Daily Rounds: Where's The Flu?; Obesity May Contradict Contraceptives; Some Antipsychotics Pose Risks

Flu Bug: Missing In Action: Shots - Health Blog : NPR (npr.org) "This year, the flu season has had its slowest start in the 29 years since the federal government began counting. Experts think it's a combination of warmer weather, more flu shots, and perhaps a flu strain that's been around before and so natural resistance is high. "I think we have a very well-protected population at the moment," said Vanderbilt University's Dr. William Schaffner. It's unclear how long the protection will last, however. "

Daily Dose: A Boston Globe blog with health news, advice, and information. - Boston.com (boston.com) "Despite America's growing waistline, researchers say we really don't know whether added pounds changes the effectiveness of birth control pills. 'Some studies do show a slight reduction in contraceptive effectiveness among obese women,' said Dr. Alison Edelman, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Oregon Health & Science University who has done research in this area. 'But it’s a little too early to say that they need to use a different method of birth control.'"

BBC News - Antipsychotics death risk charted in dementia patients (The BBC)  "New research, by Harvard scientists and published by the British Medical Journal, finds that antipsychotics, often given to calm dementia patients, should not be used "in the absence of clear need," and that the risks appear "highest for haloperidol and least for quetiapine." Alzheimer's Research UK's chief executive Rebecca Wood told the BBC that the risks of antipsychotics are "well-established" yet "progress has been frustratingly slow" in reducing their use."