Stem Cell Research Faked: Report
South Korean stem cell researcher Hwang Woo Suk faked at least nine of the 11 stem cell lines he claimed to have created, a Seoul National University expert panel said Friday when it announced findings from its investigation into the controversy.
In response to the panel's report, Hwang resigned his post at the university's College of Veterinary Medicine.
"I sincerely apologize to the people for creating a shock and disappointment," Hwang told reporters as he left his university office.
In a study published in the journal Science in May, Hwang said he used cloned human embryos to create 11 stem cell lines matched to specific patients. Recently, Hwang has been plagued by accusations that his research had been faked.
In its report, the university's panel concluded that "the laboratory data for 11 stem cell lines that were reported in the 2005 paper were all data made using two stem cell lines in total."
DNA tests are currently being conducted to determine if the two remaining stem cell lines were actually successfully cloned from a patient, the Associated Press reported.
The panel said that Hwang faked DNA results purporting to show a match by splitting cells from one patient into two test tubes for the analysis, rather than actually matching cloned cells to a patient's original cells.
"Based on these facts, the data in the 2005 Science paper cannot be some error from a simple mistake, but cannot be but seen as a deliberate fabrication to make it look like 11 stem cell lines using results from just two," the panel noted.
The panel also said it would now investigate Hwang's other landmark papers, which included another Science article in 2004 on the world's first cloned human embryos, and an August 2005 paper in the journal Nature on the first cloned dog.
Barley Products May Claim to Lower Heart Risks: FDA
Whole barley and barley-containing products can now carry labels that claim they reduce the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday.
Food manufacturers can make this claim immediately on products that provide at least 0.75 grams of soluble fiber per serving of the food. Consumers can expect to see the health claim on whole barley and dry milled barley products such as flakes, grits, flour and meal.
The claim may look something like this: Soluble fiber from foods such as (barley), as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease. A serving of (barely) supplies (x) grams of the soluble fiber for necessary per day to have this effect.
CHD causes almost 500,000 deaths each year in the United States. CHD risk factors include high total cholesterol levels and high levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Research indicates that consuming barley can lower serum cholesterol.
The diet choices that people make can have a major impact on their health, and these kinds of food health claims can help consumers make wise choices, noted Dr. Scott Gottlieb, FDA deputy commissioner for medical and scientific affairs, in a prepared statement.
FDA OKs Tamiflu for Children 1 to 12
The use of Tamiflu for prevention of seasonal flu in children ages 1 to 12 who've had close contact with an infected person has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
This is the first approval given to a drug for prevention of both influenza A and B in pediatric patients. Tamiflu, an oral anti-viral drug, is already approved in the United States for treatment of adults and children 13 years and older and in children younger than 1.
In granting this latest approval, the FDA looked at the results of a study of the spread of flu in households, which involved more than 1,100 people, including 222 children ages 1 to 12.
When someone in a household was diagnosed with flu, the other family members were given either Tamiflu once a day for 10 days or received no Tamiflu at all unless they became ill with the flu.
The flu rate was 17 percent among children who received no preventative treatment with Tamiflu, compared to 3 percent among children who received the drug as a preventative measure.
The findings were similar to those seen for older children and adults in earlier studies.
U.S. Cancer Death Rate Continues to Decline
The overall cancer death rate in the United States continues to decline, according to a new U.S. National Cancer Institute biannual report.
Death rates for the four most common types of cancer -- prostate, breast, lung and colorectal -- are all declining but there is a continuing increase in women's lung cancer deaths, although it isn't rising as rapidly as before, the Associated Press reported.
There are also increasing rates of breast, prostate and testicular cancer, as well as leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, myeloma, melanoma, and thyroid, kidney and esophagus cancer, the report said.
It noted that there have been some improvements in cancer-prevention behaviors, such as reductions in smoking and consumption of fat and alcohol. Smoking by youths has been on the decline since 1997, the AP reported.
Among the report's other findings -- screening for colorectal cancer remains low; blacks and poorer people have the highest rates of both newly diagnosed cancers and cancer deaths; and people are getting slightly better at protecting themselves against the sun.
Alistair Cooke's Remains Illegally Harvested: Report
The body of "Masterpiece Theatre" host Alistair Cooke was removed before cremation and some of his bones sold for reconstructive surgery, said U.S. investigators looking into the trafficking of human body parts.
Cooke, who died March 30, 2004, was among dozens of dead people whose body parts were harvested at one or more New York funeral homes without the permission of the families, CanWest News Service reported.
Police said that New Jersey-based tissue recovery firm Biomedical Tissue Services, Inc. falsified documents to indicate that permission had been granted by the families. The company is also alleged to have made other changes to documents.
For example, in Cooke's case false documents showed he was 85 and healthy when he died. In truth, he was 95 and died of lung cancer, which had spread to his bones, CanWest reported.
The use of bones from people that age is discouraged, and offering cancerous bones for medical procedures is a violation of U.S. Food and Drug Administration rules, the report said.
It's possible that Cooke's bones may have been used for different kinds of orthopedic procedures or even for dental implants.
So far, police have not charged anyone in connection with the body part trafficking scheme.
Food Fact:
Now "ear" this.
It's a fact -- you don't need butter to make fresh corn taste great. For best flavor, cook corn on the cob the same day it's picked. Frozen corn has all the nutritive benefits of fresh corn because it's processed soon after it's picked -- one-half cup of corn kernels contains about 3 grams of fiber. Yellow corn contains lutein, a plant pigment that helps protect your eyes.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Calorie-burner, muy caliente!
Looking for a tasty low-calorie salsa? Get on the dance floor! If you're looking for a fun change in your Salsa dancing will burn more calories per half hour on the floor, than a brisk walk around the park -- about 200 calories for a 150-lb. dancer. And it's so much fun!
FAQ of the day:
What's so bad about accelerated weight loss?
Try to lose weight too fast and your body will perceive the calorie deficit as a state of semi-starvation. To conserve energy, it will slow down the rate at which it burns calories. Crash diets may take weight off fast, but they also make it more likely the pounds will come right back when you resume your normal eating patterns.
Friday, December 23, 2005
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Health Headlines - December 22
21 Million Enrolled in New Medicare Drug Plan
About 21 million people will begin receiving benefits through Medicare's new prescription drug program in January, a figure that exceeded expectations but only includes 1 million who enrolled voluntarily, a new government report finds.
Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt told reporters Thursday that the government expects to sign up between 28 and 30 million people for the benefit during its first year. Medicare provides health care to 42 million older and disabled Americans.
"We're encouraged by the early results," Leavitt said. "You'll find you'll save money and you'll never have to worry about high drug costs in the future."
The vast majority of Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in the program were either automatically signed up by the federal government or they'll receive the benefits through private health plans, according to an Associated Press report.
The government's figures are as of Dec. 13. Another 500,000 people are expected to enroll in January, officials said.
It's estimated the federal government will spend about $724 billion over 10 years to provide the Medicare drug benefit.
Good Dancers' Symmetry is Sexy
Superior symmetrical movement is what makes good dancers attractive to other people, probably because symmetry is something that humans look for in a mate, according to a Rutgers University study.
Researchers made videos of 183 dancers -- who all danced to the same song in the same spot in front of the camera -- and selected the 20 best and 20 worst dancers. This selection was based on the dancers' body symmetry, which was measured by comparing specific points on the body, such as elbows, fingers and ears, BBC News reported.
The 40 videos, which didn't include the dancers' faces, were then shown to 155 people. The viewers, especially women, gave higher marks to symmetrical dancers than non-symmetrical dancers.
The study appears in the journal Nature.
The researchers said they couldn't determine whether it was a dancer's degree of symmetry itself, or associated factors such as co-ordination or rhythm, that influenced the viewers when they rated the dancers.
Parole Board Votes Against Ailing Kevorkian Pardon
The Michigan Parole Board has voted to recommend denying an application to pardon or commute the prison sentence of 77-year-old assisted suicide advocate Jack Kevorkian.
Kervorkian is serving a 10- to 25-year sentence for second-degree murder after being convicted of giving a fatal injection of drugs to a man with Lou Gehrig's disease in 1998.
His lawyer, Mayer Morganroth, maintained that Kervorkian is in "dire shape" with high blood pressure, arthritis, cataracts, osteoporosis and Hepatitis C. He filed the application for a pardon or commuted sentence because he was concerned that Kevorkian may not live until he becomes eligible for parole in 2007, the Associated Press reported.
"I think the parole board is acting irresponsibly and outrageously. The doctor in the prison keeps telling us 'What can I do to get him out? He shouldn't be in here,' " Morganroth told the AP.
The parole board recommendation now goes to Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who followed similar recommendations in 2003 and 2004.
Blood Clot Risk Increases Even on Short Trips
Just four hours of travel in a plane, train or car can triple your risk of potentially deadly blood clots in the legs, says a new U.K. government report.
The Transport Department study of working-age airline passengers found one case of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) for every 6,000 journeys of four hours or more, the Telegraph reported.
The risk of DVT increased along with journey length, the study found. Those at greatest risk were people who traveled for more than 12 hours, people with certain kinds of inherited blood conditions, women taking oral contraceptives, and people taller than 6 foot, 2 inches, who are most affected by lack of leg room, the study said.
"This important research has shown that DVT can occur in any form of travel where people remain seated for a long time," said Transport Minister Karen Buck.
However, the study noted that the overall DVT risk among travelers is small and equivalent to the risk among pregnant women, the Telegraph reported.
A traveler's risk of DVT can be reduced by moving the feet, walking around if possible, and drinking water or non-alcoholic beverages in order to prevent dehydration, says the U.K. Department of Health.
Generic HIV/AIDS Drug Wins Approval
The generic HIV/AIDS drug Stavudine for oral solution has received tentative approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.
The drug, made by Aurobino Pharma Ltd. of India, is a generic version of the Bristol-Myers Squibb drug Zerit. The tentative FDA approval means that Stavudine will be available for consideration for purchase under the Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, but it cannot be sold in the United States because of existing patents.
Stavudine is indicated for use in children with HIV, from birth through adolescence. The drug is active against HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Stavudine belongs to a class of drugs called nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), which help stop HIV from reproducing in the body.
The drug is used in combination with other antiretroviral drugs used to treat people infected with HIV-1.
The Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief is spending $15 billion over five years to help fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic in 15 of the hardest hit countries.
Transit Strike Depletes NYC Blood Supplies
New York City's transit strike has reduced blood supplies at area hospitals to critical levels and forced rationing, Agence France Presse reported.
The New York Blood Center (NYBC) has issued a public appeal for donors of blood and platelets to try to keep their donation appointments in spit of the travel chaos caused by the transit strike.
The NYBC said its "inventory of blood for area hospitals is at great risk and a state of emergency has been declared."
In order to guarantee blood supplies to 200 hospitals in New York and New Jersey, the NYBC says it needs about 2,000 donations a day.
"Year-end blood inventories are always precarious. But with some blood drives now being cancelled as a result of the strike, the shortage of blood, and platelets in particular, will grow far worse, threatening health care delivery in New York and New Jersey patients," NYBC President Robert Jones told AFP.
"A strike of even a few days will severely curtail our ability to collect an adequate blood supply for our community," Jones said.
Food Fact:
The great pumpkin.
Pumpkin in its pure form -- including canned -- has fat-busting potential in baked goods. Use it to replace up to 3/4 of the fat in some of your favorite spiced muffins and quick-bread recipes. Pumpkin, a winter squash, is especially rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C, potassium and fiber, with some iron and few calories.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Asphalt-y logic?
Choosing the right running surface goes a long way toward protecting your knees. Find a grass, dirt, all-weather track or some other soft surface if you want to pick up the pace of your workout and run. Avoid asphalt it increases the impact on your joints -- and your chance of injuries, sore knees and shin splints.
FAQ of the day:
Can I lose weight by walking 30 minutes a day?
If that's 30 minutes more than you're doing now, go for it, but 45 minutes a day is usually recommended for weight loss. It doesn't have to be all at once; you'll benefit just the same from four 10-minute walks and a 5-minute stroll as from one 45-minute hike. As you get into shape, increasing your pace or walking uphill will burn more calories while challenging your cardiovascular system to make you more fit.
About 21 million people will begin receiving benefits through Medicare's new prescription drug program in January, a figure that exceeded expectations but only includes 1 million who enrolled voluntarily, a new government report finds.
Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt told reporters Thursday that the government expects to sign up between 28 and 30 million people for the benefit during its first year. Medicare provides health care to 42 million older and disabled Americans.
"We're encouraged by the early results," Leavitt said. "You'll find you'll save money and you'll never have to worry about high drug costs in the future."
The vast majority of Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in the program were either automatically signed up by the federal government or they'll receive the benefits through private health plans, according to an Associated Press report.
The government's figures are as of Dec. 13. Another 500,000 people are expected to enroll in January, officials said.
It's estimated the federal government will spend about $724 billion over 10 years to provide the Medicare drug benefit.
Good Dancers' Symmetry is Sexy
Superior symmetrical movement is what makes good dancers attractive to other people, probably because symmetry is something that humans look for in a mate, according to a Rutgers University study.
Researchers made videos of 183 dancers -- who all danced to the same song in the same spot in front of the camera -- and selected the 20 best and 20 worst dancers. This selection was based on the dancers' body symmetry, which was measured by comparing specific points on the body, such as elbows, fingers and ears, BBC News reported.
The 40 videos, which didn't include the dancers' faces, were then shown to 155 people. The viewers, especially women, gave higher marks to symmetrical dancers than non-symmetrical dancers.
The study appears in the journal Nature.
The researchers said they couldn't determine whether it was a dancer's degree of symmetry itself, or associated factors such as co-ordination or rhythm, that influenced the viewers when they rated the dancers.
Parole Board Votes Against Ailing Kevorkian Pardon
The Michigan Parole Board has voted to recommend denying an application to pardon or commute the prison sentence of 77-year-old assisted suicide advocate Jack Kevorkian.
Kervorkian is serving a 10- to 25-year sentence for second-degree murder after being convicted of giving a fatal injection of drugs to a man with Lou Gehrig's disease in 1998.
His lawyer, Mayer Morganroth, maintained that Kervorkian is in "dire shape" with high blood pressure, arthritis, cataracts, osteoporosis and Hepatitis C. He filed the application for a pardon or commuted sentence because he was concerned that Kevorkian may not live until he becomes eligible for parole in 2007, the Associated Press reported.
"I think the parole board is acting irresponsibly and outrageously. The doctor in the prison keeps telling us 'What can I do to get him out? He shouldn't be in here,' " Morganroth told the AP.
The parole board recommendation now goes to Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who followed similar recommendations in 2003 and 2004.
Blood Clot Risk Increases Even on Short Trips
Just four hours of travel in a plane, train or car can triple your risk of potentially deadly blood clots in the legs, says a new U.K. government report.
The Transport Department study of working-age airline passengers found one case of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) for every 6,000 journeys of four hours or more, the Telegraph reported.
The risk of DVT increased along with journey length, the study found. Those at greatest risk were people who traveled for more than 12 hours, people with certain kinds of inherited blood conditions, women taking oral contraceptives, and people taller than 6 foot, 2 inches, who are most affected by lack of leg room, the study said.
"This important research has shown that DVT can occur in any form of travel where people remain seated for a long time," said Transport Minister Karen Buck.
However, the study noted that the overall DVT risk among travelers is small and equivalent to the risk among pregnant women, the Telegraph reported.
A traveler's risk of DVT can be reduced by moving the feet, walking around if possible, and drinking water or non-alcoholic beverages in order to prevent dehydration, says the U.K. Department of Health.
Generic HIV/AIDS Drug Wins Approval
The generic HIV/AIDS drug Stavudine for oral solution has received tentative approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.
The drug, made by Aurobino Pharma Ltd. of India, is a generic version of the Bristol-Myers Squibb drug Zerit. The tentative FDA approval means that Stavudine will be available for consideration for purchase under the Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, but it cannot be sold in the United States because of existing patents.
Stavudine is indicated for use in children with HIV, from birth through adolescence. The drug is active against HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Stavudine belongs to a class of drugs called nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), which help stop HIV from reproducing in the body.
The drug is used in combination with other antiretroviral drugs used to treat people infected with HIV-1.
The Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief is spending $15 billion over five years to help fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic in 15 of the hardest hit countries.
Transit Strike Depletes NYC Blood Supplies
New York City's transit strike has reduced blood supplies at area hospitals to critical levels and forced rationing, Agence France Presse reported.
The New York Blood Center (NYBC) has issued a public appeal for donors of blood and platelets to try to keep their donation appointments in spit of the travel chaos caused by the transit strike.
The NYBC said its "inventory of blood for area hospitals is at great risk and a state of emergency has been declared."
In order to guarantee blood supplies to 200 hospitals in New York and New Jersey, the NYBC says it needs about 2,000 donations a day.
"Year-end blood inventories are always precarious. But with some blood drives now being cancelled as a result of the strike, the shortage of blood, and platelets in particular, will grow far worse, threatening health care delivery in New York and New Jersey patients," NYBC President Robert Jones told AFP.
"A strike of even a few days will severely curtail our ability to collect an adequate blood supply for our community," Jones said.
Food Fact:
The great pumpkin.
Pumpkin in its pure form -- including canned -- has fat-busting potential in baked goods. Use it to replace up to 3/4 of the fat in some of your favorite spiced muffins and quick-bread recipes. Pumpkin, a winter squash, is especially rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C, potassium and fiber, with some iron and few calories.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Asphalt-y logic?
Choosing the right running surface goes a long way toward protecting your knees. Find a grass, dirt, all-weather track or some other soft surface if you want to pick up the pace of your workout and run. Avoid asphalt it increases the impact on your joints -- and your chance of injuries, sore knees and shin splints.
FAQ of the day:
Can I lose weight by walking 30 minutes a day?
If that's 30 minutes more than you're doing now, go for it, but 45 minutes a day is usually recommended for weight loss. It doesn't have to be all at once; you'll benefit just the same from four 10-minute walks and a 5-minute stroll as from one 45-minute hike. As you get into shape, increasing your pace or walking uphill will burn more calories while challenging your cardiovascular system to make you more fit.
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Health Headlines - December 21
U.S. Drinking Water Laced With Unregulated Chemicals: Report
Drinking water in the United States contains 141 unregulated chemicals, and 119 others for which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has set health-based limits, says a report released by the Environmental Working Group.
The findings are based on an analysis of drinking water records in 42 states between 1998 and 2003. The data cover nearly 40,000 water utilities that serve about 231 million people, the Associated Press reported.
Disinfection byproducts, nitrates, chloroform, barium, arsenic and copper were the most common chemicals found in the water. The Environmental Working Group said the report, released Tuesday, shows that millions of people are exposed to chemicals that have no enforceable limits or that haven't been assessed for human health risk.
"So in many communities, the water that comes out of the tap could be contaminated with scores of chemicals. People shouldn't be alarmed, but they should be concerned. Our system of public health protections isn't working in this case," Jane Houlihan, the group's vice president of research, told the AP.
The biggest sources of these chemicals are agriculture, industry and urban and sprawl developments, the report said. Listed in order of the most contaminants in their drinking water, the 10 states were: California, Wisconsin, Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, New York, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Illinois.
Age Affects Assisted Reproduction Success
Age is a major factor in determining the success of assisted reproductive technology (ART), according to a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report released Wednesday.
The report said that more than 48,000 babies were born in the United States as a result of ART procedures carried out in 2003, up from 45,751 babies born as a result of ART in 2002. In vitro fertilization is the most common ART procedure.
This latest report, based on 2003 data from 399 fertility clinics across the country, found that 28 percent of ART procedures resulted in the birth of a baby for women who used their own fresh eggs. The report noted that age plays a major role in ART success.
"Women in their 20s and early 30s had relatively high rates of success for pregnancies, live births, and single live births. But success rates declined steadily once a woman reach her mid-30s," Victoria Wright, a public health analyst with the CDC's division of reproductive health, said in a prepared statement.
There was a 37 percent overall success rate among women younger than 35 who used their own fresh eggs, compared with 30 percent among women aged 35 to 37, 20 percent among women aged 38 to 40, 11 percent among women aged 41 to 42 and four percent among women older than 42.
Women 40 or older were more likely to have a successful ART procedure if they used donor eggs, which usually come from women in their 20s or 30s, the report said.
Agency Identifies 18 Web Sites Selling Counterfeit Tamiflu
A British agency has identified 18 Web sites as illegal sellers of products purported to be the anti-flu drug Tamiflu, which is in high demand due to fears about a global bird flu pandemic.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said seven of the Web sites were based in the United States, three were in Britain, and two were in Canada. Bahrain, Cyprus, Malta, Singapore and Switzerland each had one Web site, Agence France Presse reported.
All the Web sites are being investigated by local authorities, said the MHRA, which is one of a number of international regulators that have launched sting operations against illegal producers and sellers of Tamiflu.
FDA Issues Warning Letter on Blood Sugar Monitors
California company LifeScan Inc. has been warned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration about problems with the company's One Touch Ultra and UltraSmart blood sugar monitors, which are used by millions of people around the world.
The FDA said LifeScan did not meet the agency's manufacturing standards and also failed to properly investigate reports of serious health problems associated with the monitors that resulted in the hospitalization of five people, the Associated Press reported.
LifeScan, based in Milpitas, Calif., is a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson.
The FDA sent a warning letter to LifeScan on December 7 but only posted the letter on its Web site Tuesday. The letter was prompted by an FDA inspection of the company that began April 6, the AP reported.
Shortly after the start of the inspection, LifeScan warned that patients using the monitors could unknowingly change the unit of measure on the monitors and misinterpret their blood sugar levels. The company later reported 40 reports of patient problems caused by incorrect readings.
LifeScan stopped shipping the monitors last spring and has redesigned them, the AP reported. In a statement, LifeScan said it has implemented a number of corrective measures.
New Kidney Cancer Drug Approved by FDA
A new drug called Nexavar (sorafenib tosylate) that slows the spread of advanced kidney cancer was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday. It's the first new treatment for U.S. kidney cancer patients in more than a decade, the Associated Press reported.
"We believe this represents, from a medical point of view, truly a major advance," Dr. Richard Pazdur, director of the FDA's Office of Oncology Drug Products, said at a news conference.
In clinical trials, kidney cancer patients who received Nexavar went twice as long (a median of six months) without cancer progression or death as patients who were given a placebo ( a median of three months).
The drug, developed by Bayer and Onyx Pharmaceuticals, is for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma, the most common form of kidney cancer, the AP reported.
About 32,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with kidney cancer each year. If it's detected early, the cancer can be cured by kidney removal. However, there have been few effective treatments for kidney cancer that has spread.
Stem Cell Researcher's Previous Work Needs Probe: Colleague
A former research colleague of stem cell pioneer Hwang Woo-suk has asked Seoul National University to expand its investigation into Hwang's work and to review his earlier reported achievements.
"In the scientific community, when one paper is proven to be fabricated, it is customary to review all related papers," Moon Shin-yo told the Associated Press.
Moon is a Seoul National University professor who played an important role in Hwang's stem cell research. Controversy has erupted over a paper published in the journal Science in which Hwang claimed to have created the world's first cloned human embryos and to have extracted stem cells from them.
Hwang is being plagued by allegations that he falsified the research. and Seoul National University has launched an investigation into the charges. Hwang has acknowledged that his research contained errors but insists his research is genuine.
Moon and Roh Sung-il, another of Hwang's colleagues, have been questioned by university investigators, the AP reported.
Food Fact:
The sweeter tater.
For the record, sweet potatoes are not yams -- but they are a very nutritious choice. One baked sweet potato contains 5 1/2 times your daily requirement for vitamin A, and nearly half the recommended amount of vitamin C, along with a range of trace minerals and plenty of fiber. Buy only as many sweet potatoes as you plan to cook: They don't keep well, and should never be refrigerated. Store in a cool, dry place for a few days.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Easy steps for weight loss.
Want to burn 160 calories in 30 minutes? You don't even need a gym! All you have to do is walk -- a great way to tone up, decrease your risk of heart disease and colon cancer, and help control your weight. A 150-lb. person, walking briskly for 30 minutes, can burn 160 calories.
FAQ of the day:
How much fat is too much?
We recommend a limit of 20% of calories from fat for weight loss. That's enough to make food palatable without providing empty calories. The best way to control fat is to determine your daily limit of fat in grams, and then monitor your fat budget by reading labels, using recipe analyses, and referring to a fat counter (available in any bookstore). The fat you add to your food should be monounsaturated (the kind found in olive and canola oils) and limited in saturated and hydrogenated fats as much as possible.
Drinking water in the United States contains 141 unregulated chemicals, and 119 others for which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has set health-based limits, says a report released by the Environmental Working Group.
The findings are based on an analysis of drinking water records in 42 states between 1998 and 2003. The data cover nearly 40,000 water utilities that serve about 231 million people, the Associated Press reported.
Disinfection byproducts, nitrates, chloroform, barium, arsenic and copper were the most common chemicals found in the water. The Environmental Working Group said the report, released Tuesday, shows that millions of people are exposed to chemicals that have no enforceable limits or that haven't been assessed for human health risk.
"So in many communities, the water that comes out of the tap could be contaminated with scores of chemicals. People shouldn't be alarmed, but they should be concerned. Our system of public health protections isn't working in this case," Jane Houlihan, the group's vice president of research, told the AP.
The biggest sources of these chemicals are agriculture, industry and urban and sprawl developments, the report said. Listed in order of the most contaminants in their drinking water, the 10 states were: California, Wisconsin, Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, New York, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Illinois.
Age Affects Assisted Reproduction Success
Age is a major factor in determining the success of assisted reproductive technology (ART), according to a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report released Wednesday.
The report said that more than 48,000 babies were born in the United States as a result of ART procedures carried out in 2003, up from 45,751 babies born as a result of ART in 2002. In vitro fertilization is the most common ART procedure.
This latest report, based on 2003 data from 399 fertility clinics across the country, found that 28 percent of ART procedures resulted in the birth of a baby for women who used their own fresh eggs. The report noted that age plays a major role in ART success.
"Women in their 20s and early 30s had relatively high rates of success for pregnancies, live births, and single live births. But success rates declined steadily once a woman reach her mid-30s," Victoria Wright, a public health analyst with the CDC's division of reproductive health, said in a prepared statement.
There was a 37 percent overall success rate among women younger than 35 who used their own fresh eggs, compared with 30 percent among women aged 35 to 37, 20 percent among women aged 38 to 40, 11 percent among women aged 41 to 42 and four percent among women older than 42.
Women 40 or older were more likely to have a successful ART procedure if they used donor eggs, which usually come from women in their 20s or 30s, the report said.
Agency Identifies 18 Web Sites Selling Counterfeit Tamiflu
A British agency has identified 18 Web sites as illegal sellers of products purported to be the anti-flu drug Tamiflu, which is in high demand due to fears about a global bird flu pandemic.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said seven of the Web sites were based in the United States, three were in Britain, and two were in Canada. Bahrain, Cyprus, Malta, Singapore and Switzerland each had one Web site, Agence France Presse reported.
All the Web sites are being investigated by local authorities, said the MHRA, which is one of a number of international regulators that have launched sting operations against illegal producers and sellers of Tamiflu.
FDA Issues Warning Letter on Blood Sugar Monitors
California company LifeScan Inc. has been warned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration about problems with the company's One Touch Ultra and UltraSmart blood sugar monitors, which are used by millions of people around the world.
The FDA said LifeScan did not meet the agency's manufacturing standards and also failed to properly investigate reports of serious health problems associated with the monitors that resulted in the hospitalization of five people, the Associated Press reported.
LifeScan, based in Milpitas, Calif., is a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson.
The FDA sent a warning letter to LifeScan on December 7 but only posted the letter on its Web site Tuesday. The letter was prompted by an FDA inspection of the company that began April 6, the AP reported.
Shortly after the start of the inspection, LifeScan warned that patients using the monitors could unknowingly change the unit of measure on the monitors and misinterpret their blood sugar levels. The company later reported 40 reports of patient problems caused by incorrect readings.
LifeScan stopped shipping the monitors last spring and has redesigned them, the AP reported. In a statement, LifeScan said it has implemented a number of corrective measures.
New Kidney Cancer Drug Approved by FDA
A new drug called Nexavar (sorafenib tosylate) that slows the spread of advanced kidney cancer was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday. It's the first new treatment for U.S. kidney cancer patients in more than a decade, the Associated Press reported.
"We believe this represents, from a medical point of view, truly a major advance," Dr. Richard Pazdur, director of the FDA's Office of Oncology Drug Products, said at a news conference.
In clinical trials, kidney cancer patients who received Nexavar went twice as long (a median of six months) without cancer progression or death as patients who were given a placebo ( a median of three months).
The drug, developed by Bayer and Onyx Pharmaceuticals, is for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma, the most common form of kidney cancer, the AP reported.
About 32,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with kidney cancer each year. If it's detected early, the cancer can be cured by kidney removal. However, there have been few effective treatments for kidney cancer that has spread.
Stem Cell Researcher's Previous Work Needs Probe: Colleague
A former research colleague of stem cell pioneer Hwang Woo-suk has asked Seoul National University to expand its investigation into Hwang's work and to review his earlier reported achievements.
"In the scientific community, when one paper is proven to be fabricated, it is customary to review all related papers," Moon Shin-yo told the Associated Press.
Moon is a Seoul National University professor who played an important role in Hwang's stem cell research. Controversy has erupted over a paper published in the journal Science in which Hwang claimed to have created the world's first cloned human embryos and to have extracted stem cells from them.
Hwang is being plagued by allegations that he falsified the research. and Seoul National University has launched an investigation into the charges. Hwang has acknowledged that his research contained errors but insists his research is genuine.
Moon and Roh Sung-il, another of Hwang's colleagues, have been questioned by university investigators, the AP reported.
Food Fact:
The sweeter tater.
For the record, sweet potatoes are not yams -- but they are a very nutritious choice. One baked sweet potato contains 5 1/2 times your daily requirement for vitamin A, and nearly half the recommended amount of vitamin C, along with a range of trace minerals and plenty of fiber. Buy only as many sweet potatoes as you plan to cook: They don't keep well, and should never be refrigerated. Store in a cool, dry place for a few days.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Easy steps for weight loss.
Want to burn 160 calories in 30 minutes? You don't even need a gym! All you have to do is walk -- a great way to tone up, decrease your risk of heart disease and colon cancer, and help control your weight. A 150-lb. person, walking briskly for 30 minutes, can burn 160 calories.
FAQ of the day:
How much fat is too much?
We recommend a limit of 20% of calories from fat for weight loss. That's enough to make food palatable without providing empty calories. The best way to control fat is to determine your daily limit of fat in grams, and then monitor your fat budget by reading labels, using recipe analyses, and referring to a fat counter (available in any bookstore). The fat you add to your food should be monounsaturated (the kind found in olive and canola oils) and limited in saturated and hydrogenated fats as much as possible.
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Health Headlines - December 21
Food Labels Must List Allergenic Ingredients
A new U.S. law that takes effect Jan. 1 requires food product labels to clearly inform consumers whether the products contain any ingredients that could affect people with food allergies.
Food labels will have to list ingredients made from any of the eight major allergenic foods -- eggs, fish, milk, peanuts, shellfish, soybeans, tree nuts and wheat, the Associated Press reported.
These ingredients account for 90 percent of food allergies, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The law was created in response to concerns that many food product ingredient labels didn't list allergens or listed them using names that might not be recognizable to consumers, the AP reported.
About 2 percent of adults and 5 percent of children in the United States have food allergies, the FDA said. Each year in the United States, about 30,000 people require emergency department treatment for food allergies and about 150 people die.
U.S. Establishes Umbilical Cord Blood Databank
President George W. Bush signed legislation Tuesday to establish a U.S. national databank of umbilical cord blood and bone marrow.
The databank is designed to help doctors quickly find a match for patients who need a transplant, the Associated Press reported. The bill was passed by the House of Representatives in May and by the Senate on Dec. 16.
The law will give $79 million in federal funding to increase the number of cord blood units available for transplant matches. The goal is to have 150,000 cord blood units. That would be enough to provide more than 90 percent of patients needing them with a match, the AP reported.
The law also reauthorizes the U.S. national bone marrow transplant system, which is combined with the cord blood in the same database.
Lawsuit Targets Illinois Law on Emergency Contraceptive
The American Center for Law and Justice, founded by evangelist Pat Robertson, has filed a lawsuit to stop Illinois from requiring pharmacies to fill prescriptions for emergency contraception.
The lawsuit claims that the Illinois law violates a pharmacist's right to refuse to provide the contraceptive on religious and moral grounds, the Associated Press reported.
The Illinois law, which took effect in April, says pharmacies that sell federally approved contraceptives must immediately fill prescriptions for emergency birth control if they have the contraceptives in stock. If the contraceptive is not in stock, the pharmacy must order it or transfer the prescription to a pharmacy selected by the patient.
If a druggist refuses to fill the prescription on moral grounds, another pharmacist must be available to fill the prescription.
The legal challenge to the Illinois law is being launched on behalf of five Walgreen Co. pharmacists who were suspended by the company for refusing to dispense the emergency contraceptive. The lawsuit also includes two other pharmacists who fear they may be hit with similar disciplinary action for refusing to dispense the medication, the AP reported.
U.S. Women Having More 'Unwanted' Babies
More American women are having "unwanted" babies, says a survey released Monday by the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics.
The 2002 survey of 7,643 women, ages 15 to 44, found that 14 percent of their recent births were unwanted at the time of conception, compared to nine percent in a 1995 survey, the Associated Press reported.
Researchers said they don't know if the increase reflects a change in attitudes about abortion.
"People have all kinds of attitudes that don't always reflect what they choose to do. We would never want to guess at people's attitudes based on their behavior," study lead author Anjani Chandra told the AP.
The rate of unwanted births was highest among girls younger than 18 (25.4 percent) and lowest among women aged 30 to 44 (10.4 percent). Among black women, the rate of unwanted babies was 26.2 percent, compared with 16.8 percent for Hispanics and 10.7 percent for whites.
The study also asked the women about other family planning and reproductive health issues. It found that about 42 percent of the women in 2002 said they never married, compared with 38 percent in 1995, the AP reported.
About 50 percent of women in this latest survey said they had lived with a man in a sexual relationship outside of marriage, an increase from 41 percent in 1995. The rate of breastfeeding among women who recently gave birth was 67 percent in 2002, compared with 55 percent in 1995.
Bill Would Provide More Vaccine Liability Protections
In what critics charge is a massive Christmas present to drug companies, the U.S. House of Representatives Monday approved tougher liability protections for companies that make medicines to combat bird flu.
Proponents of the protections say they're needed in order to encourage drug makers to invest in vaccines to fight a feared bird flu pandemic, the Associated Press reports.
If potential liabilities outweigh potential profits, drug companies won't develop or produce vaccines, supporters contend.
The protections mean that people who seek damages on claims they were harmed by a vaccine would have to prove willful misconduct on the part of drug makers. This is a higher standard than negligence, which is the argument used in many liability suits in the United States.
"Negligence is much easier to prove; it's the failure to exercise reasonable care," Carl Tobias, a professor at the University of Richmond School of Law, told the AP. "Willful misconduct is a much higher standard. You must intentionally misbehave. ... The high standard would clearly discourage many suits."
The push for additional liability protections for the drug makers was led by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, (R-Tenn). He attached the legislation to the Defense Appropriations Bill, viewed by many as a must-pass bill.
The bill will be taken up by the Senate on Wednesday or Thursday.
Many Girls Hate, Torture Barbie Dolls
Maiming, decapitation and being put in the microwave oven are just some of the tortures that Barbie dolls are subjected to by young girls, say researchers at Bath University in the U.K.
They found that the doll provoked rejection, hatred and violence among many girls, aged seven to 11. The researchers attributed the girls' feelings and actions to the fact that Barbie is a feminine icon, "plastic," and an unwelcome reminder of their childhood, BBC News reports.
"It's as though disavowing Barbie is a rite of passage and a rejection of their past," Dr. Agnes Nairn said. "The types of mutilation are varied and creative and range from removing the hair to decapitation, burning, breaking and even microwaving."
The Barbie findings are part of research by Nairn and her colleagues into children's attitudes towards branded goods and marketing. Among their other findings - children seem to be more engaged by celebrities than toys.
"We were surprised to find that the most resonant discussions among the children did not center around toys and games, but on sports celebrities, pop stars and TV shows," Nairn told BBC News.
Food Fact:
A cup of health.
For a rich load of antioxidants, pour yourself a daily cup of tea. All tea (green, oolong or black) contains compounds called catechins, which may help protect you against heart disease, stroke and cancer. Of the three varieties, green tea has the most catechins. Tea also has antibacterial qualities that may help prevent cavities and gum disease.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Chocolate on a diet!
Yes, you can find 25-calorie treats! The trick for dieters who get tripped up by feelings of deprivation is learning to indulge in favorites wisely rather than swearing them off entirely. If you love chocolate, a kiss has only 25 calories, compared to 270 in a chocolate bar. For many, such substitutions make them more likely to stick to a healthier eating plan. But everyone is different: If you find that "just a little" leads to a lot, stay away from temptation, at least for awhile.
FAQ of the day:
How many calories do I need?
The average, moderately active person needs about 15 calories per pound to maintain weight. For instance, at 150 lbs., you need about 2,250 calories a day to stay at that weight. However, this is just a rough estimate; your true caloric needs are more closely linked to the amount of fat and lean tissue you carry. A well-muscled 150-lb. wrestler burns more calories than a 150-lb. couch potato, even on days when he decides to kick back and grapple with the remote control.
A new U.S. law that takes effect Jan. 1 requires food product labels to clearly inform consumers whether the products contain any ingredients that could affect people with food allergies.
Food labels will have to list ingredients made from any of the eight major allergenic foods -- eggs, fish, milk, peanuts, shellfish, soybeans, tree nuts and wheat, the Associated Press reported.
These ingredients account for 90 percent of food allergies, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The law was created in response to concerns that many food product ingredient labels didn't list allergens or listed them using names that might not be recognizable to consumers, the AP reported.
About 2 percent of adults and 5 percent of children in the United States have food allergies, the FDA said. Each year in the United States, about 30,000 people require emergency department treatment for food allergies and about 150 people die.
U.S. Establishes Umbilical Cord Blood Databank
President George W. Bush signed legislation Tuesday to establish a U.S. national databank of umbilical cord blood and bone marrow.
The databank is designed to help doctors quickly find a match for patients who need a transplant, the Associated Press reported. The bill was passed by the House of Representatives in May and by the Senate on Dec. 16.
The law will give $79 million in federal funding to increase the number of cord blood units available for transplant matches. The goal is to have 150,000 cord blood units. That would be enough to provide more than 90 percent of patients needing them with a match, the AP reported.
The law also reauthorizes the U.S. national bone marrow transplant system, which is combined with the cord blood in the same database.
Lawsuit Targets Illinois Law on Emergency Contraceptive
The American Center for Law and Justice, founded by evangelist Pat Robertson, has filed a lawsuit to stop Illinois from requiring pharmacies to fill prescriptions for emergency contraception.
The lawsuit claims that the Illinois law violates a pharmacist's right to refuse to provide the contraceptive on religious and moral grounds, the Associated Press reported.
The Illinois law, which took effect in April, says pharmacies that sell federally approved contraceptives must immediately fill prescriptions for emergency birth control if they have the contraceptives in stock. If the contraceptive is not in stock, the pharmacy must order it or transfer the prescription to a pharmacy selected by the patient.
If a druggist refuses to fill the prescription on moral grounds, another pharmacist must be available to fill the prescription.
The legal challenge to the Illinois law is being launched on behalf of five Walgreen Co. pharmacists who were suspended by the company for refusing to dispense the emergency contraceptive. The lawsuit also includes two other pharmacists who fear they may be hit with similar disciplinary action for refusing to dispense the medication, the AP reported.
U.S. Women Having More 'Unwanted' Babies
More American women are having "unwanted" babies, says a survey released Monday by the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics.
The 2002 survey of 7,643 women, ages 15 to 44, found that 14 percent of their recent births were unwanted at the time of conception, compared to nine percent in a 1995 survey, the Associated Press reported.
Researchers said they don't know if the increase reflects a change in attitudes about abortion.
"People have all kinds of attitudes that don't always reflect what they choose to do. We would never want to guess at people's attitudes based on their behavior," study lead author Anjani Chandra told the AP.
The rate of unwanted births was highest among girls younger than 18 (25.4 percent) and lowest among women aged 30 to 44 (10.4 percent). Among black women, the rate of unwanted babies was 26.2 percent, compared with 16.8 percent for Hispanics and 10.7 percent for whites.
The study also asked the women about other family planning and reproductive health issues. It found that about 42 percent of the women in 2002 said they never married, compared with 38 percent in 1995, the AP reported.
About 50 percent of women in this latest survey said they had lived with a man in a sexual relationship outside of marriage, an increase from 41 percent in 1995. The rate of breastfeeding among women who recently gave birth was 67 percent in 2002, compared with 55 percent in 1995.
Bill Would Provide More Vaccine Liability Protections
In what critics charge is a massive Christmas present to drug companies, the U.S. House of Representatives Monday approved tougher liability protections for companies that make medicines to combat bird flu.
Proponents of the protections say they're needed in order to encourage drug makers to invest in vaccines to fight a feared bird flu pandemic, the Associated Press reports.
If potential liabilities outweigh potential profits, drug companies won't develop or produce vaccines, supporters contend.
The protections mean that people who seek damages on claims they were harmed by a vaccine would have to prove willful misconduct on the part of drug makers. This is a higher standard than negligence, which is the argument used in many liability suits in the United States.
"Negligence is much easier to prove; it's the failure to exercise reasonable care," Carl Tobias, a professor at the University of Richmond School of Law, told the AP. "Willful misconduct is a much higher standard. You must intentionally misbehave. ... The high standard would clearly discourage many suits."
The push for additional liability protections for the drug makers was led by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, (R-Tenn). He attached the legislation to the Defense Appropriations Bill, viewed by many as a must-pass bill.
The bill will be taken up by the Senate on Wednesday or Thursday.
Many Girls Hate, Torture Barbie Dolls
Maiming, decapitation and being put in the microwave oven are just some of the tortures that Barbie dolls are subjected to by young girls, say researchers at Bath University in the U.K.
They found that the doll provoked rejection, hatred and violence among many girls, aged seven to 11. The researchers attributed the girls' feelings and actions to the fact that Barbie is a feminine icon, "plastic," and an unwelcome reminder of their childhood, BBC News reports.
"It's as though disavowing Barbie is a rite of passage and a rejection of their past," Dr. Agnes Nairn said. "The types of mutilation are varied and creative and range from removing the hair to decapitation, burning, breaking and even microwaving."
The Barbie findings are part of research by Nairn and her colleagues into children's attitudes towards branded goods and marketing. Among their other findings - children seem to be more engaged by celebrities than toys.
"We were surprised to find that the most resonant discussions among the children did not center around toys and games, but on sports celebrities, pop stars and TV shows," Nairn told BBC News.
Food Fact:
A cup of health.
For a rich load of antioxidants, pour yourself a daily cup of tea. All tea (green, oolong or black) contains compounds called catechins, which may help protect you against heart disease, stroke and cancer. Of the three varieties, green tea has the most catechins. Tea also has antibacterial qualities that may help prevent cavities and gum disease.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Chocolate on a diet!
Yes, you can find 25-calorie treats! The trick for dieters who get tripped up by feelings of deprivation is learning to indulge in favorites wisely rather than swearing them off entirely. If you love chocolate, a kiss has only 25 calories, compared to 270 in a chocolate bar. For many, such substitutions make them more likely to stick to a healthier eating plan. But everyone is different: If you find that "just a little" leads to a lot, stay away from temptation, at least for awhile.
FAQ of the day:
How many calories do I need?
The average, moderately active person needs about 15 calories per pound to maintain weight. For instance, at 150 lbs., you need about 2,250 calories a day to stay at that weight. However, this is just a rough estimate; your true caloric needs are more closely linked to the amount of fat and lean tissue you carry. A well-muscled 150-lb. wrestler burns more calories than a 150-lb. couch potato, even on days when he decides to kick back and grapple with the remote control.
Monday, December 19, 2005
Health Headlines - December 19
U.S. Customs Seizes Fake Tamiflu
More than four dozen shipments of counterfeit Tamiflu pills were seized by U.S. customs agents at a post office in South San Francisco. Tamiflu is one of two drugs believed to be effective against avian flu.
The first of the 51 packages of fake Tamiflu pills, which were marked "generic Tamiflu," was seized Nov. 26 and the seizures continued through last week, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
"They were actually in containers that stated they were generic Tamiflu, but there is no generic Tamiflu, so that's a pretty big tip off," said Roxanne Hercules, spokeswoman for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency.
She noted that this is the first time that fake Tamiflu has been seized in the United States. The pills were shipped from China and had been purchased over the Internet. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is testing the fake pills to determine what they actually contain, the Chronicle reported.
Countries around the world are stockpiling Tamiflu in anticipation of a possible bird flu pandemic. The drug can cost as much as $65 for 10 pills.
Assisted-Suicide Group Allowed into Swiss Hospital
A Swiss hospital has granted permission to an assisted-suicide group to help terminally ill patients take their own lives in the hospital, the Associated Press reported.
Beginning in January, the Vaud University Hospital Center will permit the Exit society to help in the assisted suicide of hospital patients who have no hope of returning home.
However, the hospital will not admit patients whose only goal in being hospitalized at Vaud is to prepare to end their lives, a hospital spokesman said. He noted that the purpose of hospitalization remains therapeutic treatment.
Exit is already permitted to help terminally ill residents of Switzerland take their own lives in places such as a patient's home or a designated apartment. The location is dependent on local laws, the AP reported.
Swiss law allows passive assistance to terminally ill people who want to commit suicide. The Netherlands legalized euthanasia in 2001 and Belgium did the same in 2002. France allows the terminally ill or patients with no hope of recovery to refuse treatment.
Panel to Review Independence of Canadian Medical Journal
A panel headed by Jerome P. Kassirer, the former editor of The New England Journal of Medicine, will draft guidelines to help define the future independence of the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
The panel was requested by CMAJ editor Dr. John Hoey in the wake of a recent controversy about a story on the Plan B morning-after contraceptive pill, which is available without prescription in Canada.
A team of the journal's reporters learned that Canadian pharmacists were asking women who wanted the pill for detailed personal information, including sexual history, that was entered into a computer. The Canadian Pharmacists Association had asked the pharmacists to collect the information, The New York Times reported.
However, before the story was published, Hoey was told he could not publish it. That message came from Graham Morris, the Canadian Medical Association's executive in charge of publications. Hoey said it was made clear to him that the Canadian Pharmacists Association had complained to the Canadian Medical Association.
It was the first time in 10 years as editor of the journal that Hoey had been ordered to change or cancel a story, the Times reported.
In response, Hoey published a somewhat altered version of the story and also wrote an editorial describing this attempt at censorship and criticizing the Canadian Medical Association for trying to interfere with the journal's editorial independence. He also requested the outside panel.
After the story was published, the Canadian Pharmacists Association came under fire from privacy officials and withdrew its instructions to pharmacists to collect personal information from women buying the Plan B pill.
U.S. Teens Smoking Less, Using Fewer Illicit Drugs
American teens are smoking less and using fewer illicit drug but have higher rates of prescription painkiller abuse compared to 2001, says a U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse report released Monday.
The 2005 survey asked 49,347 students in grades 8, 10 and 12 at 402 public and private schools about their use of drugs, tobacco and alcohol in their lifetime, in the month before the survey and in the year before the survey, the Associated Press reported.
Compared to 2001, the 2005 survey found that lifetime use of cigarettes decreased two percent among eighth-grade students, declined 1.7 percent among 10th-graders, and dropped 2.8 percent among 12th-graders. Lifetime methamphetamine used dropped 1.2 percent among 10th graders and decreased 1.7 percent among 12th graders.
Lifetime use of marijuana decreased among students in all three grades from 2001 to 2005 and past-month use of marijuana decreased for students in 8th and 10th grades, the AP reported.
The report also found that lifetime and previous year use of steroids declined for students in all three grades, compared to 2001. Alcohol use in the previous year was down for all grades.
However, the survey found that 9.5 percent of 12th grade students reported using the painkiller Vicodin and 5.5 percent reported using OxyContin in the past year. That's a significant increase from 2001. The survey also found a significant increase among 12th graders in use of sedatives and barbiturates.
S. Korea University Begins Probe of Stem Cell Charges
Seoul National University officials have launched an investigation into allegations that stem cell pioneer Hwang Woo-suk falsified cloning research that had been hailed as a major breakthrough.
Hwang was questioned, his office was sealed off and materials in his laboratory were secured on Sunday, the Associated Press reported. Hwang's fellow researchers at the South Korean university were being questioned and their materials were also under review.
The investigation was prompted by charges that Hwang falsified embryonic stem cell lines he said were created using cloned human embryos. The research was published in May in the journal Science.
Hwang has acknowledged that there were "fatal errors" in his published study and has asked Science to withdraw the article. However, Hwang insists that tests on his stem cell lines will prove his team "has the source technology to produce them," the AP reported.
Israel's Sharon Termed Fine After Mild Stroke
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon suffered no lasting damage from a minor stroke and should be released from a Jerusalem hospital Tuesday, his doctors said.
"He looks fine, feels fine and wants to go home," Yair Barenboim, director-general of Hadassah Hospital's Ein Kerem unit, told a news conference Monday, according to Bloomberg news. "We hope to release him tomorrow."
Sharon, 77, had a blood clot Sunday that disrupted the flow of blood to his brain and caused some speaking difficulty, Tamir Ben-Hur, head of the neurology department at Hadassah, said. The prime minister never lost consciousness, he added.
Food Fact:
Tofu to go.
Smoked pressed tofu products make it easier than ever to add near-perfect protein to your day. This convenience food is ready to be sliced and eaten as is in salads or sandwiches, or cooked in stir-fries and braises. Not all tofu tastes the same, so try different brands to find one you like. It also comes in several flavors: Look for plain smoked, Thai seasoning, barbecue or lemon-garlic flavors at your supermarket or whole-foods store. Fat content varies, so if you're counting calories, try a low-fat brand.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Make a splash.
Catch the fitness wave -- burn more calories under water. Jump in a pool for the perfect exercise between higher intensity workouts -- swimming tones and strengthens nearly every muscle group in the body, with virtually no impact on the joints.
FAQ of the day:
How do I know if I need extra iron?
Only a blood test checked by a health care professional will tell you if you need extra iron. If you're feeling tired, weak or have poor stamina, he or she can take a blood sample to check your hemoglobin level, or your hematocrit (your percentage of red blood cells). If levels are low, you probably need more iron, and will need to take an iron supplement for a time, as well as eat more iron-rich foods.
More than four dozen shipments of counterfeit Tamiflu pills were seized by U.S. customs agents at a post office in South San Francisco. Tamiflu is one of two drugs believed to be effective against avian flu.
The first of the 51 packages of fake Tamiflu pills, which were marked "generic Tamiflu," was seized Nov. 26 and the seizures continued through last week, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
"They were actually in containers that stated they were generic Tamiflu, but there is no generic Tamiflu, so that's a pretty big tip off," said Roxanne Hercules, spokeswoman for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency.
She noted that this is the first time that fake Tamiflu has been seized in the United States. The pills were shipped from China and had been purchased over the Internet. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is testing the fake pills to determine what they actually contain, the Chronicle reported.
Countries around the world are stockpiling Tamiflu in anticipation of a possible bird flu pandemic. The drug can cost as much as $65 for 10 pills.
Assisted-Suicide Group Allowed into Swiss Hospital
A Swiss hospital has granted permission to an assisted-suicide group to help terminally ill patients take their own lives in the hospital, the Associated Press reported.
Beginning in January, the Vaud University Hospital Center will permit the Exit society to help in the assisted suicide of hospital patients who have no hope of returning home.
However, the hospital will not admit patients whose only goal in being hospitalized at Vaud is to prepare to end their lives, a hospital spokesman said. He noted that the purpose of hospitalization remains therapeutic treatment.
Exit is already permitted to help terminally ill residents of Switzerland take their own lives in places such as a patient's home or a designated apartment. The location is dependent on local laws, the AP reported.
Swiss law allows passive assistance to terminally ill people who want to commit suicide. The Netherlands legalized euthanasia in 2001 and Belgium did the same in 2002. France allows the terminally ill or patients with no hope of recovery to refuse treatment.
Panel to Review Independence of Canadian Medical Journal
A panel headed by Jerome P. Kassirer, the former editor of The New England Journal of Medicine, will draft guidelines to help define the future independence of the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
The panel was requested by CMAJ editor Dr. John Hoey in the wake of a recent controversy about a story on the Plan B morning-after contraceptive pill, which is available without prescription in Canada.
A team of the journal's reporters learned that Canadian pharmacists were asking women who wanted the pill for detailed personal information, including sexual history, that was entered into a computer. The Canadian Pharmacists Association had asked the pharmacists to collect the information, The New York Times reported.
However, before the story was published, Hoey was told he could not publish it. That message came from Graham Morris, the Canadian Medical Association's executive in charge of publications. Hoey said it was made clear to him that the Canadian Pharmacists Association had complained to the Canadian Medical Association.
It was the first time in 10 years as editor of the journal that Hoey had been ordered to change or cancel a story, the Times reported.
In response, Hoey published a somewhat altered version of the story and also wrote an editorial describing this attempt at censorship and criticizing the Canadian Medical Association for trying to interfere with the journal's editorial independence. He also requested the outside panel.
After the story was published, the Canadian Pharmacists Association came under fire from privacy officials and withdrew its instructions to pharmacists to collect personal information from women buying the Plan B pill.
U.S. Teens Smoking Less, Using Fewer Illicit Drugs
American teens are smoking less and using fewer illicit drug but have higher rates of prescription painkiller abuse compared to 2001, says a U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse report released Monday.
The 2005 survey asked 49,347 students in grades 8, 10 and 12 at 402 public and private schools about their use of drugs, tobacco and alcohol in their lifetime, in the month before the survey and in the year before the survey, the Associated Press reported.
Compared to 2001, the 2005 survey found that lifetime use of cigarettes decreased two percent among eighth-grade students, declined 1.7 percent among 10th-graders, and dropped 2.8 percent among 12th-graders. Lifetime methamphetamine used dropped 1.2 percent among 10th graders and decreased 1.7 percent among 12th graders.
Lifetime use of marijuana decreased among students in all three grades from 2001 to 2005 and past-month use of marijuana decreased for students in 8th and 10th grades, the AP reported.
The report also found that lifetime and previous year use of steroids declined for students in all three grades, compared to 2001. Alcohol use in the previous year was down for all grades.
However, the survey found that 9.5 percent of 12th grade students reported using the painkiller Vicodin and 5.5 percent reported using OxyContin in the past year. That's a significant increase from 2001. The survey also found a significant increase among 12th graders in use of sedatives and barbiturates.
S. Korea University Begins Probe of Stem Cell Charges
Seoul National University officials have launched an investigation into allegations that stem cell pioneer Hwang Woo-suk falsified cloning research that had been hailed as a major breakthrough.
Hwang was questioned, his office was sealed off and materials in his laboratory were secured on Sunday, the Associated Press reported. Hwang's fellow researchers at the South Korean university were being questioned and their materials were also under review.
The investigation was prompted by charges that Hwang falsified embryonic stem cell lines he said were created using cloned human embryos. The research was published in May in the journal Science.
Hwang has acknowledged that there were "fatal errors" in his published study and has asked Science to withdraw the article. However, Hwang insists that tests on his stem cell lines will prove his team "has the source technology to produce them," the AP reported.
Israel's Sharon Termed Fine After Mild Stroke
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon suffered no lasting damage from a minor stroke and should be released from a Jerusalem hospital Tuesday, his doctors said.
"He looks fine, feels fine and wants to go home," Yair Barenboim, director-general of Hadassah Hospital's Ein Kerem unit, told a news conference Monday, according to Bloomberg news. "We hope to release him tomorrow."
Sharon, 77, had a blood clot Sunday that disrupted the flow of blood to his brain and caused some speaking difficulty, Tamir Ben-Hur, head of the neurology department at Hadassah, said. The prime minister never lost consciousness, he added.
Food Fact:
Tofu to go.
Smoked pressed tofu products make it easier than ever to add near-perfect protein to your day. This convenience food is ready to be sliced and eaten as is in salads or sandwiches, or cooked in stir-fries and braises. Not all tofu tastes the same, so try different brands to find one you like. It also comes in several flavors: Look for plain smoked, Thai seasoning, barbecue or lemon-garlic flavors at your supermarket or whole-foods store. Fat content varies, so if you're counting calories, try a low-fat brand.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Make a splash.
Catch the fitness wave -- burn more calories under water. Jump in a pool for the perfect exercise between higher intensity workouts -- swimming tones and strengthens nearly every muscle group in the body, with virtually no impact on the joints.
FAQ of the day:
How do I know if I need extra iron?
Only a blood test checked by a health care professional will tell you if you need extra iron. If you're feeling tired, weak or have poor stamina, he or she can take a blood sample to check your hemoglobin level, or your hematocrit (your percentage of red blood cells). If levels are low, you probably need more iron, and will need to take an iron supplement for a time, as well as eat more iron-rich foods.
Sunday, December 18, 2005
Health Headlines - December 18
Israel's Sharon Hospitalized After Mild Stroke
Doctors in Jerusalem said Prime Minister Ariel Sharon suffered a minor stroke late Sunday, according to a reports from Bloomberg News and the Associated Press.
The 77-year-old former Likud party leader complained of feeling weak while at work and was rushed to Hadassah Hospital at about 8 p.m. local time, briefly losing consciousness during the trip.
"He suffered a mild stroke, but his condition has improved," Hadassah deputy director Yuval Weiss said in a hospital news conference. "He is now talking with members of his family and members of his office."
According to Israeli television reports, Sharon appeared a little confused but is conscious, able to move his limbs, and is communicating with his physicians.
"He is in stable condition ... his condition is satisfactory," Shmuel Shapira, deputy manager of the Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital, Jerusalem, told the AP.
Sharon's illness comes at a delicate moment in Israeli politics. The former general and longtime Likud leader recently broke away from the party to form the centrist Kadima faction ahead of March 28 parliamentary elections. If Sharon were to become seriously ill, Vice Premier Ehud Olmert would assume control of the Israeli government. According to the AP, it is much less clear who would lead the Kadima campaign if its leader were to become too incapacitated to run.
Cervical Cancer Vaccine Works Best in Adolescence
An experimental vaccine that protects against the virus that causes cervical cancer may work best when given to girls in early adolescence, rather than as young adults, a new study finds.
Drug maker GlaxoSmithKline's Cervarix produced twice the level of immune antibodies for the human papilloma virus (HPV) in girls aged 10-14 than it did in women ages 15-25, the study found.
This suggests that vaccinating girls before they become sexually active may be the best method of protecting them against HPV, Gary Dubin, Glaxo's vice president for clinical development of Cervarix, told the Associated Press.
"HPV infections are acquired fairly quickly after becoming sexually active, therefore you need to vaccinate girls at a fairly young age," he said.
Older Antibiotics Often Ineffective Against Strep Throat
U.S. doctors are continuing to prescribe older antibiotics such as penicillin and amoxicillin against strep throat, even though new evidence confirms that these drugs fail to work 25 percent of the time.
A new study that reviewed the treatment of 11,426 children with strep throat has found that a quarter of patients given either of these two older antibiotics ended up back in the doctor's office within three weeks of treatment.
In contrast, researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center found that just 14 percent of kids treated with older-generation cephalosporin antibiotics failed to improve, and just 7 percent of children receiving newer-generation cephalosporins -- such as cefpodoxime and cefdinir -- had to return to the doctor for further treatment.
Cefpodoxime and cefdinir are also "short-course" antibiotics with the added advantage of being given for just four or five days. That's in contrast to the 10 days needed for a course of penicillin or amoxicillin. Cefpodoxime and cefdinir are still only available as brand-name drugs, however, so are still more expensive than older medications.
The researchers reported their findings Saturday at the annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, in Washington, D.C.
Lead researcher Dr. Michael Pichichero said too many physicians still offer penicillin and amoxicillin as their first option in treating strep throat, despite their high failure rate. "The treatment paradigm for treating strep sore throats has been changing slowly, and endorsing the use of cephalosporins as a first-line treatment is something that needs to be seriously considered," he said in a prepared statement.
U.S. Team Will Test Live-Virus Bird Flu Vaccine
Researchers at the U.S. National Institutes of Health will soon recruit 30 human volunteers to test the effectiveness of a vaccine containing a live but weakened form of the H5N1 bird flu virus.
According to the Associated Press, this flu shot would differ from the standard influenza vaccines distributed each year because it contains live rather than killed virus -- potentially rendering it more powerful in inducing an immune response.
The live virus used in the upcoming trial will be genetically altered, however, so that it won't make people sick. Its hoped that the new vaccine will prime the volunteer's immune systems to recognize a more deadly strain of H5N1 if and when it appears.
Up till now, avian flu outbreaks have been mostly confined to bird populations, although experts believe 70 people have died worldwide from H5N1 infection after picking up the virus from poultry. The real fear, experts say, is that the pathogen will mutate to allow for human-to-human transmission. In that case, a pandemic could kill millions worldwide.
Thats why a potentially potent vaccine containing live virus is "a great, great idea," flu expert Dr. John Treanor of the University of Rochester told the AP. "In theory, a live-virus vaccine might actually work better [than a killed-virus shot]," he said. "We don't know that because we've never tried one before."
Tests this summer using a vaccine made with another, less dangerous strain (H9N2), showed the method might be safe and effective. Lead researcher Dr. Kanta Subbarao told the AP that the trial involving the weakened H5N1 strain is set to begin in April, pending U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval.
Food Fact:
Hate vegetables?
With a few tips, you can sneak them --painlessly -- into your diet. Try these tricks: At a salad bar, fill up your plate with salad greens before adding anything else; the next time you make pasta with vegetables, use half as much pasta and twice as many vegetables; add frozen vegetables to canned soup; add vegetables to pizza or omelettes.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Hoop it up!
Score fitness points on a fast break -- 10 minutes at a mini basketball hoop. Whether it's on your porch or in your home office, a quick shootaround will clear your mind and you may be surprised at the workout you'll get -- and how motivated you'll be getting it.
FAQ of the day:
How can I get more iron from food?
Try eating more iron-rich beans, peas, lentils and soy foods, as well as dried fruit. Start your day with an iron-fortified food, such as ready-to-eat cereal. Include foods rich in vitamin C at most meals to improve iron absorption (for example, have an orange with a hummus sandwich). Finally, cook acidic foods in an iron skillet; tomato sauce simmered in a cast-iron pan can pick up as much as 80 milligrams of iron.
Doctors in Jerusalem said Prime Minister Ariel Sharon suffered a minor stroke late Sunday, according to a reports from Bloomberg News and the Associated Press.
The 77-year-old former Likud party leader complained of feeling weak while at work and was rushed to Hadassah Hospital at about 8 p.m. local time, briefly losing consciousness during the trip.
"He suffered a mild stroke, but his condition has improved," Hadassah deputy director Yuval Weiss said in a hospital news conference. "He is now talking with members of his family and members of his office."
According to Israeli television reports, Sharon appeared a little confused but is conscious, able to move his limbs, and is communicating with his physicians.
"He is in stable condition ... his condition is satisfactory," Shmuel Shapira, deputy manager of the Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital, Jerusalem, told the AP.
Sharon's illness comes at a delicate moment in Israeli politics. The former general and longtime Likud leader recently broke away from the party to form the centrist Kadima faction ahead of March 28 parliamentary elections. If Sharon were to become seriously ill, Vice Premier Ehud Olmert would assume control of the Israeli government. According to the AP, it is much less clear who would lead the Kadima campaign if its leader were to become too incapacitated to run.
Cervical Cancer Vaccine Works Best in Adolescence
An experimental vaccine that protects against the virus that causes cervical cancer may work best when given to girls in early adolescence, rather than as young adults, a new study finds.
Drug maker GlaxoSmithKline's Cervarix produced twice the level of immune antibodies for the human papilloma virus (HPV) in girls aged 10-14 than it did in women ages 15-25, the study found.
This suggests that vaccinating girls before they become sexually active may be the best method of protecting them against HPV, Gary Dubin, Glaxo's vice president for clinical development of Cervarix, told the Associated Press.
"HPV infections are acquired fairly quickly after becoming sexually active, therefore you need to vaccinate girls at a fairly young age," he said.
Older Antibiotics Often Ineffective Against Strep Throat
U.S. doctors are continuing to prescribe older antibiotics such as penicillin and amoxicillin against strep throat, even though new evidence confirms that these drugs fail to work 25 percent of the time.
A new study that reviewed the treatment of 11,426 children with strep throat has found that a quarter of patients given either of these two older antibiotics ended up back in the doctor's office within three weeks of treatment.
In contrast, researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center found that just 14 percent of kids treated with older-generation cephalosporin antibiotics failed to improve, and just 7 percent of children receiving newer-generation cephalosporins -- such as cefpodoxime and cefdinir -- had to return to the doctor for further treatment.
Cefpodoxime and cefdinir are also "short-course" antibiotics with the added advantage of being given for just four or five days. That's in contrast to the 10 days needed for a course of penicillin or amoxicillin. Cefpodoxime and cefdinir are still only available as brand-name drugs, however, so are still more expensive than older medications.
The researchers reported their findings Saturday at the annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, in Washington, D.C.
Lead researcher Dr. Michael Pichichero said too many physicians still offer penicillin and amoxicillin as their first option in treating strep throat, despite their high failure rate. "The treatment paradigm for treating strep sore throats has been changing slowly, and endorsing the use of cephalosporins as a first-line treatment is something that needs to be seriously considered," he said in a prepared statement.
U.S. Team Will Test Live-Virus Bird Flu Vaccine
Researchers at the U.S. National Institutes of Health will soon recruit 30 human volunteers to test the effectiveness of a vaccine containing a live but weakened form of the H5N1 bird flu virus.
According to the Associated Press, this flu shot would differ from the standard influenza vaccines distributed each year because it contains live rather than killed virus -- potentially rendering it more powerful in inducing an immune response.
The live virus used in the upcoming trial will be genetically altered, however, so that it won't make people sick. Its hoped that the new vaccine will prime the volunteer's immune systems to recognize a more deadly strain of H5N1 if and when it appears.
Up till now, avian flu outbreaks have been mostly confined to bird populations, although experts believe 70 people have died worldwide from H5N1 infection after picking up the virus from poultry. The real fear, experts say, is that the pathogen will mutate to allow for human-to-human transmission. In that case, a pandemic could kill millions worldwide.
Thats why a potentially potent vaccine containing live virus is "a great, great idea," flu expert Dr. John Treanor of the University of Rochester told the AP. "In theory, a live-virus vaccine might actually work better [than a killed-virus shot]," he said. "We don't know that because we've never tried one before."
Tests this summer using a vaccine made with another, less dangerous strain (H9N2), showed the method might be safe and effective. Lead researcher Dr. Kanta Subbarao told the AP that the trial involving the weakened H5N1 strain is set to begin in April, pending U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval.
Food Fact:
Hate vegetables?
With a few tips, you can sneak them --painlessly -- into your diet. Try these tricks: At a salad bar, fill up your plate with salad greens before adding anything else; the next time you make pasta with vegetables, use half as much pasta and twice as many vegetables; add frozen vegetables to canned soup; add vegetables to pizza or omelettes.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Hoop it up!
Score fitness points on a fast break -- 10 minutes at a mini basketball hoop. Whether it's on your porch or in your home office, a quick shootaround will clear your mind and you may be surprised at the workout you'll get -- and how motivated you'll be getting it.
FAQ of the day:
How can I get more iron from food?
Try eating more iron-rich beans, peas, lentils and soy foods, as well as dried fruit. Start your day with an iron-fortified food, such as ready-to-eat cereal. Include foods rich in vitamin C at most meals to improve iron absorption (for example, have an orange with a hummus sandwich). Finally, cook acidic foods in an iron skillet; tomato sauce simmered in a cast-iron pan can pick up as much as 80 milligrams of iron.
Saturday, December 17, 2005
Health Headlines - December 17
U.S. Team Will Test Live-Virus Bird Flu Vaccine
Researchers at the U.S. National Institutes of Health will soon recruit 30 human volunteers to test the effectiveness of a vaccine containing a live but weakened form of the H5N1 bird flu virus.
According to the Associated Press, this flu shot would differ from the standard influenza vaccines distributed each year because it contains live rather than killed virus -- potentially rendering it more powerful in inducing an immune response.
The live virus used in the upcoming trial will genetically altered, however, so that it won't make people sick. Its hoped that the new vaccine will prime the volunteer's immune systems to recognize a more deadly strain of H5N1 if and when it appears.
Up till now, avian flu outbreaks have been mostly confined to bird populations, although experts believe 70 people have died worldwide from H5N1 infection after picking up the virus from poultry. The real fear, experts say, is that the pathogen will mutate to allow for human-to-human transmission. In that case, a pandemic could kill millions worldwide.
Thats why a potentially potent vaccine containing live virus is "a great, great idea," flu expert Dr. John Treanor of the University of Rochester told the AP. "In theory, a live-virus vaccine might actually work better [than a killed-virus shot]," he said. "We don't know that because we've never tried one before."
Tests this summer using a vaccine made with another, less dangerous strain (H9N2), showed the method might be safe and effective. Lead researcher Dr. Kanta Subbarao told the AP that the trial involving the weakened H5N1 strain is set to begin in April, pending U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval.
N.J. Man Sues Over Transplanted Bone
A New Jersey man on Friday sued a Brooklyn, N.Y., funeral home and three companies involved in the harvesting or marketing of transplant tissue, claiming that the bone he received in a 2004 operation was untested for disease and came from a corpse whose family had not given permission for its use in the transplant.
According to the Associated Press, 57-year-old Gary Pieper of Mays Landing received the bone to repair vertebrae in his neck after a construction accident.
Pieper's lawyer, Patrick D'Arcy, told the AP he has 40 other prospective clients involved in similar situations across the country. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and, reportedly, criminal investigators in Brooklyn, are also currently investigating allegations that failures to test tissues and obtain required permissions was widespread in transplants conducted between early 2004 and September 2005.
The link connecting all these cases is Fort Lee, N.J.-based Biomedical Tissue Services, which recovers tissue from the deceased and then sells it to other firms. Those firms, in turn, sell the tissue to hospitals. Biomedical Tissue Services is one of four defendants named in the Pieper lawsuit.
Because the transplanted bone cannot be removed, Pieper said he fears it could be tainted by disease that could lead to future health problems. Tests for several diseases have so far come up negative, however.
Pieper told the AP that he also worries about the age of the bone. "I don't know the origin," he said. "The original harvesting [of] the bone came from who-knows-where."
U.S. Judge Rejects Challenge to Lipitor Patent
A U.S. federal judge on Friday rejected a challenge to Pfizer's patent for the world's best-selling drug, cholesterol-lowering Lipitor.
According to a report in the New York Times, the ruling means Pfizer retains its monopoly of the drug -- which netted the company over $12 billion this year -- until 2011. Drug prices typically drop by 90 percent once a manufacturer loses its patent monopoly.
Indian drugmaker Ranbaxy had launched the suit, claiming that one of two Lipitor patents does not cover the exact molecular form of atorvastatin (the active ingredient in Lipitor) that is found in the drug. They also claimed that a second patent that does pertain to the exact molecular form is invalid because it does not represent an advance over the first patent.
Judge Joseph J. Farnan Jr., of Federal District Court in Delaware, rejected those arguments and upheld Pfizer's patents.
A Ranbaxy official said it will pursue the case in the U.S. Court of Appeals. But Pfizer's chairman, Henry A. McKinnell, called the judge's decision "an exceptionally important victory for all those who invest in medical innovation."
FDA Warns Against Drinking Unpasteurized Milk
An outbreak of serious Escherichia coli (E. coli) illness in Washington state linked to the consumption of raw (unpasteurized) milk prompted a warning Friday from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to avoid these products.
Eight illnesses have recently been reported, the agency said, with two children still hospitalized after drinking raw milk. The milk was traced to an unlicensed dairy which has subsequently been shut down.
Pasteurization effectively removes potentially disease-causing bacteria from milk and dairy products made from milk, such as cheese.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 300 people fell ill after eating raw milk or cheese made from raw milk in 2001, and another 200 were sickened in 2002.
Congress Approves National Cord Blood Bank
The U.S. Senate on Friday gave final approval to the establishment of a national databank for umbilical cord blood and bone marrow that would speed matches between needy transplant recipients and donated blood or tissue.
According to the Associated Press, the House had already passed the bill by a 431-1 vote back in May, but the bill had been stalled as lawmakers wrangled over a separate plan that would have lifted restrictions on stem cell research. President Bush had signaled that he would veto that plan.
The bill passed Friday earmarks $79 million to boost the number of available cord blood units to 150,000 -- enough to provide a suitable match for at least 90 percent of patients. The bill also reauthorizes the bone marrow transplant system, folding it into the same database as that for donated cord blood.
"The use of stem cells from umbilical cords represents a breakthrough of immense promise," Rep. Christopher Smith, R-N.J., who co-sponsored the bill, told the AP. "This legislation will expand the inventory of cord blood units and will streamline the process for the receipt of blood matches," he said.
Food Fact:
Vegetable-hopping.
With just a few easy tricks, you can bring more veggies into your day. Try these no-hassle ideas: Top broiled chicken or fish with salsa; buy ready-to-eat, pre-washed salad greens; keep your kitchen well-stocked with vegetables that won't spoil quickly -- onions, green onions, garlic, potatoes, winter squash, carrots -- and which can be prepared quickly in a microwave or vegetable steamer.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Rake's progress.
Want to see fitness grow -- and stress go? Plant yourself in the garden. A half-hour or more of continuous digging, planting, weeding, pruning, raking and mowing provides an excellent overall workout, raising your heartbeat and burning calories.
FAQ of the day:
Does fat cause cancer?
Fat by itself does not cause cancer. Certain animal fats may promote some cancers, but fats that come from natural plant sources and seafood do not. It's also true that a high-fat, high-calorie diet can increase risk by promoting excessive weight gain, but your husband needs to add pounds to get back to a healthy weight. His dietician is advising him to eat fat because it's the most concentrated source of calories. Help him focus on foods with health-supportive fats, such as nuts, avocadoes, olives, peanuts and peanut butter. You may also want to use a little extra olive and canola oil in cooking and on salads. Dried fruits are another high-nutrition concentrated source of calories, with the bonus of cancer-fighting phytochemicals.
Researchers at the U.S. National Institutes of Health will soon recruit 30 human volunteers to test the effectiveness of a vaccine containing a live but weakened form of the H5N1 bird flu virus.
According to the Associated Press, this flu shot would differ from the standard influenza vaccines distributed each year because it contains live rather than killed virus -- potentially rendering it more powerful in inducing an immune response.
The live virus used in the upcoming trial will genetically altered, however, so that it won't make people sick. Its hoped that the new vaccine will prime the volunteer's immune systems to recognize a more deadly strain of H5N1 if and when it appears.
Up till now, avian flu outbreaks have been mostly confined to bird populations, although experts believe 70 people have died worldwide from H5N1 infection after picking up the virus from poultry. The real fear, experts say, is that the pathogen will mutate to allow for human-to-human transmission. In that case, a pandemic could kill millions worldwide.
Thats why a potentially potent vaccine containing live virus is "a great, great idea," flu expert Dr. John Treanor of the University of Rochester told the AP. "In theory, a live-virus vaccine might actually work better [than a killed-virus shot]," he said. "We don't know that because we've never tried one before."
Tests this summer using a vaccine made with another, less dangerous strain (H9N2), showed the method might be safe and effective. Lead researcher Dr. Kanta Subbarao told the AP that the trial involving the weakened H5N1 strain is set to begin in April, pending U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval.
N.J. Man Sues Over Transplanted Bone
A New Jersey man on Friday sued a Brooklyn, N.Y., funeral home and three companies involved in the harvesting or marketing of transplant tissue, claiming that the bone he received in a 2004 operation was untested for disease and came from a corpse whose family had not given permission for its use in the transplant.
According to the Associated Press, 57-year-old Gary Pieper of Mays Landing received the bone to repair vertebrae in his neck after a construction accident.
Pieper's lawyer, Patrick D'Arcy, told the AP he has 40 other prospective clients involved in similar situations across the country. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and, reportedly, criminal investigators in Brooklyn, are also currently investigating allegations that failures to test tissues and obtain required permissions was widespread in transplants conducted between early 2004 and September 2005.
The link connecting all these cases is Fort Lee, N.J.-based Biomedical Tissue Services, which recovers tissue from the deceased and then sells it to other firms. Those firms, in turn, sell the tissue to hospitals. Biomedical Tissue Services is one of four defendants named in the Pieper lawsuit.
Because the transplanted bone cannot be removed, Pieper said he fears it could be tainted by disease that could lead to future health problems. Tests for several diseases have so far come up negative, however.
Pieper told the AP that he also worries about the age of the bone. "I don't know the origin," he said. "The original harvesting [of] the bone came from who-knows-where."
U.S. Judge Rejects Challenge to Lipitor Patent
A U.S. federal judge on Friday rejected a challenge to Pfizer's patent for the world's best-selling drug, cholesterol-lowering Lipitor.
According to a report in the New York Times, the ruling means Pfizer retains its monopoly of the drug -- which netted the company over $12 billion this year -- until 2011. Drug prices typically drop by 90 percent once a manufacturer loses its patent monopoly.
Indian drugmaker Ranbaxy had launched the suit, claiming that one of two Lipitor patents does not cover the exact molecular form of atorvastatin (the active ingredient in Lipitor) that is found in the drug. They also claimed that a second patent that does pertain to the exact molecular form is invalid because it does not represent an advance over the first patent.
Judge Joseph J. Farnan Jr., of Federal District Court in Delaware, rejected those arguments and upheld Pfizer's patents.
A Ranbaxy official said it will pursue the case in the U.S. Court of Appeals. But Pfizer's chairman, Henry A. McKinnell, called the judge's decision "an exceptionally important victory for all those who invest in medical innovation."
FDA Warns Against Drinking Unpasteurized Milk
An outbreak of serious Escherichia coli (E. coli) illness in Washington state linked to the consumption of raw (unpasteurized) milk prompted a warning Friday from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to avoid these products.
Eight illnesses have recently been reported, the agency said, with two children still hospitalized after drinking raw milk. The milk was traced to an unlicensed dairy which has subsequently been shut down.
Pasteurization effectively removes potentially disease-causing bacteria from milk and dairy products made from milk, such as cheese.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 300 people fell ill after eating raw milk or cheese made from raw milk in 2001, and another 200 were sickened in 2002.
Congress Approves National Cord Blood Bank
The U.S. Senate on Friday gave final approval to the establishment of a national databank for umbilical cord blood and bone marrow that would speed matches between needy transplant recipients and donated blood or tissue.
According to the Associated Press, the House had already passed the bill by a 431-1 vote back in May, but the bill had been stalled as lawmakers wrangled over a separate plan that would have lifted restrictions on stem cell research. President Bush had signaled that he would veto that plan.
The bill passed Friday earmarks $79 million to boost the number of available cord blood units to 150,000 -- enough to provide a suitable match for at least 90 percent of patients. The bill also reauthorizes the bone marrow transplant system, folding it into the same database as that for donated cord blood.
"The use of stem cells from umbilical cords represents a breakthrough of immense promise," Rep. Christopher Smith, R-N.J., who co-sponsored the bill, told the AP. "This legislation will expand the inventory of cord blood units and will streamline the process for the receipt of blood matches," he said.
Food Fact:
Vegetable-hopping.
With just a few easy tricks, you can bring more veggies into your day. Try these no-hassle ideas: Top broiled chicken or fish with salsa; buy ready-to-eat, pre-washed salad greens; keep your kitchen well-stocked with vegetables that won't spoil quickly -- onions, green onions, garlic, potatoes, winter squash, carrots -- and which can be prepared quickly in a microwave or vegetable steamer.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Rake's progress.
Want to see fitness grow -- and stress go? Plant yourself in the garden. A half-hour or more of continuous digging, planting, weeding, pruning, raking and mowing provides an excellent overall workout, raising your heartbeat and burning calories.
FAQ of the day:
Does fat cause cancer?
Fat by itself does not cause cancer. Certain animal fats may promote some cancers, but fats that come from natural plant sources and seafood do not. It's also true that a high-fat, high-calorie diet can increase risk by promoting excessive weight gain, but your husband needs to add pounds to get back to a healthy weight. His dietician is advising him to eat fat because it's the most concentrated source of calories. Help him focus on foods with health-supportive fats, such as nuts, avocadoes, olives, peanuts and peanut butter. You may also want to use a little extra olive and canola oil in cooking and on salads. Dried fruits are another high-nutrition concentrated source of calories, with the bonus of cancer-fighting phytochemicals.
Friday, December 16, 2005
Health Headlines - December 16
More U.S. Drivers Using Cell Phones at the Wheel
Despite safety warnings and laws prohibiting the practice, a growing number of Americans are talking on their cell phones while they drive, says a U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report.
The report concluded that about 1.5 million drivers are chatting on their cell phones at any given time, with young people and women the most likely users.
Based on data collected by a NHTSA survey of drivers at 1,200 road sites across the country between June 6 and June 25, the report found about 10 percent of U.S. drivers on the road in the daytime are using cell phones, compared to about 8 percent in 2004. Six percent of drivers are holding the phones to their ears, up from 5 percent in 2004, the Associated Press reported.
Some studies have suggested that any use of cell phones while driving increases the risk of a crash, and some states forbid drivers from gabbing on hand-held cell phones. The NHTSA says motorists should use cell phones while driving only in emergency situations, the AP reported.
H5N1 Bird Flu Virus Mutating: UN Official
Subtle mutations are taking place in the bird flu virus that are bringing it closer to gaining the ability to be transmitted from person-to-person and causing a global pandemic, says David Nabarro, the UN's coordinator on avian influenza.
"There are some subtle changes in the genetic makeup of H5N1 which suggest it is making some of the mutations that would enable it to have a higher likelihood of being able to become a human-to-human transmitted virus," Nabarro said in Phnom Penh during a visit to Cambodia, Agence France Presse reported.
It's feared that millions of people around the world could die if the H5N1 virus does manage to mutate.
"It is quite feasible that H5N1 could mutate. The fact that is has taken some years should not lead you to believe that we are through the worst," Nabarro said.
In related news, China confirmed a new human case of bird flu Thursday and the virus is suspected of causing the deaths of man and boy in Indonesia. There have been at least 141 human cases of bird flu since 2004 and the virus has killed at least 71 people in Asia, Bloomberg News reported.
The number of human bird flu infections have more than doubled this year. Health officials have warned that more needs to be done to control bird flu outbreaks in poultry, which increase the likelihood that the virus will mutate to a form contagious among humans.
U.K. Surgeons Get OK to Select First Patient for Full Face Transplant
British surgeons at the Royal Free Hospital in London have received approval from the hospital's ethics committee to identify a patient who meets selection criteria for what could be the world's first full face transplant.
The team is led by consultant plastic surgeon Dr. Peter Butler, who has been investigating the full face transplant process for about 10 years, BBC News reported.
Butler said the selected patient will likely have severe facial burns or trauma and would have already had skin grafts. He also said that there are many psychological issues, along with physical issues, that will determine the choice of patient.
Even though he has the go-ahead to select a patient, Butler will have to gain further approval from the hospital's ethics committee to actually perform the operation.
A few weeks ago, French doctors performed the world's first partial face transplant on a 38-year-old women.
More Accurate TB Test Recommended by CDC
A new, more accurate blood test for tuberculosis is being recommend by officials at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The QuantiFERON-TB Gold test is more convenient for patients and less likely to produce a false positive reading than the current TB skin test. The new QFT Gold test may someday replace the old skin test, which as been used for the past 100 years, the Associated Press reported.
The skin test requires patients to receive an injection of a small amount of protein-bearing testing fluid called tuberculin. The injection is given just beneath the skin on the underside of the forearm. The patient has to return two to three days later so that a health worker can assess the swelling at the injection site and determine whether the test is positive or negative for TB.
The QFT Gold test requires a single visit where blood is taken from the patient. Results can be given to the patient as soon as the next day, the AP reported.
"This is one of the first TB advancements made since the discovery of antibiotics. ... This is a huge deal," Jennifer Grinsdale, an epidemiologist with the San Francisco Department of Public Health, told the AP.
That department started using the QFT Gold test in February and now uses it for the the majority of its TB testing.
FDA Panel Endorses New Shingles Vaccine
A new vaccine to protect against shingles was endorsed Thursday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's advisory panel on vaccines.
The Zostavax vaccine, developed by Merck & Co., appeared safe and effective in people 60 years and older but the panel expressed concern that the vaccine's effectiveness may not last. They also noted that the vaccine seems to be less effective in people over age 80, the Associated Press reported.
Merck has applied to have the vaccine approved for use in people aged 50 and older. However, the clinical trials on the vaccine were conducted mostly on people 60 and older. The panel members said this left them uncertain about the vaccine's safety and effectiveness in people in their 50s, the AP reported.
The panel's endorsement of the vaccine goes to the FDA, which makes the final decision on whether to grant approval.
Shingles, which affects about a million adults a year, is a disease that develops as people age and develop a weakened immunity to the chickenpox virus. Shingles can cause itching, pain, rash, blisters and even long-term nerve pain.
Food Fact:
Take a veg pledge.
Put just a few more veggies on your plate, and you can reduce your disease risk. People who live in regions where vegetable consumption is greatest live the longest. How can you eat more veggies? Toss a bag of baby carrots into your bag or briefcase, and nibble on them throughout the day. Add frozen vegetables to canned soup. Add crunch and brilliant green color to salads with snow peas and sugar snap peas -- first cook them briefly, then refresh them under cold running water.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Do a half hour of "power chores."
A "houseworkout" can clean up your act in more ways than one. With a little advance planning, household tasks provide a surprisingly effective aerobic workout. Tackle that closet you've been meaning to clean out, or take the offensive against a scummy sink. Vaccuuming, scrubbing and picking up items off the floor all can be healthful exercise, as long as you keep consistently on the move.
FAQ of the day:
Does eating more soy cut my risk of cancer?
It's the shock of the new: Your family may be reacting to the unfamiliar sight and texture of those little white squares, or feeling they're being denied the meat they enjoyed. So maybe you should try something a little less jarring. One idea: Make shakes in the blender with silken tofu, which is softer and creamier than regular tofu. Blend 1/2 cup of silken tofu, one cup of frozen raspberries, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and 1 cup of low-fat milk or soy milk in a blender until smooth. Of course, you can use different fruits and fruit combinations, such as blueberries, strawberries, peaches and bananas. If you don't tell them it's a soy shake, they'd probably never even suspect it.
Despite safety warnings and laws prohibiting the practice, a growing number of Americans are talking on their cell phones while they drive, says a U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report.
The report concluded that about 1.5 million drivers are chatting on their cell phones at any given time, with young people and women the most likely users.
Based on data collected by a NHTSA survey of drivers at 1,200 road sites across the country between June 6 and June 25, the report found about 10 percent of U.S. drivers on the road in the daytime are using cell phones, compared to about 8 percent in 2004. Six percent of drivers are holding the phones to their ears, up from 5 percent in 2004, the Associated Press reported.
Some studies have suggested that any use of cell phones while driving increases the risk of a crash, and some states forbid drivers from gabbing on hand-held cell phones. The NHTSA says motorists should use cell phones while driving only in emergency situations, the AP reported.
H5N1 Bird Flu Virus Mutating: UN Official
Subtle mutations are taking place in the bird flu virus that are bringing it closer to gaining the ability to be transmitted from person-to-person and causing a global pandemic, says David Nabarro, the UN's coordinator on avian influenza.
"There are some subtle changes in the genetic makeup of H5N1 which suggest it is making some of the mutations that would enable it to have a higher likelihood of being able to become a human-to-human transmitted virus," Nabarro said in Phnom Penh during a visit to Cambodia, Agence France Presse reported.
It's feared that millions of people around the world could die if the H5N1 virus does manage to mutate.
"It is quite feasible that H5N1 could mutate. The fact that is has taken some years should not lead you to believe that we are through the worst," Nabarro said.
In related news, China confirmed a new human case of bird flu Thursday and the virus is suspected of causing the deaths of man and boy in Indonesia. There have been at least 141 human cases of bird flu since 2004 and the virus has killed at least 71 people in Asia, Bloomberg News reported.
The number of human bird flu infections have more than doubled this year. Health officials have warned that more needs to be done to control bird flu outbreaks in poultry, which increase the likelihood that the virus will mutate to a form contagious among humans.
U.K. Surgeons Get OK to Select First Patient for Full Face Transplant
British surgeons at the Royal Free Hospital in London have received approval from the hospital's ethics committee to identify a patient who meets selection criteria for what could be the world's first full face transplant.
The team is led by consultant plastic surgeon Dr. Peter Butler, who has been investigating the full face transplant process for about 10 years, BBC News reported.
Butler said the selected patient will likely have severe facial burns or trauma and would have already had skin grafts. He also said that there are many psychological issues, along with physical issues, that will determine the choice of patient.
Even though he has the go-ahead to select a patient, Butler will have to gain further approval from the hospital's ethics committee to actually perform the operation.
A few weeks ago, French doctors performed the world's first partial face transplant on a 38-year-old women.
More Accurate TB Test Recommended by CDC
A new, more accurate blood test for tuberculosis is being recommend by officials at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The QuantiFERON-TB Gold test is more convenient for patients and less likely to produce a false positive reading than the current TB skin test. The new QFT Gold test may someday replace the old skin test, which as been used for the past 100 years, the Associated Press reported.
The skin test requires patients to receive an injection of a small amount of protein-bearing testing fluid called tuberculin. The injection is given just beneath the skin on the underside of the forearm. The patient has to return two to three days later so that a health worker can assess the swelling at the injection site and determine whether the test is positive or negative for TB.
The QFT Gold test requires a single visit where blood is taken from the patient. Results can be given to the patient as soon as the next day, the AP reported.
"This is one of the first TB advancements made since the discovery of antibiotics. ... This is a huge deal," Jennifer Grinsdale, an epidemiologist with the San Francisco Department of Public Health, told the AP.
That department started using the QFT Gold test in February and now uses it for the the majority of its TB testing.
FDA Panel Endorses New Shingles Vaccine
A new vaccine to protect against shingles was endorsed Thursday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's advisory panel on vaccines.
The Zostavax vaccine, developed by Merck & Co., appeared safe and effective in people 60 years and older but the panel expressed concern that the vaccine's effectiveness may not last. They also noted that the vaccine seems to be less effective in people over age 80, the Associated Press reported.
Merck has applied to have the vaccine approved for use in people aged 50 and older. However, the clinical trials on the vaccine were conducted mostly on people 60 and older. The panel members said this left them uncertain about the vaccine's safety and effectiveness in people in their 50s, the AP reported.
The panel's endorsement of the vaccine goes to the FDA, which makes the final decision on whether to grant approval.
Shingles, which affects about a million adults a year, is a disease that develops as people age and develop a weakened immunity to the chickenpox virus. Shingles can cause itching, pain, rash, blisters and even long-term nerve pain.
Food Fact:
Take a veg pledge.
Put just a few more veggies on your plate, and you can reduce your disease risk. People who live in regions where vegetable consumption is greatest live the longest. How can you eat more veggies? Toss a bag of baby carrots into your bag or briefcase, and nibble on them throughout the day. Add frozen vegetables to canned soup. Add crunch and brilliant green color to salads with snow peas and sugar snap peas -- first cook them briefly, then refresh them under cold running water.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Do a half hour of "power chores."
A "houseworkout" can clean up your act in more ways than one. With a little advance planning, household tasks provide a surprisingly effective aerobic workout. Tackle that closet you've been meaning to clean out, or take the offensive against a scummy sink. Vaccuuming, scrubbing and picking up items off the floor all can be healthful exercise, as long as you keep consistently on the move.
FAQ of the day:
Does eating more soy cut my risk of cancer?
It's the shock of the new: Your family may be reacting to the unfamiliar sight and texture of those little white squares, or feeling they're being denied the meat they enjoyed. So maybe you should try something a little less jarring. One idea: Make shakes in the blender with silken tofu, which is softer and creamier than regular tofu. Blend 1/2 cup of silken tofu, one cup of frozen raspberries, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and 1 cup of low-fat milk or soy milk in a blender until smooth. Of course, you can use different fruits and fruit combinations, such as blueberries, strawberries, peaches and bananas. If you don't tell them it's a soy shake, they'd probably never even suspect it.
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Health Headlines - December 15
Nurses Face Harassment From Patients
Nurse Sarah Andres is so used to male patients calling her "sweetie" or "cutie" -- or even asking her for a kiss -- that it rarely upsets her anymore.
"I usually chalk it up to they don't feel good, a lot of them are confused," said Andres, who has been a nurse in St. Louis for five years and works in the critical care unit at St. Mary's Health Center. "I never really thought of it as sexual harassment."
But nursing organizations say such treatment is common, and it is definitely sexual harassment.
The American Nurses Association cites a 1982 study that reported that 60 percent of the nurses surveyed said they had experienced sexual harassment at work, though that included all cases, not just from patients. Still, nursing officials said it is clear that inappropriate behavior among patients is a widespread problem.
"I suspect that if you ask nurses if they've been harassed by patients, a majority would say yes," said Belinda Heimericks, executive director of the Missouri Nurses Association. "Nearly every nurse will run into it at some time in their career."
The harassment can run the gamut from offensive jokes or sexual comments to inappropriate touching. Sexual assaults are rare but do occur, nursing officials say. Some male nurses have reported being harassed, but the overwhelming majority of cases are between male patients and female nurses.
Such harassment creates tension for nurses, who must walk a fine line between meeting their professional responsibilities to the patient and protecting themselves.
Debbie Dougherty, an assistant professor of communications at the University of Missouri-Columbia, interviewed 29 nurses in four states to determine how they react to the harassment and how it affects their relationships with patients.
She found that nurses usually crack jokes or sternly reject the patient's conduct. Most nurses said they continue to provide medical care, but the emotional support patients need from them sometimes declines, Dougherty said.
"It probably makes the relationship a little more tense because there is a feeling of uncomfortableness between the nurse and patient," Heimericks said.
Dougherty's study, which will be published in the spring issue of Management Communication Quarterly, found nurses are generally more distressed by harassment from co-workers or doctors. Heimericks agreed, saying patients come and go, while nurses have to see the co-workers every day.
Federal and state laws protect nurses from sexual harassment by patients, and the institutions' written guidelines must reflect those laws.
In most cases, the harassment stops far before a lawyer has to be called in or charges are filed.
Nursing organizations say that if harassment from a patient continues, nurses can ask to have a second nurse stand by in the patient's room, refuse to care for the patient, ask that the patient be transferred to another floor, or report the behavior to a superior. Doctors and administrators are sometimes called in to talk to the patient.
In extreme cases, institutions can "fire" patients and send them to another hospital, said Scotty Shively, an employment and health lawyer in Little Rock, Ark.
But medical institutions are constrained by certain legal obligations to care for patients, Shively said. For example, patients needing emergency care must be admitted. And dealing with harassment becomes more complex if the patient is mentally ill.
Andres said she has sometimes asked not to take care of a particularly troublesome patient. But usually, she said, "I just tell them that we are supposed to be professional here. I tell them we need to have mutual respect. Sometimes you have to talk to them almost like children."
Dougherty's study found that nurses receive little training in handling sexual harassment from patients. Andres agreed.
"It's something you learn as you work," she said. "I just try to keep the relationship professional. I call the patient `Mr.' or `Mrs.' whatever, and I expect the same thing from them. I don't expect to be called pet names at work."
You've got mail, and maybe gonorrhea
You've got mail -- and possibly gonorrhea, HIV or another sexually transmitted disease.
E-mail sent through Web sites launched in Los Angeles and San Francisco is providing people with a free, sometimes anonymous, way to tell their casual sex partners they might have picked up more than they bargained for.
Los Angeles County health officials launched www.inspotla.org this week in a bid to reduce the rapidly rising spread of STDs by encouraging sexually active men and women to get tested.
"This is another opportunity for people to disclose STD exposure to partners because sometimes people don't always have that face-to-face opportunity, or that level of relationship," Karen Mall, director of prevention and testing at the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, said on Thursday.
"Partner disclosure is where we really have the opportunity to break the chain of HIV infection," Mall said.
The site allows users to choose one of six free e-cards to send to their sexual contacts either unsigned or with a personal message that avoids awkward face-to-face disclosure.
"It's not what you bought to the party, it's what you left with," says one e-card featuring a picture of a bare-chested man. "I left with an STD. You might have one too. Get checked out soon."
"You're too hot to be out of action," says another.
The Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center, which runs its own counseling services for partner disclosure, welcomed the Web site program.
"Many of the people we are seeing are listing the Internet as the place where they are meeting partners, so the Web site is a really helpful tool for prevention and contacting them," said Tiffany Horton, manager of the center's sexual health program.
The site is modeled on one launched in San Francisco last year (www.inspot.org) that is generating about 500 e-cards a month. Both are targeted at gay men but can be used by anyone.
Health officials call the e-cards a "fast, free and flexible partner notification system" that also gives information and links to local testing sites.
Some 2,400 new AIDS cases were reported in Los Angeles County in 2003, along with more than 8,000 new gonorrhea cases and 830 new syphilis cases -- most of them among gay men.
The Web sites urge users to show respect and not to misuse the system. Mall said only half of 1 percent of the e-cards sent through the San Francisco site had been malicious or fraudulent.
"The sites do not give anybody the ability to do anything they can do already if they had somebody's e-mail," Mall said.
"It is something we can monitor. People can get hold of the Web master if they have concerns or want to complain.
"But I give the (gay) community more credit than that. I think the community really wants to get ahead of HIV and STDs and they realize that notification is really important," she said.
Food Fact:
Culture club.
When yogurt's live active cultures colonize your digestive system, they draw a line in the sand against disease. The cultures -- especially acidophilus and bifida - muscle out potentially threatening bacteria. Low-fat or fat-free yogurt has a lot of other things going for it: It's easy to digest, especially for those who are lactose-intolerant and have difficulty digesting milk and many cheeses; it's an excellent source of calcium, protein, riboflavin (a B vitamin), vitamin B-12 (which may be low in vegetarian diets) and vitamin A; and provides selenium, potassium and magnesium.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Take the stairs.
The key to cutting stroke risk may be right inside your house. Studies suggest that climbing just three flights of stairs every day can cut your stroke risk by 20%. If your house has a second floor, find excuses for going upstairs whenever possible. If you live or work in a high rise, make a habit of getting off the elevator a few floors below your apartment or office.
FAQ of the day:
Can certain foods prevent cancer?
No one can say with absolute certainty how powerful is diet in preventing cancer. But at least a third (and possibly more) of all cancers have been linked to diet. People who eat the most fruits and vegetables have been shown to have about half the risk of developing cancer as people who rarely eat them. Your genes and other lifestyle factors, such as smoking, have a strong say in your susceptibility to cancer. But it's likely that improving the typical American diet would make a big dent in new cases of cancer, the nation's second biggest killer after heart disease.
Nurse Sarah Andres is so used to male patients calling her "sweetie" or "cutie" -- or even asking her for a kiss -- that it rarely upsets her anymore.
"I usually chalk it up to they don't feel good, a lot of them are confused," said Andres, who has been a nurse in St. Louis for five years and works in the critical care unit at St. Mary's Health Center. "I never really thought of it as sexual harassment."
But nursing organizations say such treatment is common, and it is definitely sexual harassment.
The American Nurses Association cites a 1982 study that reported that 60 percent of the nurses surveyed said they had experienced sexual harassment at work, though that included all cases, not just from patients. Still, nursing officials said it is clear that inappropriate behavior among patients is a widespread problem.
"I suspect that if you ask nurses if they've been harassed by patients, a majority would say yes," said Belinda Heimericks, executive director of the Missouri Nurses Association. "Nearly every nurse will run into it at some time in their career."
The harassment can run the gamut from offensive jokes or sexual comments to inappropriate touching. Sexual assaults are rare but do occur, nursing officials say. Some male nurses have reported being harassed, but the overwhelming majority of cases are between male patients and female nurses.
Such harassment creates tension for nurses, who must walk a fine line between meeting their professional responsibilities to the patient and protecting themselves.
Debbie Dougherty, an assistant professor of communications at the University of Missouri-Columbia, interviewed 29 nurses in four states to determine how they react to the harassment and how it affects their relationships with patients.
She found that nurses usually crack jokes or sternly reject the patient's conduct. Most nurses said they continue to provide medical care, but the emotional support patients need from them sometimes declines, Dougherty said.
"It probably makes the relationship a little more tense because there is a feeling of uncomfortableness between the nurse and patient," Heimericks said.
Dougherty's study, which will be published in the spring issue of Management Communication Quarterly, found nurses are generally more distressed by harassment from co-workers or doctors. Heimericks agreed, saying patients come and go, while nurses have to see the co-workers every day.
Federal and state laws protect nurses from sexual harassment by patients, and the institutions' written guidelines must reflect those laws.
In most cases, the harassment stops far before a lawyer has to be called in or charges are filed.
Nursing organizations say that if harassment from a patient continues, nurses can ask to have a second nurse stand by in the patient's room, refuse to care for the patient, ask that the patient be transferred to another floor, or report the behavior to a superior. Doctors and administrators are sometimes called in to talk to the patient.
In extreme cases, institutions can "fire" patients and send them to another hospital, said Scotty Shively, an employment and health lawyer in Little Rock, Ark.
But medical institutions are constrained by certain legal obligations to care for patients, Shively said. For example, patients needing emergency care must be admitted. And dealing with harassment becomes more complex if the patient is mentally ill.
Andres said she has sometimes asked not to take care of a particularly troublesome patient. But usually, she said, "I just tell them that we are supposed to be professional here. I tell them we need to have mutual respect. Sometimes you have to talk to them almost like children."
Dougherty's study found that nurses receive little training in handling sexual harassment from patients. Andres agreed.
"It's something you learn as you work," she said. "I just try to keep the relationship professional. I call the patient `Mr.' or `Mrs.' whatever, and I expect the same thing from them. I don't expect to be called pet names at work."
You've got mail, and maybe gonorrhea
You've got mail -- and possibly gonorrhea, HIV or another sexually transmitted disease.
E-mail sent through Web sites launched in Los Angeles and San Francisco is providing people with a free, sometimes anonymous, way to tell their casual sex partners they might have picked up more than they bargained for.
Los Angeles County health officials launched www.inspotla.org this week in a bid to reduce the rapidly rising spread of STDs by encouraging sexually active men and women to get tested.
"This is another opportunity for people to disclose STD exposure to partners because sometimes people don't always have that face-to-face opportunity, or that level of relationship," Karen Mall, director of prevention and testing at the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, said on Thursday.
"Partner disclosure is where we really have the opportunity to break the chain of HIV infection," Mall said.
The site allows users to choose one of six free e-cards to send to their sexual contacts either unsigned or with a personal message that avoids awkward face-to-face disclosure.
"It's not what you bought to the party, it's what you left with," says one e-card featuring a picture of a bare-chested man. "I left with an STD. You might have one too. Get checked out soon."
"You're too hot to be out of action," says another.
The Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center, which runs its own counseling services for partner disclosure, welcomed the Web site program.
"Many of the people we are seeing are listing the Internet as the place where they are meeting partners, so the Web site is a really helpful tool for prevention and contacting them," said Tiffany Horton, manager of the center's sexual health program.
The site is modeled on one launched in San Francisco last year (www.inspot.org) that is generating about 500 e-cards a month. Both are targeted at gay men but can be used by anyone.
Health officials call the e-cards a "fast, free and flexible partner notification system" that also gives information and links to local testing sites.
Some 2,400 new AIDS cases were reported in Los Angeles County in 2003, along with more than 8,000 new gonorrhea cases and 830 new syphilis cases -- most of them among gay men.
The Web sites urge users to show respect and not to misuse the system. Mall said only half of 1 percent of the e-cards sent through the San Francisco site had been malicious or fraudulent.
"The sites do not give anybody the ability to do anything they can do already if they had somebody's e-mail," Mall said.
"It is something we can monitor. People can get hold of the Web master if they have concerns or want to complain.
"But I give the (gay) community more credit than that. I think the community really wants to get ahead of HIV and STDs and they realize that notification is really important," she said.
Food Fact:
Culture club.
When yogurt's live active cultures colonize your digestive system, they draw a line in the sand against disease. The cultures -- especially acidophilus and bifida - muscle out potentially threatening bacteria. Low-fat or fat-free yogurt has a lot of other things going for it: It's easy to digest, especially for those who are lactose-intolerant and have difficulty digesting milk and many cheeses; it's an excellent source of calcium, protein, riboflavin (a B vitamin), vitamin B-12 (which may be low in vegetarian diets) and vitamin A; and provides selenium, potassium and magnesium.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Take the stairs.
The key to cutting stroke risk may be right inside your house. Studies suggest that climbing just three flights of stairs every day can cut your stroke risk by 20%. If your house has a second floor, find excuses for going upstairs whenever possible. If you live or work in a high rise, make a habit of getting off the elevator a few floors below your apartment or office.
FAQ of the day:
Can certain foods prevent cancer?
No one can say with absolute certainty how powerful is diet in preventing cancer. But at least a third (and possibly more) of all cancers have been linked to diet. People who eat the most fruits and vegetables have been shown to have about half the risk of developing cancer as people who rarely eat them. Your genes and other lifestyle factors, such as smoking, have a strong say in your susceptibility to cancer. But it's likely that improving the typical American diet would make a big dent in new cases of cancer, the nation's second biggest killer after heart disease.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Health Headlines - December 14
Low-Fat Dairy May Cut Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Risk
Low-fat dairy products may reduce the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women, says an American Cancer Society study just published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, and Prevention.
The review of data from more than 68,000 women found that those who consumed at least two servings of mostly low-fat dairy products a day had up to a 20 percent less risk of postmenopausal breast cancer than women who ate the least amount of dairy products.
"Our findings suggest that dairy products, composed mainly of low-fat sources, or some component within these foods are associated with a small but significantly lower risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women," study leader Marji McCullough, a senior epidemiologist with the American Cancer Society, said in a prepared statement.
"Work is still needed to more clearly identify what may be the responsible factors. And while we controlled to the best of our ability for other possible explanations, it's certainly possible women who consume low-fat dairy products have other health-related behaviors that could also lower the risk," McCullough said.
She also cautioned women to be careful about how they interpret the study's findings.
"It is important to keep in mind that some dairy products, like whole milk and many types of cheese, have a lot of saturated fat, which we know can increase the risk of heart disease and possibly other cancers. Also, many diary products have growth factors such as insulin-like growth factor I, which have been shown to promote breast cancer cell growth," McCullough said.
Sharp Increase in School Breakfast Use
About 7.5 million children in the United States received free or reduced-price breakfasts at school in 2004-05, a 5.3 percent increase over the previous school year and the largest spike in a decade, says a report by the Food Research and Action Center.
Even with that amount of growth, the School Breakfast Program only serves 20 percent of students who need it, the report said. The increase reflects the fact that more schools are serving breakfast, the Associated Press reported.
According to the center, at least 1.8 more children could get breakfast if more schools served them. The U.S. federal government does not require schools to serve breakfasts to students, the AP reported.
Some states offer schools startup funding or financial incentives for breakfast programs while other states require certain schools, usually those with low-income students, to provide breakfast.
More Deaths Linked to Guidant Heart Device Failures
Medical device maker Guidant Corporation has submitted new reports to U.S. officials on three recent patient deaths associated with short circuits in heart devices made by the company, The New York Times reported.
This brings to seven the number of known deaths associated with a flaw that can cause short circuits in the Guidant heart devices. The recent reports submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration show that the three newly revealed deaths occurred after Guidant issued a recall of the heart devices in June.
These new reports may indicate that publicity about the problems with the Guidant heart devices may be prompting more doctors and families to have the units checked after a patient's death, the newspaper reported.
The issue came to public attention in May when the Times reported that Guidant had not told doctors for three years about more than two dozen cases in which its implantable defibrillator models, the Prizm 2 DR, had short-circuited and failed. Further tests revealed similar problems with two other Guidant heart devices, the Contak Renewal and Contak Renewal 2.
Parts of Cloning Study May be Fabricated, U.S. Researcher Charges
A former American colleague of South Korean stem cell researcher Hwang Woo-suk is charging that some of Hwang's much-heralded human cloning work may have been "fabricated."
In a letter to the journal Science, University of Pittsburgh researcher Gerald Schatten demanded that the journal remove him as senior author of a report published in June that outlined how cloning was used to create individual stem cell colonies for 11 patients, the Associated Press reported.
That study received international acclaim as groundbreaking research. Since then, Hwang has admitted to some ethical lapses and minor data reporting errors.
"My careful re-evaluation of published figures and tables, along with new problematic information, now casts substantial doubts about the paper's accuracy," Schatten wrote. "Over the weekend, I received allegations from someone involved with the experiments that certain elements of the report may be fabricated."
Schatten won't make any further comments while the University of Pittsburgh investigates the matter, university spokeswoman Jane Duffield told the AP.
While Science acknowledged receiving the letter, it did not plan to release it because it contained what a journal spokesperson said were, " unsubstantiated allegations." The journal also said it has no reason to believe that Hwang's primary finding "is in any way fraudulent or questionable," the AP reported.
Hwang was not available for comment, the AP reported.
Government Delays Could Cause Medicare Drug Plan Problems
U.S. federal government delays in handling applications for Medicare's new prescription drug benefit could cause problems for some beneficiaries when the plan begins in January, say insurance companies.
Because of the delays, insurers haven't been able to issue identification cards to some people who want to enroll in the new Medicare benefit and aren't able to guarantee they'll be able to get cards to everyone who signs up before the start of the program on Jan. 1, The New York Times reported.
Without those identification cards, some beneficiaries may not be able to take advantage of the new drug benefit when they go to drug stores to purchase medications, pharmacists warned.
The reason for the government's delay in handling applications wasn't clear, The Times reported. However, a spokesman for the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said that errors have been found in data submitted by some of the health insurance plans and that those faulty applications are sent back to insurers for correction.
Former President Ford Released From Hospital
Former President Gerald Ford, 92, was released from hospital Tuesday night, after being admitted a day earlier for what his aides termed routine medical tests, the Associated Press reported.
Ford's chief of staff, Penny Circle, said Ford was released from Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, Calif., and was as healthy as a man his age could be.
In 2003, Ford was hospitalized after he experienced a dizzy spell while playing golf in hot weather. The former president also suffered a mild stroke while attending the 2000 Republican National Convention.
Ford was vice president to President Richard Nixon and became president in 1974 when the Watergate scandal forced Nixon to resign. Ford was defeated by Jimmy Carter in the 1976 election.
Food Fact:
Go mango.
Nature packs a lot of vitamins A and C into these low-calorie appetizers. Half a medium-sized mango supplies 40% of the vitamin A and 50% of the vitamin C that most of us need daily. All for a mere 67 calories. And it tastes great!
Fitness Tip of the day:
Walk for Fitness.
Even a five-minute walk can boost your health, once you know how to make it count. The key is to do it regularly -- aim for a total walking time of 30 - 45 minutes a day, in as little as 5-minute increments, to give your body a boost.
FAQ of the day:
Is it true grapefruit juice and prescription medications don't mix?
Amazingly, grapefruit juice can interfere with some prescription medications. Grapefruit and its juice contains a phytochemical that inhibits the enzyme needed to break down antihistamines, calcium-channel blockers, immunosuppressants, sedatives and protease inhibitors (treatments for AIDS), among others. As a result, blood levels of those drugs stay higher than expected, with potentially serious side effects. If you drink grapefruit juice regularly and are prescribed medication, mention it to your health care provider.
Low-fat dairy products may reduce the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women, says an American Cancer Society study just published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, and Prevention.
The review of data from more than 68,000 women found that those who consumed at least two servings of mostly low-fat dairy products a day had up to a 20 percent less risk of postmenopausal breast cancer than women who ate the least amount of dairy products.
"Our findings suggest that dairy products, composed mainly of low-fat sources, or some component within these foods are associated with a small but significantly lower risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women," study leader Marji McCullough, a senior epidemiologist with the American Cancer Society, said in a prepared statement.
"Work is still needed to more clearly identify what may be the responsible factors. And while we controlled to the best of our ability for other possible explanations, it's certainly possible women who consume low-fat dairy products have other health-related behaviors that could also lower the risk," McCullough said.
She also cautioned women to be careful about how they interpret the study's findings.
"It is important to keep in mind that some dairy products, like whole milk and many types of cheese, have a lot of saturated fat, which we know can increase the risk of heart disease and possibly other cancers. Also, many diary products have growth factors such as insulin-like growth factor I, which have been shown to promote breast cancer cell growth," McCullough said.
Sharp Increase in School Breakfast Use
About 7.5 million children in the United States received free or reduced-price breakfasts at school in 2004-05, a 5.3 percent increase over the previous school year and the largest spike in a decade, says a report by the Food Research and Action Center.
Even with that amount of growth, the School Breakfast Program only serves 20 percent of students who need it, the report said. The increase reflects the fact that more schools are serving breakfast, the Associated Press reported.
According to the center, at least 1.8 more children could get breakfast if more schools served them. The U.S. federal government does not require schools to serve breakfasts to students, the AP reported.
Some states offer schools startup funding or financial incentives for breakfast programs while other states require certain schools, usually those with low-income students, to provide breakfast.
More Deaths Linked to Guidant Heart Device Failures
Medical device maker Guidant Corporation has submitted new reports to U.S. officials on three recent patient deaths associated with short circuits in heart devices made by the company, The New York Times reported.
This brings to seven the number of known deaths associated with a flaw that can cause short circuits in the Guidant heart devices. The recent reports submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration show that the three newly revealed deaths occurred after Guidant issued a recall of the heart devices in June.
These new reports may indicate that publicity about the problems with the Guidant heart devices may be prompting more doctors and families to have the units checked after a patient's death, the newspaper reported.
The issue came to public attention in May when the Times reported that Guidant had not told doctors for three years about more than two dozen cases in which its implantable defibrillator models, the Prizm 2 DR, had short-circuited and failed. Further tests revealed similar problems with two other Guidant heart devices, the Contak Renewal and Contak Renewal 2.
Parts of Cloning Study May be Fabricated, U.S. Researcher Charges
A former American colleague of South Korean stem cell researcher Hwang Woo-suk is charging that some of Hwang's much-heralded human cloning work may have been "fabricated."
In a letter to the journal Science, University of Pittsburgh researcher Gerald Schatten demanded that the journal remove him as senior author of a report published in June that outlined how cloning was used to create individual stem cell colonies for 11 patients, the Associated Press reported.
That study received international acclaim as groundbreaking research. Since then, Hwang has admitted to some ethical lapses and minor data reporting errors.
"My careful re-evaluation of published figures and tables, along with new problematic information, now casts substantial doubts about the paper's accuracy," Schatten wrote. "Over the weekend, I received allegations from someone involved with the experiments that certain elements of the report may be fabricated."
Schatten won't make any further comments while the University of Pittsburgh investigates the matter, university spokeswoman Jane Duffield told the AP.
While Science acknowledged receiving the letter, it did not plan to release it because it contained what a journal spokesperson said were, " unsubstantiated allegations." The journal also said it has no reason to believe that Hwang's primary finding "is in any way fraudulent or questionable," the AP reported.
Hwang was not available for comment, the AP reported.
Government Delays Could Cause Medicare Drug Plan Problems
U.S. federal government delays in handling applications for Medicare's new prescription drug benefit could cause problems for some beneficiaries when the plan begins in January, say insurance companies.
Because of the delays, insurers haven't been able to issue identification cards to some people who want to enroll in the new Medicare benefit and aren't able to guarantee they'll be able to get cards to everyone who signs up before the start of the program on Jan. 1, The New York Times reported.
Without those identification cards, some beneficiaries may not be able to take advantage of the new drug benefit when they go to drug stores to purchase medications, pharmacists warned.
The reason for the government's delay in handling applications wasn't clear, The Times reported. However, a spokesman for the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said that errors have been found in data submitted by some of the health insurance plans and that those faulty applications are sent back to insurers for correction.
Former President Ford Released From Hospital
Former President Gerald Ford, 92, was released from hospital Tuesday night, after being admitted a day earlier for what his aides termed routine medical tests, the Associated Press reported.
Ford's chief of staff, Penny Circle, said Ford was released from Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, Calif., and was as healthy as a man his age could be.
In 2003, Ford was hospitalized after he experienced a dizzy spell while playing golf in hot weather. The former president also suffered a mild stroke while attending the 2000 Republican National Convention.
Ford was vice president to President Richard Nixon and became president in 1974 when the Watergate scandal forced Nixon to resign. Ford was defeated by Jimmy Carter in the 1976 election.
Food Fact:
Go mango.
Nature packs a lot of vitamins A and C into these low-calorie appetizers. Half a medium-sized mango supplies 40% of the vitamin A and 50% of the vitamin C that most of us need daily. All for a mere 67 calories. And it tastes great!
Fitness Tip of the day:
Walk for Fitness.
Even a five-minute walk can boost your health, once you know how to make it count. The key is to do it regularly -- aim for a total walking time of 30 - 45 minutes a day, in as little as 5-minute increments, to give your body a boost.
FAQ of the day:
Is it true grapefruit juice and prescription medications don't mix?
Amazingly, grapefruit juice can interfere with some prescription medications. Grapefruit and its juice contains a phytochemical that inhibits the enzyme needed to break down antihistamines, calcium-channel blockers, immunosuppressants, sedatives and protease inhibitors (treatments for AIDS), among others. As a result, blood levels of those drugs stay higher than expected, with potentially serious side effects. If you drink grapefruit juice regularly and are prescribed medication, mention it to your health care provider.
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Health Headlines - December 13
NIH Announces Major Cancer Gene Research Project
A three-year, $100-million program will be the starting point for a comprehensive effort to use genome-analysis technologies to learn more about the molecular basis of cancer, the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced Tuesday.
The overall effort is The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). It will begin with a pilot project that will develop and test the science and technology framework needed to systematically identify and characterize genetic mutations and other genomic changes involved in all forms of human cancer.
"Now is the time to move forward with this pioneering initiative. Thanks to the tools and technologies developed by the Human Genome Project and recent advances in using genetic information to improve cancer diagnosis and treatment, it is now possible to envision a systematic effort to map the changes in human genetic blueprint associated with all known forms of cancer," NIH Director Dr. Elias A. Zerhouni said in a prepared statement.
"This atlas of genomic changes will provide new insights into the biological basis of cancer, which in turn will lead to new tests to detect cancer in its early, most treatable stages; new therapies to target cancer at its most vulnerable points; and, ultimately, new strategies to prevent cancer," Zerhouni said.
Former President Ford in Hospital
Former President Gerald Ford, 92, was hospitalized on Tuesday for what his aides termed routine medical tests that are scheduled each December, the Associated Press reported.
Ford's chief of staff, Penny Circle, said Ford would be released from Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, Calif., when the tests are completed.
"He's in for medical tests, routine tests. He's had a terrible cold and he still hasn't gotten over it," Circle told the AP.
In 2003, Ford was hospitalized after he experienced a dizzy spell while playing golf in hot weather. The former president also suffered a mild stroke while attending the 2000 Republican National Convention.
Ford was vice president to President Richard Nixon and became president in 1974 when the Watergate scandal forced Nixon to resign. Ford was defeated by Jimmy Carter in the 1976 election.
Nine Companies Told to Stop Selling Unproven Anti-Flu Products
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday told nine companies to stop selling products they're marketing as remedies for bird flu and other kinds of influenza. None of the products has been approved by the FDA.
The warning was issued to: Sacred Mountain Management Inc.; BODeSTORE.com; Melvin Williams; Iceland Health Inc.; PolyCil Health Inc.; PRB Pharmaceuticals Inc.; Chozyn LLC; Vitacost.com; and Healthworks 2000.
Claims used by the companies to promote their treatments include phrases such as "prevents avian flu," "a natural virus shield" and "kills the virus," the Associated Press reported.
"FDA is not aware of any scientific evidence that demonstrates the safety or effectiveness of these products for treating or preventing avian flu, and the agency is concerned that the use of these products could harm consumers or interfere with conventional treatments," an FDA statement said.
Warning letters were sent to the nine companies telling them they're presenting misleading and unproven claims. The companies have 15 days to respond to the FDA.
Gene Therapy Studied as Parkinson's Treatment
Different forms of gene therapy are being studied as potential new treatments for Parkinson's disease.
One approach being tested by University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and Rush University researchers uses the nerve growth factor neurturin to protect and rescue dying brain cells that produce dopamine, the Associated Press reported.
Growth factors are protective proteins naturally found in healthy brains. Dopamine is a chemical that's essential for cellular communication that controls muscle movement. Parkinson's disease slowly destroys the brain cells that produce dopamine.
In a study, the UCSF and Rush loaded the gene for neurturin into a harmless virus injected into the brains of 12 people with Parkinson's disease. The study is designed to determine if this method is safe, not whether it is an effective treatment, the AP reported.
Other researchers at UCSF are trying to find a way to use gene therapy to extend the length of time that Parkinson's medication benefits patients.
A company called Neurologix Inc. recently released preliminary results from a study that used gene therapy in an attempt to calm the abnormal movements of 12 Parkinson's patients. A year after the treatment, there was some improvement in the patients, the AP reported.
Researchers Create Mice With Human Brain Cells
U.S. scientists have created mice with small amounts of human brain cells, according to a report in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The research, led by Fred H. Gage of the Salk Institute in San Diego, was done to make realistic animal models of human neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease, the Associated Press reported.
To create the mice with human brain cells, the scientists injected 100,000 human embryonic stem cells into the brains of 14-day-old mouse embryos. The mice were born with about 0.1 percent of human brain cells.
The researchers said this trace amount of human brain cells doesn't restructure the brains of the mice and comes nowhere close to "humanizing" them, the AP reported.
The study may fuel ethical concerns about mixing human and animal cells.
Japan Lifts U.S. Beef Ban
On Saturday, the first shipment of U.S. beef to Japan since December 2003 will be sent on its way.
Japan slapped a ban on U.S. beef because of fears of mad cow disease, but it lifted the ban late Sunday. Japan imposed new restrictions that limit beef imports to animals 20 months or younger. There are also new paperwork and tracking requirements.
In response to the lifting of Japan's ban on U.S. beef, the United States said it would allow the importation of Japanese beef, the Associated Press reported.
Japan was once the biggest market for U.S. beef and it's expected that it will take a long time before U.S. beef regains its market share in Japan. That will require an advertising campaign to assure Japanese consumers that American beef is safe.
About 75 percent of people in Japan say they won't eat U.S. beef due to concern about mad cow disease, said a survey by Japan's Kyodo news agency.
"FDA is encouraged by the decision of the Japanese government to lift the temporary ban on imports of United States beef products," U.S. Food and Drug Administration Acting Commissioner Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach said in a prepared statement.
"We believe that this decision by Japan acknowledges the effectiveness of U.S. measures adopted over the years -- one of the most critical measures being FDA's ruminant feed ban -- to protect our country from ... mad cow disease."
Food Fact:
Dr. red pepper?
Peppers rank surprisingly high on the list of healing foods. For instance, hot chile peppers contain capsaicin, a compound that acts as an anticoagulant and may help prevent heart attacks and strokes caused by blood clots. A half-cup of chopped red bell peppers provides 141mg of vitamin C and 4,250 IU of vitamin A -- more than an adult's daily needs for both. And whether they're mellow and sweet or fiery hot, all peppers are all good sources of potentially cancer-fighting antioxidants, especially vitamin C.
Fitness Tip of the day:
When to say "when?"
Exercise is great, but learn to recognize signs your body needs a break. While exercise promotes a healthy heart, strong bones, reduction in body fat and more, rest is an important part of the equation, too. In order to prevent injury and avoid "burnout," it is best to take scheduled breaks from exercise. Typically, a week of rest is a good idea after a couple of months of steady training; it allows your body to heal.
FAQ of the day:
When did garlic get its heart-healthy reputation?
Even ancient man suspected garlic was good for the heart. Dioscorides, the Roman who codified Greek herbal medicine in the first century A.D., wrote in his "Materia Medica" that garlic "clears the arteries." The ancient Indian Ayurvedic text "Charaka Samhita" holds that garlic "maintains the fluidity of the blood, strengthens the heart and prolongs life." But it's only in the past few decades that garlic's effect on blood cholesterol, blood clotting and other heart disease risk factors have been systematically studied.
A three-year, $100-million program will be the starting point for a comprehensive effort to use genome-analysis technologies to learn more about the molecular basis of cancer, the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced Tuesday.
The overall effort is The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). It will begin with a pilot project that will develop and test the science and technology framework needed to systematically identify and characterize genetic mutations and other genomic changes involved in all forms of human cancer.
"Now is the time to move forward with this pioneering initiative. Thanks to the tools and technologies developed by the Human Genome Project and recent advances in using genetic information to improve cancer diagnosis and treatment, it is now possible to envision a systematic effort to map the changes in human genetic blueprint associated with all known forms of cancer," NIH Director Dr. Elias A. Zerhouni said in a prepared statement.
"This atlas of genomic changes will provide new insights into the biological basis of cancer, which in turn will lead to new tests to detect cancer in its early, most treatable stages; new therapies to target cancer at its most vulnerable points; and, ultimately, new strategies to prevent cancer," Zerhouni said.
Former President Ford in Hospital
Former President Gerald Ford, 92, was hospitalized on Tuesday for what his aides termed routine medical tests that are scheduled each December, the Associated Press reported.
Ford's chief of staff, Penny Circle, said Ford would be released from Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, Calif., when the tests are completed.
"He's in for medical tests, routine tests. He's had a terrible cold and he still hasn't gotten over it," Circle told the AP.
In 2003, Ford was hospitalized after he experienced a dizzy spell while playing golf in hot weather. The former president also suffered a mild stroke while attending the 2000 Republican National Convention.
Ford was vice president to President Richard Nixon and became president in 1974 when the Watergate scandal forced Nixon to resign. Ford was defeated by Jimmy Carter in the 1976 election.
Nine Companies Told to Stop Selling Unproven Anti-Flu Products
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday told nine companies to stop selling products they're marketing as remedies for bird flu and other kinds of influenza. None of the products has been approved by the FDA.
The warning was issued to: Sacred Mountain Management Inc.; BODeSTORE.com; Melvin Williams; Iceland Health Inc.; PolyCil Health Inc.; PRB Pharmaceuticals Inc.; Chozyn LLC; Vitacost.com; and Healthworks 2000.
Claims used by the companies to promote their treatments include phrases such as "prevents avian flu," "a natural virus shield" and "kills the virus," the Associated Press reported.
"FDA is not aware of any scientific evidence that demonstrates the safety or effectiveness of these products for treating or preventing avian flu, and the agency is concerned that the use of these products could harm consumers or interfere with conventional treatments," an FDA statement said.
Warning letters were sent to the nine companies telling them they're presenting misleading and unproven claims. The companies have 15 days to respond to the FDA.
Gene Therapy Studied as Parkinson's Treatment
Different forms of gene therapy are being studied as potential new treatments for Parkinson's disease.
One approach being tested by University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and Rush University researchers uses the nerve growth factor neurturin to protect and rescue dying brain cells that produce dopamine, the Associated Press reported.
Growth factors are protective proteins naturally found in healthy brains. Dopamine is a chemical that's essential for cellular communication that controls muscle movement. Parkinson's disease slowly destroys the brain cells that produce dopamine.
In a study, the UCSF and Rush loaded the gene for neurturin into a harmless virus injected into the brains of 12 people with Parkinson's disease. The study is designed to determine if this method is safe, not whether it is an effective treatment, the AP reported.
Other researchers at UCSF are trying to find a way to use gene therapy to extend the length of time that Parkinson's medication benefits patients.
A company called Neurologix Inc. recently released preliminary results from a study that used gene therapy in an attempt to calm the abnormal movements of 12 Parkinson's patients. A year after the treatment, there was some improvement in the patients, the AP reported.
Researchers Create Mice With Human Brain Cells
U.S. scientists have created mice with small amounts of human brain cells, according to a report in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The research, led by Fred H. Gage of the Salk Institute in San Diego, was done to make realistic animal models of human neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease, the Associated Press reported.
To create the mice with human brain cells, the scientists injected 100,000 human embryonic stem cells into the brains of 14-day-old mouse embryos. The mice were born with about 0.1 percent of human brain cells.
The researchers said this trace amount of human brain cells doesn't restructure the brains of the mice and comes nowhere close to "humanizing" them, the AP reported.
The study may fuel ethical concerns about mixing human and animal cells.
Japan Lifts U.S. Beef Ban
On Saturday, the first shipment of U.S. beef to Japan since December 2003 will be sent on its way.
Japan slapped a ban on U.S. beef because of fears of mad cow disease, but it lifted the ban late Sunday. Japan imposed new restrictions that limit beef imports to animals 20 months or younger. There are also new paperwork and tracking requirements.
In response to the lifting of Japan's ban on U.S. beef, the United States said it would allow the importation of Japanese beef, the Associated Press reported.
Japan was once the biggest market for U.S. beef and it's expected that it will take a long time before U.S. beef regains its market share in Japan. That will require an advertising campaign to assure Japanese consumers that American beef is safe.
About 75 percent of people in Japan say they won't eat U.S. beef due to concern about mad cow disease, said a survey by Japan's Kyodo news agency.
"FDA is encouraged by the decision of the Japanese government to lift the temporary ban on imports of United States beef products," U.S. Food and Drug Administration Acting Commissioner Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach said in a prepared statement.
"We believe that this decision by Japan acknowledges the effectiveness of U.S. measures adopted over the years -- one of the most critical measures being FDA's ruminant feed ban -- to protect our country from ... mad cow disease."
Food Fact:
Dr. red pepper?
Peppers rank surprisingly high on the list of healing foods. For instance, hot chile peppers contain capsaicin, a compound that acts as an anticoagulant and may help prevent heart attacks and strokes caused by blood clots. A half-cup of chopped red bell peppers provides 141mg of vitamin C and 4,250 IU of vitamin A -- more than an adult's daily needs for both. And whether they're mellow and sweet or fiery hot, all peppers are all good sources of potentially cancer-fighting antioxidants, especially vitamin C.
Fitness Tip of the day:
When to say "when?"
Exercise is great, but learn to recognize signs your body needs a break. While exercise promotes a healthy heart, strong bones, reduction in body fat and more, rest is an important part of the equation, too. In order to prevent injury and avoid "burnout," it is best to take scheduled breaks from exercise. Typically, a week of rest is a good idea after a couple of months of steady training; it allows your body to heal.
FAQ of the day:
When did garlic get its heart-healthy reputation?
Even ancient man suspected garlic was good for the heart. Dioscorides, the Roman who codified Greek herbal medicine in the first century A.D., wrote in his "Materia Medica" that garlic "clears the arteries." The ancient Indian Ayurvedic text "Charaka Samhita" holds that garlic "maintains the fluidity of the blood, strengthens the heart and prolongs life." But it's only in the past few decades that garlic's effect on blood cholesterol, blood clotting and other heart disease risk factors have been systematically studied.
Monday, December 12, 2005
Health Headlines - December 12
First Federal Vioxx Trial Ends in Hung Jury
The first federal lawsuit over the once-popular painkiller Vioxx ended in a mistrial Monday.
Merck & Co. emerged from its third Vioxx trial with a hung jury when the panel in Houston failed, in 18 hours of deliberations over three days, to side with the drug maker or the widow of a 53-year-old Florida man who died after taking Vioxx for about a month, the Associated Press reported.
The jury resumed what was to be its fourth day of deliberations Monday, but within about 20 minutes, U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon called the jurors in and reminded them they had agreed to reach a verdict in a "reasonable time."
"It has now been a reasonable time. We cannot get a verdict," Fallon said, declaring a mistrial. Federal litigation requires a unanimous verdict.
The panel was at odds over whether Merck was liable in Richard "Dicky" Irvin's 2001 death and whether the company failed to issue safety warnings that the drug could have serious cardiovascular repercussions.
The trial's outcome leaves Merck with a 1-and-1 record in state trials and an undecided in the first of four federal trials overseen by Fallon. The company faces about 7,000 pending state and federal lawsuits and its liability has been estimated at up to $50 billion.
Merck pulled the painkiller from the market in September 2004 after a long-term study showed it could double the risk of a heart attack or stroke if taken for 18 months or longer.
The crux of the federal case was whether Vioxx could be dangerous with short-term use, the AP reported.
Merck argued that Vioxx was not a factor in Irvin's death because he took the drug for a few weeks. The company blamed his death on clogged arteries and a blood clot that led to the heart attack.
Of the 21 witnesses who testified in the case, four testified on Merck's behalf, and none of those were cardiologists. The plaintiff's witnesses included Dr. Eric Topol, chairman of the cardiovascular medicine department of the Cleveland Clinic and a vocal critic of Vioxx, who said the drug can cause heart attacks any time after a patient begins taking it.
Just after the case went to the jury Thursday, the New England Journal of Medicine released an editorial charging that the study authors of a report on a 2000 Merck-funded Vioxx trial failed to disclose heart attacks suffered by three patients.
Night Work Increases Premature Labor Risk
Pregnant women who work nights have up to a 50 percent increased risk of premature birth, says a University of North Carolina study of 1,900 working women.
The study found that standing for long stretches of time and lifting heavy objects did not increase the risk of premature birth. However, working nights during the first trimester of pregnancy was associated with double the risk of premature birth, BBC News reported.
This may be due to the fact that working at night disrupts normal nighttime womb activity, the researchers suggested. The findings appear in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology.
"The findings from our study are based on a small sample size and need to be interpreted with caution," lead researcher Dr. Lisa Pompeii told BBC News.
"However, these findings, along with a handful of other studies that have observed a modest elevation in the risk of preterm delivery among women who work at night and/or shift work during pregnancy, warrants the need for further exploration of the biological effects of shift work on uterine activity during pregnancy," she said.
Abortion Can Cause Long-Term Mental Distress: Study
Anxiety, guilt and shame can affect women for at least five years after they have an abortion, says a Norwegian study in the journal BMC Medicine.
The study included 80 women who had an abortion and 40 women who suffered a miscarriage. The women were interviewed at 10 days, six months, two years and five years after the event, The Scotsman reported.
Women who had a miscarriage suffered more mental distress up to six months after the event, compared with women who had an abortion. However, women who had an abortion experienced more mental distress in the longer term, the study found.
The findings indicate that women in both situations should be given information about the psychological effects of losing a baby, the University of Oslo researchers said.
Two New Bird Flu Outbreaks in Romania
Romania has confirmed new bird flu outbreaks in two new villages in the eastern district of Buzau, but did not say how many cases there were in the villages.
Several birds were found dead in the villages over the past few days, and tests confirmed the presence of H5 avian flu virus in the villages, Agence France Presse reported. The villages have been quarantined and officials have ordered the slaughter of hundreds of birds.
In related news, Japan announced that it will provide $135 million to help Southeast Asian countries combat the spread of bird flu and will host an international conference on the issue in January, AFP reported.
Also on Monday, Swiss drug maker Roche said it had reached a sublicensing agreement with the Shanghai Pharmaceutical group to produce the Tamiflu anti-influenza drug in China, AFP reported.
More Hospitals Reusing Medical Devices to Save Money
A growing number of U.S. hospitals are cutting costs by reusing medical devices that are meant to be used only once, according to a special report in the Sunday edition of the Washington Post.
The institutions are not required to inform patients when they use a reconditioned device during surgery, and it is not uncommon for the doctor performing the surgery to be unaware of that fact, the Post reported. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration oversees this practice, but the agency only last year began requiring that hospitals report a malfunctioning device that had been reprocessed.
More companies are producing one-time use medical devices because they don't have to be built to last long, legal liability drops after a first use, and they are guaranteed refill orders from hospitals, the Post reported. In response, many hospitals are now reprocessing these devices because they have resterilizing measures already in place and they regard the one-time designation as a ploy by the companies to force them to buy more devices, the Post report said.
Although the Post reported that exact numbers were almost impossible to amass, the article stated that hospitals in all 50 states and the District are believed to reprocess at least some single-use devices.
Food Fact:
Coffee on the dark side?
If p.m. coffee leaves you too perky to sleep, try cutting it off earlier rather than cutting it out completely. Coffee's stimulatory effects usually take 6 - 8 hours to wear off, so consider your bedtime when you reach for an afternoon or evening cup. The effects -- it can exacerbate insomnia, nervousness, anxiety and even panic attacks -- may last longer in women taking oral contraceptives and in older people. But coffee isn't a demon, either. Short-term studies have found that a cup's worth -- 100mg -- can increase self-confidence, energy and motivation to work.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Make exercise fun.
Revving up your workout routine can be as easy as making a list. When beginning a new exercise program, jot down your favorite everyday activities, and incorporate them into your fitness plan. If you enjoy walking with your dog, schedule longer walks along with more traditional forms of exercise such as weight training, flexibility training and cardiovascular programming.
FAQ of the day:
What's the healthiest way to handle garlic and onions?
The way you handle garlic and onions affects their health-protective compounds. The more you cut, chop, smash or otherwise disturb raw onions or garlic, the more compounds they will release. If you're going to cook garlic, for example, it's a good idea to smash or chop it about 10 minutes before.
The first federal lawsuit over the once-popular painkiller Vioxx ended in a mistrial Monday.
Merck & Co. emerged from its third Vioxx trial with a hung jury when the panel in Houston failed, in 18 hours of deliberations over three days, to side with the drug maker or the widow of a 53-year-old Florida man who died after taking Vioxx for about a month, the Associated Press reported.
The jury resumed what was to be its fourth day of deliberations Monday, but within about 20 minutes, U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon called the jurors in and reminded them they had agreed to reach a verdict in a "reasonable time."
"It has now been a reasonable time. We cannot get a verdict," Fallon said, declaring a mistrial. Federal litigation requires a unanimous verdict.
The panel was at odds over whether Merck was liable in Richard "Dicky" Irvin's 2001 death and whether the company failed to issue safety warnings that the drug could have serious cardiovascular repercussions.
The trial's outcome leaves Merck with a 1-and-1 record in state trials and an undecided in the first of four federal trials overseen by Fallon. The company faces about 7,000 pending state and federal lawsuits and its liability has been estimated at up to $50 billion.
Merck pulled the painkiller from the market in September 2004 after a long-term study showed it could double the risk of a heart attack or stroke if taken for 18 months or longer.
The crux of the federal case was whether Vioxx could be dangerous with short-term use, the AP reported.
Merck argued that Vioxx was not a factor in Irvin's death because he took the drug for a few weeks. The company blamed his death on clogged arteries and a blood clot that led to the heart attack.
Of the 21 witnesses who testified in the case, four testified on Merck's behalf, and none of those were cardiologists. The plaintiff's witnesses included Dr. Eric Topol, chairman of the cardiovascular medicine department of the Cleveland Clinic and a vocal critic of Vioxx, who said the drug can cause heart attacks any time after a patient begins taking it.
Just after the case went to the jury Thursday, the New England Journal of Medicine released an editorial charging that the study authors of a report on a 2000 Merck-funded Vioxx trial failed to disclose heart attacks suffered by three patients.
Night Work Increases Premature Labor Risk
Pregnant women who work nights have up to a 50 percent increased risk of premature birth, says a University of North Carolina study of 1,900 working women.
The study found that standing for long stretches of time and lifting heavy objects did not increase the risk of premature birth. However, working nights during the first trimester of pregnancy was associated with double the risk of premature birth, BBC News reported.
This may be due to the fact that working at night disrupts normal nighttime womb activity, the researchers suggested. The findings appear in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology.
"The findings from our study are based on a small sample size and need to be interpreted with caution," lead researcher Dr. Lisa Pompeii told BBC News.
"However, these findings, along with a handful of other studies that have observed a modest elevation in the risk of preterm delivery among women who work at night and/or shift work during pregnancy, warrants the need for further exploration of the biological effects of shift work on uterine activity during pregnancy," she said.
Abortion Can Cause Long-Term Mental Distress: Study
Anxiety, guilt and shame can affect women for at least five years after they have an abortion, says a Norwegian study in the journal BMC Medicine.
The study included 80 women who had an abortion and 40 women who suffered a miscarriage. The women were interviewed at 10 days, six months, two years and five years after the event, The Scotsman reported.
Women who had a miscarriage suffered more mental distress up to six months after the event, compared with women who had an abortion. However, women who had an abortion experienced more mental distress in the longer term, the study found.
The findings indicate that women in both situations should be given information about the psychological effects of losing a baby, the University of Oslo researchers said.
Two New Bird Flu Outbreaks in Romania
Romania has confirmed new bird flu outbreaks in two new villages in the eastern district of Buzau, but did not say how many cases there were in the villages.
Several birds were found dead in the villages over the past few days, and tests confirmed the presence of H5 avian flu virus in the villages, Agence France Presse reported. The villages have been quarantined and officials have ordered the slaughter of hundreds of birds.
In related news, Japan announced that it will provide $135 million to help Southeast Asian countries combat the spread of bird flu and will host an international conference on the issue in January, AFP reported.
Also on Monday, Swiss drug maker Roche said it had reached a sublicensing agreement with the Shanghai Pharmaceutical group to produce the Tamiflu anti-influenza drug in China, AFP reported.
More Hospitals Reusing Medical Devices to Save Money
A growing number of U.S. hospitals are cutting costs by reusing medical devices that are meant to be used only once, according to a special report in the Sunday edition of the Washington Post.
The institutions are not required to inform patients when they use a reconditioned device during surgery, and it is not uncommon for the doctor performing the surgery to be unaware of that fact, the Post reported. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration oversees this practice, but the agency only last year began requiring that hospitals report a malfunctioning device that had been reprocessed.
More companies are producing one-time use medical devices because they don't have to be built to last long, legal liability drops after a first use, and they are guaranteed refill orders from hospitals, the Post reported. In response, many hospitals are now reprocessing these devices because they have resterilizing measures already in place and they regard the one-time designation as a ploy by the companies to force them to buy more devices, the Post report said.
Although the Post reported that exact numbers were almost impossible to amass, the article stated that hospitals in all 50 states and the District are believed to reprocess at least some single-use devices.
Food Fact:
Coffee on the dark side?
If p.m. coffee leaves you too perky to sleep, try cutting it off earlier rather than cutting it out completely. Coffee's stimulatory effects usually take 6 - 8 hours to wear off, so consider your bedtime when you reach for an afternoon or evening cup. The effects -- it can exacerbate insomnia, nervousness, anxiety and even panic attacks -- may last longer in women taking oral contraceptives and in older people. But coffee isn't a demon, either. Short-term studies have found that a cup's worth -- 100mg -- can increase self-confidence, energy and motivation to work.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Make exercise fun.
Revving up your workout routine can be as easy as making a list. When beginning a new exercise program, jot down your favorite everyday activities, and incorporate them into your fitness plan. If you enjoy walking with your dog, schedule longer walks along with more traditional forms of exercise such as weight training, flexibility training and cardiovascular programming.
FAQ of the day:
What's the healthiest way to handle garlic and onions?
The way you handle garlic and onions affects their health-protective compounds. The more you cut, chop, smash or otherwise disturb raw onions or garlic, the more compounds they will release. If you're going to cook garlic, for example, it's a good idea to smash or chop it about 10 minutes before.
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