Month: March 2013

LONDON (Reuters) – Malala Yousufzai, the Pakistani girl who drew global attention after being shot in the head by the Taliban for advocating girls’ education, returned to school on Tuesday in Britain where she has been treated for her injuries. Yousufzai, 15, has become an international figure as a symbol of resistance to Taliban efforts to deny women’s rights and is even among nominees for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. She described her return to school as the most important day of her life. “I am excited that today I have achieved my dream of going back to school. …

In a study that’s sure to shake up the soda ban debate, Harvard researchers have linked the sugary drinks to 180,000 deaths a year worldwide, 25,000 in the United States alone. “We know that sugar-sweetened beverages are linked to obesity, and that a large number…

By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Tuesday that there was a deeply disturbing "pervasive climate of impunity" in Afghanistan for the abusers of women and girls and he called on Afghan President Hamid Karzai's government to take action. Despite a fall in civilian casualties in Afghanistan for the first time in several years, the United Nations said last month more than 300 women and girls were killed and more than 560 injured in 2012, a 20 percent increase from 2011. …

By Genevra Pittman NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Some hospitals insert filters into the blood vessels of more than one-third of their patients with clots that may travel to the lungs, despite a lack of evidence they save lives, according to a new study. The filters, made of metal wires, are recommended based on theories about how they work for patients with a so-called venous thromboembolism who can’t take anti-clotting drugs. But they are sometimes used on other people with blood clots, as well. …

By Emily Le Coz JACKSON, Mississippi (Reuters) – Mississippi, the state with the highest rate of obesity, has banned its cities and counties from trying to stop restaurants from selling super-sized soft drinks or requiring them to post nutritional information about meals. The move came a week after a judge blocked an effort by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to prohibit vending machines, movie theaters and retailers from selling single-serving sugary drinks larger than 16 ounces (473 ml), an effort that was intended to tackle the public health problems caused by rising rates of obesity. …

By Andrew M. Seaman NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Over a quarter of babies brought to one Wisconsin hospital after severe physical abuse had a history of minor injuries, according to a new study whose authors suggest early detection may prevent later harm. “In that group of definitely abused infants, 27.5 percent of them had that history of relatively minor injuries,” said Dr. Lynn K. Sheets, the study’s lead author from Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. …

By Toni Clarke (Reuters) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has named Dr Kathleen Uhl acting director of its generic drugs division as it implements the biggest revamp of the department in more than a decade. Uhl replaces Dr Gregory Geba, who resigned abruptly last week after just eight months on the job, saying the reorganization will change the scope and responsibilities of the office in a way that no longer made his position attractive. …

Washington amputee Colin Macduff was granted a provisional patent for his design which helps him grab items.

By Lawrence Hurley WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Supreme Court justices weighed on Tuesday whether makers of generic drugs already approved by the Food and Drug Administration can be held liable under state law for claims of design defects. During a one-hour oral argument justices questioned whether federal law, in this case the requirement that generics have same design as the name-brand version, prevents plaintiffs from making such claims under state law. …

By Soyoung Kim and Greg Roumeliotis NEW YORK (Reuters) – Roche Holding AG and a buyout group comprising KKR & Co LP and Hellman & Friedman LLC have joined the bidding for Life Technologies Corp, a genetic testing company coveted for its advanced diagnostics and steady cash flow, according to people familiar with the matter. Roche's interest in Life Tech, a biomedical laboratory equipment maker with an $11 billion market value, signals the Swiss drugmaker's continued interest in gene sequencing a year after its $6.8 billion hostile offer for Illumina Inc failed over price. …

(Reuters) – Biogen Idec Inc said on Tuesday it has been granted a new patent that will help protect the market exclusivity of its multiple sclerosis drug Tecfidera until 2028. The new patent covers the dosing regimen for Tecfidera of 480 milligrams a day. Tecfidera is expected to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration by the end of March and many analysts expect it to become the leading treatment for multiple sclerosis. The European Patent Office also determined recently that a patent covering the same dosing regimen for Tecfidera is allowable. …