The Food and Drug Administration approved the new swine flu vaccine Tuesday, a long-anticipated step as the government works to get vaccinations under way next month.

We often hear of people who believe they see the image of Jesus in a cookie, or some other object. Now, we have a local version: an 11-year-old boy whose family believes they see an image of a heart on his head, after open heart surgery. Count on WJBF News Channel 6’s Barclay Bishop for the story.

In light of actor Patrick Swayze’s death from pancreatic cancer, we have a fact sheet on pancreatic cancer.

Federal health officials put out new guidelines Tuesday that say the flu medicines Tamiflu and Relenza should only be used to treat people who are sick with the flu and at high risk for complications.

Traumatic brain injuries are a major cause of disabilities worldwide. Many are caused by falls, or accidents. Right here in the CSRA, there’s a program that offers those with brain injuries, or disabilities, the chance to get back into the swing of things. WJBF News Channel 6’s Kimberely Scott has the story.

A new tool in the CSRA is helping patients, especially women, who face potentially life-threatening procedures. Some local surgeons now have an extra hand during surgery… nd it’s not a nurse, it’s a robot. Count on our Fraendy Clervaud. He has the story.

A Clemson University student from New Jersey who died last week had a form of meningitis. Multiple media outlets report that Pickens County Coroner Kandy Kelly said Thursday that lab tests show 20-year-old Danielle Rae Fleming had bacterial meningitis.

Swine flu is expected to return when kids go back to school, and the government is hoping its new advice on when to shut down schools during an outbreak will prevent the panic and confusion that led to hundreds of school closures last spring. The government was to issue new guidance Friday for schools to follow when swine flu strikes. Unlike regular seasonal flu, this virus has not retreated during the hot and humid summer months and so far has infected more than 1 million Americans.

The government’s first study of how well rapid tests diagnose swine flu finds they’re wrong at least half the time. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention looked at rapid tests made by three companies. The tests correctly confirmed swine flu infections only 10 percent to 51 percent of the time. The tests were better at diagnosing seasonal flu.

The government is calling for several thousand volunteers to roll up their sleeves for the first swine flu shots, in a race to test whether a new vaccine really will protect against the virus before its expected to rebound in the fall.

Water therapy has long been used to benefit our bodies…and it’s a form of treatment that helps people get stronger. Walton Rehabilitation Health System offers aqua therapy. WJBF News Channel 6’s Kimberely Scott has more.

A special camp for South Carolina children battling cancer is celebrating its 30th anniversary this week. More than 100 campers and 40 counselors are on hand for Camp Kemo at Camp Kinard near Batesburg-Leesville.

We first told you about the robotic surgical tool called ‘DaVinci’ when it arrived at Doctor’s Hospital, last year. We’ve learned the surgical system is now being used to treat uterine fybroids. They can be painful and, for many women, the only option was a hysterectomy.

More Than $3 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is in the hands of Walton Rehabilitation. WJBF News Channel 6’s Sheena Bodie explains how they’re putting the money to use.

Imagine your body attacking itself because you had wheat toast for breakfast. That’s what happens in celiac disease…and a strict diet has been the only way to keep it at bay. Now, a promising new treatment could give patients new hope and a new appetite…

Scientists are moving closer to making an artificial eye. As Brad Kloza shows us, researchers have made an important breakthrough…here’s more in a WJBF News Channel 6 Medical Report.

Emory University-Queensland Institute partnership to develop new human vaccines; world-renowned researcher to lead new Emory Institute for Drug Discovery.

Government health officials warned dieters and body builders Friday to immediately stop using Hydroxycut, a widely sold supplement linked to cases of serious liver damage and at least one death. The Food and Drug Administration said the company that makes the dietary supplement has agreed to recall 14 Hydroxycut products. Available in grocery stores and pharmacies, Hydroxycut is advertised as made from natural ingredients. At least 9 million packages were sold last year, the FDA said.

Government health officials are announcing the recall of popular weight loss pill Hydroxycut, after reports of liver damage and other health problems. Food and Drug Administration officials said Friday the manufacturer of Hydroxycut has launched a nationwide recall of the dietary supplement, used by people trying to shed pounds and by body builders to sharpen their muscles.

A government health official says the Food and Drug Administration will allow 17-year-olds to get the ‘morning-after’ birth control pill without a doctor’s prescription. An official said the agency will announce Wednesday it’s complying with a federal judge’s order. The official was not authorized to speak publicly before the agency’s announcement, so the information was provided on grounds of anonymity.

Scientists seeking taxpayer money for embryonic stem cell research under President Barack Obama’s new plan must use cells originally culled from fertility clinic embryos that otherwise would be thrown away. That’s the word from the National Institutes of Health, which is issuing draft guidelines Friday on steps scientists must take.

Mom was right when she said eat your fruits and vegetables. Fiber can prevent constipation, and stave off cancer. MCG researchers have discovered how it works. Count on WJBF News Channel 6’s Renita Crawford with more on this groundbreaking research at the Medical College of Georgia.

New information shows Natasha Richardson may’ve survived if she tried to get medical attention, right away. One local survivor knows first hand just how life changing that can be. Count on WJBF News Channel 6’s Barclay Bishop for the story.

March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month…a time for a little straight talk about that disease. Doctor Barry Jenkins, from University Hospital joined WJBF News Channel 6’s Mary Morrison on our noon newscast, Wednesday.

In a WJBF News Channel 6 Medical Report: radical changes in the doctor-patient relationship. You’ve probably used the internet to look up an ache or pain. Now, more and more people are also using it to find a doctor…and patient reviews of that doctor. And, as ABC News’ John McKenzie reports, some doctors are sick of it.

A marketing campaign for a GlaxoSmithKline prostate drug has drawn complaints from federal regulators, who said the space-themed advertisement is misleading. The British drugmaker’s Avodart capsules treat symptoms of enlarged prostate, including frequent urination. In the company’s advertisement, a man working on a model of the solar system is forced to stop painting to make frequent trips to the bathroom.

Properly trained primary care physicians, internists, family medicine physicians, obstetricians and gynecologists and general practioners can peform the test as safely as endoscopists, according to a study published in the January 12 issue of the Annals of Family Medicine. Count on WJBF News Channel 6’s Renita Crawford for more on screening for colorectal cancer, in this Medical Report.

February is Heart Awareness Month…and people at Aiken Regional Medical Centers did their part to promote awareness, by opening their state-of-the-art heart center to the public, Wednesday. WJBF News Channel 6’s Joy Howe has more in the Medical Report.

According to MCG researchers, knocking out one gene that contributes to insulin resistance appears to prevent much of the cardiovascular damage typically associated with obesity.

Since he couldn’t go to Boston, Boston came to Leonard Quick. The 80-year-old Midville man had been living with a condition called Salzmann’s Nodular Degeneration, which finally took away his sight about four years ago. His wife Betty became the designated driver and reader for the retired pastor and scholar.