HealthNews Articles

Most Fukushima radiation doses within norms: WHO

Wed, 23 May 2012 18:35:17 GMT

GENEVA (Reuters) - Spikes in radiation caused by the Fukushima nuclear accident were below cancer-causing levels in almost all of Japan and neighboring countries had levels similar to normal background radiation, the World Health Organization said on Wednesday.
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Death rate drops among Americans with diabetes

Wed, 23 May 2012 18:30:35 GMT

ATLANTA (Reuters) - A 40 percent decline in the death rate of diabetic American adults from heart disease and strokes is a sign that patients are taking better care of themselves and receiving improved treatment, according to a government study released on Tuesday.
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Folic acid tied to lower child cancer risks

Wed, 23 May 2012 18:17:15 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Rates of two rare childhood cancers declined after the U.S. began requiring grain products to be fortified with the B vitamin folic acid, a new study finds.
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Many babies with development delays may go untreated

Wed, 23 May 2012 18:15:00 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - About one out of every three infants who scores well below average on a test of developmental skills -- and is therefore considered at a high risk of having delays -- does not get referred to early intervention services, according to a new study.
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Lung cancer tests advised for some heavy smokers

Tue, 22 May 2012 16:46:30 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - New recommendations from chest and cancer doctors call for lung cancer screening in older adults with a long history of smoking a pack a day or more -- but also highlight the possible harms of screening, including a high risk of false positive tests.
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'Pre-diabetes,' diabetes rising among U.S. teens

Tue, 22 May 2012 16:37:36 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The percentage of U.S. teenagers with "pre-diabetes" or full-blown type 2 diabetes has more than doubled in recent years -- though obesity and other heart risk factors have held steady, government researchers reported Monday.
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U.S. top court decides in vitro fertilization benefits

Tue, 22 May 2012 16:49:09 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Monday that children conceived through in vitro fertilization after the death of a parent were not automatically entitled to survivor benefits under the Social Security law.
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Singer Robin Gibb, Bee Gees co-founder, dies at 62

Tue, 22 May 2012 16:31:09 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - Bee Gees singer Robin Gibb, who with brothers Barry and Maurice helped define the disco era with their falsetto harmonies and funky beats on hits like "Stayin' Alive" and "Jive Talkin'," has died after a long fight with cancer. He was 62.
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Back pain tends to improve quickly, not completely

Wed, 16 May 2012 20:26:17 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Lower back pain often fades fairly quickly, but it may stubbornly linger to some extent for months or more, a new study finds.
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Fewer young girls getting married in South Asia

Wed, 16 May 2012 20:38:13 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Fewer girls in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan are getting married before the age of 14, according to a new study.
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WHO warns of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity

Wed, 16 May 2012 20:18:36 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - Health data released on Wednesday provided the clearest evidence to date of the spread of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease from developed nations to poorer regions such as Africa, as lifestyles and diets there change.
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REFILE: U.S. HIV aid has prevented 741,000 deaths: study

Wed, 16 May 2012 20:15:38 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The United States foreign aid program that sends billions of dollars to African countries for HIV treatment and prevention has cut the number of people dying for any reason in those nations, a new study suggests.
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Implants may help prevent repeat teen pregnancies

Fri, 11 May 2012 22:17:36 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Up to half of teens and young women who give birth are pregnant again within a year -- but a new study suggests giving new moms a contraceptive implant before they leave the hospital the first time around can help prevent those repeat pregnancies.
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Prenatal smoking tied to worse asthma in kids

Fri, 11 May 2012 22:16:19 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy may have a tougher time controlling their asthma than other kids do, a new study suggests.
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Fish tied to lower colon cancer risk: study

Fri, 11 May 2012 22:15:11 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who eat plenty of fish may have a lower risk of colon and rectal cancers, a new report suggests.
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Does everyone with chest pain need a stress test?

Thu, 10 May 2012 21:59:47 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who come to the emergency department complaining of chest pain often get a test that isn't helping them very much, according to a new study.
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World disease fund gets added $1.6 billion boost

Thu, 10 May 2012 17:11:11 GMT

GENEVA (Reuters) - The Global Fund, a leading financier in the struggle against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, expects to have an additional $1.6 billion to fund projects in 2012-2014, its new chief said on Wednesday, a turnaround from a funding freeze last year.
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U.S. government urged to fight fat at school

Thu, 10 May 2012 17:10:06 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A coalition of health advocacy groups on Wednesday urged the U.S. government to put more resources into school-based efforts to improve health and fight obesity among youth.
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U.S. FDA advisers back Pfizer arthritis drug

Thu, 10 May 2012 17:05:03 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Pfizer Inc won a U.S. advisory panel's support on Wednesday for its arthritis drug.
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U.S. may speed approval of 'breakthrough' drugs

Wed, 09 May 2012 17:29:44 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Experimental drugs that show a big effect early in development for treating serious or life-threatening diseases would get a faster and cheaper path to U.S. approval, under a proposal likely to become law this year.
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Bipolar symptoms may begin in teen years

Wed, 09 May 2012 17:21:07 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The number of teenagers who have experienced mania -- a hallmark of bipolar disorder -- is close to the number of adults estimated to have the mood disorder, suggesting that for many the condition begins during adolescence, according to a new study.
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Device might spark memories in some with Alzheimer's

Wed, 09 May 2012 17:18:34 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A small safety trial suggests a pacemaker-like device implanted into the brains of Alzheimer's patients may stimulate beneficial brain activity in some.
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Long commutes may be bad for health: study

Wed, 09 May 2012 17:08:53 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Long commutes to work, particularly more than 10 miles, may be hazardous to health and are associated with increased weight, bigger waistlines and poorer heart and lung fitness, according to a new study.
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Idaho infant dies from whooping cough

Mon, 07 May 2012 17:33:14 GMT

SALMON, Idaho (Reuters) - Whooping cough took the life of a 9-week-old girl from Idaho this week, the first death from an outbreak of the highly contagious respiratory disease that has hit Idaho, Washington state and Montana, health officials said on Friday.
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FDA staff question Pfizer arthritis drug benefits

Mon, 07 May 2012 17:29:19 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. drug reviewers on Monday questioned whether the benefits of Pfizer Inc's experimental treatment for rheumatoid arthritis outweighed its risks of cancerous cells and infections.
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Connecticut Senate passes medical marijuana bill

Mon, 07 May 2012 17:26:43 GMT

HARTFORD, Conn. (Reuters) - The Connecticut Senate passed a bill on Saturday legalizing marijuana use for medical purposes with tight restrictions aimed at avoiding problems that have plagued some of the 16 other states where pot is now legal.
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Scientists "switch off" brain cell death in mice

Mon, 07 May 2012 17:22:22 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists have figured out how to stop brain cell death in mice with brain disease and say their discovery deepens understanding of the mechanisms of human neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
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Amish farm kids remarkably immune to allergies-study

Fri, 04 May 2012 22:46:37 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Amish children raised on rural farms in northern Indiana suffer from asthma and allergies less often even than Swiss farm kids, a group known to be relatively free from allergies, according to a new study.
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NFL star Seau's family considers brain study

Fri, 04 May 2012 17:05:39 GMT

OCEANSIDE, Calif. (Reuters) - Football great Junior Seau's family is considering having his brain studied for evidence of football-related injuries after the retired linebacker killed himself at his California beach front home, the family's pastor said on Thursday.
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Autopsy conducted on body of NFL star Junior Seau

Thu, 03 May 2012 22:48:09 GMT

SAN DIEGO (Reuters) - Medical authorities conducted an autopsy on Thursday on the body of Junior Seau, a day after the former star San Diego Chargers linebacker died of an apparent suicide in his beachfront California home, a coroner's official said.
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Kids on cow farms may have fewer allergies

Thu, 03 May 2012 22:54:55 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Kids who grow up on farms and have contact with cows and cow milk are less likely to have allergies and asthma than kids raised nearby but not on a farm, according to a new study from Europe.
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As preterm births soar globally, U.S. is 130 of 184

Thu, 03 May 2012 22:36:06 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The world's developed countries have seen their average rate of premature births double to six percent since 1995, despite efforts to reduce the phenomenon, according to a report released on Wednesday.
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Nepal's "magic" surgeon brings light back to poor

Wed, 02 May 2012 18:44:36 GMT

KATHMANDU (Reuters) - Dressed in his hospital scrubs, Sanduk Ruit looks into the eyes of a patient through a microscope hanging over an operating table.
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Medicare to cover Sapien heart valve replacement

Wed, 02 May 2012 19:05:29 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Medicare and Medicaid federal health insurance programs will cover the transcatheter Sapien heart valve replacement system from Edwards Lifesciences Corp, U.S. regulators said on Tuesday.
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Scientists say they have found oldest human blood

Wed, 02 May 2012 18:38:29 GMT

ROME (Reuters) - Scientists examining the remains of "Otzi," Italy's prehistoric iceman who roamed the Alps some 5,300 years ago, said they have isolated what are believed to be the oldest traces of human blood ever found.
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Mammograms may be worth risks for some in their 40s

Wed, 02 May 2012 16:35:13 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - New research suggests that starting breast cancer screening at age 40 might be worthwhile for some women who have a higher-than-average risk of the disease, for example because their mother had cancer.
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High salt intake linked to higher stroke risk

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 17:05:30 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Older adults with salty diets may have an increased risk of suffering a stroke, a new study suggests.
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Feds weigh pulling drug licenses for two CVS stores

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 17:03:33 GMT

ARLINGTON, Va (Reuters) - A federal hearing began on Wednesday on whether to bar two CVS Caremark Corp drugstores in Florida from selling potentially addictive painkillers as part of a government crackdown on prescription pain pills, especially oxycodone.
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FDA advisers back HeartWare blood pump device

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 17:00:52 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - HeartWare International Inc won a U.S. advisory panel's support on Wednesday for its most important product -- a blood pump that helps people with severe heart failure.
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Mixed evidence on acupuncture for irritable bowels

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:44:18 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The research on whether acupuncture helps ease irritable bowel syndrome has so far been a mixed bag, according to a new review of past clinical trials.
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Worm gene increases "good" fat in sheep clone

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:10:52 GMT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Chinese scientists have cloned a genetically modified sheep containing a "good" type of fat found naturally in nuts, seeds, fish and leafy greens that helps reduce the risk of heart attacks and cardiovascular disease.
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Returning soldiers have more car crashes: study

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:05:48 GMT

BOSTON (Reuters) - U.S. military personnel have 13 percent more car accidents in which they are at fault in the six months after returning from overseas duty than in the six months prior, a USAA study revealed on Tuesday.
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Prevention a low priority in heart docs' training

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:03:11 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A new survey of training programs for future cardiologists suggests that only a fraction are getting the minimum level of education in heart disease prevention that professional guidelines recommend.
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Russell Brand speaks to UK government on addiction

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 23:57:37 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - Comedian and actor Russell Brand told the British government on Tuesday that it needs to adopt a pragmatic approach to address the social issues that lead young people to take drugs.
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Think carrots, not candy as school snack: advocates

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:21:57 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Junk food may soon be hard to buy at American public schools as the U.S. government readies new rules requiring healthier foods to be sold beyond the cafeteria -- a move most parents support, according to a poll released on Thursday.
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Do clean teeth protect against heart disease?

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:12:04 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Older adults who get thorough dental cleanings may be somewhat less likely to have a heart attack or stroke than their peers who are less careful about oral hygiene, a new study suggests.
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California's "Princeton of Pot" reopens in bare-bones state

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:13:47 GMT

OAKLAND, California (Reuters) - A California school known as the "Princeton of Pot" has reopened after a federal raid, but with a bare-bones staff of volunteers to teach the art of cannabis cultivation, after the crackdown crimped its funding and forced it to lay off 25 paid employees.
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U.S. officials seize contaminated ultrasound gel

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:05:39 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. officials on Wednesday confiscated ultrasound gel in New Jersey that health regulators believe infected 16 surgical patients with potentially deadly bacteria.
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Mom's caffeine not linked to infant sleep problems

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 20:20:15 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A baby's sleep may not suffer just because her mom likes a daily cup of coffee, a new study suggests.
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Turmeric extract may protect heart after surgery

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 20:11:40 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A new study from Thailand suggests that extracts from turmeric spice, known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, may help ward off heart attacks in people who've had recent bypass surgery.
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