Health Highlights: Sept. 15, 2007
Mar. 23 -- Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments,compiled by editors of HealthDay:
15 New Blood Typing Tests Approved by the FDA
In order to allow more choices in determining blood types, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has licensed 15 new blood typing tests.
Announcing the decision in a news release, the FDA said the tests, known as blood grouping reagents and manufactured by Alba Bioscience, Inc. of Durham, N.C., were previously unavailable in the United States.
As with other blood typing tests, the ALBAclone Blood Grouping Reagents will determine the blood type of donors, the key in making sure that a blood transfusion is carried out successfully.
In addition to the common ABO and Rh tests, the blood grouping reagents will also be used to test for rare blood types. The reagents used in the blood typing are monoclonal antibodies, the FDA said, and it is the highly specific nature of them that "ensures product uniformity and availability."
"Licensure of these additional blood grouping reagents will help ensure a more stable supply of these tests, especially important in the event of a product shortage," said Dr. Jesse L. Goodman, director of the FDA Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, in the news release.
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UK Begins Health Guidelines for Fashion Models
Following up on its promise to do everything it could to ensure the health of fashion models after a series of eating disorder deaths of models in 2006, the British government has issued a set of recommendations for modeling during upcoming London Fashion Week.
BBC News reports that the government says fashion models should provide "good health" certificates from doctors who specialize in eating disorders, and the government is recommending that all female models under the age of 16 not participate in the week-long parade of fashions from international designers.
The death in 2006 of 21-year-old Ana Carolina Reston of Brazil who died of a an infection caused by anorexia caused the UK government to begin considering health guidelines, the BBC reports.
