The World Health Organization declared this week that the H1N1 influenza (swine flu) outbreak is a pandemic. This means it is spreading around the world. The U.S. Senate voted this week to begin regulation of tobacco products. The House has passed a similar bill. President Obama is expected to sign. A study released this week found that drug treatment alone helps people with diabetes and heart disease as much as drugs plus a procedure to open arteries. Other researchers reported that metoclopramide, a drug for nausea, appears safe for use during pregnancy.
Stay well.

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In the News:

WHO Declares Swine Flu Pandemic
The World Health Organization (WHO) this week formally declared that the growing outbreak of H1N1 influenza is a pandemic. This is the infection widely known as "swine flu." WHO announced that it is raising its pandemic warning level from phase 5 to 6, the Associated Press reported. This is the highest alert level. The declaration means that a new flu virus is spreading quickly around the world. Drug makers will speed up production of a vaccine. WHO said it should be available in October. Governments also will take more steps to try to limit the spread of infection. Calling H1N1 a pandemic does not mean that WHO thinks it is severe. Most cases have been mild. WHO director-general Margaret Chan, M.D., said she did not expect a sudden or large increase in severe or fatal cases. As of June 11, nearly 30,000 cases had been confirmed around the world.

Vote Prepares Way for Tobacco Regulation
The U.S. Senate this week approved new government powers to regulate tobacco. The House already has approved a similar bill, the Associated Press reported. Now the two must agree on one version. President Obama is expected to sign. The law would give new power to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It could regulate the content of tobacco products and how they are sold and advertised. The tobacco industry has fought similar bills for many years. President George W. Bush also opposed efforts to regulate the industry.

Drugs Alone Aid Diabetics' Heart Disease
Most people with diabetes and heart disease should start with drug treatment alone, a study released this week suggests. Procedures to open blocked arteries did not change rates of death, heart attack or stroke compared with drugs alone. The study included nearly 2,400 people. They were randomly divided into groups. Both groups received drug treatment for diabetes. One group also received either angioplasty or bypass surgery to open blocked arteries. After five years, the groups had similar rates of death, heart attack and stroke. People also were assigned to receive two different types of diabetes drugs. There was no difference in results based on the type of drugs they took. The New England Journal of Medicine published the study online. USA Today wrote about it June 8.

Nausea Drug Appears Safe in Pregnancy
Researchers reported good news this week about metoclopramide, a drug for nausea. They found that it does not seem to cause birth defects when used by pregnant women, the Associated Press wrote. Researchers looked at records for nearly 82,000 births in Israel. Many pregnant women there use metoclopramide. The study found no difference in birth defects or other problems for babies whose mothers used the drug. No drugs are approved specifically for morning sickness in the United States. But doctors can prescribe them if they are approved for other uses.

Used with the permission of the copyright owner. All rights reserved. The above summaries are not intended to provide advice on personal medical matters, nor are they intended to be a substitute for consultation with a physician.