| Top : 2007 : 2007_01_12 |
New outbreak of bird flu hits NigeriaFri, 12 Jan 2007 16:12:00 GMTLAGOS, Nigeria - A new outbreak of H5N1 bird flu has hit Nigeria, and one new state has reported its first cases in birds after months without any known infections in Africa's most-populous nation, officials said Friday. Sokoto state in Nigeria's far north had its first cases along with a nearby state that reported re-infection, said Junaid Maina, the head of Nigeria's livestock department. The last known infection was in September. Arthritis rheumatism cost U.S. 36128BFri, 12 Jan 2007 05:38:04 GMTBy DANIEL YEE, Associated Press Writer ATLANTA - The nation's costs for arthritis and related conditions rose to $128 billion in 2003, and the tab will continue to grow as the U.S. population gets older and heavier, the government said Thursday. The 2003 costs, the latest data available, included $80.8 billion in direct costs, such as medical expenses, and $47 billion in indirect costs, such as lost wages, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. The total was a 48 percent increase over the 1997 figure of $86.2 billion cost, largely because government surveys identified 9 million more cases of arthritis or related conditions, the http://www.cdc.gov Cold medicine risky for babies toddlersFri, 12 Jan 2007 03:01:27 GMTBy DANIEL YEE, Associated Press Writer ATLANTA - More than 1,500 toddlers and babies wound up in emergency rooms over a two-year period and three died because of bad reactions to cold or cough medicine, federal health officials reported Thursday. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned parents not to give common over-the-counter cold remedies to children under 2 years old without consulting a doctor. The deaths of three infants 6 months or younger in 2005 led to an investigation that showed the children all had high levels of the nasal decongestant pseudoephedrine, up to 14 times the amount recommended for children ages 2 to 12. The study found 1,519 ER cases from 2004 and 2005 involving young children and cold medicine. The http://www.cdc.gov Point Therapeutics says cancer drug shows promiseFri, 12 Jan 2007 16:47:36 GMT- Point Therapeutics Inc. said its experimental pancreatic cancer drug showed promise in a mid-stage clinical trial, in patients who have not received prior chemotherapy. The biopharmaceutical company said nearly 50 percent of the 21 patients in the study, with metastatic pancreatic cancer, met the main goal of surviving six months. The primary clinical endpoint is six-month survival and final results from the study are expected mid-year 2007, the company said. Of the 31 more patients evaluable for tumor response, the tumor disappeared completely in one, while two patients responded partially to treatment. Point's shares rose over 34 percent in pre-market trading on the Nasdaq. |
