US House OKs bill to speed drug approvals

Urged on by the medical industry and patients’ groups, the House overwhelmingly approved a bipartisan bill that would speed federal approval of drugs and medical devices and boost biomedical research. The measure’s easy 344-77 passage on Friday came...

Minnesota chickadee tests positive for bird flu

The Department of Natural Resources says a chickadee found in Ramsey County and delivered to a wildlife rehabilitation center on June 10 later tested positive for H5 bird flu. But DNR wildlife research manager Lou Cornicelli says the lab was unable to determine if it...

Marijuana study counters 'gateway' theory

Instead, teens smoke pot for very specific reasons, and it is those reasons that appear to prompt their decision to try other drugs, researchers report. For example, kids who use marijuana because they are bored are more likely to also use cocaine, while kids using...