Malaria Prophylaxis Update

Experimental once-a-day malaria drug may be as effective as twice-daily pill.
Bloomberg News (4/23, Bennett) reported, "An experimental once-a-day malaria drug worked as well at treating the mosquito-borne illness as Novartis AG's twice-daily pill Coartem [artemether and lumefantrine]," according to a paper in The Lancet. "Pyramax, developed by Shin Poong Pharmaceutical Co. of South Korea and the Geneva-based Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), cleared the disease-causing parasite from the blood of 99.5 percent of patients in Africa and Asia after 28 days, compared with 99.2 percent for Coartem," researchers explained. Yet, "pyramax, also known as pyronaridine-artesunate, 'still has to be assessed in a real-life setting across the wider population of patients who need antimalarial treatment, including those who are malnourished or have anemia,' the study's authors wrote."
Moreover, the author of an accompanying comment pointed out that the study was somewhat limited by the fact that the trial included older adults and children who could have built up immunity, Reuters (4/23, Hirshler) reported. He also explained that some of the participants were found to have increased liver enzyme levels while taking the drug. Still, MMV welcomes the study, maintaining that having a cornucopia of anti-malarial treatments will spur market competition and possibly reduce costs.
Global Health Initiative to fund battle against malaria among children, women in Africa. Reuters (4/23, Fox) reported that through the Global Health Initiative, the government plans to focus on battling malaria, especially in African populations of women and children. Over the next six years, the US will invest $63 billion, and a portion of the monies is expected to supply nearly 70 percent of those at highest-risk in Sub-Saharan Africa with insecticide-treated nets and sprays and artemisinin-based drugs. According to the report issued by USAID, public health authorities will also try amalgamate their efforts with other plans to tackle TB, HIV/AIDS, and neglected tropical disease.

Smoking Kills 400,000 Annually

CDC says nationwide anti-smoking effort could prevent 400,000 deaths annually.
CNN (4/23, Curley) reports, "A coordinated national anti-smoking effort could reduce the more than 400,000 annual tobacco-related deaths in the United States, federal health officials said Thursday." Notably, a new CDC analysis "offers a snapshot of each state's tobacco control progress, including wider adoption of measures to control, prevent and stop smoking. The key, the report says, is having all the states adopt uniform tobacco control plans." Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the CDC, says, "From the numbers, it's the leading preventable cause of death. ... As a doctor I have cared for people with cancer, with chronic lung disease, people who have to gasp for every breath, and I know that behind those numbers are people and lives." The agency "estimates that 46 million American adults smoke cigarettes, and smoking causes approximately 443,000 deaths each year."
The Dallas Morning News (4/23, Garrett) "Trailblazers" blog reports that "in Texas, where nearly 3.3. million people smoke," the effort would entail "passing a statewide smoke-free law, and using more cigarette tax revenue to run anti-tobacco TV ads."
Vaccine that could help people stop smoking shows promise in clinical trials. CNN (4/23, Willingham) reports that "a vaccine designed to stimulate the immune system to generate antibodies that would latch on to nicotine in a smoker's body and prevent it from ever entering the brain" has been "showing promise in early clinical trials, researchers announced this week at a national meeting of addiction specialists." Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, said, "Finding effective treatments that can help people stay off cigarettes has been a real challenge." Dr. Collins added, "This phase III trial of a nicotine vaccine offers tremendous hope towards solving this immense public health problem."

Bill Gates Initiative Update

Bill Gates, public health experts to use new approach to tackle diseases.
The Wall Street Journal (4/23, Guth) reports that Bill Gates is having to rethink his strategy to eradicate polio. After donating over $700 million to help fight the disease, data indicate that it is instead making a resurgence, spreading to places like Tajikistan, where there has not been an outbreak for 19 years. Therefore, rather than simply focusing on eradicating just polio, Gates and public health experts also plan to concentrate on improving the overall health of poor populations. This includes providing access to clean drinking water and teaching good hygiene. Commenting on the continued spread of polio, Dr. Steve Cochi, of the CDC, said, "It was becoming evident that the virus almost knew no bounds. ... It kind of confirmed some of our worst fears."

Cholesterol Levels Changed by Sugar

Added sugar may adversely affect cholesterol levels.
USA Today (4/21, Hellmich) reports that added sugar may adversely affect cholesterol levels, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Investigators "at Emory University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta examined the added sugar intake and blood fat levels in more than 6,100 adults."
Bloomberg News (4/21, Ostrow) reports that participants "in the middle sugar-intake group, who consumed from 10 percent to 17.5 percent of their calories from sugar each day, had a 1.5 times greater risk than those in the lowest consumption group of having low HDL levels." Participants "in the highest sugar consuming group had about a three times higher risk of having lower good cholesterol than the lowest consuming group." The investigators "also found that as sugar consumption rose so did levels of blood fats or triglycerides."
CNN (4/21, Watkins) reports that the study "authors concluded that their data support dietary guidelines that aim to cut consumption of added sugar."
HealthDay (4/20, Edelson) reported that "people in the study who got 25 percent or more of their calories from sugar reported gaining an average of 2.8 pounds in the previous year, while those whose sugar intake accounted for less than five percent reported an average weight loss of about a third of a pound."

Childhood Cancer Survivor Stats

Overall survival rate for children with cancer approximately 80%.
The Wall Street Journal (4/20, Hobson) "Health Blog" reported that research published online in the Journal of Clinical Oncology indicates that the overall survival rate for children with cancer is now approximately 80%. However, during the past 10-20 years, the five-year survival rates for most solid tumors in children and teenagers have not changed. The blog also included an interview with Eugenie Kleinerman, professor and head of pediatrics at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Computer Gaming and Cognitive Ability

Computer brain games may not improve cognitive ability.
USA Today (4/21, Marcus) reports, "Computer brain games may not offer the big mental boost many were hoping for, suggests new research, but brain scientists and brain-game experts don't all agree on the findings." The study was published in Nature and "is the largest of its kind," its authors say. For the study, researchers recruited over "11,000 people between the ages of 18 and 60," who "were split into three groups, including two groups that played different brain-training games that are similar to commercially available games, and a control group that was asked to go online and find answers to questions about topics such as music." According to lead author Adrian Owen, "Participants did get better at games they practiced. The more they trained, the better they got. But there was still no translation to any general improvement in cognitive function."
The Wall Street Journal (4/21, Naik) reports that companies which produce brain training and fitness games have experienced significant growth in the last few years, in part because of the increase in the number of baby boomers, and because previous research suggested that such games could benefit cognitive abilities. But, this six-week, online experiment has not borne out previous conclusions.

Second Hand Smoke and Sinusitis

Secondhand smoke exposure appears to raise chronic sinusitis risk.
The Los Angeles Times (4/19, Dennis) "Booster Shots" blog reported that a paper appearing in Archives of Otolaryngology -- Head & Neck Surgery suggests "that 40% of chronic rhinosinusitis (commonly called sinusitis) can be attributed to secondhand smoke." The authors of the study "say the smoke might increase the risk of, or worsen, respiratory infections. Or maybe it screws up the body's immune response."
Before reaching those conclusions, researchers at Brock University questioned 306 non-smoking adults with sinusitis and 306 matched controls about their second-hand smoke exposure, according to Reuters (4/20, Harding). "Participants with chronic sinusitis were almost twice as likely as those without sinusitis to report secondhand smoke exposure at social gatherings (51% vs. 28%) and slightly more than twice as likely to report exposure at work (18% vs.7%)," WebMD (4/19, Boyles) reported. They "were also more likely to report exposure at home and in public places, although these associations did not reach statistical significance."
Still, "the association held, the study said, even after the researchers adjusted for such potential contributing factors as exposure to air pollution," HealthDay (4/19, Doheny) reported. "Exactly why isn't known, but it's possible that exposure to secondhand smoke can cause direct irritation to the cells lining the nasal passages," lead author Dr. C. Martin "Tammemagi said. The irritation, in turn, 'can lead to changes in the permeability [leakiness] of the lining so that bacteria or allergens can pass into the tissues and cause irritation and can suppress the immune system locally in several ways, leading to poor defenses,' he explained."

Addicted to Tanning Beds

One-third of young people who use tanning beds may be addicted to the behavior.
The Los Angeles Times (4/20, Roan) reports that, according to a study published in the April issue of the Archives of Dermatology, "as many as a third of young people who use tanning beds may be addicted to the behavior." While "it's unclear how or why tanning can become compulsive...exposure to UV light triggers production of brain chemicals called endorphins that boost mood. One study, published in 2006 in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, found that frequent tanners experience some withdrawal symptoms when given naltrexone, a drug that blocks endorphins."
Despite the fact that "indoor tanning can cause skin cancer, premature skin aging, and eye damage, according to the US Food and Drug Administration," Bloomberg News (4/20, Randall) explains that "about one-third of college students who tried indoor tanning facilities were addicted to the artificial rays, and the addicts drank more alcohol and smoked more marijuana than other students, researchers found."
Panel urges FDA to make tanning beds class II or III devices to allow tighter regulation. The Washington Post (4/20, Saslow) reports that on March 25, the Food and Drug Administration called a "hearing in the wake of a report by the International Agency for Research on Cancer" that "reclassified tanning beds into the highest cancer risk category -- 'carcinogenic to humans.'" The end result of the hearing was that "the panel urged the FDA to make tanning beds Class II or III devices, which would allow the FDA to regulate them more closely."

Day Care Health Protocols

Day care centers quick to send children with minor illnesses home.
USA Today (4/20, Szabo) reports, "No one wants sick kids to suffer or infect their classmates, but many parents can't take off work, especially when a toddler comes down with the fourth ear infection of the year, says pediatrician Andrew Hashikawa, MD, of the Medical College of Wisconsin." Therefore, the "American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Public Health Association updated guidelines about when to send kids home in 2002" to help parents and daycare centers alike. The results of a new survey indicate, however, that "more than half of day care center directors would" still "send children home unnecessarily for minor illnesses."
Such findings mirror previous survey results conducted in states that don't stand behind those guidelines, which were first introduced in 1992, according to Reuters (4/19, Joelving). The state of Wisconsin, however, appeared to endorse the recommendation some ten years ago.
With that in mind, researchers at the Medical College of Wisconsin "conducted phone surveys with 305 child care directors and posed five scenarios in which a child was sick with an illness, such as a cold, conjunctivitis, or gastric flu," the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (4/19, Johnson) reported. "According to guidelines...children with such illnesses should not be excluded from day care." But, "57% of directors said they would exclude children who fit at least one of the five scenarios."

Tamoxifen and Breast Cancer Update

Tamoxifen, raloxifene may reduce breast cancer risk.
ABC World News (4/19, story 8, 0:35, Sawyer) reported that two drugs, tamoxifen and raloxifene, may help prevent breast cancer, according to a study funded by the National Cancer Institute.
The Los Angeles Times (4/20, Maugh) reports that "the trial enrolled 19,747 post-menopausal women over the age of 35 who had an above-normal risk of breast cancer because they had breast cancer genes or a family history of the disease." Although "the average 60- to 64-year-old woman has about a 1.66% risk of developing breast cancer over a five-year period, the women in the study averaged twice that risk, and some had an even higher risk." Participants "were given either tamoxifen (brand name Nolvadex, also available generically) or raloxifene (brand name Evista) daily for five years."
The AP (4/20, Marchione) reports that "tamoxifen cut the chances of developing the most serious forms of breast cancer in half, the research shows, but with a higher risk of uterine cancer." Meanwhile, "Evista cut the cancer risk by 38 percent, with fewer uterine problems and other serious side effects."
USA Today (4/20, Szabo) reports that "Victor Vogel, main author of the study presented Monday at the American Association for Cancer Research meeting in Washington," said, "It's not a cure ... but it's an important protection for women who are at very high risk." The Wall Street Journal (4/20, Wang), the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (4/20, Fabregas), and HealthDay (4/19, Gardner) also covered the story.

Calcium and Breast Cancer

Calcium, multivitamins may be linked to reduced breast cancer risk.
Bloomberg News (4/19, Gibson) reports that "calcium doesn't just build strong bones, it may fight cancer too," according to a study presented at the meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research. Investigators found "that women who took calcium had a 40 percent lower risk of getting breast cancer, while those getting multivitamins showed a 30 percent reduction in risk." These "data contradict results of a December 2008 trial that showed no reduction in cancer risk from vitamin supplements."
HealthDay (4/18, Gardner) pointed out that "the authors of the study...did not separate out which specific vitamins might be beneficial, but suggested that the interactions of different vitamins together might account for the beneficial effect."

Avandia Update

FDA may be considering stopping Avandia study.
On the front of its Marketplace section, the Wall Street Journal (4/19, B1, Mundy, Dooren) reports that the Food and Drug Administration is now considering whether to stop a trial involving thousands of people that explores the safety of Avandia (rosiglitazone), a diabetes drug manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline PLC. Research reported since 2007 has associated use of the drug with a higher risk for heart attacks. But, the trial's lead investigator, Hertzel Gerstein, called the current safety study "ethical and appropriate." He said that the American College of Cardiology, among other groups, has requested additional data on both Avandia and the drug Actos (pioglitazone).
Reuters (4/19, Erman) reprises the Wall Street Journal's coverage of the story, quoting the FDA's Principal Deputy Commissioner Joshua Sharfstein, who said that the decision to let the safety trial go on "cannot be de-linked from the agency's view of Avandia," and may even factor into its consideration of allowing the drug to remain on the US market. To date, however, the agency has made no decision on the trial, Sharfstein indicated.
JAMA editorial calls for independent analysis of industry-sponsored drug trial data. In a related story, American Medical News (4/19, O'Reilly) reports, "Medical journal editors should require independent analysis of industry-sponsored trial data by an academic statistician before publishing results, according to an editorial published in the March 24/31 Journal of the American Medical Association." The editorial "comes in response to internal GlaxoSmithKline documents revealed as part of a February Senate Finance Committee report investigating the company's handling of data related to its diabetes drug Avandia (rosiglitazone)." In fact, "it is in these kinds of cases that journals requiring an independent academic statistician to review the data analysis could help ensure that physicians and patients are not misled about industry-sponsored trial results, said Catherine D. DeAngelis, MD, MPH, editor-in-chief of JAMA."

Swingset Dust and Eye Injuries

Metal dust from swings may endanger eyesight of children with autism.
The New York Times (4/16, Rabin) reports, "Children with autism are often calmed by riding on a swing; some do it for hours every day. But doctors are warning of a serious hazard that can occur when wear and tear causes small metal fragments to peel from the suspension apparatus and fall into children's eyes." According to the Times, a recent article describes the case of "a 10-year-old boy [who] came to an eye clinic at Cincinnati Children's Hospital with something lodged in his right eye." After questioning the mother, the physician discovered the "child spent hours each day on a homemade swing." To protect children, experts recommend that children "wear safety glasses," and that parents "wrap the swing mechanism in a cloth to catch any metal dust."
New autism disease may not exist, research says. The AP (4/16) reports that according to research published Friday in the BMJ, autistic enterocolitis, "a bowel disease found in autistic people," may not exist. In 1998, Andrew Wakefield published a study in the journal Lancet which described a new bowel disease and "proposed a connection between autism and the vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella. The study was widely discredited." The paper "set off a health scare," and it was later retracted by Lancet. Sir Nicholas Wright of the London School of Medicine and Dentistry says, "several studies have shown a link between inflamed bowels and autism, but too little evidence exists to prove there is a new illness."

Viagra for Women

Scientists move closer to creating equivalent of male Viagra for women.
The Los Angeles Times (4/14, Mestel) "Booster Shots" blog reported that "when Viagra [sildenafil] was first marketed, some sexual health experts suggested that it might work in women as well as men, providing a pharmacological aid for women with low levels of arousal (sometimes termed 'female sexual dysfunction' or 'female sexual arousal disorder')." Women haven't had great success with the little blue pill, however, which suggests "there's something about arousal in male versus female parts that differs physiologically." Now, however, researchers at Pfizer say they've made headway in finding a drug that could help some women with FSAD.
According to an article on the ABC News (4/14, Hutchinson) website, the breakthrough came courtesy of rabbits. Researchers administered a drug known as UK-414,495 to female rabbits and it appeared to "mimic the human body's natural processes in bolstering" excitement. "By specifically blocking the enzyme in the body that checks blood flow to" female genitalia, "the drug could allow for greater blood flow and greater physiological arousal, said Chris Wayman, the lead researcher on the project" that is detailed in the British Journal of Pharmacology. The "drug would not create arousal out of nowhere," but it will "boost blood flow when accompanied by desire and sexual stimulation."

Smoking and Depression

Depression associated with heavy smoking.
The Los Angeles Times (4/14, Roan) "Booster Shots" blog reported, "Despite the now well-known and far-reaching effects of smoking, more than one-fifth of Americans still smoke," and many may find it "hard to quit because they also have depression." In fact, data compiled by the CDC indicate that "43% of adult smokers age 20 and older" are dealing the condition. "Among men ages 40 to 54, a whopping 55% of those who smoke have depression," while "among women ages 20 to 39 who smoke, 50% have depression."
After analyzing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, investigators also noted that "the number of cigarettes people smoke increases as their depression deepens," WebMD (4/14, DeNoon) reported. In fact, "nearly twice as many depressed smokers as non-depressed smokers average more than a pack of cigarettes each day (28% vs. 15%)." What's more, "smokers suffering depression grab for that first cigarette of the day sooner than smokers who aren't depressed."
"Exactly why depressed people tend to smoke more was beyond the scope of the study," HealthDay (4/14, Doheny) reported. But, Dr. Laura Pratt, "an epidemiologist at the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics," pointed out that "some research has suggested they might be self-medicating, with the cigarettes somehow acting as a calming or relaxing mechanism." Stanton A. Glantz, director of the University of California-San Francisco's Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, "agrees that depressed people who smoke may be self-medicating. Part of the problem, he said, is that mental-health professionals have been slow to deal with the tobacco issue."

Artificial Pancreas Update

Researchers report progress in development of artificial pancreas.
The Los Angeles Times (4/15, Maugh) reports that, according to a study published online April 14 in the journal Science Translational Medicine, "researchers have made a major step toward the development of an artificial pancreas that overcomes the bugaboo of most previous such attempts -- dangerously low blood sugar caused by injection of too much insulin." The new "experimental device secretes two hormones normally produced by the pancreas -- insulin and its counterbalancing hormone, called glucagon -- and has been shown to control blood sugar levels in about a dozen people for at least 24 hours."
"Ideally, this type of automated device would finally free people with type 1 diabetes from the insulin injections that many require each day, while relieving them of the constant need to check blood sugar levels and monitor the food they eat accordingly," HealthDay (4/14, Gordon) reported. For the study, "11 people with type 1 diabetes were included...and were studied in 27-hour experiment" during which they ate three meals rich in carbohydrates while "they were hooked up to the artificial pancreas."
Medscape (4/14, Barclay) reported that mean blood glucose (BG) "concentration of 140 mg/dL, which is below the mean BG concentration target of 154 mg/dL or less that is recommended by the American Diabetes Association, was achieved in six participants." However, "compared with six patients who had no episodes of hypoglycemia requiring treatment, five patients who did have hypoglycemia requiring treatment had slower lispro absorption kinetics." But, "setting the time-to-peak plasma lispro concentration to 65 minutes prevented hypoglycemia in both groups and achieved an aggregate mean BG concentration of 164 mg/dL."
Reuters (4/15, Steenhuysen) reports that the entire closed-loop system consists of two pumps, a laptop computer with programmable software, and a glucose monitor. Two months ago, when scientists in the UK used a similar set-up on 17 pediatric patients, they discovered that the children's BG levels remained in a range considered as normal at least three-fifths of the time.

Antidepressants in Children and Adolescents

Antidepressants may have similar suicide risk in children, adolescents.
HealthDay (4/12, Reinberg) reported that, according to a study published online April 12 in the journal Pediatrics, "there appears to be no difference among antidepressants in raising a kid's risk of suicidal thoughts."
Harvard School of Public Health researchers "collected data on 20,906 children aged 10 to 18 who had been diagnosed with depression in British Columbia," following the children for nine years. The young participants "were on a variety of commonly prescribed antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), including citalopram (Celexa), fluoxetine (Prozac), fluvoxamine (Luvox), paroxetine (Paxil), and sertraline (Zoloft)."
Medscape (4/12, Brooks) reported, "During the first 12 months of treatment, the researchers identified 266 attempted and three completed suicides -- an event rate of 27.04 suicidal acts per 1000 person-years (95% confidence interval [CI], 23.9 – 30.5 suicidal acts per 1,000 person-years)." However, "they failed to see any significant differences in rate ratios (RRs) in analyses comparing fluoxetine with citalopram (RR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.54 – 1.76), fluvoxamine (RR, 1.05; 95% CI, 0.46 – 2.43), paroxetine (RR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.47 – 1.37), and sertraline (RR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.56 – 1.84)."

Dementia Diet

Diet may lower risk for Alzheimer's.
Bloomberg News (4/13, Tirrell) reports that, according to a study published online April 12 in the Archives of Neurology, elderly people "who adhered most to diets rich in dark, leafy vegetables, poultry, fish, and nuts and low in red meat, butter, and fatty dairy products had a 38 percent lower risk of getting Alzheimer's disease than those who followed that plan the least." Study author Nikolaos Scarmeas, MD, MS, theorized that "these foods may protect blood vessels in the brain, preventing tiny strokes that may contribute to Alzheimer's."
Researchers followed more than 2,100 "New York City residents over age 65 for about four years, assessing each subject for cognitive deficits at least three times," the Los Angeles Times (4/12, Healy) "Booster Shots" blog reported. "At the same time, the researchers broke down their dietary reports to gauge their intake of seven nutrients: saturated fatty acids; monounsaturated fatty acids; Omega-3 and Omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids; vitamin E, vitamin B12 and folate." They discovered that "of the 682 subjects whose diets ranked in the top third of the group in intake of vitamin E, folate, and poly- and monounsaturated fats (nutrients found in poultry, fish, vegetables, and most nuts and vegetable oils), just 50 subjects (or 7%) developed Alzheimer's disease."

iPad is Fantastic!

Experts say iPad could revolutionize medicine, save billions.
The Washington Post (4/11, White) reported, "Medical-technology trade publications are getting positively Tiger Beat in their enthusiasm" over the new iPad. "Kaiser Permanente is testing uses for the device, a honcho at one of Harvard's main teaching hospitals has weighed in on his facility's iPad pilot program, and executives at Cedars-Sinai were rumored to have gotten prototypes last year." The Post noted that "if the iPad becomes as ubiquitous in medical facilities as the iPod is everywhere else, it could usher in billions of dollars in savings, according to Blackford Middleton, chairman of the Center for Information Technology Leadership and corporate director of Clinical Informatics Research & Development at Partners HealthCare System."

Lyme Disease Controversial Therapy

Some Lyme disease patients now turning to controversial antibiotics therapy.
The Minneapolis Star Tribune (4/12, Lerner) reports that some patients with Lyme disease are now turning "to a highly controversial therapy: more than a year's worth of antibiotics," instead of the usual treatment of 10 to 28 days, a practice that some medical experts say is "a reckless, unproven, and potentially dangerous approach." Undeterred by guidelines issued in 2006 by the Infectious Diseases Society of America, "Lyme disease activists...are speaking out in courtrooms, state legislatures, and even a new documentary, 'Under Our Skin,' to argue that the experts are wrong." For example, in Minnesota last month, Lyme activists "pressured the state Board of Medicine to forgo...the ability to discipline doctors for using the unproven treatment" for the next five years.

Tinnitus and Supplements

Little evidence exists of supplements' usefulness against tinnitus.
The Los Angeles Times (4/12, Woolston) reports that although "tinnitus can sometimes be treated with electronic masking devices" or "cognitive behavioral therapy," a number of sufferers "end up looking for tinnitus relief in a pill." One such "homeopathic supplement" is called Quietus, which is said to contain a "powerful lineup of ingredients." Tinnitus Relief Formula, which is a capsule that "contains 120 milligrams of ginkgo biloba along with zinc and garlic extract," is another option. One audiologist pointed out, however, that "there's no solid evidence that the supplements are of use." Jeff Carroll, director of the Tinnitus Treatment Center at UC Irvine, added, "We don't recommend them."

Sugar Guidelines from American Heart Assoc.

American Heart Association releases guidelines for sugar intake.
Julie Deardorff writes in the Chicago Tribune (4/9), "For the first time, Americans now have a benchmark: No more than 25 grams of added sugar a day for women and 37.5 grams for men, according to new guidelines established by the American Heart Association." Still, "it's easy to soar past those limits. Downing just one 12-ounce can of Coca-Cola will give you 39 grams of sugar, exceeding your daily ration. But a lesser-known problem with sugar is that it's hidden in everything from soup to nuts." In addition, "it's lurking in your lunch meat. It enhances bread. And if a low-fat product or frozen dinner tastes good, you may have added sugar to thank."

Tanning and Skin Infections

Lying in tanning bed may lead to skin infections.
The New York Times (4/8, E3, Saint Louis) reports that "lying in a tanning bed may...lead to skin infections, according to a study published in the Journal of American Academy of Dermatology." Study lead author Julie E. Russak, MD, of Mount Sinai Hospital, "swabbed a tanning bed at 10 Upper East Side salons that received top ratings from New York magazine in 2008," finding "staph bacteria" and "the bacteria in fecal matter. A scratch can let in either, potentially causing whiteheads or abscesses, said" study author Darrell S. Rigel, MD, of New York University. Notably, every single bed tested had those bacteria.

Depressed Parents and Children's Mental Health

Growing up with depressed parent may increase child's risk for mental-health problems.
The Chicago Tribune (4/8, Elias) reports, "Evidence is mounting that growing up with a depressed parent increases a child's risk for mental-health problems, cognitive difficulties, and troubled social relationships," conclusions "summed up last year in a report by the National Research Council and Institute of Medicine." The report explained that "across all stages of childhood," children with depressed parents "have more behavior problems at school and higher rates of depression and anxiety disorders."
Sleep deprivation may alleviate postpartum depression. In the New York Times (4/7) "Opinionator" blog, Terry Sejnowski, PhD, a member of the Institute of Medicine, wrote that sleep deprivation may be "a simple way to alleviate postpartum depression in just a few hours." Interestingly, "if a depressed mother stays up all night, or even the last half of the night, it is likely that by morning the depression will lift," a phenomenon "well documented in over 1,700 patients in more than 75 published papers during the last 40 years." This observation, which "suggests that something is happening in the sleeping brain to bring on episodes of depression," could lead to new treatments for the disorder.

Lonliness Effects Studied

Researchers studying health effects, causes of loneliness.
USA Today (4/8, Szabo) reports, "Researchers are studying the causes and health effects of loneliness -- both on the body and mind -- in the hope of helping people and communities stay healthy and connected. Lonely people tend to have higher blood pressure and weaker immune systems," says John Cacioppo, director of the University of Chicago's Center for Cognitive and Social Neuroscience. In fact, "loneliness may even affect our genes. In lonely people, genes that promote inflammation are more active, while genes that reduce inflammation are less active, he says." Cacioppo also points out that "the pain of loneliness is caused less by being alone than by feeling alone."

Sleep Eating!

Sleep eating disorder discussed.
The New York Times (4/8, Epstein) reports, "Sleep eaters 'make a beeline for the kitchen' and tend to binge on sugary, high-calorie snacks, sometimes five times a night, said Dr. John W. Winkelman. ... Some go for bizarre food combinations like peanut butter and pasta, and even the occasional nail polish or paper." Experts say that the "consequences of nighttime eating can include injuries like black eyes from walking into a wall or hand cuts from a prep knife, or dental problems from gnawing on frozen food. On a deeper level, many sleep eaters feel depressed, frustrated and ashamed." About "10 percent of adults suffer from some sort of parasomnia, or sleep disorder, like sleepwalking or night terrors," but "no one knows what triggers these nocturnal escapades." Most sleep eaters are women. The New York Times (4/7, Parker-Pope) "Well" blog also discussed the disorder.

Fat Melting Injection Warning

FDA issues warnings about fat-melting injections used in spas across the US.
The AP (4/8, Perrone) reports that "the Food and Drug Administration is cracking down on what are billed as fat-melting injections used in spas across the US, saying the drugs" have not "been cleared by federal scientists, as required by law." The agency asked a Brazilian company and six medical spas in the US to provide a written response within 15 days with their action plan to correct the situation, the Wall Street Journal (4/8, Stynes) reports.
The Philadelphia Inquirer (4/8, Burling) explains, "In a procedure known variously as lipodissolve, mesotherapy, lipozap, lipotherapy, or injection lipolysis, patients receive a series of injections meant to 'dissolve and permanently remove small pockets of fat from various parts of the body,' the FDA said. The primary ingredients are phosphatidylcholine and deoxycholate, although vitamins and herbs may also be added." The agency "has not evaluated the drugs and says it knows of no 'credible scientific evidence' that shows they eliminate fat."
No "definitive studies of side effects" have been reported, and the risks of the injections "also aren't understood," the NPR (4/7, Popovich) "Shots" blog reported. However, some patients have experienced "pain at the injection site, knots under the skin, and permanent scarring."

New Oxycontin Update

FDA approves reformulated OxyContin.
The Wall Street Journal (4/6, Dooren) reports that the FDA approved a new formulation of Purdue Pharma LP's painkiller OxyContin [oxycodone] that is designed to be harder to crush or dissolve. The active ingredient in the reformulated version is designed to turn into a gel when dissolved in liquid in order to prevent tampering.
Reuters (4/5) reported that the FDA said the reformulated OxyContin will probably prevent abuse by those who try to inhale or inject the drug, but people will still be able to misuse it by ingesting higher doses than are recommended. Still, Bob Rappaport, the FDA's director of the division of anesthesia and analgesia products, called the reformulation "a step in the right direction" in spite of the "incremental advantage over the current version of the drug" that it may provide. The CNN (4/5, Sloane) "Paging Dr. Gupta" blog also covered the story.

Social Networks and Drinking

Social networks may influence alcohol consumption.
The Time (4/5, O'Callaghan) "Wellness" blog reported, researchers recently "found that, like so many other things, drinking habits can be contagious: if a close connection...drank heavily -- defined as an average of one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men -- participants were 50% more likely to drink heavily themselves; if someone connected by two degrees of separation (a friend of a friend) drank heavily, participants were 36% more likely to do so." The "social impact of drinking continued to three degrees of separation -- that is, if your friend's mom's cousin drinks heavily, you're about 15% more likely to do so too -- but disappeared after four degrees of separation," according to the paper in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Adult ADHD Update

Adult AD/HD may affect up to 10 million Americans.
On the front of its Personal Journal section, the Wall Street Journal (4/6, D1, Beck) Health Journal discusses adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity (AD/HD) disorder, a condition that may affect up to 10 million Americans, only 4.4% of whom know it. Adult AD/HD can be comorbid with bipolar disorder, anxiety, and depression, further complicating diagnosis and treatment. For adults diagnosed with the condition, treatment can consist of behavioral therapy, medication, or both. People who think they may have AD/HD should be evaluated by a psychiatrist who understands the disorder.

Cancer Center Risk Guidelines Published

MD Anderson releases new guidelines for identifying people at high risk of cancer.
The Dallas Morning News (4/5, Churnin) reported that physicians are increasingly focusing on cancer prevention, "a fresh approach to" the disease as "in many cases, by the time cancer is detected, it is too late to save the patient." But, "the odds improve greatly if doctors can stop cells or tumors from developing into cancer or remove cancer-prone tissue before problems start." For its part, MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston "released new guidelines for identifying people with a high risk of developing cancer so that they can receive more sophisticated tests, such as genetic testing, which could indicate early intervention."
Breast cancer risk may increase after chest radiation for childhood malignancies. Bloomberg News (4/6, Ostrow) reports, "Women's risk of developing breast cancer may increase as much as 20-fold if they were treated with chest radiation for malignancies as children or young adults," according to research published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. In a study of 7,000 women, researchers found that "by the time they are in their 40s," a woman's "incidence of breast malignancy may be 13 to 20 percent, compared with about one percent for females generally." Meanwhile, a second study in the journal showed that "both male and female survivors of childhood cancers die about a decade sooner."
Notably, the "reduction in life expectancy varied according to the type of cancer," with "survivors of kidney cancer" dying "about four years earlier than the general population," and "bone and brain cancer survivors" dying "about 18 years earlier," HealthDay (4/5, Preidt) reported. The researchers speculated that the "shortened life expectancy could be the result of cancer treatments with long-term toxicity that were used in previous decades." Reuters (4/6) also covers the story.

Teens Should Exercise!

Exercise may help teens counteract genetic propensity for obesity.
The Los Angeles Times (4/5, Stein) "Booster Shots" blog reported, "Genetics may be one factor that causes obesity, but according to a new study " in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, "those genes might not hold sway over an adolescent's weight -- if that teen exercises."
Before reaching that conclusion, researchers in Sweden "collected data on 752 teens who took part in the Healthy Lifestyles in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence Cross-Sectional Study, which was conducted in 10 European countries between October 2006 and December 2007," HealthDay (4/5, Reinberg) reported. "Among these teens, 37 percent did not have FTO mutations, 47 percent had one copy, and 16 percent had two copies." Indeed, "copies of the mutation were linked with higher body mass index," and "a higher percentage of body fat and a larger waist."
But, "an hour a day of moderate to vigorous exercise can overcome the effect of" rs9939609, the "so-called A allele of the fat mass- and obesity-associated gene, or FTO," MedPage Today (4/5, Smith) reported.
Notably, "the research supports US guidelines that tell children and teenagers to get an hour or more of physical activity daily, most of it aerobic activity such as running, jumping rope, swimming, dancing and bicycling," the AP (4/6, Johnson) reports.
Maternal exercise during pregnancy may lower baby's birth weight. The Los Angeles Times (4/5, Roan) "Booster Shots" blog reported that, according to a study published online March 24 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, "exercise during pregnancy may help babies start life at a healthy weight." After comparing "84 first-time mothers who either exercised during pregnancy or were sedentary," researchers found that the mothers who exercised delivered "babies that were, on average, three to five ounces lighter than the babies of the non-exercisers."
"The babies born to the exercisers had a lower body weight and a lower...BMI," WebMD (4/5, Doheny) reported. Notably, "there were no differences in the length of the babies, on average, between exercisers and non-exercisers." Neither pregnancy duration nor maternal weight was affected.
HealthDay (4/5, Preidt) reported that "study co-author Dr. Paul Hofman, of the University of Auckland in New Zealand, said in an Endocrine Society news release" that, "given that large birth size is associated with an increased risk of obesity, a modest reduction in birth weight may have long-term health benefits for offspring by lowering this risk in later life.'

Ovarian Cancer Research

Researchers using new technology to unravel mysteries of ovarian cancer.
The Boston Herald (4/5, McConville) reports that "a pioneering team of Boston doctors and medical researchers is using new technology to unravel the mysteries of ovarian cancer." Dr. Ursula A. Matulonis, an oncologist and a member of the Dana Farber Brigham and Women's Cancer Center, "and her colleagues have been using a new technology, the OncoMap, to scan cancer tumors for genetic mutations."

Breastfeeding Improves Childhood Health

Breastfeeding could help save lives, money, study suggests.
The Los Angeles Times (4/4, Roan) "Booster Shots" blog reported, "If all US women followed medical recommendations to breastfeed their infants exclusively for six months, the nation could save $13 billion a year in medical costs and prevent 911 deaths." Harvard researchers made those assertions after comparing the "costs of 10 childhood diseases at current breastfeeding rates and the projected costs of those diseases if 90% of US women complied with the recommendations."
The "magnitude of health benefits linked to breastfeeding," the AP (4/5, Tanner) reports, "is vastly underappreciated, said lead author Dr. Melissa Bartick." According to the paper in Pediatrics, the practice may help prevent "stomach viruses, ear infections, asthma, juvenile diabetes, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, and even childhood leukemia." But, while calling the "analysis compelling," a University of Chicago pediatrician "also said mothers who don't breastfeed for six months shouldn't be blamed or made to feel guilty, because their jobs and other demands often make it impossible to do so."

Binge Eating Therapy

Cognitive behavioral techniques may help binge eaters gain control.
CNN (4/1, Park) reported, "Many patients who suffer from" binge eating, the "most common eating disorder in the" US, "believe they are overeating and seek weight-loss treatment rather than mental health help, experts" say. "Even when they receive a proper diagnosis, the treatments for binge eating are expensive, time-consuming, and sometimes difficult to obtain." So, researchers at Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research decided to "examine whether a self-guided program would help 123 study participants."
According to the Los Angeles Times (4/1, Dennis) "Booster Shots" blog, those "who went through a 12-week, eight-session program" meant to change their thinking and behavior "were much more likely to gain control of their eating than those participants who simply received the various types of treatment they'd normally get in a managed-care setting." Specifically, "after 12 weeks, 28.3% of the treatment-as-usual group and 63.5% of the cognitive-behavioral-therapy group had managed to stop binging," according to the paper in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. "After a year, those numbers were 44.6% and 64.2%, respectively."

Elderly Routines Improve Sleep

Daily routine may help older adults prevent insomnia, improve sleep quality.
The Los Angeles Times (4/1, Roan) "Booster Shots" blog reported, "For older adults, keeping a daily routine may prevent insomnia and improve sleep quality," according to a paper in Sleep. Someone had "suggested that the boredom of doing the same thing at the same time every day must account for the easy bedtime." But researchers at the University of Haifa "say it's more likely that humans benefit from synchronization between their daytime and nighttime activities." WebMD (4/1, Hendrick) also covered the study.

Teen Drinking Study

High rates of drinking found among youth aged 12 to 20.
The Washington Post (4/1) The Checkup blog reported that although recent research shows that moderate consumption of alcohol by adults "can confer cardiovascular benefits," a new survey shows that over "a quarter (27.6 percent) of people aged 12 to 20 had consumed alcoholic beverages in the month before being questioned. The survey of 19,176 people in that age group, conducted from 2006 to 2008 by SAMSAH, also found that in some states, that number topped 40 percent." The data also revealed that the "District of Columbia had the highest percentage of young people -- 18.8 percent -- who'd bought their own booze the last time they drank. The national average was 8.6 percent." Notably, "SAMHSA, in cooperation with the Ad Council, has launched an updated version of their five-year-old public-service campaign to address the issue."

H1N1 in New England

CDC data show New England has highest rates of H1N1 vaccination.
The AP (4/2, Stobbe) reports, "New England leads the nation in swine flu vaccinations, while the South has the lowest rates, US health officials said Thursday in the first state-by-state report on turnout." Data show that "tiny Rhode Island has the highest rate of about 39 percent -- three times higher than Mississippi, which has the lowest percentage of residents vaccinated, according to" the CDC. The AP adds, "In late November, when vaccine was finally becoming plentiful, swine flu was easing in some Southeastern states but was widespread and more worrisome in the Northeast." According to the CDC's Dr. Anne Schuchat, "New England was 'able to take advantage of that demand with ample supply by then.'" Schuchat also pointed out that "both Rhode Island and Maine had aggressive, statewide efforts to hold clinics at schools."
The Minneapolis Star Tribune (4/2, Lerner) reports, "Nearly one in three Minnesotans received the H1N1 vaccine since last fall, one of the highest rates in the country, federal officials reported Thursday." The state "ranked eighth in the nation, with 31 percent of its residents 6 months or older getting the vaccine," compared to the "national average" of "24 percent." The Providence Journal (4/2, Freyer) provides additional data on Rhode Island, while the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (4/2, Bernhard) says, "Fewer than 16 percent of Missourians received swine flu vaccine through mid-February." In addition, the Richmond (VA) Times-Dispatch (4/2) reports that "ranked by overall vaccination rates, Virginia was tied with Illinois for 18th place among states and the District of Columbia." The Los Angeles Times (4/2, Maugh II) Booster Shots blog also covers the story.

Soda Tax and Obesity

Study says small taxes on soda may not prevent childhood obesity.
The AP (4/1, Stobbe) reports that, according to a study published online April 1 in the journal Health Affairs, "small taxes on soda do little to reduce soft drink consumption or prevent childhood obesity." Analyzing data from "a 2004 national survey of about 7,300 fifth-graders," researchers found that "taxes made no real difference on overall soda consumption or on obesity for kids overall," but had "a small effect on certain children -- especially those from families with an annual income of $25,000 or less." The study authors suggested, however, that a tax of "18 cents on the dollar...would make a significant difference."

Weight Loss Guidelines for Women

One hour of daily moderate activity may help prevent weight gain in normal-weight women.
The New York Times (4/1, Rabin) reports that, according to research published in the March 24/31 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association, "an hour of moderate activity a day...prevented women of normal weight from gaining more than five pounds over any three-year period." Researchers arrived at that conclusion after following 34,079 women, average age 54 at study start, for a period of 15 years. But, "women who got the same amount of exercise but were heavier to start with were not able to avoid gaining weight," nor were those "women of normal weight who got less than seven hours a week of moderate activity."
Certain "red flags" should prompt avid exercisers to visit physicians. According to the New York Times (4/1, E1, Kolata) Personal Best column on the front of its Thursday Styles section, most avid exercisers should avoid visiting physicians if they "have the usual sort of aches and pains that plague almost everyone" who is regularly active. There are, however, "red flags that should prompt you to get medical" attention, such as "pain that gets progressively worse, pain at rest or at night, joint swelling or bruises that do not heal, and knees or elbows or other joints that lock or seem unstable." In addition, "Dr. Thomas Best, the president-elect of the American College of Sports Medicine...advises seeing a doctor if you are not recovering in your usual period of time from whatever injury or soreness you typically get."
Weight training injuries becoming more prevalent. The Los Angeles Times (3/31, Stein) "Booster Shots" blog reported that as interest in weight training grows, ED are seeing more injuries. "From 1996 to 2007 overall injuries increased 48.4%, with men sustaining the most injuries at 82.3%," compared to the 63% of women who did. Still, that figure, coupled with fact that "people age 13 to 18 had the highest number of injuries," indicates that "their presence in the weight room is growing," according to the paper in the American Journal of Sports Medicine. "As to how these injuries happened, the No. 1 reason was dropping a weight on some part of the body."

TB Rates Fall

CDC notes record setting decrease in annual TB rates.
The New York Times (3/31, Rabin) reported, "Tuberculosis rates in the United States dropped more than 10 percent last year compared with 2008, the sharpest decrease ever recorded in a single year," according to CDC officials. Although the reasons behind the trends "were not entirely clear," federal health authorities "did not rule out the possibility that some cases went uncounted or perhaps even undiagnosed because patients did not have access to medical care." Still, "the report's lead author said public health efforts to identify TB outbreaks earlier and interrupt transmission in hard-hit communities might have contributed to the decline, along with demographic shifts and more aggressive screening of would-be immigrants."
Obama Administration urged to boost financial commitment to TB fight. The Miami Herald (3/31) opined, "A global epidemic -- and security threat -- is in the making, if" TB "is not attacked swiftly and with precision." The matter has become increasingly urgent, "because new antibiotic-resistant strains of TB are emerging," but "unfortunately, President Obama's budget proposal this year would cut $50 million from a $4 billion, five-year plan to fight TB globally and flat line money for domestic TB-fighting programs." Alongside supporting additional laboratories focused on testing and antibiotic research, the Herald maintained that "the United States should be leading the way -- not retreating from this menace."

Prostate Cancer and Avodart

Avodart may help lower prostate cancer risk in men at high risk.
NBC Nightly News (3/31, story 4, 2:20, Bazell) reported, "Drug giant GlaxoSmithKline, which makes Avodart [dutasteride],is asking the FDA to allow sales of the drug for a new use, to reduce cancer risk. The head of" a new "study which was paid for by the company agrees." Dr. Gerald Andriole, Washington University, was shown saying, "It reduces a man's chance of being diagnosed with prostate cancer."
The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed that "men at an above-normal risk of prostate cancer may be able to reduce their risk of developing the disease by taking" the drug, the Los Angeles Times (4/1, Maugh) reports. Researchers found that "the drug dutasteride" lowered "the risk of prostate cancer by about a quarter in high-risk men."
But, the study also showed that "heart failure developed in 30 men on the drug versus only 16 on dummy pills," the AP (4/1, Marchione) reports. Upon further analysis, researchers found "that men who developed heart failure while on Avodart also tended to be taking certain other drugs, said Glaxo spokeswoman Sarah Alspach." Dr. Barnett Kramer, a National Institutes of Health scientist, noted that "the important detail is there's a heart failure signal here that was unanticipated."

Dark Chocolate Lowers Heart Attacks

Dark chocolate may lower risk of heart attacks, strokes.
Bloomberg News (3/31, Cortez) reports that, according to a study published March 31 in the European Heart Journal, "a daily nibble of dark chocolate may slash the risk of heart attacks and strokes by more than one-third." In "a study of 20,000 middle-aged" people, investigators from the German Institute of Human Nutrition "tracked participants for a decade to unravel the ties between chocolate and heart disease, and unexpectedly found the biggest benefit lay in warding off strokes."
The researchers "found people who had an average of six grams of chocolate per day -- or about one square of a chocolate bar -- had a 39 percent lower risk of either a heart attack or stroke," the AP (3/31, Cheng) reports. "Experts think the flavonols contained in chocolate are responsible."
According to WebMD (3/30, Warner), "people who ate the most chocolate also had blood pressure that was about one point systolic" and "0.9 point diastolic...lower than people who ate the least amount of chocolate."

Menthol Cigarettes Proposed Ban

FDA panel begins debating whether or not to ban menthol cigarettes.
The CBS Evening News (3/30, story 8, 1:50, Couric) reported, "It was a big deal last June when Congress gave the FDA the power to regulate tobacco. Today, the agency took a hard look at menthol cigarettes, which are smoked by more than 18 million adults and a million kids under 18." Notably, "some antismoking groups believe tobacco companies are using menthol to get teens and minorities hooked."
The Washington Post (3/31, Layton) reports, "Federal officials began grappling Tuesday with one of the thorniest issues surrounding the regulation of tobacco: whether to ban menthol, the most popular cigarette flavoring." The Post adds, "A scientific advisory panel that will advise the Food and Drug Administration on regulating tobacco opened" the meeting by "reviewing hundreds of published studies on menthol cigarettes. The panel, largely made up of scientists, physicians and public health experts, has a year to make a recommendation to the FDA on menthol cigarettes, which are used by about 26 percent of smokers, and make up almost one-third of the $70 billion US cigarette market."

Free Vaccine Program

Glaxo to offer free vaccines to uninsured Americans.
The AP (3/30) reports, "GlaxoSmithKline PLC said Monday it is launching a program in the US to provide free vaccines to adults who don't have health insurance." The vaccines will include "shots for hepatitis A and B, tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough," and its cervical cancer vaccine Cervarix "also will be included for women between the ages of 19 and 25." The GSK Vaccine Access program "is open to adults ages 19 and up whose income totals no more than $27,075 for a single person or $36,425 for a couple."

Genetics and Pain Sensetivity

Genetics, life experiences may play role in pain sensitivity.
In the USA Today (3/29) Your Health column, Kim Painter discusses increasing evidence suggesting that people "are born with different vulnerabilities to pain -- and that early painful experiences and other matters shape us in ways that can profoundly affect our responses." For example, "British researchers tested people with osteoarthritis and other painful conditions and found that those with one form of a gene called SCN9A reported worse pain than those with another version." Life experiences may also play a role in pain sensitivity. For example, "heightened pain responses also are seen in people with a family history of substance abuse and those who have been abused physically, sexually, or emotionally, says" psychiatrist Michael Moskowitz, MD.
TRPA1 molecule may hold key to pain perception. The Boston Globe (3/29, Johnson) reports, "the ability to detect noxious compounds comes from a biological pathway older than our sense of smell, emerging far in the evolutionary past, about half a billion years ago," according to research published in this month's journal Nature. Researchers from Brandeis University say that "a molecule called TRPA1" appears to respond "to chemicals that can damage tissue." Now, "because the sensor plays a role in pain perception, scientists are interested in seeing if there is a way to act on it to dampen pain."

Nitroglycerine Update

Majority of nitroglycerin tablets not approved by FDA.
The New York Times (3/27, B1, Singer) reported that most nitroglycerin tablets prescribed by US physicians are not approved by the FDA. Last week, the FDA "sent warning letters...to two drugmakers ordering them to stop marketing unapproved nitroglycerin tablets." The agency "said that it had not examined the quality of the products it was ordering off the market but that it had recorded problems with other unapproved nitroglycerin products in the past." Michael Levy, a division director in the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said, "Pharmacies likely mistake them for generic drugs or for drugs likely to be grandfathered, neither of which is the case."
FDA website can help consumers find all approved drugs. The New York Times (3/27, B2, Singer) reported, "If consumers want to know for sure whether the drugs that pharmacists are using to fill their prescriptions have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, they can check the FDA's website." The agency's website includes "both an online database of approved drugs, called drugs@fda, as well as an electronic catalog of approved drugs, called the Orange Book," where "people can look up medications by the brand name or active ingredient." The Times adds, "As many as 2 percent of the prescriptions dispensed in the United States may be for drugs that the F.D.A. has not formally approved, the agency estimates."

Breast Cancer Rates Reduced with Diet

Many breast cancer cases might be avoided with better diet, exercise.
The AP (3/26) reports that researchers at a European breast cancer conference Thursday said that "up to a third of breast cancer cases in Western countries could be avoided if women ate less and exercised more." Researchers noted that "better treatments, early diagnosis and mammogram screenings have dramatically slowed the disease," adding that "the focus should now shift to changing behaviors like diet and physical activity."
Better diet may lead to decreased breast cancer risk. Reuters (3/26, Peeples) reports that an analysis of 18 studies enrolling more than 400,000 people found that consuming less alcohol and more whole grains and vegetables could help women cut their chances of developing breast cancer. Researchers in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition wrote that they saw an 11% lower breast cancer risk for women with the best diets.

Pregnancy and Breast Cancer

Pregnancy not found to increase risk of dying from breast cancer.
The AP (3/26, Cheng) reports that research presented at a European breast cancer conference suggests that "women who survive breast cancer and have children afterwards don't appear to be at any higher risk of dying from cancer." Also, "among women in the general population, those who have early and multiple pregnancies have a lower risk of getting breast cancer than women who don't." Researchers "analyzed results from 14 previous trials that followed more than 1,400 pregnant women with a history of breast cancer." They discovered "that the women who got pregnant had a 42 percent lower risk of dying compared with breast cancer survivors who did not get pregnant."

Tanning Bed News

FDA panel agrees on increased restrictions on tanning bed use.
ABC World News (3/25, story 9, 1:20 Muir) reported, "Tonight, there is late word from federal safety officials who are poised to crack down on indoor tanning beds. Twenty-eight million Americans tan indoors every year, and now a panel of experts is so alarmed by the dangers of skin cancer, it's making some pretty bold warnings." ABC senior medical editor Richard Besser, MD, explained that "a panel of experts put together by the Food and Drug Administration...reached broad agreement that there need to be increased restrictions on the use of these tanning beds for everyone under 18."
The CBS Evening News (3/25, story 7, 0:15, Rodriguez) reported that panel's proposed new restrictions range "from requiring parental consent forms to banning the machines outright."
But, because tanning beds themselves are not medical devices, the agency can only put restrictions on the lamps the beds use, the Wall Street Journal (3/26, Dooren) reports. In order to do that, the FDA could reclassify the lamps. That would force tanning bed manufacturers to get agency marketing approval of the beds.
According to the AP (3/26, Perrone), "The FDA has regulated sunlamps for more than 20 years, but a recent report by the World Health Organization tied the devices to skin cancer, prompting a call for tougher rules." In fact, "the WHO analysis showed that" melanoma, "the deadliest form of skin cancer increases 75 percent in people who use tanning beds in their teens and 20s."