It was not an easy year in mainstream health. A quick scan of the headlines produced by major American news outlets in 2005 paints a tough picture of drug companies gone wrong, a traumatic examination of living wills and end of life issues, and grand threats of an avian flu that never landed.

Popular medical resource WebMd has pulled together a cross section of the top health stories of 2005, highlights below:

Bird Flu: The biggest story that's yet to be a story. If the flu ever hits our shores, we can't say we weren't warned.

Terri Schiavo: Her death did more than stir a massive debate, it woke us up to a very real and very ignored aspect of death and dying. How would we want to go?

FDA-enforced drug warnings: The “black box” warnings gracing the labels of many drugs are a result the tragic mistakes made by the manufacturers of medications like Vioxx and Bextra. Popping a pill now forces the consideration of heart, stroke, and ulcer risks.

Medicare: Deciphering confusing drug plans, dealing with cuts in funding, and accepting an uncertain future will have many Medicare recipients hoping for a happy ending in 2006.

The Food Pyramid: The pyramid received its first facelift in 13 years. The emphasis is on more fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products and less saturated fats, sugar, alcohol, and salt — and exercise, lots of exercise.

Stay tuned for the for the top alternative health stories of 2005 — a very different list.

[via CBSNews.com]

(Illustration: Purdue.edu)