LONDON – Sticking strictly to a Mediterranean diet rich in fruits and vegetables offers substantial protection against cancer, heart disease and other major chronic illnesses, Italian researchers said on Friday. People who did this had a 9 percent drop in death from heart disease, a 13 percent reduction in incidence of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease and a 6 percent reduction in cancer compared to those who were not as diligent, their study found.

Gene mutation underlies some mad cow disease: study

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A rare genetic mutation may underlie some cases of mad cow disease in cattle and its discovery may help shed light on where the epidemic started, U.S. researchers reported on Friday. The mutation, in an Alabama cow that tested positive in 2006 for bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE, is identical to one that causes a related brain-wasting disease in humans. This suggests BSE may sometimes arise spontaneously in cattle.

Lawmakers investigate Wyeth vitamin claims

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Two U.S. lawmakers are investigating advertising claims by Wyeth (WYE.N) that promote its Centrum Cardio vitamin as a cholesterol-lowering product, according to a letter to the company released on Friday. Michigan Reps. John Dingell and Bart Stupak are seeking related company documents following television commercials that tout the vitamin as “the only complete multivitamin that can lower cholesterol,” according to the lawmakers' letter.

Investors await bone drug data from Amgen

BOSTON (Reuters) – Results due next week from a trial of Amgen Inc's (AMGN.O) experimental osteoporosis drug denosumab will represent a pivotal moment for the world's biggest biotechnology company as it struggles with declining sales of its flagship anemia drugs. Data to be presented next Tuesday at a meeting of the American Society of Bone Mineral Research in Montreal will likely determine whether the drug is a multi-billion dollar product or an also-ran. Expectations are running high.

Merck vaccine wins OK for vaginal cancer

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. health regulators have approved Merck and Co's (MRK.N) Gardasil vaccine to protect women against rare vaginal and vulvar cancers, the Food and Drug Administration said on Friday. The vaccine is already available in the United States to prevent cervical cancer and genital warts in girls and women ages nine to 26 years old.

Stress may increase the risk of breast cancer

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – The results of a new study support an interaction between severe life events, psychological distress, and breast cancer. The findings appear in the online BioMed Central journal BMC Cancer. “Young women who are exposed to severe life events more than once should be considered as a risk group for breast cancer and treated accordingly,” first author Dr. Ronit Peled said in a telephone interview with Reuters Health.

Smoking during pregnancy shows mixed effects

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Smoking during pregnancy appears to affect children's birthweight, and possibly their risk of becoming overweight, but it may not directly harm other aspects of physical and cognitive development, a large study suggests. The findings, from a study of nearly 53,000 U.S. children born in the 1960s, found that those whose mothers smoked during pregnancy were at higher risk of low birthweight – a link that studies have long noted.

Mini antibodies: biotech's next big thing?

LONDON (Reuters) – GlaxoSmithKline Plc's (GSK.L) head of biotech research is excited about a new generation of ”slimline” antibody medicines that may be successors to current blockbusters such as Avastin and Rituxan. That's no surprise, perhaps, given Ian Tomlinson headed the next-generation antibody firm Domantis until Glaxo snapped it up for 230 million pounds ($405 million) in 2006.

Mealtime help cuts weight loss in residential care

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Individualized attention during daily meals and snacks in between minimizes weight loss among long-stay nursing home residents, researchers report. The amount and quality of daily feeding assistance “can and does make a significant difference on the nutritional health status of a frail population,” Dr. Sandra F. Simmons told Reuters Health.

Gene switch malfunctioning in chronic lung disease

CHICAGO (Reuters) – Smokers who have chronic lung disease are much more likely to have a poorly working antioxidant defense system than other smokers, a finding that may lead to new treatments, U.S. researchers said on Friday. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, is the fourth-leading cause of death in the United States and the world and is on the rise. There is no cure.