Latest science news in Health & Medicine
It's ethical to try untested Ebola medicines, WHO declares
The World Health Organization declared Tuesday that it's ethical to use unproven Ebola drugs and vaccines in the outbreak in West Africa provided the right conditions are met.
Gene mutation dramatically increases breast cancer risk
Brooks HaysCAMBRIDGE, England, Aug. 7 (UPI) -- Study shows women carrying a rare mutation in the gene known as PALB2 had a 35 percent chance of developing breast cancer by...
Electronic reminders can help patients prevent surgical site infections
The use of electronic reminders such as text messages, emails or voicemails is highly effective at getting surgical patients to adhere to a preadmission antiseptic showering regimen known to help...
New genetic risk markers in pancreatic cancer
A large DNA analysis of people with and without pancreatic cancer has identified several new genetic markers that signal increased risk of developing the highly lethal disease.
Jailed family member increases risks for kids' adult health
People whose childhood included a member of the household becoming imprisoned have a 16-percent greater risk of reporting lower overall health quality in adulthood, a new study finds. The risk...
Guidelines on non-cardiac surgery: Cardiovascular assessment and management
Worldwide, non-cardiac surgery is associated with an average overall complication rate of between 7 and 11 percent and a mortality rate between 0.8 and 1.5 percent, depending on safety precautions....
Taking the guesswork out of cancer therapy
Researchers have developed the first molecular test kit that can predict treatment and survival outcomes in kidney cancer patients.
Herbal-Based Anti-Malarial Drug Artesunate Also Helps Control Asthma - Study
Artesunate, a common herbal-based anti-malarial drug, can be used to control asthma, with better treatment outcomes than other drugs currently available, according to a paper by researchers from the National...
Blood and saliva tests help predict return of HPV-linked oral cancers
Physicians have developed blood and saliva tests that help accurately predict recurrences of HPV-linked oral cancers in a substantial number of patients. The tests screen for DNA fragments of the...
Harmful drinkers would be affected 200 times more than low risk drinkers if a Minimum Unit Price was introduced
A new study of liver patients shows that a Minimum Unit Price policy for alcohol is exquisitely targeted towards the heaviest drinkers with cirrhosis. Researchers studied the amount and type...
Dengue vaccine is just a year away, researchers say
Despite a moderate efficacy, the new vaccine reportedly can cut number of dengue cases by half.
Keep calm moms: Maternal stress during pregnancy linked to asthma risk in offspring
During pregnancy, many women make a concerted effort to keep stress levels low -- and for good reason. Maternal stress has been linked to a number of negative outcomes for...
Plastic surgeons or nurses: Who are the better injectors?
In recent years, minimally invasive aesthetic injectable procedures have grown in popularity as more and more men and women are seeking age-defying treatments. As Botulinum toxin -- generally known as...
Female baby boomers with asthma? You may need help
Women over the age of 65 who have asthma, are also likely to have a range of other health-related issues which are barriers to them staying healthy. Among other things,...
New guidelines help keep asthma out of 'yellow zone'
New guidelines to assist patients in recognizing and treating acute loss of asthma control. They apply to the home setting only; not providers' offices, emergency departments or hospital settings.
Management of anticoagulant-associated intracerebral hemorrhage
A 20-page supplement has been published, covering the current knowledge of anticoagulant-associated intracerebral hemorrhage (AAICH) and methods in use for management of the condition. Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a potentially...
New mothers still excessively sleepy after 4 months, study shows
New mothers are being urged to be cautious about returning to work too quickly, after a study found one in two were still excessively sleepy four months after giving birth....
Small RNAs in blood may reveal heart injury
Like clues to a crime, specific molecules in the body can hint at exposure to toxins, infectious agents or even trauma, and so help doctors determine whether and how to...
Foreign workers, diplomats flee Libyan fighting
Ed AdamczykTRIPOLI, Libya, Aug. 1 (UPI) -- Thousands of foreign workers and diplomatic staff in Libya have been ordered home, the result of fighting in the capital of Tripoli and...
Smartphones as a health tool for older adults
A team of researchers from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya · BarcelonaTech (UPC) and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) is creating a smartphone app that will help older adults...
Algorithm Reduces CT Scans To Diagnose Children With Appendicitis
An algorithm works for diagnosing pediatric patients with suspected appendicitis and that reduces the utilization of computed tomography (CT) scans, without affecting diagnostic accuracy. Acute appendicitis is the most common cause...
2-pound Michigan baby undergoes heart procedure
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) -- A 2-pound Michigan newborn dubbed "Mighty Girl" by her parents is one of the smallest babies in the world to undergo...
New Rules Say Poultry Plants Can Conduct Own Checks
Critics are saying the updated regulations would keep chicken-processing lines running too fast, creating conditions for worker injuries and food-safety failures.
Paying Till It Hurts: Why Crucial Vaccines Are Sometimes Unavailable
An outbreak of a rare meningitis strain at Princeton drew attention to the fact that a vaccine for it existed — one not sold in America.
Colorado considers a new look for edible pot
DENVER (AP) -- Edible marijuana comes with all kinds of warning labels in Colorado. But once those pot brownies and gummy bears are out of the...
Medical labs to get new FDA oversight
The Food & Drug Administration on Thursday announced it would step up its regulation of a class of lab tests that have been key in ushering in an era of...
F.D.A. Moves to Regulate Lab-Developed Tests
The Food and Drug Administration said it felt the need to act to ensure the safety of home-brew test systems that are being developed and marketed widely.
Withings Smart Body Analyzer Review
The Withings Smart Body Analyzer is a smart scale that not only measures weight, but also calculates your body mass index (BMI) and fat mass, and registers heart rate and...