The FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) has published a Public Health Advisory to health care professionals, patients, as well as caregivers, concerning varenicline (Chantix), a prescription drug aimed at helping people give up smoking.

Mikes pick up the sounds of cancer Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom - 11 hours ago

More patients must allow medical students to provide care, to safeguard doctors' training, researchers say.

Matchups set for Shootout for Cancer Chicago Tribune, United States - 8 hours ago

Cervical cancer risk on the rise NEWS.com.au, Australia - 7 hours ago

Foundation gives $110000 for cancer patients, and works on new ... Boston Globe, United States - 6 hours ago

Beverly Fund fights back against lung cancer San Francisco Chronicle,  USA - 5 hours ago

Washington Post

Four days' exposure to a REM sleep deprivation procedure reduces cell proliferation in the part of the forebrain that contributes to long-term memory of rats. The study, authored by Dennis McGinty, PhD, of the V.A. Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, focused on male Sprague-Dawley rats. REM sleep deprivation was achieved by a brief treadmill movement initiated by automatic online detection of REM sleep.

In healthy people, both sleepiness and vigilance show a relationship with core body temperature and skin temperature. When core body temperature is high during the daytime, skin temperature is low, which translates into optimal vigilance. Conversely, when core body temperature is low at night time, skin temperature is high, which correlates to optimal sleep.

IRIN/PlusNews recently examined a ritual, known as tarbessadu, performed by traditional healers in Guinea-Bissau that many people in the country believe can prevent a woman who has given birth from contracting HIV. According to IRIN/PlusNews, traditional healers use a pig, half a sack of rice, black corn and five liters of sugarcane brandy to perform tarbessadu.

Health Secretary Alan Johnson is to call for fluoride to be added to Britain's water supplies.

Avian influenza (bird flu) has spread to infect birds in half of Bangladesh's 64 districts, say Bangladeshi officials. The two latest outbreaks took place in Gopalganj and Sylhet, according to the Ministry of Health. Some dead crows which were later found to be infected with the H5N1 bird flu virus strain had been found in the port of Chittagong.