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WHO and Republic of Korea continue support for women and children's health in DPRK

A World Health Organization (WHO) and Republic of Korea project to improve the health of women and children in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) continues into its second year. The US$ 20 million project, funded by the Republic of Korea, will benefit five million people in the DPR Korea.

13 Feb 2007

Vasectomy and trouble with words

Northwestern University researchers have discovered men with an unusual form of dementia have a higher rate of vasectomy than men the same age who are cognitively normal.

13 Feb 2007

Researchers discover why antipsychotic drugs cause weight gain

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore have discovered why some drugs used to treat mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, cause patients to gain a lot of weight.

13 Feb 2007

Miracle heart attack survivor had congenital heart disease

As 17 year old Daniel Walker was completing his final lap of jogging in his high school gym class on January 19th, he collapsed with a heart attack.

13 Feb 2007

Thailand holds drug giants over a barrel

The government of Thailand, has already upset some of the big drug companies by overriding patent licenses for generic versions of heart and HIV/AIDS pills, and is now planning to go one step further unless drug giants cut their prices.

13 Feb 2007

Cravings for chocolate increased by dieting

Those planning to break New Year's dieting resolutions with a feast of chocolate on Valentine's Day, should think again, according to researchers at the University of Hertfordshire.

13 Feb 2007

Switching treatment to exemestane after 2-3 years on tamoxifen, improves survival

The Intergroup Exemestane Study (IES), an extensive, international study, tested the superiority of switching to exemestane (an aromatase inhibitor) from tamoxifen in patients with early breast cancer.

13 Feb 2007

Variation in gene caspase-8 may help protect against breast cancer

A large-scale analysis of data on breast cancer risk has concluded that a common variation in the gene caspase-8 (CASP8) is associated with a somewhat lower risk of the disease. Variants are small changes that occur in a gene sequence.

13 Feb 2007

Breast cancer survival rates improved by novel drug sequence

Changing the way women are treated for breast cancer could improve their overall chance of survival, according to research published in the Lancet.

13 Feb 2007

Some doctors do not tell patients about treatments they oppose

Some physicians do not tell patients about treatments -- such as contraception, abortion or sedation for dying patients -- that they are morally opposed to, according to a study published in the Feb. 8 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine, the Washington Post reports.

13 Feb 2007

Texas lawmakers ask Gov. Perry to rescind order mandating HPV vaccination for girls entering sixth grade

Thirty-two Texas lawmakers last Thursday sent a letter to Gov. Rick Perry (R) reiterating their plea for him to rescind an executive order that would mandate vaccination against human papillomavirus for girls entering the sixth grade, the AP/Dallas Morning News reports.

13 Feb 2007

PreventionWorks examined by Washington Post columnist

Washington Post columnist Courtland Milloy on Wednesday examined PreventionWorks! -- a privately funded needle-exchange program in Washington, D.C., that aims to curb the spread of HIV among injection drug users in the city.

13 Feb 2007

Women who donate eggs for stem cell research face few health risks

Women who donate their eggs for stem cell research or in vitro fertilization are not at increased risk of health complications, and most of the risks are a result of the hormones used to stimulate their bodies to release more than one egg, according to a report commissioned by the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine and released by the Institute of Medicine, Bloomberg reports.

13 Feb 2007

Low voter turnout prevents approval of Portugal referendum on abortion restrictions

Voters in Portugal on Sunday approved a referendum to legalize abortions during the first 10 weeks of pregnancy, but the referendum is invalid because fewer than half of the country's registered voters cast a ballot, the New York Times reports.

13 Feb 2007

States to spend $13 million in 2007 to dissuade women from abortion

States in 2007 have budgeted about $13 million in public funds to subsidize family planning services and pregnancy centers in an attempt to dissuade women from seeking abortions, the Los Angeles Times reports.

13 Feb 2007

Actions taken on HPV vaccine proposals in Alabama, Louisiana, Utah, Washington

The following highlights recent news of state actions on human papillomavirus vaccine proposals. Merck's HPV vaccine Gardasil and GlaxoSmithKline's HPV vaccine Cervarix in clinical trials have been shown to be 100% effective in preventing infection with HPV strains 16 and 18, which together cause about 70% of cervical cancer cases.

13 Feb 2007

New Hampshire Gov. endorses bill to repeal State's parental notification law

New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch (D) would sign a bill (HB 184) meant to repeal a state law (HB 763) that requires physicians in the state to notify by certified letter a parent or guardian of a minor who is seeking an abortion at least 48 hours before performing the procedure, Lynch spokesperson Colin Manning said on Thursday, the Manchester Union Leader reports.

13 Feb 2007

Rwanda plans to control population growth

Officials in Rwanda within the coming months plan to unveil a campaign promoting contraception and family planning to control the country's population growth and stabilize its economy, the New York Times reports.

13 Feb 2007

World Bank to provide Thailand with $750,000 for HIV/AIDS programs

The World Bank plans to provide Thailand with a $750,000, three-year grant aimed at providing HIV-positive people with increased access to antiretroviral drugs, Viroj Tangcharoensathien, program director for international health policy at the country's Ministry of Public Health, said recently.

13 Feb 2007

WFP resumes programs providing food to people with TB, HIV in Cambodia

The World Food Program has resumed its programs providing people living with HIV and tuberculosis in Cambodia with access to food after receiving aid from Spain and the U.S., the agency said on Thursday, the AP/International Herald Tribune reports.

13 Feb 2007