Beijing Olympics: Reuters Health Report

On your mobile? Click here to view this email in text.
If you are having trouble viewing this email or would like to view it in your web browser, CLICK HERE

Good evening Srini,

WED 21 Jan 2009

today's headlines

When kids wheeze, steroids don't help: studies

FDA says Georgia plant is sole salmonella source

Cleaner air equals longer lives: study

New cream disables herpes virus: study

Scientists develop test for melamine in milk

Needles, not technique, may be acupuncture key

Access to healthy foods worse in poor areas

Bill Gates, others pledge $630 million to beat polio

Menthol cigarettes may be tougher for some to quit

WHO gets Gates grant for child medicines research

more details

When kids wheeze, steroids don't help: studies

January 21, 2009 05:12 PM ET

BOSTON (Reuters) - Giving steroids to children who are wheezing because of viral or other infections does not help, researchers reported on Wednesday.

Full Article

FDA says Georgia plant is sole salmonella source

January 21, 2009 05:25 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The sole source of the U.S. salmonella outbreak involving contaminated peanut butter appears to be the Peanut Corp of America's Blakely, Georgia processing facility, federal officials said on Wednesday.

Full Article

Cleaner air equals longer lives: study

January 21, 2009 05:18 PM ET

BOSTON (Reuters) - Dramatic improvements in U.S. air quality over the last two decades have added 21 weeks to the life of the average American, researchers reported on Wednesday.

Full Article

New cream disables herpes virus: study

January 21, 2009 03:10 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Researchers say they have developed a cream that might prevent herpes infection for as long as a week -- a potentially big step in protecting women from the sexually transmitted infection.

Full Article

Scientists develop test for melamine in milk

January 21, 2009 04:52 PM ET

CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. researchers have developed a quick way to test milk for the presence of melamine, an industrial chemical found last year in milk in China that killed at least six children and made thousands sick.

Full Article

Needles, not technique, may be acupuncture key

January 21, 2009 12:23 PM ET

LONDON (Reuters Life!) - Acupuncture prevents headaches and migraines but faked treatments when needles are incorrectly inserted appear to work nearly as well, German researchers said on Wednesday.

Full Article

Access to healthy foods worse in poor areas

January 21, 2009 02:00 PM ET

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who live in poorer neighborhoods in the U.S. are less likely to have easy access to supermarkets carrying a wide variety of fresh produce and other healthy food, an analysis of 54 studies confirms.

Full Article

Bill Gates, others pledge $630 million to beat polio

January 21, 2009 02:36 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An infusion of more than $630 million spearheaded by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is intended to help finish the job of eradicating the crippling disease polio, officials said on Wednesday.

Full Article

Menthol cigarettes may be tougher for some to quit

January 21, 2009 10:34 AM ET

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Menthol cigarettes may be harder to quit than the standard variety, particularly for lower-income smokers, a new study suggests.

Full Article

WHO gets Gates grant for child medicines research

January 21, 2009 01:43 PM ET

GENEVA (Reuters) - The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday it had received a $9.7 million grant from the U.S.-based Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for research into the production and dosage of medicines for children.