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Health Highlights: Sept. 5, 2012
Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:
NFL Donates $30 Million for Brain Research
The NFL is donating $30 million to the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health to conduct brain research designed to benefit athletes, members of the military and the general public.
The announcement was made Wednesday by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, the Associated Press reported.
Under the grant, potential areas of research include chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), concussion management and treatment, and investigating the link between traumatic brain injury and neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, later in life.
The NIH, considered one of the world's leading medical research centers, is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the AP reported.
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New Drug Approved for Rare Blood Cancer
A new drug to treat a rare form of blood and bone marrow cancer has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The drug Bosulif is a daily pill to treat chronic myeloid leukemia patients who have a specific genetic variation and do not respond to other cancer therapies, the Associated Press reported.
The new Pfizer drug was approved under the FDA's orphan drug program, which provides financial incentives for the development of drugs for rare diseases. The approval is based on a Pfizer study showing that 34 percent of patients treated with the drug showed a response within six months of starting treatment.
The most common side effects included diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, rash and fever, the AP reported.
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Defective Tampons Stolen, May Pose Health Risk
Defective tampons that were stolen by thieves may pose a health risk to women who use them, Kimberly-Clark Corp. says.
The company said that the Kotex Natural Balance Security tampons failed the final inspection and were sent to an outside company to be destroyed. But they were stolen and then sold to the public, the Associated Press reported.
Some of the tampons have metallic particles, imperfect raw materials and increased levels of bacteria, Kimberley-Clark said. However, the company said the health risk is low and it has received no complaints from consumers.
The defective tampons had been scheduled for destruction between October 2011 and June 2012.
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