Reuters Health News Summary
Following is a summary of current health news briefs.
In extreme heat, electric fans may not benefit some elderly
Elderly people who use electric fans during extreme heat may have higher heart rates and core temperatures compared to having no fan, according to a small study. For younger people, using a fan delays elevations in heart rate and core temperature by speeding up sweat evaporation from the skin, but older people do not sweat as much so their bodies react differently, said coauthor Craig G. Crandall of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
Allergan vows limited price hikes, says 'outliers' deter research
The chief executive officer of Allergan Plc said his company would limit annual price increases on its prescription drugs, and that "outlier" drugmakers that have imposed huge price increases on their products were scaring off venture capital investors. Allergan, the maker of such products as Botox, plans to raise prices no more than once a year and keep price hikes to no more than low-to-mid-single-digit percentages, slightly above the current annual rate of inflation, CEO Brent Saunders said on Tuesday.
MRIs in early pregnancy appear safe, but contrast agent may not be
In the critical first trimester of pregnancy, undergoing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) without a contrast agent is not associated with any negative outcomes for the baby, according to a new study. But when the expectant mother has an MRI with gadolinium contrast, a material that makes it easier to see internal structures like blood vessels in the brain, risk for stillbirth, neonatal death or the child having any of several serious health conditions may rise, researchers say.
WHO strengthens safe sex guidance when returning from Zika zones
The World Health Organization said on Tuesday that men and women returning from areas where the Zika virus is actively spreading should practice safer sex or abstinence for 6 months, regardless of whether they are trying to conceive or showing symptoms. The guidance is a change from the WHO's interim recommendation on June 7, which referred only to men and had a shorter timeframe of at least 8 weeks.
CVS must face revived lawsuit in U.S. over vitamin E label
A federal appeals court on Tuesday revived a lawsuit accusing CVS Health Corp, one of the largest U.S. drugstore chains, of deceiving consumers with labels touting how CVS-branded vitamin E promotes "heart health." The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston said the plaintiff Ronda Kaufman can pursue a proposed class action accusing CVS of violating a New York consumer protection law, and that a lower court judge erred in dismissing her case.
GSK's triple drug cuts flare-ups in chronic lung disease
An experimental three-in-one inhaled drug from GlaxoSmithKline significantly cut flare-ups in patients with chronic lung disease in a clinical trial, researchers said on Tuesday. GSK is ahead of rivals AstraZeneca and Novartis in developing a "closed triple" inhaler and plans to file the new treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) for regulatory approval this year.
Reliability of at-home wrist blood pressure monitoring questioned
People with high blood pressure who monitor it regularly at home may be getting incorrect readings with devices that take measurements on the wrist, a new study suggests. Researchers found that self-measurement at home with wrist devices often led to false reports of elevated blood pressure when compared to measurements in a doctor's office. Accurate readings often depended on correct positioning of the wrist, which patients either didn't understand or didn't remember how to do.
Zika virus found in tears of mice - U.S. study
A new study has found genetic fragments of Zika in the eyes and the tears of laboratory mice infected with the virus, a finding that offers a potential new route of human infection. "Our study suggests that the eye could be a reservoir for Zika virus," said Dr. Michael Diamond of Washington University St. Louis, whose paper was published in the journal Cell Reports.
Starbucks to serve stevia-based sweetener in select cafes
Starbucks Corp, the world's largest coffee chain, said it would serve its first stevia-based, zero-calorie sweetener at select cafes in the U.S. and Canada. The "Nature Sweet" packets by Whole Earth Sweetener Co will be available in nearly 9,000 Starbucks locations in the U.S. and Canada. (http://bit.ly/2clBOVe)
Tiny 'fitbits' to keep tabs on the body from within
Scientists are developing dust-sized wireless sensors implanted inside the body to track neural activity in real-time, offering a potential new way to monitor or treat a range of conditions including epilepsy and control next-generation prosthetics. The tiny devices have been demonstrated successfully in rats, and could be tested in people within two years, the researchers said.
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