Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:
Similac Infant Formula Recalled for Bug Contamination
More than 4 million containers of Similac powdered infant formulas are being recalled by the manufacturer, Abbott Laboratories, because the products may contain a small beetle or larvae, which could cause stomach ache and digestion problems.
A company spokeswoman said Abbott uncovered the insects last week in one section of a Michigan manufacturing plant, according to the Associated Press.
The company has been consulting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which determined there was no “immediate health risk” from the contamination, AP reported.
The affected products are in plastic containers and various can sizes, including 8-ounce, 12.4-ounce and 12.9-ounce, and were sold in the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam and some Caribbean countries.
The recall does not affect any liquid formulas, but Abbott has set up a Web site and consumer hot line at (800) 986-8850. Consumers can enter the lot number on their containers online to determine if they are subject to the recall. The products should be returned to Abbott for a full refund.
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Nearly One-Third Of U.S. Teens Involved in Violence: Study
Nearly one-third (7.8 million) of American adolescents took part in violent behavior within the previous year, according to a U.S.government study released Wednesday.
The analysis of data collected from 112,885 adolescents, ages 12 to 17, who were interviewed between 2004 and 2008 found that 22.6 percent reported being in a serious fight at school or work, 16.1 percent were involved in group-against-group fighting, and 7.5 percent said they had attacked others with intent to seriously harm them.
Violent behavior was more likely among males (34.6 percent) than among females (27 percent), said the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
The study also found that family income appeared to be a key factor. For example, adolescents from homes with family incomes of $75,000 or more were less likely to engage in violent behaviors than those from families with annual incomes of less than $20,000 (24.6 percent vs. 40.5 percent).
School grades were also associated with the likelihood of violent behavior. For example, 17.7 percent of adolescents with “A” averages were involved in violence, compared with 53.8 percent of those with “D” averages.
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White House Pushing New Health Care Provisions
Six months after the new health care law took effect, the White House is launching a campaign to win over the many Americans who remain skeptical about it.
The Obama administration is highlighting new reforms that take effect Thursday, the Associated Press reported. They include provisions that prohibit insurers from cancelling coverage for people who become ill, that offer free coverage for preventive care, that also offer coverage under parental policies for young adults until they are 26 and which remove lifetime coverage limits.
The new provisions are being touted by Democrats as a “Patient’s Bill of Rights.”
“When people better understand the Affordable Care Act, they’ll understand, I think, that this isn’t something being done to them but is something that’s really going to be valuable to them,” Obama said Tuesday during a conference call with community and religious leaders, the AP reported.