# Other health news 09/12/08



## Admin (Dec 9, 2008)

*Drug could save thousands from heart attacks*
Statins, the drugs already prescribed to people with high cholesterol, could be offered to many more who have no obvious risk of heart disease following the results of a trial published yesterday. http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/nov/10/drugs-medical-research

*MP3 headphones can deactivate pacemakers, study shows*
Magnetic interference from iPod headphones could pose a risk to patients with surgically implanted heart monitoring devices, according to a study involving 60 pacemaker and defibrillator patients. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/nov/10/ipod-digital-music-pacemaker

*Flu vaccine cuts risk of blood clots on long flights*
Air passengers worried about the risk of "economy class syndrome" could protect themselves by having a flu jab, new research suggests. Vaccinations against influenza significantly reduce the chances of developing dangerous blood clots in the veins, a study has found. http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5gzfql-2P1wFKhCcO88MRHDuigJYw

*Health and safety rules go too far, says Rospa*
Tom Mullarkey, the chief executive of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, insisted that individuals must retain the right to take risks so long as they do not injure others. He told safety experts they will be accused of constructing a nanny state and damaging freedom if they meddle unnecessarily in people's private lives, adding that "absolute safety" is an unattainable goal in any case. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...-from-mindless-quest-for-absolute-safety.html

*Anti-obesity drive to use shock tactics*
Hard-hitting adverts showing the danger of fat gathering around people’s internal organs will be used in a ?275m government anti-obesity campaign. Research by the Department of Health has found that the public perceives obesity to be a vanity problem and does not regard cakes, biscuits, burgers, chips and crisps as unhealthy. The research did, however, find that people were disgusted by the idea of fat building up around their organs. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article5114359.ece
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Tests on cell therapy to fight HIV*
Researchers have developed a new "assassin cell" therapy for treating HIV which involves engineering the patient's own immune system to fight the virus more effectively. The therapy - which has proved effective in laboratory tests using human cell cultures - will be tested in a clinical trial of 35 patients with advanced HIV infection that is due to start next summer. http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/nov/10/hiv-medical-research-cell-therapy

*New IVF test increases pregnancy chances, say researchers*
A new technique for screening embryos for genetic defects during IVF more than doubles the chances that the embryo will implant in the mother's womb, according to a pilot study by UK and US researchers. http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/nov/10/ivf-embryos-stem-cells-pregnancy


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