Latest science news in Health & Medicine
Lessons learned from H1N1 virus pandemic
A comprehensive study has revealed, for the first time, the impact of swine flu on the health of the general public in Australia and New Zealand...
Monash research cautions against use of antioxidants
An international team of scientists, led by Monash University researchers, has found that anti-oxidants commonly touted for their health-promoting benefits, could contribute to the early onset of Type 2 diabetes...
Heartburn Drugs Deemed Safe For Fetuses, According To Researchers
H2 blocker drugs, such as Famotidine, Cimetidine and Ranitidine, approved in the U.S. for acid reflux, pose no significant risks for the fetus, according to a large collaborative cohort study...
Strong link between obesity and depression
Doctors should pay more attention to the link between common mental illness and obesity in patients because the two health problems are closely linked, according to researchers at the University...
Researchers identify genes associated with onset age of Parkinson's disease
Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have identified genes which may influence the onset age of Parkinson's Disease (PD). The findings, which currently appear on-line in BMC Medical...
Study examines ethical dilemmas of medical tourism
Medical tourism in Latin America needs to be regulated to protect consumers, according to Universite de Montreal researchers. A new study published in the journal Developing World Bioethics argues that...
Senate Schedules Vote on Health Bill
The announcement came a day after a cost analysis showed the bill meeting President Obama’s requirements.
Stress Urinary Incontinence: Minimally Invasive Operations As Effective As Open Surgery
New, less invasive surgical treatments for stress urinary incontinence in women are just as effective as traditional open surgical approaches, according to researchers. The researchers carried out a systematic review...
Too much of a good thing? Scientists explain cellular effects of vitamin A overdose and deficiency
If a little vitamin A is good, more must be better, right? Wrong! New research published online in the FASEB Journal (http://www.fasebj.org) shows that vitamin A plays a crucial role...
Specialty Hospitals Cherry-pick Patients, Exaggerate Success, Experts Say
Although many specialized hospitals deliver better and faster services in cardiac care and other specialties, a newly presented paper maintains that these hospitals cherry-pick patients to achieve these results, and...
Milk Protein Supplement May Help Prevent Sepsis In Very Low Birth-weight Infants
Very low birth-weight newborns who received the milk protein lactoferrin alone or in combination with a probiotic had a reduced incidence of late-onset sepsis, according to a new study.
New guidelines for incorporating spirituality in end-of-life care
Guidelines derived from a recent Consensus Conference, including recommendations on the role of healthcare providers in the assurance of quality spiritual care to patients in a palliative care setting, are...
Promising results for rapid viral diagnosis tests in emergency rooms
Rapid viral diagnosis tests for respiratory diseases in children who arrive in emergency departments have the potential to reduce pressures on health systems by enabling doctors to reach a quicker...
New Web Tool Gives H1N1 Flu Advice
Web Site Helps People Decide if Flu is Bad Enough to Require a Doctor's Attention
Exercise programs recommended as standard for rheumatoid arthritis
Exercise programs designed to improve strength and stamina are safe and effective treatments for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to a new Cochrane Systematic Review. The researchers reviewed dynamic exercise program...
Protecting humans and animals from diseases in wildlife
Avian influenza (H5N1), rabies, plague, Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), and more recently swine flu (H1N1) are all examples of diseases that have made the leap from animals to humans. As...
Surgeons' unanimous consensus: Needle biopsy is gold standard for breast cancer diagnosis
A special report published in the October issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons indicates that an alarming 35% of initial diagnostic breast biopsies in the United...
4 national groups of surgeons respond to the Institute of Medicine's recommendation
Philadelphia, PA, 7 October 2009 - Ever since the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Educations (ACGME) and its Resident Review Committees instituted limitations on duty-hours for residents, in 2003, there...
Wheat toxin review worries farmers
Health Canada is reviewing the acceptable levels of a toxin caused by a fungal blight in wheat, and some P.E.I. farmers are concerned the standards could be too stringent.
Sebelius: Americans must get swine flu vaccination
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius appealed anew Wednesday for widespread inoculation against a surging swine flu threat, calling the vaccine "safe...
Area-wide traffic calming improves safety -- but will it work in low- and middle-income countries?
Area-wide traffic calming schemes that discourage through-traffic from using residential roads are effective at reducing traffic-related injuries in high-income countries and may even reduce deaths. However, more research needs to...
TENS for osteoarthritis: Not enough evidence to recommend
Despite twenty years of research on the use of electrostimulation techniques (TENS) for treatment of osteoarthritis in the knee, researchers still cannot say whether it reduces pain or physical disability....
Bell's palsy: Study calls for rethink of cause and treatment
Drugs widely prescribed to treat facial paralysis in Bell's palsy are ineffective and are based on false notions of the cause of the condition, according to Cochrane Researchers. They say...
National Briefing | Washington: Airlines Ordered to Test and Disinfect Onboard Water
Federal regulators issued final rules requiring airlines to test and treat the tap water served to passengers and used in plane lavatories.
Flu widespread in most of U.S.
The infections are 'overwhelmingly' pandemic H1N1 influenza, or swine flu, the CDC director says. Vaccine demand exceeds supply, but that will soon reverse, he says. Influenza is widespread in most of the United...
New treatment more than doubles survival for high risk childhood leukemia
Results of a phase two clinical trial published October 5th in the Journal of Clinical Oncology show that adding continuous daily doses of a targeted drug called imatinib mesylate to...
Modern 'House Call' is Cost-Effective Model for Improving Blood Pressure
(PhysOrg.com) -- Combining home-based blood pressure monitoring and telephone counseling significantly improves a person's blood pressure control at a minimal cost, according to a study published online in the...
Hire 3rd surgeon or N.L. patients will suffer: MDs
Two doctors say Newfoundland and Labrador patients will suffer if the province doesn't spend more money to attract and keep surgeons on the province's Northern Peninsula.