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World Health Organization cautions against claims made by ‘electronic cigarette’ manufacturers

The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched an attack on advertisers who are claiming that an electronic cigarette - a battery-powered product usually made of stainless steel and resembling a real cigarette - is a safe or legitimate nicotine replacement therapy for smokers trying to quit.

22 Sep 2008

High salt levels in food banished by seaweed

High salt levels in processed food could be a thing of the past, thanks to new research which has found that a certain type of seaweed can be used as a natural, health boosting alternative that doesn't affect the taste or adversely affect the shelf life of the food.

From Sheffield Hallam University 21 Sep 2008

Toxic baby milk shocks China

In China's latest food scare 6,000 babies have been poisoned and three babies have died from drinking baby milk tainted by the industrial chemical melamine.

18 Sep 2008

Top scientist says alcohol guidelines should be changed

The latest research on the health effects of drinking alcohol has found that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol has a significant benefit - wait for it - for people with an unhealthy lifestyle!

18 Sep 2008

Nine types of 'problem drinkers' - which one are you?

Researchers in Britain have they say identified nine types of "problem drinkers".

18 Sep 2008

NAMPA statement regarding JAMA study on bisphenol A

As with any new research regarding potential health effects associated with bisphenol A (BPA), the North American Metal Packaging Alliance, Inc. (NAMPA) takes seriously the findings of this latest study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

16 Sep 2008

New Bisphenol A study has limited capability to assess human health effects

The American Chemistry Council is aware of a new study on bisphenol A published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association that reports a statistical association between urinary bisphenol A concentrations and medical disorders in adults. As with any study, it is critically important to understand how the design of a study can limit interpretation of the study findings.

16 Sep 2008

Roman York skeleton could be one of Britain's earliest victims of tuberculosis

The skeleton of a man discovered by archaeologists in a shallow grave on the site of the University of York's campus expansion could be that of one of Britain's earliest victims of tuberculosis.

16 Sep 2008

Unusual case of a woman who suffered stroke after having sexual intercourse

Minutes after having sexual intercourse with her boyfriend, a 35-year-old woman suddenly felt her left arm go weak. Her speech became slurred and she lost feeling on the left side of her face.

15 Sep 2008

A good death: Challenging law and medical ethics

Dr Rodney Syme, author of A Good Death: An argument for voluntary euthanasia, is the keynote speaker at the Sydney Law School's Health Governance, Law and Ethics Oration on Thursday 18 September.

15 Sep 2008

Health response launched for Haiti

WHO and its partners urgently need US$ 4.2 million to provide health care for many of the 800,000 people - including children and pregnant women - affected by successive tropical storms in Haiti.

14 Sep 2008

Health effects of 9/11 still evident seven years later

A report on the health of New Yorkers after the terrorist attacks of 9/11 has revealed that more than 400,000 people in New York City were significantly affected.

11 Sep 2008

Personal DNA scanning service 23andMe drops price to $399

Personal DNA scanning service 23andMe on Tuesday is scheduled to announce that it is lowering the price of its gene-mapping service from $999 to $399 in order to attract more customers and expand its database of individual genetic profiles to bolster medical research, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

10 Sep 2008

Doctor labelled the "Bega Butcher" arrested and charged

The New South Wales Health Department is in the news again with the arrest of a doctor who has been charged with 17 offences regarding 10 of his patients.

10 Sep 2008

423,000 people in Pakistan need urgent health care

Some 423,000 people in Pakistan need urgent health care after being affected by recent conflict and flooding. WHO and partners are requesting US$ 9.76 million to undertake life-saving health responses to this humanitarian crisis.

9 Sep 2008

In just 5 years tobacco caused 2.4 million cases of cancer in the U.S.

The latest report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the U.S. reveals some shocking figures.

8 Sep 2008

U.N. report finds donors providing less aid to developing nations

Despite rising food and energy prices and slowing economic growth worldwide, aid to developing nations has been on the decline, according to a United Nations report released on Thursday by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the New York Times reports.

7 Sep 2008

Functional food - delicious and healthy

Linseed is said to protect against cancer - but not everybody likes the taste. Researchers have now isolated the valuable components of the flax seeds. Incorporated in bread, cakes or dressings, they support the human organism without leaving an unpleasant aftertaste.

7 Sep 2008

Georgia Institute of Technology receives EPA safe drinking water research grant

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the award of a $600,000 research grant to Georgia Tech to improve the detection of known and emerging drinking water contaminants; including the harmful substances produced by blue-green algae in algal blooms and noroviruses.

4 Sep 2008

Teenager almost deaf after waiting too long for ear drum surgery

In the latest bungle involving an Australian hospital, a teenage boy in Tasmania has reportedly waited so long for surgery to repair his perforated ear drum that he is almost deaf.

4 Sep 2008