1. GARDASIL

From the "Tell Someone" ads running on TV, you might think there is an epidemic of cervical cancer. But it's just Merck's clever way of alerting people to the first vaccine, Gardasil, to fight a cancer. Cervical cancer, as the ads point out, is commonly caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV), which is most commonly spread during sexual intercourse. That's why an advisory panel for the Centers' for Disease Control (CDC) recommended last summer that Gardasil become part of routine immunization for girls between the ages of 11 and 12, a suggestion the agency is likely to accept.

2. CHANTIX

If quitting smoking is your New Year's resolution, consider trying Chantix. It's the first smoking cessation drug that's designed to address the withdrawal symptoms that make kicking the habit so hard. Chantix works by mimicking nicotine, so smokers weaning themselves off cigarettes will still feel the satisfying effects of nicotine without its addictive qualities and damaging effects on the lungs and other organs. The 12-week program of pills alone may not be enough to quit, however; smokers who took Chantix while also participating in counseling were able to remain smoke-free longer than those who just popped the pills.

3. Plan B

Known as the 'morning after' pill, the contraceptive is now available over the counter for women 18 and older. It's got the same ingredient found in birth control pills, but in a different dose. And don't expect to see Plan B sold next to the condoms at the local convenience store. In order to ensure that girls 17 and under won't have non-prescription access to Plan B, it will only be dispensed over-the-counter at retailers with pharmacy services — and a pharmacist who will check IDs for proof of age.

4. ATRIPLA

Twenty five years after the first AIDS cases were reported in the U.S., and 19 years after the first AIDS drug was approved, patients finally have their first single-pill, once-a-day treatment against HIV thanks to Bristol-Myers Squibb and Gilead Sciences. Combining three potent anti-HIV drugs — efavirenz, emtricitabine and tenofovir — Atripla is a welcome respite for the hundreds of thousands of HIV-positive patients who have become accustomed to taking dozens of pills and injections a day.

5. SILICONE BREAST IMPLANTS

They're baaack! Fourteen years after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the implants because of insufficient data regarding cancer and disease risks (not to mention the danger of rupture), the agency has approved them again for women over age 22. Before reaching its decision, the FDA reviewed studies that followed women over a period of four years. Even so, the approval comes with a condition — the two implant makers, Allergan and Mentor, have to conduct a study of 40,000 women with the implants over the next 10 years to ensure that they do not suffer any greater risk of autoimmune disease, connective tissue disorders, or rupture.

6. VOLUNTARY HIV TESTING

For the first time, the CDC is recommending that all patients aged 13 to 64 who come for any type of health care be screened for HIV. Before this recommendation, the agency only urged testing in hospitals where HIV prevalence was high or among high-risk patients — a catch-as-catch-can approach. The testing is voluntary but because it's more inclusive, it should reduce the number of HIV-positive Americans who remain unaware of their status.

7. EMSAM

Taking pills is never easy, and keeping up with meds is especially difficult for those suffering from major depression. That's why the FDA approved the first skin patch treatment for the disease; the Emsam patch slowly releases selegiline, part of an older class of anti-depressant medications. Earlier pill forms of selegiline-like anti-depressants interacted badly with favorite foods like cheese, pepperoni and even beer, causing a dangerous spike in blood pressure. But the gradual release of the drug in the patch allows wearers to be free to eat what they like.

8. SAVING EMBRYOS AND STEM CELLS

One of the biggest hurdles to human embryonic stem cell research is the fact that embryos need to be destroyed in the process. But researchers at Advanced Cell Technology reported some success in extracting stem cells from excess invitro fertilization (IVF) embryos while leaving the embryo intact and, therefore, theoretically able to continue normal development as a fetus. It's similar to the pre-implantation genetic diagnosis procedure used in IVF clinics to select out embryos free of genetic abnormalities.

9. STEM CELLS WITHOUT EGGS

Not to be outdone, a Japanese team at Kyoto University took skin cells from mice and with the right chemical and biological brew, prompted them to generate stem cells. If the technique works with human cells, it could eliminate the need for eggs and embryos altogether, and bypass the sticky ethical questions that have limited human embryonic studies in the U.S.

10. ALLEN BRAIN ATLAS

It's the first complete map of all of the genes in the mouse brain, accessible for free on the web to researchers around the world. Scientists can see in living color where in the brain a certain gene is active, as well as how it interacts with other genes. Okay, so it's a roadmap for a rodent's noggin, but neuroscientists say it's an invaluable foundation for studying and understanding human brain disorders from Alzheimer's to depression and dementia. Turns out that mice and men share many of the same brain genes.

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The story: A University of Utah study found that women with hostile spouses were more likely to experience hardening of the coronary arteries. The same goes for men with controlling wives.

The upside: Women now have serious leverage for convincing their partners to be nicer.

The caveat: Hostile spouses may relish their partners' hardening arteries.

Factoid: The scientists believe hostility vs. friendliness is more important to women, hence their physical reaction to hostility. Men, on the other hand, are more concerned with having control over their lives.

The story: Canadian researchers reported that they've cured mice with diabetes by using spleen cells to spur the pancreas into regrowing itself into a healthy organ.

The upside: There's no cure for diabetes, but scientists are excited about the new findings.

The caveat: Mice aren't people, and similar proclamations -- like this 2000 declaration of a diabetes cure in rodents -- haven't translated to humans.

Factoid: The spleen is a mightily mysterious organ.

The story: Walmart and Target (.pdf) began selling hundreds of generic drugs for $4 for a month's supply.

The upside: Your drugs are cheaper, especially if you don't have insurance. If you do, no more $15 co-pays.

The caveat: If your drug's still under copyright, it's probably still expensive.

Factoid: While not a scientific breakthrough, the move will benefit more peoples' health than many of the other items on this list.

The story: In the U.K., surgeons transplanted the first "beating heart" into a British patient. Instead of being frozen for several hours, a new machine kept the heart pumping during transfer from donor to patient.

The upside: A "living heart" could survive longer before being transplanted.

The caveat: Heart transplants remain rare: Only about 2,016 were performed in the United States in 2004, a slight decrease from 2003.

Factoid: Cornea, kidney and liver transplants are more common in the United States than heart transplants.

The story: Surgeons in Canada implanted a heart device into a man that provides a steady flow of blood to his body, making him the only man in the world without a pulse.

The upside: The device could be an alternative to a heart transplant.

The caveat: It might be difficult to determine the patient's status during a medical emergency.

Factoid: It cost $86,000 to install the no-pulse mechanical heart.

The story: Pharmaceutical companies are churning out more drugs that target the molecules involved in converting normal cells into tumor cells. One of these drugs, called sunitinib, was approved by the FDA in 2006 to treat stomach and kidney cancer, the first time the agency simultaneously approved a drug for two types of cancer.

The upside: Targeted drugs may improve cancer therapy -- and reduce side effects -- by limiting damage to healthy cells.

The caveat: Many targeted drugs are still being tested and aren't ready for prime time.

Factoid: In 2006, statistics showed that deaths from cancer actually dropped in the United States from 2002 to 2003 for the first time in decades.

4. Researchers Reach New Human Genome Milestone

The story: Three years after finishing a "rough draft" of the human genome, scientists announced that they've completed a detailed analysis of all 24 chromosomes. Chromosome 1 was the last to be analyzed.

The upside: Researchers expect the decoding of Chromosome 1 to help them develop treatments for cancer, autism, high cholesterol and other conditions. An estimated 350 diseases are linked to Chromosome 1.

The caveat: Scientists are still trying to detect errors in their genome analysis.

Factoid: There are 2.85 billion nucleotides -- structural units -- in the human genome.

3. Cell Phones Deemed Safe

The story: Danish researchers tracked 420,000 cell-phone users and found no sign that the devices cause cancer.

The upside: Talk your heart out. You should be OK.

The caveat: Cell phones could potentially cause slow-growing tumors that don't become noticeable for decades and would be missed by the current research.

Factoid: Danish researchers use a national database to track every citizen with cancer.

2. Circumcision Confirmed as AIDS Fighter

The story: Researchers found that circumcision decreases rates of HIV infection in African men by about half.

The new research confirms previous findings and could be the final word on the matter.

The upside: Circumcision appears to work, even in a large study, and other research suggests it's cost-effective. Widespread circumcision could save millions of lives.

The caveat: If at-risk adult men don't bother to wear condoms, what will make them bother with circumcision, which is quite a bit more of a hassle?

Meanwhile, it's not clear whether circumcision in men reduces risks for female sex partners.

Factoid: An estimated one million American male babies are circumcised each year.

1. First-Ever Cancer Vaccine Enters Market

The story: The FDA surprised critics of the Bush administration by approving a vaccine that prevents women from being infected by the virus that causes cervical cancer.

The upside: The vaccine seems to be effective and safe cancer prevention.

The caveat: While the vaccine is rightly touted as a major breakthrough, cervical cancer isn't a major killer in the United States thanks to the prevalence of preventive Pap smears. It also seems likely that many parents won't bother to get their daughters vaccinated because to do so would acknowledge that little Madison or Chloe might have sex someday.

Factoid: The manufacturer is reportedly testing the vaccine in men and boys because the medicine also prevents genital warts. If it is widely used, genital warts could become less common among both sexes.

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