Cyber Bullying Affects One in 10 Students
HealthDay - .A new study shows that many children in grades 6 through 10 have either bullied classmates or been bullied by them, sometimes online or through cell phones.

U.S. swine flu cases may have hit 1 million
Health officials estimate that as many as 1 million Americans now have the new swine flu. Lyn Finelli, a flu surveillance official with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, voiced the estimate at a vaccine advisory meeting Thursday in Atlanta…. Read full story via USA TODAY

Warnings on Three Zicam Intranasal Zinc Products
On June 16, 2009, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned consumers to stop using and discard three zinc-containing Zicam intranasal products. The products may cause a loss of sense of smell. FDA’s action affects Zicam’s three intranasal products that contain zinc. The three Zicam products claim to reduce the duration of the common cold and the severity of cold symptoms. The products (listed with their size and product numbers) are • Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Gel (15mL, NDC 62750-003-10) • Zicam Cold Remedy Swabs (20 swabs, NDC 67250-003-20) • Zicam Cold Remedy Swabs, ...

Nestlé Recalls Cookie Dough Products
HealthDay - U.S. health officials are warning consumers not to eat any Nestlé Toll House refrigerated cookie dough products because of the risk of E. coli contamination. In response to the Food and Drug Administration warning, Nestlé USA said Friday that it was voluntarily recalling its Toll House refrigerated cookie dough items.

Not All Sunglasses Are Created Equal
HealthDay - Price and style — not protection from the sun’s harmful rays — are most people’s main considerations when buying sunglasses, a new survey has found. Pick shades with UV protection, and wear them a lot, optometrists urge…

Heart Attacks Less Often Fatal Today
HealthDay - People having a heart attack for the first time are more likely to survive these days than they would have decades ago, researchers have confirmed. But now doctors are trying to puzzle out why heart attacks have become more survivable — what doctors, hospitals and individuals are doing right, and how to keep that trend headed in the right direction.

Dermatologists developed fabric that glides over skin
Dermatologists developed a new kind of T-shirt fabric, called Derma Smart, that relieves the itch from dry skin diseases like eczema. The fabric is unique in that it glides over the skin’s surface, it’s also specially constructed, so that the seams are on the outside. Derma Smart is made of microfiber. It dries faster and uses small amounts of silver to prevent bacteria buildup…Read full story via Science Daily

Novel Needle Could Cut Medical Complications
Each year, hundreds of thousands of people suffer medical complications from hypodermic needles that penetrate too far under their skin. A new device developed by MIT engineers and colleagues aims to prevent this from happening by keeping needles on target…Read full story via Science Daily

Over 60 Percent Of All US Bankruptcies Attributable To Medical Problems
In 2007, before the current economic downturn, an American family filed for bankruptcy in the aftermath of illness every 90 seconds; three-quarters of them were insured. Over 60% of all bankruptcies in the United States in 2007 were driven by medical incidents. The results of the first-ever national random-sample survey of bankruptcy filers shows that illnesses and medical bills contribute to a large and increasing share of bankruptcies. Read full story via Dentistry Medical News.

Wait times to see doctor are getting longer
They say patience is a virtue, but for those who need health care, it’s a necessity. And if you live in an urban area, you could be waiting several months to get an appointment with specialist or family doctor. Read full story via USATODAY

More VA facilities report incorrect techniques
Federal officials have been warning thousands of former patients they might have been exposed to infection at three Veterans Affairs facilities, yet other VA patients are not being warned about less serious mistakes with the same equipment at more than a dozen other VA centers. Read full story via Medical News.

TV Interferes With Infants’ Language Development
HealthDay -  Television reduces verbal interaction between parents and infants, which could delay children’s language development, says a U.S. study that challenges claims that certain infant-targeted DVDs actually benefit youngsters.

Yoga Helps Those With Asthma
HealthDay - Study finds practice can ease symptoms, raise awareness of breathing patterns. In fact, participants in a recent trial studying the effects of Hatha yoga also reported that they had been able to cut back on some of their asthma medication.

Experts Optimistic About Melanoma Vaccine
HealthDay - A vaccine for advanced melanoma has shown promise in a new study. Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer. The study, a phase 3 clinical trial involving 185 people, found that using the peptide vaccine in combination with the immunotherapy drug  improved response rates and progression-free survival.

New screen boosts accuracy of standard PSA test
HealthDay - A new blood test greatly reduces false-positive results in prostate cancer screenings and, when used in combination with a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, could prevent many unnecessary biopsies, U.S. researchers say.

FDA says dieters should stop using Hydroxycut now
Washington Post - Government health officials warned dieters and body builders Friday to immediately stop using Hydroxycut, a widely sold supplement linked to cases of serious liver damage and at least one death.

Schools Should Increase Exercise and Track Weight Data, Study Recommends
Washington Post - Local schools need to do more to get students moving and track their weight data, according to a regional survey on childhood obesity released yesterday. Researchers for the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments surveyed nine area school districts and found that although all met federal nutrition guidelines for meals, none met the recommended 150 minutes of physical education a week.

Cutting down on sodas, other sweet beverages may work better than eating less, study finds
HealthDay - When it comes to losing weight, cutting back on the calories in sugar-sweetened drinks, rather than food, may be most important. So say researchers who found that cutting back on calories from sugary beverages — by only one serving per day — accounted for nearly two-and-a-half pounds of lost weight over 18 months.

Few Hospitals Embracing Electronic Health Record Systems
HealthDay -  Only a small number of hospitals in the United States have comprehensive electronic health record systems currently in place, a new study finds. The biggest obstacle to adopting such systems are costs, which can run as high as $20 million to $100 million, plus the reluctance of doctors to change their ways, experts say.

Nut Bans in Schools May Be Spurring Hysteria
HealthDay - Peanut and other food allergies are on the rise, with more and more children being diagnosed with potentially life-threatening allergies, and schools are responding by providing nut-free areas. But, at least one expert wonders if schools are going too far, even creating hysteria over potential nut exposures.

Food Allergy Labeling Not Always Accurate
HealthDay -  A small number of food products with a “may contain” label actually do contain an allergen, while about 2 percent of foods products without such a claim also contain allergens, new research shows.

Dangerous Japanese ‘Detergent Suicide’ Technique Creeps Into U.S.
Wired.com - A suicide technique that mixes household chemicals to produce a deadly hydrogen sulfide gas became a grisly fad in Japan last year. Now it’s slowly seeping into the United States over the internet, according to emergency workers, who are alarmed at the potential for innocent causalities.