Health Report: May 25, 1998

THE GOOD NEWS

ESTROGEN ALTERNATIVE Raloxifene, which prevents osteoporosis in postmenopausal women, may also reduce risk factors for heart disease--like high cholesterol levels. It's not as effective as estrogen, but unlike the hormone, it's not linked to breast cancer.

SNUFFING OUT FLU An experimental vaccine that reduces kids' odds of getting the flu also lowers the risk of complications like ear infections. Fewer tears too: it's not a shot, it's a nose spray.

GERM WARFARE Scientists studying the Epstein-Barr virus in immunosuppressed patients may have figured out how viruses are linked to tumors. Cancer therapies targeting viruses could result.

Sources:Journal of the American Medical Association; New England Journal of Medicine (2,3)

THE BAD NEWS

PREGNANT PAUSE Women undergoing in-vitro fertilization, listen up. Federal agencies are concerned about taking aspirin in combination with the blood thinner heparin to maintain a pregnancy. Worry: risk of hemorrhage.

DRUG RESISTANCE Patients on cholesterol-lowering drugs will, over the course of a year, fail to fill their Rxs 40% of the time. After five years, half stop taking the drugs altogether. Unpleasant side effects are partly to blame.

CANCER CARE Tamoxifen, the anti-breast cancer drug, is prescribed to too few patients. A study finds that it benefits women of all ages with the cancer, not just postmenopausal ones.

Sources: Centers for Disease Control; Journal of the American Medical Association; Lancet

--By Janice M. Horowitz