Ovarian cancer is one of the most difficult cancers to diagnose, making it one of the most deadly. The ovaries are not accessible for examination, and the symptoms that are associated with ovarian cancer are vague and can be confused with other less life-threatening conditions. Because of its hidden nature,…
The FDA is “evaluating” new adverse-event reports for 20 drugs, the agency announced in September. A 2007 federal law requires the FDA to disclose all its investigations into reports of possibly drug-related adverse events. The reports on the list come from the FDA’s early-warning system for drugs already on the…
The Texas Medical Board has named Alan T. Moore, M.D., as interim medical director of the agency. Dr. Moore graduated with honors from the University of Texas at Austin and received his medical degree from the U.T. Southwestern Medical School, where he was a member of Alpha Omega Alpha Honor…
BRUSSELS – European scientists warned that many teenagers across Europe could suffer permanent hearing loss after five years if they listen to MP3 players at too high a volume for more than five hours a week. The risk for hearing damage depends on sound level and exposure time. If they…
Eli Lilly & Co. has agreed to pay $62 million to some states, to settle claims it improperly marketed Zyprexa, its top-selling drug, to patients who did not have schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, its only approved uses. Attorneys general from several states had accused Lilly of marketing Zyprexa for off-label…
At its October 9-10 meeting, the Texas Medical Board took disciplinary action against 34 licensed physicians. The actions included three violations based on quality of care; two actions based on unprofessional conduct; one action based on violation of probation or prior order; one action that terminated a prior suspension; two…
A new study claims that the most common global strain of HIV began spreading in humans around 1900 in sub-Saharan Africa. This study, which is published in Nature, found that HIV began spreading between 1884 and 1924, around the same time urban centers in west central Africa were established. Previous…
Nurses count sponges and surgical instruments when a procedure begins and ends, so that they are not left inside a patient. Cases of retained foreign objects are rare — occurring once in every 5,000 surgeries — discrepancies in counts happen in 13% of surgeries, according to a recent surgical study.…
A panel of the Texas Medical Board suspended the license of Nancy Louise Anderson, M.D., license number F7350, after determining that Dr. Anderson’s continuation in the practice of medicine presents a continuing threat to the public welfare. The action was based on the panel’s findings of violations of a 2008…
A new study out this week in JAMA suggests that common drugs which are recommended as first-line therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD raises the risk of heart attacks, strokes and death. COPD refers to two incurable lung diseases, chronic bronchitis and emphysema most commonly caused by cigarette…