The European Court of Human Rights rules a murderer and his wife should be allowed a baby by artificial insemination.

UK government advisors call for tighter controls on genetic tests sold directly to the public.

NHS 'stop smoking' clinics have been hailed a success after figures showed particular success in poorer areas.

This time of year can be filled with joy and family togetherness, not to mention fun experiences with friends and co-workers. But the holiday season can also bring on wheezing,...

Trials begin to test if abortions could take place in doctor's surgeries in England, the government says.

It's true that exercise can bring on asthma symptoms in many people, especially if you already have asthma. So you might think that exercise isn't good for you. But nothing...

Novartis aims to bring 4 new cancer drugs to market by 2011 ... CNNMoney.com - 14 hours ago 5, 2007 (Thomson Financial delivered by Newstex) -- Novartis (NYSE:NVS) AG is hoping to start selling four new cancer drugs by 2011, at least one of which ...

Avian influenza could still cause a global pandemic and requires continued vigilance and control efforts particularly in animals, the Director-General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Dr. Jacques Diouf, told the New Delhi International Ministerial Conference on Avian and Pandemic Influenza. [click link for full article]

Four leading public health organisations are urging local planners to target smoking as a way of tackling health inequalities. Smoking prevalence is a key indicator not just for smoking-related diseases but also for health inequalities, since smoking is responsible for over half the difference in mortality rates across the social classes. [click link for full article]

According to a new study, people in less affluent areas of the UK are quitting smoking in larger numbers than their better off neighbours. Of the 1.5 million smokers supported by NHS stop smoking services between 2003 and 2006, researchers found that smokers from poorer areas were using these services and successfully quitting more often than those from more affluent communities. [click link for full article]

Under a new Victorian proposal to reduce youth smoking, underage smoking will be outlawed and parents banned from lighting up in cars with children. Nationals MP Damian Drum signalled in state parliament that he would introduce a private member's bill to reduce the number of young smokers. The bill, to be tabled early next year, would make smoking illegal for under 18s and introduce penalties for minors caught smoking. [click link for full article]

A Florida State University professor will share a $3.3 million federal grant with a colleague from the University of Vermont to develop an innovative method that will help smokers with anxiety disorders extinguish the habit. FSU psychology Professor Brad Schmidt and UVM psychology Professor Michael Zvolensky are recruiting about 600 people -- 300 at each campus -- to participate in the study over the next five years. Funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, the $3. [click link for full article]

A new US study suggests that over 60s who are fit live longer, regardless of their level of body fat. The study is published in the 5th December issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and is the work of Dr Xuemei Sui, of the University of South Carolina, Columbia, and colleagues. [click link for full article]

A new set of regulations for the marketing and consumption of tobacco products took effect in Mozambique over the weekend. From Saturday it was illegal to smoke in any public place, including all state institutions, restaurants, schools, libraries, hospitals, airports, train stations and all forms of public transport. Restaurants, bars, and other places of entertainment can, if they choose, provide a space for smokers. [click link for full article]

The government says its 10-year stroke strategy for England will save thousands of lives by ensuring people get quicker access to care.

Avid Bioservices to Manufacture Lead Cancer Stem Cell Antibody for ... CNNMoney.com - 10 hours ago The agreement covers ARIUS' lead cancer stem cell antibody, which targets a novel epitope of CD44 found in breast, colon and prostate cancers . ...

Mexico City lawmakers approve a by-law allowing terminally ill patients to refuse treatment.

By making the skeletal muscles of mice use energy less efficiently, researchers report in the December issue of Cell Metabolism, a publication of Cell Press, that they have delayed the animals' deaths and their development of age-related diseases, including vascular disease, obesity, and one form of cancer. Those health benefits, driven by an increased metabolic rate, appear to come without any direct influence on the aging process itself, according to the researchers. [click link for full article]

The benefits of fluoridation in preventing tooth decay have been known for over half a century and today approximately two-thirds of Americans have access to fluoridated public water.Gerardo Maupomé, B.D.S., M.Sc., Ph.D. [click link for full article]

Black men who have sex with men in the U.S. are twice as likely as white MSM to be living with HIV, federal researchers announced on Monday at a national HIV prevention conference, the Baltimore Sun reports. Kevin Fenton -- director of CDC's [click link for full article]