Getting a smoker's lung is better than none
May 29th, 2012 - Health News
LONDON (AP) — A new study says it's a case of better than nothing.
The study in the British journal, Lancet, concludes that patients who need new lungs are better off getting donated organs from smokers than none at all.
The study says patients who get donated lungs from smokers probably don't live as long as they might with a nonsmoker's lungs, but they do live longer than if they had no transplant at all.
In Britain, about 40 percent of donated lungs come from people who have previously smoked.
Doctors behind the new study say changing the U.K. system would be wrong and more people would die while waiting for donated lungs.
In the U.S., doctors also use lungs from smokers, although there's no data on how often that happens. The U.S. and the U.K. have similar overall smoking rates of about 20 percent.
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The Grand Rapids Griffins win the Calder Cup series!
Jun 19th, 2013 - Local News
The Grand Rapids Griffins beat the Syracuse Crunch 5-2 Tuesday night to win their first Calder Cup ever.
Tomas Tatar won the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy for the most valuable player in the playoffs ...
Grand Rapids to open Disaster Relief Service Center
Jun 18th, 2013 - Local News
Federal officials are opening a service center in Grand Rapids today for those property owners that want to apply for disaster relief loans and have not done so already on-line. The U.S. Small Busine...
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Lawmakers OK $10 fee hike for off-road vehicles
Jun 19th, 2013 - State News
— Off-road vehicle drivers in Michigan will pay at least $10 more for a license under legislation expected to be signed by Gov. Rick Snyder.
The state Senate on Tuesday narrowly approved fee hike...
Utility crews working to restore power after storm
Jun 18th, 2013 - State News
— Utility officials say crews have worked through the night to restore electricity to thousands of customers who lost it during a wave of severe thunderstorms that hit parts of Michigan's Lower Peni...
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Study: Wiser medication use could cut health costs
Jun 19th, 2013 - National News
— If doctors and patients used prescription drugs more wisely, they could save the U.S. health care system at least $213 billion a year, a study concludes.
The savings would come by reducing medi...
Military plans would put women in most combat jobs
Jun 18th, 2013 - National News
— Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has ordered the military to move ahead with a plan to tear down the remaining walls that have prevented women from holding combat positions.
The plan says women co...
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World Bank highlights climate-poverty link
Jun 19th, 2013 - International News
— The World Bank says it will increasingly view its efforts to help developing countries fight poverty through a "climate lens."
In a report released Wednesday, the international lending institut...
G-8 struggles with Syria issue
Jun 18th, 2013 - International News
— Syria is still a key issue as G-8 leaders meet in the home stretch of their two-day summit.
The big question is whether all eight members can express a joint position on ending the 2-year-old c...
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Orioles hit Verlander hard, beat Tigers 5-2
Jun 19th, 2013 - Sports News
— J.J. Hardy and Adam Jones homered off Justin Verlander, and Manny Machado added a double and two sparkling plays at third base to lead the Baltimore Orioles to a 5-2 victory over the Detroit Tiger...
Scherzer improves to 10-0, Tigers top Orioles 5-1
Jun 18th, 2013 - Sports News
— Max Scherzer improved to 10-0 and struck out 10, Miguel Cabrera hit a two-run homer and the Detroit Tigers beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-1 on Monday night.
Scherzer became the first pitcher to b...
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FDA will investigate added caffeine in foods
Apr 30th, 2013 - Health News
— Looking for a new way to get that jolt of caffeine energy? Food companies are betting snacks like potato chips, jelly beans and gum with a caffeinated kick could be just the answer.
The Food an...
New Diabetes Drug Treats Disease Differently
Apr 1st, 2013 - Health News
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration says it has approved a first-of-a-kind diabetes drug from Johnson & Johnson that uses a new method to lower blood sugar.
The agency cleared J&J'...