Children born via in vitro fertilization may have slightly higher cancer rates

One of the early fears about in vitro fertilization at its inception more than 30 years ago was that the procedure might cause genetic or other health problems in children conceived in that manner. It's clear that IVF is very safe. However, several studies suggest a slightly higher risk of birth defects and some types of illness among children born via IVF that parents should be aware of. The latest study indicates cancer also may occur more often.

Previous studies looking for a link between cancer and IVF have found nothing. However, the largest study yet on the question has found such a link. Swedish researchers examined data from 26,692 children who worn born via IVF during 1982 through 2005. Based on the normal rates of cancer in the general population, 38 cases of cancer would be expected among this group of children. However, 53 cases of cancer were found. The study is published in the journal Pediatrics.

Pfizer stops test on pain drug • Pfizer Inc. has stopped patient tests of an experimental drug for two types of pain at the request of federal regulators. The drugmaker was testing tanezumab in patients with chronic low back pain and with painful nerve damage from diabetes complications. Both were late-stage studies. For now, the two studies won't add new patients and will have study participants stop taking their pills.

Monday's move comes less than four weeks after safety problems led Pfizer to halt testing of tanezumab in patients with osteoarthritis because it worsened in some patients, requiring joint replacements. That decision also was due to pressure from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Problems found at another J&J plant • A second Johnson & Johnson medicine factory is under scrutiny from federal regulators. The health care giant in April shut down a plant in Fort Washington, Pa., a Philadelphia suburb, that's now linked to eight recalls of Tylenol and other nonprescription drugs for children and adults. Now the Food and Drug Administration has sent the company a critical report after a recent inspection found problems at a plant in Lancaster, Pa. FDA spokeswoman Elaine Gansz Bobo said the agency report is still under review and cannot be released publicly.

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