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Should insurance companies have access to genetic test results

There is no good reason to deny insurers access to genetic information, argues a Professor of Ethics in a debate published in the British Medical Journal.

14 Jun 2007

Best way to prevent contamination of fresh produce is to intervene before the harvest

Monitoring vegetables while they are growing is crucial in the prevention of contamination of fresh produce with harmful bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella, say plant pathologists who are members of The American Phytopathological Society (APS).

14 Jun 2007

California gun laws reduce illegal gun purchases

The potential for gun shows to serve as places where criminals obtain firearms can be curbed through increased regulation without adversely affecting attendance or business, according to a pioneering study published this week in Injury Prevention, an international peer-reviewed journal for health professionals.

14 Jun 2007

FDA releases report on Human Tissue Task Force

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released a report that concludes there are no significant industrywide problems in the recovery of human tissues used for transplantation.

14 Jun 2007

FDA Tomato Safety Initiative

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will begin a multi-year Tomato Safety Initiative to reduce the incidence of tomato-related foodborne illness in the United States.

14 Jun 2007

Too much anti-inflammatory cream kills athlete

An anti-inflammatory muscle cream has been blamed for the death of a 17-year-old athlete in New York.

13 Jun 2007

FDA scrutinise companies selling human tissue

Following an inspection blitz by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on companies which handle a variety of human material from deceased donors, no serious problems have apparently been unearthed.

13 Jun 2007

Customs officer in TB globe trotting case takes early retirement

In the furore following the exploits of the globe trotting TB traveller, the customs officer who allowed Andrew Speaker back into the United States has taken early retirement.

13 Jun 2007

Autism - MMR vaccine has it's day in court

A test case in an American court could in one way or another settle the debate on the possible link between autism and childhood vaccines.

11 Jun 2007

Singapore too finds poison Chinese toothpaste

Singapore is the latest country to question China's food safety standards after Chinese-made toothpaste was found to contain diethylene glycol, or DEG, a poisonous chemical used in solvents and anti-freeze.

7 Jun 2007

Brits and their 'booze culture' costing 20 billion pounds each year

In a new report on alcohol consumption in Britain the drinking culture there is being blamed for health, crime and disorder problems which cost the nation as much as 20 billion pounds each year.

5 Jun 2007

Army should tailor some National Guard units for disaster work

The U.S. Army should change the way it plans for domestic emergencies -- both natural disasters and terrorist attacks -- to better support state and local first responders, according to a RAND Corporation report issued.

5 Jun 2007

New FDA committee to address risk communication

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced a new advisory committee designed to counsel the agency on how to strengthen the communication of risks and benefits of FDA-regulated products to the public.

5 Jun 2007

Salmonella outbreak tails off but 628 infected by contaminated peanut butter

Latest figures from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), say since 1st August 2006, 628 people in 47 states have been infected with salmonellosis after eating peanut butter contaminated with the Tennessee strain of Salmonella.

4 Jun 2007

China in denial over toxic toothpaste

Authorities in China have called warnings about Chinese-made toothpaste by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) both unscientific and irresponsible.

3 Jun 2007

Genetic testing helps cancer survivors fight for their loved ones

Family members of those who are successfully fighting cancer are protecting themselves and their families from the disease through genetic testing and hereditary cancer risk assessment.

3 Jun 2007

Avoid Chinese toothpaste!

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today warned consumers to avoid using tubes of toothpaste labeled as made in China, and issued an import alert to prevent toothpaste containing the poisonous chemical diethylene glycol (DEG) from entering the United States.

3 Jun 2007

Leading psychiatrist appointed to independent inquiry into the deaths of people with learning disabilities

In the light of her research showing that adults with learning disabilities were 58 times more likely to die before the age of 50 than the rest of the population, Professor Sheila Hollins has been appointed by Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt to an independent inquiry into unequal health outcomes for people with learning disabilities.

1 Jun 2007

Perchlorate in foods not likely to present a public health threat

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released a new report, 2004-2005 Exploratory Survey Data on Perchlorate in Food and has indicated that the estimated average exposure to perchlorate in foods is well below the perchlorate reference dose (RfD) suggested by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS).

1 Jun 2007

Tobacco industry cops it from the WHO

The tobacco industry has been severely criticised by the World Health Organization (WHO) for misleading the public on the dangers of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke.

31 May 2007