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July 16th, 2012
03:30 PM ET
FDA approves Truvada for prevention of HIV/AIDSAdults who do not have HIV but are at risk of getting the disease will now be able to take a drug to reduce their chance of getting infected. For the first time, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a drug for this use on Monday. The drug is Truvada, an antiretroviral medication made by Gilead Sciences, Inc., which was already approved by the FDA in 2004 to help control HIV infection. Truvada is a combination of two HIV medications - emtricitabine (Emtriva) and tenofovir (Viread) - into one pill that is taken once a day. As a treatment for HIV, it is always used in combination with other HIV drugs. 
July 16th, 2012
02:42 PM ET
When should I be screened for stomach cancer?Stomach cancer is rare in the United States, but that's not how it used to be. The American Cancer Society estimates about 21,320 cases of stomach cancer will be diagnosed in 2012 and about 10,540 people will die from the disease in the U. S. this year. "Interestingly, it was a leading cause of cancer death in U.S. 100 years ago," says Otis Brawley, chief medical and scientific officer of the ACS and CNN's conditions expert. "Declines are due to refrigeration and less reliance on salted and cured foods." Unfortunately, the same isn't true for the rest of the world. Stomach cancer is among the top 5 diseases that cause the majority of cancer deaths worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. It is most common in Eastern Asia, including Korea, Japan and China. 
July 16th, 2012
11:10 AM ET
Team sports help teens stay fitActive teens are healthy teens, but some kinds of activities may be better than others. New research published Monday in the journal Pediatrics suggests that team sports may be better at keeping kids' weight down than biking or walking to school. Study authors from Dartmouth College looked at the influence sports, physical education and commuting to school had on adolescents and their weight. Investigators surveyed more than 1,700 high school students by phone and asked them how much they participated in team sports, what other forms of physical activity they were involved in and their height and weight. 
July 16th, 2012
07:45 AM ET
Strength training key in preventing Alzheimer'sIt’s well-known that exercising to maintain a healthy heart also helps create a healthy mind. But several new studies suggest that when it comes to preventing dementia, not all forms of exercise are created equal. Studies presented at this year’s Alzheimer’s Association International Conference found that resistance training was particularly beneficial for improving the cognitive abilities of older adults. While the studies were small, all including 150 participants or less, they did seemed to indicate that resistance training – such as weight lifting or using resistance bands – could possibly be an intervention for dementia in older adults. 
July 16th, 2012
12:01 AM ET
Dental fillings linked to kids' behavior problemsTooth decay is the most common chronic disease in the U.S. for kids. In fact, more than half of elementary school students will have cavities by the time they're in second grade, according to the National Institutes of Health. Since the 1970s, dentists have been using tooth-colored fillings that contain derivatives of the controversial chemical bisphenol A (BPA), in favor of the metal amalgam fillings. Now a new analysis on dental fillings in children suggests these non-metal fillings may contribute to behavioral problems. The study authors caution that their results only point to an association; they say their analysis does not prove that BPA causes any behavior changes. |
  About this blog
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the latest stories from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen and the CNN Medical Unit producers. They'll share news and views on health and medical trends - info that will help you take better care of yourself and the people you love.
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