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Offers nine key ways to beat the pain of arthritis. How joint problems are hurting and crippling millions of Americans; Ways that rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis affect joints; Topical treatment; Supplements; Technique of strengthening the muscles and tendons that support the joint; Strength and flexibility exercises; Anti-inflammatory drugs; Disease-modifying drugs; Opioid analgesics; Joint lubrication; Surgery and replacement; Rehabilitation; Outlook for new treatments.

Discusses Web sites related to medicine. Use of search engines to sort Web pages related to health; Issue of credibility of information offered on sites; Questions of whether the information is current; Importance of scientific basis for information offered on medical Web sites.

Discusses delirium experienced by many cancer patients who are near death. Idea that the condition may be treated through an alteration of the patients' medication; Importance of clarity of mind to cancer patients and their relations; Side effects of cancer medications. INSET: Docs err on the long side.

This article examines the way medicine is administered to heart attack victims. Many doctors administer the same dosage to every patient without considering body weight and other factors which may affect bleeding. Some patients have experienced excessive bleeding and even death from overdosing on anticlotting drugs such as heparin. Hospitals should insist on tailoring dosage to each patient.

Focuses on children in America who suffer from arthritis. How almost all juvenile arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis, a systemic immune problem; Effectiveness of early diagnosis and treatment; Comments of physicians; Experiences of Waylon Holland, who was diagnosed early, and Leona West, who was not correctly diagnosed for four years.

Presents the results of a Pew Internet and American Life Project survey that measured Americans' use of the Internet for finding medical information. Statistics related to the survey; How Internet users search for information about specific medical problems, diet, exercise, drugs, doctors, hospitals, and experimental treatments; Importance of verifying the reliability of medical information that is obtained online.

Reports on the increasing prevalence of whooping cough. Number of people infected in 1976 compared to 2003; Increased prevalence among teenagers; Reason for prevalence among teenagers, including an out-lived childhood vaccine; Comments from Baylor College of Medicine pediatrician Amy Middleman on the contagious nature of whooping cough, and the need to see a doctor if symptoms arise.

Reports on new evidence which suggests that the drug Iressa may attack the most common form of lung cancer. Theory behind Iressa; Its disappointing early trials; Why Iressa was initially considered impractical as a general lung cancer treatment; Molecular target; Studies which were published in two medical journals; Suitable candidates for the drug; Comments of cancer specialists; Outlook for patients with the EGFR mutation.

Presents short articles concerning health and medicine updates. The results of a study stressing the importance of sleep on the effectiveness of a flu shot; The drug Remicade and the relief it offers Crohn's disease sufferers.

Mentions the U.S. Senate's decision to kill a proposal to help senior citizens pay for prescription drugs. Statistics on states with high numbers of seniors who skip doses of medicine or do not fill prescriptions because of the cost.

Presents news briefs related to health and medicine as of December 24, 2001. Study which indicates that almost half of post-menopausal women in the United States are at risk for osteoporosis; Report that blood triglyceride levels may predict stroke risk; Mention of a recording that satirizes health maintenance organizations (HMO), by Dr. Sam and the Managed Care Blues Band.

Presents news briefs related to medicine as of September 10, 2001. Details of designer hospital gowns by Nicole Miller; Hormone replacement therapy for women; Use of Yasmin, an oral contraceptive, to treat women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder.