Health & Science

• Thursday, April 30th 2015 - 10:08 UTC

  Only 34 countries with plans to fight threat of antibiotic resistance, says WHO

  

  Only 34 countries have national plans to fight the global threat of antibiotic resistance, meaning few are prepared to tackle “superbug” infections which put even basic healthcare at risk, the WHO has said. In a survey of government plans to tackle the issue, the World Health Organization said only a quarter of the 133 countries that responded were addressing the problem.

• Tuesday, April 28th 2015 - 20:53 UTC

  Pepsi changes artificial sweetener over consumer concerns about its safety

  

  A controversial artificial sweetener is being removed from Diet Pepsi in the US amid consumer concerns about its safety. Aspartame-free cans of the drink will go on sale from August in America, but not in Britain. However regulators in the UK and the US insist aspartame is still safe to use in soft drinks.

• Monday, April 27th 2015 - 21:57 UTC

  WHO calls for renewed efforts in global vaccination targets for 2015

  

  Progress towards global vaccination targets for 2015 is far off track with 1 in 5 children still missing out on routine life-saving immunizations that could avert 1.5 million deaths each year from preventable diseases. In the lead-up to World Immunization Week 2015 (24 -30 April), the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for renewed efforts to get progress back on course.

• Friday, April 17th 2015 - 03:16 UTC

  World Medical Association supports growing moves for plain tobacco packaging

  

  The World Medical Association has supported the increasing number of countries planning to introduce plain packaging of tobacco products, including Australia and France. This week it joined the Norwegian Medical Association in supporting proposals to introduce plain packaging in Norway.

• Thursday, April 16th 2015 - 09:05 UTC

  “Overfishing and overfished stocks at all times low” in US fisheries

  

  The number of United States domestic fish stocks listed as overfished or subject to overfishing has dropped to an all-time low since 1997, when NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) began tracking stock status, according to the 2014 Status of U.S. Fisheries report to Congress.

• Thursday, April 16th 2015 - 08:30 UTC

  Norovirus outbreak on two cruise ships off the coasts of Mexico and California

  

  Hundreds of Royal Caribbean passengers were stricken with acute gastrointestinal ailments, including vomiting and diarrhea, on two cruise ships off the coasts of Mexico and California earlier this week. The debilitating illness was identified as norovirus, outbreaks of which aren’t uncommon on cruise ships, especially during the winter season.

• Friday, April 3rd 2015 - 08:04 UTC

  US warning to vacation and business travellers about the advance of Chikungunya

  

  The Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) is warning vacation and business travelers to the Caribbean about the importance of protecting themselves from mosquitoes that may transmit Chikungunya virus and other mosquito-borne illnesses like dengue.

• Friday, March 13th 2015 - 13:15 UTC

  Scientists in China announce genetically engineered cows resistant to bovine TB

  

  Scientists in China have said they produced a herd of genetically engineered cows that are better able to ward off bovine TB infection. The long-term goal of the research is to avoid the need to cull livestock by breeding disease resistant cattle.

• Saturday, March 7th 2015 - 08:22 UTC

  Several cups of coffee a day help combat clogged arteries, say Korean scientists

  

  Drinking a few cups of coffee a day may help people avoid clogged arteries - a known risk factor for heart disease - Korean researchers believe. They studied more than 25,000 male and female employees who underwent routine health checks at their workplace.

• Thursday, March 5th 2015 - 11:05 UTC

  WHO calls on countries to reduce sugars intake among adults and children

  

  A new WHO guideline recommends adults and children reduce their daily intake of free sugars to less than 10% of their total energy intake. A further reduction to below 5% or roughly 25 grams (6 teaspoons) per day would provide additional health benefits.