►January 17, 2004 - Anti-Counterfeit Steps By Drugmakers Sought - Legislators' Goal Is to Halt Illegal Sales - Washington Post - "Congressional lawmakers asked five of the nation's largest drugmakers yesterday to explain what they are doing to stop counterfeit drugs from entering the marketplace. The letters are part of a widening effort in Congress and among federal agencies to crack down on the illegal distribution of prescription drugs."

►January 19, 2004 - Coffee lowers diabetes risk - China Daily - "People who gulp several cups of coffee a day can greatly lower their risk of developing diabetes later in life, even if they are overweight, according to a US Study published on Tuesday...The study of 125,000 people suggests that caffeinated coffee - not caffeine-free - may affect the body's metabolism in positive ways, the researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health said."

►January 19, 2004 - Proteins 'may help memories form' - Proteins which behave like those linked to vCJD and BSE may play a role in forming memories, scientists claim. - BBC - "Prions, abnormal proteins which change normal proteins into copies of themselves, are thought to cause neurodegenerative diseases...But researchers at New York's Columbia University say a protein which behaves in the same way may help make memories...Writing in Nature magazine, they say prions may perform other beneficial roles in the body."

►January 17, 2004 - Single-jab clinic sees 60 infants - This Is Local London - "Parents fearful of the effects of the controversial MMR vaccine got a chance to give their children separate jabs...The children will have the same vaccines injected into them as the triple MMR but by nine separate injections over a longer period of time instead of the single MMR administered in one go."

►January 17, 2004 - Autistic children left hanging - Wind Lake mom, others scramble to replace therapy service after state switch - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - "Hundreds of families across the state, many in southeastern Wisconsin, are scrambling to maintain treatment for their autistic children after a providersuddenly dropped out of the Medicaid-funded program in December...It is the latest setback for parents of these often severely impaired children, at a time when some are exploring a class-action lawsuit to restore treatment levels cut as part of a state budget compromise reached last year."

►January 18, 2004 - Camp lets kids with autism be themselves - Program designed to help youths with the disorder feel accepted and safe, founder says. - www.indystar.com

►January 18, 2004 - Evolving empathy: Through a workshop, South Butler students gain a better understanding of a life with disabilities - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

►January 14, 2004 - Coping With Autism Many Moms Left Straining For Services - Daily News via YellowBrix - "For parents, there is little relief in sight...'The increase in autism is causing an increase in demand in services,' said Steve Graff, director of the Tri-County Regional Center in Simi Valley, which offers referrals to parents. 'And there are only so many people out there that can do that kind of service.'"

►January 15, 2004 - Study Finds Huge Variability in Vitamin E Absorption - Oregon State University - "The research may explain, Traber said, why many past research studies done with vitamin E have varied findings. It's quite possible, she said, that the manner in which people took vitamin E supplements and the variation in its bioavailability from person to person have yielded widely inconsistent results about the value of this nutrient in heart disease and other degenerative diseases."

►January 18, 2004 - Probe Sought Into NIH Officials' Outside Work Three House Democrats ask the investigative arm of Congress to look into 'potential conflicts of interest' stemming from drug-firm payments. (requires registration) - The Los Angeles Times - "Citing details from a Los Angeles Times article published last month, the House members called for an "investigation into potential conflicts of interest" at the federal government's center for medical research on humans...In an interview, Waxman said, 'It is evident that there is a real problem at NIH, when researchers can make hundreds of thousands of dollars consulting, at the same time they're doing research paid for by the public.'"