> As Hurricane Rita was upgraded to Cat -5 status, HCA said it will close its Houston area facilities. Story
> Another Merck executive has given testimony damaging to his company's image. Edward Scolnick said his "anxiety quotient" about the drug was very high as early as the year 2000. Story
> Guidant announced a recall affecting its Insignia and Nexus pacemakers. Story
> The World Health Organization is warning that Indonesia could see more deaths than other countries. The agency says the densely-populated country is more at risk than Vietnam or Thailand were. Story
> Boston Scientific has settled a longstanding dispute with an Israeli company over the patent rights to its popular stents. The Boston based device maker will pay $750 million to Medinol. Story
> A study in the New England Journal of Medicine examines three deaths in Chicago that resulted from community-acquired cases of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Story
> The Tennessee Hospital Association has sued to bring a stop to surgeries that require general anesthesia in doctor's offices. Story
> House Majority leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) defended his sale of his family stake in HCA, the nation's largest hospital chain, as the Washington Post examined the story. Story
AND FINALLY: Media attention on a dispute over John Hinckley's behavior at a psychiatric facility, where one doctor has accused him of stalking several nurses. Story