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Lab calibration errors may add $199 million to U.S. health care costs

Small measurement uncertainties in clinical laboratory tests can add large amounts to health care costs, according to a newly released study commissioned by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

7 May 2004

Gambling increases level of brain chemical

Researchers, using a new combination of techniques, have discovered that dopamine levels in our brains vary the most in situations where we are unsure if we are going to be rewarded, such as when we are gambling or playing the lottery.

7 May 2004

Britain debates whether to create DNA registry of newborn babies

In a White Paper published last year the Government asked the Human Genetics Commission and the National Screening Committee to consider the case for screening every baby at birth and storing their genetic profile for future use.

7 May 2004

New NHS report suggests improvement

Record investment and new ways of working are speeding up treatment, according to the recently released NHS annual report.

7 May 2004

Graduate program to address US nursing shortage

Jennifer Thompson, 38, left behind a lucrative career in pharmaceutical sales to become a nurse. She is one of 21 students enrolled in the University of New Hampshire's new direct entry master's in nursing program that is answering the call to fill the state and national need for more nurses prepared at higher levels of education.

6 May 2004

Scottish health professionals tackle problems of obesity

The University of Glasgow is bringing together experts in the field of obesity management to address a conference on Friday 7 May 2004 for health professionals on how to tackle obesity.

6 May 2004

Illinois, Iowa, Ohio and Wisconsin warned of Giant African Snails

School superintendents and principals, pet store operators and the public are being warned of the potential health risks associated with exposure to giant African snails (Achatina fulica) that have been discovered in Illinois and at least three other states, Dr. Eric E. Whitaker, state public health director, today announced.

6 May 2004

Computer games help raise self-esteem

Can computer games help raise self-esteem? Absolutely. In a world-first study, researchers from McGill University’s Department of Psychology have created and tested computer games that are specifically designed to help people enhance their self-acceptance.

6 May 2004

Afro-Americans with high blood pressure have double the risk of enlarged heart

American blacks with high blood pressure have nearly double the risk for left ventricular hypertrophy (enlarged heart) compared to hypertensive whites, researchers report in today’s rapid access issue of Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association.

6 May 2004

Despite spending more for health care, Americans do not have the best medical care in the world

Despite spending more for health care, Americans do not have the best medical care in the world, according to researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and other institutions.

6 May 2004

The First International Congress on Antioxidant Methods

The First International Congress on Antioxidant Methods will be held June 16-18 in Orlando, Fla., in an effort to reach agreement on techniques for measuring and reporting on antioxidants, beneficial compounds found in foods, cosmetics and certain vitamins that are believed to fight cancer, heart disease and aging.

6 May 2004

New Yorkers less likely to fall from buildings

A national study by Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) researchers shows that young minority children from lower income neighborhoods are far more likely to die or be injured in falls from buildings.

6 May 2004

AIDS nursing homes to get better Medicare deal

Nursing homes treating patients with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome—AIDS—will see an increase in their Medicare payment rates this fall, according to Mark B. McClellan, M.D., Ph.D., administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the agency that oversees the program.

6 May 2004

Varying degree of care shown across UK hospitals for cases of self harm

The way hospitals care for patients who have deliberately harmed themselves varies widely across England, according to new research from the University of Bristol published in the BMJ today.

6 May 2004

UK Government requests public consultation on diet and fitness

The public are being asked their views on how to improve diet and fitness in the UK by new consultation papers published today.

6 May 2004

7 health workers face firing squad after being detained for over 5 years

A Libyan court has sentenced six Bulgarian health workers and a Palestinian doctor convicted of spreading AIDS to death by firsing squad. The seven were originally arrested in February 1999 and have since been incarcerated in an inconspicuous grey compound in Tripoli's chaotic western suburbs.

6 May 2004

Experts conclude plans to control zoonoses, diseases transmitted from animals to humans

International experts today concluded a three-day international consultation on zoonoses, held by the World Health Organization (WHO) together with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), in collaboration with the Dutch Health Council.

6 May 2004

Weight loss and exercise regime helps osteoarthritis

A combination of moderate weight loss and exercise is an effective treatment for overweight adults with osteoarthritis of the knee, according to new research from Wake Forest University published in the May issue of the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism.

6 May 2004

Australian Government has provided $200 million over seven years to independent medical research

The Australian Government has provided an extra $200 million over seven years to independent medical research institutes to help fund overhead costs to ensure they are well equipped to focus on their vital work.

6 May 2004