Also Try Biotechnology Health News Health Research Medical News Abductions Less Frequent Now (CNN) Despite the publicity on recent abduction cases, abductions by strangers are actually becoming rarer, according to the FBI. 8-02 African Children Dying of Hunger - Again (Independent - MacGregor and Butler) "In Malawi, the men risk their lives to dive for water-lily bulbs in crocodile-infested rivers and kill mice to eat and sell. The women gather wild grasses and boil up weeds to feed their children." "Nearly 13 million people are on the brink of starvation as the worst food crisis in a decade spreads across six countries: Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Lesotho." 6-02 Amber Alert May Become a National System (CNNTruthOut.org) Reports efforts by the Senate to develop legislation that makes the Amber Alert a national system. " ''We've had 13 Amber alerts in California in one month,' Feinstein said in unveiling the legislation Tuesday. 'One was a misstep. All other 12 have resulted in the return of the child. Eight were abductions from strangers and four involved family members. Now that's an unparalleled record.' " 9-02 Bush Supports Equity for Mental Health Insurance Coverage (USA Today) "President Bush threw his weight Monday behind the idea — if not the details — of legislation guaranteeing equitable insurance coverage for mental health services." 5-02 California Approves Stem Cell Research (CNN) " 'We are going to be the only state in the nation to say it is appropriate for the state to embark on stem cell research and not limit it to adult stem cells,' the bill's author, state Senator Deborah Ortiz told a news conference Sunday." 9-02 Cancer Breakthrough (Independent - Connor) "Scientists have successfully destroyed cervical cancer cells using a new technique that is being hailed as one of the most important developments in medicine for decades." "The technique, called RNA interference (RNAi), completely eliminated all the cancer cells growing in a test tube, yet left healthy cells unharmed. The scientists called the results 'absolutely remarkable.' " "Professor Jo Milner, who led the investigation at the University of York, said that in her long career as a cell biologist she had never before witnessed such a powerful anti-cancer agent that was so highly specific in selecting tumour cells." 9-02 Diabetes Can Be Prevented With Diet and Moderate Exercise (USA Today) "Those who trimmed their weight by 5% to 7%, dropping an average 10 to 15 pounds, and exercised about 30 minutes a day, reduced their risk of progressing to diabetes within the three-year study period by 58%." Diabetes is a devastating disease that costs over 90 billion dollars a year in health care costs. HIV and AIDS - Child Activist Dies (CNN) Provides news of the death of 12-year-old Nkosi, who has provided world leadership in the fight to stop discrimination against children who have contracted the disease. 2-01 Heart Muscle Regenerates (National Institutes of Health - Roberts) Provides a very technical description of a major medical finding, that a heart can repair itself after a heart attack. Before this, scientists and doctors believed that heart muscles could not be restored after they were damaged in a heart attack. 6-01 Hormone Replacement No Longer Recommended for Women (CBC) Summarizes results of a study to determine if hormone replacement for post-menopausal women is beneficial. The study concluded that the increased risk of cancer, and other increased health risks from use of the drugs they tested, outweigh benefits. 7-02 Malaria Research Breakthrough (ABC News - Hirschler) "Cracking the genetic code of the malaria parasite will speed the hunt for new drugs to tackle the killer disease, which is growing resistant to conventional medicines." "In addition to new drugs, understanding the genetic make-up of both the mosquito and its Plasmodium falciparum parasite could help in the development of new insect repellents and traps to prevent mosquito bites." "The need for new medicines has never been more urgent. Malaria kills more than one million people each year -- 90 percent of them in sub-Saharan Africa, where infections are running at record levels. And traditional tablets are losing their potency." 9-02 Obesity Is Now the Top Preventable Health Problem (Rand - Cook) Provides results from a study that shows that more people are now have health problems as a result of excess fat than from smoking, drinking, or conditions related to poverty. 6-01 Stem Cells Bank Established in Britain (ABC News) "Britain launched Europe's first stem cell bank on Monday and said it could be up and running within a year." "Stem cells have the potential to develop into virtually any cell in the body. They offer the potential of providing treatments for life-threatening illnesses such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and heart disease." 9-02 Worker Health and Safety Repealed by Congress (Philadelphia Enquirer - Gartner) Provides the opinion that Congress made a mistake by removing health and safety protections for workers. 3-01 Papers Cancer Cure Approved (CenterWatch) Describes the research on the new drug, STI-571 or Gleevec, which has been shown to attack only cancer cells and provide a very high rate of cure in leukemia. The FDA approved its use. 5-02 Cancer Cure Approved (HHMI.org) Describes the research on the new drug, STI-571 or Gleevec, which has been shown to attack only cancer cells and provide a very high rate of cure in leukemia. The FDA approved its use. 5-02 Diabetes Can Be Prevented With Diet and Moderate Exercise (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Researchers have found that moderate exercise (30 minutes a day) and a small loss of weight (5 - 7 percent) can result in a 58 percent reduction in Type 2 diabetes for those who are most at risk. "At least 10 million Americans at high risk for type 2 diabetes can sharply lower their chances of getting the disease with diet and exercise..." Diabetes is a devastating disease that costs over 90 billion dollars a year in health care costs. Health Care - Alternative Cash Program for Home Care (IndependentChoices) Describes an alternative to institutional care from Medicaid. In the Arkansas state program, cash can go to the person with the medical or personal care needs and the person can actually hire the services that they specifically need. Expenses for this approach has so far shown to be less than for conventional Medicaid care and recipients seem to find the program much more useful. 1-01 Heart Muscle Regenerates (USA Today) Provides a summary of a major medical finding, that a heart can repair itself after a heart attack. Before this, scientists and doctors believed that heart muscles could not be restored after they were damaged in a heart attack. 6-01 Managed Health Care Reform (Center for Responsive Politics) Summarizes efforts to reform managed health care and also reveals contributions by special interest groups to Republicans and Democrats. 3-01 Medicine and the Genome Projects (CNN - Feig) Summarizes implications of the human genome project, considered a major milestone for medicine. 2-01 Physical Education in the USA in 2001 (PE4Life.com) Provides results from the report of the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) for 2001 on the status of physical education in the American educational system. Includes recommendations for schools. 3-02 Spirituality and Compassion Linked to AIDS Survival (ReutersHealth.com - Huggins) "Having faith in God and a sense of peace, as well as showing compassion toward others, may help people with AIDS to live longer, a team of Florida researchers reports." 3-02 Stem Cells Guide (National Institutes of Health) Defines basic terms in stem cell research, such as pluripotent and totipotent, and explains why stem cell research is so important for curing some of the most devastating human diseases and deteriorating conditions. 8-01 Stem Cells May Repair Heart Damage (Nature.com) Provides a summary of research using bone marrow stem cells to repair a damaged heart, such as after a heart attack. The results were very favorable in mice and represent a possible breakthrough in improving heart function, as well as reducing future difficulties caused by a heart attack. 4-01 Research Fitness Research (PE4Life.com) Provides over a dozen studies on obesity, fitness, and heatlh. 3-02 Virus May Fight Bacterial Infections (applesforhealth.com) Describes a research study that shows promise for fighting Strep throat, pneumonia, and other infections that are normally resistant to antibiotics. The virus is engineered to destroy only one type of bacteria, an effective and possibly healthier solution compared to use of conventional antibiotics. Conventional antibiotics attack useful as well as infectious bacteria. 3-01

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