WASHINGTON - Congress on Wednesday moved a step closer to handing the Food and Drug Administration broad new authority to regulate tobacco products, despite concerns voiced by many lawmakers that the agency cannot handle its current workload.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee voted 38-12 for legislation that would allow the FDA to reduce nicotine levels [...]
CHICAGO - When the wind blows, the cradle will rock. And when babies sleep less, they may gain too much weight. A new Harvard study finds that babies and toddlers who sleep fewer than 12 hours daily are at greater risk for being overweight in preschool, startling evidence that the link between sleep and obesity [...]
CHICAGO - Two big studies offer good news to people with high blood pressure, finding that novel ways to use cheap drugs already on the market can lower their risk of heart attacks, stroke and death , even if they are very old.
Both studies were stopped early so the surprising benefits could be made known. [...]
HARRISBURG, Pa. - A five-year, $1 billion taxpayer subsidy to help Pennsylvania doctors buy medical malpractice insurance lapsed Monday, forcing physicians to pay higher premiums unless Democrats and Republicans break an impasse over expanding a state health insurance program.
Gov. Ed Rendell supports a bill that passed the Democratic-led House on March 17 that would tie [...]
TRENTON, N.J. - A congressional committee, investigating whether the makers of cholesterol drug Vytorin withheld data that would hurt sales, released new evidence supporting such suspicions Monday.
The Senate Finance Committee said even the researcher who led a crucial study of the drug accused Vytorin makers Merck %26amp; Co. and partner Schering-Plough Corp. of withholding negative [...]
CHICAGO - Full results of a failed trial on Vytorin, a medicine taken by millions of Americans to lower cholesterol, left doctors stunned that the drug did not improve heart disease even though it worked as intended to lower three key risk factors.
Use of Vytorin and a related drug, Zetia, seemed sure to continue to [...]
TRENTON, N.J. - Wealthy people are enrolled in a state-run health care program for working poor families and criminal investigators are examining another state health program for the poor, according to new state audits that found shocking displays of wasted money.
The reviews by the state auditor found people earning as much as $295,000 enrolled in [...]
BEIJING - Cui Dalin, China’s deputy sports minister, told legislators that the Beijing Olympics would inspire Chinese to live healthier lives. Then he stepped out into a nonsmoking hallway , and lit a cigarette.
The recent incident illustrates the uphill battle China faces as it prepares to take what health advocates hope will be a big [...]
Prior studies have shown that people with Parkinsons disease are over twice as likely to report being exposed to pesticides as people without the disease, but few studies have looked at this association in people from the same family or have assessed associations between specific classes of pesticides and Parkinsons disease.
In their study of 319 [...]
Saffron, the worlds most expensive spice, has a long history of non-culinary uses. Traditionally, the spice has been advocated for stomach pain, digestive problems and even depression - with some recent clinical trials suggesting that saffron may in fact aid mild depression.
Its thought that the spice might influence depression symptoms via effects on the brain [...]
