Health & Science

Friday, June 12th 2015 - 04:55 UTC
“Isolated” mad cow case in Ireland; OIE had recently returned the “controlled risk status”

Irish authorities have identified a suspected case of Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or “mad cow disease”, on a dairy farm in County Louth, the first such case to be discovered in the country since 2013. The Irish Department of Agriculture said on Thursday the five-year-old diseased cow was discovered as part of ongoing inspections of animals that die on farms.
Friday, June 5th 2015 - 09:51 UTC
Nestle withdraws Maggi noodles from sale in India following 'lead content scare'

Food group Nestle has withdrawn Maggi noodles from sale in India due to “an environment of confusion for consumers”, following a food scare sparked by reports of excess lead in some packets of the popular instant snack.
Friday, June 5th 2015 - 06:12 UTC
Flibanserin or “Viagra for women” closer to FDA approval: concern about side effects

A tiny pink pill touted as “Viagra for women” got a reluctant nod from the United States Food and Drug Administration panel, bringing the first medical treatment for female sexual dysfunction one step nearer to coming on the market.
Tuesday, June 2nd 2015 - 06:01 UTC
Canadian tobacco companies ordered to pay 12bn dollars for failing to warn health risks

A Canadian court has ordered three tobacco companies to pay 15.5bn Canadian dollars ($12bn), the largest award for damages in the country's history. The plaintiffs were Quebec smokers who said the firms failed to warn them of health risks associated with smoking.
Friday, May 29th 2015 - 09:22 UTC
WHO calls for action against illicit tobacco trade on World No Tobacco Day

Eliminating the illicit trade in tobacco would generate an annual tax windfall of 31 billion dollars for governments, improve public health, help cut crime and curb an important revenue source for the tobacco industry. Those are the key themes of World No Tobacco Day on May 31 when the World Health Organization will urge Member States to sign the Protocol to Eliminate the Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products.
Friday, May 22nd 2015 - 08:48 UTC
Caribbean epidemiologic alert following reports of Zika virus in Brazil

Following reports of suspected Zika virus in Brazil, the health ministries of several Caribbean countries have issued advisories for the mosquito borne viral disease.On Thursday, the Jamaica Health Ministry issued an epidemiological alert after the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) noted the potential spread of this arbovirus across territories where the vectors (Aedes) are present.
Wednesday, May 20th 2015 - 05:27 UTC
Japanese airbag maker Takata admits defects forcing the recall of 34m vehicles

Japanese airbag maker Takata has said that mechanisms in the airbags of almost 34 million cars are defective. It will lead to the largest recall in US automotive history, affecting models from 11 carmakers. . The number is double previous estimates for faulty air bags from the manufacturer.
Tuesday, May 19th 2015 - 01:53 UTC
Monsanto hits back with global campaign: “food is more than just a meal, it's love”

As the seed and chemical maker Monsanto woos Swiss agrochemicals firm Syngenta, the US company is also is trying to win over consumers in key international markets, rolling out social media and marketing campaigns.
Monday, May 4th 2015 - 14:16 UTC
Avian flu in the US: third state declares state of emergency

State of Iowa Governor Terry Branstad declared a state of emergency due to a rapidly expanding avian flu outbreak, saying the entire state was at risk from the spread of the disease.
Saturday, May 2nd 2015 - 10:46 UTC
“World closer than ever to wipe out polio, but no victory declaration yet”

The world is closer than ever to being able to wipe out polio, international experts said, with zero cases of the crippling disease recorded across all of Africa this year and fewer than 25 globally.