Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:
Alcoholic Drink Calorie Info to be on Menus
The amount of calories in alcoholic drinks will have to be listed on the menus of chain restaurants with 20 or more locations, under new U.S. Food and Drug Administration rules.
The calorie information has to be on menus by next November, but the rules don't apply to drinks ordered at the bar, drinks that aren't listed on the main menu, or to the wine list, the Associated Press reported.
Public health advocates have long lobbied to get more nutritional information on alcoholic drinks and said having calorie information on menus is a first step.
"Alcoholic beverages are a key contributor to the calories Americans are consuming, and most of the time when people have a drink they have absolutely no idea what its caloric impact is," Margo Wootan, Center for Science in the Public Interest, told the AP.
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Tax-Free Savings Accounts for Disabled Americans
Americans with disabilities will soon be able to open tax-free bank accounts to pay for housing, health care, education and other long-term needs.
The legislation received final approval from Congress on Tuesday and now goes to President Barack Obama for his signature. Beginning next year, as many as 54 million disabled people and their families could open accounts, the Associated Press reported.
This is the most significant legislation for disabled Americans in a quarter century and was described as a "monumental, landmark bill," by Sara Hart Weir, interim president of the National Down Syndrome Society.
"This bill will change the way that families can save for all their children and adults with Down syndrome and will ease the unnecessary burdens that are placed on families -- all while allowing people with Down syndrome to work and save for the future," she said, the AP reported.
Those who qualify include people who are diagnosed by age 26 with a disability that causes "marked and severe functional limitations," and people already receiving Social Security disability benefits.
Up to $14,000 a year can be put into an account, and the accounts would be able to grow to $100,000 without the disabled person losing eligibility for Social Security and other government aid. The current asset limit is $2,000, the AP reported.
The disabled person would continue to have Medicaid coverage no matter how much money was in their account.
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New Brain Injury Treatment Program for NFL Players
Professional football players with brain injuries will be treated in a program originally designed to help military veterans with brain trauma.
The Eisenhower Center in Ann Arbor, Mich. will be the primary facility used by the NFL Players Association for treating players with brain damage and other neurological problems, the Associated Press reported.
The After the Impact program offers treatment for soldiers and athletes recovering from conditions such as concussion, mild traumatic brain injury, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Nearly 6,000 (28 percent) of nearly 20,000 retired NFL players could eventually suffer from moderate dementia or Alzheimer's disease, the AP reported.
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FDA Approves System to Make Donated Blood Safer
The first system that destroys viruses and bacteria in donated blood plasma has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The Intercept Blood System provides an extra measure of protection against viruses such as HIV and hepatitis C and could make transfusions safer, The New York Times reported.
However, some experts point out that the blood supply in the United States is already considered safe and using the Intercept system would be an extra, unnecessary cost.
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