MEDICINE

Drug regulators are immediately investigating the flu vaccine used for children to check for its safety following the announcement by Australia's chief medical officer to halt immunization for children under five years of age.

The season flu shots for children less than five years of age have been suspended in Tasmania, following the other states across the country, informed Tasmania health authorities.

(Reuters) - People who got immunized against the 1976 swine flu epidemic that never happened may have benefited from the shots after all -- they may have been protected from the 2009 H1N1 swine flu strain.

(Reuters) - Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has called on health insurer WellPoint to stop dropping coverage for patients recently diagnosed with breast cancer, calling the practice deplorable.

The Western Australian government has suspended all flu shots for children under five as it examines the increase in admissions to Prince Margaret Hospital in Perth.

In a recent major study, researchers have designed and developed special 'nano patches' that can deliver vaccines without the use of needles within two minutes with 100 times less dose than used conventionallly.

One after another, shortly after a diagnosis of breast cancer, each of the women learned that her health insurance had been canceled. First there was Yenny Hsu, who lived and worked in Los Angeles. Later, Robin Beaton, a registered nurse from Texas. And then, most recently, there was Patricia Relling, a successful art gallery owner and interior designer from Louisville, Kentucky.

Recent research reveals the Northern Territory's Indigenous population reported the highest hospital admission rates for swine flu across Australia.

An Australian study that examines links between lifestyle and reproductive health in males over 40 years, reveals exercise is not only beneficial for the heart, but sexual health as well.

After Dr Jayant Patel became director of surgery, patients at the Bundaberg Base Hospital's intensive care unit were sicker and stayed there longer, a court has heard.

(Reuters) - Children born extremely early -- at 25 weeks or before -- may risk a lifetime of lung problems, including asthma, British researchers reported on Thursday.

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, billionaire Bill Gates and Queen Rania of Jordan will put their fame to work this week as they join a Twitter campaign to end malaria deaths.

Based on data released by the Cosmetic Physicians Society of Australasia (CPSA), expenditure for treatments such as anti-wrinkle injections and laser hair removal over 12 months till March 31 was up 30 per cent compared to the same duration early 2009.

Amarillo Biosciences, local biotech company has been testing its orally administered interferon in the test to study its efficiency in preventing the flu in 200 people in Western Australia.

According to new Australian study, women who eat a lot of processed meats like salami and hot dogs are at a higher risk of ovarian cancer.

(Reuters) - Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, billionaire Bill Gates and Queen Rania of Jordan will put their fame to work this week as they join a Twitter campaign to end malaria deaths.

Europe's flight ban is preventing some life-saving transplant tissue from reaching patients, and other operations have had to be canceled because surgeons are stuck overseas.

Sharon Osbourne says she's having her breast implants removed this summer and will give them to her husband, rocker Ozzy Osbourne, as a paperweight.

Following the announcement of an outbreak of dengue in the north Queensland city last week, a third Townsville resident is believed to have contracted the virus.

New study results of recent colon cancer research called 'A multilevel study of the determinants of area-level inequalities in colorectal cancer survival,' published in BMC Cancer may provide new insights on colon cancer therapy.

(Reuters) - Making simple changes like getting people to take their medicines exactly as directed or to refill their prescriptions on time could save employers and their workers as much as $163 billion a year in healthcare costs, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.