Diabetes drug costs soaring, top $12B last year
CHICAGO – Americans with diabetes nearly doubled their spending on drugs for the disease in just six years, with the bill last year climbing to an eye-popping $12.5 billion.

Newer, more costly drugs are driving the increase, said researchers...See Story

 

New clue to Alzheimer's found
WASHINGTON - Researchers have uncovered a new clue to the cause of Alzheimer's disease.

The brains of people with the memory-robbing form of dementia are cluttered with a plaque made up of beta-amyloid, a sticky protein. But there long has ...See Story

 

Report compares costs of animal disease outbreak
WASHINGTON - The government acknowledged that an outbreak of one of the most contagious animal diseases from any of five locations being considered for a new high-security laboratory — an event it considered highly unlikely — would be more devastatin...See Story

 

WHO says China needs mental health care
BEIJING - China faces growing demand for mental health care in the aftermath of last month's devastating earthquake, which killed at least 70,000 people and left millions homeless, the World Health Organization said Friday.

Medical services...See Story

 

Even best efforts can't prevent all heart attacks
NEW YORK - Tim Russert was a good patient, taking medications for his heart disease and exercising, his doctor said. He had no chest pains and he passed an exercise stress test weeks ago. Yet at 58, he suffered a heart attack and died.

That...See Story

 

Man with deadly skin cancer saved by new treatment
ATLANTA - An Oregon man, given less than a year to live, had a complete remission of advanced deadly skin cancer after an experimental treatment that revved up his immune system to fight the tumors.

The 52-year-old patient's dramatic turnar...See Story

 

FDA sued for failure to act on risky painkiller
WASHINGTON - A prescription painkiller sold under such names as Darvon and Darvocet is too risky to stay on the market, a consumer advocacy group argued Thursday in suing the Food and Drug Administration.

Public Citizen petitioned the FDA t...See Story