Mexico enacts rules against 'miracle cure' ads

MEXICO CITY (AP) ? Mexico enacted tough new rules Thursday to ban advertising of "miracle cures" for weight loss, sagging body parts and more serious illnesses like prostate ailments, chronic fatigue and even cancer.

Mexico has a long history of faith healers and home remedies, but the problem has come to a head in the last few years with a constant stream of ads on television for more "scientific" sounding creams that supposedly lift or enlarge breast and buttocks, magnets that help users lose weight, or pills and powders that cure gastric problems or diabetes.

In a country with levels of diabetes and obesity among the highest in the world, the combination of a sick population and fake cures can be deadly.

"This is a fraud," said regulator Mikel Arriola, whose Federal Commission for Protection against Health Risks is the agency in charge of regulating pharmaceuticals in Mexico. "It is a very serious public health problem, because people take these things instead of going to the doctor ... they lose time in getting treatment or getting cured."

Under the new rules, which take effect in 30 days, authorities can order media outlets to remove such advertising within 24 hours, and it steeply raises fines that can be levied on manufacturers and distributors that advertise the products.

The rules require that any product making a therapeutic claim will first have to prove it is listed in Mexico's pharmaceutical register. The register requires scientific proof of effectiveness and a scientific description of how the medicine or medical apparatus achieves its claimed effects.

That is probably not going to be possible for products like "Acu-Mag." Its advertising purports that when the tiny pad with eight bumps is placed in the outer ear and massaged a few minutes each day, it helps customers lose weight through what ads call "auricular therapy" ? an alternative medicine supposedly derived from acupuncture.

According to the manufacturer's published claims, the pad "helps you lose weight ten times faster than any other (method) ... eliminates anxiety, burns the fat on your body, improves digestion."

Arriola said the ad should no longer be able to air because it makes claims of medical treatment.

Nor should ads for an herbal supplement called Prostaliv, which promises to reduce prostate enlargement and urinary problems in two to four weeks. Similar claims are made for Mulunggay, another herbal extract that is touted as being able to "combat 300 diseases" and control diabetes.

Anyone with real health issues who relies on such non-working treatments could wind up getting worse, "and that represents a cost for the government," Arriola said, because public hospitals have to treat sicker people.

But he added that supposed "miracle cures" are seldom outright dangerous. "Mainly what these companies are doing is selling a placebo, and spending a lot of money on advertising to promote it."

Executives at two of Mexico's largest vendors of such cure-alls could not be reached for comment. An employee at one of the companies appeared not to have heard of the new rules, and the other firm had an incorrect phone number listed with the Mexican stock exchange.

Companies do appear to have been taking note of the government's plan.

Some already run small-print slogans with their ads stating that "this is not a medicine." Arriola called that "an evasive maneuver" and said such ads won't be exempt from the new rules if they still make medical claims.

And the marketing companies also appear to be moving into less-regulated areas, such as corsets in various forms that are "guaranteed" to give wearers a perfect figure instantly. Those ads could continue to run, in theory, as long as they don't make claims that the product is doing anything but hiding fat.

President Felipe Calderon announced the new rules as a sort of crusade against the power of deceitful advertising.

"Every day, at every hour, on radio, television and the Internet, in print media, the public is literally being bombarded with a huge quantity of ads for all sorts of products that supposedly have curative powers," Calderon said. "They put the health and economic well-being of the population at risk."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/bbd825583c8542898e6fa7d440b9febc/Article_2012-01-19-LT-Mexico-Fake-Medicines/id-821947479b754098a9d173adc615734e

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Cup relief

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By STEVE DOUGLAS

updated 10:42 p.m. ET Jan. 17, 2012

LONDON - Danny Gabbidon headed in Shaun Wright-Phillips' corner kick in the 73rd minute, and Queens Park Rangers beat the third-tier MK Dons 1-0 in a replay Tuesday night to reach a fourth-round matchup against London rival Chelsea in the FA Cup.

Bolton also reached the last 32 of soccer's oldest knockout competition, defeating fourth-tier Macclesfield 2-0 on goals by Kevin Davies in the first minute and Martin Petrov in the 26th. Bolton will play Swansea next in another all-Premier League match on Jan. 28.

Second-tier League Championship teams Leicester and Millwall also progressed from replays on Tuesday.

Leicester routed Nottingham Forest 4-0 behind a Jermaine Beckford hat trick and will play fourth-tier team Swindon. Millwall will host fellow League Championship team Southampton after defeating Dagenham & Redbridge 5-0 as Darius Henderson scored three goals.

___

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) ? Espanyol scored three times from the 85th minute on to rally for a 3-2 win over third-division Mirandes in the first leg of their Copa del Rey quarterfinal.

Alain Arroyo scored a 27th-minute opener for Mirandes and Pablo Infante scored his competition-high fifth goal in the 77th at Cornella-El Prat stadium.

Vladimir Weiss started the hosts' comeback in the 85th, Rui Fonte tied it two minutes later and Espanyol captain Joan Verdu took advantage of a defensive error to score the winner with a left-footed shot in the 90th.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Cup relief

Queens Park Rangers and Bolton both avoid upsets in their FA Cup replay games on Tuesday.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/46031116/ns/sports-soccer/

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Study: Many women can skip frequent bone scans

ATLANTA (AP) ? New research could mean millions of older women can skip frequent screening tests for osteoporosis: If an initial bone scan shows no big problems, many can safely wait 15 years to have another one, the study suggests.

Government advisers and leading doctor groups urge osteoporosis screening, but no one has known how often that should happen. The findings offer the best information to date on that question, experts said.

"This is landmark, in the sense that it could allow us to move on to more precise guidelines," said Dr. Heidi Nelson, a researcher at the Oregon Health & Science University who is an expert on the topic.

At issues are bone mineral density tests, which usually are done through X-rays and cost around $250. It takes about 10 minutes and involves less radiation than what's emitted during a chest X-ray. Medicare pays for testing every two years.

The new study feeds concerns that the tests are done too often, at least for some women.

"It's an expenditure of time, it's exposure to radiation, and it's cost. And there's no reason to expose yourself to any risks if there's going to be no benefit," explained Dr. Virginia Moyer, who heads the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a government panel that issues testing guidelines.

The test measures how thick bones are in certain spots, usually focusing on the hip and lower spine. Doctors use it to gain early warning of osteoporosis, a bone-thinning disease that can be staved off with better diet and exercise and treated with bone-building drugs. Nearly half of all women older than 50 will break a bone because of osteoporosis, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation.

The government task force recommends that all women over 65 get a scan. The panel also recommends testing for younger postmenopausal women who seem at higher risk for fractures. But the task force has not said how often follow-up tests should be done, just that a couple years between tests are needed.

There are no immediate plans to update the task force's advice for osteoporosis screenings, but the new study will be an important consideration when the panel acts again, Moyer said.

The new, government-funded research involves nearly 5,000 women aged 67 years and older in a national health study that began in the 1980s. None had osteoporosis at the outset.

The researchers looked at how the women did on bone density tests, and watched for who got osteoporosis and when. They were followed for 15 years.

Based on that, the researchers concluded that women with a healthy initial test could wait as long as 15 years before getting a second screening. But women deemed at moderate risk should get tested about every five years. And women at high risk should get tested more often, perhaps even annually.

The research, published in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine, was led by Dr. Margaret Gourlay of the University of North Carolina. She worries that her findings might be misinterpreted and cause some women to wait longer than they should for their next test. She cited earlier research suggesting not enough women get the recommended initial scan.

The 15-year interval applies only to postmenopausal women judged to be at low risk for osteoporosis from the first screening, she noted, and perhaps fewer than half of U.S. women over 65 fall into that category.

But she said even for those women, other risk factors have to be considered: smoking, slim build, prior broken bones and taking medication that has an eroding effect on bones.

She also noted that osteoporosis becomes a greater risk in the oldest patients, so a woman with a moderate risk who is 85 or older might be better off getting tested every three years instead of every five.

___

Online:

New England Journal: http://www.nejm.org

Osteoporosis information: http://www.bones.nih.gov

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/bbd825583c8542898e6fa7d440b9febc/Article_2012-01-18-US-MED-Osteoporosis-Screening/id-016d7b332f224350a601f86a22f150c9

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"Artist," "Descendants" shine at Golden Globes (Reuters)

LOSS ANGELES (Reuters) ? Silent-era film "The Artist" and family drama "The Descendants" were the top film picks at the Golden Globe Awards on Sunday in a loose-lipped awards show that even had host Ricky Gervais walking onto the stage with a drink in his hand.

"The Descendants," starring George Clooney as a man steering his family through a tragic time when his wife is in a coma, won two Golden Globe trophies, including the top honor of best dramatic movie and another for Clooney as best dramatic actor.

Onstage he thanked writer/director Alexander Payne and backstage told reporters, "he knows how to tell stories. He knows how to make something funny and how to turn it around."

Clooney called the movie "a coming-of-age film for a 50-year-old and a lot of us have dealt with people like that."

"The Artist," a romantic tale about a failing actor who finds love at a time when movies were changing from silents to talkies, picked up three awards including best musical or comedy and best actor in a musical or comedy for its star, French actor Jean Dujardin.

Onstage, Dujardin did the most appropriate thing -- gave his speech, thanked his colleagues, then signed off by not saying a word. And true to stealing almost every scene of his in the movie, little dog Uggie detracted from an emotional speech by the film's director, Michel Hazanavicius, when the dog begged for a treat.

Other key winners included Meryl Streep for best actress in a film drama with her portrayal of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in "The Iron Lady." Streep, who is typically reliable with a funny acceptance speech had a difficult time reading hers this year when she forgot her glasses.

Michelle Williams took the trophy for best actress in a comedy or musical with her role as Marilyn Monroe in "My Week with Marilyn.

"I consider myself a mother first and an actress second. The person I most want to thank (is) my daughter, my little girl," Williams said referring to her child with the late actor Heath Ledger. "I want to say thank you for sending me off to this job everyday with a hug and a kiss."

Veteran Christopher Plummer, 82, won supporting actor with his portrayal of an elderly man who comes out as gay to his family in "Beginners," bringing both poignancy and a touch of humor to their lives. Octavia Spencer, playing a beleaguered housemaid in the U.S. South during the civil rights era in "The Help" was best supporting actress.

Woody Allen was given a Golden Globe for his screenplay for "Midnight in Paris" and Steven Spielberg won best animated film with his rollicking "The Adventures of Tintin."

Iranian film "A Separation" was named best foreign language film, and its director, Ashgar Farhadi, used the opportunity to tell world audiences that "my people. I think they are a truly peace-loving people."

OSCAR RACE LOOMS

The Golden Globe Awards are given out by the roughly 90 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association at what annually is among the key events during Hollywood's awards season because of the media exposure it brings.

Many of the movies and stars that win here also go on to compete for Oscars later this year, and "The Artist," which was the most-nominated film coming into the Golden Globes with six nods overall, will certainly become a frontrunner for the world's top film honors, as will "Descendants" and "The Help."

Oscar nominations from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will given out on January 24.

Unlike the Oscar voters, HFPA members also vote on their favorite TV shows and performances and in that arena "Homeland," about a modern-day CIA agent tracking returning war soldiers who may be terrorists, took home two Golden Globes for best drama series and best actress in a drama for Claire Danes.

Best actor in a drama TV series went to Kelsey Grammer for his role as a stern corporate manager in "Boss."

"Modern Family," a take on extended families in current-day America, took the prize for best comedy and its stars enjoyed one of the more memorable moments of the night when star Sofia Vergara gave their acceptance speech in Spanish, with English translation from creator Steve Levitan.

Best actress in a TV comedy went to Laura Dern for "Enlightened" and the comedic actor trophy was won by Matt LeBlanc for "Episodes."

Coming into the show, all eyes were on host Gervais, who ruffled the feathers of many a Hollywood celebrities last year at the Golden Globes. While he didn't tone down his jokes for the 2012 audience -- making fun of Johnny Depp, Jodie Foster, Kim Kardashian and the HFPA itself -- it seemed the stars were in the mood for his biting wit this time around.

"I thought he did a great job," Clooney told reporters backstage. "I think he handled tonight like a proper good host again ... people were expecting a lot of trash talk, and he did a little bit of that, and he made me laugh, he was very funny."

In fact, it seemed Gervais' humor was rather tame at some points compared to others who made penis jokes onstage and used foul language. At one point, Gervais came onstage drinking a beer, but somehow that seemed fitting for an awards show that bills itself as one big Hollywood party.

(Reporting By Bob Tourtellotte; Editing by Sandra Maler)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/enindustry/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120116/media_nm/us_goldenglobes

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Russia asks if US radar ruined space probe

FILE - In this Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011 file photo, the Zenit-2SB rocket with the Phobos-Ground probe blasts off from its launch pad at the Cosmodrome Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Some of the recent failures of Russian spacecraft may have been caused by hostile interference, Roscosmos chief Vladimir Popovkin said. Popovkin made the comment when asked about the failure of the unmanned Phobos-Ground probe, which was to explore one of the Mars twin moons, Phobos, but became stranded while orbiting Earth after its Nov. 9 launch. The spacecraft is expected to fall to Earth around Jan. 15. ( (AP Photo, File)

FILE - In this Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011 file photo, the Zenit-2SB rocket with the Phobos-Ground probe blasts off from its launch pad at the Cosmodrome Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Some of the recent failures of Russian spacecraft may have been caused by hostile interference, Roscosmos chief Vladimir Popovkin said. Popovkin made the comment when asked about the failure of the unmanned Phobos-Ground probe, which was to explore one of the Mars twin moons, Phobos, but became stranded while orbiting Earth after its Nov. 9 launch. The spacecraft is expected to fall to Earth around Jan. 15. ( (AP Photo, File)

MOSCOW (AP) ? Russia will look into the possibility that a U.S. radar station could have inadvertently interfered with the failed Mars moon probe that plummeted to Earth, Russian media reported Tuesday, but experts argued that any such claims were far-fetched.

The state news agency RIA Novosti quoted Yury Koptev, former head of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, as saying investigators will conduct tests to check if U.S. radar emissions could have impacted the Phobos-Ground space probe, which was stuck in Earth's orbit for two months before crashing down near Chile and Brazil.

"The results of the experiment will allow us to prove or dismiss the possibility of the radar's impact," said Koptev, who is heading the government commission charged with investigating causes of the probe's failure.

U.S. experts suggested that the Russians should look for causes of the failure at home.

"The Russian Space Agency would do themselves and the future of Russian planetary exploration some good to look inside the project and the agency to find the cause of the Phobos-Ground mishap," said Alan Stern, former associate administrator for science at NASA and now director of the Florida Space Institute at the University of Central Florida.

The current Roscosmos head, Vladimir Popovkin, has said the craft's malfunction could have been caused by foreign interference. Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin acknowledged U.S. radar interference as a possible cause but said it was too early to make any conclusions and suggested the problem could be the spacecraft itself.

"Practially all disruptions are due to flaws in the technologies manufactured 12 to 13 years ago," he said.

Other space experts said the possibility of U.S. interference should be considered only after investigating all other possible causes.

Alexander Zakharov, a specialist at the Space Research Institute, which developed the Phobos-Ground, called the suggestion "contrived" and doubted the United States has radar powerful enough to interfere with a spacecraft at an altitude of around 200 kilometers (124 miles).

"You can come up with a lot of exotic reasons," Zakharov told RIA Novosti. "But first you need to look at the apparatus itself, and there is a problem there."

The Phobos-Ground fell to Earth on Sunday in the vicinity of Chile and Brazil, but no confirmed impact sites have been reported.

The $170 million craft was one of the heaviest and most toxic pieces of space junk ever to crash to Earth, but space officials and experts said the risks posed by its crash were minimal because the toxic rocket fuel on board and most of the craft's structure would burn up in the atmosphere high above the ground anyway.

The Phobos-Ground probe was designed to travel to one of Mars' twin moons, Phobos, land on it, collect soil samples and fly them back to Earth in 2014 in one of the most daunting interplanetary missions ever. It got stranded in Earth's orbit after its Nov. 9 launch, and efforts by Russian and European Space Agency experts to bring it back to life failed.

Phobos-Ground was Russia's most expensive and the most ambitious space mission since Soviet times. Its mission to the crater-dented, potato-shaped Martian moon was to give scientists precious materials that could shed more light on the genesis of the solar system.

Russia's space chief has acknowledged the Phobos-Ground mission was ill-prepared, but said that Roscosmos had to give it the go-ahead so as not to miss the limited Earth-to-Mars launch window.

___

Associated Press writer Seth Borenstein contributed to this report from Washington, D.C.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/b2f0ca3a594644ee9e50a8ec4ce2d6de/Article_2012-01-17-EU-Russia-Falling-Spacecraft/id-84f50ef1c85845c0ad35705ce34a25d0

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Should RIM Abandon Ship?

Peter Rojas published a thought-provoking piece about RIM and BlackBerry 10. He said, in short, that the Canadian company should wipe out Blackberry OS and run Android or Windows or, barring that, sell out completely and offer a software package running on another OS. While both of those are logical positions, I think RIM will end up in far worse shape than those options allow. RIM is popular for three reasons: the keyboard, BBM, and the back-end software. For most of this decade, IT shops have been able to send out fleets of BlackBerry products without concern simply because there was nothing better for email and messaging. Over the past three years, however, that claim has gone completely out the window. I would reckon that a nice IMAP server install is far easier and cheaper than any BB Enterprise Server ever was and, given this screenshot from the actual BBES "purchase" page, there is a lot of sales pressure involved.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/SjmgR-Ndgwg/

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Groundlink car service Android app updated for more accurate ETAs, better registration

Groundlink has updated its car service Android application with a number of improvements that make the entire process easier on you, the rider. 

For starters, you'll get updates on where the car is even more quickly than you were before. That's one of the more fun aspects of an app and service like this -- being able to see the car en route to pick you up. You'll also get more accurate estimates as to when the car is on the way.

Groundlink also has simplified the registration process. So if that's kept you from trying out the service, no more excuses. There's a new registration screen to go along with it. 

Groundlink also now accepts international billing, for those of you traveling to the United States. That also allows you to book a car from anywhere in the world.

In addition, there have been improvements to the overall order process, as well as general bug fixes. 

We've got download links after the break.

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/8Kb8hdUuA6E/story01.htm

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