Vaccine fears in China after hepatitis B scare
Chinese state-run media and Internet users demanded action Wednesday after the deaths of at least seven babies since November following their vaccinations against hepatitis B.
26 December 2013
NYC first daughter confesses to drug, alcohol abuse
The teenage daughter of New York's incoming mayor confessed on Christmas Eve to smoking pot and underage drinking in a video aimed at helping others battling depression.
25 December 2013
Flu vaccine more effective for women than men: study
The flu vaccine is generally less effective for men than for women, scientists said in a study Monday, tracing the effect to higher levels of testosterone that curb the immune response.
24 December 2013
2,000 extra steps a day cuts cardiovascular risk by 8 percent
People with a glucose-tolerance problem -- a driver of diabetes and cardiovascular disease -- can cut the risk of heart attack or stroke by simply walking an additional 2,000 steps per day, a study said on Friday.
20 December 2013
China confirms human death from new bird flu type
A 73-year-old Chinese woman has died of a type of bird flu new in humans, health officials say, but experts believe the risk of it spreading between people is low.
18 December 2013
Qantas steward with Parkinson's to sue over pesticide link
A former Qantas steward who believes he developed Parkinson's disease after repeated exposure to government-mandated pesticides sprayed in the cabin plans to sue Canberra, his lawyer said Monday.
09 December 2013
Cancer drug Xeloda linked to severe skin reactions: official
A drug used to treat advanced breast and colorectal cancers has been linked to sometimes fatal skin reactions in patients, its Swiss manufacturer and Canadian health officials said Wednesday.
US lifts restrictions on anti-diabetes drug Avandia
US authorities on Monday lifted restrictions on the prescription of diabetes drug Avandia after a new study indicated it did not carry an elevated risk of heart attacks.
British experts warn of rise in genital cosmetic surgery
British gynaecologists warned on Friday that increasing numbers of teenage girls and women are undergoing genital cosmetic surgery, driven in part by unrealistic images of how they should look based on pornography.
Taiwan doctors urge vigilance over new bird flu virus
Researchers in Taiwan on Thursday called on watchdogs to keep up their guard after a flu virus that commonly circulates among chickens was found for the first time in a human being.
14 November 2013
Baby born to brain dead mother in Hungary
A healthy baby boy was born in eastern Hungary after his brain dead mother was kept alive for about three months to bring him to term, a hospital said Wednesday.
14 November 2013
E-cigarettes could save millions of lives, conference told
Switching to e-cigarettes could save millions of smokers' lives, a conference on the increasingly popular devices heard Tuesday, though some experts warned more research on the health effects is needed.
13 November 2013
Philippine elite fight ageing with stem cell therapy
Cynthia Carrion-Norton flits high-heeled around the Philippine capital with energy levels belying her years, thankful for a controversial treatment she highly recommends to fellow sixty-somethings.