Swine flu virus kills child in US

A 23-month-old child in the US is the first person to die of swine flu outside Mexico, where it may have killed as many as 159.
Source: BBC News | Health | World Edition | 29 Apr 2009 | 12:57 pm

Officials confront first US death from swine flu (AP)

In this image released by the White House, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius listens during a briefing by John Brennan, assistant to the President for Homeland Security, on Swine Flu in the Situation Room of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, April 28, 2009. (AP Photo/The White House, Pete Souza)AP - A 23-month-old Texas toddler became the first confirmed swine flu death outside of Mexico as authorities around the world struggled to contain a growing global health menace that has also swept Germany onto the roster of afflicted nations.



Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 29 Apr 2009 | 12:43 pm

Obama: Schools with infections may need to close

President Barack Obama raised the possibility of school closings Wednesday, saying education officials with confirmed cases of swine flu infection might need to temporarily shut down...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 29 Apr 2009 | 12:39 pm

Egypt slaughtering all pigs to stop swine flu

The Egyptian government says it has begun slaughtering all pigs in the country as a precautionary measure against the possible spread of swine flu. The Health Ministry says the slaughter
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 29 Apr 2009 | 12:32 pm

Death of US toddler heightens swine flu fears (AFP)

Tourists wear face masks as they leave Mexico City's international airport. A US toddler has died from swine flu becoming the first fatal victim outside Mexico and the spread of the virus around the globe heightened calls for tougher travel restrictions.(AFP/Ronaldo Schemidt)AFP - A 23-month-old US child died from swine flu becoming the first fatal victim outside Mexico and the spread of the virus around the globe heightened calls Wednesday for tougher travel restrictions.



Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 29 Apr 2009 | 12:32 pm

Sanofi-aventis Announces Good First-quarter 2009 Performance


Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 29 Apr 2009 | 12:08 pm

For Alzheimer's Disease, Surveyed Neurologists Identify a Therapy's Effect on Cognitive Decline as the Attribute That Most Influences Their Prescribing Decisions


Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 29 Apr 2009 | 12:08 pm

UPDATE 1-Clean Harbors to buy Canada's Eveready

* Deal will be a combination of cash, stock & assumed debt
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 29 Apr 2009 | 12:06 pm

US reports swine flu death, WHO mulls alert level (AP)

A South Korean quarantine officer, left, checks the temperature of Japanese passenger against the possible infection of the swine flu at Incheon International Airport in Incheon, west of Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, April 29, 2009. Five more South Koreans were being tested for possible swine flu after traveling to Mexico or the U.S., officials said Wednesday, a day after announcing the Asian nation's first probable case. (AP Photo/Yonhap, Lee Jung-hun)AP - Germany and Austria confirmed cases of swine flu Wednesday, becoming the third and fourth European countries hit by the disease. As the United States reported the first swine flu death outside of Mexico, the World Health Organization called an emergency meeting to consider its pandemic alert level.



Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 29 Apr 2009 | 12:06 pm

UPDATE 1-Meredith posts lower quarterly profit on ad decline

NEW YORK, April 29 (Reuters) - Magazine publisher and broadcaster Meredith Corp reported a 45 percent decline in quarterly profit on Wednesday because of advertising revenue declines.
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 29 Apr 2009 | 12:05 pm

OneBeacon Professional Partners Expands Directors & Officers Coverage for Health Care Organizations, Nonprofit Organizations


Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 29 Apr 2009 | 12:00 pm

Medarex Announces Presentations at Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology


Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 29 Apr 2009 | 12:00 pm

Easy-to-Use Wristband Tells You When to Apply Sunscreen - and When to Hit the Shade


Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 29 Apr 2009 | 12:00 pm

BioMS Medical to present at Alberta Economic Forum in Geneva


Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 29 Apr 2009 | 12:00 pm

Cover up

Can maks help stop the spread of swine flu?
Source: BBC News | Health | World Edition | 29 Apr 2009 | 11:27 am

Vaccine quest

Scientists race to develop a swine flu jab
Source: BBC News | Health | World Edition | 29 Apr 2009 | 11:11 am

An Open Letter To Canada's Minister Of Health

Addressing health care inequities in Canada should be a priority of the federal government, urge Dr. Paul Hébert and CMAJ's editorial writing team in an open letter to the Health Minister, Leona Aglukkaq.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 29 Apr 2009 | 9:00 am

Senate To Vote On Gov. Sebelius As HHS Secretary Today

The Senate on Tuesday is expected to confirm Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D) as secretary of HHS, the AP/Miami Herald reports. A morning debate and afternoon vote were scheduled on the nomination. Sebelius is expected to receive the 60 Senate votes needed for confirmation, potentially with "little margin to spare" (Werner, AP/Miami Herald, 4/28).
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 29 Apr 2009 | 9:00 am

Skinvisible's DermSafe(R) Hand Sanitizer Kills Swine Flu Virus

Skinvisible, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: SKVI), a research and development company of patented skincare and medical dermatology products, has developed a hand sanitizing lotion that has proven effective in killing the H1N1 swine flu virus found in pigs. Retroscreen Virology of London England conducted the studies with Skinvisible's Hand Sanitizer Lotion; DermSafe.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 29 Apr 2009 | 9:00 am

College Of American Pathologists Is Confident In U.S. Laboratories' Ability To Respond To Influenza Outbreak

Long regarded as the gold standard in monitoring medical laboratory performance, the College of American Pathologists (CAP) believes that the nation's laboratories will be able to adequately process and handle influenza cases and adapt to evolving guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Their readiness is demonstrated through the CAP's Proficiency Testing (PT) program.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 29 Apr 2009 | 9:00 am

No Data Supporting Antipsychotic Drug For Low-IQ Kids With ADHD

A new Cochrane review finds no evidence to support the use of risperidone to treat attention- deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in people with intellectual disabilities, even though the review authors say this is a common prescribing pattern. Risperidone, or Risperdal, is a second-generation antipsychotic drug.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 29 Apr 2009 | 9:00 am

Prostate Cancer Immunotherapy Significantly Prolongs Survival In Men With Advanced Prostate Cancer

Sipuleucel-T (Provenge), an experimental immunotherapy improved survival in men with metastatic disease, according to new results to be presented April 28 at the American Urological Association (AUA) Annual Scientific Meeting in Chicago. These data from the Phase 3 Immunotherapy for Prostate AdenoCarcinoma Treatment (IMPACT) study were presented during the meeting's Late Breaking Science Forum.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 29 Apr 2009 | 9:00 am

No Clear Winner Among Fillings For Childhood Cavities

So far, there is a not a clear winner among the types of fillings used to repair childhood cavities, according to a new review. In fact, there are so few useful studies on the topic that there is not enough evidence "to make any recommendations about which filling material to use," said Veerasamy Yengopal, who led the review.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 29 Apr 2009 | 9:00 am

BioTech Medical Well-Positioned To Immediately Respond To Swine Flu Emergency With SDC-Based SpectraSan 24 Disinfectant

PURE Bioscience (Nasdaq: PURE), creators of the patented silver dihydrogen citrate (SDC) antimicrobial, announced that its distributor, BioTech Medical, LLC, is well-positioned to immediately respond to the current swine flu emergency with its SDC-based SpectraSan 24(TM) disinfectant.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 29 Apr 2009 | 9:00 am

Obama Names Former Clinton Official Goosby To Global AIDS Coordinator, PEPFAR Post

President Obama on Monday named Eric Goosby as the new global AIDS coordinator and administrator of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the New York Times reports.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 29 Apr 2009 | 9:00 am

Challenge In Curbing The Spread Of Swine Flu: Half Of Workforce Lacks Paid Sick Days

The following is being released by the Institute for Women's Policy Research: As of this release, at least 50 cases of the swine flu have been confirmed in the United States with confirmed cases in six other countries, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to raise its pandemic alert level to Phase 4 for the first time since its creation. The U.S.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 29 Apr 2009 | 9:00 am

Over-40s may benefit from aspirin

Taking aspirin in your 40s could cut the risk of cancer later in life, research suggests.
Source: BBC News | Health | World Edition | 29 Apr 2009 | 6:44 am

From Édgar, 5, Coughs Heard Round the World

The Mexican government has identified a young boy as the first person in the country infected with swine flu, but officials have been slow to stem its spread.


Source: NYT > Health | 29 Apr 2009 | 6:12 am

Pfizer Profit Dips on Ease in Demand for Lipitor

As Pfizer sails toward its merger with Wyeth, it is hitting headwinds from patent expirations and weakening in sales in some key products, including Lipitor.


Source: NYT > Health | 29 Apr 2009 | 6:10 am

Institute of Medicine Calls for Doctors to Stop Taking Gifts From Drug Makers

The report, by the Institute of Medicine, is an indictment of many of the common means by which drug and device makers endear themselves to doctors, medical schools and hospitals.


Source: NYT > Health | 29 Apr 2009 | 6:02 am

Swine Flu Vaccine May Be Months Away, Experts Say

A major obstacle to production in the United States is a reliance on half-century-old technology to make the flu vaccines.


Source: NYT > Health | 29 Apr 2009 | 4:44 am

Senate Confirms Kansas Governor as Health Secretary

The confirmation of Kathleen Sebelius allows President Obama to fill the last vacancy in his cabinet with a seasoned politician who will take charge of the fight against swine flu.


Source: NYT > Health | 29 Apr 2009 | 4:36 am

The Naming of Swine Flu, a Curious Matter

What to call the new strain of flu raising alarms around the world has taken on political, economic and diplomatic overtones.


Source: NYT > Health | 29 Apr 2009 | 4:20 am

World battles swine flu as death toll rises

Governments and health officials around the world continued to take steps Tuesday against the outbreak of swine flu that has killed more than 150 people in Mexico and spread to the U.S., Europe and possibly Asia.

Source: CNN.com - Health | 29 Apr 2009 | 4:19 am

Books: Snapshots From the Days of Bare-Hands Anatomy

Capturing a photo craze inspired by cadavers of flesh and blood.


Source: NYT > Health | 29 Apr 2009 | 3:51 am

Clinical Trials Update: April 28, 2009 (HealthDay)

HealthDay - (HealthDay News) -- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of CenterWatch and ClinicalConnection.com:
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 29 Apr 2009 | 3:49 am

Acrylamide Doesn't Raise Lung Cancer Risk (HealthDay)

HealthDay - TUESDAY, April 28 (HealthDay News) -- Acrylamide, a food byproduct that some research has linked to certain cancers, doesn't raise the risk of lung cancer in men and may even offer slight protection for women, new research suggests.
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 29 Apr 2009 | 3:49 am

Mexicans put faith in masks — but do they work? (AP)

A waiter wearing a protective mask stands next to a sign that reads in Spanish 'Due to an order from the Health Secretary, our service from now on, and until further notice, will be only takeout' at a restaurant in Coyoacan neighborhood, in Mexico City, Tuesday, April 28, 2009. Mexico ordered restaurants to limit service to takeout on Tuesday and closed pool halls and gyms, as swine flu crossed new borders overseas and in the United States. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)AP - The cloth patches in green, blue and white are everywhere, clamped tight over the mouth and nose of teachers, toddlers, policemen and drunks. Even the statue at the church of St. Jude, patron of lost causes, has been fitted with a light-blue surgical mask to ward off swine flu. But do they work?



Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 29 Apr 2009 | 3:46 am

Basics: Bone, a Masterpiece of Elastic Strength

From a man with two skeletons, insight into what keeps us moving.


Source: NYT > Health | 29 Apr 2009 | 3:40 am

Mexico City at epicenter of swine flu fears

Authorities in Mexico ordered restaurants to serve only takeout food and mandated the closing of bars, clubs, theaters, pool halls, gyms, sport centers and convention halls until May 6. The swine flu is the scourge of the city, but it's by no means the only location affected.

Source: CNN.com - Health | 29 Apr 2009 | 3:14 am

Bed sharing 'risks babies' lives'

Parents get a renewed warning not to risk their babies' lives by sharing a bed with them while sleeping.
Source: BBC News | Health | World Edition | 29 Apr 2009 | 12:06 am

Genes 'have key role in autism'

Scientists produce the most compelling evidence to date that genetics play a key role in autism and related conditions.
Source: BBC News | Health | World Edition | 28 Apr 2009 | 11:50 pm

New warning labels ordered for some painkillers

Over-the-counter painkillers and fever reducers will now carry new labels warning consumers of the potential risks of liver damage and internal bleeding associated with the drugs, according to a final ruling Tuesday by the Food and Drug Administration.

Source: CNN.com - Health | 28 Apr 2009 | 10:30 pm

Masks keep you from spreading illness

In Mexico City, the government ran out of surgical masks after handing them out to one of every five residents.

Source: CNN.com - Health | 28 Apr 2009 | 10:23 pm

CDC Offers Theories on Disparities in Swine Flu Severity

The acting director of the CDC offered a handful of theories in a press conference today about why the swine influenza outbreak has produced fatalities in Mexico, but not so far in the United States or elsewhere.
Medscape Medical News
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 28 Apr 2009 | 10:20 pm

UN Food Body Checks If "Swine Flu" Linked to Pigs

The United Nations' food agency said on Tuesday its was mobilising its animal health experts and sending some to Mexico to check if the new strain of flu virus widely described as swine flu is really directly linked to pigs.
Reuters Health Information
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 28 Apr 2009 | 9:58 pm

U.S. Swine Flu Caseload Jumps to 65

The U.S. swine flu caseload rose to 65 in six states on Tuesday as lawmakers launched emergency hearings to evaluate the government's response to what doctors warn could become a pandemic.
Reuters Health Information
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 28 Apr 2009 | 9:58 pm

Israel, New Zealand Latest Countries Hit by Swine Flu

New Zealand and Israel confirmed cases of swine flu on Tuesday, the latest countries hit by the new strain that has killed up to 149 people in Mexico and which threatens to become a pandemic.
Reuters Health Information
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 28 Apr 2009 | 9:58 pm

WHO Awaits U.S. Confirmation on Human Flu Spread

The WHO said on Tuesday it awaited formal confirmation from U.S. authorities the new swine flu virus has spread significantly between people, a sign that could indicate an "imminent" influenza pandemic.
Reuters Health Information
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 28 Apr 2009 | 9:58 pm

Survival extended by Dendreon cancer vaccine (Reuters)

Reuters - An experimental cancer vaccine developed by Dendreon Corp improved three-year survival of patients with advanced prostate cancer by 38 percent compared with a placebo, according to data from a closely watched study unveiled on Tuesday.
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 28 Apr 2009 | 9:50 pm

Small Study Points to Predictors of Pacemaker Implantation With Corevalve Transcatheter Valve

Preexisting conduction abnormalities, as well as postprocedural anatomical factors (septal hypertrophy and "bulkiness" of the excluded native aortic valve) are key predictors of the need for pacemaker implantation after implantation of this fully percutaneous aortic prosthesis, investigators say.
Heartwire
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 28 Apr 2009 | 9:33 pm

Mumbai-Based Company Gets Tentative Approval for Generic Ezetimibe

Glenmark Pharmaceuticals filed an abbreviated new drug application with the FDA in October 2006, and product launch of generic ezetimibe will depend on its final approval by the agency.
Heartwire
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 28 Apr 2009 | 9:33 pm

Swine flu creates controversy on Twitter

The swine flu outbreak is spawning debate about how people get information during health emergencies -- especially at a time when news sources are becoming less centralized.

Source: CNN.com - Health | 28 Apr 2009 | 8:53 pm

US wants ingredient in swine flu vaccine by May (AP)

This 2009 image taken through a microscope and provided by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, shows a negative-stained image of the swine flu virus. The swine flu epidemic crossed new borders Tuesday with the first cases confirmed in the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region, as world health officials said they suspect American patients may have transmitted the virus to others in the U.S. (AP Photo/Center for Disease Control and Prevention, C. S. Goldsmith and A. Balish)AP - U.S. scientists hope to have a key ingredient for a swine flu vaccine ready in early May, but are finding that the novel virus grows slowly in eggs — the chief way flu vaccines are made.



Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 28 Apr 2009 | 8:53 pm

ISHLT 2009: Five or More Pregnancies Increase Risk for Heart-Graft Rejection in First Year

Pregnancy may be an independent risk factor for acute rejection risk by 1 year and for reduced survival.
Medscape Medical News
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 28 Apr 2009 | 8:52 pm

Statin Use May Cut Risk of Atrial Fibrillation in Women

New research suggests that use of statin therapy in postmenopausal women with coronary artery disease may reduce the risk of atrial fibrillation.
Reuters Health Information
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 28 Apr 2009 | 8:48 pm

Depression History in Hospitalized Heart Failure Patients Predicts Clinical Outcome

Patients hospitalized for heart failure who have a history of depression have worse clinical outcomes than those without such a history, according to a paper in the April issue of the American Journal of Medicine.
Reuters Health Information
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 28 Apr 2009 | 8:48 pm

Prostate cancer vaccine extends survival in study (AP)

AP - An experimental treatment added four months to the lives of men with advanced prostate cancer in a study that tested an entirely new approach to fighting the disease, doctors reported Tuesday.
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 28 Apr 2009 | 7:53 pm

Expert on flu's spread says new strain here to stay

Predicting the path of a swine flu outbreak is next to impossible, public health officials say. But Dr. Ira Longini has spent more than three decades trying to do just that.

Source: CNN.com - Health | 28 Apr 2009 | 7:32 pm

Relief of postpartum depression helps sex life (Reuters)

Reuters - Women who suffer from depression after giving birth can often be helped with antidepressants, and when treatment is successful it usually improves sexual problems.
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 28 Apr 2009 | 7:25 pm

Commentary: Why swine flu scares us

Take a stroll through the aisles of one of the big national chain-pharmacy stores: Walgreens, or CVS, or Rite Aid.

Source: CNN.com - Health | 28 Apr 2009 | 6:21 pm

Shortage of Doctors an Obstacle to Obama Goals

One proposal -- to increase Medicare payments to general practitioners, at the expense of high-paid specialists -- has touched off a lobbying fight.


Source: NYT > Health | 28 Apr 2009 | 6:08 pm

Q & A: Salt of the Earth

Is the salt in canned food iodized?


Source: NYT > Health | 28 Apr 2009 | 5:55 pm

Devices aim to help children with autism speak

April 28, 2009 Imagine feeling ill and being unable to tell anyone what hurts. Or longing for pizza on your eighth birthday but ending up with Chinese takeout because you couldn't explain what you wanted. These are the kinds of frustrations, experts say, that are faced by the more than 1 in 150...
Source: PsycPORT.com | 28 Apr 2009 | 5:09 pm

Spider phobia

Zoo helps arachnophobes tackle their fear
Source: BBC News | Health | World Edition | 28 Apr 2009 | 3:30 pm

Pandemic: What would happen next?

The world hasn't seen a pandemic in 41 years, when the "Hong Kong" flu crossed the globe and killed about one million people worldwide. If swine flu reaches pandemic levels, what would happen next?

Source: CNN.com - Health | 28 Apr 2009 | 3:11 pm

NY teen with swine flu describes her odyssey

More than 100 students at St. Francis Preparatory School in Queens, New York, have fallen ill recently. Some have tested positive for swine flu, health authorities say.

Source: CNN.com - Health | 28 Apr 2009 | 1:55 pm

Scientists 'prove' face cream can beat wrinkles

Scientists say they have clinical proof that a face cream available on the High Street does reduce wrinkles.
Source: BBC News | Health | World Edition | 28 Apr 2009 | 1:18 pm

Research hope to skin blister boy

The family of a two-year-old boy with a life-threatening skin condition are hopeful a new form of treatment will help him.
Source: BBC News | Health | World Edition | 28 Apr 2009 | 11:36 am

Breast milk battle

US magazine re-ignites the debate over breastfeeding
Source: BBC News | Health | World Edition | 28 Apr 2009 | 11:15 am