11 May, 2009 – 20:04 | 3 Comments

In an about-face to their stance during the Clinton Administration, leaders of the nation’s healthcare industry have promised to cut prices in response to the Obama Administration’s vow to resolve the healthcare crisis and make health care available to every…

Read the full story »
Diet

Drugs

Lifestyle

Medical Research

Prevention

Huntington’s Disease Discovery Called ‘Fabulous Experiment’
5 June, 2009 – 14:03 | One Comment
alt text

Dr. Nancy Wexler says the newest discovery on the origin of Huntington’s disease is a ‘fabulous experiment’ with ‘very promising’ results.  Wexler, of the Hereditary Disease Foundation, was part of the research team that discovered a toxic chemical reaction, called…

FDA Chief Agrees to Reconsider BPA Safety
5 June, 2009 – 10:31 | 2 Comments
alt text

Margaret Hamburg, MD, chief of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has agreed to review data on bisphenol A (BPA), a common ingredient in the plastic bottles used for baby formulas, water and other popular beverages, as well as…

Pfizer Fix for Fido’s Cancer Coming in 2010
5 June, 2009 – 8:37 | No Comment
alt text

Pfizer, Inc., the world’s largest manufacturer of medicines, has just gained US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for Palladia, the first cancer drug developed for specific use in dogs.  Canine cancer cases in the US are estimated at 1.2…

Most American Bankruptcies Include Extreme Medical Expenses
4 June, 2009 – 20:30 | 9 Comments
alt text

“Unless you’re Warren Buffett, your family is just one serious illness away from bankruptcy,” said Dr. David Himmelstein, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.  He described the situation as “frightening” in a news release issued by the Physicians…

FDA Wants Stronger Acetaminophen Warnings
3 June, 2009 – 14:42 | No Comment
alt text

Most Americans assume over-the-counter (OTC) painkillers are relatively safe and that dosage limits listed on their labels are mere recommendations, OK to ignore if the pain doesn’t immediately go away.  This, unfortunately, is not the case and the US Food…

All 50 US States Have Confirmed Swine Flu Cases
2 June, 2009 – 7:31 | 6 Comments
alt text

Schools all across the United States are on the verge of closing but, this time, it’s for the summer holidays and not the swine flu.  That doesn’t mean swine flu is no longer cause for alarm, though.  The latest news…

HRT Appears to Increase Risk of Fatal Lung Cancer
2 June, 2009 – 5:27 | No Comment
alt text

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) once seemed so promising for alleviating the most troubling symptoms of menopause but prolonged study into their overall effect on a woman’s health continues to reveal hidden dangers in the therapy itself.  Of latest concern is…

Sun Worshipers Beware: There’s More to Sunscreen Than SPF
1 June, 2009 – 20:20 | No Comment
alt text

Summer’s here, bringing lots of time for fun in the sun but, before heading out to the sand and the surf, sun worshipers should learn more about the sunscreens they rely on, including what’s really meant by those SPF numbers,…

Texas Man Faces Life in Prison for HIV Assault
29 May, 2009 – 12:47 | No Comment
alt text

Philippe Padieu, 53, was convicted on Wednesday of six counts of aggravated assault after knowingly infecting six women with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes AIDS.  The Collin County, Texas, jury is currently in the process of deliberating his…

Heavier Women Urged to Gain Less During Pregnancy
29 May, 2009 – 3:11 | One Comment
alt text

The Institute of Medicine has just released updated national recommendations for the number of pounds a woman should gain during pregnancy for optimum health to herself and her baby.  This set of revised recommendations is the first the institute has…

Breastfeeding Good for Mom’s Heart
27 May, 2009 – 8:31 | One Comment
alt text

We’ve long known that breastfeeding benefits a baby in many more ways than just filling his little tummy.  The latest issue of Obstetrics and Gynaecology carries details of a study that says breastfeeding is good for mom’s heart in ways…

Experts Advise Routine Depression Screening for Teens
26 May, 2009 – 11:34 | One Comment
alt text

The US Preventive Services Task Force says the rate of depression in children between 12 and 18 years old is high enough to warrant routine screening by their primary care physicians.  The recommendation, announced in the latest issue of the…

Talk Therapy Better for Insomniacs than Drugs
25 May, 2009 – 17:44 | No Comment
alt text

Researchers at Laval University, Quebec, Canada, have published the findings of their study comparing the benefits of talk therapy versus some of the most commonly prescribed drugs for insomnia.  It seems that, for the best long-term relief, talk therapy puts…

Blue Cross Blue Shield to Launch Ad Campaign Against Obama Health Plan
25 May, 2009 – 12:23 | 41 Comments
alt text

President Barack Obama has issued the call for the medical insurance industry to produce significant reform so millions of Americans still uncovered or underinsured by the healthcare insurance industry can obtain affordable medical care and to rein in the skyrocketing…