New research shows that the diet drugs fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine which were banned in 1997 really do cause heart valve problems. Low calorie sugar beets , another genetically engineered product. A vaccine for meningococcal meningitis is almost ready. A new genetic determinant for cancer of the colon is found. The original article is in PNAS .
Scientists analyze the DNA from extinct tortoises .
Check out this very nice Question and Answer session sponsored by ABC news. Microbe art . The CDC discusses the lack of improvement in the maternal mortality rate in this weeks MMWR . The rate has been steady at about 7.5 deaths per 100,000 pregnancies since 1982. However, this is a vast improvement over 1930 when it was 670 per 100,000.