Health Headlines - May 31

Scientists Turn Skin Cells Into Stem Cells

Scientists who found a safe way to transform skin cells into stem cells say their achievement is an important step forward in making grow-in-a-dish transplant tissue available to patients.

The researchers used four introduced genes to reprogram skin cells to become indistinguishable from stem cells, Agence France Presse reported. The results, published online in the journal Cell Stem Cell, are so promising that the scientists hope to begin clinical trials by the middle of 2010.

"This is the first safe method of generating patient-specific stem cells," study author Robert Lanza, chief scientific officer at Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine International, told AFP. "This technology will soon allow us to expand the range of possible stem cell therapies for the entire human body."

He added that this method "allows us to generate the raw material to solve the problem of rejection (by the immune system) so this is really going to accelerate the field of regenerative medicine."

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Malaria Showing Signs of Drug Resistance

There's evidence that malaria in some parts of Cambodia is becoming resistant to front-line artemesinin drugs, a situation that needs to be contained because full-blown resistance would pose a serious worldwide health crisis, scientists warn.

Until now, these drugs cleared all the malaria parasites from a patient's blood within two or three days. But two teams of scientists conducting research in western Cambodia have found this process can now take four or five days, BBC News reported.

It's not clear why this resistance appears to be developing in this region of Cambodia, but the use of anti-malaria drugs isn't properly controlled and the local public health system is weak. Currently, malaria kills about a million people a year. About half the world's population faces exposure to malaria, BBC News reported.

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Deadly New Virus Identified in Africa

A deadly new hemorrhagic virus has been identified in Africa after it infected five people, killing four of them. The so-called "Lujo" virus causes bleeding like the Ebola virus.

The outbreak of the new virus began last September when a women in Zambia became ill with a fever-like illness that quickly became much more serious. She was taken to a hospital in South Africa, where she died, the Associated Press reported.

A paramedic who treated the woman and three health-care workers also became infected and three of them died. It's believed the virus spreads from person to person through contact with infected body fluids, investigators said.

"This (virus) is really, really aggressive," Dr. Ian Lipkin, a Columbia University epidemiologist involved in the discovery of the new virus, told the AP. He and his colleagues reported on the virus in a paper published online in the journal PLoS Pathogens.

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Genes Main Cause of Premature Ejaculation: Study

Genes, not nerves, are the main cause of premature ejaculation, according to a Finnish study that included more than 3,000 men.

The men, all pairs of male twins and their younger or older brothers, were interviewed about the first time they had sex. Many of them said they experienced erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation, United Press International reported.

The researchers concluded that premature ejaculation appears to be strongly associated with genetic factors, but not with external factors such as nervousness or intoxication. However, external factors can cause erectile dysfunction.

The study was published in the Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy.

Health Tips for May 31

Health Tip: Eating Out With a Diabetic Child

It's easy to monitor what your diabetic child eats at home when you're the one preparing the meals. But it gets trickier when the family eats at a restaurant.

The American Academy of Family Physicians offers these suggestions for dining out with a diabetic child:

• Ask questions about what's in a particular menu item, and how it's cooked.
• Ask for healthier substitutions. For example, swap out fries for a salad or vegetable.
• Look for dishes that are grilled, steamed, broiled or baked instead of fried.
• Skip high-fat salad dressings, sauces and gravies.
• Split a large dish with your child to limit portion size, or box up half and take it home.
• Teach your child how to make healthy decisions by involving the child in the ordering process.

Health Tip: Help Your Child Cope With Diabetes

Diabetes will change a child's life, and the lives of close family members.

The American Diabetes Association offers these suggestions to help your child cope with his or her condition:

• Learn as much as you can about diabetes -- together.
• Encourage your child to disclose the condition to family members and close friends, whenever the time feels right.
• Promote your child's participation in managing his or her own diabetes care.
• Have your child speak with other children who have diabetes.
• Talk together about what emotions your child is dealing with. Allow both positive and negative comments, but assure your child that everything will be OK.
• Don't let diabetes take over your child's life. Encourage participation in sports, hobbies and other activities.
• Acknowledge that habits and behaviors may change over the years to better manage diabetes.
• Help your child learn how to deal with stress.

Health Headlines - May 30

Scientists Turn Skin Cells Into Stem Cells

Scientists who found a safe way to transform skin cells into stem cells say their achievement is an important step forward in making grow-in-a-dish transplant tissue available to patients.

The researchers used four introduced genes to reprogram skin cells to become indistinguishable from stem cells, Agence France Presse reported. The results, published online in the journal Cell Stem Cell, are so promising that the scientists hope to begin clinical trials by the middle of 2010.

"This is the first safe method of generating patient-specific stem cells," study author Robert Lanza, chief scientific officer at Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine International, told AFP. "This technology will soon allow us to expand the range of possible stem cell therapies for the entire human body."

He added that this method "allows us to generate the raw material to solve the problem of rejection (by the immune system) so this is really going to accelerate the field of regenerative medicine."

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Malaria Showing Signs of Drug Resistance

There's evidence that malaria in some parts of Cambodia is becoming resistant to front-line artemesinin drugs, a situation that needs to be contained because full-blown resistance would pose a serious worldwide health crisis, scientists warn.

Until now, these drugs cleared all the malaria parasites from a patient's blood within two or three days. But two teams of scientists conducting research in western Cambodia have found this process can now take four or five days, BBC News reported.

It's not clear why this resistance appears to be developing in this region of Cambodia, but the use of anti-malaria drugs isn't properly controlled and the local public health system is weak. Currently, malaria kills about a million people a year. About half the world's population faces exposure to malaria, BBC News reported.

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Deadly New Virus Identified in Africa

A deadly new hemorrhagic virus has been identified in Africa after it infected five people, killing four of them. The so-called "Lujo" virus causes bleeding like the Ebola virus.

The outbreak of the new virus began last September when a women in Zambia became ill with a fever-like illness that quickly became much more serious. She was taken to a hospital in South Africa, where she died, the Associated Press reported.

A paramedic who treated the woman and three health-care workers also became infected and three of them died. It's believed the virus spreads from person to person through contact with infected body fluids, investigators said.

"This (virus) is really, really aggressive," Dr. Ian Lipkin, a Columbia University epidemiologist involved in the discovery of the new virus, told the AP. He and his colleagues reported on the virus in a paper published online in the journal PLoS Pathogens.

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Genes Main Cause of Premature Ejaculation: Study

Genes, not nerves, are the main cause of premature ejaculation, according to a Finnish study that included more than 3,000 men.

The men, all pairs of male twins and their younger or older brothers, were interviewed about the first time they had sex. Many of them said they experienced erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation, United Press International reported.

The researchers concluded that premature ejaculation appears to be strongly associated with genetic factors, but not with external factors such as nervousness or intoxication. However, external factors can cause erectile dysfunction.

The study was published in the Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy.

Health Tips for May 30

Health Tip: How a Caregiver Can Help

If a loved one has become ill and needs your help, you may be overwhelmed by the responsibilities that now become yours.

The University of Maine Cooperative Extension offers this list of common tasks that caregivers can help with:

• Personal care activities including bathing and getting dressed.
• House cleaning and laundry.
• Cooking and preparing meals.
• Taking care of financial responsibilities.
• Scheduling and transporting the person to medical appointments.
• Taking care of grocery shopping and errands.
• Administering medications, shots or other treatments.
• Changing tubes or dressings.
• Keeping other loved ones updated on the patient's condition.

Health Tip: Helping a Loved One Heal

When a loved one is recovering from a major illness, he or she may need a lot of help and support.

The American Heart Association offers these suggestions:

• Offer plenty of support and encouragement, and look for support groups for both of you to join.
• Go along for doctor appointments. Ask questions and take notes, in case there are questions later.
• Give an honest report to the doctor about how your loved one is feeling, and how well he or she is following instructions.
• Help track and record information, such as when and how to take medicines, which foods to avoid, and which forms of exercise are safe.
• Offer to make healthy changes together. If your loved has to stop smoking, start exercising or change diet, make the same changes yourself.

Health Headlines - May 29

Illinois Senate Passes Medical Marijuana Bill

A bill to allow Illinois residents to use medical marijuana if they have serious diseases such as AIDS, cancer and multiple sclerosis was passed by the Illinois Senate in a 30-28 vote, the Associated Press reported.

The Illinois House will now consider the bill. Earlier this year, a House committee passed a medical marijuana measure.

If the bill is eventually signed into law, Illinois would become the 14th state to have such measures in place, Bruce Mirken, spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project, told the AP.

Opponents say that legalizing medical marijuana would make it difficult for police to enforce other marijuana laws and would be a move toward general legalization of the drug.

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Wisconsin County Eliminates Black Infant Mortality Gap: CDC

The elimination of a large disparity in black and white infant deaths in a Wisconsin county suggests that this type of achievement is possible across the United States, a new U.S. report concludes.

Between 2002 and 2007, the death rate among black infants in Dane County decreased by 67 percent, resulting in the elimination of the 3:1 black-white infant mortality gap that existed for all of the 1990s in the county, according to the study, published Thursday in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The researchers noted that a disparity in black and white infant death rates exists in most, if not all, of the United States.

The large reduction in black infant deaths in Dane County was due to a sharp decline in the number of premature births and fetal deaths that occur during the sixth and seventh month of pregnancy, the study said.

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Insured Americans Pay to Cover Uninsured: Report

Americans with health insurance pay a substantial "hidden health tax" that covers health care for those without insurance, according to a report released Thursday by the advocacy group Families USA.

Each year, the average family with health insurance pays out an extra $1,000 a year and the average person with private coverage forks out an extra $370 in premiums to pay for health care for the uninsured, the Associated Press reported.

In 2008, uninsured people received $116 billion in health care from doctors, hospitals and other providers, Families USA said. About 37 percent of that amount was paid for by uninsured patients, and another 26 percent was paid for by government programs and charities. The remainder, about $43 billion, was covered by private insurance premiums paid by individuals and businesses.

"As more people join the ranks of the uninsured, the hidden health tax is growing," said Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, the AP reported. "That tax hits America's businesses and insured families hard in the pocketbook, and they therefore have a clear financial stake in expanding health care coverage."

The findings support the group's push to extend coverage to all 50 million uninsured Americans.

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Group Seeks Broader Coverage of Substance Abuse Treatments

In 2005, $468 billion was spent to deal with smoking and drug and alcohol abuse in the United States -- an amount that represents more than 10 percent of combined federal, state and local spending for all purposes, says a study released Thursday by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse.

Most of that spending was for direct health care costs for conditions caused by smoking and drug and alcohol abuse, or for law enforcement. Just over 2 percent of the $468 billion was spent on prevention, treatment and addiction research, The New York Times reported.

The lack of spending on prevention is a "stunning misallocation of resources," said Joseph A. Califano Jr., chairman of the Columbia University-based center. "It's a commentary on the stigma attached to addictions and the failure of governments to make investments in the short run that would pay enormous dividends to taxpayers over time."

The group said efforts focused on prevention of addictions and substance abuse reduce related medical and criminal costs, as well as expensive social problems such as homelessness, domestic violence and child abuse, The Times reported.

Califano and colleagues called for federal legislation to require health insurers to provide broader coverage of substance abuse treatment.

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Poorer Hospitalized More Often for Preventable Conditions: Report

In 2006, hospital admissions for asthma and diabetes were 87 percent and 77 percent higher, respectively, for the poorest Americans than for wealthier people, according to a federal government report.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality said that, compared to people from wealthier communities, those from the poorest areas had higher hospitalization rates for other potentially preventable conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (69 percent), congestive heart failure (51 percent), skin infections (49 percent), and dehydration (38 percent).

Patients from the poorest communities were also more likely to be hospitalized for severe blood infections, stroke and depression, said the AHRQ's latest News and Numbers.

The report also said hospitalized patients from the poorest areas were 80 percent more likely to receive hemodialysis for kidney failure, and were more likely to undergo procedures often done on an outpatient basis, such as eye and ear procedures (81 percent more likely).

Health Tips for May 29

Health Tip: Alleviate Caregiver Stress

When you're a caregiver, you have a lot of responsibilities in managing someone else's health and personal matters. But it's very important not to neglect your own well being.

The American Academy of Family Physicians offers these suggestions to help prevent caregiver stress:

• Accept that you can't do everything.
• Stay organized in your personal life. Set schedules to take care of your personal priorities and responsibilities.
• Don't neglect your health. Get regular medical checkups.
• Make sure you get enough sleep and regular exercise.
• Eat healthy, and don't load up on junk food.
• Give yourself a break. Call on friends and family members who are willing to help when needed.

Health Tip: Lifting Safety for Caregivers

If you are caring for an ill or injured loved one, you could be at risk for serious injury yourself if your daily routine includes a lot of heavy lifting.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons offers these suggestions for caregivers to help prevent injury:

When lifting a person or heavy object:

• Keep your head and neck in line with your spine.
• Don't force your spine into awkward positions, and avoid bending at the waist.
• Don't twist yourself when lifting or carrying.
• Hold the loved one or object close to your body.
• Don't stand with your feet too close together. Keep them about the width of your shoulders apart.
• Lift with your legs, not your back.
• If the person or object is too heavy to lift, ask someone else for help.

Health Headlines - May 28

Poorer Hospitalized More Often for Preventable Conditions: Report

In 2006, hospital admissions for asthma and diabetes were 87 percent and 77 percent higher, respectively, for the poorest Americans than for wealthier people, according to a federal government report released Wednesday.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality said that, compared to people from wealthier communities, those from the poorest areas had higher hospitalization rates for other potentially preventable conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (69 percent), congestive heart failure (51 percent), skin infections (49 percent), and dehydration (38 percent).

Patients from the poorest communities were also more likely to be hospitalized for severe blood infections, stroke and depression, said the AHRQ's latest News and Numbers.

The report also said hospitalized patients from the poorest areas were 80 percent more likely to receive hemodialysis for kidney failure, and were more likely to undergo procedures often done on an outpatient basis, such as eye and ear procedures (81 percent more likely).

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FDA Issues TV Drug Ad Guidelines

Drug and medical device ads on TV shouldn't overstate drugs' benefits while downplaying their risks, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said in a new draft guidance.

In issuing the guidelines, the FDA noted that the omission or minimization of risk information was the most common violation cited in enforcement or warning letters, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The proposed advertising guidelines offer several suggestions on how drug and medical device makers can avoid breaking FDA rules. For example, the agency said that a product that requires monthly blood tests to check for liver damage should clearly state that fact, instead of telling patients and health-care professionals there is a need for "certain monitoring." The FDA also advised companies against the use of distracting music and images and music that may affect consumers' ability to learn about potential side effects.

The draft guidelines were posted Tuesday on the FDA Web site. The agency is accepting comments for 90 days before issuing final guidelines, the Journal reported.

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Test for Early Alzheimer's Moving Forward: Report

If all goes according to plan, the first test to detect Alzheimer's disease in its early stages could be available within 12 to 18 months, according to U.S. researchers. They said early diagnosis could help slow progression of the disease.

The test, which detects abnormal function of a protein involved in memory storage, has been tested on hundreds of patients and proved highly accurate, but the scientists want to use it on thousands more people before the test is marketed, the Associated Press reported.

"This may be a way of monitoring how effective a treatment is for Alzheimer's disease," said Dr Daniel Alkon, scientific director of the Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute.

The West Virginia University-based institute on Wednesday was to announce a contract with Inverness Medical Innovations Inc. of Massachusetts, under which Inverness would bankroll development of the new diagnostic test for at least three years, the AP reported.

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Minnesota Boy to Undergo Chemotherapy

A 13-year-old Minnesota boy with cancer who fled with his mother to avoid chemotherapy will undergo the treatment Thursday.

Daniel Hauser, who has Hodgkin's Lymphoma, was scheduled to be examined Wednesday by a pediatric oncologist at Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota. His parents have agreed to allow him to receive a round of chemotherapy on Thursday, the Associated Press reported.

Colleen and Anthony Hauser had opposed chemotherapy for Daniel because the family prefers natural healing practices advocated by a religious group that says it follows American Indian beliefs. Colleen and Daniel returned home Monday after spending six days on the run in violation of a court order.

A judge allowed the parents to keep custody of Daniel in exchange for agreeing to the hospital treatment for their son, even though an attorney for family services in Brown County opposed the move, the AP reported.

Health Tips for May 28

Health Tip: Taking Care of a Tick Bite

If you or your child has been bitten by a tick, there's probably little risk of disease, but it's still important to remove the tick properly and protect the area from infection.

The Lucile Packard Children's Hospital offers these suggestions for taking care of a tick bite:

• To remove a wood tick, use a pair of tweezers, pull straight up, and pull the tick out. You can use a needle, some thread, or your fingers if you don't have tweezers.
• To remove a deer tick, use your fingernail or the edge of a credit card to scrape the tick from the skin.
• Make sure the tick's head is removed. Wash the skin with rubbing alcohol and uncover the tick's head with a sterile needle. Then use the needle to remove the head.
• Thoroughly wash the area with soap and water, then apply an antibiotic ointment.
• Call the doctor if you can't get the tick out, a fever or rash develop, or you notice signs of infection including significant redness or yellow drainage.

Health Tip: When Another Person Bites You

A human bite can lead to a dangerous infection, just as an animal bite can.

About one-third of hand infections are caused by human bite wounds, which can be loaded with bacteria, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons warns.

The academy offers these guidelines for treating a human bite wound, even one that doesn't look serious:

• Never put your mouth on the bite, as you can expose the wound to more bacteria.
• If the skin has not been broken, wash the area thoroughly with soap and water, or an antiseptic cleanser.
• Rub an antibiotic ointment on the area and cover it with a bandage.
• Any wound that appears to have caused internal damage should be examined by a doctor. For bites that are bleeding, apply steady pressure, elevate the area, and immediately seek medical attention.

Health Headlines - May 27

13-Year-Old Cancer Patient, Mother Return Home to Minnesota

Thirteen-year-old Daniel Hauser and his mother Colleen returned home to Minnesota Monday a week after they fled to California in an attempt to avoid chemotherapy for Daniel, who has Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Daniel and his parents have refused chemotherapy because they believe it's toxic and want to use alternative treatments. An attorney said Colleen Hauser will now abide by court-ordered medical treatment for Daniel, the Associated Press reported.

The boy and his mother arrived back in Minnesota about 3 a.m. Monday and Daniel was examined by a doctor after his return. Daniel, who is in the protective custody of Brown County, was allowed to spend the night at home with a deputy on duty.

Daniel had one round of chemotherapy in February, but then said he didn't want to continue the treatment. A judge ruled that Daniel was medically neglected by his parents and ordered an updated chest X-ray for Daniel and a re-evaluation by an oncologist. Daniel and his mother fled after the X-ray showed a tumor in Daniel's chest had grown.

Children with Hodgkin's lymphoma have a 90 percent cure rate if they're treated with chemotherapy and radiation. Doctors said Daniel was likely to die without those treatments, the AP reported.

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Court Rules 'Light' Cigarettes Duped Smokers

By labeling some cigarettes as "light," the tobacco industry deceived smokers into believing these brands were less harmful than others, a U.S. Federal Appeals Court ruled Friday.

The court confirmed an August 2006 ruling by a lower court that found tobacco makers lied for years about the dangers of such cigarettes. The ruling also upholds an earlier decision ordering tobacco companies to remove statements such as "light" or "natural" from product packaging, the Agence France Presse reported.

The case pitted the U.S. government against big tobacco manufacturers including Philip Morris and Reynolds, who, the AFP reported, will likely appeal the decision before the U.S. Supreme Court.

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BPA From Bottles Shows Up in Urine: Study

People who drink from plastic bottles that contain bisphenol A (BPA) have elevated levels of the chemical in their urine, says a Harvard School of Public Health study that confirms what health experts have long suspected, the Boston Globe reported.

The chemical is used in hundreds of products, including baby bottles.

The Harvard team found a 69 percent increase in BPA levels in the urine of people who drank for one week from clear plastic polycarbonate bottles. The study, published online in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, is the first to definitively show that BPA from plastic bottles leaches into people's bodies, according to the team.

"If you heat those bottles, as is the case with baby bottles, we would expect the levels to be considerably higher. This would be of concern since infants may be particularly susceptible to BPA's endocrine-disrupting potential," said senior author Karin B. Michels, an associate professor at the School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School, the Globe reported.

An American Chemical Council official said the Harvard study doesn't show that products with BPA pose a health risk.

Health Tips for May 27

Health Tip: Install Smoke Alarms at Home

Smoke alarms are an inexpensive, yet vital, way to alert you and your family in the event of a fire.

The Home Safety Council offers these guidelines to help you install smoke alarms:

• Install a smoke alarm on every level of your home, even in the basement.
• Install a smoke alarm inside each bedroom, and outside sleeping areas.
• Affix smoke alarms in the middle of the ceiling or high up on the wall, a few inches away from the ceiling.
• Don't install smoke alarms close to doors or windows, where drafts could hamper their performance. Also, avoid putting them in bathrooms, where steam could set them off, or in the kitchen, where cooking odors could set off "nuisance" alarms.
• Test smoke alarms frequently, and replace the batteries once a year.

Health Tip: Safe Use of Candles

Many people enjoy burning candles to enhance their home's cozy atmosphere. But candles can be a fire hazard if not used correctly.

The City of Fairfax, Virginia, offers these candle safety tips:

• Never leave a room with a candle still burning.
• Light a candle in an area far from flammable materials, such as drapes, bedding, furniture, paper or wallpaper.
• Make sure that a burning candle can't be reached by children or pets.
• Only burn a candle that is in a sturdy, non-flammable base.
• Keep the candle wick trimmed to about one-quarter of an inch.
• Don't burn candles right next to each other, near doors or windows, or on a surface that may catch fire or melt from the heat.
• Throw a candle away when the wax is down to about 2 inches from the base.
• Don't use a candle that has flammable materials (such as twigs or pinecones) inside the wax.

Household Safety: Preventing Strangulation and Entrapment

The 4-year-old daughter of boxer Mike Tyson died at a hospital Tuesday, a day after her neck apparently got caught in a treadmill cord at her Phoenix home, police said.

Kids can strangle or become entrapped in the most unexpected ways — even cords, strings on clothing, and infant furniture and accessories can be dangerous.

Avoiding Potential Hazards

You can protect your child from strangulation and entrapment by avoiding potential hazards and modifying certain household items:

• Don't put necklaces or headbands on your baby.
• Don't dress your child in clothes with drawstrings, which can get caught on play equipment and furniture and strangle your child. Cut all drawstrings out of hoods, jackets, and waistbands in your child's wardrobe. Cut strings off mittens.
• Don't leave a child alone in a stroller — a child could slide down and trap his or her head.
• Don't use cribs with cutouts in the headboard or footboard.
• Bunk beds should have only a narrow space between the guardrail and the mattress.
• Don't tie a pacifier around your baby's neck or tether it to your baby's clothing with a ribbon or piece of string.
• Don't hang diaper bags or purses on cribs — a baby can become entangled in the straps or strings.
• Remove your infant's bib before naptime and bedtime.
• Don't let long telephone cords dangle to the floor.
• Don't use old accordion-style gates — these can trap a child's head.
• Tie all window blind and drapery cords, or cut the ends and attach safety tassels.
• Fit the inner cords of blinds with cord stops.
• Remove mobiles from cribs once the child is able to stand or sit up without help. Clip strings or ribbons off other crib toys.
• Make sure strings on crib bumpers are no longer than 6 inches (15 centimeters).
• Make sure crib slats are no more than 2 3/8 inches (6 centimeters) apart; anything wider can trap a child's head.
• Choose a toy chest without a lid.
  

Health Headlines - May 26

Court Rules 'Light' Cigarettes Duped Smokers

By labeling some cigarettes as "light," the tobacco industry deceived smokers into believing these brands were less harmful than others, a U.S. Federal Appeals Court ruled Friday.

The court confirmed an August 2006 ruling by a lower court that found tobacco makers lied for years about the dangers of such cigarettes. The ruling also upholds an earlier decision ordering tobacco companies to remove statements such as "light" or "natural" from product packaging, the Agence France Presse reported.

The case pitted the U.S. government against big tobacco manufacturers including Philip Morris and Reynolds, who, the AFP reported, will likely appeal the decision before the U.S. Supreme Court.

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BPA From Bottles Shows Up in Urine: Study

People who drink from plastic bottles that contain bisphenol A (BPA) have elevated levels of the chemical in their urine, says a Harvard School of Public Health study that confirms what health experts have long suspected, the Boston Globe reported.

The chemical is used in hundreds of products, including baby bottles.

The Harvard team found a 69 percent increase in BPA levels in the urine of people who drank for one week from clear plastic polycarbonate bottles. The study, published online in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, is the first to definitively show that BPA from plastic bottles leaches into people's bodies, according to the team.

"If you heat those bottles, as is the case with baby bottles, we would expect the levels to be considerably higher. This would be of concern since infants may be particularly susceptible to BPA's endocrine-disrupting potential," said senior author Karin B. Michels, an associate professor at the School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School, the Globe reported.

An American Chemical Council official said the Harvard study doesn't show that products with BPA pose a health risk.

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Illinois Company Recalls Ground Beef

Nearly 96,000 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with the potentially deadly bacterium E. coli 0157:H7 have been recalled by Valley Meats LLC of Coal Valley, Ill., the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Thursday.

Federal officials classified the recall as "Class One," which means that eating the meat poses a high health risk, CNN reported.

An outbreak of illness linked to the meat was first reported by the Ohio Department of Health on May 13. Illnesses have also been reported in Illinois and Pennsylvania.

The recalled products were produced on March 10 and packaged under a variety of labels. A list of recalled products is posted at www.fsis.usda.gov, CNN reported.

E. coli 0157:H7 -- which can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea, and kidney failure -- poses the greatest danger to the very young, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems, says the USDA's Food Safety Inspection Service.

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No Decline in Pregnant Women's Alcohol Use: CDC

The number of American women who drink alcohol while pregnant didn't decrease between 1991 and 2005, despite warnings from the Surgeon General about the dangers of drinking while pregnant, a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study has concluded.

During that 15-year period, about 1 in 8 women drank any amount of alcohol while pregnant and about 1 in 50 pregnant women engaged in binge drinking. Rates of alcohol use and binge drinking among women of childbearing age remained steady.

The study was published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a publication of the CDC.

Alcohol use during pregnancy continues to be an important public health concern, said the study authors. They added that health care professionals play an important role in education women about this issue and should routinely ask all women who are pregnant or of childbearing age about their alcohol use, inform them of the risks of alcohol use while pregnant, and advise them not to consume alcohol while pregnant.

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Chronic Ills Common Among Adults With Public Insurance: Study

Nearly two-thirds of adult Americans under age 65 covered by public insurance in 2005-06 had at least one chronic illness, such as heart disease, diabetes and kidney disease, says a U.S. government study.

About 57 percent of people with private insurance and 36 percent of those without insurance had at least one chronic condition, said the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Among the other findings:

• 45 percent of the those with public insurance, 32 percent of those with private insurance, and 17 percent of the uninsured had at least two chronic illnesses.
• Health expenditures for treatment of adults with two or more chronic illnesses averaged $6,455 for those with public insurance, $1,987 for the uninsured, and $3,598 for people with private insurance.
• People with public insurance with two or more chronic illnesses had lower average annual out-of-pocket expenses than those without insurance -- $708 vs. $1,040.
• Among adults with public insurance, chronic diseases accounted for 57 percent of medical care spending, compared with 46 percent for the privately insured, and 47 percent for the uninsured.

Health Tips for May 26

Health Tip: Help Protect Young Athletes

Participating in sports is a great way for kids to get exercise and to be involved in school and community, but precautions must be taken to help avoid injury.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons offers these recommendations to help young athletes stay safe:

• Make sure your child is fit enough to play his or her chosen sport.
• Your child should understand and follow the rules of the sport.
• Your child should always wear protective equipment, -- including a helmet, shin guards, etc. -- as appropriate for the sport.
• Teach your child how to properly use and adjust the equipment.
• Teach your child to always warm up appropriately.
• Your child should never be allowed to play sports when he or she is extremely tired or in some kind of pain.

Health Tip: Too Much Exercise Isn't Good Either

Getting regular exercise is great for your body and can help relieve stress. But as with any beneficial activity, you can overdo it.

The American Council on Exercise offers these warning signs of over-exercise:

• Difficulty exercising to your normal level.
• Feeling uncoordinated.
• Taking longer than usual to recover.
• Faster heart rate (in the morning) and blood pressure levels at rest.
• Lack of appetite.
• Headache and muscle aches.
• Digestive or stomach problems.
• More frequent illness, bone injuries or muscular injuries.
• Problems sleeping.

Health Headlines - May 25

Happy Memorial Day!

Court Rules 'Light' Cigarettes Duped Smokers

By labeling some cigarettes as "light," the tobacco industry deceived smokers into believing these brands were less harmful than others, a U.S. Federal Appeals Court ruled Friday.

The court confirmed an August 2006 ruling by a lower court that found tobacco makers lied for years about the dangers of such cigarettes. The ruling also upholds an earlier decision ordering tobacco companies to remove statements such as "light" or "natural" from product packaging, the Agence France Presse reported.

The case pitted the U.S. government against big tobacco manufacturers including Philip Morris and Reynolds, who, the AFP reported, will likely appeal the decision before the U.S. Supreme Court.

-----

BPA From Bottles Shows Up in Urine: Study

People who drink from plastic bottles that contain bisphenol A (BPA) have elevated levels of the chemical in their urine, says a Harvard School of Public Health study that confirms what health experts have long suspected, the Boston Globe reported.

The chemical is used in hundreds of products, including baby bottles.

The Harvard team found a 69 percent increase in BPA levels in the urine of people who drank for one week from clear plastic polycarbonate bottles. The study, published online in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, is the first to definitively show that BPA from plastic bottles leaches into people's bodies, according to the team.

"If you heat those bottles, as is the case with baby bottles, we would expect the levels to be considerably higher. This would be of concern since infants may be particularly susceptible to BPA's endocrine-disrupting potential," said senior author Karin B. Michels, an associate professor at the School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School, the Globe reported.

An American Chemical Council official said the Harvard study doesn't show that products with BPA pose a health risk.

-----

Illinois Company Recalls Ground Beef

Nearly 96,000 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with the potentially deadly bacterium E. coli 0157:H7 have been recalled by Valley Meats LLC of Coal Valley, Ill., the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Thursday.

Federal officials classified the recall as "Class One," which means that eating the meat poses a high health risk, CNN reported.

An outbreak of illness linked to the meat was first reported by the Ohio Department of Health on May 13. Illnesses have also been reported in Illinois and Pennsylvania.

The recalled products were produced on March 10 and packaged under a variety of labels. A list of recalled products is posted at www.fsis.usda.gov, CNN reported.

E. coli 0157:H7 -- which can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea, and kidney failure -- poses the greatest danger to the very young, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems, says the USDA's Food Safety Inspection Service.

-----

No Decline in Pregnant Women's Alcohol Use: CDC

The number of American women who drink alcohol while pregnant didn't decrease between 1991 and 2005, despite warnings from the Surgeon General about the dangers of drinking while pregnant, a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study has concluded.

During that 15-year period, about 1 in 8 women drank any amount of alcohol while pregnant and about 1 in 50 pregnant women engaged in binge drinking. Rates of alcohol use and binge drinking among women of childbearing age remained steady.

The study was published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a publication of the CDC.

Alcohol use during pregnancy continues to be an important public health concern, said the study authors. They added that health care professionals play an important role in education women about this issue and should routinely ask all women who are pregnant or of childbearing age about their alcohol use, inform them of the risks of alcohol use while pregnant, and advise them not to consume alcohol while pregnant.

-----

Chronic Ills Common Among Adults With Public Insurance: Study

Nearly two-thirds of adult Americans under age 65 covered by public insurance in 2005-06 had at least one chronic illness, such as heart disease, diabetes and kidney disease, says a U.S. government study.

About 57 percent of people with private insurance and 36 percent of those without insurance had at least one chronic condition, said the latest News and Numbersfrom the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Among the other findings:

• 45 percent of the those with public insurance, 32 percent of those with private insurance, and 17 percent of the uninsured had at least two chronic illnesses.
• Health expenditures for treatment of adults with two or more chronic illnesses averaged $6,455 for those with public insurance, $1,987 for the uninsured, and $3,598 for people with private insurance.
• People with public insurance with two or more chronic illnesses had lower average annual out-of-pocket expenses than those without insurance -- $708 vs. $1,040.
• Among adults with public insurance, chronic diseases accounted for 57 percent of medical care spending, compared with 46 percent for the privately insured, and 47 percent for the uninsured.

Health Tips for May 25

Happy Memorial Day!

Health Tip: Have a Safe Barbecue

Safety is one of the most important ingredients for a successful barbecue season.

"Over-feeding your charcoal fire with starter fluid that then flares up is a common mistake people make," Dr. Brent King, chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston, said in a university news release.

Burns are the most common type of barbecue-related injury, King said. And common sense is the best way to prevent them, said Lon Babcock, a board member of the International Barbeque Cookers Association and a founder of the Texas Gulf Coast Barbeque Association.

He offered the following safety tips:

• Use a charcoal starter chimney or tube, which starts a charcoal fire by burning paper rather than lighter fluid.
• Don't spray charcoal lighter fluid on an open flame or hot coals.
• Avoid big fires. Burn just enough fuel to cook the food.
• Place the grill away from the house.
• Use hot pads or insulated gloves when touching hot metal.
• Don't drink alcohol while cooking on an outdoor grill.

"Finish the cooking before drinking," Babcock said. "It's like drinking and driving -- your decision-making gets real slow."

When using propane barbecues, always make sure that the propane tank is attached correctly to prevent leaks at connection points, advised Robert Emery, assistant vice president for safety, health, environment and risk management at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston.

Other tips for safe barbecuing with propane include:

• Follow all of the manufacturer's instructions and keep written materials and manuals in an accessible location.
• When the barbecue isn't being used, make sure all burners are turned off and the valve cylinder is closed.
• Keep the barbecue covered when not in use. Make sure it's turned off and cool before being covered.
• Always use and store propane cylinders outdoors and in an upright position. When filling or exchanging the cylinder, have the supplier check for dents, damage, rust and leaks.
• Before lighting a propane barbecue, use a leak detection solution to check all connections for tightness.
• If there's an uncontrollable release of propane or a fire, call the fire department immediately and move all people and pets away from the barbecue.
• Don't smoke while handling the propane cylinder.
• Don't expose the propane cylinder to high temperatures in storage or when transporting it.

Health Headlines - May 24

Court Rules 'Light' Cigarettes Duped Smokers

By labeling some cigarettes as "light," the tobacco industry deceived smokers into believing these brands were less harmful than others, a U.S. Federal Appeals Court ruled Friday.

The court confirmed an August 2006 ruling by a lower court that found tobacco makers lied for years about the dangers of such cigarettes. The ruling also upholds an earlier decision ordering tobacco companies to remove statements such as "light" or "natural" from product packaging, the Agence France Presse reported.

The case pitted the U.S. government against big tobacco manufacturers including Philip Morris and Reynolds, who, the AFP reported, will likely appeal the decision before the U.S. Supreme Court.

-----

BPA From Bottles Shows Up in Urine: Study

People who drink from plastic bottles that contain bisphenol A (BPA) have elevated levels of the chemical in their urine, says a Harvard School of Public Health study that confirms what health experts have long suspected, the Boston Globe reported.

The chemical is used in hundreds of products, including baby bottles.

The Harvard team found a 69 percent increase in BPA levels in the urine of people who drank for one week from clear plastic polycarbonate bottles. The study, published online in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, is the first to definitively show that BPA from plastic bottles leaches into people's bodies, according to the team.

"If you heat those bottles, as is the case with baby bottles, we would expect the levels to be considerably higher. This would be of concern since infants may be particularly susceptible to BPA's endocrine-disrupting potential," said senior author Karin B. Michels, an associate professor at the School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School, the Globe reported.

An American Chemical Council official said the Harvard study doesn't show that products with BPA pose a health risk.

-----

Illinois Company Recalls Ground Beef

Nearly 96,000 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with the potentially deadly bacterium E. coli 0157:H7 have been recalled by Valley Meats LLC of Coal Valley, Ill., the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Thursday.

Federal officials classified the recall as "Class One," which means that eating the meat poses a high health risk, CNN reported.

An outbreak of illness linked to the meat was first reported by the Ohio Department of Health on May 13. Illnesses have also been reported in Illinois and Pennsylvania.

The recalled products were produced on March 10 and packaged under a variety of labels. A list of recalled products is posted at www.fsis.usda.gov, CNN reported.

E. coli 0157:H7 -- which can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea, and kidney failure -- poses the greatest danger to the very young, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems, says the USDA's Food Safety Inspection Service.

-----

No Decline in Pregnant Women's Alcohol Use: CDC

The number of American women who drink alcohol while pregnant didn't decrease between 1991 and 2005, despite warnings from the Surgeon General about the dangers of drinking while pregnant, a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study has concluded.

During that 15-year period, about 1 in 8 women drank any amount of alcohol while pregnant and about 1 in 50 pregnant women engaged in binge drinking. Rates of alcohol use and binge drinking among women of childbearing age remained steady.

The study was published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a publication of the CDC.

Alcohol use during pregnancy continues to be an important public health concern, said the study authors. They added that health care professionals play an important role in education women about this issue and should routinely ask all women who are pregnant or of childbearing age about their alcohol use, inform them of the risks of alcohol use while pregnant, and advise them not to consume alcohol while pregnant.

-----

Chronic Ills Common Among Adults With Public Insurance: Study

Nearly two-thirds of adult Americans under age 65 covered by public insurance in 2005-06 had at least one chronic illness, such as heart disease, diabetes and kidney disease, says a U.S. government study.

About 57 percent of people with private insurance and 36 percent of those without insurance had at least one chronic condition, said the latest News and Numbersfrom the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Among the other findings:

• 45 percent of the those with public insurance, 32 percent of those with private insurance, and 17 percent of the uninsured had at least two chronic illnesses.
• Health expenditures for treatment of adults with two or more chronic illnesses averaged $6,455 for those with public insurance, $1,987 for the uninsured, and $3,598 for people with private insurance.
• People with public insurance with two or more chronic illnesses had lower average annual out-of-pocket expenses than those without insurance -- $708 vs. $1,040.
• Among adults with public insurance, chronic diseases accounted for 57 percent of medical care spending, compared with 46 percent for the privately insured, and 47 percent for the uninsured.

Health Tips for May 24

Health Tip: Wear Your Seat Belt During Pregnancy

As a mom-to-be who is driving a car or a passenger, you're buckling up for two.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists offers these suggestions about using a safety belt during pregnancy:

• Always use both the shoulder and lap portions of the belt.
• Fasten the lap belt beneath your stomach -- never across.
• Fasten the belt so that there is a snug fit across your body.
• Never slip the shoulder belt under your arm; always make sure it is placed across your chest and fits between your breasts.
• Let the top part of the shoulder belt rest across your shoulder, but don't let it rub against your neck.

Health Tip: Be More Comfortable During Childbirth

Few women would say childbirth is easy. The amount and type of pain depends on the woman herself, her baby's size and its position, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says.

The college offers these general suggestions for how to stay more comfortable during childbirth:

• Well before the birth, take childbirth classes that will teach you breathing techniques and relaxation methods to use in the delivery room.
• Ask your partner to apply pressure and massage your lower back. Tennis balls or your partner's hands will do fine.
• Apply an ice pack to your lower back.
• Change positions as often as is necessary to get more comfortable.
• Ask your doctor or nurse if you can take a shower.
• Use a damp, cool washcloth to wipe down your body if you get too hot.

Health Headlines - May 23

Court Rules 'Light' Cigarettes Duped Smokers

By labeling some cigarettes as "light," the tobacco industry deceived smokers into believing these brands were less harmful than others, a U.S. Federal Appeals Court ruled Friday.

The court confirmed an August 2006 ruling by a lower court that found tobacco makers lied for years about the dangers of such cigarettes. The ruling also upholds an earlier decision ordering tobacco companies to remove statements such as "light" or "natural" from product packaging, the Agence France Presse reported.

The case pitted the U.S. government against big tobacco manufacturers including Philip Morris and Reynolds, who, the AFP reported, will likely appeal the decision before the U.S. Supreme Court.

-----

BPA From Bottles Shows Up in Urine: Study

People who drink from plastic bottles that contain bisphenol A (BPA) have elevated levels of the chemical in their urine, says a Harvard School of Public Health study that confirms what health experts have long suspected, the Boston Globe reported.

The chemical is used in hundreds of products, including baby bottles.

The Harvard team found a 69 percent increase in BPA levels in the urine of people who drank for one week from clear plastic polycarbonate bottles. The study, published online in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, is the first to definitively show that BPA from plastic bottles leaches into people's bodies, according to the team.

"If you heat those bottles, as is the case with baby bottles, we would expect the levels to be considerably higher. This would be of concern since infants may be particularly susceptible to BPA's endocrine-disrupting potential," said senior author Karin B. Michels, an associate professor at the School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School, the Globe reported.

An American Chemical Council official said the Harvard study doesn't show that products with BPA pose a health risk.

-----

Illinois Company Recalls Ground Beef

Nearly 96,000 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with the potentially deadly bacterium E. coli 0157:H7 have been recalled by Valley Meats LLC of Coal Valley, Ill., the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Thursday.

Federal officials classified the recall as "Class One," which means that eating the meat poses a high health risk, CNN reported.

An outbreak of illness linked to the meat was first reported by the Ohio Department of Health on May 13. Illnesses have also been reported in Illinois and Pennsylvania.

The recalled products were produced on March 10 and packaged under a variety of labels. A list of recalled products is posted at www.fsis.usda.gov, CNN reported.

E. coli 0157:H7 -- which can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea, and kidney failure -- poses the greatest danger to the very young, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems, says the USDA's Food Safety Inspection Service.

-----

No Decline in Pregnant Women's Alcohol Use: CDC

The number of American women who drink alcohol while pregnant didn't decrease between 1991 and 2005, despite warnings from the Surgeon General about the dangers of drinking while pregnant, a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study has concluded.

During that 15-year period, about 1 in 8 women drank any amount of alcohol while pregnant and about 1 in 50 pregnant women engaged in binge drinking. Rates of alcohol use and binge drinking among women of childbearing age remained steady.

The study was published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a publication of the CDC.

Alcohol use during pregnancy continues to be an important public health concern, said the study authors. They added that health care professionals play an important role in education women about this issue and should routinely ask all women who are pregnant or of childbearing age about their alcohol use, inform them of the risks of alcohol use while pregnant, and advise them not to consume alcohol while pregnant.

-----

Chronic Ills Common Among Adults With Public Insurance: Study

Nearly two-thirds of adult Americans under age 65 covered by public insurance in 2005-06 had at least one chronic illness, such as heart disease, diabetes and kidney disease, says a U.S. government study.

About 57 percent of people with private insurance and 36 percent of those without insurance had at least one chronic condition, said the latest News and Numbersfrom the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Among the other findings:

• 45 percent of the those with public insurance, 32 percent of those with private insurance, and 17 percent of the uninsured had at least two chronic illnesses.
• Health expenditures for treatment of adults with two or more chronic illnesses averaged $6,455 for those with public insurance, $1,987 for the uninsured, and $3,598 for people with private insurance.
• People with public insurance with two or more chronic illnesses had lower average annual out-of-pocket expenses than those without insurance -- $708 vs. $1,040.
• Among adults with public insurance, chronic diseases accounted for 57 percent of medical care spending, compared with 46 percent for the privately insured, and 47 percent for the uninsured.

Health Tips for May 23

Health Tip: Choosing Baby's Playpen

A playpen can help parents get things done with the knowledge that baby can't wander off. But it's no substitute for parental oversight.

Here are suggestions to help you find a safe playpen, courtesy of the Nemours Foundation:

• If you choose a playpen with mesh sides, protect baby's fingers by making sure the holes are small -- 1/4 of an inch or less. The mesh must also be sturdy and properly attached to the device's edges.
• The sides of the playpen must extend at least 20 inches above the floor.
• The rails on each side should be well-padded to protect baby from a head injury.
• Make sure that your infant can't reach any of the playpen's locks.
• All hinges and supports should be enforced and protected.
• If acquiring a used playpen, make sure its floor is in good shape, with no tears or worn spots.

Health Tip: When Children Stutter

Children who stutter can become embarrassed and anxious about speaking, which can make the situation even worse.

While speech therapy can help, a proper response from parents, friends and teachers also is very important, the U.S. National Library of Medicine says.

The agency offers these suggestions:

• Try to keep the child away from stressful situations. Also, teach the child how to help manage stress.
• Make sure you allow the child plenty of time to speak.
• When you talk to the child, speak slowly and stay relaxed to encourage a similar slow, relaxed response.
• When the child starts to stutter and gets frustrated, acknowledge it and say that it's OK.

Wash. state has first death under new suicide law

OLYMPIA, Wash. – A 66-year-old woman with terminal cancer has become the first person to die under Washington state's new assisted suicide law, an advocacy group said Friday. Linda Fleming, of Sequim, died Thursday night after taking drugs prescribed under the "Death with Dignity" law that took effect in March, said Compassion & Choices of Washington.

The organization said Fleming was diagnosed last month with advanced pancreatic cancer. She would have had to have been diagnosed by two doctors as terminal in order to qualify for assisted suicide.

The group said Fleming died at home with her family, her dog and her physician at her bedside.

"The pain became unbearable, and it was only going to get worse," Fleming said in a statement released by the organization.

A physician prescribed the medication, but under the law, patients must administer the drugs themselves.

The new law was approved in November with nearly 60 percent of the vote. It is based on a 1997 Oregon measure, under which about 400 people have ended their lives.

Under both states' laws, physicians and pharmacists are not required to write or fill lethal prescriptions if they are opposed to the law. Some hospitals have opted out of the law, which precludes their doctors from participating on hospital property.

In December, a Montana district judge ruled that doctor-assisted suicides are legal. That decision, based on an individual lawsuit rather than a state law or voter initiative, is before the Montana Supreme Court.

In Washington, any patient requesting fatal medication must be at least 18, declared competent and be a state resident.

Two doctors would have to certify that the patient has a terminal condition and six months or less to live. The patient must also make two oral requests, 15 days apart, and make a written request witnessed by two people.

As of Friday, the state Department of Health has received six forms from pharmacists saying they have dispensed the life-ending drugs.

The state has also received five forms from an individual declaring a request for medication to "end my life in a humane and dignified manner."

The Health Department will report annually on the ages, genders and illnesses of the people who file forms with the state, but the individual forms people complete are exempt from state open records laws.
___

On the Net:

Center for Health Statistics, Death with Dignity Act: http://www.doh.wa.gov/dwda/formsreceived.htm

Compassion & Choices of Washington: http://www.candcofwa.org

Health Headlines - May 22

No Decline in Pregnant Women's Alcohol Use: CDC

The number of American women who drink alcohol while pregnant didn't decrease between 1991 and 2005, despite warnings from the Surgeon General about the dangers of drinking while pregnant, says a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study released Thursday.

During that 15-year period, about 1 in 8 women drank any amount of alcohol while pregnant and about 1 in 50 pregnant women engaged in binge drinking. Rates of alcohol use and binge drinking among women of childbearing age remained steady.

The study was published Thursday in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Alcohol use during pregnancy continues to be an important public health concern, said the study authors. They added that health care professionals play an important role in education women about this issue and should routinely ask all women who are pregnant or of childbearing age about their alcohol use, inform them of the risks of alcohol use while pregnant, and advise them not to consume alcohol while pregnant.

-----

Japanese Women Have Longest Life Expectancy: WHO

Women in Japan and men in San Marino have the longest life expectancies in the world, according to the World Health Organization.

Life expectancies are 86 years for Japanese women and 81 years for men in San Marino. On the other end of the scale, men in Sierra Leone are expected to live only 39 years, while women in Afghanistan live to an average age of 42 years, the Associated Press reported.

The figures are based on statistics from 2007. While some countries, such as Angola, Eritrea and Liberia have made great progress in increasing life expectancy, countries such as Botswana, Kenya and Lesotho have experienced a decrease in life expectancy since 1990, the WHO said.

The life expectancy statistics were among more than 100 health trends released Thursday by the Geneva-based body, the AP reported.

-----

Chronic Ills Common Among Adults With Public Insurance: Study

Nearly two-thirds of adult Americans under age 65 covered by public insurance in 2005-06 had at least one chronic illness, such as heart disease, diabetes and kidney disease, says a U.S. government study.

About 57 percent of people with private insurance and 36 percent of those without insurance had at least one chronic condition, said the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Among the other findings:

• 45 percent of the those with public insurance, 32 percent of those with private insurance, and 17 percent of the uninsured had at least two chronic illnesses.
• Health expenditures for treatment of adults with two or more chronic illnesses averaged $6,455 for those with public insurance, $1,987 for the uninsured, and $3,598 for people with private insurance.
• People with public insurance with two or more chronic illnesses had lower average annual out-of-pocket expenses than those without insurance -- $708 vs. $1,040.
• Among adults with public insurance, chronic diseases accounted for 57 percent of medical care spending, compared with 46 percent for the privately insured, and 47 percent for the uninsured.

-----

Many U.S. College Students Feel Stressed: Survey

A new survey of American college students found that 85 percent said they've felt stressed in their daily lives in recent months, 42 percent said they felt down, depressed or hopeless several days during the previous two weeks, and 13 percent appeared to be at risk for at least mild depression.

Major causes of stress included concerns about school work, grades, relationships and money, according to the Associated Press-mtvU poll of 2,240 undergraduate students, ages 18 to 24, at 40 colleges.

Among the other findings:

• 11 percent of respondents said they'd had thoughts about hurting themselves or that they'd be better off dead.
• 9 percent of students were at risk of moderate to severe depression.
• Among students with a parent who had lost a job during the school year, almost a quarter showed signs of at least mild depression -- more than twice the percentage of students who didn't have a parent who'd lost a job. The survey also found that 13 percent of students with a parent who'd lost a job had seriously considered suicide, compared with 5 percent of students who didn't have a parent who'd lost a job.
• More than 50 percent of students who said they'd seriously considered suicide at some point in the previous year hadn't received any counseling or treatment.
• Nearly half of students diagnosed with at least moderate symptoms of depression weren't familiar with counseling resources on campus.
• 84 percent of respondents said they'd know where to turn for help if they experienced serious emotional distress or had thoughts about hurting themselves. Most said they'd go first to friends or family, while 20 percent said they'd use school counseling.

-----

Costly Hospital Care Doesn't Guarantee Better-Quality Care: Study

Patients treated at hospitals that provide more intensive and costly care don't necessarily receive better-quality care, according to a U.S. study that looked at care given to Medicare beneficiaries with heart attack, pneumonia and congestive heart failure.

The researchers looked at end-of-life (EOL) spending at 2,172 hospitals and found that average EOL spending per patient was $16,059 for the lowest-spending quintile (or fifth) of hospitals, compared to $34,742 at hospitals in the highest-spending quintile.

"We found no evidence that hospitals with higher spending provided better care, whether we looked at all hospitals across the country or limited our study to academic medical centers, or hospitals within a single region. In fact, in some cases, hospitals that spent more provided worse care," Laura Yasaitis, a joint M.D./Ph.D. student at Dartmouth Medical School and a researcher at the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, said in a news release.

"The fact that some hospitals in the same region are able to provide exemplary care at lower costs points to the need for better reporting of both costs and quality, and for a greater understanding of what processes lead to this improvement in performance," Amitabh Chandra, professor of public policy at Harvard Kennedy School, said in the release.

The study appears online in the journal Health Affairs.

-----

Young Children's Deaths Decline 27%: WHO

Nearly one-third fewer young children died in 2007 than in 1990, the World Health Organization said Thursday.

The Geneva-based body said that about 9 million children under 5 years old died in 2007, compared with 12.5 million in 1990, the Associated Press reported.

The WHO said the 27 percent decline shows progress is being made toward the goal of a two-thirds reduction in deaths by 2015, which is one of the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals.

The data on young children's deaths were included in more than 100 health trends published this week by the WHO, the AP reported.

Health Tips for May 22

Health Tip: Why is My Nose Bleeding?

Nosebleeds are common in many people, often because of a respiratory illness or dry conditions.

The University of Maryland Medical Center offers this list of typical reasons for nosebleeds:

• Nasal allergies.
• Blowing your nose too hard or trying to remove something from inside the nose.
• A result of "popping" the ear.
• Nasal exposure to chemicals.
• Frequent sneezing or having an upper respiratory infection.
• Use of nasal spray or a blood-thinning drug, such as aspirin.
• Inhaling air that is extremely dry or cold.
• Having recent surgery on the nose or elsewhere on the face.
• Breaking the nose or a similar injury.

Health Tip: Help Prevent Nosebleeds

If your child has regular nosebleeds, there are precautions you can take to help prevent the problem.

The University of Virginia Health System offers these suggestions:

• The air in your home may be dry. Use a cool mist humidifier, especially at night, in your child's room.
• Don't allow your child to blow the nose too hard, or pick the nose.
• Apply a small amount of petroleum jelly to the inside of the child's nose several times a day, and always at bedtime.
• Apply saline drops or nasal spray to the nose, as recommended by your pediatrician.
• If your child has allergies, seek regular treatment from the child's doctor.

Health Headlines - May 21

Arrest Warrant Issued for Mother of Cancer Patient

An arrest warrant has been issued for a Minnesota woman and her 13-year-old cancer-stricken son who fled after a court ordered the boy to undergo chemotherapy, the Associated Press reported.

Daniel Hauser has Hodgkin's lymphoma, but his family belongs to a religious group that believes in natural healing. Last week, a court ruled that Colleen and Anthony Hauser were medically neglecting their son.

On Monday, Colleen and Daniel left their home after an X-ray showed the boy's tumor had grown. Anthony Hauser said he doesn't know where his wife and son are and has made no attempt to find them. His wife told him Monday evening that she was leaving "for a time," the AP reported.

-----

EPA Finds Suspect Materials in Chinese-Made Drywall

Suspect materials found in a small sampling of drywall made in China may be causing corrosion in homes and possibly sickening people in several states, according to an Environmental Protection Agency report.

The EPA said it tested the wallboard in two Florida homes and found sulfur and two organic compounds associated with acrylic paint. Testing also found higher traces of strontium -- compounds used in ceramics, pyrotechnics, paint pigments, fluorescent lights and medicine -- in the Chinese products compared to tests on U.S.-made wallboard, the Associated Press reported.

More than 500 million pounds of the Chinese drywall were imported into the United States during a four-year period of soaring home prices, peaking in 2006, the AP found in a review of shipping records. The Chinese products may have been used in more than 100,000 homes in the Southeast, including some houses rebuilt after 2005's Hurricane Katrina, the AP said. Heat and humidity apparently cause a chemical reaction in the boards that gives off a rotten-egg stench and corrodes metal.

-----

Green Tea Chemical Thwarts HIV Transmission: Study

A chemical in green tea that inhibits HIV transmission should be used in vaginal creams to help protect women, say German scientists. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS.

The researchers found that a green tea polyphenol called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is able to neutralize a protein in sperm that serves as a vector for HIV transmission during sex, Agence France Presse reported.

The study was published online in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The University of Heidelberg team said using EGCG in vaginal creams could offer a low-cost method of reducing sexual transmission of HIV in poor and developing nations, AFP reported.

-----

New MRSA Strain Can Be Lethal to Flu Patients: Report

Scientists are warning about a new strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) that can cause a deadly form of pneumonia in people with the flu. Death rates may be higher than 50 percent.

The new form of the antibiotic resistant superbug is called community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) because, unlike most forms of MRSA, this one poses a significant risk to people outside of hospitals, BBC News reported.

Although exact figures aren't available, CA-MRSA is becoming more widespread, said researchers at the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta who analyzed cases of CA-MRSA.

"Community-acquired MRSA infections are no longer restricted to certain risk groups or to the geographic areas where outbreaks first occurred," they wrote in the journal Lancet Infectious Diseases. "They now occur widely both in the community as well as health care facilities and have been reported on every continent."

They warned that the current swine flu outbreak could increase the risk posed by CA-MRSA, which appears to strike people who are already ill with flu, BBC News reported.

-----

Recession Affecting Access to Health Care: Survey

Many Americans are worried about their ability to pay for health care and are suffering health problems because they're doing without needed preventive care, according to a survey that looks at the impact the recession is having on access to health care.

The American Academy of Family Physicians' poll of members found that almost 90 percent reported their "patients have expressed concerns recently over their ability to pay for their health care needs." The survey also found that 58 percent of respondents said they'd seen an increase in appointment cancellations, and 54 percent said they were seeing fewer total patients since January 2008.

Among the other findings:

• 60 percent of family doctors reported they'd "seen more health problems caused by their patients forgoing needed preventive care."
• 73 percent said they'd seen an increase in uninsured patients visiting their offices.
• 64 percent reported a decrease in the number of employer-sponsored/privately insured patients.
• 87 percent said they'd seen a significant increase in patients with major stress symptoms since the beginning of the recession.
• 66 percent said they were taking actions to help their patients manage health care needs during the recession, including discounting fees, increasing charity care, providing free screenings, and moving patients to generic prescriptions.

"The survey found that patients are cancelling or deferring important preventive screenings such as pap smears, mammograms and colonoscopies," Dr. Ted Epperly, AAFP president, said in a news release. "They also are failing to return for recommended follow-up visits or refill medications that are vital to managing their chronic conditions. Rather than forgoing needed medication altogether, some patients opt to cut their prescriptions, without their physician's knowledge, to make them last longer."

Health Tips for May 21

Health Tip: Drugs That May Lead to Diarrhea

Certain medications are more likely than others to aggravate the digestive tract and result in loose stools, the U.S. National Library of Medicine says.

The agency says they include:

• Antibiotics, which often cause diarrhea because they kill bacteria -- even the good bacteria -- found in the intestines.
• Chemotherapy drugs, used to treat cancer.
• Immune system-suppressing drugs, such as mycophenolate.
• Some herbal teas that contain senna or other substances that are natural laxatives.
• A laxative is meant to relieve constipation. But taking too much of a laxative can lead to problem diarrhea.

Health Tip: Dealing With Diarrhea

Most cases of diarrhea clear up on their own, unless there's a more serious cause such as food or water contamination.

Dehydration often is your biggest concern. Here are suggestions for dealing with diarrhea, from the U.S. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse:

• Keep yourself well-hydrated by drinking plenty of water, unless you're traveling to another country. In that case, avoid tap water, ice, and foods washed in tap water at all costs. Drink and eat from sources that you know are safe for travelers.
• Avoid foods and drinks that contain caffeine, as well as dairy products.
• Avoid foods that are high in fiber.
• Don't eat foods that are very greasy or sweet.
• As you start to feel better, try eating bland foods such as rice, toast, crackers, bananas or boiled potatoes.

Health Headlines - May 20

Recession Affecting Access to Health Care: Survey

Many Americans are worried about their ability to pay for health care and are suffering health problems because they're doing without needed preventive care, according to a survey that looks at the impact the recession is having on access to health care.

The American Academy of Family Physicians' poll of members found that almost 90 percent reported their "patients have expressed concerns recently over their ability to pay for their health care needs." The survey also found that 58 percent of respondents said they'd seen an increase in appointment cancellations, and 54 percent said they were seeing fewer total patients since January 2008.

Among the other findings:

• 60 percent of family doctors reported they'd "seen more health problems caused by their patients forgoing needed preventive care."
• 73 percent said they'd seen an increase in uninsured patients visiting their offices.
• 64 percent reported a decrease in the number of employer-sponsored/privately insured patients.
• 87 percent said they'd seen a significant increase in patients with major stress symptoms since the beginning of the recession.
• 66 percent said they were taking actions to help their patients manage health care needs during the recession, including discounting fees, increasing charity care, providing free screenings, and moving patients to generic prescriptions.

"The survey found that patients are cancelling or deferring important preventive screenings such as pap smears, mammograms and colonoscopies," Dr. Ted Epperly, AAFP president, said in a news release. "They also are failing to return for recommended follow-up visits or refill medications that are vital to managing their chronic conditions. Rather than forgoing needed medication altogether, some patients opt to cut their prescriptions, without their physician's knowledge, to make them last longer."

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Federal, State Governments Join Lawsuits Against Wyeth

The U.S. government and more than a dozen states are seeking hundreds of millions of dollars from New Jersey-based drug maker Wyeth, which is accused of overcharging Medicaid programs for the stomach acid drug Protonix.

The Justice Department and the states have joined two whistleblower lawsuits filed in federal court in Massachusetts, the Associated Press reported. The lawsuits charge that between 2000 and 2006, Wyeth offered thousands of hospitals large discounts on two versions of Protonix, but did not offer the same deal to state Medicaid programs. Brand name drug makers are required to offer the same rebates to state Medicaid programs that they give to other customers.

"By offering massive discounts to hospitals, but then hiding that information from the Medicaid program, we believe Wyeth caused Medicaid programs throughout the country to pay much more for these drugs than they should have," Assistant Attorney General Tony West said in a news release.

The government wants the court to force Wyeth to pay penalties of up to three times the amount lost by Medicaid, the AP reported.

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Erectile Drugs Similarly Effective: Report

There isn't enough evidence to determine which erectile dysfunction drugs work best or cause the least harm, according to a report released Tuesday by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Erectile dysfunction -- a sexual disorder that prevents men from getting or keeping an erection -- affects between 15 million and 30 million men in the United States.

Men who take oral PDE-5 inhibitors have improved erectile function compared to men who don't take the drugs. But head-to-head comparisons of the effectiveness of three drugs -- sildenafil (Viagra), vardenafil (Levitra), and tadalafil (Cialis) -- were inconclusive, the report said.

Headache, flushing, abdominal pain and runny nose were the most common short-term side effects reported by men taking the drugs. There were no significant differences in side effects associated with either Viagra, Levitra or Cialis.

Further studies are needed to clarify the best treatment management options for different groups of patients, the report authors said. They also called for more clinical trials to compare PDE-5 inhibitors to hormonal, injection, and creams or other topical treatments for erectile dysfunction.

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Little Progress Made in Preventing Medical Errors: Report

Over the last 10 years, little progress has been made in reducing medical errors in the United States, according to a report released Tuesday by Consumers Union.

In 1999, an Institute of Medicine report said as many as 98,000 Americans die every year from preventable medical errors. The report triggered congressional hearings and promises of reform, but little progress has been made in implementing key reforms recommend by the IOM, Consumers Union said.

The nonprofit group's report was released as Congress works on ways to tackle the rising cost of health care and to expand access to coverage. Reducing medical harm -- such as medication errors and hospital-acquired infections -- would improve patient care and reduce health costs, according to Consumers Union.

"There is little evidence to suggest that the number of people dying from medical harm has dropped since the IOM first warned about these deadly mistakes a decade ago," Lisa McGiffert, director of Consumers Union's Safe Patient Project, said in a news release. "That means a million lives and billions of dollars have been lost over the past 10 years because our health care system failed to adopt key reforms recommended by the IOM to protect patients. As the debate over health care heats up in Washington, Congress should make sure that improving patient safety is a central part of any reform legislation it adopts."

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California Counties Lose Medical Marijuana Fight

An attempt by two California counties to ban the use of medical marijuana has been rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court, which refused to hear a case brought by San Diego and San Bernardo counties.

They argued that the federal law outlawing marijuana should take priority over a California law that allows the use, cultivation and possession of marijuana for medical purposes, Agence France Presse reported.

The California law was adopted by referendum in 1996. Twelve other states have similar laws.

San Diego and San Bernardo lost twice in lower courts and again on appeal. The California Supreme Court refused to take up an appeal. The U.S. Supreme Court's rejection means the case is now closed, AFP reported.

Health Tips for May 20

Health Tip: Risk Factors for High Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a fat-like substance that's found naturally in the body. And while some cholesterol is necessary, too much of it built up in the blood increases your risk of heart disease.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute offers this list of factors that raise your risk of having high blood cholesterol:

• Eating foods that are high in cholesterol and saturated fats.
• Being overweight. Losing weight can help lower cholesterol and reduce heart disease risk.
• Not getting enough exercise. At least 30 minutes a day most days of the week is recommended.
• Smoking or having high blood pressure.
• Being a postmenopausal woman. After menopause, levels of LDL ("bad" cholesterol) naturally rise.
• Advancing age, which is a risk factor for both men and women.
• A family history of high cholesterol.

Health Tip: Help Protect Young Athletes

Participating in sports is a great way for kids to get exercise and to be involved in school and community, but precautions must be taken to help avoid injury.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons offers these recommendations to help young athletes stay safe:

• Make sure your child is fit enough to play his or her chosen sport.
• Your child should understand and follow the rules of the sport.
• Your child should always wear protective equipment, -- including a helmet, shin guards, etc. -- as appropriate for the sport.
• Teach your child how to properly use and adjust the equipment.
• Teach your child to always warm up appropriately.
• Your child should never be allowed to play sports when he or she is extremely tired or in some kind of pain.

Health Headlines - May 19

More Americans Pro-Life: Survey

More Americans consider themselves to be pro-life (51 percent) than pro-choice (42 percent), according to a new Gallup poll. It's the first time since Gallup started asking the question in 1995 that a majority of respondents said they're pro-life.

The results of the survey (which has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points) suggests a significant shift in attitudes, the Los Angeles Times reported. Last year, 50 percent of respondents said they were pro-choice, while 44 percent said they were pro-life.

The new poll found that 53 percent of Americans support legal abortion only in certain circumstances. The number of those who believe abortion should be illegal in all circumstances is 22 percent, while 23 percent think abortion should be legal in any circumstances.

In recent years, surveys found that people who opposed all restrictions outnumbered by a wider margin those who supported a total abortion ban, the Times reported.

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Injectable Risperdal Approved for Bipolar Disorder

The long-lasting, injectable form of Risperdal has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treatment of bipolar disorder.

The approval, based on two studies, is for the use of the Johnson & Johnson drug on its own and in conjunction with other treatments, such as lithium, Dow Jones Newswires reported.

One study found that the drug used alone delayed bipolar disease relapses characterized by extreme mood shifts. The other study showed that injectable Risperdal significantly delayed relapses among patients who were already being treated with valproate or lithium.

Injectable Risperdal was approved by the FDA in 2003 for treatment of schizophrenia.

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Later Retirement May Delay Dementia: Study

Postponing your retirement could help delay the development of Alzheimer's disease, suggests a British study that included more than 1,300 people with dementia.

The Kings College London team looked at a number of factors, such as education, employment and retirement, and found that people who retired at an older age developed Alzheimer's later than those who retired earlier. Each extra year of work was associated with a six-week delay in the onset of dementia, the Associated Press reported.

"The intellectual stimulation that older people gain from the workplace may prevent a decline in mental abilities, thus keeping people above the threshold for dementia for longer," study co-author Simon Lovestone said in a news release.

The study appears in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.

More research is needed to confirm the study's findings, said Suzanne Sorensen, head of research at the Alzheimer's Society, the AP reported.

"There could be a number of reasons why later retirement in men is linked with later onset of dementia," she said. For example, those who retire early may have health problem, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, that increase the risk of dementia.

"It could also be that working helps keep your mind and body active, which may reduce risk of dementia," Sorensen said.

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Lower-Tar Cigarettes May Increase Risk of Type of Lung Cancer

The move to lower-tar cigarettes in the United States over the past few decades may be linked to an increased risk of a type of lung cancer called adenocarcinoma, according to a preliminary study.

Dr. David Burns, of the University of California, San Diego, and colleagues found that the increase in adenocarcinoma tumors was higher in the U.S. than in Australia, even though low-tar cigarettes were introduced in both countries at the same time.

"The most likely explanation for it is a change in the cigarette," Burns told the Associated Press.

He noted that Australian cigarettes contain lower levels of caner-causing nitrosamines than those sold in the U.S. Levels of nitrosamines -- a by-product of tobacco processing -- vary due to a number of factors, including different curing methods.

The findings were presented at a meeting of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco.

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Obama Names NYC Health Chief Frieden to Lead CDC

President Barack Obama has named New York City health commissioner Dr. Thomas R. Frieden to head the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Frieden, whose appointment does not require Senate confirmation, would take over the embattled agency next month, The New York Times reported.

A 48-year-old infectious disease specialist who has led New York City's fight to ban smoking in bars and restaurants, pass out free condoms to organizations and press for mandatory HIV testing as part of regular medical exams, Frieden inherits the CDC mantle at a time when the agency faces deep morale and organizational difficulties, while wrestling with how and whether to produce a swine flu vaccine, the Times reported.

Often a controversial leader during his seven years as New York's top health official, Frieden has had a history of focusing on health threats endangering large numbers of people, sometimes at the expense of more popular causes, the Times said. His high-profile style is likely to put him center stage in the Obama administration's efforts to overhaul the nation's health care system and to improve the safety of its food supply.

With his appointment, Frieden would become the second former New York health commissioner named to a top federal health post. Dr. Margaret A. Hamburg, who held the post in the 1990s, is nearing confirmation as commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Both Frieden and Hamburg, who have a along and close relationship, according to the Times, and together led New York's battle to stop an epidemic of drug-resistant tuberculosis infections, will play lead roles in how the U.S. will fight swine flu next fall if the virus returns. They may also play crucial roles in reforming food safety -- a top priority of the Obama administration, even within the overhaul of the nation's health care system.

Jeffrey Levi, executive director of Trust for America's Health, a nonprofit public health advocacy organization, told the Times that Frieden is "a transformational leader." "I think the administration selected Tom Frieden because he can take public health to a new place," Levi said.

Facing Frieden are host of internal problems at the agency that he will inherit from former CDC head Dr. Julie L. Gerberding, who left in January, and whose long effort to reorganize the agency's bureaucracy has been widely criticized as sapping morale and causing a raft of top staff departures.

"Morale is the weakest thing at the agency right now," Dr. James M. Hughes, former director of the CDC's National Center for Infectious Diseases, told the Times. "He has to really listen to people."

Health Tips for May 19

Health Tip: Keep Your Feet Safe in Flip-Flops

Flip-flops may feel great to wear during summer, but your feet might not agree. Many flip-flops offer no or little protection for the feet, and can lead to pain or injury.

The American Podiatric Medical Association has these suggestions to help protect your feet while wearing flip-flops:

• Invest in better quality flip-flops, made of a soft leather.
• Try to bend the flip-flop gently. While it should give at the ball of the foot, never purchase any flip-flop that completely bends in half.
• Opt for flip-flops instead of walking barefoot in areas such as public pools, beaches, locker rooms and hotel rooms.
• Make sure the flip-flops fit, and your feet don't extend beyond the edge.
• Protect your feet with a sturdier shoe (never a flip-flop) when playing sports, doing a lot of walking, or working in the yard.
• Throw out old, worn flip-flops.
• Take care of any sores or irritated skin between the toes.

Health Tip: Using Orthotic Shoe Inserts

Orthotics are prescription inserts worn in the shoes to help correct a deformity or problem with the foot. For example, the devices can help many people with flat feet walk, run and stand with more comfort and less pain.

The American Podiatric Medical Association offers these suggestions for those who wear orthotics:

• Choose shoes that are supportive and wide enough to comfortably accommodate your orthotics.
• When shoe shopping, bring your orthotics along to try on with shoes, making sure they fit comfortably together.
• Wear appropriate socks when shopping for new shoes.
• Have recommended follow-ups with your podiatrist to be sure your feet and orthotics are working well together.

Health Headlines - May 18

Obama Names NYC Health Chief Frieden to Lead CDC

President Barack Obama on Friday named New York City health commissioner Dr. Thomas R. Frieden to head the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Frieden, whose appointment does not require Senate confirmation, would take over the embattled agency next month, The New York Times reported.

A 48-year-old infectious disease specialist who has led New York City's fight to ban smoking in bars and restaurants, pass out free condoms to organizations and press for mandatory HIV testing as part of regular medical exams, Frieden inherits the CDC mantle at a time when the agency faces deep morale and organizational difficulties, while wrestling with how and whether to produce a swine flu vaccine, the Times reported.

Often a controversial leader during his seven years as New York's top health official, Frieden has had a history of focusing on health threats endangering large numbers of people, sometimes at the expense of more popular causes, the Times said. His high-profile style is likely to put him center stage in the Obama administration's efforts to overhaul the nation's health care system and to improve the safety of its food supply.

With his appointment, Frieden would become the second former New York health commissioner named to a top federal health post. Dr. Margaret A. Hamburg, who held the post in the 1990s, is nearing confirmation as commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Both Frieden and Hamburg, who have a along and close relationship, according to the Times, and together led New York's battle to stop an epidemic of drug-resistant tuberculosis infections, will play lead roles in how the U.S. will fight swine flu next fall if the virus returns. They may also play crucial roles in reforming food safety -- a top priority of the Obama administration, even within the overhaul of the nation's health care system.

Jeffrey Levi, executive director of Trust for America's Health, a nonprofit public health advocacy organization, told the Times that Frieden is "a transformational leader." "I think the administration selected Tom Frieden because he can take public health to a new place," Levi said.

Facing Frieden are host of internal problems at the agency that he will inherit from former CDC head Dr. Julie L. Gerberding, who left in January, and whose long effort to reorganize the agency's bureaucracy has been widely criticized as sapping morale and causing a raft of top staff departures.

"Morale is the weakest thing at the agency right now," Dr. James M. Hughes, former director of the CDC's National Center for Infectious Diseases, told the Times. "He has to really listen to people."

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Judge Rules Minnesota Family Can't Refuse Chemo for Sick Son

A Minnesota judge has ruled that the parents of a 13-year-old boy with a highly treatable form of cancer must seek medical treatment.

Daniel Hauser's parents say they are supporting their son's decision to treat the disease with nutritional supplements and other alternative treatments, based on religious beliefs, the Associated Press reported.

Colleen and Anthony Hauser have until May 19 to get an updated chest X-ray for their son, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma and stopped chemotherapy in February after a single treatment. Daniel will stay in the custody of his parents, the AP reported, but they were ordered to select an oncologist for their son, Brown County District Judge John Rodenberg ruled Friday.

Rodenberg said that Daniel had been "medically neglected" and is in need of child protection services, the AP reported. The family had argued that it preferred treating the disease with medicines used by the Nemenhah Band, a Missouri-based religious group that believes in natural healing methods used by some American Indians. Doctors have said Daniel's suffers from Hodgkin's lymphoma, but had up to a 90 percent chance of being cured with chemotherapy and radiation, according to the wire service. Without treatment, doctors said Daniel's chances of survival were just 5 percent.

Philip Elbert, Daniel's court-appointed attorney, said he hadn't spoken yet with the family but called the decision unfortunate, the AP reported. "I feel it's a blow to families," he said. "It marginalizes the decisions that parents face every day in regard to their children's medical care. It really affirms the role that big government is better at making our decisions for us."

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Congress Weighs Broad Changes in Health Care Legislation

Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives are considering broad health-care changes that include aid to families earning up to $88,000 to help pay for insurance, a requirement that all must carry coverage, and for employers to offer coverage to full-time workers or pay a percentage of their payroll to the government, the Associated Press reported.

While a document from the House's Energy and Commerce Committee that was obtained by the AP does not include any cost estimates, outside experts have said the plans could run from $1.2 trillion to as high as $1.7 trillion over 10 years as Congress tries to meet the Obama administration's goal of a health-care overhaul by the end of July, the news service reported.

President Barack Obama has proposed a downpayment of $634 billion over 10 years to pay for expanding coverage and has said he'll hold hospitals, doctors, drug makers and other health-care providers to their recent offer of $2 trillion in savings over that 10-year period, the AP said.

In addition, the House plan would set up an insurance purchasing pool, or an "exchange," open only to companies with fewer than 10 workers, to make coverage more affordable for individuals and small businesses. The plan also seeks creation of a new government insurance plan to compete with private companies, likely run by the Health and Human Services department, and financed by premium payments, not taxpayer dollars, the AP said.

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U.S. Prescription Drug Use Falls for 1st Time in Decade: Report

For the first time in a decade, prescription drug use in the United States fell last year, even as total spending on drugs increased as prices for brand-name products rose sharply, the Associated Press reported.

Medco Health Solutions, a pharmacy benefits managing company that handles drug benefits for some 60 million people, said the overall number of prescriptions was down. The reasons: fewer new drugs hit the market last year, some big-selling drugs such as Zyrtec -- an allergy medication -- became available without a prescription, and other drugs faced decreased use because of safety issues. The combination of those factors was responsible for the downturn in prescriptions, Medco said, the AP reported.

Total prescription drug spending grew 3.3 percent last year, Medco said, chiefly because of greater use of "specialty" drugs treating chronic or complex illnesses. Diabetes drugs, specialty treatments for cancer, as well as drugs for rheumatological disease, seizure disorders and antiviral drugs also increased. Average pricing of brand-name pharmaceuticals in 2008 rose more than 8 percent, the fastest increase in five years, AP said.

Medco projected that prescriptions would rise no more than 1 percent in 2009 and in 2010, the AP reported, but added that higher prices would boost total spending by 3 percent to 5 percent this year and 4 percent to 6 percent next year.

Health Tips for May 18

Health Tip: Prevent Skateboarding Injuries

When skateboarding, falling is the last thing you want to do. But practicing how to fall safely can help you reduce your risk of injury.

The U.S. National Safety Council offers these suggestions:

• Practice crouching down low on the skateboard if you start to feel unbalanced. That way, you won't hit the ground from so far up.
• Try landing on the softer, fleshier parts of your body, not bones or joints that are more prone to injury.
• Practice rolling when you fall, instead of absorbing the impact with your arms.
• Practice relaxing your body instead of tensing up as you fall.

Health Tip: Prevent Your Children From Choking

For small children, even the most seemingly harmless objects can pose a choking threat.

The U.S. National Safety Council offers these suggestions to reduce your youngsters' risk of choking:

• Never allow a baby or young child to play with a toy that has a cord or string attached.
• Don't feed your baby foods that could get stuck in the throat, such as bites of hot dogs, hard candy, uncooked vegetables, nuts, raisins, fruits or vegetables with pits, popcorn or grapes.
• Never allow your child to eat while lying down.
• Keep anything that can fit in your child's mouth out of reach, including coins, batteries, jewelry, nails or thumbtacks.

Health Headlines - May 17

Obama Names NYC Health Chief Frieden to Lead CDC

President Barack Obama on Friday named New York City health commissioner Dr. Thomas R. Frieden to head the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Frieden, whose appointment does not require Senate confirmation, would take over the embattled agency next month, The New York Times reported.

A 48-year-old infectious disease specialist who has led New York City's fight to ban smoking in bars and restaurants, pass out free condoms to organizations and press for mandatory HIV testing as part of regular medical exams, Frieden inherits the CDC mantle at a time when the agency faces deep morale and organizational difficulties, while wrestling with how and whether to produce a swine flu vaccine, the Times reported.

Often a controversial leader during his seven years as New York's top health official, Frieden has had a history of focusing on health threats endangering large numbers of people, sometimes at the expense of more popular causes, the Times said. His high-profile style is likely to put him center stage in the Obama administration's efforts to overhaul the nation's health care system and to improve the safety of its food supply.

With his appointment, Frieden would become the second former New York health commissioner named to a top federal health post. Dr. Margaret A. Hamburg, who held the post in the 1990s, is nearing confirmation as commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Both Frieden and Hamburg, who have a along and close relationship, according to the Times, and together led New York's battle to stop an epidemic of drug-resistant tuberculosis infections, will play lead roles in how the U.S. will fight swine flu next fall if the virus returns. They may also play crucial roles in reforming food safety -- a top priority of the Obama administration, even within the overhaul of the nation's health care system.

Jeffrey Levi, executive director of Trust for America's Health, a nonprofit public health advocacy organization, told the Times that Frieden is "a transformational leader." "I think the administration selected Tom Frieden because he can take public health to a new place," Levi said.

Facing Frieden are host of internal problems at the agency that he will inherit from former CDC head Dr. Julie L. Gerberding, who left in January, and whose long effort to reorganize the agency's bureaucracy has been widely criticized as sapping morale and causing a raft of top staff departures.

"Morale is the weakest thing at the agency right now," Dr. James M. Hughes, former director of the CDC's National Center for Infectious Diseases, told the Times. "He has to really listen to people."

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Judge Rules Minnesota Family Can't Refuse Chemo for Sick Son

A Minnesota judge has ruled that the parents of a 13-year-old boy with a highly treatable form of cancer must seek medical treatment.

Daniel Hauser's parents say they are supporting their son's decision to treat the disease with nutritional supplements and other alternative treatments, based on religious beliefs, the Associated Press reported.

Colleen and Anthony Hauser have until May 19 to get an updated chest X-ray for their son, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma and stopped chemotherapy in February after a single treatment. Daniel will stay in the custody of his parents, the AP reported, but they were ordered to select an oncologist for their son, Brown County District Judge John Rodenberg ruled Friday.

Rodenberg said that Daniel had been "medically neglected" and is in need of child protection services, the AP reported. The family had argued that it preferred treating the disease with medicines used by the Nemenhah Band, a Missouri-based religious group that believes in natural healing methods used by some American Indians. Doctors have said Daniel's suffers from Hodgkin's lymphoma, but had up to a 90 percent chance of being cured with chemotherapy and radiation, according to the wire service. Without treatment, doctors said Daniel's chances of survival were just 5 percent.

Philip Elbert, Daniel's court-appointed attorney, said he hadn't spoken yet with the family but called the decision unfortunate, the AP reported. "I feel it's a blow to families," he said. "It marginalizes the decisions that parents face every day in regard to their children's medical care. It really affirms the role that big government is better at making our decisions for us."

-----

Congress Weighs Broad Changes in Health Care Legislation

Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives are considering broad health-care changes that include aid to families earning up to $88,000 to help pay for insurance, a requirement that all must carry coverage, and for employers to offer coverage to full-time workers or pay a percentage of their payroll to the government, the Associated Press reported.

While a document from the House's Energy and Commerce Committee that was obtained by the AP does not include any cost estimates, outside experts have said the plans could run from $1.2 trillion to as high as $1.7 trillion over 10 years as Congress tries to meet the Obama administration's goal of a health-care overhaul by the end of July, the news service reported.

President Barack Obama has proposed a downpayment of $634 billion over 10 years to pay for expanding coverage and has said he'll hold hospitals, doctors, drug makers and other health-care providers to their recent offer of $2 trillion in savings over that 10-year period, the AP said.

In addition, the House plan would set up an insurance purchasing pool, or an "exchange," open only to companies with fewer than 10 workers, to make coverage more affordable for individuals and small businesses. The plan also seeks creation of a new government insurance plan to compete with private companies, likely run by the Health and Human Services department, and financed by premium payments, not taxpayer dollars, the AP said.

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U.S. Prescription Drug Use Falls for 1st Time in Decade: Report

For the first time in a decade, prescription drug use in the United States fell last year, even as total spending on drugs increased as prices for brand-name products rose sharply, the Associated Press reported.

Medco Health Solutions, a pharmacy benefits managing company that handles drug benefits for some 60 million people, said the overall number of prescriptions was down. The reasons: fewer new drugs hit the market last year, some big-selling drugs such as Zyrtec -- an allergy medication -- became available without a prescription, and other drugs faced decreased use because of safety issues. The combination of those factors was responsible for the downturn in prescriptions, Medco said, the AP reported.

Total prescription drug spending grew 3.3 percent last year, Medco said, chiefly because of greater use of "specialty" drugs treating chronic or complex illnesses. Diabetes drugs, specialty treatments for cancer, as well as drugs for rheumatological disease, seizure disorders and antiviral drugs also increased. Average pricing of brand-name pharmaceuticals in 2008 rose more than 8 percent, the fastest increase in five years, AP said.

Medco projected that prescriptions would rise no more than 1 percent in 2009 and in 2010, the AP reported, but added that higher prices would boost total spending by 3 percent to 5 percent this year and 4 percent to 6 percent next year.

Health Tips for May 17

Health Tip: Taking a Trip When You Have Diabetes

Diabetes doesn't have to keep you from traveling, but you still need some extra preparation before you begin your trip.

The American Diabetes Association offers these suggestions to help you plan before you leave:

• Make sure your diabetes is well-controlled. Before you leave for a long trip, a visit with your doctor to make sure you're healthy, and to get the immunizations you need, is a good idea.
• Pack extra medication, syringes and other supplies.
• Take a letter from your doctor that describes exactly what supplies you need, a list of your medications, and any allergies you have.
• Always wear your bracelet or necklace that identifies you as having diabetes.
• If traveling to a foreign country, learn how to say key phrases in the native tongue, such as "I have diabetes" and how to ask for sugar or orange juice.

Health Tip: Pack a First-Aid Kit When Traveling

You don't want a minor injury or medical problem to derail your travel plans. So be sure to make room for a first-aid kit with some basic essentials, especially if you're traveling internationally.

The University of Virginia Health System offers this list of items to take with you on your next trip:

• Over-the-counter pain relievers such as aspirin, ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
• Antihistamine, motion sickness, cold and cough, and anti-diarrhea medications.
• Bandages in different shapes and sizes, as well as gauze pads, tape and an elastic bandage.
• Tweezers, scissors and safety pins.
• Antibiotic ointment, hydrogen peroxide, hydrocortisone cream and bug spray.
• A pair of rubber gloves and a thermometer.
• A chemical cold pack for burns or sprains.
• A bottle of sunscreen.

Health Headlines - May 16

Obama Names NYC Health Chief Frieden to Lead CDC

President Barack Obama on Friday named New York City health commissioner Dr. Thomas R. Frieden to head the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Frieden, whose appointment does not require Senate confirmation, would take over the embattled agency next month, The New York Times reported.

A 48-year-old infectious disease specialist who has led New York City's fight to ban smoking in bars and restaurants, pass out free condoms to organizations and press for mandatory HIV testing as part of regular medical exams, Frieden inherits the CDC mantle at a time when the agency faces deep morale and organizational difficulties, while wrestling with how and whether to produce a swine flu vaccine, the Times reported.

Often a controversial leader during his seven years as New York's top health official, Frieden has had a history of focusing on health threats endangering large numbers of people, sometimes at the expense of more popular causes, the Times said. His high-profile style is likely to put him center stage in the Obama administration's efforts to overhaul the nation's health care system and to improve the safety of its food supply.

With his appointment, Frieden would become the second former New York health commissioner named to a top federal health post. Dr. Margaret A. Hamburg, who held the post in the 1990s, is nearing confirmation as commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Both Frieden and Hamburg, who have a along and close relationship, according to the Times, and together led New York's battle to stop an epidemic of drug-resistant tuberculosis infections, will play lead roles in how the U.S. will fight swine flu next fall if the virus returns. They may also play crucial roles in reforming food safety -- a top priority of the Obama administration, even within the overhaul of the nation's health care system.

Jeffrey Levi, executive director of Trust for America's Health, a nonprofit public health advocacy organization, told the Times that Frieden is "a transformational leader." "I think the administration selected Tom Frieden because he can take public health to a new place," Levi said.

Facing Frieden are host of internal problems at the agency that he will inherit from former CDC head Dr. Julie L. Gerberding, who left in January, and whose long effort to reorganize the agency's bureaucracy has been widely criticized as sapping morale and causing a raft of top staff departures.

"Morale is the weakest thing at the agency right now," Dr. James M. Hughes, former director of the CDC's National Center for Infectious Diseases, told the Times. "He has to really listen to people."

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Judge Rules Minnesota Family Can't Refuse Chemo for Sick Son

A Minnesota judge has ruled that the parents of a 13-year-old boy with a highly treatable form of cancer must seek medical treatment.

Daniel Hauser's parents say they are supporting their son's decision to treat the disease with nutritional supplements and other alternative treatments, based on religious beliefs, the Associated Press reported.

Colleen and Anthony Hauser have until May 19 to get an updated chest X-ray for their son, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma and stopped chemotherapy in February after a single treatment. Daniel will stay in the custody of his parents, the AP reported, but they were ordered to select an oncologist for their son, Brown County District Judge John Rodenberg ruled Friday.

Rodenberg said that Daniel had been "medically neglected" and is in need of child protection services, the AP reported. The family had argued that it preferred treating the disease with medicines used by the Nemenhah Band, a Missouri-based religious group that believes in natural healing methods used by some American Indians. Doctors have said Daniel's suffers from Hodgkin's lymphoma, but had up to a 90 percent chance of being cured with chemotherapy and radiation, according to the wire service. Without treatment, doctors said Daniel's chances of survival were just 5 percent.

Philip Elbert, Daniel's court-appointed attorney, said he hadn't spoken yet with the family but called the decision unfortunate, the AP reported. "I feel it's a blow to families," he said. "It marginalizes the decisions that parents face every day in regard to their children's medical care. It really affirms the role that big government is better at making our decisions for us."

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Congress Weighs Broad Changes in Health Care Legislation

Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives are considering broad health-care changes that include aid to families earning up to $88,000 to help pay for insurance, a requirement that all must carry coverage, and for employers to offer coverage to full-time workers or pay a percentage of their payroll to the government, the Associated Press reported.

While a document from the House's Energy and Commerce Committee that was obtained by the AP does not include any cost estimates, outside experts have said the plans could run from $1.2 trillion to as high as $1.7 trillion over 10 years as Congress tries to meet the Obama administration's goal of a health-care overhaul by the end of July, the news service reported.

President Barack Obama has proposed a downpayment of $634 billion over 10 years to pay for expanding coverage and has said he'll hold hospitals, doctors, drug makers and other health-care providers to their recent offer of $2 trillion in savings over that 10-year period, the AP said.

In addition, the House plan would set up an insurance purchasing pool, or an "exchange," open only to companies with fewer than 10 workers, to make coverage more affordable for individuals and small businesses. The plan also seeks creation of a new government insurance plan to compete with private companies, likely run by the Health and Human Services department, and financed by premium payments, not taxpayer dollars, the AP said.

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U.S. Prescription Drug Use Falls for 1st Time in Decade: Report

For the first time in a decade, prescription drug use in the United States fell last year, even as total spending on drugs increased as prices for brand-name products rose sharply, the Associated Press reported.

Medco Health Solutions, a pharmacy benefits managing company that handles drug benefits for some 60 million people, said the overall number of prescriptions was down. The reasons: fewer new drugs hit the market last year, some big-selling drugs such as Zyrtec -- an allergy medication -- became available without a prescription, and other drugs faced decreased use because of safety issues. The combination of those factors was responsible for the downturn in prescriptions, Medco said, the AP reported.

Total prescription drug spending grew 3.3 percent last year, Medco said, chiefly because of greater use of "specialty" drugs treating chronic or complex illnesses. Diabetes drugs, specialty treatments for cancer, as well as drugs for rheumatological disease, seizure disorders and antiviral drugs also increased. Average pricing of brand-name pharmaceuticals in 2008 rose more than 8 percent, the fastest increase in five years, AP said.

Medco projected that prescriptions would rise no more than 1 percent in 2009 and in 2010, the AP reported, but added that higher prices would boost total spending by 3 percent to 5 percent this year and 4 percent to 6 percent next year.

Health Tips for May 16

Health Tip: Reasons for Adenoid Removal

Adenoids are glands that are found between the airway and the back of the throat. When the adenoids are removed, the procedure is called adenoidectomy.

Adenoidectomy is most often performed on children, and rarely on adults. The U.S. National Library of Medicine offers this list of reasons for why a child might need an adenoidectomy:

• Difficulty breathing through the nose because of enlarged adenoids.
• Frequent snoring.
• Sleep apnea.
• Recurrent ear infections that affect attendance at school or occur five times or more per year.
• Frequent tonsillitis infections.

Health Tip: When Children Stutter

Children who stutter can become embarrassed and anxious about speaking, which can make the situation even worse.

While speech therapy can help, a proper response from parents, friends and teachers also is very important, the U.S. National Library of Medicine says.

The agency offers these suggestions:

• Try to keep the child away from stressful situations. Also, teach the child how to help manage stress.
• Make sure you allow the child plenty of time to speak.
• When you talk to the child, speak slowly and stay relaxed to encourage a similar slow, relaxed response.
• When the child starts to stutter and gets frustrated, acknowledge it and say that it's OK.

Health Headlines - May 15

Pfizer to Give Away Free Lipitor, Viagra to Jobless

Pfizer Inc., the world's largest drug maker, says it will give away free 70 or more of its most widely prescribed prescription drugs -- including Lipitor and Viagra -- to people who have lost their jobs and health insurance since Jan. 1 and have been on a Pfizer drug for three months or more.

Applicants will need to sign a statement that they are suffering financial hardship and provide a "pink slip" or similar notice of termination from work, the Associated Press reported. They will have until Dec. 31 to provide the information, and medications will be given for up to 12 months after approval or until the person is insured again. Starting Thursday, patients can call 866-706-2400, toll-free, to sign up, according to the company, and starting July 1, people can apply online at http://www.PfizerHelpfulAnswers.com. Those on drugs not included in the program will be referred to other company aid programs, the AP reported.

Impetus for the program came from a company leadership training meeting five weeks ago, where Pfizer workers discussed how many patients are struggling, Dr. Jorge Puente, head of Pfizer pharmaceuticals outside the United States and Europe and a project supporter, told the wire service. The free drug program is likely to garner goodwill for the company, the AP reported, and just as likely to help retain Pfizer customers during the current economic downturn.

Among drugs to be covered under the plan, Pfizer said, are the painkiller Celebrex, the fibromyalgia treatment Lyrica, and several antibiotics, antidepressants, antifungal treatments, heart medications, contraceptives and smoking cessation products.

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CDC Offers Tips to Prevent Summer Pool Chemical Injuries

A new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds that pool chemical injuries are responsible for an estimated 5,200 visits a year to hospital emergency rooms, but safe handling and storage of water treatment products can make these injuries preventable.

Most of these injuries take place during summer's swimming season, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and can occur in or out of the pool, according to a report in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The study was released ahead of the CDC's National Recreational Water Illness Prevention Week, May 18-20, which seeks to raise public awareness about safe behaviors around recreational water and safe storage of home pool chemicals.

"Pool chemicals make the water we swim in safer by protecting us from germs, but these same chemicals can also cause injuries if they are not properly handled," Michele Hlavsa, the study's lead author and an epidemiologist at CDC, said in a CDC news release. Both public and private pool operators and homeowners can protect themselves by:

• Securing all pool chemicals in a safe area, away from children.
• Reading manufacturers' instructions fully before using any chemicals.
• Wearing appropriate clothing -- mask, gloves, and safety glasses -- to protect against burns or inhaling noxious fumes.
• Avoiding mixing chlorine products with each other, with acid, or with any other substance.

Swimming is the second most popular sports activity in the United States, according to the CDC report, with approximately 339 million swimming visits to recreational water venues. To prevent illnesses at public venues, the agency suggests parents not take children swimming when youngsters are ill with diarrhea, not swallowing pool water, taking children on frequent bathroom breaks and practicing good hygiene.

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Congress Weighs Broad Changes in Health Care Legislation

Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives are considering broad health-care changes that include aid to families earning up to $88,000 to help pay for insurance, a requirement that all must carry coverage, and for employers to offer coverage to full-time workers or pay a percentage of their payroll to the government, the Associated Press reported.

While a document from the House's Energy and Commerce Committee that was obtained by the AP does not include any cost estimates, outside experts have said the plans could run from $1.2 trillion to as high as $1.7 trillion over 10 years as Congress tries to meet the Obama administration's goal of a health-care overhaul by the end of July, the news service reported.

President Barack Obama has proposed a downpayment of $634 billion over 10 years to pay for expanding coverage and has said he'll hold hospitals, doctors, drug makers and other health-care providers to their recent offer of $2 trillion in savings over that 10-year period, the AP said.

In addition, the House plan would set up an insurance purchasing pool, or an "exchange," open only to companies with fewer than 10 workers, to make coverage more affordable for individuals and small businesses. The plan also seeks creation of a new government insurance plan to compete with private companies, likely run by the Health and Human Services department, and financed by premium payments, not taxpayer dollars, the AP said.

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U.S. Prescription Drug Use Falls for 1st Time in Decade: Report

For the first time in a decade, prescription drug use in the United States fell last year, even as total spending on drugs increased as prices for brand-name products rose sharply, the Associated Press reported.

Medco Health Solutions, a pharmacy benefits managing company that handles drug benefits for some 60 million people, said the overall number of prescriptions was down. The reasons: fewer new drugs hit the market last year, some big-selling drugs such as Zyrtec -- an allergy medication -- became available without a prescription, and other drugs faced decreased use because of safety issues. The combination of those factors was responsible for the downturn in prescriptions, Medco said, the AP reported.

Total prescription drug spending grew 3.3 percent last year, Medco said, chiefly because of greater use of "specialty" drugs treating chronic or complex illnesses. Diabetes drugs, specialty treatments for cancer, as well as drugs for rheumatological disease, seizure disorders and antiviral drugs also increased. Average pricing of brand-name pharmaceuticals in 2008 rose more than 8 percent, the fastest increase in five years, AP said.

Medco projected that prescriptions would rise no more than 1 percent in 2009 and in 2010, the AP reported, but added that higher prices would boost total spending by 3 percent to 5 percent this year and 4 percent to 6 percent next year.

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Scientist Held for Smuggling Ebola Research Vials Into U.S.

A 42-year-old Canadian scientist has been arrested for smuggling 22 vials stolen from Canada's National Microbiology Lab -- used in Ebola and HIV research -- into the United States, officials from both countries report.

Konan Michel Yao was arrested while crossing from Manitoba province into North Dakota on May 5, said a spokeswoman for the Public Health Agency of Canada, which operates the lab, Agence France-Presse reported. U.S. prosecutor Lynn Jordheim said Yao was carrying the unidentified materials in aluminum foil inside a glove and packaged in a plastic bag in the trunk of his car when he was detained. Yao said he had stolen the vials on his last day of work on Jan. 21 and was taking them to his new job with the U.S. National Institutes of Health at the Biodefense Research Laboratory in Bethesda, Md., AFP reported.

"This turned out not to be a terrorism-related case," Jordheim told AFP. "It appears to be exactly as he said. However, he still faces possible charges for smuggling the vials into the United States."

A Canadian health agency spokesperson said the Ivory Coast-born Yao worked on vaccines for the Ebola virus and HIV, but only had access to harmless and non-infectious materials, according to AFP. U.S. authorities tested the contents of Yao's packages and determined they were not hazardous.

Health Tips for May 15

Health Tip: Protecting a New Hip

A hip replacement needs time to heal after surgery. And while you may be anxious to get back to a normal life, it's important to take it easy for a while.

Your doctor will tell you what you should and shouldn't do after surgery. But the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons offers these general suggestions:

• For at least eight weeks after the surgery, avoid sitting with your legs crossed at the knees.
• Don't lift your knee above the level of your hip.
• When seated, avoid leaning forward -- such as to pick something up off the floor.
• When bending down, keep your feet straight. Avoid pointing them to the inside or outside.
• When in bed, avoid reaching down to grab the sheet or blanket.
• Don't stand with toes pointed toward each other.
• Don't bend at the waist at more than a 90-degree angle.
• Just because a certain movement doesn't hurt doesn't mean it's safe. Pain isn't the only indicator of what you should or shouldn't do.

Health Tip: Triggers for Foot Arthritis

Arthritis can cause pain and swelling in any joint, and the joints of the feet are no exception.

The American Podiatric Medical Association says the following triggers may contribute to foot arthritis:

• An injury to the foot, especially one that was left untreated.
• A bacterial or viral infection such as pnuemonia or Lyme disease.
• Bowel disorders such as ileitis or colitis.
• Use of certain prescription drugs or illicit drugs.
• Research has suggested that genetic history may also play a role in the development of arthritis.

Health Headlines - May 14

Scientist Held for Smuggling Ebola Research Vials Into U.S.

A 42-year-old Canadian scientist has been arrested for smuggling 22 vials stolen from Canada's National Microbiology Lab, used in Ebola and HIV research, into the United States, officials from both countries said Wednesday.

Konan Michel Yao was arrested while crossing from Manitoba province into North Dakota on May 5, a spokeswoman for the Public Health Agency of Canada, which operates the lab, Agence France-Presse reported. U.S. prosecutor Lynn Jordheim said Yao was carrying the unidentified materials in aluminum foil inside a glove and packaged in a plastic bag in the trunk of his car when he was detained. Yao said he had stolen the vials on his last day of work on Jan. 21 and was taking them to his new job with the U.S. National Institutes of Health at the Biodefense Research Laboratory in Bethesda, Md., AFP reported.

"This turned out not to be a terrorism-related case," Jordheim told AFP. "It appears to be exactly as he said. However, he still faces possible charges for smuggling the vials into the United States."

A Canadian health agency spokesperson said the Ivory Coast-born Yao worked on vaccines for the Ebola virus and HIV, but only had access to harmless and non-infectious materials, according to AFP. U.S. authorities tested the contents of Yao's packages and determined they were not hazardous

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Lawsuit Challenges Practice of Gene Patenting

A lawsuit organized by The American Civil Liberties Union and filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York is challenging the practice of gene patenting in a case that could have wide-reaching consequences for medical research and genetic diagnostics, the New York Times reports.

At issue was a decision made 10 years ago by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to grant Myriad Genetics, based in Salt Lake City, exclusive rights to two genes -- BRCA1 and BRCA2 -- closely associated with increased risk for breast and ovarian cancer and on testing methods to measure that risk. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of several cancer patients, professional organizations and genetic researchers, argues that gene patents restrict the practice of medicine and new research and block alternatives to the patented tests or interpreting or comparing gene sequences that involve these genes, according to the Times.

The specific case involved a Texas woman who had received a diagnosis of breast cancer in 2006 then took a genetic test to see if her genes also put her increased risk for ovarian cancer. When her test came back positive, she wanted a second opinion, but discovered that under the patent granted, there could be no second opinion, the Times reported.

Companies like Myriad argue that the patent system promotes innovation by giving firms a temporary monopoly that rewards their investment in research and development. Two panels of government experts have not found significant impediments to research or medical care caused by gene patents, and a report from the National Research Council found that patented biomedical research rarely imposes a significant burden for biomedical researchers, the Times said. But, the report added, the patent landscape could become considerably more complex and burdensome over time.

About 20 percent of the human genome, involving thousands of individual genes, are already included in patent claims, a draft report from the National Institutes of Health says, according to the Times. The report warned that it may be difficult for any one developer to obtain all the needed licenses to develop the next generations of tests.

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Many Americans Struggling to Control Diabetes: Analysis

A U.S. agency analysis finds that only slightly more than half of the 18 million Americans with diabetes had their blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure under optimum control in 2006.

The summary, issued by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), found that about 55 percent of American adults with diabetes had their blood sugar and total cholesterol levels under control, while about 59 percent had their blood pressure under control. Improper management of these factors can increase the risk for heart attack and stroke, the agency noted.

The report also found that:

• Only 43 percent of blacks and 38 percent of Mexican-Americans with diabetes had their blood sugar levels under control, compared with 61 percent of non-Hispanic whites with diabetes.
• The percentage of diabetics who had their blood pressure under control did improve between 2002 to 2006 -- from 39 percent to 58 percent for blacks and from 49 percent to 67 percent for Mexican-Americans. There were also no significant differences in blood pressure control among blacks, Mexican-Americans, and non-Hispanic whites with diabetes.

The AHRQ study also said that as many as 6 million Americans may have diabetes but don't know it. Diabetes is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States, with $116 billion spent on medical care for the disease, according to AHRQ's recently released 2008 National Healthcare Disparities Report.

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Medicare Says It Won't Pay for Virtual Colonoscopies

Medicare says it won't pay for the procedure called virtual colonoscopy, citing what it calls a lack of evidence that the less invasive method can rid a patient of precancerous growths as well as regular colonoscopy can, the Associated Pressreports.

In a memo posted on its Web site, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said that the test does not qualify for Medicare coverage and noted that the procedure is performed on people without symptoms. Medicare does cover regular colonoscopies, wherein a small video camera inside a slender tube is snaked through the intestines to identify polyps and remove them if necessary.

CT colonography, or virtual colonoscopy, is an enhanced X-ray of the colon that is quicker, cheaper and easier on the patient, but involves radiation, the AP reported. Both procedures still involve drinking a liquid preparation to clean out the bowels.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force decided last fall not to approve virtual colonoscopies because of the risk of radiation to patients, among other factors. Medicare said in its posting that it took that decision into account in reaching its decision. Some private insurers cover the virtual procedure, but others don't, according to the AP. Colonoscopies can cost up to $3,000, while the virtual procedure can range from $300 to $800, the wire service reported.

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Recession Hastens Social Security, Medicare Insolvency: Report

The economic recession and resulting huge job losses are bringing great pressure to bear on Social Security and Medicare funds, reducing revenues far below previous projections, U.S. officials are warning.

They project that Social Security will run out of funds in 2037, four years earlier than last year's estimate, and that Medicare will be insolvent in 2017, two years earlier than last year's estimate and just eight years out, United Press Internationalreported. To head off a funding shortfall, the Obama administration has proposed raising payroll taxes 2 percentage points to 14.4 percent or reducing benefits by 13 percent, or some combination of both ideas.

None of the options appears palatable, however, since raising payroll taxes would be unpopular and break a key pledge Obama made during his election campaign, the officials said. Additionally, Social Security trustees said a cut in benefits is unlikely to pass because of backlash from politically powerful groups such as AARP,UPI reported.

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Kids' Face Paint Product May Be Contaminated, FDA Warns

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has found "significant microbial contamination" in a brand of water-based face paints used by children, and has warned consumers to stop using the products, United Press International reports.

The cosmetic paints -- manufactured by a Shanghai company and distributed across the United States -- are being recalled by Fun Express Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Oriental Trading Co., because of skin reactions in children who used the products, UPI reported.

"The FDA has learned of a cluster of adverse events in children exposed to various colors of the face paint," the FDA said in a statement. "All exposures occurred on the same day at an organized event and included rashes, itchiness, burning sensation and swelling where the face paints were applied. Significant microbial contamination was indicated in most of the products in testing by a FDA laboratory."

The FDA is asking consumers to report adverse events from the paints to state and local health officials, or by calling the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Health Tips for May 14

Health Tip: Communicating With a Loved One's Doctor

Part of a caregiver's responsibilities include communicating with your charge's doctors, and knowing how and when to ask the right questions.

The American Heart Association offers these guidelines for caregivers:

• Explain to the doctor your role as caregiver, and that you need to be included in important communication about the patient.
• Educate yourself about the details of your loved one's condition.
• Write down information about behaviors you have noticed, such as your loved one's sleeping habits, eating habits and emotions.
• Take your time and think through any decisions about your loved one. If possible, make sure the doctor offers you enough time to consider the options. Consider scheduling a consultation appointment.
• Make a list of questions and topics for discussion during appointments.
• Appreciate the time your doctor takes, and understand that he or she may not have an immediate answer to all of your questions.

Health Tip: Be Proactive at Your Next Doctor Visit

If you don't go to the doctor very often, it's important to make the most of every visit.

It's your opportunity to talk to your doctor about any health problems, or questions that you have.

Here are conversation pointers for your next medical visit, as recommended by the American Academy of Family Physicians:

• Bring up any symptoms or health concerns that you have.
• Create a log of your health history and bring it to your appointment.
• Tell your doctor about any stress in your life that could be affecting your health.
• Discuss any medications or supplements that you take, and any side effects that you suspect may be caused by them.
• Bring any recent medical records, test results or X-rays.
• Clarify anything your doctor says that you don't understand.
• Ask for extra time to spend with your doctor, if you need it. If your doctor can't be available personally, a nurse or physician assistant may be able to spend time with you.

Health Headlines - May 13

Kids' Face Paint Product May Be Contaminated, FDA Warns

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has found "significant microbial contamination" in a brand of water-based face paints used by children, and has warned consumers to stop using the products, United Press International reports.

The cosmetic paints -- manufactured by a Shanghai company and distributed across the United States -- are being recalled by Fun Express Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Oriental Trading Co., because of skin reactions in children who used the products, UPI reported.

"The FDA has learned of a cluster of adverse events in children exposed to various colors of the face paint," the FDA said in a statement. "All exposures occurred on the same day at an organized event and included rashes, itchiness, burning sensation and swelling where the face paints were applied. Significant microbial contamination was indicated in most of the products in testing by a FDA laboratory."

The FDA is asking consumers to report adverse events from the paints to state and local health officials, or by calling the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

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FDA Challenges Cheerios Health Claims

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is taking issue with Cheerios maker General Mills Inc., citing company claims that the cereal lowers cholesterol and can help treat heart disease, the Bloomberg news service reports.

The FDA told Bloomberg that it allows food companies to make 17 nutrition claims based on scientific studies and company petitions, but that Cheerios' claim of its cholesterol-lowering ability weren't cleared by the agency. The FDA said the heart disease and cancer claims on the Cheerios' Web site should include language saying that fruits and vegetables also help reduce risks, Bloomberg reported.

In a warning letter to General Mills, the FDA said the claim about Cheerios "does not enable the public to understand the significance of the claim in the context of the total daily diet." General Mills could face a court injunction or product seizure if it doesn't fix the issue within 15 days of the May 5 letter, Bloomberg reported.

General Mills was quick to respond that the science of its claims is not in question. "The FDA is interested in how the Cheerios cholesterol-lowering information is presented on the Cheerios package and Web site," Tom Forsythe, a spokesman for the Minneapolis-based company, said in an e-mailed statement, Bloomberg reported. "We look forward to discussing this with FDA and to reaching a resolution," Forsythe said.

According to General Mills' Web site, Cheerios has advertised that it can "lower your cholesterol 4 percent in 6 weeks" for more than two years.

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Weight Worries Still Nag U.S. Women: Poll

A new Associated Press-iVillage poll suggests that many American women are unhappy with their figures, yet they face a disconnect between what they perceive a healthy body image to be and true physical conditioning.

The poll, conducted from April 20-30 by Knowledge Networks, contacted 1,000 women by telephone and mail, then questioned them online, providing Internet access for those who needed it. Among the poll's findings:

• Half of the women surveyed said they didn't like their weight. In fact, 26 percent of poll participants whose body-mass index (BMI) -- a measure of weight for height -- was in the normal range still reported being unhappy with their shape.
• Only 8 percent of women ate the minimum recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, and 28 percent admitted they only took in the recommended servings once a week or less.
• Women put in a median of 80 minutes of exercise a week, meaning half did even less. The average adult is supposed to get 2 1/2 hours of exercise a week for good health.
• A quarter of the women polled said they'd consider plastic surgery to feel better about their body, and most would choose a tummy tuck.
• Even among normal-weight women, a full 16 percent said they were dieting to drop pounds.

"The priorities are flipped," Dr. Molly Poag, chief of psychiatry at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, told the pollsters. She suggested that women athletes are a better role model for women than supermodels. "There's an undervaluing of physical fitness and an overvaluing of absolute weight and appearance for women in our culture," Poag said.

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FDA Probes 2 Delaware Deaths That May Be Linked to Heparin

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has sent a team to investigate the deaths of two Delaware patients who died over the weekend after taking the blood thinner heparin, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The deaths were confirmed by a spokesman from Beebe Medical Center in Lewes, Del., after three people suffered medical problems after using heparin. All three people were using the drug supplied by Baxter International Inc., of Deerfield, Ill., although the spokesman said there is no evidence that directly ties heparin to the deaths, the Journal reported. Baxter spokeswoman Erin Gardiner told the newspaper that the company immediately contacted the FDA, and both the agency and Baxter sent medical teams to Delaware to investigate.

The people who died, identified only as a 71-year-old man and a 64-year-old woman, were flown by helicopter from Beebe. One died at Christiana Hospital in Delaware, and the other died at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Gardiner said both received pre-mixed intravenous bags of heparin.

In 2008, tainted heparin bulk supplies, vials of the medicine and drug-coated medical devices reportedly were tied to some 80 deaths and led to a recall of heparin from several companies. The current investigation is so far focused on North American sources and not products from China, according to the Journal. Last year's cases mostly involved allergic reactions and cardiac complications, while the Delaware deaths involved cranial bleeding, Gardiner told the newspaper.

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Obama Praises Health Industry's Offer of Savings

Calling it a "watershed event," President Barack Obama has applauded an offer by health-care industry leaders to voluntarily slow rate increases. The move is designed to help provide heath insurance for the estimated 50 million Americans who have none and who are a focal point of the administration's health-care reform proposals, the Associated Press reported.

The industry leaders -- representing sectors including hospitals, doctors and insurers -- offered the president more than $2 trillion in rate reductions over the next 10 years and pledged to cut the growth rate for health care by 1.5 percentage points each year, the wire service said. The industry groups' offer doesn't resolve prickly details of the emerging health-care plan overall, but does put the health-care industry in a position to influence legislation that Congress is writing.

By offering the savings now, these private sector health-care groups hope to avoid creation of a competing government health plan that would enroll middle-class workers and their families, the AP said. Additionally, hospitals and doctors are worried that any government-run plan could dictate what they get paid to care for patients, and drug makers are concerned that future medications could face tougher cost-benefit analysis before new drugs could win approval.

While it's unclear whether the proposed rate reductions will prove decisive in passing more encompassing health-care legislation, the promised savings could accrue to society as a whole, not just the federal government, the AP reported. A key point is that specific federal savings would be needed to help pay for expanding insurance coverage. U.S. costs for a health-care overhaul could range from $1.2 trillion to $1.5 trillion over 10 years, according to the AP, but Obama has so far only outlined where he would get about half that amount.

"I will not rest until the dream of health-care reform is achieved in the United States of America," Obama said in the White House's State Dining Room as he announced the offer, the AP reported. "We can't continue down the same dangerous road we've been traveling for so many years. Reform is not a luxury that can be postponed, but a necessity that cannot wait."

Health Tips for May 13

Health Tip: Strive for Beautiful, Healthy Skin

It takes some work to keep skin clear, moisturized and looking young and healthy.

The Cleveland Clinic offers these skin care suggestions:

• Drink a lot of water every day. It will show on the outside.
• Gently but thoroughly wash your face twice each day.
• Always remove makeup before bed.
• Eat a healthy, balanced diet.
• Use a toner after you wash to get rid of any leftover dirt, makeup or oil.
• Always use a moisturizer, even if your skin is oily. You may opt for an oil-free brand.

Health Tip: Safe Use of Contact Lenses

It can be difficult to see that cosmetics and contact lenses may not mix, especially if the cosmetics are misapplied.

The University of Virginia Health System offers these suggestions for contact lens wearers who use makeup:

• Always wash your hands before putting contact lenses in or taking them out.
• Keep cosmetic brushes and other tools clean.
• Invest in hypoallergenic cosmetics without fragrance, sparkle, glitter or anything else that may contain irritants such as crushed oyster shell or tinsel.
• Put lenses in first, then put on your cosmetics.
• Never wear someone else's makeup, or let anyone else borrow yours.
• Never re-use an old mascara applicator.
• Be careful to keep creams and powders out of your eyes.
• Skip makeup when your eyes are irritated, infected, swollen or red.

Health Headlines - May 12

FDA Investigating 2 Delaware Deaths That May Be Linked to Heparin

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has sent a team to investigate the deaths of two Delaware patients who died over the weekend after taking the blood thinner heparin, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The deaths were confirmed by a spokesman from Beebe Medical Center in Lewes, Del., after three people suffered medical problems after using heparin. All three people were using the drug supplied by Baxter International Inc., of Deerfield, Ill., although the spokesman said there is no evidence that directly ties heparin to the deaths, the Journal reported. Baxter spokeswoman Erin Gardiner told the newspaper that the company immediately contacted the FDA, and both the agency and Baxter sent medical teams to Delaware to investigate.

The people who died, identified only as a 71-year-old man and a 64-year-old woman, were flown by helicopter from Beebe. One died at Christiana Hospital in Delaware, and the other died at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Gardiner said both received pre-mixed intravenous bags of heparin.

In 2008, tainted heparin bulk supplies, vials of the medicine and drug-coated medical devices reportedly were tied to some 80 deaths and led to a recall of heparin from several companies. The current investigation is so far focused on North American sources and not product from China, according to the Journal. Last year's cases mostly involved allergic reactions and cardiac complications, while the Delaware deaths involved cranial bleeding, Gardiner told the newspaper.

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Obama Praises Health Industry's Offer of Savings

Calling it a "watershed event," President Barack Obama on Monday applauded an offer by health care industry leaders to voluntarily slow rate increases. The move is designed to help provide heath insurance for the estimated 50 million Americans who have none and who are a focal point of the administration's health care reform proposals, the Associated Press reported.

The industry leaders -- representing sectors including hospitals, doctors and insurers -- offered the president more than $2 trillion in rate reductions over the next 10 years and pledged to cut the growth rate for health care by 1.5 percentage points each year, the wire service said. The industry groups' offer doesn't resolve prickly details of the emerging health care plan overall, but does put the health care industry in a position to influence legislation that Congress is writing.

By offering the savings now, these private sector health care groups hope to avoid creation of a competing government health plan that would enroll middle-class workers and their families, the AP said. Additionally, hospitals and doctors are worried that any government-run plan could dictate what they get paid to care for patients, and drug makers are concerned that future medications could face tougher cost-benefit analysis before new drugs could win approval.

While it's unclear whether the proposed rate reductions will prove decisive in passing more encompassing health care legislation, the promised savings could accrue to society as a whole, not just the federal government, the AP reported. A key point is that specific federal savings would be needed to help pay for expanding insurance coverage. U.S. costs for a health care overhaul could range from $1.2 trillion to $1.5 trillion over 10 years, according to the AP, but President Obama has so far only outlined where he would get about half that amount.

"I will not rest until the dream of health care reform is achieved in the United States of America," Obama said in the White House's State Dining Room as he announced the offer, the AP reported. "We can't continue down the same dangerous road we've been traveling for so many years. Reform is not a luxury that can be postponed, but a necessity that cannot wait."

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Cervarix Induces Stronger Immune Response Than Gardasil: Study

A head-to-head comparison suggests that GlaxoSmithKline PLC's Cervarix vaccine triggers a stronger immune response against the cervical cancer-causing human papillomavirus (HPV) than Merck & Co.'s Gardasil.

The Glaxo-funded study of 1,100 women, ages 18 to 45, didn't examine which vaccine was more effective at preventing cervical cancer or precancerous lesions, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The findings were presented at a Swedish medical conference that began Friday. Cervarix is on the market in Europe and is currently under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Gardasil is designed to protect women against four HPV types, including those that cause most cases of genital warts, the Wall Street Journal reported. Cervarix targets two HPV types and isn't meant to provide as much protection against genital warts.

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Health Insurance Unaffordable for More Than Thought: Study

Most uninsured families who aren't covered by group health insurance through work can't afford to buy health insurance, says a U.S. government study.

Unlike most studies that use income alone to estimate how many Americans can afford health insurance, this study shows that measuring families' median net worth (the value of their savings plus other assets minus debt) provides a more accurate count.

Using national survey data, researchers with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found that the median net worth of families who purchased health insurance was $105,819 -- nearly 35 times greater than the median net worth of $3,057 for uninsured families. Median net worth means that half the families had net worth above or below that amount.

In contrast, the median income of families who purchased health insurance was $41,086 -- only 2.3 times greater than the median income of $17,690 for uninsured families.

The study also found that 4.1 percent of families with access to work-based health insurance were poor (family income below 100 percent of the federal poverty line), and 11.1 percent were low income (family income 100 percent to 199 percent of the federal poverty line). Among families without access to employer-based health insurance, 33.8 percent were poor, and 28.4 percent were low income.

"This study has important implications for defining who can afford to pay for health insurance in the next wave of health care reform," AHRQ Director Dr. Carolyn M. Clancy, said in a news release. "We need accurate, evidence-based findings to ensure that we are providing policymakers with reliable information."

Health Tips for May 12

Health Tip: Keep Medications Away From Children

Youngsters seem to get into everything -- often things they aren't supposed to, such as medications.

Your medicine cabinet is full of dangers for young people, so it's important to keep medications locked away and out of a child's reach.

The National Safety Council offers these suggestions:

• Keep all medications in a securely latched medicine cabinet, even if you don't think your child can reach it.
• Always store medications in containers with child-proof lids, and make sure the containers are securely closed.
• Try not to take medication in front of children, and never act like they are candy or something to play with.
• When you dispose of medications, don't just throw them in the garbage can. Dispose of them in a way that a child can't find and swallow them.

Health Tip: Remember to Take Your Medicine

Many medications should be taken at the same time every day, both to ensure their effectiveness and so that you remember to take them.

The American Heart Association offers these suggestions to help keep you on schedule:

• Make taking your medication a part of your daily routine, as you would brushing your teeth.
• Take your medicine while performing another daily activity, such as having breakfast.
• Use a daily pill box to organize and track when you've taken your medication.
• Track taking your medication on a calendar, and mark off the day afterward.
• Use a white board to keep track of when you've taken your medication.
• Ask a family member or friend to remind you each day.

Health Headlines - May 11

Cervarix Induces Stronger Immune Response Than Gardasil: Study

A head-to-head comparison suggests that GlaxoSmithKline PLC's Cervarix vaccine triggers a stronger immune response against the cervical cancer-causing human papillomavirus (HPV) than Merck & Co.'s Gardasil.

The Glaxo-funded study of 1,100 women, ages 18 to 45, didn't examine which vaccine was more effective at preventing cervical cancer or precancerous lesions, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The findings were presented at a Swedish medical conference that began Friday. Cervarix is on the market in Europe and is currently under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Gardasil is designed to protect women against four HPV types, including those that cause most cases of genital warts, the Wall Street Journal reported. Cervarix targets two HPV types and isn't meant to provide as much protection against genital warts.

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Health Insurance Unaffordable for More Than Thought: Study

Most uninsured families who aren't covered by group health insurance through work can't afford to buy health insurance, says a U.S. government study.

Unlike most studies that use income alone to estimate how many Americans can afford health insurance, this study shows that measuring families' median net worth (the value of their savings plus other assets minus debt) provides a more accurate count.

Using national survey data, researchers with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found that the median net worth of families who purchased health insurance was $105,819 -- nearly 35 times greater than the median net worth of $3,057 for uninsured families. Median net worth means that half the families had net worth above or below that amount.

In contrast, the median income of families who purchased health insurance was $41,086 -- only 2.3 times greater than the median income of $17,690 for uninsured families.

The study also found that 4.1 percent of families with access to work-based health insurance were poor (family income below 100 percent of the federal poverty line), and 11.1 percent were low income (family income 100 percent to 199 percent of the federal poverty line). Among families without access to employer-based health insurance, 33.8 percent were poor, and 28.4 percent were low income.

"This study has important implications for defining who can afford to pay for health insurance in the next wave of health care reform," AHRQ Director Dr. Carolyn M. Clancy, said in a news release. "We need accurate, evidence-based findings to ensure that we are providing policymakers with reliable information."

-----

Obama's 2010 Health Budget Targets Reforms

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius this week outlined provisions of President Barack Obama's 2010 health budget that target cutting costs, improving quality of care and rooting out waste and fraud in the Medicare system.

Overall, the proposed budget includes a total of $879 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services in 2010, a $63 billion increase over the agency's 2009 budget. The budget establishes a $635 billion health care reserve fund over 10 years, funded by new revenue and savings from Medicare and Medicaid, to finance the reforms and assure health care coverage for all Americans, Sebelius said in a news release from her agency. To improve public safety, the new budget also sets aside $584 million to prepare for and combat pandemic flu and fund increases for the Food and Drug Administration to help ensure the safety of food and medicine.

"We estimate that for every $1 we spend to stop fraud in the system, we save $1.55," Sebelius said in the new release. "The President's budget lays out funding for anti-fraud efforts over five years that we estimate could save $2.7 billion by improving overall oversight and stopping fraud and abuse within the Medicare Advantage and Medicare prescription drug programs."

Other highlights in the health care budget include $4 billion for the Indian Health Service (IHS) to expand health care for American Indians and Alaska Natives; $330 million to fund education programs to address the shortage of health care providers in underserved areas; $73 million for improving rural health care initiatives; and $354 million to help combat health care disparities of racial and ethnic minorities and low-income and disadvantaged populations.

The FDA would also receive an additional $511 million, with $259 million earmarked for food safety efforts, increasing the number of inspectors by about 20 percent, as well as helping fund domestic surveillance, laboratory capacity, and response to and control of food-borne illness.

-----

U.S. Raid Seizes $1.5 Million of Contaminated Food Products

More than $1.5 million worth of food products, including herbs and botanicals, stored in filthy conditions at the American Mercantile Corporation of Memphis, Tenn., have been seized by U.S. marshals on Thursday at the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the agency reported.

FDA inspectors in March had found evidence of rodent and insect infestation in the company's warehouse, but said the firm had failed to correct conditions. The products seized in the raid included items such as sarsaparilla, spearmint leaves, cornstarch, sweet orange peels powder, licorice powder, sassafras, and salt that may have been sold to and used in the dietary supplement and herbal tea industries, according to the FDA release. The seized products violate the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the agency said, because they were held in unsanitary conditions where they may have become contaminated with filth.

The FDA said it had received no reports of illness associated with the products.

-----

Dodgers' Ramirez Suspended 50 Games After Positive Drug Test

Los Angeles Dodgers' All-Star outfielder Manny Ramirez has been suspended for 50 games after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs, Major League Baseball officials has announced. The suspension begins immediately and was expected to cost Ramirez about a third of his $25 million salary. He could return to the field on or about July 3, the New York Times reported.

Ramirez, 36, said he would not challenge the decision and in a statement released through the Major League Baseball Players Association said that he tested positive for a doctor-prescribed medication he was taking for a personal health issue and not a steroid, the Times reported. "I want to apologize to Mr. McCourt, Mrs. McCourt, Mr. Torre, my teammates, the Dodger organization, and to the Dodger fans. LA is a special place to me, and I know everybody is disappointed. So am I. I'm sorry about this whole situation," Ramirez said in the statement. The McCourts own the Dodgers, and Joe Torre, the former skipper of the New York Yankees, now manages the Dodgers.

Ramirez becomes the third major league player suspended this year under baseball's tougher drug-testing program. The new policy calls for a 50-game suspension for a first violation, a 100-game suspension for a second offense, and a lifetime ban for a third, the Wall Street Journal reported.

-----

West Nile Test Produced False-Positive Results: Study

A commercially available West Nile Virus test produced a substantial number of false-positive test results and affected the number of West Nile Virus (WNV) cases reported in the United States in 2008, a new study says.

One lot of the WNV Immunoglobulin M (IgM) ELISA kit used at four laboratories resulted in positive tests from 518 patients in 42 states. Retesting of available samples showed a 72 percent false-positive rate. The majority of those false-positive results were from people without symptoms of neuroinvasive disease.

The lot of the test kit, labeled for use on serum to help aid in suspected cases of WNV neuroinvasive disease, was used starting in July 2008 and was recalled after a multistate investigation into an increased number of false-positive WNV test results.

The indicated use of commercially available test kits should be considered when requesting testing and interpreting results. Any positive results should be confirmed by a state health department or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the authors of the report, which was published in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

-----

Syphilis Rates in Heterosexuals Need Monitoring: Study

Public health officials in the United States need to watch for increasing rates of syphilis among heterosexuals, say the authors of a study that found sharp increases in new syphilis infections among heterosexuals in Jefferson County, Ala.

U.S. syphilis rates have been increasing since the early 2000s, and this rise has been associated primarily with men who have sex with men (MSM). Between 2002 and 2004, MSM accounted for 46.3 percent of all new syphilis cases in Jefferson County, which includes the city of Birmingham.

However, between 2005 and 2007, heterosexuals accounted for 87.7 percent of new syphilis cases in the county, while MSM accounted for only 12.3 percent, said the study published Thursday in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a publication of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Overall, cases of syphilis in Jefferson County increased from nine in 2002 to 238 in 2006, and then declined to 167 in 2007. Between 2002 and 2007, the proportion of women with syphilis increased from 26.9 percent to 43.3 percent. The researchers noted that after 10 years of decline, syphilis cases among women in the Southern U.S. increased 69 percent between 2003 and 2007.

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Facebook Use Doesn't Harm Grades: Report

Students who use the social networking site Facebook don't have lower grades, says a new study that contradicts the preliminary findings of an Ohio State University study that made news last month.

"We found no evidence of Facebook use correlating with lower academic achievement," co-author Eszter Hargittai, an associate professor of communication studies at Northwestern University and a fellow at the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, said in a news release.

Hargittai and colleagues' examination of three data sets found no significant negative relationship between grade point average and normal Facebook use. The study appears in the online journal First Monday.

It is possible that excessive Facebook use can have a negative effect on academic performance, Hargittai noted.

"If somebody's spending an inordinate amount of time on Facebook at the expense of studying, his or her academic performance may suffer, just as it might from spending an excessive time on any activity," Hargittai said. "We need more research with more nuanced data to better understand how social networking site usage may relate to academic performance."

Health Tips for May 11

Health Tip: Taking ADHD Medications

Medications prescribed to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may effectively manage symptoms, but they can also cause a number of side effects.

The American Academy of Family Physicians offers these suggestions to minimize side effects caused by ADHD drugs:

• Take only the minimal dose necessary to control your symptoms. Speak with your doctor about determining the right dose for you.
• If you have stomach upset, take your ADHD meds with food.
• As long as your doctor says it's OK, consider the weekend "drug-free days" when you can skip your medication.
• If ADHD meds cause undesired weight loss, add healthy snacks to the day's menu.

Health Tip: Parenting a Child With ADHD

Children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often require special attention to help manage their behavior.

The University of Michigan Health System offers these suggestions for parents of a child with ADHD:

• Pay attention to the good qualities your child has, and tell him or her when you notice good behavior.
• When offering praise, tell your child specifically what was done well and what you liked about it.
• Offer direction in a positive way. Tell the child what you want done, instead of what shouldn't be done.
• Offer immediate and constant feedback throughout the day, keeping it simple and clear.
• Because medications for ADHD can affect appetite, make sure your child has plenty of healthy meals and snacks throughout the day.
• Keep a close eye on your child during play and exercise to prevent injury caused by active, impulsive behavior.

Health Headlines - May 10

Cervarix Induces Stronger Immune Response Than Gardasil: Study

A head-to-head comparison suggests that GlaxoSmithKline PLC's Cervarix vaccine triggers a stronger immune response against the cervical cancer-causing human papillomavirus (HPV) than Merck & Co.'s Gardasil.

The Glaxo-funded study of 1,100 women, ages 18 to 45, didn't examine which vaccine was more effective at preventing cervical cancer or precancerous lesions, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The findings were presented at a Swedish medical conference that began Friday. Cervarix is on the market in Europe and is currently under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Gardasil is designed to protect women against four HPV types, including those that cause most cases of genital warts, the Wall Street Journal reported. Cervarix targets two HPV types and isn't meant to provide as much protection against genital warts.

-----

Health Insurance Unaffordable for More Than Thought: Study

Most uninsured families who aren't covered by group health insurance through work can't afford to buy health insurance, says a U.S. government study.

Unlike most studies that use income alone to estimate how many Americans can afford health insurance, this study shows that measuring families' median net worth (the value of their savings plus other assets minus debt) provides a more accurate count.

Using national survey data, researchers with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found that the median net worth of families who purchased health insurance was $105,819 -- nearly 35 times greater than the median net worth of $3,057 for uninsured families. Median net worth means that half the families had net worth above or below that amount.

In contrast, the median income of families who purchased health insurance was $41,086 -- only 2.3 times greater than the median income of $17,690 for uninsured families.

The study also found that 4.1 percent of families with access to work-based health insurance were poor (family income below 100 percent of the federal poverty line), and 11.1 percent were low income (family income 100 percent to 199 percent of the federal poverty line). Among families without access to employer-based health insurance, 33.8 percent were poor, and 28.4 percent were low income.

"This study has important implications for defining who can afford to pay for health insurance in the next wave of health care reform," AHRQ Director Dr. Carolyn M. Clancy, said in a news release. "We need accurate, evidence-based findings to ensure that we are providing policymakers with reliable information."

-----

Obama's 2010 Health Budget Targets Reforms

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius this week outlined provisions of President Barack Obama's 2010 health budget that target cutting costs, improving quality of care and rooting out waste and fraud in the Medicare system.

Overall, the proposed budget includes a total of $879 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services in 2010, a $63 billion increase over the agency's 2009 budget. The budget establishes a $635 billion health care reserve fund over 10 years, funded by new revenue and savings from Medicare and Medicaid, to finance the reforms and assure health care coverage for all Americans, Sebelius said in a news release from her agency. To improve public safety, the new budget also sets aside $584 million to prepare for and combat pandemic flu and fund increases for the Food and Drug Administration to help ensure the safety of food and medicine.

"We estimate that for every $1 we spend to stop fraud in the system, we save $1.55," Sebelius said in the new release. "The President's budget lays out funding for anti-fraud efforts over five years that we estimate could save $2.7 billion by improving overall oversight and stopping fraud and abuse within the Medicare Advantage and Medicare prescription drug programs."

Other highlights in the health care budget include $4 billion for the Indian Health Service (IHS) to expand health care for American Indians and Alaska Natives; $330 million to fund education programs to address the shortage of health care providers in underserved areas; $73 million for improving rural health care initiatives; and $354 million to help combat health care disparities of racial and ethnic minorities and low-income and disadvantaged populations.

The FDA would also receive an additional $511 million, with $259 million earmarked for food safety efforts, increasing the number of inspectors by about 20 percent, as well as helping fund domestic surveillance, laboratory capacity, and response to and control of food-borne illness.

-----

U.S. Raid Seizes $1.5 Million of Contaminated Food Products

More than $1.5 million worth of food products, including herbs and botanicals, stored in filthy conditions at the American Mercantile Corporation of Memphis, Tenn., have been seized by U.S. marshals on Thursday at the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the agency reported.

FDA inspectors in March had found evidence of rodent and insect infestation in the company's warehouse, but said the firm had failed to correct conditions. The products seized in the raid included items such as sarsaparilla, spearmint leaves, cornstarch, sweet orange peels powder, licorice powder, sassafras, and salt that may have been sold to and used in the dietary supplement and herbal tea industries, according to the FDA release. The seized products violate the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the agency said, because they were held in unsanitary conditions where they may have become contaminated with filth.

The FDA said it had received no reports of illness associated with the products.

-----

Dodgers' Ramirez Suspended 50 Games After Positive Drug Test

Los Angeles Dodgers' All-Star outfielder Manny Ramirez has been suspended for 50 games after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs, Major League Baseball officials has announced. The suspension begins immediately and was expected to cost Ramirez about a third of his $25 million salary. He could return to the field on or about July 3, the New York Times reported.

Ramirez, 36, said he would not challenge the decision and in a statement released through the Major League Baseball Players Association said that he tested positive for a doctor-prescribed medication he was taking for a personal health issue and not a steroid, the Times reported. "I want to apologize to Mr. McCourt, Mrs. McCourt, Mr. Torre, my teammates, the Dodger organization, and to the Dodger fans. LA is a special place to me, and I know everybody is disappointed. So am I. I'm sorry about this whole situation," Ramirez said in the statement. The McCourts own the Dodgers, and Joe Torre, the former skipper of the New York Yankees, now manages the Dodgers.

Ramirez becomes the third major league player suspended this year under baseball's tougher drug-testing program. The new policy calls for a 50-game suspension for a first violation, a 100-game suspension for a second offense, and a lifetime ban for a third, the Wall Street Journal reported.

-----

West Nile Test Produced False-Positive Results: Study

A commercially available West Nile Virus test produced a substantial number of false-positive test results and affected the number of West Nile Virus (WNV) cases reported in the United States in 2008, a new study says.

One lot of the WNV Immunoglobulin M (IgM) ELISA kit used at four laboratories resulted in positive tests from 518 patients in 42 states. Retesting of available samples showed a 72 percent false-positive rate. The majority of those false-positive results were from people without symptoms of neuroinvasive disease.

The lot of the test kit, labeled for use on serum to help aid in suspected cases of WNV neuroinvasive disease, was used starting in July 2008 and was recalled after a multistate investigation into an increased number of false-positive WNV test results.

The indicated use of commercially available test kits should be considered when requesting testing and interpreting results. Any positive results should be confirmed by a state health department or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the authors of the report, which was published in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

-----

Syphilis Rates in Heterosexuals Need Monitoring: Study

Public health officials in the United States need to watch for increasing rates of syphilis among heterosexuals, say the authors of a study that found sharp increases in new syphilis infections among heterosexuals in Jefferson County, Ala.

U.S. syphilis rates have been increasing since the early 2000s, and this rise has been associated primarily with men who have sex with men (MSM). Between 2002 and 2004, MSM accounted for 46.3 percent of all new syphilis cases in Jefferson County, which includes the city of Birmingham.

However, between 2005 and 2007, heterosexuals accounted for 87.7 percent of new syphilis cases in the county, while MSM accounted for only 12.3 percent, said the study published Thursday in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a publication of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Overall, cases of syphilis in Jefferson County increased from nine in 2002 to 238 in 2006, and then declined to 167 in 2007. Between 2002 and 2007, the proportion of women with syphilis increased from 26.9 percent to 43.3 percent. The researchers noted that after 10 years of decline, syphilis cases among women in the Southern U.S. increased 69 percent between 2003 and 2007.

-----

Facebook Use Doesn't Harm Grades: Report

Students who use the social networking site Facebook don't have lower grades, says a new study that contradicts the preliminary findings of an Ohio State University study that made news last month.

"We found no evidence of Facebook use correlating with lower academic achievement," co-author Eszter Hargittai, an associate professor of communication studies at Northwestern University and a fellow at the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, said in a news release.

Hargittai and colleagues' examination of three data sets found no significant negative relationship between grade point average and normal Facebook use. The study appears in the online journal First Monday.

It is possible that excessive Facebook use can have a negative effect on academic performance, Hargittai noted.

"If somebody's spending an inordinate amount of time on Facebook at the expense of studying, his or her academic performance may suffer, just as it might from spending an excessive time on any activity," Hargittai said. "We need more research with more nuanced data to better understand how social networking site usage may relate to academic performance."

Health Tips for May 10

Health Tip: Triggers for Foot Arthritis

Arthritis can cause pain and swelling in any joint, and the joints of the feet are no exception.

The American Podiatric Medical Association says the following triggers may contribute to foot arthritis:

• An injury to the foot, especially one that was left untreated.
• A bacterial or viral infection such as pnuemonia or Lyme disease.
• Bowel disorders such as ileitis or colitis.
• Use of certain prescription drugs or illicit drugs.
• Research has suggested that genetic history may also play a role in the development of arthritis.

Health Tip: Take Care of Your Feet

If you hurt your feet, it may be difficult to exercise, to take care of responsibilities at home, and to even get around.

The American Podiatric Medical Association offers these suggestions to help keep your feet healthy and pain free:

• Pay attention to foot pain, and see a doctor if your feet bother you at all.
• Look for any abnormalities on your feet or toenails.
• Keep feet and toes clean and dry, and toenails trimmed straight across.
• Choose sturdy, comfortable shoes that fit well.
• Avoid walking around in bare feet.
• Change your shoes every day.
• If you are diabetic, you should get an annual foot exam.

Health Headlines - May 9

Cervarix Induces Stronger Immune Response Than Gardasil: Study

A head-to-head comparison suggests that GlaxoSmithKline PLC's Cervarix vaccine triggers a stronger immune response against the cervical cancer-causing human papillomavirus (HPV) than Merck & Co.'s Gardasil.

The Glaxo-funded study of 1,100 women, ages 18 to 45, didn't examine which vaccine was more effective at preventing cervical cancer or precancerous lesions, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The findings were presented at a Swedish medical conference that began Friday. Cervarix is on the market in Europe and is currently under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Gardasil is designed to protect women against four HPV types, including those that cause most cases of genital warts, the Wall Street Journal reported. Cervarix targets two HPV types and isn't meant to provide as much protection against genital warts.

-----

Health Insurance Unaffordable for More Than Thought: Study

Most uninsured families who aren't covered by group health insurance through work can't afford to buy health insurance, says a U.S. government study.

Unlike most studies that use income alone to estimate how many Americans can afford health insurance, this study shows that measuring families' median net worth (the value of their savings plus other assets minus debt) provides a more accurate count.

Using national survey data, researchers with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found that the median net worth of families who purchased health insurance was $105,819 -- nearly 35 times greater than the median net worth of $3,057 for uninsured families. Median net worth means that half the families had net worth above or below that amount.

In contrast, the median income of families who purchased health insurance was $41,086 -- only 2.3 times greater than the median income of $17,690 for uninsured families.

The study also found that 4.1 percent of families with access to work-based health insurance were poor (family income below 100 percent of the federal poverty line), and 11.1 percent were low income (family income 100 percent to 199 percent of the federal poverty line). Among families without access to employer-based health insurance, 33.8 percent were poor, and 28.4 percent were low income.

"This study has important implications for defining who can afford to pay for health insurance in the next wave of health care reform," AHRQ Director Dr. Carolyn M. Clancy, said in a news release. "We need accurate, evidence-based findings to ensure that we are providing policymakers with reliable information."

-----

Obama's 2010 Health Budget Targets Reforms

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius this week outlined provisions of President Barack Obama's 2010 health budget that target cutting costs, improving quality of care and rooting out waste and fraud in the Medicare system.

Overall, the proposed budget includes a total of $879 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services in 2010, a $63 billion increase over the agency's 2009 budget. The budget establishes a $635 billion health care reserve fund over 10 years, funded by new revenue and savings from Medicare and Medicaid, to finance the reforms and assure health care coverage for all Americans, Sebelius said in a news release from her agency. To improve public safety, the new budget also sets aside $584 million to prepare for and combat pandemic flu and fund increases for the Food and Drug Administration to help ensure the safety of food and medicine.

"We estimate that for every $1 we spend to stop fraud in the system, we save $1.55," Sebelius said in the new release. "The President's budget lays out funding for anti-fraud efforts over five years that we estimate could save $2.7 billion by improving overall oversight and stopping fraud and abuse within the Medicare Advantage and Medicare prescription drug programs."

Other highlights in the health care budget include $4 billion for the Indian Health Service (IHS) to expand health care for American Indians and Alaska Natives; $330 million to fund education programs to address the shortage of health care providers in underserved areas; $73 million for improving rural health care initiatives; and $354 million to help combat health care disparities of racial and ethnic minorities and low-income and disadvantaged populations.

The FDA would also receive an additional $511 million, with $259 million earmarked for food safety efforts, increasing the number of inspectors by about 20 percent, as well as helping fund domestic surveillance, laboratory capacity, and response to and control of food-borne illness.

-----

U.S. Raid Seizes $1.5 Million of Contaminated Food Products

More than $1.5 million worth of food products, including herbs and botanicals, stored in filthy conditions at the American Mercantile Corporation of Memphis, Tenn., have been seized by U.S. marshals on Thursday at the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the agency reported.

FDA inspectors in March had found evidence of rodent and insect infestation in the company's warehouse, but said the firm had failed to correct conditions. The products seized in the raid included items such as sarsaparilla, spearmint leaves, cornstarch, sweet orange peels powder, licorice powder, sassafras, and salt that may have been sold to and used in the dietary supplement and herbal tea industries, according to the FDA release. The seized products violate the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the agency said, because they were held in unsanitary conditions where they may have become contaminated with filth.

The FDA said it had received no reports of illness associated with the products.

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Dodgers' Ramirez Suspended 50 Games After Positive Drug Test

Los Angeles Dodgers' All-Star outfielder Manny Ramirez has been suspended for 50 games after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs, Major League Baseball officials has announced. The suspension begins immediately and was expected to cost Ramirez about a third of his $25 million salary. He could return to the field on or about July 3, the New York Times reported.

Ramirez, 36, said he would not challenge the decision and in a statement released through the Major League Baseball Players Association said that he tested positive for a doctor-prescribed medication he was taking for a personal health issue and not a steroid, the Times reported. "I want to apologize to Mr. McCourt, Mrs. McCourt, Mr. Torre, my teammates, the Dodger organization, and to the Dodger fans. LA is a special place to me, and I know everybody is disappointed. So am I. I'm sorry about this whole situation," Ramirez said in the statement. The McCourts own the Dodgers, and Joe Torre, the former skipper of the New York Yankees, now manages the Dodgers.

Ramirez becomes the third major league player suspended this year under baseball's tougher drug-testing program. The new policy calls for a 50-game suspension for a first violation, a 100-game suspension for a second offense, and a lifetime ban for a third, the Wall Street Journal reported.

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West Nile Test Produced False-Positive Results: Study

A commercially available West Nile Virus test produced a substantial number of false-positive test results and affected the number of West Nile Virus (WNV) cases reported in the United States in 2008, a new study says.

One lot of the WNV Immunoglobulin M (IgM) ELISA kit used at four laboratories resulted in positive tests from 518 patients in 42 states. Retesting of available samples showed a 72 percent false-positive rate. The majority of those false-positive results were from people without symptoms of neuroinvasive disease.

The lot of the test kit, labeled for use on serum to help aid in suspected cases of WNV neuroinvasive disease, was used starting in July 2008 and was recalled after a multistate investigation into an increased number of false-positive WNV test results.

The indicated use of commercially available test kits should be considered when requesting testing and interpreting results. Any positive results should be confirmed by a state health department or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the authors of the report, which was published in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

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Syphilis Rates in Heterosexuals Need Monitoring: Study

Public health officials in the United States need to watch for increasing rates of syphilis among heterosexuals, say the authors of a study that found sharp increases in new syphilis infections among heterosexuals in Jefferson County, Ala.

U.S. syphilis rates have been increasing since the early 2000s, and this rise has been associated primarily with men who have sex with men (MSM). Between 2002 and 2004, MSM accounted for 46.3 percent of all new syphilis cases in Jefferson County, which includes the city of Birmingham.

However, between 2005 and 2007, heterosexuals accounted for 87.7 percent of new syphilis cases in the county, while MSM accounted for only 12.3 percent, said the study published Thursday in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a publication of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Overall, cases of syphilis in Jefferson County increased from nine in 2002 to 238 in 2006, and then declined to 167 in 2007. Between 2002 and 2007, the proportion of women with syphilis increased from 26.9 percent to 43.3 percent. The researchers noted that after 10 years of decline, syphilis cases among women in the Southern U.S. increased 69 percent between 2003 and 2007.

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Facebook Use Doesn't Harm Grades: Report

Students who use the social networking site Facebook don't have lower grades, says a new study that contradicts the preliminary findings of an Ohio State University study that made news last month.

"We found no evidence of Facebook use correlating with lower academic achievement," co-author Eszter Hargittai, an associate professor of communication studies at Northwestern University and a fellow at the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, said in a news release.

Hargittai and colleagues' examination of three data sets found no significant negative relationship between grade point average and normal Facebook use. The study appears in the online journal First Monday.

It is possible that excessive Facebook use can have a negative effect on academic performance, Hargittai noted.

"If somebody's spending an inordinate amount of time on Facebook at the expense of studying, his or her academic performance may suffer, just as it might from spending an excessive time on any activity," Hargittai said. "We need more research with more nuanced data to better understand how social networking site usage may relate to academic performance."

Health Tips for May 9

Health Tip: Manage Medications Safely

To avoid the possibility of overdose, interaction or reaction, you must pay attention to how often, how and which medications you take.

The American Heart Association offers these suggestions to help you safely manage your medications:

• Store medications in a cool, dark dry place. Don't store them in a bathroom or anywhere else that's prone to moisture.
• Know which medications, including over-the-counter drugs, that shouldn't be taken at the same time.
• Always take medications the way your doctor tells you to, and for as long as he or she prescribes.
• Remind yourself to refill your prescriptions before you run out.
• To better track your medications, get them all filled at one pharmacy.
• Build a relationship with a pharmacist, and try to always consult with the same one. Don't be afraid to ask questions.
• Tell each of your doctors about every medication you take, including any over-the-counter and herbal remedies.
• Don't suffer through side effects. Speak with your doctor about potential ways to prevent them.
• Don't split or crush any medication unless your pharmacist says it's OK; it can affect the way the medication works.

Health Tip: Remember to Take Your Medicine

Many medications should be taken at the same time every day, both to ensure their effectiveness and so that you remember to take them.

The American Heart Association offers these suggestions to help keep you on schedule:

• Make taking your medication a part of your daily routine, as you would brushing your teeth.
• Take your medicine while performing another daily activity, such as having breakfast.
• Use a daily pill box to organize and track when you've taken your medication.
• Track taking your medication on a calendar, and mark off the day afterward.
• Use a white board to keep track of when you've taken your medication.
• Ask a family member or friend to remind you each day.

Health Headlines - May 8

Obama's 2010 Health Budget Targets Reforms

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Thursday outlined provisions of President Barack Obama's 2010 health budget that target cutting costs, improving quality of care and rooting out waste and fraud in the Medicare system.

Overall, the proposed budget includes a total of $879 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services in 2010, a $63 billion increase over the agency's 2009 budget. The budget establishes a $635 billion health care reserve fund over 10 years, funded by new revenue and savings from Medicare and Medicaid, to finance the reforms and assure health care coverage for all Americans, Sebelius said in a news release from her agency. To improve public safety, the new budget also sets aside $584 million to prepare for and combat pandemic flu and fund increases for the Food and Drug Administration to help ensure the safety of food and medicine.

"We estimate that for every $1 we spend to stop fraud in the system, we save $1.55," Sebelius said in the new release. "The President's budget lays out funding for anti-fraud efforts over five years that we estimate could save $2.7 billion by improving overall oversight and stopping fraud and abuse within the Medicare Advantage and Medicare prescription drug programs."

Other highlights in the health care budget include $4 billion for the Indian Health Service (IHS) to expand health care for American Indians and Alaska Natives; $330 million to fund education programs to address the shortage of health care providers in underserved areas; $73 million for improving rural health care initiatives; and $354 million to help combat health care disparities of racial and ethnic minorities and low-income and disadvantaged populations.

The FDA would also receive an additional $511 million, with $259 million earmarked for food safety efforts, increasing the number of inspectors by about 20 percent, as well as helping fund domestic surveillance, laboratory capacity, and response to and control of food-borne illness.

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U.S. Raid Seizes $1.5 Million of Contaminated Food Products

More than $1.5 million worth of food products, including herbs and botanicals, stored in filthy conditions at the American Mercantile Corporation of Memphis, Tenn., were seized by U.S. marshals on Thursday at the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the agency reported.

FDA inspectors in March had found evidence of rodent and insect infestation in the company's warehouse, but said the firm had failed to correct conditions. The products seized in the raid included items such as sarsaparilla, spearmint leaves, cornstarch, sweet orange peels powder, licorice powder, sassafras, and salt that may have been sold to and used in the dietary supplement and herbal tea industries, according to the FDA release. The seized products violate the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the agency said, because they were held in unsanitary conditions where they may have become contaminated with filth.

The FDA said it had received no reports of illness associated with the products.

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Dodgers' Ramirez Suspended 50 Games After Positive Drug Test

Los Angeles Dodgers' All-Star outfielder Manny Ramirez has been suspended for 50 games after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs, Major League Baseball officials announced Thursday. The suspension begins immediately and was expected to cost Ramirez about a third of his $25 million salary. He could return to the field on or about July 3, the New York Times reported.

Ramirez, 36, said he would not challenge the decision and in a statement released through the Major League Baseball Players Association said that he tested positive for a doctor-prescribed medication he was taking for a personal health issue and not a steroid, the Times reported. "I want to apologize to Mr. McCourt, Mrs. McCourt, Mr. Torre, my teammates, the Dodger organization, and to the Dodger fans. LA is a special place to me, and I know everybody is disappointed. So am I. I'm sorry about this whole situation," Ramirez said in the statement. The McCourts own the Dodgers, and Joe Torre, the former skipper of the New York Yankees, now manages the Dodgers.

Ramirez becomes the third major league player suspended this year under baseball's tougher drug-testing program. The new policy calls for a 50-game suspension for a first violation, a 100-game suspension for a second offense, and a lifetime ban for a third, the Wall Street Journal reported.

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West Nile Test Produced False-Positive Results: Study

A commercially available West Nile Virus test produced a substantial number of false-positive test results and affected the number of West Nile Virus (WNV) cases reported in the United States in 2008, says a study published Thursday.

One lot of the WNV Immunoglobulin M (IgM) ELISA kit used at four laboratories resulted in positive tests from 518 patients in 42 states. Retesting of available samples showed a 72 percent false-positive rate. The majority of those false-positive results were from people without symptoms of neuroinvasive disease.

The lot of the test kit, labeled for use on serum to help aid in suspected cases of WNV neuroinvasive disease, was used starting in July 2008 and was recalled after a multistate investigation into an increased number of false-positive WNV test results.

The indicated use of commercially available test kits should be considered when requesting testing and interpreting results. Any positive results should be confirmed by a state health department or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the authors of the report, which was published in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

-----

Syphilis Rates in Heterosexuals Need Monitoring: Study

Public health officials in the United States need to watch for increasing rates of syphilis among heterosexuals, say the authors of a study that found sharp increases in new syphilis infections among heterosexuals in Jefferson County, Ala.

U.S. syphilis rates have been increasing since the early 2000s, and this rise has been associated primarily with men who have sex with men (MSM). Between 2002 and 2004, MSM accounted for 46.3 percent of all new syphilis cases in Jefferson County, which includes the city of Birmingham.

However, between 2005 and 2007, heterosexuals accounted for 87.7 percent of new syphilis cases in the county, while MSM accounted for only 12.3 percent, said the study published Thursday in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a publication of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Overall, cases of syphilis in Jefferson County increased from nine in 2002 to 238 in 2006, and then declined to 167 in 2007. Between 2002 and 2007, the proportion of women with syphilis increased from 26.9 percent to 43.3 percent. The researchers noted that after 10 years of decline, syphilis cases among women in the Southern U.S. increased 69 percent between 2003 and 2007.

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Facebook Use Doesn't Harm Grades: Report

Students who use the social networking site Facebook don't have lower grades, says a new study that contradicts the preliminary findings of an Ohio State University study that made news last month.

"We found no evidence of Facebook use correlating with lower academic achievement," co-author Eszter Hargittai, an associate professor of communication studies at Northwestern University and a fellow at the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, said in a news release.

Hargittai and colleagues' examination of three data sets found no significant negative relationship between grade point average and normal Facebook use. The study appears in the online journal First Monday.

It is possible that excessive Facebook use can have a negative effect on academic performance, Hargittai noted.

"If somebody's spending an inordinate amount of time on Facebook at the expense of studying, his or her academic performance may suffer, just as it might from spending an excessive time on any activity," Hargittai said. "We need more research with more nuanced data to better understand how social networking site usage may relate to academic performance."

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3.5 Million U.S. Kids Under 5 Facing Hunger: Study

About 17 percent (3.5 million) of American children under age 5 are at risk of going hungry, according to a report released Thursday by the nonprofit, anti-hunger group Feeding America.

The group's analysis of 2005-2007 data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Agriculture Department revealed that in 11 states, more than 20 percent of children under age 5 may go hungry, the Associated Press reported.

Louisiana had the highest rate (just under 25 percent), followed by North Carolina, Ohio, Kentucky, Texas, New Mexico, Kansas, South Carolina, Tennessee, Idaho and Arkansas.

Young children who go hungry can suffer lasting physical and behavioral problems, as well as poorer development and academic achievement, the AP reported.

Agriculture Department data shows that, before the current economic crisis, 11 percent of U.S. households lacked enough food for an active, healthy life.

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New Schizophrenia Drug Approved by FDA

A new pill to treat adults with schizophrenia has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Fanapt (iloperidone), which belongs to the atypical antipsychotic class of drugs, is not approved for patients with dementia-related psychosis, United Press International reported.

The FDA ordered that Fanapt carry a boxed warning about the increased risk of death associated with off-label use of the drug to treat behavioral problems in patients with dementia-related psychosis.

Fanapt is made by Patheon Inc., in Ontario, Canada, for Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Rockville, Md., UPI reported.

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FDA OKs Avastin as Brain Cancer Tumor Treatment

It had been more than 10 years since a new treatment for glioblastoma was approved, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has now granted accelerated approval for the cancer drug Avastin for use against the aggressive brain cancer tumors, Business Week reports.

Avastin, developed by Genentech, which in March was bought by Switzerland-based Roche, is already approved as treatment for various forms of colon, breast and lung cancers, Business Week said. The FDA go-ahead was based on the drug's ability to achieve a partial or complete response in clinical trials, although Genentech said there is currently no data showing it reduces symptoms or improves survival. The company said it is planning a late stage trial of Avastin as a treatment for newly diagnosed glioblastoma.

About 10,000 people in the United States have glioblastoma -- the same type of tumor Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., has been fighting -- and the tumors often recur even after initial treatment, Genentech said in a news release, Business Week reported.

Health Tips for May 8

Health Tip: Learn to Manage Your Stress

Today's women often manage many roles, including partner, friend, mother, daughter, employee and manager of the home.

With all of that going on, the Cleveland Clinic says women may be prone to the following conditions if they don't take the time to manage their stress:

• Depression.
• Anxiety.
• Dissatisfaction with themselves and life.
• Anger and hostility.
• Problems in relationships.
• Poor physical health.
• Alcohol dependence.

Health Tip: Allow Yourself to Grieve

While you're grieving because of a major life change or loss, you need time to cope.

Rotary International offers these suggestions to help manage grieving:

• Accept your loss, and deal with your feelings. Ignoring your emotions may lead to emotional and physical problems later.
• Be creative in expressing your emotions. Try writing in a journal, writing a letter or creating a photo album or scrapbook.
• Stay physically healthy with a good diet, plenty of sleep and regular exercise.
• Avoid using drugs and alcohol to deal with grief.
• Allow yourself to grieve on your own schedule. Express whatever emotions you feel -- cry, laugh or just be sad.
• Know that grief may re-emerge at certain times, such as on birthdays or holidays. Don't let it surprise you, and try to prepare for it as much as you can.

Health Headlines - May 7

No Higher Premiums for Women: Health Insurers

American health insurers say they'll stop charging women higher premiums, a move seen as part of the industry's attempts to prevent creation of a government insurance plan that would compete against them.

Currently, many American women are charged more than men in the individual market, but that shouldn't be done any more if all Americans are required to get health coverage, say officials from America's Health Insurance Plans, the Associated Press reported.

The insurance industry's latest concession offer was announced as Congress convened a round-table discussion on covering the uninsured as part of its efforts to overhaul the nation's $2.5 trillion health care system.

Previously, the insurance industry offered to stop charging sick people higher premiums, the AP reported.

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Patient Stable After First U.S. Double Hand Transplant

A 57-year-old Georgia man is recovering after undergoing the United States' first double hand transplant.

Jeff Kepner was stable after a day of surgery that ended Monday night, a University of Pittsburgh Medical Center spokeswoman told the Associated Press.

Kepner lost his hands and feet to a bacterial infection. He's a native of Lancaster, Pa., who now lives in Augusta, Ga.

Eight double hand transplants have been performed in other countries, the AP reported. Last month, French surgeons performed the world's first simultaneous partial face and double hand transplant.

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Once-Weekly Diabetes Drug Submitted for FDA Approval

The once-weekly injectable diabetes drug exenatide LAR has been submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for approval, Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc. said Tuesday.

The drug is an extended version of the twice-daily injectable drug Byetta, the Associated Press reported.

Another new diabetes drug, Novo Nordisk's once-daily injection liraglutide, is currently under FDA review.

Both exenatide LAR and liraglutide are in a class of treatments called GLP-1 analogues, which help increase insulin production.

Last year, the FDA issued new safety guidelines for diabetes treatments after concerns were raised about heightened heart attack risk associated with GlaxoSmithKline's Avandia, the AP reported.

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Zinc/Copper Supplements May Not Curb Diarrhea: Study

Even thought they're widely used, zinc and copper supplements may not be an effective way to treat diarrhea, suggest Indian researchers who studied 808 children.

The zinc and copper supplements were no more effective at treating diarrhea in the children than a placebo pill, found the team from the Lata Medical Research Foundation, BBC News reported.

"The expected beneficial effects of zinc supplementation for acute diarrhea were not observed," said lead researcher Dr. Archana Patel. "Therapeutic zinc or zinc and copper supplementation may not have a universal beneficial impact on the duration of acute diarrhea in children."

The findings of this study, published in the journal BMC Medicine, shouldn't discourage the use of these supplements, said Dr. Olivier Fontaine, a diarrhea expert at the World Health Organization.

"Evidence on the efficacy of zinc in the management of diarrhea comes from the results of many clinical trials conducted in hospitals and communities throughout the world over the last 15 to 20 years," Fontaine said, BBC News reported. "Therefore one single negative study cannot dismiss these accumulated evidences that were well reviewed in a couple of meta-analyses."

Diarrhea causes about 4 percent of deaths worldwide.

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Secondhand Smoke Lowers Kids' Antioxidant Levels: Study

Exposure to secondhand smoke appears to lower children's levels of antioxidants, which are believed to help prevent cell damage, says a U.S. study.

Researchers looked at more than 2,000 children, ages 6 to 18 years, and found an association between secondhand smoke exposure and lower levels of antioxidants, United Press International reported.

The higher the children's blood levels of cotinine -- a byproduct of metabolizing tobacco smoke -- the lower their levels of antioxidants. The study was presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting, in Baltimore.

"We don't know enough yet to say that this group of children need supplements to make up for the antioxidants they're losing, but it's always wise to feed children an abundance of fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants and other healthy nutrients," Dr. Karen Wilson, of the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York, said in a news release, UPI reported.

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Ranbaxy Announces U.S. Recall of Antibiotic

A U.S.-wide recall of an antibiotic used to treat urinary tract infections has been announced by India-based drug maker Ranbaxy. The recall of 100-milligram capsules of nitrofurantoin was prompted by manufacturing problems.

"Certain lots of the products were determined to not be in conformity with the approved laboratory specifications," said a statement released by Ranbaxy, which gave no details about the problems, Agence France Presse reported.

"To the best of Ranbaxy's knowledge, the recalled product is unlikely to produce any serious adverse health effects," the company said, but added that there was "a remote possibility that the non-conforming product may increase the incidence" of nausea and vomiting.

Last fall, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned imports of more than 30 generic drugs produced by Ranbaxy because of manufacturing problems, AFP reported. Earlier this year, the FDA accused Ranbaxy of falsifying data and test results in approved and pending drug applications.

In 2007, Ranbaxy recalled 73 million tablets of the epilepsy drug gabapentin after it was discovered that impurities in the drug exceeded permissible limits.

Health Tips for May 7

Health Tip: Are You at Risk for Gallstones?

Gallstones occur when fluids in the gallbladder solidify and turn into stones that can trigger severe pain. In some cases, they can lead to surgical removal of the gallbladder.

The American Academy of Family Physicians offers this list of common risk factors for gallstones:

• Being female.
• Being of Mexican or American Indian heritage.
• Being diabetic.
• Being older than age 60.
• Being pregnant.
• Taking birth control pills.
• Being overweight.
• Eating a high-cholesterol diet.
• Having recently lost a lot of weight.
• Having a personal or family history of gallstones.

Health Tip: Diabetics and Drinking

If you have diabetes and get insulin shots or take other diabetes medication, you may end up with low blood sugar if you drink alcohol, the American Diabetes Association says.

If your doctor says it's OK for you to have a drink now and then, the association offers these guidelines to help you use alcohol safely:

• Just as with non-diabetics, only moderate drinking -- one drink a day for women, two for men -- is recommended.
• Since alcohol can contribute to low blood sugar, always drink with a meal or on a full stomach.
• If you are watching your weight, know that alcohol is high in calories, and can quickly cause unwanted weight gain.
• Look for drinks to mix with alcohol that are low in sugar or sugar-free, such as a diet soda, tonic, sparkling water or club soda.
• Don't drink alcohol if you have nerve damage or high blood pressure.

Relatives grieve for Texas woman with flu who died

HARLINGEN, Texas – This week should have been a joyous time for Judy Trunnell, a 33-year-old teacher who had just given birth to a healthy baby girl. But the friends and relatives whose cars lined the quiet street in front of her home in a quiet subdivision Tuesday instead were mourning her, the first American citizen with swine flu to die.

Trunnell died after being hospitalized for two weeks. She slipped into a coma, and her baby was delivered by Cesarean section, said a cousin, Mario Zamora.

"She was just a beautiful person, warm at heart. She worked with disabled children as a teacher," Zamora told WMAR-TV in Baltimore. "Those that knew her will always remember her."

Texas health officials stopped short of saying that swine flu caused Trunnell's death. State health department spokeswoman Carrie Williams said the teacher had "chronic underlying health conditions" but wouldn't give any details.

Pregnant women should not be alarmed, state health department spokesman Doug McBride said Wednesday.

"There are a number of health conditions that put people in a higher risk group where they are more likely to develop serious complications should they get any type of influenza," McBride said. "Pregnancy is not a chronic condition."

Trunnell died early Tuesday after being hospitalized since April 19, said Leonel Lopez, Cameron County epidemiologist. She was extremely ill when she was hospitalized, said Dr. Joseph McCormick, regional dean of the University of Texas School of Public Health's Brownsville campus.

Trunnell taught in the Mercedes Independent School District about 15 miles west of her hometown of Harlingen, a city of about 63,000 near the U.S.-Mexico border.

Mercedes school Superintendent Walter Watson said he was told early Tuesday that Trunnell died after being taken off life support.

"It brings tears to my eyes to my eyes to know she won't be with our children or hers," he said.

"You just don't replace people like that," Watson said.

When students were told Tuesday that Trunnell would not be coming back, some of the older students had questions, said Travis Elementary Principal Pearl Guerrero. Some wanted to know about her baby. Others wanted to know about her 4-year-old daughter whom some had met.

"She was a young lady who had everything to live for," Guerrero said. "She was excited to have a new baby. She had so many things to look forward to and now she's gone."

Trunnell was first seen by a physician April 14. Doctors knew she had flu but did not know what kind, Lopez said. The area is undergoing a Type A influenza epidemic and swine flu is one variety of that, he said. She was confirmed to have swine flu shortly before she died, he said.

U.S. health officials on Tuesday withdrew their recommendation that schools with suspected swine flu cases shut down for two weeks. Mercedes school district officials said the district would close its schools until Monday.

The only other swine flu death in the U.S. was that of a Mexico City toddler who also had other health problems and had been visiting relatives in Brownsville, near Harlingen. He died last week at a Houston children's hospital.

There have been 29 other confirmed swine flu deaths, all in Mexico. Hundreds of cases of the disease have been confirmed in several countries, but mostly in Mexico and the U.S.

Health Headlines - May 6

Ranbaxy Announces U.S. Recall of Antibiotic

A U.S.-wide recall of an antibiotic used to treat urinary tract infections has been announced by India-based drug maker Ranbaxy. The recall of 100-milligram capsules of nitrofurantoin was prompted by manufacturing problems.

"Certain lots of the products were determined to not be in conformity with the approved laboratory specifications," said a statement released by Ranbaxy, which gave no details about the problems, Agence France Presse reported.

"To the best of Ranbaxy's knowledge, the recalled product is unlikely to produce any serious adverse health effects," the company said, but added that there was "a remote possibility that the non-conforming product may increase the incidence" of nausea and vomiting.

Last fall, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned imports of more than 30 generic drugs produced by Ranbaxy because of manufacturing problems, AFP reported. Earlier this year, the FDA accused Ranbaxy of falsifying data and test results in approved and pending drug applications.

In 2007, Ranbaxy recalled 73 million tablets of the epilepsy drug gabapentin after it was discovered that impurities in the drug exceeded permissible limits.

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Fathers' Mental Health Affects Children: Study

Psychiatric and behavioral problems are more common in children whose fathers have mental health disorders, say U.K. researchers who reviewed available scientific evidence. Boys in particular are at increased risk if their fathers have depression or are alcoholics.

The University of Oxford researchers said too much focus has been placed on mothers' mental health issues, while the influence of fathers' mental health has been "underemphasized," BBC News reported.

This review shows that fathers have more impact than previously believed, and more research is needed to determine how their psychiatric disorders affect children's development, Professor Paul Ramchandani and colleagues wrote in The Lancet.

"Fathers are more involved in child rearing in countries including the U.K. than they used to be," he said, BBC News reported. "In years gone by, if fathers were depressed and distant, it may not have made much of an impact. We now need a more general understanding of what effects psychiatric problems in fathers can have on children."

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Seattle Company Recalls Salads

Two salad products made by Pasta & Co. of Seattle, Wash., are being recalled because they may be contaminated with salmonella, says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The Chinese Vermicelli Salad and Pot Sticker Salad were made using chili oil that was recalled by Union International Food Co. due to possible salmonella contamination. The salads were sold at Pasta & Co. stores in the Seattle area. Consumers who bought the salads can return them to any of the company's stores.

No known illnesses have been reported in connection with the salad products, the FDA said.

Salmonella can cause fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain in healthy people. In elderly or frail people, young children, and those with weakened immune systems, salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections.

Health Tips for May 6

Health Tip: Help Your Child Cope With Diabetes

Diabetes will change a child's life, and the lives of close family members.

The American Diabetes Association offers these suggestions to help your child cope with his or her condition:

• Learn as much as you can about diabetes -- together.
• Encourage your child to disclose the condition to family members and close friends, whenever the time feels right.
• Promote your child's participation in managing his or her own diabetes care.
• Have your child speak with other children who have diabetes.
• Talk together about what emotions your child is dealing with. Allow both positive and negative comments, but assure your child that everything will be OK.
• Don't let diabetes take over your child's life. Encourage participation in sports, hobbies and other activities.
• Acknowledge that habits and behaviors may change over the years to better manage diabetes.
• Help your child learn how to deal with stress.

Health Tip: Your Diabetes Health-Care Team

If you have diabetes, you need more than just a primary care doctor to help manage your health.

The American Diabetes Association says other specialists also should be considered as part of a diabetic's medical team. They include:

• An endocrinologist, or a primary care physician with significant experience in treating diabetes.
• A registered nurse trained in diabetes care, who can help with day-to-day diabetes management concerns.
• A registered dietitian, who can help you decide your daily diet and help you learn how food affects your blood sugar.
• An eye doctor, who can check your eyes regularly for diabetes-related complications.
• A podiatrist, who regularly examines your feet.
• A dentist, who checks regularly for gum disease and other oral problems.
• An exercise physiologist, who teaches you how exercise can help control diabetes and prevent complications.
• A therapist or social worker, who can help you deal with the emotional aspects of having diabetes.

Health Headlines - May 5

Ranbaxy Announces U.S. Recall of Antibiotic

A U.S.-wide recall of an antibiotic used to treat urinary tract infections has been announced by India-based drug maker Ranbaxy. The recall of 100-milligram capsules of nitrofurantoin was prompted by manufacturing problems.

"Certain lots of the products were determined to not be in conformity with the approved laboratory specifications," said a statement released by Ranbaxy, which gave no details about the problems, Agence France Presse reported.

"To the best of Ranbaxy's knowledge, the recalled product is unlikely to produce any serious adverse health effects," the company said, but added that there was "a remote possibility that the non-conforming product may increase the incidence" of nausea and vomiting.

Last fall, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned imports of more than 30 generic drugs produced by Ranbaxy because of manufacturing problems, AFPreported. Earlier this year, the FDA accused Ranbaxy of falsifying data and test results in approved and pending drug applications.

In 2007, Ranbaxy recalled 73 million tablets of the epilepsy drug gabapentin after it was discovered that impurities in the drug exceeded permissible limits.

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Fathers' Mental Health Affects Children: Study

Psychiatric and behavioral problems are more common in children whose fathers have mental health disorders, say U.K. researchers who reviewed available scientific evidence. Boys in particular are at increased risk if their fathers have depression or are alcoholics.

The University of Oxford researchers said too much focus has been placed on mothers' mental health issues, while the influence of fathers' mental health has been "underemphasized," BBC News reported.

This review shows that fathers have more impact than previously believed, and more research is needed to determine how their psychiatric disorders affect children's development, Professor Paul Ramchandani and colleagues wrote in The Lancet.

"Fathers are more involved in child rearing in countries including the U.K. than they used to be," he said, BBC News reported. "In years gone by, if fathers were depressed and distant, it may not have made much of an impact. We now need a more general understanding of what effects psychiatric problems in fathers can have on children."

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Seattle Company Recalls Salads

Two salad products made by Pasta & Co. of Seattle, Wash., are being recalled because they may be contaminated with salmonella, says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The Chinese Vermicelli Salad and Pot Sticker Salad were made using chili oil that was recalled by Union International Food Co. due to possible salmonella contamination. The salads were sold at Pasta & Co. stores in the Seattle area. Consumers who bought the salads can return them to any of the company's stores.

No known illnesses have been reported in connection with the salad products, the FDA said.

Salmonella can cause fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain in healthy people. In elderly or frail people, young children, and those with weakened immune systems, salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections.

Health Tips for May 5

Health Tip: Pack a First-Aid Kit When Traveling

You don't want a minor injury or medical problem to derail your travel plans. So be sure to make room for a first-aid kit with some basic essentials, especially if you're traveling internationally.

The University of Virginia Health System offers this list of items to take with you on your next trip:

• Over-the-counter pain relievers such as aspirin, ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
• Antihistamine, motion sickness, cold and cough, and anti-diarrhea medications.
• Bandages in different shapes and sizes, as well as gauze pads, tape and an elastic bandage.
• Tweezers, scissors and safety pins.
• Antibiotic ointment, hydrogen peroxide, hydrocortisone cream and bug spray.
• A pair of rubber gloves and a thermometer.
• A chemical cold pack for burns or sprains.
• A bottle of sunscreen.

Health Tip: Caring for a Deep Cut

If you or someone else has gotten a deep cut, it's important to stay calm and administer first aid.

The American College of Emergency Physicians offers these suggestions for treating a deep cut:

• Hold a clean cloth or bandage against the wound, and apply steady pressure.
• At the same time, hold the injured area above your heart (unless a limb is broken).
• If your bandage becomes soaked, leave it there and apply a fresh bandage on top of the old one.
• Try to gently rinse the cut with tap water only -- no antiseptics or soap.
• If after five minutes the cut continues to bleed, if the cut is very deep or wide, if it's located on the head, or otherwise looks serious, seek immediate medical attention.

Some fear flu rebound as Mexico seeks 'normalcy'

MEXICO CITY – Mexico announced a return to "normalcy" on Monday, preparing to reopen businesses and schools even as the virus sickened more than 1,200 people in 20 countries. World health officials said the global epidemic is still in its early stages, and that apandemic could be declared in the days to come. But Mexico's president said it was waning at its epicenter, justifying Wednesday's end to a five-day nationwide shutdown he credits for reducing the spread of the new virus.

Already, streets in the capital seemed more lively, with more vehicles and fewer people wearing face masks. Some cafes even reopened ahead of time. President Felipe Calderon said universities and high schools will reopen on Thursday, and younger schoolchildren should report back to school on May 11.

"The school schedule will resume with the guarantee that our educational institutions are in adequate hygienic condition," promised Calderon, who called on parents to join educators in a "collective" cleansing and inspection of schools nationwide.

"This is about going back to normalcy but with everyone taking better care," Calderon said.

Parents and teachers will turn away children who appear sick. The government is spending $15 million for detergent, bleach and soap to clean buildings, in a country where 12 percent of the nearly 250,000 schools — about 30,000 — lack running water or bathrooms.

Mexico canceled its biggest celebration of the Cinco de Mayo holiday Tuesday, a re-enactment of the May 5, 1862 victory over French forces in the central state of Puebla. Other holiday events also were canceled.

And experts inside Mexico's swine flu crisis center warned that the virus remains active throughout Mexico and could bounce back once millions return to work and school. It also may get worse north of the border.

"The bottom line is that there hasn't been time for the severe illnesses to perhaps show up in the U.S. yet," Marc-Alain Widdowson, a medical epidemiologist from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told The Associated Press.

Experts in the U.S. also urged caution, even as a New York City school reopened Monday after a spring break trip to Mexico led to as many as 1,000 people being sickened.

"We are by no means out of the woods," said Dr. Richard Besser, acting director of the CDC.

Health Secretary Jose Cordova insisted that swine flu infections are trending downward after 27 deaths at the center of the epidemic. He said those infected appear to pass it on to an average 1.4 other people, near the normal flu rate of around 1.3.

Cordova said soccer stadiums and concert halls could reopen — if fans are kept 2 meters apart.

But other experts said the known cases are almost certainly only a fraction of what's out there, meaning more illnesses could surface once crowds gather again in Mexico.

"It's clear that it's just about everywhere in Mexico. I think now there is considerable person-to-person transmission," Widdowson said. And now that the virus is taking off in the U.S., chances of severe cases could rise as well.

"We've seen in many of the cases in Mexico, there's been sometimes five to seven days of being mildly ill with increasing respiratory distress and then being hospitalized, and then spending five days or a week in hospital, so that's a timeline of two weeks," he said.

As of Monday, Mexico had 802 confirmed cases, and U.S. case grew to at least 300 in 36 states. Globally, the virus has reached more than 1,276 people in 20 countries — still in its early stages, to the World Health Organization.

The WHO was studying whether to raise the pandemic alert to 6, its highest level, which would mean a global outbreak has begun. WHO uses the term pandemic to refer to geographic spread rather than severity.Pandemics aren't necessarily deadly. The past two pandemics — in 1957 and 1968 — were relatively mild.

"We do not know how long we will have until we move to Phase 6," WHO Director-General Margaret Chansaid. "We are not there yet. The criteria will be met when we see in another region outside North America, showing very clear evidence of community-level transmission."

The Southern Hemisphere is particularly at risk. While Africa still hasn't reported any swine flu infections andNew Zealand is the only country south of the equator with confirmed cases, winter is only weeks away. Experts worry that typical winter flus could combine with swine flu, creating a new strain that is more contagious or dangerous.

Still, the U.N. health agency urged governments to avoid unproven actions to contain the disease, including group quarantines of travelers from Mexico and bans on pork imports.

"Let me make a strong plea to countries to refrain from introducing measures that are economically and socially disruptive, yet have no scientific justification and bring no clear public health benefit," Chan said in a video message to the U.N. General Assembly in New York.

Calderon said other governments have treated his citizens unfairly, and that punishing nations that report outbreaks sets a bad precedent for future flu control efforts. "If they weaken us economically or in other ways, Mexico will be able to focus much less attention and funds on this problem," Calderon said.

Mexico's Economy Secretary, Gerardo Ruiz, said Mexico will bring the issue to the World Trade Organizationif other countries don't drop restrictive measures.

Beijing denied that it is discriminating by quarantining Mexicans and any other passengers who came in close contact with them, even those who don't show symptoms.

Among the passengers stuck in Chinese hotels was Briton Mark Moore, who urged China to lift the quarantine.

"The government is trying to show the world they are strong in organizing this," the 37-year-old director of a Singapore-based company said in a phone interview. "I need to be in Singapore now. I have loads of things to do."

A group of 25 Canadian university students and a professor also were quarantined in China over swine flu fears, said University of Montreal spokeswoman Sophie Langlois. The group does not have any symptoms, Langlois said.

China, Argentina and Cuba are among the nations banning regular flights to and from Mexico, marooning passengers at both ends. Mexico and China both sent chartered flights to each other's countries to collect their citizens. Argentina also charted a flight to bring Argentines home.

And in a goodwill measure, China sent Mexico the final batch in a $5 million humanitarian assistance package consisting of masks, gloves, disinfectants, infrared thermal scanners and other items.

In Tokyo, 37 passengers and two flight attendants on a flight from Los Angeles were detained in a hotel after Japanese officials suspected one traveler of having swine flu.

They were released about 10 hours later when the passenger, a Japanese woman coming back from Las Vegas, tested negative for swine flu, American Airlines spokesman Tim Smith said.

The latest figures from Mexico suggest the virus may be less lethal and infectious than originally feared. Only 38 percent of suspected cases have turned out to be swine flu, and no new deaths have been reported since April 29. But Cordova acknowledged that about 100 early deaths in which swine flu was suspected may never be confirmed because mucous or tissue samples were not collected.

Widdowson, of the CDC, said it's too early to say the outbreak is waning in Mexico, but the signs of progress are clear.

"What we have not seen in Mexico City is a huge, runaway epidemic, and I think that's totally clear. The hospital capacity has not been exceeded. So there hasn't been anything like the kind of picture that people might expect from a severe flu," he said. "I think that gives us optimism."

Good hygiene can be a challenge in Mexico's crowded schools — a problem illustrated by 10-year-old Carolina Arteaga, who wandered with a plastic cup in downtown Mexico City Monday, begging money from people outside gleaming office towers. She had no surgical mask and no gloves as she eagerly rubbed a few coins together with grubby fingers.

"I forgot it at home," the fourth-grader said when asked why she didn't have her mask.

Carolina will soon be returning to school and says she knows to wash her hands frequently. But because she needs to collect money to help her mother buy food, such instructions probably won't be carried out.

Health Headlines - May 4

Seattle Company Recalls Salads

Two salad products made by Pasta & Co. of Seattle, Wash., are being recalled because they may be contaminated with salmonella, says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The Chinese Vermicelli Salad and Pot Sticker Salad were made using chili oil that was recalled by Union International Food Co. due to possible salmonella contamination. The salads were sold at Pasta & Co. stores in the Seattle area. Consumers who bought the salads can return them to any of the company's stores.

No known illnesses have been reported in connection with the salad products, the FDA said.

Salmonella can cause fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain in healthy people. In elderly or frail people, young children, and those with weakened immune systems, salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections.

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Jardine Cribs Recalled Due to Breaking Slats

The third U.S. recall of Jardine cribs in a year involves about 96,000 cribs with slats that can break, leaving a gap that poses an entrapment or strangulation hazard, the Associated Press reports.

The recall, announced Thursday, comes after the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission received 31 reports of broken slats and two reports of infants getting trapped. Ten of the incidents involved children breaking the slats from inside the crib, the AP reported.

The recalled cribs were sold online and at Toys "R" Us, Babies "R" Us, KidsWorld and Geoffrey stores across the United States between September 2005 and April 2009. Consumers who bought the cribs can receive a full credit by calling Jardine at 800-646-4106.

The company recalled about 320,000 cribs in June 2008, and another 56,450 in January, the AP reported.

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Lithium in Drinking Water Reduces Suicides: Study

Tap water that contains lithium may cut the risk of suicide, according to a Japanese study that looked at people in the prefecture of Oita.

Areas in the prefecture with the highest levels of lithium in drinking water had much lower rates of suicide than other areas, said the researchers from the universities of Oita and Hiroshima, BBC news reported.

The findings, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, warrant further research, but the study authors did not suggest that lithium should be added to drinking water.

Lithium is used to treat certain mood disorders, such as bipolar disorder.

"However, lithium also has significant and unpleasant side effects in higher doses and can be toxic," Sophie Corlett, external relations director at the mental health charity Mind in the U.K., told BBC News. "Any suggestion that it should be added, even in tiny amounts, to drinking water should be treated with caution and researched very thoroughly."

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Baby Boomers With Disabilities a Growing Concern: Report

Over the next 20 years, aging Baby Boomers are expected to cause large increases in the number of U.S. adults with disabilities, says a new study that calls for expansion of programs to prevent and manage obesity, physical inactivity, tobacco use and other causes of disability.

In 2005, 21.8 percent of U.S. adults (47.5 million) reported a disability, an increase of 3.4 percent since 1999, the study said. Arthritis and rheumatism, back or spine problems, and heart trouble were the top three most common causes of disability.

Women have a higher rate of disability than men (24.4 percent vs. 19.1 percent). The study also found that disability rates increase with age, doubling with each successive age group (18-44, 11 percent; 45-64, 23.9 percent; 65 and older, 51.8 percent).

Currently, about as many Baby Boomers (45-64) are affected by disability as older adults. This suggests that the demands placed on the health care and public health systems by Baby Boomers will increase as they age into higher risk groups, the researchers said.

The study appears in the latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Health Tips for May 4

Health Tip: Depression Among Seniors

Depression affects more than 6 million people aged 65 or older in the United States, but only about 10 percent of them are treated, the Cleveland Clinic says.

The clinic offers this list of risk factors for depression in seniors:

• Living alone without much social interaction.
• Having persistent pain or illness.
• Being overly afraid of dying.
• Having a family history or personal history of depression or suicide attempts.
• Having had a recent bereavement, such as the death of a close family member.
• Having problems with drugs or alcohol.
• Taking certain medications, alone or combined with other medications.
• Problems with body image after a surgery or major illness, such as cancer or heart disease.

Health Tip: Depression Among Teens

With all of the physical, emotional and hormonal changes in their lives, some teens are especially prone to depression.

Here are factors that could trigger depression in teens, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine:

• Undergoing a particularly stressful event, such as the death of a family member or parental divorce.
• Being physically or sexually abused as a child.
• Having a lack of social skills.
• Having a chronic illness.
• Living with another family member who suffers from depression.

New swine flu cases in Europe, US, Latin America

MEXICO CITY – The swine flu epidemic spread deeper into the United States, Europe and Latin America — and in Canada, back to pigs — even as Mexico's health chief hinted Sunday it may soon be time to reopen businesses and schools in the nation where the outbreak likely began.

The virus spread to Colombia in the first confirmed case in South America, worrisome because flu season is about to begin in the Southern Hemisphere. More cases were confirmed in Europe and North America; health officials said at least 999 people have been sickened worldwide.

Dr. Richard Besser, acting chief of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said swine flu is spreading just as easily as regular winter flu.

"The good news is when we look at this virus right now, we're not seeing some of the things in the virus that have been associated in the past with more severe flu," Besser said. "That's encouraging, but it doesn't mean we're out of the woods yet."

On Sunday, health officials raised the number of confirmed U.S. swine flu cases to 244 in 34 states. The new number, up from 160 on Saturday, reflects streamlining in federal procedures and the results of tests by states, which have only recently begun confirming cases, said Dr. Anne Schuchat of the CDC.

Mexican Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova said late Sunday that the virus that has killed 22 people in Mexico, raising the toll from 19. The last confirmed death occurred on April 29, he said.

Cordova added that the virus had sickened at least 568 and apparently peaked in Mexico between April 23 and April 28. A drastic nationwide shutdown appears to have helped prevent the outbreak from becoming more serious, he said.

"The evolution of the epidemic is now in its declining phase," Cordova said.

He said officials would decide Monday whether to extend the shutdown or allow schools and businesses to reopen on Wednesday.

Pablo Kuri, an epidemiologist advising Cordova, told The Associated Press on Sunday that tests have confirmed a swine flu death in Mexico City on April 11, two days earlier than what had been believed to be the first death.

Kuri also said there have been no deaths among health care workers treating swine flu patients in Mexico, an indication that the virus may not be as contagious or virulent as initially feared.

The closed events made for a surreal Sunday in Mexico, as parishioners celebrated Mass via television, camera operators were the only ones in stadium bleachers and parks, museums, restaurants, theaters and other attractions were closed.

Sunday also marked the official start of campaigning for July 5 congressional elections — but all public campaigning was banned to prevent gatherings where the virus could spread.

Gabriela Cuevas Barron of the conservative National Action Party giddily claimed she was launching Mexico's first virtual campaign, promising in a Webcast to work for a cleaner and safer Mexico City — for now, through Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Meanwhile, the leftist Democratic Revolution Party was already up with a Facebook page for its candidates.

The United States said it had sent 100,000 protection kits worth $1 million to Mexico for use by first responders. The kits include respiratory masks, protective goggles and overalls. In all, the U.S. has sent $16 million in aid to Mexico since the emergency began, the U.S. Embassy said.

Officials in New Mexico announced Sunday that 14 schools in four towns were being closed for at least a week after the state's first swine flu case was confirmed, and the New Mexico Activities Association suspended all athletic and activity programs until further notice at member schools across the state.

In Arizona, all 10 public schools in the border city of Nogales canceled classes this week after a student tested positive for swine flu.

California officials, meanwhile, suspended all visitations at prisons pending results of tests on an ill inmate at Centinela State Prison.

In the Canadian province of Alberta, officials quarantined about 220 pigs that became infected from a worker who had recently returned from Mexico. It was the first documented case of the H1N1 virus being passed from a human to another species. Canada stressed that pigs often get the flu and there's no danger in eating pork.

Egypt has ordered all pigs in the country slaughtered as a precaution, sparking riots Sunday by pig farmers who threw stones at police.

According to tallies by the CDC, World Health Organization and governments, there were 101 confirmed cases of swine flu in Canada; 40 in Spain; 18 in Britain; eight in Germany; four in New Zealand; two each in Italy, France, Israel, and South Korea; one each in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ireland, Switzerland, Austria, Hong Kong, Denmark and the Netherlands.

Fear spread in other parts of the globe, much of it directed at Mexican nationals or those who have traveled to Mexico.

China quarantined more than 70 Mexican travelers in hospitals and hotels there, and Mexicans on arriving flights were being taken into isolation, said Mexico's ambassador, Jorge Guajardo. Even the Mexican consul in Guangzhou was briefly held after returning from a vacation in Cambodia, Guajardo said.

"In many cases we have gotten reports that they were being quarantined for the sole fact that they had a Mexican passport, whether or not they came from Mexico, whether or not they had been in Mexico, whether or not they had been in contact with someone else from Mexico," Guajardo said.

Hong Kong isolated 350 people in a hotel after a Mexican traveler there was determined to have the swine flu.

In Trinidad, crew aboard a Mexican tanker had been isolated since Friday at the Point Lisas Port. The Ministry of Health said Sunday they were tested and cleared of any flu infection and that the vessel was expected to be released.

Health officials around the world cautioned that despite encouraging signs, swine flu still poses a very real threat.

"Most experts would agree that the current outbreak that we are experiencing is mild to moderate in severity," Dr. Jon Andrus of the Pan American Health Organization said in a teleconference from Washington. "That is not to say that things cannot change very rapidly and very dramatically."

Under one scenario, the virus could peter out now, only to roar back in the fall when flu seasons begins. That's why health officials are watching the Southern Hemisphere so closely.

"Certainly, maybe, this current round of activity has peaked, but we are only 10 days into this outbreak," WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl told reporters in Switzerland. "I think we would want to wait a while before making a definitive decision."

Health Headlines - May 3

Seattle Company Recalls Salads

Two salad products made by Pasta & Co. of Seattle, Wash., are being recalled because they may be contaminated with salmonella, says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The Chinese Vermicelli Salad and Pot Sticker Salad were made using chili oil that was recalled by Union International Food Co. due to possible salmonella contamination. The salads were sold at Pasta & Co. stores in the Seattle area. Consumers who bought the salads can return them to any of the company's stores.

No known illnesses have been reported in connection with the salad products, the FDA said.

Salmonella can cause fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain in healthy people. In elderly or frail people, young children, and those with weakened immune systems, salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections.

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Jardine Cribs Recalled Due to Breaking Slats

The third U.S. recall of Jardine cribs in a year involves about 96,000 cribs with slats that can break, leaving a gap that poses an entrapment or strangulation hazard, the Associated Press reports.

The recall, announced Thursday, comes after the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission received 31 reports of broken slats and two reports of infants getting trapped. Ten of the incidents involved children breaking the slats from inside the crib, the AP reported.

The recalled cribs were sold online and at Toys "R" Us, Babies "R" Us, KidsWorld and Geoffrey stores across the United States between September 2005 and April 2009. Consumers who bought the cribs can receive a full credit by calling Jardine at 800-646-4106.

The company recalled about 320,000 cribs in June 2008, and another 56,450 in January, the AP reported.

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Lithium in Drinking Water Reduces Suicides: Study

Tap water that contains lithium may cut the risk of suicide, according to a Japanese study that looked at people in the prefecture of Oita.

Areas in the prefecture with the highest levels of lithium in drinking water had much lower rates of suicide than other areas, said the researchers from the universities of Oita and Hiroshima, BBC news reported.

The findings, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, warrant further research, but the study authors did not suggest that lithium should be added to drinking water.

Lithium is used to treat certain mood disorders, such as bipolar disorder.

"However, lithium also has significant and unpleasant side effects in higher doses and can be toxic," Sophie Corlett, external relations director at the mental health charity Mind in the U.K., told BBC News. "Any suggestion that it should be added, even in tiny amounts, to drinking water should be treated with caution and researched very thoroughly."

-----

Baby Boomers With Disabilities a Growing Concern: Report

Over the next 20 years, aging Baby Boomers are expected to cause large increases in the number of U.S. adults with disabilities, says a new study that calls for expansion of programs to prevent and manage obesity, physical inactivity, tobacco use and other causes of disability.

In 2005, 21.8 percent of U.S. adults (47.5 million) reported a disability, an increase of 3.4 percent since 1999, the study said. Arthritis and rheumatism, back or spine problems, and heart trouble were the top three most common causes of disability.

Women have a higher rate of disability than men (24.4 percent vs. 19.1 percent). The study also found that disability rates increase with age, doubling with each successive age group (18-44, 11 percent; 45-64, 23.9 percent; 65 and older, 51.8 percent).

Currently, about as many Baby Boomers (45-64) are affected by disability as older adults. This suggests that the demands placed on the health care and public health systems by Baby Boomers will increase as they age into higher risk groups, the researchers said.

The study appears in the latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Health Tips for May 3

Health Tip: The Importance of Good Posture

Posture is important in everything you do. Bad posture can lead to back pain, and even make you feel more tired than usual.

The American Physical Therapy Association offers these guidelines to help you maintain good posture:

• When standing, your body should be vertically aligned, with a straight spine and head, and a straight line from your ankles to your knees, hips, shoulders and ears.
• Keep your shoulders and hips level, and knees facing straight ahead when you walk or stand.
• There should be a slight inward curve to your lower back when standing.
• Stand with your abdomen flat.
• When you sit, use the back of the chair for support, and keep your feet on the floor.
• Sit up straight, with your head up. Don't lean forward.

Health Tip: Save Your Back at Work

After a long day at work, your back may be chock full of aches and pains from standing on your feet or sitting at a desk.

The University of Maryland Medical Center offers these suggestions to help alleviate back pain while you're at work:

• Pay attention to your posture, whether you're standing or sitting. Make sure your ears, shoulders and hips all line up.
• Avoid standing for long periods. If you must stand, use a stool and alternate resting each foot on it.
• Wear comfortable, cushioned shoes without heels if you walk a lot.
• Choose a straight-backed, adjustable chair with armrests and a swivel seat for your desk chair.
• Prop your feet up below your desk, so your knees are elevated above your hips.
• Roll up a towel or place a pillow at your lower back while sitting at your desk.

Mexico swine flu death toll jumps to 19

MEXICO CITY – Mexico reported three new deaths from the swine flu epidemic Saturday and urged citizens not to let their guard down against a virus that has killed 19 in people in Mexico and is spreading across Asia and Europe.

Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova said Mexico's confirmed swine flu cases jumped to 473, including the 19 deaths. The previous death toll in Mexico was 16. A Mexican toddler also died in Texas days ago, for a worldwide total of 20.

Mexico's last confirmed swine flu death occurred Wednesday, Cordova said. However, he said there were 11 cases of people suspected to have died from the virus in the last 24 hours. The alarming news came after the epidemic's toll in Mexico appeared to be leveling off.

Cases outside Mexico suggested the new swine flu strain is weaker than feared, but governments moved quickly anyway to ban flights and prepare quarantine plans. Experts warned the virus could mutate and come back with a vengeance.

In the first known reported case of the new, mutated virus infecting another species, pigs in the province of Alberta have become infected and are under quarantine. They apparently got the virus from a Canadian farm worker who recently visited Mexico and got sick with swine flu, Canadian officials said Saturday.

They told a press conference in Ottawa that the pigs do not pose a food safety risk, adding that the traveler recovered from the swine flu and the pigs are "well on their way to recovery." The outbreak occurred on a single farm, where about 10 percent of 2,200 pigs showed a fever and loss of appetite. No pigs have died from the virus, officials said.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it's too early to declare victory.

The World Health Organization also decided against a full pandemic alert, but that doesn't mean people can relax, said Dr. Mike Ryan, WHO's global alert and response director.

"These viruses mutate, these viruses change, these viruses can further reassort with other genetic material, with other viruses," he said. "So it would be imprudent at this point to take too much reassurance" from the small number of deaths.

"We have seen times where things appear to be getting better and then get worse again," said Dr. Anne Schuchat, the U.S. agency's interim science and public health deputy director. "I think in Mexico we may be holding our breath for some time."

The global caseload was nearing 800 and growing — the vast majority in Mexico, the U.S. and Canada. Costa Rica reported its first confirmed swine flu case — the first in Latin America outside Mexico.

Swine flu cases have been confirmed in 18 countries so far — including Europe, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region — and experts believe the actual spread is much wider than the numbers suggest.

U.S. President Barack Obama urged caution Saturday.

"This is a new strain of the flu virus, and because we haven't developed an immunity to it, it has more potential to cause us harm," Obama said. Later, he spoke with Mexican President Felipe Calderon for about 20 minutes to share information.

What started as a swine flu outbreak more than a week ago in Mexico quickly ballooned to a global health threat, with the WHO declaring a pandemic was imminent. Now public health officials are having to carefully calibrate their statements. Push the message too far, and they could lose credibility if the virus fizzles out. But if they back off and it suddenly surges, the consequences could be much more dire.

Some Mexicans have criticized their government for reacting too slowly to the outbreak at first, and now for overreacting in ordering a five-day, nationwide shutdown of all nonessential government and private business. Responding to the attacks, Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova said: "It's absurd to think that Mexico was putting on a show. I think it's preferable, at a certain moment, to take advanced measures and succeed in containing the problem than to not take them and ask, 'Why didn't we take them?'"

However, Cordova said hospitals are now handling fewer patients with swine flu symptoms, a sign that the disease is presently not very contagious. Mexican investigators who visited 280 relatives of victims found only four had the virus.

But experts said there is much they don't know about the outbreak in Mexico. A multinational team of virus sleuths are trying to piece together the epidemiological puzzle.

Cordova said 12 of the dead were between 21 and 40 — unusual ages for people to die of the flu because they tend to have stronger immune systems.

Three of the dead were children: a 9-year-old girl, a 12-year-old girl and a 13-year-old boy, said Pablo Kuri, an epidemiologist and adviser to Cordova. Four were older than 60.

Although most of the dead were from Mexico City, they came from different neighborhoods in the metropolis of 20 million people, Kuri said. One common factor may be that they sought treatment too late — an average of seven days before seeing a doctor. For those who recovered, the average wait was three days, said Hugo Lopez-Gatell Ramirez, deputy director of Mexico's Intelligence Unit for Health Emergencies.

Many of the sick around the world were people who had visited Mexico, including 13 of Britain's 15 cases.

South Korea reported Asia's second confirmed case — a woman just back from Mexico — and other governments prepared to quarantine airline passengers, eager to show how they have learned from the deadly SARS epidemic in 2003, when Hong Kong was criticized for imposing quarantines too slowly.

China suspended all direct flights from Mexico and sealed 305 people inside a Hong Kong hotel where an infected Mexican tourist stayed. Health workers in white bodysuits patrolled the lobby where the 25-year-old Mexican stayed before he became Asia's first confirmed case late Friday.

Mexican Foreign Minister Patricia Espinosa complained that China had isolated several Mexicans without reason — and urged Mexicans not to travel to China until the situation was resolved.

"These are discriminatory measures," she said.

Health Headlines - May 2

Seattle Company Recalls Salads

Two salad products made by Pasta & Co. of Seattle, Wash., are being recalled because they may be contaminated with salmonella, says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The Chinese Vermicelli Salad and Pot Sticker Salad were made using chili oil that was recalled by Union International Food Co. due to possible salmonella contamination. The salads were sold at Pasta & Co. stores in the Seattle area. Consumers who bought the salads can return them to any of the company's stores.

No known illnesses have been reported in connection with the salad products, the FDA said.

Salmonella can cause fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain in healthy people. In elderly or frail people, young children, and those with weakened immune systems, salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections.

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Jardine Cribs Recalled Due to Breaking Slats

The third U.S. recall of Jardine cribs in a year involves about 96,000 cribs with slats that can break, leaving a gap that poses an entrapment or strangulation hazard, the Associated Press reports.

The recall, announced Thursday, comes after the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission received 31 reports of broken slats and two reports of infants getting trapped. Ten of the incidents involved children breaking the slats from inside the crib, the AP reported.

The recalled cribs were sold online and at Toys "R" Us, Babies "R" Us, KidsWorld and Geoffrey stores across the United States between September 2005 and April 2009. Consumers who bought the cribs can receive a full credit by calling Jardine at 800-646-4106.

The company recalled about 320,000 cribs in June 2008, and another 56,450 in January, the AP reported.

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Lithium in Drinking Water Reduces Suicides: Study

Tap water that contains lithium may cut the risk of suicide, according to a Japanese study that looked at people in the prefecture of Oita.

Areas in the prefecture with the highest levels of lithium in drinking water had much lower rates of suicide than other areas, said the researchers from the universities of Oita and Hiroshima, BBC news reported.

The findings, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, warrant further research, but the study authors did not suggest that lithium should be added to drinking water.

Lithium is used to treat certain mood disorders, such as bipolar disorder.

"However, lithium also has significant and unpleasant side effects in higher doses and can be toxic," Sophie Corlett, external relations director at the mental health charity Mind in the U.K., told BBC News. "Any suggestion that it should be added, even in tiny amounts, to drinking water should be treated with caution and researched very thoroughly."

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Baby Boomers With Disabilities a Growing Concern: Report

Over the next 20 years, aging Baby Boomers are expected to cause large increases in the number of U.S. adults with disabilities, says a new study that calls for expansion of programs to prevent and manage obesity, physical inactivity, tobacco use and other causes of disability.

In 2005, 21.8 percent of U.S. adults (47.5 million) reported a disability, an increase of 3.4 percent since 1999, the study said. Arthritis and rheumatism, back or spine problems, and heart trouble were the top three most common causes of disability.

Women have a higher rate of disability than men (24.4 percent vs. 19.1 percent). The study also found that disability rates increase with age, doubling with each successive age group (18-44, 11 percent; 45-64, 23.9 percent; 65 and older, 51.8 percent).

Currently, about as many Baby Boomers (45-64) are affected by disability as older adults. This suggests that the demands placed on the health care and public health systems by Baby Boomers will increase as they age into higher risk groups, the researchers said.

The study appears in the latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Health Tips for May 2

Health Tip: Benefitting From Adult Day Care

Some seniors become lonely staying home alone all day, particularly if they can no longer drive. And for older people with memory or physical problems, staying home alone can be unsafe.

That's when adult day care may come in.

Rotary International offers this list of adult day care's potential benefits:

• It's a safe, supervised place to be.
• It includes enjoyable activities and an opportunity to learn new things.
• It may allow participants to become mentally and physically healthier.
• It promotes a feeling of staying independent.
• It affords an opportunity to socialize, make friends and get support from other seniors.
• It includes regular, healthier meals and snacks.

Health Tip: When Seniors Have Trouble Sleeping

Sleep disturbances -- including trouble getting to sleep or waking frequently throughout the night -- are common in elderly people.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine offers this list of common reasons for sleep problems in older people:

• Increased need to urinate.
• Pain, particularly from arthritis.
• Depression.
• Neurological problems.
• Alzheimer's disease.
• Side effects of taking certain medications.
• Alcohol use.
• Not getting enough exercise.
• Consuming too much caffeine.

Swine flu may be less potent than first feared

The swine flu outbreak that has alarmed the world for a week now appears less ominous, with the virus showing little staying power in the hardest-hit cities and scientists suggesting it lacks the genetic fortitude of past killer bugs. President Barack Obama even voiced hope Friday that it may turn out to be no more harmful than the average seasonal flu.

In New York City, which has the most confirmed swine flu cases in the U.S. with 49, swine flu has not spread far beyond cases linked to one Catholic school. In Mexico, the epicenter of the outbreak, very few relatives of flu victims seem to have caught it.

A flu expert said he sees no reason to believe the virus is particularly lethal. And a federal scientist said the germ's genetic makeup lacks some traits seen in the deadly 1918 flu pandemic strain and the more recent killer bird flu.

Still, it was too soon to be certain what the swine flu virus will do. Experts say the only wise course is to prepare for the worst. But in a world that's been rattled by the specter of a global pandemic, glimmers of hope were more than welcome Friday.

"It may turn out that H1N1 runs its course like ordinary flus, in which case we will have prepared and we won't need all these preparations," Obama said, using the flu's scientific name.

The president stressed the government was still taking the virus very seriously, adding that even if this round turns out to be mild, the bug could return in a deadlier form during the next flu season.

New York officials said after a week of monitoring the disease that the city's outbreak gives little sign of spreading beyond a few pockets or getting more dangerous.

All but two of the city's confirmed cases so far involve people associated with the high school where the local outbreak began and where several students had recently returned from Mexico.

More than 1,000 students, parents and faculty there reported flu symptoms over just a few days last month. But since then, only a handful of new infections have been reported — only eight students since last Sunday.

Almost everyone who became ill before then are either recovering or already well. The school, which was closed this past week, is scheduled to reopen Monday. No new confirmed cases were identified in the city on Friday, and Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the outbreak in New York had so far proved to be "a relatively minor annoyance."

In Mexico, where swine flu has killed at least 15 people and the confirmed case count has surpassed 300, the health secretary said few of the relatives of 86 suspected swine flu patients had caught the virus. Only four of the 219 relatives surveyed turned up as probable cases.

As recently as Wednesday, Mexican authorities said there were 168 suspected swine flu deaths in the country and almost 2,500 suspected cases. The officials have stopped updating that number and say those totals may have even been inflated.

Mexico shut down all but essential government services and private businesses Friday, the start of a five-day shutdown that includes a holiday weekend. Authorities there will use the break to determine whether emergency measures can be eased.

In the Mexican capital, there were no reports of deaths overnight — the first time that has happened since the emergency was declared a week ago, said Mayor Marcelo Ebrard.

"This isn't to say we are lowering our guard or we think we no longer have problems," Ebrard said. "But we're moving in the right direction."

The U.S. case count rose to 155 on Friday, based on federal and state counts, although state laboratory operators believe the number is higher because they are not testing all suspected cases.

Worldwide, the total confirmed cases neared 600, although that number is also believed to be much larger. Besides the U.S. and Mexico, the virus has been detected in Canada, New Zealand, China, Israel and eight European nations.

There were still plenty of signs Friday of worldwide concern.

China decided to suspend flights from Mexico to Shanghai because of a case of swine flu confirmed in a flight from Mexico, China's state-run Xinhua News Agency reported.

And in Hong Kong, hundreds of hotel guests and workers were quarantined after a tourist from Mexico tested positive for swine flu, Asia's first confirmed case.

Evoking the 2003 SARS outbreak, workers in protective suits and masks wiped down tables, floors and windows. Guests at the hotel waved to photographers from their windows.

Scientists looking closely at the H1N1 virus itself have found some encouraging news, said Nancy Cox, flu chief at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its genetic makeup doesn't show specific traits that showed up in the 1918 pandemic virus, which killed about 40 million to 50 million people worldwide.

"However, we know that there is a great deal that we do not understand about the virulence of the 1918 virus or other influenza viruses" that caused serious illnesses, Cox said. "So we are continuing to learn."

She told The Associated Press that the swine flu virus also lacked genetic traits associated with the virulence of the bird flu virus, which grabbed headlines a few years ago and has killed 250 people, mostly in Asia.

Researchers will get a better idea of how dangerous this virus is over the next week to 10 days, said Peter Palese, a leading flu researcher with Mount Sinai Medical School in New York.

So far in the United States, he said, the virus appears to look and behave like the garden-variety flus that strike every winter. "There is no real reason to believe this is a more serious strain," he said.

Palese said many adults probably have immune systems primed to handle the virus because it is so similar to another common flu strain.

As for why the illness has predominantly affected children and teenagers in New York, Palese said older people probably have more antibodies from exposure to similar types of flu that help them fight off infection.

"The virus is so close," he said.

In the United States, most of the people with swine flu have been treated at home. Only nine people are known to have ended up in the hospital, though officials suspect there are more.

In Mexico, officials have voiced optimism for two days that the worst may be over. But Dr. Scott F. Dowell of the CDC said it's hard to know whether the outbreak is easing up in Mexico. "They're still seeing plenty of cases," Dowell said.

He said outbreaks in any given area might be relatively brief, so that they may seem to be ending in some areas that had a lot of illness a few weeks ago. But cases are occurring elsewhere, and national numbers in Mexico are not abating, he said.

A top Mexican medical officer questioned the World Health Organization's handling of the early signs of the swine flu scare, suggesting Thursday that a regional arm of the WHO had taken too long to notify WHO headquarters of about a unusually late rash of flu cases in Mexico.

The regional agency, however, provided a timeline to the AP suggesting it was Mexico that failed to respond to its request to alert other nations to the first hints of the outbreak.

The Mexican official, chief epidemiologist Dr. Miguel Angel Lezana, backtracked Friday, telling Radio Formula: "There was no delay by the Mexican authorities, nor was there any by the World Health Organization."

In the U.S., Obama said efforts were focused on identifying people who have the flu, getting medical help to the right places and providing clear advice to state and local officials and the public.

The president also said the U.S. government is working to produce a vaccine down the road, developing clear guidelines for school closings and trying to ensure businesses cooperate with workers who run out of sick leave.

He pointed out that regular seasonal flus kill about 36,000 people in the United States in an average year and send 200,000 to the hospital.

FDA says dieters should stop using Hydroxycut now

WASHINGTON – Government health officials warned dieters and body builders Friday to immediately stop using Hydroxycut, a widely sold supplement linked to cases of serious liver damage and at least one death.

The Food and Drug Administration said the company that makes the dietary supplement has agreed to recall 14 Hydroxycut products. Available in grocery stores and pharmacies, Hydroxycut is advertised as made from natural ingredients. At least 9 million packages were sold last year, the FDA said.

Dr. Linda Katz of the FDA's food and nutrition division said the agency has received 23 reports of liver problems, including the death of a 19-year-old boy living in the Southwest. The teenager died in 2007, and the death was reported to the FDA this March.

Other patients experienced symptoms ranging from jaundice, or yellowing of the skin, to liver failure. One received a transplant and another was placed on a list to await a new liver. The patients were otherwise healthy and their symptoms began after they started using Hydroxycut.

Iovate Health Sciences, which makes the diet pills, said it agreed to the recall out of "an abundance of caution." The company is based in Canada and its U.S. distributor is headquartered near Buffalo, N.Y.

"While this is a small number of reports relative to the many millions of people who have used Hydroxycut products over the years, out of an abundance of caution and because consumer safety is our top priority, we are voluntarily recalling these Hydroxycut-branded products," the company said in a statement on its Web site. Consumers can get a refund by returning the pills to the store they purchased them from, the company said.

Dietary supplements aren't as tightly regulated by the government as medications. Manufacturers don't need to prove to the FDA that their products are safe and effective before they can sell them to consumers.

But regulators monitor aftermarket reports for signs of trouble, and in recent years companies have been put under stricter requirements to alert the FDA when they learn of problems. In 2004, the government banned ephedra, an ingredient in many supplements, linked to heart attacks and strokes.

Katz said it has taken so long to get a handle on the Hydroxycut problem because the cases of liver damage were rare and the FDA has no authority to review supplements before they're marketed. "Part of the problem is that the FDA looks at dietary supplements from a post-market perspective, and an isolated incident is often difficult to follow," she said.

The FDA relies on voluntary reports to detect such problems, and many cases are never reported, officials acknowledge.

Health officials said they have been unable to determine which Hydroxycut ingredients are potentially toxic, partially because the formulation has changed several times.

Public health researcher Ano Lobb, who has studied Hydroxycut and other dietary supplements for Consumer Reports, said the problem may be an ingredient called hydroxycitric acid. Derived from a tropical fruit, it's been linked to liver problems in at least one medical journal study. Lobb said it's likely that other supplements containing the same ingredient remain on the market.

"You really have to be careful about dietary supplements, especially weight-loss pills," said Lobb. "People believe that the FDA has verified that these products are at least safe and effective, and that's really not the case. When you see fantastic claims — that's generally what they are."

Health Headlines - May 1

CDC Sued Over Handling of TB Case

Claiming U.S. health officials invaded his privacy, the Atlanta lawyer at the center of an international tuberculosis scare in 2007 is suing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Associated Press reported.

Andrew Speaker says CDC officials gave him clearance to travel overseas, even though they knew he was infected with TB, and told him he could begin treatment when he returned home. But when he arrived at his destination, doctors told Speaker he had a severe form of TB and urged him to go home.

In the lawsuit filed in federal court in Atlanta on Tuesday, Speaker says CDC officials approved his travel plans and then put the blame on him when he had to return to the United States. The lawsuit charges that the CDC damaged Speaker's reputation and made him the target of death threats, the AP reported.

The lawsuit accuses the CDC of "unlawfully and unnecessarily" revealing Speaker's private medical history and other sensitive information, and claims the stress of the situation caused the break-up of Speaker and his new wife. Speaker is seeking unspecified damages and court fees.

The CDC declined to comment on the lawsuit, the AP reported.

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Libimax Sexual Supplements Recalled

The male sexual supplement Libimax is being recalled due to safety concerns about one of its ingredients, says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The product contains tadalafil, which can interact with nitrates found in prescription drugs taken by people with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or heart disease. The FDA said the interaction between tadalafil and nitrates can lower blood pressure to dangerous levels, United Press International reported.

The Libimax label doesn't state that it contains tadalafil and doesn't warn that certain people should not use the product. Consumers who've bought Libimax should stop using it and contact their doctor if they've experienced any problems they believe may be related to the product, the FDA said.

The recalled supplement is sold as a single capsule individual pack or in 10-capsule and 20-capsule plastic bottles in retail stores in California, Georgia, Illinois, Ohio, and Texas, UPI reported.

For more information, consumers can contact the Nature & Health Co., of Brea, Calif., at 714-257-1800.

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Taking Aspirin May Reduce Adults' Cancer Risk: Study

People who take aspirin in their 40s may reduce their risk of cancer later in life, suggest Cancer Research UK experts who reviewed scientific studies.

Pre-cancerous lesions tend to start developing when people are in their mid-40s, said lead researcher Professor Jack Cuzick, BBC News reported. Aspirin blocks the effects of proteins that can trigger inflammation and which are found at high levels in several types of cancer. So, taking aspirin in your mid-40s may prevent that damage from progressing to full-blown cancer.

But the researchers, whose study was published in The Lancet Oncology, emphasized that much more research needs to be done before any recommendations about the regular use of aspirin for cancer prevention can be made.

"Future research and more clinical trials are needed to better identify those people who are at high risk of developing cancers and at low risk of side effects, who will benefit most from aspirin treatment," Cuzick said, BBC News reported.

Dr. Lesley Walker, Cancer Research UK's director of cancer information, agreed. "It's too soon to recommend that people take aspirin to try and stop cancer developing because of the side effects. "It's important that any decision to take aspirin regularly is only made in consultation with a (doctor)."

Health Tips for May 1

Health Tip: Allow Yourself to Grieve

While you're grieving because of a major life change or loss, you need time to cope.

Rotary International offers these suggestions to help manage grieving:

• Accept your loss, and deal with your feelings. Ignoring your emotions may lead to emotional and physical problems later.
• Be creative in expressing your emotions. Try writing in a journal, writing a letter or creating a photo album or scrapbook.
• Stay physically healthy with a good diet, plenty of sleep and regular exercise.
• Avoid using drugs and alcohol to deal with grief.
• Allow yourself to grieve on your own schedule. Express whatever emotions you feel -- cry, laugh or just be sad.
• Know that grief may re-emerge at certain times, such as on birthdays or holidays. Don't let it surprise you, and try to prepare for it as much as you can.

Health Tip: When Seniors Have Trouble Sleeping

Sleep disturbances -- including trouble getting to sleep or waking frequently throughout the night -- are common in elderly people.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine offers this list of common reasons for sleep problems in older people:

• Increased need to urinate.
• Pain, particularly from arthritis.
• Depression.
• Neurological problems.
• Alzheimer's disease.
• Side effects of taking certain medications.
• Alcohol use.
• Not getting enough exercise.
• Consuming too much caffeine.