Health Highlights: April 14, 2009

April 14 -- Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay:

EPA Holds Bed Bug Summit

In response to a resurgence of bed bugs, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is this week hosting its first-ever summit on the little blood suckers.

"The problem seems to be increasing, and it could definitely be worse in densely populated areas like cities, although it can be a problem for anyone," said Lois Rossi, director of the registration division in the EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs, the Associated Press reported.

Bed bugs live in mattresses, sofas and sheets. They're not known to transmit any diseases, but people can have an allergic reaction to their bites.

Once common, bed bug problems in the United States were rare over the past few decades. That's changed in recent years, and infestations of the tiny reddish-brown insects have been reported in hotels, hospital wings, college dormitories and homeless shelters in a number of cities, the AP reported.

Currently, there are few chemicals on the market approved for use on mattresses that are effective at combating bed bugs. Heating, freezing or steaming the bugs may be considered as alternatives to chemicals.

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Prostate Cancer Drug Improves Patient Survival: Study

The experimental prostate cancer drug Provenge prolonged patient survival, according to a study by Seattle-based drug maker Dendreon Corp. Full data from the study is expected to be presented April 28 at the annual meeting of the American Urological Association, in Chicago.

Early last year, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel endorsed Provenge, but the FDA refused to approve the drug without additional clinical data, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The Impact trial, which included about 500 patients, was structured according to a Special Protocol Assessment. This is an agreement with the FDA on a study design that meets requirements for a drug's approval.

An interim analysis of Impact trial data late last year showed patients taking the drug were 20 percent less likely to die than those taking a placebo, the Wall Street Journal reported.