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Britney Spears bits

60-year-old actress Sally Kirkland claims she knows the doctor who performed the breast implants surgery on Pop Star Britney Spears and warns her not to breast ...
http://thebosh.com/archives/2005/06/britney_spears_26.php
We Can Cure Most Breast Cancers

Top Stories

Editorial -- We Can Cure Most Breast Cancers With Early Diagnosis and Treatment

Conference Coverage -- American Diabetes Association Meeting

Conference Coverage -- American Academy of Neurology Meeting

Feature Articles

Instant Poll
Distributing Free Nicotine Patches
According to an article in the May issue of The Lancet, New York City health agencies distributed free nicotine patches to improve smoking cessation. How effective do you think free distribution of nicotine patches is as a smoking cessation therapy?

Letters and Editorials
Editorial -- We Can Cure Most Breast Cancers With Early Diagnosis and Treatment
Harvey Fineberg, MD, PhD, President of the Institute of Medicine, looks at the most effective strategy to reduce the toll of this disease.
Medscape General Medicine 7(2) 2005

Letters -- "Breaking the Link: Why Incremental Change Cannot Solve the Issue of the Uninsured"
The each-person-for-themselves environment of postmodern America works against the formation of the broad coalition needed to effect universal healthcare coverage, says one reader.

Letters -- Author's Reply to Responses to "Breaking the Link"
It is time that we engage in a serious and sustained national conversation on how to move forward on this important issue, says Rushika Fernandopulle.

Editorial -- Helping Families Cope With Sudden or Unexpected Death
Lisa Dinhofer, MA, CT, CTBS, Certified Thanatologist and Death Educator, comments on the role that physicians should play regarding the death of a patient and how it affects loved ones.

Allergy/Clinical Immunology
Genetic and Environmental Risk Factors for the Development of Food Allergy
The causes of food allergy are still unknown, and no measures for general recommendation for its prevention. Clinical and experimental studies of genetic and environmental risk factors are presented.
Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol 5(3) 2005

Cardiology
The New Cholesterol Targets: What Are They and What Are Their Practical Implications? -- A Nursing Perspective
Everybody knows that serum levels of the "bad" LDL cholesterol should be lowered in high-risk patients, but how low is low enough? What is the evidence, and how do we get there?
Medscape Cardiology2005

Blood Pressure Control and Prevention of Chronic Kidney Disease: An Expert Interview With George L. Bakris, MD
It is no longer a question of whether it's hypertension or renal disease -- it's how to recognize and treat which patients and when, as addressed here by a leading expert.

Critical Care
A 28-Year-Old Woman Presented to Kijabe Mission Hospital With Severe Dyspnea
Pernicious anemia is traditionally thought to be uncommon among African patients, but in the series from Zimbabwe, it was the most common etiology of cobalamin deficiency.
Medscape General Medicine 7(2) 2005

Dermatology
Surgical Techniques for Scar Revision
No scar can be completely erased, but dermatologic surgeons can achieve more cosmetically acceptable scars.
Skin Therapy Lett 10(4) 2005

Contact Allergen of the Year: Corticosteroids
Corticosteroids are the main treatment for inflammatory cutaneous disorders, but what are the risks of hypersensitivity reactions?

Diabetes & Endocrinology
Conference Coverage -- American Diabetes Association Meeting
Exenatide delivers weight-reduction benefit in type 2 diabetes; retinopathy occurs sooner in course of diabetes than previously thought. This and more in news coverage.

Family Medicine/Primary Care
Assessment of the Geriatric Patient: Initial Impressions
The assessment of the elderly person begins at the moment the clinician sees the patient and continues until the clinical encounter is complete.

Conference Report -- Society of Teachers of Family Medicine Conference
Highlights: President's opening address; avoiding "hamster care"; practice-based research using DTC example; clinical research sessions.

The Impact of Disturbed Sleep on Pain
What is the impact of disturbed sleep on pain? Read this discussion by Dr. Thomas Roth.

Gastroenterology
Journal Scan
David A. Johnson, MD, FACG, FACP, provides clinical commentary for select feature articles. Highlights include colonoscopic screening of average-risk women for colorectal neoplasia.
Medscape Gastroenterology 7(1) 2005

Outcome of Colorectal Carcinoma in Patients Under 40 Years of Age
The authors conducted a retrospective study of 45 patients with colorectal carcinoma under 40 years of age and indicated the prognostic factors, treatment outcome and their impact on survival.

General Surgery
Treatment of Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Internal Carotid Artery Stenosis in Older Adults
Does the data support endovascular techniques in older patients?
Geriatrics Aging 8(5) 2005

HIV/AIDS
Incidence of Pancreatitis in HIV-1-Infected Individuals Enrolled in 20 Adult AIDS Clinical Trials Group Studies
This analysis represents the largest effort to date to link the incidence of pancreatitis to particular antiretroviral regimens systematically.
J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 39(2) 2005

Diagnosis and Management of Congenital CMV/Perinatal HIV Exposure
What is the current consensus on the management of a newborn with congenital cytomegalovirus infection and perinatal HIV exposure?

Hematology-Oncology
Bortezomib May Be Superior to High-Dose Dexamethasone in Multiple Myeloma
In a randomized trial, bortezomib was superior to high-dose dexamethasone in patients with multiple myeloma who had had a relapse after one to three previous therapies.
Medscape Medical News2005

Small Molecule and Monoclonal Antibody Therapies in Neurooncology
As the pathogenesis of brain tumors has not been linked to one genetic defect, targeted agents may need to be used in combinations or in tandem with cytotoxic agents.

Infectious Diseases
Conference Report -- International Symposium on Antimicrobial Agents and Resistance
ISAAR 2005: In this report based on his plenary lecture, Robert Daum, MD, describes recent data concerning community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
Medscape Infectious Diseases 7(1) 2005

Global Spread of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecium From Distinct Nosocomial Genetic Complex
Spread of VRE represents an immediate threat to patient care and creates a reservoir of mobile resistance genes for other, more virulent pathogens.

Internal Medicine
Fish Oil May Not Reduce Risk of Ventricular Tachycardia or Ventricular Fibrillation in Patients With an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator
In a randomized trial with patients with a recent episode of sustained ventricular arrhythmia and an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, this supplement was proarrhythmic in some patients.
Medscape Medical News2005

12 to 48 Hours After Onset of ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction May Not Be Too Late for Stenting With Abciximab
A randomized trial suggests that this invasive strategy can reduce infarct size even in patients presenting more than 12 hours after symptom onset.

Nephrology
Phosphorus Binders: Relative Potency of Available Agents
William F. Finn, MD, compares and contrasts the phosphate-binding agents aluminum, calcium carbonate, calcium acetate, sevelamer hydrochloride, and lanthanum carbonate.
Medscape Nephrology 7(1) 2005

Journal Scan
Is it possible to accurately screen for early chronic kidney disease (CKD) using urine dipstick data alone?

Neurology & Neurosurgery
Conference Coverage -- American Academy of Neurology Meeting
What do the experts say about the latest research neuroimaging, AD, epilepsy and more? Find out in this comprehensive coverage of AAN 2005.

Restless Legs May Be Common but Underdiagnosed
A multinational general population survey also showed that clinically significant restless legs syndrome affects sleep and quality of life.

Outpatient Management of Breakthrough Pain
In this article, the etiology, assessment, and management of breakthrough pain are examined along with economic and quality-of-life considerations.

Nursing
Scope of Practice and the Nurse Practitioner: Regulation, Competency, Expansion, and Evolution
I'm an NP -- can I work as an RN? As an acute care NP, can I work in primary care? I'm prepared as an adult NP -- can I see children too? Learn the answers to these questions and many more.

Skin Breakdowns in Acute Care Pediatrics
How can skin breakdown be predicted in hospitalized children? A specific tool is included.

The Mediterranean Diet: Is It Cardioprotective?
What's in a Mediterranean diet? Does it enhance health?

Ob/Gyn and Women's Health
Politics, Power, and Procreation
Dr. David A. Grimes describes 6 examples that highlight federal policies with potential to harm women and presents the published evidence refuting each of these policies.
Medscape General Medicine 7(2) 2005

http://mp.medscape.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/jp8s0D8qky0Dyr0GhAX0EUhttp://mp.medscape.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/jp8s0D8qky0Dyr0GhAX0EUTreatment of Gestational Diabetes May Reduce Serious Perinatal Morbidity
In a randomized trial, this intervention also improved pregnant women's health-related quality of life.

Journal Scan -- Osteoporosis
Can we reduce fracture rates in women with osteopenia? Dr. Seeman considers this question and others in reviews of recent studies on osteopenia, menopausal HT, ibandronate, and more.

Ophthalmology
Conference Coverage -- Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Meeting
In this report from ARVO 2005, Lee Jampol, MD, and C. Stephen Foster, MD, discuss the latest advances in AMD and uveitis.

Journal Scan
Cataract surgery techniques and retinal tears are among the topics discussed in this month's Journal Scan.

Orthopaedics
Chronic Symptomatic Vertebral Compression Fractures with Percutaneous Vertebroplasty
In our experience, absence of abnormal marrow signal does not definitively predict the outcome of vertebroplasty in chronic fractures.
Am J Roentgenol 184(6) 2005

Pathology & Lab Medicine
New Guidelines for Standards for Cerebrospinal Fluid Analysis in Multiple Sclerosis
A study group from a consortium of MS clinics agreed to 12 recommendations, to inform neurologists of what to expect and to set a standard for laboratory medicine specialists.
Medscape Medical News2005

Stimulation of P19CL6 With Multiple Reagents Induces Pulsating Particles In Vivo
Successful heterotopic cardiac muscle differentiation was achieved using an embryogenic carcinoma cell line.

Pediatrics
School-Age Youth May Need One Hour of Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity Daily to Be Healthy
A systematic review suggests a variety of benefits from this amount of exercise that is developmentally appropriate, is enjoyable, and involves a variety of activities.
Medscape Medical News2005

Orlistat Plus Lifestyle Intervention May Be Safe, Effective for Overweight Adolescents
Combined with diet, exercise, and behavioral modification, orlistat significantly improved weight management compared with placebo, but gastrointestinal adverse events were more frequent.

Pharmacist
FDA Approvals: Angiomax, Lyrica, Zmax
The FDA has approved an expanded indication for bivalirudin injection (Angiomax), a new indication for pregabalin capsules (Lyrica), and a single-dose 2-g formulation of extended-release azithromycin oral suspension (Zmax).
Medscape Medical News2005

Nationwide Recall of AccuSure Insulin Syringe 1-cc, 28-Gauge 1/2-Inch 100's
The inner wrap of 1-cc syringes mislabeled as 1/2 cc may result in inaccurate dosing.

Nationwide Recall of All Repackaged Able Drugs
The action followed a recall of all Able drug products due to concerns about production quality, according to the FDA.

Psychiatry
Half of Americans May Meet DSM-IV Criteria for a Mental Disorder During Their Lifetime
A survey showed that first onset was usually in childhood or adolescence, and a second study suggests that treatment is not usually initiated when patients first present.
Medscape Medical News2005

Journal Scan -- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Reviews include quantification of a biologic marker for SSRI activity, factors distinguishing autism spectrum disorders before age 4, working memory impairment in children with ADHD, and more.

Highlights of the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) News Media Briefing
Improve your ability to diagnose and treat ADHD in children and adults.

Pulmonary Medicine
Journal Scan
This month we focus on asthma with a look at findings of the Better Care for Better Living Panel of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America and daily versus as-needed corticosteroids.
Medscape Pulmonary Medicine 9(1) 2005

Journal Scan -- COPD
Read the latest from the literature, including an update on pulmonary hemodynamics in advanced COPD.

Radiology
Marked Differences Between Patients Referred for Stress Echocardiography and Myocardial Perfusion Imaging Studies
Do patients referred for stress echo and stress MPI in a clinical practice setting differ importantly in ways that would be expected to influence the discriminatory performance of the tests?
Am Heart J 149(5) 2005

Rheumatology
Conference Coverage -- European League Against Rheumatism Meeting
High dose coxibs and NSAIDs increase heart attack risk; two phase 3 trials show abatacept's potential in treating rheumatoid arthritis. More in news coverage.

Serum Antibodies to Oral Anaerobic Bacteria in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis
This study was conducted to find the component that causes the disease in RA, which shows great resemblance to periodontitis in pathologic context.

Transplantation
MDRD Equations for Estimation of GFR in Renal Transplant Recipients
Several equations to estimate GFR were verified in the MDRD study cohort, but little is known about the application of these formulas in the setting of renal transplantation.
Am J Transplant 5(6) 2005

Urology
Does Pathological Stage Affect the Prognosis for Patients with Clinically Staged T1 Renal Cell Carcinoma?
Dr. Robert Uzzo reviews an article recently published in the Journal of Urology on the survival of patients with renal cell carcinoma and discusses new, minimally invasive treatment modalities.
Nat Clin Pract Urol 2(5) 2005

Can A-LAC Improve Overnight Sleep and Morning Alertness?
Read about the positive results of a small, randomized trial of the protein supplement a-lactalbumin (A-LAC) in "Evening Intake of Lactalbumin May Improve Sleep and Morning Alertness" in the Insomnia and Sleep Health Resource Center.

Do Mental Disorders Begin Earlier Than We Thought?
A recent survey and study indicate that first onset is usually in childhood or adolescence and treatment is often delayed. For details, read "Half of Americans May Meet DSM-IV Criteria for a Mental Disorder" in the Bipolar Disorder Resource Center.

Industry Spotlight
Information from Industry

SUI Condition Site - When the patient describes symptoms of urinary incontinence, how does the clinician differentiate between SUI and UUI?

Namenda^® (memantine hydrochloride) - Indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe dementia of the Alzheimer's type. Review clinical findings, read full Prescribing Information.

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Tort Lobby Sharpens Its Aim

http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1119431117713

http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1119431119763

Internal Document Shows Merck Tried to Change Vioxx in 2000

http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1119431121654

N.Y. Judges Lobby for Pay Raises

http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1119431116504

Gummy Boobs
"If the threads break, does your face fall down?". By midafternoon, I took to playing with the assortment of fake breast implants at the Mentor kiosk. ...

http://www.laweekly.com/ink/05/31/a-alimurung.php

Stop the Bush Administration From Caving In to Big Tobacco

We need your help to make sure the Bush Administration hears our message: selling out the public health for campaign contributions will not stand!

Click here to tell the Bush Administration that saving lives is more important than filling campaign coffers!

The judge in the tobacco lawsuit set a deadline of June 25 for the government to tell the judge what to require of Big Tobacco if they lose the lawsuit. That's why we need your help today! This is one of our last chances to reverse the Bush Administration's political sellout and to hold Big Tobacco accountable for years of misdeeds.

Big Tobacco's campaign contributions have clearly bought favor and influence in the Bush administration. But thousands of your messages will be tough for the Administration to ignore!

Click here to send your letters today.

By joining together we've stopped Big Tobacco before. With this historic, six-year tobacco lawsuit coming to a close, now is more important than ever before to make our voices heard! That is why we are asking you to send emails protesting the Bush Administration's move to the White House and Justice Department. Won't you join with us to defeat Big Tobacco?

Dowpharma Announces Commercial License Agreement for Pfenex ...
http://www.pharmalive.com/News/index.cfm?articleid=251439&categoryid=15

Service Monday for Dow chemist..if he could talk, Dow would be caught!!

http://www.mlive.com/news/sanews/index.ssf?/base/news-15/1119624616245950.xml

Product Defect May Set Lawyers' Hearts Racing

http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1119517513020

Firm Must Find Missing Client to Collect Fee
http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1119517511227

http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1119431122410

BBC NEWS | Health | Test 'identifies new stroke risk'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4111558.stm

WVEC.com | News for Hampton Roads, Virginia | Healthy Living

06/24/2005

House blocks federa

Virginia mother leads crusade over vaccines and autism
WVEC.com (subscription) - Norfolk,VA,USA
... Also, he and other scientists point to the case against silicone breast implants, involving years of court battles. Lawsuits alleged ...
http://www.wvec.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D8AUKRNO1.html

l coverage of viagra

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Impotence drugs such as Viagra would not be covered by Medicaid and Medicare, the government health programs for the poor and the aged, under new prohibitions approved by the House on Friday.

Guidant tells doctors to stop using defibrillators
INDIANAPOLIS — Guidant Corp. said Friday it was telling doctors to stop using five models of its implantable cardiac defibrillators because a faulty switch could cause it to malfunction.

06/23/2005

Government OKs 1st racially targeted drug
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The heart failure drug BiDil was approved Thursday by government regulators for use by blacks. It will be the first medication marketed for a specific racial group.

Stem cell conference opens in California
SAN FRANCISCO — Despite optimism and enthusiasm, stem cell researchers arriving here Thursday for a conference are rowing hard against strong currents of financial, political and technical turmoil.

06/22/2005

Novel drug helps Type 1 diabetes patients make own insulin
A novel experimental treatment showed promise in a small study for helping certain diabetics retain some ability to make insulin, potentially lessening their need for shots of the hormone to regulate blood sugar levels.

Merck pushed for safer, reformulated Vioxx in 2000
NEW YORK — Merck & Co. researchers privately sought to reformulate Vioxx in 2000 to reduce its cardiovascular side effects, even as the drug maker was publicly playing down a study that highlighted the pain relief medication's potential heart attack risk, an internal company document shows.

Number of 2005 polio cases jumps
CHICAGO — The number of confirmed polio cases has reached 243 in Yemen, a country that was once believed to have been free of the disease, the chief of the World Health Organization said.

06/20/2005

When you're scheduling events, consider your cycle, author says
With a big day coming up, do you ever check the alignment of the stars? That is so last-millennium. Gabrielle Lichterman thinks it makes more sense to check the day of the month.

Avoiding the travel bugs
You're all excited about hiking Yosemite, seeing Grandma, making the most of those days in Paris, getting the most for your money along the way. So maybe you're not focusing on making sure you have a healthy vacation.

Get ready to go jelly
In the quest for the perfect workout, you've given up 7-Up for Gatorade and Snickers for Power Bars, but you're still eating regular jelly beans? Nevermore.

Study: Extra folic acid may protect brain
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Taking large amounts of folic acid improved the memory of older adults, Dutch scientists reported Monday in the first study to show a vitamin pill might slow the mental decline of aging.

Therapies may help Alzheimer's treatment
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Two experimental therapies show promise at preventing a sticky gunk from clogging up the brains of Alzheimer's patients, a buildup called amyloid that is the newest focus in the fight against the disease.

06/19/2005

Stem cells could develop into eggs, study shows
COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Scientists in Britain have shown that stem cells extracted from human embryos can develop in the laboratory into the early forms of cells that become eggs or sperm. The research raises the possibility that one day eggs and sperm needed for infertility treatment could be grown in a dish.

Brain scan may predict Alzheimer's, report says
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A subtle change in a memory-making brain region seems to predict who will get Alzheimer's disease nine years before symptoms appear, scientists reported Sunday.

06/17/2005

Guidant recalls 50,000 defibrillators
INDIANAPOLIS — Guidant Corp. said Friday it was recalling cardiac defibrillators implanted in nearly 50,000 people worldwide because of a flaw that could cause it to malfunction.

New blood vessels grown from older cells
LONDON — Scientists reported they have grown new blood vessels with cells from sick older people - the type of patients most likely to need such transplants if the technique is perfected. The approach, outlined in The Lancet medical journal this week, could be used for heart or other bypass surgery in the elderly whose own veins may not be suitable.

Nancy Reagan may prod Senate on stem cells
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Nancy Reagan is poised for a quiet entrance into the Senate's embryonic stem cell debate in much the same role she played during the fierce fight in the House, calling up wavering lawmakers to help win passage of legislation in the shadow of President Bush's veto threat.

06/16/2005

Scientists grow new blood vessels
LONDON — Scientists reported they have grown new blood vessels with cells from sick older people – the type of patients most likely to need such transplants if the technique is perfected.

Government finds highest, lowest areas of marijuana use
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Both college towns, Boston and Boulder, Colo., share another distinction: They lead the nation in marijuana use. Northwestern Iowa and southern Texas have the lowest use.

Feds: Some AIDS drug tests on children violated rules
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The government has concluded at least some AIDS drug experiments involving foster children violated federal rules designed to ensure vulnerable youths were protected from the risks of medical research.

06/15/2005

Mental illness holds steady, while treatment rises, study says
BOSTON — Americans grappling with mental illness are more likely to be treated for it now than they were 10 years ago, according to a landmark government-backed survey.

Chronic insomnia baffles sleeping experts
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Chronic insomnia is a major public health problem affecting millions of Americans, but there's far too little research to know how to best treat them, what causes their sleep disruption or its health consequences, an expert panel told the National Institutes of Health Wednesday.

Chiron warns on fewer flu vaccines
EMERYVILLE, Calif. — Chiron Corp. on Wednesday warned it will not produce as many flu vaccines as previously announced because of production delays and manufacturing issues. It slashed its 2005 outlook to reflect the shortfall, and the stock sank nearly 7 percent.

06/14/2005

Study challenges 12-hour window for heart attack treatment
CHICAGO — A provocative new study challenges the notion that heart attack victims have only 12 hours in which to undergo an artery-clearing angioplasty.

06/13/2005

Sleep, by the numbers
The National Sleep Foundation recently released its annual poll of Americans and their sack time. The poll surveyed 1,506 adults, with a margin of error of 2.5 percentage points. Here are some of the key figures:

'Our Bodies' at middle age
Muriel Sims was 16 and pregnant with her first child when she came across the book Our Bodies, Ourselves. Her mother had died the year before, and Ms. Sims had been searching for information on childbirth. When she walked into a bookstore and saw the health book written by women for women in a "straightforward, easy-to-read" style, she bought it on the spot.

Surgeons used instruments washed in hydraulic fluid
RALEIGH, N.C. — Sometime last year, elevator workers at two hospitals drained hydraulic fluid into empty soap containers and capped them without changing the labels.

Small study says Viagra seems to help children with fatal lung disease
DALLAS — A small study indicates that children suffering from a rare and fatal lung disease might be helped by taking Viagra.

More than a million in U.S. live with HIV
ATLANTA — More than a million Americans are believed to be living with the virus that causes AIDS, the government said Monday in a report that reflects both a victory and a failure at combatting the disease.

Drug patents don't bar rival research
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Drug companies have freedom under the Food and Drug Administration rules to ignore their rival's patents when starting research on competing medications, the Supreme Court ruled Monday.

06/12/2005

Barriers keep cancer advances from doctors
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Promising cancer research needs to be translated more quickly into practical methods of diagnosis and treatment, a presidential commission says.

Date palm grown from 2,000-year-old seed
JERUSALEM — Israeli researchers have germinated a sapling date palm from seeds 2,000 years old, hoping its ancient DNA could reveal medicinal qualities to benefit future generations, one of the scientists leading the project said Sunday.

06/11/2005

Apartheid-era heart surgeon Naki dies
CAPE TOWN, South Africa — Hamilton Naki, a former gardener who was so skilled in complicated surgery that he helped in the world's first heart transplant - but had to keep his work secret in apartheid South Africa - has died. He was 78.

Diabetes care improved over last decade
SAN DIEGO — Far fewer Americans with diabetes are ending up in emergency rooms or developing kidney failure - a sign that diabetes care has improved dramatically over the last decade, the government reported Saturday.

06/10/2005

Major insurer pushes pill-splitting savings
MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Chopping his Lipitor tablets in half gives Randy Schneider a little thrill.

Jury awards $8M in malpractice case
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A jury awarded $8 million to the husband of a woman who died after chemotherapy that wasn't necessary because she didn't have cancer, lawyers said.

06/08/2005

Woman gives birth after ovary transplant
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — An Alabama woman gave birth this week to a baby girl after undergoing the first known successful ovary transplant in the United States.

06/07/2005

Female orgasm is genetically influenced
LONDON — A woman's ability to have an orgasm is at least partly determined by her genes and can't be blamed entirely on cultural influences, new research suggests.

New technology, more oversight may improve breast cancer detection
Breast cancer will strike more than 200,000 times this year and claim more than 40,000 lives, according to estimates from the American Cancer Society. So, if it hasn't already touched someone you know, it probably will. The key to beating breast cancer is early detection, and many experts say mammography is the best-known way for doing that.

Mental illness can start in childhood
CHICAGO — Most mental illness hits early in life, with half of all cases starting by age 14, a survey of nearly 10,000 U.S. adults found.

06/06/2005

Food for thought
Can education help kids choose healthier food? A new study says yes.

If you're ready to lose weight ...
How much do you want to drop extra pounds, really? How committed are you to achieving a healthy body weight, really?

An energy policy for life
Raise your hand – if you can pry it off your keyboard or the steering wheel or your BlackBerry or your kid's packed schedule – if you would like more hours in a day.OK, so it's a trick question. We all get the same 24 measly hours. And we are so good at organizing them – with our cellphones and pagers and planners and Palm Pilots and every other conceivable device.

Rituals help when facing pressure
In The Power of Full Engagement, authors Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz stress the importance of ritual. Every great performer, they write, has specific rituals to make himself or herself best able to go from stress to recovery, from hard work to rest. Tennis player Ivan Lendl, for example, would wipe his brow with his wristband before every serve, the authors write. He'd hit the head of his racket against each heel, reach into his pocket for sawdust, bounce the ball four times. In so doing, he was calming himself, focusing, recalibrating his energy.

Suicide attempts linked to teens' weight perception
CHICAGO — Suicidal impulses and attempts are much more common in teenagers who think they are too fat or too thin, regardless of how much they actually weigh, a study found.

Court: Medical marijuana patients can be prosecuted

WASHINGTON, D.C. — People who smoke marijuana because their doctors recommend it to ease pain can be prosecuted for violating federal drug laws, the Supreme Court ruled Monday, overriding medical marijuana statutes in 10 states.

06/05/2005

Everyday apples pack antioxidant punch
CONCORD, N.H. — America's most common apple also may be its most potent. Just don't skimp on the skin. A Canadian government study that measured the levels of antioxidants in eight varieties of apples found that Red Delicious contain the highest concentrations of the health enhancing chemicals.

Schools opening up to alternative medicine
PHILADELPHIA — Once largely dismissed as a leftover fad from the Age of Aquarius, acupuncture, herbal remedies and other forms of alternative medicine are finding their way into curriculums at traditional medical schools - most recently the University of Pennsylvania.

06/04/2005

A good laugh may help shed extra weight
ATHENS, Greece — Dieters looking for another edge might want to consider exercising their sense of humor - scientists have found that a good laugh is a calorie burner not to be ignored.

Cold drug curbs considered in meth fight
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The days of buying some cold remedies off the shelf in drug stores soon may be gone, a casualty of the methamphetamine epidemic. Already more than a dozen states have laws that require retailers to sell Sudafed, Nyquil and other medicines only from behind the pharmacy counter.

06/03/2005

Children's Tylenol recalled over labels
FORT WASHINGTON, Pa. — The maker of Tylenol said Friday it is voluntarily recalling several children's products because label information may be confusing and could lead to overdosing.

Obesity research shows 3 crucial periods
ATHENS, Greece — Evidence is growing that people's weight at three periods of childhood may be critical in setting them up to be fat in adulthood, scientists said Thursday.

CDC chief enters debate over obesity study
As criticism mounts that a recent study may have minimized the dangers of obesity, federal health officials urged people to focus on the big picture - that extra pounds are harmful, not how much harm they may cause.

06/02/2005

Peru's 'miracle' baby shown to media
LIMA, Peru — Doctors opened the intensive care room door Thursday to give the world its first look at 13-month-old Milagros Cerron since surgery to separate her fused legs.

06/01/2005

Experimental vaccine helps prevent shingles
NEW YORK — An experimental vaccine has shown promise at preventing shingles, a painful skin rash that afflicts 1 million Americans every year and causes long-term excruciating nerve pain for some.

Doctors separate legs of 'mermaid' baby
LIMA, Peru — Doctors successfully separated the fused legs of a Peruvian baby during a risky, nationally televised operation Wednesday, and said they hoped the vivacious, bright-eyed girl would be walking in two years.

05/31/2005

Report: Tobacco companies tried to hook women
BOSTON — Tobacco companies did elaborate research on women to figure out how to hook them on smoking – even toying with the idea of chocolate-flavored cigarettes that would curb appetite, according to a new analysis.

'Mermaid' baby ready for surgery
LIMA, Peru — Peru's bright-eyed "little mermaid" – a baby born with legs fused from her thighs to her ankles – giggled and played on her hospital bed Tuesday, ahead of a delicate operation to begin repairing her rare birth defect.

05/30/2005

Keeping weight off is the true challenge
Physics abides by the laws of Newton. What goes up always comes down. Dieting has a law you might call the Fig Newton. If weight goes up and back down, it usually goes up again.

Put this in your file and smoke it
So who's smoking? The latest study from the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention puts the figure at 21.6 percent of Americans over 18.

Dad's age may factor in miscarriage
Older women tend to have more miscarriages, but the father's age may be a factor as well.

U.S. braces for West Nile virus season
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Patricia Heller was super-healthy, an avid skier and competitive bicyclist. So when she collapsed in the street after a daylong bike ride, she first shrugged off the weakness as cramps. By the next morning, Heller's left leg was completely paralyzed. It was West Nile virus, from a mosquito bite the Colorado woman doesn't even remember. She would need months of grueling therapy to walk again and today, almost two years later, still isn't fully recovered.

05/29/2005

System lets parent spy on kids' lunches
MARIETTA, Ga. — As Garin Hughes picks through his school-lunch burrito and unidentifiable apple-pear dessert, he has a secret. Hidden underneath the eighth-grader's right leg is a chocolate cookie in shrink-wrapped plastic. That's for dessert. In the past, his parents had no clue when he bought a treat at school. Now, thanks to a new school-lunch monitoring system, they can check over the Internet and learn about that secret cookie.

05/28/2005

Offenders get Medicaid-paid prescriptions for Viagra
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Nearly 800 convicted sex offenders in 14 states got Medicaid-funded prescriptions for Viagra and other impotence drugs, according to a survey by The Associated Press.

05/27/2005

FDA looks into link between impotence drugs, blindness
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Federal health officials are probing reports of blindness among dozens of men who used Viagra and other impotence drugs - but at the same time cautioning that the vision loss can be linked to the same illnesses that lead to impotence.

05/26/2005

New meningitis shot ready for children
CHICAGO — High school freshman Leslie Meigs has a simple message for kids about the scary disease that struck out of the blue and within hours almost killed her: Get the new meningitis shot. Children who are 11 to 12, students entering high school and college freshmen headed for dorm life should be vaccinated, federal health officials and the American Academy of Pediatrics announced Thursday.

05/25/2005

Cigarette smoke may harm fertility, study says
GENEVA — New research suggests that exposure to other people's cigarette smoke may damage a woman's fertility, especially if she needs the help of an infertility clinic to get pregnant.

Bypass better for clogged arteries, study says
People with several clogged heart arteries fared better if they had bypass surgery rather than a less-drastic procedure in which the blood vessels are propped open with tiny mesh cylinders called stents, a study of nearly 60,000 patients found.

Reid wants swift vote on stem cell bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid called Wednesday for a swift vote in the Senate on legislation to expand federal support of embryonic stem cell research, and he blistered President Bush for opposing the measure.

05/24/2005

Analysis of decades of research finds little cancer risk from hair dye
CHICAGO — Some reassuring news for hair dye users. A review of nearly 40 years of research suggests that hair dye poses little or no risk of cancer.

Study: Children adopted from overseas adjust well
CHICAGO — A surprising new study disputes the notion that children adopted from other countries tend to be badly damaged emotionally because of the hardships they had to endure.

Rodent virus linked to 6 transplant deaths
MILWAUKEE — At least six deaths of organ transplant patients have now been linked to a rodent virus, raising questions about whether others may have gone undetected and whether the germ also could spread through blood transfusions.

New study points to Crestor risks
DALLAS — New research seems to challenge a Food and Drug Administration decision not to pull the cholesterol-lowering drug Crestor off the market, with data showing it causes more kidney and muscle problems than rival medications.

House passes embryonic stem cell bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Ignoring President Bush's veto threat, the House voted Tuesday to lift limits on embryonic stem cell research, a measure supporters said could accelerate cures for diseases but opponents viewed as akin to abortion.

05/23/2005

Researchers trying to define 'happy'
Back in college, my friend Gary and I shared a class with a serious, dark-haired woman who periodically posed this question: "Are you happy, Gary?" she'd ask in all earnestness. "I mean, really happy?"

Clever design takes the confusion out of prescription packaging
Deborah Adler was trying to come up with a design project for her master's degree when she found out that her grandmother had accidentally taken her grandfather's medicine.

All's wellness on the Web
About 95 million of you adult Internet users have searched for information on your health woes – accounting for eight of every 10 Web users.

Celiac sufferers can enjoy gluten-free baked treats
Gluten is a protein in wheat and other grain flours that's essential for making bread rise. But for the 1 in 133 Americans who have celiac disease, it can be deadly. In simplest terms, celiac disease damages the intestinal lining so that nutrients aren't absorbed.

A psychologist tackles the big question
Scientifically measuring happiness sounds a bit, well, clinical. But it's being done more than ever, and a growing number of books report what's being learned. We talked with Dan Baker, author of What Happy People Know (Rodale; $12.95), which was co-written by Cameron Stauth.

A picture-perfect antidote for depression
For many years, Elizabeth Swados, a writer, director and composer in New York City, has made funny little illustrated books and given them to friends to celebrate their birthdays, anniversaries or other special occasions.

N.Y. audit shows sex offenders get viagra
ALBANY, N.Y. — Scores of convicted rapists and other high-risk sex offenders in New York have been getting Viagra paid by Medicaid for the last five years, the state's comptroller said Sunday.

Sunshine, vitamin D study shake up science
Scientists are excited about a vitamin again. But unlike fads that sizzled and fizzled, the evidence this time is strong and keeps growing. If it bears out, it will challenge one of medicine's most fundamental beliefs: that people need to coat themselves with sunscreen whenever they're in the sun. Doing that may actually contribute to far more cancer deaths than it prevents, some researchers think.

Crestor risks higher than believed
DALLAS — Contrary to government claims, side effects happen more often with Crestor, a cholesterol-lowering drug that consumer advocates tried to get off the market earlier this year, a new analysis shows.

05/22/2005

Connecticut nears strict school junk food ban
HARTFORD, Conn. — Lawmakers want to make sure Connecticut students aren't part of the Pepsi Generation. Connecticut is on the verge of adopting the most far-reaching ban in the country on soda and junk food in public schools, in an effort to curb rising rates of childhood obesity.

05/21/2005

Scientist: Stem cell work will aid humans
SEOUL, South Korea — A leading stem cell researcher said it could be decades before scientific breakthroughs by his team will benefit humans, but he expressed hope that they will eventually aid people with incurable illnesses.

Scientists say sunshine may prevent cancer
Scientists are excited about a vitamin again. But unlike fads that sizzled and fizzled, the evidence this time is strong and keeps growing. If it bears out, it will challenge one of medicine's most fundamental beliefs: that people need to coat themselves with sunscreen whenever they're in the sun. Doing that may actually contribute to far more cancer deaths than it prevents, some researchers think.

05/20/2005

Bush vows to veto stem cell legislation

05/19/2005

Scientists speed creation of stem cells
WASHINGTON, D.C. — South Korean scientists have dramatically sped up the creation of human embryonic stem cells, growing 11 new batches that for the first time were a genetic match for injured or sick patients.

Florida hospital gets medical simulator baby
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — As Dr. Craig Kizewic worked on the infant, the heart rate began to drop and oxygen levels were declining, but quick work saved the baby. The baby was a new interactive medical simulator known as BabySIM.

05/18/2005

Most diabetics not controlling blood sugar
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A dismal two-thirds of the nation's 18 million Type 2 diabetics don't have their blood sugar under control, putting them at high risk of the disease's nastiest complications, even death. Yet most are unaware they're doing so poorly, frustrated diabetes specialists said Wednesday.

Study links obesity and knee tears
SALT LAKE CITY — As Americans continue to get bigger, you can add knee problems to the list of ailments they are likely to face after lugging around extra pounds.

Vitamin D may help in prostate cancer
PORTLAND, Ore. — Men dying from prostate cancer may be able to extend their lives, thanks to a potent form of vitamin D developed at Oregon Health & Science University.

05/17/2005

Deadly problems halt French study of breast cancer drug combo
CHICAGO — A French study into an experimental breast cancer treatment has been halted after the regimen contributed to the deaths of two patients.

Experts debate study on fat, breast cancer
ORLANDO, Fla. — Low-fat diets modestly helped women cut their chances of a recurrence of breast cancer, the first experiment to put this to the test concludes.

05/16/2005

Refrigerator inspiration can help you stick to a diet
When Carol Hampton heads for the refrigerator, two Oprah Winfreys are waiting for her. They're in the form of magnets – one pre-diet Oprah and the other fit-and-firm Oprah – stuck to the door.

What's a calorie?
We toss the word "calorie" around when we talk about food and diet. But what is a calorie, really?

The Tour de Door: a look at messages on fridges
What's on your fridge? Here are some things helping to guard the door on that most tempting of household appliances:

Some childhood cancer survivors have problems later
ORLANDO, Fla. — Two out of three children who beat cancer go on to develop other chronic health problems, ranging from heart disease to blindness, because of radiation and other treatments that saved their lives, new research finds.

Drug used to treat diarrhea may prevent it
HOUSTON — A drug already used to treat that tourist nightmare – traveler's diarrhea – may also prevent it without causing the antibiotic resistance that can eventually make medicines ineffective, new research suggests.

Experts debate study that claims low-fat diets prevent breast cancer relapse
ORLANDO, Fla. — A new study seems to suggest that low-fat diets can help prevent a return of breast cancer in certain women.

Gates adds $250M to fight against diseases
GENEVA — Bill Gates said he is using the same strategy that succeeded in building Microsoft Corp. to tackle his latest challenge - fighting AIDS, malaria and other deadly diseases around the world.

05/15/2005

Drug used for symptoms attacks disease, too
ORLANDO, Fla. — Doctors were just hoping to treat symptoms when they gave people with a deadly blood disorder a drug to reduce the need for transfusions. To their astonishment, signs of the disease itself disappeared in nearly half of them.

05/14/2005

Breast cancer drug could benefit prostate
ORLANDO, Fla. — A new study gives encouraging signs that a hormonal drug used to fight breast cancer might help prevent abnormal prostate growths from turning into cancers.

05/13/2005

New cancer drugs fight tumors many ways
ORLANDO, Fla. — A new generation of experimental cancer drugs is poised to upstage current hotshots by attacking the multiple methods tumors use to grow and spread, instead of just one.

Study shows impact of breast-cancer drugs
LONDON — The risk of dying from breast cancer has been falling rapidly for the past 15 years mainly because the drugs used to treat the disease have been effective at stopping the cancer from returning, according to a major new analysis.

05/12/2005

Video games may help stroke victims
DALLAS — Maybe playing video games isn't just for kids. When stroke victims played virtual reality games in which they imagined they were diving with sharks or snowboarding down a narrow slope, their ability to walk eventually improved, researchers reported in a small study.

Study looks at diet in cutting cholesterol
PHILADELPHIA — Eating a lowfat diet packed with vegetables, fruit, beans and whole grains reduces levels of "bad" cholesterol twice as much as eating a lowfat diet that's heavy on processed foods, a small study has found.

Study examines prostate-cancer options
A landmark study of one the most agonizing decisions faced by men with early prostate cancer - Should I have surgery? Or should I wait and see if it spreads? - found that for those under 65, operating clearly saves lives, cutting the death rate by more than half.

05/11/2005

Test can predict sudden heart death
People whose hearts beat too fast during rest and too sluggishly during exercise have a greater risk than others of dropping dead suddenly from a heart attack, a study suggests.

05/10/2005

Weight Watchers, Slim-Fast tops diets
Meetings and shakes trump counting carbs when it comes to long-term weight loss, according to a recent analysis of diets by Consumer Reports magazine.

05/09/2005

The Dimple Truth
Her weight normal and her body fit, Shanan Brown was satisfied with how she looked in her first three decades.

Author: A midlife crisis can change a woman's life for the better
Sue Shellenbarger, an award-winning columnist for the Wall Street Journal, says midlife crisis can be a positive thing for women. It's a good thing, she says, because more than 15 million baby boomer women report having one.

Doctor's diet: Take a load off mind first
Don't ask Dr. Pamela Peeke about her new diet book, Body for Life for Women (Rodale, $26.95). The author of Fight Fat After Forty says her book isn't about a diet but is rather a blueprint for a physical and mental transformation that takes into account a woman's age and stage of life, from first menstruation to post-menopause. It's based on the best-selling Bill Phillips Body-for-Life program.

Author links food, taste, health
You may never have heard of Ellen Haas. But the longtime consumer advocate and nutrition expert has promoted better eating habits for decades. As undersecretary of agriculture for food, nutrition and consumer services (1993-97), she was the nation's top nutrition official and spearheaded the drive for healthier school lunches.

Governor collapsed into a healthy life
Mike Huckabee, the 280-pound governor of Arkansas, already had diabetes and worrisome chest pains when he presided over a fateful Cabinet meeting in 2003.

Differing brain response found in homosexual, heterosexual men
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Gay men's brains respond differently from those of heterosexual males when exposed to a sexual stimulus, researchers have found.

Study shows men who eat low-fat dairy products may reduce risk of diabetes
CHICAGO — Men may want to add low-fat milk, yogurt and cheese to their grocery lists.

Active older patients demanding surgery
CHICAGO — Vito Buffalo didn't let his age stand in the way of open spine surgery to relieve his back pain. The 73-year-old retired butcher from Wauconda, Illinois, said he needs to feel good because he leads an 18-piece swing band.

05/08/2005

Detroit ponders fast-food tax
DETROIT — Would you like fries with that? Either way, the Detroit city treasury would like a bite. Faced with a $300 million budget hole, Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick is hoping people in this already heavily taxed city won't mind forking over a few extra cents for their Big Macs and Whoppers.

05/06/2005

Big bellies, related ills have big costs – in dollars and deaths
TRENTON, N.J. — Americans with metabolic syndrome – a condition marked by big waistlines, diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol problems – account for $4 of every $10 spent on prescription drugs for adults, according to a study.

Trail running picking up speed
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — Laura Clark hit the trail running years ago and never looked back. She runs the woodsy trails near her upstate New York home, up Adirondack mountains and on rollercoaster courses up and down through the Berkshires of Massachusetts.

05/05/2005

FDA set to ban gay sperm donors
NEW YORK — To the dismay of gay-rights activists, the Food and Drug Administration is about to implement new rules recommending that any man who has engaged in homosexual sex in the previous five years be barred from serving as an anonymous sperm donor.

Study: Autism treatment could be earlier
TORONTO — Infants who make little eye contact, have trouble smiling and aren't very active may be showing signs of autism, Canadian researchers report in a small study that suggests autism could be spotted earlier than it is.

Dozens got bacteria from small pets
Furry "pocket pets" like hamsters, mice and rats have sickened up to 30 people in at least 10 states with dangerous multidrug-resistant bacteria, health officials are warning.

05/04/2005

Feds tested AIDS drugs on foster children without basic advocate protection
WASHINGTON, D.C. — An Associated Press review finds that AIDS drugs were tested on hundreds of foster children -- in many cases without proper protection.

Celebrities boost cancer screenings
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Celebrities can send people to the doctor. More than half of adults in a nationwide survey recalled celebrity endorsements for cancer screening, and more than a fourth said the pitch made them more likely to get tested, researchers report Tuesday in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

05/03/2005

New computers make grocery carts smarter
CHICAGO — New supermarket carts equipped with touch screens will guide you to the tomatoes or toothpicks, let you order deli meat without standing in line and keep a running tally of your purchases.

FDA approves first teen booster shot for whooping cough
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The first booster shot to protect adolescents against whooping cough won government approval Tuesday, offering a new tool to battle the return of a dangerous illness that leaves sufferers gasping for air.

Researchers call for end to unneeded episiotomies
CHICAGO — For years, some doctors believed that an episiotomy, an incision to enlarge the vaginal opening during childbirth, would prevent spontaneous tearing that would be harder to repair. They also believed the procedure would help women avoid incontinence and improve their sex lives. It turns out those beliefs were myths.

Long-term survival evaluated after noninvasive prostate treatment
CHICAGO — Researchers may know a little more about how best to treat prostate cancer in its various forms.

05/02/2005

Mothers' daydreams
Quiet time, pampering, a Hill Country bike ride – that's what our readers put high on their Mother's Day wish lists

Broil or bake fish for heart benefits
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Trying to eat more fish for a healthy heart? Fish sticks don't count.

Obesity a problem among the affluent
WASHINGTON – Obesity has long been a problem mostly of the poor, but new research shows that the more affluent are catching up fast.

Alone again, blissfully
On a rainy afternoon, I leave work and drive home. As I enter the quiet of the house, I feel my body relax. Slipping off my shoes, I wrap an old quilt around me and sink into the sofa. Except for the rhythm of the rain against the window, silence reigns. There is no one needing me. No one to entertain. No deadlines. Just me and my solitude. It is a liberating feeling, and one I have come to cherish.

05/01/2005

Stores use fresh produce to lure shoppers
CHICAGO — Eat more fruits and vegetables. Mom says it. Uncle Sam, too. Yet people still do not get enough - and the government just doubled the recommended amount. Trying to entice shoppers, produce companies are putting freshly sliced fruit into fun packages for kids and packaging carrot and celery sticks to fit in a car cup-holder. Some on the new lines are on display at the Food Marketing Institute show, the supermarket industry's annual convention.

Group pushes restricting cold medicine
WASHINGTON, D.C. — An association representing more than 36,000 pharmacies is issuing guidelines for possible federal legislation to restrict sales of cold medications containing a substance often used in the illegal manufacture of methamphetamine - or "speed."

Experts: Obesity still a health risk
CHICAGO — Now that the government says fat might not kill so many of us after all, is it OK to be just a little pudgy? Maybe, but before celebrating with a hot fudge sundae, keep in mind the overriding message: Being too overweight really is a serious health risk.

04/30/2005

Study: Risks jump as obesity escalates
WASHINGTON, D.C. — When the fat get even fatter, their risk of death jumps, too, especially if they have an apple-shaped waistline. So concludes a study of 90,000 women in the United States, the first to look closely at the alarming trend of extreme obesity, being at least 90 pounds overweight.

04/29/2005

'Mermaid' baby celebrates 1st birthday
LIMA, Peru — Peru's "little mermaid" – the baby born with legs fused together from her thighs to her ankles – celebrated her first birthday Friday in the public hospital where doctors hope to perform risky surgery to repair her rare birth defect.

CDC pushing new mosquito repellents
ATLANTA — After years of promoting the chemical DEET as the best defense against West Nile-bearing mosquitoes, the government for the first time is recommending the use of two other insect repellents.

04/28/2005

Study links middle age obesity to dementia
LONDON — The most convincing research so far suggests that being fat in your 40s might raise your risk of developing dementia later in life.

04/26/2005

A bicycle built for you
It was time. The last jaunt Anne Engelking took on her bike, she almost took someone out. Her aging bike had shaky brakes and only three working gears.

Here's your ticket to ride
For those readers and for others thinking about buying a bike, we've compiled advice from professionals at three Dallas-area bike shops – Richardson Bike Mart, B&B Bicycles and Plano Cycling & Fitness.

Doc before you undock
Book the ticket, renew your passport, call the doctor. A survey of 1,200 adults who travel abroad indicates that only 19 percent of people take that third step.

04/28/2005

Air pollution fight makes progress
LOS ANGELES — Fewer Americans have had to breathe unhealthy levels of smog or microscopic soot in recent years, but air pollution remained a threat in counties where more than half the nation lives, the American Lung Association said in an annual report Thursday.

04/27/2005

CDC to study chronic disease syndrome
ATLANTA — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has started a telephone survey to identify the extent of chronic disease syndrome in Georgia.

States adopt, weigh law on cold medicines
Before Oklahoma started forcing pharmacies a year ago to put cold medicines used to make methamphetamine behind their counters, retailers and drug makers fought the idea. Now that Oklahoma has seen a dramatic drop in meth lab seizures, at least 35 states, including Ohio and Kansas, have either adopted or are considering similar laws.

04/26/2005

New way to pile on the food
What the new food pyramid lacks as a visual icon it makes up for with interactivity.

Merck wants wrongful death suit dismissed
ASHLAND, Ala. — Lawyers for Merck & Co. asked a judge Tuesday to throw out a wrongful death lawsuit that claims the pain reliever Vioxx contributed to the 2001 death of a 42-year-old Alabama man.

Man who used billboards to get liver dies
HOUSTON — A man who got a new liver by advertising on billboards has died eight months after a transplant.

04/25/2005

Seeking tone, girls abusing steroids too
TRENTON, N.J. — An alarming number of American girls, some as young as 9, are using bodybuilding steroids - not necessarily to get an edge on the playing field, but to get the toned, sculpted look of models and movie stars, experts say.

IBM to test health care data sharing
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Hoping to prove that automation will improve health care and cut costs, International Business Machines Corp. said Monday it's developing a test system for sharing electronic medical data among hospitals, agencies and patients.

04/22/2005

Today Sponge contraceptive approved by FDA
TRENTON, N.J. — The Today Sponge contraceptive, pulled from the market a decade ago, will soon be back in U.S. stores after receiving regulatory approval.

Scientists weigh hibernation's healing powers

04/21/2005

Study: Teens abuse prescription drugs
NEW YORK — About one in five teenagers have tried prescription painkillers such as Vicodin and OxyContin to get high, with the pill-popping members of "Generation Rx" often raiding their parents' medicine cabinets, according to a study by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America.

04/20/2005

CDC links extra pounds, lower death risk
CHICAGO — Packing on the pounds is not nearly as deadly as the government thought, according to a new calculation from the CDC that found people who are modestly overweight actually have a lower risk of death than those of normal weight.

04/19/2005

Study: Government overstated obesity danger
CHICAGO — Being overweight is nowhere near as big a killer as the government thought, ranking No. 7 instead of No. 2 among the nation's leading preventable causes of death, according to a startling new calculation from the CDC.

Sound effects
Don't honk if you love silence. Or if you've had it up to here with car alarms, leaf blowers, traffic and custom ring tones. All that racket, new research suggests, may be more than just bothersome.

Dean Karnazes takes his passion for running to great lengths
NEW YORK – Four miles into a run through Manhattan's Battery Park City with ultramarathoner Dean Karnazes, I notice a disturbing phenomenon. Mr. Karnazes does not appear to be breathing. He's not holding his breath or even breathing shallowly. There's simply no visible inhale or exhale. Or sweat, for that matter. Just the swishing sound of his athletic shorts.

How often to eat? The experts clock in
WASHINGTON – How often to eat can be almost as vexing to those trying to achieve a healthier weight as what to swallow. Are three daily, regularly spaced meals the best recipe for fat burning? Or five to six minimeals?

Breathing lessons
When it comes to athletics, asthmatics don't have to stay on the sidelines.

Asthma profiles
Before wheezing and tightness in her chest make her step off the soccer field, the bottom of Erica Butler's tongue goes numb. It's the one thing that can help her predict an attack.

Bulimia boomerang
Young women who vomit or abuse laxatives to keep their weight down may actually achieve the opposite result, a new study suggests.

Easy activities connect with Alzheimer's patients
I recently flew back to Ohio to visit my father, Joe, on his 85th birthday. He has Alzheimer's and can no longer say my name, but he smiled when I gave him a hug.

Government tips food pyramid, adds stairclimbing figure
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The government flipped the 13-year-old food pyramid on its side Tuesday, added a staircase for exercise and offered a dozen different models, all aimed at helping Americans trim their waistlines.

04/18/2005

Doctors say toddlers' habits and weight should be monitored to avoid obesity
DALLAS — Pediatric experts say it's never to early to learn healthy habits.

Study casts more doubt on pain killer safety
ANAHEIM, Calif. — With prescription drugs Vioxx and Bextra already pulled from the market, a study has raised disturbing questions about the heart safety of long-term use of over-the-counter pain relievers such as Advil, Motrin and Aleve.

Experts say Americans are overmedicating
PLYMOUTH, Mass. — About 130 million Americans swallow, inject, inhale, infuse, spray, and pat on prescribed medication every month, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates. Americans buy much more medicine per person than any other country.

Target to clamp down on cold medicines
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Target Corp. will no longer allow unfettered access to cold medicines that are used to make the illegal stimulant methamphetamine.

04/17/2005

Aging surfers find vitality in the waves
Kenneth Chun can't paddle as fast or carve the waves the way he once did. But even at 70, he still loves to surf. The retired electrical engineer from Honolulu is one of many silver-haired surfers that say the sport keeps them young and sharp - physically and mentally.

04/15/2005

WHO: Virus samples sent to Mexico, Lebanon missing
GENEVA — Shipments of a killer influenza virus destined for testing in Mexico and Lebanon remain unaccounted for, but the U.N. health organization said 15 other countries that received the samples were expected to have destroyed them by Saturday.

Two-thirds of virus shipments destroyed
GENEVA — Health experts have destroyed two-thirds of the specimens of a killer influenza virus sent as part of routine test kits around the world, but were still trying to trace two shipments that were supposed to go to Mexico and Lebanon, U.N. officials said Friday.

04/14/2005

Too much water may be deadly for athletes
Runners, hikers, bikers, even soldiers on long maneuvers should think twice before reaching for that water bottle: A study confirms that drinking too much can be dangerous, even deadly, for endurance athletes.

Utah judge strikes down FDA ban on ephedra
SALT LAKE CITY — A federal judge Thursday struck down the FDA ban on supplements containing ephedra, the once-popular weight-loss aid that was yanked from the market after it was linked to dozens of deaths.

04/13/2005

Officials work to limit labs handling flu
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Even as they sought to reassure a wary public, federal health officials detailed plans Wednesday to restrict the number of labs that can handle deadly flu viruses like the ones sent to thousands of facilities worldwide.

Scientists scramble to destroy flu strain
GENEVA — Countries around the world were destroying vials of a nearly 50-year-old killer flu virus Wednesday that were sent to thousands of labs as part of a routine test kit, raising fears of a global pandemic.

FDA panel backs lifting breast implant ban
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a surprising turnaround, federal health advisers Wednesday recommended allowing silicone-gel breast implants to return to the U.S. market after a 13-year ban on most uses of the devices - but only under strict conditions that will limit how easily women can get them.

04/12/2005

Music soothes the savage human, too
It's 7:30 on a Saturday evening. I am seated with my family in the Cowan Center at the University of Texas at Tyler, full of anticipation. My sister, Elaine, is a member of the newly formed East Texas Symphony Chorus, and tonight is the group's appearance with the full orchestra.

Labs destroying pandemic flu strain
LONDON — Thousands of scientists were scrambling Tuesday at the urging of global health authorities to destroy vials of a pandemic flu strain sent to labs in 18 countries as part of routine testing.

FDA advisers oppose lifting silicone implant ban
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Silicone-gel breast implants haven't been proven safe enough to lift a 13-year near-ban on their use, federal health advisers narrowly ruled Tuesday.

For DePaiva, parenting a deaf child is not a role; it's real
Kassie DePaiva plays the scheming Blair Cramer on ABC's One Life to Live and has just released her second country album, No Regrets . But her most challenging role has come as the mother of a child with profound hearing loss.

AARP: Drug costs jump 7.1 percent in 2004
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Wholesale prices for name-brand drugs jumped an average 7.1 percent in 2004 - the largest hike in five years and more than twice the rate of inflation, according to a study released Tuesday by AARP.

The rewards of devotion
Lois Sieverling, 75, suffers from emphysema and the effects of a 1998 heart attack. She lives in Euless, Texas with her daughter, Carol, 47. Or, rather, Carol lives with her mother.

04/11/2005

Jell-O pudding recalled; may contain unlisted pistachios
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Kraft Foods is recalling nearly 150,000 packages of Jell-O chocolate pudding that may contain unlisted pistachio nuts.

Study suggests lowfat diets may deprive preschoolers of vitamins
OMAHA, Neb. — Lowfat diets might be fine for adults, but at least one small study says they could be depriving young children of key vitamins.

Speakers square off on breast implant at FDA hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Women who blame silicone-gel breast implants for crippling health problems faced women who called them the best option in an emotional debate Monday as government scientists consider whether it's time to lift a decade-plus ban on most of the devices.

04/07/2005

Painkiller Bextra taken off market
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The blockbuster painkiller Bextra was yanked off the market Thursday, and the government ordered that 19 other popular prescription competitors – from Celebrex to Mobic to high-dose naproxen – carry tough new warnings that they, too, may increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

FDA to reconsider breast implant ban
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The government is considering lifting a ban on most silicone-gel breast implants, but federal scientists question whether there's enough evidence indicating how long the devices will last inside a woman's body - or what health risks may result if they break.

04/06/2005

Study: Drug-resistant staph infections out in community
Dangerous drug-resistant staph infections are showing up at an alarming rate outside hospitals and nursing homes in the United States.

Some foods fight disease and make you healthier
WASHINGTON, D.C. — There is food, and then there is superfood. Salmon, trout and albacore tuna may reduce the risk of heart disease. So may olive oil, almonds, walnuts, Cheerios and Boca Burgers. These foods, which go beyond basic nutrition and help fight disease or make you healthier, are what shoppers increasingly want.

Pot ingredient slows heart disease in mice
Low doses of the main active ingredient in marijuana slowed the progression of hardening of the arteries in mice, suggesting a hint for developing a new therapy in people.