Health Headlines - January 29

Erectile Dysfunction May Signal Heart Problems

Erectile dysfunction is sometimes more than just an issue that negatively impacts a man's quality of life -- it can also be an early sign of heart or blood vessel problems, according to experts.

U.S. Clears Mylan's Generic Rival to J&J Pain Patch

U.S. regulators approved the first generic rival to Johnson & Johnson's Duragesic pain relief skin patch, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Friday.

Botox May Soothe 'Musician's Cramp'

Injections of the wrinkle-banisher Botox may help soothe the involuntary muscle contractions that plague some professional musicians, according to a new study.

Age a Factor in Cervical Cancer Treatment

Elderly women with invasive cervical carcinoma are less likely to receive aggressive treatment than younger patients, and are more likely to die from the disease, a new study shows.

Head Cooling May Reduce Brain Damage in Infants

Cooling the head with a special cap may help reduce brain damage in infants with neonatal encephalopathy, a serious neurologic condition that occurs in the first days of life, new research shows.

Heart Attack Diagnosis Less Likely in Women

Even with new, more objective criteria, women are still less likely than men to have their heart condition accurately diagnosed as a heart attack, researchers report.

Steroid Puffs Do Not Up Nonvertebral Fracture Risk

In the short term, the risk of nonvertebral fracture is not increased in older adults with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who use inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), a study shows.

Britain Clamps Down on Facelift 'Cowboys'

Britain moved on Friday to impose tougher regulations on the booming cosmetic surgery industry as concerns grow that people seeking beauty can end up disfigured by rogue practitioners.

Merck Hit with SEC Probe, Patent Ruling

Merck and Co. (MRK.N) suffered a double blow on Friday when a court ruled that the patent on its second-biggest drug, Fosamax, will lapse a decade earlier than expected and U.S. regulators elevated their probe of its withdrawn Vioxx arthritis drug.

Vietnam Tests Sick Cambodian Woman for Bird Flu

A 25-year-old Cambodian woman suspected of having bird flu is seriously ill in a hospital in southern Vietnam and tests are under way to check for the virus that has killed 10 Vietnamese recently, doctors said on Saturday.

Illinois Lifts Restrictions on Flu Shots

Officials lifted all restrictions Friday on the flu vaccination program in Illinois — a day after conceding the state has been unable to resell 700,000 doses purchased in Europe.

Acne Drug Memos Kept Secret Despite Suits

Lawyers suing the makers of Accutane over allegations the acne drug increases the risk of suicide cannot share the company's internal memos and other documents with the public or federal regulators, a judge ruled Friday.

Medicare Expands Defibrillator Coverage

About 500,000 Medicare beneficiaries can now receive coverage for expensive defibrillators — if they agree to release details about their cases to a database shared by hospitals, Medicare officials said.

Everyday Activity Said Key to Weight Loss

It turns out some couch potatoes spend more time on the couch than others. And that could be a key to obesity.

With Age Comes Pain Tolerance

Older adults seem better able to cope with chronic pain than younger adults, say researchers at the University of Michigan and the University of South Florida.

HIV Risk High in Poor Neighborhoods

Stress experienced by males who live in disadvantaged urban neighborhoods may put them at increased risk for HIV infection, says a study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Anti-Tobacco Programs Cut Teen Smoking Rates

Teen smoking rates could be cut by up to 14 percent if states followed federal recommendations for funding anti-smoking programs, a new study finds.

Seatbelts Save Police Officers' Lives, Too

Police officers who don't wear their seatbelts are 2.6 times more likely to die in patrol crashes than officers who wear seatbelts, says a University at Buffalo study in the January issue of the Journal of Trauma.

Smallpox Vaccine Risky for Some

People who have certain skin disorders or weakened immune systems, or are taking high-dose corticosteroids may face increased risk if they get the live-virus smallpox vaccine.

Campaign Touts Folic Acid for Moms-to-Be

A new public education campaign to raise awareness about the important role that the B vitamin folic acid plays in preventing serious birth defects was announced this week by the March of Dimes.

Parents' Smoking Can Kill Children Years Later

Here's one more study that shows smoking is bad not only for the health of people who light up but also for those around them -- specifically, for children who breathe in their parents' secondhand smoke.

EU confirms BSE has spread beyond cattle

European scientists have confirmed the first case of "mad cow" disease in another species, officials said, while playing down the risk from a condition linked to a horrific brain disease in humans.

Vietnam reports 11th death from bird flu in past month

A 13-year-old girl has died from bird flu in Vietnam, becoming the country's 11th victim of the disease in the past month, a doctor said.

British couple fail to change ruling that premature baby be allowed to die

The parents of a critically ill premature baby failed to overturn a landmark British court ruling that doctors be allowed to let her die, despite arguing her condition had significantly improved.

India declares 'last mile' fight against leprosy

International health organisations have declared a "last mile" assault on leprosy in India, aiming to eradicate the disease by the end of 2005, a campaigner said.

Two million Ethiopians in acute hunger crisis despite harvest

More than two million acutely-hungry Ethiopians will need emergency food aid to survive the next year despite a bumper cereal harvest, according to a joint UN food agency report.

United States to assist Nigerian AIDS sufferers with drugs, care

The United States has set up an emergency plan to assist Nigerian AIDS sufferers with life-prolonging anti-retroviral treatment (ART), care and prevention programmes, a senior US official said.

At least three dead as cholera outbreak hits western Kenya

A cholera outbreak in several villages in western Kenya has killed at least three people since water supplies were cut for non-payment of bills two weeks ago, the country's chief physician said.