Medical Headlines - November 19, 2006

Drug for troops labeled dangerous
Houston Chronicle - Nov 18, 2006
© 2006 AP. BALTIMORE - A blood-coagulating drug designed to treat rare forms of hemophilia is being used on critically wounded US troops in Iraq despite evidence it can cause clots that lead to strokes, heart ...


FDA ends silicone-implant ban
Seattle Times - Nov 18, 2006
By David Brown and Christopher Lee. WASHINGTON - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ended its 14-year ban on the cosmetic use of silicone-gel breast implants Friday, despite lingering safety concerns from some health advocates.


How Foods Can Affect Cancer
TIME
By ANDREW WEIL, MD. What do steak, tofu and sushi have to do with cancer? Plenty, it seems, if several new studies served up at the American Association for Cancer Research in Boston are to be believed.


Extreme obesity puts extra strain on ER
The Age
Hospitals need to be better equipped with heavy duty beds and hoists to cope with the rising number of extremely obese patients needing emergency care, a specialist has warned.


Certain Fatty Acid May Cut Dementia Risk
Forbes - Nov 17, 2006
FRIDAY, Nov. 17 (HealthDay News) -- Adding further weight to the theory that fish may be brain food, new research found that people with diets rich in fish have a significantly lower risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease.


WHO aims to wipe out polio within four years
Guardian Unlimited - Nov 16, 2006
Vaccination programmes are likely to eradicate the crippling polio virus around the globe within four years, health officials claimed yesterday.


VaxGen Wins Extension on Anthrax Vaccine
Washington Post - Nov 16, 2006
By Renae Merle. VaxGen Inc., a California biotechnology firm, said yesterday that the government had given it more time to conduct human testing of its anthrax vaccine, postponing a decision on whether the program should be canceled.