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Here's what's making news this morning in the world of health and medicine.
Scientists treat grey hair with drug for patchy skin
Scientists say they have found a way to restore hair colour with a drug. Prof. Karin Schallreuter and her team came across their treatment after discovering the cause of greying – a wear-and-tear process known as oxidative stress. As we age, our hair accumulates hydrogen peroxide, a bleach that robs it of its natural colour. The therapy removes this bleach, the FASEB journal reports. It is not yet clear if it can help avoid going grey, reports BBC News.
Sunlight could help to lower blood pressure
Researchers at the University of Edinburgh found that exposure to ultraviolet light lowered the blood pressure of volunteers. Scientists say the findings may lead them to reconsider current advice for sun exposure. High blood pressure is one of the main risk factors in heart disease and stroke. Around one-third of the population suffer from high blood pressure, reports The Telegraph.
France reports first case of new SARS-like virus
France has identified its first case of a new strain of coronavirus emerging from the Middle East in a person recently returned from the United Arab Emirates. The health ministry said it had opened an investigation into what it said was the first and only confirmed case of the virus in France and would hold a news conference later in the day, reports Reuters.
Many medical guidelines don't consider costs
Professional medical societies don't often consider costs when they're developing their treatment guidelines for specific conditions, according to a new study. Researchers at the U.S. National Institutes of Health found that just over half of the top medical societies with at least 10,000 members considered costs when developing best practices. The other half either implicitly considered costs or didn't address them at all, reports Reuters.
Mental health groups say new Canadian crime bill fuels stigma
The government's proposed changes to laws dealing with those found not criminally responsible for alleged crimes will fuel a stigma and teach Canadians to be afraid of people living with mental illness, advocates said Tuesday. Representatives from national mental health organizations were on Parliament Hill to voice their concerns with Bill C-54, reports CBC News.
Gene test may help guide prostate-cancer treatment
A new genetic test to gauge the aggressiveness of prostate cancer may help tens of thousands of men each year decide whether they need to treat their cancer right away or can safely monitor it. The new test, which goes on sale Wednesday in the United States, joins another one that recently came on the market. Both analyze multiple genes in a biopsy sample and give a score for aggressiveness, similar to tests used now for certain breast and colon cancers, reports Fox News.
San Francisco surrenders in fight over cellphone warnings
San Francisco city leaders, after losing a key round in court against the cell-phone industry, have agreed to revoke an ordinance that would have been the first in the United States to require retailers to warn consumers about potentially dangerous radiation levels, reports Reuters.
Best place in the world to be a mother is…
Thinking of having a baby? You may want to consider moving to Finland – the best place in the world to be a mother, according to Save the Children's 14th Mothers' Index. The index, part of the group's annual State of the World's Mothers report, is intended to illustrate the link between maternal and child well-being. Each year, nearly three million babies die within their first month of life – more than one-third die on their day of birth – and 287,000 women die from pregnancy or childbirth, reports CNN.