Health | WPN World People News

The generic anticonvulsant medication gabapentin shows promise as an effective treatment for alcohol dependence, based on the results of a 150-patient clinical trial of the medication. Conducted by scientists supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health, the study found that alcohol dependent patients using gabapentin were more likely to stop drinking or refrain from heavy drinking than those taking placebo. Gabapentin is already widely prescribed to treat pain conditions and epilepsy.

Screening for the human papillomavirus (HPV) is more effective than Pap tests for protecting women against invasive cervical cancer, a new study suggests.

A comprehensive dilated eye exam can catch diabetic eye disease early, before symptoms appear.

The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is responsible for a common childhood illness. There is no vaccine available to prevent RSV infection.

Joan Adams, a mother living in Kliptown, near Johannesburg, has opened her home as a sanctuary to the neighbourhood's children.