Here are some of the latest health and medical news
developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:
Tobacco Companies Must Tell Public About Smoking Lies: Judge
U.S. tobacco companies must publish corrective statements to
tell the public they lied about the dangers of smoking, a federal
judge ordered Tuesday.
The corrective statements in various types of ads must also
outline the health risks of smoking, including the fact that
smoking causes an average of 1,200 deaths a day, the
Associated Pressreported.
In her ruling, Gladys Kessler of the United States District
Court for the District of Columbia said each corrective statement
ad must state that a federal judge has concluded that all the
defendant tobacco companies "deliberately deceived the American
public about the health effects of smoking."
The corrective statements are part of a case the federal
government brought in 1999 and Kessler said they are based on
specific findings of fact made by the court, the
APreported.
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FDA May Seek Outside Experts' Opinions About Energy Drinks
The advice of outside experts may be sought in order to
determine if energy drinks pose any health risks, the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration said in a letter released Tuesday.
Such outside advice could include a group such as the Institute
of Medicine, which is part of the National Academy of Sciences,
The New York Timesreported.
Previously, FDA officials have said they were investigating
possible health risks posed by the popular beverages, which contain
high levels of caffeine. The letter is the first time the agency
has said it might turn to outside experts and appears to signal a
change in the FDA's approach to products such as Red Bull, Monster
Energy and 5-Hour Energy.
The FDA letter comes after news that the agency received reports
of 18 deaths and more than 150 injuries that may have involved
energy drinks. The filing of such reports with the FDA does not
prove that the drinks were responsible for an injury of death,
The Timesreported.
Energy drink makers insist that their products are safe.
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Disease-Causing Bacteria Common in Pork: Study
New questions about the safety of pork are raised in a study by
Consumer Reports, an independent, nonprofit organization.
The group tested nearly 200 pork chop and ground pork samples
and found that many tested positive for potentially disease-causing
bacteria such as salmonella, listeria, staph, and yersinia,
CBS Newsreported.
More than 90 percent of the bacteria found in the pork samples
were antibiotic-resistant.
"All of these things paint a very concerning picture about this indiscriminate use of antibiotics in meat production in this country, and what we believe are the resulting consequences of that," said Urvashi Rangan, director of consumer safety and sustainability at Consumer Reports.
"You always expect to find some bacteria in any meat product. But those are usually harmless. I think the real surprise here was to find so many potentially disease-causing bacteria," Stephen Morse, of the Columbia University School of Public Health, told CBS News.
Pork is safe to eat, according to Scott Hurd of the Iowa State
University College of Veterinary Medicine. He's a former top U.S.
food safety official who has done consulting work for the pork
industry.
He said germs are found in nearly everything we eat and that
consumers should always be careful when handling meat, including
washing your hands and cooking meat thoroughly,
CBS Newsreported.
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