MEDICINE

U.S. health regulators requested information from nearly 30 makers of caffeinated alcoholic beverages on why they believe their products are safe.

Flu infections may be peaking in some parts of the northern hemisphere, but are still spreading fast in others, the World Health Organization said on Friday.

Heart attack patients in need of emergency procedures were less likely to suffer further serious cardiovascular events, including death, when given AstraZeneca's experimental Brilinta blood clot preventer than those who used Plavix, according to a study presented on Sunday.

Even as they are forced to wait like everyone else for swine flu vaccines in short supply, thousands of nurses and other front-line healthcare workers are fighting mandatory flu immunization policies being put in place by some U.S. hospitals.

The second generation allergy drug desloratadine (brand name Clarinex) significantly reduces both the runny nose and congestion of seasonal and persistent allergic rhinitis, a study shows.

An analysis of 19 studies provides additional evidence of increased asthma risk in children and adults given acetaminophen.

Cataract surgery does not appear to worsen the course of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a progressive loss of vision due to deterioration of nerve tissue in the retina, a new study shows.

More than just a bad bout of stomach flu, some food-borne illnesses can cause long-term consequences, especially for young people, a report released on Thursday has found.

Antiviral medicines can prevent severe H1N1 flu and should be given to pregnant women, very young children and people with underlying medical problems who fall ill, a World Health Organisation official said on Thursday.

Serbia on Friday signed a contract for the purchase of 3 million doses of new flu vaccinces from Swiss Novartis AG, two days after the authorities declared epidemics of the disease.

Production of H1N1 swine flu vaccine at two U.S. facilities is working optimally with output on the rise, the chief executive of Sanofi-Aventis said on Tuesday.

In a study of Danish women who had surgery for breast cancer, nearly half still reported pain 2 to 3 years later, according to a report in this week's Journal of the American Medical Association.

Cancer patients who took drugs to cut the risk of anemia were twice as likely to develop blood clots in the lungs or legs as other patients, a decade-long study of more than 55,000 cancer patients has found.

When Desiree Rosado's daughter got the flu last month, she took a week off without pay; just an hour after finally returning to work Rosado had to leave again to take her feverish son home.

The state of US emergency departments has been called a growing national crisis, and a report out today shows the situation is only getting worse.

After a weaker than anticipated crowd showed up for the free swine flu vaccines in New York City over the weekend, the Health Department said it will continue to offer the free vaccines throughout the week.

Extreme temperatures and heavy air pollution boost heart attack risk, according to a major new study.

Older people with stronger muscles are at reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's disease compared to their weaker peers, a new study shows.

Women with dense breasts who have had lumpectomies for breast cancer are at a higher risk of a recurrence, according to a new study.

A potentially devastating outbreak ofswine flu among the Yanomami Indians in Venezuela's Amazon rain forest appears to be contained for now after a rapid medical response in the remote zone.

Americans infected by the H1N1 flu virus would be guaranteed paid sick leave under emergency legislation U.S. Senator Chris Dodd plans to unveil on Tuesday in response to the swine flu pandemic.