Health & WellnessS


Bulb

Phantoms in the brain: Pain after amputation

Losing a limb can be a traumatic experience and, in some cases, emotional and physical pain can linger for years. To better understand the phenomenon, dubbed "phantom limb syndrome," Université de Montréal graduate student Emma Duerden is inviting amputees to come forward and share their experiences for a major study.

"Our main goal is to better understand why amputees retain the memory of pain after losing a limb," explains Ms. Duerden, who is completing her doctorate in the laboratory of Dr. Gary Duncan at the Université de Montréal's Department of Physiology and the Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal (CRIUGM).

Ambulance

Limbic Warfare: Pandemic Flu Threat Remains Substantial, Health Experts Say

Geneva -- The world still faces a substantial threat of a flu pandemic and countries need to speed up preparations for a global outbreak, health experts said Tuesday.

Propaganda

South Blount, Tennessee utility approves fluoride in face of opposition

Injunction sought by foes appears to be headed for denial

Fluoride - hailed as a public health success and vilified as a toxic waste product - will be introduced into the water delivered today by the South Blount County Utility District.

The utility's board of commissioners voted at its May meeting Tuesday to fluoridate its water, despite statements of protest by some attending the meeting and picketing on the sidewalk outside before the meeting started.

Image
©Robert Wilson
Faythe Shores holds her sign high for motorists to see during a protest outside of the South Blount County Utility District on Tuesday. The district is about to introduce fluoride into the water it delivers.

Attention

Grand Rapids, Michigan: debating water fluoridation

More than six decades after Grand Rapids became one of the world's first cities to fluoridate its drinking water, some local officials say it's time to reconsider the practice.

Municipal officials are talking with scientists at Grand Valley State University about potential long-term effects of exposure to fluoride, which some consider a toxic chemical.

"Because we're trying to eliminate toxins in our community, I thought we should study this issue," Corky Overmyer, the city's director of sustainability, told The Grand Rapids Press for a Wednesday story.

Attention

Vietnam spots new bird flu outbreak

Hanoi -- Bird flu has stricken fowl flocks in Vietnam's southern Can Tho city over the past few days, raising the total number of affected localities in the country to three, according to Vietnam's Department of Animal Health on Thursday.

Attention

All poultry in Seoul killed after bird flu outbreak

Seoul, South Korea - South Korean officials said Monday they have killed all poultry in Seoul, the capital, to curb the spread of bird flu following a new outbreak of the disease in the city.

Magnify

EPA testing air after twister in toxic Oklahoma town

Picher, Oklahoma - The Environmental Protection Agency planned to check for high lead levels Monday after a deadly tornado blew through a town so polluted with lead-filled mining waste that it's a Superfund site.

Syringe

Families will make case for vaccine link to autism

Families claiming that a mercury-based preservative in vaccines triggers autism will challenge mainstream medicine Monday as they take their case to a federal court.

Info

Merck Slapped With GMP Warning Letter for Vaccine Operations

Merck's bulk drug substances used to manufacture many of its vaccines are adulterated, and the FDA is requesting a meeting with senior management to expedite the firm's corrective actions, according to a recent warning letter.

The FDA cited the company for numerous GMP violations at its vaccine production operations, including those for human papillomavirus vaccine Gardasil and combination measles, mumps, rubella and chicken pox vaccine ProQuad.

People

Some Parents Refusing Vaccines For Their Kids

There is a growing controversy over the number of vaccines that children receive and when they receive them. According to the National Vaccine Information Center, in the 1970s, children received 23 doses of vaccine by the time they were 6 years old. Now, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends more than twice as many. For some doctors and parents, that number is disturbing.