WSJ | Charred bits of plastic shrink wrap have been found in vials of Merck & Co. vaccines, Merck said, in the latest problem with quality at the company's biggest vaccine-making plant and one the company is still working to resolve. Merck said it's not aware of any adverse health events associated with the problem, and that it's confident in the safety and efficacy of its products. The affected vaccines included Gardasil for the prevention of HPV infection, Varivax for chicken pox, Pneumovax for pneumococcal disease, Zostavax for shingles and MMR II for measles, mumps and rubella.

AFP | Male mice who were exposed as babies to BPA, a chemical common in canned foods and plastic containers, act more like females and are seen as less desirable mates, a US study showed Monday. The findings could have implications for how BPA, or Bisphenol A, may affect human development and behavior, said the study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.