St John's Wort, a natural remedy used as an anti-depressant and to treat symptoms of seasonal affective disorder, will not be available over the counter in health-food stores or pharmacies from January 1st, 2000. The Irish Medicines Board has added St John's Wort to the list of remedies which are prescription-only. A lobbying group, Consumers for Health Choice Ireland, is holding a public meeting to increase awareness of what they perceive as a threat to natural medicines, at 7.30 p.m. tonight at Wynne's Hotel, Dublin 2. For further information: 014518681.
A vaccine developed using a genetically-engineered virus has successfully been used to attack prostate cancer cells in humans. The gene therapy was used to re-educate the immune system to recognise prostate cancer cells as a potential infection and to attack, also hunting out cancer cells that might have spread to other parts of the body. (BBC)
Dr Sean Collins, author of Tipping the Scales, about alternative methods of dealing with serious illness, is giving a free public lecture, sponsored by the Greystones Cancer Support Group. It will be of interest to anyone with a serious illness, or anyone who wants to keep their life "in balance". Tomorrow at 8 p.m. at the La Touche Hotel, Greystones, Co Wicklow.
Fruit juices may not be as good for young children as you would think. Juices which contain sorbitol or high levels of fructose may cause restlessness, gas, diarrhoea or stomach problems in infants. The problems may occur because young children sometimes have difficulty in breaking down carbohydrates. (Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine)
Family doctors are liable to miss the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning because the symptoms are similar to common complaints such as flu or stomach infections. It can also be misdiagnosed as chronic fatigue syndrome (also known as ME). Carbon monoxide poisoning can occur in badly ventilated rooms with gas heaters, but can only be detected four hours after exposure. (British Medical Journal)
lifelines@irish-times.ie
