Medicine in the News - November 12, 2006

Time for seniors to pick 2007 drug plan
News-Leader.com
It's decision time again for Ozarkers age 65 and older - and any friends or family members who help them with financial decisions.


Manufacturer Recalls Millions of Bottles of Acetaminophen
ABC News
By DAN CHILDS. Nov.9, 2006? A large drug manufacturer recalled 383 lots, or 11 million bottles, of the pain medication acetaminophen Thursday after discovering that metal fragments contaminated some pills.


Google could 'help doctors diagnose illness'
Daily Mail - UK
Doctors could turn to Google to help them diagnose illnesses, experts said today. The internet search engine found the correct diagnosis in 58 per cent of difficult cases, they said.


HIV costs, life expectancy going up
Seattle Post Intelligencer - Nov 10, 2006
By MIKE STOBBE. AP MEDICAL WRITER. ATLANTA -- An American diagnosed with the AIDS virus can expect to live for about 24 years on average, and the cost of health care over those two-plus decades is more than $600,000, new research indicates.


Military service may boost Lou Gehrig's disease risk
CNN - Nov 10, 2006
By Saundra Young. WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Military service may slightly increase the risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's disease, but more research is needed, according to a new report from the National Academy of Sciences.


Stem cell cure hope for diabetes
BBC News
Scientists have used stem cells from human bone marrow to repair defective insulin-producing pancreatic cells responsible for diabetes in mice.


High blood sugar levels add to heart, stroke deaths
Reuters - Nov 9, 2006
LONDON (Reuters) - High blood sugar levels cause about three million deaths worldwide each year linked to heart disease and strokes as well as diabetes, researchers said on Friday.


NY Doctor Will Perform First Womb Transplant on a Human
New York Sun - Nov 9, 2006
By The Daily Telegraph. The world's first successful womb transplant will take place next year, Dr. Giuseppe Del Priore of New York Downtown Hospital said.


Lupus raises pregnancy death risk: study (Reuters)
Reuters - Women with the immune disease lupus who become pregnant face a much higher risk of serious complications and even death, U.S. researchers reported on Saturday., 2006-11-11


New massage for "BlackBerry Thumb"?
Sore thumbs after spending hours on a hand-held e-mail device? Sounds like a case of "BlackBerry Thumb" ? but help is at hand., 2006-11-10


Confused about green tea?
A recent study that linked consumption of green tea with protection from stroke, but not cancer, caught many people by surprise. How to understand the sometimes conflicting news about green tea., 2006-11-10