Severe Psoriasis Linked to Early Death

Could one day be used to create artificial corneas, too

(NEWSER) - Babies' foreskins: The new wonder material? Maybe. They're already being used to make wrinkle creams , and now German scientists have developed a machine that uses the foreskin of young boys to grow artificial skin, reports the Local . For now, the researchers hope their innovation can be used for testing consumer products, replacing animal testing—but the technology's longer-term potential is much more ambitious, and could be used for creating artificial corneas and for research into cancer and a whole host of illnesses. More»

(NEWSER) - Disco may be dead, but it can still help others live. So say University of Illinois researchers, who found that med students performed CPR more effectively to the beat of the Bee Gees classic “Stayin’ Alive,” notes the Health Blog of the Wall Street Journal. Seems the song has 103 beats per minute, and CPR guidelines call for 100 compressions per minute. More»

Glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate are top sellers in US

(NEWSER) - Popular nutritional supplements glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate don’t slow the progression of arthritis, a 2-year study finds. Though a combination of the two is the nation's sixth-highest-selling dietary supplement, they didn’t cut cartilage loss any better than sugar pills in osteoarthritis patients, reports USA Today, confirming the findings of earlier research. More»

Lawmakers lash astronomical hikes in drugs for rare diseases

(NEWSER) - In the face of astronomical hikes in the price of drugs used to treat children, a congressional committee is looking into why companies have increased prescription costs as much as 18-fold when related research and marketing expenses are stable, according to lawmakers. One such company charges $69,000 for a three-vial drug treating infantile spasms—while a $15 alternative exists, reports Portfolio. More»

No proof 8 glasses a day does a body good: study

(NEWSER) - Kidney experts looking into the alleged health benefits of drinking lots of water have found the evidence to be far from watertight, Reuters reports. Claims that increased water intake improves skin tone, flushes toxins from the body, reduces appetite, and prevents headaches have little solid research behind them, according to a study to be published in the Journal of American Phrenology. More»