— The group Public Citizen has tried a second time to convince the US Food and Drug Administration to ban the weight-loss drug Meridia, citing concerns that it could elevate the risk of heart problems. The government agency, which rejected a similar petition in 2005, says it is reviewing data related to the drug. (Reuters)

— There’s something phishy about some of the H1N1 swine flu vaccine alerts some people have received via email. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it has received reports of fraudulent emails purporting to be sent on its behalf: “The CDC has NOT implemented a state vaccination program requiring registration on www.cdc.gov. Users that click on the email are at risk of having malicious code installed on their system.” (NPR)

— A scientist at a US Army research center in Maryland working on tularemia — also known as ‘rabbit fever’ — has contracted the disease. She is resting at home and getting better, according to a press release from the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases. The news brings to mind the recent case of University of Chicago researcher Malcolm Casadaban, who suffered a far more tragic fate. (Science Insider)

— Obama pills are back in the news. This past August, a report from the US Drug Enforcement Administration referenced them as containing 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), also known of course as ecstasy. There is some debate about whether the pills actually contain ecstasy. The ‘War on Drugs’ just got very personal. Oh, wait – looks like the war might be over. (The Monitor)

Image: US Drug Enforcement Administration