Exercise 'no panacea' for alcohol
Exercising may cure a hangover, but cannot undo the damage heavy drinking may cause, the government says.

Humans 'hear' through their skin
Sensations on the skin, such as a puff of air, can alter how people hear speech, say Canadian researchers.

Gene offers bowel cancer 'shield'
A gene known to shield the body from harmful chemicals may also protect against bowel cancer, a study suggests.

Cup of mint tea 'can kill pain'
A cup of Brazilian mint tea has pain relieving qualities to match those of commercially available analgesics, a study suggests.

Drop in HIV infections and deaths
Better access to antiretroviral drugs has seen the death toll from HIV drop by a tenth over five years, figures show.

Bottling-up anger 'bad for heart'
Men who do not openly express their anger if unfairly treated at work double their risk of a heart attack, researchers say.

Canada flu vaccine batch on hold
GlaxoSmithKline tells doctors in Canada to stop using a batch of its swine flu, amid reports of severe side-effects.

Giving birth 'slows MS progress'
Giving birth seems to slow the progression of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to Belgian and Dutch researchers.

UK winter deaths 'soared'
The number of excess deaths in England and Wales last winter was the highest since 1999/2000, figures show.

Why dirt 'can be good for children'
Children should be allowed to get dirty, according to scientists who say being too clean can impair the skin's ability to heal.

An easy birth
Are men a help or hindrance in the delivery room?

Locked-in
Totally paralysed, talking with blinks, how can you cope?

Global healthcare
How does the US system compare with others?

China executes tainted milk pair
China executes two people over a scandal involving tainted milk powder that resulted in six children dying, state media say.

Czech regret over sterilisation
The Czech government expresses regret over the illegal sterilisations of Roma women, saying measures were being introduced to stop the practice being repeated.

Cot recall after suffocation link
More than two million cots are recalled in the US and Canada over fears that a defect could cause children to suffocate.

NHS demands safer spine jabs
The NHS threatens to stop using current drug equipment in a bid to get firms to start making safer devices.

Gene clue to brain tumour growth
Scientists have pinpointed a mutated gene as key to the development of some types of glioma brain tumour.

'No home smoking rise' after ban
The smoking ban did not lead to children being exposed to more smoking at home, a study has concluded.

Morphine 'might spread cancer'
Tests suggest morphine could in fact encourage the spread of cancer, for which it is routinely prescribed to relieve pain.

Millions get yellow fever vaccine
The largest ever mass immunisation against yellow fever starts in West Africa, targeting 12 million people.

Pregnancy timeline
From fertilisation to birth, an outline guide to a typical pregnancy and how the baby develops inside the womb.

Cancer: The facts
Information and statistics on common types of cancer