HEALTH NEWS

Cancer

Kids with cancer: “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”

A  young guy with leukemia stopped by the hospital where he’s being treated to  make a video with the kids on the cancer floor Saturday. By this morning, Chris  Rumble, 22, and his fellow patients at Seattle Children’s Hospital were  YouTube stars with more than 252,000 views — thanks to their lip-synced  rendition of the Kelly Clarkson hit “Stronger.”

Colon Cancer Gaps for Blacks, Whites Largely Due to Screening

Differences  in screening account for much of the disparity in both colorectal (colon)  cancer incidence and death rates between white and black Americans, a new  study says.

Neurological Disease

In Sitting Still, a Bench Press for the Brain

IN  1969, Katherine Splain, then a student at the College of New Rochelle, saw  the dark side of drug use among her peers. So she sought a different — and  legal — path on her inward journey.

Response to First Treatment May Predict Epilepsy’s Course

The  way someone responds to the first anti-seizure medication given after a  diagnosis of epilepsy often predicts how well- controlled their seizures will  be over time.

Rate of Hospitalizations for Stroke Has Declined in U.S.

The  rate at which Americans are hospitalized for stroke has fallen, according to  new government statistics released Wednesday.

Cardiovascular Disease

Micah True, ultra-marathoner, died from heart disease

A  12-mile run for Micah True was like an easy cruise. The ultra-marathon runner  was used to tackling more than four times that distance over much more  grueling terrain and under the hot Mexican sun.

Pot Belly Boosts Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death: Study

A  “spare tire” around the midsection raises the odds of sudden  cardiac death in obese people, a new study finds.

Statins May Help Prevent Irregular Heartbeat in Elderly

The  widely used class of cholesterol-lowering medications known as statins may  help elderly patients with high blood pressure avoid developing atrial  fibrillation, a heart rhythm abnormality tied to stroke.

Reproductive Health

Some Hospitals Will Curb Samples of Baby Formula

It  is part of the modern maternity experience: the pink or blue knit caps, the  identity bracelet, the impossibly tiny jumpers, and not least, the goody bag  filled with infant formula.

Obesity

Can Testosterone Therapy Help Obese Men Lose Weight?

Older  obese men with low levels of testosterone can lose weight when levels of the  male hormone are restored to normal, a new study suggests.

Infertility

Couple expecting 4 children after mother, surrogate both become pregnant with twins

A  Seattle couple who spent 10 years trying to conceive is now expecting four  children at once, RTV6 reported.

Other News

Novartis eye drug efficient over longer term: studies

Swiss  drugmaker Novartis said on Thursday data from key studies showed treatment  with its Lucentis drug could help certain sight-impaired patients see better  over an extended period and that individualized treatment improved results.

New Cautions About Long-Term Use of Bone Drugs

In  an unusual move that may prompt millions of women to rethink their use of  popular bone-building drugs, the Food and Drug Administration published an  analysis that suggested caution about long-term use of the drugs, but fell  short of issuing specific recommendations.

Arthritis Pill From Pfizer Wins Support Of U.S. Panel

A  federal advisory panel recommended approval on Wednesday of a rheumatoid  arthritis pill that could offer patients an alternative to the injectable  medicines already on the market, but several members expressed concern about  safety and urged the Food and Drug Administration to require rigorous  follow-up studies.

Scientists Map Melanoma’s Genome

Researchers  have completed the first genome sequencing of melanoma, an aggressive and  frequently fatal form of skin cancer.

Retired Couples May Need $240,000 for Health Care

Couples  retiring this year can expect their medical bills throughout retirement to  cost 4 percent more than those who retired a year ago, according to an annual  projection released Wednesday by Fidelity Investments.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Novartis to probe Indian drug approval allegations

Swiss  drugmaker Novartis said on Thursday it would investigate alleged drug  approval irregularities in India after a parliamentary report found the  country’s regulator colluded with pharmaceutical firms to speed up approval  procedures.

GSK starts $2.6 bln tender offer for Human Genome

GlaxoSmithKline  launched its promised $2.6 billion tender for shares in long-time partner  Human Genome Sciences on Thursday, setting a closing date for the offer of  June 7.

Health care law’s prevention money called ‘slush fund’

After  weeks of debate over whether the Prevention and Public Health Fund, created  by President Obama’s health care law, affects women’s health, Republicans are  airing additional complaints about the pool of money and how states and  communities have used the fund to support a string of questionable  initiatives.

Goodbye, Lipitor. Pfizer Bids a Farewell

Pfizer  Inc. conducted an intriguing experiment in brand marketing this year,  aggressively pushing the cholesterol-fighting drug Lipitor in the U.S. even  after its patent expired on Nov. 30.

Massachusetts Is Closer to Controlling Health Costs

Massachusetts  is one step closer to passing major legislation that would aim to control the  state’s rising health-care costs.

Progress Made on How Medicare Pays Doctors

A  Democratic congresswoman and Republican congressman made a small move forward  in an effort to change the way Medicare pays doctors Wednesday, introducing a  bill that would end regular congressional scrambles to stave off physician  pay cuts by tapping savings from winding down the war in Afghanistan.

St. Jude’s Riata lead performed poorly in study

St.  Jude Medical Inc’s Riata defibrillator lead, which was recalled late last  year, performed “significantly worse” than a competing lead called  Quattro, sold by competitor Medtronic Inc, in a large study, researchers  said.

L’Oreal Loses EU Court Challenge Over Botox-Like Trademarks

L’Oreal  SA (OR)’s effort to register trademarks sounding similar to Botox, a wrinkle  treatment made by Allergan Inc. (AGN), was rejected by the top European Union  court.

MEDIA & TECHNOLOGY NEWS

Facebook launching app center

Facebook  will launch an App Center to help the 900 million users of its social network  find apps more easily.

Tech Industry Seen Growing Fastest in New York

New  York City’s budding technology industry is growing rapidly by attracting  investors and engineering talent despite spotty access to a reliable  broadband network, according to a study released on Wednesday.

HEALTH NEWS

HIV

A Regime’s Tight Grip on AIDS

Yudelsy  García O’Connor, the first baby known to have been born with H.I.V. in Cuba,  is not merely still alive. She is vibrant, funny and, at age 25, recently  divorced but hoping to remarry and have children.

Diabetes

New Push to Treat the Other Diabetes

There  is currently no way to prevent or cure Type 1 diabetes, a disease that has  been hitting a growing number of children and adults. So, researchers and  public-health officials are pushing more people to get tested to detect the  illness early, which can reduce some of its dangerous effects.

Autism

Targeting Child’s Play to Help Tackle Autism

As  efforts expand to diagnose autism earlier and more accurately, researchers  also are striving to figure out ways to treat children as young as 1 year  old.

Neurological Disease

Special-needs children need special babysitters

Diagnosed  with hydrocephalus at birth, Brian had fluid around his brain. When he was 3  weeks old, a shunt was inserted to direct the fluid to his abdomen. Later, he  was diagnosed with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy with dystonia, a brain  injury that happened before he was born. Brian isn’t paralyzed, but his  movements are uncoordinated, with involuntary twisting.

Study Examines Depression and Aging Brain

People  who suffer from chronic depression throughout their lives are more likely to  develop dementia compared with people who aren’t depressed, according to a  study released Monday.

Food and Nutrition

“Pink slime” label forces beef plant closures

The  top U.S. producer of ammonia-treated beef that critics called “pink  slime” said on Monday it will close three of its four plants after sales  dropped and did not recover following recent attacks on the product.

More Omega-3s in Diet, Less of an Alzheimer’s Protein

A  new study has found that consumption of omega-3 fatty acids, plentiful in  fish and nuts, is associated with lower blood levels of beta-amyloid protein.

For Healthier Eating, Keep Fruits, Veggies Within Reach

College  students are more likely to snack on fresh fruits and vegetables when these  healthy options are placed where they can easily reach them, a new study  suggests.

Yogurt Makes Mice Slimmer, Sexier

Scientists  studying the power of probiotics to fight obesity got more than they  bargained for: Not only does yogurt make mice slimmer; it also makes them  sexier.

Curry may help in fight against bowel cancer, study finds

Curry  may help to boost the chances of fighting bowel cancer, according to  researchers in the UK.

Women’s Health

Ask women about partner violence, panel says

Doctors  should screen all of their female patients for signs of partner violence,  whether face-to-face or through a waiting room questionnaire, a new report  suggests.

Fewer Young Women Complete HPV Vaccine

The  vaccine against human papillomavirus is highly effective in preventing  cervical cancer, but researchers report that the percentage of young women  completing the required three vaccinations is low and dropping.

Obesity

Report: Schools key to fighting America’s obesity

A  new report says schools should be a cornerstone of the nation’s obesity  battle. But to trim Americans’ waistlines, changes are needed everywhere  people live, work, play and learn.

Obesity could affect 42% of Americans by 2030

A  new forecast on America’s obesity crisis has health experts fearing a  dramatic jump in health care costs if nothing is done to bring the epidemic  under control.

Obesity fight must shift from personal blame: U.S. panel

America’s  obesity epidemic is so deeply rooted that it will take dramatic and systemic  measures – from overhauling farm policies and zoning laws to, possibly,  introducing a soda tax – to fix it, the influential Institute of Medicine  said on Tuesday.

Cardiovascular Disease

Living Near Major Roads May Shorten Heart Attack Survival

A  new study finds that heart attack survivors who live close to major roads are  at increased risk for death from all causes during a 10-year span.

Exercise Can Help Fight Heart Failure

Exercise  can slow muscle wasting, boost strength and reduce inflammation caused by  aging and heart failure, a new study confirms.

Cancer

Aim Skin Cancer Warnings at the Young, Too, Experts Say

Doctors  should take the time to counsel children, teens and young adults on the  dangers of sun exposure and tanning beds, according to new recommendations  from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

India’s Cipla considers price cuts on more cancer drugs

Indian  generic drugmaker Cipla is looking into cutting prices of more cancer drugs  after it slashed the prices last week of three treatments by up to 75  percent, Y.K. Hamied, the company’s chairman and managing director, said in  an interview.

Other News

One in eight teens misuses prescription painkillers

One  in eight older teens has used powerful painkillers when they weren’t  prescribed — and many of them start misusing the medications earlier than  was previously assumed, according to new research.

Johns Hopkins Hospital addition strives to combine whimsy and function

A  new $1.1 billion addition to Johns Hopkins Hospital is an impressive  building, not because it’s entirely beautiful, but because it is enormous and  because, like all state-of-the-art hospitals, it contains an astonishing  internal complexity. Its rounded facade of colored glass juts out over the  sidewalk, making the building on Orleans Street a prominent new landmark in  East Baltimore. With 1.6 million square feet, a parking garage, two  pedestrian bridges over a major thoroughfare and a football-field-size front  entrance with gardens, the addition creates a new “front door” for the  prestigious medical center.

SIDS fatalities decline, but many infants still don’t sleep on their backs

By  the time new parents take their babies home from the hospital, they have been  thoroughly drilled on the litany of infant-sleep no-nos: No stomach-sleeping.  No loose blankets. No pillows. No soft mattresses. No crib bumpers. The list  goes on.

Science Reveals Why We Brag So Much

Talking  about ourselves—whether in a personal conversation or through social media  sites like Facebook and Twitter—triggers the same sensation of pleasure in  the brain as food or money, researchers reported Monday.

Amped, New Synthetic Drug Used to Get High

Amped,  a new type of synthetic drug that falls into the street category of “bath  salts,” is being used by people in Virginia to get high, and likely in other  parts of the country as well.

Beep! Beep! That creeping commute is hurting your health

Sure,  speed kills. But new science suggests your sluggish slog from home to work  (and back again) is slowly sucking the life out of you — exit by  excruciating exit.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Actelion sees no earnings growth until 2014

Europe’s  biggest biotech company Actelion said it would only return to earnings growth  in 2014, later than analysts expect, as new medicines and cost cuts would  take time to offset falling sales of a key heart and lung drug.

Allergen receives subpoena over its anti-obesity device

U.S.  healthcare group Allergan has received a subpoena from the U.S. government  over its gastric banding system that is used to treat obesity.

Intercell signs finance deal with BB Biotech

Austrian  biotech group Intercell has signed a financing deal with Switzerland’s BB  Biotech and is in talks with other investors about a private stock placement  that could total 20 million euros, it said.

Court reverses itself on veterans healthcare overhaul

A  federal appeals court has reversed a ruling that the U.S. Department of  Veterans Affairs must overhaul how it cares for veterans with combat-related  mental health care illnesses.

Insurers back FDA plan for new drug category

Health  insurers gave a tentative thumbs-up Monday to the Food and Drug  Administration’s proposal to make drugs treating chronic conditions available  without a prescription by classifying them in an all-new category.

Abbott Laboratories agrees to $1.6 billion settlement over marketing of Depakote

Global  pharmaceutical giant Abbott Laboratories has agreed to pay federal and state  governments $1.6 billion in criminal and civil fines for illegally promoting  unapproved uses of its drug Depakote, including to sedate elderly patients in  nursing homes, officials announced Monday.

MEDIA & TECHNOLOGY NEWS

Kodak online photos going to Shutterfly in July

Kodak  will close its online photo service on July 2 after a federal bankruptcy  judge approved selling the business to Shutterfly for $23.8 million.

Report: FBI requesting backdoors into social sites

After  seeing the privacy-shattering updates that the FBI wants top websites like  Facebook, Twitter, and Google to implement, I’m wondering if his dystopic  1984 didn’t go far enough. After all, in mythical Oceania, it was only  televisions that watched citizens back. Now the US government is seeking the  right to observe messages and activity in almost any website or service that  enables communication.

HEALTH NEWS

Autism

Study Damps Fears on Autism Change

Proposed new diagnostic criteria for autism don’t appear to reduce the number of children diagnosed with that condition, according to preliminary data presented at the American Psychiatric Association annual meeting on Sunday.

Cancer

Insight: Training Immune System to Fight Cancer Comes of Age

More than 100 years after researchers first explored the potential to harness the body’s immune system to fight cancer, the field’s leading doctors see the concept finally proving itself on a large scale in the next year or two.

Doctors Urge Routine Skin Screenings

Adults and children should be screened routinely for changes in the appearance of their skin, experts advise. Mount Sinai Medical Center researchers point out that regular visits to the dermatologist are just as important as trips to the dentist because they can provide clues as to what’s going on outside as well as inside the body.

Diabetes

Type 2 Diabetes – It’s All About You

It is tough to be told you have type 2 diabetes. Yet, it is predicted that 44 million Americans will have diabetes by the year 2034 so this diagnosis will become more and more common. Every person with type 2 diabetes is different.

HIV

FDA Panel Considers HIV Drug For New Use

A Food and Drug Administration advisory panel this week will decide whether to recommend for the first time that certain healthy but at-risk people take a drug to help prevent them from contracting the virus that causes AIDS.

Infertility

Birth Defect Rates Vary Depending on Fertility Treatment: Study

Birth defects are more common after certain infertility treatments, but whether the cause is the assisted reproduction techniques themselves or the underlying biology preventing conception isn’t clear, Australian researchers say.

Obesity

Research May Point to New Obesity Treatments

Scientists who found a way to make white fat behave more like brown fat say their discovery could lead to new obesity treatments.

Neurologic Conditions

Living Alone with Alzheimer’s Tough Choice for All

Elaine Vlieger is making some concessions to Alzheimer’s. She’s cut back on her driving, frozen dinners replace once elaborate cooking, and a son monitors her finances. But the Colorado woman lives alone and isn’t ready to give up her house or her independence.

Scientists “Switch Off” Brain Cell Death in Mice

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.

Vaccines

Vaccination Laws Lead to More Middle School Immunizations

States that require immunizations for students entering middle school have significantly higher numbers of adolescents who actually get recommended vaccinations compared with states that simply require that parents be informed about the vaccinations, according to a new study.

Researchers Say Step Closer to Meningitis B Vaccine

Researchers said Monday they were a step closer to developing a vaccine against the type of meningitis that mostly affects Europe and North America and kills hundreds every year.

Women’s Health

Resisting a Rest? Revival Tips for Women on the Go-Go-Go

It’s 6 a.m., and Alena Burley’s alarm clock is screaming. By 7:30, the 23-year-old from Tallahassee, Florida, has walked her dog, eaten an egg-white omelet, showered, dressed, and driven 30 minutes to her third-grade teaching job. By 4:30, her dog is back on its leash, then Alena sprints to the gym before her grad-school class, after which she rushes to her evening babysitting gig. Back home well past 10 p.m., totally beat, she grades papers and falls into bed, after setting her alarm…for 6 a.m.

Other News

Want to Quit Smoking ? Try Acupuncture or Hypnosis

Acupuncture and hypnosis have been promoted as drug-free ways to help smokers kick the habit, and there is some evidence that they work, according to a research review that looked at 14 international studies.

The Dangers Of Going Off-Label With Prescription Drugs

Simply put, when your doctor prescribes a drug for some use that is not specifically approved, this is called an “off-label” prescription. It is noted that perhaps 20% of all prescriptions are written for off-label use, and a majority of these uses lack conventional scientific support.

The Health Risks of Weeping at Work

After successfully closing a $25 million deal with Sony, Anne Kreamer, a senior vice president at the children’s cable channel Nickelodeon, got a call from Sumner Redstone. It was the first time the chairman and majority owner of Nickelodeon’s parent company, Viacom, had ever called her.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Roche Stops Heart Drug Trial as Data Disappoints

Swiss drugmaker Roche has ended efforts to develop a heart disease drug that according to some industry analysts could have achieved $10 billion annual sales, after poor results from a late stage trial.

Novartis Study Positive for New Acromegaly Therapy

Swiss drugmaker Novartis said on Monday study data showed a new therapy for people suffering from acromegaly, a rare disorder characterized by enlargement of the feet, hands and internal organs, was more effective than the treatment now commonly prescribed.

Roche Halts Trial of ‘Good-Cholesterol’ Drug

Roche Holding AG on Monday said it stopped development of “good cholesterol” drug dalcetrapib for lack of efficacy, in a major blow to the Swiss drug maker, which had hoped the drug could become a blockbuster with more than $1 billion in annual sales.

FDA Staff Question Pfizer Arthritis Drug Benefits

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.

FDA Lifts Second Hold on Trials of Insmed Lung Drug

Insmed Inc can resume the development of its key drug Arikace after the U.S. health regulator lifted a second clinical hold on the drugmaker’s experimental treatment for lung disease, sending its shares up 48 percent in premarket trade.

MEDIA & TECHNOLOGY NEWS

Smart Fitness Puts Premium on the Personal Touch

Even in the vastness of the online fitness universe, it all comes down to the human touch on your touch screen. The latest, smartest devices and websites are enlisting online dating and gaming technology to forge real relationships in the virtual fitness world.

So You’re a Cyborg — Now What?

Quick: What’s the fattiest system in your body that has two halves and weighs between 2 and 4 pounds? It’s your brain — you know, that thing that remembers stuff. But because of rapidly evolving information technology, your first impulse was probably to search for the answer on the Internet.

Could These Start-Ups Become the Next Big Thing?

When Facebook bought Instagram for $1 billion last month, it raised a lot of questions about which buzzed-about start-ups might be on track for similar success. The start-up scene is flooded with apps and services that are attracting users and backing from investors.

HEALTH NEWS

Cancer

India’s Cipla Cuts Cancer Drug Prices by 75%

Cipla  Ltd., one of India’s largest generic drug manufacturers, said it is cutting  prices on its cancer medicines by up to 75%, a move likely to further  complicate efforts by big Western pharmaceutical companies seeking to develop  their businesses in India.

Older Lung Cancer Patients Less Likely to Be Treated

A  study of seniors with non-small cell lung cancer found that older patients  are less likely to receive treatment than younger patients, regardless of  their overall health and prognosis.

Autism

Prenatal Smoking Linked to High-Functioning Autism in Kids

If  a woman smokes during pregnancy, it may increase her child’s risk of  high-functioning autism, a new study suggests.

Cardiovascular Disease

Even at higher genetic heart risk, lifestyle helps

It’s  no secret that healthy habits do your heart good. But a new study helps  confirm that lifestyle also matters for people who have a genetically  increased risk of heart problems.

A Heart Disease Veteran at Just Age 12

Even  youngsters who seem to be in perfect health can be at risk for heart disease.  Just ask Heather Link.

Today’s Kids May Be Destined for Adult Heart Disease

No  longer an adults-only issue, heart health has become increasingly problematic  for American children.

Neurology

Junior Seau’s death raises questions about brain trauma, chronic traumatic encephalopathy

Junior  Seau was found dead yesterday of a gunshot wound to the chest in what  investigators are looking at as a suicide, CBS News reported. The 43-year-old  had a standout career as a Pro Bowl linebacker during 20 seasons in the  National Football League.

Women’s Health

CDC report: More teen girls use best birth control

More  teen girls now use the best kinds of birth control, a new government study  says.

Infertility

After IVF, some couples get pregnant without help

Despite  the label of being “infertile,” some couples who have tried  fertility treatments are later able to have a baby naturally, according to a new  study from France.

Food and Nutrition

Rules ’holdup’ puzzles food industry and food-safety advocates

Most  of the provisions in a landmark food safety law which passed 16 months ago  still haven’t gone into effect and are stuck in a rule-making process at the  White House, four months overdue.

Heavy metal singer slammed by salmonella sushi

When  heavy metal singer Chris Fronzak dubbed his latest gig “The Sick Tour,” he  didn’t mean it literally.

Madelyn Fernstrom: Watch for hidden calories in every sip

Trimming  calories from liquids makes perfect sense to jump-start your summer health.  Staying hydrated in warm weather is key, but many liquids are loaded with  calories and sugars — often carrying a health-food halo with added vitamins  and minerals. But don’t be fooled!

Other News

High Blood Pressure Risk Factors That May Surprise You

Managing  your blood pressure is the most important thing you can do to help lower your  risk of stroke, the fourth leading cause of death in the United States,  experts say.

Vogue bans too-skinny models from its pages

Vogue  magazine, perhaps the world’s top arbiter of style, is making a statement  about its own models: Too young and too thin is no longer in.

Wash. State Frees Emergency Cash to Curb Whooping Cough

Washington  Gov. Chris Gregoire is tapping into emergency funds to help contain a  whooping cough epidemic spreading throughout the state.

Early Burdens: Eldercare Falls on Young Shoulders

At  30, Suzette Armijo cares for her widowed 86-year-old grandmother, a retired  National Park Service ranger in the final stages of Alzheimer’s disease,  while holding down a fulltime job, a part-time job and raising a 4-year-old  son.

CDC links eye infections to troubled Florida pharmacy

Federal  health officials confirmed 33 cases of a rare fungal eye infection across  seven states on Thursday, stemming from products mixed in a Florida pharmacy  that also mixed supplements that killed 21 elite polo horses in 2009.

Researcher believed to be killed by lab bacteria

A  young research associate killed by a highly virulent strain of meningococcal  disease is believed to have contracted the bacteria from the San Francisco  lab where he was working on a vaccine against it, public health officials  said on Thursday.

INDUSTRY NEWS

U.S. to partner with Big Pharma for drug discovery

The  U.S. government will help drug companies find treatments for a host of  diseases through a new collaboration in which researchers will test  experimental drugs provided by manufacturers.

Pfizer’s Lyrica falls short in two pain studies

Pfizer  Inc’s big-selling Lyrica drug failed to help HIV patients and diabetics  relieve forms of nerve pain, according to separate clinical trial results  released by the drugmaker on Friday.

FDA staff question side effects of Regeneron gout drug

U.S.  drug reviewers said Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc’s drug to prevent gout  flares worked, but questioned its side effects and whether it did enough to  help patients.

FDA says number of new drug shortages down

Health  officials said the number of new shortages of crucial drugs used to treat  cancer and other illnesses had been halved compared to a year ago, and  attributed the improvement to earlier notice from drugmakers about looming  supply issues.

Preview: U.S. panel seen backing Pfizer’s arthritis drug hope

Pfizer  Inc’s experimental rheumatoid arthritis drug goes before an advisory panel  next week, a potential blockbuster medicine that would revive faith in the  company’s research if its benefits are deemed to outweigh its side effects.

Feds to put up $1.9B for Oregon health overhaul

The  Obama administration is buying into an ambitious health care initiative in  Oregon, announcing Thursday it has tentatively agreed to chip in $1.9 billion  over five years to help get the program off the ground.

Collaboration seeks to find new uses for failed drugs

The  U.S. government is looking for the next AZT, Viagra and thalidomide —  substances that washed out as treatments for one disease but later turned out  to work well against a totally different ailment.

NIH launches program to spur new drug therapies

Countless  Americans are suffering from thousands of diseases for which there are no  treatments.

Health Net Falls Most in 20 Years After Cutting Forecast

Health  Net Inc. (HNT) plunged the most in 20 years after the insurer said 2012  earnings would be lower than forecast after a change in claims processing  spurred the company to set aside more money to pay for last year’s bills.

MEDIA & TECHNOLOGY NEWS

Taking E-Mail Vacations Can Reduce Stress, Study Says

You  probably don’t need a doctor or scientist to tell you this, but your e-mail  could be killing you.

“Made in space” coming soon to a product near you

The  European Space Agency is hatching plans for a branding campaign aimed at  making people more aware of the benefits of spending their hard-earned taxes  on the International Space Station (ISS).

Analyst: No Apple TV until 2014

Hoping  to get your hands on the long-rumored Apple TV? Prepare to wait a couple more  years, if one analyst’s prediction is correct.

HEALTH NEWS

Cancer

Lower-Dose Radioiodine Effective Against Thyroid Cancer

People  with thyroid cancer are often given a radioactive iodine treatment to wipe  out stray cancer cells, a treatment that comes with its own health risks.

Neurological Disease

Eating More Foods Rich in Omega-3s May Lower Alzheimer’s Risk: Study

Consuming  foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids may guard against Alzheimer’s disease, new  research suggests.

Food and Nutrition

U.S. quarantines two dairies after mad cow case

Two  California dairy farms are under quarantine and a calf ranch is under  investigation following discovery of the latest case of mad cow disease, but  the government on Wednesday said the actions were standard procedure and  there was no threat to the food supply.

Gov’t to speed tracking of E. coli in meat

The  government plans to speed up the process for tracking E. coli in meat, a move  that will help authorities more quickly find the source of bacteria outbreaks  and hasten recalls of tainted food.

Tasty Food Fuels Run for Seconds

People  who fill up on tasty treats are more likely to return for seconds than those  who eat food that’s boring and bland, a new study found.

Energy and Sports Drinks Eat Away at Teeth, Study Finds

Sports  and energy drinks are causing irreversible damage to the teeth of teens and  young adults in the United States, the authors of a new study claim.

Eat more and weigh less with Volumetrics

So  what a relief to rediscover Volumetrics, a way of eating that just plain  makes sense. By pumping up your diet’s volume in easy ways (more of that to  come), you will not only enjoy yummy foods, but also eat a lot of them and  still lose weight.

Autism

The May family copes with four boys’ autism as a team

Mothers  make home movies for lots of happy reasons: to record milestones, such as a  baby’s first steps; to share a child’s smile with a far-away relative; or  just for bragging rights.

Women’s Health

Pre-surgery bladder tests often unnecessary: study

Uncomfortable  and expensive tests sometimes done before surgery to treat the most common  cause of urine leakage in women may be unnecessary, according to a new study  involving 630 volunteers at 11 medical centers.

What constitutes a ‘healthy’ vagina?

The  community of bacteria in the vagina that is considered “healthy”  for a woman can vary a lot between individuals, a new study suggests.

Obesity

Wash. mayors get started on weight-loss campaigns

Sean  Guard watched other people exercising from the window of his car or his  office in City Hall, as the pounds piled on slowly, a little bit at a time.  The Washougal mayor left his city’s bike trails and foot paths to those more  inclined to exercise while he made short work of chicken-fried steaks.

Cardiovascular Disease

Aspirin as Effective as Warfarin for Heart Failure: Study

Aspirin  is just as effective as the blood-thinner warfarin in preventing stroke and  death in heart failure patients with a normal heart rhythm, a landmark study  indicates.

Less Invasive Heart Valve Replacement Works for Elderly: Study

For  elderly patients with a heart valve disease known as aortic stenosis, a  procedure called a transcatheter aortic-valve implantation appears safe and  effective, French researchers say.

Other News

Vitamins E, C no help against vision disorder

Taking  vitamins E and C may do nothing to protect aging eyes from macular  degeneration — the leading cause of vision loss in older adults, a new  clinical trial finds.

Can portfolio theory save lives?

With  U.S. biomedical research under assault by everyone from patients to Congress  for turning so few scientific discoveries into treatments, a leading finance  expert says decisions about what studies to bankroll should be made the same  way pension funds, mutual funds, and university endowments decide how to  invest their money.

Autograft ACL repair better in young athletes: study

A  new study suggests young athletes who need knee ligament surgery do better  over the long run when their own tissue is used for the reconstruction  procedure, rather than tissue from a donor.

Kids on cow farms may have fewer allergies

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.

15 million of world’s babies are born prematurely

About  15 million premature babies are born every year – more than 1 in 10 of the  world’s births and a bigger problem than previously believed, according to  the first country-by-country estimates of this obstetric epidemic.

Girl with facial deformities learns to navigate world

What  if you knew, even before your child was born, that she wouldn’t look like everyone  else?

Disabled Americans Shrink Size of U.S. Labor Force

Michael  White says he wishes he still could pluck the bass line to Hank Williams  Jr.’s “Born to Boogie” and pay bills with money he earns himself. High  unemployment — along with ailments that he says render his fingers  inoperative and make him cough up blood — have dashed his hopes.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Smith & Nephew’s profit rises after restructuring

Artificial  hip and knee maker Smith & Nephew said the early fruits of a  restructuring program and a strong performance in knee implants delivered a  better-than-expected 5 percent rise in first-quarter trading profit.

India’s Dr Reddy’s gets U.S. nod for osteoporosis drug

Indian  drugmaker Dr Reddy’s Laboratories has received U.S. Food and Drug  Administration’s approval for selling ibandronate sodium tablets used to  treat osteoporosis, the regulator’s website showed on Thursday.

Medicare disruptions seen if health law is struck down

Tossing  out President Barack Obama’s health care law would have major unintended  consequences for Medicare’s payment systems, unseen but vital plumbing that  handles 100 million monthly claims from hospitals and other service  providers, the administration has quietly informed the courts.

Allergan’s Profit Rises 45% on Stronger Botox Sales

Allergan  Inc.’s first-quarter earnings rose 45% as the maker of Botox and medical  devices reported double-digit sales growth at its specialty pharmaceuticals  business.

U.S. Charges 107 With Defrauding Medicare

Federal  officials said Wednesday they had charged 107 people across the country in  recent days for allegedly running a string of unrelated Medicare fraud  schemes involving a total of $452 million in false claims.

Fund fighting killer diseases cuts jobs

The  Global Fund, an organisation that has received millions of dollars from Bill  Gates but found grant money was being misused, is cutting its workforce and  tightening its focus on 20 countries hardest hit by AIDS, tuberculosis and  malaria.

Novartis to Buy Fougera for $1.5 Billion for Skin Drugs

Novartis  AG (NOVN), Europe’s largest drugmaker, said it will spend $1.5 billion for  closely held Fougera Pharmaceuticals Inc. in a deal to become the top seller  of generic skin medications

DSM Agrees to Buy Kensey Nash in U.S. for $360 Million

Royal  DSM (DSM) NA agreed to buy U.S.-based Kensey Nash (KNSY) for $360 million in  cash to drive expansion in the market for medical devices and materials  engineered from proteins and synthetic polymers.

MEDIA & TECHNOLOGY NEWS

Target will stop selling Amazon’s Kindle e-readers

Target  is phasing out Amazon.com’s e-reader Kindle at its more than 1,700 stores and  its website.

100,000 Facebook users use new organ donor option

Thousands  of Facebook users have signed up to be organ donors this week, thanks to a  new feature on the social networking site that makes it easier to register.

Nielsen Reports a Decline in Television Viewing

For  the first time in years, Nielsen is reporting a slight decline in overall TV  viewing in the United States.

Amazon moving into sitcoms

You  can get just about anything on Amazon these days. Pretty soon that may  include original sitcoms, with the rollout of Amazon Studios.

New Turf for Sharing Services: The Driveway

While  some high-tech companies got their start in garages, a new crop of business  founders, including Nick Miller of Baltimore, is giving fresh meaning to the  term “garage entrepreneur.”

HEALTH NEWS

Food and Nutrition

20 Easy Ways to Ditch 250 Calories (or More!) a Day

Make just one of these simple calorie slashes and lose two pounds this month without changing anything else.

Diabetes

Study: Heavy Teens Have Trouble Managing Diabetes

New research sends a stark warning to overweight teens: If you develop diabetes, you’ll have a very tough time keeping it under control.

Obesity-Linked Diabetes in Children Resists Treatment

Obesity and the form of diabetes linked to it are taking an even worse toll on America’s youths than medical experts had realized. As obesity rates in children have climbed, so has the incidence of Type 2 diabetes, and a new study adds another worry: the disease progresses more rapidly in children than in adults and is harder to treat.

No Easy Cure for Diabetic Children

The only pill approved in the U.S. for treatment of children with type 2 diabetes is proving surprisingly ineffective, according to a new study, heightening worries about the fast-growing and largely preventable disease.

Two-Drug Therapy Helped Kids With Type 2 Diabetes

Children with type 2 diabetes may achieve better blood sugar control with a combination of two drugs, metformin and Avandia, than with metformin alone, a new study suggests.

Food and Nutrition

Clever Diet Tricks from Big-Time ‘Losers’

My new book, The Joy Fit Club: Cookbook, Diet Plan & Inspiration, profiles 30 weight loss superstars who have each lost over 100 pounds and transformed their lives. In the book, they share the smart, slimming strategies that helped them reach their goals. Here, you’ll find just a sampling of healthy eating and exercise advice from big-time “losers” who have achieved lasting success!

Obesity

As America’s Waistline Expands, Costs Soar

U.S. hospitals are ripping out wall-mounted toilets and replacing them with floor models to better support obese patients. The Federal Transit Administration wants buses to be tested for the impact of heavier riders on steering and braking. Cars are burning nearly a billion gallons of gasoline more a year than if passengers weighed what they did in 1960.

Other News

Checking Up on Your Fitness Form

From jumping rope to swinging a kettle bell to pounding a treadmill, a finely-tuned form can spell the difference between a sound body and a sore knee.

9 Things You Didn’t Know You Should Be Doing to Protect Your Eyes

Even with perfect vision, everyone should get an exam by age 20 and then every few years after that. Get a baseline screening for blinding diseases such as glaucoma by age 40.

Mothers’ Stress Could Cause Iron Deficiency in Newborns

Stress experienced by a mother during the first trimester of pregnancy can lead to iron deficiency in her newborn, putting the infant at risk for physical and mental development delays, a new study says.

Anxiety, Depression Often Go Hand-in-Hand With Arthritis

Depression or anxiety affect one-third of Americans with arthritis who are aged 45 or older, a new study shows. Researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also found that even though anxiety is nearly twice as common as depression among people with arthritis, doctors tend to focus more on depression in these patients.

Some Teens May Be Pre-Wired for Addiction: Study

Babies instinctively clutch on fingers and seek out their mother’s voice.  For many, it takes little effort to understand the difference between laughter and anger.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Actelion Breathes Easy on “Best Case” New Drug Data

A new lung and heart drug from Actelion beat expectations in a key clinical trial, giving a much-needed boost to its pipeline and providing Europe’s leading biotech company with a viable successor to its current top seller.

FDA May Let Patients Buy Drugs without Prescriptions

In a move that could help the government trim its burgeoning health care costs, the Food and Drug Administration may soon permit Americans to obtain some drugs used to treat conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes without obtaining a prescription.

Children Usually Excluded from Clinical Drug Trials: Study

Children are more likely than adults to suffer from a number of diseases, but few clinical trials are conducted to test new drugs in children with these conditions, researchers have found.

MEDIA & TECHNOLOGY NEWS

Google Engineer Told Officials Street View Cars were Collecting Personal Data, FCC Report Says

A Google engineer knowingly created software that would collect sensitive personal information about people without their knowledge, according to an un-redacted version of a federal investigative report.

Itsy-bitsy Teeny Cell Towers are Coming

The cell phone capacity problem is getting bigger by the day, but one potential solution has wireless carriers thinking smaller — way smaller.

Facebook to Introduce ‘Lifesaving’ Feature Tuesday

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is scheduled to appear on ABC’s Good Morning America on Tuesday to introduce a feature that “could save lives.”

HEALTH NEWS

Cancer

Cancer Survivors Urged to Eat Better, Exercise

A cancer diagnosis often inspires people to exercise and eat healthier. Now the experts say there’s strong evidence that both habits may help prevent the disease from coming back.

Cardiovascular Disease

Repairing the Heart without Using Stem Cells

When a person suffers a heart attack, scar tissue forms over the damaged areas of the heart, reducing the organ’s function.  However, in a recent study, scientists successfully turned this scar tissue into working heart muscle without the use of stem cells.

Food and Nutrition

U.S. Defends Safety of Nation’s Beef

U.S. officials offered new reassurances that the nation’s beef-production system was safe after Indonesia on Thursday suspended imports of American beef following the first reported case of mad-cow disease in the U.S. in six years.

Toward a Drug-Free Burger: Ruling May Curb Antibiotics in Meat

The oil industry gets a lot of attention, but for my money the most powerful lobby in U.S. politics is agriculture. Between commodity crops and meat, the sector is huge.

Trick Yourself into Eating Veggies

Do you still act like the kid on the school lunch line who grumbles when he’s served a pile of flaccid carrots? Here’s a weird trick: Staring at a picture of a T-bone beforehand may make your vegetables more enjoyable, according to a new study in PLoS ONE.

Obesity

Soft drinks: Public enemy No.1 in obesity fight?

Pushing her meal cart into the hospital room, a research assistant hands out tall glasses of reddish-pink liquid, along with a gentle warning: “Remember, you guys have to finish all your Kool-Aid.”

Neurologic Conditions

Daily Activity Tied to Lower Alzheimer’s Risk

Higher levels of daily physical activity are associated with a decreased risk of Alzheimer’s disease, new research suggests.

RNAi

Scientists Identify Gene Behind Pygmies’ Short Stature

Scientists have identified genes linked to the small stature of Western African Pygmies in Cameroon. A large number of previous studies have pinpointed nearly 180 genes that influence height differences in European populations, but this is the first genome-wide study of genes that affect height in African pygmies.

Vaccines

Ghana Introduces Vaccines Against Top Child Killers

Ghana became the first African country on Thursday to introduce vaccines against pneumococcal disease and rotavirus at the same time in a bid to fight leading causes of the world’s two biggest childhood killers – pneumonia and diarrhoea.

Other News

Some Schools Don’t Let Kids Carry Asthma Inhalers

Although all 50 states have laws that allow children with asthma to carry inhalers at school and 48 states have laws that let youngsters carry epinephrine pens for serious allergies, experts say that some kids are still being denied access to these lifesaving medications during the school day.

Research Gets Closer to Genetic Roots of Glaucoma

Two genetic variations are linked to a common form ofglaucoma, known as primary open-angle glaucoma, according to new research

Kids’ Kidney Transplant Rules May Have Shrunk ‘Race Gap’

Racial disparities in kidney transplants for U.S. children have fallen since a new policy was introduced in 2005 by the United Network for Organ Sharing, researchers say.

7 Diseases That Strike Younger Than You Think

What you can do now to delay—or prevent—problems later. “When we’re young, we think we’re invincible,” says Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association. “But we’re not.”

Salmonella Outbreak Sickens Hundreds

At least 200 people in 21 states and Washington, D.C., are sick with two rare strains of salmonella. The source of the outbreak is believed to be from a frozen yellowfin tuna product by Moon Marine USA Corp. Moon Marine recalled 58,828 pounds of the frozen fish earlier this month.

INDUSTRY NEWS

FDA Rejects Amgen’s Application for Xgeva

U.S. health regulators rejected the application by Amgen Inc, the world’s biggest biotechnology company, to expand the use of the drug Xgeva to delay the spread of tumors to the bone in patients suffering from advanced prostate cancer.

Report: Rebates from Health Care Law will Top $1B

More than 3 million health insurance policyholders and thousands of employers will share $1.3 billion in rebates this year, thanks to President Barack Obama’s health care law, a nonpartisan research group said Thursday.

FDA Panel Backs New Defibrillator

A federal advisory panel on Thursday backed a new type of implantable heart defibrillator being developed by Cameron Health Inc., saying it represents an additional treatment option for people who are at risk of sudden cardiac arrest from an abnormal heartbeat.

Repligen Says FDA Cancels Meeting on New Drug

Repligen Corp. said the Food & Drug Administration canceled an advisory-committee meeting to review the company’s new-drug application for RG1068, which detects pancreatic-duct abnormalities in patients with pancreatitis, and said it expects the FDA to request additional clinical-trial data.

EU Plans to Block Fake Drugs Spark Industry Row

A European Union plan to tighten drug packaging rules in a bid to stamp out counterfeits has triggered a row between makers of big name medicines and those producing cheap generics, who argue the costs will be crippling.

MEDIA & TECHNOLOGY NEWS

Striiv Upgrades ‘Smart’ Pedometer Feature for Busy Moms

Need a little motivation to walk more every day? Fitness tracker Striiv announced on Wednesday that its smart pedometer now features a wireless social component that lets users compete in activity-based challenges with friends and family.

Telemedicine

When a patient arrives at an outlying Emergency Room, high resolution two-way conferencing technology can provide a fast, accurate consultation. Previously inconceivable, this technology can safe lives and quicken recovery.

Walmart Launches ‘Pay With Cash’ for Online Purchases

Attention, Walmart shoppers: now you can pay for online purchases with cash. The retailer has launched a “Pay With Cash” program, allowing customers to buy items online, then visit a Walmart store and pay for

A Look Behind Apple’s App Store Curtain

A funny thing happened to startup SwayMarkets after CNNMoney ran a story about its CarrierCompare app two weeks ago: The app got yanked from Apple’s iTunes App Store.

How the Associated Press uses Twitter & Facebook

The Associated Press uses social media both to gather and disseminating information, approaching each social network differently.  “Part of what we’re doing is sharing content in a curated way,” Eric Carvin, the AP’s social media editor, tells DigiDay. “It helps as news gathering; if we’re looking to find someone who has amateur video, we put out a call and a good chance we’ll hear back from people.”