cancer

5 U.S. Businesses That Ought to Be Ashamed of Themselves

In contrast to the many U.S. companies we should view with pride, some have behaved in ways that are downright evil. For their exploitative behaviors, these companies (and one whole industry) have earned their seats on the corporate netherworld's board of shame.

Cigarette Warning Labels Can Be Hazardous to Your Health

New research shows that forcing smokers to look at scary warning labels doesn't make them less likely to buy cigarettes. In fact, it may make them more likely to. Are anti-tobacco advocates wasting their money and effort on a pointless campaign?

Ruling on Cigarette Warnings Stirs Free Speech Debate

A court ruling Monday stubbed out an FDA attempt to plaster extremely graphic warning labels on cigarette packs. The decision has reignited a debate over which right trumps which: The right of the government to warn Americans about the health risks of smoking, or the First Amendment rights of tobacco companies.

Six Reasons Businesses Can't Live Without Gold

The majority of gold demand these days goes to jewelry and investors, but the precious metal is good for more than looking pretty and providing a hard asset: Industrial and technological uses for gold are growing.

Should Smokers Pay More for Health Insurance?

Last week, Dallas County in Texas joined the growing ranks of employers that charge employees who smoke a higher monthly health insurance premium than employees who don't. It's an idea that's gaining momentum across the country -- but will it work to reduce smoking, or just to penalize the nicotine-addicted?

Will Spray Nicotine Be the Next Quit-Smoking Fad?

Tobacco giant Philip Morris International has just bought the rights to a new technology for delivering nicotine in a aerosol spray. The upside: Nicotine addicts get their fix without all the toxins associated with smoking. The downside: It'll be at least three years before it hits the market.

Radiation Risk to U.S. Very Low, Top Expert Explains

As the crisis at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant continues, some worry that radiation from the damaged reactors will reach U.S. shores. Dr. Edward Maher, president of the Health Physics Society, and an environmental science expert at Harvard, explains why we should breathe easy.

Why Samsung Electronics Should Say No to Drugs

Samsung Electronics is known for its smartphones, TVs and memory chips. Now it wants to tackle biopharmaceuticals, on Friday announcing a new joint venture to produce drugs to treat cancer and arthritis. Here's why the move could prove an ill-needed distraction for the electronics giant.

Big Pharma Looks Beyond Drugs to Smartphone Apps

Pharmaceutical companies looking for fresh sources of profit are increasingly investing in a range of health care innovations that aren't drugs at all, from smartphone apps and educational websites to social media platforms and wireless devices, reports Ernst & Young.

Two Drugs Found to Fight Steve Jobs' Rare Cancer Type

Pfizer's cancer drug Sutent and Novartis's drug Afinitor have both been found to be effective against the rare form of pancreatic cancer that Apple CEO Steve Jobs was diagnosed with in 2004, according to two studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The Problem with Fast-Tracking Drug Approvals: Pharmas Fail to Follow Up

To get potentially lifesaving drugs to patients faster, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is allowed to approve some drugs -- those that address unmet medical needs -- based on fewer trials than usual. But it turns out that many of the pharmaceutical companies fail to conduct follow-up trials to prove the drugs work.

Another Cancer-Drug Failure Highlights Difficulties Facing Pharmas

Sanofi-Aventis announced its cancer drug candidate iniparib failed in a late-stage clinical trial. Other pharmaceutical companies have also experienced recent setbacks as they scramble to bolster their pipelines ahead of the patent cliff, when they will be forced to compete with cheaper generics.