Health Headlines - January 22

Kennedy Released From Hospital After Inaugural Collapse

Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) was released from hospital Wednesday morning after collapsing at President Barack Obama's inaugural luncheon in the Capitol on Tuesday.

Media reports said he was in "good spirits" on his release and was urged by his doctors to get some rest.

Tests at Washington Hospital Center late Tuesday showed that Kennedy, who was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor last spring, had suffered a seizure as a result of "simple fatigue," his doctor said, according to the Boston Herald.

Dr. Edward Aulisi, chairman of neurosurgery at the hospital, said late Tuesday night, "Sen. Kennedy is awake, talking with family and friends, and feeling well. He will remain. . . overnight for observation."

Sen. Jay Rockefeller, (D-W. Va.), told reporters that at the Congressional luncheon, Obama noticed when Kennedy, 76, became ill, and rushed over to his table, the Associated Press reported.

"There was a call for silence throughout the room," Rockefeller said. "The president went over immediately. The lights went down, just to reduce the heat, I think."

Obama then spoke briefly of Kennedy's latest health problem in his remarks to the luncheon guests, the New York Times reported. "Right now, part of me is with him," Obama said. "This is a joyous time, but also a sobering time. Our prayers are with him and his wife, Vicki."

Kennedy had been outside all morning to attend the swearing-in and listen to Obama's inaugural address.

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Many Children Have Mild Autistic Symptoms: Study

A new U.K. study says many children have mild autistic traits, such as difficulty communicating with peers and teachers, but their problems aren't severe enough to attract special attention.

But these mild traits could impair development, said the authors of the study, which included 8,000 children, BBC News reported.

The findings suggest "that drawing a dividing line between those with autism and the rest of the population involves making an arbitrary decision," said Prof. David Skuse, one of the study authors.

"Clinicians and those involved in education need to be aware that there are children who do not have autism but who nevertheless have somewhat elevated levels of autistic traits -- our research suggests that these children are at slightly greater risk of developing behavioral and emotional problems," Skuse told BBC News.

The study appears in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

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Early Pregnancy Drinking Boosts Pre-Term Birth Risk

Heavy drinking early in pregnancy greatly increases a woman's risk of premature delivery, says a study that included more than 4,700 Australian women.

Those who drank heavily in the first third of pregnancy and then stopped had an almost 80 percent higher risk of premature delivery. There was no evidence of increased risk for women who drank low levels of alcohol throughout pregnancy, BBC News reported.

"The risk of pre-term birth is highest for women who drink heavily or at binge levels," said study leader Dr. Colleen O'Leary, of the University of Western Australia. "Women should be advised that during pregnancy, drinking alcohol above low levels increases the risk to the baby and that the safest choice is not to drink alcohol during pregnancy."

A sudden halt to drinking may trigger inflammation that could harm the developing fetus in some way, the researchers suggested.

The study was published in the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

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China Reports Third Bird Flu Death This Year

A 16-year-old male student in central China's Hunan province died of bird flu Tuesday, the third bird flu death in the country this year.

A provincial government official told the Xinhua news agency Monday that the student fell ill two weeks ago in Guizhou, the provincial capital. He tested positive for the H5N1 strain of avian influenza, and reportedly had had contact with poultry.

The teen is one of four confirmed human bird flu cases in China so far this year.

On Saturday, officials said a 27-year-old woman in east China's Shandong province died of the virus, while a two-year-old girl was infected in northern Shanxi province.

The girl is in the hospital in critical condition, the Associated Press reported. Her family members and others who came in close contact with her were under medical observation.

The first victim of the year, a 19-year-old woman, died in Beijing earlier this month, after being in contact with ducks in a market, the wire service said.

The AP said that World Health Organization (WHO) statistics show this strain of bird flu has killed 248 people worldwide since 2003, when it was first reported to have infected humans. Twenty-one of those deaths have been in China, with a total of 32 cases reported.

None of these cases has been found to be spread by human-to-human contact, according to WHO medical experts, but rather by close contact with different species of birds, especially poultry and fowl.

Health Tips for January 22

Health Tip: If You've Got GERD

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) occurs when stomach contents back up into the esophagus, often causing a feeling of heartburn.

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons offers these suggestions to help tame GERD symptoms:

• Lose weight. Most people are helped "substantially" when they lose significant weight, the society says.
• Wear loose clothing.
• Eat meals at least several hours before bed time, giving the stomach some time to empty.
• Keep the head of the bed about 6 inches to 8 inches higher than the foot of the bed.
• Steer clear of smoking, high-fat foods, spicy foods, caffeine, chocolate and peppermint.
• Talk to your doctor about medications to help control GERD. And while on the subject of medications, ask your doctor if anything you're taking could actually be making your symptoms worse.

Health Tip: Is GERD Causing Sleep Problems?

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can cause symptoms during the night that can prevent a good night's sleep.

The National Sleep Foundation offers these suggestions to keep GERD symptoms calm at night:

• Be careful of the foods you eat from late afternoon until bedtime. Try to avoid spicy foods, onions and chocolate.
• Eat a larger meal at lunch, and have a small, light dinner.
• Don't eat anything after two or three hours before you plan to go to bed.
• Don't drink alcohol or smoke before bed.
• Sleep on a pillow or two, with your head and shoulders elevated.
• Try sleeping on your left side.

Health Headlines - January 21

Kennedy Collapses at Obama Inaugural Lunch

Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), who was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor last spring, collapsed at President Barack Obama's inaugural luncheon in the Capitol on Tuesday and was taken to a Washington, D.C., hospital by ambulance.

Kennedy was awake and talking at Washington Hospital Center, the Associated Press reported. With him were his wife, Victoria, and his son, Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.). He will be held for observation and will undergo testing, a hospital official said.

Sen. Christopher J. Dodd, (D-Conn.), told reporters that Kennedy appeared to have a seizure but seemed fine as he was put into the ambulance at around 3 p.m. ET, The New York Times reported.

"The good news is, he's going to be fine," Dodd said, according to the Times.

Kennedy, who will be 77 next month, had been seated at the same table with another of the Senate's elder statesmen, Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.), 91. There were conflicting reports about Byrd, who also left the luncheon early after witnesses said he appeared ill. But his office later said his health was not the reason for the early departure, the AP reported.

Sen. Jay Rockefeller, (D-W. Va.), told reporters that Obama noticed when Kennedy became ill, and rushed over to his table, the AP reported.

"There was a call for silence throughout the room," Rockefeller said. "The president went over immediately. The lights went down, just to reduce the heat, I think."

Obama then spoke briefly of Kennedy's latest health problem in his remarks to the luncheon guests, the Times reported. "Right now, part of me is with him," Obama said. "This is a joyous time, but also a sobering time. Our prayers are with him and his wife, Vicki."

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China Reports Third Bird Flu Death This Year

A 16-year-old male student in central China's Hunan province died of bird flu Tuesday, the third bird flu death in the country this year.

A provincial government official told the Xinhua news agency Monday that the student fell ill two weeks ago in Guizhou, the provincial capital. He tested positive for the H5N1 strain of avian influenza, and reportedly had had contact with poultry.

The teen is one of four confirmed human bird flu cases in China so far this year.

On Saturday, officials said a 27-year-old woman in east China's Shandong province died of the virus, while a two-year-old girl was infected in northern Shanxi province.

The girl is in the hospital in critical condition, the Associated Press reported. Her family members and others who came in close contact with her were under medical observation.

The first victim of the year, a 19-year-old woman, died in Beijing earlier this month, after being in contact with ducks in a market, the wire service said.

The AP said that World Health Organization (WHO) statistics show this strain of bird flu has killed 248 people worldwide since 2003, when it was first reported to have infected humans. Twenty-one of those deaths have been in China, with a total of 32 cases reported.

None of these cases has been found to be spread by human-to-human contact, according to WHO medical experts, but rather by close contact with different species of birds, especially poultry and fowl.

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Trials Test Stem Cell Treatments for Stroke, Blindness

In two separate trials to be launched this year, researchers in Scotland will examine whether stem cell therapy can help treat stroke patients and people with corneal blindness, Agence France Presse reported.

This month, a two-year trial involving 20 patients with corneal blindness will begin in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Stem cells of deceased adult donors will be cultivated and then transplanted onto the cornea's surface.

Another team of researchers in Glasgow plans a study in which they'll inject fetal stem cells into the brains of stroke patients in order to determine if the cells can regenerate damaged areas and improve patients' quality of life, AFP reported.

That study, which will test a treatment developed by a British company called ReNeuron, still has to be approved by an ethics committee.

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'Conscience Rule' Gets Legal Challenge

The Conscience Rule, one of the last items on President George W. Bush's health agenda, has been challenged in U.S. District Court.

The Washington Post reports that a lawsuit was filed Jan. 15 in Connecticut by that state's attorney general, Richard Blumenthal, seeking to block a new federal regulation that protects health workers if they refuse to perform medical services to which they object. The rule went into effect in December.

Blumenthal's suit included the states of California, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon and Rhode Island, the Post reported. Separate lawsuits were also filed by Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association.

Central to the Conscience Rule, the newspaper reports, is that it stops federal funding to any health organization -- public or private -- if it doesn't allow health professionals the right to refuse to perform or take part in any health care services they consider objectionable on ethical, moral or religious grounds.

"On the way out, the Bush administration has left a ticking political time bomb that is set to explode literally on the day of the president's [Barack Obama] inaugural and blow apart women's rights," the newspaper quotes Blumenthal as saying.

Rebecca Ayer, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), told the Post that HHS would defend its actions in court. "The department followed appropriate procedures to put the regulation in place, and the regulation is fully supported by law," the newspaper quotes her as saying.

Health Tips for January 21

Health Tip: Oh, Those Aching Muscles

If you've been working out a bit too hard, or if you're just getting into exercise, you might have minor muscle soreness.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine offers these suggestions to help manage minor muscle pain:

• Allow your muscles to rest. Don't engage in any heavy exercise while they recover.
• Take acetaminophen or ibuprofen to ease pain.
• For the first few days, ice the area. After the first two to three days, apply heat to the sore muscles.
• As you recover, try low-impact exercises such as swimming, biking and walking. Gradually work your way up to longer and tougher exercises.
• Sleep, stretch and avoid stress.

Health Tip: Clogged Ears On a Plane?

Changes in altitude, such as those you experience when flying, can cause an uncomfortable "clogged" feeling in your ears.

If you try to relieve the pressure by blowing your nose too hard, you could perforate the eardrum or force bacteria into the deeper parts of the ear.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine offers these suggestions to help you safely relieve pressure in the ears when flying:

• About an hour before your flight is scheduled to leave, take a decongestant.
• Try yawning to gently relieve pressure as altitude changes.
• Keep swallowing to help unclog ears.
• Chew a piece of gum while the plane ascends and descends.
• If your ears still feel clogged, inhale, hold your nose, and very gently exhale with your mouth closed until you feel relief. Be very careful not to do this with too much force.

Health Headlines - January 20

4th Human Bird Flu Case Reported in China

A 16-year-old male student in central China's Hunan province is now the fourth victim of human bird flu in the country this year.

A provincial government official told the Xinhua news agency Monday that the student fell ill two weeks ago in Guizhou, the provincial capital, and is in critical condition.

He tested positive for the H5N1 strain of avian influenza, and reportedly had had contact with poultry.

On Saturday, officials said a 27-year-old woman in east China's Shandong province died of the virus, while a two-year-old girl was infected in northern Shanxi province.

The girl is in the hospital in critical condition, the Associated Press reported. Her family members and others who came in close contact with her were under medical observation.

The first victim of the year, a 19-year-old woman, died in Beijing earlier this month, after being in contact with ducks in a market, the wire service said.

The AP said that World Health Organization (WHO) statistics show this strain of bird flu has killed 248 people worldwide since 2003, when it was first reported to have infected humans. Twenty-one of those deaths have been in China, with a total of 32 cases reported.

None of these cases has been found to be spread by human-to-human contact, according to WHO medical experts, but rather by close contact with different species of birds, especially poultry and fowl.

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Trials Test Stem Cell Treatments for Stroke, Blindness

In two separate trials to be launched this year, researchers in Scotland will examine whether stem cell therapy can help treat stroke patients and people with corneal blindness, Agence France Presse reported.

This month, a two-year trial involving 20 patients with corneal blindness will begin in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Stem cells of deceased adult donors will be cultivated and then transplanted onto the cornea's surface.

Another team of researchers in Glasgow plans a study in which they'll inject fetal stem cells into the brains of stroke patients in order to determine if the cells can regenerate damaged areas and improve patients' quality of life, AFP reported.

That study, which will test a treatment developed by a British company called ReNeuron, still has to be approved by an ethics committee.

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'Conscience Rule' Gets Legal Challenge

The Conscience Rule, one of the last items on President George W. Bush's health agenda, has been challenged in U.S. District Court.

The Washington Post reports that a lawsuit was filed Jan. 15 in Connecticut by that state's attorney general, Richard Blumenthal, seeking to block a new federal regulation that protects health workers if they refuse to perform medical services to which they object. The rule went into effect in December.

Blumenthal's suit included the states of California, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon and Rhode Island, the Post reported. Separate lawsuits were also filed by Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association.

Central to the Conscience Rule, the newspaper reports, is that it stops federal funding to any health organization -- public or private -- if it doesn't allow health professionals the right to refuse to perform or take part in any health care services they consider objectionable on ethical, moral or religious grounds.

"On the way out, the Bush administration has left a ticking political time bomb that is set to explode literally on the day of the president's [Barack Obama] inaugural and blow apart women's rights," the newspaper quotes Blumenthal as saying.

Rebecca Ayer, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), told the Post that HHS would defend its actions in court. "The department followed appropriate procedures to put the regulation in place, and the regulation is fully supported by law," the newspaper quotes her as saying.

Health Tips for January 20

Health Tip: Log Your Headache Pain

If you frequently suffer from significant headache pain, it may help to document the circumstances during which it occurs and any potential triggers.

Logging the details of your headaches could become an invaluable tool for you and your doctor.

The University of California, San Francisco Medical Center suggests what to document:

• The duration of each headache.
• How badly your head hurt, and exactly where the pain occurred.
• The day of the week and time of day that the headache occurred.
• Anything you ate or drank before the headache started.
• Activities you did before the headache began.
• Any medication, herb, or other remedy that you took for headache pain.
• How you felt during your headache, including symptoms such as nausea or seeing an aura.
• How headaches have affected your life, including any activities you are forced to miss or no longer feel like doing.

Health Tip: Health Tip: Wine Could Benefit the Heart

Excessive drinking offers no benefits whatsoever, but having a single glass of red wine each day could help the heart, the U.S. Library of Medicine says.

The flavonoids found in red wine (also in grapes and grape juice) are thought to be the heart-healthy components.

Women, however, should consume no more than one drink each day, and no more than two drinks each day for men, says the NLM, which equates a drink of wine to four ounces' worth.

Other ways to help boost heart health include getting regular exercise, eating a healthy diet, avoiding tobacco, and maintaining a proper body weight.

Health Headlines - January 19

Second Human Bird Flu Case Reported This Month in China

A second case this month in China of a human contracting a deadly form of avian flu has been reported.

According to the Associated Press, a 2-year-old girl in northern China has tested positive for the H5N1 bird flu virus, the type that health experts worry could some day mutate into a human worldwide pandemic.

The girl, from the Hunan province, is in the hospital in critical condition, the wire service reported. Her family members and others who came in close contact with her were under medical observation, the A.P. quotes Chinese officials as saying.

A 19-year-old woman died in Beijing earlier this month, after being in contact with ducks in a market, the wire service said.

The A.P. cites World Health Organization (WHO) statistics that say this strain of bird flu has killed 248 people worldwide since 2003, when it was first reported to have infected humans. Twenty-one of those deaths have been in China, with a total of 32 cases reported.

None of these cases has been found to be spread by human-to-human contact, according to WHO medical experts, but rather by close contact with different species of birds, especially poultry and fowl.

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'Conscience Rule' Gets Legal Challenge

The Conscience Rule, one of the last items on President George W. Bush's health agenda, has been challenged in U.S. District Court.

The Washington Post reports that a lawsuit was filed Jan. 15 in Connecticut by that state's attorney general, Richard Blumenthal, seeking to block a new federal regulation that protects health workers if they refuse to perform medical services to which they object. The rule went into effect in December.

Blumenthal's suit included the states of California, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon and Rhode Island, the Post reported. Separate lawsuits were also filed by Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association.

Central to the Conscience Rule, the newspaper reports, is that it stops federal funding to any health organization -- public or private -- if it doesn't allow health professionals the right to refuse to perform or take part in any health care services they consider objectionable on ethical, moral or religious grounds.

"On the way out, the Bush administration has left a ticking political time bomb that is set to explode literally on the day of the president's [Barack Obama] inaugural and blow apart women's rights," the newspaper quotes Blumenthal as saying.

Rebecca Ayer, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), told the Post that HHS would defend its actions in court. "The department followed appropriate procedures to put the regulation in place, and the regulation is fully supported by law," the newspaper quotes her as saying.

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FDA Lax in Review of High-Risk Medical Devices: Report

From 2003 to 2007, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved some 228 medical devices -- some of them for sensitive uses -- without a full scale review, a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report said Thursday.

The report found that two dozen distinct types of devices -- such as metal hip joints, external defibrillators to assist heart attack victims, and electrodes for pacemakers -- were approved without close scrutiny, the Associated Press said.

Some devices approved have been recalled because of malfunctions and other problems, according to the consumer group Public Citizen. "It all adds up to less-than-rigorous device review, and it's placing tens of thousands of Americans at risk," Peter Lurie, deputy director of Public Citizen's health research group, told the news service.

While the report did not look into whether any patients were harmed as a result of the approvals, it does highlight calls for closer scrutiny of the FDA's medical device approval process, which has been subject to charges that scientists were pressured to OK some medical machinery against their professional judgment, the AP said.

In 1976, Congress established a three-tiered classification system for these devices, which include everything from tongue depressors to silicone breast implants to pacemakers, the AP said. Low-risk devices such as bandages could be cleared by notifying the FDA before going to market, while high-risk devices such as pacemakers would face tighter scrutiny. Manufacturers were required to provide evidence of safety and effectiveness, but subsequent gains in technology have increased not only the number of devices coming to market but also the number of upgraded products coming up for review, the news service said.

"In general, we agree with the conclusions and recommendations," FDA spokeswoman Karen Riley said. "We are considering legal and procedural options to accomplish this objective."

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Health Care Reform Near Top of Public's Wish List for 2009

When it comes to what the American public wants its political leaders to attack first in the coming year, health care reform is near the top of the list, a new survey shows.

As President-elect Barack Obama prepares to take office next Tuesday, researchers from the Kaiser Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health report that finding ways to help the newly unemployed afford basic health insurance was outranked only by efforts to help businesses generate new jobs while preserving old ones as the most pressing political mandates for the future.

While improving the economy is overwhelmingly the top priority -- three-quarters of those surveyed said that should be the first business for the new Administration -- 43 percent view health care as a top concern, ranking it third just behind fighting terrorism, at 48 percent. Health care was of greater concern than reducing the federal budget deficit (39 percent), improving public schools (37 percent), working to create more clean energy sources (36 percent) and dealing with Iraq (35 percent). More than 60 percent of Americans believe that in light of the overwhelming economic problems facing the country, "it is more important than ever to take on health reform now."

"The economic crisis has created an unprecedented window of opportunity for health reform. But we are in the early happy talk stage on health reform, and the window could close if policymakers cannot move fairly quickly to take advantage of the opportunity they have," Kaiser President and CEO Drew Altman said in a news release.

A key health reform idea that draws support from both liberals and conservatives is more regulation of health insurance companies and more consumer protections.

That's not to say that members of each political party hold the same opinion on how to do that.

"We can see the framework of a winning package of health reform proposals from the public's perspective," said Robert J. Blendon, a professor of health policy and political analysis at the Harvard School of Public Health. But there are some distinct differences among partisans that will pose a challenge to policymakers, he added, "with the key split being how to pay for health care reform."

Conducted last December among a nationally representative random sample of 1,628 adults aged 18 and over, the survey involved phone interviews that were done in both English and Spanish.

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Pneumonia Vaccine for Young Children Works: CDC

A pediatric pneumonia vaccine introduced in 2000 has led to a significant drop in hospitalizations for young children with the respiratory disease, U.S. health officials reported Thursday.

In 2006, the rate of hospitalizations for pneumonia among children 2 years old or younger was 8.1 per 1,000 children -- 35 percent lower than the rate before the vaccine was introduced. This reduction means there were an estimated 36,300 fewer pneumonia hospitalizations in 2006, compared to pre-vaccine levels, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The bacteria streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is a leading bacterial cause of childhood pneumonia, which accounts for an estimated 8 percent of all childhood hospital admissions, the CDC said.

Routine childhood immunization with the PCV7 vaccine began in 2000 and substantial declines in hospital admissions for pneumonia in young children were previously reported through 2004, the CDC said in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

The updated results confirm that pneumococcus is a leading cause of pneumonia in children, and they show the need for continued monitoring of the immunization program's effects on pneumonia hospitalizations among children, the CDC said.

Health Tips for January 19

Health Tip: Help Stop Thumbsucking

Many children suck their thumbs, but it can cause dental problems if children continue to suck their thumb beyond age 4.

Most children stop on their own, but continued thumbsucking could be a sign of a behavioral problem, such as anxiety or depression.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine offers these suggestions to help your child quit the habit:

• Ask your pediatrician about having your child use a thumb guard.
• Apply a bitter-tasting material on your child's thumb. But always check with the child's doctor to make sure it's safe.
• Make a deal with your child. If he or she agrees to stop sucking the thumb, offer a reward.
• Offer praise and attention when you notice that your child isn't thumbsucking.
• If your child's teeth have been affected by thumbsucking, talk to the child's dentist about what can be done to correct it.

Health Tip: Braces Basics

Braces require special care to help keep them functioning properly and prevent tooth damage.

The American Association of Orthodontists offers these suggestions for taking care of your teeth and braces:

• Brush and floss your teeth each day. Infrequent brushing can lead to more trips to the dentist or orthodontist.
• The cleaner and healthier teeth are, the faster they will move, the AAO says.
• If you play a sport, you may need to wear a mouth guard.
• Never chew on pens, pencils, erasers or fingernails.
• Stay away from foods that are very hard or crunchy, sticky or chewy.

Health Headlines - January 18

'Conscience Rule' Gets Legal Challenge

The Conscience Rule, one of the last items on President George W. Bush's health agenda, has been challenged in U.S. District Court.

The Washington Post reports that a lawsuit was filed Jan. 15 in Connecticut by that state's attorney general, Richard Blumenthal, seeking to block a new federal regulation that protects health workers if they refuse to perform medical services to which they object. The rule went into effect in December.

Blumenthal's suit included the states of California, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon and Rhode Island, the Post reported. Separate lawsuits were also filed by Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association.

Central to the Conscience Rule, the newspaper reports, is that it stops federal funding to any health organization -- public or private -- if it doesn't allow health professionals the right to refuse to perform or take part in any health care services they consider objectionable on ethical, moral or religious grounds.

"On the way out, the Bush administration has left a ticking political time bomb that is set to explode literally on the day of the president's [Barack Obama] inaugural and blow apart women's rights," the newspaper quotes Blumenthal as saying.

Rebecca Ayer, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), told the Post that HHS would defend its actions in court. "The department followed appropriate procedures to put the regulation in place, and the regulation is fully supported by law," the newspaper quotes her as saying.

-----

FDA Lax in Review of High-Risk Medical Devices: Report

From 2003 to 2007, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved some 228 medical devices -- some of them for sensitive uses -- without a full scale review, a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report said Thursday.

The report found that two dozen distinct types of devices -- such as metal hip joints, external defibrillators to assist heart attack victims, and electrodes for pacemakers -- were approved without close scrutiny, the Associated Press said.

Some devices approved have been recalled because of malfunctions and other problems, according to the consumer group Public Citizen. "It all adds up to less-than-rigorous device review, and it's placing tens of thousands of Americans at risk," Peter Lurie, deputy director of Public Citizen's health research group, told the news service.

While the report did not look into whether any patients were harmed as a result of the approvals, it does highlight calls for closer scrutiny of the FDA's medical device approval process, which has been subject to charges that scientists were pressured to OK some medical machinery against their professional judgment, the AP said.

In 1976, Congress established a three-tiered classification system for these devices, which include everything from tongue depressors to silicone breast implants to pacemakers, the AP said. Low-risk devices such as bandages could be cleared by notifying the FDA before going to market, while high-risk devices such as pacemakers would face tighter scrutiny. Manufacturers were required to provide evidence of safety and effectiveness, but subsequent gains in technology have increased not only the number of devices coming to market but also the number of upgraded products coming up for review, the news service said.

"In general, we agree with the conclusions and recommendations," FDA spokeswoman Karen Riley said. "We are considering legal and procedural options to accomplish this objective."

-----

Health Care Reform Near Top of Public's Wish List for 2009

When it comes to what the American public wants its political leaders to attack first in the coming year, health care reform is near the top of the list, a new survey shows.

As President-elect Barack Obama prepares to take office next Tuesday, researchers from the Kaiser Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health report that finding ways to help the newly unemployed afford basic health insurance was outranked only by efforts to help businesses generate new jobs while preserving old ones as the most pressing political mandates for the future.

While improving the economy is overwhelmingly the top priority -- three-quarters of those surveyed said that should be the first business for the new Administration -- 43 percent view health care as a top concern, ranking it third just behind fighting terrorism, at 48 percent. Health care was of greater concern than reducing the federal budget deficit (39 percent), improving public schools (37 percent), working to create more clean energy sources (36 percent) and dealing with Iraq (35 percent). More than 60 percent of Americans believe that in light of the overwhelming economic problems facing the country, "it is more important than ever to take on health reform now."

"The economic crisis has created an unprecedented window of opportunity for health reform. But we are in the early happy talk stage on health reform, and the window could close if policymakers cannot move fairly quickly to take advantage of the opportunity they have," Kaiser President and CEO Drew Altman said in a news release.

A key health reform idea that draws support from both liberals and conservatives is more regulation of health insurance companies and more consumer protections.

That's not to say that members of each political party hold the same opinion on how to do that.

"We can see the framework of a winning package of health reform proposals from the public's perspective," said Robert J. Blendon, a professor of health policy and political analysis at the Harvard School of Public Health. But there are some distinct differences among partisans that will pose a challenge to policymakers, he added, "with the key split being how to pay for health care reform."

Conducted last December among a nationally representative random sample of 1,628 adults aged 18 and over, the survey involved phone interviews that were done in both English and Spanish.

-----

Pneumonia Vaccine for Young Children Works: CDC

A pediatric pneumonia vaccine introduced in 2000 has led to a significant drop in hospitalizations for young children with the respiratory disease, U.S. health officials reported Thursday.

In 2006, the rate of hospitalizations for pneumonia among children 2 years old or younger was 8.1 per 1,000 children -- 35 percent lower than the rate before the vaccine was introduced. This reduction means there were an estimated 36,300 fewer pneumonia hospitalizations in 2006, compared to pre-vaccine levels, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The bacteria streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is a leading bacterial cause of childhood pneumonia, which accounts for an estimated 8 percent of all childhood hospital admissions, the CDC said.

Routine childhood immunization with the PCV7 vaccine began in 2000 and substantial declines in hospital admissions for pneumonia in young children were previously reported through 2004, the CDC said in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

The updated results confirm that pneumococcus is a leading cause of pneumonia in children, and they show the need for continued monitoring of the immunization program's effects on pneumonia hospitalizations among children, the CDC said.

Health Tips for January 18

Health Tip: Keep Gestational Diabetes Under Control

Gestational diabetes occurs in women during pregnancy, and it requires careful attention to keep mother and baby safe and healthy.

When you're pregnant, your body produces hormones that impair the work of insulin. So the pregnant woman produces extra insulin, but in some women this isn't enough. They get gestational diabetes, which tends to go away when pregnancy ends.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services offers these guidelines if you're prone to gestational diabetes:

• Work with a dietitian to develop a meal plan that accommodates both you and baby.
• Avoid eating sweets, eat frequent small meals throughout the day, and watch your carbohydrate intake.
• Eat sufficient fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
• Generally, exercise for at least 30 minutes each day is recommended. Talk with your doctor about how much and what kind of exercise is appropriate for you.
• Check your blood sugar frequently as recommended by your doctor, and record your results so you can monitor them.
• Take your diabetes medications exactly as prescribed by your doctor.

Health Tip: What Causes Sore Breasts?

Breast soreness is common in young women, but it becomes less common as they get older.

Breast pain may be constant, or come and go over time. Pain that won't go away or frequently comes back should be discussed with a doctor.

The American Academy of Family Physicians lists these common causes of breast soreness:

• Hormonal changes associated with the menstrual cycle.
• Retaining water, which often happens during the menstrual cycle.
• An injury or damage to the breast.
• Pregnancy or breast-feeding.
• An infection in the breast.
• Breast cancer, although this is a rare cause of breast pain.

FDA: 'Postpone' eating foods containing peanut butter

The Food and Drug Administration says Americans should "postpone" eating cookies, crackers, candy and ice cream that contain peanut butter or peanut paste while the agency works to establish which products are tainted with the strain of salmonella typhimurium which has sickened 474 people nationwide and is implicated in six deaths.

"Product specific information will become available in the next few days," says Stephen Sundlof, director of FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.

While snack products are potentially contaminated, supermarket peanut butter is not.

It appears that the only peanut butter linked to the outbreak was an institutional brand sold in 5 to 50 pounds tubs to schools, hospitals and nursing homes under the King Nut and Parnell's Pride label. It was never sold at the retail level and is not available at supermarkets and grocery stores, FDA says.

As for products that might contain the tainted peanut butter and peanut paste, FDA is encouraging companies that bought from the Peanut Corporation of America's Blakely, Ga., plant to inform consumers their products might be contaminated.

Tests by the Georgia Dept. of Agriculture found peanut butter from the plant tested positive for salmonella, but tests to determine if that salmonella is an exact DNA match to the outbreak strain are still ongoing.

The agency is also asking that companies which make peanut butter or paste containing products that aren't linked to product from the Georgia plant to also make that known to the public.

For the FDA's up-to-date list of affected products, visit: www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/salmonellatyph.html#recalls.

The list of items affected by the salmonella-tainted peanut butter from the plant rose substantially Friday night when the Kellogg Company added 12 new items to its list, including select snack-size packs of Famous Amos Peanut Butter Cookies and Keebler Soft Batch Homestyle Peanut Butter Cookies.

Kellogg said the products "have the potential to be contaminated with salmonella."

"The actions we are taking today are in keeping with our more than 100-year commitment to providing consumers with safe, high-quality products," said David Mackay, president and CEO, Kellogg Company.

Kellogg is one of 85 companies which bought peanut butter and peanut paste produced in the Georgia plant.

PCA Friday expanded its recall of peanut butter and peanut paste made at the plant to include all peanut butter produced on or after August 8, 2008 and all peanut paste produced on or after September 26, 2008.

The peanut butter was sold in containers ranging in size from five to 1,700 pounds. The peanut paste was sold in sizes ranging from 35 pounds to tanker containers, the company said in a release.

Peanut paste consists of ground, roasted peanuts and is used as an ingredient in cookies, crackers, cereals and ice creams, says FDA's Sundlof.

Supermarkets nationwide worked Friday and Saturday to remove potentially tainted products.

A spokesperson for Wal-Mart said the Bentonville-Ark.-company had contacted each of its stores so they immediately can "pull and hold" the crackers.

Costco pulled the Kellogg crackers off store shelves Tuesday night even before Kellogg had made its announcement, says Craig Wilson, Costco's vice president of food safety.

There was an empty gap Saturday on the shelves of the Marsh grocery store in Brownsburg, Ind., where several varieties of Keebler snack crackers with peanut butter fillings had been removed.

Dan Fredrickson, manager of the Woodman's Food Market in Madison, Wis. says he thought his shelves were empty because his supplier recently stopped shipping the product. But he said in any recall, he said his store acts quickly.

"It's off the shelves as soon as we are notified," Fredrickson says.

In Colorado, managers at several Fort Collins-area King Soopers and Safeway grocery stores said they received the recall notice Thursday and immediately pulled the crackers from their shelves.

Ron Freeman, chief financial officer for Asheville, N.C.-based Ingles markets says all the Keebler and Austin products placed on hold were taken off its shelves on Thursday.

"We pulled them all as soon as realized they were being recalled," he said.

West Des Moines- based Hy-Vee Inc. is holding the products until they receive more information about them.

The firm will "err on the side of caution. When something like this is not easily identified, we like to act in the best interest of our customers," says Chris Friesleben, director of communications.

That extends even to the firm's bakery items, she says." We have peanut butter cookies and other things we bake, and we're not even making those anymore in our bakery plant. We're going to suspend production for awhile."

Grocery stores in Mountain Home, Ark., have pulled the Austin and Keebler brand of peanut butter crackers off there shelves and some stores were offering customer refunds of the products.

"As soon as a recall is issued, we send it out to the stores," says Jim Wieland, director of pricing at Harps and Price Cutter Food Stores at its general office in Springdale, Ark.

For the full Kellogg list, see www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/kellogg201_09.html

For FDA's Frequently Asked Questions list about the outbreak, visit:

www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/salmonellatyph/faq.html

Beware of frostbite in sub-zero weather

Frostbite is especially dangerous for people with certain medical conditions. People with peripheral vascular diseases, diabetes and the alcoholic population are at an even greater risk.

With alcoholics, the dehydrating effects, combined with the fact many of them are malnourished, allows them to be highly susceptible.

The most common places to get frostbite are the cheeks, chin, fingers, nose and toes.

Frostbite is staged just like burns. There are four stages. The first degree is characterized by a central area of pallor, a white splotch in the skin with numbness around it.

At the second degree, people will see blisters that can have clear, milky fluid inside.

You might see redness around the area develop within the first 12 to 24 hours. At the third degree, it's really just a much deeper injury that could become blood blisters. The fourth degree is an extension into the muscle and even to the bone -- toes fall off, tips of noses fall off. It's very dangerous.

Smokers are also at a higher risk.

The nicotine causes vessels to clamp down and causes a lack of blood flow to the skin. Exhaustion, with people who work out and get tired, also puts people at risk.

Wear multi-layered clothing, with the inner-most layer being polypropylene or silk, which keeps moisture away from the skin.

You need eye protection, too. Goggles will keep heat trapped in. You can do real corneal damage if not. Mittens are better than gloves because they trap heat better. Stay away from things which can cause heat loss.

When you start to feel intense stinging pain in an exposed area, that area is freezing, and the nerves are responding by sending intense pain to the brain.

Health Headlines - January 17

FDA Lax in Review of High-Risk Medical Devices: Report

From 2003 to 2007, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved some 228 medical devices -- some of them for sensitive uses -- without a full scale review, a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report said Thursday.

The report found that two dozen distinct types of devices -- such as metal hip joints, external defibrillators to assist heart attack victims, and electrodes for pacemakers -- were approved without close scrutiny, the Associated Press said.

Some devices approved have been recalled because of malfunctions and other problems, according to the consumer group Public Citizen. "It all adds up to less-than-rigorous device review, and it's placing tens of thousands of Americans at risk," Peter Lurie, deputy director of Public Citizen's health research group, told the news service.

While the report did not look into whether any patients were harmed as a result of the approvals, it does highlight calls for closer scrutiny of the FDA's medical device approval process, which has been subject to charges that scientists were pressured to OK some medical machinery against their professional judgment, the AP said.

In 1976, Congress established a three-tiered classification system for these devices, which include everything from tongue depressors to silicone breast implants to pacemakers, the AP said. Low-risk devices such as bandages could be cleared by notifying the FDA before going to market, while high-risk devices such as pacemakers would face tighter scrutiny. Manufacturers were required to provide evidence of safety and effectiveness, but subsequent gains in technology have increased not only the number of devices coming to market but also the number of upgraded products coming up for review, the news service said.

"In general, we agree with the conclusions and recommendations," FDA spokeswoman Karen Riley said. "We are considering legal and procedural options to accomplish this objective."

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Health Care Reform Near Top of Public's Wish List for 2009

When it comes to what the American public wants its political leaders to attack first in the coming year, health care reform is near the top of the list, a new survey shows.

As President-elect Barack Obama prepares to take office next Tuesday, researchers from the Kaiser Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health report that finding ways to help the newly unemployed afford basic health insurance was outranked only by efforts to help businesses generate new jobs while preserving old ones as the most pressing political mandates for the future.

While improving the economy is overwhelmingly the top priority -- three-quarters of those surveyed said that should be the first business for the new Administration -- 43 percent view health care as a top concern, ranking it third just behind fighting terrorism, at 48 percent. Health care was of greater concern than reducing the federal budget deficit (39 percent), improving public schools (37 percent), working to create more clean energy sources (36 percent) and dealing with Iraq (35 percent). More than 60 percent of Americans believe that in light of the overwhelming economic problems facing the country, "it is more important than ever to take on health reform now."

"The economic crisis has created an unprecedented window of opportunity for health reform. But we are in the early happy talk stage on health reform, and the window could close if policymakers cannot move fairly quickly to take advantage of the opportunity they have," Kaiser President and CEO Drew Altman said in a news release.

A key health reform idea that draws support from both liberals and conservatives is more regulation of health insurance companies and more consumer protections.

That's not to say that members of each political party hold the same opinion on how to do that.

"We can see the framework of a winning package of health reform proposals from the public's perspective," said Robert J. Blendon, a professor of health policy and political analysis at the Harvard School of Public Health. But there are some distinct differences among partisans that will pose a challenge to policymakers, he added, "with the key split being how to pay for health care reform."

Conducted last December among a nationally representative random sample of 1,628 adults aged 18 and over, the survey involved phone interviews that were done in both English and Spanish.

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Pneumonia Vaccine for Young Children Works: CDC

A pediatric pneumonia vaccine introduced in 2000 has led to a significant drop in hospitalizations for young children with the respiratory disease, U.S. health officials reported Thursday.

In 2006, the rate of hospitalizations for pneumonia among children 2 years old or younger was 8.1 per 1,000 children -- 35 percent lower than the rate before the vaccine was introduced. This reduction means there were an estimated 36,300 fewer pneumonia hospitalizations in 2006, compared to pre-vaccine levels, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The bacteria streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is a leading bacterial cause of childhood pneumonia, which accounts for an estimated 8 percent of all childhood hospital admissions, the CDC said.

Routine childhood immunization with the PCV7 vaccine began in 2000 and substantial declines in hospital admissions for pneumonia in young children were previously reported through 2004, the CDC said in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

The updated results confirm that pneumococcus is a leading cause of pneumonia in children, and they show the need for continued monitoring of the immunization program's effects on pneumonia hospitalizations among children, the CDC said.

Health Tips for January 17

Health Tip: Signs of Ovulation

If you're trying to get pregnant, it's important to know when you're ovulating.

Here are common signs that may indicate ovulation, courtesy of the American Pregnancy Association:

• A change in cervical fluid appearance. During or just before ovulation, cervical fluid usually takes on the appearance of egg whites. But cervical fluid appearance varies from woman to woman.
• A spike in your basal body temperature -- your temperature at rest measured when you first get up in the morning -- can indicate that you have just ovulated. In most women, basal temperature goes down slightly just before ovulation. This is followed by a sharp rise in temperature, a sign that ovulation has just occurred.
• Cervical changes -- a woman may find that her cervix feels softer than usual, and may be in a higher position.
• Other symptoms -- deemed secondary because they may not happen as consistently or in as many women -- may include spotting, tenderness of the breasts, cramping, bloating, greater awareness of the senses, and a stronger sex drive.

Health Tip: Easing a Croupy Cough

Croup occurs when the larynx (voicebox) is infected by a virus. It is most commonly identified by a hoarse voice, tight breathing, and a low-pitched cough that sounds like a seal's bark.

The Lucile Packard Children's Hospital offers these suggestions to help soothe your child's croupy cough:

• Let your child stand in a hot shower and absorb the steam (be careful that the water is not hot enough to burn).
• While the child is in the shower, hold a wet washcloth near your child's face, and have the child breathe in.
• Add warm water to a humidifier in your child's room.
• To avoid pneumonia, it is important that your child cough up mucus that has built up in the lungs. So the idea is to promote a "productive" cough, the hospital says, not prevent a cough entirely.

Health Headlines - January 16

Health Care Reform Near Top of Public's Wish List for 2009

When it comes to what the American public wants its political leaders to attack first in the coming year, health care reform is near the top of the list, a new survey shows.

As President-elect Barack Obama prepares to take office next Tuesday, researchers from the Kaiser Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health report that finding ways to help the newly unemployed afford basic health insurance was outranked only by efforts to help businesses generate new jobs while preserving old ones as the most pressing political mandates for the future.

While improving the economy is overwhelmingly the top priority -- three-quarters of those surveyed said that should be the first business for the new Administration -- 43 percent view health care as a top concern, ranking it third just behind fighting terrorism, at 48 percent. Health care was of greater concern than reducing the federal budget deficit (39 percent), improving public schools (37 percent), working to create more clean energy sources (36 percent) and dealing with Iraq (35 percent). More than 60 percent of Americans believe that in light of the overwhelming economic problems facing the country, "it is more important than ever to take on health reform now."

"The economic crisis has created an unprecedented window of opportunity for health reform. But we are in the early happy talk stage on health reform, and the window could close if policymakers cannot move fairly quickly to take advantage of the opportunity they have," Kaiser President and CEO Drew Altman said in a news release.

A key health reform idea that draws support from both liberals and conservatives is more regulation of health insurance companies and more consumer protections.

That's not to say that members of each political party hold the same opinion on how to do that.

"We can see the framework of a winning package of health reform proposals from the public's perspective," said Robert J. Blendon, a professor of health policy and political analysis at the Harvard School of Public Health. But there are some distinct differences among partisans that will pose a challenge to policymakers, he added, "with the key split being how to pay for health care reform."

Conducted last December among a nationally representative random sample of 1,628 adults aged 18 and over, the survey involved phone interviews that were done in both English and Spanish.

-----

Pneumonia Vaccine for Young Children Works: CDC

A pediatric pneumonia vaccine introduced in 2000 has led to a significant drop in hospitalizations for young children with the respiratory disease, U.S. health officials reported Thursday.

In 2006, the rate of hospitalizations for pneumonia among children 2 years old or younger was 8.1 per 1,000 children -- 35 percent lower than the rate before the vaccine was introduced. This reduction means there were an estimated 36,300 fewer pneumonia hospitalizations in 2006, compared to pre-vaccine levels, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The bacteria streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is a leading bacterial cause of childhood pneumonia, which accounts for an estimated 8 percent of all childhood hospital admissions, the CDC said.

Routine childhood immunization with the PCV7 vaccine began in 2000 and substantial declines in hospital admissions for pneumonia in young children were previously reported through 2004, the CDC said in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

The updated results confirm that pneumococcus is a leading cause of pneumonia in children, and they show the need for continued monitoring of the immunization program's effects on pneumonia hospitalizations among children, the CDC said.

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House OKs Widened Coverage in Children's Insurance Program

The U.S. House of Representatives approved Wednesday an expansion of a children's health insurance program that would extend coverage to about 400,000 to 600,000 children, including those of legal immigrants and pregnant legal immigrants, the Associated Press reported.

The vote was 289 to 139, and the Senate was expected to take up the measure Thursday, AP said.

The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) legislation was vetoed twice by President George W. Bush in 2007, but supporters were confident the bill would pass soon after President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration.

"In this moment of crisis, ensuring that every child in America has access to affordable health care is not just good economic policy, but a moral obligation we hold as parents and citizens," Obama said after the House vote.

Current law requires legal immigrants to wait five years before becoming eligible for coverage under the SCHIP and Medicaid programs. The new bill means, supporters say, that children can get quicker treatment for acute conditions such as asthma and diabetes without having to seek care in an emergency room. Critics had opposed lifting the five-year waiting period, saying it violated a pledge by immigrant sponsors that people coming into the United States would not be dependent on government assistance, AP reported.

The measure adds $33 billion to fund SCHIP over the next four years, and will come from a 61-cent increase in the federal excise tax on a pack of cigarettes and comparable increases for other tobacco products.

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Software Glitch Exposed Vets to Wrong Drug Doses

A glitch during an annual software upgrade last August at Veterans Affairs health centers around the country exposed some patients to incorrect drug doses, delayed treatments and other medical errors, according to internal documents obtained by the Associated Press.

While no evidence of serious harm was shown, the VA only began issuing safety alerts to medical centers on Oct. 10, and all the glitches were corrected in December. Nine patients at VA centers in Milwaukee, Durham, N.C., and Marion, Ind., were given incorrect drug doses, six of them involving heparin drips given for up to 11 hours longer than necessary, the AP reported Wednesday. Other errors involved drug infusions that continued for up to 15 hours past the doctor's prescribed deadline. Nearly one-third of the VA's 153 medical centers reported seeing some kind of glitch.

The problems are of concern since the federal government is pushing toward universal use of electronic medical records to curb medical errors blamed on paper systems, such as poorly written prescriptions. President George W. Bush supported the effort, and incoming President-elect Barack Obama has proposed spending an additional $50 billion a year for health IT programs, AP said.

But health care experts say the VA's problems highlight the need for closer monitoring. Dr. Jeffrey A. Linder, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School who has studied electronic health systems, told the news service, "There's a lot of hype out there about electronic health records, that there is some unfettered good. It's a big piece of the puzzle, but they're not magic. There is also a potential for unintended consequences."

The VA's glitches involved medical data that sometimes popped up under another patient's name on the computer screen, the AP said. When doctors pulled up records of different patients within 10 minutes of each other, the first patient's data sometimes appeared under the second person's name. In some records, a doctor's stop order for intravenous injections also failed to clearly display.

VA officials told the AP that veterans with questions can request a copy of their medical records by accessing the "My HealtheVet" online system at http://www.myhealth.va.gov.

Health Tips for January 16

Health Tip: What Seniors Eat

Nutrition is an important part of a healthy lifestyle at any age, a requirement that doesn't change as you get older.

Here are some dietary guidelines for older people, courtesy of the Cleveland Clinic:

• Seniors should get 1- to 1.2-grams of protein each day per kilogram of their weight. For instance, a 150-pound person (70 kg) should get 70 to 100 grams of protein daily. Those with chronic kidney disease should ask their doctor about how much protein is safe.
• Seniors need 1,000 milligrams of calcium each day, and 1,000 units of vitamin D daily.
• Seniors should take special care to eat a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables.
• Seniors should take a multivitamin if their diet isn't balanced, they've been sick, or are losing weight. Vitamins don't include protein, however.

Health Tip: Oh, Those Aching Muscles

If you've been working out a bit too hard, or if you're just getting into exercise, you might have minor muscle soreness.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine offers these suggestions to help manage minor muscle pain:

• Allow your muscles to rest. Don't engage in any heavy exercise while they recover.
• Take acetaminophen or ibuprofen to ease pain.
• For the first few days, ice the area. After the first two to three days, apply heat to the sore muscles.
• As you recover, try low-impact exercises such as swimming, biking and walking. Gradually work your way up to longer and tougher exercises.
• Sleep, stretch and avoid stress.

Health Headlines - January 15

House OKs Widened Coverage in Children's Health Insurance Program

The U.S. House of Representatives approved Wednesday an expansion of a children's health insurance program that would extend coverage to about 400,000 to 600,000 children, including those of legal immigrants and pregnant legal immigrants, the Associated Press reported.

The vote was 289 to 139, and the Senate was expected to take up the measure Thursday, AP said.

The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) legislation was vetoed twice by President George W. Bush in 2007, but supporters were confident the bill would pass soon after President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration.

"In this moment of crisis, ensuring that every child in America has access to affordable health care is not just good economic policy, but a moral obligation we hold as parents and citizens," Obama said after the House vote.

Current law requires legal immigrants to wait five years before becoming eligible for coverage under the SCHIP and Medicaid programs. The new bill means, supporters say, that children can get quicker treatment for acute conditions such as asthma and diabetes without having to seek care in an emergency room. Critics had opposed lifting the five-year waiting period, saying it violated a pledge by immigrant sponsors that people coming into the United States would not be dependent on government assistance, AP reported.

The measure adds $33 billion to fund SCHIP over the next four years, and will come from a 61-cent increase in the federal excise tax on a pack of cigarettes and comparable increases for other tobacco products.

-----

Software Glitch Exposed Vets to Wrong Drug Doses

A glitch during an annual software upgrade last August at Veterans Affairs health centers around the country exposed some patients to incorrect drug doses, delayed treatments and other medical errors, according to internal documents obtained by the Associated Press.

While no evidence of serious harm was shown, the VA only began issuing safety alerts to medical centers on Oct. 10, and all the glitches were corrected in December. Nine patients at VA centers in Milwaukee, Durham, N.C., and Marion, Ind., were given incorrect drug doses, six of them involving heparin drips given for up to 11 hours longer than necessary, the AP reported Wednesday. Other errors involved drug infusions that continued for up to 15 hours past the doctor's prescribed deadline. Nearly one-third of the VA's 153 medical centers reported seeing some kind of glitch.

The problems are of concern since the federal government is pushing toward universal use of electronic medical records to curb medical errors blamed on paper systems, such as poorly written prescriptions. President George W. Bush supported the effort, and incoming President-elect Barack Obama has proposed spending an additional $50 billion a year for health IT programs, AP said.

But health care experts say the VA's problems highlight the need for closer monitoring. Dr. Jeffrey A. Linder, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School who has studied electronic health systems, told the news service, "There's a lot of hype out there about electronic health records, that there is some unfettered good. It's a big piece of the puzzle, but they're not magic. There is also a potential for unintended consequences."

The VA's glitches involved medical data that sometimes popped up under another patient's name on the computer screen, the AP said. When doctors pulled up records of different patients within 10 minutes of each other, the first patient's data sometimes appeared under the second person's name. In some records, a doctor's stop order for intravenous injections also failed to clearly display.

VA officials told the AP that veterans with questions can request a copy of their medical records by accessing the "My HealtheVet" online system at http://www.myhealth.va.gov.

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Anti-Smoking Advocate Tapped for HHS Deputy

President-elect Barack Obama has nominated William V. Coor, executive director of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, a nonprofit group that seeks to reduce tobacco use among children and adults, for deputy secretary at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the New York Times reported.

If confirmed by the Senate, Coor would serve as No. 2 in the department under former Senate majority leader Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.), who was selected last month by Obama to head the health agency. Coor worked as Daschle's chief counsel and policy director when Daschle was minority leader. As a member of Obama's transition team, Coor also led efforts to evaluate the department he is now nominated to join and previously had served as chief of staff at HHS under former secretary Donna Shalala in the Clinton administration, according to the Times.

"Reforming our health care system will be a top priority of my administration and key to putting our economy back on track," Obama said in a statement. "Under the leadership of Tom Daschle and Bill Corr, I am confident that my Department of Health and Human Services will bring people together to reach consensus on how to move forward with health care reform."

The new Congress is expected to aggressively pursue federal regulation of cigarettes, raising taxes on tobacco products and approving an international tobacco control treaty, the newspaper said. As a senator, Obama, an occasional smoker himself, co-sponsored a bill that would have given the U.S. Food and Drug Administration broad powers to regulate tobacco products, including cigarettes.

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FDA Approves Guidelines for 'Off-Label' Drug Use

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has OK'd guidelines that would make it easier for drug companies to use medical journal articles to promote drugs for unapproved uses, the Associated Press reported.

While pharmaceutical firms are not allowed to advertise products for "off-label" uses, the agency has allowed salespeople to distribute articles about such uses if they have been published in a peer-reviewed medical journal. A law permitting that distribution expired in 2006, and drug makers have been lobbying for its renewal ever since. The FDA said the new guidelines, posted online Monday, are designed to discourage "ghostwriting" of medical reviews and recommended that companies disclose financial relationships with article authors, the wire service said.

The veracity of some journal articles were questioned last year when Merck & Co. was accused of ghostwriting articles about its painkiller Vioxx. The drug was withdrawn from the market in 2004 for safety reasons, the AP reported.

Companies such as Pfizer Inc. and Eli Lilly said the guidelines merely reauthorize a longstanding policy that benefits doctors and patients, but critics contend the new directives contain a loophole allowing firms to distribute product articles to doctors even when they involve uses that have not been federally approved, AP reported.

Health Tips for January 15

Health Tip: Understanding Seasonal Sadness

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is triggered when the seasons change, most often with the onset of winter and the corresponding decrease in sunlight.

The American Academy of Family Physicians lists these common symptoms of winter-onset seasonal affective disorder:

• Appetite changes, particularly a desire for sweets and starches.
• Gaining weight.
• Sleeping too much.
• Lack of energy and a feeling of fatigue.
• Feeling irritable, anxious and having problems concentrating.
• Not wanting to participate in social activities and a general lack of interest in things you once enjoyed.
• Increased concern about being rejected socially.

Treatments are available for SAD. Talk with your doctor if you have these symptoms.

Health Tip: Walking for Exercise

Walking is a great form of daily exercise that can help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons offers these suggestions to help you establish a walking-for-exercise program:

• Walk at your usual pace for about 5 minutes, then speed it up to where your heart is beating faster and you feel like you're inhaling more air. Keep up this pace for about 15 minutes. Repeat your warm-up pace for another 5 minutes.
• Always wear a sturdy pair of shoes that offer good arch and heel support.
• While you walk, remember to let your arms swing.
• Walk with your toes pointing straight ahead.
• Flatten your abdomen, straighten your back, and walk with your head up.
• Walk briskly and with long strides, but make sure your stride is comfortable.

Health Headlines - January 14

Anti-Smoking Advocate Tapped for HHS Deputy

President-elect Barack Obama has nominated William V. Coor, executive director of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, a nonprofit group that seeks to reduce tobacco use among children and adults, for deputy secretary at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the New York Times reported Tuesday.

If confirmed by the Senate, Coor would serve as No. 2 in the department under former Senate majority leader Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.), who was selected last month by Obama to head the health agency. Coor worked as Daschle's chief counsel and policy director when Daschle was minority leader. As a member of Obama's transition team, Coor also led efforts to evaluate the department he is now nominated to join and previously had served as chief of staff at HHS under former secretary Donna Shalala in the Clinton administration, according to the Times.

"Reforming our health care system will be a top priority of my administration and key to putting our economy back on track," Obama said in a statement. "Under the leadership of Tom Daschle and Bill Corr, I am confident that my Department of Health and Human Services will bring people together to reach consensus on how to move forward with health care reform."

The new Congress is expected to aggressively pursue federal regulation of cigarettes, raising taxes on tobacco products and approving an international tobacco control treaty, the newspaper said. As a senator, Obama, an occasional smoker himself, co-sponsored a bill that would have given the U.S. Food and Drug Administration broad powers to regulate tobacco products, including cigarettes.

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FDA Approves Guidelines for 'Off-Label' Drug Use

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has OK'd guidelines that would make it easier for drug companies to use medical journal articles to promote drugs for unapproved uses, the Associated Press reported Tuesday.

While pharmaceutical firms are not allowed to advertise products for "off-label" uses, the agency has allowed salespeople to distribute articles about such uses if they have been published in a peer-reviewed medical journal. A law permitting that distribution expired in 2006, and drug makers have been lobbying for its renewal ever since. The FDA said the new guidelines, posted online Monday, are designed to discourage "ghostwriting" of medical reviews and recommended that companies disclose financial relationships with article authors, the wire service said.

The veracity of some journal articles were questioned last year when Merck & Co. was accused of ghostwriting articles about its painkiller Vioxx. The drug was withdrawn from the market in 2004 for safety reasons, the AP reported.

Companies such as Pfizer Inc. and Eli Lilly said the guidelines merely reauthorize a longstanding policy that benefits doctors and patients, but critics contend the new directives contain a loophole allowing firms to distribute product articles to doctors even when they involve uses that have not been federally approved, AP reported.

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FDA Lax in Overseeing Doctors' Conflicts in Trials: Report

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does little to oversee financial conflicts that doctors involved in clinical trials of drugs and medical devices may have, government investigators said Monday.

In 42 percent of trials, the FDA failed to receive disclosure forms from physicians and said that efforts to police such disclosures weren't worth the effort, The New York Times reported. Results of the investigation, conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, were expected to be released Monday and fuel an ongoing debate about how money that doctors receive for this research could skew study results, the newspaper said.

Fewer than 1 percent of the doctors helping oversee clinical trials registered with the agency -- about 206 of the 29,691 clinical investigators listed. And those who filed the required disclosures reported that they had a significant conflict of interest, the Times said. Since the FDA does not have a complete list of these physicians, the agency has no way of knowing whether every doctor required to file actually did so, the newspaper said.

Doctors have been required by the FDA since 1999 to reveal such conflicts, and companies are required to collect and to consult with the agency before trials begin to resolve outstanding problems. Previous studies have found that one-fifth to one-third of all doctors have such conflicts, according to the Times.

FDA spokeswoman Karen Riley told the newspaper that the agency opposed reviewing doctors' financial conflicts before trials because they represented just one possible source of bias.

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Chinese Distributor Pulls Suspect Dog Food

A Chinese distributor has pulled a popular dog food brand from its pipeline following reports that about 10 dogs got sick after eating the product, two had died, and a third was gravely ill, the Associated Press reported Monday.

Shanghai Yidi Pet Co. said it stopped selling Optima brand dog food last week and notified its customers not to feed it to their pets. The sickened dogs were believed to be suffering from aflatoxin poisoning. Aflatoxin is a naturally occurring chemical in a fungus sometimes found on corn and other grains that can cause liver damage. The company said it was unclear how the dog food might have been contaminated, but indicated that it might have spoiled in storage before reaching shops, AP said.

While Optima is the name of an American dog food brand, it was unclear if the food sold in China came from the United States. In the United States, Optima products are made by Nashville, Tenn.-based Doane Pet Care Co., which was bought in 2006 by Mars Inc., makers of Pedigree brand pet foods. Mars' Web site does not list any international operations, and it was unclear if Doane was the manufacturer of the brand sold in China. Calls for more information to the American and the Chinese companies went unanswered before business hours Monday, the wire service reported.

Health Tips for January 14

Health Tip: Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that can lead to serious illness or death if inhaled in significant amounts.

Potential sources include: unvented kerosene and gas space heaters, furnaces, wood stoves, gas stoves, fireplaces and water heaters, and automobile exhaust.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning could include tiredness, headache, confusion, nausea and dizziness.

The National Safety Council offers these suggestions to help protect you and your loved ones from carbon monoxide poisoning:

• Make sure that every appliance in your home is installed properly and is working correctly.
• Have your furnace, chimneys and flues inspected and cleaned each year.
• If using a fireplace, make sure the flue is open.
• Never heat your home with a gas range or oven.
• Be sure that your stove and furnace vent outdoors and there are no leaks in the exhaust systems. Also make sure that your furnace takes in enough fresh air.
• Never burn charcoal indoors or in any enclosed space, such as in a camper or R.V.
• Never leave a gas-fueled tool or vehicle running inside a garage or tool shed, or anywhere indoors.
• Never use kerosene or gas heaters indoors.

Health Tip: Keep Bathroom Chemicals Locked Up

The bathroom may be full of potential dangers and temptations for young children.

Here are suggestions to prevent little hands from getting into bathroom chemicals or medications, courtesy of the National Safety Council:

• Always keep drugs stored in a medicine cabinet that is secured with a lock or child-proof latch.
• All medications should have a child-proof cap, and make sure it is secure and tight.
• Mouthwash may contain alcohol, which even in small amounts can be dangerous for children. Keep mouthwash away from a child's reach.
• When throwing away expired or unused medications, make sure the containers are secure and cannot be opened by children.
• Store toilet cleaners -- which often contain toxic chemicals -- in a locked area that children cannot reach.

Health Headlines - January 13

FDA Lax in Overseeing Doctors' Conflicts in Trials: Report

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does little to oversee financial conflicts that doctors involved in clinical trials of drugs and medical devices may have, government investigators said Monday.

In 42 percent of trials, the FDA failed to receive disclosure forms from physicians and said that efforts to police such disclosures weren't worth the effort, The New York Times reported. Results of the investigation, conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, were expected to be released Monday and fuel an ongoing debate about how money that doctors receive for this research could skew study results, the newspaper said.

Fewer than 1 percent of the doctors helping oversee clinical trials registered with the agency -- about 206 of the 29,691 clinical investigators listed. And those who filed the required disclosures reported that they had a significant conflict of interest, the Times said. Since the FDA does not have a complete list of these physicians, the agency has no way of knowing whether every doctor required to file actually did so, the newspaper said.

Doctors have been required by the FDA since 1999 to reveal such conflicts, and companies are required to collect and to consult with the agency before trials begin to resolve outstanding problems. Previous studies have found that one-fifth to one-third of all doctors have such conflicts, according to the Times.

FDA spokeswoman Karen Riley told the newspaper that the agency opposed reviewing doctors' financial conflicts before trials because they represented just one possible source of bias.

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Chinese Distributor Pulls Suspect Dog Food

A Chinese distributor has pulled a popular dog food brand from its pipeline following reports that about 10 dogs got sick after eating the product, two had died, and a third was gravely ill, the Associated Press reported Monday.

Shanghai Yidi Pet Co. said it stopped selling Optima brand dog food last week and notified its customers not to feed it to their pets. The sickened dogs were believed to be suffering from aflatoxin poisoning. Aflatoxin is a naturally occurring chemical in a fungus sometimes found on corn and other grains that can cause liver damage. The company said it was unclear how the dog food might have been contaminated, but indicated that it might have spoiled in storage before reaching shops, AP said.

While Optima is the name of an American dog food brand, it was unclear if the food sold in China came from the United States. In the United States, Optima products are made by Nashville, Tenn.-based Doane Pet Care Co., which was bought in 2006 by Mars Inc., makers of Pedigree brand pet foods. Mars' Web site does not list any international operations, and it was unclear if Doane was the manufacturer of the brand sold in China. Calls for more information to the American and the Chinese companies went unanswered before business hours Monday, the wire service reported.

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106 Major League Baseball Players Got Exemptions for ADHD Drugs

Almost 8 percent of all Major League Baseball players used drugs to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) during the 2008 season, almost twice the percentage of the general population.

The drugs -- usually stimulants -- to treat ADHD are among those banned for general use in the major leagues, according to the Associated Press. The 106 exemptions -- 7.86 percent of all major league players -- are actually three more than granted during the 2007 season, the wire service reported.

The U.S. National Institute of Mental health estimates that 3 to 5 percent of American children have ADHD.

A Major League Baseball spokesman told the AP that making that sort of comparison might not be a fair one. "We are far younger than the general population," Rob Manfred, baseball's executive vice president of labor relations, was quoted as saying, "and we have far better access to medical care than the general population."

But Dr. Gary Wadler, chairman of the committee that creates a list of banned drugs for sports organizations, told the wire service he was concerned about the percentage exemptions for ADHD drugs in professional baseball.

"I've been in private practice for a lot of years," Wadler told the AP. "I can count on one hand the number of individuals that have ADD. To say that (7.86 percent) of major league baseball players have attention deficit disorder is crying out for an explanation."

Health Tips for January 13

Health Tip: Coping With Pet Allergies

If being near a pet makes you sniffle, sneeze, and your eyes water, you may not have to live a pet-free life.

The American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology offers these suggestions:

• Always wash your hands after you touch a pet. And avoid kissing or hugging your furry friend.
• Keep cat litter boxes away from vents, and try to limit your exposure to them.
• Give your pet a bath each week to reduce dander. And try to have a person who isn't allergic regularly brush your pet outdoors.
• Don't allow pets on upholstered furniture. If necessary, cover the furniture in plastic.
• Make sure your pet is on a healthy diet to help reduce shedding.
• Try to eliminate rugs and carpets from your home, and use a double filter or micro-filter bag in your vacuum.
• Ask your doctor about getting allergy shots to control symptoms.

Health Tip: Allergies and Your Eyes

Allergens such as dust, animal dander, pollution and pollen can cause allergic conjunctivitis, a non-contagious condition that results in red, watery and itchy eyes.

The American Academy of Family Physicians offers these suggestions to help prevent these symptoms:

• Try eye drops specifically made to treat allergic conjunctivitis. Some may require a prescription.
• Use over-the-counter lubricating eye drops, sometimes called "artificial tears," to soothe the eyes.
• Take an antihistamine that's been approved by your doctor.
• Apply a cool washcloth across your eyes.
• If you wear contact lenses, stop using them and wear glasses until symptoms clear.

Health Headlines - January 12

106 Major League Baseball Players Granted Exemptions for ADHD Drugs

Almost 8 percent of all major league baseball players used drugs to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) during the 2008 season, almost twice the percentage of the general population.

The drugs -- usually stimulants -- to treat ADHD are among those banned for general use in the major leagues, according to the Associated Press. The 106 exemptions -- 7.86 percent of all major league players -- are actually three more than granted during the 2007 season, the wire service reports.

The National Institute of Mental health estimates that 3-to-5 percent of U.S. children have ADHD.

A major league spokesman told the A.P. that making that sort of comparison might not be a fair one. "We are far younger than the general population," Rob Manfred, baseball's executive vice president of labor relations, is quoted as saying, "and we have far better access to medical care than the general population."

But Dr. Gary Wadler, chairman of the committee that creates a list of banned drugs for sports organizations, told the wire service he was concerned about the percentage exemptions for ADHD drugs in major league baseball.

"I've been in private practice for a lot of years," W#adler told the A.P.. "I can count on one hand the number of individuals that have ADD. To say that (7.86 percent) of major league baseball players have attention deficit disorder is crying out for an explanation."

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CDC Director Gerberding Submits Resignation

The first woman to head the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has submitted her resignation, the Associated Press has learned.

The wire service reports it obtained a copy of Dr. Julie Gerberding's resignation e-mail to employees at the Department of Health and Human Services, the CDC's parent agency. William Gimson, the CDC's chief operating officer, will be interim director after Barack Obama becomes president, the AP reports, but no permanent successor has been announced.

Gerberding became CDC director in July 2002, after joining the agency in 1998 as an infectious disease specialist. There had been some speculation she would remain as the agency's director, the AP reports, but her resignation, effective Jan. 20, was accepted by the Obama transition team.

The CDC investigates disease outbreaks and is the official government record-keeper of U.S. health statistics.

Gerberding has been considered an effective communicator, the wire service reports, but a number of problems occurred during her time in office.

These included a shortage of flu vaccine in 2003 and 2004; the departure of a number of CDC scientists during a reorganization she ordered; the CDC's response time to complaints about formaldehyde levels in trailers being provided to Hurricane Katrina survivors, and what was explained as a "computer glitch" when Gerberding reported that obesity had surpassed smoking as the top cause of death in the United States.

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FDA Delays Decision on Gardasil Approval for Older Women

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has asked drug maker Merck & Co. for more information before it decides whether to expand approval for Gardasil, a human papillomavirus vaccine, Merck said Friday.

Gardasil is currently approved for females ages 9 to 26. Merck has asked the FDA to widen approval for its use in women aged 27 to 45, the Associated Press reported. The drug is designed to guard against HPV, which is responsible for most cases of cervical cancer.

The FDA wants additional data from an ongoing 48-month study of Gardasil, the wire service said. The agency's action does not affect currently approved uses or Merck's application to approve the drug for use in males ages 9 to 26.

The vaccine costs about $360 for the three required doses, and some experts have said it's not cost-effective for older women, Dow Jones news service reported. A Harvard study funded by the U.S. government and published last year, found the vaccine was cost-effective for girls, but not for females in their 20s, the AP said.

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Consumers Union Urges Expanded Testing of Infant Formula

Consumers Union urged the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday to expand testing of infant formula for melamine and related compounds, and to recall all contaminated products.

The request came after the FDA published two new reports of contamination on its Web site over the holidays, doubling the number cases previously reported last November. The FDA deemed melamine levels in the new cases extremely minute and safe for babies. Traces of the industrial chemical melamine and a byproduct, cyanuric acid, have now been found in four of 89 containers of infant formula made in the United States, the Associated Press reported.

The two new cases involved containers of Mead Johnson's Enfamil LIPIL with Iron that had traces of cyanuric acid, a weak acid used as a chlorine stabilizer in swimming pools. Previous tests had found traces of melamine in a can of milk-based liquid Nestle Good Start Supreme Infant Formula with Iron. A third major formula maker, Abbott Laboratories, whose brands include Similac, told the AP in November that in-house tests had detected traces of melamine in its formula, but far below levels the FDA found in the other formulas.

Consumers Union called the FDA risk assessment from November 2008 "flawed," saying it ignored important scientific data. The FDA now says that up to one part per million of melamine in formula is safe. Levels in the new cases were well below that standard, but an agency risk assessment issued as recently as October 2008 had said that no amount of melamine in formula could be considered safe.

Melamine-tainted formula has sickened tens of thousands of children in China, killing at least six. The melamine was apparently added to milk powder by manufacturers to make their watered-down formulas appear more nutritious. The FDA has said that domestic supplies are safe, however, because U.S. formula makers do not obtain ingredients for their products from China.

Abbott Laboratories, Nestle and Mead Johnson make more than 90 percent of the infant formula produced in the United States, the AP said.