Today's Reuters Health News Headlines - Yahoo! News:
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Oklahoma court rejects ballot initiative on "personhood"
Mon,30 Apr 2012 05:08 PM PDT
Reuters - OKLAHOMA CITY (Reuters) - The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Monday struck down a ballot initiative that sought voter approval of a so-called "personhood" amendment to the state constitution to define an embryo as a human being from the moment of conception. The ballot question would have asked Oklahoma voters to expand the definition of a human being to include a fertilized egg. But the state's highest court said the proposed constitutional amendment was "void on its face" because the U.S. Supreme Court already has decided the issue. ... Full Story | Top |
Hysterectomy not tied to greater depression risk
Mon,30 Apr 2012 02:21 PM PDT
Reuters -  NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Women suddenly thrust into "surgical menopause" by hysterectomy don't have more severe mood symptoms than women going through gradual, natural menopause, a new study suggests. Researchers who followed nearly 2,000 middle-aged women for 10 years found that those who had hysterectomies, with or without ovary removal, were as likely as women who went through natural menopause to experience depression or anxiety -- and for all women, those symptoms declined steadily within a few years. "At least among women in midlife... ...
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Venezuela's Chavez reappears in public, back to Cuba
Mon,30 Apr 2012 01:43 PM PDT
Reuters -  CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez made his first live public appearance in two weeks on Monday to announce a new workers' law prior to his return to Cuba for more cancer radiation therapy. The 57-year-old socialist leader has been shuttling between Caracas and Havana for treatment on an unspecified cancer that is hampering his ability to campaign for an October 7 presidential election in the OPEC member nation. Chavez's last live public appearance had been on April 13, though he phoned state TV several times and was seen in a pre-recorded video from Havana. ...
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More babies born to painkiller-addicted moms
Mon,30 Apr 2012 01:26 PM PDT
Reuters - NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A baby is born every hour with signs of opiate drug withdrawal, according to a new U.S. study -- and the number of newborns in withdrawal has tripled over the past decade. Those babies are born earlier than average and with a higher risk of breathing problems and seizures, and they require careful monitoring and treatment to wean them off the drugs before they can go home. Researchers also found that the number of new moms who tested positive for use of opiates -- which include powerful painkillers such as oxycontin -- increased five-fold between 2000 and 2009. ... Full Story | Top |
Double-drug diabetes treatment disappoints in kids
Mon,30 Apr 2012 01:22 PM PDT
Reuters - NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - In a large new trial looking at ways to slow the progression of type 2 diabetes in children and teens, the addition of a second drug to the mainstay treatment metformin was only marginally more effective at controlling blood sugar than metformin alone. ... Full Story | Top |
Texas cannot exclude Planned Parenthood from health program: judge
Mon,30 Apr 2012 12:51 PM PDT
Reuters - AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - A federal judge on Monday temporarily blocked a new Texas rule that would have excluded Planned Parenthood clinics from offering women's health services for the poor in the state because the organization provides abortions. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel in favor of Planned Parenthood means thousands of women enrolled in the Texas Women's Health Program who go to its clinics will not be required to find new healthcare providers, at least for now. ... Full Story | Top |
FDA extends review for Salix diarrhea drug
Mon,30 Apr 2012 12:17 PM PDT
Reuters - (Reuters) - Salix Pharmaceuticals Ltd said U.S. health regulators have extended the review date by three months for its experimental pill for HIV therapy-related diarrhea. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration was to review the drug, crofelemer, on June 5. The FDA has notified Salix that it requires additional time for a full review but did not seek any additional studies, the company said in a statement. Salix holds the North American and European rights to the drug. ... Full Story | Top |
Hologic to buy Gen-Probe for $3.75 billion
Mon,30 Apr 2012 11:37 AM PDT
Reuters - (Reuters) - Medical device maker Hologic Inc is buying diagnostic test firm Gen-Probe Inc for $3.75 billion cash, gaining access to molecular diagnostics products used to screen for blood diseases and test transplant compatibility. The deal would combine Gen-Probe's leading diagnostics for sexually transmitted diseases and its blood screening business with Hologic's global market presence and distribution primarily targeting women's health. Under the deal, Hologic will pay $82.75 for each Gen-Probe share, a 20 percent premium to the stock's closing price on Friday. Gen-Probe shares surged 18. ... Full Story | Top |
Factbox: Obesity's dollars and cents
Mon,30 Apr 2012 07:46 AM PDT
Reuters - (Reuters) - The incidence of obesity in the United States has soared from 13 percent to 34 percent over the last 50 years, while the percentage of Americans who are extremely or "morbidly" obese has rocketed from 0.9 percent to 6 percent. Although the epidemic of obesity is well-known, the costs are not -- and in many cases are significantly greater than estimated even a few years ago. $190 billion in annual medical costs due to obesity, double earlier estimates. ... Full Story | Top |
As America's waistline expands, costs soar
Mon,30 Apr 2012 07:46 AM PDT
Reuters -  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. hospitals are ripping out wall-mounted toilets and replacing them with floor models to better support obese patients. The Federal Transit Administration wants buses to be tested for the impact of heavier riders on steering and braking. Cars are burning nearly a billion gallons of gasoline more a year than if passengers weighed what they did in 1960. The nation's rising rate of obesity has been well-chronicled. ...
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Wall St slips early, jeopardizing 4-day run
Mon,30 Apr 2012 07:36 AM PDT
Reuters - NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks slipped on Monday, jeopardizing the S&P 500's 4-day winning streak after data showed Americans only modestly increased spending and Spain slipped into recession. U.S. household income rose in March by the most in three months but consumers increased spending slightly and saved more instead, data showed. "This is decent overall but nothing amazing. The spending number is an indication that the higher gas prices we saw last month are taking their toll," said Todd Schoenberger, managing principal at the Blackbay Group in New York. The S&P 500 is down 0. ... Full Story | Top |
Football knee injuries likelier on turf than grass
Mon,30 Apr 2012 07:08 AM PDT
Reuters -  NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - College football players suffer knee injuries about 40 percent more often when playing on an artificial surface compared to when they're playing on grass, according to a new study. "We thought it was interesting because many universities are switching to the new generation artificial turf," said Dr. Jason Dragoo, the study's lead author and a professor at Stanford University School of Medicine. Dragoo said turf provides a more consistent playing field, and is expected to deliver better performance, but it has not been considered any less safe than grass. ...
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Merkel links Ukraine soccer trip to Tymoshenko: aide
Mon,30 Apr 2012 06:43 AM PDT
Reuters -  BERLIN (Reuters) - Any visit by German Chancellor Angela Merkel to Ukraine during the Euro 2012 soccer tournament in June is linked to the fate of jailed former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, a government spokesman said on Monday. The jailing of Tymoshenko, arch rival of Ukraine's President Viktor Yanukovich, on an abuse-of-office conviction has badly strained relations between the former Soviet republic and the European Union, which sees the move as politically motivated. ...
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Checking up on your fitness form
Mon,30 Apr 2012 02:07 AM PDT
Reuters -  NEW YORK (Reuters) - From jumping rope to swinging a kettle bell to pounding a treadmill, a finely-tuned form can spell the difference between a sound body and a sore knee. Experts say often a professional tweak can go a long way towards firming up your workout. "People usually injure themselves on basic exercises, like a squat or a bench press," said New York-based personal trainer Tiffany Boucher. But Boucher, who works for the national chain of fitness centers Equinox, said form is relatively easy to fix. ...
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Actelion breathes easy on "best case" new drug data
Mon,30 Apr 2012 01:23 AM PDT
Reuters -  ZURICH/LONDON (Reuters) - A new lung and heart drug from Actelion beat expectations in a key clinical trial, giving a much-needed boost to its pipeline and providing Europe's leading biotech company with a viable successor to its current top seller. Actelion is banking on macitentan to replace Tracleer, which treats the same condition and currently accounts for around 90 percent of group sales. Tracleer goes off patent from 2015 and also faces growing competition from Gilead's Letairis. ...
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