The Korea Herald

FDA clears drug for advanced kidney cancer

Feb 2, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) ― Patients with hard-to-treat kidney cancer that has spread to other parts of the body gained a new drug option Friday, after federal regulators approved a twice-a-day pill from Pfizer for the disease.The Food and Drug Administration approved the company’s drug Inlyta as a secondary option for patients with renal cell carcinoma that hasn’t responded to previous drug treatments. Renal cell carcinoma is the most common form of kidney cancer, with an estimated 61,000 people in the U
Kangbuk Samsung Hospital to open international clinic

Feb 2, 2012

Kangbuk Samsung Hospital said Thursday that it will open an international clinic on Feb.16 at the Samsung office building in Taepyeongno, central Seoul.Located 500 meters from Seoul City Hall, the clinic expects to cater mostly to expats and foreign tourists. It will share facilities and infrastructure with the Samsung hospital.The hospital conducts joint studies with Johns Hopkins University and has been praised as one of the leading medical institutions in preventative medicine. All its system
Black spots on the face

Feb 2, 2012

Also termed “flowers in the land of the dead,” black spots on the face are generally referred to as seborrheic keratosis or senile lentigo, and are gradually formed as the skin ages. There are many people who think that black spots on the face occur only in old age. But they can also occur in younger people who frequently perform outdoor activities and are exposed to ultraviolet rays.The signs of skin aging such as black spots or wrinkles progress because of the natural aging process or the effe
Fat doctors slow to diagnose obesity

Feb 2, 2012

Study suggests that obese doctors are more generous to patients in need of weight lossEncouraging a healthy weight has become essential in Korea. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, about 26.5 percent of women and 35.6 percent of men are considered to be either overweight or obese by WHO standards. Health authorities have estimated that the domestic weight loss industry will reach around 2 trillion won ($1.8 billion).The World Health Organization regards those with a body mass index
Ultrasound zaps could be used as male contraceptives: study

Jan 31, 2012

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Zapping testicles with ultrasound can reduce sperm counts and might be used in the future as an inexpensive, reliable and reversible male contraceptive, according to US researchers.Scientists from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, who conducted experiments on ma
Doctors 'should check blood pressure on both arms'

Jan 31, 2012

Measuring blood pressure on both arms rather than only one can reveal an elevated risk of heart disease or even death, according to a study released Monday. A file picture shows a medic taking a patient's blood pressure in Connecticut, United States. (AFP)In a review of medical literature, rese
Women are better at parking than men: study

Jan 30, 2012

Women are better than men when it comes to parking, a recent survey found, reversing the existing idea that men have better spatial awareness.The report by a car parking operator in the United Kingdom studied the parking habits of 450 drivers through CCTV footage and surveyed 2000 more to find that
Home births in U.S. rise to highest level on record, health study shows

Jan 27, 2012

Home births rose 29 percent from 2004 to 2009, to almost three quarters of a percent of all U.S. live deliveries, the highest level since 1989, according to health authorities. They were most common among non-Hispanic white women, where about 1 in 90 births are at home, according to a report from th
Forward head posture

Jan 26, 2012

Not commonly found in manual laborers, the forward head posture may occur in individuals who stay in the same posture for long periods of time while working.If muscle contraction and relaxation are repeated, this may prevent the occurrence of the condition. In individuals who maintain the same posture for extended periods of time, however, it may occur because of persistent muscle tension.Occupational groups at increased risk of developing forward head posture are draft designers, designers and
Pot-based prescription drug looks for FDA approval

Jan 26, 2012

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ― A quarter-century after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first prescription drugs based on the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, additional medicines derived from or inspired by the cannabis plant itself could soon be making their way to pharmacy shelves, according to drug companies, small biotech firms and university scientists.A British company, GW Pharma, is in advanced clinical trials for the world’s first pharmaceutical developed from raw mari
Too many tests? Routine checkups getting second look

Jan 26, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) ― Recent headlines offered a fresh example of how the health care system subjects people to too many medical tests ― this time research showing millions of older women don’t need their bones checked for osteoporosis nearly so often.Chances are you’ve heard that many expert groups say cancer screening is overused, too, from mammograms given too early or too often to prostate cancer tests that may not save lives. It’s not just cancer. Now some of the nuts-and-bolts tests given duri
Getting back into routine after Seollal

Jan 26, 2012

Doctors recommend exercise, sufficient sleep and vitaminsAfter four days off for Seollal, getting back into your normal routine can be a challenge. Long drives, lots of cooking and family gatherings can make the holiday less than restful, leaving you dreading a return to work. “The holiday life cycle is quite different from your ordinary routine. It wears you out. You need to make effort to regain energy,” said Dr. Kang Hee-chul of Yonsei Severance Hospital. Here are five ways to help you ease
‘Magnetic’ soap could clean oil spills

Jan 25, 2012

British researchers say a new magnetic soap could be used to help clean up oil spills by applying a magnetic field to areas containing the soap.The new formulation is similar to ordinary soap but contains iron atoms which can help form tiny particles that are easily removed magnetically, they said.“
Study: Stem cells may aid vision in blind people

Jan 24, 2012

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Two legally blind women appeared to gain some vision after receiving an experimental treatment using embryonic stem cells, scientists reported Monday. While embryonic stem cells were first isolated more than a decade ago, most of the research has been done in lab animals. The new
Gardasil approved for males aged 9 to 26

Jan 19, 2012

MSD Korea said Monday that its human papillomavirus vaccine Gardasil has been approved by the Korea Food and Drug Administration for use on men and boys aged between nine and 26 against genital warts.The agency has approved Gardasil against HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18 for women and men aged between nine and 15. The expansion of the target age group makes Gardasil, the only HPV vaccine available to both men and women, more accessible to a wider range of people, the vaccine maker said. According to