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Radioisotopes from scans can trigger airport radiation alarms

People having a scan that involves radioisotopes should be warned that they could set off security radiation alarms in airports for up to 30 days after the procedure, state the authors of a case report in this week’s issue of The Lancet.

21 Jul 2005

Taste reigns supreme, whereas nutrition varies between consumers

High hopes of helping Americans become thinner and healthier through new menu options came up against the hard reality of consumer preferences as foodservice experts dissected the challenges of feeding a nation in the grips of an obesity epidemic.

21 Jul 2005

Sunscreens may play an increasingly important role in defending the skin

The benefits of using sunscreen when heading outdoors are well established - protection from overexposure to the harmful effects of the sun, prevention of prematurely aging skin and defense against future skin cancer.

21 Jul 2005

Floating their idea - students conduct experiments in zero gravity

Students from Imperial College London join teams from across Europe this month to test experiments while floating in zero gravity.

20 Jul 2005

UK deaths from volatile substance abuse in 2003 fell to the lowest annual total since 1980

A report released today by the Division of Community Health Sciences at St George's, University of London, reveals that in 2003 there were 51 deaths in the UK associated with volatile substance abuse. This is the lowest annual total recorded since 1983.

19 Jul 2005

DuPont statement in response to class action lawsuit on non-stick cookware

DuPont will vigorously defend itself against the allegations raised in this lawsuit.

19 Jul 2005

Americans need to eat more fish

The sooner people start eating more fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids like salmon and tuna the better. Having fallen out of favor due to past mercury warnings aimed at pregnant women, new data show that consumers are doing their bodies a disservice if they continue to avoid this food.

19 Jul 2005

U.S. Senate approves Crawford for FDA commissioner

The nomination of Lester Crawford as permanent commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), was overwhelmingly approved by the U.S. Senate on Monday.

19 Jul 2005

Police shooting of AIDS protesters by South African police

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) today expressed its profound outrage over the unprovoked attack -- including what is believed to be the first-ever police shooting of AIDS protesters anywhere worldwide -- by South African police on AIDS activists conducting a peaceful protest.

15 Jul 2005

Australian doctors must be involved in planning medical response to possible local terror attacks

Australian Medical Association (AMA) President, Dr Mukesh Haikerwal, said this week it is vitally important that the AMA takes a key coordinating role in planning the medical response to any disasters including terror attacks on Australian soil.

14 Jul 2005

Consumer group wants health warnings on soft drinks

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a U.S. consumer group, are petitioning the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for warnings to be placed on soft drinks in order to alert consumers of the dangers of too much sugar.

14 Jul 2005

Sisters hurt in London blast return to the U.S. for surgery

According to one of the surgeons involved in their treatment, Emily and Katie Benton, two Tennessee sisters who were injured in Thursday's terrorist attacks in London, underwent reconstructive surgery on Monday at Duke University's North Carolina Hospital.

13 Jul 2005

New ruling on EU Food supplements directive eagerly awaited

The European Court of Justice is about to rule on whether the EU Food supplements directive, due to come into effect in August, unlawfully infringes trade.

12 Jul 2005

EU upholds food supplement ban - rejects appeal by health groups

The European Court of Justice has upheld a controversial law which could ban hundreds of vitamin and mineral supplements from being sold in Britain.

12 Jul 2005

Current scientific understanding does not justify the reduction of the daily salt intake for healthy people

In a reaction to the European Food Safety Authority's (EFSA) announcement at the end of June, the European Salt Producers' Association, in brief EuSalt, maintains its position that the current scientific understanding does not justify the reduction of the daily salt intake for healthy people.

12 Jul 2005

Meth abuse biggest drug problem in country USA

In a recent crime survey of 45 states and 500 county law enforcement agencies in the U.S., it has been found that as far as rural and small town America is concerned, methamphetamine has overtaken cocaine as the biggest drug problem.

11 Jul 2005

California's medical marijuana program put on hold

As a direct result of a Supreme Court ruling last month that said the U.S. government could prosecute medical marijuana use, California officials say they will stop issuing identification cards to state residents who smoke marijuana to treat medical conditions.

11 Jul 2005

Thousands to be screened for affects from Teflon

After a federal scientific review panel said the chemical used to make teflon is "likely" to be carcinogenic to humans, tens of thousands of Ohio and West Virginia residents could be tested over the next year, to determine if their health has been affected by drinking water containing a chemical used to make the nonstick substance.

11 Jul 2005

Northern Ireland must not be left behind on smoking ban

Commenting on the confirmation that Wales will press ahead with a total ban on smoking in public places, BMA(NI) Public Health Committee Vice-Chairman, Dr Colin Hamilton, raised his concerns that Northern Ireland is in significant danger of being left behind.

6 Jul 2005

Anti-cancer claims for green tea 'unlikely', says FDA

In what will come as a surprise, and a disappointment to many advcates, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said last week that drinking green tea is highly unlikely to help prevent breast, prostate or any other type of cancer.

5 Jul 2005