The Food and Drug Administration announced the approval of the first skin patch to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children. The patch contains methyphenidate, the same stimulant that is in Ritalin and is designed to be worn for 9 hours. In December, an FDA panel voted to recommend the patch's label encourage its use only as an alternative treatment for kids ages 6 to 12 for whom taking pills is too difficult.

Government officials say a dead swan found in Scotland has tested positive for the A(H5N1) viral strain of bird flu. The native mute swan was discovered 8 days ago in the small costal town of Fife, northeast of Edinburgh. Officials emphasize that there is no immediate danger to humans and there is not yet any danger to the poultry supply, but have established a 1.8 mile protection zone around the location where the dead swan was found to prevent the movement of poultry in and out of the area.

New research is sparking hope that a popular blood-pressure medication might also protect those with Marfan syndrome against fatal aneurysms. According to a study published in the journal Science, the drug Cozaar worked so well in mice that the government is about to test it in babies and children with Marfan syndrome, a genetic disease of the connective tissues that could cause weakening of the aorta. "We're now talking about the ability to prevent rather than attenuate or respond to manifestations of this disease," said Dr. Harry Dietz, the lead researcher at John Hopkins University. The work may also point to new ways to prevent more common aortic aneurysms.

A study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology found the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors during pregnancy may increase the risk of having a stillborn baby. Researchers found women using SSRIs were twice as likely to have a stillbirth, and were also more likely to have premature and low-birth weight babies.