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Cannabis medication linked to grandmother's death

A British grandmother who died after being given a controversial and experimental cannabis-based medicine had apparently told her family that she thought the drug was driving her mad.

19 Dec 2005

Chinese New Year could mean more bird flu outbreaks

China has warned that bird flu could be more prevalent over the Lunar New Year holidays as the transport of live poultry increases.

19 Dec 2005

Flu kills more U.S. children than chicken pox, whooping cough, and measles combined

A new study has shown that flu killed more U.S. children than chicken pox, whooping cough, and measles combined in the 2003-2004 flu season.

19 Dec 2005

Sanofi's human bird flu vaccine tests looking good

French drug company Sanofi Pasteur says early stage trials of an experimental vaccine against H5N1 bird flu have shown it provides a good immune response in humans and is safe.

19 Dec 2005

Lupus patients safe to go back on the pill

Two new studies confirm that women who suffer from lupus, a chronic disease that can lead to inflamed kidneys, can safely take oral contraceptives without fear that the pill will worsen their condition.

19 Dec 2005

Eating chicken may reduce colon cancer risk

A recent study in The American Journal of Gastroenterology revealed that patterns in diet may effect the development of colorectal adenomas, or precancerous polyps of the colon.

19 Dec 2005

Forecast - 81 million dementia cases by 2040

A team of experts is predicting that the number of people suffering from dementia will double every 20 years and could reach more than 81 million worldwide by 2040.

19 Dec 2005

Swiss hospital to permit assisted suicide

A hospital in Switzerland has announced it will allow assisted suicide on its premises for terminally ill patients.

19 Dec 2005

FDA panel approves vaccine for shingles

According to an FDA advisory panel, studies show that an experimental vaccine to prevent shingles can cut the rate of infection by about half in people 60 and older and help curb related pain.

19 Dec 2005

You've got mail and it's STD!

Health authorities in California have found a way a keeping awkward or embarrassing information on sexually transmitted disease (STD), right down to the minimum.

19 Dec 2005

Skin colour controlled by key gene

It seems that the genes of Zebrafish have much in common with humans' and scientists believe that studying the fish may help solve the mystery of human skin colour.

19 Dec 2005

Good results with cervical cancer vaccine in young girls

Drug company GlaxoSmithKline have had a good result with their new vaccine which was designed to prevent infection with the virus that causes cervical cancer.

19 Dec 2005

Breast cancer survival rate boosted by radiotherapy

According to a new study breast cancer patients who have radiotherapy after breast-conserving surgery have a lower risk of a recurrence of the disease and a better chance of beating the illness.

19 Dec 2005

Common gene variation lessens Tamoxifen’s benefit

Researchers have discovered that one of the most commonly prescribed drugs for breast cancer, tamoxifen, may not be as effective for women who inherit a common genetic variation.

19 Dec 2005

One SIDS death may lead to another

Investigators in the UK have found that women who have an infant that dies from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) are more likely in their subsequent pregnancies to deliver infants who are born preterm or small for gestational age.

19 Dec 2005

Keep on trying - when you do get pregnant the chances are it will be a boy!

A team of Dutch researchers at Maastricht University say that women who take longer to get pregnant are more likely to give birth to a boy.

19 Dec 2005

Vitamin D keeps lungs healthy

A team of scientists from New Zealand have found that Vitamin D could play a role in keeping the lungs healthy.

19 Dec 2005

Eleventh suspected bird flu death in Indonesia

According to health ministry officials in Indonesia an eight year old boy has died of bird flu in the country's capital, Jakarta.

19 Dec 2005

China encourages poultry trade despite bird flu scare

Despite as many as 30 outbreaks of bird flu this year, China is urging local governments to ensure the survival of the poultry trade.

19 Dec 2005

More veggies, less red meat = lower blood pressure

According to a new study, large quantities of vegetables, fruits, and other plant foods appear to reduce the risk of elevated blood pressure, whereas meat raises the risk.

19 Dec 2005