Zinc for Colds: The Evidence is In

Here's the latest in health and health journalism news from Reporting on Health.

Zinc: For cold sufferers, zinc lozenges or syrups can help prevent or shorten the sniffles – a little bit – according to a new Cochrane review examined by Deborah Kotz  for the Boston Globe. Check out Embargo Watch's post on an embargo break on this story, too.

Exercise: People living in Southern U.S. states get the least amount of exercise, CDC researchers report, Not surprisingly, those states also have relatively high rates of diabetes and obesity. Check out our tips for reporting on the diabetes-obesity link, too.

Quality: Writing about quality of health care always is challenging because of the nuances involved, as evidenced by the latest JAMA critique of well-established guidelines for treating diabetes and measuring the quality of diabetes care. Darshank Sanghavi's tips for covering health care quality are a must-read, too.

Transparency: Is the FDA press office steamrolling journalists when it comes to embargoed information? Ed Silverman of Pharmalot examines the evidence and highlights a sternly worded request for clarification from the Association of Health Care Journalists.

Whistleblowers: A group of Canadian emergency room doctors protest "intolerable" hospital conditions, including moldy ceilings, via YouTube.  [video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHgqqDYYeBQ&feature=player_embedded]

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