Showdown Over Health-Care Reform Bill Heats Up

Health experts say that the furiously debated $940 billion health-care reform bill moving toward a vote for passage in Congress this weekend really boils down to one simple tenet: More Americans should have access to health insurance.

Music Soothes Anxiety as Well as Massage Does

Massage can reduce anxiety, but no better than a cheaper approach — simply relaxing while listening to soft, soothing music.

Swine Flu in Pregnancy Leads Some to ICU

Pregnant women with the H1N1 (swine) flu were 13 times more likely to become critically ill than non-pregnant women infected with H1N1, according to a report from researchers in Australia and New Zealand.

Avandia Researchers’ Financial Ties Questioned

A new review of studies on the controversial diabetes drug Avandia finds that most of the researchers who reported positive results had financial ties to pharmaceutical companies, but it’s not clear if being paid by drug makers directly leads to supportive research.

Selenium Could Shield Against Diabetes

Scientists have found evidence that older men with higher levels of selenium are less likely to suffer from dysglycemia, or improper blood-sugar metabolism.

Back Trouble? Blue Dye Shot May Offer Long-Lasting Pain Relief

Earlier this month, a team of orthopedic surgeons in China reported that they had successfully treated low back pain by injecting a commonly available chemical into their patients’ spines. The results of this simple and novel treatment were so extraordinary that they seemed to belong in an infomercial rather than a medical journal: Ninety percent of the patients experienced total or near-total relief.