Health Highlights: May 26, 2008

In fact, reports the BBC, the McGill scientists believe the skin-to-skin contact between parents and baby is so important that it might aid in the recovery process from the medical procedures.

The researchers used a common test for newborns --- the heel pin prick to obtain blood to check blood sugar levels -- as a test for stressful reaction.

This test is almost always painful for newborns, BBC News reported. The result: For premature babies who were cuddled after having a heel pin prick, pain scores after 90 seconds were much lower than for the babies not held and caressed by an adult.

Lead researcher Celeste Johnson said she found that cuddling seemed to assist in the baby's recovery from a painful experience. "The pain response in very preterm neonates appears to be reduced by skin-to-skin maternal contact," she told the BBC.

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New York City Man Dies After Taking Aphrodisiac From Toad Venom

An illegal aphrodisiac sold on the street under a variety of names has killed a 35-year-old New York City man, prompting health officials to issue an alert.

According to the Associated Press, the man, who officials did not identify, was admitted to a New York City hospital earlier this month complaining of pain in his chest and abdomen. Health officials were able to determine he had taken a poisonous substance that comes in a hard, brown form, and is known as Love Stone, Jamaican Stone, Black Stone and Chinese Rock.

It is sold in many New York City neighborhoods in neighborhood stores, the AP reported, and the writing on the package is usually in a foreign language.

The warning from New York City's top dangerous substances officer was pointed: "There is no definitely safe way to use it," Dr. Robert Hoffman, director of the city's poison control center, told the wire service. "Don't buy it. Don't sell it. If you have it, don't use it. Throw it out."

Some people eat the substance, the AP reported, instead of applying it to the skin, as it is intended to be used. But even external application can be dangerous. The active ingredient comes from the venom of toads of the Bufo genus, and it can disrupt the heartbeat, the wire service said.

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Truckers, Bus Drivers Can't Take Anti-Smoking Drug Chantix

Examiners shouldn't give commercial motor vehicle license clearance to anyone currently using the anti-smoking drug Chantix, says the U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which oversees the interstate trucking and bus industries.

The FMCSA announcement Thursday came a day after the Federal Aviation Administration banned the use of the drug by pilots and air traffic controllers.

The agencies took action in response to an Institute for Safe Medication Practices study saying that Chantix may be linked to seizures, dizziness, heart rhythm problems, diabetes and more than 100 accidents, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The non-profit group's study said the drug was linked to 988 serious incidents in the last quarter of 2007 alone. After the study was released Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Transportation alerted its agencies and instructed office directors to read the study's warnings and recommendations.

Last year, warnings on Chantix's label were updated to include depression and suicidal thoughts. The FDA hasn't announced any new action in response to the Institute for Safe Medication Practices study, the Journal reported.

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Everlasting Jelly Candles Pose Fire, Burn Hazards

Additional incidents of minor fires and burn injuries have prompted a repeat of an earlier recall of about 1,700 Everlasting Jelly candles sold at Spa at Home stores and online, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said Friday.

The candles may be prone to excessive flame. The original recall in February 2007 noted there had been seven reports of flames coming in contact with nearby combustibles, resulting in minor fires, smoke and soot damage, along with four reports of burn injuries to users' hands.