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Discovery of Gene May Lead to New Male Contraceptive

Thu, 24 May 2012 23:53:51 -0400

THURSDAY, May 24 (HealthDay News) -- The discovery of a key gene involved in sperm development could eventually lead to the creation of a new type of non-hormonal birth control for men, a study involving mice suggests.

Long-term contraception, as IUD, more effective: study

Thu, 24 May 2012 09:31:15 -0400

Women who choose birth control pills, the patch or vaginal ring are 20 times more likely to have an unplanned pregnancy than those using long-term methods such as IUDs and implants, a study released Wednesday found.

Long-term contraception more effective: study

Thu, 24 May 2012 00:46:30 -0400

Women who choose birth control pills, the patch or vaginal ring are 20 times more likely to have an unplanned pregnancy than those using long-term methods such as IUDs and implants, a study found.

IUDs, Implants Best for Long-Term Birth Control: Study

Wed, 23 May 2012 23:52:17 -0400

WEDNESDAY, May 23 (HealthDay News) -- New research suggests that long-term birth control options, such as intrauterine devices (IUDs) and under-the-skin implants, are 20 times more effective for preventing pregnancy than short-term contraceptives, such as birth control pills, patches and rings.

Long-term contraception more effective than pills

Wed, 23 May 2012 18:08:20 -0400

(Reuters) - A large real-life test of birth control methods found more U.S. women got pregnant while using short-acting methods such as pills, patches and vaginal rings -- and the failure rate was highest when they were used by women under 21. In a new study published on Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine, about 7,500 women and teens in the St. Louis area were allowed to pick from a variety of contraception methods at no cost. ...

IUDs More Effective Than Pill: Study

Wed, 23 May 2012 17:36:40 -0400

An intrauterine device can prevent unwanted pregnancy up to 20 times better than birth control pills, patches and vaginal rings, according to a study from Washington University School of Medicine.

Juice Maker's Health Benefit Claims 'Deceptive,' Says Judge

Tue, 22 May 2012 13:54:40 -0400

A federal judge ruled that the makers of Pom Wonderful pomegranate juice and supplements must stop making claims that its products can treat or prevent heart disease, prostate cancer and erectile dysfunction pending adequate scientific proof of the alleged health benefits. The ruling came in...

Pom Juice Claims 'Deceptive,' Says Judge

Tue, 22 May 2012 13:54:40 -0400

COPD Can Put a Damper on Sex Life

Tue, 22 May 2012 07:16:15 -0400

MONDAY, May 21 (HealthDay News) -- Shortness of breath during sexual activity is common for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a new, small study finds.

Health Tip: Comforting Baby's Pain

Tue, 22 May 2012 07:16:14 -0400

(HealthDay News) -- When your baby is in pain -- be it from things like a circumcision, vaccine or incoming tooth -- parents can take steps to soothe, comfort and ease the pain as much as possible.

Fewer girls completing all three HPV shots: study

Thu, 17 May 2012 16:44:00 -0400

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Among girls and women who get their first human papillomavirus, or HPV, vaccine, the percent who complete all three doses is dropping, according to a new study. One of the study's authors told Reuters Health she was aware the number of people completing the vaccine series was low to begin with, but she did not expect to see it getting even lower. "We thought that that would be increasing over time as more people became aware of the vaccine and how it was to be administered," said Dr. Abbey Berenson, a professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. ...

Diabetic Sues Doctor After His Infected Penis Is Amputated

Thu, 17 May 2012 13:54:25 -0400

Enrique Milla Had a Penile Implant to Treat His Erectile Dysfunction

Many pregnant women may not get STD tests

Thu, 17 May 2012 11:33:57 -0400

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Despite recommendations that pregnant women have tests for certain sexually transmitted diseases, many may not be getting them, a new study suggests. Researchers found that of nearly 1.3 million U.S. women who had blood work done during pregnancy, only 59 percent were tested for Chlamydia -- a common STD that can cause pregnancy complications or be passed on to newborns. That's despite the fact that experts generally recommend pregnant women be screened for Chlamydia. ...

FDA Panel Backs At-Home HIV Test

Wed, 16 May 2012 23:52:05 -0400

TUESDAY, May 15 (HealthDay News) -- A U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel recommended Tuesday approval of the first HIV test that would give people the results in the privacy of their own home.

U.S. HIV aid has prevented 741,000 deaths: study

Wed, 16 May 2012 17:29:53 -0400

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The United States foreign aid program that sends billions of dollars to African countries for HIV treatment and prevention has cut the number of people dying for any reason in those nations, a new study suggests. Researchers had previously shown that the initiative -- the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR -- had prevented deaths from AIDS. But it was unclear if more people in those countries were only dying of tuberculosis or malaria instead, researchers explained. ...

FDA Advisory Panel Approves Home HIV Test Kit

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:25:40 -0400

Americans are a step closer to being able to quickly determine in the privacy of their own homes whether they’re infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. An advisory panel to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Tuesday voted 17-0 in favor of approving the...

Is the HIV story dead for women?

Wed, 16 May 2012 12:41:00 -0400

Not too long ago, HIV research was on the front pages of newspapers and websites. Researchers wanted women to know that there was a driving medical community behind the research taking place and that advancing treatments were being discovered so women could live longer, healthier lives even after contracting HIV. But, all the hype is now gone. You don't see HIV on the front of health news websites. You don't read about HIV studies on medical websites and you don't hear the big wigs of health talking about HIV research. ...

FDA panel backs first rapid, take home HIV test

Tue, 15 May 2012 19:33:31 -0400

American consumers may soon be able to test themselves for the virus that causes AIDS in the privacy of their own homes, after a panel of experts on Tuesday recommended approval of the first rapid, over-the-counter HIV test.

FDA panel backs OraSure's In-Home HIV test

Tue, 15 May 2012 17:45:30 -0400

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. Food and Drug Administration panel of outside experts concluded that OraSure Technologies Inc's over-the-counter, in-home HIV test is reasonably safe and effective for determining whether someone has the AIDS virus. The 17-member FDA advisory committee voted unanimously that the drug's ability to prevent new HIV infections and provide HIV-positive people with access to medical care and social services outweighed the risks of false results. ...

Catholic college drops health plan over contraception mandate

Tue, 15 May 2012 17:21:39 -0400

DENVER (Reuters) - A small Catholic college in Ohio said Tuesday it was dropping health insurance coverage for students rather than comply with a federal mandate that the plan provide free birth control. The Franciscan University of Steubenville "will not participate in a plan that requires us to violate the consistent teachings of the Catholic Church on the sacredness of human life," according to a bulletin to students posted on the university's website. Not only will the university drop its own plan, but it will no longer require its undergraduates to carry insurance, the bulletin said. ...

U.S. HIV aid has prevented 741,000 deaths: study

Tue, 15 May 2012 16:02:51 -0400

People With HIV at Higher Odds of Sudden Cardiac Death

Mon, 14 May 2012 23:54:58 -0400

MONDAY, May 14 (HealthDay News) -- People with HIV/AIDS are four times more likely to die of sudden cardiac arrest than those in the general population, a new study finds.

HIV/AIDS patients at higher risk of cardiac death: study

Mon, 14 May 2012 18:02:20 -0400

People suffering from HIV/AIDS are at much higher risk than the general population of sudden cardiac death, researchers in California have found.

Analysis: Health by numbers: A statistician's challenge

Mon, 14 May 2012 16:28:32 -0400

LONDON (Reuters) - The next time a headline tells of a sharp fall in measles deaths around the world, or an increase in those on treatment for HIV, or the shifting of the burden of cancer, spare a thought for the number-crunchers behind such far-reaching data. Above all else, analyzing the state of the world's health - be it by looking at obesity rates, cancer cases, malaria deaths, or HIV-free births - requires decent statistics. ...

NuvaRing Increases Risk of Blood Clots

Mon, 14 May 2012 13:51:00 -0400

FIRST PERSON | For years, I avoided hormone-based contraceptives for fear of rare but serious side effects, such as blood clots. However, given the failure rates of non-hormonal methods -- including condoms and diaphragms -- I decided to switch to a hormone-based method. My doctor, like many practitioners, believed that NuvaRing was somewhat safer than combined oral contraceptives, which I chose to eschew for their high doses. She believed that NuvaRing was safer than higher-hormone pills and injections -- but, as a recent study revealed, she was wrong.

FDA Advisers Back Pill to Help Prevent HIV Infection

Fri, 11 May 2012 23:52:11 -0400

THURSDAY, May 10 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisers on Thursday endorsed the use of the drug Truvada as a means to help prevent HIV infection in healthy people at high risk of contracting the AIDS-causing virus.

Blood Clot Risk Linked to Some Non-Pill Contraceptives

Fri, 11 May 2012 23:52:11 -0400

THURSDAY, May 10 (HealthDay News) -- Some women using hormonal contraceptives other than birth control pills may have an increased risk for serious blood clots, Danish researchers report.

Tennessee governor signs controversial "gateway sexual activity" bill

Fri, 11 May 2012 23:24:12 -0400

NASHVILLE, Tenn (Reuters) - Tennessee teachers can no longer condone so-called "gateway sexual activity" such as touching genitals under a new law that critics say is too vague and could hamper discussion about safe sexual behavior. Governor Bill Haslam's office Friday confirmed that he had signed the bill, which stirred up controversy nationwide and even was lampooned by comedian Stephen Colbert. ...

AIDS fight enters new phase with prevention pill

Fri, 11 May 2012 20:12:23 -0400

Condoms and other safe-sex practices have accomplished only so much. Now the 30-year battle against AIDS is on the verge of a radical new phase, with the government expected to endorse a once-a-day pill to prevent infection with the virus.

FDA reviews first rapid, take-home test for HIV

Fri, 11 May 2012 17:37:21 -0400

The Food and Drug Administration is considering approval of the first over-the-counter HIV test that would allow consumers to quickly test themselves for the virus at home, without medical supervision.