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HIV numbers likely to hit record high 382 Singapore residents were found infected by the HIV in the first 10 months of this year.		Superbikers help survivors spread message Some 20 breast cancer survivors rode pillion with 60 Harley Davidson riders and superbikers to promote awareness of the disease.

HIV/AIDS victims continue to bear stigma And healthcare workers are the worst culprits, said a doctor.			Tainted milk kill six Health Ministry raised estimate from four to six and about 290,000 were affected. -Reuters

AVA: 'Julie's' biscuits okay The AVA said it has inspected the factories that manufacture the biscuit products in Malaysia and is satisfied with the measures taken. -ST		Insomnia drug boosts melatonin Drug may help people with circadian rhythm disorders. -Reuters

	Daddy, please don't tell them The 11-year-old boy asked his adoptive father not to let the people in school know the former was HIV positive.		Go to China to lose weight Three American men moved to China in an extreme attempt to lose weight. Together, they have lost a combined 192kg. -Reuters

	Boy, 12, dies on his birthday Previously down with HFMD, health officials have not concluded if that is the cause of death.	Treatment helps ease stubborn heel pain: study A simple office procedure helped relieve stubborn heel pain, offering a new way to treat plantar fasciitis, the most common cause of heel pain, Italian researchers said on Monday.

Acupuncture beats aspirin for chronic headache A review of studies involving nearly 4,000 patients with migraine, tension headache and other forms of chronic headache showed that that 62 percent of the acupuncture patients reported headache relief.		Researchers link C-section babies to asthma risk There has been conflicting evidence on the link between asthma and C-sections but the researchers said the number of children involved in their study and a long monitoring period strengthened their results.

Lower-fat products may be higher in sodium Harmful amounts of sodium can be found in unsalty foods such as breakfast cereal and bagels, according to Consumer Reports magazine.		Brand-name drugs no better than generics: study The findings run counter to the perception by some doctors and patients that pricier brand-name drugs are clinically superior.

Patrick Swayze denies reports he is near death "Dirty Dancing" star Patrick Swayze, who has pancreatic cancer, on Tuesday denied tabloid stories that he is near death.		Lots of TV and Web harms kids' health Spending a lot of time watching TV, playing video games and surfing the Web makes children more prone to a range of health problems including obesity and smoking.

2 drinks a day ok for women Healthy middle-age women can have up to two alcoholic drinks a day without being at risk of irregular heartbeat. -AFP		A 'shameful' disease? A TV game show proved how much work still needs to be done to change perceptions and attitudes about HIV/Aids.

	He dies just 10 days after getting gift Boy dies on the day he turned 12; having come down with HFMD, it is unknown yet if the disease is the cause of death.	Breast cancer drug failure Most commonly used breast cancer drug may cause tumours to spread in a small number of women. -Reuters

Overweight? Don't get angry, get fit Sedentary overweight children who start exercising after school may get better control over their anger.		Malaysia's 62 neurosurgeons do double duty The country needs 150 neurosurgeons, so they have to do more work to make up for the shortfall.

Add PD vaccine to mandatory jabs With the economic downturn, many parents cannot afford the high cost of vaccination for pneumococcal disease, says reader.		Are kids not allowed to use pillows at care centres? Childcare centre's guidelines have this parent worried about her children's health.

Contaminant confirmed in tainted heparin Tainted blood thinner had caused dozens of deaths and hundreds of illnesses.		Ban on yoga likely in Johor State fatwa council to go along with decree to ban yoga. -NST

Health Ministry to launch massive campaign on organ donation A campaign will be launched by the Health Ministry to increase awareness on organ donation. -The Star		Singaporeans are constantly tired A survey has revealed that S'poreans are always tired no matter how much sleep they get. -AsiaOne

Happiness is contagious, study finds The same team that demonstrated obesity and smoking spread in networks has shown that the more happy people you know, the more likely you are yourself to be happy.		Secondhand smoke causes fertility problems: study Women who breathed in secondhand smoke as children or young adults were later more likely to have trouble getting pregnant and suffer more miscarriages than women not exposed to smoke.

400,000 health visitors In Singapore, where the healthcare system was ranked the best in Asia by the World Health Organisation, international patients enjoy a high level of medical care in a multicultural and multilingual environment.		NUH ready for complicated childbirths While delivering babies is often a straightforward affair for any medical establishment, the National University Hospital (NUH) gears itself to handle high-risk obstetrics or complicated childbirths too.

	NKF considers opening 24-hour dialysis centre If this happens, patients can go for dialysis during bedtime and sleep, which means they can work in the daytime.		Hougang girl loses fingertips after game goes wrong Girl, 10, had fingers placed between a door and it's frame when the door slammed shut.

"Made in China" label battered by product scandals A string of product safety scandals, including contaminated infant formula that is believed to have killed six babies, have made shoppers wary of buying products made in China despite the often cheaper price tag.		Nuts boost health benefit of Mediterranean diet A daily serving of mixed nuts helped a group of older people manage their metabolic syndrome.

Brain-boosting drugs: Why not?, experts say Healthy people are increasingly turning to brain-enhancing drugs like Ritalin to boost their performance in school or at work.		Smartest men may also have highest sperm quality The smarter the man, the higher the quality of his sperm, new research published in the journal Intelligence shows.

Novartis leukemia drugs show promise Novartis AG's cancer drug Tasigna was effective and helped achieve rapid responses as an initial therapy in newly diagnosed patients with a life threatening form of leukemia.		4-mth food safety campaign China's campaign is to stop melamine and other harmful substances from ending up on the dinner table

	Top 10 fitness outlets Whether it is to look good naked, improve your health, get strong, or even discipline your mind, pick a fitness outlet that suits your needs and budget from Health's Top 10 list. Tell us which is your favourite and stand to win prizes.		Bikram's heatwave LA-based yoga guru to celebs pooh-poohs religious leaders who oppose the practice of yoga, opens new Singapore studio.

Public security forces undermine China's HIV fight: rights group It said they are detained in 'drug rehabilitation centres' where they are denied medical care, beaten, and forced to do menial work. -AFP		HK to cull 80,000 chickens after birdflu outbreak Hong Kong health authorities haved raised the city's avian flu alert to "serious". -Reuters

Cancer to be top killer by 2010 Some 12 million new cancer cases will be diagnosed this year, says WHO. -AFP		Cancer to pass heart disease as No. 1 killer Globally, an estimated 12.4 million people will be diagnosed with some form of cancer this year and 7.6 million people will die.

Brain swelling blamed in many Mount Everest deaths In very high altitudes, low oxygen levels cause cerebral blood vessels to leak fluid into surrounding brain tissue, triggering swelling.		FDA panel set to weigh new female condom The new condom, made with synthetic rubber using a process similar to male condoms, is less labour intensive and should reduce its current cost.

Obesity may raise headache risk The likelihood of headaches increased by 1.2- to nearly 1.4-times in overweight or obese people.			Holiday hangover: You deserve a break today Why not a yoga retreat as a holiday option? Let your December break be an opportunity to truly recharge yourself.

Indonesian girl dies of bird flu Toddler is Indonesia's 113th bird flu victim. -AFP		HK begins mass chicken cull Health workers began culling thousands of chickens at a markeplace in Hong Kong. -Reuters

China shames fake drug sites Dozens of websites blacklisted for making false claims about traditional Chinese medicine. -Reuters		HK to review flu vaccine Health secretary says bird flu virus had mutated over the last six years. -AFP

Euthanasia film sparks debate The film has split opinion in Britain, where assisted suicide is a controversial topic. -AFP		Diabetes drugs double risk Long-term use of the drugs doubles the risk of bone fractures in women with diabetes. -Reuters

Bosses and workers stand to gain from healthy living Employees who know that their employers care for their health and welfare tend to perform better, and are more motivated and productive.			Video: Row over tv film of assisted suicide A decision to screen the final moments of a terminally-ill British man who chose to commit suicide has been widely criticised. -Reuters

Diabetes drugs double women's fracture risk Long-term use of GlaxoSmithKline's Avandia and Takeda's Actos doubles the risk of bone fractures in women with type 2 diabetes, according to a study released on Wednesday.		Alcoholism increases osteoporosis risk in young men Surprisingly, a similar risk was not seen in their female counterparts.

Baby girl born from full ovary transplant in U.S. It is the first time an entire ovary has been transplanted and resulted in a live birth.			Phillipines finds Ebola in pigs It only affected domestic livestock and has not spread to other animals. -AFP

Just a third in U.S. got flu shots Every year, influenza kills about 36,000 people and sends 200,000 to the hospital.-Reuters			China's 'cancer village' One in 50 has cancer, say villagers who are paying the ultimate price for growth.

Panic attacks linked to heart disease The risk is particularly high among patients below the age of 50, who are also more likely to experience a heart attack.		Bone drug Zometa helps shrink breast tumors: study Their study added to other findings that showed Zometa, which is typically used to fortify bones and prevent fractures in cancer patients, can prevent tumors from spreading.

FDA advisers back new female condom A potentially less-costly version of Female Health Co's condom for women won unanimous backing from a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel on Thursday.		High heart rates linked to obesity, diabetes: study People with resting heart rates of over 80 beats per minute had higher odds of developing insulin resistance, diabetes and cardiovascular problems.

Another dent to Japan's reputation as smokers' paradise Train stations in the Tokyo area will ban smoking from April 1. -AFP		First heart tissue bank in S'pore Patients who need human heart valve transplants can get them faster and cheaper. -ST

Cambodia confirms new bird flu case 19-yr-old local infected; first confirmed infection of deadly H5N1 virus in Cambodia this year. -AFP		Heart rates linked to obesity Project one of the first studies to assess the impact of higher heart rates on the body's metabolism. -Reuters

'Menergy' capsules recalled HSA says it contains undeclared ingredients. -ST		Woman becomes semi-paralysed after botched op M'sian lady to receive $209k in damages. -The Star

	You can't smoke here The short list of public places still open to smokers will shrink even further next month when a nationwide smoking ban is extended to hotel lobbies and carparks, among other areas. -ST	Mysterious illness hits 100 villagers Symptoms include fever, pain in the joints and rash. -NST

Experts sent to India's Assam on bird flu scare Nearly 100 people showed signs of the virus in the state. -Reuters		Amish gene trait may inspire heart protection About 5 percent of people in Pennsylvania's Lancaster County have only one working copy rather than the normal two of a gene. -Reuters

Four more chikungunya victims On Friday, eight people from the same village were warded. -NST		8 HIV cases a month in Negri Most of the cases due to sharing needles and having multiple sexual partners. -NST

Giant petai is poisonous Herbal researchers warn people not to eat the giant petai as it is poisonous. -Sin Chew Daily		Subsidies for elderly at GPs More people will also qualify for subsidies at the GPs because the income criteria will be relaxed. -ST

Hope for deaf children Scientists have managed to train rats with hearing defects to pick out sounds from background noise. -Reuters		Gene mutation, obesity linked Study finds six new gene mutations linked to obesity.

Breast changes tell whether treatment works: study Women with dense breasts - a term meaning they have more non-fatty tissue - are known to have a higher risk of breast cancer.		Rotating breast cancer tests helps high-risk women These women currently get a yearly mammogram and a more-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging or MRI test - typically done at the same exam.

China culls 377,000 poultry Eastern China's Jiangsu province has culled 377,000 poultry after laying hens tested positive for the H5N1 bird flu virus. -Reuters		New scare raises questions Re-emergence of bird flu in in Asia and Egypt has prompted experts to ask if poultry vaccines are effective against a virus that is constantly mutating. -Reuters

Stressful workplace makes for ill employees A global survey has found that a significant number of workers are affected by workplace stress, which in turn is, adversely affecting their health.		China bans 17 substances Banned as food additives, some of the substances are commonly used as disinfectants or insecticides. -AFP

Fruits, veggies slash breast cancer risk: U.S. study Eating beyond five servings a day may lower harmful estrogen levels in cancer survivors.		Lifestyle may be why distress is hard on the heart Study suggests doctors who are treating people for depression or anxiety should also pay attention to lifestyle habits.

For elderly, blood pressure spikes mar thinking High blood pressure is also linked to dementia and elevated risks of serious health problems such as heart attack and stroke.		Estrogen in moisturizers may worsen breast cancer Estrogens applied to the skin are more efficiently absorbed into the body than estrogens taken orally. hence upping the risk of a recurrence.

Restoring the pee-h balance The ancient use of cow urine in medical treatments is growing from a stream to a flood in parts of India. -Reuters			Have your cake - and eat it, too Depriving yourself of treats during the holiday season could do more harm than good.

	China reports H5N1 outbreak H5N1 virus discovered on a chicken farm in Dongtai city and in another farm in Haian county both in eastern Jiangsu province. -AFP		She drank so much water that her brain swelled UK woman dies after downing 4 litres of water in under 2 hours.

Cancer even deadlier for people with diabetes They are about 40 per cent more likely to die in the years following the diagnosis.		Diabetes control better with low-glycemic diet Glycemic index refers to how rapidly a food causes blood sugar to rise.

"Safer" cigarette smoke just as harmful to embryos There are many other things in smoke that are harmful, besides the known carcinogens -smoke has somewhere between 4,000 and 6,000 chemicals in it.		Living with extended family hard on women's hearts In contrast, there was no evidence that living with multiple family generations affected men's heart health.

HIV infects women through healthy tissue: U.S. study Finding casts doubt on prior theory that the virus requires a break in the genital skin.		Rule change would allow under-18s easier access to HIV testing New ruling will do away with the need for parental consent from teenagers.

Disease hits second village After affecting 32 residents from Kampung Baru Sungkap Para, the chikungunya outbreak has spread to another village.		Appeal on euthanasia ruling S.Korean hospital to appeal landmark court ruling which approved a request for euthanasia. -AFP

Bird flu suspected in Taiwan Inspectors are looking at reasons for the sudden death of poultry. -Reuters		Suicidal alert on drugs Widely used epilepsy drugs must carry a warning that the medicines increase the chances of suicidal thoughts or actions. -Reuters

Colonscopy not as effective? Procedure helps reduce the risk of death from colorectal cancer but only if the tumor is on the left side of the colon. -AFP		New group to spur stem-cell research If you suffer a heart attack in 2020, your chances of survival will be much higher than now because by then, doctors would be able to repair your heart with healthy heart cells grown from a sample of your own skin cells.

Hope for those with knee woes A team of National University Hospital researchers, led by Professor Lee Eng Hin, is carrying out clinical trials on patients with damaged knees.		Late-night festive meals won't make you fat It is once again time to debunk some common medical myths that crop up during the holidays. -Reuters

A little wine may boost heart-healthy omega-3 A glass or two of wine per day may increase the amount of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids in a person's blood, a new study suggests. -Reuters		Experts say Oliver Twist didn't need any more Did Dickens' eponymous hero really need more of the "thin gruel"? -Reuters

Male circumcision lowers cervical cancer risk: study Three studies published on Wednesday add to evidence that circumcision can protect men from the deadly AIDS virus and the sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer. -Reuters		New drug promising for melanoma In an early-stage trial involving patients with melanoma that had spread to other sites in the body, a biological drug dubbed ipilimumab was generally well tolerated and showed signs of attacking the malignancy. -Reuters

Poor mental health linked to asthma Self-reported poor mental health was directly related to the odds of currently having asthma, a research team found. -Reuters		First U.S. patient gets face transplant Surgeons have replaced 80 percent of a woman's face, transplanting bone, teeth, muscle and nerve. -Reuters

Day off after 24-hour duty for trainee doctors Trainee doctors will now get a day off after carrying out their 24-hour on-call duty.		Iron strength for our food Consumers will get to enjoy more nutritious bread, noodles and even roti canai soon. This is because the Health Ministry has proposed that wheat flour - the main ingredient in these food items - be fortified with iron and folic acid.

	Headbanging a health hazard? Maybe it's time for metal fans to switch to listening Michael Bolton, Celine Dion, Enya and Richard Clayderman.	China milk suspension lifted The suspension of milk and milk products from China will be lifted with effect from today. -ST

	Medical myths debunked Think twice about blaming sweets for your out-of-control children this festive season, and those added pounds might not be due to an ill-advised late-night meal. -Reuters	Malaysia's HIV rate halved But the number of women infected is rising sharply, said the country's deputy PM.

HIV couples will be allowed to marry All Muslim couples in Malaysia will have to undergo mandatory screening for the HIV before they get married.			Heart babies in need of aid Two infants face urgent operations to correct their hole-in-the-heart problems.

Video: Return of the bird flu Questions raised over the effectiveness of poultry vaccines against a costantly mutating virus. -Reuters		Low doses of melamine safe? Study says it may be a waste of resources to set up large programmes to screen those exposed to small quantities of melamine.

Fatal attraction: How leukemia seduces blood cells Leukemia cells use powerful chemical signals to lure healthy blood-forming stem cells into their cancerous lairs. -Reuters		Working out your workout Don't let the holidays mess up your fitness routine. Here are practical ways to fit it into your packed schedule. -Reuters

Kids with arthritis often disabled This finding underscore the critical need for treatments and treatment strategies that have the ability to better control disease activity. -Reuters		Age affects treatment for heavy menstruation The younger a woman is when she undergoes a procedure to remove the lining of the womb, the more likely she will eventually require a hysterectomy. -Reuters

FACTBOX: Chemical concerns phthalates and bisphenol A Products made with phthalates include toys, teethers, pacifiers, cosmetics and perfume. -Reuters		Balance exercises reduce seniors' risk of falling Walking programs, on the other hand, are not as effective as it may expose older people to a greater risk of falling. -Reuters

Healthy breakfast may mean healthier diet overall Findings also reveal that both men and women who ate a healthy breakfast generally weighed less. -Reuters		Lung cancer kills more women Lung cancer has overtaken breast cancer as the biggest killer of Australian women. -Reuters

158 chikungunya cases last week This brings the total number reported so far this year to 3,864. -NST		Atchoo! Sneeze and sex could be linked British doctors say sneezing may be sign of arousal. -AFP

	Treatment error: Doc loses licence She had drastically over-prescribed a heart medication to an elderly woman who later died of heart failure.	Malaysia's first Malay woman doctor turns 90 Tan Sri Dr Salma Ismail took 13 years to finish her studies as it was disrupted by the Japanese Occupation. -The Star

Proposed takeover heart institute deferred by Malaysian Cabinet They wanted to carry out an in-depth study on the matter before making a final decision. -The Star		What is muscular atrophy? In many cases, the disease is misdiagnosed or undiagnosed for years.

Bad economy? Try ha-ha yoga As going gets tougher, Americans discover laughter. -AFP		Medifund kitty increased to help poor Money set aside raised to $73.7m, as more patients seek assistance.

	To give or not to give This writer launches an attack on two time-honoured Christmas traditions, which he finds to cause unnecessary stress and waste.		Herbal medicine kills face transplant man? A Chinese man who received a rare face transplant in 2006 has died. -AFP

Housewife's addicted to sleeping pills Habit did her harm. -ST		Taiwan culls 18,000 chickens Taiwanese agricultural authorities confirmed that they had slaughtered 18,000 chickens after an outbreak of bird flu. -AFP

Nerve disease recreated US scientists have created the first human model which allows them to watch how the disease develops. -Reuters			'Quarantine HIV carriers' HIV carriers must never be allowed to marry, says Perak Menteri Besar.

Wedding plans go bust after HIV screening Man tests positive but denies ever having a blood transfusion, indulging in free sex or taking drugs that could have infected him.		Gene variants linked to cancer Genes appear to make ethnic Chinese more susceptible to lung cancer. -Reuters

New Year's hangover? Take two eels and call me in the morning Can a cure for a hangover ever be found?		Minister: 25 married despite screening Malaysia minister said those who test positive are usually advised not to get married, but some ignore the advice.

Stem cell beauty treatment 'can be fatal' In the belief that such treatment could remove all facial wrinkles, millionaires cough up to S$41,800 per session. -The Nation		City children's eyesight failing due to overload Schools did not explain the need for eye protection and most students did not have their sight regularly checked.

Bird flu suspected in Denmark A flock of chickens on a farm in south-western Denmark is suspected of being infected. -Reuters			Mum keeps HIV man in coop Man was locked in coop for several months after he told his mother he was HIV positive. At mealtimes, she would throw in food.

	Indonesian girl died here after surviving 3 heart attacks To honour the 'miracle child', her mother set up a foundation to fulfil the last wishes of terminally ill children, and has now written a book.	A healthier burger? Argentine scientists say they've created a beef burger that has only 10 per cent?fat versus the usual 30 per cent. -Reuters

Expert: HIV carriers can have healthy kids Chance of a HIV-positive person getting a child who is also infected was 30 per cent, he said.		Six more Chikungunya cases State health department deputy director Dr Shahidan Hashim said that all new cases were in the Pendang district. -The Star

Kids in dire need of surgery funds Cost of surgery is estimated to be between RM30,000 (S$12,498) and RM35,000 (S$14,581), but parents only able to come up with RM5,000. -NST		Condoms do not give foolproof STD protection There is nothing safer than abstinence to ensure that you are kept safe from sexually-transmitted diseases.

	Indonesia's "tree man" faces new operations The warts, believed to be caused by severe HPV infection, have started growing again after 6kg of them were removed in the last operation.	Skimping on sleep is bad for the heart: US study Just one extra hour of sleep a day appears to lower the risk of developing calcium deposits in the arteries. -Reuters

Mom's infection raises risk of infant hearing loss More than half of the population is infected with CMV, a type of herpesvirus. -Reuters		FDA warns over Diet Coke Plus nutrition claims The drink claims to include a variety of vitamins and minerals. -Reuters

British woman to deliver baby screened for breast cancer She decided to take the step because several of her husband's close female relatives suffered from breast cancer. -AFP		Recession an aphrodisiac As the recession kicks in, people tend to stay in, which means big money for the sex aid industry. -AFP

China aids cholera fight It has donated $723,000 to Zimbabwe's government to fight an epidemic that has killed nearly 1,200 people, said a state daily. -AFP		Stressed nurses turn prostitutes Nurses in Queensland say they were overworked and poorly-paid, exhausted and demoralised.

	Illegal 'kopi reggae' is new health threat This coffee is laced with drugs and known for boosting sexual energy.	Near fast food = fat kids? Youth who study just a short walk from a fast-food outlet are more likely to be obese than students at other schools. -Reuters

Sleep pods offer respite Hong Kong's hectic and exhausted workers are being offered a haven of relaxation in the overcrowded finance hub. -AFP		Alzheimer's by poor blood flow Loss of blood flow to the brain over years or decades could be a major trigger for Alzheimer's disease. -AFP

HIV couples who can't bear to part 15 out of 18 people who tested positive for HIV went ahead with their marriages. -NST		Sleep pods offer respite HK shopping mall provides high-tech beds where tired executives can escape the fast lane for a quick snooze. -AFP

Many still ignorant about cancer, study shows Almost two in three adults here believe that cancer is always fatal, and half think that it will always recur.		Dengue cases down but chikungunya up 39 caught chikungunya in Singapore last week; disease has been made notifiable.

Rare sleep disorder may be a harbinger of dementia They developed a neurodegenerative disease, such as Parkinson's disease, within 12 years of being diagnosed. -Reuters		Large prostates removed with single-keyhole surgery In two patients, the prostate was successfully removed in less than 2.5 hours and they were discharged from hospital after one day. -Reuters

	Heart health for the holidays Cold weather can worsen heart conditions by increasing blood pressure and making blood clot more easily. -Reuters	Poor blood flow to brain may provoke Alzheimer's: study Finding suggests that improving blood flow to the brain might be an effective in preventing or treating Alzheimer's. -AFP

Whole grains may lessen heart failure risk On the other hand, each serving of high-fat dairy and egg appear to increase heart failure risk by 8 and 23 per cent respectively.			No breakfast, earlier sex Japanese young people who skip breakfast tend to lose their virginity earlier.

Anti-cancer jab is safe: docs Recent case where a girl was left paralysed after getting a new anti-cervical cancer vaccination has worried parents. -ST			Mum's dead, so HIV girl pines for absent dad Girl at Thai centre wants to live with Caucasian dad but he's too sick to care for her. -TNP

"HIV patients should be cured first before marrying" M'sian Mentri Besar said those with HIV should undergo special treatment before tying the knot. -The Star			She was 'eating too fast' Mum becomes brain-dead after choking on mushroom; son takes her off life support after one day.

	Healthy break Don?t be a couch potato during the Christmas break - here are 10 wholesome family activities you can try.	Manage weight with a healthy breakfast And find out why music can keep heart attacks at bay.

More tainted biscuits found More than 1,500 boxes of Chinese biscuits exported to Hong Kong and Singapore have tested positive for melamine. -Reuters		US offers Viagra to win over Afghan warlords: report CIA agents are offering the potency drug Viagra and other gifts to win over Afghan warlords in the US-led war against Taliban insurgents.

Antifungal pills could help treat asthma: study ills used to treat common skin infections caused by fungi also appear to help some people with severe asthma.		Processed food may fuel lung tumors: Korean study Their tests in mice suggest the additives which are found in many soft drinks, baked goods and processed meats and cheese may also help tumors develop in the first place.

Liver transplants from elderly donors are safe Proper selection of donors older than age 60 and even over age 70 can produce outcomes comparable to those obtained with younger donors.		Call to screen couples for HIV twice In Ipoh, Malaysia, HIV screening for those intending to get married should be conducted twice, with the second test taking place six months after the first.

Genes tied to cancer Many genes linked to various cancers do not appear to raise the risk of getting cancer after all. -Reuters		Antioxidants fail to lower cancer risk Beta carotene, vitamin C and vitamin E supplements taken for years failed to lower overall cancer risk. -Reuters

New stomach bug found People with persistent diarrhoea, constipation or bloated stomach should go for medical checks, says renowned Malaysian scientist.		Soon: Online reviews of UK docs British government wants to let patients post reviews on family doctors on official website.

High vitamin C linked to lower BP in young women This strongly suggests that vitamin C is specifically important in maintaining a healthy blood pressure, according to lead author Dr. Gladys Block, of the University of California, Berkeley.		High insulin levels may increase breast cancer risk Upon further analysis, insulin level was linked with breast cancer risk only in those who did not take hormone therapy.

	Helping Malay heart patients live longer One in 10 Malays and one in eight Indians die within six months of discharge - compared to just one in 16 Chinese.		Remove plastic tube? Wait for photographer Woman complains of tube in mum's arm after hospital discharge, but doesn't let nurse remove it before reporter arrives.

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