Women's Health News and Research

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Britain to debate availability of HRT and the pill over the counter

The organisation in the UK which regulates drugs and treatments, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is to hold a seminar in London as part of a campaign to improve women's health.

6 Feb 2007

Vitamin D 'tops' for cancer prevention

Two new vitamin D studies using a sophisticated form of analysis called meta-analysis, in which data from multiple reports is combined, have revealed new prescriptions for possibly preventing up to half of the cases of breast cancer and two-thirds of the cases of colorectal cancer in the United States.

6 Feb 2007

Older womens' risk of heart disease and strokes increased by air pollution

A study by researchers in the U.S. has found that air pollution might be a contributing factor in the incidents of heart disease and strokes in older women.

1 Feb 2007

Investigational treatment for cervical dysplasia

Temple University Hospital's Center For Women's Health is participating in a national study to determine the safety and effectiveness of an investigational treatment for cervical dysplasia.

30 Jan 2007

Merck lobbying States to mandate Gardasil for school girls

Merck recently has been providing lobbyists throughout the country with information about its human papillomavirus vaccine Gardasil in an effort to encourage states to mandate that middle-school age girls receive it, the Baltimore Sun reports.

30 Jan 2007

Panel recommends FDA to not create specific effectiveness standard for oral contraceptive approvals

A panel of gynecologists, researchers and other medical experts on Wednesday at the end of a two-day meeting convened by FDA recommended the agency not set a specific standard of effectiveness for approval of oral contraceptives, the AP/Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

28 Jan 2007

China softens on one-child policy

Zhang Weiqing, head of China's National Population and Family Planning Commission, announced that the government will reduce fines for low-income couples who violate the country's one-child-per-family policy, the Washington Post reports (Fan, Washington Post, 1/24).

28 Jan 2007

Uterine artery embolization is as effective as hysterectomy and myomectomy

Uterine artery embolization, a less-invasive treatment for uterine fibroids, is as effective as hysterectomy and myomectomy, according to a study published in the Jan. 25 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, the Washington Post reports.

28 Jan 2007

North American Menopause Society releases guidelines saying HRT beneficial for younger women

The North American Menopause Society on Thursday released a revised position statement that said the benefits of short-term hormone replacement therapy for treatment of menopausal women likely outweigh the risks for younger women, the Wall Street Journal reports.

28 Jan 2007

Texas Legislature to consider requiring Gardasil for sixth grade girls

The Texas Legislature in the new session that begins on Tuesday will consider two bills (SB 110, HB 215) that would require girls entering the sixth grade to receive Merck's human papillomavirus vaccine Gardasil, KENS 5 Eyewitness News/San Antonio Express-News reports.

9 Jan 2007

House to vote on expansion of funding for human embryonic stem cell research

The House later this week plans to vote on a measure (HR 3, S 5) -- called the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007 -- that would expand federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research, CQ HealthBeat reports.

9 Jan 2007

Physician groups, CDC recommend HPV vaccination for girls ages 11, 12

Changes to the 2007 immunization schedules for children and adolescents in the U.S. -- issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics on Tuesday and approved by CDC and the American Academy of Family Physicians -- include recommending that girls ages 11 and 12 receive Merck's human papillomavirus vaccine Gardasil, Reuters Health reports .

7 Jan 2007

56% of adults support easing federal embryonic stem cell research funding restrictions

About 56% of U.S. adults support easing restrictions on federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research, according to an Associated Press-AOL poll conducted from Dec. 19, 2006, to Dec. 21, 2006, the AP/Washington Post reports (Superville, AP/Washington Post, 1/3).

7 Jan 2007

Portuguese favor lifting abortion ban

About 64% of Portuguese voters said they favor lifting the country's ban on abortion, according to a poll released Thursday by Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha and the pollster Aximage, Reuters reports (Reuters, 1/4).

7 Jan 2007

China's Henan province bans abortion drugs

China's Henan province on Monday banned the sale of drugs for medical abortions in coordination with the province's efforts to maintain gender balance among infants, Xinhua/China Daily reports.

7 Jan 2007

Blood levels of vitamin folate in women of childbearing age decreasing

From 1999 through 2004 there was an 8% to 16% decline in the level of the vitamin folate in the blood of U.S. women of childbearing age, according to a study published in the Jan. 5 issue of CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the AP/Houston Chronicle reports (Stobbe, AP/Houston Chronicle, 1/4).

7 Jan 2007

FDA updates health claim for calcium and Vitamin D for osteoporosis

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing to allow new claims on foods and dietary supplements containing calcium and Vitamin D to show their potential to reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

7 Jan 2007

Exercise can reduce a smoker's lung cancer risk, but quitting smoking is still most important

In a study of more than 36,000 women, researchers observed that smokers can reduce their risk of developing lung cancer by being physically active. However, they strongly caution that any relative benefit is dwarfed by the benefits gained from quitting smoking.

12 Dec 2006

Some ob-gyns switching to cosmetic medicine clinics

Some ob-gyns, as well as other physicians, recently have left their specialties to practice cosmetic medicine, including acne treatments and Botox injections, at medical spas, the New York Times reports.

2 Dec 2006

Democratic congressional leaders plan to approve Federal embryonic stem cell funding measure in January

Democratic congressional leaders in January 2007 plan to approve a bill similar to a measure (HR 810) President Bush vetoed earlier this year that would have expanded federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research, the AP/Houston Chronicle reports (Kellman, AP/Houston Chronicle, 11/29).

2 Dec 2006