Health Headlines - November 4

Merck Should Have Pulled Vioxx in 2000

U.S. drugs giant Merck & Co Inc. should have pulled its Vioxx painkiller from the market four years ago because data showing it raised the risk of heart attacks has existed since 2000, Swiss scientists said on Friday.

Mutant Mice Help Shed Light on Tobacco Addiction

Genetically altered mice that are unusually sensitive to nicotine may help scientists nail down exactly how people become addicted to smoking, U.S. researchers said on Thursday.

Drug for Osteoporosis Curtails Knee Arthritis

Treatment with a drug used to combat the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis appears to reduce the occurrence of osteoarthritis-related damage in the knee, according to a new report.

Better Than Botox? New York Women Try Acupuncture

Sticking needles in your ankles might not seem like an obvious way to rid your face of wrinkles, but for Barbara Leivent, it's better than plastic surgery or cosmetic injections.

Doctors Urged to Push Flu Vaccine for Seniors

The number of seniors vaccinated for flu and pneumococcal infections rose in most of the United States last year, but remained below the government's target for this high-risk group, federal officials said on Thursday.

Obesity Surgery Data on Elderly Scarce, Panel Says

Obesity surgery has helped many patients lose weight and improve their health, a panel of experts told U.S. regulators on Thursday, but they added there was insufficient data on how well the procedure worked for elderly patients covered by Medicare,

White Bread, Starch Increases Diabetes Risk

Fans of white bread, hear this: it increases your risk of type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the illness, new research shows.

Dietary Fatty Acids May Help Prevent Asthma

Increased dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids may help prevent allergies and asthma in children, researchers have shown. Avoiding exposure to dust mites in the house also helps.

Pfizer: Celebrex Safe After News Report

Pfizer Inc. (PFE.N) said on Thursday its arthritis drug Celebrex was safe after a report in a Canadian newspaper linked it to 14 deaths.

Obesity, Inactivity Raise Uterine Cancer Risk

Obesity and low physical activity are strong risk factors for endometrial cancer, a disease involving the lining of the uterus, according to a Dutch study.