Miscellaneous News

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Doctors call for taxes on junk food and subsidised fruit and veggies

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) is calling for taxes on junk food and sugary drinks and subsidised fruit and vegetables to beat the obesity epidemic.

5 May 2008

Expert says solve kidney donor crisis by paying for organs

A senior medical specialist has caused controversy over his comments regarding organ donations.

5 May 2008

Legalizing opium production in Afghanistan for medical use is neither viable or necessary

Proposals to legalise the production of opium in Afghanistan for medical use are unworkable and unnecessary, says the Minister of State for Africa, Asia, and the United Nations in an editorial in this week's BMJ.

1 May 2008

Final FDA analysis of "Total Body Formula" and "Total Body Mega Formula" detects hazardous amounts of chromium

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's final analysis of certain flavors of "Total Body Formula" and "Total Body Mega Formula" has detected hazardous amounts of chromium.

1 May 2008

U-M receives grant to provide free and open, online health professions educational materials

The University of Michigan has launched an ambitious pilot project to make comprehensive pre-clinical health curricula available worldwide via the Internet.

1 May 2008

U.S. Congress passes genetic nondiscrimination act

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) today by a vote of 414-1, building on the momentum of last week's unanimous Senate vote.

1 May 2008

Risk of Bisphenol A in plastic products, Q & A's

Bisphenol A, an estrogenlike compound in polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resin, has been popping up in the news a lot lately.

30 Apr 2008

Can we improve people's health by changing the way we use our land?

Land to Mouth, a new report from the Rural Economy and Land Use programme (Relu) suggests that by taking a new look at land use we could also produce food that is both healthier and safer.

30 Apr 2008

Parents who just prayed as child was dying charged with murder

The parents of a diabetic girl in the U.S. who died as her parents prayed for her recovery rather than seek medical help, have been charged with second-degree reckless homicide.

30 Apr 2008

Drug group warns about over-reacting to methamphetamine abuse

A group which represents illegal drug users in Australia is warning authorities about the danger of adopting an alarmist approach in dealing with methamphetamine abuse.

29 Apr 2008

ACTU says 1.5 million workers are exposed to cancer-causing chemicals

According to the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), exposure to cancer-causing substances at work threatens the health and well being of as many as 1.5 million Australians.

29 Apr 2008

Mental Health Commission of Canada outlines startling statistics on homelessness and mental illness

The statistics are disturbing, but there is hope. That was the message from the Honourable Michael Kirby, Chair of the Mental Health Commission of Canada, as he delivered the keynote address at the Collaboration for Change forum in Vancouver today.

29 Apr 2008

High self-esteem not always what it's cracked up to be!

Oscar Levant, a mid-century pianist, film star and wit, once watched noted keyboardist and composer George Gershwin spend an evening playing his own music at a party and clearly having a great time.

28 Apr 2008

Global food price increase forces World Vision to scale back food aid program

One of the world's largest humanitarian organizations has announced it can no longer provide food to 1.5 million of the 7.5 million poor it fed last year.

23 Apr 2008

European action in global life sciences - food forum

The EAGLES conference focused on the European response through research to the global challenges posed by food security, quality and safety, and sustainable agriculture in the developing and emerging countries (DECs).

21 Apr 2008

Queensland Health and Cancer Council in fight over access to cancer data

Queensland Health Minister Stephen Robertson is again embroiled in yet another crisis which will leave Queenslanders doubting his ability to deal with the job.

20 Apr 2008

New Australian legislation on the way to ban flavoured cigarettes and regulate use of solariums

As a result of an agreement between state and federal health ministers, the sale of flavoured cigarettes will be banned in Australia.

20 Apr 2008

Urgent action needed against global food crisis

Life scientists from the developing world told their European colleagues at the EAGLES Food Symposium, held this week at the New Library of Alexandria (Egypt), that they are dismayed and even horrified at the persistent failure of Europe to deploy its life sciences effectively in the fight against hunger. Our Asian, African and Latin American colleagues have said that they simply cannot understand why that on the continent of Darwin and Pasteur, the voices of science and reason have been devalued.

18 Apr 2008

American Chemistry Council calls on FDA to update review of Bisphenol A

The American Chemistry Council (ACC) today sent a letter to FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach requesting FDA to update its review of the safety of bisphenol A in food contact applications.

17 Apr 2008

Patients are the real losers in the complementary medicine debate

One of the most important questions about complementary medicine - does it generate more harm than good - remains unanswered because two alternative and antagonistic attitudes are influencing the evidence, says an expert today.

17 Apr 2008