Biogen says Lou Gehrig’s disease drug fails in trial

(Reuters) – An experimental drug to combat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly called Lou Gehrig‘s disease in the United States, failed to work in an important trial and Biogen Idec said it would stop development of the treatment.The drug, dexpramipexole, had shown promise and seemed to work against ALS in a mid-stage clinical trial in 2011.Biogen shares fell 6 percent in premarket trading on...

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Mandela’s recovery “on track” at home: South African government

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Former South African President Nelson Mandela‘s recovery is ‘on track’ at his home in Johannesburg, the government said on Wednesday in its first statement since the anti-apartheid hero was released from hospital a week ago.Mandela, 94, who has been in frail health for several years, spent nearly three weeks in a Pretoria hospital in December for treatment of a lung infection...

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Women Lose Half Their Weight: How They Did It

At 25 years old and 288 pounds, Ashley Donahoo was depressed.“I was unhappy with my job, I was unhappy with the direction my life was going, and I had a hard time enjoying the little things that my kids wanted to do,” the 27-year-old mother of two from Pace, Fla., said. “My health was failing. My doctor told me that he didn’t think I was going to make it to 30 if I kept on [this way]. … It kept getting...

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Omega-3s may not protect against faulty heart rhythm

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Sorry, Charlie, but fish oil supplements did not prevent atrial fibrillation in patients who had already experienced episodes of the heart rhythm malfunction, a new clinical trial has found.The study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, adds to a growing pool of disappointing evidence regarding the protective effects of omega-3 fatty acids on...

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Clinton receiving blood thinners to dissolve clot

WASHINGTON (AP) — Doctors treating Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton for a blood clot in her head said blood thinners are being used to dissolve the clot and they are confident she will make a full recovery.Clinton didn’t suffer a stroke or neurological damage from the clot that formed after she suffered a concussion during a fainting spell at her home in early December, doctors said in a...

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FDA approves 1st new tuberculosis drug in 40 years

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration says it has approved a Johnson & Johnson tuberculosis drug that is the first new medicine to fight the deadly infection in more than four decades.The agency approved J&J’s pill, Sirturo, for use with other older drugs to fight hard-to-treat tuberculosis.Sirturo is the first medicine specifically designed for treating multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis....

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Vomiting Larry battles “Ferrari of the virus world”

LONDON (Reuters) – Poor Larry isn’t looking too good. He’s pale and clammy and he’s been projectile vomiting over and over again while his carers just stand by and watch.Yet their lack of concern for Larry is made up for by their intense interest in how far splashes of his vomit can fly, and how effectively they evade attempts to clean them up.Larry is a “humanoid simulated vomiting system” designed...

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Republican Senator: chances for “fiscal cliff” deal “exceedingly good”

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said on Sunday that chances for a small “fiscal Cliff” deal in the next 48 hours were “exceedingly good” and that President Barack Obama had won.“I think people don’t want to go over the cliff if we can avoid it,” Graham said on Fox News Sunday.“This deal won’t affect the debt situation, it will be a political victory for the president and I...

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Obama says failure to reach fiscal deal would hurt markets

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Financial markets would be affected adversely if U.S. lawmakers fail to agree on a “fiscal cliff” deal before Tuesday, President Barack Obama said in an interview broadcast on Sunday, while urging Congress to act quickly to extend tax cuts for middle-class Americans.Lawmakers are seeking a last-minute deal that would set aside $ 600 billion in tax increases and across-the-board...

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MSF warns Kenya not to send more refugees to stricken camp

LONDON (Reuters) – Conditions in a camp for Somali refugees in Kenya are deplorable and a government plan to send in thousands more would pose a major risk to health, medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said on Friday.Kenya has more than half a million refugees from Somalia, which has lacked an effective central government since the outbreak of civil war in 1991.A series of bombings, shootings...

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‘Frankenfish’ Nears FDA Approval as Debate Heats up

Genetically engineered salmon could make its way onto plates in the new year, but your body won’t notice anything fishy about the filet, experts say.The Food and Drug Administration has determined genetically engineered salmon won’t threaten the environment, clearing it of all but one final hurdle before it shows up on shelves throughout the nation — and igniting a final 60-day debate on whether it...

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Poor reading skills tied to risk of teen pregnancy

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Seventh grade girls who have trouble reading are more likely to get pregnant in high school than average or above-average readers, according to a new study from Philadelphia.Researchers found that pattern stuck even after they took into account the girls’ race and poverty in their neighborhoods – both of which are tied to teen pregnancy rates.“We certainly know that social...

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Kenya hospital imprisons new mothers with no money

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The director of the Pumwani Maternity Hospital, located in a hardscrabble neighborhood of downtown Nairobi, freely acknowledges that he detains mothers who can’t pay their bills.Lazarus Omondi says it’s the only way he can keep his medical center running. Now, a New York-based group filed a lawsuit this month in hopes of forcing Pumwani to stop the practice.Two mothers who live...

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Light Therapy Helps Ease Winter Blues

Every October as the clocks are turned back, Jose Balido notices that his mood changes, almost as if his body were going into hibernation.His limbs are heavy and he has trouble moving around. Simple household chores like loading the dishwasher seem “insurmountable,” he said. But when spring arrives, the lethargy lifts.“It took me a while to realize what it was,” said Balido, owner of a travel social...

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Light Therapy Helps Ease Winter Blues

Every October as the clocks are turned back, Jose Balido notices that his mood changes, almost as if his body were going into hibernation.His limbs are heavy and he has trouble moving around. Simple household chores like loading the dishwasher seem “insurmountable,” he said. But when spring arrives, the lethargy lifts.“It took me a while to realize what it was,” said Balido, owner of a travel social...

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The Medical Guide to Holiday Movies

Anna Karenina lies febrile on her post-partum bed, her husband, Karenin, and lover, Vronsky, flanking her in sorrow. She repents to each, anticipating her end, and just when the romance soars to its peak, you wonder aloud — why does she have a fever? And, could this really happen?Luckily, we’ve got Hollywood’s holiday ailments covered. Our unofficial disease guide takes a shot at unraveling the medical...

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Top 7 Holiday Allergy Triggers

When you wheeze through your fa-la-la’s and your nose rivals Rudolph’s, it’s a little tougher to feel jolly. Although allergies peak in the spring and fall, the holidays may surprise sensitive sufferers with a gift of unexpected triggers, from dusty decorations and potent potpourri to even — say it ain’t so — the Christmas tree.Here are seven yuletide allergens, and expert tips to help you stay focused...

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South Africa’s Mandela to remain in hospital for Christmas

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Former South African President Nelson Mandela continues to respond to treatment more than two weeks after being taken to hospital in Pretoria and will remain there for Christmas Day, the presidency said on Monday.The 94-year-old anti-apartheid hero and Nobel Peace laureate has been treated for a lung infection and gallstones after being hospitalized on December 8.President...

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FDA warns doctors of counterfeit Botox

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal regulators have warned more than 350 medical practices that Botox they may have received from a Canadian supplier is unapproved and could be counterfeit or unsafe.The Food and Drug Administration said in a letter sent last month, a letter released publicly last week, that batches of the wrinkle treatment shipped by suppliers owned by pharmacy Canada Drugs have not been approved...

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