Health Highlights: Dec. 15, 2007

Mar. 23 -- Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay:

CDC Cancels Bids for National Medical Processing Center for Ground Zero Workers

A national plan to provide medical assistance workers from outside the New York metropolitan area who came to assist in The World Trade Center cleanup immediately after its destruction in 2001 has been put on hold, the New York Times reports.

The U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had requested bids to establish a business processing center to administer medical claims at clinics across the country from workers who were experiencing after-effects, especially respiratory problems.

But late in the day on Dec. 13, the CDC cancelled the bidding process, saying that those interested in giving a proposal seemed confused about the requirements for obtaining the government contract, the Times reports.

This latest snag in systematizing medical relief for the thousands of people who came to ground zero from outside new York City after Sep. 11 2001, was "a sign of continued confusion and lack of commitment to this program within this administration," the newspaper quotes Dr. James M. Melius, chairman of the steering committee for the World Trade Center Medical Monitoring and Treatment Program, as saying.

The national business center was to help in recruiting doctors to treat those who had medical problems resulting from working at ground zero and to standardize reimbursement. Melius told the Times the national program also would administer a centralized pharmaceutical benefits plan designed to save money over separate prescription plans.

-----

New Human Bird Flu Cases Reported in Asia

The avian flu that health officials worry may still cause a worldwide pandemic has surfaced again in Asia, claiming more human victims, the Associated Press reports.

While there is still no evidence that the H5N1 flu virus has mutated to allow human-to-human transmission, people who raise fowl or are constantly around birds continue to be vulnerable.

AutoZone Parts Inc., of Memphis Tenn., has received four reports of incidents of reverse polarity that led to minor property damage.

The recall includes Valucraft eight-gauge and 10-gauge booster cables, which are orange and have "8GA" or "10GA" printed on them. Consumers should stop using these cables and return them to any AutoZone store for a full refund or a free replacement.

For more information, contact AutoZone at 1-800-230-9786.

-----

More Blood Contaminants Found in People with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma: Study

People with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma have higher levels of environmental contaminants, such as PCBs and organochlorine pesticides, in their blood than people without the disease, a Canadian study found. This suggests that the chemicals may be a factor in the disease, the study authors said.

B.C. Cancer Agency researchers collected blood samples from 900 residents of British Columbia, including 422 people with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, CTV News reported.

Compared to those without the disease, the cancer patients had higher levels of almost every chemical tested for in the study. People with the greatest exposure to PCBs were twice as likely to develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma than those with the least exposure.