Fw: Headlines in Health

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----- Original Message ----- From: Kathi

Sent: Monday, September 30, 2002 2:03 AM

Subject: Headlines in Health

Disorders Made to Order Pharmaceutical companies have come up with a new strategy to market their drugs: First go out and find a new mental illness, then push the pills to cure it. by n I. Koerner July/August 2002 http://www.motherjones.com/magazine/JA02/disorders.html Prime Time Pushers Freed from federal restrictions, pharmaceutical companies are flooding television with ads for prescription drugs. What does it mean for our health care when serious medicine is marketed like soap? by Belkin march/april 2001 http://www.motherjones.com/magazine/MA01/drug.html FDA fails to reduce accessibility of paracetamol despite 450 deaths a year Confidential documents from the US Food and Drug Administration suggest that the agency has avoided a debate on tough new measures to reduce overdoses from painkillers---to avoid offending the pharmaceutical industry. Ray Moynihan reports from Washington, DC http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/325/7366/678 NIH suspended ARDS Lung experiment On July 29, 2002 The Alliance for Human Research Protection (AHRP) filed a complaint with the federal Office of Human Research Protections (OHRP), expressing ethical and methodological concerns about an acute respiratory distress study (ARDS) conducted at 12 research centers. The study compared two volumes of oxygen ventilated into 861 acutely ill patients, most of who were incapacitated and could not give informed consent. http://www.researchprotection.org/infomail/0902/25.html Human Pesticide Experiments "Allowing human experiments, such as those conducted recently in the United Kingdom, to serve as the basis for registering pesticides, is ethically indefensible." Ken Cook, President Environmental Working Group to see who and when......... http://www.researchprotection.org/ethical/pesticide.html Antidepressant Medication Data Submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Irving Kirsch University of Connecticut J. The Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services Alan Scoboria and S. Nicholls University of Connecticut ABSTRACT This article reports an analysis of the efficacy data submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for approval of the 6 most widely prescribed antidepressants approved between 1987 and 1999. Approximately 80% of the response to medication was duplicated in placebo control groups, and the mean difference between drug and placebo was approximately 2 points on the 17-item (50-point) and 21-item (62-point) Hamilton Depression Scale. Improvement at the highest doses of medication was not different from improvement at the lowest doses. The proportion of the drug response duplicated by placebo was significantly greater with observed cases (OC) data than with last observation carried forward (LOCF) data. If drug and placebo effects are additive, the pharmacological effects of antidepressants are clinically negligible. If they are not additive, alternative experimental designs are needed for the evaluation of antidepressants. http://journals.apa.org/prevention/volume5/pre0050023a.html In short drug tests, fatal flaws THE BOSTON GLOBE A narrow focus on effectiveness is a prescription for harm By J. , 7/14/2002 It is a major medical debacle when hormone replacement therapy - a drug treatment that doctors recommended to millions of women - is discovered to be harmful despite 60 years of widespread use. Yet because of weaknesses in the entire system that tests and promotes drugs for long-term use, this major surprise surely will not to be the last. The Women's Health Initiative trial provides an object lesson about how easily some inadequately-tested drug treatments can cause harm. These findings speak with unusual authority because they come from one of the largest, longest, and best-designed clinical trials reported in many years. http://www.researchprotection.org/infomail/0702/15.html Corporate Influence on Medicine, Healthcare Budgets, Investors Because medicine's pronouncements are so widely propagated and affect so many people's lives, corporate influence and manipulation of the truth is more devastating than mere corporate accounting malfeasance. Recent revelations demonstrate how corporate influence and greed — rather than scientific evidence — has led to the proliferation of harmful, and often unnecessary treatments. Usually the drugs most lavishly promoted turn out to be no better than the snake oil treatments of yesteryear. Washington Post columnist, Krauthammer, MD noted: "Most shocking, perhaps, is the simple reminder of how contingent are the received truths of modern medicine...The problem is that even the most sophisticated scientific studies are limited by method, by modeling, by sampling and by an inevitable margin of error. Hence error and revision." [Krauthammer, "When Modern Medicine Fails," THE WASHINGTON POST, Friday, July 12, 2002 http://www.researchprotection.org/infomail/0702/14.html Dr. Arif Kahn analysis of Psych Drug Trials Reveals High Suicide risk. Clinical Psychiatry News online reports (below) that an independent analysis of the suicide rate in psychotropic drug trials-- for drugs approved by the FDA between 1985-2000-- found that the NEW DRUGS did NOT REDUCE the risk of suicide--they INCREASED the risk. At a meeting of the New Clinical Drug Evaluation Unit sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health, Dr. Arif Khan raised serious concerns about the apparent link to suicide of the new psychotropic drugs: "'We have to ask if medication is the only way' to approach the prevention of suicide?" http://www.researchprotection.org/infomail/0902/06.html Unhealthy Hospitals - 103,000 preventable deaths in 2000 - Chicago Tribune The next time someone suggests that you to enter a clinical trial at a hospital, beware: "The number of people needlessly killed by hospital infections is unbelievable, but the public doesn't know anything about it. For years, we've just been quietly bundling the bodies of patients off to the morgue while infection rates get higher and higher." That's what Dr. Barry Farr, a leading infection-control expert told The Chicago Tribune. http://www.researchprotection.org/infomail/0702/23.html FDA -Conflicts of Interest to be expanded May 23, 2002 The Washington Post reports that the 1992 Prescription Drug User Fee Act that introduced coporate influence and corporate money into the FDA is about to be renewed and greatly expanded: "There's no doubt in my mind that bigger and bigger [user fees] harm the credibility of the agency." "If passed as proposed, the user fees from pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies would add almost 500 employees to the FDA centers that review proposed new drugs and other substances used to treat patients by 2007 -- bringing the FDA workforce funded by industry to at least 1,530. That would constitute more than 55 percent of the FDA staff involved in reviewing drug applications." http://www.researchprotection.org/infomail/0502/23.html History of Human Research Human Experimentation: Before the Nazi Era and After "First animals, then orphans, then the mentally retarded." J. Rothman, Strangers At The Bedside. "The mere mention of experimental medical research on incapacitated human beings -- the mentally ill, the profoundly retarded, and minor children -- summons up visceral reactions, with recollections of the brutal Nazi experimentation.... Even without the planned brutality, we have had deplorable instances of over-reaching medical research in this country." [Justice Greenfield, T.D. v. NYSOMH, 1995] http://www.researchprotection.org/history/history.html BioMedNet: FDA Divorces Chemistry from Biology FDA maintains two administrative oversight branches for medical products: Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER)--is responsible for overseeing the safety of bio-tech based therapies, vaccines, blood safety, and gene therapy. Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) --oversees chemical-based treatments. On Sept 6, 2002, the FDA issued a press release, announcing that biologics (bio-tech based) therapies--one component of CBER--will be moved to CDER. http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2002/NEW00834.html [see, AHRP Infomail, Sept. 9, citing reports in the Washington Post and FDAWeb] Below is BioMedNet follow-up news story: "Both industry and advocacy groups believe that this consolidation will speed up the process of review, which delights the former and troubles the latter." The article cites AHRP's concerns: "The FDA policy in the last 10 years had clearly benefited the pharmaceutical industry and harmed the public," said Vera Hassner Sharav, President and founder of Alliance for Human Research Protection. She refers to 13 drugs that have [been] taken off the market because of their adverse effects, which she attributes to expedited processes. http://www.researchprotection.org/infomail/0902/15.html Soothe Stress with C When you feel extra stressed, consider taking a little extra vitamin C. A recent study revealed that people with high blood levels of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) may experience fewer physical and mental signs of stress compared to people with low blood levels of ascorbic acid. In a study, people given a high daily dose of vitamin C exhibited smaller stress responses compared to people not taking the supplement. RealAge Benefit: Taking care of your emotional health and well-being can make your RealAge up to 16 years younger. Apple a Day Gets Rid of Doctor and More Did you know flavonoids could help lessen the severity of chronic pain? Check out the side benefits of apples, onions, white cabbage, and other flavonoid-rich foods. http://health.webmd.com/cgi-bin21/DM?y=eH3U0fgLs0Fy0DBT0AK Is Pain Misunderstood? More than 50 million Americans suffer from chronic pain, yet a new survey shows that most people have misconceptions when it comes to how pain is diagnosed and treated. Find out about a group that's trying to raise awareness about chronic pain sufferers. http://health.webmd.com/cgi-bin21/DM?y=eH3U0fgLs0Fy0DjY0A4 Polyclonal and allergen-induced cytokine responses in adults with asthma: Resolution of asthma is associated with normalization of IFN- responses Results: Patients with severe ongoing asthma had significantly reduced HDM-induced IFN- production compared with that of control subjects and patients with resolved asthma. In contrast, HDM-induced IFN- production in patients with resolved asthma was equivalent to that seen in control subjects. Patients with ongoing and resolved asthma produced significantly higher levels of IL-5 in response to HDM compared with that seen in control subjects, with levels being equivalent in patients with active and resolved asthma. HDM-induced IL-13 production was significantly increased in the patients with resolved asthma when compared with that seen in the control subjects. PHA-induced cytokine responses did not parallel HDM-induced responses. Conclusion: Patients with persistent and severe atopic asthma have a reduced HDM-induced TH1 response, whereas those with resolved asthma do not. This suggests that reduced HDM-induced IFN- production might be an important factor contributing to ongoing severe asthma and that normalization of allergen-induced TH1 responses might be important for disease resolution. The finding that all subjects with a history of asthma displayed increased HDM-induced TH2 (IL-5 and IL-13) cytokine responses, irrespective of the presence or absence of asthma, suggests that increased TH2 responses reflect the presence of the atopic state per se rather than being specifically linked to asthma. (JAllergy Clin Immunol 2002;110:450-6.) http://www2.us.elsevierhealth.com/scripts/om.dll/serve?action=searchDB & searchDBfor=art & artType=abs & id=a127283 & nav=abs Helping the Body Help Itself Fight Cancer Innovative Therapy Transforms Immune System to Target Cancer By Warner WebMD Medical News Sept. 19, 2002 -- Like a revved-up engine that breathes new life into a worn-out clunker, a promising new cancer treatment may revive a disease-ravaged immune system and turn it into a cancer-fighting machine. http://my.webmd.com/content/article/2946.4737 Hormone Replacement Therapy and Its Relationship to Lipid and Glucose Metabolism in Diabetic and Nondiabetic Postmenopausal Women Original Article Results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) J. Crespo, DrPH, MS1, Ellen Smit, PHD, RD1, Anastacia Snelling, PHD2, T. Sempos, PHD1 and Ross E. Andersen, PHD3 http://www.internalmdlinx.com/theaarts.cfm?artid=423329 & specid=3 What Can You Catch in Restrooms? People petrified of public toilets can rest assured that the chances of actually catching something are low -- if they follow some simple advice. By Trubo WebMD Feature Perhaps Ally McBeal can ease her off-the-charts stress levels by escaping to the office restroom. But for most of us, public toilets are actually a bit scary. http://my.webmd.com/content/article/1674.52647 Skin Changes: Bumps, Spots, Growths, and Moles Most skin blemishes are perfectly normal. But what about those that aren't? Learn how to identify the types of skin changes that need medical attention. http://health.webmd.com/cgi-bin21/DM?y=eHnS0fgLs0GF0Din0AW Abdominal pain and functional gastrointestinal disorders -- British Medical Journal Various functional gastrointestinal pain syndromes have been defined, but there is substantial overlap between them. There is also substantial overlap with other functional disorders such as chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and chronic pelvic pain. The classification system for functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID) therefore remains controversial and is seldom used outside specialist and research settings. Furthermore, the psychological management of these different syndromes is essentially similar http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/325/7366/701 Turmeric Fast facts: aids digestion, relieves arthritis, treats dysentery, protects the liver, combats heart disease, wards off ulcers, prevents certain cancers Most Americans are only vaguely aware of turmeric as an ingredient in Indian curry. We certainly don't think of it as a healing herb. Indians do, however. A great deal of scientific research -- almost all of it Indian -- shows that turmeric aids digestion, prevents ulcers, protects the liver, helps prevent heart disease and may one day be used to treat cancer. http://www.prevention.com/cda/finder/1%2C1345%2C1131%2C00.html Brain Attack! Prevent a stroke with our six- step plan by Sari Harrar http://www.prevention.com/cda/feature/0,1204,4101,00.html 6 Symptoms You Shouldn't Ignore You and your doctor may think it's menopause, but it could be something more serious 1. Changes in Periods 2. Hot Flashes 3. Hair Loss 4. Achy Joints 5. Depression 6. Palpitations http://www.prevention.com/cda/feature/0,1204,3175,00.html Quality of Life of Women With Recurrent Breast Cancer and Their Family Members -- Journal of Clinical Oncology Conclusion: Women with recurrent breast cancer are in need of programs to assist them with the severe effects of the disease on their quality of life. Programs need to include family members to help counteract the negative effects of the recurrent disease on their mental health, and to enable them to continue as effective caregivers http://www.jco.org/cgi/content/abstract/20/19/4050 Don't Do This Alone Niacin and statin combo offers amazing cholesterol benefits--but carries risks by Bridget Doherty Taking a cholesterol-lowering statin drug plus the B vitamin niacin can reduce heart attacks and strokes by a whopping 70%. But it's not a do-it-yourself therapy. "Don't ever use niacin on your own to treat cholesterol problems," says Prevention advisor nne J. Legato, MD, director of the Partnership for Women's Health at Columbia University. "Large doses can lead to liver damage. And combining niacin with a statin creates a small risk for skeletal muscle breakdown and life-threatening kidney failure." http://www.prevention.com/cda/column/0,1210,3693,00.html How to Give Postoperative Nausea the Heave-Ho Doctor-patient discussion key to battling post-op nausea By Nicolle Charbonneau HealthScoutNews Reporter TUESDAY, March 12 (HealthScoutNews) -- New combinations of medications and therapies, preceded by an old-fashioned chat between doctor and patient, could reduce the rates of nausea and vomiting following surgery. http://www.drkoop.com/template.asp?page=newsdetail & ap=93 & id=506306 Breath Test May Find Ulcer Bacterium Study finds it as effective as a more invasive procedure If indigestion is your problem, a new study may spell relief at the doctor's office: A simple breath test that identifies the bacterium Helicobacter pylori may be all you need to get to the bottom of that bloated feeling medically known as dyspepsia. http://www.drkoop.com/template.asp?page=newsdetail & ap=93 & id=506907 Tea of Hearts A reduced risk of heart disease may be only a few flavonoid-filled sips of tea away. Tea is a rich source of the flavonoids quercetin, kaempferol, and myricetin, and research shows that high dietary intake of these compounds is associated with a reduced risk of fatal heart attacks. In one study, people who drank about a cup and a half of tea per day were almost 40% less likely to suffer a heart attack compared to tea abstainers. RealAge Benefit: Getting the right amount of antioxidants through diet or supplements can make your RealAge 6 years younger.

[Guest guest]

----- Original Message ----- From: Kathi

Sent: Tuesday, October 08, 2002 11:42 AM

Subject: Headlines in Health

First Lupus Test in 4 Decades Gets Go-Ahead It's designed to find what other exams miss THURSDAY, Aug. 29 (HealthScoutNews) The first significant new screening test for lupus in 40 years has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The test was devised by scientists at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle and is expected to spot up to 20 percent of cases that, using today's testing methods, would have gone undetected. Lupus is a chronic disorder in which a person's immune system attacks the body. The new test is meant to combat the severest and potentially fatal form of the disease -- systematic lupus erythematosis (SLE). The disease causes inflammation of connective tissue throughout a person's body, from the joints to the kidneys. Symptoms range from skin rash and mild fatigue to organ failure, often making diagnosis difficult. Most lupus patients produce an antibody that is detectable via a blood test devised in the 1960s. The new test should detect the disease among those patients who don't produce this antibody, according to the the test's creators. This information sheet from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases defines lupus and may help in directing you to the proper treatment. It may take some time before the screening test is available nationwide. The Fred Hutchinson Cancer center has filed for patent protection and is looking for a commercial partner to help market and distribute the test. http://www.healthscoutnews.com/view.cfm?id=508865 Cutting Copper to Combat Cancer Reducing copper in the body fights tumor growth By Gardner HealthScoutNews Reporter FRIDAY, Sept. 13 (HealthScoutNews) -- Researchers at the University of Michigan have unraveled some of the cellular mechanisms that explain why a particular drug is able to slow the growth of some cancerous tumors. The drug, tetrathiomolybdate or TM, was originally developed to reduce excess copper levels in patients with 's disease, a rare and potentially lethal genetic disorder. Scientists had noticed in other research that blood vessels didn't grow well when copper levels were depleted. http://www.healthscoutnews.com/view.cfm?id=509100 Mammograms Get Vote of Confidence A new study finds women who get them regularly can catch breast cancer in its earliest and most treatable stage. A study presented yesterday at the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology's annual meeting in New Orleans found that women over the age of 40 who get routine mammographies are more likely to have breast cancer caught in its earliest and most treatable stage. http://www.healthscoutnews.com/view.cfm?id=509531 Cholesterol Drugs May Treat Multiple Sclerosis Study finds statins blunt immune attack By Ed Edelson HealthScoutNews Reporter MONDAY, Oct. 7 (HealthScoutNews) The statin drugs that help prevent heart attack and stroke by lowering blood cholesterol levels have another property that makes them candidates for treatment of multiple sclerosis, an Austrian study finds. http://www.healthscoutnews.com/view.cfm?id=509499 New Antibiotic Compound Treats Major Infections Augmentin XR attacks sinus and pneumonia bacteria FRIDAY, Sep. 27 (HealthScoutNews) A drug that combines a well-known antibiotic with a potassium acid derivative has been cleared for use against some severe bacterial infections. http://www.healthscoutnews.com/view.cfm?id=509369 Lumpectomy Just as Effective as Mastectomy in the Treatment of Breast Cancer For Release: October 7, 2002 New results from a long-term study of breast cancer patients reveal that patients who underwent lumpectomies fared just as well as patients who had mastectomies, according to a new study presented October 7, 2002, at the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology's Annual Meeting in New Orleans. Due to the lack of data with follow-up greater than 15 years on the outcomes of breast conservation versus mastectomy, researchers updated the results of a randomized, single-institution study. http://www.newswise.com/articles/2002/10/LUMP.ATO.html UK Cosmetic Surgery Is a 'Lottery,' Report Says Oct. 8 LONDON (Reuters) Going under the cosmetic surgeon's knife in Britain remains a lottery despite changes in the law to protect patients from rogue surgeons, according to a report by "Health Which" magazine Tuesday. An investigation of 11 clinics in London found a catalog of problems, including surgeons with "vague" medical histories and operations carried out without proper health checks. "Cosmetic surgery remains a bit of a lottery," said Health Which managing editor Sue Freeman. http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Living/reuters20021008_228.html DIY alternative to breast implants The bra uses suction to stimulate growth A bra-type suction device that its makers claim can help to increase the size of women's breasts has been launched in the UK. The Brava system is designed to increase breast size by using vacuum pressure. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2310117.stm Breast cancer gene offers new hope By Rita Rubin, USA TODAY Scientists have discovered a new breast cancer gene that could open a new avenue for treating a disease diagnosed in 200,000 American women every year. Normally, the DBC2-for "deleted in breast cancer"-gene suppresses tumors. But when DBC2 is altered or missing, the brakes on uncontrolled cell growth lift. Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York and the University of Washington-Seattle found that DBC2 was altered or missing in 60% of 200 breast tumors studied. The tumors came from women with sporadic, or non-inherited breast cancer, which represents more than 90% of all cases of the disease. http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2002-10-07-breast-cancer_x.htm STRESS & THE POWER OF PRAYER Studies at Dartmouth Medical School, Duke University School of Medicine, and Yale University show that prayer and meditation have a profound effect against disease and illness. In separate research studies it was found that: People who never attended church spent an average of 3 times more days hospitalized when sick than people who attended weekly. Heart patients were 14 times more likely to die following surgery if they did not participate in a religion. Elderly people who never or rarely attended church had a stroke rate double that of people who attended regularly. In Israel, religious people had a 40 percent lower death rate from cardiovascular disease and cancer. The reason for this is simple. According to Dr. Goliszek, author of 60 Second Stress Management, anything you do to reduce stress reactions will decrease blood levels of stress hormones such as cortisol. And since one of the main effects of cortisol is to depress the immune system and decrease the body's ability to fight disease, activities such as prayer and meditation reduce this hormone and naturally reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease and stroke. STRESS-REDUCING HERBS New research has shown that certain herbs can be very effective in decreasing and even eliminating stress reactions. After all, the stress response is nothing more than a series of physical and chemical events that trigger the systems in our body to release hormones and cause physiological changes. Some cultures have for years recognized the effectiveness of herbs in treating everything from colds to cancer. HEALTH WARNING!! A dietary supplement claiming to reduce stress, as well as enhance sexual performance and build muscle, has been linked to seizures, life-threatening reactions, and even death. Sold under the names Blue Nitro, Blue Nitro Vitality, GH Revitalizer (GHR), Reinforce, Renewtrient, and Gamma G, it can seriously affect the Central Nervous System. A good rule of thumb: Avoid any product containing the chemical GBL or Gamma-butyrolactone. http://www.healthnewsnet.com/stressnews.html THE BRAIN AND IMMUNITY Development of the immune system begins during the first few weeks after conception. Neural folds appear, which release cells that then form a neural crest. The neural crest contributes to the proper formation of the thymus gland (as well as other endocrine organs), which is necessary for the full and effective development of the immune system. Once the central nervous system (CNS) develops adequately, it begins to communicate with the immune system to cause immune responses. Individuals with poor brain development, or with psychiatric and neurological disorders, also have poor immune responsivity, have a depressed antibody production, and impaired lymphocyte activity. Later we'll see how all this can be triggered by stress reactions. http://www.healthnewsnet.com/immunity.html EMOTIONS & DISEASE: HOW YOU THINK REALLY MATTERS The way we perceive events, the way we view the world around us, the manner in which we respond to stress and interact with others all affect the way in which our body maintains homeostasis. The reason it's called the mind-body connection and not vice versa is because the mind is what's doing the controlling. We think and then we respond. And how we respond is a matter of mind over body more often than not. Life events can be viewed as either good or bad depending on how we look at them. Believe it or not, I knew one individual who actually enjoyed getting into traffic jams because it gave him an opportunity to think and reflect on things in his life. And while most of us would be ready to explode into a rage, he would use the time to do something constructive like reviewing for an upcoming exam. It's attitude more than anything else. And attitudes, like so many other things, are conditioned responses that can be changed for the better. http://www.healthnewsnet.com/emotionsanddisease.html IMAGING & SELF-HEALING Imaging, also known as visualization, makes use of mental images as a means of achieving a deeply relaxed state. After meditation, it's probably the oldest form of relaxation practiced. Recently, though, imaging has been used more and more by physicians as a means of increasing the effectiveness of standard treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation. Studies have shown that it works by boosting the body's natural immunity and actually increasing the activity of natural killer (NK) cells, which then attack tumors. http://www.healthnewsnet.com/imaging.html

[Guest guest]

----- Original Message ----- From: Kathi

Sent: Thursday, October 10, 2002 12:50 PM

Subject: Headlines in Health

So You Are Thinking About Saline Implants??? Patient Informed Decision Labeling for Saline-Filled Breast Implants - Inamed Aesthetics- Updated www.fda.gov/cdrh/breastimplants/labeling/inamed_patient_labeling_5900.html www.fda.gov/cdrh/breastimplants/labeling/M711-C.pdf ---------- Toxic Discovery Network 1906 Grant Lane Columbia, MO. 65203 Phone: (573) 445-8700 Fax: (573) 445-4700 www.toxicdiscovery.com "Informed Consent Begins With Informed Individuals" $80-Million Award For Malpractice Obstetricians blamed for girl’s cerebral palsy By Shirley E. Perlman STAFF WRITER October 9, 2002 Brenner is a beautiful 12-year-old with thick blonde-streaked hair, sparkling eyes and a radiant smile. She's bright and enthusiastic about school, but she can't walk or dress herself. A twin, has cerebral palsy, a condition her lawyer says was brought about because she was born too soon. http://www.newsday.com/news/health/ny-limalp092958554oct09,0,7961964.story?coll=ny%2Dhealth%2Dheadlines Treatments For Breast Cancer Vary; Many Skipping Radiation THOUSAND OAKS (Los Angeles Daily News) -- All breast cancer patients are not receiving the same degree of care despite well- established guidelines and benchmarks, according to a Blue Cross of California study released Friday. http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC000/333/333/356380.html THE CONTROVERSIAL SMALLPOX VACCINE Eighteen Points You Should Consider By Meryl Nass http://www.redflagsweekly.com/nass/2002_oct10.html A RFW FLASHBACK THE DEATH OF MEDICINE No Cure, No Vaccine, No Treatment By Regush http://www.redflagsweekly.com/regushmedeath.html Disease Care Costly for Women Costs Skyrocketing for Over 65s With Certain Conditions By Habib WebMD Medical News Oct. 2, 2002 Heart disease treatment can cost more than $400,000 over a woman's lifetime, according to an analysis of healthcare costs. Does gender matter when it comes to healthcare costs? Who pays more over the course of a lifetime? Investing in your health can be a costly proposition -- find out just how costly it can be! http://my.webmd.com/content/article/1840.57964 Science -- Friend or Foe? According to a new study, a majority of people believes advances in scientific research have made a positive impact. But while diseases have been cured and life-saving vaccines have been created, why are we still keeping a wary eye on the world of science? http://health.webmd.com/cgi-bin21/DM?y=eJDx0fgLs0F30EAY0A8 Keep Carb Cutting in Check Are you counting carbs? If so, make sure you're not counting yourself into an unhealthy corner. A recent study suggests that a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet may increase your risk of kidney stones. Aim for a balanced diet that includes moderate amounts of protein, but also plenty of high-fiber fruits and vegetables. RealAge Benefit: Eating a diverse diet that includes 4 servings of fruit per day can make your RealAge as much as 4 years younger. mClone on Menu Again at Congressional Grill By Adam Feuerstein Senior Writer 10/10/2002 12:07 PM EDT Click here for more stories by Adam Feuerstein A second congressional hearing into ImClone Systems (IMCL:Nasdaq - news - commentary - research - analysis) kicked off Thursday morning with lawmakers calling for policy changes at the Food and Drug Administration and raising additional questions about the conduct of ImClone executives and directors in the weeks before the regulatory setback that sent company shares into a tailspin. A host of executives, employees and directors of ImClone sold about $74 million in company stock in December, before U.S. drug regulators announced their refusal to review the approval application for the colon cancer drug Erbitux, according to documents released Wednesday by the House Energy and Commerce Committee. http://www.thestreet.com/_/tech/adamfeuerstein/10046990.html New Breast Cancer Gene Discovered Scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and the University of Washington have discovered a new tumor suppressor gene that is missing or inactive in as many as 60% of breast cancers, and is also altered in lung cancer. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases\2002\10\021009081201.htm Hysterectomy 'to find lost coil' A woman cried as she told a medical committee that she had a full hysterectomy after a surgeon failed to find a contraceptive device he had placed inside her. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2316795.stm Sex with a Twist ... Lemons Provide Protection? Oct. 10 CANBERRA (Reuters) - Australian scientists believe they have rediscovered an effective use for lemon juice -- as a contraceptive and also a killer of the AIDS virus. http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Living/reuters20021010_180.html New Trojan Horse to Replace Wayward Genes in Mice October 9, 2002 Purdue Corrals New Trojan Horse To Replace Wayward Genes In Mice WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- A research team at two Midwest universities has developed a new way to genetically alter cells in living mice, offering new possibilities in the war against cancer and other diseases. Using a modified virus as a Trojan horse, a team led by Purdue University's has found a promising system to deliver genes to diseased liver and brain cells. By placing helpful genetic material within the outer protein shell of Ross River Virus (RRV), ' team was able to alter the mice's liver cells without producing the harmful side effects that have accompanied the use of other retroviruses. http://www.newswise.com/articles/2002/10/ALTRCELL.PUR.html Scientists Find How Painkiller Damages Liver Discover molecular mechanism acetaminophen causes By Ed Edelson HealthScoutNews Reporter THURSDAY, Oct. 10 (HealthScoutNews) -- Researchers say they have found a surprising mechanism by which acetaminophen causes liver damage and they are close to a better treatment for the overdoses that are the leading cause of liver failure. http://www.healthscoutnews.com/view.cfm?id=509577 Which Mammography Works Best? National study will compare different types of screening THURSDAY, Oct. 10 (HealthScoutNews) -- Thousands of women are needed for a national study comparing the effectiveness of digital mammography to standard mammography in detecting breast cancer. The Digital Mammographic Imaging Screening Trial (DIMMEST) is being coordinated by the National Cancer Institute and the American College of Radiology. About 49,500 women are expected to take part in the study. http://www.healthscoutnews.com/view.cfm?id=509428 Self-attacking antibodies up stroke risk in women Last Updated: 2002-10-10 10:00:10 -0400 (Reuters Health) By Alison McCook NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Young women who carry antibodies that attack their own tissues appear to have a higher risk of suffering a stroke, new study findings suggest. Study author Dr. Robin L. Brey of the University of Texas Health Science Center in San told Reuters Health that only a relatively small percentage of healthy women carry these antibodies, known as autoantibodies, and many who do have them experience no symptoms. http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2002/10/10/eline/links/20021010elin001.html Receiving an apology does a body good, study finds Last Updated: 2002-10-10 14:00:12 -0400 (Reuters Health) By Charnicia E. Huggins NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Most individuals who have been wronged would agree that they feel better after receiving an apology. Now researchers have found scientific proof to back up that claim. "The data suggest that apologies and restitution can have an immediate, positive impact on physiological and subjective responses to transgressions," according to Dr. Everett L. Worthington, Jr., of Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond and his colleagues. For their study, 61 college undergraduates--32 men and 29 women--were told to imagine that they had been robbed, and that the robber had afterwards either apologized, restored to them the things he or she had stolen, apologized and made restitution, or did neither. http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2002/10/10/eline/links/20021010elin003.html It's official: Jar lids are screwed on too tight Last Updated: 2002-10-10 10:00:15 -0400 (Reuters Health) By Amy Norton NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - In a not-so-surprising finding, a new study shows that many older women--and a lot of younger folks--find the caps on a majority of processed-food containers beyond the limits of their strength. Those brawny individuals who've received phone calls from mom asking them to come over and open a jar may already know this. But scientists in Korea have concluded, after measuring the torque required to open the lids of various processed foods--as well as the twisting strengths of young and old women--that most lids are just screwed on too tight. And something should be done about it, according to the study's lead author, Dr. Kwan S. Lee of Hongik University in Seoul, Korea. http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2002/10/10/eline/links/20021010elin018.html Fumes from body close UK hospital unit Last Updated: 2002-10-10 10:00:19 -0400 (Reuters Health) LONDON (Reuters) - A British hospital's emergency unit was sealed off for 12 hours after life-threatening fumes came off the corpse of a shipping magnate. Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside said the unit was shut after the body of 80-year old Sir Bibby was brought in early on Wednesday evening. It was not reopened until early on Thursday morning, a spokeswoman told Reuters. Sources at the hospital said it was likely the dead man had swallowed garden poison. Sir 's family said the president of the Bibby shipping group had been ill with leukemia and had decided to take his own life. "As his health and energy deteriorated he decided to end his life," a statement said, adding the decorated World War II hero had not been afraid of death. Police said Sir 's home in Willaston, Cheshire was still cordoned off in order to allow dangerous fumes to disperse. "We are not treating the death as suspicious at this point," a spokeswoman said. Copyright © 2002 Reuters http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2002/10/10/eline/links/20021010elin026.html

[Guest guest]

----- Original Message -----

From: " Kathi " <pureheart@...>

Sent: Friday, October 18, 2002 9:03 AM

Subject: Re: Headlines in Health

> More women need to read about the antiphospholipid syndrome. . .this

> FDA is certainly not broadcasting it--and it's common.

>

> I have to chuckle about the article re the woman overestimating

> their risk of breast cancer and having prophylactic mastectomies. . .

> and of course, all women just ran and begged to have their

> breasts removed. . .wonder what the next new idea will be

> for women re the parts of them men don't have. When are

> women going to take charge of themselves

> and realize they are nothing moneymakers for the medical

> profession?

>

> And while some of those mastectomies undoubtedly occurred

> prior to the discovery of the BRACA gene, many did not. That

> surgery has been played up a lot in teh last few years. It was

> fashionable from the mid70s to mid80s too--then it was

> " fibrocystic disease. "

>

> Notice how these things come around again after a few years,

> when there is a new generation that never heard about the last time.

> It's exactly what's happening with silicone breast implants. . .

>

> Bonnie

>

>