Health news briefs

Breast implant scandal shows regulators in dark on risk

WASHINGTON (Reuters): Long before the latest global breast implant scare, American health officials were toying with the idea of building a registry that would track patients with implants. The registry would give a better idea of the number of complications over time, such as rupture or infection.

Italy orders list of women with French firm’s implants

ROME (Reuters): Italy will tell hospitals and clinics to compile a list of women who received breast implants from a French firm accused of selling faulty prosthetics, Health Minister Renato Balduzzi said Thursday. Clinics that had not used any implants manufactured by the now-defunct French firm Poly Implant Prosthese (PIP) would be required to send a declaration saying they had not done so, he said.

Statins tied to lower risk of fatal prostate cancer

NEW YORK (Reuters Health): In a new study of middle-aged New Jersey men, taking cholesterol-lowering drugs was linked to a lower chance of dying from prostate cancer. The findings don’t prove that the drugs, called statins, ward off aggressive cancer. But they jibe with previous studies suggesting that getting cholesterol levels under control might help reduce the risk of life-threatening disease, researchers said.

Stem cell research on donor eggs often not disclosed

Many US fertility clinics don’t tell egg donors that embryos made from their eggs may end up being used in stem cell research, according to a new government survey. That’s despite widespread opposition to such research, which is considered morally offensive by a third of Americans, researchers write in the journal Fertility and Sterility.

Milk intake in teens tied to later prostate cancer

Older Icelandic men who remember chugging a lot of milk in their teens are three times as likely to be diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer as more-moderate milk drinkers, researchers have found. That makes them wonder whether the years around puberty, during which the prostate matures, could be a time of heightened vulnerability for the gland.

Estrogen helps night time hot flashes, not sleep

Women who wake up at least three times during the night from bothersome hot flashes wake up less when they take estrogen, but the quality of their sleep remains the same, according to a new study. “There may be a benefit for treating with estrogen, but in no way does it show that you can use estrogens as a general sleep aid,” said lead author Dr. Kathleen Reape, the vice president for medical affairs and women’s health at Watson Pharmaceuticals.

Special bike helps lung disease patients get around

A modernised version of the world’s first bicycle could help some people with emphysema get around more easily, a small pilot study suggests. The study, published in the journal Chest, looked at the effects of a walking aid dubbed the “modern draisine”. The draisine, which was invented in 1817, was a pedal-free prototype for today’s bicycle.

British heart group calls for plain tobacco packs

LONDON (Reuters): Heart health campaigners urged the British government Thursday to follow Australia’s lead and ban all eye-catching designs and branding from cigarette packs to stop young people being lured into smoking. Australia is preparing to become the first nation to introduce so-called “plain” packaging on tobacco products by the end of 2012. The packs will show graphic health warnings about smoking but banish attractive colours and logos.