Health News

• U.S. task force: End routine prostate cancer screening May 22, 2012
  NEW YORK (Reuters) - A task force advising the U.S. government on Monday recommended against routine use of the prostate-cancer screening test called PSA, or prostate specific antigen, for lack of a discernible health benefit. […]
• Fake drugs threaten gains made in war on malaria May 21, 2012
  LONDON (Reuters) - Low-quality and fake anti-malarial drugs flooding into markets in Asia and Africa are driving drug resistance and threatening gains made in the fight against the disease in the past decade, according to a study by global health experts. […]
• U.S. Catholic groups sue to block contraception mandate May 21, 2012
  (Reuters) - The University of Notre Dame and dozens of other Catholic institutions sued President Barack Obama's administration on Monday to block a government regulation that requires employers to provide health insurance coverage for contraceptives to employees. […]
• "Pre-diabetes," diabetes rising among U.S. teens May 21, 2012
  By Amy Norton NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The percentage of U.S. teenagers with "pre-diabetes" or full-blown type 2 diabetes has more than doubled in recent years -- though obesity and other heart risk factors have held steady, government researchers reported Monday. […]
• Tired surgical residents may up error risk: study May 21, 2012
  NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A small study suggests surgeons in training are still tired enough to raise their risk of making significant errors, despite new guidelines limiting their work hours. […]
• Lung cancer tests advised for some heavy smokers May 21, 2012
  NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - New recommendations from chest and cancer doctors call for lung cancer screening in older adults with a long history of smoking a pack a day or more -- but also highlight the possible harms of screening, including a high risk of false positive tests. […]
• Not all ICUs need a specialist at night: study May 21, 2012
  NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Among hospital intensive care units (ICUs) with a daytime physician specially trained in critical care, adding a specialist to cover the night shift does not improve patients' survival, according to a new study. […]
• FDA staff sends mixed message on J&J drug Xarelto May 21, 2012
  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. drug reviewers had mixed opinions about whether Johnson & Johnson blood thinner Xarelto reduced the risk of new heart attacks and strokes in people with heart problems, setting the stage for heated debate by outside experts later this week. […]
• Peregrine soars as cancer drug meets trial goal May 21, 2012
  (Reuters) - Peregrine Pharmaceuticals Inc said results from a mid-stage trial showed that its key experimental drug performed better than standard chemotherapy in lung cancer patients who had not responded to primary therapy, sending its shares up 36 percent. […]
• Sigmoidoscopy an option for colon cancer screening May 21, 2012
  NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Screening for colon cancer using a flexible tube -- which is less invasive and more convenient than colonoscopy -- may also help prevent new cases and deaths from the disease, a new study suggests. […]