Health Highlights: Dec. 11 2009

Dec. 12 -- Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

Crestor Benefits Patients With No Heart Disease History: FDA

The cholesterol-lowering drug Crestor reduces the risk of heart attack, stroke and death in patients with no history of heart disease, according to documents posted on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Web site.

But the review by FDA scientists also noted several safety concerns about the drug, including an increased risk of diabetes, the Associated Press reported.

The documents were posted in advance of a meeting next week by an FDA panel of outside experts. They'll make a recommendation on whether the FDA should approve drug maker AstraZeneca's application to allow broader use of Crestor.

An AstraZeneca study released last November found that patients with lower cholesterol and few heart risks could still benefit from taking Crestor, the AP reported.

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Major Problems in U.S. Food Tracing Program: Report

Serious gaps exist in the U.S. government's ability to trace food through the supply chain to ensure its safety, says a report by the inspector general's office of the Department of Health and Human Services.

A survey of food manufacturers required to register with the FDA found that nearly half failed to give the agency accurate contact information, investigators found, the Associated Press reported.

The food tracing program was established to allow quick retracing of contaminated food that causes outbreaks and to keep food safe from bioterrorism. The flaws exposed in the investigation are "appalling," said U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., chair of the House spending panel that oversees the FDA budget.

"The weakness in our food safety system that are highlighted in the report are unacceptable," DeLauro said, the AP reported. "Congress should pass comprehensive food safety legislation to give FDA the statutory authority it needs."