Health Highlights: June 28, 2008

Developing countries are disproportionately affected by water-related health problems. For example, unsafe water causes less than 1 percent of deaths in developed countries, compared with an average of 8 percent in developing countries,Agence France Pressereported.

Death rates in certain poor countries can be much higher, such as 24 percent in Angola.

"In the 35 most affected countries, over 15 percent of diseases could easily be prevented by improved water, sanitation, and hygiene," said report author Annette-Pruss-Ustun,AFPreported.

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Low-Fat Milk May Benefit Kidney/Heart Health

Low-fat milk may offer protection against poor kidney function linked to heart disease, according to American and Norwegian researchers.

They measured the kidney function of more than 5,000 adults, ages 45 to 84, and found that those who consumed at least one serving of low-fat milk or milk products a day were 37 percent less likely than those who had little or no low-fat milk to have poor kidney function related to heart disease,United Press Internationalreported.

The study was published in theAmerican Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The authors noted that previous research suggests that milk protein, vitamin D, and magnesium may contribute to milk's potential heart health benefits,UPIreported.

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Maker of Anti-Flu Drug Seeks Corporate Stockpiling

The maker of the anti-flu drug Tamiflu has begun a program to encourage company stockpiling of the drug -- for an annual fee.

The plan announced Thursday by Roche Holding AG coincided with an effort by the U.S. government to begin encouraging corporate stockpiling of anti-flu drugs, since government reserves wouldn't include enough medication to treat every person in the United States in the event of a widespread flu outbreak, theAssociated Pressreported.

Experts have long warned that the virulent strain of bird flu that has been largely confined to Asian fowl over the past several years could mutate into a form that's more easily passed from animal-to-person and person-to-person, sparking a human flu pandemic.

Roche's plan includes provisions to substitute new supplies when older doses of Tamiflu expire, the wire service said.