November  13, 2003                   

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A00112 - An act to amend the social services law, in relation to prohibiting persons from receiving public assistance who cannot document that their children have been properly immunized. - New York State Assembly - legislation alert - For more immunization legislation, click here. (January 8, 2003)

Parents opting out of vaccines for kids - UPI - "A growing number of parents across the United States are opting out of mandatory vaccination requirements for their children and health experts are concerned this could lead to outbreaks of deadly diseases such as measles, polio and whooping cough...In all, nearly 38,000 children have been exempted from receiving the usual bout of childhood immunizations, according to figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. Also, the numbers appear to be increasing dramatically in several states, including Colorado, Oregon, Washington and Michigan."

Opting out of vaccines could get easier - UPI - "More states next year probably will follow the example of Texas and Arkansas and pass legislation making it easier for parents to exempt their children from mandatory vaccine requirements, health experts told United Press International...This trend concerns those experts because the more kids that go unvaccinated the more likely it is for an outbreak to occur. There already are indications more parents are applying for exemptions in Texas and Arkansas as a result of the new laws."

The vaccine conundrum - Should parents be concerned about the number of childhood inoculations? - U.S. News (March 17, 2003)

Smallpox Vaccination Program Implementation - Institute of Medicine - "The transcript of this meeting will be posted here as soon as it is available."

Epstein-Barr virus contributes to Burkitt's lymphoma - Finding points way to targeted treatment with fewer side effects - www.eurekalert.org - "There are two ways to prevent tumor viruses from doing damage, according to Bill Sugden, PhD, professor of oncology at the McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research. One is to develop a vaccine that triggers immune responses that neutralize the virus; the other is to cripple viral gene products that maintain cells as tumors."

VaxGen AIDS vaccine trials fail - The World Today via www.abc.net.au

SA Begins Second Trial to Test HIV Vaccine - BuaNews via www.allafrica.com

Nigerian Panel To Rule On Polio Vaccine Safety Next Week - AFP via key surf

Flu Vaxxine Offered to Jurors in Keane Murder Trial - Limerick Post, Ireland
 

Vaccinated boy contracts meningococcal disease B strain - ABC New Online, Australia - "A boy from Mount Gambier, in South Australia's south-east, who is recovering from meningococcal disease had received the meningococcal C vaccination but contracted the B strain which cannot be vaccinated against."

Immunisation Drive Against Meningitis Launched -  UN Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN) via www.allafrica.com

Chemokine regulation of inflammation during acute viral infection. - journal article - "With regard to immunomodulation, use of weak or attenuated viruses to skew the local cytokine network to a configuration able to inhibit a pathogen is a new and interesting concept, but is fraught with important safety issues."

Comment: What are the safety issues?  Does this safety concern re: "use of weak or attenuated viruses" have any relevance to vaccines?  And/or to recent news re: SIDS and cytokines?

Welcome to AWEtism Shoppe! - Life on the BRIGHT SIDE of the Spectrum. - new website

Dentist pained by state cutting his right to talk - The Connecticut Post - "When Mark Breiner, an area dentist, wrote an opinion piece for the Connecticut Post, urging legislation banning mercury-based filings, he never thought the state Department of Public Health would take action against him."

At least 340 linked to hepatitis A outbreak - The Sacramento Bee

Beaver County hepatitis probe changes focus - Contaminated food may be cause of outbreak - "Health officials now believe that contaminated food delivered to a Beaver County restaurant is a more likely cause of the ongoing hepatitis A outbreak than poor worker hygiene as originally suspected."

Study: About 4.5 Million Indians Have HIV - The Herald-Sun

U.S. Has First Human Raccoon Rabies Death - The Herald-Sun

Flu, infant virus arrive early - Timing of outbreaks doesn't necessarily mean cases will be more severe. - Akron Beacon Journal - "'I guess this is just showing us: don't get complacent,' said Akron Health Department epidemiologist Dr. Margeurite Erme, who tracks influenza's annual encroachment into Summit Country. 'We can't say, "Oh, it always comes in January or February, so we can wait to get vaccinated."'...Everyone -- except people allergic to eggs, in which the vaccine is grown -- is encouraged to get a flu shot, Payton said, but it's especially beneficial for those over 65 and those with chronic health conditions."

With Flu Season Coming, Don't Forget...Exercise? - American Physiological Society via www.intelihealth.com

Presenting features of inflammatory bowel disease in Great Britain and Ireland - journal article

Variations in initial assessment and management of inflammatory bowel disease across Great Britain and Ireland - journal article

State announces additional West Nile virus death - The Casper Star-Tribune

Federal Agency Responsible for Mental Health Research Gives Short Shrift to Serious Mental Illnesses - U.S. Newswire - Notice of Public Citizen Press Conference

Keys to health Following basic rules of hygiene will keep children well - The Press of Atlantic City

Detection of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and their resistance genes in wastewater, surface water, and drinking water biofilms - BioMedNet

Anti-inflammatory drugs speed brain recovery in Stanford animal study - www.eurekalert.org

Aspirin May Not Be Strong Enough To PrevIncreasing Infant Mortality Among Very Low Birthweight Infants ent Clots In Some Heart Patients - Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions via ScienceDaily

Limits on care question - University Hospital's practices a concern, legislator says - Denver Post - "University Hospital shouldn't accept state-controlled money if it continues to refuse service to some uninsured and indigent patients, a Colorado lawmaker said Wednesday."

Medical Board Will Probe Bad Death Call - Los Angeles Times - "The Medical Board of California said Wednesday that it is investigating whether physician mistakes occurred in the case of a 20-month-old Fullerton girl whom doctors mistakenly declared dead last week."

New test method helps reduce blood safety fears - China View

Redflagsdaily.com - www.redflagsweekly.com