Medical Newswire!

Health News Health News Headlines - Yahoo! News Get the latest health news headlines from Yahoo! News. Find breaking health news, including analysis and opinion on top health stories. FDA warns of infections tied to Tennessee pharmacy 24 May 2013 at 4:25pm WASHINGTON (AP) ? Health officials are investigating cases involving patients who suffered complications after being injected with potentially contaminated medications made by a Tennessee specialty pharmacy. Report: Nation's kids need to get more physical 23 May 2013 at 12:35pm WASHINGTON (AP) ? Reading, writing, arithmetic ? and PE? Hobby Lobby tests birth-control coverage mandate 23 May 2013 at 4:23pm DENVER (AP) ? In the most prominent challenge of its kind, Hobby Lobby Stores Inc. asked a federal appeals court Thursday for an exemption from part of the federal health care law that requires it to offer employees health coverage that includes access to the morning-after pill. Federal agency accepts Nevada hospital's plan to curb patient-dumping 24 May 2013 at 5:59pm By Ronnie Cohen (Reuters) - Federal authorities approved a Nevada hospital's proposal on Friday for correcting deficiencies that led to newly discharged psychiatric patients being bused out of state without adequate plans for continued care. The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services also said it would conduct unannounced inspections of Rawson-Neal Psychiatric Hospital in Las Vegas to ensure that procedures are in place and working to prevent further instances of so-called patient dumping. ... If You Work for Yourself, What Will Obamacare Mean for You? 24 May 2013 at 3:40pm When she was 32, Wendy Drabick opened her own IT and accounting consulting business and started paying health insurance premiums for herself and her family, now a hefty $1,100 every month. That?s about $10,000 more each year than she?d be paying if she worked for a large employer who paid most of the premium. Drabick isn?t complaining, but she would like to know if her premium will go up under the Affordable Care Act (ACA, also known as Obamacare), and if so, how much. Nearly all Americans will need dto have coverage, many through state marketplaces, beginning January 1, 2014. Exclusive: 'Workplace wellness' fails bottom line, waistlines - RAND 24 May 2013 at 3:37pm By Sharon Begley NEW YORK (Reuters) - A long-awaited report on workplace wellness programs, which has still not been publicly released, delivers a blow to the increasingly popular efforts, Reuters has learned, casting doubt on a pillar of the Affordable Care Act and a favorite of the business community. According to a report by researchers at the RAND Corp, programs that try to get employees to become healthier and reduce medical costs have only a modest effect. ... Watch: 'Service Goat' Saves Woman From Seizures 24 May 2013 at 3:21pm Prince the goat alerts Sara Manley as to when she'll need her medication.         Certain chronic pain may raise suicide risk 24 May 2013 at 2:28pm By Andrew M. Seaman NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Back pain, migraine and other types of chronic pain without a known physical cause - and therefore little prospect for relief - were associated with an increased risk of suicide in a new study of U.S. veterans. But the researchers, who analyzed data on about five million patients in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, found no link between suicide and arthritis, neuropathies or non-migraine headaches. Dr. ... Veterans' claims put pressure on Obama even as backlog dips 24 May 2013 at 2:06pm By Phil Stewart WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A long-growing backlog of U.S. military veterans' disability claims, which has stoked congressional anger, has dipped in recent weeks, however tentatively. But that is not taking any pressure off President Barack Obama, his Department of Veterans Affairs or the Pentagon to fix a system that has left veterans waiting - sometimes for years - to get answers from the U.S. government about their disability claims. Instead, warnings from Congress are growing more acute. ... Judge orders Philadelphia faith-healing couple held in son's death 24 May 2013 at 1:43pm By Dave Warner PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - A Philadelphia couple charged with murder after their baby died without medical care must be held in jail whether or not they make bail, a judge ruled on Friday. The couple, Herbert and Catherine Schaible, believe in faith healing, and those who share their beliefs might be willing to harbor them if they decide to flee, Judge Benjamin Lerner told a court hearing in Philadelphia. The Schaibles were charged with third-degree murder on Wednesday after the April 18 death of their seven-month-old son Brandon from bacterial pneumonia, dehydration and strep. ... Some with defibrillators may safely play sports 24 May 2013 at 1:41pm By Andrew M. Seaman NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Despite expert guidelines advising against intense sports activity for people with implanted heart defibrillators, a new study suggests that some can compete without serious consequences. Researchers followed 372 athletes with defibrillators for about two and a half years and found that none died while running, skiing or playing sports like basketball and soccer. ... New U.S. fears emerge over tainted compounded steroids 24 May 2013 at 1:26pm By Toni Clarke (Reuters) - The Food and Drug Administration said on Friday it has received seven reports of illnesses in patients who took steroid injections compounded by a pharmacy in Tennessee. The FDA said full clinical information about the patients is still being gathered, but it suggested some of the problems were infections and that "at least one of these infections appears to be fungal in nature." The steroid in question is same one - methylprednisolone acetate - that was linked to a meningitis outbreak last year that has killed some 53 people and sickened more than 700. ... Bausch & Lomb's Ista pleads guilty over kickbacks 24 May 2013 at 1:25pm By Jonathan Stempel (Reuters) - Ista Pharmaceuticals Inc pleaded guilty on Friday to charges it used kickbacks and improper marketing to boost sales of a drug meant to treat eye pain and agreed to pay $33.5 million to settle criminal and civil liability, the U.S. Department of Justice said. The unit of eye care company Bausch & Lomb pleaded guilty to conspiracy to offer kickbacks to induce physicians to prescribe Xibrom, a drug meant to treat pain after cataract surgery, and conspiracy to promote that drug for unapproved uses, including after Lasik and glaucoma surgeries. ... Valeant near deal to acquire Bausch & Lomb: source 24 May 2013 at 1:16pm By Greg Roumeliotis and Jessica Toonkel NEW YORK (Reuters) - Canada's Valeant Pharmaceuticals International is nearing a deal to acquire eye care company Bausch & Lomb Holdings Inc from Warburg Pincus LLC for about $9 billion, a person familiar with the matter said on Friday. Valeant shares spiked to their highest level since 2001 and were up 13 percent at C$86.86 in afternoon trading in Toronto. "This deal would not be too surprising given that Valeant has said it wants to do a big, mega deal and there are not that many candidates," said David Krempa, an analyst at Morningstar. ... Sex and the Superbug: Meet Antibiotic-Resistant Gonorrhea 24 May 2013 at 12:17pm Here?s a tidbit you probably didn?t know: Gonorrhea is the second-most frequently reported ?notifiable? disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). (That means that if you have it, your doctor or local health official needs to report it to the federal government so they can track it; gonorrhea is beaten out only by chlamydia.)