Taking pains

Treatment needn't be risky, say arthritis experts

Dec. 28 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
As if the pain of sore and swollen joints isn't bad enough, now arthritis sufferers have to endure the confusion and frustration of having some of their most effective pain relievers declared risky.

The arthritis medication Vioxx was pulled from the market Sept. 30 after studies indicated it increased the chance of heart attack and stroke. Less than two weeks ago, the other shoe fell. Celebrex, another arthritis drug in the same class of Cox-2 inhibitors, was linked to serious cardiovascular side effects. Last week, similar problems were seen with the popular painkiller naproxen (sold over the counter as Aleve).

CHICAGO, 1:09 p.m. Dec. 29 (AP)
Offbeat marketing: Eat fast food, get free gym membership: Want to work off those excess holiday pounds with a free fitness-club membership? Chow down on fast food first.

WASHINGTON, 1:55 p.m. Dec. 28 (AP)
FDA approves new drug for severe pain: The government approved a drug Tuesday that offers a new way of fighting severe pain – an option for patients who no longer benefit from morphine and other traditional pain medications.

LOS ANGELES, 1:52 p.m. Dec. 28 (AP)
Lawsuit claims Children's Motrin causes severe side-effects: The parents of a 7-year-old girl on Tuesday sued the makers of Children's Motrin and several other companies that distribute the painkiller, claiming their daughter lost her eyesight and suffered other severe side effects after taking the medication.

WESTMINSTER, Md., 1:13 p.m. Dec. 27 (AP)
Fitness: What is parkour? Think 'Matrix' meets Jackie Chan: To devotees of a French-born extreme sport known as parkour, that park bench you jog past every day is much more than just a seat.

Dec. 28 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
A workout with a view: Cowles Mountain, located in the San Carlos area of San Diego, is one of the most popular hiking spots in San Diego. Named after George A. Cowles, one of San Diego's early ranching pioneers, it is the highest point in the city of San Diego – 1,591 feet. Trail length is 1114 miles one way.

WASHINGTON, 2:40 p.m. Dec. 27 (AP)
Study to gauge use of Ecstasy drug by terminal cancer patients: The illegal club drug Ecstasy can trigger euphoria among the dance club set, but can it ease the debilitating anxiety that cancer patients feel as they face their final days?

WASHINGTON, 12:44 p.m. Dec. 23 (AP)
Government approves first genetic lab test: Doctors can check patients' DNA when choosing medication for them, using a test the Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it has approved.

WASHINGTON, 2:17 p.m. Dec. 23 (AP)
Cancer research yields clues to why hair turns gray: Those annoying gray hairs that increasingly leer back from the bathroom mirror may have some value after all. Cancer researchers have developed a new explanation for graying hair that they hope will also shed light on the most dangerous type of skin cancer.

WASHINGTON, 3:29 p.m. Dec. 22 (AP)
Governors, health-care industry ask Bush to not cut Medicaid: The nation's governors urged President Bush on Wednesday to spare states the costs of Medicaid in an effort to reduce the federal deficit.

WASHINGTON, 1:38 p.m. Dec. 22 (AP)
FDA seeks to halt Crestor ad, calls claims misleading: The Food and Drug Administration is seeking to block an ad touting the safety of the cholesterol drug Crestor, calling the claims misleading.

WASHINGTON, 2:12 p.m. Dec. 21 (AP)
With major pain relievers in question, what's the consumer to do?: With Vioxx off the market and heart-risk questions being raised about Celebrex and Aleve, what is someone who needs pain relief to do?

WASHINGTON, 2:22 p.m. Dec. 21 (AP)
Poll: Most remain confident in prescription drug safety despite recent problems: Most Americans say they're confident about the safety of prescription drugs sold in the United States, according to an Associated Press poll taken at a time when several popular medications have been linked to increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

WASHINGTON, 2:30 p.m. Dec. 21 (AP)
Study finds modest drop in teen drug use, but increase in use of inhalants: Fewer teenagers are smoking cigarettes or using illegal drugs, but a survey released Tuesday shows a troubling increase in the use of inhalants by younger adolescents.

WASHINGTON, 1:59 p.m. Dec. 21 (AP)
NIH suspends study due to increased heart attacks, strokes in patients taking naproxen: An Alzheimer's disease prevention trial was suspended after researchers said there were more heart attacks and strokes among patients taking naproxen, an over-the-counter pain reliever in use for 28 years and commonly known under the brand name Aleve.

Dec. 21 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
To your health?: With common sense, you know that imbibing too much alcohol is bad for your health. But it seems every week, another confusing study cheers the benefits of moderate consumption – one small glass of wine daily for a woman and two for a man.

Dec. 20 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Clinic sells kids' flu shots to adults: Concerned that flu vaccine doses prepared for children will be thrown away while healthy adults go without, a local clinic is selling pediatric doses to the general public – contrary to state and federal guidelines.

11:18 a.m. Dec. 21 (AP)
DIET: Sales of diet soda could eclipse regular in a decade, some analysts say: Still think the cola wars are about Coke vs. Pepsi? These days the carbonated beverage battleground is diet vs. regular, and it's looking increasingly as though the lightweight could flatten its full-calorie cousin.

TRENTON, N.J., 2:12 p.m. Dec. 20 (AP)
Drug makers putting complete AIDS treatment in one daily pill: Two drug companies announced Monday they will collaborate on developing the first all-in-one, once-a-day pill to treat HIV infection – a long-sought goal that would make it much easier for patients to stick with their medication.

WASHINGTON, 2:22 p.m. Dec. 20 (AP)
Remicade approved for spinal illness, new warning added to label: The Food and Drug Administration approved use of Remicade for treatment of the inflammatory spinal condition ankylosing spondylitis, the manufacturer announced Monday.

NEW YORK, 1:39 p.m. Dec. 20 (AP)
Pfizer pulling advertising for Celebrex: Pfizer Inc. says it will immediately pull advertising for its top-selling arthritis pain reliever Celebrex, whose safety was called into question last week after a study found an increased risk of heart attacks in patients taking high dosages of the drug.

KANSAS CITY, Mo., 10:04 a.m. Dec. 19 (AP)
Waning interest in low-carb diets hitting some businesses: About a year ago, Dave Champlin and his two roommates lived in what their friends at the University of Missouri called the House of Fat.

WASHINGTON, 11:55 a.m. Dec. 17 (AP)
EPA says 223 counties fail to meet clean air standards: The Environmental Protection Agency announced Friday that 223 counties in 20 states and the District of Columbia don't meet new air quality health standards because of microscopic soot from diesel-burning trucks, power plants and other sources.

WASHINGTON, 4:25 p.m. Dec. 17 (AP)
Danger of liver problems highlighted in attention deficit drug: Strattera, used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is getting an updated label to highlight the risk the drug might contribute to severe liver problems in some patients.

WASHINGTON, 4:46 p.m. Dec. 17 (AP)
FDA approves drug to treat macular degeneration: The Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved a new drug designed to treat the leading cause of blindness in older Americans.

IRVINE, 11:23 a.m. Dec. 17 (AP)
Stem cell researcher makes paralyzed rats walk: So far, not a single person has been helped by human embryonic stem cells. But in cramped university labs, a young neurobiologist with movie star good looks, a Carl Sagan-like fondness for the popular media and an entrepeneur's nose for profits is getting tantalizingly close.

MIAMI, 1:56 p.m. Dec. 16 (AP)
New implantable device detects early symptoms of heart failure: A device that automatically detects early symptoms of congestive heart failure has been implanted in a patient in the United States for the first time.

ATLANTA, 7:44 a.m. Dec. 17 (AP)
Flu shot restrictions may cause doses to go to waste: As concerns rise that tens of thousands of doses of flu shots could go to waste, federal officials were considering changing their advice on who should get the shot.

RALEIGH, N.C., 9:41 p.m. Dec. 16 (AP)
North Carolina health investigators trace E. coli outbreak to petting zoo at fair: A petting zoo at the state fair was the likely source of harmful bacteria that caused 15 children to contract a life-threatening kidney ailment this fall, state health officials said Thursday.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., 9:20 p.m. Dec. 16 (AP)
Family of couple paralyzed by unapproved toxin shots sue doctor: The family of a couple paralyzed after they allegedly received an unapproved toxin instead of botox has sued the company that makes the toxin, the clinic where they got the shots, and others they blame for their condition.

WASHINGTON, 8:52 p.m. Dec. 16 (AP)
Bush administration to allow continued use of ozone-depleting pesticide: The Bush administration announced new rules Thursday to allow U.S. farmers who grow tomatoes, strawberries and other crops to continue using methyl bromide, an ozone-depleting pesticide that had been scheduled to be phased out worldwide next year.

WASHINGTON, 4:14 p.m. Dec. 16 (AP)
Children's necklace recaled, lead content cited: The government announced the recall of children's necklaces because they contain high levels of lead.

WASHINGTON, 2:55 p.m. Dec. 16 (AP)
Strong majority of FDA scientists feel agency does poor job of monitoring drugs on market: About two-thirds of Food and Drug Administration scientists are less than fully confident in the agency's monitoring of the safety of prescription drugs now being sold, according to an FDA internal survey.

WASHINGTON, 2:36 p.m. Dec. 16 (REUTERS)
Possibly avoidable U.S. hospital stays costly , study says: Nearly 5 million hospital admissions might have been prevented in 2000 if patients had received high quality primary and preventive care, according to a government report issued Thursday.

WASHINGTON, 2:32 p.m. Dec. 16 (REUTERS)
Some U.S. FDA staff had drug safety concerns in 2002: Nearly 20 percent of U.S. Food and Drug Administration scientists surveyed in late 2002 said they were pressured to approve or recommend approval of a medicine despite their reservations about the drug's risks or effectiveness, according to documents made public Thursday.

ATLANTA, 2:25 p.m. Dec. 16 (AP)
Flu shot restrictions may cause doses to go to waste: Two months after the government recommended that scarce flu shots be reserved for people most at risk, health officials are now worried that tens of thousands of doses could go to waste, and they are considering easing the restrictions.

WASHINGTON, 2:06 p.m. Dec. 16 (AP)
DuPont, EPA spar over chemical used to make Teflon: Disputing the government's charges, DuPont Co. contended Thursday it was not legally obligated to share information about the potential harm from a chemical used to make Teflon.

GENEVA, 7:15 a.m. Dec. 16 (AP)
U.N. health agency produces manual for reducing cervical cancer: Almost a quarter million women worldwide die from cervical cancer each year although the disease is largely preventable, the U.N. health agency said Thursday.

Dec. 14 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Natural-causes deaths jump over holidays: Death from natural causes doesn't take a holiday on Christmas or New Year's. It works extra hard, perhaps because its victims delay medical care until it's too late.

WASHINGTON, 1:26 p.m. Dec. 15 (AP)
Married people healthier than singles, divorcees, others: Married people are healthier than other adults, though husbands have a tendency to pack on some extra pounds, says the National Center for Health Statistics.

2:52 p.m. Dec. 15 (AP)
Woman died during U.S. AIDS drug study: Joyce Ann Hafford died without ever holding the son she had tried to save from AIDS by taking an experimental drug regimen administered by government-funded researchers during her pregnancy.

2:14 p.m. Dec. 15 (AP)
Federal government says study on birth control pill's benefits was flawed: Federal officials Wednesday backed away from the findings of two major studies on birth control pills, saying the research was flawed and that a new analysis shows there is no evidence that oral contraceptives cut the risk of heart disease.

Dec. 15 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
A later start time for schools?: Not getting enough sleep is an age-old complaint among adolescents, who struggle to stay awake, much less learn, during the early hours of school.

Dec. 15 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Flu vaccine eligibility categories expanded: Anticipating California will soon receive as many as 650,000 additional doses of flu vaccine, state officials yesterday expanded eligibility for the shots to people ages 50 to 64, emergency workers and those who have frequent contact with high-risk individuals.

OCEANSIDE, Dec. 15 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Teens get the point at health academy at Oceanside High: High school senior Sherilyn Anderson was squirming as varsity football player Kyle Thomas held the needle, eagerly poised before her deltoid, ready to administer the injection.

WASHINGTON, 2:35 p.m. Dec. 14 (AP)
AIDS research chief rewrote safety report, ordered clinic opened over objections: The government's chief of AIDS research rewrote a safety report on a U.S.-funded drug study to change its conclusions and delete negative information. Later, he ordered the research resumed over the objections of his staff, documents show.

WASHINGTON, 1:42 a.m. Dec. 14 (AP)
Medicare payment errors totaled nearly $20 billion last year: Medicare wants to cut the rate of questionable payments by more than half, to 4 percent, by 2008, administrator Mark McClellan says.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, 6:25 a.m. Dec. 14 (AP)
B.C. chicken cull in avian flue outbreak boon to research: Clouds of lung-clogging ammonia usually billow from poultry manure in the Fraser Valley, the principal center of chicken farming in western Canada.

WASHINGTON, 6:41 a.m. Dec. 14 (AP)
Survey finds employers to keep drug benefits, at reduced levels, and cut other benefits: Most large employers will maintain prescription drug benefits for retirees after the Medicare drug insurance program begins in 2006, but many will be at reduced levels, according to a study released Tuesday.

WASHINGTON, 8:10 a.m. Dec. 14 (REUTERS)
Heart patch pulses like the real thing – study: Pulsing transplanted heart cells with electrical current helps them grow into mature cardiac cells, bringing doctors closer to a grow-your-own heart patch, U.S. researchers said Tuesday.

WASHINGTON, 2:16 p.m. Dec. 13 (AP)
Top U.S. officials warned of concerns before AIDS drug sent to Africa: Weeks before President Bush announced a plan to protect African babies from AIDS, top U.S. health officials were warned that research on the key drug was flawed and may have underreported severe reactions including deaths, government documents show.

Dec. 14 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Workplace workouts: While some employees meet up for a midday pizza or burger, Qualcomm legal secretary Kim Carey has a regular lunch date with the company treadmill.

Dec. 14 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Inside track: By most standards, the weather outside in San Diego is not quite frightful, but for San Diegans, 40-degree mornings are enough to keep even snowbirds indoors.

WASHINGTON, 9:15 a.m. Dec. 13 (REUTERS)
Holidays bring death for many Americans – study: Christmas is the deadliest day of the year for Americans with 12.4 percent more deaths than normal, researchers said Monday.

CHICAGO, 9:40 a.m. Dec. 13 (REUTERS)
Stopping some drugs raises heart attack risk, study says: Patients who discontinue long-term use of anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and naproxen run a higher risk of heart attack for a few weeks immediately afterward, a study said Monday.

WASHINGTON, 8:53 a.m. Dec. 13 (AP)
Sidelined by cancer, chief justice bows out of voting on some cases: Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist has bowed out of voting in some of the Supreme Court cases he missed this fall while receiving treatment for thyroid cancer, a court spokeswoman said Monday.

LONDON, 2:07 a.m. Dec. 13 (REUTERS)
Stroke risk greater for migraine sufferers, study says: Migraine sufferers are twice as likely to have a stroke as people who are not afflicted with the debilitating headaches, Canadian and American scientists said on Monday.

SAN FRANCISCO, 12:30 a.m. Dec. 13 (AP)
Gates Foundation gives $43 million to fight malaria: The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is expected on Monday to donate $42.6 million to a novel, nonprofit drug company that hopes to make a cheaper malaria treatment by applying a new biotechnology recipe to an ancient Chinese remedy.

SEATTLE, 10:52 a.m. Dec. 12 (AP)
Anyone want a flu shot? Supply grows, but demand withers: Rod Watson had to cancel 1,000 flu-shot clinics in four states when the national vaccine shortage cut off his supply two months ago.

Dec. 7 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
I'll be prone for Christmas: Today's holiday checklist: Prepare office potluck party dish. Address more cards. RSVP to New Year's bash. Buy gift for hairstylist. Confirm plane reservations. Get sick.

10:52 a.m. Dec. 12 (AP)
Navigating the holiday dessert table: Does it seem as though the season of giving has become a two-month cycle of gaining? Try blaming the sweets, that endless parade of holiday goodies that starts with leftover Halloween candy, slowly marches you through pumpkin and pecan pies, and winds up with the obligatory eggnog and fruitcake.

WASHINGTON, 10:05 a.m. Dec. 10 (AP)
Fewer teens engaging in sex, study finds: Fewer teens are engaging in sexual activity than in the past, and those that do are more likely to use contraceptives, the government said Friday.

TRENTON, N.J., 1:57 p.m. Dec. 9 (AP)
Video games better than tranquilizers at keeping children calm before surgery, study finds: Letting children play video games on a Game Boy in the operating room before undergoing surgery can help relax them better than tranquilizers or holding Mommy's hand, researchers say.

WASHINGTON, 3:21 p.m. Dec. 9 (AP)
Consumer Reports rates drugs for heartburn, cholesterol and pain: Nexium and other brand-name medicines are no better for most heartburn sufferers than a drug that can be bought for much less and without a prescription, Consumer Reports said Thursday as it added prescription medicines to the products it reviews.

SAN ANTONIO, 2:55 p.m. Dec. 8 (AP)
New breast cancer drug shows better results at preventing return of disease: A newer drug prevented far more breast cancers from recurring in older women than the old standby tamoxifen and with far fewer side effects, doctors said Wednesday, citing a new study.

WASHINGTON, 1:58 p.m. Dec. 9 (AP)
FDA adds warnings for painkiller Bextra: The government is warning of potential heart problems associated with the use of the painkiller Bextra in people who have recently had heart bypass surgery.

12:28 p.m. Dec. 8 (AP)
Study: Drug prescribed for Parkinson's does not hasten progression: A drug widely prescribed to treat symptoms of Parkinson's disease does not hasten the progression of the illness as some had feared, and it might even slow it down, a study suggests.

WASHINGTON, 8:31 a.m. Dec. 8 (AP)
FDA warns of recall of unapproved Canadian drug sold to Americans over the Internet: The Food and Drug Administration issued a warning Wednesday regarding the use of Carbolith capsules, a treatment for manic-depressive illness that is distributed by a Canadian company.

2:13 p.m. Dec. 8 (AP)
Study: Defibrillators don't save lives right after heart attack: Implanting defibrillators in patients just weeks after a heart attack does not improve their chances of survival, according to an international study. The researchers suggested instead that patients wait several months before having one of the devices inserted in the chest.

WASHINGTON, 1:52 p.m. Dec. 7 (AP)
Pharmacists inflating charges for Medicaid drugs, lawmakers say: Taxpayers could save hundreds of millions of dollars a year if soaring Medicaid reimbursements for prescription medicines more closely matched pharmacists' costs, according to a congressional investigation made public Tuesday.

WASHINGTON, 3:23 p.m. Dec. 7 (AP)
New government headrest standard designed to prevent whiplash: In an effort to prevent whiplash, federal regulators will require vehicle headrests to be higher and closer to the head by 2008 under a safety standard released Tuesday.

WASHINGTON, 8:45 a.m. Dec. 7 (AP)
HHS: Foreign flu shots coming to U.S. to ease shortage: The government said Tuesday that flu vaccine manufactured in Germany was safe enough to be used in the United States and that as many as 4 million doses would be available to alleviate the U.S. shortage.

WORKS FOR US / JACK WILLIAMS, Dec. 7 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Tire changer: For a guy whose business is tires, John Hofmann knows a spare when he sees one. Especially if he's carrying it around his waist.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN ... Dec. 7 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Seeing 'floaters' usually nothing to worry about: Q: What does it mean when I see little black floaters, aka specks or stars, in my peripheral vision?

ALL THE NEWS THAT'S FIT, Dec. 7 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Wellnews: All the news that's fit: Medtronica www.mayoclinic.com/ The renowned clinic, with centers in Minnesota, Florida and Arizona, has produced a well-designed site chock-full of health information; if not a one-stop site, then at least a first step. Among the sections: descriptions of diseases and treatments, a physician Q&A, healthy cooking tips and news briefs.

WASHINGTON, 4:20 p.m. Dec. 6 (AP)
Medicare presents drug plan coverage map eagerly sought by insurers: The Bush administration said Monday it would carve the country into multiple coverage regions to get private insurers to offer Medicare prescription drug plans and comprehensive health benefits beginning in 2006.

NEW YORK, 1:56 p.m. Dec. 6 (AP)
British regulators recommend restricted use of Wyeth anti-depressant: British regulators recommended Monday that physicians restrict the use of the anti-depressant Efexor because its use could have side effects for heart health and pose other risks that require more careful monitoring than its competitors. The drug's manufacturer, Wyeth, said it would challenge the decision, but its shares slipped 3 percent.

WASHINGTON, 11:09 a.m. Dec. 6 (AP)
FDA to hear new data about silicone breast implants: Makers of silicone breast implants will try to persuade the government next spring to lift a long-term ban on most uses of the devices, presenting new data about safety and durability.

INDIANAPOLIS, 3:26 p.m. Dec. 3 (AP)
Scientists: New treatment can prevent paralysis in dogs: Dogs with paralyzed hind legs regained the ability to walk after getting a shot of a chemical cousin of antifreeze that helped repair nerve cells in their damaged spinal cords, scientists reported.

Dec. 6 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
West Nile virus left little mark on the county, officials say: Health officials started warning the public in March: Expect a high number of West Nile cases throughout Southern California when the mosquito season begins.

WASHINGTON, 6:31 a.m. Dec. 3 (AP)
Rejection of patch could discourage research into female sexual dysfunction: In a move that could chill excitement about experimental drugs to treat female sexual dysfunction, federal advisers refused to endorse a new testosterone patch for women.

WASHINGTON, 2:50 p.m. Dec. 2 (AP)
More than 40 percent of Americans using prescription drugs: Americans are cramming their medicine chests ever fuller in the struggle to lower cholesterol, treat depression, reduce inflammation and ease other illnesses.

WASHINGTON, 8:39 a.m. Dec. 3 (AP)
Alternative Health & Herbs Remedies issues recall for eye rinse products: Alternative Health & Herbs Remedies issued a nationwide recall Thursday on four eye rinse products that pose an unacceptable risk of causing eye infections.

WASHINGTON, 12:57 p.m. Dec. 2 (AP)
Government targets teens in effort to reduce drugged driving: Many teen drivers believe it's less dangerous to drive after smoking marijuana than after drinking alcohol, a perception the government wants to change.

WASHINGTON, 11:07 a.m. Dec. 2 (REUTERS)
Red meat linked with rheumatoid arthritis in study: People who eat lots of red meat may be raising their risk of rheumatoid arthritis, an incurable and crippling disease, British researchers reported Thursday.

TORONTO, 10:48 a.m. Dec. 2 (REUTERS)
Sushi coming out of deep freeze in Ontario: Sushi lovers in Ontario are breathing a collective sigh of relief after the provincial government backed down on a plan to ban sale of raw fish that had not been frozen.

ATLANTA, 2:27 p.m. Dec. 1 (AP)
Despite government campaign, HIV infection rates unchanged in U.S., as cases near 1 million: Nearly a million Americans now have the AIDS virus and the nation's ability to keep others from becoming infected still lags despite a government pledge four years ago to "break the back" of the AIDS epidemic by 2005.

ATLANTA, 6:58 a.m. Dec. 2 (AP)
HIV infection rate holds steady: Despite the government's promise to "break the back" of the AIDS epidemic by 2005, about 40,000 Americans test positive for the HIV infection every year – the same number as a decade ago.

WASHINGTON, 3:11 p.m. Dec. 1 (AP)
Health experts urge U.S. to expand AIDS prevention policies: Health experts urged the Bush administration on Wednesday to move beyond the ABCs of global AIDS prevention – abstinence, being faithful and using condoms – and help women who are infected through factors beyond their control.

TRENTON, N.J., 12:28 a.m. Dec. 1 (AP)
Surgery removes man's extra digits, brings hope of better life ion his native Dominican Republic: Tirso Furcal's extra finger and two extra toes made life in his impoverished country, the Dominican Republic, even more difficult. The stone polisher struggled to walk and his frequent injuries blocked his hopes for better-paying work.

Nov. 30 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Mental health program for wildfire victims ends: The county's wildfires mental health assistance program ended last week. However, 22 community leaders trained in disaster recovery will continue to provide support to fire victims, county officials said.

NEW YORK, 1:35 p.m. Nov. 30 (AP)
FDA to review P&G drug for female sexual dysfunction: A hysterectomy 11 years ago zapped Colleen Christensen's sexual desire. Now 55 years old and married for 33 years, Christensen said she used to worry that a lack of intimacy was draining the fun and closeness from her relationship.

WASHINGTON, 1:35 p.m. Nov. 30 (AP)
Sales rise for Celebrex and Bextra after Vioxx withdrawal: Pfizer Inc.'s Celebrex gained a majority of sales for new-generation painkillers in the month after Merck & Co. yanked Vioxx due to safety concerns, according to IMS Health, a pharmaceutical information company.

NEW YORK, 1:40 p.m. Nov. 30 (AP)
Genetically modified dental treatment gets approval for human testing: A biotech company has won approval to conduct human trials of a dental treatment that uses genetically modified bacteria to prevent cavities for a lifetime, after resolving regulators' safety concerns.

DAR ES SALAAM, 2:25 a.m. Nov. 30 (REUTERS)
Africa's women bear the brunt of HIV/AIDS impact: Forcing open the jaws of her bedridden husband Francis, Jane Kunzugala pours in a spoon of porridge which he tries to summon the energy to spit out.

Nov. 29 (AP)
To help stroke victims, experts try zapping brain with magnetism: Mickey Poduje, 50, had been out all day with her husband, Noel, on their 32-foot motorboat off the Massachusetts coast. When they returned to the dock, she climbed out to do her usual job of securing the lines. Then she collapsed.

SAN FRANCISCO, 1:43 p.m. Nov. 29 (AP)
Study: Genentech's cancer fighter Avastin helps sickest patients: Genentech Inc. said Monday its novel colon cancer-fighting drug Avastin helped some of the sickest patients stay alive two months longer than expected, giving the drug an additional boost on its way to blockbuster status.

Nov. 25 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Fitness of S.D. kids shows slight increase: San Diego County children have slightly improved in physical fitness, but about 70 percent failed minimum fitness tests that included running, curl-ups, push-ups and stretches, according to a report released by the state.

Nov. 24 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Live and let diet: You are what you eat. You aren't if you eat too much. Of all the potions and pills, schemes and dreams that claim to possess the secret of living longer, only one method outside actual genetic manipulation has been scientifically proven to extend life: It's eating less, a lot less.

ATLANTA, 12:24 p.m. Nov. 24 (AP)
CDC: Flu season is off to a slow start: The flu season in the United States is off to a slow start, with only Delaware and New York reporting significant outbreaks – a relief to government health authorities, given the U.S. vaccine shortage.

WASHINGTON, 1:00 p.m. Nov. 24 (AP)
Whistleblower earns kudos, criticism, fears FDA reprisal: David Graham says he was surprised by the reception he got back at his Food and Drug Administration office after telling Congress the government had allowed unsafe drugs to remain on the market.

WAUWATOSA, Wis., 5:18 a.m. Nov. 24 (AP)
Rabies patient who received experimental treatment becomes unusual success story: A unique combination of drugs has made a 15-year-old girl the first known human to survive rabies without vaccination, doctors said.

VICTORIA, British Columbia, 6:25 a.m. Nov. 24 (AP)
Death toll from tropical fungus reaches four on Vancouver Island: Four people, dozens of dogs and cats, 11 porpoises and a horse have died from a rare tropical fungus since it was detected on Vancouver Island in 1999, a study has concluded.

WASHINGTON, 8:30 a.m. Nov. 24 (AP)
Mad cow tests come back negative: A five-day mad cow disease scare that briefly rattled the cattle markets and raised concerns among some beef eaters has been put to rest after sophisticated chemical tests on a suspected animal showed no sign of the brain-wasting ailment.

Nov. 24 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
So, you want to live to be 125?: America is graying, grudgingly. Blame it on boomers, people born between 1946 and 1965. The baby boom generation now makes up more than a quarter of this country's population – some 77.5 million people, with more than 160,000 in San Diego. One-third are over age 50.

WASHINGTON, 2:18 p.m. Nov. 23 (AP)
Caesarean deliveries mark new record: More than a quarter of the babies born in the United States last year were delivered by Caesarean section, a record high for the surgical method that is a controversial subject among both obstetricians and mothers.

LONDON, 1:22 p.m. Nov. 23 (AP)
Women's rights in developing world crucial to victory over AIDS, U.N. says: The women's rights movement and the AIDS movement must come together if the world is to ultimately win the fight against HIV, the United Nations said in a report released Tuesday.

CHICAGO, 5:53 a.m. Nov. 23 (REUTERS)
CDC study overstated obesity as cause of death – WSJ: A prominent study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention may have overstated the number of obesity-related deaths in 2000 by as much as 20 percent, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.

WASHINGTON, 1:49 p.m. Nov. 22 (AP)
Study finds widely varying benefits from Medicare prescription drug insurance: Roughly 19 million people are expected to reap some savings from Medicare's new prescription drug benefit, according to an independent analysis released Monday. But 10 million others would pay as much or more for their medicines.

WASHINGTON, 3:12 p.m. Nov. 23 (AP)
FDA approves new drug to treat multiple sclerosis: The government approved a drug Tuesday that is the first to try a new method of attacking multiple sclerosis, an incurable disease of the central nervous system that affects 350,000 Americans.

1:44 p.m. Nov. 22 (AP)
Doctors say statin drug should have been pulled sooner and question FDA oversight: New reports accuse another drug company of being too slow to pull a dangerous medication from the market and question the ability of the federal Food and Drug Administration to protect the public from such risks.

Nov. 23 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Doctors warn of off-roading: Trauma experts at Children's Hospital will issue a formal plea today to parents of children under 16: Don't let your kids ride all-terrain vehicles.

WASHINGTON, 1:32 p.m. Nov. 22 (AP)
Older Americans not exercising, eating well: Two-thirds of older Americans take part in leisure-time physical activities, but poor nutrition remains a problem, especially when it comes to fruit and vegetables, according to the latest snapshot of aging.

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, 11:51 a.m. Nov. 20 (AP)
Study suggests Chernobyl resulted in 800 cancer cases among Swedes: More than 800 people in northern Sweden may have cancer as a result of the fallout that spewed over the region after the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986, according to a new study by Swedish scientists.

Nov. 22 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Thermal Aid Bear takes away and heals kids' hurts: If your injured child needs cheering up, look no further than Thermal Aid Bear, a terry cloth pal you can heat or freeze to treat minor aches and pains.

9:54 a.m. Nov. 20 (AP)
Need a 'boost?' An 'enhancement?' Company touts pills for whatever ails the middle-aged middle class: Just three years since an Ohio salesman started selling penis enlargement pills out of a spare room in his house, his company is raking in more than $200 million a year on unproven palliatives for virtually every malady of the middle-aged middle class.

Nov. 19 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Accusations against doctors posted online: People considering medical treatment can now go online to a Medical Board of California Web site and, with a few keystrokes, learn whether a doctor has been accused of negligence.

WASHINGTON, 7:54 a.m. Nov. 19 (AP)
FDA official defends agency's handling of drug safety issues: A Food and Drug Administration official said Friday "we categorically reject" accusations the agency has failed to protect the public against dangerous drugs.

WASHINGTON, 12:19 p.m. Nov. 18 (AP)
Mayors urging diabetics to control blood sugar levels: An Ohio mayor has a personal message to diabetics across the country: If he can work 15-hour days and still fit in regular exercise and healthy meals to control his disease, they can too.

Nov. 18 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
State sending county 24,000 more flu shots: Public-health and community clinics and skilled-nursing facilities countywide will soon receive 24,000 more doses of flu vaccine, allocated from 315,000 being dispersed throughout the state by the California Department of Health Services.

LAS VEGAS, 1:06 a.m. Nov. 17 (AP)
Trying to lose weight? Sleep more and get a pooch, experts recommend: Experts have this unconventional advice for dieters: Don't scrimp on sleep and think about getting a dog.

WASHINGTON, 5:59 p.m. Nov. 17 (AP)
FDA defends its handling of Vioxx safety issues: The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday defended its oversight of Vioxx ahead of a congressional review into whether the agency and the maker of the arthritis drug recently taken off the market put patients' safety first.

CHICAGO, 11:07 a.m. Nov. 17 (AP)
Lowering blood pressure isn't enough to prevent heart attacks: Aggressively lowering blood pressure isn't enough to prevent heart attacks and strokes in some patients, and now researchers think they know one reason: enlargement of the heart's main pumping chamber.

WASHINGTON, 8:01 a.m. Nov. 16 (AP)
FDA criticized for handling of abortion pill safety: The father of a teen who died after taking an abortion pill says new safety warnings added by the government aren't enough to protect women. Because a third death now has been linked to RU-486, the Food and Drug Administration should bar sales of the abortion pill, said the grieving father.

CHICAGO, 11:17 a.m. Nov. 16 (AP)
Preemies face higher risk of infection, study finds: Infections shortly after birth are a surprisingly significant cause of cerebral palsy and other brain-development disorders in the tiniest premature babies, a study found.

LAS VEGAS, 11:37 a.m. Nov. 16 (AP)
Too little sleep raises the risk of being overweight, study suggests: Weight-loss experts have a novel prescription for people who want to shed pounds: Get some sleep.

LAS VEGAS, 5:12 a.m. Nov. 16 (AP)
Low-fat beats low-carb for keeping pounds off, study suggests: Dieters who want to keep from regaining the pounds they so painstakingly lost would do best to eat low-fat diets rather than curb carbs, new research suggests.

ATLANTA, 1:18 p.m. Nov. 15 (AP)
U.S. births to youngest teens reaches lowest level since 1946: The birth rate among American girls ages 10 to 14 has fallen to its lowest level since 1946, the government reported Monday.

WASHINGTON, 8:12 a.m. Nov. 15 (AP)
Radio tags to vouch for drugs' legitimacy: Viagra, Pfizer Inc.'s top-selling impotency drug, soon will carry radio transmitters to prevent counterfeiting, the company said Monday.

LAS VEGAS, 11:11 a.m. Nov. 15 (AP)
Company to test obesity/smoking pill for heart disease: Not content with having a drug that might merely fight obesity and smoking, the company developing this eagerly anticipated pill will soon launch studies to see if it can treat and prevent clogged arteries and heart disease.

WASHINGTON, 1:25 p.m. Nov. 15 (AP)
FDA Orders Viagra to pull 'Wild Thing' television ad: The government ordered Pfizer Inc. to yank cheeky television ads that promised better sex for men taking Viagra because they failed to disclose known risks associated with the drug, according to a letter released on Monday.

RICHMOND, Va., 7:01 a.m. Nov. 13 (AP)
Transplant recipient to run marathon with father of teenage lung donor: Two years ago, Len Geiger was near death, suffering from a severe case of genetic emphysema. On Saturday, Geiger participated in his first marathon, accompanied by the father of the 14-year-old girl whose lungs were used in a double-lung transplant to save his life.

Nov. 15 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Older women often unaware of HIV risks: As throngs of older women divorce and re-enter the dating scene, a new Emory University study found women older than 50 are extremely naive about the spread of HIV.

Nov. 15 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
New Xplory stroller gives kids a lift and parents' backs a break: Tired of bending down to coo at your baby? Norwegian company Stokke (pronounced STOKE-uh) has the remedy, in the form of its new and trendy stroller, Xplory.

Nov. 14 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Healing touch: My introduction to "Kangaroo Care" dates back seven years, when I held my own tiny son, 2-pound-11-ounce Misha, a surviving twin, skin to skin on my chest in Orange County, while hoping with all my heart that my touch could help heal him.

WASHINGTON, 2:02 p.m. Nov. 11 (AP)
Experts to meet in February to discuss arthritis drug risks: Government experts asked to discuss the safety of arthritis drugs in the same class as Vioxx will get an avalanche of paper, including confidential unpublished trials and their first glimpse at long-term safety studies.

WASHINGTON, 2:57 p.m. Nov. 12 (AP)
Black box warning links smallpox vaccine to heart inflammation: Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc. will add black box warnings linking its smallpox vaccine to heart inflammation, the government announced Friday.

ATLANTA, 3:51 p.m. Nov. 12 (AP)
CDC statistics show mild season for West Nile virus illnesses, deaths: After two record-breaking years of West Nile virus illnesses and deaths, the nation is experiencing a relatively mild season, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

2:49 p.m. Nov. 11 (AP)
WHO board recommends allowing genetic engineering of smallpox virus: An influential World Health Organization committee is sending shock waves through the scientific community with its recommendation that researchers be permitted to conduct genetic-engineering experiments with the smallpox virus.

WASHINGTON, 12:51 p.m. Nov. 11 (AP)
Genetic variation may help some resist human form of mad cow disease: Some people have a genetic variation that may help them resist the human form of mad cow disease, a study in mice suggests. But when infection does occur the disease takes a different form, meaning there may be unrecognized cases in the population, British researchers say.

WASHINGTON, 11:57 a.m. Nov. 11 (AP)
Immune system may point the way to male contraceptive: The world of male contraception has been limited to condoms and vasectomies. But researchers now point to a new method that shows promise – a shot that prompts an immune reaction to a protein produced in the male reproductive system.

NEW ORLEANS, 1:59 p.m. Nov. 10 (AP)
Scientists find a new, double-barreled approach to controlling cholesterol: Taking one drug to boost "good" cholesterol and another to lower its evil twin can slow the progression of heart disease more effectively than one medicine alone, the first study to test this dual approach has found.

QUAKERTOWN, Pa., 6:33 a.m. Nov. 9 (AP)
Three opponents settle with operator of Pennsylvania food irradiating plant: The operator of a plant that uses radiation to kill bacteria in foods and other products has agreed to make safety improvements in a settlement with three people who challenged its operating license.

Nov. 7 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Physician oversight report cites woeful flaws: The process of investigating and disciplining bad doctors is woefully stymied by too few investigators, too little money and needless inefficiencies that delay serious disciplinary actions by 3¾ years on average, according to a report mandated by the state.

WASHINGTON, 2:08 p.m. Nov. 8 (AP)
St. Louis company offers discounted generic drugs to poor people: St. Louis-based Express Scripts Inc., facing scrutiny of its generic drug prices, is offering discounts on dozens of generic medicines to low-income Americans.

WASHINGTON, 3:17 p.m. Nov. 5 (AP)
New measures aim to improve drug safety: Buffeted by criticism, the Food and Drug Administration said Friday that it would appoint a director of drug safety and take other actions to assure the safety of medications it approves.

ATLANTA, 12:12 p.m. Nov. 4 (AP)
Feds say obesity epidemic weighing down planes, pushing up fuel costs: Heavy suitcases aren't the only things weighing down airplanes and requiring them to burn more fuel, pushing up the cost of flights. A new government study reveals that airlines increasingly have to worry more about the weight of their passengers.

Nov. 2 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
3 La Jolla groups get funds in disease study: Three La Jolla research institutes are among 13 nationwide selected to share $73 million for studying infectious diseases – including those that might be used as weapons by terrorists – the federal government announced yesterday.

Nov. 1 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Refrigerating breast milk may reduce its health benefits: Nursing mothers often pump their breast milk so that their babies can drink it from a bottle. A new study suggests, however, that if the milk is chilled for too long, it may lose some of its health benefits.

WASHINGTON, 2:58 p.m. Oct. 31 (AP)
WHO sets flu vaccine summit meeting to deal with pandemic threat: The World Health Organization has called an unprecedented summit meeting next week of flu vaccine makers and nations to expand plans for dealing with the growing threat of a flu pandemic.

WASHINGTON, 1:06 p.m. Oct. 31 (AP)
New vaccine shows promise against diarrheal disease that kills millions: A new vaccine against rotavirus, the diarrheal infection that kills millions of children worldwide, doesn't appear to raise the risk of serious bowel blockages that caused a previous vaccine to be pulled from the market five years ago, doctors reported Sunday.

Oct. 27 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
County expecting to distribute 25,370 flu shots: Emphasizing the state order that only people at high risk for complications from the flu should be vaccinated, county health officials yesterday said they expect to distribute 25,370 adult doses starting next week.

Oct. 29 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
First case of flu is reported: County health officials yesterday reported the first case of flu in the region this season, but they were quick to say it was not a sign that San Diego County is headed for a severe flu season.

Oct. 30 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Child with West Nile virus now seriously ill: A 5-year-old San Diego County child infected with the West Nile virus has developed the life-threatening complications typical of severe cases, but health officials aren't certain if the virus is the cause or even if it was contracted here.

Oct. 30 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Health group warns about lead in candy: People handing out Halloween treats in San Diego and Tijuana this weekend should avoid giving Mexican candies that lab tests have indicated are contaminated with potentially dangerous levels of lead, a San Diego environmental group says.

LONDON, 4:29 a.m. Oct. 28 (REUTERS)
Red wine slows lung cancer, white raises risk, study says: Drinking red wine could protect against lung cancer, but white wine may increase the risk, Spanish scientists said on Thursday.

Oct. 27 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Scientists hope to turn tide in ALS battle: In the fight against Lou Gehrig's disease, a relentless affliction that paralyzes its victims before killing them, scientists now believe they are developing powerful weapons to conquer it.

Dec. 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Report on tobacco sets off smoke alarm: A hotly contested study has flunked seven colleges in San Diego County for not having strong anti-tobacco policies.