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Shildt Financial Services
210 W. Hamilton Avenue
State College, PA 16801
800-211-7819 (Toll-Free)
234-1419 (Local Area)
shildtfs@aol.com
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 Weekly Health News + Safety Alerts
Shildt Financial Services hopes that you find the following news items to be helpful and informative.
We specialize in NO FEE Employee Benefits Insurance: Health/Medical, Dental, Vision, Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability, Life, Legal, 401(k)/Pension and Long Term Care.
Please Select Your Choice Of News items from our
WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS IN REVIEW for each week dating back to March, 2010 that is located below the SAFETY ALERTS Links.
 SAFETY ALERTS: go to CPSC, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, to help keep your family and yourself safe by checking product recalls and safety news.
Or go to FDA, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, for recalls, market withdrawals and safety alerts.
 WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS
IN REVIEW:
Health News Back To March, 2010
- Obama The Corrupt and Obama The Thug: Like a petulant child, Obama always blames someone else when he’s caught with his hands in the corrupt messes that he creates
One after the other, the scandals break & President Barack Obama feigns ignorance. He didn’t know. He didn’t know. He’s the smartest man in the world, & he didn’t know. And do not doubt that he’s corrupt. Obama’s problem is that now even the mainstream media can’t ignore it. It’s hit them too close to home (wiretapping AP’s phones, threats to whistle-blowers, thuggishly threatening reporters who don’t toe the line, siccing the IRS on reporters who dare ask tough questions; & by ignoring it, the media loses what little shred of credibility they have left. In addition to being corrupt, Obama’s a thug. He uses the politics of personal destruction - & he has throughout his political career - & he doesn’t care about collateral damage. He’s Tricky Dick with better-fitting suits & a complexion that hides his 5 o’clock shadow.
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- Obama Is Drunk On Power: Obama has a “crooked” Presidential legacy unparalleled since the administration of Richard Nixon
With each snoop scandal; with each cover-up; with each wiretap amendment or backdoor cyber-surveillance revelation; with each executive order to keep documents classified; with each internal memo telling department heads to make spending cuts painful on Americans; with every silence on whether Americans are fair game for drone strikes; with each coordinated attack on the 2nd Amendment or quiet assault on the firearms free market; with each inexplicable concession to the Saudi terrorist-birthing regime; with each flush of a Freedom of Information Act request down the toilet; with each unresolved, unaddressed lie about what the ATF was doing tracking guns in Mexico: With each of these revelations, and more, the Obama White House adds another spectacular dollop of hypocrisy to a crooked Presidential legacy unparalleled since the administration of Richard Nixon.
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Health Highlights
**Obama Administration 1st Approved Age Limit For Non-Prescription 'Morning After Intercourse' Pill To Be Lowered From Age 17 To 15: Then judge ruled pill should be available to girls of any age.
**New SARS-Like Virus May Pass Between People.
**Elevated Levels of Arsenic Found in Chicken.
**U.S. Plans Overhaul of Government-Funded Child Care Centers.
**Two Health Care Workers Made Ill by SARS-Like Virus.
**Women in Their 40s Still Getting Mammograms Despite New Guidelines.
**Mental Health Official Softens Stance on New Psychiatric Manual.
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- The Obama Crime Family Makes The Gambino Crime Family Look Like Nice Guys: The Obama crime family is killing jobs, strangling business, intimidating opponents, making the energy industry “sleep with the fishes”, wiping out the middle class, & snuffing out the economy like hit men
This Don Obama is one bad-ass killer. There are now 90 million able-bodied, working-age Americans no longer working; that’s almost 1/3 of the country’s population. Obama’s like a mafia drug dealer that has addicted the country to entitlements such as welfare, food stamps, disability, unemployment, school meals, housing allowances & healthcare. Obama’s turned millions into addicts freeloading on money heisted from hardworking earners whom he enjoys impoverishing. But intimidation is Don Obama’s real calling card as he bullies business owners & debt-rating agencies, and even defies federal courts that rule against his plans to make energy bills skyrocket so you’ll beg for Obama handouts to pay your utility bills
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- Obama Deliberately Limiting Ammunition Access To American Citizens: Obama Has Ordered Federal Agencies To Make "Massive" Purchases Of "Unnecessary" Ammunition
“Ammo bought by DHS [Department of Homeland Security] is being stockpiled, “disposed of,” passed to other agencies, or shot “indiscriminately.” President Obama has been adamant about curbing law-abiding Americans’ access and opportunities to exercise their Second Amendment rights. One way the Obama Administration is able to do this is by limiting what’s available in the market with Federal agencies purchasing unnecessary stockpiles of ammunition. The DHS currently has more than 260 million rounds stockpiled. The DHS bought in excess of 103 million rounds in 2012 and reported using 116 million rounds over the year among its roughly 70,000 agents. Those numbers mean that DHS allocated 1,300 to 1,600 rounds per officer, dwarfing the U.S. Army’s average of roughly 350 rounds per soldier.”
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Health Highlights
**Avoid Juices Incorporated Products: Juices may be contaminated with bacteria that cause botulism.
**New COPD Drug Approved by FDA.
**3 Suspected Cases of SARS-Like Virus Reported in France.
**U.S. Lawmakers Investigating Stimulant in Workout Products.
**Wrigley Halts Sales of Caffeinated Gum.
**U.S. Drug Spending Declines for First Time in Decades.
**New Genetic Prostate Cancer Test Available.
**Sleep-Deprived Students a Major Problem.
**France Reports First Case of SARS-Like Virus.
**Valley Fever Cases Rising in U.S.
**FDA Warns About Breast Cancer Drug Name Confusion.
**Antibiotic-Resistant Gonorrhea Strain 'Very Dangerous'
**FDA Criticized for OK'ing Combo Cholesterol Pill.
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- Obama’s Plan To Destroy America Was Clearly Taught In Obama’s Radical College Class At Columbia University: It was a purposeful plan to drown the nation in debt, hook a majority on government handouts, and bring Americans to their knees begging
The destruction & devastation we see happening right now is the plan learned, studied & discussed day & night at Columbia. The plan was revolting, but brilliant. It taught that America could be destroyed only from within. Only by overwhelming the system with debt, welfare & entitlements could the American economy be destroyed. So the plan was to make a majority of Americans dependent on welfare, food stamps, disability, unemployment & entitlements of all kinds. Then, under the weight of the debt, the system would implode & the economy collapse, wiping out the middle class, small business & the majority of donors to conservative causes -- meaning Obama would have no opposition. Americans would be brought to their knees, begging Obama to save them
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- A New Generation of Obama Worshipping Fools [Marxist Worshipping Fools] Will Eventually Cause Everyone In America To Live In Misery Because They Actually Believe They Deserve Something For Nothing: In reality these fools are envious, uncaring adults acting like spoiled lazy children that want a perpetual mommy & daddy to give them what they don’t want to work for nor take risks for - even if it means destroying America with Obama’s big spending, big taxes & big entitlements.
The man looked at my wife & our car, and in an angry, mean-spirited, bitter way, said: What a big, expensive car. You must be here to vote Republican. This comment sums up everything wrong with America & the economy under Obama. Obama has created a bitterly divided society filled with anger, hate, rage, jealousy & envy. That man never asked: how hard we worked for 22 years to afford that car, how much money we risked to build our business, how many jobs we created or how many lives our success & wealth have enriched
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Health Highlights
**Obama Is "Comfortable" With Decision To Allow Girls As Young As 15 Years Old To Have Access To Morning-After-Intercourse-Pills Without A Prescription.
**High Levels of TV Violence Concern Group.
**Parents' Efforts Key to Approval of Drug for Rare Kidney Disorder.
**Ground Turkey Contains Potentially Harmful Bacteria.
**Rise in Caffeinated Food Products Could Threaten Children's Health.
**First Woman With Transplanted Womb is Pregnant.
**Windpipe Implanted in Young Girl.
**Hospitals Try New Methods to Reduce Infections.
**Outdoor Recess and Sunlight May Help Protect Kids From Nearsightedness.
**'What's Bad for the Heart Also Bad for the Brain'.
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- Obama Is Making Absolutely Certain That The Economic Disasters In Europe Will Be Repeated Here In The USA: Get ready for bank runs, capital controls, theft of your pension funds, economic collapse and a government armed to the teeth that wants to disarm you
The Obama-adoring media doesn’t want you to make the connection that Obama’s policies mirror the exact same policies that destroyed the EU: big government, big debt, big spending, big taxes, big unions, big pensions, big entitlements, early retirement, free healthcare, green energy & high-speed rail. The non-fraudulent economic indicators prove that the Obama-led-economic-crisis caused by too much government, too much spending, too much taxing, too many government regulations & too many government employees with obscene salaries & pensions is just beginning in the USA. If too many Obama voting fools actually believe they deserve something for nothing, eventually, "everyone" lives in shared misery & malaise.
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Health Highlights
**Senate Proposal Would Give FDA Clear Authority Over Compounding Pharmacies.
**Millions Being Donated for Boston Bombing Victims.
**Mexican Cucumbers Linked to Salmonella Outbreak: FDA.
**HIV Vaccine Study Halted.
**One-Fourth of U.S. Teens Admit to Impaired Driving.
**H7N9 Flu One of 'Most Lethal' Viruses So Far.
**Study Identifies Riskiest Meats.
**WTC Emergency Responders Have Higher Cancer Rate.
**All Boston Bombing Wounded Expected to Survive.
**NYC Proposal: Raise Minimum Age for Cigarette Purchases to 21.
**Women Who Smoke May Have Higher Risk for Rheumatoid Arthritis.
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Health Highlights
**U.S. Hospitals Told to Watch for H7N9 Bird Flu Cases.
**Surgical Complications Profitable for Hospitals.
**Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Common in Raw Meat.
**Pet Hedgehogs Linked to Salmonella Outbreak.
**FDA Should Have Been Tougher With Compounding Pharmacies.
**U.S. Supreme Court Grapples With Gene Patent Questions.
**FDA Announces Safety Reassessment of Diabetes Drug Avandia.
**Louisiana Company Expands Meat Recall.
**Closed Windows in Hospital Rooms May Raise Infection Risk.
**Older Adults' Posture May Predict Future Disability.
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Health Highlights
**Sweeping Anti-Abortion Bill Approved by Kansas Legislators.
**Some Baby Foods Require Lead Warning.
**Dengue Fever Much More Common Than Believed.
**FDA Probing Problems With Robotic Surgery System.
**Hospital Workers Becoming Desensitized To Constantly Beeping Monitoring Alarms Can Lead to Patient Deaths.
**Large Rise in U.S. Nursing Home Costs.
**Parents of Infants in Study Not Warned About Dangers Of Blindness Or Death: 91 babies became blind and 130 babies died.
**French Study Casts Doubt on Bras' Benefits.
**China Bird Flu Death Toll Rises to 10.
**Important Court Date for Players' Legal Action Against NFL.
**'Mobility Shoes' May Help Those With Arthritic Knees.
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Health Highlights
**3 Million Lbs of Frozen Pizza, Other Snacks Recalled.
**Sixth Person Dies of H7N9 Bird Flu; U.S. Begins Work on Vaccine.
**Walgreen Clinics Will Offer Chronic Disease Care.
**Novartis Loses Cancer Drug Patent Fight in India.
**Balloon Treatment for MS Ineffective.
**New Research May Help Lead to HIV/AIDS Vaccine.
**H7N9 Bird Flu Virus Could be Hard to Track.
**New Plan Would Eradicate Polio by 2018.
**Less Salt, More Potassium = Millions of Lives Saved.
**Brisk Walking Equals Running for Heart Health: Distance rather than speed reaps the benefits.
**Experimental Vaccine Shows Promise for Ovarian Cancer.
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Health Highlights
**OneTouch Verio IQ Blood Glucose Meters Recalled.
**Brand-Name, Generic Drug Makers' Case Goes to Court.
**Missing Vial of Virus No Threat.
**North Dakota Governor Signs Abortion Law: Makes abortion illegal once a fetal heartbeat is detectable.
**Early Number Knowledge Key to Future Math Skills.
**Two More Deaths From SARS-Like Virus.
**Breastfeeding for 6 Months Cuts Mother's Risk of Cancer Death.
**Most Restaurants' Kids' Meals Still Unhealthy.
**Tulsa Dentist's Patients Told to Get Tested for Hepatitis, HIV.
**NYC Appeals Ruling on Supersized Sugary-Drink Ban.
**More Dietary Fiber Might Help Thwart Stroke.
**Antihistamine Meds May Raise Risk for Diarrheal Illness.
**FDA Approves 1st in New Class of Type 2 Diabetes Drugs.
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- Proof Of Obama's U.S. Police State & Escalated Government Oppression Is Being Hidden By The Government-Controlled Mainstream Media From The Ignorant, Dumbed-Down American People
Today, the rule of law is what the 1% (the government) says it is. The government holds the police power & the military power. Its main purpose is to be the silent force to contain the population. The population in the United States is well-armed. That fact does not escape the 1%. That is why the 1% is so eager to find a basis upon which to justify disarming the people. The armed populace is all that stands between the people & full-blown tyranny. The elite behind the scenes count on the ignorance of the American people — who have been dumbed down with the government-controlled mainstream media, drugs, tobacco, alcohol, debauchery, a craze for national sports, instant gratification, debt, and no rule of law — to ignore the oppression as they advance their agenda to confiscate all the world’s wealth & enslave....
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Health Highlights
**Obama's Bioethics Panel Gives Cautious OK to Testing Anthrax Vaccine in Children!?
**North Dakota Measure Would Ban Abortions in the State.
**New Lethal Meningitis Strain Affecting Homosexual Men.
**Georgia Compounding Pharmacy Recalls all Sterile Products.
**Some 'Male Enhancement' Products Can Be Risky.
**Axe Body Spray Not Welcome at Pa. High School.
**New NFL Rule Meant to Reduce Head and Neck Injuries.
**Children Getting Into Medicines Or Receiving The Wrong Dose a Major Problem.
**British Public Supports Use of 3 People's DNA to Create Baby.
**Virus-Based Melanoma Drug Shows Promise.
**Doctors Urge FDA to Take Action on Energy Drinks.
**ProtiDiet High Protein Bars Recalled.
**Scientists Develop New Liver Preservation Device.
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- Obama’s Sequestration Ponzi Scheme Isn’t The Threat: The Greatest Threat To The Future Of America Is Obama
The reality is we have an economic crisis bordering on a total collapse because of specific Obama policies. He spends too much. He taxes too much. He wastes our money on green energy. The first quarter is "a total disaster" because Obama raised income taxes on the rich & payroll taxes on the middle class. When you tax people, they have less money to spend. At the same time, everyone is getting hit with rocketing gas prices while Obama wastes your money on solar energy scams, on wind energy scams, on electric cars that no one wants to buy & on fraudulent biofuel standards that are impossible to obtain. Obama declares oil-rich lands off-limits to drilling, his policies drive coal out of business, and gas & energy prices are skyrocketing. The economy is in meltdown because of Obama’s policies. In response, he parties at billion-dollar resorts on Valentine’s weekend & gets golf lessons
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Health Highlights
**Quick Treatment Can 'Functionally Cure' Some HIV Patients.
**FDA Probing Reports of Pancreas Problems Caused by Diabetes Drugs.
**Cancer Drugs May be Effective Against Tapeworms.
**Nutrition Experts Rally in Support of NYC Drinks Ban.
**Another Death From SARS-Like Virus in Saudi Arabia.
**Obamacare's Mandatory Menu Calorie Count Labeling Is A 'Thorny' Issue.
**NYC Ban on Large Sugary Drinks Shot Down by State Judge.
**Sanofi Under Investigation Over Plavix.
**With Certain Strokes, Effects Can Persist a Decade Later.
**Avoiding Scary Situations May Leave Children More Anxious.
**Skies Not-So-Friendly for Passengers With Nut Allergies.
**Phones, Texting May Be as Dangerous as Alcohol for Drivers.
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Health Highlights
**Bumble Bee Foods Recalls Tuna Products.
**Arkansas Legislature Passes Strictest Abortion Law in U.S.
**New Infections Occurring 6 Months After Tainted Drug Outbreak Began.
**Petition To Remove Yellow Dyes from Kraft Mac & Cheese.
**FDA Panel Says Bone Drug Should No Longer Be Used for Osteoporosis.
**Candy Industry Exec Speaks Out Against Obesity.
**Army Still Struggling with PTSD Diagnosis, Treatment.
**Abdominal 'Chemo Bath' May Extend Survival in Ovarian Cancer Patients.
**Does Chewing Gum Give Your Brain an Edge?
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- Have The American People Been "Obama-Governed & Media-Propagandized Into Cowering Wimps" As They Allow The Obama Regime To Make War On Them, Neuter Them Into Conformity, And Lead Them Into Enslavement?
Many people see the chaos & feel the economic oppression, but they refuse to believe the cause. Yet it is laid bare for all to see that the Obama government itself is the source & cause of the collapse of America. By refusing to look, we are sanctioning our own enslavement. The illusion of government & so-called democracy is only organized crime run by the psychopathic politicians & bureaucrats. We are square in the middle of decadence masquerading as civilization. The Obama regime imposes social & economic oppression by: escalating food & energy prices, escalating taxes & regulations, decaying the infrastructure, impoverishing the middle class, reducing seniors & pensioners to a very low standard of living, transferring wealth from the people to the elite & the government, and.........
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Health Highlights
**FDA Report Questions Use of Salmon Hormone to Treat Osteoporosis.
**Chocolate-Covered Marshmallow Eggs Recalled for Salmonella Threat.
**Medicare Pays Billions for Poor Nursing Home Care.
**All Pediatric Trials of Sensipar Shut Down Following Patient Death.
**Teen Driver Deaths Rose in First Half of 2012.
**More Men Going Into Nursing.
**Sports Whistles a Threat to Hearing.
**FDA Approves Stivarga to Treat Rare Intestinal Tumors.
**Many Feel Unwell After Watching 3-D Movies.
**Asthma Drug Eases Itching from Chronic Hives.
**Doctor Performs Bloodless Lung Transplants.
**Tattoos Can Pose Health Hazards, Doctor Warns.
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Health Highlights
**New Breast Cancer Drug Approved by FDA.
**4 Indicted in Peanut Butter Salmonella Outbreak.
**Medical Groups Warn About Unnecessary Tests and Treatments.
**New Silicone-Gel Breast Implant Approved by FDA.
**Special K Red Berries Cereal Recalled Due to Risk of Glass Fragments.
**New Leprosy Test Quick and Inexpensive.
**Prescription Painkillers Behind Many Overdose Deaths.
**U.K. Hospital Patient With SARS-Like Coronavirus Dies.
**Drug Companies Helping Anti-Doping Agency.
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Health Highlights
**Glass Fragments Spur Recall of Lean Cuisine Products.
**Britain Identifies World's 10th Case of Virus Linked to SARS.
**Surgical Mesh Makers Sued by Thousands of Women.
**Carbonated Malt Beverage Must List Alcohol Content on Can.
**Monster Beverage Corp. Will Add Caffeine Content to Energy Drink Labels.
**The Drug Proscar Won't Boost Prostate Cancer Survival.
**Many Skiers Who Tear ACLs Can Avoid Surgery, Expert Says.
**Water-Tubing Injuries on the Rise.
**Alcohol Blamed for 1 in Every 30 Cancer Deaths: Research suggests that even a little drinking can raise odds for malignancy.
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- In An Economy Where People Are Miserable and Suffering, Obama Flaunts His $7 Million Vacation and His Big Pay Increases to Congress Right In Our Faces, While Increasing Taxes That Will Hit Every Wage Earner in America: Obama wants you to clearly understand that a good Progressive [Communist, Marxist, Socialist] never-ever suffers while he taxes/takes/steals your hard-earned money to ensure that you do indeed suffer
The new legislation raises income taxes, capital gains taxes, dividend taxes, death taxes & payroll taxes. The payroll tax increase, which will rise from 4.2% to 6.2%, will hit every wage earner in America. So every person earning $50,000 a year or more will pay an additional $1,000 in payroll taxes. So much for the myth that only “millionaires & billionaires” will have to ante up to help pay for Obama’s additional spending.
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Health Highlights
**Several States Considering Assisted Suicide Bills.
**Pubic Hair Grooming Injuries on the Rise.
**Opponents Want Delay in Implementation of NYC Sugary Drink Rule.
**U.S. Leads World in Plastic Surgery.
**New Study May Improve Understanding of Panic Attacks.
**NFL, GE Partnership Seeks to Improve Concussion Detection, Prevention.
**Skeleton Found Beneath Parking Lot is King Richard III.
**Type 1 Diabetes Up 70% in Children.
**Bedbugs: Easy to Attract, Hard to Eliminate.
**Study Found Lower Legal Drinking Age Raises Chances of Binge Drinking Later.
**One in Every 12 Stroke Survivors Contemplates Suicide.
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- No Time To Disarm America: Gun-Free-Zones, such as schools & many State & Federal properties, have become magnets for crazed gunmen
The cowardly mind-set of a man willing to kill at random seeks out the weakest or most unassuming targets imaginable: moviegoers in a darkened theater, attendees at a political rally, mall shoppers or schoolchildren. In 2008, the Harrold Independent School District in Texas made an addition to its $100,000 state-of-the-art security system because administrators feared an armed intruder could do much damage in the 20 minutes it could take police to arrive. Feeling students & staff would be safer if on-site, trained staff members were equipped to handle a crisis at a moment’s notice, they decided to allow teachers to train and carry firearms to school. “We’re the first responders. We have to be,” David Thweatt said. “We don’t have 5 minutes. We don’t have 10 minutes. We would have had 20 minutes of hell” if attackers had targeted the school.
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Health Highlights
**Lawsuit Claims The Antidepressant Zoloft Not Effective.
**Triaminic, Theraflu Cough/Cold Syrups Recalled Due to Safety Cap Problems.
**U.S. Government IRS Ruling Means No Financial Help for Millions Unable to Afford Family Health Coverage Offered By Employer.
**Hartz Mountain Jerky Dog Treats Recalled.
**EPA Seeks To Ban 12 D-Con Mouse and Rat Poison Products.
**FDA OKs Drug to Treat Rare Cholesterol Disorder.
**FDA Issues Warning on Unapproved Flu Product.
**Ground Beef Linked to Salmonella Outbreak.
**Petition Leads to Removal of Ingredient From Gatorade.
**Energy Drinks, Such As Red Bull and Rockstar, Pose Risks to Teens.
**Flu Still Widespread but Easing in Some States: 45 children have died from flu this season; seniors also especially vulnerable.
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- Calls For Gun Control "Not" About The Children: It’s about stealing liberty & acquiring more power
It’s “not” all about the children; Bloomberg, Schumer, Emanuel, Feinstein, Reid & Warner are statist totalitarians. They’re playing on emotions to advance their agenda. They don’t care about children. If they cared about children, they’d be weeping over the thousands of children that Obama has killed with drone strikes & air raids in 4 countries. If they cared about children, they’d be outraged that 2,000 babies are aborted every day in America, many on the verge of being born. If they cared about children, they would oppose (CAFE) standards that have made cars lighter - and, therefore, deadlier - and mandated air bags that have caused the deaths of thousands of children & adults in car crashes. These politicians don’t care about children. All they care about is stealing liberty & acquiring more power. If a few kids die along the way, well… never let a crisis go to waste; eh, Rahm Emanuel?
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Health Highlights
**Smokers Face Large Health Insurance Penalties Under Obamacare: Wonder how big government will control your lifestyle behaviors with future Obamacare penalties?
**New Medical Robot Approved by FDA.
**At Least 1 in 5 Infected During Swine Flu Pandemic.
**NYC Sugary Drink Rule Challenged in Court.
**NFL Sued by Junior Seau's Family.
**Petition to Reclassify Marijuana Rejected by Appeals Court.
**Drug Co. Analysis Predicted High Failure Rate for Hip Implant.
**Study Will Test Drug for Alzheimer's Prevention.
**FDA Approves 3 New Drugs for Type 2 Diabetes.
**People Overestimate the Happiness New Purchases Will Bring.
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Health Highlights
**U.S. Lawmakers Seek Information From Energy Drink Companies.
**New Rules for All-Metal Hip Implants Proposed by FDA.
**Pom Wonderful Pomegranate Juice Health Claims Barred by FTC.
**Eleven Infected at U.S. Biological Labs Between 2004 and 2010.
**FDA Sends Warning Letter to Medical Device Maker.
**Obesity Issue Addressed in New Coca-Cola Ad.
**Test Home for Radon Gas: EPA.
**Armstrong Admits to Doping, But Details Lacking.
**Your Genetic Secrets May Not Be as Safe as You Think.
**Uncontrolled Risk Factors Put Stroke Survivors in Danger.
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Health Highlights
**Obama's Obamacare Causes Many Americans, Including Small Businesses, To Face Double-Digit Increases In Health Insurance Premiums.
**FDA Should Approve New Diabetes Drug: Expert Panel.
**Medical E-Records Haven't Provided Predicted Cost-Savings.
**Major League Baseball to Widen Drug-Testing Program.
**Chicken Jerky Dog Treats Recalled.
**Device Sucks Food From Stomach, Helps People Lose Weight.
**Fisher-Price Sleepers Recalled Due to Mold Problem.
**Microwaves Extend Bread Life.
**DASH, Weight Watchers Best Diets Overall.
**U.S. Supreme Court Refuses Case Challenging Stem Cell Funding.
**Prescription Painkillers Trail Only Marijuana in Abuse Rates.
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- Why Are Obama, Democrats Economically Illiterate?: Government employees live large on the $$ of those they force to live small
The people who live in a government world have the same basic income year after year. They know zero about economics or the risks of using their own $$ to run a business on a budget (or go broke & lose everything). In their world, government takes care of you, hands you a check, protects your job for life and allows you to retire early on a $100,000 pension. Their economy is just fine. They are blissfully ignorant & protected from the harsh reality of the real world. Who protects them? Obama & Democratic politicians like him. No wonder they vote for Obama, idolize him & ignore reality to protect him. Their jobs & incomes depend on his benevolence & bribery. But soon, when government announces there is no money to keep paying for 21 million government employees or the bloated pensions of millions of retired government employees, their story will change radically.
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- Is America Now Officially A Banana Republic: One of those corrupt places where treacherous leaders like Obama control the media and the election outcomes
Why is the media silent about: Romney won every State requiring voter photo ID; Obama won in closely contested States that require no voter ID; large urban voting precincts where Romney got zero or one vote; Democrats suppressed military voting that was very strong for Romney; the Federal Government’s response to Hurricane Sandy was pathetic & embarrassing & was Obama’s Hurricane Katrina; jobless claims rose by a staggering 78,000 for just the first week after the election; the Government reporting “real unemployment” is 14.6%; Obama claims he supports oil drilling & 2 days after the election he pushes to close 1.6 million acres of Federal land slated for oil shale development; Obama’s secret tape about his love for the central tenant of communism; Libya & the disaster with 4 brave Americans dying because of Obama’s inhumane inaction.
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Health Highlights
**U.S. Whooping Cough Cases Highest in More Than 50 Years.
**FDA Sends Warning to Cantaloupe Farm Behind Salmonella Outbreak.
**Makers of Brand-Name Opioid Painkillers Fight New Generics.
**Four Retailers Recall 'Nap Nanny' Recliners Tied to 5 Infant Deaths.
**Flu Cases Rise Across U.S., Severe Season Feared.
**Low Vitamin D in Early Pregnancy Tied to Lower Birth Weight.
**Experts Challenge Americans to Reduce Salt Intake.
**People Underestimate How Much They Might Change in the Future: No matter the age, people thought they were already the person they'd remain for rest of their lives.
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Health Highlights
**Stop Prescribing Heart Drug Tredaptive: It is ineffective and causes major side effects.
**Incivek Hepatitis C Drug Gets Black Box Warning About Dangerous Rash.
**Amgen Illegally Marketed Anemia Drug, Will Pay $762M.
**European Union Proposes Tougher Anti-Smoking Action.
**Virus Creates New Pacemaker in Guinea Pigs' Hearts.
**FDA: Don't Use Pradaxa Blood Thinner in Patients With Artificial Heart Valves.
**Hepatitis: The Hidden Hazard. Though cure rates are good, many Baby Boomers don't even suspect they have the liver disease.
**Preventable Surgical Errors Continue to Occur: So-called 'never events' include operating on the wrong body part.
**Mealworms: The Next High-Protein Food Source?
**U.S. Flu Season in Full Swing: 29 states are now reporting outbreaks, 12 have 'high levels'.
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Health Highlights
**Falling TVs a Death Risk for Children.
**Chlamydia, Gonorrhea Rates Rising in U.S.
**Dozens Sue Pharmacy Linked to Steroid/Meningitis Outbreak.
**Fish Mislabeling a Common Problem.
**Dying Girl Saved by Experimental Cancer Treatment.
**Iron Supplements May Reduce Behavioral Woes in Low Birth Weight Kids.
**Heavy Drinking, Pot Use In Teens Tied To Breakdown In The Brain’s Wiring System and Negative Changes In The Brain's "White Matter".
**Trained Beagle Sniffs Out Troublesome Hospital Infection.
**Immune System May Not Weaken With Age: Flu vaccines may fail to provide effective protection for seniors because they aren't designed to trigger responses from immune cells called T cells in older people.
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- ‘Obama’s Damn Record' Is Killing America: Obama can’t talk his way out of his own damn record in the 2nd Presidential debate
Obama’s 'Damn Record': Women’s Rights: Under Obama women have lost 580,000 jobs & 3.5 million more women are in poverty. The Economy: 23 million unemployed; a drop in unemployment only due to people losing hope & dropping out of the search for a job; over 500,000 manufacturing jobs lost; a giant drop in income for middle class households; anemic growth worse this year than last year. Debt: Over $5 trillion in new debt & doubling of the deficit. Obamacare: Massive tax increases coming & healthcare costs are already up $2,500 per family. Energy: Doubling of gas prices; destruction of the coal business; drilling permits cut 50+%; Keystone pipeline killed. Guns: Selling guns & getting people killed in the “Fast and Furious” gun scandal. Small Business: Regulation up 3x as small business owners say they feel under attack.
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- Comrade Obama Condemns Capitalism In America, Not To Help Americans, But To Help Himself Toward More Power and Re-Election
Communism for the masses has consistently delivered poverty, loss of freedom & death. Capitalism, on the other hand, has worked for the masses whenever & wherever it has been tried; it has delivered spectacular wealth & a high standard of living to all those who are willing to work. The scam of politicians taking from those who produce & giving the stolen loot to those whom they deem to be in need does not work; the poverty rate is about the same today as it was 47 years ago. It doesn’t matter how much of other people’s money you give away, it does nothing to lift people up. The hard evidence shows that it is government’s redistribution-of-wealth policies that have not worked. Obama’s socialist & communist mentors had it all wrong. It is collectivism, in all its ugly incarnations, that doesn’t work. Welfare programs have bankrupted the USA & stripped millions of....
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- Obama Clearly Hates U.S. Business Owners: What if Obama treated our U.S. Olympic heroes with the same hostility?
Here’s what Obama would say: *You didn’t win those medals; government did it for you. Give them up. *All gold medal winners will share their winnings with the losers so we can spread the gold around. *You will give 50% of your endorsement money to the other Olympians. *Making the Olympic team will be based on quotas & affirmative action, not on talent; 50% of all swimming spots will be black athletes & 50 percent of all track & basketball spots will be white athletes. *Each medal winner has to pay a $25,000 tax on your medals; working harder & smarter & winning will be punished with massive taxes. *The entire Olympic team will retire because there is no incentive to ever work hard again to win. *Like government employees, you will retire early & receive pensions for not working the rest of your lives; this guarantees you as Democrat voters.
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- Obama’s Suicide Economy: The mainstream media are trying to protect Obama. They know that the bleak economic facts would doom Obama’s re-election; so, they have imposed a total media blackout
The stats the mainstream media are covering up: 37,000 Americans are now committing suicide annually under Obama-more than die in car accidents-for the first time ever. The labor force participation rate for all workers is the lowest since 1981; for men it’s the lowest in over half a century since 1948. The jobless rate rose in 44 States in July. Help Wanted Ads have collapsed in back-to-back months to the lowest levels since the Lehman Brothers financial disaster. Durable goods orders dropped to their lowest level since the throes of the deep 2009 recession. A month ago, California reported sales tax revenues plunged a shocking $539 million below expectations. Consumer demand for oil in July was the lowest since 1995. There is no recovery! There are no jobs! There is no improvement in business!
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Health Highlights
**New Rules Would Ease Veterans' Access to Brain Injury Benefits.
**3 More Compounding Pharmacies Ordered Closed in Massachusetts.
**Drug Makers Fight Calif. Drug Take-Back Law.
**Six Infant Deaths Prompt CPSC To Take Action Against Nap Nanny Maker.
**States Spending Less on Tobacco Prevention Programs Despite Record High Revenues From Tobacco Taxes and Settlements.
**Study Questions Use of Coated Aspirin.
**New Decongestant Can't be Used to Make Meth.
**New Alzheimer's Drug Begins Clinical Trial.
**More Proof of Link Between Head Injury, Brain Disease.
**Avastin Won't Extend Breast Cancer Survival: Costly drug comes with serious side effects.
**Sleep Apnea Tied to More Brain Damage in Women Than Men.
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- Obama Has Abandoned Israel And Why Jews Should Abandon Obama: Obama has thrown Israel under the bus to a madman whose goal is to wipe out every Jew in the world and destroy Israel
The back channel message from President Obama to Iran -- a rogue, terrorist nation -- and to Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad -- a madman with nuclear ambitions who has stated publicly time & again his goal is to wipe out every Jew in the world & destroy Israel -- was that we do not have Israel’s back & that Iran should not even think of attacking U.S. interests or military installations because we will not be part of the attack, we will not be supporting Israel in any way. This is like FDR going through back channels to tell Adolf Hitler that we will not have England’s back, so go ahead and attack Britain. But don’t attack the USA because we are not on the same team. Can you even imagine this is happening in our country? It’s time for Jews to abandon Obama the same way Obama has abandoned Israel & teach....
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- Obama’s College Classmate Speaks Out: The Scandal At Columbia 30 Years Ago That Could End Obama’s Hopes For A Second Term
If you could unseal Obama’s Columbia University records I believe you’d find that: He rarely ever attended class; His grades were not those typical of what we understand it takes to get into Harvard Law School; He attended Columbia as a foreign exchange student; And he never paid for either undergraduate college or Harvard Law School because of foreign aid & scholarships given to a poor foreigner like this kid Barry Soetoro [Obama’s birth name] from Indonesia. Of course, here’s the wrinkle…a foreign student isn’t qualified to serve as President of the United States. So that secret had to be sealed & covered up for the rest of all time. Here’s a challenge that shuts up Obama forever: Romney should call a press conference & issue a challenge in front of the Nation. He should agree to release more of his tax returns, only if Obama unseals his college records.
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- Obama Gets A Well-Deserved Big ‘F’ For Big Failure On His 1,000-Day Report Card
Consider the facts: JOBS: Obama has presided over the loss of 2.2 million jobs. DEBT: Obama has increased taxpayer debt by $4.2 trillion. Every day, the nation runs a deficit of $4.2 billion. FORECLOSURE AND BANKRUPTCY: 2.4 million homes have been foreclosed on. Homeowners and businesses have declared 4 million bankruptcies. THE STIMULUS: Obama promised that his $787 billion stimulus would save or create 3.5 million jobs by the end of 2010. He came up 7.3 million jobs short of his goal, according to the Heritage Foundation. HEALTHCARE: Obamacare did not reduce healthcare costs as promised and is in fact responsible for increasing costs in 2011. Health insurance premiums are up 13 percent. POVERTY: Nearly 3 million more Americans live in poverty than did before Obama took office. FREEDOM: Many of Obama’s acts and initiatives, without legislation, have reduced American freedom and the rule of law.
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- The Obama Thugocracy: Barack Obama rose to office like a Mafioso Don ruthlessly eliminating rivals, opponents and the truth; and he is governing, or ruling, like one as well.
Thuggery has long been a common practice for Obama. His career was launched from the home of a convicted terrorist. His parents, friends & key influencers were socialists and communists. It is who he is. Obama’s actions make clear the reasons the Founding Fathers inserted the phrase “natural-born citizen” into the Constitutional requirements for President. They wanted a President who was loyal to “these United States” & the Constitution. But Obama sees the Constitution & the rule of law as impediments to his Marxist, America-destroying agenda. He rose to the office like a Mafioso don. His political career was born in the home of convicted terrorist Bill Ayers. Obama was fed from the pulpit of the racist preacher Jeremiah Wright. And he rose to prominence with the help of a complicit, even sycophantic, mainstream...
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Health Highlights
**Two More Deaths Caused by Mystery Virus.
**Company Halts Production of Generic Lipitor Because of Glass Particles.
**Most Adult Bedrail Deaths Involve Older People.
**Generic Drug Prices Fall, Brand Name Prices Rise.
**Conversion to Electronic Medical Records Open to Fraud and Abuse.
**Tobacco Companies Must Tell Public About Smoking Lies Says Judge: Smoking causes an average of 1,200 deaths a day.
**FDA May Seek Outside Experts' Opinions About Energy Drinks.
**Simple Strategies Reduce Post-Surgery Infection Risk.
**Disease-Causing Bacteria Common in Pork.
**Appeals Court Must Re-Examine Key Part of Obamacare Says Supreme Court.
**Smoking Harms Brain By Damaging Learning, Memory and Reasoning.
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- Racists For Obama.
Blacks supported Barack Obama over John McCain in 2008 by a margin of almost 24-1. So it’s OK for blacks to vote for Obama specifically because he is black. But it’s racist if a white votes for another white because of his skin color. Does anyone see a bit of a double standard here? Of course, such bias (dare I say prejudice) has been around for a long time. Thus, it has become perfectly OK for this country to commemorate Black History Month. And, of course, every college that wants to keep its professors happy better offer a bunch of courses celebrating black achievements. But can you imagine the furor that would erupt if anyone dared propose teaching a class on white achievements? I hope the left will continue to bang on the “if you oppose Obama you must be a racist” drum because the more they do, the more votes it will cost them. This one just doesn’t play in Peoria anymore. In fact, the only place it does work is the Obamas’ former church & maybe Al Sharpton's....
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- The Rot Of The Federal Government Can No Longer Be Contained: Obama’s spending and tax assault could be a death blow to the middle class, seniors, investors, and even the entire country
Federal government employees view the American taxpayer as a bottomless pit. They have come to think of themselves as a privileged class & believe rules of decorum and normal conduct do not apply to them. Obama wants Federal spending to increase by 55% from 2012 to 2021. George W. Bush-era tax cuts will expire & hundreds of new Obamacare taxes will be implemented. The marriage penalty for joint filers will return, the child credit will drop in half & the rate everyone pays on the first $8,700 of wages jumps from 10% to 15%. The Social Security payroll tax will go from 4.2% to 6.2%. Obama wants the tax rate for dividend payments to increase from 15% to 44% in 2013. Almost 3 of 4 dividend payments go to those over the age of 55 & more than half go to those over age 65. The traitors in the government, who..
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- Florida Will Refuse to Implement Provisions of Obamacare: Tax-Mandated Obamacare Will Be Devastating; It Will Kill Jobs, Raise Taxes, and Ration Healthcare
Florida Governor Rick Scott explains: First off, if you look at a government program [elsewhere] in the world, it promises it’s going to cover everything, then immediately runs out of money & starts rationing care by underpaying providers, hospitals, doctors, & so then you don’t have access to care. That’s exactly what Obamacare will do. The insurance exchanges will increase the cost for a family for their health insurance if they buy it by $2,100 a year; our families can’t afford that. These exchanges are going to allow the federal government to dictate what kind of insurance is sold. We don’t want a federal program [Obamacare] that’s going to ration care, that’s going to raise our taxes to levels that we would not be able to afford, and that’s going to kill jobs.
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Health Highlights
**New Type of Flu Vaccine Approved by FDA.
**Dogs Regain Ability to Walk After Nose Cell Transplant.
**Red Bull Energy Drink Cited in Injury Reports.
**Company Knowingly Shipped Tainted Nut Products.
**With Bullying, What's a Parent to Do? What to look for and how to help if your child is being victimized.
**Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Hazards Rise in Colder Weather: Heating devices such as fireplaces, furnaces, lanterns can emit deadly gas.
**Device May Allow Blind to Read Braille Without Touch.
**Annual 'Trouble in Toyland' Report Cites Toy Dangers.
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Health Highlights
**PeaPod Infant Travel Beds Recalled Due To Risk of Suffocation.
**Ebola Can be Transmitted by Air.
**Einstein's Brain Was Different.
**Glaxo Pays $90 Million in Avandia Settlement.
**Reports Cite Caffeinated Energy Drink in Deaths.
**States Prepare to Deal With Marijuana Stoned Drivers.
**Meningitis Outbreak Toll Now 33 Dead, 480 Sickened.
**U.S. Obesity-Linked Diabetes Rates Soaring: Numbers have doubled over 15 years across 18 states, and all states now have rates of 6 percent or more.
**Human Intellect Backsliding From Lack of Evolutionary Pressure.
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Health Highlights
**Experts Raise Questions About Tamiflu.
**Nestle Recalls Nesquick Chocolate Powder.
**Company Will Discontinue 7Up with Antioxidants.
**Malaria Vaccine Only 30 Percent Effective in Infants.
**Rheumatoid Arthritis Plus Depression May Be Deadly.
**Study Ties Obesity-Related Gene to Weaker Memory.
**Hip Surgery Increases Stroke Risk in Older Patients.
**Women's Respiratory Symptoms May Vary With Menstrual Cycle.
**Drivers' Glaucoma May Boost Accident Risk.
**Pregnant Women With Bipolar Disorder May Have Higher Risk of Premature Birth.
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Health Highlights
**Pradaxa Bleeding Risk Same as Warfarin: FDA.
**Obese Children Struggle With Joint Pain.
**Eating Meat May Raise Breast Cancer Risk in White Women.
**Lupus May Be Linked to Serious Pregnancy Complication.
**Acupuncture Might Ease Fatigue Linked to Breast Cancer.
**Handshakes Matter for First Impressions, Brain Study Confirms.
**New Video Demonstrates Skin Cancer Self-Exam.
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Health Highlights
**FDA Investigating Role of Monster Energy Drinks in Five Deaths.
**Progesterone Shots Don't Reduce Preterm Birth Risk in Women with Short Cervix.
**Planned Parenthood Loses Legal Fight Against Texas.
**Switching Egg DNA Shields Against Mitochondrial Disease.
**Medicare Policy Change Helps Patients Who Need Rehab Services.
**Halloween Warning: Decorative Contact Lenses May Damage Your Eyes.
**Swallowing Nasal Sprays, Eye Drops Can Harm Kids, FDA Warns: Even ingesting tiny amounts of over-the-counter drops, sprays can have serious effects.
**Stroke Risk Rises in Seniors With COPD.
**Hurricane Sandy Has East Coast in Its Crosshairs: Start making emergency preparations now, experts say, because it could rival 1991's 'perfect storm'.
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Health Highlights
**Recall of Smucker's 'Uncrustables' Sold to U.S. School Lunch Programs.
**Warning Letters Sent to Cosmetics Companies Over Ad Claims.
**Dole American Salad Mix Recalled.
**Study Callenges Cranberry Juice Claims.
**Halloween Garb From China Seized Due to Lead Levels.
**General Health Screenings Not Beneficial: Study.
**More Hospitals Ban Free Infant Formula Samples.
**Bra Device Detects Early Breast Cancer.
**Sunland Recall Expanded to Include Raw, Roasted Peanuts.
**Nature's Recipe Dog Treats Recalled.
**High-Carb Diet in Old Age Linked to Mental Decline: Elderly who consumed the most carbohydrates, sugar had more memory, thinking problems
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Health Highlights
**Mini-Wheats Recalled Over Possible Metal Fragments.
**Graco Classic Wood High Chairs Recalled.
**Dengue Epidemic Declared in Puerto Rico.
**Abraxane Approved as Lung Cancer Treatment.
**Ensure Privacy of DNA Tests.
**U.S. Annual Death Rate Reaches Record High.
**Three Alzheimer's Drugs to Be Tested in Study.
**Scientists Aim to Make Human Sperm, Eggs from Stem Cells.
**Agency Says Armstrong at Center of Doping Scheme.
**Study Reveals the Many Ways Sexual Assault Harms Women: A wide range of social and psychological effects often go undiagnosed in victims.
**Nearby Livestock May Raise 'Superbug' Risk: Odds of carrying MRSA rose even for those who had no contact with animals
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Health Highlights
**Death Toll From Meningitis Outbreak Now Stands at 7: Officials continue to search for patients who received injection of steroid believed contaminated with fungus.
**Salmonella at Plant That Made Nut Products Linked to Outbreak.
**Generic Antidepressant Pulled From Market.
**Illegal Labeling Common on Dietary Supplements.
**U.S. Births Down for Fourth Straight Year.
**Unclean Conditions at Cantaloupe Farm Tied to Salmonella.
**Survivor of Aggressive Breast Cancer Stresses Need for Quick Action: Listen To Your Body.
**Clenched Hand May Prevent Athletes From 'Choking' Under Pressure; Also May Improve Balance for Elderly.
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Health Highlights
**New SARS-Like Virus Linked to Animals.
**Online Privacy Rules for Children to be Tightened.
**Quick Survey May Pick Up Ovarian Cancer Warnings.
**Seniors May Face Large Medicare Drug Plan Premium Hikes.
**More Peanut, Almond Products Recalled Over Salmonella Fears.
**Healthy Foods Only in NYC Hospital Cafeterias.
**Trader Joe's Peanut Butter Tied to Salmonella Sickness.
**Eyes May Possess Infection-Killing Power.
**New Treatments May Help Restore Speech Lost to Aphasia: Loss of language skills can stem from stroke or other brain damage.
**Common Pesticide-Atrazine-Linked to Birth Defect.
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Health Highlights
**Seven Infant Deaths Have Led The FDA To Warn Parents Not to Use Simply Thick Milk Additive.
**Kroger Spinach Recalled Due To Possible Listeria Contamination.
**Remove Tuna From School Lunchrooms: Coalition.
**Many Discarded Kidneys Could Be Transplanted.
**Parkinson's Drug May Raise Heart Failure Risk: FDA.
**FDA Testing Arsenic Levels in Rice.
**Heavy Pacifier Use During Early Childhood May Lead To Stunted Emotional Development In Males.
**FDA Warns About Diarrhea Drug Made in El Salvador: It can cause life-threatening side effects.
**Superbug Kills 7th Patient at NIH Hospital.
**FDA Warns of Salmonella-Tainted Mangoes From Mexico.
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Health Highlights
**FDA Warns of Salmonella-Tainted Mangoes From Mexico.
**Yosemite Officials Confirm 9th Case of Hantavirus.
**McDonald's to Post Calorie Counts on Menus.
**FDA Warns L'Oreal About Skin Cream Claims.
**Cancers Added to Federal 9/11 Health Program.
**Alzheimer's Drug May Still Hold Promise.
**Pancreatic Cancer Deaths Set to Rise, Advocacy Group Says.
**Clues to Gene-Based Cancer Therapy Found in U.S. Study.
**Texas Woman to be 1st U.S. Recipient of Double-Arm Transplant.
**A New Study Suggests Video Games Promote Reckless Driving in Certain Teens.
**Secondhand Smoke Linked to Memory Problems.
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Health Highlights
**More Than 450,000 Blinds Recalled by Blinds Xpress: 2-year-old girl reportedly strangled in a blind's cord.
**Third Death Reported in Yosemite Hantavirus Outbreak.
**Florida Warehousing Disabled Children in Nursing Homes.
**Many American Grandparents Help Care for Grandkids.
**Scientology Detox Method Used to Treat Agent Orange Victims.
**Colorado Girl Recovering From Bubonic Plague.
**Yosemite Visitors in 39 Other Countries Warned About Hantavirus.
**New Drug Approved for Rare Blood Cancer.
**Defective Tampons Stolen, May Pose Health Risk.
**Diet Groups Support NYC Ban on Big, Sugary Drinks.
**Water or Sports Drink? What to drink and when to drink it.
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Health Highlights
**1st Death Reported From New Swine Flu Strain.
**Up to 900,000 Mangoes Recalled; 105 salmonella-related illnesses in 16 states.
**Mouse-Borne Hantavirus Found in 2 More Yosemite Visitors; Two people have died.
**Janssen Pays $181 Million to Settle Deceptive Drug Marketing Charges.
**Drug Maker Recalls Chemotherapy Drug.
**Patient Receives 'World First' Bionic Eye.
**Energy Drink Makers Under Investigation.
**Legionnaire's Disease Kills 2 Hotel Guests.
**FTC Hits 'Your Baby Can Read' With False Ad Charges.
**High Levels of Toxins Found in Kids' School Supplies.
**Number of Prescription Drug Addicted Newborns in Kentucky Soars 2,400 Percent.
**More Than 1,700 Yosemite Visitors May Have Been Exposed to Rodent-Borne Virus.
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Health Highlights
**Dole Italian Blend Salad Recalled.
**Tainted Cantaloupe Investigation Continuing.
**Licorice Recalled Due to High Lead Levels.
**Reumofan Dietary Supplement Products are Dangerous: FDA.
**Texas Can Cut Funding to Planned Parenthood.
**Cigarette Sales Ban Proposed in Tasmania.
**Romaine Lettuce Recalled Due to E. Coli Fears.
**Cantaloupe Tainted With Salmonella Blamed for 2 Deaths.
**Research Pinpoints Brain's 'Gullibility' Center: Changes in this region could explain why seniors, children are less doubting.
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Health Highlights
**Cantaloupe Tainted With Salmonella Blamed for 2 Deaths.
**FDA Orders Heart Device Maker to Study Defective Components: Components have been tied to up to 20 deaths.
**Tobacco Companies Dealt Blow in Australia.
**Johnson & Johnson Vows to Purge Toxins From Products for Adults.
**Hershey's Chocolate Syrup Claims Unfounded, FDA Says.
**4 Million Baby Seats Recalled for Falling Hazard.
**Apple Slices Sold at McDonald's, Burger King Pulled Due to Listeria Risk.
**ADHD May Raise Girls' Risk for Suicide as Young Adults: Also more likely to self-injure as young women.
**Teens With ADHD May Need Help Making Transition to College: Experts offer suggestions for students on how to compensate for their disorder.
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Health Highlights
**40 Now Sickened in Beef-Linked Salmonella Outbreak.
**Chemotherapy Might Backfire, Spur Cancer Growth.
**Development of Alzheimer's Drug Halted Following Poor Trial Results.
**Hair-Loss Drug Propecia Linked to Depression in Men.
**New Gene-Based Prenatal Testing Has Pros, Cons.
**FDA Gives Nod to First Drug for Diabetic Eye Disease.
**How to Quell 9th-Grade Angst: Freshman year can set the tone for entire high school career.
**Daily Aspirin May Cut Cancer Deaths, Another Study Finds: But drug has bleeding risks and shouldn't be used solely to prevent cancer.
**The 'Nocebo' Effect: If You Think You'll Get Sick, You Will.
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Health Highlights
**Possible Listeria Contamination Spurs Salad Products Recall.
**Ebola Outbreak Finally Halted in Uganda.
**FDA Approves Ingestible Medical Sensor.
**U.S. Blood Supply Critically Low, Red Cross Warns.
**Devices Not Enough to Save Children Left in Overheated Cars.
**Recall Issued for Kitty Treats.
**Low Vitamin D Levels May Raise Death Risk in Older Adults.
**Fitter Kids May Make Better Grades: Policymakers should realize the importance of phys-ed classes.
**Could Compact Fluorescent Bulbs Pose Skin Cancer Risk?: Tiny flaws in all brands tested allowed emission of harmful UV rays.
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Health Highlights
**CPSC Tries to Stop Sales of Buckyballs: At least a dozen children have swallowed the magnets since 2009 and some of them have required surgery.
**Ecstasy Linked to Memory Loss.
**Petition Calls for New FDA Rules on Painkillers.
**Mexico Launches Large Poultry Vaccination Effort.
**Settlement Reached in Drug Pricing Lawsuit.
**Court Ruling Could Lead to Lower Drug Costs & Less Drug Development.
**More Than 220,000 Peg Perego Strollers Recalled: Risk of being trapped and strangled.
**Vaccine Protects Against 3 of 4 Dengue Virus Strains.
**MS Drug Raises Seizure Risk: FDA.
**New TB Therapy Shows Promise.
**Cargill Recalls Ground Beef.
**Illegal 'Bath Salts' Mimic Cocaine in the Brain And Carry The Same Risk For Abuse and Addiction.
**Could Gene Doping Be Part of Future Olympics?
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Health Highlights
**'Polypill' Could Slash Heart Attack, Stroke Rates.
**Software Simulation of Entire Organism a First.
**European Approval of Gene Therapy Would be a Milestone.
**Oregon Man Upbeat After Surviving Black Plague.
**8 Million People Worldwide Have Access to HIV Drugs.
**Annual Report Ranks Mass. General as Top Hospital in U.S.
**California Sues Companies Over High Lead Levels in Costume Jewelry.
**FDA Conducted Surveillance Operation Against Scientists.
**Consumers Should Avoid Mexicali Cheese Corp. Products: FDA.
**FDA Gives Nod to New Breast Cancer Drug: Afinitor can be used by postmenopausal women with specific type of advanced tumor.
**Mom's HIV Drugs May Pass to Baby in Womb, Breast-Feeding.
**Childhood Abuse Linked to Diabetes, Heart Disease in Middle-Aged Women.
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Health Highlights
**Consumers Should Avoid Mexicali Cheese Corp. Products Due To Threat of Listeria.
**New Database Will Speed Response to Foodborne Illness Outbreaks.
**Salmonella Illness Tied to Baby Chicks Hits People in 26 States.
**Propecia Hair Loss Prevention Drug Reported to Cause Long-Term Sexual Problems.
**Eye Movements Don't Reveal Lying.
**Drug Dispensing by Doctors Boosts Costs.
**Deadly Illness in Cambodia Caused by Mix of Pathogens.
**Bird Flu Outbreak Hits Mexican Poultry Farms.
**Frozen Meatballs, Patties Recalled Due to Listeria Risk.
**FDA Fast-Tracks Review of New Uses for Anticlotting Drug.
**Exercise Can Shield the Aging Brain: Weight training, walking helped older adults' memory.
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Health Highlights
**Pfizer Removes Breast, Colon Cancer Claims From Vitamins.
**Dengue Cases Rise Sharply in Puerto Rico.
**WHO Probing Mystery Illness Killing Cambodian Children.
**Drug Giant GlaxoSmithKline Fined $3 Billion for Fraud.
**Infant Formula Can Be a Major Source of BPA: Some makers have switched to products free of the preservative, but labeling remains unclear.
**Keep Infants Out of Sun and Heat, Experts Warn: Avoid using sunscreen on babies under 6 months old and watch for signs of dehydration.
**300,000 People in U.S. Living With Chagas Disease: Although usually spread by parasite, mother-infant transmission seen.
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Health Highlights
**Daily 'Quad' Pill Should Help Patients With HIV.
**Bagged Salads Recalled From Kroger, Wal Mart Stores.
**Low Testosterone Not Part of Normal Aging.
**40 Million Americans Addicted to Cigarettes, Alcohol or Drugs: About 16 percent of Americans aged 12 and older are hooked.
**Use Caution When Exercising in Hot Weather.
**Toddlers Are Happier to Give Than Receive.
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Health Highlights
**Traffic Noise Increases Heart Attack Risk.
**Group Challenges Merck's Marketing of Children's Allergy Medicine.
**Fat-Free Salad Dressings Reduce Nutrient Intake.
**New Dengue Fever Test Approved by FDA.
**No Proof of 9/11 World Trade Center Dust/Cancer Link: Experts.
**No Single Food Product Responsible for Rising Obesity Rates: Coca-Cola CEO.
**Lobbying Scuttles Proposed Painkiller Restrictions.
**PIP Breast Implants Not Toxic.
**North American Obesity Weighs Down World.
**Plague Confirmed in Oregon Man.
**Plastics Chemical Linked to Obesity in Kids: Phthalates may alter fat metabolism, influence weight.
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Health Highlights
**Halt Sales of Shellfish From Korea: FDA.
**Americans' Stress Levels Have Risen Since Early 1980s.
**Internet Behind Explosion of Fake Drug Sales.
**U.S. Youth Football Group Changes Rules to Reduce Head Injuries.
**New Ebola Treatment Highly Effective.
**FDA Panel Supports Expanded Use of Heart Valve.
**Cold Virus Attacks Tumors.
**Death Risk Rises on Birthdays.
**Spray Tan Chemical Could Pose Health Risk.
**Study Findings Could Improve Cervical Cancer Prevention.
**FDA Considers Expanded Approval for Artificial Heart Valve.
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Health Highlights
**Salmonella Fears Prompt Recall of Liquid Dietary Supplement.
**Evenflo Convertible High Chairs Recalled.
**Introvale Birth Control Pills Recalled.
**Liver Grown From Stem Cells.
**Dramatic Rise in U.S. Military Troop Suicides.
**Children's Vaccines Often Stored at Wrong Temperature.
**'Pink Slime' Rejected by Most School Districts.
**Settlement Close in Listeria Outbreak Lawsuits.
**Tylenol Overdose Can Be Deadly for a Child.
**Diabetes Increasing At An Alarming Rate Among U.S. Children.
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Health Highlights
**NYC Plans to Ban Sales of Large Sugary Drinks.
**Bill Would Outlaw Sex-Selection Abortions in U.S.
**More Germs in Men's Offices.
**Exercise May Boost Heart Risk for Some Healthy People.
**New Tests for E. Coli in Beef to Begin Monday.
**Disease Could Wipe Out Gray Bats in U.S.
**Tuna Carry Radioactive Contamination From Japan to U.S.
**New Test May Detect Osteoporosis at Early Stages.
**Nearly Half of New U.S. Veterans Filing Disability Claims: Weak Economy A Big Factor.
**More Vitamin D Might Help Older People Stay Active.
**'Rediscovered' Lymphoma Drug Helps Double Survival.
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Health Highlights
**Children Swallowing Tiny Detergent Packets.
**Huge Tobacco Tax Hike in New Zealand.
**Bagged Salads Recall Expanded.
**Chicken Jerky Treats Have Sickened 900 Dogs.
**Fake Malaria Drugs a Major Concern.
**As Obesity Rates Rise, Cases of Kidney Stones Double.
**Chemicals in PVC Flooring Can Be Absorbed Into Children's Bodies: Phthalates have been linked to asthma, allergies and other chronic diseases.
**States Use Only Fraction of Tobacco Revenues to Fight Smoking, Study Finds: Just $8 billion was spent on prevention out of almost $244 billion received.
**Physical Education Is Good for Kids' Grades, More intense PE curriculum paid off academically in Swedish trial.
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Health Highlights
**Consumers Should Avoid South Korean Shellfish: FDA.
**Stem Cell-Based Drug Approved in Canada.
**California TB Patient Arrested for Not Taking Medication.
**Healthy Food Cheaper than Unhealthy Food.
**HDL 'Good' Cholesterol Not Protective Against Heart Disease.
**Only 1 in 4 Sunscreens Effective and Safe.
**One-Third of Adults Worldwide Have High Blood Pressure.
**FDA Extends Deadline for Sunscreen Label Changes.
**Salmonella Outbreak Tied to Dog Food Sickens 16.
**Females, Young Athletes Take Longer to Get Over Concussions.
**Drowning Is Leading Cause of Kids' Accidental Death: Swimming lessons can help protect toddlers.
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Health Highlights
**Turtle-Linked Salmonella Has Sickened 124 People in 27 States.
**Pool Water Slides Recalled After Death, Serious Injuries.
**Washington State Declares Whooping Cough Epidemic.
**FDA Should OK New Rheumatoid Arthritis Pill: Panel.
**FDA Questions Long-Term Benefits of Bone Drugs.
**Diamond Pet Foods Expands Recall Because of Salmonella Outbreak.
**Amped Is Newest Type of Disguised 'Bath Salts' Drug Causing Serious Problems for Users.
**HIV Prevention Pill Effective: FDA.
**Abbott Fined $1.5 Billion Over Marketing of Seizure Drug.
**Only Half of Meds Taken by Kids Have 'Adequate' Safety Information.
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Health Highlights
**14 People in U.S. Sickened by Tainted Dog Food.
**Electronic Implants Restore Men's Vision.
**U.S. Health Officials Link Outbreak of Rare Eye Infection to Florida Pharmacy.
**258 Now Sickened in Tuna-Linked Salmonella Outbreak.
**USDA Introduces New Rules to Combat E. Coli Contamination in Meat.
**Study Points to Trigger Behind Need for Nighttime Urination.
**More American Teens Using Marijuana.
**Sleep Affects Genes' Influence on Weight.
**FDA Sends Warning to Supplements Companies.
**Men's Breast Cancer Often More Deadly: Males typically older at diagnosis, often have larger tumors.
**High Blood Pressure Risk Factors That May Surprise You: Keep blood pressure in the normal range to prevent strokes.
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- Why Are So Many Politicians So Against The American People?: All governments by nature attract greedy and parasitic people that have the born mentality to live off of other people
“Why do they consistently promote socialism? Why do they have no financial responsibility? Why do they always promote socialist agendas like Obamacare that do away with human & personal liberties? The answer is that there are 2 kinds of people in the world, & always have been. On one side is the great mass of basically honest people, then there is government. All governments by nature attract greedy and parasitic people. In short, these are people who have the born mentality to live off of other people. They have no conscience & no moral scruples. They are no respecter of persons except a feigned glow to extract something. Their every thought is how to make the world flow to themselves. They would rip off their own parents or mate. “Selfish” is a kind word we can use to describe them.”
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Health Highlights
**FDA Sends Warning to Dietary Supplements Companies.
**Bed Bugs Blamed for Monkeypox Scare on U.S. Passenger Plane.
**200 Now Sickened in Tuna-Linked Salmonella Outbreak.
**Report Challenges VA Claims on Speed of Mental Health Care.
**Teens Getting Drunk on Hand Sanitizer and Suffering Alcohol Poisoning.
**Scrap Obama's $8 Billion Medicare Bonus Program for Insurers Says U.S. Government Accountability Office.
**New Technology Developed to Help Older Drivers.
**Rate of Statin-Linked Muscle Woes Unclear, Study Suggests.
**Some Schools Don't Let Kids Carry Asthma Inhalers: Policies run counter to law, place children at risk, experts say.
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- Is America On The Verge of An Obama-Great-Depression From Which It May Never Recover?
The incomes of average federal government employees are twice that of average employees in the private sector, teachers unions instead of parents control our inferior school systems; and Comrade Obama tries as deceptively as he can to make all of us poorer and as dependent as we can possibly be on government. Watch this video from Wayne Allen Root as he highlights the betrayal of trust being committed by double-dealing, depression-causing Comrade Obama.
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Health Highlights
**160 Now Sickened in Tuna-Linked Salmonella Outbreak.
**Vietnam Seeks Help With Mystery Illness That's Killed 19.
**Starbucks Eliminating Bug-based Dye From Products.
**Study Raises Hopes for Cerebral Palsy Breakthrough.
**Breast Cancer 10 Different Diseases.
**J&J Says Some Popular OTC Drugs May Not be Sold Again Until 2013.
**New Prostate Cancer Treatment Causes Fewer Side Effects.
**Calming Technique Eases Infants' Vaccination Pain.
**U.S. Nursing Homes' Disaster Plans Fall Short.
**Tick Season Starting Early This Year: Expert urges hikers, gardeners and others to know the signs of tick-borne disease.
**Close Laundry Detergent Right After Use, Expert Says: Open containers can be hazardous to children, pets.
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- Comrade Obama's Weak Leadership Evident As He Makes Laughing Arabs Rich and Disgusted Americans Poor With His Energy Resources Policies
Donald Trump says Obama’s illogical push for alternative energy sources & reluctance to drill for readily available resources are the primary reasons gas prices are soaring and will continue to skyrocket. “Wind is destroying the environment in many, many places. People are going crazy over the horrible, noisy, disgusting windmills that are ruining communities, & solar is weak & has not been effective & is very, very expensive,” Trump said. “And there are just lots of other problems with many forms of energy. But we have, under our wonderful feet, we have natural gas the likes of which no other place has. “We’re the . . . Saudi Arabia of natural gas and yet we don`t use it. We have oil under our feet & we don`t drill it,” he said. “We have so much & yet we don’t [take] advantage. And so we are beholden to Saudi Arabia & other countries that laugh at us..
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Health Highlights
**Salmonella Outbreak Affects 100 People in 19 States.
**Diamond Naturals Dog Food Recalled for Salmonella Contamination.
**Vehicle Seat Design Makes Child Seat Use Difficult.
**E. Coli Found in Nearly Half of Raw Chicken Products.
**Drug Giant Hit With $1.2 Billion in Fines.
**FDA Panel Recommends Approval of New Breast Ultrasound Device To Help Detect Cancer In Dense Breast Tissue.
**Group Urges Hospitals to Evict McDonald's.
**Dementia Cases Worldwide to Triple by 2050.
**Neighborhood Features Influence Weight.
**Toxins Found in 'Non-Toxic' Nail Polishes at Calif. Salons.
**EPA Rejects Petition to Ban 2,4-D Weed Killer.
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Health Highlights
**Salmonella Outbreak Affects 100 People in 19 States.
**Severe Allergic Reactions Spur Recall of Odwalla Chocolate Protein Monster Beverages.
**Rising Painkiller Drug Sales Lead to Addiction Concerns.
**Education Level Affects Longevity.
**Mutant Bird Flu Virus Less Deadly Than Believed.
**New COPD Drug Effective.
**Pregnancy Length May Influence Severity of Autism.
**Heavy Backpacks Give Kids Back Trouble: Puts them at risk of scoliosis and low back pain.
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Health Highlights
**FDA Refuses to Ban BPA From All Food Containers.
**Salmonella Outbreak Caused by Pet Turtles.
**New York Bans Sale of Synthetic Marijuana Products.
**U.S. Announces New Policy for Potentially Dangerous Research.
**Metal-on-Metal Hip Replacements Focus of FDA Meeting.
**Ruling Allowing Payments to Bone Marrow Donors Will Stand: Court.
**Virginia Man Recovering Well After Face Transplant.
**New Diet Drugs May Require Heart Risk Studies: FDA.
**Production Suspended at Three Plants that Make 'Pink Slime' Beef Product.
**Human Gene Patents Overturned by U.S. Supreme Court.
**Long-Term Estrogen Therapy Does Up Breast Cancer Risk: Study contradicts earlier findings.
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- Comrade Obama’s Dividend Tax Would Devastate Retirees: "Seldom has there been a clearer example of a policy that is supposed to soak the rich but will drench almost all American families."
“The truth is that the plan gives new meaning to the term collateral damage, because shareholders of all incomes will share the pain. Who would get hurt? IRS data show that retirees and near-retirees who depend on dividend income would be hit especially hard. Almost three of four dividend payments go to those over the age of 55, and more than half go to those older than 65, according to IRS data.” The Journal concluded that “all American shareholders would lose” as the taxes would make stocks less valuable and prices would fall, causing a sell-off and noting that 51 percent of adults hold shares of stock today either directly or through mutual funds. “Tens of millions more own stocks through pension funds. Why would the White House endorse a policy that will make these households poorer?
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Health Highlights
**Use of Tobacco Killed Nearly 6 Million People in 2011: If current trends continue, tobacco use & exposure may kill 1 billion people this century.
**FDA Must Consider Ban on Antibiotic Use in Livestock.
**FDA Approved Higher Dose of Alzheimer's Drug Despite Warnings.
**Army Mental Health Programs Under Review.
**More Young Adults OK Living With Parents.
**Unnecessary Sedation for Colonoscopy Is Common: Results in nearly $1 billion in health care costs a year.
**Bill Proposes New Warning Labels for Most Video Games: Games to carry a warning label about a possible link between violent video games and aggressive behavior.
**FDA Should OK New Drug for Sarcoma Tumors.
**Joint Pain, Other Woes Plague Obese Americans.
**CDC Warns Olympics-Bound Americans on Measles Risk.
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- Wannabe-Dictator Obama Ordains Himself As "The I Can Do Whatever I Want To Do President"
Obama not only overstepped the bounds of executive authority, he spat in the face of precedent. If Congress stands up to a President whose increasingly unhinged decisions fly in the face of precedent, logic & law, then the President may determine if their session isn’t “session-y” enough; & issue edicts by fiat while liberals far & wide cheer his naked power grab. Obama’s cronies have benefited while working Americans suffered through fiscal disasters like General Electric’s new Chinese-employment-at-the-expense-of-40,000-American-workers program. The so-called “Occupiers”—who can’t be more than one or two felony convictions from out-thugging the labor unions—are mutating into a liberal brute squad. The dovish candidate Obama has blossomed into a saber-rattler, Nobel be damned. And then Obama announced last week that he gets to make up the rules as he goes along. It’s time for Obama to face demotion
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Health Highlights
**3 Brands of Pet Treats Possibly Linked to Serious Dog Illnesses.
**Use of Meds That Conflict With Cancer Drugs Common.
**Schools' Use of 'Pink Slime' Beef to Become Optional.
**Doctors Repair Airway Disorder in Fetus.
**Treatment Halts World's Tallest Man's Growth.
**Many States Plan Tighter Indoor Tanning Rules for Teens.
**Spring Break Boozing May Put Young Brains At Risk.
**Depression Tied to Earlier Death in Heart Patients.
**Half of Stroke Victims Don't Call 911, Research Shows.
**Psoriasis Patients May Face Higher Heart Risk.
**As White Rice Intake Rises, So May Your Risk for Diabetes.
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Health Highlights
**FDA Mulls Making Key Prescription Drugs Available Over-the-Counter.
**Prices of Seniors' Drugs Rise Nearly 26 Percent: While the prices of generic drugs fell nearly 31 percent, the prices of brand name drugs rose by nearly 41 percent during the study period.
**FDA Sends Warning Letter to Inhalable Caffeine Maker.
**Group Wants FDA to Ban Caramel Coloring in Sodas.
**FDA Rejects New Combo Cholesterol Drug.
**Diesel Exhaust Boosts Lung Cancer Risk.
**Spring Ahead Without Losing Too Much Sleep.
**Lost Hour of Sleep Over Weekend May Put Heart at Risk Monday.
**Aggressive Care Best for Brain Trauma, Study Shows.
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Health Highlights
**Door Closes on Disney's Childhood Obesity Exhibit: Because of complaints that it makes fat children feel bad.
**USDA Adds Nutrition Labels to Raw Meats.
**FDA Approves Four-Strain Flu Vaccine.
**Feds Uncover Record-Breaking Medicare Scam.
**Counterfeit Avastin Lacks Any Real Drug.
**Artificial Hips a Bigger Problem Than Breast Implants.
**Americans Rushing to the ER for Toothaches.
**Stroke Risk Rises With Duration of Type 2 Diabetes.
**Prescription Meds Can Put on Unwanted Pounds.
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Health Highlights
**14 Sickened in Jimmy John's Restaurant E. Coli Outbreak: CDC.
**Teen Drivers' Marijuana Use Causes Concern.
**State Can't Force Pharmacies to Sell Emergency Contraceptives.
**Mercury Found in Skin-Lightening Cream.
**Radiation From Nuclear Plant Detected Far Off Japan's Coast.
**Stem Cell Transplant Helps Monkeys with Parkinson's Disease.
**Imported Drug Will Help Shortage of Cancer Drug Doxil: FDA.
**Inhalable Caffeine Product to be Reviewed by FDA.
**First 'Test Tube' Meat to be Produced This Fall.
**Dieting Can Prove Dangerous for Kidney Disease Patients.
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- Obama Tax Plan Will Mean Economic Destruction For Americans: "It is probably the most anti-jobs single idea Obama has come up with."
Newt Gingrich says that President Obama’s call for a 30 percent tax on millionaires is the “most destructive anti-jobs proposal by a president in my lifetime;” it would cause massive stock market losses, hurt every pension fund in the country, damage 401Ks, and send U.S. capital overseas. It is probably the most anti-jobs single idea Obama has come up with. “Every country in the world that has tried to use government power, as Obama puts it, has made people poorer, has made the politicians more powerful, and has ended up with corruption,” Gingrich says. “I think it is exactly the wrong direction.”
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Health Highlights
**Powered Arm & Hammer Spinbrush Toothbrush Could Cause Choking, Serious Injuries.
**Heart Attack Grill Owner Defends Artery-Clogging Menu.
**Raw Sprouts at Jimmy John's Linked to E. Coli Outbreak.
**No More King-Sized Bars, Mars Inc. Announces.
**Consumer Guide Reveals Toxicity of Vehicle Interiors.
**Traces of Lead Found in 400 Lipsticks.
**Satisfied Patients Aren't Always Healthier.
**Drug Company Warns About Fake Avastin.
**Artificial Hip Rejected by FDA Sold in Other Countries.
**Research Reveals How Aspirin May Slow Cancer's Spread.
**Cancer Drug Shortage Threatens Children's Lives.
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- Obama Is ‘Relentlessly Hostile’ to Religion: Obama’s devious policy reversal on birth control & the morning-after pill is a deceptive maneuver just to help his re-election bid
Newt Gingrich blasted Obama’s policy reversal on coverage of birth control & the morning-after pill saying the new policy “may actually be worse” than the rules that caused the controversy in the first place. Obama said he would instead require all insurance companies to cover the pills & procedures, which include sterilization, free-of-charge and without co-pays. “A number of leading Catholic intellectuals believe this is worse. It’s certainly worse as a matter of conscience.” Gingrich said, “I don’t believe Obama cares anything about what Catholics think,” pointing out that Obama opposed a bill that would have banned partial-birth abortion. “He has been relentlessly hostile to traditional religions,” said Gingrich. “The Obama administration reminds me of Jimmy Carter in his weakness & in his self-deception,”..
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Health Highlights
**Tassimo Single-Cup Brewers Recalled: Spray hot liquid, coffee grounds or tea leaves onto people.
**FDA Warns About Handheld Dental X-Ray Units.
**New Heparin Production Guidelines Issued by FDA.
**Expanded Use of Bone Drug Xgeva Rejected by FDA Panel.
**Ulcer, Acid Reflux Drugs May Raise Risk of Diarrhea.
**Walmart Introduces New Healthy Food Standards, Labels.
**FDA Should Review Inhaled Caffeine Product.
**Sweetener Fructose Boosts Visceral Fat.
**Diabetes Increases Risk of Birth Defects.
**External Beam Radiation Most Toxic and Costly Prostate Treatment.
**University Vending Machine Dispenses Plan B Emergency Contraceptive.
**3D Printer Used to Create Woman's New Jaw.
**Twitter and Other Social Media Tough Habit to Quit: The use of electronic media had the highest "self-control failure rates.
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- Supreme Court Tells Obama ‘No!!’: Calls the Obama administration’s argument "extreme" concerning First Amendment rights
Mr. Obama has an aggressive disregard for any constitutional limit on what he wants to do. When the Supreme court rules on Obamacare, let’s hope it uses the U.S. Constitution to decide the issue. How about a ruling on the unConstitutional “czars” Obama has appointed? The czars are making & enforcing important national policy without ever facing a Congressional hearing. How about a ruling on Obama’s “recess” appointments. There is no question that Obama was openly defiant of the rules, traditions and his own position on the issue when he was a Senator. Even more disgusting are all the liberal hypocrites who pointedly refuse to issue a single word of concern or condemnation when Obama does the very same thing, or worse, that Obama condemned President George W. Bush for.
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Health Highlights
**Cooked Eggs Recalled in 34 States.
**Taco Bell Identified as Source of Salmonella Outbreak.
**Army Bans Exercise Supplements After Soldiers' Deaths.
**Fungicide Levels in Orange Juice Don't Pose Health Risk: FDA.
**Colorado Considers Strict Trans-Fat Ban In Schools.
**Study Identifies New Location for Brain Speech Center.
**Indoor Tanning Salons Lie About Health Risks.
**Brazilian Blowout Maker Settles California Lawsuit.
**FDA Sued Over Secret Surveillance of Employees who said that the FDA was approving medical devices that they believed posed unacceptable risks to patients.
**Bacteria That Causes Legionnaire's Disease Found in Las Vegas Hotel-Casino.
**Prostate Cancer Found in 2,200-Year-Old Mummy.
**Catholic Colleges Oppose Obamacare Mandatory Birth Control Rule At Catholic Institutions.
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- Occupy Wall Street Protesters Are 'Idiots' Being Fueled By and Exploited By Radical President Obama and the Old Socialistic Core of the Democratic Party
David Horowitz says: “If you’ve watched their interviews you know that they’re morons. But what is behind them is ACORN, George Soros, and the core of the Democratic Party. That’s why we ought to pay attention to them.” Horowitz further says that it’s fueled by the old left “that was demoralized by the collapse of socialism and was dormant for a few years, and then came back. “These are the people on the left who didn’t leave when they saw all their lies exposed. The left said socialism is the answer and still says that. “Republicans must stop being nice if they want to defeat Obama in 2012”. Horowitz says Democrats will use weapons of slander, vilification, and politics of personal destruction to defeat the GOP nominee.
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Health Highlights
**FDA Approves New Drug for Type 2 Diabetes.
**Erin Brockovich Takes on High School Girls' Mystery Illness.
**Spinal Cord Injury Treatment Tested on Dogs.
**Wearing High Heels Affects A Woman's Biomechanics.
**Fake News Sites for Acai Berry Pills Shut Down by FTC.
**Hospital Stays for C. difficile Infections Increased: From 86,000 in 1993 to 349,000 in 2008 and to 337,000 in 2009.
**No Obvious Medical Explanation for Mysterious Skin Disease.
**Studies Show Link Between Brown Fat and Cold and Exercise.
**Insulated Lunch Boxes and Thermal Food Carriers Recalled Because of Poisoning Hazard.
**Cancer Vaccine Trial Begins.
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- Obama Promotes Shortening Senior Citizens’ Lives By Cutting Medical Care for the Elderly: Obama Wants To Make Enormous Cuts To Medicare To Expand Services For Illegal Aliens and Medicaid
Pitting grandma's well-being against the nation's fiscal health — is a false choice. Future federal healthcare spending can be significantly reduced by repealing the expansion of Medicaid & the billions poured into medical & interpreter services for illegal immigrants under Obamacare before these provisions go into effect. Obamacare, enacted 18 months ago, raided Medicare to fund new entitlements for low-income groups — in essence, robbing grandma to spread the wealth. Obamacare reduces future funding for Medicare by $575 billion over 10 years, & applies most of it ($410 billion) to increase Medicaid enrollment & benefits. Obamacare transforms Medicaid from a temporary safety net to a permanent alternative to private health insurance. Grandma’s life need not be cut short to cut federal health spending.
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Health Highlights
**'Totally Drug-Resistant' Tuberculosis Reported in India.
**New Fees Would Accelerate Generic Drug Reviews: FDA.
**WHO Weighs in On Faulty Breast Implants.
**Computer 'Exergames' Benefit Older Adults' Brains.
**American Red Cross Hit With Large Fine.
**Development of Experimental Alzheimer's Drug Halted.
**Human Deaths From Bird Flu Reported in Cambodia, Vietnam.
**Lung Association Slams States' Anti-Smoking Efforts.
**Experts Look to Refine Autism Diagnosis.
**New Stem Cell-Based Drug Approved by South Korea To Help Regenerate Knee Cartilage.
**Merck to Pay $36 Million to Settle Vioxx Lawsuits in Canada.
**One of World's Smallest Babies Leaving L.A. Hospital.
**More Evidence for Oxaliplatin as Colon Cancer Chemotherapy.
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Health Highlights
**Metal Tissue Holders May be Radioactive.
**Lymphoma Drug Adcetris Gets New Warning About Brain Infection.
**U.S. Man Receives Synthetic Windpipe.
**Study Links Processed Meat With Increased Risk of Pancreatic Cancer.
**Fungicide in Orange Juice Spotted First by Coca-Cola, Company Says.
**J&J Unit Warned Over Faulty Insulin Pump: FDA.
**Red Wine Researcher Accused of Scientific Fraud.
**Appeals Court Ruling Supports Texas Abortion Law.
**Lawsuits Launched Over Alleged DES-Breast Cancer Link.
**$1,000 Genome Mapping Soon Available, Company Says.
**North Carolina Sterilization Victims Should Receive $50K Each.
**Powerful New Painkillers Could Lead to More Violent Robberies Says Senator.
**Drug Maker Recalls Bottles of Excedrin, NoDoz, Bufferin and Gas-X.
**'Exoskeleton' Helps Paralyzed Stand, Take Steps.
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- Obama’s Perilous New Plan For Defense Cuts Will End US Safety: "Shedding the most qualified, combat-experienced, volunteer ground forces in the nation’s history would be like Apple canceling the production of iPhones to save money. It makes no sense," said Jay Carafano.
The Pentagon should be pushing “bold new moves” to protect the country’s interests instead of its perilous new plan to reduce troops dramatically & slash spending, a Heritage Foundation expert says. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced the new strategy today, calling for greater U.S. military presence in Asia, pulling troops from Europe, & cutting spending by nearly half a trillion dollars. The new strategy amounts to pulling “the safety net out from a global security architecture that has protected U.S. vital interests worldwide since 1945.” The Pentagon should invest in more combat planes and stealth fighters, ramp up production of Navy vessels, & put the missile defense program on the fast track", Jay Carafano...
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Health Highlights
**Tainted Ground Beef Linked to 19 Salmonella Cases: CDC.
**Most U.S. Hospital Errors Unreported.
**Unpublished Drug Study Findings Could Harm Patients.
**Enfamil Infant Formula Back on Store Shelves.
**Experts Rank Best Weight-Loss Diets.
**U.S. Drug Shortages Reached Record High in 2011.
**Vaccine Shields Monkeys From HIV-Like Virus.
**Shredded Cheese Recalled in 3 States.
**Questions Raised About Anorexia Nervosa Treatment.
**Chinese Man Dies of H5N1 Bird Flu.
**ADHD Pill Shortages May Continue.
**ADHD Drug Shortage Pushes Parents to Seek Substitutes: But experts say medication switches must be done carefully.
**Could Daily Aspirin Harm Seniors' Eyes? Study found possible association between drug and age-related macular degeneration.
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- Barack Obama’s Latest Idiotic Claims and Outright Lies: Obama sets the tone for what may be the dirtiest political campaign in our country's history
Obama’s re-election committee says it plans to raise more than $1 billion for the campaign. Since he can’t possibly run on his record, most of that money will be spent attacking and smearing his opponent. The Republican nominee is going to get hit by a $750 million wrecking ball. Let’s hope enough voters see through the smears, lies and deliberate obfuscations. It won’t take much to tip the scale one way or the other. We know that almost half of the voters in this country don’t pay a penny in taxes. As net recipients of much of Obama’s largesse (with our money, of course), you know they will support the Democrats, no matter what.
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Health Highlights
**FDA OKs Pneumonia Vaccine for Older Adults.
**Durezol vs. Durasal: FDA Warns of Drug Name Mix-Up.
**Build-A-Bear Recalls Colorful Hearts Bears for Possible Choking Hazard.
**Third Baby Sickened With Bacteria Sometimes Tied to Formula.
**2nd Study Linking Retrovirus to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Is Retracted.
**Obesity, Diabetes Pose 1-2 Threat to Young Americans: Time spent carrying extra weight matters as much as the amount of extra weight itself.
**Music May Help Ease Pain for Anxious People: By engaging the mind, melodies compete with pain pathways.
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Health Highlights
**Wal-Mart Pulls Infant Formula From Stores After Newborn's Death.
**Health Officials Urge Women to Remove Faulty French-Made Breast Implant.
**Motrin Coated Caplets Recalled.
**17,000 Chickens Are Being Slaughtered In Hong Kong After Discovery of H5N1 Bird Flu Virus.
**ShoulderFlex Massager Poses Strangulation Risk: FDA.
**HIV Vaccine Receives FDA Approval for Human Safety Tests.
**HPV Vaccination Efforts Should Focus on Girls.
**U.S. Population Growth Slowest Since Before Baby Boomers.
**Ground Beef Linked to Salmonella Outbreak.
**New Malaria Vaccine Shows Promise.
**New Safety Warning for Multaq Heart Drug.
**Lipitor Sales Plummet After Generics Hit Market.
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- Obama's Approval Plunges Below Worst-Ever President Carter: Obama is using a devious anti-Congress campaign to get re-elected
President Barack Obama has one of the worst approval ratings of any president in modern political history. 43 percent rating in Gallup’s daily presidential job approval index today is far below Democrat Jimmy Carter’s 51 percent at the same point in his presidency. Carter has been considered one of the 20th century’s worst presidents, according to the index. “Gallup finds that Obama's overall job approval rating so far has averaged 49 percent. Only three former presidents have had a worse average rating at this stage: Carter, [Gerald] Ford, and Harry S. Truman. Only Truman won re-election in an anti-Congress campaign that Obama's team is using as a model.”
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Health Highlights
**Recalled Defibrillator Leads Could Injure Patients.
**Asthma, Bronchitis Among Top Kids' Medical Conditions.
**New Bill Would Boost Monitoring of Medical Implants.
**Minnesota Boy Contracts Rare Swine Flu Strain.
**U.S. Had Record-Low Marriage Rate in 2010.
**Medicare Won't Pay Prescription Drug Bills Believed to be Fraudulent.
**FDA Issues Warning Letters About Lap-Band Ads.
**Numerous Problems at Heart Start Centers.
**Cilantro Recalled in Seven States.
**Cooked Chicken Breasts Recalled by N. Carolina Company.
**Robotic Therapy May Help Some Stroke Survivors Walk.
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Health Highlights
**Eating Raw Cookie Dough Raises Illness Risk.
**Cantaloupe Listeria Outbreak That Caused 30 Deaths Over: CDC.
**Dangerous Texting While Driving Rises in U.S.
**CooperVision Avaira Aquaform Sphere Soft Contact Lenses Recalled.
**Many Cereals Very High in Sugar.
**Stronger Graduated License Laws For Teens Could Prevent More Than 2,000 Road Deaths Each Year.
**Japanese Baby Formula Recalled Due to Radiation.
**Consumers Groups, Others Gain Access to Medicare Claims Database.
**Flashing White Lights Scene in 'Breaking Dawn' Movie Poses Seizure Risk.
**Starchy Foods May Boost Risk of Breast Cancer Recurrence.
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- Recovery to Begin Once Obama Is Voted Out of the White House: "The fact of the matter is I think that we haven’t even begun the recovery under this president's watch. Unfortunately, this guy is in over his head, in my opinion, big time," says Home Depot co-founder Ken Langone
"If we change the faces in the White House, we're on the road to recovery," Ken Langone says. "I believe it's that simple: we need leadership, we need cheerleading, we need encouragement," he said. "We need businessmen & fat cats to feel like they're doing something good, not that they're villains & not that they're criminals. America's best days are ahead."The U.S. needs leadership committed to cutting back on spending,
Langone says. "The fact of the matter is I think that we haven’t even begun the recovery under this president's watch. Unfortunately, this guy is in over his head, in my opinion, big time. We got to have a change in the White House," Langone says. "Politicians are like drug addicts around money."
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Health Highlights
**Use of Pysch Meds High Among U.S. Foster Children.
**Grape Tomatoes Recalled.
**Senators Challenge Pfizer's Attempt to Block Generic Lipitor Sales.
**Laptops' Wi-Fi May Damage Sperm.
**Former Players Sue NCAA Over Head Injuries.
**Obesity Screening, Counseling Added to Medicare Coverage.
**Federal Government Appeals Ruling on Cigarette Warning Images.
**Scientists Spot Gene Linked to Sleep Duration.
**More U.S. Kids Being Exempted From Vaccinations.
**Chickenpox Shot Benefits More Than Babies.
**Ocean Spray Recalls Craisins.
**Opioids May Be Overused for Chronic Stomach Pain: Doubling of prescriptions over 10 years is cause for concern.
**Kids of All Weights Benefit From Car Seats: Even overweight children safer when using the correct seat for their height and weight.
**Birds Every Bit As Smart As Apes.
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- Obama Calling Americans and the Business Community Lazy Is 'Disgusting': Obama spends his time campaigning and vacationing instead of tending to the nation’s business
Donald Trump says President Barack Obama’s recent statement that Americans have become lazy is “disgusting,” and somewhat ironic, considering the president spends his time campaigning and vacationing instead of tending to the nation’s business. “I've been watching this for a long time and I’ve never seen any president work like this — this is crazy. . . . He’s really campaigning and vacationing. “It’s interesting that he calls people lazy — I mean, he’s done one business deal in his life — that was his house,” Trump said. “When they allow China to manipulate their currency, when they allow other people and other countries to do what they’re doing against our country — you know, it would be nice if the government could give a little help,” he said. “But for him to say that the business people of this country are lazy is....
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Health Highlights
**Low Levels of Arsenic Common in Apple Juice: FDA.
**New Insomnia Drug Approved by FDA.
**Baseball Players Will be Tested for Human Growth Hormone.
**Group Issues Annual List of Unsafe Toys.
**Dog Illnesses May be Linked to Chicken Jerky Treats.
**HIV/AIDS Epidemic May be Leveling Off.
**Foster Children In The United States Are More Likely Than Mentally-Ill Children To Receive a Cocktail of Powerful Antipsychotic Drugs.
**Autoimmune Woes May Raise Risk for Lung Clots: Risks climbed for patients hospitalized for such conditions as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's.
**More Aggressive Chemo May Help Younger Lymphoma Patients.
**Four Common Meds Send Thousands of Seniors to Hospital.
**Newer Blood Thinner May Pose Danger to Trauma Patients.
**Yawning May Cool the Brain When Needed.
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- Did The U.S. Sanction Murder?: From The Land of The Free and The Home of the Brave to the Land of the Cowed and the Cowardly
We have gone from what was once “the land of the free & the home of the brave” to what is rapidly becoming the land of the cowed and the cowardly. Untold millions of our countrymen (some legal, some not) feed at the public trough — & get angry at us producers if we suggest cutting back their goodies by even a penny. All of that is bad enough. But now our government has decided that it is above the law. That it can listen in on any conversation it wishes; open any mail; snoop on any citizen any time & any where; accuse us of all sorts of crimes & misdemeanors; & incarcerate us at will. Oh, & murder anyone it says deserves it. Today, our government takes four times more from us than the 10% the God of the Old Testament asked of his people. In fact, if you add up all of the hidden taxes we pay, the figure is probably closer to 60%. I’m sorry, but this is not the.....
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Health Highlights
**Smucker's Peanut Butter Recalled.
**Romaine Lettuce Salad Products Recalled.
**More U.S. Companies Penalizing Workers for Bad Health Habits.
**1 in 5 U.S. Adults Now Use Psychiatric Meds.
**J&J Working to Remove Chemicals From Baby Products.
**Nearly 5 Million More Contact Lenses Recalled by CooperVision.
**New Drug Slows Prostate Cancer Spread to Bones.
**Area of the Brain Associated with Addiction Is Larger in Video Gamers.
**Kotex Tampons Recalled Because of Possible Dangerous Infections.
**Pneumococcal Vaccine Prevnar Effective in Adults.
**Rising Number of U.S. Newborns Addicted to Pain Drugs.
**Pfizer Tries to Delay Sales of Generic Lipitor.
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- Obama Wants To Rob Senior Citizens of The Care They've Been Counting On, Make America a Medicaid Nation, Make Private Health Plans Unaffordable, and Bankrupt Our Government
Keep in mind that the Obamacare reduced future Medicare funding by over $500 billion, largely by slashing what hospitals & doctors will be paid to care for seniors; some hospitals may be forced to stop accepting Medicare. Now the president’s deficit reduction proposal calls for a third round of reductions including even further reductions in what doctors & hospitals are paid to care for seniors. The more Medicare reimbursement rates are cut, the less likely it is that doctors & hospitals can afford to provide hip replacements, bypass surgeries, cataract operations and etc. that have transformed the experience of aging. Obama says he is a defender of the elderly; he said he would not take one dime from Medicare benefits. But numbers tell the truth. The president is robbing Medicare & Grandma to spread the wealth by...
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Health Highlights
**MRSA Boosts Death Risk in Kids With Flu.
**Sending Chickenpox Virus Through Mail Dangerous and Illegal.
**Half of U.S. Students Sexually Harassed.
**Large Infants at Increased Risk for Obesity.
**Hospital Funding Linked to Patient Satisfaction: Hospitals to be punished financially by the federal government for things they can't control.
**Safety of Electronic Health Records Requires Scrutiny.
**Genetic Test Improves Cancer Treatment.
**Drug Maker to Run New Clinical Trial on Cholesterol Medicine Trilipix.
**Shingles Vaccine Shortage Influences Immunizations.
**FDA Targets Illegal Tobacco Sales to Minors.
**U.S. Agency Restores Web Database on Doctor Disciplinary Actions.
**Drugs Slipped Into Drinks Sending Many to ER: Majority of victims are women, but nearly 40 percent are male.
**'Mini-Strokes & Earlier Deaths.
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- Big Failure and Big Liar Obama Strikes Again with HARP [Home Affordable Refinance Program]: Obama’s Campaign Ploy Rewards Banksters And Loots American Taxpayers
In announcing revised rules to the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP), President Barack Obama bought himself a campaign ploy attractive to millions of homeowners struggling to keep their homes and a payoff to his bankster buddies who are now encouraged to make more “risky” loans that bear no risk at all. The new regulations encourage banks to make bad loans but absolve them of any of the liability. Shenanigans such as these are only possible under a fiat money system of greed and corruption. The banksters and Wall Street are the clear winners, and the American taxpayer once again suffers from the criminal enterprise that inhabits Washington, D.C.
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Health Highlights
**Sleep Apnea, Obesity and Mental Issues Linked in Kids.
**High Doses of Bone Growth Drug May Boost Cancer Risk For Patients Undergoing Spinal Fusion.
**Glaxo to Pay $3 Billion to Settle Criminal and Civil Investigations.
**Strengthen Chantix Warnings About Risks Of Suicidal Behavior and Depression.
**Expand Vytorin's Use to Include Some Kidney Patients.
**Laser Treatment Turns Brown Eyes Blue: Complications and Blinding Condition Possible.
**FDA Testing Pet Food for Salmonella That Is Making Pet Owners Sick.
**Melanoma-Detecting Device Approved by FDA.
**Scientists Rejuvenate Cells From Elderly.
**Group Challenges J&J on Chemicals in Baby Shampoo.
**Gene-Tweaked Mosquitoes May Lower Dengue Fever Cases.
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Health Highlights
**Turkish Pine Nuts Linked to Salmonella Outbreak.
**Birth Control Pills and Having Babies Reduce Ovarian Cancer Risk.
**Heart Disease Costliest Health Problem for U.S. Men.
**'Super Broccoli' Makes Its Debut.
**Sepsis Drug Xigris Pulled From Market.
**Mammograms May Save Fewer Lives Than Expected.
**Fresh & Easy Bagged Spinach Recalled.
**Target Recalls Children's Frog Masks.
**GPS-Equipped Shoes for Dementia Patients.
**Bath Salt Chemicals Banned by DEA.
**Experts Ponder Testing Anthrax Vaccine in Children.
**Guilty Plea in First Proven U.S. Case of Organ Trafficking.
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- Obama, The Imperial President Who Morphs Into More Of A Third-World-Style-Dictator Every Day, Deliberately Kills Jobs, and Thinks Americans Are Stupid
Barack Obama lies with impunity, disregards the Constitution, ignores the laws he doesn’t agree with, does what he wishes, and has started three unConstitutional wars. Congress has abdicated its responsibility, the Federal judiciary has become the oligarchy Thomas Jefferson warned about. Obama has appointed dozens of czars without the consent of Congress; these czars set policy for Obama’s regulatory agencies. These agencies are answerable to no one and nothing. Obama’s agenda of killing jobs, suppressing innovation and supporting unviable “green” technologies is their lone goal. So it’s not enough that the President just ignores Congress, Congress has decided it wants to give the President carte blanche to ignore Congress even further. Obama probably has also released a forged birth certificate & used a fraudulent Social Security number.
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Health Highlights
**Mercury Ban Would Affect Vaccines, Experts Warn.
**Specific Facial Features Linked to Autism.
**Anti-HIV Vaginal Gel Also Protects Against Herpes.
**Hip Resurfacing Safety and Effectiveness Unproven.
**Baby Spit-Up Isn't GERD.
**Blood Test Detects Down Syndrome in Fetus.
**Listeria-Related Recall of Giant Eagle Shredded Lettuce.
**Huge Rise in Children's Sports-Related Knee Injuries.
**Millions of U.S. Women Plagued by Chronic Pain.
**Sports Equipment Anti-Concussion Claims Challenged.
**Banned Drug Found in Weight Loss Supplements.
**Bagged Salad Products Recalled.
**Studies Reveal Huge Impact of Melanoma.
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Health Highlights
**Drugs Found in One-Third of Dead Drivers.
**More Top-Rated Booster Seats Available in U.S.
**Possible to Maintain Weight Loss for Long Time.
**CooperVision Issues New Contact Lens Recall Announcement.
**B.O.B. Jogging Strollers Recalled.
**Ground Beef Recalled Due to E. Coli Concerns.
**Leukemia Drug - Sprycel - Linked to Lung Problem: FDA.
**Neuroscientists Develop Means of Making Brain 'See-Through'.
**Foreign Insects Invaded U.S. After 9/11.
**Pot-Shaped 'Pothead Candy' Causes Outrage.
**California Bans Tanning Bed Use by Minors.
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- Big Nanny Government Runs Amuck and Declares War On Children’s Lemonade Stands
It is the startling fact that all across the country, children are being told that their lemonade stands are against the law. And not just lemonade stands, but sales of Girl Scout cookies and Japanese green tea have also been declared enemies of the State.I kid you not. In community after community, these budding entrepreneurs are being told to pack it up and scoot before they’re charged with various violations. In some instances, in fact, fines have been levied. Our parents made sure we realized there was no such thing in this world as something for nothing. If you wanted something, you had to earn it. I wish I saw more examples of today’s youngsters working as hard for their spending money as we did a generation or two ago. Kids today take their $100 sneakers and jeans for granted as well as their $200 electronic gizmos. Would they actually be better off if they had to trudge down the highway...
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Health Highlights
**Texting Doubles Drivers' Reaction Times.
**Listeria Blamed for Woman's Miscarriage.
**Pill to Prevent Grey Hair Raises Questions.
**Vitamin D Levels Lowest in Fair-Skinned People.
**Avastin May Cause Fertility Problems in Women.
**Stress Affects Mothers' Interactions With Children.
**Teens Underestimate Fast-Food Calories.
**Injectable Contraception Increases African Women's Risk for HIV.
**Medicare Slow to Stop Prescription Drug Abuse.
**Talk Therapy Helps Schizophrenia Patients.
**New Labels State Alcohol Content of Four Loko Drink: One Can Contains As Much Alcohol as Four to Five Cans of Beer.
**Velveeta Single-Serve Microwavable Cups Recalled.
**Breast Cancer Drug Coverage Halted by Blue Shield of California.
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- Obama Is the Job-Wrecker-In-Chief
Realistic private sector "unemployment" is well over 10% under Obama's watch while federal regulatory agency "employment" has surged 13 percent; these agencies' budgets are up 16 percent. The EPA's new Transport Rule could destroy thousands of jobs, & its ozone regulation could cost upward of $1 trillion & millions of jobs in the construction industry over the next decade. Other Obama gems include his maximum achievable control technology standards for cement, which may send thousands of jobs offshore, & Obama’s unconscionable action in preventing Boeing from opening a plant in South Carolina. Meanwhile, the Interagency Working Group on Food Marketed to Children with its innocuous regulations could destroy 74,000 jobs and cost $28.3 billion in the first year alone. Even the Obama-enamored New York Times has pronounced Obama's promise to create 5 million green jobs over 10 years a pipe dream.
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Health Highlights
**Tyson Recalls Ground Beef After E. Coli Scare.
**26 States Appeal To U.S. Supreme Court For A Speedy Ruling On "Grave" Constitutional Concerns of Obamacare.
**Reebok Kicked by FTC for Sneaker Health Claims.
**U.S. Lifts Restrictions on Imported Cantaloupes.
**Jewelry Industry Will Self-Regulate Toxin in Kids' Jewelry.
**Laughter Might Be Good Medicine for Alzheimer's Patients.
**Why It's Good If You're Easily Embarrassed.
**Keep Kids in Rear-Facing Car Seats Until Age 2.
**Halloween Trappings Can Trigger Asthma, Allergies.
**Oral Steroids Linked to Vitamin D Deficiency.
**FDA Warns LASIK Providers: Stop Making False Claims.
**Cancer Patients at Risk for Serious Blood Clot.
**Obesity More Likely in 'Night-Owl' Kids.
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- Obama’s Blatant Dishonesty Continues To Grow As He Pushes The American Jobs Act
“I can confidently predict that Obama’s American Jobs Act will be a hodgepodge of half measures, none of which will make much of a difference to the massive unemployment (and underemployment) in the United States. I’ll have more to say about all of this, including the President’s laughable promise that his various make-work projects won’t add a penny to the deficit, in future columns. In the meantime, you and I know the best way to create more jobs: It’s for government to get the heck out of the way. Reduce regulations, lower taxes and reward people for taking risks. Let people keep more of the fruits of their labors, and you can bet on a bigger harvest. It’s that simple. By the way, not only does that produce more jobs, but it also produces more tax revenue. Does anyone want to bet whether this White House will give it a try,” said Chip Wood.
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- Give Liar-In-Chief Obama "Four Pinocchios" for Telling "Whoppers": Barack Obama Can Stretch The Truth Beyond All Recognition
“Of course, the fact that Barack Obama can stretch the truth beyond all recognition will come as no surprise to regular readers of this column. We’ve come to expect nothing less from our Obfuscator in Chief. But the distortions, exaggerations and outright falsehoods of the past three years are nothing compared to what we’re going to see between now and next November. I can confidently predict that there is almost no limit to the lies Obama will tell about us — or the amount of your tax dollars that he will promise to give others — if only they will grant him four more years in the White House. So guard your wallets, folks. And get ready to see Barack Obama’s nose grows a lot longer,” said Chip Wood.
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Health Highlights
**Obese Now Outnumber Hungry Worldwide.
**Dangerous Polio Strain Spreads to China.
**Shark Compound May Help Combat Viral Diseases in Humans.
**New Tick-Borne Disease Identified.
**Listeria Outbreak Linked to Colorado Cantaloupes.
**Bone Drug OK'd for Cancer Patients on Hormone Therapy.
**Whooping Cough Shots Protect for Only a Few Years.
**New Technology Improves Early Stage Cancer Surgery.
**Magnetic Field May Cause MRI-Induced Vertigo.
**Many With Irregular Heartbeat Unaware of Raised Stroke Risk.
**Study Suggests Link Between Stress and Aggressive Breast Cancer.
**Bed Bug Insecticides Causing Sickness, Officials Warn.
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- Planet Of The Taxpayers: It is True That A Form of Slavery Exists and Thrives Today, All Over The World
We do live in cages. We are prodded by electrical shocks. We are fed gruel of sorts. And they do experiment on us. I’m speaking of the relationship of individuals all over the world to governments all over the world. They live off us entirely, because governments produce nothing of their own. They extract 40 percent of our wealth in one way or another and use that money to build their castles and their power. In fact, that is our main value to them. Otherwise, we would have no value at all. In the name of providing us welfare throughout life, they loot us throughout life. In the name of providing us security, they humiliate us and treat us all like animals — and then have the gall to say that this system is all about public service. They manufacture billions of laws that no one can possibly keep and yet put us in jail when they decide to catch us breaking them. They order us to kill..
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Health Highlights
**Two Deaths Linked to Tainted Cantaloupes.
**Birth Control Pills Recalled Due to Packaging Problem.
**FDA Disputes TV Claim About Apple Juice.
**Ear Implants Recalled.
**Water Contamination Threatens Flood-Ravaged Northeast.
**Accidental Medication Poisonings in Kids on the Rise.
**Fall-Prone Seniors May Have Trouble Adjusting to Poorer Vision.
**Cholesterol Deposits Around Eyes Linked to Heart Risk.
**Problem Drinking Linked to Brain Damage.
**Officials Tackle Multidrug-Resistant TB in Europe.
**Research Reveals Why Hungry People Get Cranky.
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- Who Are the Real Religious Bigots?
The reality is that throughout our history, the halls of American government have teemed with Bible-believing Christians, & they've never pushed for theocracy. Ironically, it is leftists who are far likelier to use the power of government to selectively suppress political & religious liberties. They are the ones behind the Fairness Doctrine, network neutrality rules, campus speech codes, & preventing certain ideas from being presented, alongside all others, in public classrooms. The leftists are the ones showing their religious bigotry & proselytizing us to adopt their secularist worldview. Also, did President Obama, for example, subscribe to the noxious political & religious beliefs of his pastor Jeremiah Wright? If not, why did he attend church there for 20 years & have his children baptized in that church? If so, shouldn't the media have followed up on why Obama agrees with Wright? But the media’s concern isn't with the religious beliefs of all.....
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Health Highlights
**More U.S. Adults Using Illegal Drugs: Increase has largely been driven by more marijuana use.
**FDA Advisers Call for Revised Labels for Osteoporosis Drugs.
**A Little Dirt May Be a Good Thing.
**Over Half of Adverse Drug Reactions in Hospitals Are Preventable.
**College Football Players Get Bigger, Stronger With Age, But Show Smaller Improvements In Speed and Agility.
**Narcissists Make Horrible Bosses.
**New Approach to Treating Asthma in Pregnancy.
**Children More Likely to Drink & Drive if Parents Drink.
**Risk for COPD Higher Than Thought.
**Bad Body Odor May Be Caused by Metabolic Disorder.
**Losing Child in First Year Might Raise Early Death Risk for Parent.
**Black Children May Be More Prone to Peanut Allergy, Study Finds.
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- Obama Following In Hitler's Footsteps
As Obama continues to toy with Republicans over raising the debt ceiling, he is well aware that the continuation of his policies will destroy the U.S. economy beyond repair. I believe his strategy from the outset has been to follow the Saul Alinsky model: Win the Presidency through a semi-legitimate election, then tighten your grip over everything and everybody, move swiftly to create economic chaos, and use the chaos you've created to establish a dictatorship. Of all the dictators over the past hundred years, I believe Obama's rise to power mirrors that of Adolf Hitler's more than anyone else. As I have repeatedly said, the debt ceiling debate is nothing more than a distraction from the real, underlying problem we all face: We are losing our freedom. Our focus should be on stopping Barack Obama and his Marxist allies in Washington from establishing a communist dictatorship -- politely referred to by conservative media as an "imperial presidency".
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Health Highlights
**Gel Fuel for Firepots Recalled.
**FDA Updates Kidney Failure Warning on Bone-Building Drug.
**New Laws Forcing Florida Pill Mills to Close.
**Avastin Linked to Eye Infections.
**Researchers Call for More Studies of Acne Treatments.
**Papaya-Linked Salmonella Outbreak Over: CDC.
**New Details About U.S. Medical Experiments in Guatemala.
**Blood Shortages Along U.S. East Coast.
**U.N. Warns of Possible Bird Flu Resurgence.
**Massage Device Could be Deadly: FDA.
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- Obamacare Must Be Repealed To Boost Weak Economy; It Is A "Job-Killing", "Liberty-Killing", "Budget-Killing" $2.6 Trillion Healthcare Law
Senator Orrin Hatch said it was critical to the nation's economy that President Barack Obama shift his focus from preparing a new job stimulus plan to ending the overhaul of the nation's health care system. The partisan health law is an assault on Americans individual liberty. It's also an assault on our economy and on our job creators, as this survey of employers demonstrates," Hatch said, referring to the survey released Friday by the National Business Group on Health. "The President announced that he's preparing a so-called jobs plan that will include more stimulus spending," Hatch said. "I would suggest he stop the spending and turn to his job-killing, budget-busting health law instead. This $2.6 trillion law must be on the table in any discussion about reviving our weak economy."
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Health Highlights
**Massage Device ShoulderFlex Massager Could be Deadly: FDA.
**U.S. Bans Mexican Papaya Imports.
**Carcinogens Released by Scented Laundry Products.
**Petition To Ban Mesh Used in Pelvic Surgery.
**Experts Warn About Antibiotic Overuse: Destruction of Protective Bacteria May Be Causing A Dramatic Increase In Many Health Problems.
**Large Decline in Heart Failure Patient Death Rate.
**Brain Harmed by High Salt, Low Activity.
**Recalled Step Stools Pose Fall Hazard.
**Spider Silk Used to Create Bulletproof Skin: Also to cover large wounds, treat people with severe burns and create artificial tendons & ligaments.
**Bacteria From Dog Feces Common in Air of Some Cities.
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Health Highlights
**Ground Beef Recalled.
**Early Elective Deliveries Banned at Some Oregon Hospitals.
**Pesticides Linked to Tourist Deaths: Thailand Officials.
**Big Tobacco Challenges New Cigarette Warning Labels.
**Pesticides Linked to Increased Diabetes Risk.
**Three Deaths From 'Brain-Eating' Amoeba.
**Ground Turkey Salmonella Cases Rise to 111.
**Excessive Heat Can Harm Medications, Expert Says.
**Cases of Legionnaire's Disease Tripled in 10 Years.
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- Obama Acting Like A "King Above The Law" In Deciding To Pick and Choose Which Illegal Aliens To Deport
“The Obama administration cannot get its amnesty schemes through Congress, so now it has resorted to implementing its plans via executive fiat,” said Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer. “We need to remind President Obama that we elected a president that serves beneath the law and did not anoint a king that is above the law.” “It’s just the latest attempt by this president to bypass the intended legislative process when he does not get his way,” Michael McCaul said. Lamar Smith said, “The Obama administration should enforce immigration laws, not look for ways to ignore them." Jessica Vaughan said, “The message is that as long as you keep your nose clean and do not commit a serious crime, then you don’t have to worry about immigration law enforcement. “It really is attempting to achieve by executive fiat what the Congress won’t do and the American people don’t want, and that really requires a lot..
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- Raising Taxes That Punish Success Does Not Increase Tax Revenue And Does Not Help Cut The Deficit: It’s Another Big Lie From The Obama Government To Increase Its Power and Control Over You
The Obama Government would rather keep taking more of your money through taxes than cut their spending of your tax money; this increases their money supply while decreasing yours. The Obama Government isn’t happy with the increased tax revenue that “tax cuts” give them because they give both the government & you more money. The Obama Government wants to have more money while you have less money which increases the government’s power & control over you. Meanwhile, 50% of the people pay no federal taxes so the government can better have more power and control over them. Get it? Sure you do. The Obama Government wants more power & control. So, the Obama Government keeps spending more, the tax payers keep paying more, and soon both will be poor as the American Dream & the USA collapse through the floor.
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Health Highlights
**Vampire Bat-Related Death First in U.S.
**Parents Have Dead Daughter's Eggs Frozen.
**Mother Influences Child's Food Tastes Before Birth.
**Officials Investigating Minnesota Anthrax Case.
**Moms of Twins Have Heavier Single Babies.
**Sharp Rise in Medicare Payments for Hospice Care.
**Being Male Makes Breast Cancer Patient Ineligible for Coverage.
**Strawberries Linked to Oregon E. Coli Outbreak.
**New Antibody May Help Lead to Universal Flu Vaccine.
**Human Growth Hormone Tests for NFL Players.
**Coming Soon: A 'Date Rape' Drug Detector?
**Brainy Dog Star of Psychologists' Meeting.
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- Court Ruling 'Slams the Brakes' on Obamacare: Rules The Individual Mandate At The Heart Of Obamacare’s Legislation Is Unconstitutional
Obamacare just doesn’t operate without the mandate. You can’t really carve that out and make it work,” said healthcare expert Betsey McCaughey. She predicted states won’t spend scare resources preparing to implement a law that appears very vulnerable to being thrown out as unconstitutional. Asked if the decision slams the brakes on implementation efforts at the state level, McCaughey replied: “Oh yes. They will be obligated to make that decision, because that’s the prudent decision in the best interest of their own local taxpayers.” “The court also ruled that although the president and Congress want to now call the penalty a tax to make it pass constitutional muster, the penalty cannot be sustained under the federal government's taxing authority because the penalty is clearly not a tax,” Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli said.
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Health Highlights
**Brownies With Melatonin Unsafe: FDA.
**Ground Turkey Source of Salmonella Outbreak.
**Purina Cat Food Recalled Because of Possible Salmonella Contamination.
**FDA Warns About Fake Emergency Birth Control Drug.
**New HIV Test Proves Accurate in Field Test.
**Deadly Radiation Levels Found at Fukushima Plant.
**'Gluten-Free' Food Standard Being Finalized by FDA.
**Hackers May be Able to Attack Insulin Pumps.
**Laughter not Best Medicine for COPD Patients.
**Pfizer May Attempt OTC Version of Lipitor.
**Hepatitis C Vaccine Effective in Animals.
**Quick Test Detects Congenital Heart Defects.
**U.S. Hospital Pneumonia Death Rates Fall.
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- Don't Be Fooled — Debt Deal Means: More Taxes, No Significant Spending Cuts, and A Deliberate Design To Continue Economic Decline
“Any way you slice it you are going to get tax increases. That’s how screwed we are,” Rush Limbaugh said. If Obama extends the Bush tax cuts, the CBO will consider that a $5 trillion reduction in government income which will have to be made up elsewhere. If they expire, that’s a direct tax hike on Americans, Limbaugh said. “There hasn’t been a significant cut in spending, he said, and the current deal will give Obama the perfect argument to use [to increase taxes] during his reelection campaign because it’s a deal designed to continue economic decline. He’ll say ‘we tried slashing government spending, I went along with it and it didn’t help’. Obama will then push “redistribution of income” [the theft of others‘ hard-earned income through increased, excessive taxes]. In addition, the major media is playing along with Obama by creating the false perception.....
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Health Highlights
**FDA Cites Death Risk With Heart Drug Multaq.
**Prices of Popular Drugs Set to Fall.
**USDA Proposes Changes for Meat Additive Labeling.
**McDonald's Announces Nutrition Effort.
**Only Humans Experience Age-Related Brain Shrinkage.
**Mexican Papayas Linked to Food Poisoning Outbreak.
**Chicken Recall Expanded.
**Tylenol's Maker Reducing Daily Dose to Help Lower Risk of Accidental Overdose.
**New Brain Scan Technique Reveals Back Pain Severity.
**World Population to Reach 7 Billion This Year.
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- Obama's 'Un-Presidential' Behavior Destroying Economy, Country
Obama’s purpose, Ken Langone says is to divide the nation by accusing others of not doing their fair share to contribute to the country's finances. "Divide us & we all lose. And this has got to stop.. he is not acting presidential, he is behaving in a way designed in my opinion to divide us and make us look at each other with skepticism, with suspicion. That's the end of America as we know it when that happens." "The deficit, we're going to get through, the debt limit, it will all come through. The destruction he is inflicting by his behavior will carry on long after we have settled the debt limit," Langone said. "It's increasingly difficult to avoid that conclusion that while Washington burns, President Obama is fiddling away by insisting that the only solution to the nation's problems — whether unemployment, the debt ceiling or deficit reductions — lies in redistribution of wealth [the theft of others’ hard-earned income..
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Health Highlights
**FDA Cites Death Risk With Heart Drug Multaq.
**USDA Proposes Changes for Meat Additive Labeling.
**FDA Evaluating Some Osteoporosis Drugs for Possible Cancer Link.
**Sales Resume of Frogs Linked to Salmonella.
**Alzheimer's Blood Test Moving Closer to Reality.
**12 States Have Obesity Rates of at Least 30%; Obesity Now A Problem In All 50 States.
**Users of Popular Antipsychotic Drug Seroquel Warned of Possible Drug Interactions.
**Thinner Wife, Heavier Hubby Makes for Better Marriage: Study.
**Innovative Heart Valve for Elderly Shows Promise.
**Scientists Identify Gene for Stubborn Breast Cancers.
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- GOP Should Call Obama's Bluff and Lies on Debt Default and Social Security Payments
Whether or not he accepts this reality, Obama owns this economy & the alarming explosion of the debt in recent years. He is the one whose reckless policies have greatly exacerbated our dire financial condition. He is the one whose unconscionably wasteful & irresponsible economic policies have tanked the economy & suppressed employment. He is the one who, along with his party, has not presented a budget in 800 days. He is the one who formed a bipartisan deficit commission & then ignored its findings. He is the one who hasn't presented a concrete budgetary plan. He is the one who refuses to reform entitlements despite objective evidence that if we don't, the nation will go belly up. Yet he is the one who is pointing all the fingers of blame against the Republicans as if they were the culprits. And there are plenty of expenditures less urgent than benefits to seniors;but Obama chooses to scare seniors.
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Health Highlights
**Scientists Identify Gene for Stubborn Breast Cancers.
**FDA Has Concerns About New Diabetes Drug.
**Could Smelly Feet Be a Weapon Against Malaria?
**Restaurant Chains Making Kids' Meals Healthier.
**Dogs Adept at Reading People's Minds.
**Drinking Alcohol May Prolong, Not Relieve, Stress.
**Binge Drinking May Impair Teen Brain Development.
**Researchers Closer to Developing Universal Meningitis B Vaccine.
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- Obama Just Keeps Delivering The Lies On Debt Default
Now, what about our Spender in Chief’s insistence that if we don’t raise the debt ceiling, we won’t be able to pay our bills? Turns out this one is just false. Keep in mind that even without new borrowing, money continues to pour into the U.S. Treasury every day. If the debt ceiling isn’t raised, do you expect that no more money will be withheld from your paycheck? Of course not.Not a single business will stop paying its taxes, either. Tariffs will still be collected. And billions of dollars will continue to arrive in Washington every week. Will it be enough to pay the interest on our national debt? Ladies and gentlemen, it will be far more than enough.
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Health Highlights
**Medtronic Drug Pumps Can Fail Due to Battery Problem.
**Seeds Linked to E. Coli Outbreak Still Being Sold.
**Smokers Who Quit Can Have Normal-Weight Babies.
**EPA Demands Tighter Emission Standards for Coal-Burning Power Plants: Benefits Are A Guesstimate & Electric Bills Will Skyrocket As Obama Wants To Eliminate Use of Plentiful U.S. Coal Supplies.
**U.S. Obesity Epidemic Continues to Spread.
**Windows Pose Safety Risk for Young Children, Experts Warn.
**Anxiety, Depression in Pregnancy May Raise Kids' Asthma Risk.
**Behavioral Techniques a Better Value for Chronic Migraine Than Meds.
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- Obama’s "Redistribution of Income Policy" [The Theft of Others’ Hard-Earned Income Through Excessive Taxes]: Obama Gives White House Staffers and His Favorites Big Raises While Tax Payers Suffer In the Dismal Economy Obama Deliberately Created
Over the last year nearly half of the Obama White House’s staffers have received raises during a time when employment is stagnating & the vast majority of people in the private sector are doing without a raise. The average salary increase was 8%; if you look at only staffers who got raises, the average increase was 16%. The average staffer salary is 65% above the median household income. Some eye-opening raises: special assistant to the president for economic policy Matthew Vogel's $59,000, 82% raise to an annual salary of $130,500, or director of African American media Kevin Lewis' $36,000, 86% pay hike. "Let's face it, when you're a dictator, you need to be paid more," Rep. Louis Gohmert said.
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- Blood In The Streets
Nowadays, real blood is being spilled in Western democratic cities like Vancouver, Canada, and Athens, Greece. With America’s economy stuck in recession and with the dismal and arrogant leadership provided by President Barack Obama and Congress, it is not hard to imagine similar violence in American cities. “The question is: Could this kind of thing happen in America? And the answer is yes. About half the population here now believes “income redistribution” [the theft of others’ hard-earned income through excessive taxes] is the right thing to do. We’re setting the table for violence in this country. Once people start depending on the government for their livelihood, for essentials, and then those essentials are taken away, you’re going to have violence. Also, the more loons there are, the more potential for violence there is. Those anarchists want to burn down everything,” said Bill O’Reilly.
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Health Highlights
**Pain Tablets Recalled Due to Label Error.
**Sprouts Linked to Salmonella Cases.
**Six States Ban Abortion After 20th Week of Pregnancy.
**Slim Gene Linked to Dangerous Fat.
**Secret Big Brother Snoopers May Assess Primary Care.
**California Teens May be Banned From Tanning Beds.
**Diet Sodas Help Cause Weight Gain.
**Medtronic Bone Growth Product Research Misleading.
**More Tylenol Recalled Due to Odor.
**Canada to Fund Trials of Controversial MS Treatment.
**Number of U.S. Kids Living With Grandparents Rises.
**Seeds From Egypt Suspected Cause of Europe's E. Coli Outbreak.
**Babies' Brains Respond to Others' Emotions at Early Age.
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- Obama, Other Liberals Are 'Burglars' and 'Thieves'
The president is intentionally bankrupting the country for future generations, Rush Limbaugh said. We Americans are not perfect, but one thing we did that we will pay for for decades to come and our children and grandchildren will pay for is the election of a man to the presidency who is historic in the sense of his ignorance, his stubbornness, his incompetence, and his contempt for the American system. That's what's historic about Barack Obama," Limbaugh said. Limbaugh chided the president for his proposed budget cuts, which included killing off the National Weather Service and slashing national defense funds, and offered a list of his own instead: "There's plenty of bloat we could get rid of. Let's starve left wing activists [like ACORN, PBS, and Planned Parenthood] that have no business receiving federal tax dollars in the first place."
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- Tossing Grandma Off The Cliff And Other Obama Led Lies
Obama's first big lie: Dire consequences will result if Uncle Sam isn't allowed to continue borrowing money. Obama's second big lie: "If you like your health insurance, you can keep it?" The latest estimates are that under Obamacare, some 80 to 120 million Americans will lose the independent health insurance they and their employers have been paying for. Obama's third big lie: It's not a war so the rules of war -- and the laws of Congress -- don't apply. And yet another Obama vicious lie: The Republican Medicare plan will destroy Medicare and hurt seniors; actually the Obama plan destroys Medicare and kills seniors with rationing of healthcare benefits. That's what happens when liars and lawbreakers are put in charge.
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Health Highlights
**Gel Fuel for Patio Firepots Recalled.
**Low-Calorie Diet Reverses Diabetes.
**Whooping Cough Vaccine Recommended for Pregnant Women.
**High Court Rules on Generics' Labeling.
**Models' Altered Photos in Ads Harm Kids.
**Just Doesn't Make Sense That Under Obamacare, Some in Middle Class May Qualify for Medicaid.
**Infuse Bone Graft Studies Focus of Senate Investigation.
**Hospitalizations Linked to Blood Poisonings Rising: Rate Increased With Age.
**Concussion Increases Young Athletes' Risk of Death.
**Chemical Suicides Increasing in U.S.
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- America No Longer The Land Of The Free:
We now have a quasi-military roaming the streets terrorizing citizens, a Congress neglecting its authority, a Supreme Court disregarding the Bill of Rights and a President, who may not even be eligible for the office, taking on the powers of a dictator through his regulatory agencies and so-called Justice Department. And Obama finally released a long-form birth certificate, but more and more document experts have come forth to show the document a forgery. It is apparently a compilation of birth certificates from others born in Hawaii at the time of Obama's reported birth. There is increasing evidence Obama committed some kind of fraud to obtain his Social Security number, which came from Connecticut, a State in which Obama never lived or worked.
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Health Highlights
**Listeria at Kellogg Plant Spurs FDA Warning.
**Syphilis Screening Could Save Many Babies.
**House Takes Action Against Genetically Modified Salmon.
**FDA Warns About Drugs With Similar Names.
**Flavored Milks Banned From L.A. Schools.
**U.S. Drivers, Who Like To Keep Their Window Down, at Heightened Risk for Skin Cancer on Left Side.
**Lead Poisoning Epidemic in China Being Hushed Up.
**Study Questions Routine Autism Screening.
**Apples Top Pesticides 'Dirty Dozen' List.
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- New Obama Medicare Efficiency Measure "Deadly to Seniors": The new Obama initiatives are drastic; they destroy Medicare as we’ve known it.
Obama said he could cut 30 percent from what Medicare spends on a patient without doing harm, but research shows the low-spending hospitals had higher mortality rates. Withholding payments from doctors and hospitals who fail to meet targets for lowering cost per patient sets up a conflict of interest between medical professionals and their patients. Rationing is invisible; only the consequences are felt. Some hospitals may stop taking Medicare; and a Payment Advisory Board, not your doctor, determines what treatments are "unnecessary." It’s better to honestly extend Medicare’s financial solvency with positive changes rather than impose hidden rationing while “dishonestly claiming to save Medicare as we have known it".
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- Obama’s Medicare Plan Leads to Rationing, Bankruptcy: Democrats Took $500 Billion out of the Medicare system in order to pay for Obamacare.
“What Barack Obama is proposing is a 15-member panel of faceless, nameless bureaucrats, who will unilaterally cut reimbursement rates to doctors, hospitals, and nursing homes,” Ralph Reed says. It is projected that that 41 percent of healthcare providers will simply withdraw from providing Medicare services, once the Payment Advisory Board makes the necessary reductions. Participation in Medicare will simply no longer be affordable for many doctors and clinics. “That leads to rationing, that leads to deep cuts, draconian cuts, and the fact that you can’t find a doctor who will take Medicare. So Obama’s plan, whether he admits it or not, leads first to rationing and ultimately to bankruptcy,” said Reed.
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Health Highlights
**Germany, France Pull Diabetes Drug Actos Due to Bladder Cancer Link.
**Mail Order Hatchery Source of Salmonella Outbreak.
**Vegetable Sprouts Caused E. Coli Outbreak.
**Smoking Ups Women's Risk of Clogged Leg Arteries.
**In Mice, Drug Helps Heart Repair Itself.
**All-Electronic, Home-Based Drug Study a First.
**U.S. Flu Vaccination Rates Remain High.
**Drugs for Enlarged Prostate May Raise Risk of Aggressive Cancer.
**Women May Be Getting Unneeded Heart Imaging Tests.
**Heavy Cell Phone Use Might Raise Risk of Brain Tumors.
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- A Serious Warning: The Facts Behind America's Coming Collapse
A record number of people (almost 70 million) now depend on the U.S. government for their daily housing, food, and – most of all – health care. Today, 45% of American households receive some form of direct government payments. And 132.5 million people pay no federal taxes whatsoever. A tiny number of Americans pay for the well-being of nearly a majority. While half of the population may pay something in taxes, only the top 10% – people earning more than $113,000 – pay a substantive amount. These few citizens pay 70% of all the income taxes collected. The federal government is taking [stealing] an excessive amount of money from its few high earners – a wealthy minority – and redistributing inefficiently to pay for services the country can't realistically afford…
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Health Highlights
**Clot Risk Spurs FDA Review of Bayer Birth Control Pills.
**Adults Who Suffer With Mental Illness Are Four Times More Prone To Alcohol Dependence.
**New Strain of E. Coli May Have Triggered Outbreak.
**Hospitals Facing More Drug Shortages.
**Europe's E. Coli Outbreak Claims 2 More Lives.
**E. Coli in German Outbreak is Rare, Lethal Strain.
**Experts Question Necessity of Flu Shot for Some This Season.
**Bone Drug Reduces Odds for Breast Cancer's Return.
**More Stroke Patients Get Clot-Busting Drug But Barriers Remain.
**Concussions Tied to Verbal Memory Loss in Young Athletes.
**Meditation May Help Women Cope With Hot Flashes.
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- Obama Taking Country 'Right Off' Financial Cliff: Medicare Is Going Bankrupt Under Obama
Grover Norquist tells Newsmax that Congress should not raise the ceiling on federal debt without serious reductions in President Obama’s overspending, which will take the country "right off the cliff." "Obama has created a lot of unemployment and slow economic growth. This is a lousy recovery, if it is a recovery at all." "And it [Paul Ryan’s budget] saves Medicare, which is going bankrupt under Obama’s mad rush off a cliff, and allows individuals to have more control and decide what kind of insurance they want when they get older." "What we need to do is maintain the lower tax rates that the Bush tax cuts put in, and we need to go further than that." "As to which GOP candidate might gain an endorsement from Norquist and his organization, he says: "The most important question we ask is, will you sign the pledge never to raise taxes?"
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Health Highlights
**Infant Deaths Spur FDA Warning Against Food Thickening Gel.
**Lack of Prenatal Vitamins Tied to Higher Risk of Autism in Offspring.
**Groups Sue FDA to Ban Certain Antibiotics in Animal Feed.
**Study Links Spinal Fusion Product to Male Sterility.
**Most ER Visits for Sports-Related Concussions Involve Kids.
**Experts Question Necessity of Flu Shot for Some This Season.
**Destruction of Last Smallpox Stocks Delayed for 3 Years.
**Crossing Your Arms Might Ease Hand Pain.
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Health Highlights
**Painkiller-linked Suicide Tries Among Older Women on Rise.
**Stop Sales of Highest Dose of Aricept: Public Citizen.
**Deadly Virus Causing Worry for Horse Owners, Organizations.
**Obesity Linked to Worsening of Prostate Cancer.
**'Fat Control' Gene Inherited From Mothers.
**Study Outlines Shorter Tuberculosis Treatment.
**Security Problems Persist for Online Patient Records.
**Experts Question Usefulness of Test to Gauge Life Span.
**Most U.S. Women Have Complications During Pregnancy.
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Health Highlights
**Chives Recalled Due to Listeria Concerns.
**Drug Helps Children With Sickle Cell Anemia.
**CPSC Warn Consumers About "metoo" Tabletop Feeding Chairs.
**Shortage of Generic ADHD Drug Continues.
**Popular Football Helmets May Not Protect Against Concussion.
**Odor Triggers Another J&J Drug Recall.
**Potentially Harmful Anti-Psychotic Drugs Given to Nursing Home Patients With Dementia.
**FDA Orders Follow-Up Studies of Metal-on-Metal Artificial Hips That Are Linked To Serious Health Effects In Some Patients.
**Selenium Supplements Don't Protect Against Cancer Say Reseachers.
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- Government Lies And The Failure Of The Corporate Media To Ferret Out The Truth: Now, the corporate media blindly accepts its nuggets of food from its government master — never questioning and often cheerleading rather than reporting, especially if that master is a socialist like the one [Obama] we have in Washington, D.C., today.
All of this [bin Laden corporate media death stories] is political theater designed to bolster Obama’s sagging approval rating and distract attention from his three wars, the failing economy, the ongoing unemployment crisis, rising gas prices, and Obamacare. And there may be one other reason… as a pretense to open up a fourth front in the "War on Terror" in Pakistan. Our government has used the "War on Terror" as an excuse to steal our liberty under the guise of keeping us safer. Our rights guaranteed under the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 10th Amendments are being chipped away each day. The government has lied about the events that occurred at the Pakistani compound.....
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Health Highlights
**Salmonella Triggers Recall of Grape Tomatoes.
**Blood Thinner Drug Recalled.
**Recalled Bunk Beds Could Collapse.
**EU Approves Drug to Treat Children With Deadly Lung Condition.
**New Drug for Pancreatic Tumors Approved by FDA.
**High Number of Measles Cases in U.S.
**Juggling Numerous Tasks Affects Concentration, Self-Control.
**Researchers Claim Advance on Blood Test for Alzheimer's.
**Two-Thirds of Dieters Pack the Pounds Back On.
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Health Highlights
**Cucumbers Recalled Due to Salmonella Fears.
**Carob Products Recalled: Can cause serious or life-threatening illness in people allergic to milk.
**ADHD Said to Increase Risk of Substance Use.
**Testosterone Therapy Doesn't Fuel Prostate Cancer.
**Ban Latex Medical Gloves Says Public Citizen Group.
**Doctors' Prescription Data Case Being Heard by U.S. Supreme Court.
**New Drug Appears Effective Against Hepatitis C: FDA.
**Some Adults Fake or Exaggerate ADHD Symptoms.
**Cheaper Drug as Good as Costly One for Wet Macular Degeneration Eye Disease.
**Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Labs: CDC.
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- Stansberry to Obama: 'We simply can't afford this nonsense anymore…' In honor of Monday's national Tax Day, I wrote the following letter to Mr. Barack Hussein Obama
Despite what Mr. Obama and his vast team of lawyer buddies, career academics, and professional bureaucrats believe, most "rich" people in America got that way by working hard for a long time. They got that way by taking risks, educating themselves, starting small businesses, and selling valuable services or products to their fellow citizens. They didn't inherit their wealth. They didn't rip anyone off. They didn't buy political favors from people like Barack Obama. They got that way by working hard to achieve the original American Dream… not Obama's new "progressive" American Dream, where everyone can live at the expense of his neighbor. Folks who have spent their lives in the real world recognize the people Obama calls "rich," "greedy," and "mean spirited" as "successful," "accomplished," and "hard working."
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Health Highlights
**FDA Warns Companies About Hand Cleaner Health Claims.
**Cussing Eases Pain: Study.
**Feeding Crucial After Traumatic Brain Injury.
**Hospital Outpatient Care Much Pricier Than Doctor's Office Visits.
**Botox Reduces Ability to Read Emotions.
**Mysterious Health Problems in Some Gulf Residents.
**FDA Approves Cervical Cancer Test.
**Rituxan Approved to Treat Blood Vessel Inflammation Disorders.
**Breath Test for Cancer a Step Closer.
**Diet During Pregnancy Affects Child's DNA and Obesity Risk.
**Ovarian Cancer Begins in Fallopian Tubes.
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- Obama Weak Recovery Trails Reagan's Strong Recovery by 15.7 Million Jobs
"A compelling case can be made that Reagan's tax cuts, Social Security reforms, regulatory reforms, and limits on the growth and power of the federal government not only helped the economy shake off the malaise of the 1970s but generated an economic growth premium that bore dividends for Americans until 2007."
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Health Highlights
**FDA Should Ban Weight Loss Drugs Alli, Xenical Due To Serious Side Effects.
**FDA Approves Electricity Treatment for Brain Cancer.
**Generic Heartburn Drug Recalled.
**Breast Radiation Shield Recall Most Serious Type.
**Leukemia Drug Shortage Threatens Patients' Lives.
**Anti- Seizure Topamax Recalled After Odor Complaints.
**Clogged Neck Veins Don't Cause MS.
**Losing Weight Improves Memory.
**OHSA Warns of Formaldehyde in Hair Straightening Products.
**More Americans Suffering Medicine-Related Illness, Injury.
**Vitamin D Cuts Risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration.
**Missouri Democrat Joins Fight Against Obamacare Health Care Law.
**Support for Obamacare Health Care Law Falls To Its Lowest Level Since Law Was Passed.
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Health Highlights
**Jennie-O Turkey Burgers Recalled Over Salmonella.
**Federal Appeals Court Denies The Request of 26 States That A Full Panel of Judges Review A Federal Judge's Ruling That Obmacare Is "Unconstitutional"; Instead, Only Three 'Randomly' Selected Judges Will Hear The Case.
**Restless Legs May Indicate Heart Problem.
**No New Heart Warnings for ADHD Drugs: Currently, labeling for the drugs warns that misuse "may cause sudden death and serious cardiovascular adverse events.
**FDA Will Not OK Gardasil for Women Over Age 26.
**Triad Antiseptic Products Seized Over Concerns About Possible Contamination.
**Genetic Change Increases Risk of Lung Cancer Spread.
**Updated Guidelines to Prevent Bloodstream Infections.
**Medical Emergencies From 'Synthetic' Illicit Drugs Increasing.
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- The U.S. Government Wants To Take You Down With It: The government has no way to finance their needs. We have reached that point. Today, more than half of all voters pay zero Federal income taxes
Most critically… our government is for sale. As the price of influence in Washington continues to escalate, it will become impossible to deny the patently obvious truth: Government policy is awarded to the highest bidder and our "free" elections are essentially rigged by the massive sums spent on advertising for candidates. The destruction of our currency and our country’s standing in the world’s economy is certain. We are already at the point where our government’s debt cannot be financed at any legitimate rate of interest… and yet our leaders show zero interest in doing anything to prevent this unmitigated financial disaster. Over the last 50 years, the government became a socialist tool. It steals assets from responsible, hard-working citizens and distributes them to others, mainly on.......
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Health Highlights
**Water Walking Balls Dangerous.
**Another Batch of Tylenol Recalled.
**Mislabeled Citalopram and Finasteride Recalled.
**FDA Proposes Calorie Labels for Fast Foods, Vending Machines.
**No Health Risk From Radiation in U.S. Foods: Officials.
**U.S. Road Deaths Lowest in Six Decades: 32,788 People Killed in 2010.
**Company Stops Production of Contaminated IV Bags.
**High Lead Levels Found in Philly Chinatown Ceramics.
**FDA Panel Examines Food Dyes and Hyperactivity in Children.
**Hands-Free Automatic Faucets May Have More Germs Than Manual Ones: Automatic faucets are designed to conserve water, but decreased water flow may give bacteria more opportunity to grow.
**Pharmacies OK'd to Make Cheaper Version of Pre-Term Birth Drug.
**Medicare Should Cover Costly Prostate Cancer Drug Say Officials.
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- Obamacare Designed to Fail and Force Socialized Medicine: President Barack Obama and other Democrats intentionally designed Obamacare to fail so they could achieve their ultimate goal to impose a federal system of socialized medicine
Rep. Michael Burgess maintains that the law is simply unworkable, citing the more than 1,000 waivers granted to businesses, unions, and even entire states to avoid compliance with some provisions. "What's going to happen in October, November, and December of this year when those waivers start to expire? Pretty clearly they will have to be extended and then what is the long term strategy if you're having to provide long term waivers for people so they won't be affected by this thing, what in the world is the long term strategy, what is the Plan B when this thing doesn't work and it clearly is not going to work?" Ironically for a federal agency, Burgess said, the Department of Health and Human Services is moving rapidly to implement the law.
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Health Highlights
**New Drug for Advanced Melanoma Approved by FDA.
**CPSC Reissues Drop-Side Crib Recall After Suffocation Death of A 7 Month Old Girl.
**U.S. Bans Imports of Some Japanese Food Products.
**New Blood Test Improves Diagnosis of Heart Attack.
**New South Dakota Law Puts 3-Day Wait on Women Seeking Abortion To Ensure Women Are Not Being Coerced Into Abortions.
**Overweight Passengers Force Bus Safety Rule Changes.
**Blood Test Reveals Long-Term Diabetes Risk.
**Link Between Food Insecurity and Obesity.
**Send Obamacare Directly to the Supreme Court Because A Delay In Resolving The Challenge Leads To "Crippling Uncertainty" Faced By The Country.
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- Current Washington and Federal Reserve Policy Is Keeping The Banks From Lending Money, Stunting Growth, and Keeping Unemployment High
"There's more money available in the banking industry than ever in the history of the United States," says Stanley Tate. "The difficulty is that they're not lending it to where it should be. None of it is being lent to new businesses, none of it is being lent to housing, none of it is being lent to anything that would constitute job opportunities. That's one of the reasons unemployment is at a high level." The Fed has been paying banks to leave the money in their accounts at the Fed, providing the banks with liquidity but not necessarily the economy. The result, so far, has been a low interest rate but also extremely limited private lending. Tate says that the answer is to let the market take back over. That likely would lead to higher rates sooner. "I believe if interest rates rise, you're going to get an increase in the recovery. And that's because.....
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Health Highlights
**New Brain Cancer Treatment Supported by FDA Panel.
**Recalled Pogo Sticks Pose Fall Hazard.
**The Only OTC Asthma Inhaler Will be Gone by Year's End: FDA.
**Radiation Fears Lead to Shortage of Potassium Iodide in U.S. Even Though There Is No Cause For Alarm.
**Medicare Paid Millions for Erectile Dysfunction Drugs Even Though They Are Not Covered By The Health Program.
**Plastic Pieces Found in Lean Cuisine Spaghetti With Meatballs.
**Surgery May Help Male Cancer Survivors Become Fathers.
**Guatemalan Victims of U.S. Syphilis Experiments File Lawsuit.
**Psychiatric Drug Seroquel Settlement Costs AstraZeneca $68.5 Million.
**Extracurricular Activities Reduce Teen Pot Use.
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- Obama Must Obey the Court on Obamacare: Obama's 2 1/2 week delay may have been calculated, Judge Vinson said. "It could be argued that the executive branch [Obama Administration] seeks to continue the implementation, in part, for the very reason that the implemented provisions will be hard to undo once they are fully in place."
President Obama’s conduct is reminiscent of President Richard Nixon’s defiance of a district court order on the grounds that he interpreted the Constitution differently. Obamacare’s provisions — tax credits to businesses, grants to states, rule changes for insurers — will be hard to undo. For that reason, some state lawmakers have tried to block implementation of the law while it is in legal limbo. "If we wait," explained Idaho state representative Vito Barbieri, "the tentacles of federal money, federal rules, federal agencies will be impossible to eradicate." When a president’s administration is hauled into court [by 26 states] and loses, it must obey the court.
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Health Highlights
**Skippy Peanut Butter Recalled.
**Recalled Hazelnuts May be Linked to E. Coli Cases.
**Distracted Driving Common Among Young Adults.
**Use of Pregnancy Hormone in Diet Program Causes Concern.
**More Discharged Hospital Patients Require Home Care.
**Adverse Drug Reactions Common Among Older Adults.
**WHO Criticized for Handling of Swine Flu Pandemic.
**FDA Panel Discusses Possible Risks of Anesthesia in Young Children.
**Huge Price Increase for Preterm Labor Prevention Drug After The FDA Grants KV Pharmaceutical The Exclusive Right To Sell The Drug.
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- The Obamacare 'Frankenstein' Should Never Have Left the Laboratory and Needs To Be Killed
As for Obamacare and whether it should be killed, Gov. Mike Huckabee declares: "It needs to be. It never should have come alive. This is a Frankenstein. This should never have come out of the laboratory. We had some test models that had been done in the states, and they failed miserably. In this case, we actually had a couple of state models, Tennessee and Massachusetts, that have tried. [They said], let's get everybody covered, let's see what happens. "Well, costs went up, waiting times for doctors went up, quality went down, satisfaction went down. It did almost the polar opposite of what it was supposed to do. Yet we went headstrong with Obama and the Democrats pushing for this. So it should never have lived. I do think it will die. If the courts don't kill it, I sure hope the Congress will."
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Health Highlights
**Fla. Judge Will Suspend His Ruling Against Obamacare Only If An Expedited Appeal Is Filed Within Seven Days; The conditional suspension is an attempt to overcome the Obama Administration's deliberate stalling of a ruling by the Supreme Court as to if Obamacare is unconstitutional.
**FDA Warns of Birth Defects Tied to Epilepsy Drug.
**High Blood Pressure Affects 1 in 4 U.S. Adults.
**Most U.S. Nursing Homes Employ People With Criminal Records.
**Loss of Unborn Baby Affects Women for Years.
**Long-term Use of Popular Heartburn Drugs May Lower Magnesium Levels Resulting In Muscle Spasms, Irregular Heartbeat and Seizures.
**E. Coli on Many Shopping Cart Handles.
**Painkillers Like Aspirin May Hike Impotence Risk.
**DEA Imposes Restrictions on Fake Pot.
**Gene Therapy Leads to HIV-Resistant Blood Cells.
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- Barack Obama's Budget-Busting Whoppers: Obama's proposed budget is a fraud. It's a deceit. It's a sham.
Despite all the baloney you've heard in the media about how the White House has slashed Federal spending, don't believe a word of it. That is-how can I be polite about it?-a bunch of balderdash. Here are the facts. If Obama gets his way-or anything even close to it-it will mean that our 44th President will have saddled this country with more debt than all 43 presidents who preceded him. Let me state the facts another way: The President of the United States is asking his country to let him spend more than $300 billion a month. And to borrow $120 billion of that amount so he can dole it out to his favorite causes and constituencies. Programs to help the low-income people heat their homes in the winter? Gone. Funds to help local communities fix their failing water and sewage systems? Decimated. Deductions for the interest you pay on your mortgage? Wiped out. Deductions for.......
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- Obamacare Packs Crushing New Taxes: Obamacare Is One of the Largest Tax Increases in American History
While there are many reasons to oppose this flawed government health insurance law, it is important to remember that Obamacare is also one of the largest tax increases in American history. Next week, the U.S. House of Representatives will be voting on a historic repeal of the Obamacare law. This article includes a comprehensive list of the two dozen new or higher taxes that pay for Obamcare's expansion of government spending and interference between doctors and patients.
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Health Highlights
**Toyota Announces Expanded Recall of Floor Mats That Can Cause Unintended Acceleration.
**Drug Shortages Hitting Hospitals Across the U.S. Due To Federally Mandated Holdups In Manufacturing.
**Obama Administration Rescinds Rule That Gave Protections To Health Care Workers Whose Beliefs Were In Conflict With Abortion and Other Medical Procedures.
**Scientists ID Gene Helping to Drive Breast Cancer.
**Spending on Drugs for Diabetes, Cholesterol Exceeds $52 Billion.
**U.S. Whooping Cough Cases Topped 21,000 in 2010.
**Law Officials Target Florida Pill Mills.
**Blocking Enzyme Prevents Breast Cancer Spread.
**Feds Want Cigarette Companies to Make Public Confessions.
**Kidney Transplant Age Discrimination Changes Could Favor Younger Patients Instead of Giving Priority To Those On The Waiting List Longest.
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Health Highlights
**FDA Warns Pregnant Women About Asthma Drug Terbutaline.
**Caramel Coloring in Colas Poses Cancer Risk: Consumer Group.
**Plastic Surgeons Downplaying Breast Implant Cancer Risk, Group Says.
**Narcolepsy/Swine Flu Vaccine Link May Be Due to Genetics.
**Cracked Syringes Prompt Recall of Antipsychotic Drug.
**Nearly 800,000 Child Safety Seats Recalled.
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- Federal Judge in Florida Rules The Entire Health Care Law [Obamacare] Unconstitutional and Void: Judge sides with 26 states that sued to block Obamacare agreeing that the new law is unconstitutional and violates people's rights by forcing them to buy health insurance
Attorneys for the 26 states said the Obama administration was essentially coercing the states into participating in the overhaul by holding billions of Medicaid dollars hostage. The states also said the federal government is violating the Constitution by forcing a mandate on the states without providing money to pay for it. States that joined the lawsuit are: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Two other states have also filed lawsuits to block Obamacare bringing the total to 28 states.
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- Obama Embraces 'Death Panel' Concept in Medicare Rule: The Obama plan cuts nearly $500 million in Medicare benefits to seniors
The new provision goes into effect Jan. 1, 2011 and allows Medicare to pay for voluntary counseling to help beneficiaries deal with the complex and decisions families face when a loved one is approaching death. Critics say it is another attempt to limit healthcare options for the elderly as they face serious illness. Specifically, the measure was known as Section 1233 of the bill passed by the House in November 2009. "The infamous Section 1233 is still alive and kicking," Elizabeth D. Wickham said. "Patients will lose the ability to control treatments at the end of life." The rule was issued by Dr. Donald M. Berwick, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. He is a longtime advocate for rationing medical procedures for the elderly. Berwick had long applauded use of an algorithm to determine if the aged are worthy of additional expenditure
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- Obamacare ‘Biggest Budget Buster’ Ever: Krauthammer Dismembers Obamacare's Promised Deficit 'Reduction'
One of the frequent Democratic defenses against the GOP-led effort at repealing the massive healthcare law is that it actually would increase the deficit, not reduce it. But how could such a costly program actually reduce the deficit over the next 10 years, as the CBO maintains? The answer is that by collecting premiums now, and paying out no benefits for the first 10 years, you end up with a savings. A surplus. "That a health-care reform law of such enormous size and consequence, revolutionizing one-sixth of the U.S. economy, could be sold on such flimflammery is astonishing, even by Washington standards". "Amending an insanely complicated, contradictory, incoherent and arbitrary 2,000-page bill that will generate tens of thousands of pages of regulations is a complete non-starter. Everything begins with repeal."
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- Issa Warns That Obama’s Expensive Stimulus Spending Ideas Have Clearly Failed and Should Not Be Revived
"President Barack Obama’s $814 billion economic expansion has woefully failed to reach each of its self-imposed targets," Issa writes in the Financial Times. "The president’s stimulus package promised (after adjusting for inflation) that gross domestic product in the fourth quarter of 2010 would be roughly $15,200 billion," Issa writes. "Yet the latest figures, released this month, fell short by some $400 billion. Instead of being an important milestone for the global recovery, the data are just one further example of the failure of Obama’s Keynesian misadventure." He pointed out that Obama and Vice President Joe Biden once predicted that, thanks to the stimulus, unemployment would never top 8 percent and would by this date be back near 7 percent. The current unemployment rate is 9 percent, where it has been stuck for 20 months, Issa writes. "The truth is that real GDP is just 3%.....
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Health Highlights
**Almost 2 Million Summer Infant Baby Monitors Recalled: Devices were linked to the strangulation deaths of two babies.
**28 State Governors Seek An Immediate Supreme Court Review of Obamacare Based Upon the Health Care Law Being Ruled Unconstitutional and Void by A Federal Judge.
**Safety Restrictions Added to Avandia Labeling.
**Universal Flu Vaccine Effective in Humans.
**FDA Investigates Early Failure of Jaw Implants.
**Cholera Confirmed in NYC Residents.
**Winter a Downer for Many.
**New Clue About Cause of Age-Related Macular Degeneration.
**Health Agencies Probe Possible H1N1 Flu Vaccine/Narcolepsy Link.
**Shingles Vaccine Shortage May Continue Until Spring.
**Syphilis Test Wrong in One-Fifth of Cases.
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- Nothing 'Free' About Mandatory, Socialistic Obamacare: Your premium is going to be higher than if the healthcare law hadn’t passed every year through 2019
Essentially the new law takes away your decision about how much insurance you’re willing to buy. You’re forced to buy the sky’s-the-limit policy and pay the higher premium, whether you want to or not. Supporters of Obamacare are telling us that the new law offers "free" preventive care. But read the fine print. What the law actually says is you have to pay 100 percent upfront, in your premium, for any preventive care services. Until now, most health plans put a lifetime limit on what the insurer will pay. Obamacare outlaws that limit. In fact, it is the single biggest reason your premium is going up. Don’t let your Congress member act surprised by this bad news. Members of Congress were warned by the Congressional Budget Office last March, before they voted for the Obama health law, that it would raise premiums. Election day revenge!
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- Obamacare’s Medicine Cabinet Tax to Hit Jan. 1: The provision is just one of Obamacare’s two dozen new or higher taxes totaling nearly $600 billion over this decade
Under current rules, health consumers may use FSA & HSA pre-tax accounts to purchase non-prescription, over-the-counter medicines. But on New Years Day 2011, the 40 million Americans who use FSAs and HSAs will no longer be able to use their accounts to buy simple, everyday medicines like the following: Aspirin, Antacids, Laxatives, Menstrual pain relievers, Antihistamines, Stimulants, Anti-ulcer medicines, Athlete’s foot cream, Cough medicine, Motion sickness medicine, Anti-diarrheal medicine, Decongestants, Hemorrhoid cream, and Anti-flatulence medicine. It is clear violation of President Obama’s oft-repeated promise not to raise "any form of taxes" on any family making less than $250,000 per year.
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Health Highlights
**Some SafetyCraft Cribs Unsafe: Strangulation and Suffocation Risk.
**U.S. Supreme Court Asked to Rule on Obamacare As A Federal Judge Agrees With 28 States and Rules The Entire Health Care Law Unconstitutional and Void.
**Vitamin Waters Ads Misleading.
**Obama Administration Wants To Force Health Insurers To Provide Free Birth Control and Family Planning Services to Women.
**Back Problems Spur Millions of ER Visits a Year.
**FDA Inspections Find Salmonella at Egg Producer.
**Government Warns About 'Bath Salts'.
**FDA Rejects New Diet Pill.
**Swine Flu Vaccine Linked to Narcolepsy.
**Researchers Track How Flu Spreads Among Children.
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Health Highlights
**Heart Doctor Group Assists Federal Investigation Into Defibrillator Use.
**FDA Considering Reclassifying Electroshock Devices.
**Gene Promotes Spread of Cancer.
**U.S. Government Recovers $2.5 Billion in Health Fraud Cases.
**Blood Thinner Plavix to Retain Patent for Extra 6 Months.
**Breast Implants May Be Linked to Rare Cancer.
**Winter Storms Lead to Depleted Blood Supply.
**Weed Sap Appears Effective Against Skin Cancer.
**Salty Foods Affect Blood Vessels.
**Trans Fats May Boost Depression Risk.
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- Obamacare's Paper Tiger: Obamacare may soon be joining "Carter for President 1980" and "Keith Olbermann on Sunday Night Football" on the ash-heap of monumentally bad ideas
In Judge Henry Hudson's landmark ruling of earlier this week, he called the fundamental tenet of the misleadingly-monikered Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)---specifically, the fine for non-compliance---exactly what it is: A grotesque grab for power by the same Democrats who have been lying about Obamacare's effects all along. Put simply: the Federal government does has not have the prerogative to force people to buy health insurance; and "policy raids by The Doctor Police" is just plain Big Brother-creepy. Most importantly, without Section 1501's penalty for failure to buy insurance at Big Barry's, the PPACA is a legislative paper tiger. The bulk of the Obamacare power grab rested on the threat of enforcement. The Democrats wanted control of the nation's healthcare apparatus and violated the .......
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Health Highlights
**Multaq Heart Drug Linked to Liver Damage: FDA.
**Hypertension Drug Avalide Recalled.
**Chew Bars Recalled Due to High Lead Levels.
**Combo High Blood Pressure Pill Beats Single Drug.
**DNA Blood Test Offers Safer Screen for Down Syndrome.
**Make High School Students Learn CPR.
**Sudden Chromosome Destruction Leads to Cancer.
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- Cuccinelli: Defeating Obamacare Critical to 'Constitution and Liberty'
Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli says the key from the ruling in Virginia Monday "is the constitutional findings. There were two: the individual mandate, and the federal government’s fallback argument that the penalty for not buying their health insurance was a tax. The federal government has lost every single court case on the tax argument. So that’s going nowhere. "This whole case is going to come down to the individual mandate and whether or not Congress has the power to order us to all buy a product. Realize this isn’t just about health insurance and healthcare, it’s about liberty. Because if they can order us to buy health insurance, they can order us to buy anything. "By the end of January, because of who got elected governor and attorney general around the country in November, over half of the states will be suing as plaintiffs their own federal government because of the federal government’s violation of.......
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- The Coming Life-Threatening Rulings of Obama Mandatory Socialistic Healthcare in the U.S.: Money More Important Than Human Lives As U.K. National Health Agency Cuts Off Cancer Drug Tyverb for 2,000 Patients That Have No Approved Alternatives To Fight the Disease
The new mandatory healthcare law pushed by Mr. Obama against the will of the majority of US. citizens will not only ration your healthcare, significantly increase your taxes, dictate if or when you can receive treatment, and force you to use a designated doctor; it will also dictate if you live or die because of treatment cost or older age. In other words you no longer will determine your own healthcare, treatment and options; this mandatory, socialistic law will force you to do it the government's way by taking your healthcare freedom away from you. What personal freedoms will the Obama socialistic government take away from you next? Freedom of choice for housing, property, cars, food, education, occupation or information?
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Health Highlights
**Drug Extends Lives of Patients With Advanced Melanoma.
**FDA Proposes Tougher Safety Measures for External Defibrillators.
**FDA Reports Post-Flu Vaccine Seizures in Young Children.
**World Leaders to Discuss Junk Food Ads.
**Remove Barriers to Breast-Feeding.
**Colorado Considers Default Organ Donation.
**Statins May Not Benefit Healthy People.
**Antioxidants May Help Male Fertility.
**Fatty Acids Ease PMS Symptoms.
**Large Recall of Tylenol, Sudafed.
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- Turning Back Mandatory, Socialistic Obamacare: If the federal government has the power to make you buy health insurance, what couldn't it require of you?
20 states have joined a Florida lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the president's healthcare plan. A second state-level lawsuit against Obamacare is also moving forward in Virginia. Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum claims that there is no constitutional basis for Obamacare’s "individual mandate" that forces the purchase of private healthcare coverage.
Think about it: If the federal government has the power to make you buy health insurance, what couldn't it require? Solar panels for your home, perhaps? A plug-in automobile? Unionized lawn-care services, maybe? Most citizens fear an unrestrained federal government. Wasn’t that the purpose of the Constitution after all, to protect our freedoms? McCollum says if one part of Obamacare is unconstitutional, the entire Affordable Care Act will be voided.
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- House GOP Preparing Major Investigations of Obama Administration
Rep. Darrell Issa plans to lead six major investigations in the first three months of the year. On Issa’s list:
• WikiLeaks' release of classified diplomatic cables
• Recalls at the Food and Drug Administration
• The role of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in the foreclosure crisis
• The Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission's failure to identify the origins of the meltdown
• Alleged corruption in Afghanistan. Other incoming Republican committee chairmen are planning investigations into the Justice Department's civil rights division, the radicalization of Muslims in the United States, homeland security grant money, and air cargo and port and chemical plant security. Rep. Lamar Smith is planning investigations of the Justice Department, including allegations that the civil rights division is not enforcing voter rights laws fairly.
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Health Highlights
**Ground Beef, Chicken Wings Recalled.
**Flu Now Widespread in 5 States, CDC Says.
**Salmonella Outbreak Tied to Alfalfa Sprouts Spreads to 16 States.
**Judge Rules Against NYC's Gruesome Anti-Smoking Ads.
**Low Vitamin D Could Hamper Babies' Breathing.
**Staph Food Poisoning Spurs Desserts Recall.
**Nutrition Labels Coming to Meats in 2012.
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Health Highlights
**Pregnancy Linked to Upped Risk of Mental Health Woes in Female Vets.
**EPA Taking Action on Carcinogen in Tap Water.
**Study Warns About Alternative Therapies and Children.
**Drugmaker Recalls Millions of Diabetes Testing Strips.
**Combined Tests Reveal Early Signs of Alzheimer's Disease.
**Healthy Eating Helps Older People Live Longer.
**Obamacare Will Cause Health Insurance Premiums To Be Much Higher Through 2019; Now Proposed Obama Administration Regulations Say The Health Insurance Companies [Not Obamacare] Will Have To Justify Those Premium Hikes.
**Pfizer Recalls More Bottles of Lipitor.
**Kroger Recalls Pet Food.
**Living Close to Freeway May Increase Autism Risk.
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Health Highlights
**FDA Warns Company About Its Electric Beds: Problems Include Fires That Caused Injury and Death.
**New Blood Test Could Improve Cancer Patients' Care.
**Exercise Tied to Lower Risk of Colon Cancer Death.
**Americans' Diets Aren't as Healthy as They Believe.
**Estrogen May be Linked to Head and Neck Cancer.
**Gene Variant Linked to Depression Risk.
**Music Triggers Release of Pleasure Chemical.
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- Whole-Fat Dairy Products May Lower Type 2 Diabetes Risk: Rare fatty acid found more in whole milk, yogurt and cheeses
The fatty acid is called trans-palmitoleic acid and people with the highest blood levels of this fatty acid reduce their odds of diabetes by 62 percent compared to those with the lowest blood levels of it. In addition, "people who had higher levels of this fatty acid had better cholesterol and triglyceride levels, lower insulin resistance and lower levels of inflammatory markers," said study author Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian. Whole milk has more trans-palmitoleic acid than 2 percent milk, and 2 percent milk has more of this fatty acid than does skim milk. Dr. Sue Kirkman agreed that it's too soon to change dietary guidelines, but said the findings do suggest "that things may be more complicated than we might simplistically think. It looks like we can't say all trans-fats are bad, as this one was associated with decreases in diabetes, insulin resistance and C-reactive.......
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Health Highlights
**Walmart Recalls 2.2 Million Heaters: They can overheat and cause smoking, burning, melting and fire.
**More Problems Found At J&J Medicines Plant: FDA.
**Study Offers New Details About Deadly Staph Bacteria.
**FDA Reexamines Safety of Amalgam Dental Fillings.
**No Toys With Fast Food Meals: Lawsuit.
**Diabetes Affects 1 in 16 U.S. Women Who Give Birth in Hospital.
**Ban Donor Blood From People With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: FDA Panel.
**FDA Warns About Cough Capsule Medication Tessalon (benzonatate): Has candy-like appearance and can result in serious side effects and even death if swallowed by children younger than 10 years old.
**New Strategy for Patients With Multiple Chronic Conditions: HHS.
**FDA Warning on Male Sexual Enhancement Pills.
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- U.S. Government Bans Drop-Side Cribs: Ban comes after millions of recalls and the deaths of more than 30 infants and toddlers in the past decade
The unanimous vote forbids the manufacture, sale and resale of the cribs, which feature a side rail that moves up and down. The requirement that all cribs have fixed sides takes effect next June. The use of drop-side cribs by hotels and childcare centers will be prohibited but those businesses will be given a year to buy new cribs. Drop-side cribs have been popular for decades but have become a serious safety issue in recent years due to assembly problems and malfunctioning hardware that can cause the drop-side rail to partially detach from the crib. This can create a "V"-like gap between the side rail and mattress where an infant can get trapped and suffocate or strangle.
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- Not Just the Newest Toys Hold Risks for Kids: Danger lurks among tricycles as well as battery- and magnet-loaded gadgets, experts warn
Consider how a child plays with and interacts with toys. For example, if the youngster still places objects in his or her mouth, be keenly aware of potential choking hazards on any toys. Make sure that battery-powered toys keep the batteries in compartments that cannot be easily opened by children. Don't buy any magnetic toys for children who are still placing objects in their mouth. Examine all toys for loose parts and sharp points or edges. When buying a riding toy, also provide all the proper protective equipment and make sure it is worn. Supervise the child's play on riding toys at all times. Don't buy costume jewelry for a child. "Metal children's jewelry has been such an ongoing problem in terms of high levels of lead and cadmium that we recommend that people not purchase it and children not play with it," Rachel Weintraub said.
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Health Highlights
**Blood Pressure Drug Pulled Due to Fatal Liver Problems.
**Early Intervention Helps Autistic Toddlers.
**Clearance of Damaging Proteins Slower in Alzheimer's Patients.
**Using Nutmeg to Get High Leads To Nasty, Awful Side Effects.
**FDA Can't Regulate E-Cigarettes as Devices or Drugs: They Containin Highly Addictive Nicotine.
**Obesity Serious Problem in European Union Countries: Has More Than Doubled Over Last 20 Years.
**Obese Children Lag in Physical Activity.
**Flu Vaccination Critical for People with Chronic Health Conditions.
**Bumble Bee Canned Chicken Salad Products Recalled.
**FDA Warning Letter Sent to Maker [Invisalign] of Tooth Straightening System.
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- 40 Million in U.S. Driving Drunk or Drugged: Younger drivers much more likely to drive while impaired; most are aged 16 to 25
Levels of drunk and drugged driving varied among age groups, with younger drivers much more likely to drive while impaired. Drivers aged 16 to 25 had a much higher rate of drunk driving, compared with those aged 26 and older (19.5 percent vs. 11.8 percent). Those aged 16 to 25 also had a higher rate of drugged driving than those aged 26 and older (11.4 percent vs. 2.8 percent). Some states with the highest levels of drunk driving include Wisconsin (23.7 percent) and North Dakota (22.4 percent). The highest rates for drugged driving are in Rhode Island (7.8 percent) and Vermont (6.6 percent).
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- Serotonin May Be the Key to SIDS: Lack of biochemical causes baby's alarm system to fail if breathing problems develop, experts say
Doctors have found that babies who die of SIDS tend to have significantly lower amounts of serotonin than babies who die of other causes. Serotonin is a hormonal neurotransmitter closely linked to many of the body's vital functions, including the sleeping cycle. A lack of serotonin is suspected to hamper a sleeping baby's ability to wake up when its safety is threatened by a lack of oxygen or some other health hazard, said Dr. Rachel Y. Moon. "We think a lot of it has to do with arousal, and how babies can wake up when they are asleep," Moon said. "If you have a baby who gets into a compromised situation and they are becoming hypoxic, there are some babies who are sleeping so deeply or have an arousal defect that they can't wake up."
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- Radiation After Surgery Lowers Chances of Breast Cancer's Return: Study also found tamoxifen reduced risk of localized disease recurring
The researchers found that radiation after surgery reduced the risk of invasive cancer in the same breast by nearly 70 percent and decreased recurrent DCIS in the same breast by more than 60 percent. Radiation therapy had no effect on the other breast. "This study is very important in confirming the benefits of radiotherapy in the treatment of ductal carcinoma in situ and, most importantly, decreasing the incidence of invasive carcinoma developing in the same breast," said Dr. Lauren Cassell. "This trial emphasizes the importance of radiotherapy in high-grade [more quickly growing and more likely to spread] DCIS and also suggests a role for tamoxifen, primarily for new contralateral disease," they concluded.
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- Watching R-rated Movies Ups Odds of Teens Smoking: Yet, only one in three is restricted by parents from viewing such movies, study finds
In fact, the study authors estimated that if 10- to 14-year-olds were completely restricted from viewing R-rated movies, their risk of starting to smoke could drop two to threefold. "When watching popular movies, youth are exposed to many risk behaviors, including smoking, which is rarely displayed with negative health consequences and most often portrayed in a positive manner or glamorized to some extent said Rebecca de Leeuw. "Our findings indicate that parental R-rated movie restrictions were directly related to a lower risk of smoking initiation, but also indirectly through changes in children's sensation seeking," de Leeuw added. Parents should not be afraid to say no. Restricting exposure to R-rated movies reduces smoking, and smoking is a gateway behavior. Movie theaters and video stores should help parents by enforcing policies restricting....
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- Daily Aspirin Linked to Steep Drop in Cancer Risk: Long-term, low-dose regimen study shows dramatic findings for many common cancers
Specifically, a British research team unearthed evidence that a low-dose aspirin (75 milligrams) taken daily for at least five years brings about a 10 percent to 60 percent drop in fatalities depending on the type of cancer. But the study's lead author, Prof. Peter Rothwell, stressed that "these results do not mean that all adults should immediately start taking aspirin." "The take-home message for patients is that if someone is taking low-dose or regular aspirin, it may put them at a reduced risk of death from cancer," Dr. Alan Arslan added. "However, if someone is not already taking aspirin they should talk with their physician before starting. Aspirin has risks of side effects, including bleeding and stroke."
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Health Highlights
**Mylanta and Alternagel Antacids Recalled.
**Lowe's Recalls Roman Shades and Roll-Up Blinds.
**Index Finger Length Linked to Prostate Cancer Risk.
**U.S. Senate Passes Food Safety Bill to Increase Government Powers.
**Egg Producer Given OK to Resume Sales: FDA.
**Drug Use Implicated in a Third of Fatal Car Crashes.
**Alcohol-Spiked Whipped Cream Concerns Health Officials.
**The Drugs Avodart and Proscar Reduce Prostate Cancer Risk But The Tumors They Prevent Are Usually Not Life-Threatening.
**Probiotics May Ease Some Children's Illnesses.
**Brain Chemical Boost May Benefit Alzheimer's Patients.
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- Recurrent Miscarriages May Greatly Increase Heart Attack Risk: Another factor to consider when evaluating cardiovascular profile, researchers say
Each miscarriage increased heart attack risk by 40 percent, and having more than two miscarriages increased the risk by more than fourfold. Women who had more than three miscarriages had a ninefold increased risk. The study, published online Dec. 1 in the journal Heart, also found that having at least one stillbirth increased the risk of heart attack 3.5 times. The degree of risk associated with recurrent miscarriage decreased when the researchers factored in major heart attack factors such as smoking, weight and alcohol consumption, but the risk was still five times higher than normal. "These results suggest that women who experienced spontaneous pregnancy loss are at a substantially higher risk of [heart attack] later in life," the researchers wrote.
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- Working With Pesticides May Affect Memory and More: Study of agricultural workers reveals loss of thinking skills
On seven of the nine tests, workers who had been exposed to pesticides were most likely to do worse the second time they were tested, the researchers found. The study also reported that pesticide-exposed workers were up to five times more likely than the others to have lower test scores on both occasions and were twice as likely to show a drop of two points in the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), which tests cognitive functioning and is frequently used to determine if a person has dementia. The decline in MMSE score "is particularly striking in view of the short duration of follow-up and the relatively young age of the participants," said Isabelle Baldi. "The mild [cognitive] impairment we observed raises the question of the potentially higher risks of injury in this population and also of possible evolution towards neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's........
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Health Highlights
**DEA Targets 'Fake Pot' [Synthetic Marijuana].
**Spouses' Happiness Linked.
**Childen's Benadryl, Motrin Recalled by Company.
**HIV Infections, AIDS Deaths Declining.
**Staging of Localized Prostate Cancer Often Incorrect.
**Eye Disease Patients Receiving Embryonic Stem Cell Treatment.
**Cholesterol Drug May Benefit Kidney Disease Patients.
**Restrict or Ban Flavored Cigarettes: Public Health Officials.
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- Bleeding Risk With Plavix-Aspirin Regimen May Be Serious: While warfarin is still riskier, doctors should weigh dangers before prescribing
Risk of bleeding for patients on antiplatelet therapy with either warfarin or a combination of Plavix (clopidogrel) and aspirin is substantial. But the Plavix-aspirin combination was thought to cause less bleeding than it actually does, the researchers say. Dr. Gregg Fonarow said that "the use of dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and clopidogrel significantly reduces the risk of cardiovascular events in patients after acute coronary syndromes and patients undergoing coronary stenting." There is a well-defined increased risk of major and minor bleeding with dual antiplatelet therapy, but in most patients the benefits of therapy outweigh these risks, he said. "These findings reinforce the need for patients receiving dual antiplatelet therapy to be well-educated on the benefits of treatment and the importance of adherence, but also the increased...
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Health Highlights
**New Drug Fights Bone Tumors in Prostate Cancer Patients.
**Food Safety Bill Passed by Senate.
**Women, Low-Income, Older, and Rural Adults Most Likely To Use U.S. Hospital Emergency Departments.
**Cholera Confirmed in Florida Woman.
**Diabetes and Weight Loss Drug Mediator Linked to 500 Deaths.
**U.S. Cancer Patients' End-of-Life Care Varies Widely.
**FDA May Take Action Against Caffeinated Alcohol Drinks.
**Yearly MRI Scans Benefit Women at High Breast Cancer Risk.
**First Stroke Patient Injected With Stem Cells.
**Secondhand Smoke Linked to Hearing Loss.
**FDA Announces External Defibrillator Safety Program.
**Big Tobacco Tries to Intimidate Developing Nations To Fight Tighter Restrictions On Cigarette Marketing.
**Smoked Turkey Breast Products Recalled.
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- Hospital Care Deadly for Some: Hospital care-related problems contribute to the deaths of about 15,000 Medicare patients each month
One in seven patients suffers harm from hospital care, including infections, bed sores and excessive bleeding from blood-thinning drugs, said researchers who analyzed data on 780 Medicare patients discharged from hospitals in October 2008. The study findings "tell us exactly what some of us have been afraid of, that we have not made much progress," said Arthur Levin. "What more do we have to do to make sure that sick people can rest assured that they're not going to be harmed by the care they're getting?" Medical mistakes are "an enormous public health problem," agreed Peter Pronovost. "We spend two pennies trying to deliver safe health care for every dollar we spent trying to develop new genes and new drugs," said Pronovost. "We have to invest in the science of health care delivery."
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- FDA Advisers Endorse New Lupus Drug: If approved by agency, Benlysta would be first new drug to treat the disease in 50 years
The drug, belimumab (Benlysta), is a so-called monoclonal antibody drug developed to treat patients who suffer from systemic lupus erythematosus. "The risks associated with belimumab include infection, malignancy, suicidality and overall number of deaths with a numerical imbalance that favored placebo treatment over belimumab treatment," according to the FDA paper filed before the vote. Safety is important, Sandra C. Raymond said, but the drugs used to treat lupus now carry some significant side effects, too. "The safety of some of our medications is not good," she said. "So what are we comparing it to?" Dr. Joan Merrill added that "the safety data on Benlysta looks better than we usually see with biologics."
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- New Blood Thinner a Promising Alternative to Warfarin: Rivaroxaban did as well or better, with easier dose monitoring, in international study
A new blood thinner might be a viable alternative to warfarin (Coumadin), the standard for decades to treat patients with the dangerous heart rhythm disorder known as atrial fibrillation. Researchers reported that rivaroxaban (Xarelto) proved to be just as good as warfarin, and possibly superior. Rivaroxaban also reduced the risk of serious bleeding events, which is the most troubling side effect of warfarin. Dabigatran (Pradaxa), another newer-generation blood thinner, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat atrial fibrillation last month. Dr. Elaine Hylek added that she was not "embracing the superiority of rivaroxaban, but it's important that the new kid on the block is saying, 'I'm not inferior to you,' given that so many people can't take warfarin because of monitoring problems."
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- Multifocal Contact Lens Not Ideal for Night Driving: Progressive lenses [glasses] work better
People who wear multifocal contact lenses have more difficulty driving at night than those who wear glasses. Multifocal lenses correct near vision problems (presbyopia), a condition that becomes more common with age. Wearing multifocal contact lenses resulted in significantly slower driving speeds at night, compared with wearing progressive addition glasses. Even at slower speeds, contact lens wearers were less able to recognize road hazards. They also had to be closer to road signs to read them, potentially decreasing the time they have to react to information on the signs. "For those patients who drive long distances and hours at night, practitioners should consider the best form of correction of presbyopia. One alternative is to prescribe the multifocal contact lenses for daytime use and a different correction for driving at night," wrote Byoung Sun Chu.
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Health Highlights
**Caffeinated Alcoholic Drinks Banned in Washington State: "Blackout in a can" beverages "are real trouble for our youth".
**Mutant Mosquitoes Used to Fight Dengue Fever.
**Questions Raised About New Prostate Cancer Drug Provenge.
**Parents Can't Hide Stress From Children.
**New AMA Policy Covers Physicians' Use of Social Media.
**Fast Food Chains Doing Nothing to Fight Childhood Obesity.
**FDA Recommends Ways to Reduce CT Radiation Overdose.
**Drowsy Driving a Major Problem.
**Costco Cheese Implicated in E. Coli Outbreak: FDA.
**Britax Recalls 23,000 Infant Car Seats.
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- 'Synthetic Marijuana' Users Showing Up in Emergency Rooms with Some of the Symptoms Being Described as "Life-Threatening": Called 'K2' or 'Spice,' the drug is legal in many states
K2 is often marketed as incense and sold in packets of herbs laced with synthetic marijuana at "head shops," gas stations, convenience stores and online for about $30 to $40 per three-gram bag. The drug also goes by other names, including Spice, Spice Gold, Spice Diamond, Yucatan Fire, Solar Flare, K2 Summit, Genie, PEP Spice, Fire n Ice, Happy Shaman Herbs, Smoke, Skunk and Zohai. "The classic symptoms are agitation, anxiety, racing heart beat, elevated blood pressure," Dr. Anthony Scalzo said. "And some kids are having very negative psychotropic experiences. One said, 'I felt like I went down to hell'." In some cases, the drug also causes vomiting, tremors and seizures, according to federal drug abuse agencies. "This chemical was not meant to be used in any kind of pharmaceutical manner," Scalzo said.
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Health Highlights
**Costco Cheese Implicated in E. Coli Outbreak: FDA.
**Britax Recalls 23,000 Infant Car Seats: The clip on the chest of car seats can break loose and pose a laceration or choking hazard.
**FDA Gives Digital Mammography Lower Risk Rating.
**Happy Meals Banned in San Francisco.
**Retinal Chip for Blind Shows Promise.
**Alcohol Bigger Threat Than Cocaine or Heroin.
**Discovery May Lead To New Antiviral Drugs.
**Sandoz Recalls Methotrexate: Possible contamination with glass flakes.
**Pfizer Recalls More Bottles of Lipitor: Odor is consistent with the presence of a chemical called TBA.
**McDonald's Fined for Manager's Weight Gain.
**Experts Debate Increased HPV Vaccination for Males.
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- Cost of Employer-Provided Health Insurance Up 54% Since 2000: Government mandates largely responsible
Health insurance originally was intended to help pay major medical expenses; however, government mandates have forced insurance companies to cover more and more over the decades thus driving up premiums. The Obama administration is driving up premiums even more with its socialistic healthcare bill that it passed against the will of the majority of U.S. citizens. The Obama administration will then blame the insurance companies for these increased premiums and use them as an excuse for the government to socialize and completely takeover the healthcare industry. Socialism advocates complete government control of the means of production, distribution and exchange and can eventually transition to communism.
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Health Highlights
**Peanut Risk Prompts Nestle Raisinets Recall.
**Teething Tablets Recalled Because of Serious Adverse Effects In Children.
**Screen New Moms for Depression Which Can Harm Their Babies.
**Woman's Blood Type May Affect Fertility.
**FDA Withholds Approval of New Weight Loss Drug.
**Taller Men May Be Likelier to Get Testicular Cancer.
**Caffeinated Alcohol Beverages Alarm College and Health Officials: "It's a recipe for disaster because your body's natural defense is to get sleep and not want to drink, but in this case you're tricking the body with the caffeine.".
**Chances Of IVF Success Level Off After Third Try.
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Health Highlights
**4 Deaths Prompt Graco Strollers Recall.
**Don't Combine HIV Antiviral Drugs: FDA says can trigger deadly irregular heartbeats.
**Nutritious Potatoes Banned From Child Nutrition Programs Just Because The Government Says Children Are Already Consuming Enough Potatoes.
**Thyroid Cancer Patients May Pose Radiation Risk to Others.
**Phthalates, Hormone-Like Chemicals, Found In Wallpapers And Floor Coverings.
**Tylenol Maker Announces Another Recall.
**Nature's Scenes, Sounds Reduce Pain of Bone Marrow Procedure.
**Engine Noise Affects Taste of Airline Food.
**Frozen Vegetables Recalled for Glass Fragments.
**Obesity Costs Are Double Previous Estimates.
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- More U.S. Kids Getting Hurt Using All-Terrain Vehicles: 30% of those hospitalized suffered traumatic brain injury, researchers found
Among U.S. children younger than 18, hospitalizations for all-terrain vehicle (ATV) injuries increased 150 percent between 1997 and 2006. "All-terrain vehicles are inherently dangerous to children," said Stephen M. Bowman. "While manufacturers are required to label vehicles with engine sizes greater than 90cc as inappropriate for children younger than 16, our data indicate that a growing number of children are receiving serious injuries due to ATV use, suggesting that parents are unaware of these recommendations or are choosing to ignore them," he said. Increasing helmet use through a combination of policy and education is critical to curbing the increasing trend.
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- Halloween Candy Has Limited Shelf Life: Chocolates past expiration date may cause illness, expert says
Shelf life can vary anywhere from two weeks to a year, depending on the type of candy, packaging and storage conditions, says Karen Blakeslee. Hard candies may last indefinitely, but people have suffered salmonella poisoning from eating expired chocolate. Signs that chocolate candy may be past its expiration date include a texture that is extremely sticky or grainy, a flavor that seems "off," a change in color, or (in fruit-and-nut chocolates) mold, said Blakeslee. In general, the softer the candy, the shorter its shelf life, she said, adding that the best way to store candy is in a cool, dry and dark place.
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Health Highlights
**Judge Says A Lawsuit By 20 States Against The Mandatory, Socialistic Obama Health Care Law Can Go To Trial.
**Menaflex Knee Implant Approval A Mistake: FDA.
**New Blood Test Detects Concussion: U.S. Army.
**Chelation Therapies Dangerous: FDA.
**Several Popular Brands of Child Strollers Have Hinges That Can Lead To Finger Injuries.
**Combine Aerobics and Strength Training for Best Fitness.
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- Weight-Loss Drug Meridia Pulled From U.S. Market: FDA cites product's increased risk for heart attack and stroke
Besides finding an increased risk of heart attack and stroke, the review trial found only a small difference in weight loss among those taking the drug and those receiving a placebo, agency officials said. "Physicians are advised to stop prescribing Meridia to their patients, pharmacists are advised to stop dispensing Meridia, and patients are advised to stop taking this drug and dispose of any remaining product," Dr. John Jenkins said. The FDA also warned consumers about another weight-loss drug, Slimming Beauty Bitter Orange Slimming Capsules, which contains the same active ingredient as Meridia -- sibutramine. The capsules can cause the same cardiovascular problems as Meridia, the FDA said. Slimming Beauty is sold over the Internet by Beautiful Health Inc.
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- Bone Drugs Linked to Rare Fractures, FDA Warns: Agency to change warning label, issue medication guide for all bisphosphonates, such as Fosamax and Boniva, used to treat osteoporosis
One of the unusual features of these atypical thigh fractures, also called atypical femur fractures, is that they are often associated with little or no trauma, Rear Admiral Sandra Kweder, M.D. said. "Patients taking bisphosphonates who have experienced an atypical fracture are younger than patients experiencing typical osteoporotic fractures," she said. "In some cases people have fractures of both femurs." Such fractures occur in the bone just below the hip joint or in the long part of the thigh bone. Over half of the patients who have had these fractures said they had dull aching thigh or groin pain that started weeks or months before there was a complete fracture, Kweder said. For patients currently taking bisphosphonates for osteoporosis, the FDA recommends not discontinuing them without talking to.....
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Health Highlights
**Pfizer Recalled Lipitor Because of 'Uncharacteristic Odor'.
**California Whooping Cough Cases Most Since 1955.
**Teen Girls' Obesity Surgery May Increase Birth Defects Risk.
**Dieters Need Sufficient Sleep.
**U.S. Government STD Experiments in Guatemala 'Clearly Unethical: Deliberately infected hundreds.
**J&J, FDA Take Blame for Secret Motrin Recall.
**Drug Take-Back Program Huge Success: A crucial step toward reducing the epidemic of prescription drug abuse that is plaguing the U.S.
**Obama White House Failed To Inform Americans About Worst-Case Estimates of Oil Spill: This slowed response efforts and meant that the public went weeks without being fully informed about the extent of the disaster.
**Alfalfa Sprouts Recalled: Possible salmonella contamination.
**Insights into Molecule May Lead To New Cancer,HIV Treatment
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- Off-Road Motorcycles Safer Than All-Terrain Vehicles in Off-Road Crashes: Victims in ATVs more likely to die of their injuries, study finds
In findings that may surprise racing enthusiasts and even safety experts, Johns Hopkins researchers found that victims of ATV crashes were 50 percent more likely to die of their off-road injuries than similarly injured motorcyclists. In addition, ATV riders were 55 percent more likely to be admitted to an intensive care unit and 42 percent more likely to be placed on a ventilator. "There's a belief that four wheels must be safer than two," said Cassandra Villegas. "But we found the opposite. People involved in ATV crashes are more likely to die or suffer serious trauma." The number of injuries in the United States involving ATVs or off-road motorcycles increased from 92,200 in 2000 to 150,900 in 2007, according to Villegas.
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Health Highlights
**More Than 10 Million Fisher-Price Toys Recalled
**J&J, FDA Take Blame for Secret Motrin Recall.
**U.S. Takes Second Look at Medical Scanner Approvals.
**FTC Puts Squeeze on Pomegranate Juice Maker.
**Are Bans on Texting While Driving Backfiring?
**'Light' Cigarettes' Days Numbered.
**High Costs Spark Debate Over New Cancer Treatments.
**Glass Flakes Trigger Recall of Amgen Anemia Drugs.
**Recalled Baby Formula Poses Little Risk, Manufacturer Says.
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- Celiac Disease Seems to Be on the Rise, Mainly in Elderly: Blood markers for the disease rose from 1 in every 501 individuals in 1974 to 1 in 219 by 1989
Researchers from the United States and Italy uncovered evidence that overall incidence rates of the disease -- marked by an intolerance to the protein gluten that is found in wheat, barley and rye -- have been doubling every 15 years since 1974. The study authors said it's not clear what causes a person to develop the disease. Genetics seem to play a role, and some people are born with it. Environmental factors are also believed to figure into the equation, although it's not known why. Based on their findings, the researchers suggest that doctors be on the lookout for signs of the disease among elderly patients. Symptoms can include diarrhea, intestinal bloating and stomach cramps, and in some cases joint pain, chronic fatigue and depression. If left untreated, the condition can prompt the onset of nutrient absorption issues and.......
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- New Tool Helps Predict Stroke Patient's Risk of Death in Hospital: Computer calculation also helps doctors develop better care plan, researchers say
The tool -- called the Get With The Guidelines-Stroke (GWTG) prediction tool -- is based on a large nationwide sample of stroke patients. Doctors upload patient information upon hospital admission, and a computer calculation predicts the risk of death, based on such factors as age, sex, and the presence of other illnesses. "Hospitals can use our mortality risk score to calculate the mortality rate that they would expect to see, based on the characteristics of their own patients, and compare that to their actual observed mortality," Dr. Eric Smith said. "This could help improve quality of care." The study only included patients with ischemic stroke, the more common and less serious type.
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- Breast-Feeding for 6 Months May Prevent Infant Infections: The longer a baby is exclusively breast-fed, the lower the risk, research shows
Children who derive all their nutrition from breast-milk during their first six months of life are less prone to a host of common infections, new Greek research says. And when infection strikes, the ensuing illness is typically less severe among children who are exclusively breast-fed (having ingested no substitute formula) in their first half year, the study authors stated. The finding, which has been seen in previous studies, held up even after accounting for other factors that can influence the frequency of infections, including exposure to cigarette smoke, ethnicity, the number of siblings in a household, and parental age and education.
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Health Highlights
**Similac Infant Formula Recalled for Bug Contamination.
**Three-Quarters of Americans Could Be Overweight by 2020.
**Nearly One-Third Of U.S. Teens Involved in Violence.
**Distracted Driving A Major Problem.
**Being Obese Is Expensive.
**Many Teens Discount Dangers of Texting While Driving.
**California Facing Record Number of Whooping Cough Cases.
**FDA Reviewing Cancer Risk With Diabetes Drug Actos.
**HIV-Related Monkey Virus at Least 32,000 Years Old.
**Clean Out Medicine Cabinet This Weekend: DEA.
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- Novel Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug Shows Early Promise: Trial patients given oral medication showed improvement in six months; experts caution more testing needed
A new targeted medication for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may benefit patients with this chronic autoimmune disease who aren't adequately helped by standard RA drug therapy. The oral medication, known as fostamatinib or R788, is part of a new class of drugs known as spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) inhibitors, which work on the cellular level to block specific pathways that are responsible for joint inflammation. In this phase 2 multi-center clinical trial, patients with RA who took fostamatinib along with methotrexate were twice as likely as those taking methotrexate and a placebo to have a clinically significant improvement in their disease after six months of treatment, the researchers found. What's more, roughly one third of the patients taking methotrexate and fostamatinib showed measurable benefits after just one week of therapy.
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- New Drug Promising for Advanced Thyroid Cancer: But results of early trial will need to be confirmed, expert says
A targeted drug called pazopanib could prove effective against difficult-to-treat cases of thyroid cancer cases, researchers say. Most thyroid cancers can be treated with surgery or radioiodine, but about 5 percent of patients will develop an aggressive, life-threatening form of the disease. Pazopanib (Votrient), already approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treating advanced kidney cancer, works by inhibiting growth of blood vessels essential for tumor growth and survival. Not only does the drug block production of new blood vessels, it also interferes with the tumor cells' ability to continue growing, Dr. Julian Molina said. Pazopanib, a pill that's taken daily, doesn't have the severe side effects of standard chemotherapy, Molina said. But it is expensive.
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- New Procedure for Aortic Valve Replacement Looks Promising: Less-invasive option may help patients who can't withstand open-heart surgery
As many as 300,000 Americans suffer from aortic stenosis, a condition that prevents the heart's aortic valve from fully opening and sending blood back into the heart. Because of age or poor health, about 30 percent of those with aortic stenosis can't undergo surgery. "This is truly a lifesaving procedure for those patients who cannot have surgery and who have this terrible disease," Dr. Martin B. Leon said. Without a valve replacement, which requires surgery to open up the chest, about 50 percent of patients with aortic stenosis die within two or three years of diagnosis. "This will totally change practice," Dr. William O'Neill added. "If the valves are durable, they will eliminate the need for patients to have open-heart surgery to replace the valves."
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- FDA Approves 1st Oral Drug to Reduce MS Relapses: Using pill instead of injections could boost treatment, experts say
Gilenya (fingolimod) is designed to reduce relapses and delay the progression of debilitating symptoms in patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). The drug, which works by altering the immune system response, will be available in capsule form. "Oral drugs are what people with MS have been wishing for a long time. This is wonderful news for people with MS," Dr. John Richert said. "The drug appears to be "quite effective," and at the moment, appears to have a reasonable risk-benefit ratio. "However," he added, "it will be very important for people with MS and their physicians to remain vigilant and be on the lookout for side effects." Both studies found that the lower dose of the drug was better tolerated. A small number of serious infections occurred, including two deaths from herpes infections in these studies. And, there appeared to be a higher.........
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- Disc [Or Button] Battery Ingestion May Cause Severe Injuries in Babies: Review of pediatric cases finds swallowed 'button' battery can burn esophagus
The analysis, which included 10 boys and girls as young as 10 months old, reinforces growing concern over the dangers posed by the increasing ubiquity of such disc (or "button") batteries, generally smaller than a nickel, in a wide array of household products. When swallowed, the battery gets stuck in a child's esophagus, and its interaction with bodily fluids prompts an electrical discharge that can cause tissue burning and severe damage. The study team concluded that such disc battery accidents can have serious consequences for young patients, and physicians need to have a clear understanding of related symptoms and act as fast as possible to minimize the risk of long-term health complications. "Not just toys, but any product should require a tool to open, so children cannot get into where the battery is stored," Dr. Toby Litovitz said.
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- Staying on Gleevec Seems to Help Gastro Cancer Patients: Study patients whose therapy was interrupted had more disease progression
After nearly three years of follow-up, the researchers noted that two-year survival without disease progression was 80 percent among those who continued treatment but only 16 percent among those whose treatment had been interrupted. The findings show that three years of treatment with Gleevec does not totally eliminate cancer-causing cells, which means the disease can recur when treatment is stopped, Dr. Axel Le Cesne said. The authors concluded that because three years of treatment with Gleevec does not eliminate the remaining dormant cancer cells and cure patients with GIST that has spread, it is not recommended that Gleevec is discontinued unless the patient experiences significant toxic effects.
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- Gastric Band Surgery Rising Among Obese Teens: More research needed on long-term safety, effectiveness, researchers say
More overweight teenagers are undergoing laparoscopic gastric band surgery, a weight-loss procedure that isn't approved for anyone under 18 years old, a new study finds. Reseachers found that gastric band operations, which constrict the stomach, increased seven-fold from 2005 to 2007. The authors also noted that although "manufacturers have touted the banding procedure as less invasive, many [medical] centers have abandoned gastric banding because of poor long-term results," concerns about chronic esophageal blockage, the need for frequent readjustments, and complications from the surgery. As with any operation, weight-loss surgery can cause serious complications, including infection, leaks, respiratory arrest, blood clots and death, according to the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery.
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Health Highlights
**Chuck E. Cheese Toys Recalled: Chinese-made toys can break and expose the small batteries inside, which might be swallowed by small children.
**Panel Recommends Cough Syrups Stay Over-the-Counter Even Though Abuse of The Medications By Teenagers Has Been On The Increase.
**Judge Holds Hearing On A Lawsuit Against The U.S. Government's Mandatory Socialistic Health Care Law: 20 States Say The Law Is Unconstitutional.
**Chlorinated Swimming Pools May Increase Cancer Risk.
**Alzheimer's-Linked Protein May Help Trigger Diabetes>
**PSA Test Benefits Men at Genetic Risk for Prostate Cancer.
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- Operating Soon After Hip Fractures May Save Lives: Risk of death rises with delay, study finds
Elderly patients who have surgery soon after suffering a hip fracture reduce their risk of dying by 19 percent, a new analysis shows. Hip fractures are associated with a death rate of 14 percent to 36 percent in the year following the fracture. Current guidelines recommend surgery within 24 hours of a hip fracture. However, some doctors believe delaying surgery helps decrease the risk of complications. In this study, Canadian researchers reviewed 16 previous studies that included a total of 13,478 patients aged 60 and older. They found that surgery performed within 24 to 72 hours after a hip fracture reduces the risk of death and may lower the risk of postoperative pneumonia and pressure sores.
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- Depression, Heart Disease Combo May Up Odds of Death: Together, they quadruple risk of dying from heart attack, stroke, study finds
Researchers analyzed data from nearly 6,000 middle-aged adults in Britain whose mental and physical health were monitored for an average of five-and-a-half years as part of a study looking at how social and economic factors affect long-term health. People with both heart disease and depression were nearly five times more likely to die than those in good physical and mental health. After accounting for a number of factors, the researchers concluded that the combination of depression and heart disease triples the risk of death from all causes and quadruples the risk of death from heart attack or stroke.
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- Expert Panel Links Popular Bone Drugs to Rare Fracture: FDA should add warning label to meds such as Boniva, Fosamax, panelists say
Dr. Elizabeth Shane said the panel was concerned about the lack of patient awareness of atypical femur fractures and their warning signs. These signs include groin or thigh pain for a period of weeks or months before fractures. More than half the patients experienced these signs before their fracture, the report notes. People who are taking bisphosphonates should continue to take them, Shane said, but ask their doctor about the risk of an atypical thigh fracture. The panel added that bisphosphonates should only be given to people with certain cancers, Paget's disease (a rare bone ailment) and patients with osteoporosis who are at high risk of having a fracture. Bisphosphonates include: Aclasta, Actonel, Aredia, Bondronat, Boniva, Didronel, Fosamax, Fosavance, Reclast, Skelid, and Zometa.
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- Common Asthma Drug Could Speed MS Treatment: Adding albuterol to standard medicine seems to help patients faster, study finds
The authors of this small and preliminary study showed that albuterol, prescribed for a variety of respiratory illnesses, enhances the effects of glatiramer acetate, a drug already prescribed for MS patients. "Albuterol causes the [immune system] cells to change the type of interleukin they produce to one that is beneficial in MS," said Dr. Samia J. Khoury Khoury. "The idea was that albuterol may enhance the effect of Copaxone [glatiramer acetate], and this was confirmed in the study." Noting the small size of the study, Dr. Tracey M. DeAngelis said "what is needed now is a large, multi-center study in order to draw any conclusion" about whether albuterol should be used in the normal course of treating multiple sclerosis.
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- More Kids Who Play Basketball Suffering Head Injuries: While other types of injuries have declined, concussions have gone up 70 percent, study finds
Lara McKenzie thinks the increased size of players is one factor in the increase in concussions. Another is that the game has become more competitive, she said. Boys were more likely to suffer cuts, fractures and dislocations, while girls were more likely to suffer concussions and knee injuries. Children 15 to 19 years of age were three times more likely to injure their knees and ankles, while younger children, aged 5 to 10, were more likely to suffer concussions, fractures and dislocations, the study found. Dr. Lyle Micheli agreed that children's sports are being played more aggressively, which is one factor in the rise in the number of injuries, particularly concussions. "If you did the same study for soccer I think you would see even more of a trend," he said. "Parents have to be thoughtful about their objectives for their kids in sports
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- Prostate Cancer Screening No Benefit to Older Men With Low PSA Levels: Further testing, early cancer detection strategies more likely to do harm than good, researchers say
Although many men are concerned about prostate cancer, a new study finds that in men aged 55 to 74 with low levels of baseline prostate-specific antigen (PSA), further screening and early detection of prostate cancer offer virtually no benefit. Most men with the disease won't die from it. In the United States, a man has about a 15.8 percent chance of being diagnosed with prostate cancer, but the risk of dying from it is only about 2.8 percent, the researchers said. The American Cancer Society still recommends that men at high-risk for prostate cancer and those 50 and over talk with their doctors about the risks & benefits of screening. However, the ACS stresses that in some cases such tests should not be offered because they will likely cause more harm than good, with treatments that can cause unpleasant side effects
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Health Highlights
**Certain Imaging Drugs Pose Risk to Kidney Patients: FDA.
**More U.S. Children Being Raised by Grandparents.
**Vitamin B May Slow Alzheimer's Onset.
**Brass Instruments May Be Linked to Lung Condition.
**FDA Issues Warning Letters Over Green Tea Beverages.
**Cockroaches, Locusts Eyed as New Source of Antibiotics.
**Salmonella Fears Prompt Hartz Dog Treat Recall.
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- Kids Playing With Laser Pointers May Be Aiming for Eye Trouble: Teen boy damages retina with Internet-purchased 'toy,' doctors say
A 15-year-old Swiss boy attempted to create his own laser show using a laser pointer he bought on the Internet and a mirror. Instead, he inadvertently beamed the laser into his eyes, creating permanent damage to his vision. "These high-power laser products are very dangerous," said Dr. Martin Schmid. One sure way to know if you have a potentially dangerous laser pointer is if the laser can burn through paper, explained Schmid. "Every laser pointer which is capable of burning holes into paper or of lighting matches or of popping balloons is highly dangerous for the eye and must not be used by non-professionals," he cautioned. The laser used by the boy produced an output of 150 milliwatts (mW), far above the maximal output of 5 mW that's expected from a laser pointer sold to the public.
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- FDA Sends Warning to E-Cigarette Distributors: Agency cites false claims, poor manufacturing processes
The agency said that e-cigarette distributors falsely claim that e-cigarettes -- battery-operated devices that contain cartridges filled with nicotine, flavorings and other chemicals -- will help people quit smoking. "The device turns nicotine, which is highly addictive, into a vapor that is inhaled," according to the FDA. The FDA said in July that its tests had shown that some e-cigarettes contain cancer-causing chemicals and other toxins, including a compound used in antifreeze. The companies receiving warning letters are E-CigaretteDirect LLC, Ruyan America Inc., Gamucci America (Smokey Bayou Inc.), E-Cig Technology Inc. and Johnson's Creek Enterprises LLC.
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- Smoking Could Harm Sperm, Two New Studies Find: Both in smoking men who may become fathers, and in sons born to women who smoked during pregnancy
Research showed that men who smoke heavily may experience fertility problems stemming from a drop in levels of a protein crucial to sperm development, as well as damage to sperm's DNA. Another study suggests that women who smoke early in their pregnancy may ultimately compromise their sons' reproductive health. "Our results provide health care professionals who talk to women who are considering conceiving, or have conceived just recently, with a 'here and now' argument to convince them to stop smoking,"Dr. Claus Yding Anderson said. "Because the negative effect of smoking appears to take place right from conception and during the early days [of gestation], when the human embryo becomes differentiated into either a girl or a boy."
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- New Study Suggests That Obesity, Independent of Drinking and Smoking, Is Also Associated With Brain Injury: In other words, weight also is related to brain health among those with alcoholism
"It is commonly believed that it is the large amount of consumed alcohol by itself that leads to brain injury in alcoholics," said Dieter J. Meyerhoff. "This is only partly correct. In previous studies, we have shown that alcoholics who smoke cigarettes have greater brain injury than nonsmoking alcoholics. This new study suggests that a high BMI, independent of drinking and smoking, is also associated with brain injury," Meyerhoff said. "BMI may be a very important factor to consider when examining other potential consequences of alcohol use. Since individuals who consume substantial amounts of alcohol are at risk for obesity, it is important to understand the influence of body fat deposition on the measures we are examining. It could be that metabolic changes resulting from or causing obesity......
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Health Highlights
**New Malaria Drug Shows Promise.
**Study Questions Cleanliness Of Home Kitchens.
**Cough Medicine Ingredient May Get New Restrictions: FDA said that inappropriate use of the drug for its euphoric effects was associated with nearly 8,000 emergency room visits in 2008.
**Botox Maker Pays $600 Million To Settle Marketing Investigation: The government said the marketing led doctors to use Botox for unapproved uses, such as treatment of headache, pain, spasticity, and cerebral palsy in children.
**Diabetes Top Reason for Vietnam Vets' Health Claims.
**Restaurant Portions Too Large.
**Ground Beef Recalled Due to E. coli.
**New Test Helps Determines Need For Cesarean.
**Narcolepsy, Swine Flu Vaccine Link Under Investigation.
**Typhoid Fears Spur Recall of Frozen Mamey Fruit Bars.
**2 Superbug Gene Cases In Austria.
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- Diet Pill Meridia Increases Risk of Heart Attacks and Stroke: While researchers saw no rise in deaths, some experts wonder if this drug has a future
The drug did not seem to make people healthier, Dr. Greg Curfman said. "Some people were actually made worse," he said. "All this taken together results in an unfavorable risk-benefit profile and, based on that, we don't see a rationale for keeping this on the market." Also, he said, "the efficacy of producing weight loss with the drug is very unimpressive. In this trial, patients lost on average less than 4 kilograms [about 9 pounds] and we know that that's not going to translate into a real health benefit over time. It's not enough weight loss. "I have never really found that people taking Meridia had obtained a real substantive weight loss," said Dr. J. Chad Teeters. "It seems that a lot of these 'quick fix' weight loss drugs don't really live up to the hype and they come with risks. I think there's probably going to be a significant....
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- Long-Term Use of Bone Drugs May Be Linked to Esophageal Cancer: 5 years of meds such as Boniva, Fosamax or Actonel almost doubles chances, but actual risk still low, researchers say
The team found people who had had 10 or more prescriptions for bisphosphonates written for them, or had received prescriptions for these drugs over about five years, had almost double the risk of esophageal cancer, compared with people who didn't take these drugs. If the results from this study are confirmed and oral bisphosphonates double the rate of esophageal cancer, esophageal cancer rates would still remain relatively low from a population standpoint, Diane Wysowski said. "However, because oral bisphosphonates are widely used on a chronic basis, the results, if confirmed, could have implications for a large number of patients," Wysowski said. "Be sure to follow the directions for use and report to your doctor any difficulty swallowing or throat, chest, or digestive discomfort so that your doctor......"
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- Lower Blood Pressure May Help Sicker Kidney Patients: Standard goal may not be low enough for those with protein in their urine, study finds
Aggressive treatment to lower high blood pressure may help preserve kidney function and prevent the need for dialysis in some black patients with chronic kidney disease. "This is not a panacea. We have a lot more to figure out. But our evidence suggests that we have a way to at least delay or possibly even prevent end-stage kidney disease in some patients," said Dr. Lawrence J. Appel. The study of 1,094 black patients with chronic kidney disease and high blood pressure found that aggressive treatment to lower high blood pressure to about 130/80 provided the most benefit to sicker kidney disease patients -- those with protein in their urine. In this group of patients, there was about a 25 percent reduction in end-stage kidney disease compared to those who achieved a blood pressure goal of 140/90, which is the standard of doctors when treating.......
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- Double-Dose Plavix Benefits Certain Patients, Study Finds: And higher-dose aspirin is no more effective than low dose, researchers say
Two reports on the data find that high doses of Plavix are good for some patients, but not all, while high-dose aspirin is no better than a low dose for preventing new heart attacks, other cardiac problems, stroke and death. Patients who are at high risk for heart attack and stroke and low risk for bleeding are going to do well on a higher dose of Plavix, said Dr. Gregg Stone. "Patients who are at lower risk for atherosclerotic complications, but high risk for bleeding should be treated with a more conservative lower dose," added Stone. "Taken together, the message is very simple: We recommend that patients undergoing PCI [percutaneous coronary intervention] receive the full double-dose regimen of clopidogrel, and those who do not have PCI should be treated with the standard-dose regimen of clopidogrel," said Dr. Shamir Mehta.
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- Almost 1 in 3 First-Time Deliveries Now Via C-Section: More must be done to curb the use of the procedure, which comes with risks, experts say
In addition, more women than ever before are having repeat C-section deliveries and the rate of medically induced deliveries is high. Many cesarean deliveries were done at an early stage of labor, before the women even had a chance to spontaneously deliver. "First, cesarean section is not just having a baby; it is having a baby through major surgery. So there is a chance of bleeding, infections and longer healing and recovery," said Dr. Salih Yasin. There are also the long-term effects of repeated cesareans on the uterus. "You end up having many more cases of cesarean-related hysterectomies and transfusion and maternal death," he said. "We are noticing an almost 10-times increase of those significant complications," Yasin said.
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- Concussion Rates Soar Among Younger Kids: From 1997 to 2007, emergency department visits for concussion in kids aged 8 to 13 playing organized sports doubled, and the number of visits increased by more than 200 percent in older teens
The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued new guidelines on what to do about sports-related concussions, with advice for both parents and physicians. Parents should know that "no athlete should go back to play on the same day they have their concussion. There is no medication or treatment proven for concussion, other than rest, he added. That means resting the body and the brain, he noted. "Worrisome signs for us are a progressively increasing headache, if a child is unable to move an arm or leg, worsening symptoms, repeated throwing up," said Halstead. "Those are things that should be evaluated sooner." Other symptoms include feeling lightheaded or confused or losing consciousness.
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Health Highlights
**380,000 Pounds of Deli Meats Recalled.
**Company Recalls Two Hip Replacement Systems.
**Epidurals During Labor Protect Muscles.
**FDA Warns About TimeOut Capsules.
**Mr. Magic Capsules Pose Health Risk: FDA.
**FDA Not Backing Vaccine That Protects Hens in UK from Salmonella.
**'Tootsie Tanner' Radiation Can Harm Skin, Eyes: FDA.
**Doctors Puzzled Over Muscle Damage to Oregon Football Players.
**Judge Calls Halt to Obama Policy to Expand Stem Cell Research.
**Drugs Protect Monkeys Against Ebola, Marburg Viruses.
**Parkinson's Drug May Increase Risk of Cardiovascular Events: FDA.
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- Are The Eggs in Your Fridge Safe to Eat?: Experts tell you what you need to know in the wake of a massive recall
The first thing to do is to check the carton for the "Sell By" date and the two numbers below it, federal health officials say, to see if your eggs are involved in the recall. One number is the plant number, and the other is the packaged date, or Julian date, shows what day of the year the eggs were packaged, For example, Jan. 1 is 001 and Dec. 31 is 365. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has a list of what numbered designations are included in the recall. Wright County Farms and Hillandale Farms, the companies involved in the recall, have identified more than 16 brand names under which the eggs were sold, but that information is incomplete. Some eggs were sold individually rather than in cartons, so they could be repackaged under other brands. If you are unsure about the source of your eggs, throw them away, the FDA advised. Egg safety & salmonella advice is offered....
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- 2nd Egg Recall Linked to Salmonella Under Way: Producer says there have been laboratory-confirmed cases of Salmonella enteritidis
Hillandale Farms of New Hampton, Iowa, said it was voluntarily recalling 170 million shell eggs produced since April that were sent to 14 states in the Midwest and West. Hillandale said the eggs covered by its recall were distributed to grocery distribution centers, retail grocery stores and food-service companies that service or are located in Arkansas, California, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas, and Wisconsin. The eggs were distributed under the following brand names: Hillandale Farms, Sunny Farms, and Sunny Meadow in 6-egg cartons, dozen-egg cartons, 18-egg cartons, 30-egg packages, and 5-dozen cases. Loose eggs were packaged under the following brand names: Wholesome Farms and West Creek in 15 and 30-dozen tray packs, Hillandale said in a news release.
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- Study Suggests Link Between Diet Sodas and An Increase In The Risk of Preterm Delivery
The researchers looked at the soft drink habits of nearly 60,000 Danish women enrolled in a national study there from 1996 to 2002. The investigators found a link between the intake of diet carbonated drinks and, to a lesser extent, diet noncarbonated drinks and delivering a baby early. The team found no association between the premature delivery and the intake of carbonated drinks sweetened with sugar. However, compared with those who never drank the beverages, women who downed four or more diet (artificially sweetened) carbonated drinks a day were 78 percent more likely to deliver early than women who never drank the beverages. And those who had four or more diet, noncarbonated drinks daily were 29 percent more likely to deliver early.
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- Alcohol May Raise Risk for Certain Breast Cancers: Study found drinking associated with increase in hormone receptor-positive cancers
Researchers found that women who drank one alcoholic beverage a day were at higher risk for developing estrogen receptor- and progesterone receptor-positive breast cancers. Alcohol consumption was also connected with an increased risk for noninvasive breast cancers, but not for invasive tumors. "We know that alcohol is a well established risk factor associated with breast cancer. What was unique about this study is that they tried to differentiate the type of cancer," said Dr. Sandhya Pruthi. "This shows that alcohol is a risk [factor] for developing breast cancer, and I think that women should be counseled that [drinking alcohol] does increase risk of breast cancer," added Dr. Jay Brooks. "Women should be advised [of the risk] but she has to make a decision how important having alcohol in her life is."
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- Link Between Diabetes, Alzheimer's Disease Strengthened: Latest study correlates insulin troubles with dementia-linked brain plaques
Two of the most common and dreaded illnesses in America may share a connection, with new research suggesting that having insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes raises your risk of developing the brain plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease. After adjusting for other risk factors, the Japanese study found that people with the highest levels of fasting insulin had nearly six times the odds of having plaque deposits between nerves in the brain, compared to people with the lowest levels of fasting insulin. Those with the highest scores on a measure of insulin resistance (where cells become less able to use insulin effectively) had about five times the odds of having brain plaques vs. those with the lowest scores on the insulin-resistance test.
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- Could Drinking Water Before Meals Help You Lose Weight?: People who drank two glasses prior to eating dropped more pounds, study found
A new study found that middle-aged and older adults who drank two cups of water before each meal consumed fewer calories and lost more weight than those who skipped drinking water. What they weren't sure about, however, was if water drinkers would compensate by eating more throughout the rest of the day, said Brenda Davy. But after 12 weeks of dieting, that didn't happen. After one year, preliminary data shows that those who continued to drink water before meals not only kept those pounds off, but have even continued to lose a bit more. Yet pre-meal water chugging comes with one caveat: it may only work if you're middle-aged or older, Davy said. In older people, it takes longer for the stomach to empty, which may be why the water helps them feel fuller and less hungry, while in younger people, water begins leaving the stomach almost immediately, Davy....
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Health Highlights
**Movie Smoking Ups Teens' Risk Of Starting the Habit: Youth exposed to a lot of on-screen smoking are about three times more likely to begin smoking.
**Possible Link Between Athletes' Head Injuries and Lou Gehrig's Disease.
**Cancer a Major Economic Issue: The amount of life and productivity lost due to cancer is greater than AIDS, malaria, the flu and other infectious diseases.
**Being Youngest in Class May Lead to ADHD Misdiagnosis.
**FDA Wants to Revoke Approval Of Low Blood Pressure Drug.
**Take Statins With Junk Food, U.K. Experts Suggest.
**Diabetes Involved in About 20 Percent of Hospitalizations.
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- Nationwide Recall of Eggs Linked to Salmonella Expanded: More than 250 people sickened by germ in at least four states as Iowa company recalls 380 million eggs
The outbreak, which apparently began in May, appears to be ongoing, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. The outbreak has been tracked to in-shell eggs from Wright County Egg in Galt, Iowa, which launched the recall. Its eggs were distributed to wholesalers and food-service companies nationwide under multiple brand names: Lucerne, Albertson, Mountain Dairy, Ralph's, Boomsma's, Sunshine, Hillandale, Trafficanda, Farm Fresh, Shoreland, Lund, Dutch Farms and Kemps. The recall covers eggs in their shells packed between May 16 and Aug. 13. They come in cartons ranging from six to 18 eggs and are marked with plant numbers P-1026, P-1413 and P-1946. The eggs should be returned for a refund. "This certainly has the potential to be a very large outbreak, both given the apparent number of reported cases so far and.....
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- High School Football Players Prone to Heat-Linked Illness: They're much more vulnerable than kids playing other sports, study finds
About two-thirds of heat-related illnesses occur during August and most happen during practices, not games. Overweight athletes are most likely to be affected. The highest rate of time-loss heat illness was among football players -- 4.5 per 100,000 athlete exposures. That rate is 10 times higher than the average rate (0.4 per 100,000) for the eight other sports included in the study. Heat stroke has claimed the lives of 31 U.S. high school football players since 1995. To help student-athletes' bodies get used to hot weather, coaches should gradually increase practice duration and intensity over 14 days. Athletes need to drink plenty of water and sports beverages to replace the water and salt they lose through sweating. They also need to take breaks when needed, the CDC said.
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- Deaths From A Severe Type of Heart Attack [STEMI] Rise With Delays in Care: Study finds 10% increase in mortality with every additional hour between call, treatment
In patients with such heart attacks, the longer the artery is blocked, the more heart muscle that is damaged and the greater the chances of death, explained Dr. Christian Juhl Terkelsen. Research shows that primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), also known as balloon angioplasty, is more effective than older treatments, such as clot-dissolving medications, Terkelsen said. But in the United States, not every hospital is equipped to do PCI, said Dr. Christopher Granger. That makes it critical to get to the right sort of hospital -- one that has a "catheterization lab" in which staff can be activated quickly when a STEMI patient is on route, Granger said. A key step in activating the "cath lab" is making sure that paramedics can diagnosis the heart attack en route, Granger said. To do this, ambulances need to be....
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- Human Meds Are Pets' Biggest Poisoning Danger: Pill-popping pups prompt many calls to ASPCA's poison control center
"Dogs' and cats' metabolisms are different from ours, so they can't always process the same drugs we can," explains Silene Young. Just one extra-strength Tylenol, for example, can kill a cat. And the anti-cancer topical treatment, Fluorouracil, can be fatal in dogs, even in the tiniest doses ingested -- say, from chewing on the discarded cotton swabs used to apply the cream, according to veterinary toxicologists. Medication mix-ups cause unintentional poisonings too. By grabbing the wrong bottle, some owners inadvertently give their pet medication that's really meant for them or other humans.
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- Study Finds Even a Little Cigarette Smoke Harms Airway: Just a few puffs trigger genetic changes in cells that could spur disease
A new study that finds even low levels of smoke exposure can cause irreparable damage to cells essential to breathing. The damage occurred among "casual" smokers and even after exposure to secondhand smoke. The initial damage, while not usually severe, can be cumulative and prolonged exposure to tobacco smoke could lead to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and even lung cancer. The bottom line: "There is no level of cigarette smoking or exposure to cigarette smoke that does not make the cells in your lungs sick,"Dr. Ronald Crystal said. "If you are an occasional smoker you are still at risk. Don't think that smoking one or two cigarettes a week means you are home free." As for secondhand smoke, "if you are working in a place where people smoke, either get them to stop or go get another job," Crystal advised. "If you have somebody at home who.......
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- 1 in 5 U.S. Teens Has Developed Hearing Loss: Overuse of MP3 players is the likely cause, a leading expert suggests
The hearing loss among teens, Paul R. Kileny said, is not due to increased exposure to loud noises or the prolonged use of some medications "because they [teens] are way too young to manifest the effects of this exposure or of age-related hearing loss." Instead, he said, the loss can probably be "traced back to lifestyle and habits, and for the most part, it's very likely associated with the increased use of portable MP3 devices." The compression of music for MP3 files has removed the dynamic highs and lows in the music. "This means that music, which typically has peaks and valleys, now is mostly just peaks," Kileny said. "As a result, everything is loud." "Because once you have created an environment in the inner ear of this nature, it tends to be progressive," he said. "Over time you can expect the hearing loss will be significant."
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- Students Warned to Beware of 'Laptop-itis': Computer design can lead to injuries in heavy users, but simple steps can minimize risk, expert advises
The very design of laptop computers encourages bad posture among college students and other heavy users, which can lead to headaches, muscle strain and debilitating neck, shoulder and hand injuries. The issue stems from the unified body construction that defines laptops. With an inseparable keyboard and monitor, users are not free to configure their equipment in a way that minimizes risk. Signs of trouble typically come in the form of headaches, wrist pain, tingling in the fingers or thumb, and neck and shoulder pain, he added. Concern about such laptop health issues is driven by their rising popularity, as worldwide sales now exceed those of standard desktop computers. Students are particularly vulnerable, since laptops are a common feature of campus life.
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Health Highlights
**Frozen Fruit Pulp Linked To Typhoid Fever Outbreak: FDA.
**California Lawsuit Targets Children's Inflatable Bounce Houses With High Lead Levels.
**Seizure Drug Can Cause Aseptic Meningitis: FDA.
**Fresh Express Recalls Mixed Salad Product.
**Computer Test May Detect Autism in Adults.
**Brain May Be Wired Like Internet.
**1 Million Pounds of Ground Beef Recalled.
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- Tylenol Use Linked to Asthma, Other Allergies in Teens: Study looked at 13- and 14-year-olds from 50 countries
Teens from around the world who regularly take acetaminophen, best known as Tylenol, were more than twice as likely to have asthma as teens who never take the over-the-counter pain and fever reducer. Taking acetaminophen was also linked to an increased chance of eczema and rhinoconjunctivitis, or allergic nasal congestion, in adolescents. The study is one of several in recent years that has linked acetaminophen usage during pregnancy or childhood to an increased risk of developing asthma. The risk of having asthma was nearly 2.5 times higher among frequent users, and 43 percent higher among medium users than those who never took acetaminophen. Frequent users of acetaminophen were 2.75 times as likely to say their wheezing was so bad it disturbed their sleep and limited their ability to speak.
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- Wider Waist May Raise Death Risk Later in Life: Study suggests it increases chances of heart trouble, cancer, respiratory disease, independent of weight
Among middle-aged and older adults, having a large waist can significantly raise the risk for dying prematurely, new research indicates. The association appears to apply to both men and women, the study authors noted. What's more, having a normal weight does not, in fact, protect against such risk if you carry any excess weight in your abdominal region. Men who had a waist size of 47 inches or more bore about a twofold higher risk for death compared to men with the lowest waist size, they noted. The same increased risk was observed among women with a waist size of 42 inches or more. "It is about the body fat you carry, not necessarily the number on the scale. It's one more reminder that we've sort of accepted this is a part of aging, people get big around their middle. But just because it's the norm doesn't mean it's OK," Connie Diekman
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- Relieving Eye Pressure May Slow Glaucoma: Treatment most likely to help young patients with advanced damage, researchers say
Patients with glaucoma who have more rapid visual field change than other patients may benefit from a reduction of pressure within the eyeball. Being older and having abnormal levels of anticardiolipin antibody (which is an antibody directed against a certain protein in the body) were associated with a more rapid rate of visual change. But reducing intraocular pressure appeared to slow the rate at which some of these patients experienced declines in visual field. While the degree of this slowed rate of decline may not have been clinically significant for some patients, the difference could be significant over 20 years, according to Balwantray C. Chauhan. "In younger patients with more advanced damage, this difference is likely to be important," Chauhan and colleagues wrote.
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- Many Stroke Patients Stop Taking Meds, Study Shows: Second report finds many heart failure patients not even prescribed recommended medications
In one report, researchers found that 25 percent of stroke patients stopped taking one or more of their stroke prevention medications within three months after their stroke. "Most importantly, these results show that some patients require more teaching regarding their medications, including why a medication is prescribed and how to refill it,"Dr. Cheryl D. Bushnell said. In the second report researchers found that doctors are not prescribing two medications [ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers and beta blockers] known to be effective in managing heart failure as much as they once did. This suggests doctors may be getting tired of prescribing the same old drugs, which are available as generics, in favor of newer, more expensive ones, Dr. Dipanjan Banerjee said.
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- Just a Little Belly Fat Can Damage Blood Vessels: Raises risk for high blood pressure, other heart problems, study finds
People who put on even a little weight around their middle hinder the function of cells that line their blood vessels, increasing the risk for high blood pressure and other problems. These cells, called endothelial cells, are vital for proper functioning of blood vessels. They control the ability of the vessel to contract and dilate, which in turn controls blood flow. Damage to the endothelium can lead to the vessel not functioning properly and eventually high blood pressure and blood vessel disease. And "when people put on a modest amount of weight, if the fat is in the belly, those people tended to have a greater impairment of endothelial function," said Dr. Virend K. Somers. "Further, this endothelial dysfunction is entirely reversible after the excess weight and abdominal fat is lost through diet. This is yet another reason to maintain a healthy weight & avoid....
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- Generics As Good As Costly Blood Pressure Meds, Study Finds: Plus, fewer deaths seen in group taking no-brand-name diuretics after 8 to 13 years
Data released in 2002 showed that after four to eight years of follow-up, the diuretic was better than the calcium blocker in preventing heart failure and better than the ACE inhibitor in preventing stroke, heart failure and overall cardiovascular disease. Differences between the drugs narrowed after eight to 13 years of follow-up, the findings show. However, the diuretic was still better in two areas. Compared with patients taking the diuretic, those in the ACE inhibitor group had a 20 percent higher death rate from stroke, and those in the calcium channel blocker group had a 12 percent higher rate of hospitalization and death because of heart failure.
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Health Highlights
**U.S. Panel Warns Against Australian-Made Flu Shot for Young Children: Unexplained higher rates of fevers and seizures occurred in children.
**Groups Defend Guidelines for Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer's.
**Loving Siblings Help Shield Against Depression.
**Large Drop In Heart Bypass Surgery Deaths: U.S. Report.
**Iams and Eukanuba Dry Dog Foods Recalled: They may be contaminated with salmonella. Humans are at risk because they can get salmonella from infected dogs.
**7 Hours Of Sleep Optimal For Heart Health.
**Breast Milk Sugars Support Beneficial Gut Bacteria In Infants.
**Altered Herpes Virus May Fight Head and Neck Cancer.
**Study Pinpoints Cells Linked to Prostate Cancer.
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- Spread of Whooping Cough Raises Concern: Five states involved, with California seeing largest epidemic in 50 years, officials say
In adults, whooping cough can cause a barking cough that lasts for weeks, but it's treatable with antibiotics and rarely life-threatening, said Jeff Dimond. But in infants too young to be immunized, whooping cough can be deadly. Last week, the seventh California baby died. About two-thirds of infants who get pertussis will be hospitalized, according to the CDC. About one in 10 children who are infected develop pneumonia, while in one in 250 get the disease that affects the brain, called encephalopathy. The disease usually begins with symptoms similar to those of a common cold, such as runny nose, congestion and a mild fever, and then progresses to a dry, hacking cough and prolonged, violent coughing spells that can cause vomiting.
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- Number of Obese Adults Keeps Rising, CDC Says: Overall obesity level now close to 27%
The report, from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), also found that between 2007-2009, the number of U.S. states where at least 30 percent of the adult population is obese had tripled to nine from three. Ten years ago, no state had an obesity prevalence of 30 percent or more, according to the new report. "Obesity has doubled in adults and tripled in children. We need intensive and ongoing efforts to address obesity, or more people will get sick and die from the complications of obesity, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer," said Dr. Thomas R. Frieden. According to the report, 2.4 million more American adults have reported becoming obese since the last such survey in 2007. Initiatives needed to fight the obesity epidemic, according to Frieden, include: Increase in physical activity, Increased breast-feeding of infants, Eating more fruits & vegetables, Cutting.....
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- Addictive Internet Use Tied to Depression in Teens: Even healthy ones can run into trouble with too much use, researchers say
One factor to the link between overuse of the Internet and psychological problems like depression may be that the Internet is actually isolating and alienating, Michael Gilbert said. "Parents are indicating to us that a lot of their children's friendship circles are contracting by reason of the fact they are spending too much time on the Internet," he said. "This ties in generally with the notion that Internet behavior is becoming disruptive in the family." Spending too much time on the Internet is a so-called "process addiction," like gambling and pornography, Gilbert said. "The technology changes, the medium changes, but the issue always comes down to parents ascertaining control over their children's behavior and monitoring it," he said.
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Health Highlights
**Nap Nanny Recliners Recalled After Infant Death.
**Iams Cat Food Recalled Due To Possible Salmonella Contamination.
**AAP Issues Updated Head Lice Guidelines.
**Major Food Safety Violations At Many U.S. Stadiums.
**BPA Chemical Found On Cash Register Receipts: BPA is a plastic hardener that's been linked to diabetes, heart disease, breast cancer and other health problems.
**Disciplinary Lapses Tied To High Rate Of Army Suicides.
**Cubicin Antibiotic Linked To Pneumonia: FDA.
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- Chest Compressions Alone Best With CPR: Studies support bystanders not using mouth-to-mouth breathing
If you haven't been well-trained in CPR and you see someone having what appears to be a heart attack, just doing chest compressions to help keep the blood flowing can be as effective as CPR that includes mouth-to-mouth breathing, new research claims. Dr. Dana Peres Edelson said that if you see a seemingly healthy adult suddenly drop, call 911 and then begin chest compressions. Emergency dispatchers can provide instructions on where to place your hands. If someone else is available to help, she said to have them call 911 and to go look for an automatic defibrillator, which are now present in many public places, such as malls, schools and stadiums. "Push hard, push fast and don't stop unless you have to give a breath or use a defibrillator," said Edelson. "If you do stop, keep the pause as brief as possible."
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- Delivering Babies Even a Few Weeks Early Ups Respiratory Risks: Study finds greatly raised odds, but rates of planned, preterm C-sections remain high, experts note
Late preterm births -- defined as between the 34th and 37th weeks of pregnancy -- account for about 9 percent of all infants born in the United States, the researchers said. And too often, they are the result of a planned Cesarean deliveries, one expert noted. "Our study verifies that late preterm birth neonates delivered from 34 to 37 weeks have much higher risks for respiratory complications than infants delivered from 38 to 40 weeks gestation," said Dr. Judith U. Hibbard. "The risk for respiratory [illness] decreases with each advancing week of gestation." The increase in the number of planned Cesarean deliveries is worrisome, Dr. Eduardo Bancalari said. "In some hospitals, it is 50 or 60 percent. That is completely out of control," he said. "Because these are planned C-sections, some of them are done prematurely. It......
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- Not All Epilepsy Drugs Raise Suicide Risk:Only newer meds tied to depression appear linked to self-harm, researchers say
The study of more than 44,000 epilepsy patients in the United Kingdom revealed that those who took relatively new antiepileptic drugs with a higher risk of causing depression, such as levetiracetam (Keppra), topiramate (Topamax) and vigabatrin (Sabril), were three times more likely to harm themselves or attempt suicide than those who weren't taking any epilepsy medications. The researchers found that patients who took conventional epilepsy medications, such as divalproex (Depakote, Depakote ER, Depakene) or phenytoin (Dilantin), or newer drugs with a low risk of depression, such as gabapentin (Neurontin) or lamotrigine (Lamictal), faced no increased risk of self-harm of suicidal behavior. An accompanying editorial notes several weaknesses of the study. For one thing, the results were based on a very small number of cases. Also, those taking the newer drugs with.......
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- New Data Supports Link Between Diabetes Drugs, Fractures: Avandia, Actos increase chances of broken bones in older men and women, study shows
New research finds that two widely prescribed diabetes drugs may raise the risk of broken bones in postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes. There was also a fracture risk seen among men who had been prescribed either Avandia or Actos plus a loop diuretic. "This raises the question of whether this class of drugs is best for patients. There are a lot of other great drugs you can use in diabetes, the best of which is to give patients insulin, which has no real side effects and has been used for 80 years," observed Steve Hammes. "It's more and more clear that, as a first-line agent, TZDs are probably not a good idea." Women over 50 who had broken bones were 71 percent more likely to have been prescribed a TZD. In men, the increased risk (more than triple) was seen among those taking both TZDs and loop diuretics, but not in just one or the other.
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- Anesthesia's Role in Hip, Knee Replacement Infections Studied: Greater risk noted in patients who had general versus spinal/epidural method, researchers say
"However, these infections are extremely serious and difficult to treat because of the implanted hardware. Sometimes the entire joint needs to be removed," said Dr. Daniel Sessler. After adjusting their statistics so they wouldn't be thrown off by factors such as the age and sex of the patients, the researchers found that those who had general anesthesia instead of epidural or spinal anesthesia were more than twice as likely to have developed a surgical site infection. Sessler said the major message of the study is that "spinal or epidural anesthesia reduces the risk of a very serious complication. It would thus be a mistake for patients to insist on general anesthesia if their anesthesiologist suggests a regional approach." Patients who receive regional anesthesia are often sedated so they're not awake during the procedure, he.....
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- Rush Victims of Deadliest Heart Attacks to Specialty Centers: Researchers estimate this will save twice as many lives and be far less expensive as expanding specialized treatment
Earlier research has found that PCI [percutaneous coronary interventions] is the best way to handle the deadliest kind of heart attack -- known as ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, or STEMI -- which is caused by near-complete blockage of a coronary artery. For that reason, the researchers used computer-simulation to evaluate strategies to make PCI interventions available to more patients -- since only one in four U.S. hospitals is currently equipped with the special labs needed to perform the procedure. The investigators found that standard ambulance delivery of patients to the nearest existing PCI care center was twice as effective and 20 times less expensive than expanding PCI availability to facilities not currently able to offer the intervention. "Expanding patient access to PCI is critical to....
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Health Highlights
**Chicken Nuggets Sold at Wal-Mart May Contain Plastic Pieces.
**California Whooping Cough Outbreak May Be Worst in 50 Years.
**Avastin's Breast Cancer Promise Seems to Fade.
**Army Suicides Hit Record Level in June.
**More People Receiving AIDS Drugs.
**Caribbean Hard Hit By Dengue Fever.
**Many States Cutting Programs For Elderly And Disabled.
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- Dangerous Fungus, Cryptococcus gattii, Now Endemic in Pacific Northwest: The emerging fungal infection can be deadly, but many mild cases may go unnoticed
While C. gattii infections are rare -- only 60 cases have been reported since 2004 -- they can be severe and even fatal. "C. gattii is still rare so we don't want people to panic or to misunderstand the risk of infection, but it is serious," said co-author Julie Harris. Harris explained that people get the infection by breathing in the spores of the fungus, which live in the environment and are usually found in the bark of certain trees and the surrounding ground. C. gattii infection causes a prolonged cough, shortness of breath, headache, fever, weight loss, and, in some patients, a stiff neck, according to Harris. The fungal infection is not contagious among people, she added. Symptoms can take months to develop after exposure, with the median time being six to seven months, and incubation periods as short as eight weeks and as.....
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- Patient's 'Lost' Blood Can Be Reused in Trauma Surgery: Process safer, cheaper than using donated blood, study authors say
During planned surgeries in which the patient is expected to experience significant bleeding into the chest cavity or abdomen, it's common practice. However, reusing the patient's blood is much less common during emergency surgeries that can occur after shootings, car accidents and other traumas, explained Dr. Carlos Brown. If more trauma centers would do so, it would both lower costs and potentially avoid blood-transfusion related risks to trauma patients, including reactions to the donated blood and the transmission of infectious disease, Brown said. In addition, the patients' own blood is "fresher," he said. Over time, blood stored in blood banks deteriorates and may not flow as well through the body. "We just want to get the message out that if you can do this at your trauma center, you should," said Brown.
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- New Guidelines Urge Earlier Therapy for HIV Patients: Treatment advances may help prevent progression to AIDS, expert panel says
Starting antiretroviral treatment (ART) when an HIV patient has no symptoms can prevent the progressive immune system destruction that leads to AIDS, according to new treatment guidelines released by the International AIDS Society-USA Panel. "Advances in ART have shown that AIDS, as traditionally defined, can be prevented. One of the greatest challenges is that full implementation of these guidelines will require addressing social and structural barriers to diagnosis and care, as well as the pervasive stigma and discrimination associated with an HIV diagnosis," they concluded. The new guidelines are included in this article.
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- Aggressive Drug Therapy May Help Slow Spread of AIDS: Infections in British Columbia cut in half since regimen introduced in 1996, study finds
"Our results show a strong and significant association between increased HAART coverage, reduced community viral load, and decreased number of new HIV diagnoses per year in the population of a Canadian province," said Professor Julio Montaner. "While waiting for an effective vaccine, experiences such as those reported today should be strongly considered by clinicians, national and international agencies, policy makers, and all parties involved in the development of treatment guidelines, because the population-based dimension of HAART might play an important part in the future control of the HIV epidemic," wrote Dr. Franco Maggiolo and Dr. Sebastiano Leone.
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- FDA Advisers Say Avastin Shouldn't Be Used for Breast Cancer: Panel says the drug wasn't benefiting patients
The 12 to 1 vote represented a setback for Avastin, which is the world's best-selling cancer drug. The drug is also approved for lung, colon, kidney and brain cancer. The 13 experts convened by the FDA voted unanimously that the drug's side effects and risks outweighed benefits when used with conventional chemotherapy. "The study shows there's very little benefit to patients with significant toxicity risks and no clear survival benefit," said Natalie Compagni Portis.
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- The Longer You Sit, the Shorter Your Life Span: Effect was seen even when researchers factored out obesity, exercise
After adjusting for a number of risk factors, including body mass index (BMI) and smoking, women who spent six hours a day sitting had a 37 percent increased risk of dying versus those who spent less than three hours a day on their bottoms. For men the increased risk was 17 percent. Exercise, even a little per day, did tend to lower the mortality risk tied to sitting, the team noted. However, sitting's influence on death risk remained significant even when activity was factored in. On the other hand, people who sat a lot and did not exercise or stay active had an even higher mortality risk: 94 percent for women and 48 percent for men. When muscles, especially those in the legs, are "sitting," they stimulate or suppress various hormones which then affect triglycerides, cholesterol and other markers for heart and other diseases, Dr. Alpa Patel explained.
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- People Who Are Depressed 'See' a Gray World: Their retinas respond less to black-and-white contrasts, scans found
German researchers used retina scans to monitor the response of the retina to varying black-and-white contrasts, and found that depressed people had dramatically lower retinal response to contrast than those without depression. This lower response was evident in depressed patients regardless of whether or not they were taking antidepressants. The researchers also found that people with the most severe depression had the lowest levels of retinal response to contrast. The research "highlights the ways that depression alters one's experience of the world," journal editor Dr. John Krystal said in a journal news release. "The poet William Cowper said that 'variety's the very spice of life,' yet when people are depressed, they are less able to perceive contrasts in the visual world. This loss would seem to make the world a less pleasurable place."
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Health Highlights
**Fresh Express Romaine Lettuce Salad Products Recalled.
**FDA Panel Turns Thumbs Down on Weight-Loss Drug.
**Packaging Chemicals Caused Cereal Recall: Kellogg.
**Pottery Barn Kids Recalls 82,000 Cribs: They Pose A Suffocation or Entrapment Hazard.
**Nestle Settles With FTC Over Children's Drink Health Claims.
**Common Waterborne Diseases Have High Health Costs.
**Suicide Attempts Common Cause of Drug-Related ER Visits.
**Obesity At Age 20 Takes 8 years Off Men's Lives.
**Do More to Cut Blood Infections In Hospital Patients: Survey.
**Drug Maker Recalls Some Lots of Blood Thinner Coumadin.
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- Rare Blood Vessel Disease Could Have New Treatment Option: Rituximab could be first new therapy in 40 years against specific forms of vasculitis, researchers say
"This trial has demonstrated for the first time there is an effective alternative to cyclophosphamide for remission induction, and there are a variety of results that make us think that rituximab should be the treatment of choice for remission induction," said Dr. John H. Stone. "I think these are two very important pivotal studies that bring hope to patients with ANCA vasculitis. And despite the fact that they are relatively small studies, they are proof of principle that this medicine has the ability to get rid of the group of cells that produce the [antibody]," added Dr. Ronald J. Falk. "These antibodies are actually causing the disease, so by getting rid of them, one is really now attacking the disease cause rather than just disease symptoms."
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- Experts Issue New Guidelines on Breast Cancer Drugs: Older women with the leading tumor type can use aromatase inhibitors before or after tamoxifen
After a systematic review of medical research on the subject, experts reported that adding an aromatase inhibitor -- a drug that reduces the amount of estrogen produced in the body -- has clearly been shown to reduce the number of tumor recurrences in postmenopausal women compared with the standard drug tamoxifen, which works by blocking the action of estrogen on cancer tumors that are estrogen-receptor positive. The committee preparing the guidelines recommended, therefore, that all postmenopausal women with this type of breast cancer use aromatase inhibitors either before or after tamoxifen. They also concluded that women could use them as long as five years after tamoxifen therapy to lower their risk that the cancer will reoccur.
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- New Guidelines Urge Use of MRI Over CT Scan in Stroke Patients: American Academy of Neurology now says diffusion MRI best for detecting blockage
Diffusion MRI, which measures molecular water motion in tissue, can show where water diffusion is restricted, thus this type of scan reveals where brain damage has occurred in stroke patients. In contrast, CT scans are more like a specialized type of X-ray. For diagnosis of an acute ischemic stroke within 12 hours of symptom onset, diffusion MRI should be considered more useful than CT, according to the new guideline. One of the studies reviewed by the guideline's authors found that MRI accurately detected stroke 83 percent of the time, compared with 26 percent of the time for CT scans. "However, one situation in which CT may still be used first is when a person needs an emergency injection of drug therapy (also known as intravenous thrombolytic therapy) to break up blood clots, if MRI is not immediately available, to avoid delays in.....
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- Excess Weight in Older Women Linked to Diminished Memory: Impact of extra pounds worse for those who carry fat around their hips, researchers find
Middle-aged women who are overweight may have yet another motivation to take off those excess pounds: The more a postmenopausal woman weighs, the worse her memory, researchers have found. What's more, the negative impact on memory was more pronounced in "pear-shaped" women who carry excess weight around their hips, and less of a factor in "apple-shaped" women who carry it around their waists, the study authors noted. Dr. Diana Kerwin said more studies are needed to confirm and explain the apparent disparity between pear- and apple-shaped women. But one possibility is that the type of fat that's deposited on the hips is more likely to release hormones that are detrimental to brain function, she said. "What this study is really telling us is that there's something about obesity that puts you at risk for dementia, and it's independent of.....
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- Exercise, Vitamin D Seem to Cut Alzheimer's Risk: Researchers: Both appear to reduce cognitive decline, two long-term studies contend
The first study found that those who did moderate to heavy amounts of exercise had about a 40 percent reduced risk of developing any type of dementia. People with the lowest levels of physical activity were 45 percent more likely to develop any type of dementia than those who did the most exercise. These trends were strongest in men. The second study found that the risk of cognitive impairment was 42 percent higher in people who were deficient in vitamin D, and 394 percent higher in those with severe vitamin D deficiency. "Vitamin D supplements have proven to be a safe, inexpensive and effective way to treat deficiency," David Llewellyn said. "However, few foods contain vitamin D and levels of supplementation in the U.S. are currently inadequate. More research is urgently needed to establish whether vitamin D supplementation has.....
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- Vitamins D, E Might Help Maintain Brain Health: 3 studies show links between levels of the nutrients and odds for dementia, Parkinson's
In one trial, British researchers tied low levels of vitamin D to higher odds of developing dementia, while a Dutch study found that people with diets rich in vitamin E had a lower risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. Finally, a study released by Finnish researchers linked high blood levels of vitamin D to a lower risk of Parkinson's disease. Dr. Michael Holick said that "these finding are consistent with what we have been believing for a long time, that the brain has receptors for vitamin D, so to maximize brain function you probably need adequate vitamin D." Holick also believes that vitamin E is probably important for brain health. "It may be that vitamin E improves the health of the brain cell," he said.
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Health Highlights
**Don't Use Malaria Drug, Qualaquin, to Treat Leg Cramps Says FDA: There's a risk of serious blood disorders and other adverse events.
**Obesity Leads to Inactivity in Kids.
**New Rules May Ease Veterans' Claims for PTSD Compensation.
**FDA Okays Mini Eye Telescope for Macular Degeneration.
**Neck Measurement Reveals Overweight, Obese Children.
**Task Force Issues New Osteoporosis Screening Guidelines.
**Doctors Perform 1st Face Transplant Including Eyelids, Tear Ducts.
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- Tight Blood Pressure Control Doesn't Help All Diabetics: In those with coronary disease, it would be better to focus on other heart risk factors, researcher advises
Lower may not be better when it concerns blood pressure levels in type 2 diabetics who also have heart disease. New research finds that patients with diabetes and coronary artery disease did not have fewer strokes or heart attacks, and actually were more likely to die when their blood pressure was maintained under 130 mm Hg, compared to patients with "usual blood pressure control," putting them in the 130 to 140 range. "The damage was already done [in the patients in this study] and when you push the blood pressure down too much you may actually be inducing unreasonable effects that make the patient vulnerable to cardiac events,"Dr. Fouad Kandeel said. But that doesn't mean that tight control of blood pressure isn't a good thing in early-stage patients. "The early phase patient might deserve tight control so they don't.....
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- Fish Oil Supplements Linked to Lower Risk of Breast Cancer: 32 percent reduced odds seen in postmenopausal women, but more study is needed, researchers say
When the researchers looked at the women who took the fish oil supplements, they found they had a 32 percent reduced risk of breast cancer, which appeared to be restricted to invasive ductal breast cancer, the most common type. Emily White said it's not clear how fish oil may protect against breast cancer, but it could have something to do with the anti-inflammatory properties of fish oil supplements. White cautioned that she's not recommending that fish oil supplements be taken for reducing breast cancer risk, and has issued a statement that "without confirming studies...we should not draw any conclusions about a causal relationship." Such research is about to start, she said, with Harvard researchers enrolling participants to look at the impact of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D on the risk of cancer, heart disease and stroke.
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- Relentless Heat Threatens Your Health: Kids, elderly are most vulnerable, but experts say simple steps can help
Heat cramps are milder symptoms of enduring too much heat but if they are ignored they can lead to more serious problems. "Typically you get nausea and vomiting, abdominal cramps," Dr. Benson Yeh said. Dizziness, dry mouth, dry skin and fatigue are also warning signs, added Dr. Russell Flood. Preexisting respiratory conditions such as asthma can also be ignited by higher-than-average temperatures. "The best way to avoid becoming severely ill is to get into a cooler environment, even if that just means half an hour," said Yeh. Use cool, damp towels or take a cool bath to lower your body temperature, Yeh advised.
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Health Highlights
**New Technology May Enable Blind People to Drive.
**West Nile Cases Lower in 2009.
**40 Million Expired Swine Flu Vaccine Doses to Be Destroyed.
**Scientists Developing Blood Test for Down Syndrome.
**VA Hospital Warns of Patients' Possible Exposure To Infectious Diseases.
**Cancer Survivors Should Exercise: Guidelines.
**Alcohol During Pregnancy May Harm Son's Sperm.
**Airline Food Companies Cited for Health and Safety Violations.
**New Prostate Cancer Drug in Short Supply.
**Excess Weight Increases Risk of Miscarriage After In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF).
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- Testosterone Gel Used To Boost Mobility Could Raise Risk of High Blood Pressure or Heart Attack in Frail, Older Men
However, the trial was a small one and volunteers were older men with diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other problems, so whether or not these adverse events would affect the larger population of men taking testosterone therapy is still an open question. Testosterone supplementation remains a controversial therapy. "Testosterone is currently not approved for the treatment of older men with mobility problems or frailty, even though there is considerable off-label use of testosterone by older men with low testosterone levels," noted senior study author Dr. Shalender Bhasin. "Given the findings of this research study, older patients and their physicians should carefully weigh the risks of testosterone therapy in their treatment decisions." The trial was discontinued at the end of 2009 when researchers found that 23 men in the testosterone group had had cardiovascular.....
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- Insulin Pump With Blood Sugar Sensor May Improve on Injections: Study finds it leads to better diabetes management for type 1 patients
After one year, the group using the pump and sensor had significantly better blood sugar readings than those using injections, the study found. At the start of the study, A1C levels (a measure of long-term blood sugar control) were 8.3 percent for both groups. For those on the pump, A1C levels dropped to 7.5 percent compared to 8.1 percent for those using injections. The A1C target for adults with diabetes is under 7 percent, while for teens the target is 7.5 percent and for children aged 6 to 12, it's 8 percent, explained study author Dr. Richard Bergenstal. Importantly, there was no difference in the incidence of hypoglycemia, or dangerously low blood sugar episodes, between the two groups, the authors found. "It's important for people to realize there is a real change in the long-term outlook for the health of people with type 1 diabetes, and.....
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- Combo Vaccine Raises Risk of Fever-Related Seizures in Kids: MMR, varicella vaccines given separately seem safer, though real risk still rare, study finds
Toddlers who receive the combination MMRV (measles, mumps, rubella and varicella) vaccine are at higher risk of having a febrile seizure a week to 10 days after receiving the shot than children who get the MMR and varicella (chicken pox) vaccines separately at the same visit, a new study confirms. Although the combination shot doubles the risk of febrile seizure, the odds are still quite small, experts noted. Febrile seizures are brief convulsions brought on by fever that occur in about 5 percent of children between 6 months and 5 years of age, said Dr. Nicola Klein. Although the seizures are distressing, especially to parents, they don't lead to epilepsy or seizure disorders.
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Health Highlights
**Hot Cars Can Be Deadly for Children, Experts Warn.
**More American Women Childless.
**CT Scans Pose Growing Health Threat: Experts.
**Safety Concerns Prompt Recall of Millions of Cribs From Seven Companies.
**California Declares Whooping Cough Epidemic.
**Pfizer Pulls Leukemia Drug Off Market.
**Coffee 'Aphrodisiac' Product Poses Danger: FDA.
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- Stem Cell Technique Restores Sight to Burn-Injured Eyes: Lab-grown graft provides 'biological contact lens' for cornea, experts say
Existing treatments for severe burns involve taking stem cells from the patient's healthy eye, if he or she has one, or from the eyes of a relative or another person. A doctor transfers the stem cells to the burned eye, where they may begin creating new cells that allow the cornea to work properly again. The treatment described in the study takes a slightly different approach. Researchers coaxed the eye's limbal stem cells to reproduce in a lab culture before implanting them in the damaged corneas of 112 patients. "By the time [researchers] put them on the damaged cornea, the stem cells can cover the eye,"Dr. Stephen Pflugfelder said. The study reports that the treatment was successful in 76.6 percent of the patients and partially successful in 13.1 percent.
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- Inducing Labor More Than Doubles The Risk Of Having A Cesarean Delivery: One in five cesareans due to 'failed inductions,' researchers find
Many decisions to induce labor are medically necessary, including situations in which it's deemed safer to deliver the baby than to continue the pregnancy. But many inductions are "elective," requested typically by a woman or her doctor, Dr. Deborah Ehrenthal also found in her study. "There are concerns that deliveries are being scheduled [and labor-induced] for non-medical reasons." "We need to understand it's not without risk to be doing this," Ehrenthal said of some elective inductions and the higher risk of C-sections. "There are significant risk to moms for C-sections." Having one C-section also increases the chances of having to have a C-section in later deliveries. "Emerging evidence shows increasing risk with increasing cesarean deliveries. Preventing the primary C-section can stop that cascade," and reducing elective labor inductions is....
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- Diabetes Appears To Double The Risk of Dying From A Heart Attack, Stroke or Other Heart Condition: People with the condition account for 10% of deaths from cardiovascular disease, study suggests
These findings, Nadeem Sarwar added, highlight the need to prevent & control diabetes, a disease in which blood sugar levels are too high. The researchers found that having diabetes nearly doubled the risk of suffering from various diseases involving the heart and blood vessels. But this risk was only partially due to the usual culprits -- cholesterol, blood pressure and obesity, Sarwar said. This suggests that diabetes may cause cardiovascular disease by a different mechanism, the study authors noted. In addition, the researchers found that higher-than-normal blood sugar in people without diabetes was not strongly related to having a heart attack or stroke. In light of this finding, blood sugar levels are probably not a good indicator for identifying people at risk for heart attack or stroke..
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- Breast Milk Significantly Reduces Infections in Babies: Study finds at least 4 months and preferably 6 months of exclusive breast-feeding best
Breast-feeding seems to provide an immune system boost to infants, helping to prevent respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses in babies, according to new research. The researchers found that when infants were breast-fed exclusively for four months and then at least partially thereafter, the risk of respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses was significantly reduced. Compared to babies who were never breast-fed, the risk of lower respiratory infections dropped by 50 percent, the risk of upper respiratory infections were reduced 35 percent and the risk of gastrointestinal illnesses dropped by 59 percent, according to the study. Dr. Henriette Moll said that breast-feeding exclusively until 6 months appeared to provide even more benefit, but.....
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- PCBs May Weaken Kids' Vaccination Response: Early exposure may undermine reaction to diphtheria and tetanus shots, study finds
The findings suggest that exposure to the environmental pollutants in the first years of life (a critical time in immune system development) could undermine the effectiveness of childhood vaccinations and possibly weaken immune system responses to infection. The researchers found that higher PCB concentrations, particularly in children at 18 months, were associated with lower concentrations of diphtheria and tetanus antibodies at ages 5 and 7. Some children had antibody levels lower than what's needed to protect against the two diseases.
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- Vitamin D Deficiency Linked to Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome in Studies:
Screening, supplementation could be beneficial, researchers suggest
A pair of new studies has uncovered evidence that low levels of vitamin D could lead to poor blood sugar control among diabetics and increase the risk of developing metabolic syndrome among seniors. In one study researchers reviewed the medical charts of 124 type 2 diabetes patients who sought specialty care at an endocrine outpatient facility between 2003 and 2008. More than 90 percent of the patients, who ranged in age from 36 to 89, had either vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency, the authors found, despite the fact that they all had had routine primary care visits before their specialty visit. A second study involving nearly 1,300 white Dutch men and women over the age of 65 found almost half were vitamin D-deficient, while 37 percent had metabolic syndrome.
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- MP3 Players Might Harm Hearing: Prolonged listening at loud volume may lead to temporary and later permanent, irreversible loss, experts say
"If one becomes more susceptible to loud-noise damage with aging or age-related hearing loss, MP3 players could be even more of a hazard to middle-aged and older adults," added Robert Frisina. Paul R. Kileny said in addition to volume levels, which can cause hearing damage, MP3s use a compression system to make music files smaller -- a technique that may also lead to hearing loss. "The natural peaks and valleys of the music, which is the saving grace for our ears in terms of exposure, have disappeared," he said. "There are less valleys and more peaks. In any piece of music you have less soft breaks than you used to with CDs or vinyl." In addition, the effect of putting earphones in your ear canal varies with the size of the canal, Kileny said. The younger you are or the smaller you are, the smaller the ear canal. A small ear canal makes music.....
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Health Highlights
**FDA Warns Consumers About Fake 'Generic Tamiflu' Sold Over the Internet: It can be dangerous to people who are allergic to penicillin.
**Marie Callender's Brand Frozen Meals Recalled Because of Salmonella Outbreak.
**FDA Warns Against Too Much Vitamin D For Infants.
**McNeil Expands Odor-Related Recall of Medicines.
**Kroger Ice Cream Recalled because the product may contain tree nuts that aren't listed on the label.
**Obesity in the United States Is "the single greatest threat to public health in this century".
**Brain Distorts Body Image.
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- Drug That Stops Bleeding Could Save Lives: Giving TXA to trauma victims could prevent 100,000 deaths worldwide each year, study suggests
The drug, tranexamic acid (TXA) is cheap, widely available around the world and easily administered, experts said. It works by significantly reducing the rate at which blood clots break down, the researchers explained. "When people have serious injuries, whether from accidents or violence, and when they have severe hemorrhage they can bleed to death. This treatment reduces the chances of bleeding to death by about a sixth, " said researcher Dr. Ian Roberts. Using this drug to treat trauma patients is a completely new idea, Dr. Jerrold H. Levy said. "I think people should consider it [TXA] following trauma on the basis of this study," he said. Currently, TXA is not generally used in emergency rooms to treat trauma patients, but Roberts believes that this study could change that. The researchers believe that TXA could have even wider uses, such as.......
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- Key Blood Sugar Test Seems to Differ By Race: Even when glucose values are similar, blacks have higher A1C results, study finds
The hemoglobin A1C test is supposed to give doctors a sense of diabetics' long-term blood sugar levels, but new research suggests the test may have different results depending on race, even if daily blood sugar levels are the same. What's more, those differences became greater as blood sugar levels and A1C increased. In both studies, the researchers found that blacks had higher A1C levels than whites, even in the presence of normal blood sugar readings. In the first study, blacks without diabetes had an average A1C that was increased by 0.13 percent. In the NHANES group, the difference between blacks and whites was 0.21 percent. Even that seemingly small difference, however, could change the diagnosis of prediabetes or diabetes, experts noted.
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- Longer Antiviral Therapy Reduces Lung Transplant Complications:
Study finds 12-month course of valganciclover wards off dangerous CMV infections
Extended antiviral treatment after a lung transplant may help prevent dangerous complications and organ rejection, a new study from Duke University Medical Center shows. "We found that 12 months of oral valganciclovir was extremely effective and led to a dramatic reduction in the rate of CMV infection and disease," said Dr. Scott Palmer. Potential side effects of valganciclovir include nausea, diarrhea, anemia and other blood disorders, retinal detachment, headache, fever, vomiting, mental changes and other problems. However, the study "showed that there was no increased or added toxicity with the extended course of treatment," Palmer said. "In addition, the study examined viral resistance mutations and demonstrated that extended therapy did not lead to increased drug resistance, a potential concern with longer courses of treatment," Palmer...
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- Ninety Percent of Stroke Risk Due to 10 Risk Factors: Eighty percent of stroke risk due to five lifestyle factors, international study finds
Of that list, five risk factors usually related to lifestyle -- high blood pressure, smoking, abdominal obesity, diet and physical activity -- are responsible for a full 80 percent of all stroke risk, according to the researchers. The study reports that the 10 factors significantly associated with stroke risk are high blood pressure, smoking, physical activity, waist-to-hip ratio (abdominal obesity), diet, blood lipid (fat) levels, diabetes, alcohol intake, stress and depression, and heart disorders. Across the board, high blood pressure was the most important factor, accounting for one-third of all stroke risk. "It's important that most of the risk factors associated with stroke are modifiable," said Dr. Martin J. O'Donnell.
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- Brown Rice Bests White for Diabetes Prevention: Five servings of white rice weekly can up risk of type 2 diabetes, researchers report
"This is an important message for public health. White rice is potentially harmful for the risk of type 2 diabetes," said the study's lead author, Dr. Qi Sun. "Over the last decade, rice consumption in the U.S. has really increased a lot, but more than 70 percent of the rice consumed is white rice," said Sun, who added, "People should replace white rice with brown rice or whole grains." The reason that brown rice may offer some protection, according to Sun, is that it still contains many of the nutrients and fiber that are stripped away in the production of white rice. "When you have just the white rice, it's mostly protein and starch, and you're making freer carbohydrates that are easy to digest," said Dr. Jacob Warman. "With white rice, the digestive enzymes can more easily penetrate the rice grains and release the starch for digestion. After......
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Health Highlights
**Ikea Recalls Millions Of Window Blinds That Pose A Possible Child Strangulation Hazard.
**High Meat Diet Linked To Early Periods for Girls.
**Company Drops Chocolate Toddler Drink After Criticism That The Product Contributes To Childhood Obesity.
**Slightly Early or Late Birth Can Cause Learning Problems.
**Low-Allergy Peanut May Save Lives.
**Brain Influences Cholesterol Levels.
**McDonald's Recalls Shrek Glasses Because The Painted Designs Contain The Carcinogen Cadmium.
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- Epilepsy Drug Linked to Serious Birth Defects: Taking Valproic Acid [Brand names include Depakene and Depakote] ups risk of brain, heart, limb defects in babies, a new study finds
Babies whose mothers took valproic acid during the first trimester were 12.7 times more likely to have spina bifida, in which the spinal cord and backbone fail to develop or close properly, compared to babies whose mothers did not take the drug. Babies whose mothers took valproic acid were also 2.5 times more likely to have an atrial septal defect (a heart defect); about five times as likely to have a cleft palate (a defect of the upper lip and roof of the mouth) or hypospadias (a penis abnormality); more than twice as likely to be born with an extra digit on the hand (polydactyly); and nearly seven times more likely to have craniosynostosis (premature fusion of the skull during fetal development that restricts skull and brain growth). "This drug should not be used as a first-line drug for epilepsy in.........
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- Novel Drug Combats Advanced Melanoma: First in its class, ipilimumab showed 68% increase in survival, researchers report
Scientists say that a new drug to treat melanoma, the first in its class, improved survival by 68 percent in patients whose disease had spread from the skin to other parts of the body. This is big news in the field of melanoma research, where survival rates have refused to budge, despite numerous efforts to come up with an effective treatment for the increasingly common and fatal skin cancer over the past three decades. "This is important because this is a disease where the average survival is six to nine months, so an increase on average by an additional four months is a very large difference in this population," Dr. steven O'Day said. "Even more importantly than the median survival are the one- and two- year landmark survivals, which were nearly doubled in the two ipilimumab arms, going from 25 to 46 percent at one year and 14 to 24 percent at two years."
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- Newer Drugs Beat Gleevec in Head-to-Head Trials
More chronic myeloid leukemia patients responded to Sprycel and Tasigna than Gleevec
Two new drugs, dasatinib (Sprycel) and nilotinib (Tasigna), appear better than imatinib (Gleevec) in treating patients with newly diagnosed chronic myeloid leukemia and should be considered as first-line treatments, two new studies show. "Both next-generation inhibitors of BCR-ABL [dasatinib and nilotinib] are superior to Gleevec in treating chronic myeloid leukemia when compared head-to-head after one year of follow-up," said Dr. Charles L. Sawyers. Newly diagnosed chronic myeloid leukemia patients should probably now be treated with one of the new drugs instead of imatinib, he noted.
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- Drug Made From Sea Sponge Fights Advanced Breast Cancer: Eribulin extended survival after other chemotherapies had failed, study finds
"Eribulin targets the . . . mechanisms by which the cells divide, which is different from previous agents," explained Christopher Twelve. In another study Italian researchers reported that liver biopsies can reveal whether a breast cancer that has spread through the body has changed its cellular characteristics, such as estrogen-receptor status, progesterone-receptor status or HER2 status. A third trial showed that removing more than just the sentinel lymph node, the first lymph node that breast cancer spreads to, may be unnecessary. A final study found that looking for breast cancer micrometastases in the sentinel node did not predict which women with breast cancer would live longer, although finding metastases in bone marrow does seem to predict which women are going to die sooner.
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- Targeted Radiation for Early Breast Cancer a Good Option: 1 session of localized treatment is as effective as whole-breast radiation, researchers found
Radiation therapy that targets a specific area of the breast is as effective as whole-breast radiation in reducing breast cancer recurrence in some women and is far more convenient, a new study suggests. The researchers caution that the patients in the study fit into a limited category: They were 45 years or older, had early invasive breast cancer and were considered appropriate candidates for breast-conserving surgery. For selected patients with early breast cancer, a single dose of radiotherapy delivered at the time of surgery by use of targeted intraoperative radiotherapy should be considered as an alternative to external beam radiotherapy delivered over several weeks, they said in a news release.
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- Common Pain Relievers Raise Heart Risk for Healthy Folks: Safety of drugs like Advil and Aleve differ, study finds
"This study is the first to confirm that the cardiovascular risk is indeed increased when healthy individuals use some of the drugs," said Dr. Emil L. Fosbol.Use of diclofenac (Voltaren and Cataflam) was associated with a 91 percent higher risk of death from all cardiovascular diseases, while rofecoxib (Vioxx) use was associated with a 66 percent increased risk. But the study found no increased risk of cardiovascular problems -- indeed, a slightly lower risk of death -- associated with naproxen, sold over the counter with brand names including Aleve. For people taking the largest doses, diclofenac was associated with a doubled risk of heart attack, and rofecoxib (Vioxx) was associated with a threefold increased risk of heart attack. That warning applies especially to people who exercise regularly and are thus more likely to take an NSAID for muscle and joint pain, ........
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- Researchers Report Treatment Headway Against Lung Cancer: Studies show combo chemotherapy, new drug prolonged lives of some with advanced disease
One study discovered that an experimental drug called crizotinib shrank tumors in the majority of lung cancer patients with a specific gene variant. An estimated 4 percent of lung cancer patients, or roughly 40,000 people worldwide, have this gene variant. A second study found that a double-chemotherapy regimen benefited elderly patients, who represent the majority of those with lung cancer worldwide. Roughly 100,000 patients with lung cancer in the United States are over the age of 70. A phase 3 study found patients receiving the targeted drug vandetanib combined with chemotherapy had a 21 percent decline in disease progression compared to those receiving chemotherapy alone. Median progression-free survival in the combination arm was 17.3 weeks vs. 14 weeks in the control group.
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Health Highlights
**Congress Misses Deadline to Delay Medicare Payment Cut: Senate Turns Back on Seniors Making It More Difficult For Them To Find A Doctor.
**PediaCare-Brand Children's Cold Products Recalled.
**U.S. East Coast Faces Mosquito Woes.
**FDA Approves New Bone Drug: Offers treatment of postmenopausal women at risk for fractures.
**Midnight Snacks Harm Teeth: The flow of saliva -- which is needed to remove food debris from the mouth -- tends to dry up at night.
**More States Require Physical Education for Students: But only five states require physical education consistently from kindergarten to Grade 12.
**Injuries From Groin-Punching 'Game' Increase Among Pre-Teen and Teen Boys: In some cases victims suffer serious damage requiring surgery.
**Companies Pledge to Limit Lead in Handbags.
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- Prostate Cancer Vaccine, Provenge, Shows Few Side Effects: And it extends life for men with advanced disease, researchers say
In April, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the vaccine for use in men with advanced prostate cancer who had failed hormone therapy. The advantage of the vaccine for patients with metastatic hormone-resistant prostate cancer is that it has fewer side effects than chemotherapy, which is the only other treatment option for these patients, Dr. Simon J. Hall explained. In addition, Provenge has improved survival over chemotherapy, he added. The average survival time for men given Provenge is 4.5 months, although some patients saw their lives extended by two to three years. "This is a newly available treatment, with very limited side effects, compared to anything else that a man would be considering in this state," Hall said. According to the FDA, Provenge is given intravenously in a three-dose schedule delivered in two-week intervals.
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- Drug Combo Staves Off Type 2 Diabetes: Low doses of metformin, Avandia cut risk by two-thirds in study
"We were pleasantly surprised to find that using half of the maximum dose was extremely effective for preventing type 2 diabetes," Dr. Bernard Zinman said. In addition, Zinman said that the drug combination appeared to counteract the weight gain that's common with Avandia therapy alone. He said that the researchers saw very few side effects in this study. One major concern about this drug combination, however, is in the use of Avandia. This medication has come under intense FDA scrutiny because it has been associated with an increased risk of heart failure and heart attack. Zinman said that although this study wasn't designed to assess the safety of Avandia, they didn't see an increase in the risk of cardiovascular disease. He also pointed out that this study used only half of the FDA-approved starting dose of the drug.
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- Dangers Lurk in Impotence Drugs Sold on Web: Study finds many contain toxins, or too much/too little of the active ingredient
The drugs could especially be dangerous for men with hypertension or heart disease, the study found. Only one of the counterfeit drugs contained "proper active ingredients," the researchers stated. Some contained potential toxins, including mercury and lead. Even genuine Viagra has risks, experts note, especially for men who take nitrates for chest pain. And there could be drug interactions with both real and fake ED drugs. "All these drugs have side effects and that's probably the big reason why patients should be getting them through a physician," Dr. John Morley said. "While these things may be cheaper, they potentially have much greater side effects."
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- Radiation for Prostate Cancer May Boost Fracture Risk: Study found treatment hiked hip fractures by 58 percent
A new study suggests that prostate cancer patients who undergo three-dimensional external-beam radiation therapy may be at increased risk of breaking their hips, but they can take action to strengthen their bones after treatment. After adjusting their statistics so factors such as race and age wouldn't skew the results, the researchers found the radiation treatment boosted the risk of hip fracture by 58 percent but didn't increase the risk of wrist fracture.
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- Breathing Exercises May Boost Athletes' Performance: Inspiratory muscle training pays off in endurance sports, study finds
Doing daily breathing exercises to strengthen inhalation muscles and reduce their need for oxygen helps boost performance during endurance sports such as cycling and swimming. Indiana University researchers found that inspiratory muscle training (IMT) significantly reduced the amount of oxygen required by breathing muscles during exercise, making more oxygen available for other muscles. IMT involves the use of a hand-held device that creates resistance while inhaling, requiring a person to make greater use of inspiratory muscles. Besides improving the performance of endurance athletes, IMT has been used to treat patients with lung diseases, such as asthma, cystic fibrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
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Health Highlights
**FDA Approves 1st Permanent Swine Flu Test.
**Drop-Side Crib Ban Goes Before Congress.
**New Obama Mandatory Socialistic Law That Rations and Ups the Cost of Your Health Care: Government Controlled Health Care Could Penalize One-Third of U.S. Employers.
**Dangerous Hospital Bacterium Spreads in Air.
**States Banning Synthetic 'K2' Marijuana: Poison centers in 35 states have documented 352 cases of people sickened by K2 Pot.
**Experimental Drug Boosts Cure Rate for Hepatitis C.
**FDA Approves 1st Permanent Swine Flu Test.
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- 'Button' Lithium Batteries Killing, Disabling Children: To prevent serious injury or death, a swallowed battery has to be removed from the child's esophagus within two hours of swallowing
Typically pediatric ingestion results in the battery getting lodged in the esophagus, the authors noted, rather than in air passages. So the risk is primarily not a question of choking, but rather one of a potentially fatal alkaline burn. The burns from lithium button batteries result not from battery leakage, but to exposure of body tissues to the battery's external current, resulting in hydroxide that can burn through the throat or esophagus. The difficulty, said Dr. Toby Litovitz, is that absent a choking incident a child who swallows a battery will probably not register any alarm, since "the child is not thinking it's not a food item, and most are swallowing them like they're swallowing a candy." In addition, symptoms resemble those of the flu, including vomiting, fever, cough and lack of appetite.
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Health Highlights
**Alfalfa Sprouts Recalled After 22 Sickened in 10 States.
**350,000 Trunks Sold at Target Recalled.
**Concussion Damage Called Worse for Young Athletes.
**WalMart's Miley Cyrus Jewelry Contains High Levels of Toxic Metal Cadmium.
**Therapy as Effective as Drugs for Tourette Syndrome.
**Pink Baby Blankets Sold at Target Stores Recalled Due to Choking Threat.
**Hot Dogs, Bacon Tied to Heart Disease, Diabetes.
**Urinary Tract Infections Becoming 'Resistant'.
**Deaths Prompt Recall of Toy Dart Gun Set.
**MRSA Infections in Children Up 10-Fold.
**2.5 Million Step2 Toy Buggies Recalled.
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- Viagra Linked to Long-Term Hearing Loss: Study found men on medication were twice as likely to develop hearing loss
The erectile dysfunction drug Viagra, and possibly other similar medications, may prompt long-term hearing loss among users, a new study suggests. "It appears from these findings that the current government warning regarding hearing loss and the use of PDE-5i medications is warranted," said Gerald McGwin. "PDE-5i medications work in erectile dysfunction patients by their ability to increase blood flow to certain tissues in the body," said McGwin. "It has been hypothesized that they may have a similar effect on similar tissues in the ear, where an increase of blood flow could potentially cause damage leading to hearing loss."
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- Children Born by Cesarean Section May Be More Likely to Develop Celiac Disease, A Chronic Digestive Disorder, Than Children Born Vaginally
Compared to children born vaginally, children delivered by C-section were 80 percent more likely to develop celiac disease. Researchers aren't sure why there could be a link between the mode of delivery and celiac disease, but one possible explanation is that children born via C-section don't pick up the same microbes from their mothers as babies that pass through the vaginal canal, Dr. Mathias Hornef said. This alters the infant's colonization with gut microflora, or "good" microbes, that aid in digestion and fending off pathogens. Previous research suggests there are differences in the intestinal bacterial flora between children born vaginally or by C-section.
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- Common Diabetes Drug Linked to Vitamin B-12 Deficiency
Type 2 patients taking Metformin should get levels tested regularly, study suggests
Metformin, also known by several brand names including Glucophage, is a common treatment for people with type 2 diabetes, but it can cause vitamin B-12 deficiency. Failing to check patients' vitamin levels may lead doctors to improperly diagnose the symptoms of B-12 deficiency, which include fatigue, mental changes, anemia and neuropathy. Doctors may mistakenly think these symptoms are caused by diabetes or aging, the study authors noted. Patients who took the drug had a 19 percent reduction in their vitamin B-12 levels compared to the other participants, who had little change. The reduction in B-12 levels continued and became more apparent over time in those taking metformin, the investigators found. "Our study shows that it is reasonable to assume harm will eventually occur in some patients with metformin-induced low vitamin B-12 levels,".......
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- High-Fat Meal May Trigger Asthma: Study finds fatty foods lead to inflammation, reduced lung function
Australian researchers tested people with asthma before and after a high-fat meal or after a low-fat meal, and found that the high-fat meal increased inflammation and reduced lung function. "This is the first study to look at the effects of a high-fat challenge on airway inflammation. Our preliminary results demonstrate that at four hours after the consumption of the food challenges, subjects who consumed the high-fat meal had an increase in airway inflammation. They also had an impaired response to [asthma medication]," said Lisa Wood. The prevalence of asthma has increased significantly over the past few decades, and one factor that's been implicated in that rise is the typically high-fat Western diet.
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- Alcohol Companies Use Latest New Media to Lure Young Drinkers: Including cell phones, social networking sites, YouTube and other features of the expanding digital universe
"Close to 5,000 people under the age of 21 die of alcohol overuse each year," noted David Jernigan. "Virtual worlds show all of the appeal and none of the consequences of alcohol use and undercut efforts to reduce the incidence of underage drinking. At this point, alcohol companies appear limited only by their imaginations and pocketbooks." And the new approach involves a "360-degree strategy," Kathryn Montgomery said, meaning "a multiplicity of platforms throughout the day and night that includes online, offline, mobile, digital, music, video -- a whole range of different ways that consumers interact with new digital marketing." "On a single site, through a variety of applications, whether offering users free e-mail, access to music downloads, online videos or other applications, a wide array of techniques are......
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Health Highlights
**2.5 Million Step2 Toy Buggies Recalled: Pose Serious Risk of Injury To Young Children.
**E. Coli Outbreak Expands to Tennessee.
**Swallowing Topical Benadryl Gel Can Be Hazardous: FDA.
**FDA Alerting Professionals to Misleading Drug Ads.
**Toxins in Children's Jewelry Targeted.
**New Rules Developed for Chicken, Turkey Safety.
**More Night-time Driving Deaths Among Young Blamed on Cell Phones.
**CPSC Investigating Concerns About New Pampers Diapers.
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- Stomach Acid Drugs Come With Dangers, Studies Show: Potential serious side effects of popular proton pump inhibitors should not be ignored
Side effects associated with proton pump inhibitors include bone fractures among older women and Clostridium difficile infections that can cause life-threatening diarrhea and gastrointestinal upset in older people. Overall, proton pump inhibitors are safe, experts stressed. Even so, evidence suggests the drugs are being prescribed unnecessarily and that potential side effects are not being taken seriously enough. Evidence suggests that between 53 percent and 69 percent of prescriptions are for "inappropriate indications," such as indigestion or heartburn without ulcers. While the risk is relatively small, there are so many people taking proton pump inhibitors that it translates into thousands of additional deaths, Howell said. Previous research has shown C. difficile kills about one in every 14 adults over 65 who gets it, Howell said.
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- Herbal Supplements, Warfarin Can Be Hazardous Mix: Garlic, ginkgo, St John's Wort could all upset bleeding/clotting balance, study found
More than half of the herbal and non-herbal supplements were found to have either an indirect or direct impact on warfarin. Nearly two-thirds of all the supplements were found to raise the risk for bleeding among patients taking the blood thinner, while more than one-third hampered the effectiveness of the medication. An increase in bleeding risk was specifically linked to the use of cranberry, garlic, ginkgo and saw palmetto supplements, the team said. Glucosamine/chondroitin, essential fatty acids, multi-herb products, evening primrose oil, co-enzyme Q10, soy, melatonin, ginseng and St. John's wort all affected warfarin's effectiveness so much so that they prompted a need for adjustments in the drug's prescribed dosage.
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- Tainted Lettuce Recall Expands: Distributors in Oklahoma, Massachusetts asked to pull back products
According to Ohio-based Freshway Foods, the lettuce was sold to wholesalers, food service outlets, in-store salad bars and delis in Alabama, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin. The recall covers lettuce with a "best if used by" date of May 12 or earlier, as well as "grab and go" salads sold at Kroger, Giant Eagle, Ingles Markets and Marsh grocery stores, the AP reported. The lettuce does not include any bulk or prepackaged romaine or bagged salad mixes in retail supermarkets, the company stressed.
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- Early Treatment With Clot-Busting Drug Best After Stroke: After 4.5 hours, odds for good recovery decline sharply and risk of dying increases, study finds
It has been known that treating a stroke earlier is better than later, but this study shows for the first time that there is significant harm done with starting tPA after 4.5 hours, the researchers noted. "The benefit of giving this treatment for stroke continues if we start it as late as 4.5 hours," said lead researcher Dr. Kennedy R. Lees. "There is no net benefit to patients if you start the treatment after 4.5 hours. But if you start treatment after 4.5 hours, you will have more patients who die," he added. These findings mean that patients have more time to get to the hospital, Lees said. "The message for the doctors is we can't waste a moment once the patient has arrived in starting treatment, so there is more time for the patients and less time for the doctors."
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- Seventy Percent of Pregnant Women in the United States Don't Get Enough Vitamin D: Simple blood test could spot those who need more supplementation, study suggests
"Prenatal vitamins do help raise vitamin D levels, but many women start taking them after becoming pregnant," UCDSM's Dr. Adit Ginde said. "Although research is ongoing, I think it's best for women to start a few months before becoming pregnant to maximize the likely health benefits." In general, vitamin D levels seem to have been dropping in recent years, the researchers noted -- perhaps due to a dip in outdoor activity. Vitamin D deficiency in the first years of life is associated with a higher risk for respiratory infection and childhood wheezing, while adults who lack an adequate supply bear a greater risk for heart disease and certain cancers.
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- With Long-Term Exercise, Being 80 Is Just a Number: Seniors find that strength, flexibility can remain, and heart risks fall
"My definition of aging is when you can't do the things physically that you used to do when you were years younger," said Lawrence Golding. "People who exercise regularly continue doing the things they used to do when they were in their 20s." Along with a healthy diet, staying mentally active and socially engaged, exercise is emerging as one of the key ways of staving off chronic diseases and, in general, staying healthier in old age, experts say. In fact, next to maintaining a healthy weight, exercise in men was found to be the most important factor in warding off heart failure. "The most important organ in an older person's body is their legs," said Dr. Walter Bortz. "If your legs stay good, everything else takes care of itself. You don't fall down and break your hip. Your heart stays good. You don't get frail. Your sex stays good, your brain stays good and.....
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Health Highlights
**FDA Orders Baxter to Recall and Destroy Infusion Pumps: Serious Problems Have Not Been Fixed.
**New Obama Mandatory Socialistic Law That Rations Your Health Care: Insurance Pool Program Refused by 18 States.
**Gulf Oil Slick No Threat to Human Health.
**Risky Eyelash Treatment Easy to Get Without Prescription.
**FDA Plans to Improve Food Safety During Transport.
**Faulty Genes Cause Paget's Disease.
**Children More Likely to Eat 'Fun' Fruit.
**Record Number of Births to Unmarried Women in the United States in 2008: Accounted for 41 Percent of Births.
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- Drug Maker Recalls More Than 40 Allergy, Cold Meds for Kids: Medicines involved in the voluntary action include Tylenol, Tylenol Plus, Motrin, Zyrtec and Benadryl
McNeil Consumer Healthcare on Friday recalled more than 40 of its liquid cold and allergy products for children because some of the medications may not meet federal quality standards. "This recall is not being undertaken on the basis of adverse medical events," McNeil said in a statement on its Web site. "However, as a precautionary measure, parents and caregivers should not administer these products to their children." "Some products in the recall may have a higher concentration of active ingredient than specified while others may have inactive ingredients that don't meet testing requirements," the company explained. Others may contain particles, while still others may contain inactive ingredients that do not meet internal testing requirements.
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- Radiation Risks Nearly Double for Younger CT Scan Patients: Doctors should consider age when evaluating risks, study suggests
Radiation risks associated with abdominal and pelvic CT scans are twice as high for younger patients as older patients, a new study finds. "We found that the estimated radiation risk for a 31-year-old (0.91 per 1,000) was about double that for a 74-year-old (0.47 per 1,000)", said Dr. James Koonce. "Knowing the risk involved with radiation exposure to a patient during an abdominal/pelvic CT allows for more accurate risk benefit evaluation when a physician is deciding whether or not to order an exam," Koonce added.
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- Anemia Drugs Hold Dangers for Kidney Patients: Study finds increased risks for potential deadly complications
The powerful drugs used to fight anemia caused by kidney failure increase the risk for cardiovascular problems such as heart attack, a major study has found. A meta-analysis of 27 trials, which included more than 10,000 people who were given the drugs, known as erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs), found that those who took the drugs at the highest dosages had a 51 percent increased risk for stroke and a 33 percent increased risk for thrombosis, or blockage of an artery. "This meta-analysis shows increased risk with no benefit,"Dr. Ajay K. Singh said. "The supposed benefit is that ESAs improve quality of life and make people feel better. This study suggests that these drugs, used at considerable cost, don't show any benefit in terms of those endpoints." Yet ESAs do have a role in treating some people with chronic kidney disease, despite their dangers, Singh said.
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- Smoking While Pregnant May Raise Psychiatric Risks in Kids: Study found the more cigarettes a woman smoked, the greater the chances
A woman who smokes while pregnant increases her baby's risk of developing psychiatric problems in childhood and young adulthood, a new Finnish study suggests. This research is among the first to find a connection between prenatal smoking and an increased risk for mental illnesses, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and depression, in the mother's offspring. Study author Mikael Ekblad said animal studies have shown that prenatal nicotine exposure interferes with the development of fetal brain cells. "In our previous study, we found that prematurely born infants exposed to prenatal smoking had smaller frontal and cerebellar brain volumes than the unexposed infants. These brain regions are important for normal cognitive development," said Ekblad.
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- Smoking Ups Risk of Second Breast Cancer: 15 years after treatment, smokers more likely to have a new tumor, study finds
Researchers followed women who were diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer and underwent breast-conserving therapy, which consists of a lumpectomy followed by radiation therapy. Fifteen years after treatment, the overall risk of developing a new, second cancer was 25 percent in the 796 smokers and 19 percent in nonsmokers. The risk of developing cancer in the breast that hadn't been treated for cancer was 13 percent for smokers and 8 percent in nonsmokers. "These new data are significant in that they show women can exercise some control over a known risk factor for developing a new second cancer," said Dr. Bruce G. Haffty.
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- Risks Rise for Other Surgeries After Stent Implants: Danger is greatest in first six weeks, study finds
People who've had a stent implanted to keep a coronary artery open face an increased risk for heart complications and death if they have non-cardiac surgery in subsequent weeks, a new Scottish study has found. "Most of the risk was in the first six weeks. Between six weeks and one year, the risk was somewhat reduced, but still higher than expected," said Nicholas L.M. Cruden. The risk of heart problems after non-cardiac surgery was even greater for the 65 percent of people whose stents were inserted because of a recent heart attack, compared with those had stable but chronic heart disease when they were given stents, the study found.
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- A New Study Finds That Nearly Half of Kids Nationwide Are Now Overweight: Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years
A new study finds that nearly half of kids nationwide are now overweight (32 percent) or obese (16 percent), with rates of childhood obesity much higher in Southern states than in other regions. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years and remains high among both boys and girls of all ages and racial and ethnic groups. Exercise, or lack thereof, seems to be a prime culprit. Children in the South tend to have "more sedentary behaviors, such as TV watching,"Gopal K. Singh said. "The tend to also score lower on having access to places for physical activity," he said.
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Health Highlights
**Warning Says Medicare Cuts in New Obama-Pushed Socialistic Health Care Law Could Jeopardize Seniors' Access to Care: Also Could Push About 15 Percent of Hospitals and Other Institutional Health Providers Into Debt.
**Blood Test Could Reduce Heart Transplant Biopsies.
**New Method for Treating Opioid Addiction Unveiled.
**Giving Bones to Dogs May Kill Them.
**Covidien Recalls Tracheostomy Tubes.
**Cardiac Science External Defibrillators May Malfunction: FDA.
**Food Companies Will Reduce Salt In Products.
**Drug Giant AstraZeneca to Pay $520 Million Over Claims of Illegal Marketing of Antipsychotic.
**Huge Recall of Simplicity, Graco Cribs: Cribs pose a suffocation or strangulation hazard to infants.
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- Breakthrough in Predicting Invasive Breast Cancer: New way to predict spread could avoid overly aggressive treatment, researchers say
A new way to predict whether women with the most common form of breast cancer are at risk of developing more invasive tumors later in life will help those women be more selective about their treatment, U.S. researchers report. As a result of the research, doctors can better predict whether women treated with a lumpectomy only are at a very low or a high risk of developing invasive cancer later. The findings mean that women with DCIS "will have much more information, so they can better know their risk of developing invasive cancer. It will lead to a more personalized approach to treatment. As many as 44 percent of patients with DCIS may not require any further treatment, and can rely instead on surveillance," said Dr. Karla Kerlikowske.
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- High-Dose Vitamin B Is Dangerous for Diabetics With Kidney Disease: And patients on this regimen should stop immediately, says a new study
When the researchers began the study, they believed it would show that high-dose vitamin B therapy (folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12) would improve patients' kidney function and reduce their risk of heart attack and stroke. But it turned out that patients on high-dose vitamin B therapy had significant worsening of kidney function, and twice as many heart and stroke incidents as patients taking a placebo. "Because B vitamins are water soluble, we suspect that while healthy people would excrete excess vitamins in urine, those with renal failure would not be able to do so, perhaps causing the adverse effects we have seen in this study," said Dr. David Spence.
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- Steroids Could Harm Heart's Pumping Ability: Long-term use of anabolic steroids weakens the heart more than had been thought
The study provides what might be the first clear evidence that these muscle-building drugs, used widely by bodybuilders and athletes, can damage heart function, said Dr. Aaron L. Baggish. "The common myth is that steroids make the heart grow massively large," Baggish said. "We didn't see that." What they did see was that the hearts of the steroid users did not contract as vigorously and relax as efficiently as those of the nonusers. However, it's not clear from the study how long steroids must be used to cause such heart damage, Baggish said. "Several small studies of shorter duration find damage only with heart relaxation, not contraction," he said. "As use continues, toxicity develops." And he noted that there have been, "numerous case reports of horrific vascular events from short-term use."
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- Prostate Cancer Vaccine May Get FDA Approval: Breakthrough approach lengthens survival, to varying degrees, for men with advanced disease, studies found
The anticipated approval this week of a therapeutic prostate cancer vaccine by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration could be a milestone against the disease and cancer in general, experts say. The vaccine, called Provenge, appears to extend survival in men with advanced prostate cancer, and it does so without the serious side effects associated with chemotherapy, radiation and hormone therapy. The vaccine is not aimed at preventing prostate cancer in men who have not developed the disease, and it is far from a cure for those who have it, Lichtenfeld cautioned. "Provenge represents a modest advance in survival for patients with advanced prostate cancer, but the drug doesn't delay the progression of the disease,"Dr. J. Len Lichtenfeld said. Still, it might prove possible to use Provenge in the earlier stages of prostate cancer, where...
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- Drug a New Treatment Option for Diabetic Eye Disease: Lucentis is first new therapy against diabetic macular edema in a quarter-century, experts say
Lucentis (ranibizumab) was originally developed to treat age-related macular degeneration. But researchers say it can also improve vision in people with DME, a common form of diabetic retinopathy. The study of 691 patients with DME found that 50 percent of those who received Lucentis eye injections, plus laser treatment if necessary, had substantial improvement in vision one year after treatment, compared with 28 percent of patients who received laser treatment alone. Results were similar after two years. For 25 years, laser treatment has been the standard of care for DME, the main cause of vision loss in people with diabetes.
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- Experimental Drug Offers Hope for Cystic Fibrosis Patients: Ataluren being tested in humans with several diseases caused by genetic mutations
An experimental oral drug called ataluren may treat cystic fibrosis and other diseases caused by genetic "nonsense mutations," U.S. researchers report. In cystic fibrosis, the lack of a certain protein results in an imbalance of salt and water in the linings of the lungs and other membranes. In this new study, researchers found that ataluren allowed the protein to be made in mouse cells where it was previously absent, which helped restore normal salt and water balance. David Bedwell found that ataluren can restore up to 29 percent of normal protein function in mice with cystic fibrosis. The research, funded by PTC Therapeutics Inc., was presented April 26 at the Experimental Biology 2010 conference in Anaheim, Calif. Ataluren is now being tested in humans with cystic fibrosis, hemophilia A, hemophilia B, Duchenne/Becker muscular dystrophy and.....
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- Chronic Mouth Breathers, Most Often Children With Allergies, Have Problems Getting Enough Oxygen Into Their Blood: "They are suffocating and literally dying a slow death that robs them of their appearance, health, longevity and quality of life."
Chronic mouth breathing affects childrens' size, weight, sleep and even school performance. Mouth breathing is caused by nasal obstructions, often the result of chronic infections and allergies. Consequences of untreated mouth breathing include unattractive facial and dental development, such as long face syndrome, narrow mouths and receding or protruding jaws. Mouth breathing is very treatable, but to do this it must be diagnosed and treated as early as possible," Dr. Yosh Jefferson said. Shallow breathing causes insufficient oxygen in the bloodstream, resulting in fitful sleep. The children are tired during the day and perform poorly in school, often exhibiting anger and frustration typical of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
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Health Highlights
**WinCo Recalls Ground Beef.
**FDA Targets Florida Lab Linked to Polo Pony Deaths.
**FDA Reconsiders Fate of Diabetes Drug Avandia.
**Obesity Gene Variant Linked to Brain Shrinkage.
**Scientists Claim Cancer Gene Therapy 'Breakthrough'.
**Vitamin K May Protect Against Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.
**Patient's Genes May Help Predict Adverse Drug Reactions.
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- Fatal Choking a Real Risk Among Toddlers: Study finds 3 percent of those who get something lodged in their throat die
"Starting at infancy, we recommend that no objects should be left in the crib," Dr. Lee Sanders noted. "And then once a child gets to be a little older -- usually around 6 months -- they're able to grasp things in their hand. That's how young children explore the world, by putting things in their mouth. So, we recommend something we call the 'Toilet Paper Tube Test': If there's any object that can fit through an empty toilet paper roll, then it's too small to be left within reach of the child." "And finally, the other thing for parents to realize is that these choking incidents can happen in an instant," Sanders added. "You can be there with a child, and within seconds a child can put something in their mouth and choke in front of you. So, it's important to keep these objects out of their reach, not only when they're unattended but when they're attended as well."
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- Robot-Aided Therapy Can Help Patients Years After Stroke: Adding 'power-steering' to exercises improved movement, quality of life, researchers say
The study offers the strongest evidence yet that stroke sufferers can regain limb movement long after an injury, through "intensive therapy with specially trained personnel and newly created robotic aids," the researchers said. While some research has suggested that long-term physical therapy doesn't help patients if it's given more than six months after a stroke, recent research has contradicted those findings. "There are about 6.4 million stroke patients in the U.S. with chronic deficits. We've shown that with the right therapy, they can see improvements in movement, everyday function and quality of life," Albert Lo added. "This is giving stroke survivors new hope."
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- Cholesterol Drugs May Slow MS: Fewer brain lesions developed in patients taking Lipitor than placebo, researchers say
Cholesterol-lowering statin drugs may slow the progression of multiple sclerosis, according to a new study. It included 81 patients with early-stage MS randomly selected to take either 80 milligrams a day of Lipitor (atorvastatin) or a placebo. After 12 months of treatment, 55.3 percent of patients taking the drug had developed no new brain lesions, compared with 27.6 percent of those who took the placebo. "Our data is preliminary, and we need a larger study to confirm the effects of the drug and their magnitude," said Dr. Emmanuelle Waubant.
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- Abnormal Heart Rhythm Linked to Alzheimer's: Cardiovascular disease appears to be a major risk factor for dementia, expert says
People with atrial fibrillation, a form of abnormal heart rhythm, are more likely than others to develop dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, a new study finds. The presence of atrial fibrillation also predicted higher death rates in dementia patients, especially among younger patients in the group studied, meaning under the age of 70. Individuals who developed atrial fibrillation had a higher risk of all types of dementia, even when other risk factors were taken into account. Alzheimer's disease is by far the most common form of dementia. More surprising was that those in the younger group -- under age 70 -- who had atrial fibrillation had the highest risk of developing dementia, even though dementia is normally associated with aging. People in this group were also at a 38 percent higher risk of dying.
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- Heavy Alcohol Use Linked to Cancer: Excessive drinking promotes cellular changes, study finds
The key appears to lie in telomeres, structures at the end of chromosomes that shorten as people get older. Telomeres are also thought to shorten because of excessive drinking. In particular, heavy alcohol drinking has been associated with cancer at multiple sites," said Dr. Andrea Baccarelli. In the study, researchers analyzed DNA in 59 people who drank heavily (nearly one in four consumed at least four alcoholic drinks a day) and 197 people who drank at various levels. Researchers found that telomere lengths were much shorter in those who drank a lot of alcohol.
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- New Test May Predict Prostate Cancer's Aggressiveness: Researchers say it can rule out men who don't need treatment
The basic test measures blood levels of prostate-specific androgen (PSA), a protein produced by prostate gland cells. But the standard PSA test cannot distinguish between cancers that grow so slowly they can safely be left alone and aggressive life-threatening tumors that call for surgery or radiation therapy. The new test measures blood levels of three different types of PSA. Combined with annual biopsies, or tissue samples, it was about 70 percent accurate in singling out the aggressive tumors in a small study, John Hopkins University researchers were to report. The test is awaiting approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and already is approved for use in Europe, Catalona said. In a study of 2,000 men in the Chicago area, "we found it to be more accurate than the tests now available, and it also seems to identify the more aggressive prostate cancers,"......
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Health Highlights
**Opposition Increases to the New Government Law that "Rations" Health Care: The New Law "Does Not Require" the President, Vice-President and Congress to Participate.
**Discovery May Lead to Better Ovarian Cancer Treatments.
**Pre-Abortion Screenings Required Under New Nebraska Law: Another Nebraska bill would ban abortions for women more than 20 weeks pregnant.
**States Consider Increased Role for Nurse Practitioners.
**Twitter May Offer Early Warning of Epidemics.
**Pediatricians Call for Reductions in Underage Drinking.
**'Breakthrough' Kidney Gene Discovery.
**Xenon Gas May Protect Brain.
**St. John's Wort Not Effective for Anxiety.
**EPA Introduces New Lead Safety Regulation.
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- Obesity in Pregnancy Ups Risk of Having a Baby with a Congenital Heart Defect: The heavier a woman is, the greater the danger, researchers say
On average, obesity is associated with a 15 percent increased risk of having a baby with a heart defect. But the risk rises with the level of obesity. Compared to normal-weight women, the risk is 11 percent higher in moderately obese women and 33 percent higher in morbidly obese women. "The trend is unmistakable: the more obese a woman is, the more likely she is to have had a child with a heart defect," said Dr. James L. Mills. "The current findings strongly suggest that by losing weight before they become pregnant, obese women may reduce the chances that their infants will be born with heart defects," said Dr. Alan E. Guttmacher.
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- Better Treatment Found for Crohn's Disease: Two drugs aimed at taming overactive immune system worked best, study found
Combination therapy with two drugs that control an unruly immune system provided the best relief yet seen for Crohn's disease, a condition in which the body mistakenly attacks its own intestinal tissue. The new finding promises to change current treatment of Crohn's disease, said study leader Dr. William J. Sandborn. The trial showed that the azathioprine-alone-step should be skipped. "This study suggests that the therapy that follows steroids should include a biologic," Sandborn added. Therapy with both azathioprine and infliximab appears to be the treatment of choice if steroids are not effective, Sandborn said. And because the combination therapy is more effective, it helps prevent infections that result from ulceration of the intestinal wall caused by Crohn's disease, Dr. Jeffrey A. Katz added.
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- Hepatitis C Tied to Much Higher Risk of Developing Kidney Cancer: The virus' influence may extend beyond the liver, researchers say
A study of more than 67,000 patients enrolled in the Henry Ford Health System from 1997-2008 found that 0.6 percent of patients with hepatitis C developed kidney cancer. That's double the rate of other patients, and the increased risk remained after researchers adjusted statistics so they wouldn't be thrown off by factors like age, gender and race. "These results add to growing literature that shows that the hepatitis C virus causes disease that extends beyond the liver," said Dr. Stuart C. Gordon. A heightened awareness of an increased kidney cancer risk should dictate more careful follow-up of incidental renal [kidney] defects when detected on imaging procedures in patients with chronic hepatitis C," Gordon said.
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- Prostate Cancer Patients at Higher Risk of Blood Clots: Dangers were greatest for those on hormone therapy, study found
"Our findings indicate that it is important to consider thromboembolic [blood-clotting] side effects when treating patients with prostate cancer, especially those who require endocrine treatment," said Mieke van Hemelrijck. Still, the findings shouldn't change the way men with this type of tumor are treated, just perhaps the way they are monitored, van Hemelrijck added. Men taking hormone therapy had a 2.48 increased risk of developing a blood clot and almost double the chance of a pulmonary embolism (when the clot travels to the lung), compared to men without prostate cancer. Those in the prostatectomy group had a 73 percent increased risk of blood clots and double the risk of a pulmonary embolism. Those in the "watch-and-wait group had a 27 percent increased risk of blood clots and a 57 percent increased risk of that clot moving to the lung.
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- A Diet Rich in Carbohydrates That are Quickly Transformed into Sugar in the Blood Raises the Risk of Heart Disease for Women: Danger doesn't affect men
"An emphasis needs to be placed on a diet that is not simply low in carbohydrates but rather low in simple sugars, as measured by the glycemic index,"Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum said. There's a simple way to determine the glycemic index of a food, she said. "Look at the label," Steinbaum said. "It says 'carbohydrates.' Under that, it says 'sugars.' When you have a high number for sugars, that's a way to know what the glycemic index is." That index can differ widely in foods that don't appear to be different, she said. One breakfast cereal may have a sugar content of 16 grams, but another may have just 3 grams to 6 grams. "If you see a high level of sugar, that's the one to stay away from," Steinbaum said.
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- Child Obesity Soaring in Rural America: In one Louisiana community, one in two kids is now overweight or obese, study finds
In the past 35 years, the percentage of overweight or obese children in one Louisiana town has more than tripled, new research shows. In the early 70s, fewer than one in six children (14.2 percent) in the town of Bogalusa was overweight or obese. By 2008-2009, almost half of the town's children and teens (48.4 percent) fell into those categories, according to a study in the April issue of Pediatrics. "There are a lot of things that families can do to reverse this problem. You're definitely more vulnerable because of your environment, but even in Bogalusa, not everyone is becoming overweight," he said.Dr. Goutham Rao and Stephanie Broyles recommended strategies such as limiting TV and computer time, encouraging physical activity and eating together as a family. They also recommended making healthier food choices whenever possible.
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Health Highlights
**Teens With Lung Problems Use Risky Inhalants.
**Con Artists Using New Health Law to Sell Bogus Policies.
**U.S. Federal Government Pushes Coverage of Those With Pre-Existing Conditions: $5 Billion Allocation for Programs May Not Be Sufficient.
**Anti-Psychotics Boost Pneumonia Risk in Elderly.
**Multaq Heart Drug Not as Effective as Generic.
**Gene May Offer Target to Boost Radiation Therapy.
**U.S. Military Assesses New Brain Injury Treatment.
**FAA Says Pilots Taking Antidepressants Can Fly.
**U.S. Drug Sales Rose 5.1 Percent in 2009.
**Unsanitary Conditions at Chung's Products, LP of Houston, Texas: Egg rolls are sold in grocery stores and large retail stores across the United States.
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- Simple Test May Spot Early Lung Cancer: And over-the-counter drug might reverse genetic process that leads to disease, study finds
The minimally invasive procedure involves using a small brush to collect a smattering of cells from the windpipe (a bronchoscopy), explained Andrea Bild. Currently, there is no good way to detect lung cancer -- the number one cancer killer -- in its early stages when it's most treatable. Only 15 percent of patients are still alive at five years, said Dr. Patrick Nana-Sinkam. "We have identified a marker for an early risk of developing lung cancer," Dr. Avrum Spira said. And when treated with the compound myo-inositol, the gene pathway activity declined along with improvement in the troublesome lesions, the researcher noted. "This drug inhibits the pathway that's activated in smokers. The drug is a natural compound. You can get it in health-food stores," Spira said.
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- New Drug Shows Promise for Curing Hepatitis C: Antiviral telaprevir works when previous treatments failed, trial results show
Adding the antiviral drug telaprevir to a second-round treatment for hepatitis cures about half the people who were not helped in the first round, new research shows. The study is one of the last steps in a series of trials designed to get approval for the use of the drug in clinical practice. Approval of the drug will bring encouragement to people whose hepatitis C infection had not been cured by the existing treatments, Dr. John McHutchison said. "There has been no alternative for people who have been treated and have not responded," he added. "So it holds great promise for them, that potentially something will be available in the future that can cure half of them." About 4 million Americans are infected with hepatitis C, a virus that is the leading cause of cirrhosis and liver cancer and the most common reason for liver transplantation......
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- Cancer Drug Safe for Late-Stage Pelvic Disease: Vorinostat can be used with radiotherapy in palliative care, study finds
It's safe to use a new oral anti-cancer drug called vorinostat with short-term palliative radiation therapy in patients with advanced pelvic cancer, according to a phase 1 study. Palliative therapy is used to help control symptoms in patients who can't be cured. Radiation therapy is an effective palliative treatment to control pain and bleeding in patients with advanced pelvic cancer who aren't eligible for curative radiation therapy or surgery. Vorinostat -- a type of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor -- is believed to stop tumor growth by altering the expression of several genes necessary for cancer growth.
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- Online Brazilian Diet Pills Can Be Addictive: Dangerous mix of amphetamines, tranquilizers and antidepressants found in some pills, researchers say
Although marketed on the Internet as "natural," the popular weight loss supplements known as Brazilian diet pills contain potentially addictive ingredients, researchers say. "When you are purchasing these products, you have no idea what you are getting,"Dr. Pieter Cohen noted. "There is a very lax regulatory framework that surrounds dietary supplements. Basically, all dietary supplements are assumed to be harmless until the FDA demonstrates that they are dangerous." Earlier research found some of these diet pills cause chest pain, racing heart and insomnia, but the resulting psychiatric problems are not well-understood, Cohen said.
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- FDA Issues Warning on 'Fat-Melting' Spa Injections: There's no proof the procedures work and serious side effects can occur, agency says
FDA officials have received reports of negative side effects from people who have tried the procedure, including permanent scarring, skin deformation, and deep painful knots under the skin in areas where lipodissolve drugs were injected. Warning letters were sent to: Monarch Medspa, King of Prussia, Penn.; Spa 35, Boise, Idaho; Medical Cosmetic Enhancements, Chevy Chase, Md.; Innovative Directions in Health, Edina, Minn.; PURE Med Spa, Boca Raton, Fla.; and All About You Med Spa, Madison, Ind. The Brazilian company receiving the warning letter sells lipodissolve products on two Web Sites: zipmed.net and mesoone.com, the FDA said. The FDA also has issued an import alert against these Internet sites to prevent the drugs from being imported and distributed in the United States.
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- Exercise Helps Teens Overcome 'Obesity Gene': DNA does not make overweight inevitable, new study shows
Does carrying a gene tied to obesity doom a teenager to becoming obese? Not if that teen stays physically active, a new study shows. Among genes related to obesity, mutations in the so-called fat mass-and-obesity-associated gene (FTO) appear to be particularly important. However, an hour of physical activity a day largely negated the gene's effect, the new study found. "Whether it is a formal team sport or playing tag, playing catch or riding bicycles, the human body is designed to move," Samantha Heller said. When this natural instinct is muted by spending hours playing computer games, watching TV or sitting around, so too is the body's innate ability to stay healthy, Heller said. "The cycle of weight gain, sedentary lifestyle and poor diet can be tough to break free from, but it is absolutely doable if the whole family is committed to and takes part in the process of reinventing.....
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Health Highlights
**Swine Flu Poses a Serious Threat to Pregnant Women and Those Who've Recently Given Birth.
**Exercise, Healthier Diet Could Prevent Breast Cancers.
**Don't Drink Raw Milk: FDA.
**FDA Scientists Go Public With CT Scan Concerns.
**New Test for Human Growth Hormone in Athletes.
**Health-Care Reform To Cause Rate Hikes for Young Adutlts: New Mandatory Government Regulations May Also Soon Put Insurance Companies Out of Business Leading to Total Government-Control of Health Care.
**New Health Care Law Requires Insurers to Cover Children's Pre-Existing Conditions: Federal Government's Prevention of Properly Evaluating Risks May Soon Lead to Financial Problems for Insurance Companies.
**FDA Issues New Medical Device Rule.
**Paying for Kidneys Would Increase Donations: Study.
**Pfizer Discloses Payments for Clinical Trials.
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- Children in Hospital Intensive Care Units Should Be Screened for MRSA: Virulent bacteria strain becoming more prevalent in that setting, study finds
Researchers found that 6 percent of the 1,674 children admitted to the pediatric ICU unit at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center between 2007 and 2008 were colonized with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). This means the children carried MRSA even though they didn't have an active infection -- and they could have unknowingly infected other patients. Sixty percent of the children with MRSA would have gone unrecognized if the hospital had not conducted the screenings, researchers say. "MRSA has become so widespread in the community that it's become nearly impossible to predict which patients harbor MRSA on their body," said Dr. Aaron Milstone. "Point-of-admission screening in combination with other preventive steps, like isolating the patient and using contact precaution, can help curb the spread of dangerous bacterial......
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- Diabetics Face Higher Death Risk After Cancer Surgery: Study found they were 50% more likely to die in month following operation
Type 2 diabetics newly diagnosed with cancer have an increased risk of dying in the month following their cancer surgery, compared to people who are battling cancer alone. This was particularly true for diabetics with colorectal or esophageal cancers, Johns Hopkins researchers found. Dr. Martin S. Karpeh Jr. pointed out that elevated blood sugar levels -- the prime characteristic of diabetes -- is dangerous for people undergoing any type of surgery. We've known that an elevated blood sugar and diabetes increase the risk of mortality and complications from surgery," he said. "They focused their analysis on cancer, but the same was found in non-cancer so I think the link is more with diabetes and surgery, regardless of what the reason for the surgery is." "If you are a diabetic, maintaining a good blood sugar will help lower your risks of a bad outcome......
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- More Women Urged to Get Radiation After Mastectomy: Potentially lifesaving treatment is underused, study finds
"A substantial number of breast cancer patients are being undertreated," said Dr. Reshma Jagsi. "One in five women with strong indications for radiation after mastectomy failed to receive it. Radiation can be a lifesaving treatment." The researchers found that women were more likely to receive follow-up radiation therapy if their doctors were involved in the decision. "Even patients who wanted to avoid radiation therapy were very likely to receive it if their surgeons were highly involved in the decision process," Jagsi added. "We need to do a better job of educating both patients and physicians regarding the benefits of radiation after mastectomy in certain circumstances, and we need to encourage physicians to help their patients as they make these important decisions."
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- Preventive Mastectomy May Not Lower Risks: Breast cancer recurrence and survival rates don't improve, study finds
Removing a breast after the other breast has been treated for breast cancer does not improve the odds that women with two genetic mutations will be free of disease or live longer, new research has found. "We hope that our findings will provide additional information to improve the counseling of breast cancer patients considering risk-reducing mastectomy by emphasizing that the gain that may be obtained by this radical surgery is mainly in respect of reducing the risk of contralateral breast cancer," referring to cancer in the opposite breast," Annette Heemskerk-Gerritsen said. "As yet, we have found no benefits with respect to disease-free and overall survival."
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- Many With Breast Cancer Decide Too Soon to Remove Other Breast: Small study suggests that women often overestimate the odds that the tumor will spread
The number of women undergoing this surgical procedure, known as prophylactic mastectomy, has "almost doubled in recent times without any evidence of survival benefit and the reasons for this need to be addressed and alternative strategies considered," said Dr. Ajay Sahu. A 12-month "cooling-off" period seemed to help patients, Sahu said. "Patients were happy with the alternative strategy to prophylactic surgery: in other words, they had an understanding of actual risk of bilateral breast cancer, an understanding that the risk can be reduced by treatment and surveillance by annual mammography, and that no survival benefit is conferred by the operation."
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- Pregnancy May Protect Breast Cancer Survivors: Finding important because more women are delaying motherhood, researchers say
New research suggests that women who become pregnant after having had breast cancer may actually improve their survival odds, a notion contrary to what some medical experts had thought. A second study of almost 3,000 Australian breast cancer patients found that women who were diagnosed with a tumor within a year of giving birth were almost 50 percent more likely to die compared with other women of the same age. "I don't think anybody knows what the timeframe is from having been treated and when it's a good idea to have a child," said Leena Hilakivi-Clarke. "But if the tumor has been satisfactorily treated and there is nothing growing in the breast, then the pregnancy should be protective." A final study found that chemotherapy given during a woman's pregnancy does not harm the developing fetus, meaning that women who are diagnosed with breast cancer while they....
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- Bone-Strengthening Drug Guards Against Spread of Breast Cancer: Zoledronic acid protected against chemotherapy-related bone loss, metastasis, study finds
The bone-strengthening drug zoledronic acid (Zometa) reduces the spread of breast cancer by preventing chemotherapy-related bone loss, a new study suggests. Tumor cells released from the primary breast cancer site often travel to the bone marrow and spread from there to other areas of the body. Chemotherapy speeds up bone turnover, which releases bone-derived growth factors that can promote tumor growth in breast cancer patients. It's been suggested that zoledronic acid -- which reduces bone loss by slowing the activity of cells that destroy bone -- can make bone marrow a less inviting place for cancer cells.
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- MRI Beats X-Ray for Spotting Fractures in ER: Accurate diagnosis of hip, pelvic breaks cuts costs, speeds treatment, expert says
X-rays often fail to detect hip and pelvic fractures, a new U.S. study says. "Thirteen patients with normal X-ray findings were found to collectively have 23 fractures at MRI," the study's lead author, said Dr. Charles Spritzer. In addition, the study found that, "in 11 patients, MRI showed no fracture after X-rays had suggested the presence of a fracture," Spritzer said. "In another 15 patients who had abnormal X-ray findings, MRI depicted 12 additional pelvic fractures not identified on X-rays." An accurate diagnosis in an emergency department can "speed patients to surgical management, if needed, and reduce the rate of hospital admissions among patients who do not have fractures," he added. "This distinction is important in terms of health-care utilization, overall patient cost and patient inconvenience."
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Health Highlights
**Infantino Baby Slings Recalled Due to Deaths.
**Sickle Cell Disease Tied to Other Health Problems.
**Republican State AG's Sue Feds Over Health Reform.
**EPA to Tighten Drinking Water Rules.
**FDA to Review Menaflex Knee Repair Implant.
**Radioactive Thyroid Cancer Patients a Threat.
**Loneliness Boosts Blood Pressure.
**Significant Decline in Reported TB Cases.
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- Chemo May Boost Survival After Lung Cancer Surgery: Therapy improves outcome for some patients with operable disease, review finds
Chemotherapy improves survival for patients with operable non-small cell lung cancer, say researchers who reviewed nearly 50 studies. According to a team led by Sarah Burdett adding in chemotherapy boosted outcomes whether or not patients got the treatment alongside surgery alone, or surgery plus radiotherapy. They contend that, in patients deemed suitable, "platinum-based chemotherapy should be considered for patients at high risk of recurrence -- i.e., those with stage 1B, 2 or 3 disease." "Although the survival benefit seems small, worldwide adoption of adjuvant chemotherapy could save up to 10,000 lives every year,"Dr. Gregory P. Kalemkerian said.
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- Breast Cancer's Return in Original Tumor Site a Bad Sign: Such cases are few after time, but death risk is then much higher, researchers say
The study found that cancer recurrence in the same area as the original cancer (locoregional recurrence) was the most important prognostic factor after a disease-free period of five years, and the sole independent prognostic factor after a disease-free period of 10 years. "The increased risk of metastases [cancer spread] after a recurrence was approximately four times higher than if there had been no recurrence, and the risk of dying after a recurrence was around eight times higher. However, these levels of increased risk need to be treated with caution because, with the longer time interval between the primary cancer and the recurrence, the number of events goes down, making these calculations less certain, although they remain important for clinicians when deciding on the best treatments," Dr. Sven Mieog said.
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- Plavix Can Help Cut Death Risk in Certain Heart Patients: In study, people with heart attack, heart failure who didn't undergo angioplasty fared better with the blood thinner
The anti-clotting drug Plavix is of modest benefit in cutting the odds of death in patients with heart failure and heart attack who don't undergo angioplasty, a new study finds. The value of giving clopidogrel (Plavix) to heart failure patients has been "long debated," a researcher from the HeartDrug Research Laboratories at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore wrote. He said the benefit of the drug found in this study is "of unquestionable practical importance," and added that the positive outcomes seen in a relatively short follow-up suggests potentially even better long-term survival. A randomized study comparing conventional heart failure therapy with and without Plavix "is needed urgently," the editorial writer concluded.
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- Infertility Raises Risk of More Aggressive Prostate Cancer: Study found infertile men were 2.6 times more likely to get more dangerous disease
"To my knowledge, this is the first study to identify a link between male factor infertility and prostate cancer," said Dr. Thomas J. Walsh. The apparent link between infertility and increased prostate cancer risk can be put to medical use, Walsh said. When inability to father children is suspected, "we may want to screen these men more aggressively for prostate cancer," he said. But since this is a first study, "it needs to be confirmed in other populations of men," Walsh said. "It is up to scientists to confirm the findings and do basic research to enable us to understand the link." And men who might have fertility problems need not panic about cancer, he said. "The absolute risk of cancer is still very low," Walsh said. "No man need be alarmed unduly."
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- Brain Function May Drop Quickly Before Alzheimer's: More attention should be paid to early memory loss, expert says
Memory and thinking skills can deteriorate quickly in people with mild cognitive impairment, the stage before Alzheimer's disease, says a new study. "These results show that we need to pay attention to this time before Alzheimer's disease is diagnosed, when people are just starting to have problems forgetting things," said Robert S. Wilson. Each participant completed a memory and thinking skill test at the start of the study and again every three years. Participants took part in the study for an average of 5.5 years, and up to 11 years. The scores of people with mild cognitive impairment declined twice as fast each year as did scores of those with no memory problems. The scores for people with Alzheimer's declined four times as fast as those of participants with no cognitive problems, the study found.
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- FDA Asks Docs to Suspend Using Glaxo Rotavirus Vaccine: Rotarix is contaminated with pig virus but poses no known health risk, officials say
U.S. health officials recommended Monday that doctors temporarily stop using the Rotarix vaccine -- one of two brands available to prevent the diarrhea bug rotavirus -- for children until the source and any potential harm from a contamination of the vaccine has been identified. The other vaccine available to protect against rotavirus is RotaTeq, also delivered by mouth and made by Merck. RotaTeq was licensed by the FDA in 2006 so most children vaccinated in the United States received RotaTeq, Hamburg said. RotaTeq requires three doses while Rotarix requires two. That means that children who have already gotten one shot of Rotarix should now get two shots of RotaTeq to be fully vaccinated, Dr. Margaret Hamburg said. She stressed that the the FDA recommendation applies only to the United States. Other countries where rotavirus is more common.....
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Health Highlights
**Graco Harmony High Chairs Recalled: Pose A Fall Hazard.
**Traumatic Brain Injury Major Cause of Death in U.S.
**EPA to Tighten Flea, Tick Product Regulations: Complaints of Harm or Death to Dogs and Cats.
**Many Cleansers Ineffective Against Flu-Causing Noroviruses.
**FDA Cites Companies for Unapproved Nitroglycerin Tablets.
**Reports of Pine Nut Syndrome Increasing.
**Drug Combo Reduces Heart Patients' Risk of Bleeding Ulcers.
**Boston Scientific Recalls Heart Defibrillators.
**Mitral Valve Clip Nearly as Effective as Open Heart Surgery for Repairing Leaky Heart Valves.
**High Lead Levels in Some Indian Food Spices.
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- Plavix Puts Some Patients At Risk for Heart Attack and Stroke: FDA calls for 'black box' warning to alert those who don't metabolize drug well
The anti-clotting drug Plavix must now carry a "black box" warning on its label, alerting patients and doctors that some people don't metabolize the medication properly. Patients with a certain genetic variation can't convert the blood thinner into its active form, which puts them at risk for heart attack and stroke, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned. About 2 percent to 14 percent of people fall into this category, with the percentages varying by race. About 2 percent of whites have the variation, while 4 percent of blacks and 14 percent of Chinese people do, Mary Ross Southworth said. But patients should not stop taking Plavix without consulting their doctor, the FDA said, noting a test to assess the CYP2C19 genotype can determine if a patient is a poor metabolizer.
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- Newer Blood Thinner Beats Plavix for Bypass Patients: More people taking Plavix before surgery died soon after than those using Brilinta, study finds
In a trial comparing two anti-clotting drugs, patients given Brilinta before cardiac bypass surgery were less likely to die than those given Plavix, researchers found. Both drugs prevent platelets from clumping and forming clots, but Plavix, the more popular drug, has been linked to potentially dangerous side effects in cancer patients. In addition, some people don't metabolize it well, making it less effective. "We did see about a 50 percent reduction in mortality in these patients [who took Brilinta], but without any increase in bleeding complications," said Dr. Claes Held. The two drugs work in different ways. Brilinta, which is in a different class of drugs, does not rely on metabolic conversion, so it acts faster and clears the body faster than Plavix. This enables quicker recovery of normal platelet function, the researchers say.
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- Stenting May Save Legs: Many with severe peripheral arterial disease can avoid amputation, researchers find
When angioplasty fails, patients with severe peripheral arterial disease may now have another option. A drug-releasing stent placed in the blocked artery below the knee might re-establish blood flow, new research shows. Critical limb ischemia, the most severe form of peripheral arterial disease (PAD), causes more than 100,000 leg amputations in the United States each year. Now, researchers from Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City say insertion of a stent can prevent many of these amputations. A year after the procedure, 81.8 percent of the stented arteries were still open, allowing blood to flow freely, the researchers found. And, over an average of 17 months' follow-up, fewer than 10 percent of the patients required a major amputation, Dr. Robert A. Lookstein noted.
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- Radiation May Help Those With Inoperable Lung Tumors: 3-year survival doubled after the treatment, study found
A carefully targeted and powerful regimen of radiation therapy kept early-stage lung tumors stable in patients who had inoperable cancers. Almost 56 percent of patients who underwent the therapy, called stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), were still alive three years after their treatment. By contrast, only about 25 percent to 30 percent of patients who receive conventional fractionated radiotherapy survive that long. "It's provocative but it's not for all patients with lung cancer. This is for people who can't undergo surgery, so I think surgery is still the best way to treat early lung cancer," Dr. Jay Brooks said. "The radiation was effective at controlling the cancer in the spot but the cancer still has a high risk of spreading to other parts of the body," he added.
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- Implant Shows Promise for Hard-to-Treat Epilepsy: Pacemaker-like device cut frequency of seizures in study participants
Deep-brain electrical stimulation reduced the frequency of epileptic seizures in people who had not responded to other treatments, a new study has found. With the deep-brain stimulation, seizure frequency decreased by 40 percent in the first three months after the device was implanted, the study found. After about two years, seizures had decreased 56 percent, on average. Adverse effects reported by the participants included infection at the site of implantation, misplaced electrical leads that had to be repositioned and tingling sensations. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is considering whether to approve the device for treatment of epilepsy in people who don't respond to other therapies.
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- A New Way to Zap Away Uterine Fibroids: High-energy ultrasound waves avoid surgery by destroying the benign tumors
Dr. John Lipman called the technique promising, but noted that it's not for every woman and does not replace the techniques currently in use. "It's very exciting and innovative, but there are some limitations," said Lipman. "It's important to keep in mind this treatment can only address a small fraction of the symptomatic fibroid population." Because it takes two to three hours to zap each fibroid, it's not practical to offer the technique to women who have a uterus full of larger fibroids. Concerns about altering or damaging the uterus in some way also led many doctors to steer women who wanted to become pregnant away from UFE [Uterine Artery Embolization] Dr. Gina Hesley added. But a second study to be presented at the same meeting found that women who had UFE done were just as likely to conceive as those who underwent myomectomy.
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Health Highlights
**More Food Products Added to Recall List.
**FDA Reviews Safety of Bone-Building Drugs.
**Cholesterol, Diabetes Drugs at Top of Medicare List.
**High Failure Rate for ASR Hip Implant.
**Baby-Sling Warning Expected: They Pose A Suufocation Hazard.
**FDA Panel Gives Blessing to Drug for Rare Lung Disease.
**Pet Food Recall Expanded: Possible Salmonella Contamination.
**Two Flavors of Pringles Chips Recalled: Concerns About Possible Salmonella Contamination.
**New Technique Reduces Brain Damage Risk in Premies.
**Heartburn Drug's Name Changed to Prevent Errors: FDA.
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