Dalia Lama plays down rumours of ill health on Italy tripNovember 18th, 2009 ROME - The Dalai Lama Wednesday denied reports that he is suffering from cancer, but admitted that his eventual passing would represent a blow for the Tibetan cause. "The Tibetan people's respect towards me is very strong and my death would be a setback," the exiled Buddhist spiritual leader said whilst in Italy on a trip.
How do consumers choose among alternative medicinesNovember 18th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Alternative health remedies have gained immense popularity in the health care marketplace. Now, a new study sheds light on how people choose among the various available remedies.
Monday is 'the most popular sick day'November 10th, 2009 LONDON - Monday is the most popular day for workers calling in sick, a new UK research has confirmed. The study, by consultant firm Mercer, found that more than a third of all sick leave is taken on the first day of the week.
More than 3.78 mn Chinese people vaccinated against swine fluNovember 1st, 2009 BEIJING - The Chinese health ministry said Sunday that more than 3.78 million people in the country have been vaccinated against swine flu as of Saturday with no reports of serious adverse reaction. The vaccination campaign has been launched across the country except in Chongqing municipality and provinces of Anhui, Jiangxi and Sichuan, a Xinhua report quoted health ministry sources as saying.
Intrauterine contraception most popular long-term solution for EuropeansOctober 29th, 2009 WASHINGTON - When it comes to long-term solution to ward off unwanted pregnancy, intrauterine contraception (copper IUD or hormone-releasing IUS) is the most popular contraceptive among Europeans over 30 years of age, a study has revealed. The study has shown that 10 percent of women use these methods, the majority over 30 years old.
Chinese martial arts Tai Chi offers effective treatment for dizziness, balance disordersOctober 5th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A form of Chinese martial arts called Tai Chi may prove an effective treatment for patients who suffer from dizziness and balance disorders, also known as vestibular disorders. In a study presented at the 2009 American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) Annual Meeting and OTO EXPO in San Diego, a team of researchers evaluated the utility of Tai Chi in managing patients with vestibular symptoms who have failed conventional vestibular therapy.
FDA to revamp strategy on product safety announcements following years of outside criticismSeptember 30th, 2009 FDA revamps strategy on product safety newsWASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration is laying out plans to improve its public announcements on food and drug safety, more than three years after federal advisers recommended major changes. The agency says it will begin studying public response to its announcements on potentially dangerous food and drugs.
No "serious adverse reaction" from China-made swine flu vaccine: Health MinisterSeptember 28th, 2009 BEIJING - Chinese Health Minister Chen Zhu has said that no "serious adverse reaction" has been reported from people being immunized with the China-made A/H1N1 flu vaccine. Zhu's comments follow reports of Beijing announcing 14 cases of adverse reaction out of 39,000 residents, who were inoculated with the vaccine.
Toad venom may offer cancer cureSeptember 25th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A Chinese medicine made from dried venom secreted by the skin glands of toads has shown promise in slowing down cancer progression in patients, say researchers. Huachansu, the Chinese medicine, is widely used to treat patients with liver, lung, colon and pancreatic cancer at oncology clinics in China.
About 39,000 given swine flu vaccine shots in ChinaSeptember 23rd, 2009 BEIJING - In their bid to control the fast spreading swine flu epidemic, authorities in China have so far administered H1N1 vaccine shots to more than 39,000 people, an epidemic control expert said Wednesday. Liang Xiaofeng, director of the immunization centre under the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, said as of Tuesday only 14 people developed side effects after taking the vaccine shots.
When Chinese surgeons 'forgot' to operate on man in OTSeptember 18th, 2009 NEW DELHI - A Chinese patient, who was given an anaesthetic injection and taken into the operation theatre for a surgery, was wheeled back into his room only to find out that the doctors "forgot" to operate on him. Cao Longbao was to undergo a surgery to get three polypi removed from his intestines at a local hospital in Shanghai.
Panama confirms more medicine contaminated, fears findings could reflect unreported deathsSeptember 17th, 2009 Panama: More tainted medicine in 1,155 bottlesPANAMA CITY — The death toll from contaminated medicine sold three years ago in Panama could be higher than previously believed after 1,155 bottles of tested positive for a chemical commonly found in antifreeze and brake fluid, investigators said Thursday. Authorities are trying to track down the names that appear on the bottles that tested positive for diethylene glycol to see if any of the users of the medication died, possibly raising the official count of 116 fatalities.
Chinese police warn parents of children sickened by tainted milk from marking anniversarySeptember 10th, 2009 China tainted milk parents warned against meetingBEIJING — Chinese police have tried to prevent parents of children sickened by tainted milk powder from traveling to Beijing to mark the anniversary of last year's scandal, an activist said Thursday. Milk powder contaminated with an industrial chemical killed at least six babies and sickened nearly 300,000 others with painful kidney stones — making it one of China's worst food safety scandals.
World's oldest surviving medicine system gets government's okSeptember 10th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The world's oldest surviving system of medicine called "Sowa-Rigpa" -popular in the country's Himalayan region and said to be taught by Gautam Buddha himself - got official approval from the Indian government Thursday. The decision to approve it as part of the Indian medicine system was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and later announced by Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni.
China's H1N1 cases will double to 10,000 soon, says expertSeptember 7th, 2009 BEIJING - With the surfacing of 100 new H1N1 cases since Friday, Chinese health experts have warned that the total cases nationwide will soon double to 10,000, as the peak of the outbreak has begun. "The recent clusters of school outbreaks are just the start of the peak season, which will feature widespread infections.
