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| Task force calls for routine HIV testing for all adults Monday, Apr 29, 2013 07:42 PM PDT  By Julie Steenhuysen CHICAGO (Reuters) - An influential U.S. panel is calling for HIV screening for all Americans aged 15 to 65, regardless of whether they are considered to be at high risk, a change that may help lift some of the stigma associated with HIV testing. The new guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), a government-backed panel of doctors and scientists, now align with longstanding recommendations by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for testing of all adults aged 15 to 65, regardless of their risk. ... Full Story | Top |
| Catherine Zeta-Jones seeks help again for bipolar disorder Monday, Apr 29, 2013 06:47 PM PDT  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actress Catherine Zeta-Jones has sought help again for bipolar disorder, in what her publicist called a "pro-active" move to take care of her health. It's the second-known trip to a healthcare facility for the British actress since 2011, when news first broke that she suffers from bipolar II disorder - a milder form of the illness that is marked by sharp mood swings and erratic behavior. "Catherine has pro-actively checked into a healthcare facility," publicist Cece Yorke said on Monday. ... Full Story | Top |
| New database focuses on China's secretive aid to Africa Monday, Apr 29, 2013 06:27 PM PDT By Paul Eckert WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Economic development researchers on Monday unveiled a database of China's aid to Africa in an effort to work around Beijing's secrecy about the numbers, as a debate rages over the intentions and impact of Chinese assistance. The study and database by the Washington-based Center for Global Development and AidData, a research project, includes 1,673 Chinese development finance projects worth $75 billion in 50 African countries from the years 2000-2011. ... Full Story | Top |
| Case of U.S. abortion doctor accused of running "House of Horrors" goes to jury soon Monday, Apr 29, 2013 05:27 PM PDT By Dave Warner PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - The attorney for a Philadelphia doctor accused of killing four infants and a patient during late-term abortions wrapped up his defense on Monday, arguing that prosecutors hyped the case for publicity and denied his client's clinic was a "house of horrors." Dr. Kermit Gosnell, 72, who ran the now-shuttered Women's Medical Society Clinic, faces the death penalty if convicted. The jury in the six-week-long trial was expected to begin deliberations on Tuesday. ... Full Story | Top |
| HeartWare loss smaller than expected; shares rise Monday, Apr 29, 2013 04:35 PM PDT By Pallavi Ail (Reuters) - Medical device maker HeartWare International Inc reported a smaller-than-expected first-quarter loss after sales of its heart pump soared 62 percent, sending its shares up 8 percent in after-market trading. During the quarter, the company sold 482 of its flagship HVAD pumps, which won approval from U.S. health regulators in November. HeartWare shares dipped during the company's post-earnings call with analysts after it said an investigation into a patient's death, which was reported by U.S. ... Full Story | Top |
| New gene therapy trials aim to mend broken hearts Monday, Apr 29, 2013 04:08 PM PDT By Ben Hirschler LONDON (Reuters) - British scientists are stepping up clinical tests of gene therapy in a bid to help people with advanced heart failure pump blood more efficiently. Researchers said on Tuesday they planned to enroll patients into two new clinical trials using Mydicar, a gene therapy treatment made by privately held U.S. biotech company Celladon. After more than 20 years of research, the ground-breaking method for fixing faulty genes is starting to deliver, with European authorities approving the first gene therapy for an rare metabolic disease last November. ... Full Story | Top |
| Senate foes of gun bill suffer in polls Monday, Apr 29, 2013 03:41 PM PDT  By Thomas Ferraro WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Five senators - four Republicans and one Democrat - could face voter backlash for opposing President Barack Obama's bid to expand background checks for gun buyers, opinion polls released on Monday showed. According to the surveys conducted by Public Policy Polling, a private firm based in Raleigh, N.C., respondents said they are more apt to oppose than support these lawmakers for re-election for joining other senators in rejecting a bipartisan background check measure on April 17. ... Full Story | Top |
| Healthcare costs to negate state, local budget improvements: outlook Monday, Apr 29, 2013 03:37 PM PDT WASHINGTON (Reuters) - State and local governments can expect ever-widening budget gaps through 2060, as rising healthcare costs for both citizens and public employees surpass recent improvements in their revenue, the Government Accountability Office said on Monday. Closing the gap may require drastic action. If state and local governments were to end the shortfalls over the next 50 years solely through spending cuts, they would have to reduce their expenditures 14.2 percent each year, GAO found. If they relied only on tax increases, they would need to raise revenue by a "similar magnitude. ... Full Story | Top |
| Community Health net profit edges up, outlook trimmed Monday, Apr 29, 2013 03:23 PM PDT By Susan Kelly (Reuters) - Hospital operator Community Health Systems Inc reported slightly higher first-quarter net income on Monday, but trimmed the top of its projected range for full-year earnings, citing a more challenging operating environment for healthcare providers. Community Health, the second-largest U.S. for-profit hospital chain, said admissions declined 5.9 percent in the quarter, compared with a year earlier. The drop reflected a slow start to the year, something also seen at other hospital chains. ... Full Story | Top |
| Herbalife says results will prove Ackman wrong Monday, Apr 29, 2013 03:18 PM PDT  By Lisa Baertlein (Reuters) - Herbalife Ltd posted surprisingly strong quarterly earnings and raised its full-year profit forecast on Monday, putting pressure on high-profile investor Bill Ackman, who is betting against the nutritional products company. Ackman's Pershing Square Capital has a $1 billion bet against the "multi-level marketer" whose weight loss products are sold through a network of independent individuals. In recent months Ackman has called the Los Angeles-based company "a pyramid scheme" and predicted that its shares will eventually be worthless. ... Full Story | Top |
| Your child's brain on math: Don't bother? Monday, Apr 29, 2013 02:01 PM PDT By Sharon Begley NEW YORK (Reuters) - Parents whose children are struggling with math often view intense tutoring as the best way to help them master crucial skills, but a new study released on Monday suggests that for some kids even that is a lost cause. According to the research, the size of one key brain structure and the connections between it and other regions can help identify the 8- and 9-year olds who will hardly benefit from one-on-one math instruction. ... Full Story | Top |
| Auxilium cuts sales outlook, expands urology business Monday, Apr 29, 2013 01:57 PM PDT (Reuters) - Auxilium Pharmaceuticals Inc reported a big drop in quarterly sales in the United States for both of its drugs, and said it acquired Actient Holdings LLC to bolster its urology business. Shares of Auxilium closed regular trading on Monday down 12.7 percent at $14, after falling as much as 13.5 percent to $13.87, a year-and-a-half low. Revenue fell 10 percent in the first quarter to $66.2 million, below analysts' average estimate of $81.2 million, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. ... Full Story | Top |
| Gosnell lawyer accuses Philadelphia prosecutors of hype Monday, Apr 29, 2013 01:17 PM PDT By Dave Warner PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - The attorney for a Philadelphia doctor accused of killing four infants during late-term abortions wrapped up his defense on Monday, arguing that prosecutors hyped the case for publicity and denying his client's clinic was a "house of horrors." Dr. Kermit Gosnell, 72, who ran the now-shuttered Women's Medical Society Clinic, is accused of killing a patient and four infants during late-term abortions. The case focuses on whether or not the infants were born alive and then killed. ... Full Story | Top |
| U.S.-born kids have more allergies, asthma Monday, Apr 29, 2013 01:04 PM PDT By Genevra Pittman NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Kids and teens who are born abroad and immigrate to the United States are about half as likely to have asthma and allergies as those who are born in the U.S., according to a new study. Researchers surveyed the parents of 80,000 children in one of six languages and found that association held even after they took into account where families lived and how often they moved, as well as their race and income. ... Full Story | Top |
| Should old, sick patients get skin cancer surgery? Monday, Apr 29, 2013 01:02 PM PDT By Genevra Pittman NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - More than two-thirds of people with non-melanoma skin cancer underwent surgery to treat the condition, according to a new study - including patients who were at least 85 years old or had multiple other chronic diseases. Researchers found 43 percent of those patients with limited life expectancies died within five years of their diagnosis - but none from skin cancer. Many of them reported poor wound healing after skin surgery or other treatment-related complications including pain, numbness and itching. ... Full Story | Top |
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