Health Highlights: April 30, 2012

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments,
compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

Texas Law Targeting Planned Parenthood
Unconstitutional: Judge

Texas cannot stop Planned Parenthood from receiving state funds through
the Women’s Health Program, a federal judge ruled Monday.

There is sufficient evidence that a state law banning Planned
Parenthood from the program is unconstitutional, U.S. District Judge Lee
Yeakel said. He imposed an injunction against enforcement of the law until
he can hear full arguments, the Associated Press reported.

Under the law passed last year by the Republican-controlled
Legislature, state agencies cannot provide funds to organizations
affiliated with abortion providers. A legal challenge was launched by
Eight Planned Parenthood clinics that do not provide abortions.

In his ruling, Yeakel agreed with Planned Parenthood’s argument that if
it was banned from the Women’s Health Program, many women would have no
access to clinics for basic health services and check-ups, the AP
reported.

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Dutch Government OKs Publication of Bird Flu
Study

A Dutch scientist’s paper on a mutant version of the potentially deadly
H5N1 bird flu virus can be published in the journal Science, the
Dutch government says.

Friday’s announcement came after publication of this and another paper
by U.S. researchers was approved by a U.S. panel of experts. But under
European Union rules, the Dutch scientist still required permission from
his government, Agence France-Presse reported.

The two studies found that a laboratory-created mutant version of H5N1
could pass easily in the air between ferrets. U.S. experts initially
opposed publication of the studies over fears that the information could
be used by terrorists to unleash a deadly flu epidemic.

The Dutch Department of Economic Affairs approved publication of the
Dutch study after weighing the risks and advantages of publication, a
government spokeswoman told AFP.

—–

FDA Sends Warning to Supplements
Companies

Ten companies that make and distribute dietary supplements containing
dimethylamylamine (DMAA) have been sent warning letters for marketing
products that lack safety evidence, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
said Friday.

DMAA — also referred to as 1,3-dimethylamylamine, methylhexanamine, or
geranium extract — is often touted as a “natural” stimulant.

The companies that received warning letters and the names of their
products are: Exclusive Supplements for Biorhythm SSIN Juice; Fahrenheit
Nutrition for Lean Efx; Gaspari Nutrition for Spirodex; iSatori Global
Technologies, LLC for PWR; Muscle Warfare, Inc. for Napalm; MuscleMeds
Perfomance Technologies for Code Red; Nutrex Research for Hemo Rage Black,
Lipo-6 Black Ultra Concentrate, Lipo-6 Black, Lipo-6 Black Hers Ultra,
Concentrate, and
Lipo-6 Black Hers; SEI Pharmaceuticals for MethylHex 4,2; SNI, LLC for
Nitric Blast; and USP Labs, LLC for Oxy Elite Pro and Jack3D.

“Before marketing products containing DMAA, manufacturers and
distributors have a responsibility under the law to provide evidence of
the safety of their products. They haven’t done that and that makes the
products adulterated,” Daniel Fabricant, director of the FDA’s Dietary
Supplement Program, said in an agency news release.

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