Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay:

Merck Admits Vioxx Data Error

Vioxx-maker Merck & Co. acknowledged Tuesday that it had erred when it reported early last year that a crucial statistical test showed the pain killer caused heart problems only after 18 months of continuous use.

The time issue is critical, because the company has taken the position in court that Vioxx can cause heart problems only if used continuously for more than 18 months, The New York Times reported. Merck had based the 18-month theory largely on data from a clinical trial, called Approve, in which the company tracked 2,600 patients to see whether Vioxx could prevent colon polyps. The company has now acknowledged that the statistical analysis of that test does not support the 18-month theory.

Nevertheless, seo tips Merck said it stood by the overall findings it reported in 2005 and published in The New England Journal of Medicine, including its conclusion that Vioxx’s heart risks were not apparent if patients took the drug for less than 18 months. Outside scientists, however, said the company’s admission, coupled with other clinical trials tracking real-world Vioxx use, supports critics’ claims that Vioxx caused heart problems quickly.

An estimated 20 million Americans had taken Vioxx, which was withdrawn from the market in September 2004. Merck still faces more than 11,000 patient lawsuits.

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U.N. companies Chief Chides World Leaders Over AIDS Fight

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan warned leaders joining a three-day meeting in New York City Wednesday that the world has fallen far short of its promises five years ago to fight HIV/AIDS, and to find new ways to tackle the virus.

The United Nations hopes the high-level meeting on AIDS will bring a surge of new funding, after a report warned that the epidemic continues to spread, efforts to fight AIDS among women and children had failed and that young people still have little understanding of the disease, according to the Associated Press. The report also said that $20 billion will be needed each year to fight AIDS by 2008.

Several heads of state and dozens of government officials will seek to craft a document that charts a course to provide universal access for AIDS prevention and treatment by 2010, the AP reported.

The 25-year-old AIDS epidemic has claimed 25 million lives and shows no signs of slowing down, a United Nations agency reported earlier this week.

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FDA Approves Growth Hormone

In a long-awaited decision, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved on Tuesday a new human growth product but stressed that its action doesn’t set a precedent for other biological medicines.

Made using recombinant DNA technology, Omnitrope (somatropin) is used to treat growth disorders in children and adults. It is manufactured by Sandoz, a division of Novartis, which first applied for approval of the product in July 2003. The FDA had said it was unable to reach a decision sooner because of scientific and legal issues, and it later held public meetings to discuss the approval process for follow-on products, according to the Associated Press.

Omnitrope is considered a “follow-on” product because it is so similar to other products already approved that previous safety data could be considered in approving the new version. The drug has previously been approved for use in Australia and in Europe.

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Patients Taking Blood Thinners Need Extra Help: Survey

Patients taking prescription blood thinners to prevent serious illness — about 4 million Americans — require more help managing these volatile medications and s