Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay:
Scientists Say EPA's New Smog Standard Fails to Protect Public
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's new air quality standard for smog doesn't protect public health as required by law and needs to be strengthened, an advisory panel of scientists wrote in a letter to EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson.
In the letter, sent earlier this week, the 25 scientists expressed frustration that their unanimous recommendation for a stricter standard was ignored, the Associated Press reported.
The Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee, created by Congress to advise the EPA, recommended the ozone (smog) limit be lowered from 80 parts per billion to between 60 parts per billion and 70 parts per billion. The EPA's new standard is 75 parts per billion.
In the letter, the scientists also criticized the EPA for not further strengthening a separate smog standard meant to protect forests, agricultural land and the ecosystem, the AP reported.
-----
Drug, Device Makers Pledge Disclosure About Promotional Spending
Facing the threat of legislation from Congress, drug and medical device manufacturers say they're going to be more open about the consulting fees and free trips they give to doctors, as well as their sponsorship of educational conferences attended by physicians.
In most cases, these financial ties don't have to be disclosed and critics say they can improperly influence patient care, the Associated Press reported.
With Congress considering legislation to force disclosure, a dozen drug and medical device makers have told Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, that they're developing plans to publicly disclose grants to outside groups. The companies will provide details on their Web sites.
The companies are just trying to head off the legislation, said Dr. Peter Lurie of the consumer group Public Citizen. "If they were doing this out of the goodness of their heart, they would have done so decades ago," he told the AP.
-----
Plan to Move U.S. Foot-and-Mouth Lab Causes Concern
A plan to move the only U.S. laboratory for research on foot-and-mouth disease from isolated Plum Island, N.Y., to a mainland location is raising concerns about the possibility of a catastrophic outbreak that could devastate the country's livestock industry.
Foot-and-mouth disease, which does not affect humans, is one of the most contagious animal diseases. The Bush administration is considering five possible locations for the new National Bio-and Agro-Defense Facility: Manhattan, Kan.; Athens, Ga.; Butner, N.C.; San Antonio; and Flora, Miss., the Associated Press reported.
Democrats in Congress are skeptical about the move and want to see internal documents they believe highlight the risks and consequences of such a move. The Bush administration says modern laboratory safety rules would protect against an outbreak.
Previous incidents show that the foot-and-mouth virus can escape from a research facility, the AP reported. A virus believed to have escaped from a site shared by a government research center and a vaccine maker caused a foot-and-mouth outbreak last year in Great Britain, the news service said.
-----
Organ-Rejection Drugs Linked to Nervous System Disorder: FDA
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it is reviewing data involving a link between two drugs used to prevent organ rejection after transplant and a rare central nervous system disorder called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML).
Use of CellCept (mycophenolate mofetil) and Myfortic (mycophenolic acid) may lead to the sometimes fatal disorder, the FDA said. PML usually affects people with weakened immune systems.
Roche, the maker of CellCept, has provided the agency with data showing that PML can be a rare side effect, and the company is recommending that an advisory be added to the drug's label. The FDA said it also has asked the maker of Myfortic, Novartis, to provide any PML data associated with the drug's use.
PML's symptoms may include vision changes, loss of coordination, memory loss, difficulty speaking or understanding others, and leg weakness.
The FDA said during the ongoing review, patients shouldn't change the way they use either medication.
In October, the agency warned that CellCept could cause birth defects and miscarriages, and could also weaken the effectiveness of certain birth control drugs.
-----
Suicide Leading Cause of Violent Death in U.S.
In 2005, violent deaths claimed the lives of 15,962 people in 16 states, according to data collected by the National Violent Death Reporting System. The study was included in this week's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The majority (56.1 percent) of these deaths were suicides, followed by homicides and deaths involving legal intervention (29.6 percent), deaths of undetermined intent (13.3 percent), and unintentional firearm deaths (0.7 percent).
The study also found that intimate partner violence and relationship problems, mental health problems, and drug and alcohol use at the time of death were common precipitating factors. In nearly 87 percent of cases where homicide was followed by the suicide of a suspect, a personal crisis occurred in the two weeks prior to the incident.
Former or current military personal accounted for 20 percent of all suicides.
Each year in the United States, about 50,000 people (137 per day) suffer a violent death. Programs to enhance social problem-solving and coping skills, and skills for dealing with stressful life events, may help reduce violence, the study authors said.
-----
U.S. Postpartum Depression Rates Vary
The prevalence of postpartum depression in 17 U.S. states in 2004-2005 ranged from 11.7 percent in Maine to 20.4 percent in New Mexico, a new study concludes.
It also found that younger women, women with less education, and women who received Medicaid benefits for their deliveries were more likely than other women to report postpartum depression. State and local health departments should assess the effectiveness of targeting mental health services to these mothers, the study authors said.
In addition, the prevalence of postpartum depression was higher among women who were physically abused before or during pregnancy, ranging from 30.8 percent in Minnesota to 52.7 percent in South Carolina.
Postpartum depression is an important and widespread public health issue and health care providers should screen women for the condition through the first year after they've had a baby, the researchers said.
The study appears in this week's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
-----
Chocolate-Covered Almonds and Peanuts Recalled
Five-ounce bags of chocolate-covered almonds and chocolate double-dipped peanuts have been recalled by Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. The bags of almonds may contain peanuts and the bags of peanuts may contain almonds, posing the risk of life-threatening allergic reactions for certain people.
The products, sold at Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores in 41 states, were packaged in a clear bag with a red and white diamond pattern on the label. No illnesses or allergic reactions have been reported to date, and there is no health risk for people who aren't allergic to peanuts or almonds. No other candies or packaged food items are included in the recall, according to a news release on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Web site.
The problem was caused by a temporary breakdown in the supplier's labeling and packaging process, Cracker Barrel officials said.
Consumers with the recalled products can return them to any Cracker Barrel store for a full refund. For more information, call the company at 800-333-9566.
