Daily Rounds: HIV Programs Slashed; Docs Decline Tests; Sibling Autism Risk; 'Crazy Sexy Cancer'

Mass. HIV programs face cuts as US shifts funding - The Boston Globe "Deep cuts in federal funding will force Massachusetts to immediately slash or eliminate many key HIV and AIDS prevention services, programs that were central to driving down the infection rates in the state by more than 50 percent over the past decade, according to a top Patrick administration official. The state Department of Public Health began notifying a network of community health agencies on Friday about the $4.3 million reduction, which is roughly one-quarter of the state’s annual AIDS prevention budget." (boston.com)

Some Medical Tests, Procedures Do More Harm Than Good - The Daily Beast "From PSA tests for prostate cancer (which more than 20 million U.S. men undergo every year) to surgery for chronic back pain to simple antiobiotics for sinus infection, a remarkable number and variety of tests and treatments are now proving either harmful or only as helpful as a placebo." (Newsweek)

Younger Siblings Of Autistic Kids: Their Risk Greater Than Thought : Shots - Health Blog : NPR "Autism specialists have long thought the disease has a strong genetic component -– maybe stronger than any other neurodevelopmental disorder. Now a new study — the largest so far to look at autism in younger brothers and sisters of an affected child — finds their risk is higher than previously thought, especially if the younger sibling is a boy. The overall risk that a younger sibling of an autistic child will develop the disorder is 19 percent, the researchers found."

Kris Carr - Crazy Sexy Entrepreneur - NYTimes.com "Such an ascent might not be all that unusual if Carr were simply a sparkling and attractive 39-year-old, who looks as fresh as a blade of grass and who signs her e-mails “love & glitter & unicorns!” and “peace ’n’ veggies!” while also sharing stages with top Harvard doctors and Deepak Chopra. But in the case of Carr, the idea that everyone seems to want a little bit of what she has is frankly fascinating, because the thing she is most famous for having is cancer. She was given the diagnosis in 2003 and rose to prominence with a 2007 documentary called 'Crazy Sexy Cancer.' "(nytimes.com)

New bacteria linked to tattoo infections - USATODAY.com "An investigation into skin lesions that two people developed after getting tattoos has concluded that both were infected with a bacteria not previously linked to the practice. (yourlife.usatoday.com)