The consumer health unit of Novartis will be taking a hit of $120 million in the fourth quarter after the Swiss drugmaker decided to voluntarily recall some products in the United States.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Novartis said operations and shipments had been temporarily stopped at the Novartis Consumer Health (NCH) Lincoln, Nebraska facility for accelerating improvements at the site.

“NCH will take a one-time charge currently estimated at $120 million in the fourth quarter of 2011, relating to the recalls and improvement work at the Lincoln facility,” Novartis said in the statement.

The drugmaker plans to gradually resume operations at its Lincoln site following implementation of planned improvements and in agreement with the FDA.

A new research from Japan has suggested soy rich diet that is linked to a reduced risk of cancer does not offer protection for stomach cancer.

The researchers from Japan found no difference in gastric cancer risk between people who consumed a lot of isoflavones and those who consumed the least.

An estimated 21,500 Americans were diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2011 and an estimated 10,500 died from it.

“One of the reasons for decline is that people have fridges now, and they use less salt preservatives,” said Khaldoun Almhanna, a medical oncologist at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida.

No trace of potentially deadly bacteria that killed two infants in recent weeks was found in sealed cans of Enfamil baby formula, according to U.S. health officials.

It was further added that a recall was unnecessary, providing relief for the product’s manufacturer, Mead Johnson Nutrition Co.

“Parents may continue to use powdered infant formula, following the manufacturer’s directions on the printed label,” the agencies said in a joint statement.

“We’re pleased with the FDA and CDC testing, which should reassure consumers, healthcare professionals and retailers everywhere about the safety and quality of our products,” Tim Brown, Mead Johnson’s general manager for North America, said in a statement.

“There is currently no evidence to conclude that the infant formula or nursery water was contaminated during manufacturing or shipping,” said an FDA spokesman.

The lung cancer risk of a woman does not appear to be associated with the number of children she has, although some scientists had thought hormonal changes during pregnancy may protect against the disease.

“If you look at the component studies, they are all over the map,” she told Reuters Health, adding that she and her colleagues had hoped to be able to explain that variation.

“We came up relatively empty-handed,” Jessica K. Paulus, who worked on the analysis and of Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts, said. “It makes it difficult to interpret our findings.” “Both active smoking and exposure to second-hand smoking are some of the strongest risk factors for lung cancer,” said Paulus. “Quitting smoking and quitting soon is associated with reducing your risk of lung cancer.”

According to an Israeli study, people who harbor ulcer-causing bacteria in their stomachs can be protected against some diarrheal diseases.

Researchers from Tel Aviv University said some previous studies had suggested that being infected with the bacterium, Helicobacter pylori, increases the risk of diarrhea, while others have reported finding the opposite.

“Our findings suggest an active role of H. pylori in the protection against diarrheal diseases,” wrote lead author Dani Cohen in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

The researchers wrote having an immune system in overdrive due to chronic H. pylori infection may also keep other bacteria in the digestive system at bay.

If you have no bodybuilding equipment at the home and still want to attain solid muscle strength, this video on body building home training will help you in more than just a way. It is an absolute must-see for every health and fitness conscious individual.