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 U.S. lowers threshold for lead poisoning in children
ATLANTA (Reuters) - The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cut its threshold level for defining lead poisoning in children to 5 micrograms per deciliter on Wednesday from 10, marking the first such reduction in 20 years. "The recommendation was based on a growing number of scientific studies showing that even low blood lead levels can cause lifelong health effects," the CDC said, in adopting the recommendation of an advisory committee. "Today, CDC is officially announcing our agreement with that recommendation. ...
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Data suggests drug treatment can lower U.S. crime
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. crime statistics show illegal drugs play a central role in criminal acts, providing new evidence that tackling drugs as a public health issue could offer a powerful tool for lowering national crime rates, officials said on Thursday. An annual drug monitoring report, released by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, also showed a decline in the use of cocaine since 2003, a sign that drug-interdiction efforts and public education campaigns may be curtailing the use of the drug's powder and crack forms. ...
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FCC chooses spectrum for wireless medical devices
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. telecommunications regulator is expected to announce plans on Thursday to set aside spectrum to connect wireless medical devices for more convenient health monitoring. The Federal Communications Commission said it is scheduled to vote on May 24 to adopt the plan for so-called Medical Body Area Networks, according to the telecom regulator, which has been working on the project for about two years. ...
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FDA warning hurts Hikma generics margins
(Reuters) - Hikma Pharmaceuticals Plc said it expects profitability in its generics business to be hurt by continuing price competition and steps it has taken to comply with a warning letter from U.S. regulators. In February, the company received a warning letter from the U.S. Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) about operations at its Eatontown oral dosage facility in New Jersey. Hikma said it was enhancing its processes to address the regulator's observations but the actions would slow sales in the first half. ...
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Do You Have Misophonia?
Do you think you have misophonia? Here are the major symptoms of misophonia, also known as selective sound sensitivity, as explained by Dr. Marsha Johnson: Presence of “trigger sounds” which evoke strong emotional or physical reactions, generally limited to a few sounds. Most common are...
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Novartis lung drug superior to placebo over 1 year
ZURICH (Reuters) - A Novartis experimental lung drug to treat smokers' cough was superior to a placebo in improving lung function over a one-year period and had similar efficacy to a rival drug from Pfizer and Boehringer Ingelheim, the Swiss drugmaker said on Thursday. The Phase III GLOW2 trial showed a 50 mcg once-daily dose of NVA237 improved lung function, symptom relief and quality of life over a one-year period in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), commonly referred to as smokers cough, compared with a placebo. ...
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Health Tip: Avoid Cross-Contaminating Food
(HealthDay News) -- Cross-contamination can occur when different foods are stored or prepared together.For example, germs from raw meat can contaminate ready-to-eat foods that are prepared at the same time.
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Health Tip: Get the Most From Your Nap
(HealthDay News) -- As more people join the ranks of the sleep-deprived, experts say a daily nap may do a world of good. Then again, poor napping habits can leave you groggier than before.
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Glaxo melanoma drug combo shows promise in small trial
(Reuters) - Two drugs being developed by GlaxoSmithKline Plc - each designed to block different pathways used by cancer cells - have been shown in a small clinical trial to curb melanoma with fewer side effects than current therapies. The experimental drugs are dabrafenib, designed to work in patients with a mutation of a gene known as BRAF, and trametinib, which interferes with a protein known as MEK. The drug combination was tested in patients with advanced melanoma and a mutation in the BRAF gene. About half of all melanomas - the deadliest form of skin cancer - have the genetic aberration. ...
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J&J drug shows promise in high-risk prostate cancer
 (Reuters) - Adding Johnson & Johnson's advanced prostate cancer drug, Zytiga, to hormone therapy before surgery has been shown for the first time to eradicate tumors in some men with high-risk forms of the disease. The mid-stage trial found that six months of treatment with the combination therapy completely or nearly eliminated the cancer in a third of patients, all of whom had localized, aggressive cancer. ...
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Human Genome adopts rights plan to ward off Glaxo
(Reuters) - Human Genome Sciences Inc said on Thursday it had adopted a stockholder rights plan as the biotechnology company defends itself against a $2.6 billion hostile takeover bid by drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline Plc. Human Genome said its board determined the $13-a-share bid by the British drugmaker was inadequate and undervalued the company, and it recommended stockholders not tender their shares. ...
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Coffee buzz: Study finds java drinkers live longer
 One of life's simple pleasures just got a little sweeter. After years of waffling research on coffee and health, even some fear that java might raise the risk of heart disease, a big study finds the opposite: Coffee drinkers are a little more likely to live longer. Regular or decaf doesn't matter.
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5 habits of highly successful dieters
Eat less, exercise more. That's the recipe for losing weight, and we all know it by heart. So if we want to get slimmer, and we know the formula, then why can't we do it? 
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Is your sunscreen toxic?
Only 25% of sunscreens are effective at protecting your skin without the use of potentially harmful ingredients, according to the Environmental Working Group, who tested 800 total. 
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Do brain injuries link athletes, soldiers?
The same dementia-like disease found in the brain tissue of several NFL players has shown up in the brains of four U.S. veterans exposed head trauma, according to new research. 
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Skechers fined $40M for butt-tone claim
For overweight Americans, and those looking for a healthier lifestyle, the claim was almost too good to be true -- wear Skechers Shape-ups footwear and watch the pounds melt away. At a news conference Wednesday, the Federal Trade Commission said the shoemaker's claims weren't true and alleged Skechers violated federal law by misleading consumers. 
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Why we need a good screening test for ovarian cancer
Q: This week the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force issued preliminary guidelines for ovarian cancer screening. It recommends against routine screening saying that the risk of false positive diagnoses outweighs the benefits. How can this be and why is it so hard to find a good screening test for ovarian cancer? 
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