A new week means plenty of new things for today’s dose: There’s new findings on hormone replacement therapy, new problems for the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and a new meaning for ‘bioterrorism.’

— After years of studies showing an increased risk of stroke and breast cancer among women who go through hormone replacement therapy (HRT), researchers now say the treatment might actually reduce the risk of colon cancer. The study of more than 800 women showed that HRT on average halved the risk of colon cancer, with longer HRT treatments correlating with a lower risk. (Reuters)

— A centuries-old drug for gout pain, colchicine, is causing its own pain among patients and pharmaceutical companies. URL Pharma received FDA approval for its version of the drug in 2009, taking advantage of a law that allows for market exclusivity if a drug predating the FDA is put through clinical trials. Now, however, URL Pharma has marked up the price of colchicine pills from pennies to a little over five dollars each; the company is also suing any others who market the pill. (WSJ)

— The FDA is investigating triclosan, an ingredient of antibacterial soaps that’s even found in some clothing, following on recent studies that showed the chemical has detrimental effects on the rat endocrine system. A letter from Congressman Edward Markey prompted the review, and Markey is now planning legislation to ban triclosan from consumer products. BPA is so three months ago. (NPR)

— An HIV-positive man is being charged under bioterrorism law after biting his neighbor during a fight. Among other charges, the prosecution asserts that HIV is a ‘harmful biological substance’ and the defendant, Daniel Allen, attempted to use it as a weapon. (Michigan Messenger via Gawker)

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