New kitchen for Lula Isandla

Sony Ericsson joined Lula Isandla 'Reach Out' charity in Mpophomeni to officially open their brand new kitchen. Lula Isandla aims to support and feed children who have been left without parents due to HIV/AIDS, alcohol and drug addiction or basic abandonment every day. Read more >>

Access to safe, nutritious food still a luxury

The idea of safe and nutritious food remains a luxury for millions of people who still do not have access to food at all, according to consumer goods group Nestle managing director and chairman, Sullivan O'Carroll. Read more >>

Number of SA commercial farmers falls

IOL reports that the number of commercial farmers in South Africa is set to fall from 40 000 to 15 000 over the next 15 years. Experts believe that without enough viable commercial farms, South Africa's food security is endangered. Read more >>

NHI benefits could outweigh its costs

The long-term economic benefits of the planned National Health Insurance (NHI) could outweigh the negative effect of possible tax increases, provided that the NHI is implemented efficiently. Read more >>

Guide to medical scheme options for 2012

[John Cranke] Traditional options, new generation options, network options, day-to-day benefits, in-hospital coverage, chronic illness benefits - there's so much to consider when choosing medical aid. Here's a general overview and breakdown of the changes and benefits for medical schemes for 2012, as well as some healthy advice about choosing a medical aid option. Read more >>

Earliest modern humans' in Europe identified by Oxford researchers

Oxford University researchers have provided important new radiocarbon dates for two milk teeth and a jawbone, which shed new light on when the first modern humans arrived in Europe. Read more >>

Light drinkers have higher breast cancer risk

WASHINGTON, USA: Light to moderate alcohol drinkers have an increased risk of breast cancer compared to women who do not drink beer, wine or liquor, said a US study published on Tuesday, 1 November 2011. Read more >>

Could social media be used to detect disease outbreaks?

New research has looked at whether social media could be used to track an event or phenomenon, such as flu outbreaks and rainfall rates. Read more >>

Scientists make human blood protein from rice

WASHINGTON, USA: Scientists at a Chinese university said Monday, 31 October 2011, they can use rice to make albumin, a protein found in human blood that is often used for treating burns, traumatic shock and liver disease. Read more >>

Your phone as friend: monitoring mental health from your pocket

ITHACA, NY, USA: Your smartphone knows where you go and how fast, while its microphone hears your voice. Soon, your phone may measure your stress... and help you to deal with it. Read more >>

Cancer Research UK launches trial of drug which could reduce blood supply to cancers

Cancer Research UK's Drug Development Office has opened a trial to assess a new drug to treat a range of cancer types. The drug works by reducing the flow of blood to tumours and potentially starving them of the blood supply that they need to survive. Read more >>

First patient receives novel gene therapy for type of blindness

The first patient to receive gene therapy for an incurable type of blindness was treated at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford last week as part of a trial led by Oxford University. Read more >>

Researchers give Ritalin a clean bill of health

[Harriet McLea] Parents who rely on the drug Ritalin to stabilise their hyperactive children can breathe a sigh of relief. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has confirmed that the drug, prescribed for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, does not increase the risk of a heart attack. Read more >>

Govt to look into alternative for booze ads ban

The Health Department has agreed to look into an alternative solution to the proposed ban on alcohol advertising during a meeting held on Friday with health Department officials and outdoor media company Kena Media. Read more >>

'Glow in the dark' brains aid tumour surgery

A multi-centre phase II clinical trial for a pioneering new surgical technique has started in the UK, jointly funded by Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust and Cancer Research UK. Read more >>

Non-communicable diseases: Africa must 'spend a lot more'

BERLIN, GERMANY: According to scidev.net, Olive Shisana, chief executive officer of the South African Human Sciences Research Council, said at the World Health Summit in Berlin, Germany that Infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, are expected to decline while non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes, will increase in Africa over the coming decades. Read more >>

Public health sites rank among the most visited US Federal Government sites

RESTON, US: comScore, Inc has released a study of audience visitation to public health sites in the US The study found that health-focused sites represented 3 out of the top 10 federal Government sites in September, indicating a high level of public interest in health information. Read more >>

Are our product preferences shaped in the womb?

CHICAGO, US: Researcher Diana Derval, founder and president of the international firm DervalResearch, has never been afraid of controversy. And that's a good thing, because the science that is her life's work has been known to stir up debate in scientific and marketing circles alike. Read more >>