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No place for trans fats in the 'Big Apple'

The New York City Board of Health has unveiled a proposal prohibiting the city's 20,000 restaurants from serving foods that contain trans fats, just three years after the city banned smoking in restaurants.

27 Sep 2006

Retrial of medical workers accused of infecting Libyan children with HIV adjourned after defense lawyer hospitalized

The retrial of five Bulgarian nurses and one Palestinian doctor accused of infecting Libyan children with HIV adjourned on Thursday until Oct. 31 after a defense lawyer for the Bulgarian nurses was hospitalized for high blood pressure and could not appear in court, the Sofia News Agency reports (Sofia News Agency, 9/22).

26 Sep 2006

Dangers of drinking raw milk

Four children in California have found out that drinking milk may not always be such a healthy option.

25 Sep 2006

Regenerative Medicine wins award for best new journal

The journal Regenerative Medicine has been recognized by The Association of Learned and Professional Society Publishers as joint winner of the 2006 ALPSP/Charlesworth Award for Best New Journal. This prestigious international award is presented annually to the best new journal across a wide range of disciplines.

20 Sep 2006

CDC creates committee to evaluate process of rewarding grants

CDC has formed a committee to consider the equitability of the agency cash awards process in response to analyses that found non-science employees in recent years have received most of the awards, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports (Young, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 9/19).

20 Sep 2006

FDA fines American Red Cross $4.2 million over blood safety

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that the American Red Cross (ARC) is being fined $4.2 million for failure to comply with requirements under Federal laws and FDA regulations relating to the collection of blood products.

19 Sep 2006

IRS revokes antiabortion group's tax exemption

The Internal Revenue Service this week revoked the tax exemption status of the antiabortion group Operation Rescue West for violating electioneering prohibitions in the 2004 presidential elections, the New York Times reports.

18 Sep 2006

Fortune Magazine profile Clinton, the Clinton Foundation, Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative

Fortune Magazine recently profiled former President Clinton and his involvement in the global battle against HIV/AIDS, including the work of the Clinton Foundation and the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative.

18 Sep 2006

Three cases of botulism possibly caused by improper refrigeration of carrot juice

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising consumers of the vital importance of keeping carrot juice - including pasteurized carrot juice - refrigerated.

18 Sep 2006

Chemical dump in Ivory Coast - WHO provides public health support

The first members of WHO's international team arrived in Abidjan this week to support the Ministry of Health in dealing with an environmental health emergency caused by toxic waste.

18 Sep 2006

California Bill seeks to restrict payments to egg donors

A California bill seeks to extend to privately funded laboratories a provision under Proposition 71 that says scientists receiving state embryonic stem cell research funds can reimburse egg donors only for their expenses and cannot pay egg donors, the Los Angeles Times reports (Romney, Los Angeles Times, 9/13).

14 Sep 2006

Reuters examines how some New York City public bathhouses serve as venues for awareness of safer sex

Reuters on Monday examined how some public bathhouses frequented by men who have sex with men in New York City have become "a place where a captive audience can be taught about sex safe," despite the common belief that the clubs are "havens for illicit drug use and the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections."

14 Sep 2006

Most Federal scientists accused of conflicts of interest avoid criminal investigations

Only two of the 44 NIH scientists found to have violated ethics rules on outside consulting agreements with health care companies face investigations for possible criminal activity, and they remain employed by the federal government, the AP/Arizona Daily Star reports (Beamish, AP/Arizona Daily Star, 9/13).

14 Sep 2006

Links between musical tastes and lifestyle

The music we listen to can tell a lot more than you might think about what kind of people we are, according to research findings by a University of Leicester psychologist.

14 Sep 2006

FDA issues guidance to human tissue establishments

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is reminding companies that manufacture human cells, tissues, and cellular and tissue-based products (HCT/Ps) that they must comply with FDA regulations.

13 Sep 2006

New evidence in Libyan medic trial appears shaky

At the retrial in Tripoli of six medics accused of infecting 400 children with HIV, a Libyan court has been hearing evidence from four new prosecution witnesses.

13 Sep 2006

Sex education increasing slightly in China

Although sex education remains a taboo issue in much of China, some approaches to the subject recently have started to change and some schools have begun to teach the subject several times annually, the Washington Post reports.

13 Sep 2006

Md. County school system's revised condom demo video receives positive reviews

The Montgomery County, Md., Public Schools' revised condom demonstration video has received positive reviews from members of Citizens for a Responsible Curriculum -- one of the groups involved in a lawsuit against the school system regarding the original video and sex education curriculum -- the Washington Post reports (Aratani, Washington Post, 9/12).

13 Sep 2006

Inconclusive evidence suggests practical avoidance: Canadian Cancer Society statement on Tsawwassen power line project

The Canadian Cancer Society and Yukon Division, has submitted a letter to the Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) and the B.C. Utilities Commission (BCUC) to clarify its position on electric and magnetic fields (EMF) and its possible link to cancer.

12 Sep 2006

Unprecedented number of CDC staff resigned or retired in last two years

In the last two years, an "unprecedented" number of CDC staff has resigned or retired from the agency, prompting some officials to express concern, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports (Young, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 9/10).

11 Sep 2006