Health Headlines - March 26

Tooth Decay Linked to Ethnicity

Tooth decay and gum disease can be linked to a U.S. immigrant's ethnicity and country of origin, a large study contends.

And the finding holds true no matter how long that immigrant has been in the country, researchers from New York University College of Dentistry say.

In what is touted as the largest-ever study on the oral health of immigrants, the NYU researchers analyzed tooth decay and periodontal disease rates in more than 1,500 Chinese, Haitian, Indian, West Indian, Puerto Rican, Dominican, and Central and South American immigrants of Hispanic origin living in New York City.

The team's leader, Dr. Gustavo D. Cruz, director of global oral public health at NYU, was to present the findings Saturday at the International Association for Dental Research meeting in New Orleans.

In a prepared statement, Cruz said the study revealed, for example, that Puerto Ricans, Haitians and Indians were more likely to suffer from gum disease, while Hispanics were more likely to have tooth decay.

Cruz found that rates of tooth decay and periodontal disease can be linked to ethnicity and country of origin even among immigrants who have lived for many years in the United States and have increased income and education levels.

"For example, some ethnic groups may be more prone to tooth decay partly because their traditional foods are high in refined carbohydrates, while other groups may be less susceptible to decay because refined carbohydrates are almost absent from their diet," he said.

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FDA Renews Warning About Arsenic in Mineral Water

U.S. health officials are renewing their warning to consumers not to drink "Jermuk" brand mineral water because some bottles contain higher-than-acceptable levels of arsenic, a toxic substance that can cause cancer in humans.

The Food and Drug Administration reissued the warning Saturday due to an expansion of the recall by the products' importers and distributors. Jermuk water is imported from Armenia and distributed under different labels in California. Five brands have been recalled since March 7.

The latest recall, begun March 16 by the product's distributor, is for "Jermuk Natural Mineral Water Fortified with Gas from the Spring." This product is also labeled as "Produced by Sam-Har Co. Republic of Armenia" and "Exclusive Distributor in USA: Arnaz & Nelli Inc., CA 91605."

Although arsenic is a known human poison, there's little chance someone would become seriously ill after drinking the recalled products over a brief period of time -- days to weeks. But, a person would likely experience nausea, abdominal pain and possibly vomiting, which are signs of arsenic poisoning, the FDA said in a prepared statement.

The agency said it has sampled the contents of 500 milliliter green glass and/or plastic bottles of all of the brands and found they contained between 454 and 674 micrograms of arsenic per liter of water. The FDA's standard of quality for bottled water allows no more than 10 micrograms per liter.

No illnesses have been reported so far. Consumers who drank this water and have concerns should contact their health-care provider.

The following products were recalled on March 7:

• "Jermuk Original Sparkling Natural Mineral Water Fortified With Natural Gas From The Spring."
• "Jermuk, 1951, Natural Mineral Water, Jermuk Mayr Gortsaran CJSC." The product is in plastic bottles.
• "Jermuk Sodium Calcium Bicarbonate and Sulphate Mineral Water."
• "Jermuk, Natural Mineral Water Sparkling."

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U.S. Census Bureau Overestimated Uninsured

The U.S. Census Bureau said Friday that it overestimated by 1.8 million the number of people who did not have health insurance in 2005. Instead of 46.6 million people (15.9 percent of the population), the actual number was 44.8 million (15.3 percent), the Associated Press reported.

In fact, for the last decade, the bureau said it has overstated the number of people without health insurance. That's because some residents who reported having insurance were counted as having no coverage.

The errors were discovered while the bureau was updating the computer system for its Current Population Survey, according to a press release. The bureau plans to issue new figures in August for every year going back to 1995, the AP reported.

There were no problems with any other questions in the survey, the bureau said.

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Japan Launching New Tamiflu Inquiry

Japanese officials said Friday they're going to begin a new inquiry into a possible connection between the anti-flu drug Tamiflu and reports of abnormal behavior and deaths among users.

Previously, the country's health ministry said there was no clear evidence of a causal link between Tamiflu and the incidents. The ministry now wants experts to review past cases, Agence France Presse reported.

Since 2004, the health ministry has received 22 reports of abnormal behavior (15 teenagers and seven adults), including four deaths. Earlier this week, government officials ordered the Japanese importer of Tamiflu to warn doctors not to prescribe the antiviral drug to teens, AFP reported.

There have been more than a dozen reported cases of young people taking Tamiflu who fell or jumped from buildings, the news service said.

Tamiflu is made by the Swiss drug company Roche, which has denied that there's any link between the drug and abnormal behavior. Tamiflu, often prescribed to treat people with seasonal flu, is also considered a frontline drug against a potential flu pandemic.

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U.S. College Students Face Price Increases for Birth Control Pills

Steep increases in the price of birth control pills for U.S. college students has health officials worried that some students will switch to less effective methods or use no birth control at all, the Associated Press reported.

The cost of birth control pills at student health centers is doubling or tripling due to a change in the Medicaid rebate law that abolishes an incentive for drug makers to offer significant discounts to colleges. At some colleges, students may have to pay several hundred dollars more per year for birth control pills.

"It's terrible, because these are students who are working very hard to pay for their tuition and books at a time when tuition costs are edging up as well," Linda Lekawski, director of the university health center at Texas A&'M, told the AP.

At Texas A&M, it's expected that the old price of $15 a month for birth control pills will triple.

About 39 percent of undergraduate women use birth control pills, according to the American College Health Association, which is lobbying the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to alter the new Medicaid rebate law to keep birth control pill prices low for college students, the AP reported.

Health Headlines - March 25

FDA Renews Warning About Arsenic in Mineral Water

U.S. health officials are renewing their warning to consumers not to drink "Jermuk" brand mineral water because some bottles contain higher-than-acceptable levels of arsenic, a toxic substance that can cause cancer in humans.

The Food and Drug Administration reissued the warning Saturday due to an expansion of the recall by the products' importers and distributors. Jermuk water is imported from Armenia and distributed under different labels in California. Five brands have been recalled since March 7.

The latest recall, begun March 16 by the product's distributor, is for "Jermuk Natural Mineral Water Fortified with Gas from the Spring." This product is also labeled as "Produced by Sam-Har Co. Republic of Armenia" and "Exclusive Distributor in USA: Arnaz & Nelli Inc., CA 91605."

Although arsenic is a known human poison, there's little chance someone would become seriously ill after drinking the recalled products over a brief period of time -- days to weeks. But, a person would likely experience nausea, abdominal pain and possibly vomiting, which are signs of arsenic poisoning, the FDA said in a prepared statement.

The agency said it has sampled the contents of 500 milliliter green glass and/or plastic bottles of all of the brands and found they contained between 454 and 674 micrograms of arsenic per liter of water. The FDA's standard of quality for bottled water allows no more than 10 micrograms per liter.

No illnesses have been reported so far. Consumers who drank this water and have concerns should contact their health-care provider.

The following products were recalled on March 7:

• "Jermuk Original Sparkling Natural Mineral Water Fortified With Natural Gas From The Spring."
• "Jermuk, 1951, Natural Mineral Water, Jermuk Mayr Gortsaran CJSC." The product is in plastic bottles.
• "Jermuk Sodium Calcium Bicarbonate and Sulphate Mineral Water."
• "Jermuk, Natural Mineral Water Sparkling."

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U.S. Census Bureau Overestimated Uninsured

The U.S. Census Bureau said Friday that it overestimated by 1.8 million the number of people who did not have health insurance in 2005. Instead of 46.6 million people (15.9 percent of the population), the actual number was 44.8 million (15.3 percent), the Associated Press reported.

In fact, for the last decade, the bureau said it has overstated the number of people without health insurance. That's because some residents who reported having insurance were counted as having no coverage.

The errors were discovered while the bureau was updating the computer system for its Current Population Survey, according to a press release. The bureau plans to issue new figures in August for every year going back to 1995, the AP reported.

There were no problems with any other questions in the survey, the bureau said.

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Japan Launching New Tamiflu Inquiry

Japanese officials said Friday they're going to begin a new inquiry into a possible connection between the anti-flu drug Tamiflu and reports of abnormal behavior and deaths among users.

Previously, the country's health ministry said there was no clear evidence of a causal link between Tamiflu and the incidents. The ministry now wants experts to review past cases, Agence France Presse reported.

Since 2004, the health ministry has received 22 reports of abnormal behavior (15 teenagers and seven adults), including four deaths. Earlier this week, government officials ordered the Japanese importer of Tamiflu to warn doctors not to prescribe the antiviral drug to teens, AFP reported.

There have been more than a dozen reported cases of young people taking Tamiflu who fell or jumped from buildings, the news service said.

Tamiflu is made by the Swiss drug company Roche, which has denied that there's any link between the drug and abnormal behavior. Tamiflu, often prescribed to treat people with seasonal flu, is also considered a frontline drug against a potential flu pandemic.

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U.S. College Students Face Price Increases for Birth Control Pills

Steep increases in the price of birth control pills for U.S. college students has health officials worried that some students will switch to less effective methods or use no birth control at all, the Associated Press reported.

The cost of birth control pills at student health centers is doubling or tripling due to a change in the Medicaid rebate law that abolishes an incentive for drug makers to offer significant discounts to colleges. At some colleges, students may have to pay several hundred dollars more per year for birth control pills.

"It's terrible, because these are students who are working very hard to pay for their tuition and books at a time when tuition costs are edging up as well," Linda Lekawski, director of the university health center at Texas A&'M, told the AP.

At Texas A&M, it's expected that the old price of $15 a month for birth control pills will triple.

About 39 percent of undergraduate women use birth control pills, according to the American College Health Association, which is lobbying the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to alter the new Medicaid rebate law to keep birth control pill prices low for college students, the AP reported.

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Alcohol, Tobacco Bigger Threats Than Marijuana, Ecstasy: Study

Alcohol and tobacco are more dangerous than some illegal drugs, such as marijuana or Ecstasy, and need to be reclassified to reflect the threat they pose to society, says a British study published Saturday in The Lancet medical journal.

Using three factors to determine the harm they cause, Professor David Nutt of Bristol University and his colleagues concluded that alcohol and tobacco were among the top 10 most dangerous substances, the Associated Press reported.

The three factors used to determine the rankings of 20 substances were: physical harm to the user; potential for addiction; and impact on society. Heroin and cocaine were ranked most dangerous, followed by barbiturates and street methadone. Alcohol was ranked number five and marijuana number nine. Ecstasy was near the bottom of the list.

Nutt noted that alcohol and tobacco are legal in the United States, Britain and most other countries, while marijuana and Ecstasy are illegal. He questioned the scientific rationale for this kind of approach to drug classification, calling it ill thought-out and arbitrary, the AP reported.

Alcohol is associated with more than half of all visits to hospital emergency rooms and tobacco causes 40 percent of all illnesses that require hospitalization. Both substances have other negative effects on society, such as harming families and using up police resources, the study said.

Health Headlines - March 24

U.S. Census Bureau Overestimated Uninsured

The U.S. Census Bureau said Friday that it overestimated by 1.8 million the number of people who did not have health insurance in 2005. Instead of 46.6 million people (15.9 percent of the population), the actual number was 44.8 million (15.3 percent), the Associated Press reported.

In fact, for the last decade, the bureau said it has overstated the number of people without health insurance. That's because some residents who reported having insurance were counted as having no coverage.

The errors were discovered while the bureau was updating the computer system for its Current Population Survey, according to a press release. The bureau plans to issue new figures in August for every year going back to 1995, the AP reported.

There were no problems with any other questions in the survey, the bureau said.

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Japan Launching New Tamiflu Inquiry

Japanese officials said Friday they're going to begin a new inquiry into a possible connection between the anti-flu drug Tamiflu and reports of abnormal behavior and deaths among users.

Previously, the country's health ministry said there was no clear evidence of a causal link between Tamiflu and the incidents. The ministry now wants experts to review past cases, Agence France Presse reported.

Since 2004, the health ministry has received 22 reports of abnormal behavior (15 teenagers and seven adults), including four deaths. Earlier this week, government officials ordered the Japanese importer of Tamiflu to warn doctors not to prescribe the antiviral drug to teens, AFP reported.

There have been more than a dozen reported cases of young people taking Tamiflu who fell or jumped from buildings, the news service said.

Tamiflu is made by the Swiss drug company Roche, which has denied that there's any link between the drug and abnormal behavior. Tamiflu, often prescribed to treat people with seasonal flu, is also considered a frontline drug against a potential flu pandemic.

-----

U.S. College Students Face Price Increases for Birth Control Pills

Steep increases in the price of birth control pills for U.S. college students has health officials worried that some students will switch to less effective methods or use no birth control at all, the Associated Press reported.

The cost of birth control pills at student health centers is doubling or tripling due to a change in the Medicaid rebate law that abolishes an incentive for drug makers to offer significant discounts to colleges. At some colleges, students may have to pay several hundred dollars more per year for birth control pills.

"It's terrible, because these are students who are working very hard to pay for their tuition and books at a time when tuition costs are edging up as well," Linda Lekawski, director of the university health center at Texas A&'M, told the AP.

At Texas A&M, it's expected that the old price of $15 a month for birth control pills will triple.

About 39 percent of undergraduate women use birth control pills, according to the American College Health Association, which is lobbying the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to alter the new Medicaid rebate law to keep birth control pill prices low for college students, the AP reported.

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Alcohol, Tobacco Bigger Threats Than Marijuana, Ecstasy: Study

Alcohol and tobacco are more dangerous than some illegal drugs, such as marijuana or Ecstasy, and need to be reclassified to reflect the threat they pose to society, says a British study published Saturday in The Lancet medical journal.

Using three factors to determine the harm they cause, Professor David Nutt of Bristol University and his colleagues concluded that alcohol and tobacco were among the top 10 most dangerous substances, the Associated Press reported.

The three factors used to determine the rankings of 20 substances were: physical harm to the user; potential for addiction; and impact on society. Heroin and cocaine were ranked most dangerous, followed by barbiturates and street methadone. Alcohol was ranked number five and marijuana number nine. Ecstasy was near the bottom of the list.

Nutt noted that alcohol and tobacco are legal in the United States, Britain and most other countries, while marijuana and Ecstasy are illegal. He questioned the scientific rationale for this kind of approach to drug classification, calling it ill thought-out and arbitrary, the AP reported.

Alcohol is associated with more than half of all visits to hospital emergency rooms and tobacco causes 40 percent of all illnesses that require hospitalization. Both substances have other negative effects on society, such as harming families and using up police resources, the study said.

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Tourist States Would be Hardest Hit in Flu Pandemic: Report

Nevada, Hawaii and other states whose economies rely on tourism and entertainment would probably be hit hardest if there was a severe influenza pandemic, according to a report released Thursday by the Trust for America's Health.

The report estimated that Nevada's economy would suffer a decline of more than 8 percent, while Hawaii would feel about a 6.6 percent economic hit, the Associated Press reported.

The gross domestic product in four other states -- Alaska, Louisiana, Nebraska and Wyoming -- would also decrease by more than 6 percent. And while the economies of Virginia and Maryland would likely fare the best during a pandemic, they would still suffer major declines of 5.13 percent and 5.06 percent, respectively, the AP reported.

"In a pandemic, we will see people avoiding discretionary travel and avoiding large gatherings for the legitimate fear of contagion. It's a natural reaction not to want to be in large groups when there is an easily transmittable disease afoot," said Jeffrey Levi, executive director of Trust for America's Health, which conducts research and lobbies for measures to improve public health.

Overall, the United States would experience a $683 billion (5.5 percent) economic loss during a pandemic, the report predicted.

Health Headlines - March 23

Elizabeth Edwards' Cancer Has Returned

Elizabeth Edwards, wife of Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, announced Thursday that her cancer had returned and was no longer curable.

But Edwards, who was treated for breast cancer in 2004, said she was optimistic about her future and her husband's political campaign.

"I don't look sickly, I don't feel sickly. I am as ready as any person can be for that," she said at a news conference with her husband by her side.

The recurrence of the cancer -- this time in a rib on her right side -- means the disease is no longer curable but can be managed with medications, the couple said.

Edwards, 57, was initially diagnosed with breast cancer in the final days of the 2004 presidential campaign when her husband was the running mate of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry.

John Edwards, a former U.S. senator from North Carolina, said he would continue his push for the presidency, with his wife's blessing.

"The campaign goes on," he said at a news conference outside the couple's home.

Elizabeth Edwards' breast cancer, invasive ductal carcinoma, is the most common form of the disease, accounting for up to 80 percent of all cases of the illness. Almost 180,000 American women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year, according to the American Cancer Society.

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Tourist States Would be Hardest Hit in Flu Pandemic: Report

Nevada, Hawaii and other states whose economies rely on tourism and entertainment would probably be hit hardest if there was a severe influenza pandemic, according to a report released Thursday by the Trust for America's Health.

The report estimated that Nevada's economy would suffer a decline of more than 8 percent, while Hawaii would feel about a 6.6 percent economic hit, the Associated Press reported.

The gross domestic product in four other states -- Alaska, Louisiana, Nebraska and Wyoming -- would also decrease by more than 6 percent. And while the economies of Virginia and Maryland would likely fare the best during a pandemic, they would still suffer major declines of 5.13 percent and 5.06 percent, respectively, the AP reported.

"In a pandemic, we will see people avoiding discretionary travel and avoiding large gatherings for the legitimate fear of contagion. It's a natural reaction not to want to be in large groups when there is an easily transmittable disease afoot," said Jeffrey Levi, executive director of Trust for America's Health, which conducts research and lobbies for measures to improve public health.

Overall, the United States would experience a $683 billion (5.5 percent) economic loss during a pandemic, the report predicted.

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U.S. Efforts to Eliminate TB Slowing: Report

Progress is slowing in efforts to eliminate tuberculosis in the United States, according to a new federal report.

That trend suggests that multiple steps are needed to accelerate progress in eliminating TB and to guard against a resurgence of the disease in the United States, the report said.

Surveillance data show that national TB rates fell to an all-time low of 4.6 cases per 100,000 people in 2006 -- a total of 13,767 active cases. But, the decline in the TB rate in 2006 (3.2 percent) was one of the smallest in more than a decade.

The report also said that minorities and foreign-born individuals continue to be disproportionately affected by TB. In 2006, Asians were 21 times more likely to have TB than whites, and blacks and Hispanics were about eight times more likely to have TB.

Foreign-born individuals accounted for more than half of all TB cases in the United States in 2006. This group of people had a TB rate nearly 10 times higher than U.S.-born individuals (21.9 vs. 2.3 cases per 100,000), the report said.

The findings are published in the March 23 issue of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Another report in this week's MMWR said there were only 49 documented cases of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) tuberculosis in the United States between 1993 and 2006. While the overall risk of XDR-TB remains low in the country, the 49 cases have been widely dispersed and pose a continued risk to efforts to treat and control the disease, the report said.

In related news, a report released Thursday by the World Health Organization said the worldwide rate of TB infections leveled off in 2005, at less than 150 cases per 100,000 people.

One expert noted that it was the first good news about the worldwide TB epidemic since 1993, the Associated Press reported.

However, while the worldwide rate remained steady, the actual number of TB cases increased, due to a growing global population. The WHO said there were 8.8 million new TB cases and 1.6 million TB deaths in 2005, the last year for which comprehensive data was available.

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Congressional Committee Reviews Anemia Drugs

The marketing and regulation of the commonly used anemia drugs Epogen, Aranesp and Procrit are under review by a U.S. Congressional committee. The review was prompted by recent evidence that the drugs may cause blood clots, worsen cancer or increase the risk of death if overused, The New York Times reported.

The drugs are mainly used to treat patients with anemia caused by kidney failure or chemotherapy.

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce sent letters to drug makers Amgen (Epogen and Aranesp) and Johnson & Johnson (Procrit), asking them to clarify when they knew about the possible risks associated with the drugs and how they have promoted the drugs, the Times reported.

On March 9, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the drug makers agreed to put a "black box" warning (the most serious kind) on the labels of the anemia drugs to warn about the newly identified risks. An FDA advisory panel is scheduled to meet May 10 to discuss the safety of the drugs.

In the letters to the drug companies, committee members said they viewed reports of safety issues associated with the drugs "with increasing alarm." They also noted that as much as $700 million in annual sales of the three drugs were for uses that did not conform to the label, the Times reported.

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Meningitis in Infancy Affects School Performance: Study

Babies who survive meningitis may struggle during their school years, a British study in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood suggests.

Meningitis, an infection of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord, can cause serious disability or death.

Imperial College London researchers compared 461 teen students who survived meningitis as babies with 289 students who never had the disease. The study found that 25 percent of the meningitis survivors failed to pass a single national exam, compared with 6.6 percent of students in the comparison group, BBC News reported.

The researchers also found that about eight percent of meningitis survivors were in special schools. That's about four times the British national average.

"The adverse consequences of infantile meningitis clearly extend into adult life and seriously affect educational achievement," the study authors wrote. "It is essential that all cases of bacterial meningitis occurring during the first year of life are followed up fully so that children who require educational and other support are recognized at an early age."

Health Headlines - March 22

U.S. Hospitalizations Rise for Serious Brain Injuries

After a decade of decline, admissions to American hospitals for the most serious type of head injury -- type 1 traumatic brain injury -- rose nearly 38 percent from 2001 to 2004, says the latest News and Numbers report from the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

The report said:

• In 2004, there were nearly 204,000 hospitalizations for traumatic brain injury at a cost of $3.2 billion. Seven of 10 hospitalizations involved people with type 1 brain injury at a combined cost of $2.7 billion.
• 40 percent of people suffered type 1 injuries due to falls -- such as off ladders, down stairs, or on ice. Other causes included: motor vehicle accidents (26 percent), sports, being hit by a falling object (8 percent), bicycle mishaps and other transportation accidents (4 percent), and shootings (2 percent).
• People age 65 and older accounted for 35 percent of hospitalizations for type 1 injuries, followed by those ages 18 to 44 (31 percent), ages 45 to 64 (19 percent), and children and adolescents (15 percent).
• About 13 percent of people with type 1 injuries died while in the hospital, and nearly 28 percent were transferred to a nursing home or some other kind of rehabilitation facility. Among people with other types of head injuries, 1 percent died while in the hospital and about 8 percent were discharged to a nursing home or rehab facility.

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Brain Injury Can Alter Moral Judgments, Study Says

Damage to a part of the brain thought to generate emotional behavior may change a person's moral judgment, according to new research.

The New York Times reports that the research, published in the March 22 issue of the journal Nature, found that an injury to this section of the brain, called the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, could actually change a person's willingness to harm or kill another person.

The study, done by scientists at the University of Iowa, was a small one, the newspaper reports, and the findings are hypothetical: No one in the study actually altered his or her behavior because of the brain injury.

But, the researchers found, people could dramatically change their behavior and rationalize it when that section of the brain is "offline." For example, those with the brain injury were twice as likely as a control group to justify killing a crying baby if they thought the noise would reveal people who were hiding from enemy soldiers.

"The difference was very clear, for all of the ventromedial patients," the Times quotes study leader Dr. Michael Koenigs as saying.

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Millions of Unused Flu Vaccines to be Destroyed

Millions of doses of unused flu vaccine in the United States will be destroyed after June 30, even though the vaccine is still good and could remain useful for a few more years, the Associated Press reported.

The June 30 expiration date is set by the Food and Drug Administration. The annual destruction of vaccines from the previous flu season clears the way for creation of a new vaccine against strains expected to dominate the next flu season.

"What they don't want to have happen is people inadvertently getting vaccinated with last year's vaccine," which would not be as effective in a new flu season because the prior vaccine targets older flu strains, Dr. Peter Patriarca, a scientist who once led the FDA's flu vaccine division, told the AP.

Some experts argue that having no vaccine during the summer means that American travelers can't get a flu shot before they visit other parts of the world where the flu is in season. It also means no summer vaccinations for children, who need two doses the first time they're vaccinated against the flu.

"All of those issues have come up in the past," but there's great reluctance to change the policy, government vaccine adviser Dr. William Schaffner, of Vanderbilt University, told the AP. "These ideas clearly have merit and at the very least ought to be discussed."

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Report Knocks Chinese Restaurant Food

Many items on a typical Chinese restaurant menu are bad for your waistline and blood pressure, says a new report by the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

Here are some examples cited in the consumer group's report:

• A plate of stir-fried greens has 900 calories and 2,200 milligrams of sodium.
• An order of eggplant in garlic sauce has 1,000 calories and 2,000 milligram of sodium.
• A plate of General Tso's chicken with vegetables has 1,300 calories, 3,200 milligrams of sodium and 11 grams of saturated fat.
• Egg rolls have 200 calories and 400 milligrams of sodium.

The average adult needs about 2,000 calories and 2,300 milligrams of salt per day, the Associated Press reported.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest said not much has changed since it examined Chinese restaurant food in a similar report 15 years ago.

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Babies of Illegal Immigrants in U.S. Will Get Medicaid Coverage

The Bush administration made a sudden policy reversal Tuesday when it announced that infants born to undocumented immigrants with low incomes would automatically qualify for one year of Medicaid coverage, the same as babies born to U.S. citizens, The New York Times reported.

Before the reversal, federal officials had insisted that immigrants document the citizenship of their newborns. That policy was adopted last July.

The White House stance was widely criticized and challenged by opponents who noted that, under the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, people born in the country are United States citizens, The Times reported.

"We have heard the concerns and are taking action to ensure that newborns in similar circumstances are treated the same under Medicaid eligibility rules. We intend to modify the documentation requirements to put all babies born in the United States whose deliveries are covered by Medicaid on an equal footing," said Leslie V. Norwalk, acting administrator of the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid.

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Japanese Doctors Warned Not to Give Teens Tamiflu

The Japanese government has ordered the distributor of Tamiflu to warn doctors against prescribing the anti-flu drug to teens. The move follows several reports of dangerous and deadly behavior in teens taking Tamiflu.

The Health Ministry issued the emergency instructions to distributor Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. on Tuesday. The company started distributing warnings to doctors, pharmacies and hospitals on Wednesday, the Associated Press reported.

Japanese concerns over Tamiflu increased after two separate incidents in February in which a boy and a girl, both 14, fell to their deaths from their condominiums. Both teens were taking Tamiflu at the time of their deaths. There have been a number of reports of unusual behavior, such as hallucinations and delirium, in Japanese teens taking the drug.

Officials at Roche Holding AG, the Swiss manufacturer of Tamiflu, said they didn't understand the Japanese government's reasons for the warning order.

"No causal relationship has been established between Tamiflu and these reports, and we don't see this as an appropriate course of action," Roche spokeswoman Martina Rupp told the AP.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which added a new precaution to the Tamiflu label in November, has said it received more than 100 reports of delirium, hallucinations and other unusual psychiatric behavior, mostly in Japanese children treated with Tamiflu, between Aug. 29, 2005, and July 6, 2006, the AP reported.

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High Blood Sugar Increases Women's Cancer Risk

High blood sugar levels increase a woman's risk of cancer, according to new research out of Swedish.

The 13-year study of 64,500 people by University of Umea researchers found that high blood sugar was associated with an increased risk for cancers of the pancreas, skin, womb and urinary tract in women. High blood sugar was also linked with increased breast cancer risk for women younger than age 49, BBC News reported.

Overall, women with the highest blood sugar levels were 26 percent more likely to develop cancer than those with the lowest blood sugar levels, the study found.

This link between high blood sugar and increased cancer risk was not noted in men.

"The results of this research are concerning," said Dr. Greg Martin, science and research manager for the World Cancer Research Fund UK., which helped fund the study. "However, (the findings) are important because if women are aware of the facts, they are likely to be more motivated to change their lifestyle if their blood sugar levels are too high."

Health Headlines - March 21

Cheney Visits Hospital for Checkup on Leg Clot

U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney visited a Washington, D.C., hospital on Tuesday after complaining of discomfort in his left lower leg, NBC News reported. Two weeks ago, doctors diagnosed a deep venous thrombosis (DVT) blood clot in that leg and put the vice president on a blood-thinning medication.

According to a statement from Cheney's office, he felt discomfort in the leg Tuesday morning and contacted his physicians. They advised him to return to George Washington University Medical Faculty Associates for "repeat ultrasound imaging" of the DVT.

That imaging has revealed no extension or complications of the clot, and the blood thinner seems to be working, NBC reported. Doctors have advised Cheney to stay on the anticoagulant for several months.

"These results are expected and reassuring and the current course of treatment will continue," the statement read. "The Vice President has returned to the White House to resume his schedule," it added.

DVTs are blood clots that typically form in the legs. They become especially dangerous if they break off and travel to the lungs, triggering a condition called pulmonary embolism.

The leg clots have been associated with prolonged immobility, such as happens on long-haul flights. Prior to his diagnosis, Cheney had just completed a nine-day round-the-world tour involving more than 65 hours on a plane, NBC noted.

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Most Seniors Satisfied with Medicare Advantage: Survey

About 75 percent of doctors believe that seniors will be harmed if the U.S. Congress cuts the Medicare advantage program and 35 percent of seniors -- including 62 percent of those with low incomes -- said they'd forego some healthcare treatments they currently receive if they no longer have the option of choosing a Medicare health plan, according to two surveys released Tuesday by America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP).

The surveys of Medicare beneficiaries and doctors highlight the importance of Medicare health plans to seniors, said Karen Ignagni, president and CEO of AHIP.

"Seniors and their physicians agree that Medicare Advantage is a vital health coverage option. As members of Congress engage in budget discussions, they will be hearing from their low-income and minority constituents who count on the essential benefits and lower out-of-pocket costs Medicare health plans provide," Ignagni said in a prepared statement.

Other findings from the surveys:

• 42 percent of seniors believe they would pay higher out-of-pocket costs if the option of choosing a Medicare Advantage plan was taken away.
• 60 percent of seniors said lower costs or better benefits were the reason they joined a Medicare Advantage plan.
• 90 percent of beneficiaries said they're satisfied with their Medicare Advantage coverage overall, up from 84 percent in 2003.
• By a two-to-one margin, doctors said that Medicare Part D has helped seniors get the prescription drugs they need.

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Hodgkin's Survivors Face Increased Risk of Second Cancer Later in Life

Survivors of Hodgkin's lymphoma have a greatly increased risk of developing a second cancer later in life and need to get screened for certain kinds of cancer at an earlier age than other people, concludes a study published online Monday in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Hodgkin's, a cancer that attacks the lymph system and mainly strikes young adults, has a high survival rate. But researchers said the radiation used to treat Hodgkin's can cause new cancers later in life, the Toronto Star reported.

The study tracked more than 18,000 Hodgkin's survivors in Europe and North America and found that survivors in their mid-30s have the same risk level for colorectal cancer as an average 50-year-old.

The increased risk for a second cancer (most likely breast cancer) is especially evident in young women, the study found.

"Women who are diagnosed (with Hodgkin's) at age 20 have a 25 percent chance of getting a second cancer compared to under five percent for the general population," study lead author Dr. David Hodgson, an oncologist at Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto, Canada, told the Star.

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Administrative Costs Make Up a Third of U.S. Health Care Spending

Administration expenses consume nearly one of every three dollars spent on health care in the United States, but most consumers (76 percent) think that administrative costs should account for just 10 percent of health care spending, according to a national survey of 200 hospital and insurance company executives and 1,000 consumers.

Seventy-nine percent of consumer respondents also said they would like to see an itemization of the portion of their health care bills that goes to administration costs associated with health care claims and billing.

The poll was commissioned by The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.

"While it is possible that consumers do not fully appreciate the cost and complexity of health care administration, hospital and health plan executives identified significant inefficiencies in the business office, describing a medical claims, billing and payment process that is error-prone, redundant and costly," Paula Fryland, executive vice president and manager of PNC's national health care group, said in a prepared statement.

Among the other survey findings:

• Hospital executives said that, on average, 20 percent of submitted claims are delayed or denied and 96 percent of all claims must be submitted more than once.
• Hospitals that don't use electronic billing or claims submission processes reported that, on average, they resubmit a claim 11 times or more. That's nearly four times more often than hospitals that use electronic processes.
• Nearly 25 percent of consumers reported that they'd had a legitimate claim denied by their health plan, and one in five paid the claim out of their own pocket.

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Scientists Develop Malaria Parasite-Resistant Mosquitoes

Genetically-modified mosquitoes that are resistant to the malaria parasite have been developed by American scientists, an achievement that may one day help stop the spread of the deadly disease among humans, Agence France Presse reported.

People contract malaria after being bitten by infected mosquitoes.

The Johns Hopkins University scientists found that the genetically-engineered mosquitoes outbred natural mosquitoes when both were fed malaria-infected blood from mice, says a study published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

That suggests that it may be possible to introduce the genetically-altered mosquitoes into the wild, where they will push aside natural mosquitoes, AFP reported.

More research is required before this may occur, the scientists noted.

Between 350 million to 500 million people worldwide are infected with malaria each year and 700,000 to 2.7 million die, according to the World Health Organization.

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Duct Tape Won't Treat Warts: Study

Duct tape has many uses, but the claim that it's a cheap, effective treatment for warts is challenged by a new U.S. study in the March issue of the journal Archives of Dermatology.

A small study in 2002 suggested that duct tape helped treat warts on children and young adults. The theory is that the tape irritates the skin and prompts the immune system to attack the virus that causes warts, the Associated Press reported.

But this new study found that warts disappeared in 21 percent of 39 patients who used duct tape for seven days, compared to 22 percent of 41 patients who used moleskin, a cotton-type bandage used to protect the skin.

This new study used transparent duct tape, while the 2002 study used the better-known gray duct tape. Grey duct tape contains rubber while transparent duct tape does not, the AP reported.

"Whether or not the standard type of duct type is effective is up in the air," said study co-author Dr. Rachel Wenner of the University of Minnesota. "Theoretically, the rubber adhesive could somehow stimulate the immune system or irritate the skin in a different manner."

Health Headlines - March 20

Funding Woes Undermine U.S. Biomedical Research: Report

Scientific and medical progress in the United States is being threatened by stagnated funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), says a report released Monday by nine leading American universities.

A lack of adequate funding has halted promising research and threatens the future of young scientists trying to establish careers in academic research. If the problem is not resolved, the United States could fall behind a number of countries in terms of biomedical research, the report warned.

"When scientists have to spend most of their time trying to get funded, caution wins out over cutting-edge ideas, creativity sacrifices to convention, and scientific progress gives way to meetings and grant applications," contributing author Dr. Robert Siliciano, an infectious disease expert at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, said in a prepared statement.

"Right now, very, very productive scientists are doing too little research. Instead, they are spending their time trying to get their labs funded again," Siliciano said.

The NIH budget has been virtually frozen since 2003 and has actually shrunk between 8 and 13 percent after inflation is factored in, the report said. Certain NIH institutes, such as the National Cancer Institute, can fund only 11 percent of research project grant applications. Many of the rejected applications are of exceptional quality, the report said.

Due to the funding problems, a number of scientists are leaving the United States for countries in Europe and Asia that are investing in biomedical science research, according to the report.

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Vitamin C May Reduce Oral Cancer Risk in Men

High levels of vitamin C from food may help lower men's risk of oral cancer, says a Harvard School of Public Health-led study in the March issue of the International Journal of Cancer.

Researchers tracked 42,340 male health professionals from 1986 to 2002 and found that those with the highest intake of vitamin C from food were 52 percent less likely to develop oral premalignant lesions than those with the lowest intake, CBC News reported.

However, the study found that vitamin C from supplements did not reduce the risk of oral premalignant lesions.

The researchers said that other parts of the foods, or the interactions between foods in the diet, may explain why vitamin C from foods cut the risk while vitamin C from supplements did not, CBC News reported.

The study also found that vitamin E and beta carotene increased the risk for lesions in smokers, a finding that should be the subject of further research, the study authors said.

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Common Painkillers, Antibiotics Leading Causes of Drug Problems

Aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen and a number of common antibiotics are among the top 10 drugs that cause bad reactions and other adverse drug events, according to a new report released Monday.

The report, compiled by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, also found that taking incorrect doses, taking herbal products that interfere with prescription medications, and getting confused about drug names are the most common kinds of problems that lead to adverse drug events.

"Patients need to be more involved in the medicines they're taking," Matthew Grissinger, medication safety analyst at the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, said in a prepared statement. "Before leaving the doctor's office with a prescription, patients should know what the medicine is, why they are taking it and what the prescription says" so they can double-check the prescription at the pharmacy.

The report said the top 10 drugs most commonly implicated in adverse drug events treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments are: Insulin; anticoagulants; the antibiotic amoxicillin; aspirin; the antibiotic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole; the generic pain drug hydrocodone/APAP; ibuprofen; acetaminophen; the antibiotic cephalexin; and penicillin.

Some of the most common adverse drug events involve alternative medicines, according to the report, released at the annual meeting of the American Pharmacists Association, in Atlanta.

"People think herbal medications are safe because they don't require prescriptions," Grissinger noted. "They don't realize that using alternative medications increase the risk of adverse drug events because they can cause life-threatening interactions with prescription drugs."

People need to tell their doctors about any alternative medicines they are taking, Grissinger said.

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Drug-Interaction Risk Prompts Recall of Rhino Max Products

Cosmos Trading Inc. of Los Angeles is recalling the supplement product Rhino Max (Rhino V Max) sold in five-tablet and 15-tablet boxes, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said.

The results of FDA lab analyses found that the product contains aminotadalafil, an analogue of Tadalafil, an FDA-approved drug to treat erectile dysfunction. The presence of aminotadalafil poses a threat to consumers because it may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs (such as nitroglycerin) and may lower blood pressure to dangerous levels.

People with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or heart disease often take drugs that contain nitrates, the FDA said.

Anyone who has Rhino Max (Rhino V Max) should immediately stop using it and contact their doctor if they've experienced any problems that may be related to the product. Any unused Rhino Max (Rhino V Max) should be returned to the place of purchase for a refund, Cosmos Trading said.

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Indonesia Confirms 4th Bird Flu Outbreak This Year

The fourth outbreak this year of the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus in Thailand was confirmed Monday by the government.

The virus was detected in chickens on a farm in the northeastern province of Mukdahan, Agence France Presse reported.

The outbreak was discovered about two weeks ago and laboratory tests confirmed Sunday that it was caused by the H5N1 virus, a government official said. All chickens, turkeys and ducks on the farm were destroyed, as well as about 30 domestic birds on a nearby farm, AFP reported.

So far, the H5N1 bird flu virus has killed 169 people worldwide. Most of the victims were in Southeast Asia, including 65 in Indonesia. Experts fear that H5N1 could mutate into a form that's easily transmitted between humans and cause a global pandemic.

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60 Million Units of Pet Food Recalled After Kidney Failure Reports

A Canadian manufacturer of pet foods marketed under a number of popular brand names in North America is recalling 60 million containers of its "wet" cat and dog food because of unexplained kidney failure and some reported deaths.

The Associated Press reported that Menu Foods, headquartered in Streetsville, Ontario, has announced the recall of 37 cat food brands and 46 dog food brands, some of which are high end and others that are sold in giant retailers such as Wal-Mart and Krogers.

The wire service quoted company spokeswoman Sarah Tuite as saying the problem may have occurred when Menu changed suppliers of wheat gluten, a protein used in pet food preparation. An undisclosed number of kidney failures have been reported, and at least 10 deaths have also been confirmed, the company said.

Procter and Gamble, which markets the high-end Iams and Eukanuba brands made by Menu Foods, already announced its own recall Saturday. According to the AP, specific 3 oz., 5.5 oz., 6 oz. and 13.2 oz. canned and 3 oz. and 5.3 oz. foil pouch cat and dog wet food with products made by Menu Foods but sold under the Iams and Eukanuba brands with the code dates of 6339 through 7073 followed by the plant code 4197, have been pulled off store shelves nationwide.

Menu Foods has recall information on its Web site: www.menufoods.com/recall. And it also has a phone number for consumer questions: 866-895-2708. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Saturday announced it was going to join in the investigation. Its Web site for consumers to report any bad reactions from their pets is: http://www.fda.gov/opacom/backgrounders/complain.html

Health Headlines - March 19

60 Million Units of Pet Food Recalled After Unexplained Kidney Failure Reports

A Canadian manufacturer of pet foods marketed under a number of popular brand names in North America is recalling 60 million containers of its "wet" cat and dog food because of unexplained kidney failure and some reported deaths.

The Associated Press reports that Menu Foods, headquartered in Streetsville, Ontario, has announced the recall of 37 cat food brands and 46 dog food brands, some of which are high end and others that are sold in giant retailers such as Wal-Mart and Krogers.

The wire service quotes company spokeswoman Sarah Tuite as saying the problem may have occurred when Menu changed suppliers of wheat gluten, a protein used in pet food preparation. An undisclosed number of kidney failures have been reported, and at least 10 deaths have also been confirmed, the company says.

Procter and Gamble, which markets the high-end the Iams and Eukanuba brands made by Menu Foods, already announced its own recall Saturday. According to the A.P., specific 3 oz., 5.5 oz., 6 oz. and 13.2 oz. canned and 3 oz. and 5.3 oz. foil pouch cat and dog wet food with products made by Menu Foods but sold under the Iams and Eukanuba with the code dates of 6339 through 7073 followed by the plant code 4197, have been pulled off store shelves nationwide.

Menu Foods has recall information on its Web site: http://www.menufoods.com/recall. And it also has a phone number for consumer questions: 866-895-2708. And the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Saturday announced it was going to join in the investigation. Its Web site for consumers to report any bad reactions from their pets is http://www.fda.gov/opacom/backgrounders/complain.html

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Simultaneous Surgery for Colon, Liver Cancer Has Benefits, Study Says

A single surgery to remove malignant tumors from both the colon and liver is a better choice in some cases than separate operations, new research has found.

Scientists from the Duke University Medical Center reported to the annual meeting of the Society of Surgical Oncology in Washington, D.C. that in about a third of the cases in which cancer is found in the colon, it has already spread to the liver. In some of these cases, when only a small amount of the liver has to be removed, they say, it is better to perform both surgeries at the same time.

"The standard approach for these patients has been to remove the colorectal cancer and give them chemotherapy afterwards, waiting to remove liver tumors later if patients do not appear to be developing disease elsewhere in the body, " said senior investigator Dr. Bryan Clary in a Duke University news release. "These findings suggest there might be an alternative that is as safe and may even lead to better outcomes."

The chance of the liver surviving is better by simultaneous surgery, the scientists concluded, because it may spare the organ the toxic effects of chemotherapy. About 25,000 patients with colorectal and liver tumors could be eligible for the simultaneous surgery annually, Clary said.

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Certain Fruit Juices Shown to Have Strong Antioxidant Qualities

The benefits of specific types of fruit juice to fight against disease have been documented in a number of medical studies. Now, BBC News reports that a team of scientists from Glasgow University have identified purple grape, cranberry and apple juice as those that contain the most antioxidants to fight disease such as Alzheimer's, cancer and heart disease.

The specific chemicals are called polyphenols, and they have the strongest antioxidant properties that fight the substances called free radicals, which are believed to damage cells and precipitate a number of harmful conditions in the body.

According to BBC News, the Glasgow researchers showed purple grape juice made with Concord grapes to have the best range of polyphenols with the highest antioxidant capacity. These were equal to those found in Beaujolais red wine, shown by previous studies that, when used in moderation, was an effective deterrent to free radical buildup in the body.

The BBC quotes Alan Crozier, Professor of Plant Biochemistry and Human Nutrition at Glasgow University, as saying, "Supplementing a healthy diet with a regular intake of a variety of fruit juices such as purple grape juice, grapefruit juice, cloudy apple juice and cranberry juice, will, without major dietary changes, increase the consumer's intake of phenolic antioxidants. "

The study will appear in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry.

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Railroad Gets Favorable Ruling Birth Control Pill Insurance Case

What isn't for the gander isn't for the goose, a federal appeals court has ruled in a lawsuit involving the Union Pacific Railroad and its deliberations as to whether it would deny paying for birth control pills as part of its health insurance benefits.

The New York Times reports that the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit has ruled 2-to-1 that because Union Pacific Railroad didn't offer health insurance coverage for any other type of contraception, it would not be in violation of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act if it were to deny female employees insurance reimbursement for prescription birth control pills.

"Union Pacific's health plans do not cover any contraception used by women such as birth control, sponges, diaphragms, intrauterine devices or tubal ligations or any contraception used by men such as condoms and vasectomies," the Times quotes the opinion"s language. "Therefore, the coverage provided to women is not less favorable than that provided to men."

The class action lawsuit had been initiated because the railroad had been considering removing insurance coverage for birth control pills, which it now offers. Although it now has a favorable ruling, a Union Pacific spokesperson told the Times there were no immediate plans to remove reimbursement. for prescription birth control pills. "We're not going to take it away," Mark Davis, said.

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FDA Approves Drug for Rare Blood Disorder

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday that it's approved a first-of-its-kind drug to treat a rare blood disorder called paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), which can cause disability and premature death.

The newly approved drug, Soliris (eculizumab), is a new molecular entity that contains an ingredient not previously marketed in the United States.

"This product is important in that it offers a treatment other than blood transfusion that may help this small population of patients who are often very ill," Dr. Steven Galson, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a prepared statement.

Soliris does not cure PNH, but treats the breakdown of red blood cells, the most common characteristic of the disease. Patients with PNH can suffer pain, fatigue, debilitating weakness, blood clots and strokes, heart disease and intestinal disease.

The FDA approval of the drug was partly based on a study of 87 patients that found that half showed stabilization of blood hemoglobin over 26 weeks. The study was conducted by the maker of Soliris, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. of Cheshire, Ct.

Studies showed that serious meningococcal infection was a risk for patients taking Soliris, so the FDA ordered a boxed warning on the drug's labeling and said that all patients must receive meningococcal vaccination prior to being given Soliris.

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Indonesia Reports Another Bird Flu Victim

A 32-year-old man is the latest victim of bird flu in Indonesia, bringing that country's death toll to 65, the highest in the world, Agence France Presse reported.

The man died Wednesday in a Jakarta hospital. While officials said it's not clear how he was infected, they said he did keep a parrot at home. Most bird flu victims have had contact with sick or infected birds. The health ministry said there are no reports of other people with influenza-like illness in the man's neighborhood.

Also on Friday, the Southeast Asian nation of Laos announced its second human death from bird flu. The disease was confirmed in a woman who died earlier this month, AFP reported.

So far, the H5N1 bird flu virus has killed 169 people worldwide. Most of the victims were in Southeast Asia. Experts fear that H5N1 could mutate into a form that's easily transmitted between humans and cause a global pandemic.

Health Headlines - March 18

60 Million Units of Pet Food Recalled After Unexplained Kidney Failure Reports

A Canadian manufacturer of pet foods marketed under a number of popular brand names in North America is recalling 60 million containers of its "wet" cat and dog food because of unexplained kidney failure and some reported deaths.

The Associated Press reports that Menu Foods, headquartered in Streetsville, Ontario, has announced the recall of 37 cat food brands and 46 dog food brands, some of which are high end and others that are sold in giant retailers such as Wal-Mart and Krogers.

The wire service quotes company spokeswoman Sarah Tuite as saying the problem may have occurred when Menu changed suppliers of wheat gluten, a protein used in pet food preparation. An undisclosed number of kidney failures have been reported, and at least 10 deaths have also been confirmed, the company says.

Procter and Gamble, which markets the high-end the Iams and Eukanuba brands made by Menu Foods, already announced its own recall Saturday. According to the A.P., specific 3 oz., 5.5 oz., 6 oz. and 13.2 oz. canned and 3 oz. and 5.3 oz. foil pouch cat and dog wet food with products made by Menu Foods but sold under the Iams and Eukanuba with the code dates of 6339 through 7073 followed by the plant code 4197, have been pulled off store shelves nationwide.

Menu Foods has recall information on its Web site: http://www.menufoods.com/recall. And it also has a phone number for consumer questions: 866-895-2708.

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Railroad Gets Favorable Ruling Birth Control Pill Insurance Case

What isn't for the gander isn't for the goose, a federal appeals court has ruled in a lawsuit involving the Union Pacific Railroad and its deliberations as to whether it would deny paying for birth control pills as part of its health insurance benefits.

The New York Times reports that the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit has ruled 2-to-1 that because Union Pacific Railroad didn't offer health insurance coverage for any other type of contraception, it would not be in violation of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act if it were to deny female employees insurance reimbursement for prescription birth control pills.

"Union Pacific's health plans do not cover any contraception used by women such as birth control, sponges, diaphragms, intrauterine devices or tubal ligations or any contraception used by men such as condoms and vasectomies," the Times quotes the opinion"s language. "Therefore, the coverage provided to women is not less favorable than that provided to men."

The class action lawsuit had been initiated because the railroad had been considering removing insurance coverage for birth control pills, which it now offers. Although it now has a favorable ruling, a Union Pacific spokesperson told the Times there were no immediate plans to remove reimbursement. for prescription birth control pills. "We're not going to take it away," Mark Davis, said.

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FDA Approves Drug for Rare Blood Disorder

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday that it's approved a first-of-its-kind drug to treat a rare blood disorder called paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), which can cause disability and premature death.

The newly approved drug, Soliris (eculizumab), is a new molecular entity that contains an ingredient not previously marketed in the United States.

"This product is important in that it offers a treatment other than blood transfusion that may help this small population of patients who are often very ill," Dr. Steven Galson, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a prepared statement.

Soliris does not cure PNH, but treats the breakdown of red blood cells, the most common characteristic of the disease. Patients with PNH can suffer pain, fatigue, debilitating weakness, blood clots and strokes, heart disease and intestinal disease.

The FDA approval of the drug was partly based on a study of 87 patients that found that half showed stabilization of blood hemoglobin over 26 weeks. The study was conducted by the maker of Soliris, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. of Cheshire, Ct.

Studies showed that serious meningococcal infection was a risk for patients taking Soliris, so the FDA ordered a boxed warning on the drug's labeling and said that all patients must receive meningococcal vaccination prior to being given Soliris.

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Indonesia Reports Another Bird Flu Victim

A 32-year-old man is the latest victim of bird flu in Indonesia, bringing that country's death toll to 65, the highest in the world, Agence France Presse reported.

The man died Wednesday in a Jakarta hospital. While officials said it's not clear how he was infected, they said he did keep a parrot at home. Most bird flu victims have had contact with sick or infected birds. The health ministry said there are no reports of other people with influenza-like illness in the man's neighborhood.

Also on Friday, the Southeast Asian nation of Laos announced its second human death from bird flu. The disease was confirmed in a woman who died earlier this month, AFP reported.

So far, the H5N1 bird flu virus has killed 169 people worldwide. Most of the victims were in Southeast Asia. Experts fear that H5N1 could mutate into a form that's easily transmitted between humans and cause a global pandemic.

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FDA Mulls Status of Copycat Biotech Drugs

The status of copycat versions of expensive biotech drugs in the United States may be placed below that of generic versions of chemical drugs, FDA chief Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach told drug industry executives Thursday.

He said the copycats would be considered only "similar" to brand-name biotech drugs and that the copycat versions would not be interchangeable, or able to be substituted, with the brand name versions, the Associated Press reported.

In contrast, generic versions of traditional chemical drugs are identical to the brand name versions, which means they can be swapped or substituted for one another.

Biotech drugs, which are made from proteins taken from living cells, are generally more complex and expensive than chemical drugs, the AP reported. The FDA says it still lacks the legal and scientific frameworks to approve copycat biotech drugs.

"We recognize that the end point would be what could be best described as similarity. Similarity in the sense that when a doctor gives you the product ... it will achieve an effect that is similar to the effect that we expected from the innovative ... compound," von Eschenbach said at the annual meeting of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America.

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Rep. Patrick Kennedy Reveals Addiction to Painkiller OxyContin

Months before he crashed his car outside the U.S. Capitol last year, Rep. Patrick Kennedy sought treatment for an addiction to the painkiller OxyContin, the Rhode Island Democrat told NBC-TV's Today show on Friday.

After the crash, Kennedy checked into the Mayo Clinic in May 2006. At that time, he said he had already been at the clinic the previous Christmas for treatment of an addiction to a pain medication. He did not specify OxyContin as the cause of the addiction, the Associated Press reported.

On the Today show, Kennedy said he felt great in his recovery and said he was determined not to let addiction "take its toll on me ever again."

He spent a month at the Mayo clinic after the crash. After his rehab, Kennedy pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of prescription drugs. He's currently promoting legislation that would require equal health insurance coverage for mental and physical illnesses, the AP reported.

Health Headlines - March 17

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

FDA Approves Drug for Rare Blood Disorder

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday that it's approved a first-of-its-kind drug to treat a rare blood disorder called paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), which can cause disability and premature death.

The newly approved drug, Soliris (eculizumab), is a new molecular entity that contains an ingredient not previously marketed in the United States.

"This product is important in that it offers a treatment other than blood transfusion that may help this small population of patients who are often very ill," Dr. Steven Galson, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a prepared statement.

Soliris does not cure PNH, but treats the breakdown of red blood cells, the most common characteristic of the disease. Patients with PNH can suffer pain, fatigue, debilitating weakness, blood clots and strokes, heart disease and intestinal disease.

The FDA approval of the drug was partly based on a study of 87 patients that found that half showed stabilization of blood hemoglobin over 26 weeks. The study was conducted by the maker of Soliris, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. of Cheshire, Ct.

Studies showed that serious meningococcal infection was a risk for patients taking Soliris, so the FDA ordered a boxed warning on the drug's labeling and said that all patients must receive meningococcal vaccination prior to being given Soliris.

-----

Indonesia Reports Another Bird Flu Victim

A 32-year-old man is the latest victim of bird flu in Indonesia, bringing that country's death toll to 65, the highest in the world, Agence France Presse reported.

The man died Wednesday in a Jakarta hospital. While officials said it's not clear how he was infected, they said he did keep a parrot at home. Most bird flu victims have had contact with sick or infected birds. The health ministry said there are no reports of other people with influenza-like illness in the man's neighborhood.

Also on Friday, the Southeast Asian nation of Laos announced its second human death from bird flu. The disease was confirmed in a woman who died earlier this month, AFP reported.

So far, the H5N1 bird flu virus has killed 169 people worldwide. Most of the victims were in Southeast Asia. Experts fear that H5N1 could mutate into a form that's easily transmitted between humans and cause a global pandemic.

-----

FDA Mulls Status of Copycat Biotech Drugs

The status of copycat versions of expensive biotech drugs in the United States may be placed below that of generic versions of chemical drugs, FDA chief Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach told drug industry executives Thursday.

He said the copycats would be considered only "similar" to brand-name biotech drugs and that the copycat versions would not be interchangeable, or able to be substituted, with the brand name versions, the Associated Press reported.

In contrast, generic versions of traditional chemical drugs are identical to the brand name versions, which means they can be swapped or substituted for one another.

Biotech drugs, which are made from proteins taken from living cells, are generally more complex and expensive than chemical drugs, the AP reported. The FDA says it still lacks the legal and scientific frameworks to approve copycat biotech drugs.

"We recognize that the end point would be what could be best described as similarity. Similarity in the sense that when a doctor gives you the product ... it will achieve an effect that is similar to the effect that we expected from the innovative ... compound," von Eschenbach said at the annual meeting of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America.

-----

Rep. Patrick Kennedy Reveals Addiction to Painkiller OxyContin

Months before he crashed his car outside the U.S. Capitol last year, Rep. Patrick Kennedy sought treatment for an addiction to the painkiller OxyContin, the Rhode Island Democrat told NBC-TV's Today show on Friday.

After the crash, Kennedy checked into the Mayo Clinic in May 2006. At that time, he said he had already been at the clinic the previous Christmas for treatment of an addiction to a pain medication. He did not specify OxyContin as the cause of the addiction, the Associated Press reported.

On the Today show, Kennedy said he felt great in his recovery and said he was determined not to let addiction "take its toll on me ever again."

He spent a month at the Mayo clinic after the crash. After his rehab, Kennedy pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of prescription drugs. He's currently promoting legislation that would require equal health insurance coverage for mental and physical illnesses, the AP reported.

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Hundreds of NYC Patients May Have Been Exposed to TB

Hundreds of babies and adults in New York City may have been exposed to tuberculosis by an infected hospital worker who was diagnosed with active TB on Jan. 30, said city health officials.

The infected employee worked at St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx and the city's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has identified about 700 patients and other people, including 238 infants, who may have been exposed to TB, the Associated Press reported.

So far, 571 of those people or their relatives have been contacted by phone and mail. Of the 122 adults and 138 infants checked so far, three adults have tested positive for TB exposure, but no one has developed active TB, St. Barnabas Hospital officials said.

The infected hospital employee worked in the maternity ward, neonatal intensive care unit, the well-baby nursery and the psychiatric ward, the AP reported.

The fact that so many newborns may have been exposed to TB is especially worrisome, city health officials said.

"Because their immune systems are not fully developed, newborns who are exposed to TB are at high risk of developing active TB," Dr. Sonal Munsiff, assistant commissioner for TB control in the city's health department, told the AP.

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High Zinc Levels in Eyes Linked to AMD

A U.K. study finds that elevated levels of zinc in the eyes may play a role in the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness among elderly people in the developed world, BBC News reported.

The study, led by London's Institute of Ophthalmology, found that the eyes of people with AMD have high levels of zinc in drusen, microscopic structures in the eye that are an early sign of AMD.

"Zinc had previously been shown to contribute to the formation of plaques in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease, so it was logical for us to test the idea that zinc might also contribute to the formation of plaque-like drusen in the eye as well," said researcher Dr. Imre Lengyel.

"AMD can be considered as the Alzheimer's disease of the eye, in that both involve the build-up of proteins and metals like zinc and copper into microscopic clumps," Lengyel said.

The study, published in the journal Experimental Eye Research, could help in efforts to find new treatments for AMD, BBC News reported.

Health Headlines - March 16

1.1 Million U.S. Youth Get High on Inhalants: Report

In 2005, about 1.1 million American adolescents (ages 12 to 17) used common household inhalants to get high -- a dangerous and potentially deadly activity, according to a report released Thursday by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

The inhalants used to get high include glue, aerosol air fresheners, hair sprays, nail polish, paint solvents, shoe polish, degreasers, gasoline and lighter fluids.

Almost five percent of adolescent girls used inhalants to get high in 2005, an increase from 4.1 percent in 2002, the report found. About 4.2 percent of adolescent males used inhalants in 2005, about the same percentage as in 2002.

About 605,000 young people (337,000 girls and 268,000 boys) started using inhalants in 2005. That's an increase from 2002, when 591,000 adolescents (285,000 girls and 306,000 boys) started using inhalants to get high.

"We are urging parents to talk to their children about inhalants and take notice when suddenly their children have bad breath, face rash, and stained clothing," Dr. H. Westley Clark, director of SAMHSA's Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, said in a prepared statement.

Misuse of inhalants can cause numerous health problems -- such as brain damage, organ failure, cardiac arrest, convulsions, deafness, impaired vision -- and death.

The report was released at a press conference to mark the 15th National Inhalants and Poisons Awareness Week, March 18 to 25.

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Sense of Humor May Mean Longer Life

Adults who can laugh at life's ups and downs may live longer than those who have trouble cracking a smile, concludes a Norwegian study of about 54,000 people tracked for seven years.

At the start of the study, participants filled out questionnaires on how easily they found humor in everyday life and how important they felt it was to have a humorous perspective, USA Today reported.

People who scored in the highest 25 percent of humor appreciation were 35 percent more likely to be alive at the end of seven years than those in the bottom quarter, the study found.

The survival advantage of having a humorous outlook was especially noticeable in a subgroup of 2,015 cancer patients. Those with a healthy sense of humor were about 70 percent less likely to die than those with a weak sense of humor, USA Today reported.

The study was presented at a meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society.

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Frequent Binge Drinking Increasing Among U.S. College Students

Rates of frequent binge drinking and prescription drug abuse among U.S. college students are on the rise, along with consequences such as risky sexual behavior and arrests, a new report says.

The report, based largely on previously released research, found that the number of college students who drink (68 percent) or binge drink (40 percent) hasn't changed much since 1993, the Associated Press reported.

However, there have been major increases in the number of students who binge drink frequently (five drinks at a sitting, three or more times in two weeks); drink 10 or more times a month; and who get drunk three or more times a month, the report said.

It also found that since the early 1990s, hundreds of thousands more college students are abusing prescription drugs such as OxyContin, Ritalin and Adderall, and rates of daily marijuana use have more than doubled, to about four percent, the AP reported.

Based on an analysis of data, the report authors calculated that 23 percent of college students meet the medical criteria for substance abuse or dependence. That's about triple the rate in the general population.

The report was released by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University.

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Hormone Shrinks Lung Tumors

A hormone called angiotensin-(1-7) -- which regulates blood pressure -- shrinks lung tumors in mice, says a U.S. study in the journal Cancer Research.

Scientists at Wake Forest University School of Medicine injected mice with human cancer cells and found that those treated with angiotensin-(1-7) had their tumors shrink by about 30 percent during the 28-day experiment. In mice that received a saline solution, tumors more than doubled in size, Agence France Presse reported.

It's believed that the hormone reduces levels of an enzyme called COX-2, which is found at elevated levels in 70 percent to 90 percent of malignant lung tumors, the researchers said. COX-2 stimulates cell growth.

A small trial to test angiotensin-(1-7) in people with lung cancer is scheduled to begin next month at the university's Comprehensive Cancer Center, AFP reported.

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Poor Sex Lives Linked to Decline in Japan's Birth Rate

Stress from busy working lives may be one reason why many people in Japan have dismal sex lives, which is causing the country's birth rate to plunge, says a survey released this week by the Japan Family Planning Association.

The November 2006 survey of 636 men and 773 women, ages 16 to 49, found that 39.7 percent had not had sex for more than a month. That's an increase of five percentage points from a similar survey done two years ago, the Associated Press reported.

Among married couples, 34.6 percent said they hadn't had sex in more than a month.

The survey findings come at a time when there's great worry over Japan's birthrate, which hit a record low in 2005 of 1.26 births in an average woman's lifetime, the AP reported.

"The situation is dismal. My research shows that if you don't have sex for a month, you probably won't for a year," said Dr. Kunio Kitamura, director of the Japan Family Planning Association.

Busy working lives may be one reason for the lack of sex, he said. Another factor may be a loss of physical communication skills in a society that's increasingly Web-based, the AP reported.

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About a Third of U.S. Children Live With Smokers

About a third of American children age 18 or younger live with an adult smoker and are at increased risk for respiratory and other health problems, says the latest News and Numbers report released Wednesday by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

The report, which looked at 2004 data, found that:

• White children (34 percent) and black children (31 percent) were more likely than Hispanic children (24 percent) to live with an adult smoker.
• Children in lower-income homes were nearly twice as likely to live with an adult who smokes than children in higher-income homes -- 40 percent vs. 22 percent.
• Adult education levels affected children's risk of living with a smoker. About 40 percent of children in homes in which no adult had 13 or more years of education were exposed to secondhand smoke, compared with 25 percent of children in homes with an adult who had 13 or more years of education.
• About 36 percent of children in the Midwest and 33 percent of children in the South lived with at least one adult smoker, compared with 28 percent of children in the Northeast and 25 percent of children in the West.
• Children with asthma were as likely as children without asthma to live in homes with smokers.

Health Headlines - March 15

About a Third of U.S. Children Live with Smokers

About a third of American children age 18 or younger live with an adult smoker and are at increased risk for respiratory and other health problems, says the latest News and Numbers report released Wednesday by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

The report, which looked at 2004 data, found that:

• White children (34 percent) and black children (31 percent) were more likely than Hispanic children (24 percent) to live with an adult smoker.
• Children in lower-income homes were nearly twice as likely to live with an adult who smokes than children in higher-income homes -- 40 percent vs. 22 percent.
• Adult education levels affected children's risk of living with a smoker. About 40 percent of children in homes in which no adult had 13 or more years of education were exposed to secondhand smoke, compared with 25 percent of children in homes with an adult who had 13 or more years of education.
• About 36 percent of children in the Midwest and 33 percent of children in the South lived with at least one adult smoker, compared with 28 percent of children in the Northeast and 25 percent of children in the West.
• Children with asthma were as likely as children without asthma to live in homes with smokers.

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FDA Releases Flu Pandemic Preparedness Plan

A pandemic influenza preparedness strategic plan released Wednesday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration outlines steps that have been taken and additional measures the agency is taking to protect public health if there is a pandemic.

The plan coordinates with, and complements, plans developed by other national agencies. The FDA Task Force on Pandemic Influenza Preparedness was established in November 2005.

Its assigned goals were to:

• Develop a comprehensive action plan to accelerate the development, production, and regulatory review of vaccines, antiviral drugs, diagnostics, personal protective equipment and other devices to be used to fight a pandemic.
• Develop a comprehensive food and feed security strategy.
• Protect the safety and security of regulated medical products.
• Enhance emergency preparedness and response capabilities.
• Take action to halt production, shipment, trade, and use of fraudulent or counterfeit products.

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Texas Lawmakers Overturn Governor's HPV Vaccine Order

The Texas House of Representatives on Wednesday voted 118 to 23 to overturn Governor Rick Perry's executive order that all sixth-grade girls receive a vaccine against the human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes cervical cancer.

In the Texas Senate, a similar bill sponsored by half the members is still under consideration by a committee, Bloomberg news reported.

The Governor's order made Texas the first state to mandate the Gardasil vaccine to protect girls and young women against HPV, the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States.

On March 11, New Mexico's House of Representatives passed a bill mandating the vaccine and it's expected that Governor Bill Richardson will sign it into law by the end of the week, Bloomberg reported. In Virginia, Governor Tim Kaine said he plans to sign a similar bill.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration last year approved Gardasil for use in girls and women ages 9 to 26.

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Exercise Cuts Nicotine Cravings

As little as five minutes of moderate exercise, such as walking, can significantly reduce smokers' nicotine cravings and may help them quit smoking, says a British study in the journal Addiction.

The authors of this study reviewed the findings of 12 previous papers that examined the association between exercise and nicotine cravings, the Associated Press reported.

"If we found that same (strong) effects in a drug, it would immediately be sold as an aid to help people quit smoking," said lead author Dr. Adrian Taylor, a professor of exercise and health psychology at the University of Exeter.

While nearly anything that helps distract smokers from their need for a nicotine fix is believed to help, it has long been suspected that exercise may be particularly effective, the AP reported. This may be because exercise triggers production of the mood-enhancing hormone dopamine, which helps reduce smokers' nicotine dependence, Taylor suggested.

"What's surprising is the strength of the effect," Dr. Robert West, professor of health psychology at University College London, told the AP. "They found that the acute effects of exercise were as effective as a nicotine patch."

West was not involved in the study.

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TB Vaccines Losing Effectiveness: Study

Current tuberculosis vaccines may be losing their effectiveness, says an international study to be published online this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Researchers found that the bacterium -- bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) -- that has been used for nearly 90 years to make all the world's TB vaccines may have evolved to the point where it's no longer able to combat the disease, the Toronto Star reported.

The scientists created a current genetic map of BCG and found that it has few of the proteins that typically produce an immune response to TB in humans, the Star reported.

The effectiveness of TB vaccines has been questioned for decades and this study shows the urgent need to develop a new vaccine, said one of the researchers.

Currently, BCG vaccines are given to more than two million infants a week in parts of the world where TB is endemic, the Star reported.

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Indonesia Wants Agreement Before Sharing Bird Flu Samples

Indonesia's health minister said Wednesday that the country will not share bird flu virus samples with the World Health Organization unless it has a legally binding agreement that the samples won't be used to create expensive vaccines that are unaffordable for developing nations, the Associated Press reported.

A letter of guarantee received late last month from WHO Director General Margaret Chan is not sufficient, said Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari.

"That's just an agreement in principle ... we need one that is legally binding," Supari told reporters.

Leaders from Asia-Pacific nations are scheduled to meet later this month in Jakarta, Indonesia, to discuss changes they want made to the WHO's 50-year-old virus-sharing system, the AP reported.

Under that system, influenza samples are distributed freely to nations around the world. Revisions need to be made to the system so it's "fair for developing countries, poor countries, affected countries," Supari said.

Health Headlines - March 14

Pharmaceutical-Related ER Visits Increase 21 percent: U.S. Study

Visits to U.S. hospital emergency rooms due to the misuse/abuse of prescription and over-the-counter drugs increased 21 percent from 2004 to 2005, says a report released Tuesday by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

The number of emergency room (ER) visits was 495,732 in 2004 and 598,542 in 2005. Many of those visits were by people who'd misused or abused multiple drugs, said the report, Drug Abuse Warning Network, 2005: National Estimates of Drug-Related Emergency Department Visits.

Anti-anxiety drugs (benzodiazepines, up 19 percent), prescription pain relievers (up 24 percent) and methadone (up 29) percent were among the most common causes of the ER visits.

"We are in danger of becoming a nation of pill poppers," John Walters, director of National Drug Control Policy, said in a prepared statement. "The data released today put in stark relief the message we've been trying to get out in recent years. Prescription drugs can be lifesaving medicines when used properly, but their misuse can lead to addiction, suffering, and even death."

From 2004 to 2005, the number of ER visits for illicit drug use or alcohol remained the same, the report said.

Of the 1.4 million ER visits in 2005, 31 percent involved illicit drugs only, 27 percent involved pharmaceuticals only, and 36 percent involved combinations of illicit drugs, alcohol and/or pharmaceuticals.

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FDA Supports Use of New Temperature Devices for Canned Foods

A proposed rule to allow food makers to use new alternative temperature-indicating devices (TIDs) for heat-processed, low-acid canned foods was issued Tuesday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

If finalized, the rule would allow food makers to use TIDs -- state-of-the-art equipment for measuring and recording temperatures -- instead of, or in addition to, conventional mercury-in-glass thermometers for processing low-acid canned foods such as corn, peas and potatoes, the FDA said.

In addition to amending current regulations for the processing of these foods, the proposal includes clarification of rules for measuring and recording temperatures during processing, along with other requirements such as record keeping.

"This proposal is designed to benefit both consumers and the food industry. It enables manufacturers to rapidly adopt technologically advanced temperature-indicating devices. And we believe that the proposed rule, after being finalized, would ensure that these devices are accurate," Robert E. Brackett, director of the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Nutrition, said in a prepared statement.

There's a 90-day period to comment on the proposed rule, the FDA said.

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Heavier Men Less Likely to Commit Suicide

Overweight and obese men are less likely to commit suicide than leaner men, says a 16-year U.S. study that followed more than 45,000 male health professionals.

During the study period, 131 of the men committed suicide. The researchers found an association between increased body mass index (BMI, a ratio of weight to height) and decreased suicide rates. This held true even after the researchers factored in variables such as alcohol use, smoking, physical activity, marital status, and diet, The New York Times reported.

Men in the highest fifth of BMI were almost 60 percent less likely to commit suicide than those in the lowest fifth, said the study, published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.

The study authors suggested that the BMI/suicide link may be due to circulating levels of insulin, which may affect mood.

"It's a surprisingly strong relationship," lead author Kenneth J. Mukamal, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, told the Times. "But even though we see that heavier men are less likely to commit suicide, there are plenty of other studies that link obesity to poor health. Gaining weight is not the best way to improve anyone's mental health. I hope these findings will provide insight into new strategies to prevent suicide."

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Beta Carotene Pills Don't Prevent Macular Degeneration: Study

Beta carotene pills alone don't protect against the eye disease age-related macular degeneration, according to a U.S. study of more than 21,000 male doctors followed for an average of 12 years, the Associated Press reported.

Age-related macular degeneration, which affects more than 10 million Americans, is the leading cause of blindness among people 65 and older in the country. There is no cure. Carrots, long believed to sharpen eyesight, are rich in beta carotene.

The doctors in this study took either a pill with 50 milligrams of beta carotene or a placebo (dummy) pill every other day. After 12 years, there were 162 cases of macular degeneration in the beta carotene group and 170 cases in the placebo group, the AP reported.

The findings were published in the March issue of the journal Archives of Ophthalmology.

A previous study concluded that beta carotene, when taken with certain vitamins and zinc, may help prevent or slow vision loss in people with age-related macular degeneration, the AP reported.

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VA Medical Center Directors Told to Assess Facilities

In response to revelations about squalid conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, U.S. Veterans Affairs has told the directors of its 1,400 hospitals and clinics to report on the quality of their facilities.

The directive was issued in an internal memorandum sent March 7 by VA Secretary Jim Nicholson to VA medical center directors, the Associated Press reported.

In the memorandum, Nicholson said "recent events" compelled him to intensify efforts to improve conditions at VA outpatient centers and medical facilities.

"I am directing you hereby to conduct and supervise a full and immediate review of your facility's environments of care," Nicholson wrote. The directors were asked to file full reports by March 14, the AP reported.

The VA provides supplemental health care and rehabilitation to 5.8 million veterans.

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Unfertilized Mouse Eggs Used to Create Cloned Stem Cells

Japanese scientists have created cloned embryonic stem cells from unfertilized mouse eggs and say the breakthrough could help resolve the heated debate about the ethics of stem cell research.

The scientists conducted in vitro fertilization in mice. They found that eggs that had not been fertilized could still be used to create cloned embryonic stem cells, Agence France Presse reported.

This finding suggests that unfertilized human eggs that would have gone to waste during in vitro procedures could also be used to create cloned embryonic stem cells. The study was published in the journal Current Biology.

"Before our findings, it was believed that only fresh eggs could be used. But if incompetent eggs can be cloned, then scientists could be given eggs that failed to be fertilized and would have been abandoned in fertility clinics," study leader Teruhiko Wakayama, of the government-backed Riken research foundation, told AFP.

Embryonic stem cells can develop into various organs and nerves. Advocates of embryonic stem cell research say it can save lives by finding cures for many kinds of diseases, including diabetes and cancer. Opponents argue that the research destroys human lives.