Harvard Health Content API

It’s not clear whether gingko biloba can protect against memory loss, a study has concluded. The study included 118 men and women age 85 or older. All had normal memory function. They were randomly assigned to take either gingko biloba or a placebo (fake pill) daily. Within three years, 21 people developed mild memory problems. Of these, 14 took the placebo and 7 took gingko. Researchers said this trend could have been the result of chance. Then they looked at people who actually took their pills regularly. Those who took gingko had a 70% lower risk of memory problems. HealthDay News wrote about the study February 28. It was in the journal Neurology.

People don’t get much better with popular drugs for depression than they do with a placebo, says a new study. The drugs are only effective for those with the most severe depression, the researchers found. The study looked at data from 35 studies. Some had never been published. The drugs included Prozac, Effexor, Serzone and Paxil. Serzone is not sold in the United States. The authors said these drugs should be prescribed only for severe depression. Reuters Health news service wrote about the study February 26. It was published in the journal Public Library of Science Medicine.

People often get other drugs to fight the side effects of cancer drugs. But the other drugs can increase the risk of blood clots and death, a study finds. The study combined results of 51 earlier studies. They included more than 13,000 people with cancer. Some took erythropoiesis-stimulating agents to fight anemia. They had a 57% greater risk of venous thromboembolism. This is a type of blood clot. They had a 10% higher risk of death. HealthDay News wrote about the study February 26. It was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Doctors believe that gene information may someday improve treatments. But some people are afraid to get genetic tests, the New York Times reported February 24. They are afraid that the results might be used against them by insurance companies. There is little evidence that this has occurred, the Times said. A bill in Congress would forbid companies to deny coverage or raise rates based on a person’s genes. The House passed the bill last year. It is awaiting action in the Senate.