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.

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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.

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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.

Health Headlines - March 13

Ex-President Bush Hospitalized, Released After Golf Game

Former President George H. W. Bush was released from a hospital Monday in Rancho Mirage, Calif., after being admitted Sunday for dizziness and dehydration while playing golf.

"President Bush was playing golf in 94-degree heat and became dizzy and dehydrated," hospital spokeswoman Louise Fasana told CBC news. "Bush was released from Eisenhower [Medical Center] this morning and will resume his full schedule today."

The president's father, 82, was staying at the estate of Leonore Annenberg, wife of the late Walter Annenberg, according to local news reports. The estate, dubbed "Sunnylands," has a nine-hole golf course.

The 41st president is an avid golfer and stayed at the Annenberg estate in 1995, when he played in the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, along with the former President Gerald R. Ford, and then-President Bill Clinton.

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Jury Awards $20 Million in Vioxx Lawsuit

A New Jersey jury ruled Monday that Vioxx caused an Idaho postal worker's heart attack and that he and his wife should receive $20 million in damages.

Frederick "Mike" Humeston, 61, took the arthritis painkiller intermittently for knee pain caused by a shrapnel wound he received during the Vietnam War, the Associated Press reported. The Boise resident suffered a heart attack in September 2001, several months before the drug manufacturer Merck put a stronger warning about cardiovascular risks on Vioxx's packaging.

The jury decided that Merck was negligent and did not provide adequate warning about potential cardiovascular risks associated with Vioxx. It awarded $18 million in compensatory damages to Humeston and $2 million to his wife, Mary.

In the next phase of the trial, jurors will decide whether punitive damages should also be assessed against Merck, the AP reported.

Merck faces thousands of lawsuits over Vioxx, which was taken off the market in September 2004 after the drug maker's own research showed that Vioxx doubled the risk of stroke and heart attack. So far, Merck has won nine cases and lost five.

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Regis Philbin to Have Triple Bypass

Television star Regis Philbin announced Monday that he's going to have triple bypass surgery this week. Philbin made the announcement as he talked with co-host Kelly Ripa on their show "Live with Regis and Kelly.

Philbin, 75, told Ripa he didn't really want to have the operation, CNN reported.

"But they tell me. I had a second opinion. So they are all in agreement that it should be the bypass. And so that's what I'm going to do. So, you know, I'm going to do it this week, and come back when I'm ready," Philbin said.

Philbin has appeared in numerous talk and game shows, including "Who Wants to be a Millionaire," over the past 40 years, CNN reported.

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Long Hours at Desk Raise DVT Risk: Study

People who spend long hours at their desks may be at even greater risk for potentially deadly blood clots called deep vein thrombosis (DVT) than passengers on long flights, concludes a study by researchers at the Medical Research Institute in Wellington, New Zealand.

They analyzed the cases of 62 people admitted to hospital for treatment of DVT and found that 34 percent of them were office workers who spent long periods of time seated at their desks. Passengers on long-distance flights accounted for just 21 percent of patients, Agence France Presse reported.

Some of the office workers in this study sat at their desks/computers for a total of 14 hours a day and went for stretches of three to four hours without getting up from their chairs.

DVT -- the formation of a blood clot in a deep vein -- most commonly occurs in the legs. The clots can break free and travel through the bloodstream to the lungs, heart or brain and cause breathing problems, chest pain, or even death from a stroke or heart attack.

The study found that DVT was most common among workers in call centers and in the information technology industry, AFP reported. The study will be published in the New Zealand Medical Journal and will be presented later this month at the annual conference of the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand.

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Fruit Fly Findings May Yield Drugs for Liver Disease, Diabetes

U.K. scientists have identified cells responsible for breaking down fat in fruit flies, a finding that may help in the development of new treatments for liver diseases and diabetes in humans.

The process used by the fruit fly cells to break down fat is similar to that in humans. The researchers said studying the process in fruit flies may speed up the creation of new drugs to treat humans, BBC News reported.

The scientists at the U.K. National Institute for Medical Research found that specialized cells called oenocytes break down fat in fruit flies. The study appears in the journal Nature.

"These findings reveal that flies have an equivalent to our liver and that they store, process and burn fat in a way that is strikingly similar to us," said lead researcher Dr. Alex Gould. "We hope that a Drosophila (fruit fly) model of fatty liver disease will help us to accelerate the rate at which chemical compounds can be tested for use as new drugs for human liver diseases."

Gould and his colleagues also found that fruit flies share more than 20 "fat burning" genes with humans, BBC News reported.

"These discoveries may help us understand more about how our own bodies store and burn fat," Gould said.

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Why Are Teenagers So Contrary? It May Indeed be 'Raging Hormones'

If you ever wondered why the teenage world seems to exist in an arena of topsy-turvy mood swings and turmoil, scientists at the State University of New York's (SUNY) Downstate Medical Center may have found the answer.

In an article published in the current edition of the journal Nature Neuroscience, researchers say they've discovered that the hormone THP -- which usually acts as a tranquilizer in stress situations -- does exactly the opposite for those going through puberty.

According to a Downstate Medical Center news release, SUNY scientists, led by Sheryl S. Smith, a professor of physiology and pharmacology, found that a brain receptor called GABA-A acts exactly the opposite in teenage brains compared to how it receives the THP hormone in adult brains. Instead of calming a person during a time of high anxiety, the GABA-A receptor appears to increase a teenager's stress, the researchers found.

What makes it act this way still needs to be studied, the researchers say, but the theory is indeed that adolescent "raging hormones" may play a role.

Health Headlines - March 12

Floods, Disease and Drought Predicted in Latest Global Warming Report

Environmental scientists have seen the near future, and what they see is not good. The effects of global warming are going to be felt a lot sooner that some may have imagined, the Associated Press reports.

The wire service has obtained a copy of a report on how global warming will affect daily life within the next 30 years. The report has been written and reviewed by more than 1,000 scientists, the A.P. reports, but government officials haven't signed off on it yet. The report is scheduled to be presented at an April meeting of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in Belgium.

Among the climate changes that may adversely affect millions of people within the next few decades are:

• Major water shortages by 2050 or earlier in Latin America , Africa and Asia
• An increase in fatalities caused by tropical diseases and conditions, such as malaria and diarrhea
• Increased flooding every year, with more than 100 million people losing their homes annually by 2080
• The loss of the polar bear's natural environment. The bears will probably be seen only in zoos

Many of the scientists feel a sense of urgency, the A.P. reports. "Things are ... happening faster than we expected," the wire service quotesd Patricia Romero Lankao of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo., as saying.

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Why Are Teenagers So Contrary? It May Indeed be 'Raging Hormones'

If you ever wondered why the teenage world seems to exist in an arena of topsy-turvy mood swings and turmoil, scientists at the State University of New York's (SUNY) Downstate Medical Center may have found the answer.

In an article published in the current edition of the journal Nature Neuroscience, researchers say they've discovered that the hormone THP -- which usually acts as a tranquilizer in stress situations -- does exactly the opposite for those going through puberty.

According to a Downstate Medical Center news release, SUNY scientists, led by Sheryl S. Smith, a professor of physiology and pharmacology, found that a brain receptor called GABA-A acts exactly the opposite in teenage brains compared to how it receives the THP hormone in adult brains. Instead of calming a person during a time of high anxiety, the GABA-A receptor appears to increase a teenager's stress, the researchers found.

What makes it act this way still needs to be studied, the researchers say, but the theory is indeed that adolescent "raging hormones" may play a role.

-----

FDA Expands Peanut Butter Recall

The recall of salmonella-causing peanut butter processed at a plant in Georgia hasn't yet ended.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has expanded the recall to include all Peter Pan and Great Value brand peanut butter manufactured at the ConAgra plant in Sylvester back to October 2004. Both carry the product code 2111, the FDA says.

The FDA gave no reason for the expanded recall in its March 9 consumer alert other than to say it was made after information was obtained from its ongoing investigation into the salmonella infections, which have been confirmed in more than 400 persons in 42 states since it was first detected in mid-February.

The FDA alert says, "Consumers who have purchased any of the products since October 2004 should discard them. FDA's advice to consumers continues to be not to eat any Peter Pan peanut butter or any Great Value peanut butter beginning with the 2111 product code."

"The most likely scenario is that the peanut butter became contaminated sometime during the production, between the roasting process and putting the product in a jar," said Dr. David Acheson, the FDA's Director of the Food Safety and Security Staff in the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, said March 1.

Symptoms of food-borne illness caused by salmonella include fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramps. It is rarely fatal, but can cause more serious health problems among the very old and very young.

-----

1-in-10 Brits is a 'Secret Smoker', Survey Finds

Knowing that quitting smoking is the right thing to do is one thing. Actually quitting is another matter entirely.

A recent survey of 4,000 adults in England reveals that one-in-10 is a "secret smoker," so secret, in fact, that many don't even reveal it to their own doctor.

According to BBC News, the survey was commissioned by Boots, a large British pharmacy chain, and it found that 52 percent of the secret smokers hid their habit from their parents, even into adulthood. What's even more surprising is that fully a third kept their smoking habits from their doctor.

And another third said they lied to their family members, some of whom believed they had never smoked or had given it up.

For some reason, the BBC reports, Londoners are more likely to keep their habit secret, followed by those who live in Yorkshire. No reason was given for this.

-----

U.S Prescription Drug Sales Increased 8.3 Percent in 2006

The new Medicare drug benefit was one of the factors that helped push U.S. prescription drug sales up by 8.3 percent in 2006 to $249.9 billion, according to a report by IMS Health, which provides data to the drug and health-care industries.

Prescriptions dispensed through the Medicare drug benefit accounted for 17 percent of retail prescriptions last year, the report noted.

Increased use of generic drugs and new treatments for diseases such as diabetes and cancer were among the other factors behind the increase, the Associated Press reported.

In 2006, sales of generic drugs increased 22 percent to $27.4 billion.

The report said it's expected that the rate of growth of prescription drug sales will slow in 2007, but will likely maintain a compounded annual rate of between 6 percent and 9 percent through 2010, the AP reported.

-----

Kroger Ensures Access to Morning-After Pill

In response to a Georgia woman's complaint that she was denied access to the morning-after contraceptive pill by a pharmacist at a Kroger store, the grocery chain said Friday that it's reiterating its drug policy to all of its pharmacists.

The company policy states that if a pharmacist objects to handling a customer's prescription, the store must take steps to ensure the prescription is filled, the Associated Press reported.

"We believe that medication is a private patient matter," said Kroger Co. spokeswoman Meghan Glynn. "Our role as a pharmacy operator is to furnish medication in accordance with the doctor's prescription or as requested by a patient."

The company restated its policy after a Rome, Ga., woman said a Kroger pharmacist refused to give her the Plan B emergency contraceptive, also known as the morning-after pill, the AP reported.

If taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex, the drug can reduce the risk of pregnancy by up to 89 percent.

Other major pharmacy chains, including Walgreen Co., Rite-Aid Corp., and CVS Corp., have also promised to make certain that customers can get Plan B, even if a pharmacist doesn't want to provide the drug.

-----

Scents in Bedroom May Help Improve Memory

A familiar scent in the bedroom while you get a good night's sleep may help boost memory, says a German study published Friday in the journal Science.

But the study found that the scent-aid only worked for certain kinds of memory and only during one stage of sleep, which means it's not likely to help people seeking a quick memory lift, the Associated Press reported.

The study found that medical students who slept in rooms with a rose scent scored higher on a card memory test than those who weren't exposed to the rose scent -- 97 percent vs. 86 percent.

However, the memory improvement only occurred when the students were exposed to the rose scent during a deep stage of sleep called slow-wave sleep. There was no memory boost when the students were exposed to the scent during a lighter sleep phase called REM sleep, the AP reported.

However, the scent was not effective when the students tried a finger-tapping sequence memory test. This is likely because different parts of the brain are involved with different types of memory, the researchers said.

Health Headlines - March 11

FDA Expands Peanut Butter Recall

The recall of salmonella-causing peanut butter processed at a plant in Georgia hasn't yet ended.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has expanded the recall to include all Peter Pan and Great Value brand peanut butter manufactured at the ConAgra plant in Sylvester back to October 2004. Both carry the product code 2111, the FDA says.

The FDA gave no reason for the expanded recall in its March 9 consumer alert other than to say it was made after information was obtained from its ongoing investigation into the salmonella infections, which have been confirmed in more than 400 persons in 42 states since it was first detected in mid-February.

The FDA alert says, "Consumers who have purchased any of the products since October 2004 should discard them. FDA's advice to consumers continues to be not to eat any Peter Pan peanut butter or any Great Value peanut butter beginning with the 2111 product code."

"The most likely scenario is that the peanut butter became contaminated sometime during the production, between the roasting process and putting the product in a jar," said Dr. David Acheson, the FDA's Director of the Food Safety and Security Staff in the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, said March 1.

Symptoms of food-borne illness caused by salmonella include fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramps. It is rarely fatal, but can cause more serious health problems among the very old and very young.

-----

1-in-10 Brits is a 'Secret Smoker', Survey Finds

Knowing that quitting smoking is the right thing to do is one thing. Actually quitting is another matter entirely.

A recent survey of 4,000 adults in England reveals that one-in-10 is a "secret smoker," so secret, in fact, that many don't even reveal it to their own doctor.

According to BBC News, the survey was commissioned by Boots, a large British pharmacy chain, and it found that 52 percent of the secret smokers hid their habit from their parents, even into adulthood. What's even more surprising is that fully a third kept their smoking habits from their doctor.

And another third said they lied to their family members, some of whom believed they had never smoked or had given it up.

For some reason, the BBC reports, Londoners are more likely to keep their habit secret, followed by those who live in Yorkshire. No reason was given for this.

-----

U.S Prescription Drug Sales Increased 8.3 Percent in 2006

The new Medicare drug benefit was one of the factors that helped push U.S. prescription drug sales up by 8.3 percent in 2006 to $249.9 billion, according to a report by IMS Health, which provides data to the drug and health-care industries.

Prescriptions dispensed through the Medicare drug benefit accounted for 17 percent of retail prescriptions last year, the report noted.

Increased use of generic drugs and new treatments for diseases such as diabetes and cancer were among the other factors behind the increase, the Associated Press reported.

In 2006, sales of generic drugs increased 22 percent to $27.4 billion.

The report said it's expected that the rate of growth of prescription drug sales will slow in 2007, but will likely maintain a compounded annual rate of between 6 percent and 9 percent through 2010, the AP reported.

-----

Kroger Ensures Access to Morning-After Pill

In response to a Georgia woman's complaint that she was denied access to the morning-after contraceptive pill by a pharmacist at a Kroger store, the grocery chain said Friday that it's reiterating its drug policy to all of its pharmacists.

The company policy states that if a pharmacist objects to handling a customer's prescription, the store must take steps to ensure the prescription is filled, the Associated Press reported.

"We believe that medication is a private patient matter," said Kroger Co. spokeswoman Meghan Glynn. "Our role as a pharmacy operator is to furnish medication in accordance with the doctor's prescription or as requested by a patient."

The company restated its policy after a Rome, Ga., woman said a Kroger pharmacist refused to give her the Plan B emergency contraceptive, also known as the morning-after pill, the AP reported.

If taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex, the drug can reduce the risk of pregnancy by up to 89 percent.

Other major pharmacy chains, including Walgreen Co., Rite-Aid Corp., and CVS Corp., have also promised to make certain that customers can get Plan B, even if a pharmacist doesn't want to provide the drug.

-----

Scents in Bedroom May Help Improve Memory

A familiar scent in the bedroom while you get a good night's sleep may help boost memory, says a German study published Friday in the journal Science.

But the study found that the scent-aid only worked for certain kinds of memory and only during one stage of sleep, which means it's not likely to help people seeking a quick memory lift, the Associated Press reported.

The study found that medical students who slept in rooms with a rose scent scored higher on a card memory test than those who weren't exposed to the rose scent -- 97 percent vs. 86 percent.

However, the memory improvement only occurred when the students were exposed to the rose scent during a deep stage of sleep called slow-wave sleep. There was no memory boost when the students were exposed to the scent during a lighter sleep phase called REM sleep, the AP reported.

However, the scent was not effective when the students tried a finger-tapping sequence memory test. This is likely because different parts of the brain are involved with different types of memory, the researchers said.

-----

Oversight Needed for Bodies Donated for Research: Experts

The United States needs a universal oversight system to prevent illegal marketing of body parts from cadavers donated to science, say experts.

The issue made headlines this week with the arrest of a former University of California, Los Angeles, official and a middleman as part of a police investigation into illicit trafficking of parts harvested from bodies willed for research, the Associated Press reported.

The UCLA scandal first erupted three years ago.

"There was some hand-wringing after the UCLA case. But, at the end of the day, I don't think we've seen any serious attempts by Congress or state legislatures to wrestle with this issue," Arthur Caplan, a University of Pennsylvania bioethics professor, told the AP.

Tissues from cadavers are used in many kinds of medical procedures, and the demand for human body parts has soared in recent years. If all its parts are used, a human body can be worth six figures, according to experts.

It is illegal in the United States to sell body parts for profit, but suppliers can charge fees for the acquisition and handling of body parts, the AP reported.

A national clearinghouse operated by an independent group should be established to track and distribute bodies donated for research, said Todd R. Olson, an anatomy professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.

While it wouldn't eliminate illegal sales of body parts and tissues, it would still be an improvement over the existing patchwork of rules, Olson told the AP.

-----

Snorers Can Rob Partners of 2 Years' Worth of Sleep

Snorers may be depriving their partners of two years worth of sleep over their lifetime, suggests a survey by the British Snoring and Sleep Apnea Association.

The survey of 2,000 adults found that about a third of them sleep with a snorer and lose about two hours of sleep per night. Based on an average relationship of 24 years, that works out to about two years of lost sleep, BBC News reported

About half of the respondents said that snoring affected their sex lives, and 85 percent said their relationship would be better if their partner's snoring problem was resolved.

"Snoring can have a very negative impact on people who have to live with it," said association co-founder Marianne Davey.

"Lack of sleep can have a negative consequence on your physical, mental and emotional health. Poor sleep is linked with poor academic performance, increased risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes, divorce, suicide -- the list goes on and on," a spokesman with the British Sleep Society told BBC News.

Health Headlines - March 10

U.S Prescription Drug Sales Increased 8.3 Percent in 2006

The new Medicare drug benefit was one of the factors that helped push U.S. prescription drug sales up by 8.3 percent in 2006 to $249.9 billion, according to a report by IMS Health, which provides data to the drug and health-care industries.

Prescriptions dispensed through the Medicare drug benefit accounted for 17 percent of retail prescriptions last year, the report noted.

Increased use of generic drugs and new treatments for diseases such as diabetes and cancer were among the other factors behind the increase, the Associated Press reported.

In 2006, sales of generic drugs increased 22 percent to $27.4 billion.

The report said it's expected that the rate of growth of prescription drug sales will slow in 2007, but will likely maintain a compounded annual rate of between 6 percent and 9 percent through 2010, the AP reported.

-----

Kroger Ensures Access to Morning-After Pill

In response to a Georgia woman's complaint that she was denied access to the morning-after contraceptive pill by a pharmacist at a Kroger store, the grocery chain said Friday that it's reiterating its drug policy to all of its pharmacists.

The company policy states that if a pharmacist objects to handling a customer's prescription, the store must take steps to ensure the prescription is filled, the Associated Press reported.

"We believe that medication is a private patient matter," said Kroger Co. spokeswoman Meghan Glynn. "Our role as a pharmacy operator is to furnish medication in accordance with the doctor's prescription or as requested by a patient."

The company restated its policy after a Rome, Ga., woman said a Kroger pharmacist refused to give her the Plan B emergency contraceptive, also known as the morning-after pill, the AP reported.

If taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex, the drug can reduce the risk of pregnancy by up to 89 percent.

Other major pharmacy chains, including Walgreen Co., Rite-Aid Corp., and CVS Corp., have also promised to make certain that customers can get Plan B, even if a pharmacist doesn't want to provide the drug.

-----

Scents in Bedroom May Help Improve Memory

A familiar scent in the bedroom while you get a good night's sleep may help boost memory, says a German study published Friday in the journal Science.

But the study found that the scent-aid only worked for certain kinds of memory and only during one stage of sleep, which means it's not likely to help people seeking a quick memory lift, the Associated Press reported.

The study found that medical students who slept in rooms with a rose scent scored higher on a card memory test than those who weren't exposed to the rose scent -- 97 percent vs. 86 percent.

However, the memory improvement only occurred when the students were exposed to the rose scent during a deep stage of sleep called slow-wave sleep. There was no memory boost when the students were exposed to the scent during a lighter sleep phase called REM sleep, the AP reported.

However, the scent was not effective when the students tried a finger-tapping sequence memory test. This is likely because different parts of the brain are involved with different types of memory, the researchers said.

-----

Oversight Needed for Bodies Donated for Research: Experts

The United States needs a universal oversight system to prevent illegal marketing of body parts from cadavers donated to science, say experts.

The issue made headlines this week with the arrest of a former University of California, Los Angeles, official and a middleman as part of a police investigation into illicit trafficking of parts harvested from bodies willed for research, the Associated Press reported.

The UCLA scandal first erupted three years ago.

"There was some hand-wringing after the UCLA case. But, at the end of the day, I don't think we've seen any serious attempts by Congress or state legislatures to wrestle with this issue," Arthur Caplan, a University of Pennsylvania bioethics professor, told the AP.

Tissues from cadavers are used in many kinds of medical procedures, and the demand for human body parts has soared in recent years. If all its parts are used, a human body can be worth six figures, according to experts.

It is illegal in the United States to sell body parts for profit, but suppliers can charge fees for the acquisition and handling of body parts, the AP reported.

A national clearinghouse operated by an independent group should be established to track and distribute bodies donated for research, said Todd R. Olson, an anatomy professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.

While it wouldn't eliminate illegal sales of body parts and tissues, it would still be an improvement over the existing patchwork of rules, Olson told the AP.

-----

Snorers Can Rob Partners of 2 Years' Worth of Sleep

Snorers may be depriving their partners of two years worth of sleep over their lifetime, suggests a survey by the British Snoring and Sleep Apnea Association.

The survey of 2,000 adults found that about a third of them sleep with a snorer and lose about two hours of sleep per night. Based on an average relationship of 24 years, that works out to about two years of lost sleep, BBC News reported

About half of the respondents said that snoring affected their sex lives, and 85 percent said their relationship would be better if their partner's snoring problem was resolved.

"Snoring can have a very negative impact on people who have to live with it," said association co-founder Marianne Davey.

"Lack of sleep can have a negative consequence on your physical, mental and emotional health. Poor sleep is linked with poor academic performance, increased risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes, divorce, suicide -- the list goes on and on," a spokesman with the British Sleep Society told BBC News.

-----

Too Few Children With Asthma Get Flu Shots: Report

Only 29 percent of American children aged 2 to 17 with asthma received a flu shot during the 2004-05 flu season, even though the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all children with asthma older than 6 months receive a flu shot each season.

The finding, published in Friday's edition of the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, noted that children with asthma are at increased risk for complications from influenza. Flu shots safely and effectively reduce rates of influenza in children with asthma. In 2005, about 8.9 percent (6.5 million) of U.S. children under age 18 had asthma.

"We were surprised at how low the number was," study lead author Susan Brim told the Associated Press.

The study offers the first national estimates on flu vaccination rates for American children with asthma.

When the study authors looked at different age groups of children with asthma, it found that flu-shot rates were 32.9 percent those ages 2 to 4, and 28 percent for those ages 5 to 12 and ages 13 to 17.

The finding indicates the need to identify and remove barriers that may prevent children with asthma from getting a flu shot, the study said.

The study, which looked at about 5,100 children (including 557 with asthma), also found that the overall flu vaccination rate for children without asthma was 10.3 percent, with a wide variation according to age: 20.7 percent for ages 2 to 4; 9.2 percent for ages 5 to 12; and 6.4 percent for ages 13 to 17.

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HIV Major Health Threat to Black Americans

HIV remains a persistent threat to the health and well-being of black Americans, says a study published the latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The study looked at 2002-05 data from 33 states and found that while blacks represented 13 percent of the population in those states, they accounted for 51 percent of new HIV diagnoses during that time.

Black men are especially hard hit by HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. In 2005, the diagnosis rate for black men was 127.6 per 100,000 population, which is seven times higher than that of white men (18.5 per 100,000). The majority (52 percent) of new HIV cases in black men are among those who have sex with men.

The rate of new HIV diagnoses for black women was 61.4 per 100,000, compared with 3 per 100,000 for white women.

Racial disparities were particularly evident in young people (ages 13 to 24), with blacks accounting for 61 percent of new HIV diagnoses.

In response to the HIV threat to black Americans, the CDC and its partners have called for urgent, focused efforts in four main areas: expanding the reach of HIV prevention services; increasing opportunities for diagnoses and treatment; developing new, effective interventions; and mobilizing broader community action.

Health Headlines - March 9

Too Few Children With Asthma Get Flu Shots: Report

Only 29 percent of American children aged 2 to 17 with asthma received a flu shot during the 2004-05 flu season, even though the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all children with asthma older than 6 months receive a flu shot each season.

The finding, published in Friday's edition of the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, noted that children with asthma are at increased risk for complications from influenza. Flu shots safely and effectively reduce rates of influenza in children with asthma. In 2005, about 8.9 percent (6.5 million) of U.S. children under age 18 had asthma.

"We were surprised at how low the number was," study lead author Susan Brim told the Associated Press.

The study offers the first national estimates on flu vaccination rates for American children with asthma.

When the study authors looked at different age groups of children with asthma, it found that flu-shot rates were 32.9 percent those ages 2 to 4, and 28 percent for those ages 5 to 12 and ages 13 to 17.

The finding indicates the need to identify and remove barriers that may prevent children with asthma from getting a flu shot, the study said.

The study, which looked at about 5,100 children (including 557 with asthma), also found that the overall flu vaccination rate for children without asthma was 10.3 percent, with a wide variation according to age: 20.7 percent for ages 2 to 4; 9.2 percent for ages 5 to 12; and 6.4 percent for ages 13 to 17.

-----

HIV Major Health Threat to Black Americans

HIV remains a persistent threat to the health and well-being of black Americans, says a study published the latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The study looked at 2002-05 data from 33 states and found that while blacks represented 13 percent of the population in those states, they accounted for 51 percent of new HIV diagnoses during that time.

Black men are especially hard hit by HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. In 2005, the diagnosis rate for black men was 127.6 per 100,000 population, which is seven times higher than that of white men (18.5 per 100,000). The majority (52 percent) of new HIV cases in black men are among those who have sex with men.

The rate of new HIV diagnoses for black women was 61.4 per 100,000, compared with 3 per 100,000 for white women.

Racial disparities were particularly evident in young people (ages 13 to 24), with blacks accounting for 61 percent of new HIV diagnoses.

In response to the HIV threat to black Americans, the CDC and its partners have called for urgent, focused efforts in four main areas: expanding the reach of HIV prevention services; increasing opportunities for diagnoses and treatment; developing new, effective interventions; and mobilizing broader community action.

-----

Software Problem Prompts Recall of 42,000 Defibrillators

Tens of thousands of automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) sold worldwide are being recalled due to a serious software glitch that may result in failure to notify users about low battery levels, which could mean the units may not have enough shock power to restart a person's heart.

The recall affects 42,000 Lifeline AED and ReviveR AED models made by Defibtech LLC of Guilford, Conn., the Associated Press reported. The recall affects AEDs with software versions 2.002 and earlier.

The company sent letters on Feb. 22 to alert distributors and customers about the recall, which was prompted by three reports of instances in which the AEDs failed to work. The units, meant to save heart-attack victims, are used by hotels, schools, fire stations and health clubs around the world.

Defibtech said it will provide a free software upgrade for the recalled units within 10 weeks. The upgrade can be installed by customers without having to return the devices, the company said.

Until the software upgrade is available, Defibtech is mailing customers instructions on how to determine if the AEDs are working properly, the AP reported. The instructions are posted on the company's Web site (http://www.defibtech.com/fa2007). Customers can also call Defibtech at (877) 453-4507 or (203) 453-4507.

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Arsenic Found in Jermuk Brand Mineral Water: FDA

Consumers are being warned not to drink Jermuk brand mineral water imported from Armenia because the product may contain dangerous levels of arsenic, a toxin that's known to cause cancer in humans, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday.

The FDA detected 500 to 600 micrograms of arsenic per liter in 500 milliliter (mL) green glass bottles of Jermuk mineral water. The FDA permits no more than 10 micrograms of arsenic per liter of bottled water. The FDA is investigating whether other sizes or packaging of Jermuk mineral water also have elevated arsenic levels.

No illnesses have been reported so far. People who've consumed Jermuk mineral water and have concerns should contact their doctor, the FDA said. A number of California companies are recalling Jermuk mineral water products.

Symptoms of acute arsenic exposure, which usually occur within several hours of consumption, include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain. Over a period of a few days to weeks, the kidneys, liver, skin, and cardiovascular and nervous system could be affected. Extended exposure to arsenic can lead to cancer and death, the FDA said.

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Mercury a Worldwide Health Threat: Report

High levels of mercury have been found in people worldwide and now pose a public health issue in most parts of the globe, says an international report released Thursday in the journal Ambio, published by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

The Madison Declaration on Mercury Pollution, which outlines the latest scientific knowledge about mercury, noted that about three times more mercury is falling from the sky now than 200 years ago, before the start of the Industrial Revolution, CBC News reported.

Mercury can affect the brain, heart and immune system and harm the development of fetuses and children. The report also said that new evidence suggests that it may increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases, particularly in men.

Due to the health risks associated with mercury contamination, children and women of child-bearing age should limit how much and what kinds of fish they eat, the report recommended.

It said people should try to eat fish with lower levels of mercury. That means avoiding larger predatory fish such as albacore tuna that tend to accumulate higher levels of mercury than other fish, such a perch, which are lower down the food chain, CBC News reported.

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FDA Approves Lipitor for 5 New Indications

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor (atorvastatin calcium) for five new indications in patients with heart disease, drug maker Pfizer said Wednesday.

The FDA approved Lipitor to reduce the risk of nonfatal heart attacks, fatal and non-fatal strokes, certain types of heart surgery, hospitalization for heart failure, and chest pain in patients with heart disease.

Previously, the drug was approved to reduce cardiovascular events in patients without heart disease.

The FDA approval was based on a five-year study of 10,000 heart disease patients who also had elevated levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol. The study found that patients taking Lipitor 80 mg had a 22 percent reduced risk of major cardiovascular events, compared to those taking Lipitor 10 mg. Patients treated with Lipitor 80 mg also had a 26 percent reduced risk of hospitalization for heart failure.

Health Headlines - March 8

FDA Approves Lipitor for Five New Indications

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor (atorvastatin calcium) for five new indications in patients with heart disease, drug maker Pfizer said Wednesday.

The FDA approved Lipitor to reduce the risk of nonfatal heart attacks, fatal and non-fatal strokes, certain types of heart surgery, hospitalization for heart failure, and chest pain in patients with heart disease.

Previously, the drug was approved to reduce cardiovascular events in patients without heart disease.

The FDA approval was based on a five-year study of 10,000 heart disease patients who also had elevated levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol. The study found that patients taking Lipitor 80 mg had a 22 percent reduced risk of major cardiovascular events, compared to those taking Lipitor 10 mg. Patients treated with Lipitor 80 mg also had a 26 percent reduced risk of hospitalization for heart failure.

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Too Few States Mandate Insurance Coverage of Colonoscopy: Report

Only 20 states and the District of Columbia have laws requiring insurance providers to cover the cost of colonoscopy, a colorectal cancer screening test that's been proven to save lives, according to a new survey by a coalition of 11 anti-cancer groups, including the American Cancer Society.

This year's annual Colorectal Cancer Legislation Report Card also noted that colorectal cancer screening rates have increased 40 percent faster in states that mandate coverage than in those without such mandates, BusinessWeek reported.

That could mean many lives needlessly lost in states without colonoscopy coverage laws. When detected and treated early, colorectal cancer is 90 percent curable. About 52,100 people in the United States are expected die of colorectal cancer this year, making it the second-leading cause of cancer death after lung cancer.

In comparison to colonoscopy, 47 states require insurers to pay for mammograms to screen for breast cancer, and 20 states mandate coverage for prostate cancer screening, which has not been proven to improve survival rates, BusinessWeek reported.

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Caffeine Doesn't Kick-Start Alertness in the Morning: Study

In what may come as a surprise to many, a U.K. study says that your morning coffee doesn't actually give you a boost to start your day.

While a cup of java does ease withdrawal symptoms that build up while you sleep, caffeine does not make people more alert than normal, according to the University of Bristol researchers who reviewed previous research on the topic, BBC News reported.

Only people who haven't had coffee for a while actually get a buzz from caffeine, said the study, presented at a British Nutrition Foundation conference.

"We do feel a boost from caffeine in the morning, but that's probably due to a reversal of the (overnight) withdrawal symptoms," research leader Professor Peter Rogers, a biological psychologist, told BBC News.

"The alertness you feel is you getting back to normal, rather than to above normal level," he said.

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Male Circumcision May Increase Women's Risk of HIV Infection

Male circumcision reduces men's risk of HIV infection by about half, but can increase the risk of infection in women if they have unprotected sex with men too soon after the operation, suggests preliminary data from a study by American and Ugandan researchers.

The findings may complicate efforts to promote circumcision as a new way to fight HIV -- the virus that causes AIDS -- in Africa. The research also suggests that public health campaigns promoting circumcision need to warn women about the dangers of having intercourse with HIV-positive men who haven't fully healed after being circumcised, the Washington Post reported.

The study found that among 70 HIV-positive men who were circumcised, 11 of their female partners became infected with HIV in the month after the men had the surgery. Among a group of 54 uncircumcised men with HIV, four of their female partners were infected with HIV.

However, the researchers noted that the findings were not statistically significant and may have occurred only by chance, the Post reported.

The findings were presented Tuesday at a meeting of international health experts in Switzerland.

"The data that we have heard do not derail (the potential usefulness of circumcision) by any means. What it does do is provide a little more insight about the complexities that face us," Kevin De Cock, director of the World Health Organization's HIV/AIDS department, told the Post.

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Big Worldwide Increase in ADHD Drug Prescriptions: Study

The number of prescriptions for drugs to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children ages 5 to 19 increased 274 percent worldwide between 1993 and 2003. And spending on the drugs increased nine-fold, says a U.S. study in the journal Health Affairs.

During that time, the number of countries using ADHD drugs increased from 31 to 55. Australia, Canada and the United States all had higher-than-expected use of the drugs, BBC News reported.

"ADHD could become the leading childhood disorder treated with medication across the globe," said study leader Professor Richard Scheffler of the University of California, Berkeley.

Scheffler noted that one in 25 American children and adolescents is taking drugs for ADHD. He added that the study findings challenge the widespread belief that ADHD is largely a U.S. issue, BBC News reported.

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Chinese Province Source of Many Bird-Flu Strains: Report

Many strains of the dangerous H5N1 bird flu virus originated in the Chinese province of Guangdong, say U.S. researchers who analyzed genetic and geographic data.

The University of California, Irvine team studied 192 samples collected from Europe and Asia and concluded that Guangdong, which has a large poultry industry, was the source of many of the H5N1 strains found in China and other countries, Agence France Presse reported.

The study findings were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Health officials in Guangdong were quick to refute the study results.

"The findings... are the wrong conclusion to the evidence and lack credibility," the China Daily quoted Guangdong agricultural department spokeswoman He Xia as saying, AFP reported.

Health Headlines - March 7

U.S. Surgeon General Urges Action Against Underage Drinking

Americans must mobilize to stop 11 million underage drinkers from using alcohol and to prevent other young people from starting to drink, the U.S. Surgeon General said in a Call to Action against underage drinking issued Tuesday.

"Too many Americans consider underage drinking a rite of passage to adulthood," Acting Surgeon General Dr. Kenneth Moritsugu said in a prepared statement.

"Research shows that young people who start drinking before the age of 15 are five times more likely to have alcohol-related problems later in life. New research also indicates that alcohol may harm the developing adolescent brain. The availability of this research provides more reasons than ever before for parents and other adults to protect the health and safety of our nation's children," he added.

Almost 7.2 million of the 11 million underage drinkers in the United States are binge drinkers, which means they may consume more than five drinks on a single occasion. About 2 million are classified as heavy drinkers.

"Alcohol remains the most heavily abuse substance by America's youth. This Call to Action is attempting to change the culture and attitudes toward drinking in America. We can no longer ignore what alcohol is doing to our children," Moritsugu said.

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HIV/AIDS Programs Must Address Violence Against Women: Report

International agencies need to do more to address violence against women in HIV/AIDS programs, says a report released Tuesday by Women Won't Wait, a new international coalition of women's groups.

The issues of violence against women and HIV/AIDS are intertwined, said Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland and a speaker at the launch of the coalition's campaign to end HIV and violence against women.

"It is vital that the policies, programs and funding streams of national governments and international agencies transparently address the intersection of HIV and AIDS and violence against women," Robinson said.

Violence is both a cause and a consequence of the rapid spread of HIV among women, the report said. Women account for at least half of HIV-infected people worldwide and more than 60 percent of HIV-infected people in sub-Saharan Africa.

The coalition's report said that leaders in the fight against HIV/AIDS have failed to consistently and adequately address the relationship between violence against women and HIV/AIDS.

The report examined the policies, programs and funding patterns of major international agencies dealing with the global HIV/AIDS crisis, including the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the World Bank, and UNAIDS.

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Lower Nicotine Levels in Cigarettes Could Backfire: FDA Chief

U.S. government controls on nicotine levels in cigarettes could have the unintended effect of pushing smokers to use more cigarettes and inhale more deeply, warns Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach, head of the Food and Drug Administration.

Last month, a bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers introduced legislation that would give the FDA the authority to regulate tobacco, including the power to order lower nicotine levels in cigarettes, the Associated Press reported.

But if the FDA ordered a cut in cigarette nicotine levels, smokers would alter their smoking habits in order to maintain their current levels of the addictive substance, von Eschenbach said in an interview Tuesday with the AP.

"We could find ourselves in the conundrum of having made a decision about nicotine only to have made the public health radically worse. And that is not the position FDA is in; we approve product that enhance health, not destroy it," Eschenbach said.

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2nd Major Recall of Contact Lens Solution Underway

Bausch & Lomb Inc. recalled 1.5 million bottles of its ReNu MultiPlus contact lens solution Tuesday because trace amounts of iron could cause the cleaner to lose its effectiveness.

The company's second major recall in a year involved a limited 12 lots of ReNu MultiPlus solution after three customers reported discolored solution. No one was reported hurt, according to an Associated Press report.

Bausch & Lomb last spring issued a worldwide recall on its ReNu with MoistureLoc solution, which was blamed for an outbreak of severe fungal eye infections.

. About a million bottles of the ReNu MultiPlus solution were distributed in the United States and another 500,000 in Canada, Korean, Taiwan and Latin America. The company said it has notified the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and regulators in the other countries.

The company said that the discoloration was caused by trace amounts of iron in a single batch of raw material from an outside supplier. As a result, it added, the affected lots could have a shorter shelf life than the two-year expiration date.

"I want to emphasize that this is completely unrelated to and different from the MoistureLoc recall," company spokeswoman Barbara Kelley told AP.

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Most American Women Don't Get Enough Sleep: Survey

Stay-at-home moms are most likely to sleep poorly, according to a new U.S. survey that found 60 percent of American women only get a good night's sleep a few times a week and that 67 percent frequently experience a sleep problem.

The 2007 Sleep in America poll of 1,003 women, ages 18 to 64, which was released Tuesday by the National Sleep Foundation, also found that 43 percent of the respondents said daytime sleepiness interferes with their daily activities.

Working mothers (72 percent) and single working women (68 percent) were more likely to report such symptoms of sleep problems as insomnia, but stay-at-home moms reported the highest level of overall sleep problems.

The poll found that 74 percent of stay-at-home mother reported symptoms of insomnia at least a few nights a week, 59 percent said they frequently woke up feeling un-refreshed and 9 percent said they slept with a child or infant, which adds to the sleep disturbances experienced by the mothers.

While many American women struggle with lack of sleep, it doesn't slow them down. The survey found that 80 percent of women said that when they experience daytime sleepiness, they just accept it and keep going. In order to push through their day, 65 percent are likely to use caffeinated beverages, with 37 percent consuming three or more caffeinated beverages per day.

Even though they may be tired, many women aren't going to bed earlier. Instead, they're watching television, finishing household chores, doing family activities, going online, or doing job-related work.

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FDA Approves New Hypertension Drug

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday approved Novartis Pharmaceutical's hypertension drug Tekturna, the first new type of hypertension drug in more than a decade.

Tekturna (aliskiren), a new molecular entity, is the first high blood pressure drug that inhibits renin, a kidney enzyme associated with the regulation of blood pressure.

"Hypertension is rightly called 'the silent killer' because it usually has no symptoms until it causes major damage to the body organs," said Douglas C. Throckmorton, deputy director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, in a prepared statement. "Today's approval adds a new safe and effective treatment option for people who need help to control their blood pressure."

The drug's effectiveness in lowering blood pressure was proven in six placebo-controlled, eight-week clinical trials involving more than 2,000 patients with mild to moderate hypertension. The effect was maintained for up to one year. However, black patients tended to have smaller reductions in blood pressure than whites and Asians, the agency said.

The drug's safety was evaluated in more than 6,460 patients, including 1,740 who were treated longer than six months, and more than 1,250 treated longer than a year. Side effects were usually mild and brief. The most common side effect was diarrhea.

Hypertension affects an estimated 25 percent of Americans and causes increased risk of stroke, heart attack, kidney failure, heart failure and death, according to FDA estimates.

The United States is the first country to approve the drug, which should be available in U.S. pharmacies later this month, the Associated Press reported.

Health Headlines - March 6

Cheney Develops Blood Clot in Leg

Vice President Dick Cheney was diagnosed with a blood clot in his left leg Monday and will be put on long-term, blood-thinning medication.

Cheney, 66, went to his doctor in Washington, D.C., after feeling minor discomfort in his calf, spokeswoman Lea Anne McBride said. An ultrasound showed the blood clot, known as a "deep venous thrombosis" or DVT, in his left lower leg.

"He'll maintain his regular schedule," McBride told the Associated Press. "He feels fine."

DVT involves the formation of a blood clot in a deep vein, usually in the lower leg or the thigh, that then can move into the lungs and cause an often fatal condition called pulmonary embolism. DVTs have come to public attention over the past few years after airline passengers on cramped, long-haul flights developed them in what some have called "economy-class syndrome."

The vice president, who returned last week from an overseas trip that included stops in Afghanistan and Pakistan, has had a long history of heart ailments. He had four heart attacks before he assumed office in 2001. He has an implanted defibrillator to regulate his heartbeat if necessary. And in 2005, he underwent six hours of surgery on both legs to repair a kind of aneurysm, a ballooning weak spot in an artery that can burst if left untreated.

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Vaccine Protects Against Different Strains of H5N1 Bird Flu

A vaccine based on one strain of the dangerous H5N1 bird flu virus is also effective against other versions of the virus, according to study results released by vaccine developer GlaxoSmithKline PLC on Monday.

The study of 400 adults found that the vaccine, developed using an H5N1 strain from Vietnam, may also protect against the Indonesian strain of H5N1, the Associated Press reported.

This is not the first cross-protection noted in a bird flu vaccine. Both Sanofi Aventis and Novartis SA have reported similar results with vaccines they're developing to protect people against a potential bird flu pandemic.

"These results are good news, but we're still in the early days and we don't really know which of the vaccine formulations are the better ones," Dr. Alan Hay, director of the World Health Organization's Collaborating Center laboratory in Britain, told the AP.

The H5N1 virus is believed to be the most likely candidate to cause a future flu pandemic. A vaccine that offers broader protection could prove important, since experts can't predict the specific strain of virus that may trigger a pandemic.

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Prince Charles' Wife Has Hysterectomy

Prince Charles' wife, Camilla, underwent a hysterectomy at London's King Edward VII hospital on Monday and is expected to remain hospitalized for the rest of the week.

"The Duchess of Cornwall had her operation this morning and is recovering well," said a statement released by Prince Charles' office, the Associated Press reported.

There are a number of reasons for doing a hysterectomy, including cancer, menstrual problems, abnormal growths or complications following birth. Camilla's operation was not the result of cancer, but Prince Charles' office did not provide any more details. It's expected that his wife will require six weeks of recuperation.

She and Prince Charles recently returned home after a 10-day tour of the Mideast, the AP reported.

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FDA Warns About Possible Impact of Time Change on Equipment

The change to daylight savings time this coming weekend may have unpredictable effects on medical devices and equipment; hospital computer networks; and associated information technology systems, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

This year is the first year with new start and end dates for daylight savings time. It will start three weeks earlier and end a week later than in previous years.

The FDA said this means that medical equipment that uses, creates or records time information about a patient's diagnosis or treatment and hasn't been updated by the manufacturer may not work properly when the change takes place this weekend.

Medical devices or medical device networks that are affected by the new time change could cause a patient's treatment or diagnostic result to be: incorrectly prescribed; provided at the wrong time; missed; given more than once; given for longer or shorter durations than intended; or incorrectly recorded.

Patients and health-care providers should go to the FDA's Web site (http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/safety.html) for recommendations on what to do if their medical equipment uses or displays time.

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Moldy, Damp Homes Cause Childhood Asthma: Study

Children living in damp, mold-infested homes may be at increased risk of developing permanent asthma, says a Finnish study in the European Respiratory Journal.

Researchers surveyed the homes of more than 300 children and found that serious dampness or visible mold was two to three times more common in homes where there were asthmatic children, BBC News reported.

The findings offer clear evidence that mold and damp cause asthma in children, and don't just worsen or trigger attacks in children whose asthma has another underlying cause, the study authors said.

"Damp in the home does more than merely exacerbate existing asthma -- it can contribute to the onset of persistent asthma," said researcher Dr. Juha Pekkanen of the National Public Health Institute in Kuopio.

However, some asthma experts still aren't convinced that mold and dampness can cause asthma. Dr. Michael Burr, a mold and asthma researcher at Cardiff University in Great Britain, said the findings of this study, along with existing evidence, suggest that mold "probably triggers respiratory symptoms and may contribute to causing asthma."

"However, it is not possible to distinguish conclusively between the role of moisture damage and mold as trigger factors and any casual link with childhood asthma based on the current evidence," Burr said.

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Mass. Insurance Premiums Could Be as Low as $175 a Month

The average premium for uninsured Massachusetts residents could cost about half of what's previously been suggested.

When they released results of negotiations with health insurers, state officials on Saturday said the average monthly premium for this group of people could be as low as $175, compared to some earlier insurer estimates of $380, the Associated Press reported.

"This is a big improvement from the first round of bids and a big step forward for health care reform," said Gov. Deval Patrick. "The health security that was the point of health care reform will be delivered at an affordable price."

The plans for uninsured people are a major component of Massachusetts' insurance program, which requires all state residents to have health insurance coverage by July 1. If they don't have coverage, they face tax penalties.

It's expected that the panel overseeing the law will vote this week to approve the seven health care plans that meet the affordability guidelines, the AP reported.

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Hot Baths, Hot Tubs May Affect Male Fertility

Hot baths or hot tubs may contribute to male infertility, says a study by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco.

The three-year study found that sperm counts in five of 11 men with fertility problems jumped by 491 percent after they stopped having hot baths or using hot tubs for a few months, BBC News reported.

The five men whose sperm counts increased also showed increased sperm motility, from 12 percent to 34 percent.

The study authors noted that five of the six men who showed no fertility improvement after they stopped taking hot baths or using hot tubs were chronic smokers. This could have been a factor in their lack of response, BBC News reported.

The findings support the current recommendation that men should avoid "overheating" their sperm. Previous studies have also found that wearing tight underwear or heat from a laptop computer can reduce male fertility, reported the Journal of the Brazilian Society of Urology.