News Feeds

NYT > Health

H.I.V. Is Spreading in New York City at Three Times the National Rate, a Study Finds The virus that causes AIDS is spreading in New York City at three times the national rate ? an incidence of 72 new infections for every 100,000 people, compared with 23 per 100,000 nationally. Researchers Report Advances in Cell Conversion Technique Biologists at Harvard have converted cells from a mouse?s pancreas into the insulin-producing cells that are destroyed in diabetes. Diabetes Drug Tied to New Deaths The diabetes drug Byetta was linked to four more deaths in patients with pancreatitis, adding to two deaths announced by federal regulators last week. A Decline in Uninsured Is Reported for 2007 The number of Americans without health insurance dropped by more than a million, to 45.7 million. Avoiding Dental Perfection With a Slight Twist Patients and dentist work together to create that perfectly flawed smile. Look Closely, Doctor: See the Camera? Have reality television and the Internet pushed people over the line? Cancer Test for Women Raises Hope, and Concern An ovarian cancer test prompts questions on regulation and risk, and experts worry it may mean unneeded surgery. Books: A Doctor Transformed, Into a Patient Dr. Thomas Graboys? memoir of dealing with Parkinson?s disease stands out as a small wonder. Vitamin D Deficiency May Lurk in Babies Exclusive breast-feeding may be associated with vitamin D deficiency and rickets, recent research suggests. Amgen to Stop Offering Discounts on Anemia Drug The company is halting some pricing practices that critics say were contributing to overuse of its flagship anemia drug Aranesp at a time of mounting concerns about the product?s safety. Purdue, Citing Research Misconduct, Punishes Scientist An appeals committee at Purdue University has upheld findings of misconduct by Rusi P. Taleyarkhan. Stanford to Limit Drug Maker Financing Stanford University is concerned about the practice that has led drug makers to pay for the annual refresher courses of most of the country?s doctors. War Veterans? Concussions Are Often Overlooked The complications from concussions, a signature injury of the Iraq war, often are not recognized in singular ways. Thomas H. Weller, Whose Work on Tissue Led to Nobel Prize, Is Dead at 93 Dr. Weller was a tropical-medicine specialist whose tissue-culture research in 1949 made development of the Salk and Sabin polio vaccines possible. Vital Signs: Prognosis: Chewing Gum May Help After Surgery Chewing gum after abdominal surgery may help in recovery, British researchers found in a review of several small studies. Cases: In Prostate Cancer, Pick a Number, Any Number A diagnosis of prostate cancer comes with a flow of percentages and test figures, but precision is still elusive. Vital Statistics: Teenagers Changing Sexual Behavior Compared with their peers in 1991, high school students today are less likely to be sexually active, and when they are, more likely to use condoms. Global Update: Virus That Infects Mosquitoes Could Lead to Weapon Against Disease A new virus that infects the world?s most dangerous mosquito could one day be manipulated to kill it or prevent it from transmitting malaria. Measles Cases Grow in Number, and Officials Blame Parents? Fear of Autism Many parents say they believe vaccines cause autism, even though multiple studies have found no reputable evidence to support such a claim. Vital Signs: Nutrition: MSG Use Is Linked to Obesity Consumption of monosodium glutamate, or MSG, the widely used food additive, may increase the likelihood of being overweight, a new study says.