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Health Highlights: April 29, 2008 
Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay:
FDA Rejects Merck Cholesterol Drug
An experimental cholesterol drug developed by Merck & Co. has been rejected by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
In issuing the "not approvable" letter, the agency said Monday that it needed more information about Cordaptive, also known as MK-0524A. The FDA also rejected Cordaptive as a brand name for the drug, the Associated Press reported.
The drug lowers bad (LDL) cholesterol and raises good (HDL) cholesterol, according to Merck officials, who said they'll make another application for FDA approval of the drug, but under the brand name Tredaptive.
"We plan to meet with the FDA and to submit additional information to enable the agency to further evaluate" the drug, Peter S. Kim, president of Merck Research Laboratories, said in a prepared statement, the AP reported. "We firmly believe that MK-0524A provides physicians with an important option to manage their patients' cholesterol."
Last week, an advisory committee recommended that European countries approve the drug, Merck noted.
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White House Hinders EPA Action on Toxic Chemicals: Report
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's capacity to determine the health threat posed by toxic chemicals is being compromised by the Bush administration, which allows nonscientists to have a larger -- often secret -- role in the process, according to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report.
The GAO said allowing the Defense Department, the Energy Department, NASA and other agencies to be involved in the early stages of the process adds years of delay to the EPA's ability to take action on dangerous chemicals and threatens the program's credibility, the Associated Press reported.
In many cases, discussions involving outside agencies "occur in what amounts to a black box" of secrecy because the Bush administration claims they're private executive branch meetings, said the GAO, which noted this kind of secrecy "reduces the credibility of the ... assessments and hinders the EPA's ability to manage them."
The GAO report will be the subject of a Senate Environment Committee hearing Tuesday.
"The (EPA) scientists feel as if they have lost complete control of the process, that it's been taken over by the White House and that they're calling the shots," said an EPA scientist who spoke on condition of anonymity, the AP reported.
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Daycare May Reduce Children's Leukemia Risk
Children who attend daycare or playgroups are about 30 percent less likely to develop the most common type of childhood leukemia, according to University of California, Berkeley researchers who reviewed 14 studies involving nearly 20,000 children, including 6,000 who developed acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
It's believed that early infections that prime the immune system may help fight off ALL, which accounts for more than 80 percent of leukemia cases among children, and most often occurs between ages 2 to 5, BBC News reported.
"Combining the results from these studies together provided us with more confidence that the protective effect (of social interaction and exposure to infection at a young age) is real," said lead researcher Professor Patricia Buffler.
The study was to be presented at a leukemia conference in London, England.
One expert cautioned against drawing firm conclusions from the study and emphasized there's no solid evidence of an association between infections and leukemia.
"What this study does say is that there is a need for further comprehensive research," Dr. Carole Easton, of the charity CLIC Sargent, told BBC News. "Until we have conclusive evidence then we cannot say for certain what causes childhood leukemia."
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Tomato Paste Boosts Skin's Sun Protection: Study
Consumption of tomato paste may help boost the skin's protection against harmful ultraviolet rays, which can lead to premature aging and skin cancer, British researchers say.
The study included 10 people who consumed about 55 grams of tomato paste and 10 grams of olive oil a day, and 10 others who consumed just the 10 grams of olive oil. After three months, an analysis of skin samples showed that those in the tomato paste group had 33 percent more protection against sunburn and higher levels of a molecule called procollagen, which gives skin its structure and keeps it firm, BBC News reported.
The study was presented at a meeting of the British Society for Investigative Dermatology.
The researchers believe the antioxidant lycopene was behind the apparent skin benefit, BBC News reported.
"These weren't huge amounts of tomato we were feeding the group. It was the sort of quantity you would easily manage if you were eating a lot of tomato-based meals," said Professor Lesley Rhodes, a University of Manchester dermatologist.
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Digitek Heart Tablets Recalled
Digitek-brand digoxin heart tablets are being recalled because of a potential safety risk, says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Some tablets may be double the appropriate thickness and contain twice the approved level of active ingredient, United Press International reported.
The products are made by Actavis Totowa LLC and distributed by Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc., under a "Bertek" label and by UDL Laboratories, Inc. under a "UDL" label.
Digitek is used to treat heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms. Double-strength tablets could cause digitalis toxicity in patients with renal failure, resulting in nausea, vomiting, dizziness, low blood pressure, cardiac instability and brachycardia -- a below-normal heartbeat. Excessive digitalis intake can also cause death.
Patients and caregivers with questions can call 888-276-6166. Any adverse reactions should be reported to the FDA's MedWatch Program at 800-332-1088.
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Pfaltzgraff/Nautica Dinnerware Recalled
Certain Pfaltzgraff Villa della Luna pattern and Nautica J Class pattern stoneware dinnerware products are being recalled by Lifetime Brands, Inc. of Garden City, N.Y., because they may contain unacceptably high levels of lead and/or cadmium.
No illnesses have been reported to date, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The products included in the recall are: Nautica J Class red dinner plates; Villa della Luna dinner plates; Nautica J Class red salad plates; and Villa della Luna soup/cereal bowls.
The products may have been sold as part of a set or individually online and at retail stores across the United States. Call 800-4991976 for more information about the Pfaltzgraff recall, and 866-928-0060 for more information about the Nautica recall.
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