As Swine Flu Ebbs, Officials Stress Importance of Vaccine

FRIDAY, Jan. 8 (HealthDay News) -- As the H1N1 swine flu outbreak eases to a point where it is now widespread in just one state, federal health officials are still urging Americans to get their swine flu shot.

Celebrex Might Thwart Inherited Skin Cancers

FRIDAY, Jan. 8 (HealthDay News) -- People with an inherited skin disorder could reduce their risk of developing skin cancer by taking the painkiller celecoxib (Celebrex), a preliminary study suggests.

Common Radio Frequency Tag Readers Might Trouble Pacemakers

FRIDAY, Jan. 8 (HealthDay News) -- A new study from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and pacemaker manufacturers confirms that emissions from readers of ubiquitous radio frequency identification devices (RFIDs) can interfere with pacemakers, although that risk is small.

Novel Bandage Might Help Preserve Donor Organs

FRIDAY, Jan. 8 (HealthDay News) -- A newly developed bandage that delivers a beneficial gas to skin and tissue could potentially serve as a therapeutic sock for diabetics and a wrap for body organs awaiting transplant, researchers say.

Coffee Cuts Liver Scarring in Hepatitis C

FRIDAY, Jan. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Caffeine in coffee reduces the severity of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus, a new study has found.

After Cochlear Implant, Music Therapy May Aid Speech

FRIDAY, Jan. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Music therapy can aid speech development in hearing-impaired toddlers after they receive cochlear implants, researchers have found.

Key to Hepatitis C May Be Two Cellular Proteins

FRIDAY, Jan. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers have identified two cellular proteins that play an important role in hepatitis C infection, and they say the finding may point to new and less toxic treatments for the disease, which can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Clinical Trials Update: Jan. 8, 2010

(HealthDay News) -- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of ClinicalConnection.com:

Nutrient 'Cocktail' Appears to Improve Dementia Symptoms

FRIDAY, Jan. 8 (HealthDay News) -- A combination of three nutrients might help improve memory in Alzheimer's patients by stimulating the growth of new brain connections (synapses), a new study shows.

Health Highlights: Jan. 8, 2010

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

Blood Pressure Drugs Might Fight Diabetic Retinopathy

FRIDAY, Jan. 8 (HealthDay News) -- New research in mice suggests that some drugs used to treat high blood pressure might help prevent and treat a disorder that causes people with diabetes to lose their vision.

Study Suggests Way to 'Mop Up' Leukemia Cells

FRIDAY, Jan. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Preliminary research suggests that a vaccine could help reduce the risk of a relapse in some people who take the drug Gleevec to treat chronic myeloid leukemia.

Airport Full Body Scanners Pose No Health Threat : Experts

FRIDAY, Jan. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Since the thwarted Christmas day terrorist attack on an airline flight approaching Detroit, officials have announced plans to increase the use of fully body scans at U.S. airports, leaving some travelers wondering about the health effects of these devices.

Baby Boomers Still Doing Drugs as Seniors

FRIDAY, Jan. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Almost 5 percent of aging Baby Boomers in the United States are abusing drugs, a new government report shows.

Two-Thirds of American Teens Need More Shut-Eye

FRIDAY, Jan. 8 (HealthDay News) -- In news that probably won't surprise the parents or teachers of adolescents, a new study finds that most U.S. teens aren't getting enough sleep each night.

Short School Closures Won't Shut Down Flu

FRIDAY, Jan. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Schools need to be closed for at least eight weeks during an influenza epidemic to significantly reduce infection rates, according to a new study.

Older Antidepressant May Treat Heart Failure

FRIDAY, Jan. 8 (HealthDay News) -- An older antidepressant that's no longer prescribed may find new life as an effective heart failure treatment, research suggests.

Health Tip: Stay Healthy on a Cruise

(HealthDay News) -- Cruise ships, where many passengers may be confined in a rather small space, can be an ideal place to spread germs.

Health Tip: Symptoms That May Indicate an Autistic Disorder

(HealthDay News) -- Autism spectrum disorders (ASD), caused by a problem in the brain, describes a group of related conditions that affect a child's actions, ability to associate with others, and capacity to communicate.