F.D.A. Rejects Pfizer Pain Drug
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Regulators have rejected the application from Pfizer Inc. to market an injectable drug similar to its withdrawn Bextra arthritis pill, the company said yesterday.
The injectable medicine is in the same class of drugs as the Celebrex arthritis and pain pill from Pfizer and the Vioxx arthritis and pain pill from Merck. Vioxx was taken from the market last September after being shown to double the risk of heart attack and stroke after long-term use.
Testicular cancer survivors at risk of other cancer
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Men like cyclist Lance Armstrong and comedian Tom Green who survived testicular cancer are at increased risk of developing other types of cancer for at least 35 years after being diagnosed with the original disease, a new analysis shows.
“The study also showed for the first time a greater risk of malignant mesothelioma, a cancer affecting the lining of the lungs, and esophagus cancer among testicular cancer survivors, likely due to the outdated practice of treating these patients with chest radiation”, said Dr. Lois B. Travis of the National Cancer Institute.
Lesotho will miss AIDS drug treatment target
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Lesotho will likely fail to meet its target of providing 28,000 HIV patients with life-prolonging drugs by the end of the year as part of a global attempt to boost AIDS treatment, the United Nations said on Wednesday.
Lesotho’s target was part of a global programme to provide three million people with antiretroviral drugs by the end of 2005, but World Health Organisation global HIV/AIDS director Jim Kim said the tiny mountain kingdom had no chance of meeting it.
Lawmakers spar over Medicare drug coverage
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Just days before Medicare officials in Washington unveil the private prescription drug plans that will be available to the program’s 43 million elderly and disabled beneficiaries starting next January, both liberals and conservatives in Congress are calling for a delay in the controversial program.
Conservatives in the U.S. House Wednesday unveiled “Operation Offset,” an effort to find budget cuts to help pay for relief needed to rebuild the states and cities decimated by Hurricane Katrina three weeks ago. Delaying the new Medicare benefit by a year is at the top of the list, primarily because it would save an estimated $30 billion over the next decade.
Green tea component may fight Alzheimer’s: study
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An ingredient in green tea that researchers think might fight cancer may also protect the brain from the memory-destroying Alzheimer’s disease, a study released on Tuesday said.
Scientists injected mice with an antioxidant from green tea called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and said it decreased production of beta-amyloid, a protein that forms the plaques that clog the brains of Alzheimer’s victims.
US board urges cell-phone ban for new teen drivers
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Banning teen-agers from using cell phones or other wireless devices while learning to drive should be a national auto safety priority, U.S. transportation safety officials said on Tuesday.
The National Transportation Safety Board put the proposed restriction on its “most wanted” list of safety improvements for the upcoming year, which also includes older appeals for more states to impose limits on teens’ night driving and carrying passengers.
Magnetized insoles don’t appear to relieve foot pain
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Magnetized insoles have no greater pain-easing effect than similar insoles that don’t contain magnets, according to a new study.
Some study participants did report pain relief, regardless of which type of insoles they were wearing, and the effect tended to be particularly strong among patients who said they believed that magnets could ease pain.
Sperm alteration may enhance fertility
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The findings from an animal study suggest that the common practice of using intact sperm in assisted reproduction procedures actually increases the risk that the egg will become damaged or destroyed.
Acrosomes are structures that cover the head of the sperm and contain a variety of enzymes that help the sperm penetrate the outer membrane of the egg. During normal fertilization, the acrosome never actually enters the egg, whereas in an assisted reproduction procedure called intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), it is directly injected into the egg along with the rest of the sperm.
Scientists close in on genes for anorexia, bulimia
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Researchers may be zeroing in on some of the genes that increase a person’s vulnerability to the eating disorders anorexia and bulimia.
In two new studies, an international research team identified several “core traits,” such as a tendency towards anxiety or perfectionism, that are commonly seen in people with the eating disorders, and that are to some degree inherited. The researchers then traced these traits to regions on particular chromosomes that, the studies suggest, may influence susceptibility to anorexia or bulimia.
Ephedra-free diet pills may carry risks too
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Some of the weight-loss aids that have quickly emerged to replace the now-banned substance ephedra may carry risks of their own, a small study suggests.
Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco found that two ephedra-free diet supplements increased the heart rates of 10 healthy volunteers, and one also raised their blood pressures. These effects are similar to what has been seen with ephedra, an herbal stimulant that was banned in the U.S. last year after reports linked it to heart attacks, strokes and at least 155 deaths.
Singulair helpful for kids with asthma, allergies
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The asthma controller Singulair (generic name, montelukast) appears useful and economical for the treatment of children with asthma and allergic rhinitis, according to US researchers.
“Childhood asthma and allergic rhinitis frequently coexist ... and result in substantial costs for the family and the health care system,” said lead author Dr. Alan Luskin from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Birth Weight: Set And Match
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Two independent pieces of research published in this week’s Nature (Vol. 417, No. 6892 27 June 2002) could explain why some babies are born small, and could also lend credence to evolutionary theories about the competition between male and female genes.
Babies with low birth weights are more likely to die as newborns and have an increased chance of physical or mental development problems. Low birth weight is also linked to an increased risk of coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes and respiratory problems later in life.
Drivers Ed: Keep Your Eyes on the Road!
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Chatting on a cell phone while driving may have gotten a bad rap in recent years as a common cause of car crashes, but a new study shows cell phones can’t hold a candle to good, old-fashioned rubbernecking when it comes to causing a highway pile up.
With data collected by Virginia state troopers, researchers conducted one of the largest studies to date on crashes involving distracted drivers.
The results: looking at other accidents, traffic, or roadside incidents caused the largest number of accidents, while cell phone use ranked only sixth.
American Diabetic Association recognizes FAMHS diabetes education
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Diabetes affects 17 million people in the United States according to Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson, who also said that the number of people with diabetes has risen eight percent according to the 2000 U.S. census.
Diabetes has no cure, but it can be controlled so that people with diabetes enjoy a healthy life.
Diabetes Risk Factors
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Although the causes of diabetes are unknown, the following risk factors may increase your chance of developing diabetes.
A family history: If a parent or sibling in your family has diabetes, your risk of developing diabetes increases.
