry -- don't hide your emotions from her.
* Let her know that it's OK not to want to talk about it at first, but that you can talk openly about it whenever she is ready.
* When she's ready, share happy memories and funny stories about the pet.
* Encourage her to say goodbye, and offer to have a ceremony to remember the pet.

Health Headlines - July 30

VP Cheney's Heart Monitoring Device Replaced

Vice President Dick Cheney's heart monitoring device was replaced Saturday with a similar, updated model.

The New York Times reports the minor surgery to implant the cardioverter-defibrillator that monitors and corrects Cheney's heart rhythm, was conducted without incident.

The vice president was sedated for the Saturday morning procedure, the Times reports, and he walked out of the George Washington University Hospital clinic at midday and returned home. The device "was successfully replaced without complication," the newspaper quotes Cheney spokeswoman Megan E. McGinn, as saying.

The device was implanted in 2001 and acts as both a pacemaker and defibrillator to shock the heart back into normal rhythm. The wires that run from the device into the heart were not replaced, the Times reported.

McGinn said Friday the need to replace the aging battery had been determined at a physical examination in June. She said the vice president, 66, was scheduled to have the procedure at George Washington University Hospital, located a few blocks from the White House.

At last month's checkup, Cheney also had a stress test, which found nothing unexpected, the Associated Press said.

Cheney has a history of cardiovascular problems, including a clot in his left leg discovered in March; a weak spot in an artery called an aneurism that was surgically repaired in 2005; four prior heart attacks; and quadruple bypass surgery, the wire service said.

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NIH Division Director Under Investigation in Ethics Inquiry

A director of one of the divisions of the National Institutes of Health spent more than triple the amount allocated for his laboratory and continued to hire out his services as an expert on asbestos despite an ethics policy recommending against doing so, Congressional investigators have found, the New York Times reports.

Dr. David A. Schwartz, a Schwartz, who in 2005 became head of the NIHs National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, spent $6 million in 2006 on his laboratory, despite agreeing to spend $1.8 million, billed the U.S. for personal items and asked staff members to run personal errands for him, the newspaper reports. Sen. Charles Grassley, (R-Iowa), ranking Republican member of the Senate Finance Committee is investigating the allegations.

NIH spokesman John Burklow told the Times that the Institutes had initiated a number of measures in response to the investigation: Schwartz no longer had permission to consult with law firms, he no longer ran his laboratory, he had resigned his faculty position at Duke University, and that he repaid unauthorized office and travel expenses.

The newspaper quotes a statement from Schwartz: "I firmly believe that I have acted ethically and in the best interests" of the health institute and that he was working to resolve "the issues raised."

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Next Year's Vioxx Trials May Include Stroke Cases

Until now, all of the lawsuits brought to trial involving the controversial painkiller Vioxx had centered on plaintiffs who had suffered heart attacks.

But according to the Associated Press, the federal judge appointed to oversee pretrial motions for the more than 8,500 federal lawsuits against Vioxx's maker Merck and Co. said that some of the trials next year could involve people who had suffered a stroke.

"We may carve out five or six stroke cases and try them," the wire service quotes U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon as telling attorneys for the plaintiffs and Merck.

Merck pulled Vioxx from the market in 2004 after studies revealed that using it increased a person's heart attack twofold.

Plaintiffs have sued Merck in both federal in state courts. In federal cases, Merck has won four of five. In all, there are almost 30,000 lawsuits filed against Merck. The company has won about half the cases, but it lost a big jury award in Texas, which is now on appeal.

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Sara Lee Recalls 27 Whole Wheat Bread Brands

Sara Lee Corp. has announced a recall of 27 different whole wheat bread products because a routine inspection at its plant in Meridian, Miss. found "small metal pieces" in some of its baked goods, the Associated Press reports.

The problem apparently developed in a flour-sifting machine, which company spokesman Mark Goldman described to the wire service as "not up to our specification and raised the possibility some metal could have dislodged." The problem was only at the Meridian bakery, Goldman added.

The products have been sold in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee, the A.P. reports. The brands are EarthGrains, Publix, Sara Lee Delightful, Sara Lee Hearty and Delicious. Other affected brands were stamped "best if purchased by" July 25, 2007, to Aug. 7, 2007, and included the code "222."

Consumers can return the bread to the store where they bought it for a refund, the wire service reported.

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Toro Electric Blowers Recalled

Some 900,000 electric blowers produced by the Toro Co. of Bloomington, Minn., are being recalled because the rotating portion inside them -- called the impeller -- could break and force plastic pieces out the front, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says. Toro has 154 reports of broken impellers, including 21 incidents of minor cuts and bruises, the agency said. The recall involves model number 51586, produced between January 2000 and December 2002. Affected serial numbers range from 000055100 to 220255609.

Toro dealers and other retailers, including Home Depot, Lowes, Target and K-Mart, sold the product for about $32, the CPSC said.

For information about getting a replacement, contact Toro at 888-279-3191.

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Products Recalled for Botulism Risk Still Available

Cans of recalled chili, stew, hash, and other products are still being sold across the United States, despite the possibility they could be contaminated with deadly bacteria, the Associated Press reported Friday.

More than a week after Castleberry's Food Co. recalled more than 90 products for possible botulism contamination, thousands of cans are still being pulled from store shelves as quickly as U.S. Food and Drug Administration inspectors can find them.

The last two years' worth of inventory produced at Castleberry's Augusta, Ga., plant are now on the recall list -- which could add up to tens of millions of cans. Of more than 3,700 stores visited nationwide by the FDA at one point, roughly 250 still sold the recalled products, the wire service said.

A list of the recalled products is available from the FDA. Any consumer who has a recalled can should immediately double bag the product and throw it away, the agency advised.

Health Tips for July 30

Food Fact:
The world's No. 1 fruit?

Believe it or not, it's not the apple or banana. It's the mango! The intense orange flesh is not only meltingly sweet, soft, juicy and delicious, but reflects a high level of beta carotene, which our bodies convert to much-needed vitamin A. A whole mango provides about 130 calories along with all the vitamin C that most of us need daily. Don't go by color alone when choosing a ripe mango. The flesh should give a little to pressure, much like a ripe avocado. For smoothies, frozen treats and fruit salads, buy frozen mango pieces. The price is right and ripeness is guaranteed.

Fitness Tip of the day:
Make it a "cardio commute."

We've got an easy tip for giving yourself an energy boost in the morning. Walk or ride your bike to the train station or bus stop. Or, try hopping off the bus a few blocks from your normal stop and walk the rest of the way. You'll arrive awake, alert and ready for work.

FAQ of the day:
Will eating blueberries improve my balance?

They seem to help rats keep their footing. When researchers at Tufts University in Boston fed rats antioxidant-rich extracts of blueberries, strawberries or spinach for eight months, the animals were protected from age-related declines in brain functions, including cognitive function. For some reason, those that received the blueberry extracts were also better able to keep their balance when walking over small rods.

Health Headlines - July 29

VP Cheney's Heart Monitoring Device Replaced

Vice President Dick Cheney's heart monitoring device was replaced Saturday with a similar, updated model.

The New York Times reports the minor surgery to implant the cardioverter-defibrillator that monitors and corrects Cheney's heart rhythm, was conducted without incident.

The vice president was sedated for the Saturday morning procedure, the Times reports, and he walked out of the George Washington University Hospital clinic at midday and returned home. The device "was successfully replaced without complication," the newspaper quotes Cheney spokeswoman Megan E. McGinn, as saying.

The device was implanted in 2001 and acts as both a pacemaker and defibrillator to shock the heart back into normal rhythm. The wires that run from the device into the heart were not replaced, the Times reported.

McGinn said Friday the need to replace the aging battery had been determined at a physical examination in June. She said the vice president, 66, was scheduled to have the procedure at George Washington University Hospital, located a few blocks from the White House.

At last month's checkup, Cheney also had a stress test, which found nothing unexpected, the Associated Press said.

Cheney has a history of cardiovascular problems, including a clot in his left leg discovered in March; a weak spot in an artery called an aneurism that was surgically repaired in 2005; four prior heart attacks; and quadruple bypass surgery, the wire service said.

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Next Year's Vioxx Trials May Include Stroke Cases

Until now, all of the lawsuits brought to trial involving the controversial painkiller Vioxx had centered on plaintiffs who had suffered heart attacks.

But according to the Associated Press, the federal judge appointed to oversee pretrial motions for the more than 8,500 federal lawsuits against Vioxx's maker Merck and Co. said that some of the trials next year could involve people who had suffered a stroke.

"We may carve out five or six stroke cases and try them," the wire service quotes U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon as telling attorneys for the plaintiffs and Merck.

Merck pulled Vioxx from the market in 2004 after studies revealed that using it increased a person's heart attack twofold.

Plaintiffs have sued Merck in both federal in state courts. In federal cases, Merck has won four of five. In all, there are almost 30,000 lawsuits filed against Merck. The company has won about half the cases, but it lost a big jury award in Texas, which is now on appeal.

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Sara Lee Recalls 27 Whole Wheat Bread Brands

Sara Lee Corp. has announced a recall of 27 different whole wheat bread products because a routine inspection at its plant in Meridian, Miss. found "small metal pieces" in some of its baked goods, the Associated Press reports.

The problem apparently developed in a flour-sifting machine, which company spokesman Mark Goldman described to the wire service as "not up to our specification and raised the possibility some metal could have dislodged." The problem was only at the Meridian bakery, Goldman added.

The products have been sold in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee, the A.P. reports. The brands are EarthGrains, Publix, Sara Lee Delightful, Sara Lee Hearty and Delicious. Other affected brands were stamped "best if purchased by" July 25, 2007, to Aug. 7, 2007, and included the code "222."

Consumers can return the bread to the store where they bought it for a refund, the wire service reported.

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FDA Permits Limited Use of Irritable Bowel Drug

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it will allow restricted use of the irritable bowel syndrome drug Zelnorm (tegaserod maleate) among certain women younger than age 55.

In a statement issued Friday, the agency said use of the drug would be permitted in certain female patients with irritable bowel syndrome with constipation, and chronic idiopathic constipation.

On March 30, the FDA asked the maker of Zelnorm, Novartis, to suspend U.S. sales after a safety analysis found users had an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and unstable angina (chest pain that can signal a heart attack).

At the time, the FDA said it would work with Novartis to develop guidelines for patients in whom the benefits of Zelnorm outweigh its risks.

"These patients must meet strict criteria and have no known or pre-existing heart problems and be in critical need of this drug," said Dr. Steven Galson, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. "Zelnorm will remain off the market for general use."

Zelnorm was first approved by the FDA in 2002 for the short-term treatment of irritable bowel with constipation. Two years later, it was approved to treat chronic constipation in men and women under age 65.

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Toro Electric Blowers Recalled

Some 900,000 electric blowers produced by the Toro Co. of Bloomington, Minn., are being recalled because the rotating portion inside them -- called the impeller -- could break and force plastic pieces out the front, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says. Toro has 154 reports of broken impellers, including 21 incidents of minor cuts and bruises, the agency said. The recall involves model number 51586, produced between January 2000 and December 2002. Affected serial numbers range from 000055100 to 220255609.

Toro dealers and other retailers, including Home Depot, Lowes, Target and K-Mart, sold the product for about $32, the CPSC said.

For information about getting a replacement, contact Toro at 888-279-3191.

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Products Recalled for Botulism Risk Still Available

Cans of recalled chili, stew, hash, and other products are still being sold across the United States, despite the possibility they could be contaminated with deadly bacteria, the Associated Press reported Friday.

More than a week after Castleberry's Food Co. recalled more than 90 products for possible botulism contamination, thousands of cans are still being pulled from store shelves as quickly as U.S. Food and Drug Administration inspectors can find them.

The last two years' worth of inventory produced at Castleberry's Augusta, Ga., plant are now on the recall list -- which could add up to tens of millions of cans. Of more than 3,700 stores visited nationwide by the FDA at one point, roughly 250 still sold the recalled products, the wire service said.

A list of the recalled products is available from the FDA. Any consumer who has a recalled can should immediately double bag the product and throw it away, the agency advised.

Health Tips for July 29

Food Fact:
The perfect food?

Here are five good reasons it just might be lentils. 1) Lentils, a fine source of plant protein, don't take hours to cook, unlike other dried beans. 2) Lentils are rich in soluble fiber, which helps control blood cholesterol. 3) Lentils provide some calcium, iron and other trace minerals. 4) Lentils are one of the best sources for folic acid, a B vitamin critical for preventing neural tube defects. 5) Lentils may protect against some types of cancers and lower heart disease risk.

Fitness Tip of the day:
Don't be a night owl.

Exercising just before bedtime may be asking for trouble. Aerobic exercise -- and exercise in general -- helps you fall asleep more quickly and sleep longer, but generally not if you if you work out just before turning in. Don't be tempted by your gym's late hours if you have to get up early the next morning; most of us need a few hours to relax and decompress after a workout before going to sleep, so you might pay a price the next day.

FAQ of the day:
Why are my hips and thighs so big?

The hormones that maintain a woman's fat reserves for pregnancy and lactation also help determine where fat is stored. Despite what you see in magazines, a so-called "pear" shape is perfectly normal for a healthy woman. In fact, the female distribution of body fat in the hips and thighs has been associated with lower risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and breast cancer. Women who tend to have more of a male distribution of body fat, with fat stored around the waist, are at higher risk for these diseases.

Health Headlines - July 28

Cheney Needs New Defibrillator Battery

Vice President Dick Cheney will have minor surgery Saturday to replace the battery powering his implanted defibrillator, the Associated Press reported.

Cheney spokeswoman Megan McGinn said the need to replace the aging battery had been determined at a physical examination in June. She said the vice president, 66, would have the procedure at George Washington University Hospital, located a few blocks from the White House.

The defibrillator was implanted in 2001 to counter an irregular heartbeat. At last month's checkup, Cheney also had a stress test, which found nothing unexpected, the AP said.

Cheney has a history of cardiovascular problems, including a clot in his left leg discovered in March; a weak spot in an artery called an aneurism that was surgically repaired in 2005; four prior heart attacks; and quadruple bypass surgery, the wire service said.

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FDA Permits Limited Use of Irritable Bowel Drug

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it will allow restricted use of the irritable bowel syndrome drug Zelnorm (tegaserod maleate) among certain women younger than age 55.

In a statement issued Friday, the agency said use of the drug would be permitted in certain female patients with irritable bowel syndrome with constipation, and chronic idiopathic constipation.

On March 30, the FDA asked the maker of Zelnorm, Novartis, to suspend U.S. sales after a safety analysis found users had an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and unstable angina (chest pain that can signal a heart attack).

At the time, the FDA said it would work with Novartis to develop guidelines for patients in whom the benefits of Zelnorm outweigh its risks.

"These patients must meet strict criteria and have no known or pre-existing heart problems and be in critical need of this drug," said Dr. Steven Galson, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. "Zelnorm will remain off the market for general use."

Zelnorm was first approved by the FDA in 2002 for the short-term treatment of irritable bowel with constipation. Two years later, it was approved to treat chronic constipation in men and women under age 65.

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Gene Therapy Study Suspended

A Seattle company's gene therapy study involving people with advanced arthritis has been suspended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration after the death of a participant, the Associated Press reported Friday.

The FDA said it was investigating to what degree, if any, gene therapy played a role in the unidentified patient's death on Tuesday. The agency also was reviewing the safety of 28 other gene-therapy studies nationwide that used the same virus, called an adeno-associated virus (AAV), the AP said.

While the FDA said it wasn't aware of any serious issues in the other studies, it was reviewing them as a precaution, the AP said.

The Seattle company involved in the suspended study, Targeted Genetics Corp., notified the FDA of the patient's death this week.

More than 100 people had been enrolled in the study. The patient who died became sick after a second gene-therapy injection into an arthritic joint, the wire service said.

A National Institutes of Health advisory committee on gene therapy was scheduled to meet in September in response to the patient's death, the AP said.

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Toro Electric Blowers Recalled

Some 900,000 electric blowers produced by the Toro Co. of Bloomington, Minn., are being recalled because the rotating portion inside them -- called the impeller -- could break and force plastic pieces out the front, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says. Toro has 154 reports of broken impellers, including 21 incidents of minor cuts and bruises, the agency said. The recall involves model number 51586, produced between January 2000 and December 2002. Affected serial numbers range from 000055100 to 220255609.

Toro dealers and other retailers, including Home Depot, Lowes, Target and K-Mart, sold the product for about $32, the CPSC said.

For information about getting a replacement, contact Toro at 888-279-3191.

-----

Products Recalled for Botulism Risk Still Available

Cans of recalled chili, stew, hash, and other products are still being sold across the United States, despite the possibility they could be contaminated with deadly bacteria, the Associated Press reported Friday.

More than a week after Castleberry's Food Co. recalled more than 90 products for possible botulism contamination, thousands of cans are still being pulled from store shelves as quickly as U.S. Food and Drug Administration inspectors can find them.

The last two years' worth of inventory produced at Castleberry's Augusta, Ga., plant are now on the recall list -- which could add up to tens of millions of cans. Of more than 3,700 stores visited nationwide by the FDA at one point, roughly 250 still sold the recalled products, the wire service said.

A list of the recalled products is available from the FDA. Any consumer who has a recalled can should immediately double bag the product and throw it away, the agency advised.

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West Nile Season Off to Fast Start

If this year's early tally of West Nile virus cases is any indication, the United States is on pace to have its worst season in years, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.

Nearly four times as many cases of the mosquito-borne virus have been reported nationwide as the same time last year, the Associated Press said.

Nineteen states, predominantly west of the Mississippi River, have reported 122 human cases this year, compared with 33 cases by late July 2006. This year's total includes three deaths, the AP said.

The start of the season isn't always a good indicator of how bad the entire year will be, a CDC spokesman noted.

The agency advises people to use mosquito repellant, to make sure window and door screens are working properly, and to eliminate any pools of standing water that the insects might use to breed.

Health Tips for July 28

Health Tip: Packing Your Prescriptions

If you're planning to hit the road this summer and you need to take your medications along, here are suggestions from AARP:

* In case of an emergency, pack a complete list of all medications you take, including those sold over-the-counter.
* If you're flying, pack medications in their original packages in a carry-on bag, instead of checking them.
* Take more medication than you expect to need, in case travel plans change or you run into problems getting home.
* Pack any medications that need to be refrigerated in insulated, cooled packaging.
* If you're going to another country, make sure you comply with that nation's laws on bringing in medications.

Health Tip: Causes of Fainting

Fainting occurs due to a sudden drop in blood flow to the brain, resulting in brief loss of consciousness. Fainting can be accompanied by dizziness or nausea.

Here are some common triggers, courtesy of the U.S. National Library of Medicine:

* Straining during urination or a bowel movement.
* Excessive coughing.
* Standing for too long in the same position, or quickly standing up from a lying position.
* Severe pain, stress, fear or emotional distress.
* Excessive bleeding or dehydration.
* Medications used to treat conditions like high blood pressure, anxiety, allergies and nasal congestion.
* Use of drugs or alcohol.
* Low blood sugar.

Health Headlines - July 27

Astronauts Intoxicated Before Launch: Report

NASA astronauts on two occasions were so intoxicated before launch that agency medical experts said they posed a flight safety risk, yet they were allowed to fly anyway, Aviation Week & Space Technology reported Thursday on its Web site.

The astronaut alcohol consumption fell within the standard 12-hour "bottle to throttle" rule that prohibits such drinking, the magazine said. It cited the conclusions of a NASA panel reviewing health issues in the wake of Lisa Nowak's arrest in February on charges of allegedly stalking a woman who had been dating a fellow astronaut.

A NASA spokesman declined comment, except to say that a news conference had been scheduled for Friday afternoon, the magazine reported.

A member of the panel, convened by NASA Administrator Michael Griffin, told the magazine that the report was still being drafted and would probably be released in August.

The panel's report apparently doesn't deal directly with the Nowak case and does not identify any other astronaut by name, the magazine said.

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TB Patient Discharged from Denver Hospital

Andrew Speaker, the Atlanta attorney infected with tuberculosis who caused an international health scare when he flew to Europe for his wedding, was discharged from a Denver hospital Thursday, a statement issued by the National Jewish Medical and Research Center said.

"Treatment for Mr. Speaker went very well, and we were able to release him more quickly than we originally anticipated," said Dr. Gwen Huitt, director of the hospital's adult infectious disease unit.

Speaker was treated with several antibiotics since his arrival at the Denver hospital eight weeks ago, and had surgery July 17 to remove a diseased part of his lung.

The hospital said that although Speaker was no longer considered contagious, he avoided a trip on a commercial airline back to Georgia by taking a special air ambulance.

Speaker, 31, was instructed to begin two years of "directly observed therapy," in which health care workers would watch him take his medicines, the hospital said. He was met in Georgia by his parents and was driven to an undisclosed location to continue his recovery.

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Carbon Dioxide Pollution Predicted to Rise

Carbon dioxide emissions from old and inefficient energy plants is expected to rise by up to 34 percent by 2030, according to a new report from the Environmental Integrity Project.

Texas topped the nonprofit group's ranking of the 12 states with the dirtiest plants, followed by Pennsylvania, Indiana, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio, West Virginia, Wyoming, Florida, Kentucky, and New Mexico.

"Power plants are major contributors to global warming, emitting billions of tons of carbon dioxide each year," the EIP said in a statement. Outdated plants also produce excessive amounts of other pollutants including sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and mercury, the Washington, D.C.-based group said.

The group called on energy companies to phase out the nation's oldest and dirtiest plants, and to help reduce the country's dependence on fuels whose production contributes to global warming, including coal.

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Disney Bans Smoking in Its Films

Walt Disney Co. will ban smoking in any movie branded with the Disney name, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.

The first studio to announce such a move, Disney also plans to include anti-smoking public service announcements on DVDs of any of its films that include an actor smoking, the newspaper said.

The company will also "discourage" smoking in movies made by its Miramax and Touchstone subsidiaries, CEO Bob Iger told the Journal.

Disney's move follows recent efforts by the Motion Picture Association of America to discourage smoking in movies. In May, the MPAA suggested that smoking be included as a factor in assigning ratings to movies, in addition to criteria such as violence, sex and illicit drug use, the newspaper said.

Among other Hollywood studios, NBC Universal earlier this year said it would reduce the incidence of smoking in its movies, and Weinstein Co. has included anti-smoking announcements in major releases on DVD, the Journal said.

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HMO Fined for Lax Complaint Investigations

Kaiser Permanente has been fined $3 million by the State of California for what regulators deemed insufficient investigations into patient complaints and performance by member physicians, the Associated Press reported Thursday.

Last summer, California fined the HMO $2 million over allegations of a mismanaged kidney transplant program, the wire service said.

In the latest investigation, state inspectors examined 246 cases that involved complaints and quality-of-care concerns at five hospitals in Northern California and four in Southern California. The inspectors concluded that Kaiser "lacked the ability to verify consistent handling of complaints throughout its medical centers or to determine whether serious or chronic problems were being addressed."

The company operates 29 medical centers throughout California, the AP said.

The latest fine could be reduced to $2 million if the company makes changes to the way it handles complaints, a state regulatory official told the Los Angeles Times.

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Cell Phone Towers Don't Cause Illness: Study

Cell phone towers aren't responsible for a collection of ills including anxiety, nausea and fatigue, a new British study found.

While University of Essex researchers conceded that people who thought they had the so-called "phone mast allergy" showed real symptoms, sufferers reported greater distress when they thought phone signals were actually being transmitted. This led researchers to conclude that the problem could be at least partly psychological, BBC News reported.

"Belief is a very powerful thing," study author Elaine Fox told the network. "If you really believe something is going to do you some harm, it will."

The study was funded by the Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research Programme, a group with ties to the mobile phone industry, the BBC reported.

Health Tips for July 27

Health Tip: Protect Your Head After Concussion

A sudden and forceful impact to the head can cause the brain to slosh around inside the skull. This can injure the brain, including blood vessels and nerves. When the injury leads to a temporary loss of normal brain function, it's called a concussion.

Symptoms may include: poor memory, headaches, dizziness and irritability.

After a concussion, protection of the head is crucial to preventing additional injury.

Most people with a new concussion will need to wait at least several weeks before resuming normal activities, says the Nemours Foundation.

Your doctor can tell you when it's safe to resume sports or normal exercise, the foundation says. Depending on the person and severity of the injury, some people will take longer to recover, and may require rehabilitation.

Health Tip: Prevent Problems With Contact Lenses

Wearing contact lenses requires precautions to protect your eyes from infection.

The University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center offers these suggestions on how to care for contact lenses:

* Always wash your hands before handling your lenses or touching your eyes.
* Never let anyone else wear your lenses.
* Only take lenses in and out as prescribed by your doctor -- don't put them in and remove them repeatedly throughout the day.
* Only purchase lenses that your doctor has prescribed. Avoid so-called "fashion" lenses or purchasing any lenses from someone other than a reputable source.
* Replace lenses regularly on the schedule prescribed by your doctor.
* Clean lenses thoroughly and regularly as recommended by your doctor.
* Throw away disposable lenses. Don't try to sterilize or re-use them.

Health Headlines - July 26

Presidential Panel Urges Better Care for Veterans

A hike in benefits for family members caring for wounded soldiers was among a sweeping series of changes recommended Wednesday by a presidential commission appointed to suggest better ways to care for the nation's veterans.

The nine-member panel, led by former Sen. Bob Dole (R-Kan.) and former Health and Human Services secretary Donna Shalala, also recommended:

• Establishing a Web site for easy access to veterans' medical records.
• Overhauling the way disability pay is awarded.
• Working with the private sector to improve treatment programs for combat-related disorders, including traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The commission's 29-page report was presented to President Bush in the Oval Office, the Associated Press reported. Bush hand-picked the panel in March, following revelations of substandard care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center near the nation's capital.

The report did not directly criticize nor attribute blame for the Walter Reed revelations, although it cited the need to move forward and improve care for all veterans, the AP reported.

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Drug-Resistant Infections Spur Jump in Hospital Stays

Hospital stays for a type of antibiotic-resistant staph infection known as MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) jumped nearly 10-fold in the decade since 1995, the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality said Wednesday.

There were 368,800 hospitals stays among MRSA-infected patients in 2005, up from 38,100 in 1995, the agency said.

MRSA is resistant to frequently used antibiotics, including amoxicillin and penicillin, the AHRQ said in a statement. It's often acquired by hospitalized patients who have had surgery or have weakened immune systems, but the agency noted a significant increase in the infection's incidence among otherwise healthy people.

People over age 65, among those most susceptible, are three times more likely than other people to be hospitalized for MRSA, the agency said.

The infection occurs most often in people with skin infections, (19 percent), complications from medical care (16 percent), pneumonia (9 percent), and a blood poisoning infection called septicemia (7 percent), the AHRQ said.

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Groups Want Devices Labeled for Toxic Chemical

Any medical device that contains the toxic chemical di-20ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) should be labeled to warn prospective users of the chemical's dangers, including a risk to the developing reproductive systems of boys, a number of health organizations say.

In a petition letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which regulates medical devices, groups including the American Medical Association said products that contain the chemical are still being used at many hospitals, despite the availability of safer alternatives.

DEHP is used to make certain forms of vinyl and plastic. According to a statement issued by another of the petitioning groups, Health Care Without Harm, the chemical can leach out from medical products, potentially endangering the reproductive health of pregnant women and their offspring.

The FDA warned of the chemical's risks in 2002, and the European Union recently announced mandatory labeling of medical devices that contain DEHP, the statement said.

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Medicare Should End Wasteful Drug-Plan Practice: CU

Medicare should end its practice of randomly assigning low-income beneficiaries to expensive Part D prescription drug plans, the publisher of Consumer Reports said Wednesday.

In a statement, Consumers Union said it supported a U.S. House of Representatives bill to "intelligently place seniors in low-cost, comprehensive plans that meet their needs."

"Medicare randomly assigns 6 million low-income Americans to prescription drug insurance plans without checking to make sure those plans are the best value, or if they even cover the most commonly used drugs," CU senior policy analyst Bill Vaughn said in the statement.

CU said a sampling of eight zip codes found that about 25 percent of Part D drug plans failed to cover a group of six drugs frequently used by seniors, including Actonel (osteoporosis), Aricept (mild dementia), Celebrex (arthritis), furosemide (high blood pressure), Lexapro (depression), and Lipitor (high cholesterol).

Under the House proposal, beneficiaries would be assigned to lower-cost plans that covered these and other commonly prescribed medications, CU said.

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Medicaid Law Aimed at Illegal Immigrants Isn't Working: Report

New rules designed to curb the numbers of illegal immigrants who file for Medicaid coverage appear to be affecting more people who are actually eligible for Medicaid, a federal assessment found.

The law, which took effect July 1, 2006, required states evaluating Medicaid eligibility to obtain proof of citizenship and nationality, the Associated Press reported.

The U.S. Government Accounting Office (GAO), in a survey of 44 states, found that 22 states reported enrollment drops after the rule came into effect. But most of the declines involved delayed coverage or loss of coverage entirely among eligible citizens, the AP said.

Of the 22 remaining states, 12 said the new rules had no effect on enrollment and 10 others said they didn't know.

In response to the report, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services -- the federal agency that oversees the program that provides health coverage to the poor -- said the states did not document their conclusions, the AP reported.

The GAO conceded that its review represented the views of state Medicaid officials, the wire service said.

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Bus Passengers May Have Been Exposed to TB

A dozen or more passengers who took a Boston-to-Montreal bus in May might have been exposed to tuberculosis, the Associated Press reported Wednesday.

While the Massachusetts Public Health Department said it is trying to find passengers on the May 5 bus trip, a spokesman called the incident "a low-risk situation" because the unidentified passenger had a form of TB that wasn't drug-resistant, the wire service reported.

Public Health Department spokesman Alfred DeMaria conceded that the American public has been on heightened alert since the high-profile case of Atlanta attorney Andrew Speaker, who flew to Europe for his wedding despite having been told he had a highly drug-resistant form of the disease.

Speaker's diagnosis was later downgraded to a slightly less severe strain of TB.

The Massachusetts man traveling on the bus discovered that he had TB a week after returning from Montreal, the AP reported. State health officials said they've since tracked down 10 fellow passengers and additional bus workers, and none has tested positive. The wire service report did not identify the bus company involved.

Health Tips for July 26

Health Tip: Don't Aggravate an Upset Stomach

Got an upset stomach? Here are suggestions on how to tame it, courtesy of the U.S. National Library of Medicine:
* Drink plenty of clear liquids, like water, ginger ale, or certain fruit juices. Drink slowly and consume only small amounts at a time to avoid aggravating the stomach.
* Avoid dark and heavy fluids, like cola or coffee.
* If you're vomiting, don't eat any solid food until you haven't been sick in at least six hours. Then, slowly introduce light foods, like dry toast or crackers.
* Over-the-counter medications like Pepto Bismol may help ease nausea in adults. These medicines, however, contain aspirin-like ingredients and should never be given to children or teens who have had recent bouts with chickenpox or flu.
* If nausea and vomiting do not subside, consult your doctor without delay.

Health Tip: Keep Oily Hair Under Control

Excessively oily hair can contribute to acne on the face, back, and shoulders.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine offers these suggestions for keeping oily hair under control:

* Wash hair thoroughly each day.
* Leave shampoo on for at least five minutes before rinsing.
* Don't brush hair too frequently or vigorously, as it can spread oil through the rest of the hair.
* Talk to your doctor about contributing factors to excess oil production, including stress and hormones found in birth control pills.

Health Headlines - July 25

Discard Any Cans Linked to Botulism Outbreak: FDA

Consumers who have any of the 90 canned products linked to a botulism outbreak involving Castleberry's Food Co. should throw out the cans immediately, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said.

"You're talking tens of millions of cans that may have been involved," Robert Brackett, director of the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, told the Associated Press.

Castleberry's, which on Monday announced the closing of the Augusta, Ga., plant at the center of the outbreak, has hired an outside company to help rid the nation's 8,500 retail outlets of any affected product. A list of recalled items is provided by the FDA here.

Four cases of botulism -- two in Texas and two in Indiana -- have been linked to Castleberry's Hot Dog Chili Sauce Original. Other products, including additional brands of canned chili, beef stew, and corned beef hash, were produced at the same plant and are being recalled as a precaution, the company said.

The chili sauces are the only products that have tested positive for the bacterium Clostridium botulinum that causes botulism, a rare but deadly illness that can paralyze the breathing muscles. Symptoms, including blurred vision and slurred speech, generally begin within 36 hours of eating contaminated food, the AP said.

Botulism is normally prevented in canned food by sufficiently heating the product to a high enough temperature. Castleberry's Senior Vice President Dave Melbourne acknowledged that botulism developed in the chili sauce products because they were undercooked, the wire service reported.

Castleberry's said consumers should throw away any of the recalled product in doubled plastic bags. They should not bring the recalled product back to the grocery store, but instead should contact Castleberry's for a refund at 1-888-203-8446.

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Latest Echinacea Study Finds It Fights Colds

The latest in a recent series of conflicting studies of echinacea finds the herb does have a substantial effect on preventing colds or limiting how long they last, The New York Times reported Tuesday.

The latest findings, published in the July issue of The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal, combined the results of 700 prior studies to come up with a larger patient sample.

The analysis found that echinacea reduced a person's risk of catching a cold by 58 percent, the Times said. While the herb also shortened the duration of the average cold, the University of Connecticut researchers said they couldn't extrapolate by exactly how much.

"Our analysis doesn't say that the stuff works without question," said UConn professor of pharmacy practice Dr. Craig Coleman, senior author of the study. "But the preponderance of evidence suggests that it does."

The study authors said they had only evaluated echinacea's effectiveness in preventing colds, not the herb's overall safety.

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Pottery Barn Recalls Crib Bumpers

Pottery Barn is recalling 31,000 Matelassé crib bumpers, which include decorative edge stitching that can come lose and pose an entanglement hazard to infants, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said Tuesday. Pottery Barn Kids has two reports of the stitching coming lose, but neither involved an injury, the CPSC said.

The product, made in Portugal, was sold online and at Pottery Barn Kids stores nationwide from February 2003 through June 2007 for about $90.

Consumers are urged to stop using the bumpers immediately and to contact Pottery Barn Kids for a refund. The toll-free number is 877-800-9720.

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Illinois Bans Public Smoking

Illinois is the latest U.S. state to ban smoking in public places, including bars, restaurants, and office buildings.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed the anti-smoking legislation Monday that takes effect Jan. 1.

Smokers will still be able to light up in their homes, cars, at tobacco shops, in some motel rooms, and outdoors, the Associated Press reported. Individual violators can be fined up to $250, and businesses face a maximum fine of $2,500.

The law supersedes weaker local ordinances passed by Chicago and dozens of other communities that now exempt businesses with certain filtration systems and for other reasons, the AP said.

While the United States has no federal policy on smoking, some states, including New York and Florida, have imposed some of the world's most stringent anti-tobacco laws, the AP reported.

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Circumcision Can Slow AIDS Spread, Conferees Told

Circumcision should be endorsed by governments worldwide as a key way to slow the spread of HIV/AIDS, a U.S. expert told attendees Tuesday at an international AIDS conference in Sydney, Australia.

University of Illinois epidemiology professor Robert Bailey said African studies showed that uncircumcised men were 2 1/2 times more likely than circumcised men to contract HIV from infected women, the Associated Press reported.

He urged international leaders to issue statements endorsing the practice, noting that global agencies would otherwise be reluctant to voice support for the procedure -- for fear of being seen as imposing foreign values, the wire service said.

The World Health Organization has said that male circumcision reduces the transmission of HIV from infected women to men by about 60 percent. But only about 30 percent of the globe's men have had the procedure, the wire service said.

Circumcision is believed to be an effective way of slowing the spread of HIV because skin cells in the foreskin are thought to be especially vulnerable to the virus, the AP said.

Health Tips for July 25

Health Tip: Prevent an Overuse Injury

While running is a great way to keep active, it can also lead to damage to bones and joints if safety precautions aren't followed.

The American Academy of Family Physicians offers these suggestions to prevent an overuse injury while running:

* Never increase your running distance more than 10 percent per week.
* Run on flat, even ground with some give to it.
* If you feel pain, stop running and ice the area. Don't resume running until the pain has subsided.
* When you run particularly hard or a long distance, follow up with a lighter day of running.
* Replace running shoes often -- every 500 miles -- for maximum shock absorption.

Health Tip: Your Teething Baby

A baby's first set of teeth usually starts to emerge at about 6 months of age. While discomfort and irritability are common in teething babies, other symptoms may be warning signs of another problem.

Here are some basics that parents should know about teething, courtesy of the American Dental Association:

* Irritability, fussiness, drooling, and loss of appetite are common symptoms of teething.
* Diarrhea, rash, and fever are not caused by teething, and should be evaluated by a doctor.
* Small cysts near erupting teeth are common and harmless.
* Tender gums may be soothed with a teething ring, pacifier, or a cream that helps numb the gums.
* Gums can also be massaged with a clean finger or damp piece of gauze.

Health Headlines - July 24

President Bush's Colonoscopy Found No Cancer

Doctors found no cancer in the five small growths, called polyps, removed from President Bush's colon during a colonoscopy on Saturday, the White House reported Monday.

Tests showed the growths were benign -- in keeping with the White House's expectation that none of the five polyps appeared "worrisome," the Associated Press reported.

"The president is in good health," Bush spokesman Tony Snow said. "There is no reason for alarm."

The President, who had transferred power to Vice President Dick Cheney early Saturday morning before undergoing the colonoscopy, which requires anesthesia, reclaimed his powers 9:21 a.m. Eastern time, the wire service reported.

The White House said the President took a bicycle ride at Camp David later Saturday and had spoken with his wife, Laura, by phone in Midland, Texas, the wire service reported.

Bush, who is 61, last had a colorectal cancer check on June 29, 2002.

Two polyps discovered during examinations in 1998 and 1999 make Bush a prime candidate for regular examinations. For the general population, a colonoscopy to screen for colon cancer is recommended every 10 years. But for people at higher risk or if a colonoscopy detects precancerous polyps, follow-up colonoscopies often are scheduled in three- to five-year intervals.

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Food Plant at Center of Botulism Recall Is Closed

The Augusta, Ga., plant at the center of last week's recall of hot dog chili sauce was closed by Castleberry's Food Co. on Monday after 16 more cans tested positive for botulism over the weekend, the Associated Press reported.

Castleberry's also hired a third-party company to aid in efforts to rid 8,500 retailers across the nation of any remaining cans that have been recalled, the wire service said.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has four reports of illness from the recalled product -- Hot Dog Chili Sauce Original -- two from Indiana and two from Texas.

On Saturday, Castleberry's voluntarily widened the recall to include foods for both people and pets, the FDA said. The list was expanded to include canned chili, beef stew, and corned beef hash, as well as 12 different types of chili sauce.

The four recalled pet foods are branded as "Natural Balance Eateries." While botulism poisoning is rare in dogs and in cats, the FDA said, it is much more prevalent in ferrets.

A complete list of the suspected items can be found in a news release on the FDA Web site.

Botulism, caused by a bacterial toxin, causes muscle paralysis and can hospitalize victims for months. It is fatal in about 8 percent of cases, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

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AirTran Passenger Diagnosed With Meningitis

An unidentified girl who became ill on an AirTran Airways flight on Saturday has been diagnosed with bacterial meningitis, the Associated Press reported Monday.

The teen was listed in critical condition at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, Kan., the wire service said.

She traveled Saturday from Orlando Fla., to Atlanta on flight 862, then continued to Wichita on flight 687, an AirTran spokesman told the AP. The airline was trying to contact fewer than 20 passengers who sat near her. This illness is contracted by direct close contact with discharges of the infected person's nose and throat, not by breathing the same air, the wire service said.

During the flight to Wichita, the teen became sick and was unresponsive, the wire service said. The crew arranged for an ambulance to meet the plane when it landed.

AirTran informed the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about the incident on Sunday.

Bacterial meningitis, an inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord, kills about 10 percent of its victims, the AP said. Symptoms include stiff neck, high fever, headache, and vomiting.

AirTran said the affected planes have been thoroughly cleaned and returned to service, the wire service reported.

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25 Percent of NYC Adults Have Elevated Blood Mercury

One-quarter of adult residents of New York City have elevated levels of mercury in their blood, the city's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene said Monday.

The higher mercury levels appear closely tied to fish consumption, the department said in a statement. Asians and higher-income residents eat more fish and have higher average mercury levels than others, both locally and nationally, the statement said.

For most adults, higher blood mercury levels pose "little if any health risk," the department said. But it said higher levels of mercury in pregnant women may increase the risk of cognitive problems in their children.

Among all women 20 to 49 years old in New York City, the average blood mercury level is 2.64 ug/L (micrograms per liter), three times that of women in the same age group nationally, the department said. The department's threshold for what constitutes higher-than-normal levels is 5 ug/L.

Among Asian women in New York City, 45 percent have blood mercury levels above the threshold.

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HIV Infections Said to Exceed Treatment Ability

The rate of new HIV/AIDS infections worldwide continues to outpace the global community's ability to treat patients, President Bush's infectious diseases chief said at an international AIDS conference in Sydney, Australia, on Monday.

While more people in developing countries are receiving antiviral drugs than ever before, six new infections are reported for every new patient that's treated, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

"So we're losing that game, the numbers game," the Associated Press quoted Fauci as telling the Australian Broadcasting Corp.

Last year, 2.2 million people in developing nations received the anti-retroviral drugs that help treat HIV/AIDS, up from fewer than 300,000 people just three years ago, Fauci said.

"Although we are making major improvements in the access to drugs, clearly prevention must be addressed in a very forceful way," he said.

The Fourth International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Pathogenesis and Treatment runs through Wednesday.

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FDA Considering Osteoporosis Drug as Breast-Cancer Preventive

Experts advising the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will meet Tuesday to consider whether to recommend the osteoporosis drug Evista as a way to prevent breast cancer in some women, USA Today reported.

The Eli Lilly drug was first approved in 1997 for osteoporosis. A company spokesman said Evista's effectiveness in reducing the risk of breast cancer in some women was evaluated in four clinical trials involving 37,000 women, the newspaper reported.

But in analyzing those trial results. the FDA experts found Evista seemed to lower breast cancer risk in women at normal risk, not those at higher risk, USA Today reported.

Lilly wants to market Evista to healthy women, the newspaper reported. More than 22 million women worldwide have taken the drug to treat or prevent osteoporosis, a Lilly spokesman said.

The only drug now marketed to limit breast cancer risk in women who have never had the disease is tamoxifen, USA Today said. But tamoxifen has risks of its own, including a higher rate of uterine cancer, blood clots, and stroke.

Health Tips for July 24

Health Tip: Feeling Forgetful?

If you sometimes have problems remembering things, try following these tips from the American Academy of Family Physicians:

* Keep lists of things you need to remember, a detailed calendar, and follow a regular daily routine.
* Make connections in your mind to help you remember -- like associating places with certain landmarks.
* Keep objects you use regularly -- like your keys -- in the same place each time.
* When trying to remember the name of a person you just met, repeat his or her name to yourself.
* Keep your mind and body busy and active.

Health Tip: Bicycle Safety for Children

Before your child uses that new bicycle, the most important things to equip him or her with is a properly-fitted helmet and a basic knowledge of bicycle safety.

Here are suggestions, courtesy of the International Bicycle Fund:

* Always wear a bicycle helmet.
* Never bike in the road or on a busy street. Stay on the sidewalk.
* Stop and look for cars at any intersection before crossing.
* Although biking on the sidewalk, always ride in the same direction as traffic, and follow all road signs.
* Try to keep both hands on the bike handles at all times.
* Don't ride at night, and wear bright clothing -- even during daylight.

Health Headlines - July 23

FDA Expands Recall of Food Products That May Contain Botulism Toxin

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expanding a July 18 warning concerning food products made by Castleberry Food Company of Augusta, Ga., which the FDA says may contain deadly botulinum toxin.

Castleberry has voluntarily expanded the recall to include foods for both humans and pets, the FDA said.

The recall was initially prompted by cans containing chili sauce being found in Texas and Indiana homes about two months ago after some of the family members became ill.

The list of additional recalled products includes 12 different types of chili sauces for humans. The four recalled pet foods are listed under the the title of Natural Balance Eateries. While botulism poisoning is rare in dogs and and just about non-existent in cats, the FDA said, it is very prevalent in ferrets.

A complete list of the suspected food items can be found in a special news release on the FDA Web site.

Problems in production of the chili sauce was discovered about two months ago, the AP said.

Cans were coming out of a heating process too hot to be sent into a cooling area, an epidemiologist with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told the AP. The company temporarily stopped production to make sure that the cans hadn't expanded, which could have fostered contamination, said the CDC expert, Ezra Barzilay.

An investigation of the cans and their contents by state, company and independent experts found no problems, the wire service said.

On Thursday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration urged anyone who had 10-ounce cans of Castleberry's, Austex, and Kroger hot dog chili sauce with "best by" dates of April 30, 2009 to May 22, 2009 to throw the product away.

Botulism, caused by a bacterial toxin, causes muscle paralysis and can hospitalize victims for months. It is fatal in about 8 percent of cases, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

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5 Polyps Removed During President Bush's Colonoscopy

President Bush had five small tumors removed from his large intestine Saturday during a routine colonoscopy, the Associated Press reported. None of the growths was as large as a centimeter and none "appeared worrisome," according to White House spokesman Scott Stanzel.

The President, who had transferred power to Vice President Cheney earlier in the morning before undergoing the procedure, which requires anesthesia, reclaimed his powers 9:21 a.m. Eastern time, the wire service reported. The polyps have been sent to the National Naval center in Bethesda, Md. for examination and results were expected within three days, the A.P. said.

Stanzel said the President took a bicycle ride at Camp David later in the day and had spoken with his wife, Laura, by phone in Midland, Tex., the wire service reported. "The president was in good humor and will resume his normal activities at Camp David," Stanzel said.

Bush, who is 61, last had a colorectal cancer check on June 29, 2002, in a procedure that began at 7:09 a.m and ended at 7:29 a.m.

Two polyps discovered during examinations in 1998 and 1999 make Bush a prime candidate for regular examinations. For the general population, a colonoscopy to screen for colon cancer is recommended every 10 years. But for people at higher risk or if a colonoscopy detects precancerous polyps, follow-up colonoscopies often are scheduled in three- to five-year intervals.

"Although no polyps were noted in the exam in 2002, age and history would suggest that there's a reasonable chance that polyps will be noted this time," Snow said Friday. "If so, they'll be removed and evaluated microscopically."

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More Than 10 Percent Seeking Sleep Aids Use Natural Supplements, Study Says

There's still not enough evidence to determine whether two over-the-counter natural supplements can help a person sleep, but a recent survey shows that at least 11 percent of the respondents in a national poll are using them.

The Washington Post reports that a survey of 31,000 participants appearing in a recent issue of the journal Sleep shows that almost 6 percent said they used valerian and more than 5 percent used melatonin. According to the Post, The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that a physician be consulted before any sleep aid be used, even non-prescription ones.

Previous studies on the two substances have been inconclusive, the newspaper says, although there is some indication that melatonin helps counteract jet lag. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine says that melatonin has been tied to depression, and both supplements can interact with other drugs, the Post reports.

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Pharmaceutical Executives Sentenced to Probation, Community Service

There will be no jail time for three executives from the pharmaceutical firm Purdue Pharma, even though they had pleaded guilty to the charge of misbranding the highly addictive painkiller OxyContin.

The New York Times reports that, following "wrenching testimony" from family members whose children or siblings had died from overdoses of OxyContin, U.S. District Court Judge James P. Jones, sentenced the three executives to three years' probation and 400 hours of community service in drug treatment programs.

Jones said that the prosecution had not demonstrated evidence that the executives were aware that that drug's addictive dangers were being understated to physicians who prescribed it. A plea bargain had determined there would be no jail time.

The company and its executives also paid $634.5 million in fines, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.

Since the drug was introduced in the United States in 1996, OxyContin abuse and addiction has become a widespread problem in the country.

However, for many years Purdue Pharma claimed that the time-release formulation of OxyContin meant that the drug was less likely to cause abuse and addiction than other painkillers such as Vicodin or Percocet, Times reported.

In order to settle criminal and civil charges related to the "misbranding" of OxyContin, Purdue agreed to pay the fines, and three former and current executives, including its president and top lawyer, also paid fines, the newspaper reported.

The Stamford, Conn.-based company also agreed to pay $19.5 million to 26 states and the District of Columbia to settle complaints that it encouraged physicians to overprescribe OxyContin.

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China Closes Plants Involved in Pet Food Recall

China says it has revoked the licenses of three manufacturers involved in shipping contaminated pet food ingredients to the United States and in exporting mislabeled drug ingredients, The New York Times reported Friday.

The Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Company and the Binzhou Futian Biology Technology Company are alleged to have added melamine -- a chemical used to make plastics -- to pet food ingredients that wound up killing or injuring thousands of pets in the United States, the Times said. It led to one of the largest pet food recalls in U.S. history.

Chinese regulators also said they had closed the Taixing Glycerin Factory, which was accused of mislabeling a toxic product used to make antifreeze as a sweetener. The chemical ended up in cold medicine and led to the deaths of at least 100 people in Panama, the Times said.

The Chinese government also conceded that several domestic companies had shipped seafood laced with banned antibiotics to the United States, the newspaper reported. Chinese regulators said they didn't catch the problem earlier, because the seafood producers hadn't been properly registered.

In June, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned imports of certain Chinese-produced shrimp, catfish, eel and other seafood after finding prohibited chemicals on the products.

Earlier this month, China executed the former chief of its food and drug agency on charges of accepting bribes in exchange for approving untested medicines.

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CVS Recalls Sippy Cups for Choking Hazard

CVS pharmacies are recalling some 84,000 sippy cups made in China, because toddlers can chew through the plastic spouts, posing a choking hazard, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said. The Playschool "No Spill" cups were sold at CVS stores nationwide from September 2006 through April 2007 for about $5. Distributed in a variety of colors, they have serial number 382814, which is printed on the back of the packaging. CVS has 36 reports of toddlers chewing through the plastic spout, causing one choking incident and three near-choking incidents, the CPSC said. No injuries have been reported.

Consumers should stop using the products immediately and return them to the store where purchased for a refund.

For more information, contact CVS at 866-434-0098.

Health Tips for July 23

Food Fact:
Fennel club.

Seeds of this parsley kin can be a life saver if you have stomach pain. Fennel has long been part of folk remedies for indigestion, colic, bloating and heartburn, and modern research has shown that fennel seeds are rich in anethole, a compound that relaxes the smooth muscles of the stomach and acts as an anti-spasmodic. When shopping for fennel bulbs, avoid any that have droopy tops, are brownish or look dry. At home, store them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, and sprinkle lemon juice on sliced fennel to prevent browning. Fennel has an affinity for fish. It's particularly good with grilled mackerel and sardines.

Fitness Tip of the day:
Buddy up!

Struggling to stick to your exercise program? Try working out with a partner. Adding a social aspect to your workout helps keep you both motivated and makes sessions more fun. Training with a friend provides mutual support for keeping a regular schedule and pushes you harder to meet your goals.

FAQ of the day:
What are the fattiest foods?

The worst offenders are stick margarine, solid vegetable shortening and commercially baked products, including donuts, cookies, cakes, pies and pastries. Foods that seem a little more wholesome, such as toaster waffles and wheat crackers, can also contain significant amounts of trans fats. A general rule of thumb: The higher the total fat in a product, and the higher hydrogenated oils appear in the ingredient list, the more trans fat it contains.

Health Headlines - July 22

5 Polyps Removed During President Bush's Colonoscopy

President Bush had five small tumors removed from his large intestine today during a routine colonoscopy, the Associated Press reported. None of the growths was as large as a centimeter and none "appeared worrisome," according to White House spokesman Scott Stanzel.

The President, who had transferred power to Vice President Cheney earlier in the morning before undergoing the procedure, which requires anesthesia, reclaimed his powers 9:21 a.m. Eastern time, the wire service reported. The polyps have been sent to the National Naval center in Bethesda, Md. for examination and results were expected within three days, the A.P. said.

Stanzel said the President was planning a bicycle ride later in the day and had spoken with his wife, Laura, by phone in Midland, Tex., the wire service reported. "The president was in good humor and will resume his normal activities at Camp David," Stanzel said.

Bush, who is 61, last had a colorectal cancer check on June 29, 2002, in a procedure that began at 7:09 a.m and ended at 7:29 a.m.

Two polyps discovered during examinations in 1998 and 1999 make Bush a prime candidate for regular examinations. For the general population, a colonoscopy to screen for colon cancer is recommended every 10 years. But for people at higher risk or if a colonoscopy detects precancerous polyps, follow-up colonoscopies often are scheduled in three- to five-year intervals.

"Although no polyps were noted in the exam in 2002, age and history would suggest that there's a reasonable chance that polyps will be noted this time," Snow said Friday. "If so, they'll be removed and evaluated microscopically."

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Pharmaceutical Executives Sentenced to Probation, Community Service

There will be no jail time for three executives from the pharmaceutical firm Purdue Pharma, even though they had pleaded guilty to the charge of misbranding the highly addictive painkiller OxyContin.

The New York Times reports that, following "wrenching testimony" from family members whose children or siblings had died from overdoses of OxyContin, U.S. District Court Judge James P. Jones, sentenced the three executives to three years' probation and 400 hours of community service in drug treatment programs.

Jones said that the prosecution had not demonstrated evidence that the executives were aware that that drug's addictive dangers were being understated to physicians who prescribed it. A plea bargain had determined there would be no jail time.

The company and its executives also paid $634.5 million in fines, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.

Since the drug was introduced in the United States in 1996, OxyContin abuse and addiction has become a widespread problem in the country.

However, for many years Purdue Pharma claimed that the time-release formulation of OxyContin meant that the drug was less likely to cause abuse and addiction than other painkillers such as Vicodin or Percocet, Times reported.

In order to settle criminal and civil charges related to the "misbranding" of OxyContin, Purdue agreed to pay the fines, and three former and current executives, including its president and top lawyer, also paid fines, the newspaper reported.

The Stamford, Conn.-based company also agreed to pay $19.5 million to 26 states and the District of Columbia to settle complaints that it encouraged physicians to overprescribe OxyContin.

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Production Problems Cited at Georgia Chili-Sauce Plant

The Augusta, Ga., factory that produces canned chili sauce suspected in a rare botulism outbreak had production problems earlier this year, but an inspection of the canned product at the time found nothing unusual, the Associated Press reported Friday.

The Castleberry's Food chili sauce found at homes in Indiana and Texas where victims were sickened was produced about two months ago, around the same time as the production problems were discovered, the AP said.

At the time, cans were coming out of a heating process too hot to be sent into a cooling area, an epidemiologist with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told the AP. The company temporarily stopped production to make sure that the cans hadn't expanded, which could have fostered contamination, said the CDC expert, Ezra Barzilay.

An investigation of the cans and their contents by state, company and independent experts found no problems, the wire service said.

On Thursday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration urged anyone who had 10-ounce cans of Castleberry's, Austex, and Kroger hot dog chili sauce with "best by" dates of April 30, 2009 to May 22, 2009 to throw the product away.

Botulism, caused by a bacterial toxin, causes muscle paralysis and can hospitalize victims for months. It's fatal in about 8 percent of cases, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

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China Closes Plants Involved in Pet Food Recall

China says it has revoked the licenses of three manufacturers involved in shipping contaminated pet food ingredients to the United States and in exporting mislabeled drug ingredients, The New York Times reported Friday.

The Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Company and the Binzhou Futian Biology Technology Company are alleged to have added melamine -- a chemical used to make plastics -- to pet food ingredients that wound up killing or injuring thousands of pets in the United States, the Times said. It led to one of the largest pet food recalls in U.S. history.

Chinese regulators also said they had closed the Taixing Glycerin Factory, which was accused of mislabeling a toxic product used to make antifreeze as a sweetener. The chemical ended up in cold medicine and led to the deaths of at least 100 people in Panama, the Times said.

The Chinese government also conceded that several domestic companies had shipped seafood laced with banned antibiotics to the United States, the newspaper reported. Chinese regulators said they didn't catch the problem earlier, because the seafood producers hadn't been properly registered.

In June, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned imports of certain Chinese-produced shrimp, catfish, eel and other seafood after finding prohibited chemicals on the products.

Earlier this month, China executed the former chief of its food and drug agency on charges of accepting bribes in exchange for approving untested medicines.

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CVS Recalls Sippy Cups for Choking Hazard

CVS pharmacies are recalling some 84,000 sippy cups made in China, because toddlers can chew through the plastic spouts, posing a choking hazard, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said. The Playschool "No Spill" cups were sold at CVS stores nationwide from September 2006 through April 2007 for about $5. Distributed in a variety of colors, they have serial number 382814, which is printed on the back of the packaging. CVS has 36 reports of toddlers chewing through the plastic spout, causing one choking incident and three near-choking incidents, the CPSC said. No injuries have been reported.

Consumers should stop using the products immediately and return them to the store where purchased for a refund.

For more information, contact CVS at 866-434-0098.

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2nd Diagnosis of Extreme Resistant TB Changed

Another person thought to have an extremely drug-resistant form of tuberculosis has had his diagnosis downgraded to a less-dangerous form, the second time this year that an American appears to have been misdiagnosed with the resistant strain, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Robert Daniels, 27, had been kept under armed quarantine in Arizona since being diagnosed with extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR TB) and for failing to wear a mask in public, his lawyer told the newspaper.

Earlier this week, Daniels was transferred to National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver, where his diagnosis was downgraded. It's the same hospital treating the Georgia man who sparked an international health scare when he traveled to and from Europe for his wedding, despite initially being told he had XDR TB.

Atlanta attorney Andrew Speaker, too, had been diagnosed initially with XDR TB and later had his diagnosis downgraded.

Since both men don't have the most drug-resistant form of the highly contagious disease, they can be treated with a wider array of drugs, and their survival chances are significantly higher, the Times reported.

Since 1993, there have been 49 cases of XDR TB in the United States, the newspaper said.

Health Tips for July 22

Food Fact:
Soy to the world.

Think soy is boring? Edamame just might change your mind. Baby green soybeans are unlike tofu or soy milk in taste, look and feel, but are just as packed with protein and protective soy isoflavones. Edamame are sold frozen in the pod or shucked. Cook for 7 or 8 minutes in boiling water until tender. Serve plain as a snack or add to stir-fries, bean salads or vegetables mixes. A 1/4-cup serving contains about 110 calories and 9 grams of protein.

Fitness Tip of the day:
Lift weights, lose weight.

Marilyn Monroe knew it, and you should, too: For good health and a great shape, dumbbells are a girl's best friend. Dieters who lift weights and eat well lose more body fat, and feel stronger and more flexible. Lifting weights as you diet makes it easier to shed pounds; increased muscle mass will boost your metabolic rate over time, allowing you to burn calories even at rest. It also gives your muscles a tight, firm appearance.

FAQ of the day:
Can I take a pill to get the benefits of soy food?

In order to get the benefits of soy, a supplement alone won't do. You'll need to eat soy food, for both soy protein and soy isoflavones, to get the full range of health benefits. Pills will just give you the isoflavones. Only soy foods like tofu, tempeh, soy milk and soy protein powder provide both.

Health Headlines - July 21

Bush to Undergo Colonoscopy Saturday

President Bush will undergo a routine colonoscopy Saturday at Camp David, Md., and Vice President Dick Cheney will take over the presidential duties during the procedure, the White House said Friday.

Press secretary Tony Snow told reporters that Bush's colonoscopy, for which he will be under anesthesia, is a routine procedure recommended by his doctors. "The president has had no symptoms," Snow said.

Bush, who is 61, last had a colorectal cancer check on June 29, 2002, in a procedure that began at 7:09 a.m and ended at 7:29 a.m. He woke up two minutes later but did not resume his presidential office until 9:24 a.m, the Associated Press reported.

Two polyps discovered during examinations in 1998 and 1999 make Bush a prime candidate for regular examinations. For the general population, a colonoscopy to screen for colon cancer is recommended every 10 years. But for people at higher risk or if a colonoscopy detects precancerous polyps, follow-up colonoscopies often are scheduled in three- to five-year intervals.

"Although no polyps were noted in the exam in 2002, age and history would suggest that there's a reasonable chance that polyps will be noted this time," Snow said. "If so, they'll be removed and evaluated microscopically."

Snow said results would be available after 48 hours to 72 hours, if not sooner.

The procedure, supervised by Dr. Richard Tubb, the president's doctor, will be done by a team from the National Naval Medical Center at Bethesda, Md.

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Production Problems Cited at Georgia Chili-Sauce Plant

The Augusta, Ga., factory that produces canned chili sauce suspected in a rare botulism outbreak had production problems earlier this year, but an inspection of the canned product at the time found nothing unusual, the Associated Press reported Friday.

The Castleberry's Food chili sauce found at homes in Indiana and Texas where victims were sickened was produced about two months ago, around the same time as the production problems were discovered, the AP said.

At the time, cans were coming out of a heating process too hot to be sent into a cooling area, an epidemiologist with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told the AP. The company temporarily stopped production to make sure that the cans hadn't expanded, which could have fostered contamination, said the CDC expert, Ezra Barzilay.

An investigation of the cans and their contents by state, company and independent experts found no problems, the wire service said.

On Thursday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration urged anyone who had 10-ounce cans of Castleberry's, Austex, and Kroger hot dog chili sauce with "best by" dates of April 30, 2009 to May 22, 2009 to throw the product away.

Botulism, caused by a bacterial toxin, causes muscle paralysis and can hospitalize victims for months. It's fatal in about 8 percent of cases, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

-----

China Closes Plants Involved in Pet Food Recall

China says it has revoked the licenses of three manufacturers involved in shipping contaminated pet food ingredients to the United States and in exporting mislabeled drug ingredients, The New York Times reported Friday.

The Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Company and the Binzhou Futian Biology Technology Company are alleged to have added melamine -- a chemical used to make plastics -- to pet food ingredients that wound up killing or injuring thousands of pets in the United States, the Times said. It led to one of the largest pet food recalls in U.S. history.

Chinese regulators also said they had closed the Taixing Glycerin Factory, which was accused of mislabeling a toxic product used to make antifreeze as a sweetener. The chemical ended up in cold medicine and led to the deaths of at least 100 people in Panama, the Times said.

The Chinese government also conceded that several domestic companies had shipped seafood laced with banned antibiotics to the United States, the newspaper reported. Chinese regulators said they didn't catch the problem earlier, because the seafood producers hadn't been properly registered.

In June, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned imports of certain Chinese-produced shrimp, catfish, eel and other seafood after finding prohibited chemicals on the products.

Earlier this month, China executed the former chief of its food and drug agency on charges of accepting bribes in exchange for approving untested medicines.

-----

CVS Recalls Sippy Cups for Choking Hazard

CVS pharmacies are recalling some 84,000 sippy cups made in China, because toddlers can chew through the plastic spouts, posing a choking hazard, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said. The Playschool "No Spill" cups were sold at CVS stores nationwide from September 2006 through April 2007 for about $5. Distributed in a variety of colors, they have serial number 382814, which is printed on the back of the packaging. CVS has 36 reports of toddlers chewing through the plastic spout, causing one choking incident and three near-choking incidents, the CPSC said. No injuries have been reported.

Consumers should stop using the products immediately and return them to the store where purchased for a refund.

For more information, contact CVS at 866-434-0098.

-----

2nd Diagnosis of Extreme Resistant TB Changed

Another person thought to have an extremely drug-resistant form of tuberculosis has had his diagnosis downgraded to a less-dangerous form, the second time this year that an American appears to have been misdiagnosed with the resistant strain, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Robert Daniels, 27, had been kept under armed quarantine in Arizona since being diagnosed with extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR TB) and for failing to wear a mask in public, his lawyer told the newspaper.

Earlier this week, Daniels was transferred to National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver, where his diagnosis was downgraded. It's the same hospital treating the Georgia man who sparked an international health scare when he traveled to and from Europe for his wedding, despite initially being told he had XDR TB.

Atlanta attorney Andrew Speaker, too, had been diagnosed initially with XDR TB and later had his diagnosis downgraded.

Since both men don't have the most drug-resistant form of the highly contagious disease, they can be treated with a wider array of drugs, and their survival chances are significantly higher, the Times reported.

Since 1993, there have been 49 cases of XDR TB in the United States, the newspaper said.

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FEMA Suppressed Warnings Over Hurricane Trailers: Report

Since the beginning of last year, the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has covered up warnings from its own staff that Hurricanes Katrina and Rita victims living in government-funded trailers have been exposed to dangerous levels of a toxic chemical, the Washington Post reported Friday.

Levels of formaldehyde gas measured in the trailers have been found to be up to 75 times the recommended threshold for American workers, the newspaper reported.

Citing a "trail of e-mails" obtained by Congressional investigators, the Post said reports of the problem first surfaced in March 2006, and a trailer resident sued FEMA in May of that year. The newspaper quoted from a June 2006 communication from a FEMA logistics expert, who cited an advisory from the agency's Office of General Counsel that FEMA avoid routine testing of the trailers, which "would imply FEMA's ownership of this issue."

FEMA tested no occupied trailers after March 2006, when initial tests found formaldehyde levels at 75 times the recommended maximum, the newspaper said. On June 27, 2006, a man in Slidell, La., was found dead in his trailer after having complained of fumes, the Post said.

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has been holding hearings on the matter.

Formaldehyde, a wood preservative, can cause vision and respiratory problems. Long-term exposure has been linked to cancer, asthma, bronchitis, and allergies in children, the Post said.