October 2008
News Archive
News articles from October 2008
New slimming pill in early trials (24/10/2008)
An experimental weight-loss drug has shown promise in early trials. However, it's likely to be some years before the drug is available, and it hasn't been compared with other slimming pills yet...
Weight-loss drug suspended over safety concerns (24/10/2008)
A medicine to treat people who are very overweight (obese) has been taken off the market because of safety concerns. Rimonabant, brand name Acomplia, should no longer be prescribed because the benefits are not worth the risks, according to the European drug regulator...
New studies hopeful for multiple sclerosis (24/10/2008)
Two new drugs for multiple sclerosis have been in the news this week. We take a look at some promising results, and also at the risk of serious side effects...
Depression link to premature birth (23/10/2008)
Women with severe depression during pregnancy have an increased risk of giving birth too early, new research has shown. A study in the US showed almost 1 in 10 women with severe symptoms of depression gave birth before 37 weeks of pregnancy...
Erection problems may be an early warning sign of heart disease (22/10/2008)
Doctors have been told to think of men’ s erection problems as a ‘ two to three-year early warning’ of a heart attack. Men with erection problems should be checked for heart disease and diabetes, a specialist has warned...
Study finds link between low vitamin D and Parkinson's disease (16/10/2008)
People with Parkinson's disease are more likely than healthy adults of the same age to have low levels of vitamin D, according to a new study. But researchers don't know whether a lack of vitamin D could be a cause of Parkinson's, or possibly a consequence...
The good news about cancer (15/10/2008)
People's chances of dying from cancer are falling and will continue to do so over the next 20 years, according to a study by statisticians...
Women's heart problems may be misdiagnosed as symptoms of stress (14/10/2008)
Doctors may be slower to diagnose women with heart disease, because they suspect their symptoms are caused by stress. That’ s the message from a study of 230 doctors. The delay could deprive women of treatments that protect against heart attacks...
Men have a choice of testicular cancer treatments (13/10/2008)
Testicular cancer is one of the easiest cancers to treat. The majority of men can be cured with surgery, followed by either radiotherapy or chemotherapy. The latest research suggests that a single injection of the chemotherapy drug carboplatin works just as well as radiotherapy, giving men a choice about which treatment suits them...
Don't miss out on the flu jab (09/10/2008)
Many people don't realise how dangerous flu can be, according to the Department of Health. It says that less than half of people under 65 who are at high risk from flu actually get the vaccine...
New blood test for Down's syndrome (08/10/2008)
A new blood test for pregnant women could accurately predict Down's syndrome in babies, without the risk of miscarriage that comes with some existing tests. However, the test has been tried on only 18 women so far, and needs to be much more widely studied before we know how good it is...
Could using a fan reduce the risk of cot death? (07/10/2008)
Losing a baby to cot death is heartbreaking for parents. Now a new study suggests that having a fan on while a baby sleeps may reduce the risk. But it's too soon to know whether using a fan can actually help prevent some babies dying. Putting a baby to sleep on their back is the most important thing you can do to prevent cot death...
Pneumonia vaccine may protect against a heart attack (06/10/2008)
People at risk of heart disease are less likely to have a heart attack if they are vaccinated against pneumonia, a study has found. Checking that your vaccinations are up to date may be more important than ever, especially as winter draws near...
Can vitamin C block cancer drugs? (02/10/2008)
An early laboratory study using mice suggests that high doses of vitamin C might stop cancer drugs from working so well. It’ s too soon to say whether cancer treatments in people would be affected in the same way. Cancer patients are already advised not to take any vitamin supplements or herbal medicines without checking with their doctors first...
Type of HRT may make a difference to heart attack risk (01/10/2008)
The risks of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for women reaching the menopause are under the spotlight again. The results of a new study show that the type of HRT women take, and how it's taken, may make a difference to the risk of a heart attack...
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