Latest science news in Health & Medicine
New York Health Care Workers Resist Flu Vaccine Rule
New York State is alone among state and city health departments in mandating the vaccinations for influenza and swine flu.
Possible Implications Of Daily Commute And Mosquito-borne Diseases
New research highlights how daily commuting patterns in mega-cities may be a critically overlooked factor in understanding the resurgence of mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue fever, infecting 50-100 million people...
Prosthetic Retina - 'Bionic Eye' Artificial Vision Enhancers Being Put To The Test
In a survey conducted about patients’ expectations of electronic retina prostheses (retina implants) a decade ago, visually impaired or blind patients with degenerative retina conditions stated they would be happy...
Better H1N1 protection for homeless needed
The health of Manitoba's homeless population needs to be safeguarded against a potential outbreak of the H1N1 influenza virus this fall, says the co-chair of a Winnipeg drop-in centre.
Cheap, quick bedside 'eye movement' exam outperforms MRI for diagnosing stroke in patients
In a small 'proof of principle' study, stroke researchers at Johns Hopkins and the University of Illinois have found that a simple, one-minute eye movement exam performed at the bedside...
Using magnetism to turn drugs on and off
Many medical conditions, such as chronic pain, cancer and diabetes, require medications that cannot be taken orally, but must be dosed intermittently, on an as-needed basis, over a long period...
Medications effective in reducing risks for breast cancer can also cause serious side effects
Three drugs that reduce a woman's chance of getting breast cancer also have been shown to cause adverse effects, according to a new report from the Agency for Healthcare Research...
Antioxidant controls spinal cord development
Researchers at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine have discovered how one antioxidant protein controls the activity of another protein, critical for the development of spinal cord neurones. The research,...
Postmenopausal women, too, reap cardiovascular benefits from endurance training
Marilyn Graham was 56 when she signed up for a gruelling hour of cycling each morning for 12 weeks, occasionally decked out in a mask, a heart monitor and a...
Vaccine To Prevent Urinary Tract Infections Shows Early Promise
Scientists have made an important step toward what could become the first vaccine in the US to prevent urinary tract infections, if the robust immunity achieved in mice can be...
Ooo, my knee!
(PhysOrg.com) -- Once we reach the age of 55 there's a 25 per cent chance that we will be suffering from bad knees. Of that 25 per cent, half will...
Treatment guidelines issued on depression during pregnancy
For women with serious conditions, medication may be the best route, but 'talk therapy' may alleviate suffering for others, according to a document prepared by two national physicians groups. For the nearly one in...
UC Irvine Medical Center issued warning for drug pump problems
The alert, issued in July and lifted within 24 hours, was the result of a state probe into nurses' claims that faulty devices led to overdoses. The hospital has since filed a...
Swine flu's tendency to strike the young is causing confusion
Even as health officials anticipate a new onslaught of H1N1 cases, the pattern of the pandemic influenza strain -- which tends to be fatal for the middle-aged but not the elderly --...
IG: Improvements in VA endoscopic equipment use
(AP) -- Inspections show that Veterans Department medical facilities have made significant progress on fixing endoscopic procedure problems that potentially exposed thousands to HIV and other infections.
New Dangers of 'Clubbing Drugs' on the Web
Two University of Hertfordshire academics will release new evidence about the dangers of ‘Spice` drugs today at the first International Psychonaut Web Mapping Conference in Ancona, Italy.
Health care workers often shun flu shot
Every year, top U.S. health officials send out widely publicized reminders to get vaccinated against seasonal flu. And every year, more than 60 percent of the public looks the other...
Cost a factor in Canadians' diets
Though Canadians want to eat better, many say cost is standing in the way of a healthy diet, finds a new survey.
Researchers Prolong Half-life Of Biopharmaceutical Proteins: Biotech Innovation Could Extend Dosing Intervals, Simplify Production
To prolong the "half-life" of biopharmaceuticals such as interferon, biochemists in Germany are combining these small proteins with a molecular "balloon" that swells in the presence of water -- keeping...
Patient Money: Taking Care of Parents Without Going Broke
Caring for aging parents can quickly cause an unexpected financial squeeze, and put the savings of adult children in jeopardy.
Apotex recalls 3 drugs as precaution
Canadian generic drug manufacturer Apotex has voluntarily recalled lots of three drugs as a precaution while Health Canada checks quality-control standards at its manufacturing facilities in Ontario.
Study Details Pathways To Flu Virus Exposure, Validates Preventative Measures
With estimates that half the population of the United States could be infected with the 2009 H1N1 flu virus this fall and winter, a new study examines four flu exposure...
Researchers Home In on an Early Diagnostic Marker for Deadly Pancreatic Cancer
The failure to detect pancreatic cancer until after it has progressed to a fatal stage has long been the bane of doctors and the demise of patients. Imaging the out-of-the-way organ with...
Fewer foreign doctors hired on P.E.I.
Prince Edward Island is following the national trend and hiring fewer foreign-trained doctors.
Panama: More tainted medicine in 1,155 bottles
(AP) -- The death toll from contaminated medicine sold three years ago in Panama could be higher than previously believed after 1,155 bottles of tested positive for a chemical...
Can employers require swine flu shots?
HOUSTON, Sept. 18 (UPI) -- U.S. employees may be forced to get flu shots as the nation faces a swine flu pandemic, if the shots are job-related and a...
Fears over H1N1 flu rising in NWT community
Fear over the possible spread of swine flu has started to spread in some of the most isolated communities in the Northwest Territories, prompting claims that calls for medical help...
Feature: IT tool gives trauma teams extra eyes
Emergency medicine, the art of decision making under extreme pressure, is set to benefit from a new trial of computer aided support.