NIH news stories on Newser

Cancer Research Held Back by ... Wrong Labels?

Mark Russell — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 09:40:05 CDT

As many as one-third of cancer cell lines used by scientists around the world could be wrongly labeled, undermining huge amounts of medical research, reports the Wall Street Journal . For basic biology research, the problem is probably not so serious. But for the study of specific cancers and treatment, wrongly...

Feds Halt Chimp Research

Matt Cantor — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 15:55:02 CST

A new report suggests that the use of chimpanzees in health research is rarely justified, and the National Institutes of Health has taken it to heart. The organization has placed a temporary ban on using chimps in new research, "effective immediately," the Washington Post reports. A committee will examine research...

Erin Brockovich Carcinogen Runs Rampant in US Tap Water

Mark Russell — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 07:01:05 CST

Those who thought Erin Brockovich was just a decent movie might want to check their drinking water: An environmental group has found the probable carcinogen featured in the film in the tap water of 31 of 35 US cities it analyzed—the first such study of hexavalent chromium to be...

Vitamin D's Grade: A+, or Incomplete?

Katherine Thompson — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 19:27:01 CDT

Vitamin D, the "sunshine vitamin," has been getting plenty of good press lately, leading some to ask why more people aren't guzzling it to help stave off heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. But as the government looks to update its guidelines, many experts warn that bombarding people with the vitamin...

Alzheimer's Less Prevalent Than Suspected

Colleen Barry — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 12:39:47 CDT

A new study estimates that 2.4 million people, or 9.7% of Americans over age 71, have Alzheimer's disease, fewer than originally suspected. Unlike prior studies, which have focused on a small region or select cities, researchers assessed seniors in 42 states to arrive at the "best" estimates to...

NIH Won't Breed Chimps for Research

Colleen Barry — Fri, 25 May 2007 06:21:58 CDT

The National Institutes of Health will stop breeding chimpanzees for use in medical testing, the agency announced yesterday. The practice is being abandoned for financial reasons, NIH says; because chimpanzees live upwards of 50 years in captivity, their lifelong upkeep costs $500,000.