national-health – 4VF News – Daily News Channel

Britons pour love on ‘evil’ healthcare system

Britons including Prime Minister Gordon Brown have leapt to the defense of their creaking healthcare service after President Barack Obama’s plans for a similar system in the United States were branded "evil" by Republicans. Tens of thousands of people have joined a Twitter group expressing pride in the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), which offers free taxpayer-funded medical care to all British residents, while leading politicians have spoken out in support. Republican former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin earlier this week condemned Obama’s plans to introduce a public heath insurance scheme as an “evil” move that would result in “death panels” deciding who would live or die

UK swine flu cases third worst in the world

The UK now has the third highest number of cases worldwide, after the US and Mexico, according to government data. Lab tests show that there were 9,718 confirmed cases of the virus in the UK, a figure that’s just behind Mexico, which had 10,262 cases as of Wednesday. The U.S

Fake Tamiflu ‘out-spams Viagra on Web’

The number of Internet scammers offering fake anti-swine flu drug Tamiflu has surpassed those selling counterfeit Viagra, a UK body said Friday. Since the H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu, was declared a global pandemic last month, there has been an increase in the number of Web sites and junk emails offering Tamiflu for sale. More than 70,000 people have now been infected with the virus, according to the World Health Organization

Man who wouldn’t walk again finishes marathon

British soldier Phil Packer was told a year ago that he would never walk again, but on Saturday he finished the London Marathon.

Wii-habilitation ‘could prevent elderly from falls’

Playing the Nintendo Wii Fit could improve balance and help avoid falls in seniors, researchers taking part in a new study suggest. The University of Aberdeen, Scotland and the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) have embarked on a four month study on people over 70 to observe any changes in balance after regular use of the Wii Fit. The video game, which offers such sports as virtual golf, tennis and tenpin bowling, relies on players mimicking the games’ physical actions, which are then played out on screen.