Americans produce excellent cheeses, but cheese making has recently become something of a struggle.   The cheese industry has been trying to make products with less salt or fat that consumers will like.   Success has not been great. Gregory D. Miller, president of the Dairy Research Institute, said, “We’ve made some progress in that arena.  But we have not been able to crack the code.”  Dr. Miller was referring to efforts to reduce salt, but a similar appraisal applies to the challenges... 

Parents beware. The tiny coin-shaped flat batteries found in a number of electronics, toys and musical greeting cards might be life threatening to younger children. On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control released an analysis that found that 14 children, 13 years and younger died and over 40,000 were injured from small batteries. The deaths of the 14 children were reported between 1997 and 2010. Fifty percent of those who died were between the years 2009 and 2010. One reason these ingestions of... 

The FDA has granted approval for the first-ever human trial of cellular transplant to cure paralysis.  Miami Project doctors stated in a press conference that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had granted a green light to begin Phase 1 human trials for a new surgical technique to reduce the effects of paralysis.  The technique involves transplanting nerve cells from the leg into the spine of newly paralyzed patients.  The hope is that they would grow and restore some function and sensation. It... 

A recent study of men from Sweden suggests that by eating a moderate quantity of chocolate weekly that is made in Europe might help to prevent them from having a stroke. The study suggested that men who consumed a third of a cup of chocolate lowered their risk of stroke compared to men who did not eat any chocolate. Men who ate the largest quantity of chocolate lowered their risk of stroke by 17%, equivalent to 12 strokes fewer for every 100,000 person-years compared to men who did not eat chocolate.... 

Many patients with heart failure soon develop symptoms of depression.  A new study suggests that an exercise plan ay be able to ease the melancholy feelings.  In some cases, it was found that an exercise plan created mood improvements comparable to the effects seen with medication treatments. Around five million Americans are living with heart failure and more than half a million new cases diagnosed annually.  The drastic decline in their physical abilities experienced by some patients after suffering... 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approve a new drug for HIV, but the price of the new medication received a great deal of criticism from an AIDS activist. Michael Weinstein, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation president, said the drug would put even more pressure on the health programs that are already strained that pay the majority of the HIV medications. Weinstein called the $28,500 a year cost shockingly irresponsible. He leads the foundation that treats over 100,000 individuals who are infected... 

Teenagers, who smoke marijuana on a regular basis risk a drop in their IQ over the long term, said a new study recently released. Researchers did not find IQ drops that were the same for those people who became frequent smokers of marijuana after reaching the age of 18. Although researchers said the most recent findings were not definitive, they fit with earlier signs that marijuana is harmful to a brain that is developing. The study’s lead researcher from Duke University, Madeline Meier, said... 

Roche Holdings AG said on Monday that its new drug T-DM1 has extended women’s lives significantly, who have an aggressive type of breast cancer, compared to those who received a standard form of drug treatment. Breast cancer is the world’s most common cancer among women, with annual new diagnoses reaching 1.4 million. Nearly 450,000 women lose their battle against cancer each year, according to World Health Organization figures. The drug maker said that its Genentech unit would be submitting... 

The Food and Drug Administration announced approval of the first new prescription diet pill in 13 years.  The approved drug is known as lorcaserin and will be sold by Eisai Inc. under the name Belviq.  An advisory committee to the F.D.A. recommended approval of Belviq by a vote of 18 to 4. The new drug was developed by Arena Pharmaceuticals of San Diego, founded in 1997.  Belviq is the first drug to reach the market for the company.  Arena successfully came back with new data addressing the F.D.A’s... 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has revised its recommendation on the Tdap vaccine and now urges all adults to get a single dose from their health care provider.   Dr. Tom Clark, a CDC medical epidemiologist, said that even adults who had whooping cough as children or who were previously vaccinated should get a dose of Tdap.  A 2010 survey found that only 8% of adults have gotten a Tdap booster.  The Tdap vaccine is sold under the brand names Boostrix and Adacel. The Tdap vaccine...