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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Happiness is contagious, researchers reported on Thursday.

Prescription-only painkillers available over the internet could be 'deadly' say experts.

The number of drug- and alcohol-related traffic fatalities in the Washington area dropped slightly last year after a more than 31 percent increase the previous year, according to a report to be released today by the Washington Regional Alcohol Program.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Traumatic brain injury may lead to an increased risk of developing symptoms like those of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and other disorders, a panel of experts said on Thursday.

The nation's first scientific study on the relationship between smoking and respiratory disease among Hispanic versus non-Hispanic white (NHW) women revealed that NHW women smokers were at greater risk of developing airflow obstruction and diminished lung function than Hispanic women who smoke - a surprising finding given that many diseases more adversely affect ethnic minorities. smoking-related respiratory diseases are a major cause of death among all women. read more

Responding to the Queen's speech today, ASH welcomed the promise of legislation to improve public health but expressed disappointment that the detail of the measures to protect children by tackling smoking have not yet been made clear. Overall ASH is optimistic that measures to further curb tobacco marketing will be included in the new health bill and that the government will resist pressures from business to weaken or stop the implementation of these policies. read more

Persons with physical disabilities in Schenectady, N.Y., will now have improved access to existing social service buildings, according to a voluntary agreement signed between the U.S. Department of health and Human Services and the Schenectady County Department of Social Services (SCDSS). The voluntary agreement signed by HHS' Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and SCDSS ensures all SCDSS public buildings are accessible to individuals with physical disabilities, including individuals with mobility impairments. read more

When it comes to the health of their children and even parents, many moms feel it's their responsibility to be as educated as possible about health and medicine. With the many different medicines out there, it is hard to keep track of who in the family is taking what and the dangers of drug reactions, interactions and side effects. In fact, the incidence of serious drug reactions is increasing, according to a recent analysis of adverse drug events reported to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). read more

Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. provided positive survival results from a randomized Phase 2 clinical trial of OGX-011 in combination with docetaxel and prednisone compared to docetaxel and prednisone alone for first-line treatment of metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer. read more

Many dentists and dental office staff have realized the benefits of electronic claim submission; however, very few dental professionals have taken advantage of electronic predeterminations. These electronic transactions may increase office efficiency, while offering the convenience of determining benefit information while the patient is still in the office. read more