Health Highlights: Dec. 19, 2008

ByABC News
December 19, 2008, 5:01 PM

Dec. 20 -- Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay:

High Mercury Levels Sideline Actor Jeremy Piven

The actor Jeremy Piven has been pulled out of the Broadway play "Speed the Plow" because he has "shocking levels" of mercury, Fox News reported.

Piven's doctor said he yanked him from the show after finding the actor had mercury levels six times the allowable limit. Dr. Carlon Colker said they were the highest levels he'd ever seen.

Colker said Piven's high mercury levels were caused by eating too much sushi and consuming Chinese herbs. Piven had complained of fatigue and was told to quit the show after he spent three days in hospital.

David Mamet, the play's writer, mocked Piven, saying the 43-year-old actor was leaving his role as leading man to "pursue a career as a thermometer," Fox News reported.

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New Federal Rule Poses Threat to Women's Health: Critics

A new regulation the Bush administration says is designed to protectfederally funded health care providers who refuse to perform procedures,such as abortion, that conflict with their religious and moral beliefs willseriously hinder millions of women's ability to get reproductive health services, critics charge.

The new rule gives federal health officials the power to halt federalfunding for any state or local government, hospital, clinic, health plan,doctors' office or other body that fails to accommodate staff who exercisetheir "right of conscience." The regulation would apply to more than 584,000health care facilities, the Washington Post reported.

The regulation, which was sought by conservative groups and abortionopponents, goes into effect in 30 days. Not only does it protect healthcareprofessionals, it also covers a range of workers, including support staff,trainees and even volunteers.

A wide range of groups are outraged by the new rule.

There are more than 17 million women across the country who will bearthe burden of this harsh regulation, a disproportionate number of them low-income and women of color. Both groups rely heavily on public healthprograms as their only access to reproductive health services. But the newregulation allows almost any worker in a health care facility -- even areceptionist -- to turn them away, withhold information, and refuse to referthem elsewhere," Center for Reproductive Rights President Nancy Northup saidin a statement released Thursday.