Medical Headlines - November 29, 2006

Old World Red Wines May Be Healthier
CBS News 
(WebMD) The same ingredient that helps red wines become better with age may help people live longer by protecting against heart disease.


Patients Unconcerned About Doctors' Ties
Washington Post 
By Rick Weiss. The vast majority of cancer patients participating in studies of experimental drugs do not care if the doctor running the study has financial ties to the drug's maker, according to a new survey ...


Health Canada warns of Tamiflu reactions, pandemic telephone scam
CBC News 
TORONTO (CP) - Health Canada has asked Swiss drug maker Hoffman-La Roche to update the safety information on its influenza drug, Tamiflu, following international reports of rare cases of hallucinations and abnormal behaviour in people who have taken the ...


Aching back? Sitting up straight may be why
Reuters 
By Megan Rauscher. NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - "Sit up straight -- you'll hurt your back," Mom always said. It turns out Mom was wrong, according to a new study that found sitting in an upright 90-degree position ...


Medicare drug benefit came in under budget
CNN 
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Medicare drug benefit has cost nearly $13 billion less than expected this year, a rare federal program coming in under budget.


Drug stents more likely to clot blood: analysis
Reuters.uk 
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Blood clotting is four to five times more likely to occur in patients getting drug-coated heart devices known as stents, compared to the older bare-metal variety, according to a large data analysis released on Wednesday.


Even in Africa, obesity a burgeoning problem
More than one-third of African women and a quarter of African men are estimated to be overweight, and the World Health Organization predicts that will rise to 41 percent and 30 percent respectively in the next 10 years.