The best health news search engine - My Health News » Reuters Health eLine » September 2010 - Bird flu, Avian influenza, Diabetes, Cholesterol, Caner, HIV

Coffee, tea linked to lower risk of brain tumor

Fetched: September 30th, 2010, 5:13pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Coffee and tea lovers may have a decreased likelihood of developing the most common form of malignant brain tumor in adults, a new study suggests.

What happens to leftover frozen embryos?

Fetched: September 30th, 2010, 5:13pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Couples who have frozen embryos left over after undergoing in-vitro fertilization (IVF) are more likely to donate them to other infertile couples if the embryos were conceived with a donated egg, new research shows.

Study finds first evidence that ADHD is genetic

Fetched: September 30th, 2010, 5:13pm CDT

LONDON (Reuters) - British scientists have found the first direct evidence that attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a genetic disorder and say their research could eventually lead to better treatments for the condition.

Twin study may quiet doubts over PTSD-trauma link

Fetched: September 30th, 2010, 5:13pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Trauma really is the trigger of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, suggests a new study that could help settle an ongoing debate.

How many women induce their own abortions?

Fetched: September 30th, 2010, 5:13pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - While recent media reports have raised concerns over women inducing their own abortions, particularly with a cheap ulcer drug called misoprostol, a new study suggests that the practice may actually be relatively rare.

H1N1 flu virus can mutate in immunosuppressed patients-study

Fetched: September 30th, 2010, 5:13pm CDT

BOSTON (Reuters) - Patients with suppressed immune systems can quickly develop H1N1 flu infections that resist all known drugs, doctors in the Netherlands reported on Wednesday.

Potent steroid may help prevent meningitis deaths

Fetched: September 30th, 2010, 5:13pm CDT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - A potent steroid drug given to fight inflammation might help reduce a person's risk of dying from bacterial meningitis, Dutch researchers said on Wednesday.

Recession pushes many into U.S. healthcare plan

Fetched: September 30th, 2010, 5:13pm CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Enrollment in Medicaid, the healthcare program for the poor, showed the sharpest annual rise last year since the late 1960s, a report said on Thursday, blaming the effects of the recession.

China experts design gel to protect women from HIV

Fetched: September 30th, 2010, 5:13pm CDT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Scientists in China and Hong Kong are designing a gel containing an experimental drug, which they hope can reduce HIV infections in women.

Ex-US President Carter released from hospital

Fetched: September 30th, 2010, 5:13pm CDT

CLEVELAND (Reuters) - Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter was discharged on Thursday from a Cleveland hospital after being treated for an upset stomach, hospital officials said.

US researchers make stem cells quickly from skin

Fetched: September 30th, 2010, 5:13pm CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Researchers have found a surprisingly quick and apparently safe way to transform ordinary skin cells into both stem cells - the body's master cells - and muscle cells.

Mattel's Fisher-Price to recall 10 million products

Fetched: September 30th, 2010, 5:13pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Fisher-Price, a unit of toymaker Mattel Inc, on Thursday said it will recall about 10 million toys and other items in the United States and Canada due to the potential for serious injuries.

Mass rape in sub-Saharan nations may up HIV spread

Fetched: September 30th, 2010, 5:13pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The widespread rape of women and girls in the Democratic Republic of Congo and other conflict-torn African nations could be spurring a significant number of new HIV infections, a new study suggests.

Caffeine may not up preterm birth risk

Fetched: September 29th, 2010, 2:18am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A new analysis adds to evidence that pregnant women can have a morning cup of coffee without fearing they will raise their risk of preterm delivery.

Heightened suicide risk after weight-loss surgery

Fetched: September 29th, 2010, 2:18am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Severely obese people who undergo weight-loss surgery may have a higher-than-average risk of suicide in the years following the procedure, a new study finds.

Routine CT scans offer disease-detection bonus

Fetched: September 29th, 2010, 2:18am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Surprise findings on a chest CT scan -- unrelated to the original reason for having the 3-D imaging performed -- may help identify people at high risk for cardiovascular disease, suggests a new Dutch study.

Automatic drug safety system can delay treatment

Fetched: September 29th, 2010, 2:18am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Computerized systems intended to stop doctors from prescribing dangerous drug combinations can cause potentially harmful treatment delays, new research shows.

Less costly home dialysis just as effective

Fetched: September 29th, 2010, 2:18am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Patients with failing kidneys who need to undergo dialysis will do equally well if they perform dialysis at home or if they go to a dialysis center, according to the largest study to date comparing the two approaches.

Giving more people statins is cost-effective: study

Fetched: September 29th, 2010, 2:18am CDT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Giving cholesterol-lowering statin drugs to more people could be a cost-effective way of preventing heart attacks, U.S. researchers said on Monday.

Cardio routine can nurture sweet dreams

Fetched: September 29th, 2010, 2:18am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - Sleepless and sedentary? Instead of counting sheep in a field, try running through a meadow.

Middle-aged suicides on rise in US, study finds

Fetched: September 29th, 2010, 2:18am CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Suicide rates for middle-aged people are edging up -- particularly for white men without college degrees -- and a combination of poor health and a poor economy may be driving it, U.S. researchers said on Monday.

WHO chief defends her agency's pandemic response

Fetched: September 29th, 2010, 2:18am CDT

GENEVA (Reuters) - The World Health Organization did not hype the risks of H1N1 flu, and made the best decisions possible with the information available about the new virus, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said on Tuesday.

AIDS treatment up; 2010 targets in doubt: WHO

Fetched: September 29th, 2010, 2:18am CDT

NAIROBI (Reuters) - A record 1.2 million people in low and middle income countries started antiretroviral therapy for HIV/AIDS in 2009, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday, but targets set for 2010 are unlikely to be met.

Early prostate test study gives hope for accuracy

Fetched: September 29th, 2010, 2:18am CDT

LONDON (Reuters) - British scientists say they have developed a lab test that can accurately distinguish prostate cancer from healthy tissue and other prostate conditions -- a finding that may in future help men avoid unnecessary treatment.

Canada freezes big anti-tobacco push, critics fume

Fetched: September 29th, 2010, 2:18am CDT

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada has frozen long-held plans to slap graphic new warning labels on packs of cigarettes, prompting critics to attack what they see as the tobacco industry's excessive influence on the minority Conservative government.

Parents' drinking may be risk factor for SIDS

Fetched: September 29th, 2010, 2:18am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Parents and caretakers who drink alcohol may put infants at a higher risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), new research suggests.

Media leading 'drug educator' for kids, doctors say

Fetched: September 28th, 2010, 12:46am CDT

Frederik Joelving

Repeat imaging in kids with cancer: a balancing act

Fetched: September 28th, 2010, 12:46am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The imaging tests widely used in children's cancer treatment can expose some kids to potentially concerning levels of radiation, according to a study published Monday.

Exercise has lasting benefits for older women

Fetched: September 28th, 2010, 12:46am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Older women with thinning bones who exercise regularly have sustained improvements in their balance and walking speed that may protect them from fractures and even extend their lives, new research shows.

Magnetic pulses can sway the hand you use, briefly

Fetched: September 28th, 2010, 12:46am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Whether your left or right hand reaches for the phone, elevator button or cup of coffee is typically decided unconsciously. Now, a new study suggests that magnetic pulses sent into your brain could alter that choice.

Acupuncture not helpful for stroke recovery

Fetched: September 28th, 2010, 12:46am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Acupuncture does not help speed recovery after stroke, according to an analysis of 10 trials using fake or "sham" acupuncture as a control.

Health costs of US employers at 5-year high

Fetched: September 28th, 2010, 12:46am CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. employers can expect to pay nearly 9 percent more for health care costs for their workers in 2011, the highest level in five years, according to a forecast released on Monday.

Genetic discovery could lead to brain treatments

Fetched: September 28th, 2010, 12:46am CDT

LONDON (Reuters) - British scientists have discovered a genetic mechanism in the development of the nervous system that they say might one day be part of new treatments for stroke, Alzheimer's disease or brain tumors.

Cancer threat to poor demands same action as AIDS

Fetched: September 28th, 2010, 12:46am CDT

LONDON (Reuters) - Cancer is threatening to overwhelm poor countries and governments are under pressure to organise the kind of joined-up global response enlisted to tackle the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

China offers hope of easing one-child policy

Fetched: September 28th, 2010, 12:46am CDT

BEIJING (Reuters) - China marked the 30th anniversary of its controversial one-child policy with talk of relaxing rules, at least in some provinces, that have reined in population growth but caused heartache for millions of couples.

Obama administration fights for stem cell funding

Fetched: September 28th, 2010, 12:46am CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration on Monday pleaded with a U.S. appeals court to allow federal funding of human embryonic stem cell research to continue, arguing a ban would ruin numerous projects and cost millions of dollars.

FTC says POM Wonderful ads "false and unsubstantiated"

Fetched: September 28th, 2010, 12:46am CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - POM Wonderful LLC faces an administrative complaint from the Federal Trade Commission that the health claims it makes about its pomegranate juice and supplements are "false and unsubstantiated," the FTC said on Monday.

Pine bark extract offers no heart benefit-study

Fetched: September 28th, 2010, 12:46am CDT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Popular supplements made from pine bark extract do nothing to reduce blood pressure or lessen other heart risk factors in high-risk patients, U.S. researches said on Monday.

Statins may delay prostate problems in older men

Fetched: September 25th, 2010, 1:05am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Taking statins for high cholesterol appears to significantly delay the development of an enlarged prostate, a common condition in older men that can lead to incontinence and other distressing symptoms, researchers at the Mayo Clinic report.

Staying active on workdays good for the heart

Fetched: September 25th, 2010, 1:05am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Commuting to work on your own two feet, or while spinning two wheels, could help stave off heart failure, suggests a new Finnish study.

ADHD drug benefits child cancer survivors

Fetched: September 25th, 2010, 1:05am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Children who develop problems with memory, attention and behavior after cancer treatment may gain some long-term benefit from a medication commonly used for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a small clinical trial suggests.

Diabetes risk may fall as magnesium intake climbs

Fetched: September 25th, 2010, 1:05am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Getting enough magnesium in your diet could help prevent diabetes, a new study suggests.

Heart-healthy diet doesn't have to be costly

Fetched: September 25th, 2010, 1:05am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Spending more on food isn't the only way to buy the healthiest diet, new research shows.

Military suicide prevention efforts fail: report

Fetched: September 25th, 2010, 1:05am CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Efforts to prevent suicides among U.S. war veterans are failing, in part because distressed troops do not trust the military to help them, top military officials said on Thursday.

Abbott identifies recalled baby formula lots

Fetched: September 25th, 2010, 1:05am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Abbott Laboratories posted a list of lot numbers on Thursday for the millions of recalled containers of its Similac powdered infant formulas and expanded Internet and call center capacity to handle a deluge of requests for information from concerned parents.

Election bounce seen for US health insurer stocks

Fetched: September 25th, 2010, 1:05am CDT

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Health insurer stocks are poised to rise on Republican gains in November's U.S. congressional election, even as experts taking a longer view see little quick relief from the recent healthcare law.

More aid needed to fight child hunger in Chad: UN

Fetched: September 25th, 2010, 1:05am CDT

DAKAR (Reuters) - Up to a quarter of children in parts of Chad are facing acute hunger despite an easing of the overall famine threat across the Sahel region of Africa, UNICEF warned on Friday, calling on donors to provide more funds.

Did doctors jumpstart the HIV pandemic?

Fetched: September 24th, 2010, 4:17am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Perhaps it wasn't sex workers and fast-growing cities that launched HIV onto its deadly global rampage, but well-meaning doctors using dirty needles in the first half of the 20th century.

Ultrasound pregnancy dating risky for girl babies

Fetched: September 24th, 2010, 4:17am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Using ultrasound to gauge gestational age could put late-term female fetuses at risk of poor outcomes and even death, a new study from Sweden shows.

Birth control risks for women with heart defects

Fetched: September 24th, 2010, 4:17am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Women with congenital heart disease need to be cautious about pregnancy and birth control choices because some options can increase heart risks, but many are unaware of the concerns, a new study suggests.

Slower recovery from kidney removal for donors

Fetched: September 24th, 2010, 4:17am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who have a healthy kidney removed in order to donate may take a bit longer to fully recover than people who have the surgery due to kidney disease, a new study suggests. Expectations may play an important role in the differences.

Heavy kids get less family help with buying a car

Fetched: September 24th, 2010, 4:17am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Parents may be less willing to shell out the cash to help their child buy a car if that child is overweight or obese, new research shows.

EU pulls plug on Glaxo's Avandia, FDA restricts

Fetched: September 24th, 2010, 4:17am CDT

LONDON (Reuters) - European regulators said on Thursday GlaxoSmithKline's diabetes drug Avandia should be taken off the market but U.S. officials allowed it to stay, with significant restrictions due to concerns about heart risks.

Novo says cancer risk with insulin drops over time

Fetched: September 24th, 2010, 4:17am CDT

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - The raised risk of cancer in people using insulin decreases over time, a large study showed, Novo Nordisk, the world's biggest maker of insulin, said on Thursday.

Brain-protecting enzyme may fight Alzheimer's

Fetched: September 24th, 2010, 4:17am CDT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Restoring levels of a nerve-protecting enzyme offers a new approach to developing treatments for Alzheimer's disease, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday.

Norwegian research questions benefit of mammograms

Fetched: September 24th, 2010, 4:17am CDT

BOSTON (Reuters) - Routine breast screening with mammograms is less effective at preventing cancer deaths than expected, Norwegian researchers said on Wednesday in a study that reignites a fierce debate over the value of screening.

1 in 5 gay, bisexual men in US cities has HIV

Fetched: September 24th, 2010, 4:17am CDT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Nearly one in five gay and bisexual men in 21 major U.S. cities are infected with HIV, and nearly half of them do not know it, U.S. health officials said on Thursday.

Air conditioning drives down hospitalizations

Fetched: September 24th, 2010, 4:17am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Air conditioning not only keeps you cool during the summer heat, it may also keep you alive.

Talking to death: texts, phones kill 16,000

Fetched: September 24th, 2010, 4:17am CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Drivers distracted by talking or texting on cell phones killed an estimated 16,000 people from 2001 to 2007, U.S. researchers reported on Thursday.

Breast cancer rates fell with hormone therapy drop

Fetched: September 24th, 2010, 4:17am CDT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Breast cancer rates among postmenopausal women in Canada dropped nearly 10 percent after news of a big study in 2002 that found taking hormone replacement therapy could increase breast cancer risk, researchers said on Thursday.

Smokers show elevated diabetes risk

Fetched: September 22nd, 2010, 5:03pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Adding to the list of potential health consequences of smoking, a large study finds that smokers may have a heightened risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

All pregnant women should get flu shot, say ob-gyns

Fetched: September 22nd, 2010, 5:03pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Despite landing in the hospital more often if they catch the flu, no more than a quarter of pregnant women in the U.S. get vaccinated against it.

Self-care counseling no help to heart patients

Fetched: September 22nd, 2010, 5:03pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Group meetings to help people with heart failure take better care of themselves don't cut death rates any more than health tips in the mail, U.S. researchers said Tuesday.

C-section, induced labor more common with epilepsy

Fetched: September 22nd, 2010, 5:03pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Pregnant women with epilepsy, particularly those on anti-seizure medications, may have higher rates of cesarean section and heavy bleeding after delivery than other women, a new study finds.

Three squares may beat mini-meals for weight loss

Fetched: September 22nd, 2010, 5:03pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Sitting down to eat a real meal three times a day may be a better strategy for weight loss than grazing on several smaller "mini-meals," new research shows.

U.N. chief to launch women, children health drive

Fetched: September 22nd, 2010, 5:03pm CDT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will announce on Wednesday a $40 billion launch to a plan to save the lives of 16 million women and children over the next five years, U.N. officials said.

Clinton unveils U.S. funds for clean cookstove push

Fetched: September 22nd, 2010, 5:03pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced on Tuesday a U.S. contribution of some $50 million toward providing clean cooking stoves in developing countries to reduce deaths from smoke inhalation and fight climate change.

Scientists find clue to cell damage after stroke

Fetched: September 22nd, 2010, 5:03pm CDT

LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists have found that an enzyme is responsible for the death of nerve cells after a stroke and say an experimental drug that dramatically reduced brain damage in mice may also offer hope for humans.

U.S. states a bit more ready for disaster: report

Fetched: September 22nd, 2010, 5:03pm CDT

WASHINGTON, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Virtually all U.S. states can quickly activate and staff emergency operations centers, receive and investigate urgent disease reports around the clock and quickly communicate with other laboratories, according to a federal report released on Tuesday.

J&J to Congress: Motrin buyback was legal, FDA knew

Fetched: September 22nd, 2010, 5:03pm CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. health regulators knew that Johnson & Johnson's McNeil unit was using a contractor to buy back potentially faulty batches of Motrin, although there was no formal agreement with the government, lawyers for the company told lawmakers.

Will UK lose out in translating stem cell work?

Fetched: September 22nd, 2010, 5:03pm CDT

LONDON (Reuters) - Leading British stem cell scientists warned on Wednesday that the UK could lose its leading position in regenerative medicine if it fails to invest in translating research into real commercial application.

Cyber-bullying causes more depression, study finds

Fetched: September 22nd, 2010, 5:03pm CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Cyber-bullying may be even harder on the victims than physical beatings or name-calling, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday.

UK study links antipsychotic drugs to clot risk

Fetched: September 22nd, 2010, 5:03pm CDT

LONDON (Reuters) - Modern antipsychotic drugs, especially AstraZeneca's blockbuster Seroquel, may increase the risk of patients developing life-threatening blood clots, British researchers said on Wednesday.

No link seen between moderate drinking, dementia

Fetched: September 22nd, 2010, 3:45pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - While some research has suggested that light drinking may do the aging brain good, a new study finds that older adults who drink moderately may be no more or no less likely than abstainers to develop severe cognitive impairment.

Injuries common in recreational soccer

Fetched: September 22nd, 2010, 3:45pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Long sprints and hard kicks, coupled with intermittent obstacles such as an opponent's cleat careening toward your calf, pose real dangers on the soccer field -- even at the recreational level, suggests a new study.

US obesity rates remain 'disturbingly high'

Fetched: September 22nd, 2010, 3:45pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Chances are slim to none that the US will meet its public health goal of sharply reducing the number of obese adults by this year, according to federal health officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

REFILE: Skip sunbathing, use tanning lotion, doctors say

Fetched: September 22nd, 2010, 3:45pm CDT

[Clarifies that 1 in 10 US adolescents use sunless tanning products in para 17 in story posted as elin005 on Sep 20, 2010.]

Births not affected by 9/11 attacks: study

Fetched: September 22nd, 2010, 3:45pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Pregnant women who were around New York's World Trade Center during the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks didn't have a higher risk of giving birth to premature or low-weight babies, researchers said on Tuesday.

Forty young Europeans die violently every day: WHO

Fetched: September 22nd, 2010, 3:45pm CDT

LONDON (Reuters) - More than 15,000 young people are killed by acts of violence in Europe every year, the World Health Organisation said on Tuesday, and around 40 percent of those deaths are due to stabbings.

Dementia costs hit $604 billion in 2010

Fetched: September 22nd, 2010, 3:45pm CDT

LONDON/CHICAGO (Reuters) - The worldwide costs of dementia will reach $604 billion in 2010, more than one percent of global GDP output, and those costs will soar as the number of sufferers triples by 2050, according to a report on Tuesday.

More doctors moving to e-prescriptions

Fetched: September 22nd, 2010, 3:45pm CDT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. doctors increasingly are ditching pen and paper and sending prescriptions to pharmacies electronically, lured by up to $27 billion in government funds aimed at speeding the switch to electronic medical records.

Democrats unveil global drug safety bill

Fetched: September 22nd, 2010, 3:45pm CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. inspections of overseas pharmaceutical plants would increase and regulators would gain new recall power under proposals unveiled by Democrats in the House of Representatives on Monday.

Obesity and blindness researchers win U.S. Lasker awards

Fetched: September 22nd, 2010, 3:45pm CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Researchers who discovered a hormone intimately linked to obesity, who found a protein linked to a common form of blindness and who worked on genetic blood diseases won the 2010 Lasker awards on Tuesday.

New drivers should face driving at night ban-study

Fetched: September 22nd, 2010, 3:45pm CDT

LONDON (Reuters Life!) - Newly qualified drivers should face restrictions such as being banned from driving at night to help cut down on a growing number of crashes involving young motorists, British researchers said on Tuesday.

Chile hopes for earlier rescue of trapped miners

Fetched: September 22nd, 2010, 3:45pm CDT

COPIAPO, Chile (Reuters) - Rescuers could free 33 miners weeks earlier than expected as drills work around the clock to bore an escape shaft to the men trapped underground for 47 days.

US Medicare Advantage plans to see 2011 premium dip

Fetched: September 22nd, 2010, 3:45pm CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Elderly Americans enrolled in private Medicare health insurance plans will see their premiums fall slightly in 2011 while gaining more benefits from recently passed health care reforms, U.S. health officials said on Tuesday.

Flu shot linked to reduced heart attack risk

Fetched: September 21st, 2010, 9:37am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Middle-aged and older adults who get the flu vaccine may be less likely to suffer a first-time heart attack in the following year than those who skip the shot, according to a study published Monday.

More teens get unapproved weight-loss surgery

Fetched: September 21st, 2010, 9:37am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A type of weight-loss surgery not approved for adolescents is becoming more and more common among teens in California, according to a report published today.

Gentler surgery for hay fever shows promise

Fetched: September 21st, 2010, 9:37am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Radiofrequency surgery appears to help people with hay fever when drugs fail -- even up to five years after the procedure, a new study shows.

Stool DNA test for colon cancer not yet cost-effective

Fetched: September 21st, 2010, 9:37am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The inexpensive stool tests commonly used to screen for colon cancer can be more effective, and much less costly, than newer tests that look for certain genetic markers in the stool, according to a study published Monday.

'Pre-diabetes' raises risk of heart attack, stroke

Fetched: September 21st, 2010, 9:37am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A set of conditions known to accompany or portend type 2 diabetes, including obesity and high blood sugar, could more than double a person's risk of developing heart disease, according to a new study.

Skip sunbathing, use tanning lotion, doctors say

Fetched: September 21st, 2010, 9:37am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Armed with a fake tan, government-funded researchers have found they can get women to cut back on sunbathing.

Diabetes drug hits targets in new trial

Fetched: September 21st, 2010, 9:37am CDT

LONDON (Reuters) - An experimental diabetes drug from AstraZeneca and Bristol-Myers Squibb met its primary targets in a late-stage clinical trial, achieving significant reductions in a key marker for blood glucose (sugar) levels.

Gene studies zero in on breast, ovarian cancer risk

Fetched: September 21st, 2010, 9:37am CDT

LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists have found a region of DNA that can increase or decrease the high chance of breast cancer linked to a particular gene variant - a finding that could help doctors keep a closer eye on women most at risk.

FDA panel to consider GMO salmon

Fetched: September 21st, 2010, 9:37am CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The first genetically modified animal could move one step closer to the U.S. market on Monday, when a federal advisory panel makes its recommendation on whether such food - a salmon - is safe for consumers to eat.

Spiriva enhances asthma treatment: study

Fetched: September 21st, 2010, 9:37am CDT

BOSTON (Reuters) - Adding Spiriva to conventional therapy improves symptoms in patients whose asthma is poorly controlled and gives them more days without breathing problems, researchers reported on Sunday.

UN to award Bangladesh for reducing child mortality

Fetched: September 21st, 2010, 9:37am CDT

DHAKA (Reuters Life!) - Bangladesh is set to achieve a United Nations award this week for reducing child mortality rate nearly by two-thirds well ahead of the stipulated time-frame, UN officials said on Sunday.

Mexico abortion sentences reveal social collision

Fetched: September 21st, 2010, 9:37am CDT

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Women seeking abortions in Mexico steal away to the country's liberal capital, escaping their home states where the practice is condemned and illegal.

'Snus' tobacco linked to stillbirth risk

Fetched: September 18th, 2010, 5:56pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Pregnant women who use a smokeless form of tobacco known as "snus" may have a risk of stillbirth on par with women who smoke cigarettes, a large study of Swedish women suggests.

Dose of denial good for some lung cancer patients

Fetched: September 18th, 2010, 5:56pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A little denial can go a long way in helping lung cancer patients deal socially and emotionally with the life-changing diagnosis, suggests a new study.

Company-funded drug studies find harm less often

Fetched: September 18th, 2010, 5:56pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - When drugmakers fund studies, scientists are much less likely to find potentially harmful drug effects in the lab, new research hints.

Family meals' fat-fighting effects vary by race

Fetched: September 18th, 2010, 5:56pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Eating family meals may help fight obesity in white children, but it doesn't seem to benefit black children much, and could even raise Hispanic boys' obesity risk, new research shows.

Study unravels genetic risk of bowel cancer

Fetched: September 18th, 2010, 5:56pm CDT

LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists have found how a single variant in a person's genetic code can lead to the development of bowel cancer and say their work should help in creating new drugs to combat the disease.

Senate confirms Hagen as USDA food safety chief

Fetched: September 18th, 2010, 5:56pm CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senators on Thursday approved Elizabeth Hagen as the top food-safety official at the U.S. Agriculture Department, a post that was vacant for months, and Catherine Woteki to oversee USDA's research arm.

Popular joint supplements do not work, study finds

Fetched: September 18th, 2010, 5:56pm CDT

LONDON (Reuters) - Two supplements taken by millions of people around the world for joint pain do not work and should not be paid for by health authorities or insurers, according to a study by Swiss scientists.

FDA reviewers don't understand obesity drug: Arena

Fetched: September 18th, 2010, 5:56pm CDT

BOSTON (Reuters) - Shares of Arena Pharmaceuticals Inc plunged anew on Friday as the company blamed a lack of understanding on the part of U.S. reviewers for their failure to recommend approval of its experimental obesity drug.

Child death rate down a third since 1990: UNICEF

Fetched: September 18th, 2010, 5:56pm CDT

LONDON (Reuters) - The number of children who die before reaching their fifth birthday has fallen by a third since 1990, the United Nations said on Friday, but the decline is still way off a globally agreed target to be met by 2015.

Hard hit Africa leads fall in HIV infections: UN

Fetched: September 18th, 2010, 5:56pm CDT

LONDON (Reuters) - African nations whose populations have been devastated by AIDS have made big strides in fighting HIV, with new infections down 25 percent since 2001 in some of the worst hit places, a U.N. report said on Friday.

US FDA reviewing safety of Actos diabetes drug

Fetched: September 18th, 2010, 5:56pm CDT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Friday it has begun a safety review of diabetes drug Actos after receiving early results from a long-term study designed to evaluate the risk of bladder cancer in people treated with the drug.

Barbados premier diagnosed with pancreatic cancer

Fetched: September 18th, 2010, 5:56pm CDT

BRIDGETOWN (Reuters) - Barbados Prime Minister David Thompson has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, an often fatal illness, and has returned to the United States for medical treatment, his doctor said.

U.S. invests in drug to protect against radiation

Fetched: September 18th, 2010, 5:56pm CDT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Tiny biotech Cleveland BioLabs Inc has won a $45 million contract from the Department of Defense to conduct clinical trials of a drug to prevent cell damage in the event of nuclear attack.

U.S. advisers reject Arena diet drug

Fetched: September 17th, 2010, 7:00am CDT

ADELPHI, Md. (Reuters) - U.S. advisers rejected Arena Pharmaceuticals Inc's experimental weight-loss pill on Thursday, a major setback for the company that is trying to win approval for its most advanced drug candidate.

World's pensioners headed for global care crunch

Fetched: September 17th, 2010, 7:00am CDT

LONDON (Reuters Life!) - "Young-at-heart" pensioners around the world are living life to the full without considering how they might be cared for when they become ill or infirm in the future, according to a new study.

Poverty rate hits 15-year high

Fetched: September 17th, 2010, 7:00am CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. poverty rate rose to 14.3 percent in 2009 from 13.2 percent the year before, bringing the percentage of the population living in poverty to the highest level since 1994, as the economic downturn took its toll on jobs, the government said on Thursday.

Exercise low on Americans' activity list: study

Fetched: September 17th, 2010, 7:00am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - Only five percent of Americans do anything vigorous like running, biking or aerobics on a given day and preparing meals is the most common moderate physical activity, according to new research.

US health premiums rose 7 percent in 2009: report

Fetched: September 17th, 2010, 7:00am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. health insurers took in seven percent more revenue from premiums from individual, group and other policies in 2009 than in the previous year, even as the number of those people with coverage fell, according to a report released on Thursday.

U.S. Congress sets new hearing on huge J&J recalls

Fetched: September 17th, 2010, 7:00am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A U.S. congressional committee probing massive recalls of Tylenol and other Johnson & Johnson consumer medicines said it will hold another hearing on the matter after receiving "extremely troubling" new information about circumstances surrounding the recalls.

Stem cell uncertainty delays research: scientists

Fetched: September 17th, 2010, 7:00am CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Uncertainty over the legal standing of U.S. stem cell research is delaying work and confusing researchers, scientists said on Thursday.

Sex problems vex men long after prostate surgery

Fetched: September 17th, 2010, 7:00am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Sexual problems appear to be more distressful to men after prostate-removal surgery than urinary problems do, a new long-term follow-up study shows.

Mood symptoms seen even with shorter IVF tactic

Fetched: September 17th, 2010, 7:00am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Women who undergo fertility treatment with drugs known as GnRH-agonists run a risk of depression and anxiety symptoms, even if they have a relatively shorter course of therapy, a new study suggests.

Air pollution linked to deadly cardiac arrests

Fetched: September 17th, 2010, 7:00am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Breathing in soot and other fine particles from the urban air may increase the risk of suffering a deadly heart stoppage, suggests a new study of more than 8,000 cardiac arrests in New York City.

Americans still not tolerant of the mentally ill

Fetched: September 17th, 2010, 7:00am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - While more and more Americans regard mental illness as a disease rooted in the brain, that doesn't mean they are getting more tolerant of those who suffer from it.

Drinking coffee lowers risk of gout in older women

Fetched: September 17th, 2010, 7:00am CDT

(Reuters Health) - A few cups of java every day over many years cuts the risk of gout in postmenopausal women in half, Boston researchers report.

Depression link to acne drugs questioned: study

Fetched: September 17th, 2010, 7:00am CDT

LONDON (Reuters) - Fears that acne drugs like Roche's Accutane could cause depression may have been overblown, since the condition itself is strongly linked to suicidal thoughts and depression, scientists said on Thursday.

Scottish smoking ban cuts childhood asthma attacks

Fetched: September 17th, 2010, 7:00am CDT

BOSTON (Reuters) - A 2006 public smoking ban in Scotland reduced the number of serious childhood asthma attacks by 18 percent per year, researchers reported on Wednesday.

U.S. panel splits on Abbott diet drug ban

Fetched: September 17th, 2010, 7:00am CDT

ADELPHI, Maryland (Reuters) - A U.S. advisory panel was divided over whether to recommend banning Abbott Laboratories' controversial weight-loss drug on Wednesday, although most agreed that the drug's heart risk cast a shadow on its future use.

FBI employees arrested for lies about steroid use

Fetched: September 17th, 2010, 7:00am CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Three FBI special agents and one FBI intelligence analyst were arrested on Wednesday on charges that they concealed their use of performance-enhancing drugs, including steroids and human growth hormones.

GTx-prostate cancer drug causes medical castration

Fetched: September 17th, 2010, 7:00am CDT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Higher doses of an experimental prostate cancer drug being developed by GTx Inc were shown in an early-stage trial to induce temporary medical castration in healthy volunteers, the company said on Tuesday.

FDA to review medical products alongside Medicare

Fetched: September 17th, 2010, 7:00am CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A new process to review medical products at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in tandem with the nation's Medicare insurance program could help speed up coverage decisions, the FDA said in announcing the move on Thursday.

Post-pregnancy weight loss tied to incontinence risk

Fetched: September 15th, 2010, 7:28pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - It may not be how much weight a woman gains during pregnancy, but how much she loses afterward, that affects her risk of urinary incontinence after childbirth, a new study suggests.

No evidence for routine prostate screening: study

Fetched: September 15th, 2010, 7:28pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Routine prostate cancer screening does not appear to help men live longer, according to a new study that pooled the best available data on the controversial topic.

Obesity surgery tied to lower diabetes risk in pregnancy

Fetched: September 15th, 2010, 7:28pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Severely obese women who undergo weight-loss surgery may have a decreased risk of developing diabetes during future pregnancies, a new study suggests.

Making own meals may not mean better diet quality

Fetched: September 15th, 2010, 7:28pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Young adults who have a hand in making their own meals may not eat much better than those who leave dinner to someone else, a new study suggests.

Popularity can come at a price: getting flu first

Fetched: September 15th, 2010, 7:28pm CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Think you're popular? Well, name a friend. It turns out that this person is probably more popular than you, a tendency that scientists might be able to use to predict the spread of disease.

Maternal deaths fall 34 percent, still above U.N. target

Fetched: September 15th, 2010, 7:28pm CDT

GENEVA (Reuters) - Deaths from complications during pregnancy and childbirth have fallen by a third in the past two decades but 1,000 women still die needlessly every day, the World Health Organization said Wednesday.

FDA approves new drug for tough-to-treat gout

Fetched: September 15th, 2010, 7:28pm CDT

BANGALORE (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the use of Savient Pharmaceuticals Inc's gout drug in adults who do not respond to other treatments or cannot take alternatives for various reasons.

Gene therapy appears to help patient with anemia

Fetched: September 15th, 2010, 7:28pm CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A patient with a rare genetic form of anemia is getting by without blood transfusions after experimental gene therapy, French and U.S. researchers reported on Wednesday.

Scientists see risks and benefits in nano foods

Fetched: September 15th, 2010, 7:28pm CDT

LONDON (Reuters) - In a taste of things to come, food scientists say they have cooked up a way of using nanotechnology to make low-fat or fat-free foods just as appetizing and satisfying as their full-fat fellows.

High radiation raises risk of second cancer: study

Fetched: September 15th, 2010, 7:28pm CDT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Atomic bomb blast victims lucky enough to survive one cancer have a high risk of developing a second, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday, in a study that offers new insights about cancer risks from radiation exposure.

Memory problems not a normal sign of aging: study

Fetched: September 15th, 2010, 7:28pm CDT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Mild memory problems in older people are often excused as "senior moments," but a new study has found the same changes in the brain that cause severe dementia may also be responsible for those memory lapses.

Stem cells restore ovary function in rat study

Fetched: September 15th, 2010, 7:28pm CDT

LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists have found that injecting a particular type of stem cells into infertile female rats can restore the function of their ovaries, and say their findings could pave the way for a similar treatment for humans.

Diet drug Meridia faces US fight to stay on market

Fetched: September 15th, 2010, 7:28pm CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Amid a battle to reshape the nearly $400 million obesity drug sector, Abbott Laboratories faces a critical test on Wednesday over whether its controversial diet pill should remain on the U.S. market, despite heart risks.

New moms, dads show increased depression risk

Fetched: September 15th, 2010, 6:05am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Depression is fairly common among parents of children younger than 12, with the risk being greatest in their children's first year of life, a new study suggests.

Mutations seen in 1 in 6 with early-onset Parkinson's

Fetched: September 15th, 2010, 6:05am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - One in six people who develop Parkinson's disease early (before age 40 or 50) carry a genetic mutation known to be associated with the neurological disorder, new research suggests.

Dying at home better for cancer patients

Fetched: September 15th, 2010, 6:05am CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Cancer patients who die at home do so more peacefully - and their caregivers end up doing better emotionally, too, researchers reported on Monday.

Obese men less likely to get biopsy after PSA screening

Fetched: September 15th, 2010, 6:05am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Research has shown that obese men have lower rates of prostate cancer than thinner men, but a new study suggests that this does not reflect an actual lower risk, but a lower rate of early detection through prostate cancer screening.

Is high cholesterol linked to mom's smoking?

Fetched: September 15th, 2010, 6:05am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The notion that small babies are at an increased risk of developing high cholesterol as adults may only hold true for children of moms who smoked during pregnancy, according to a new study.

Antibiotics mess up your stomach: study

Fetched: September 15th, 2010, 6:05am CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Even seemingly gentle antibiotics may severely disrupt the balance of microbes living in the gut, with unforeseen health consequences, U.S. researchers reported on Monday.

Researchers develop test for pregnancy complication

Fetched: September 15th, 2010, 6:05am CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - It may be possible to predict which women will develop a dangerous complication of pregnancy called pre-eclampsia weeks before they ever show the first symptoms, an international team of researchers reported Monday.

Malaria fight saves 750,000, report finds

Fetched: September 15th, 2010, 6:05am CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Programs to fight malaria, such as distribution of bed nets and drugs and spraying insecticides, have saved nearly 750,000 lives over the past 10 years, according to a report released on Tuesday.

Disease risk eases in parts of flooded Pakistan

Fetched: September 15th, 2010, 6:05am CDT

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - The risk of outbreaks of disease has eased in parts of flood-hit Pakistan as water recedes from many areas, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday, but the hard-hit south remains a worry.

Surgeons fail to disclose big payments to journals

Fetched: September 15th, 2010, 6:05am CDT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Nearly half of surgeons who earned more than $1 million from companies that make orthopedic devices did not disclose it when they published medical journal articles, U.S. researchers said on Monday.

Want to live longer? Get a grip!

Fetched: September 15th, 2010, 6:05am CDT

LONDON (Reuters) - A firm handshake could be a sign of a longer life expectancy, according to British researchers.

Vaccine drives face multibillion funding shortfalls

Fetched: September 15th, 2010, 6:05am CDT

GENEVA (Reuters) - A push to protect millions of children against preventable diseases has hit financial trouble, with private donations for vaccines falling short, new figures released on Tuesday showed.

Many people change docs due to perceived mistakes

Fetched: September 15th, 2010, 6:05am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - So you think your doctor has made a mistake? You're not alone.

No link found between vaccine mercury and autism

Fetched: September 13th, 2010, 5:22pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A new government study adds to the evidence that thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative until recently found in many vaccines, does not increase children's risk of autism.

Kids' brain injuries from basketball may be rising

Fetched: September 13th, 2010, 5:22pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Nearly 400,000 U.S. children and teenagers go to the emergency room for basketball-related injuries each year -- with the number of concussions and other brain injuries on the rise in recent years, researchers reported Monday.

Fewer than half of U.S. moms breastfeed enough: CDC

Fetched: September 13th, 2010, 5:22pm CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Fewer than half of U.S. mothers breastfeed their newborns for even half as long as advised and just 22 percent still do so at one year, government researchers reported on Monday.

Kids' physical activity declines with age

Fetched: September 13th, 2010, 5:22pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Ten-year-olds spend more time sitting on their rears and less time running around than they did at age nine, according to a new British study.

Less-potent opiates may be safer for long-term use

Fetched: September 13th, 2010, 5:22pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People taking opioid painkillers for extended periods of time are at greater risk of problems if they have been prescribed more potent forms of these drugs, new research shows.

Walking helps keep body and brain young

Fetched: September 13th, 2010, 5:22pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - Everyone knows that walking limbers the aging body, but did you know it keeps the mind supple as well?

European downturn seen pushing up cancer rates

Fetched: September 13th, 2010, 5:22pm CDT

LONDON (Reuters) - The economic downturn threatens to raise cancer rates in Europe as lifestyles change, budgets are cut, and private and public sector employers take short cuts on safety, public health experts said Monday.

Artificial "skin" materials can sense pressure

Fetched: September 13th, 2010, 5:22pm CDT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - New artificial "skin" fashioned out of flexible semiconductor materials can sense touch, making it possible to create robots with a grip delicate enough to hold an egg, yet strong enough to grasp the frying pan, U.S. researchers said on Sunday.

Industry has sway over food safety system: study

Fetched: September 13th, 2010, 5:22pm CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The food industry is jeopardizing U.S. public health by withholding information from food safety investigators or pressuring regulators to withdraw or alter policy designed to protect consumers, according to a survey of government scientists and inspectors.

FDA to ask panel whether to ban diet drug

Fetched: September 13th, 2010, 5:22pm CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. health regulators could pull the controversial weight-loss drug Meridia (from Abbott Laboratories) off the market over heart problems, according to documents released on Monday.

Red Cross lessons for dangerously drunk UK children

Fetched: September 13th, 2010, 5:22pm CDT

LONDON (Reuters Life!) - The British Red Cross launched a campaign on Monday to teach 11- to 16-year-olds how to handle medical emergencies that arise from excessive drinking.

Simple blood test may detect Alzheimer's: study

Fetched: September 13th, 2010, 5:22pm CDT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - A simple blood test could diagnose Alzheimer's disease, U.S. researchers said on Monday, a finding that could give more people a chance to be tested.

Asthma drug may help multiple sclerosis: study

Fetched: September 13th, 2010, 5:22pm CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The common asthma drug albuterol can help patients with multiple sclerosis, perhaps by tamping down an overactive immune system, U.S. researchers reported on Monday.

Alcohol may influence breast cancer recurrence

Fetched: September 10th, 2010, 10:49pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Among women who survive early-stage breast cancer, some who make a habit of having a few drinks per week could face a greater risk of a recurrence than survivors who abstain, a new study suggests.

Enriched soybean oil provides fish-free omega-3s

Fetched: September 10th, 2010, 10:49pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Enriched soybean oil may be a sustainable alternative to fish oil for obtaining heart-healthy omega-3s, suggests a new Monsanto study.

Treatments for genital pain no better than placebo

Fetched: September 10th, 2010, 10:49pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Two standard therapies for a type of genital pain in women may be no more effective than a placebo, a new clinical trial suggests.

Breastfeeding for a month cuts mom's diabetes risk

Fetched: September 10th, 2010, 10:49pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Mothers who don't breastfeed their newborns for at least one month are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes at some point in their lives than women who do, a Pennsylvania study finds.

USDA knew of problems at egg recall farm: report

Fetched: September 10th, 2010, 10:49pm CDT

BANGALORE (Reuters) - U.S. Department of Agriculture experts knew about sanitary problems at one of the two Iowa farms at the center of a massive nationwide egg recall, but did not notify health authorities, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Risks of old, new diet drugs face U.S. scrutiny

Fetched: September 10th, 2010, 10:49pm CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The risks of a potential new diet pill and a 13-year-old weight-loss medicine face U.S. scrutiny next week as medical experts consider if the drugs' benefits outweigh possible side effects.

UK's NICE wants more data on schizophrenia drug

Fetched: September 10th, 2010, 10:49pm CDT

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's healthcare cost watchdog said it was unable to recommend use of Bristol-Myers Squibb's schizophrenia drug Abilify in children aged 15 to 17 and has asked for more information on its effectiveness.

US again funding controversial stem cell research

Fetched: September 10th, 2010, 10:49pm CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government said it was resuming work on controversial human embryonic stem cell research on Friday after an appeals court ruled in its favor.

UN poverty, hunger goals achievable: draft

Fetched: September 10th, 2010, 10:49pm CDT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - A set of U.N. goals aimed at drastically reducing poverty and hunger worldwide by 2015 are achievable, despite setbacks caused by the global financial and economic crises, a draft document said.

Roche suspends dosing in diabetes drug trials

Fetched: September 10th, 2010, 10:49pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Roche Holding has stopped giving patients its experimental diabetes treatment taspoglutide in late stage clinical trials due to a high rate of adverse reactions, marking a major blow to drug once seen to have $2 billion a year potential.

Court action gives U.S. time to act on stem cells

Fetched: September 10th, 2010, 10:49pm CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A legal tussle over human embryonic stem cell research has made clear to supporters that legislation is needed, and soon, to encourage federal backing for the work.

Long life goes hand in hand with a firm grip

Fetched: September 10th, 2010, 10:49pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Seniors who can still give a firm handshake and walk at a brisk pace are likely to live longer than those who can't, according to British researchers.

Colon cancer more deadly for large-waisted women

Fetched: September 9th, 2010, 8:50pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Older women with bulging bellies are at greater risk of dying from colon cancer after being diagnosed with the disease than those with trimmer waists, new research shows.

Multivitamins may not slow colon cancer

Fetched: September 9th, 2010, 8:50pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Taking a multivitamin is unlikely to help colon cancer patients in battling the disease, suggests a new study.

Real mental health days may signal mortality risk

Fetched: September 9th, 2010, 8:50pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A psychiatric disorder severe enough to keep people from work might also bring them greater risks of suicide, cardiovascular disease and some cancers, a new study suggests.

Do kids, men need folic acid from a pill?

Fetched: September 9th, 2010, 8:50pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - With the advent of folic-acid supplementation of certain foods, few Canadians are now getting too little of the B vitamin, a new study estimates -- in findings that question the need for children and men to get additional folic acid from vitamins.

B vitamins found to halve aging brain shrinkage

Fetched: September 9th, 2010, 8:50pm CDT

LONDON (Reuters) - Daily tablets of large doses of B vitamins can halve the rate of brain shrinkage in elderly people with memory problems and may slow their progression towards dementia, data from a British trial showed on Wednesday,

Two gene mutations mark deadly ovarian cancer

Fetched: September 9th, 2010, 8:50pm CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Researchers have identified two new genetic mutations that cause a significant number of the hardest-to-treat kinds of ovarian cancer, and say they point to a new "on-off" switch for tumors.

Testosterone may drive aggressive takeovers: study

Fetched: September 9th, 2010, 8:50pm CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Younger chief executives with high testosterone levels may be more likely to try a hostile takeover -- and to get burned in the attempt, Canadian researchers said on Wednesday.

HIV spread "out of control" among French gay men

Fetched: September 9th, 2010, 8:50pm CDT

LONDON (Reuters) - Transmission of the AIDS virus seems to be "out of control" among gay men in France despite an overall fall in the number of new HIV cases in the country, according to a study published on Thursday.

Health reforms trigger spending shift

Fetched: September 9th, 2010, 8:50pm CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New U.S. reforms are poised to dramatically shift the nation's healthcare spending, not only curbing Medicare costs but also pumping more money toward the private sector as roughly 32 million people gain coverage.

J&J launches aid program for women, children

Fetched: September 9th, 2010, 8:50pm CDT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Johnson & Johnson has pledged grant money, drugs and research funding for new HIV and tuberculosis medications as part of a five-year, private sector effort to improve the health up to 120 million women and children in developing nations each year.

India not treating AIDS patients early: Global Fund

Fetched: September 9th, 2010, 8:50pm CDT

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Thousands of AIDS patients in India are not receiving treatment on time, underscoring huge challenges the country faces as it combats the disease, the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria said on Thursday.

Consumers unsure about healthcare changes: poll

Fetched: September 9th, 2010, 8:50pm CDT

WASHINGTON, Sept 9 (Reuters) - Most U.S. adults are still not sure when they will see certain changes from major healthcare reforms passed earlier this year, according to a new survey.

More doctors no panacea for healthcare: report

Fetched: September 9th, 2010, 8:50pm CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Medicare patients with more doctors to choose from do not necessarily get more or better care, researchers reported on Thursday in an analysis demonstrating how complicated U.S. healthcare reform will be.

New warnings added to agents used in MRI tests

Fetched: September 9th, 2010, 8:50pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New warnings of a potentially fatal skin disease will be added to labels for imaging drugs sold by Bayer, Covidien and GE Healthcare cautioning against their use by patients with kidney disease, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Thursday.

U.S. appeals court stays stem cell funding ban

Fetched: September 9th, 2010, 8:50pm CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court granted on Thursday an Obama administration request for a temporary stay that lifts a judge's ban on federal funding of research involving human embryonic stem cells.

Magnetic fields won't up kids' brain cancer risk

Fetched: September 9th, 2010, 8:50pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Exposure to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MFs)--emitted by anything from power lines to appliances or improperly grounded wiring--is not likely to increase children's risk of developing brain tumors, the authors of a new analysis conclude.

Nasal allergies may affect infants too

Fetched: September 9th, 2010, 5:21am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A new study adds to evidence that infants and toddlers are not too young to develop nasal allergies, particularly if their parents have a history of the bothersome condition.

Half of 'untreatable' asthma cases may be treatable

Fetched: September 9th, 2010, 5:21am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Good news for kids with treatment-resistant asthma: Their breathing troubles just might be treatable.

Group urges flu shots for all healthcare workers

Fetched: September 9th, 2010, 5:21am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Flu shots should be mandatory for all healthcare workers, a U.S. medical association said Wednesday, noting in a statement that such a mandate was "necessary and long overdue."

Higher heart risk seen in younger African Americans

Fetched: September 9th, 2010, 5:21am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - African Americans are known to have a higher rate of heart disease and stroke than whites, and a new study suggests that those excess risks emerge at a relatively young age.

Short sleep ups future obesity risk in young kids

Fetched: September 9th, 2010, 5:21am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Young children who don't get enough sleep may be at greater risk of becoming overweight or obese later on, new research shows.

Mystery eye problem at dairy show caused by cow urine

Fetched: September 9th, 2010, 5:21am CDT

SYDNEY (Reuters Life!) - The cause of a mystery eye ailment that struck about 50 visitors to a dairy pavilion at an agricultural show in Australia has been traced -- to cow urine.

Judge refuses to lift ban on government stem cell funds

Fetched: September 9th, 2010, 5:21am CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. judge refused on Tuesday to lift a ban on federal funding of human embryonic stem cell research despite Obama administration warnings it would set back key research and cost more than a thousand jobs.

Statins linked to lower rheumatoid arthritis risk

Fetched: September 9th, 2010, 5:21am CDT

LONDON (Reuters) - Israeli scientists have found a significant link between taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs like Lipitor or Crestor and a reduced risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.

Report says obesity surgery can save health costs

Fetched: September 9th, 2010, 5:21am CDT

LONDON (Reuters) - Providing surgical treatment for people who are morbidly obese could save British taxpayer-funded health services and the wider economy hundreds of millions of pounds a year, leading surgeons said on Wednesday.

EU agency poses new questions on Avandia

Fetched: September 9th, 2010, 5:21am CDT

LONDON (Reuters) - The European Medicines Agency said it was asking GlaxoSmithKline additional questions about its diabetes drug Avandia before giving a final verdict later this month on whether it should stay on the market.

US asks appeals court to stay stem cell funding ban

Fetched: September 9th, 2010, 5:21am CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration on Wednesday asked a U.S. appeals court for an emergency stay that would lift the ban on federal funding of research involving human embryonic stem cells.

New Alzheimer's approach may sidestep early snags

Fetched: September 9th, 2010, 5:21am CDT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - A new Alzheimer's compound kept toxic clumps from forming in the brains of mice, without causing side effects seen in similar drugs, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday.

Drug co. paid writers to promote hormone therapy

Fetched: September 9th, 2010, 5:21am CDT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Drugmaker Wyeth used ghostwriters to play up the benefits and downplay the harm of hormone replacement therapy in articles published in medical journals, a U.S. researcher said on Tuesday.

Study details little-known form of self-harm in teens

Fetched: September 7th, 2010, 9:22pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A new study of children undergoing radiology treatment at one U.S. hospital points to what seems to be a little-recognized form of deliberate self-injury where kids embed objects ranging from glass to needles to wood under their own skin.

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Splint may be as good as cast for kids' wrist fractures

Fetched: September 7th, 2010, 9:22pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A splint may work just as well as a cast in helping children with non-severe wrist fractures heal, a study published Tuesday suggests.

Heart procedure misunderstood, overused: doctors

Fetched: September 7th, 2010, 9:22pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Patients who sign up for common procedures to clean out blocked arteries in the heart often believe they are cutting their risk of heart attack and death, when in fact they aren't.

Bigger low-birth-weight babies need extra iron too

Fetched: September 7th, 2010, 9:22pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Babies at the larger end of the low-birth-weight spectrum are at risk of iron deficiency, and should get iron supplements, according to a Swedish study published Monday in Pediatrics.

BPA-laden dental materials prompt caution: doctors

Fetched: September 7th, 2010, 9:22pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Just had a dental filling? You might be chewing on bisphenol A (BPA), a common plastics ingredient that could have harmful effects on your health.

Malpractice liability costs U.S. $55.6 billion: study

Fetched: September 7th, 2010, 9:22pm CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Medical malpractice liability costs the U.S. healthcare system more than $55 billion a year, most of it in "defensive" medical practices such as extra tests and scans, according to a report released on Tuesday.

Long-term weight loss may be harmful to health

Fetched: September 7th, 2010, 9:22pm CDT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Long-term weight loss may release into the blood industrial pollutants linked to illnesses like diabetes, hypertension and rheumatoid arthritis, researchers said on Tuesday.

Magic mushrooms may ease anxiety of cancer: study

Fetched: September 7th, 2010, 9:22pm CDT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The hallucinogen psilocybin - known by the street name magic mushrooms - may help ease the anxiety that often accompanies late-stage cancer, U.S. researchers said on Monday.

Climate change may add to disaster death tolls

Fetched: September 7th, 2010, 9:22pm CDT

OSLO, Norway (Reuters) - Natural disasters are tending to kill fewer people but climate change may add to the toll by unleashing more extreme weather and causing after-effects such as disease and malnutrition, experts say.

Detroit, Los Angeles most stressful US cities-poll

Fetched: September 7th, 2010, 9:22pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - Detroit, Los Angeles and Cleveland are the most stressful cities in America, according to a new study.

NIH to use BP cash to study oil spill health effects

Fetched: September 7th, 2010, 9:22pm CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. National Institutes of Health said on Tuesday it would use $10 million from BP to start a multiyear study to look at the potential health effects from the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Study links cholesterol, nonstick coating chemical

Fetched: September 7th, 2010, 9:22pm CDT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Chemicals used to make non-stick coatings on cookware and to waterproof fabrics may raise levels of cholesterol in children, U.S. researchers said on Monday.

Can money buy happiness? Maybe, up to $75,000

Fetched: September 7th, 2010, 9:22pm CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Can money really make you happy? Not really, but up to about $75,000 a year can ease the pain of life's stresses, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday.

Hormones won't cut older women's depression risk

Fetched: September 7th, 2010, 5:43am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Using hormone therapy won't prevent women from becoming depressed after menopause, new research shows.

Robot doesn't make cancer surgery cheaper: study

Fetched: September 7th, 2010, 5:43am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Minimally invasive surgery for endometrial cancer is cheaper on a society-wide and hospital level than surgery done with a robotic system or a more invasive hysterectomy, according to a new study.

Memory problems in elderly more common in men

Fetched: September 7th, 2010, 5:43am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Slight cognitive problems like forgetting people's names or misplacing items plague more older men than women, according to a Minnesota study.

Long-term knee function good after ligament repair

Fetched: September 7th, 2010, 5:43am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who have surgery to repair a common knee ligament injury show improvement in knee function as long as 15 years after undergoing the operation, new research shows.

Mental illness alone not linked to violence

Fetched: September 7th, 2010, 5:43am CDT

LONDON (Reuters) - Mental illnesses like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder alone do not make people more violent, but the tendency of people with psychiatric problems to abuse drugs or alcohol does, scientists said on Monday.

Colonoscopy repeats greater with non-specialists

Fetched: September 4th, 2010, 1:03am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Older adults who have a colonoscopy performed by a family doctor, internist or general surgeon are somewhat more likely to need another one within a year compared with those who have the procedure done by a gastroenterologist, a new report finds.

Protein test ups diabetes diagnoses in some races

Fetched: September 4th, 2010, 1:03am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Efforts to adopt a more accurate test for diagnosing diabetes may have hit a snag. Comparing the age-old oral glucose tolerance test to the newer hemoglobin A1c test confirms earlier evidence that race may influence test results, Danish researchers report.

Antidepressant patch doesn't help smokers quit

Fetched: September 4th, 2010, 1:03am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - An antidepressant drug delivered through a patch on the skin is no better than placebo for helping smokers kick the habit, new research shows.

Odds of getting new kidney uneven

Fetched: September 4th, 2010, 1:03am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People with kidney disease are more likely to be added to the waiting list for a kidney transplant if they've had a previous heart, lung or liver transplant, a new study suggests.

CORRECTION: Timer may help kids' bladder control problems

Fetched: September 4th, 2010, 1:03am CDT

[Changes numbers of patients in first sentence of paragraph 4 (replaces 58 and 35 with 30 and 18), and replaces old para 5 with new para, in story posted Sep 2, 2010.]

Early day care may promote eczema development

Fetched: September 4th, 2010, 1:03am CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Kids who spend their earliest years in day care may be at higher risk of eczema than kids cared for at home, according to a new study from Germany.

Outgunned FDA tries to get tough with drug ads

Fetched: September 4th, 2010, 1:03am CDT

SILVER SPRING, Maryland (Reuters) - It wasn't what you would call a casual get-together.

Common bone drugs linked to esophageal cancer risk

Fetched: September 4th, 2010, 1:03am CDT

LONDON (Reuters) - People who take a commonly used class of osteoporosis drugs called bisphosphonates for more than five years may be doubling their risk of developing cancer of the gullet or esophagus, a British study found on Friday.

U.S. medical plans missing millions of kids: report

Fetched: September 4th, 2010, 1:03am CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An estimated five million uninsured children in the United States were eligible for Medicaid or the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP) but were not enrolled in either plan, according to a new report.

Food safety a "priority" for U.S. Senate-Reid aide

Fetched: September 4th, 2010, 1:03am CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Passing food safety reform legislation this year is a "priority" for the U.S. Senate, said a spokesman for Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, as Congress feels pressure from consumer groups to act following the latest recall to highlight weaknesses in the system.

Aqua Bounty biotech salmon OK to eat: FDA staff

Fetched: September 4th, 2010, 1:03am CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Aqua Bounty Technologies Inc's genetically engineered salmon are as safe to eat as other Atlantic salmon, U.S. regulators said in a preliminary analysis released on Friday as they weigh whether to approve the fish for Americans' dinner plates.

Timer may help kids' bladder control problems

Fetched: September 2nd, 2010, 7:09pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Wearing a programmable wristwatch could help children manage their daytime bladder control problems, a new study suggests.

Text messages little help in remembering the Pill

Fetched: September 2nd, 2010, 7:09pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A cell phone text message -- and the buzz or beep that signals its arrival -- may not help a woman remember to pop her birth control pill, a new study suggests.

Starting periods early tied to greater asthma risk

Fetched: September 2nd, 2010, 7:09pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Women who start menstruating early may be at increased risk of asthma and poor lung function, new research shows.

How often do antidepressants make people suicidal?

Fetched: September 2nd, 2010, 7:09pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Antidepressants rarely trigger suicidal thoughts or behaviors, suggests a new study of more than 140,000 patients in European psychiatric hospitals.

Soy may ease sleep problems in older women

Fetched: September 2nd, 2010, 7:09pm CDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The estrogen-like compounds found in soy could help postmenopausal women get a better night's sleep, according to a small study.

Too little sleep bad for teenagers' diets: study

Fetched: September 2nd, 2010, 7:09pm CDT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Teenagers who sleep less than eight hours a night on weeknights eat more fatty foods and snacks than those who get more than eight hours of sleep a night, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday.

New test can diagnose tuberculosis in just hours

Fetched: September 2nd, 2010, 7:09pm CDT

LONDON (Reuters) - A new molecular test for tuberculosis made by Cepheid can diagnose TB and detect a drug-resistant form of it far more easily and rapidly than other tests currently available, scientists said on Wednesday.

Abbott diet drug study renews calls for U.S. ban

Fetched: September 2nd, 2010, 7:09pm CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A study funded by Abbott Laboratories offered more detailed evidence that its weight-loss drug Meridia increases heart risks, prompting renewed calls by consumer advocates and others to pull the drug from the market.

U.S. workers see higher health costs, less care

Fetched: September 2nd, 2010, 7:09pm CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. companies are cutting healthcare costs further amid a continuing sour economy, scaling back benefits and shifting a greater share of the expense to employees.

Experimental Novartis drug shows malaria promise

Fetched: September 2nd, 2010, 7:09pm CDT

LONDON (Reuters) - An experimental Novartis drug can clear malaria infection in mice with a single dose and scientists say it shows promise as a possible future treatment for one of the world's major killer diseases.

Groups of friends key to health behavior changes

Fetched: September 2nd, 2010, 7:09pm CDT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - When it comes to changing health behaviors, it takes more than a far-flung network of friends on Facebook egging you on. It takes a jostling herd, U.S. researchers said on Thursday.

Women, children most vulnerable in Pakistan crisis

Fetched: September 2nd, 2010, 7:09pm CDT

NOWSHERA, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistan's displaced flood victims say a lack of clean water and high temperatures are causing illnesses sweeping through relief camps with children most at risk.

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