New Mammogram Benefits for Women in Their 40s Feb. 22, 2012 — When women in their 40s get breast cancer, their tumors need less intense treatment and recur less often if they were first detected during routine mammogram screening. The finding comes from a careful study of nearly 2,000 women diagnosed with first-time breast cancer [...]

More Now Die in U.S. From Hepatitis C Than HIV Feb. 21, 2012 — More Americans die as a result of hepatitis C infection annually than from HIV-related causes, pointing out the need for expanded screening and improved access to care for hepatitis C, government researchers report. “The decrease in deaths from HIV reflects the [...]

Fructose Off the Hook for Overweight and Obesity? Feb. 20, 2012 — When it comes to weight gain, fructose should not be singled out for blame, a new review of the scientific literature suggests. The review, in the Annals of Internal Medicine, shows that excessive calories — and not any unique properties of fructose — [...]

Kids With Gender Noncomformity at Increased Risk for Abuse Feb. 20, 2012 — Boys won’t always “act” like boys, and girls won’t always “act” like girls. Some boys may choose dolls over tools, and some girls prefer cars, trucks, and football to Barbie dolls and princesses. Unfortunately, kids who tend to make choices that are [...]

Infant Tylenol Recalled Feb. 17, 2012 — 574,000 bottles of infant Tylenol have been recalled by Johnson Johnson’s McNeil Consumer Healthcare division. A faulty part of the dosing system — an interior cap called a “flow restrictor” — can get pushed down into the bottle. This interferes with the syringe used to measure each dose. [...]

9 Tips Before Getting Your Body Pierced Feb. 17, 2012 — Women once got their ears pierced simply to wear a wider variety of jewelry. But these days, more and more women and men are getting other parts of their bodies pierced — from eyebrows and noses to navels, tongues, and genitals — as a [...]

Panel to Ponder Fate of Qnexa Weight Loss Pill Feb. 17, 2012 — Once rejected by the FDA over safety concerns, the weight loss pill Qnexa on Wednesday will get a second chance before an FDA advisory committee. Will the second time around be the charm? Qnexa maker Vivus Inc. hopes so. And the company [...]

Drug-Delivery Microchip Could Replace Daily Injections Feb. 16, 2012 — An experimental, implanted drug-delivery microchip that releases medication on command from an external wireless control could one day free patients from daily injections and improve treatment compliance. Results from the first human study of the programmable microchip were reported Thursday in Vancouver at the annual [...]

A Common Organic Sweetener May Boost Arsenic Levels in Foods Feb. 16, 2012 — Organic brown rice syrup, a popular sweetener in organic and gluten-free foods — including  some formulas made for toddlers — is a source of the toxin arsenic, a new study shows. Experts say regularly eating foods that use organic brown rice [...]

Guide to Gluten-Free Flours Are you on a gluten-free diet? Regular breads, bagels, muffins, and many other store-bought baked goods are not allowed on gluten-free eating plans.   Here’s what you need to know before you buy gluten-free grain products or bake them at home. Gluten-Free Diet Slideshow What Is Gluten? Gluten is a protein present [...]