* ►March 2009 - Proximity to point sources of environmental mercury release as a predictor of autism prevalence. - journal article (Health Place)

* ►December 22, 2008 - Will FDA relax its warnings on seafood? - Environmentalists fear that guidelines about seafood will be eased. Agency says it just wants input. (requires registration) - Los Angeles Times

* ►December 22, 2008 - Fish-eating moms' diet affects kids, study shows (requires registration) - Los Angeles Times

►December 20, 2008 - WHO for reducing injections, clampdown on re-use of syringes to control hepatitis - The News International, Pakistan

►December 20, 2008 - 4.5 lakh kids to get polio vaccine - Times of India

* ►December 19, 2008 - AstraZeneca row as corruption claims engulf Nobel prize - The Times, UK - "The Swedish prosecutor yesterday opened a parallel investigation into bribery allegations after several members of Nobel committees admitted enjoying expenses-paid trips to China to tell officials how candidates are selected for prizes."

►December 19, 2008 - Nobel prize row over pharmaceuticals firm link - The reputation of the Nobel prize has been dented after it emerged that a member of the jury and a Nobel representative had links to a pharmaceuticals giant that benefited from this year’s prize for medicine. - The Telegraph, UK

* ►December 19, 2008 - Controversy Over New 'Conscience' Rule - Bush Broadens Rule on Refusal of Health Services for Moral Reasons - WebMD - "An 11th-hour ruling from the Bush administration gives health care workers, hospitals, and insurers more leeway to refuse health services for moral or religious reasons. The rule, issued today, becomes effective in 30 days. Its main provisions widen the number of health workers and institutions that may refuse, based on 'sincere religious belief or moral conviction,' to provide care or referrals to patients."

* ►December 19, 2008 - Watch Larry King Live on 12/20 Jenny McCarthy and Special Guests! - Age of Autism

* ►December 19, 2008 - Autism Health Care Twitter Day #HHS December 23rd 2008 ALL DAY - Tanners Dad's Blog - "Autism and Healthcare twitter day December 23rd all day #HHS Tom Daschele invited Tanners Dad / Tim Welsh will be the Autism / Healthcare Community Discussion Host and Moderator. Sign onto twitter. Search for #HHS and post your comments and answers to questions."

* ►December 19, 2008 - Sign Up to Lead a Healthcare Discussion for Obama - Age of Autism

►December 19, 2008 - Child Warrior: Jack - Age of Autism

* ►December 19, 2008 - Pharmaceutical Industry Fights for an FDA Commissioner with Industry Ties - Newsinferno.com

* ►December 19, 2008 - Most Kids With Type 1 Diabetes Lack Vitamin D - Deficiency can increase bone fracture risk, researchers say - HealthDay via U.S. News & World Report

►December 19, 2008 - Piven's Doc: If You See Him Eating Seafood, Call My Office - Jeremy Piven's Doctor Details Actor's Debilitating 'Mercury Toxicity' - ABC News

►December 19, 2008 - Sushi to Blame for Piven’s Mercury Toxicity - Newsinferno.com

►December 19, 2008 - What to Believe About Jeremy Piven’s Sushi Sickness? - New York Magazine

* ►December 19, 2008 - Investigational Vaccine Effective Against HPV in Boys - Journal of Adolescent Health via MedPage Today - "Questions remain about the cost-effectiveness and public-health sector support for vaccinating males and even whether vaccinating males will prevent them from transmitting HPV to females, they noted. The study was sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline. One of the authors reported being employed by GlaxoSmithKline. The researchers provided no other information on conflicts of interest."

►December 19, 2008 - HPV Vaccine Used Overseas Passes Safety Test in Boys - Health Behavior News Service

►December 19, 2008 - Mayo Clinic Study Finds Increased Risk of Pneumococcal Disease in Asthma Patients - Suggests adults with asthma should receive pneumococcal vaccine - press release - Mayo Clinic via PRNewswire-USNewswire

* ►December 19, 2008 - FDA approves new version of Emergent vaccine - AP via MSNBC - "Biotechnology company Emergent BioSolutions Inc. said Friday U.S. health regulators approved a new version of its anthrax vaccine that requires fewer injections. The latest formulation of Biothrax approved by the Food and Drug Administration requires five doses, compared with six injections for the previous version."

►December 19, 2008 - Emergent BioSolutions Receives FDA approval for Supplemental Biologics License Application for BioThrax - Quick Facts - RTTNews

* ►December 19, 2008 - Military: Repeat of anthrax attacks harder today/AP - Anthrax Vaccine -- posts by Meryl Nass, M.D.

* ►December 19, 2008 - Intercell Update on Technology Partnerships: Intercell Outlicenses Group B Streptococcus Vaccine -- Group B Streptococcus vaccine program licensed to Novartis - Intellectual property cross license agreement will allow Novartis to focus on vaccines and Intercell on therapeutic antibodies in this indication - Extension of collaboration with Sanofi Pasteur on undisclosed bacterial vaccine towards product development - Pre-clinical evaluation of IC31(R) with Wyeth in multiple infectious vaccine indications progressing well - Revenues and revenue recognition from technology partnerships in the fourth quarter 2008 expected to clearly exceed EUR 10 m - press release - Intercell via PRNewswire

* ►December 19, 2008 - Dynavax Announces Termination of Partnership With Merck for HEPLISAV™ Hepatitis B Vaccine - press release - Dynavax Technologies Corporation via Business Wire via The Earth Times

* ►December 19, 2008 - Merck & Co.’s Exit from Alliance Sends Dynavax Crashing - Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News - "Merck & Co. has backed out of its agreement with Dynavax Technologies covering Heplisav™, a Phase III HBV vaccine. The vaccine has been on clinical hold since March, and the FDA recently asked for more safety information."

►December 19, 2008 - Merck KGaA buys rights to Oncothyreon's lung cancer vaccine - SmartBrief

►December 19, 2008 - New Vaccine Protects Monkeys From Pneumonic Plague - In a new study researchers from the University of Chicago, Illinois and the Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute, Albuquerque, New Mexico developed a vaccine incorporating the protein V10 and found that it protected macaques from lethal pneumonic plague and may have implications for use in humans. - American Society for Microbiology, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS via ScienceDaily

* ►December 19, 2008 - Making Aussie seafood a better buy - Insciences Organisation - "Associate Professor Andreas Lopata, from the School of Medical Sciences, said a different method for vaccination was being investigated by the team, which includes the Alfred Hospital’s Allergy Service and Monash University. Associate Professor Lopata with students working on finding a vaccine for people with shellfish allergies. 'We want to create a vaccine that can be used homeopathically, so that people can eat or swallow it, rather than inject it,' he said."

* ►December 19, 2008 - Former President Carter on eradicating Guinea Worm Disease: Exclusive Interview by Marisha Wojciechowska-Shibuya - MaximsNews Network - "President Carter: One of the most important lessons we have learned so far from this campaign has been the potential power of health education. Before, it was thought you only could have an effective eradication campaign by using a vaccine, as with smallpox, and later polio. Guinea worm eradication relies primarily on health education."

►December 19, 2008 - Measles Alert - Tampa Bay's 10 - "A visitor from the United Kingdom traveling through Tampa has tested positive for measles. The visitor arrived at Tampa International December 13, at approximately 5:30 p.m."

* ►December 19, 2008 - With H1N1 resistance, CDC changes advice on flu drugs - CIDRAP News - "Increased resistance to oseltamivir (Tamiflu), the leading influenza drug, has prompted federal health officials to change their advice about flu treatment, saying clinicians for now should consider using zanamivir (Relenza) or a combination of two drugs for patients suspected of having influenza A. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today said 49 of 50 influenza A/H1N1 viruses tested so far this season have shown resistance to oseltamivir. But all the isolates remained sensitive to zanamivir and to the two older flu drugs, amantadine and rimantadine."

►December 19, 2008 - Got the flu? CDC says Tamiflu may not be much help - AP via Yahoo!

►December 19, 2008 - GSK Ready to Supply RELENZA(R) to Meet New CDC Interim Recommendations this Flu - press release - GlaxoSmithKline via PRNewswire

►December 19, 2008 - Plan in place for local flu pandemic - 91.3 KUWS

►December 19, 2008 - Indonesia sees progress on bird flu sharing - Reuters

►December 19, 2008 - Second Chance Flu Shot Clinics For Corporations By OpenHouse Direct Inc. Aims To Prevent Losses Due To Flu Related Illnesses - OpenHouse Direct Inc. urges corporations to continue health fairs and flu shot programs as the stability, health & motivation of employees is essential for the survival of any business in any economy. - press release - OpenHouse Direct, Inc. via EWorldWire

* ►December 19, 2008 - Flu tablets recalled after allergic reactions - A number of severe allergic reactions have sparked a national recall of two types of cold and flu tablets. - www.abc.net.au

* ►December 19, 2008 - Report: Tainted Teething Medicine Kills 34 Children - Teething medicine laced with antifreeze is being blamed for killing at least 34 children in Nigeria. - FOX News

►December 19, 2008 - Whooping cough at Lafayette High - Lexington Herald-Leader via Kentucky.com

►December 19, 2008 - 'It's up a bit': Iowa reports 50 whooping cough cases - DesMoinesRegister.com - "Most of the recent cases have been among school-age children, Quinlisk said. She said she wasn't aware of any that needed hospitalization."

►December 19, 2008 - Perry Student's Disease A Mystery - 13WMAZ - "Friends and family today will remember a 17-year-old Perry High School student who died of a bacterial infection. Meanwhile, a state health agency says they may never know the source of the meningococcal disease that killed Brittany Jones."

►December 19, 2008 - Meningitis survivor, five, dies in sleep - Wakefield Express, UK

►December 19, 2008 - Meningitis pupils at Colehill School recovering - Coventry Telegraph

►December 19, 2008 - Students offered mumps protection - Northumberland News

►December 19, 2008 - Professor Helps Control Infectious Diseases With Models And Math - Can an algebraic equation hold the secret to eradicating malaria or schistosomiasis? A Case Western Reserve University mathematics professor is utilizing the combination of algorithms and models in an effort to assist his medical colleagues in the fight against infectious diseases. - Case Western Reserve University, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS via ScienceDaily

►December 19, 2008 - LA Gov. Jindal gets OK to revamp state's Medicaid program - AP via KSLA.com

►December 19, 2008 - Toy Safety: Toxic Toys Still Out There - InjuryBoard St. Cloud

* ►December 19, 2008 - FDA Approves Stevia, Ends the Era of Oppression of this Herbal Sweetener - NaturalNews.com

* ►December 18, 2008 - Nobel jurors face bribery probe for China trips - Three accepted all-expenses-paid trips to China to discuss awards, process - AP via MSNBC

* ►December 18, 2008 - Medical ‘Conscience Rule’ Is Issued (requires registration) - The New York Times

►December 18, 2008 - Pelosi: New Bush Administration Rule an Assault on Women's Health Care - Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today on the Bush Administration's "refusal clause" rule. While current law already protects the religious beliefs of health care providers and professionals, the scope of this new rule is so broad that it could limit women's access to comprehensive health care and other services - press release - Office of the Speaker of the House via PRNewswire-USNewswire

►December 18, 2008 - FRC Praises Issuance of Conscience Protections - Family Research Council via PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX via MarketWatch

* ►December 18, 2008 - Lawsuit says pharmaceutical firm polluted ground water in Merced - Merced Sun-Star via Fresno Bee - "Merck & Co.'s lawyer, Stephen Lewis, argues that while there is no doubt this area's water was polluted by Merck's subsidiary, there's no evidence that anyone got sick because of the pollution. 'There's no doubt that there was contamination at the site,' Lewis said. But he said that doesn't automatically make his client responsible for causing people to become sick."

* ►December 18, 2008 - Zinc—An Infection-Fighting Mineral - Medfinds - "While zinc deficiency is more common in developing countries, a recent study published in the Journal of Nutrition has confirmed its importance in immune support."

►December 18, 2008 - Vaccines to curb infant mortality - Sowetan

►December 18, 2008 - Suit: Doctors failed to diagnose meningitis in infant - St. Clair Madison County Record

►December 18, 2008 - Tips from the journals of the American Society for Microbiology - American Society for Microbiology via EurekAlert!

* ►December 18, 2008 - Chinese Regime Covers Up Bird Flu Outbreak For A Month - The Epoch Times

►December 18, 2008 - Mercury spill keeps hundreds of kids after school in San Bernardino - San Bernardino Sun

►December 18, 2008 - Neuralstem Files FDA Application for First ALS Stem Cell Trial - press release - Neuralstem, Inc. via PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX via MarketWatch

►December 17, 2008 - AIDS group offers $150,000 vax research challenge - FierceVaccines

►December 17, 2008 - Parents fret over autistic children - The Republican via MassLive.com

►December 17, 2008 - Flu shots: Do healthy children need them? - Mayo Clinic

►December 11, 2008 - The Malaria Vaccine Explained - UN Dispatch

►December 11, 2008 - Vaccine composition containing irradiated ovalbumin for the prevention and treatment of allergic disease - FreshPatents.com

* ►December 10, 2008 - Encephalitis and Encephalopathy (part 2) - Exploring Vaccines

►December 10, 2008 - Two month wait for jab - Drogheda Independent

►December 10, 2008 - Glance at 2008 Nobel Prize winners - The prestigious Nobel Prizes are awarded annually on Dec. 10 in twin ceremonies in Stockholm and Oslo. Here is a look at this year's winners and their work - AP via FOX News

►December 10, 2008 - DaVita Launches 'Flu Fighter Program' in Support of National Influenza Week - New Initiative Aims to Provide For Continued Commitment to Superior Clinical Outcomes and Processes - press release - DaVita Inc. via PRNewswire-FirstCall

►December 10, 2008 - Infectious diseases claim 897 lives in China in Nov. - Xinhua via China View

►December 10, 2008 - Measles on the rise as MMR jab shunned - Get Surrey, UK

►December 10, 2008 - Mass measles immunisation begins - Northwich Guardian, UK

►December 10, 2008 - Hit MMR in one go - Business Mirror

►December 10, 2008 - Hundreds of pupils will have MMR jab in measles scare - Mid Cheshire Chronicle

►January 2009 - The role of infections in autoimmune disease - journal article (Clinical & Experimental Immunology)

►January 2009 - Are chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome valid clinical entities across countries and health-care settings? - journal article (Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry)

►December 19, 2008 - Outbreak of Histoplasmosis Among Travelers Returning From El Salvador ---Pennsylvania and Virginia, 2008 - MMWR/CDC

►December 19, 2008 - Effects of New Penicillin Susceptibility Breakpoints for Streptococcus pneumoniae --- United States, 2006--2007 - MMWR/CDC

►December 19, 2008 - Brief Report: Respiratory Syncytial Virus Activity --- United States, July 2007--December 2008 - MMWR/CDC

►December 19, 2008 - QuickStats: Percentage of Small-for-Gestational-Age* Births,† by Race and Hispanic Ethnicity§---United States, 2005 - MMWR/CDC

►December 19, 2008 - Notifiable Diseases/Deaths in Selected Cities Weekly Information - MMWR/CDC

►December 19, 2008 - Meningitis Kills 29 In Sokoto - LeadershipNigeria

►December 19, 2008 - Door-to-door flu shots at your service - U.S. Marine Corps Bases Japan

* ►December 18, 2008 - Nobel prize probe launched (requires registration or subscription) - Toronto Star - "'I have formally instigated, or started, a criminal investigation,' Swedish anti-corruption prosecutor Nils-Erik Schulz told the Star in a telephone interview from Stockholm yesterday. Schulz's investigation was sparked by claims in the European press that AstraZeneca's sponsorship of two Nobel promotional companies – Nobel Media and Nobel Web – influenced the choice for this year's prize in medicine. As well, two Swedish academics on the committee have close ties to AstraZeneca – one sits on the company's board of directors, while the other was a former consultant to the pharmaceutical company. ... AstraZeneca stands to make millions from Gardasil, made by Merck, as well as GlaxoSmithKline's Cervarix, thanks to patents it holds."

* ►December 18, 2008 - AIDS Nobel Laureate Joins Viral Genetics - Luc Montagnier Will Advise Firm Developing Immune-Based Therapies - press release - Viral Genetics via Business Wire via MarketWatch

* ►December 18, 2008 - Vitamin D Deficiency In Infants And Nursing Mothers Carries Long-Term Disease Risks - Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News via Medical News Today - "Once believed to be important only for bone health, vitamin D is now seen as having a critical function in maintaining the immune system throughout life."

* ►December 18, 2008 - Advocates Weigh In on FDA Leader - Wall Street Journal

* ►December 18, 2008 - John Adams - A Hero for Our Times? By Kent Heckenlively, Esq. - Age of Autism

* ►December 18, 2008 - Elementary, Easter Seals By Kim Stagliano - Age of Autism

* ►December 18, 2008 - Epidemiological Abuse - Absolutely Underdof

* ►December 18, 2008 - Jim Carrey Clears Up His Stance on Antidepressants - People.com - "Carrey – who has long been open about his own battles with depression – says he's the happiest he's ever been thanks to vitamin supplements. Too often, he claims, people think anti-depressants are the only answer."

* ►December 18, 2008 - Antivaxxers are doing real damage to society - Bad Astronomy Blog via Discover Magazine

* ►December 18, 2008 - Vaccination change would put all at risk - guest column - Clinton News - "We must maintain our state's current vaccine medical exemption and oppose any efforts to weaken Mississippi's childhood immunization laws - for the sake of each Mississippi child and for the health of the entire state. - Donaldson is president of the Mississippi chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics."

* ►December 18, 2008 - Dads join moms to work in PTAs - Nationwide, more men are getting involved in -- and leading -- the child-advocacy group. - The Press-Enterprise - "The group served as an advocate for children on issues including child labor laws, hot lunch programs, mandatory immunizations and the creation of kindergarten classes."

* ►December 18, 2008 - Parents Of New Babies Should Be Considered For Whooping Cough Booster, Say Experts - A booster vaccination for parents of new babies and other household members may be the most effective way of preventing the fatal form of whooping cough in young infants, say a group of paediatric intensive care doctors on the British Medical Journal website. - BMJ-British Medical Journal, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS via ScienceDaily

* ►December 18, 2008 - Do Patients Trust Doctors Too Much? (requires registration) - The New York Times

►December 18, 2008 - Advocacy groups oppose cuts in Gregoire proposal - Seattle Post-Intelligencer - "Health and human services took the biggest hit, with a combined $1.5 billion in cuts to programs like free vaccines for poor children and the state's Basic Health Plan, which provides health care for people making less than $22,800 a year."

►December 18, 2008 - Film Star And Scientist Join Hands To Promote Childhood Vaccines In US - MedIndia

* ►December 18, 2008 - PAMC lifts employee flu shot requirement - Remains committed to achieving 100% vaccination rates - press release - Providence Health & Services - "'We want to thank those employees who have already received the flu shot for their commitment to the health of our patients, coworkers, families and community,' said PAMC Administrator Bruce Lamoureux. 'This was the right decision for the safety of our patients and community. We do acknowledge, however, the strong feelings that the requirement and its swift implementation elicited in some employees. We have received valuable feedback from Providence employees regarding the flu shot requirement. As a result, we have decided that receiving the shot will not be a condition of employment this year.'"

* ►December 18, 2008 - Providence rescinds flu shot requirement (requires registration) - Anchorage Daily News - "The nurses union was among those who did not want to be forced to get the shot. Nearly 75 percent of the hospital's employees have already received the vaccine, partly because of the new rule."

►December 18, 2008 - Providence backs off flu shot policy - KTUU.com

* ►December 18, 2008 - CSL Biotherapies Announces Influenza Vaccine Pre-Booking Open for the 2009-2010 Flu Season - press release - CSL Biotherapies via Business Wire via The Earth Times - "The majority of CSL Biotherapies’ vaccine supply for the 2009-2010 flu season will be offered as thimerosal-free, single-dose, pre-filled syringes. To help increase access to the thimerosal-free vaccine, CSL Biotherapies will offer value programs for a limited time to healthcare providers who pre-book through authorized distributors."

* ►December 18, 2008 - European agency endorses Baxter's bird flu vaccine (requires registration) - Chicago Tribune - "Baxter this afternoon said the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use of the European Medicines Agency issued a 'positive opinion' for Baxter's Celvapan, a vaccine against H5N1 strains of avian influenza, also known as bird flu. The committee's endorsement is generally a precursor to approval by the European Union. ... Celvapan has other benefits. Unlike the traditional decades-old, egg-based production used by other flu vaccine-makers, Baxter uses a cell-based technology that can produce vaccines quicker and in large quantities. The method could enable Baxter to produce dosages faster in the event of a flu pandemic, the company has said."

* ►December 18, 2008 - EU backs Sanofi "micro" flu shot, Baxter pandemic - Reuters via The Guardian, UK

►December 18, 2008 - Taiwan links with AmVac for nasal bird flu vaccine (requires registration) - Scrip News

►December 18, 2008 - Protect kids with flu shot - Daily Tribune

►December 18, 2008 - Reminder of free flu jabs - The Scotsman

►December 18, 2008 - Commissioners sign agreement with public health - The Citizen Online

* ►December 18, 2008 - Three countries report fresh H5N1 outbreaks - CIDRAP News

►December 18, 2008 - Status Report on Avian Influenza in Assam and West Bengal as on 17.12.08 - press release - Press Information Bureau, Government of India

►December 18, 2008 - Bengal birds culled in Orissa - The Telegraph, India

►December 18, 2008 - EGYPT: First bird flu fatality in six months - IRIN Middle East

* ►December 18, 2008 - Be careful when considering vaccine - letter - Chicago Daily Herald - "According to VAERS (the nonprofit Vaccine Awareness Event Reporting System) October 2008 statistics, there have been over 14,000 reports of serious side effects from Gardasil since it became available in 2006. My daughter is included in that statistic as she developed epilepsy since being vaccinated. Other young women suffer with daily seizures, excruciating joint pain, debilitating fatigue, difficulty breathing and some are so ill they can no longer attend school."

* ►December 18, 2008 - Officials to review cancer drug approvals - Vietnam’s Health Ministry Wednesday launched an investigation into the regulatory approval given to two cervical cancer vaccines. - Thanh Nien Daily - "However, questions have been raised about unethical lobbying by medical companies to obtain the approvals. The team will investigate all the documents related to the approvals and the clinical trials of the two vaccines."

►December 18, 2008 - NCW impact: Governor proposes deep cuts in health care, social services - The Wenatchee World Online - "Eliminating the universal vaccine program. The state would no longer purchase vaccines for children not on Medicaid to save $49.6 million."

►December 18, 2008 - Nigeria: Commissioner Tasks Clerics On Immunisation - Leadership (Abuja) via AllAfrica.com - "Islamic leaders and Ulamas in Borno State have been urged to educate their followers on the importance of immunising their children against the six killer diseases."

►December 18, 2008 - The toll of hepatitis is revealed - Bradford Telegraph Argus

►December 18, 2008 - Tests confirm MRSA death - News Journal

►December 18, 2008 - KY whooping cough cases skyrocket - 14 WFIE

►December 18, 2008 - State concerned about rise in whooping cough cases - Homer Tribune via Fort Mills Times

►December 18, 2008 - Whooping Cough Outbreak In Rothschild - Parents Warned, Sent Letter - MyFox Wausau

►December 18, 2008 - Whooping cough can be controlled - Times-Herald

* ►December 18, 2008 - Military: Repeat Of Anthrax Attacks Harder Today - Military: Lab Security Upgrades Make A Repeat Of Anthrax Attacks Harder, But Not Impossible - AP via CBS News - "The Air Force and Navy also said they are preparing to resume shipments of dangerous biological agents to and from their medical and research labs. The Army briefly halted its shipments in August, then resumed them after tightening some rules."

►December 18, 2008 - Security at biodefense labs to get tighter - Frederick News-Post

►December 18, 2008 - Bioterrorism - a preventable catastrophe - op-ed (requires registration) - Boston Globe

* ►December 18, 2008 - Common infant virus may trigger type 1 diabetes - Human parechovirus is a harmless virus which is encountered by most infants and displays few symptoms. Suspected of triggering type 1 diabetes in susceptible people, research methods need to take this "silent" virus into consideration. This comes from findings in a study from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. - Norwegian Institute of Public Health via PhysOrg.com

►December 18, 2008 - Schools lack consistent policies - Number of allergic kids is on the rise - The Sarnia Observer

►December 18, 2008 - Physician's Assistant Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for His Role in $119 Million Medicare Fraud - press release - U.S. Department of Justice via PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX via MarketWatch

►December 18, 2008 - Top stories of 08 - Health 24

►December 18, 2008 - Merck & Co., Inc. Awards More Than $8 Million to Non-Profit Organizations in 2008 to Help Address HIV and AIDS Worldwide - Mercy & Co., Inc. via CSRwire

►December 18, 2008 - Science & Medicine | Studies Look at Health Benefits of Male Circumcision in Black, African Men - www.kaisernetwork.org

►December 18, 2008 - Illinois Panel Hears Testimony on Blagojevich's Conduct (requires registration) - Washington Post - "The committee also plans to hear testimony regarding charges that Blagojevich pushed an ill-advised plan in 2004 to import outdated flu vaccine from a British wholesaler, without federal approval, in the face of a possible national shortage. A 2006 audit found that the governor continued to push the purchase even when it became apparent the vaccine could not be legally delivered and that there was not a shortage after all. The vaccine was eventually donated to Pakistan, and the provider sued Illinois for $2.6 million for failing to pay up."

►December 18, 2008 - Mercury-Saturated Piven Pulls Out of 'Plow' - Actor Reportedly Suffering From High Mercury Count - ABC News

* ►December 18, 2008 - Jeremy Piven's mercury poisoning: Scary or fishy? - The Dish Rag Blog via Los Angeles Times - "J-Piv’s doc, Carlon Colker, told 'ET' that the 'Entourage' star has extreme mercury toxicity, and with it, fatigue, dizziness, neuro-muscular dysfunction and problems lifting his arms and legs. Piven’s doc blames the illness on the actor’s frequent sushi consumption and use of Chinese herbs. Colker said Piven has the highest mercury level he has ever seen."

* ►December 18, 2008 - Broadway Actor's Mercury Poisoning Prevalent Throughout US, New Study Shows - press release - Mercury Policy Project via PRNewswire-USNewswire - "Recent publicity of mercury poisoning in Broadway Actor Jeremy Piven from his regular consumption of sushi highlights the prevalence and magnitude of exposure risk associated with eating certain seafood, say advocates. In a report released earlier this week by Mercury Policy Project, reported case studies document a number of similar mercury poisonings experienced by people throughout the US. 'Unfortunately, Piven's case is not that unusual,' said Michael Bender, director of the Mercury Policy Project."

* ►December 18, 2008 - Updated: Jeremy Piven Quits Broadway, "Extreme Mercury Toxicity" - The Huffington Post

* ►December 18, 2008 - High Mercury Count: How It Happens, Mercury Poisoning Symptoms And More - The Huffington Post

* ►December 18, 2008 - Sloan Barnett: Taking Mercury off the Table - The Huffington Post - "Last, thimerosal, the organomercury compound used as a preservative in vaccines, tattoo inks, and some medicines, is still around. Concerns about the toxicity of thimerosal have forced drug companies to take steps to remove it by switching from multi-dose vaccine vials to single-dose vials that do not require a preservative. But the majority of influenza vaccines distributed in the U. S. currently contain thimerosal as a preservative. Be sure to ask before you pull up your sleeve."

* ►December 18, 2008 - Mercury pollution spurs lawsuit - The Green Blog via Boston Globe - "A group of conservation and public health groups filed a lawsuit today against the Environmental Protection Agency asking for a strict deadline for the agency to require coal-fired power plants to reduce their emissions of mercury and other toxic pollutants."

* ►December 18, 2008 - Health Canada Releases Decision on the Labelling of Cough and Cold Products for Children - advisory - Health Canada - "Health Canada is requiring manufacturers to relabel over-the-counter cough and cold medicines that have dosing information for children to indicate that these medicines should not be used in children under 6."

* ►December 18, 2008 - Scientists to EPA: Risks of chemicals that alter male hormones should be analyzed together - A national panel of experts says EPA must change its focus and analyze chemicals that endanger male reproduction cumulatively or it will "seriously underestimate" the risks to human health. - Environmental Health News

* ►December 18, 2008 - Panel: EPA must consider effects of chemical barrage - USA Today - "The Environmental Protection Agency typically studies the impact of these and other chemicals individually. But that approach may underestimate the effect of being exposed to many different chemicals with similar effects, says the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry's Deborah Cory-Slechta, chairwoman of the committee that wrote the report."

►December 18, 2008 - Experts Argue Nano Food-Additives Require New Oversight - Concern comes as new food safety agency is discussed under Obama - press release - Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies via PRNewswire-USNewswire

►December 18, 2008 - Prescription Drug Side Affects Cases Continue to Plague North Carolina - press release - David Vtipil via WebWire

►December 18, 2008 - RPT-PureCircle gets FDA approval for sweetener, shares rise - Reuters

* ►December 18, 2008 - Cattle Preconditioning: Cautions With Vaccine Administration - CattleNetwork.com - "Be aware that anaphylactic (allergic) reactions are always possible when administering vaccines and be prepared with at least some epinephrine available. Recent work has demonstrated that vaccines prepared from gram negative bacteria may contain sufficient amounts of endotoxins to cause clinical problems. Lepto, campylobacter, salmonella, E. coli and pasteurella vaccines could all be potential problems. It has been recommended that not more than two of these products be administered at one time. ... It has recently been reported that the use of an injectable type of MLV-IBR vaccine in calves under 5 days of age may result in a massive infection by this herpes type one virus."

* ►December 18, 2008 - ‘Dear Me,’ Nemeroff Wrote Himself About Payment for Effexor Article - The Wall Street Journal Health Blog

►December 18, 2008 - Crucell and DSM sign deal with GSK - Hays Pharma - "We are very pleased to enter into this collaboration with GSK. This agreement further underscores the potential of our PER.C6 production technology for generating recombinant proteins," said Ronald Brus, chief executive officer at Crucell."

* ►December 18, 2008 - Autism And Schizophrenia Share Common Origin, Review Suggests - Schizophrenia and autism probably share a common origin, hypothesises Dutch researcher Annemie Ploeger following an extensive literature study. The developmental psychologist demonstrated that both mental diseases have similar physical abnormalities which are formed during the first month of pregnancy. - NWO (Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research) via ScienceDaily

* ►December 18, 2008 - Health Groups Try To Influence FDA Commish Pick - Pharmalot

►December 18, 2008 - Glaxo, Nemeroff And ‘CME-Like’ Promotions - Pharmalot

►December 18, 2008 - Study: Raw Milk Poses Risks, No Benefits - NewsInferno

►December 18, 2008 - Circumcision May Cut Cervical Cancer Rates - HPV Less Common In Circumcised Men - The Journal of Infectious Diseases via WNEM Saginaw

►December 18, 2008 - New England Cord Blood Bank Creates Innovative Grant Program - Participants receive $800 towards storage for future treatments - New England Cord Blood Bank via Business Wire via MarketWatch

►December 18, 2008 - The Vytorin Limbo: Prescriptions Decline Again - Pharmalot

►December 18, 2008 - Wyeth buys tiny biotech focused on obesity - Reuters

* ►December 17, 2008 - Firing of water utility whistleblower spotlights CDC reluctance to address new safety concerns about water fluoridation - Fired Fluoride Purchaser Sided with Kidney Patients and Blacks - press release - The Lillie Center via Fluoride Action Network

* ►December 17, 2008 - Flu shot could be big gamble - guest column - Northern News Services - "The Health Products and Foods Branch of Health Canada is responsible for approving the flu vaccine. The Fair Labelling Act of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency states that a complete list of nutritional analysis must be shown in both English and French on all prepackaged food. But this is not the case for vaccines. This unwillingness to provide such basic information should not cut it any more. I challenge the Kivalliq Health Board to be more transparent and reveal, in layman's terms, the exact ingredients that make up a flu shot. We, ('the herd,' as referred to by public health nurse Andrea McIntosh) should be informed of any toxins prior to being vaccinated."

* ►December 17, 2008 - Wyoming City Changes Dog Rabies Ordinance - Cheyenne’s dog owners will be given a three-year vaccine option, waiver for sick pets. - DogChannel.com - "The Cheyenne City Council on Dec. 8 voted 8-2 to amend the rabies vaccination ordinance so that pet owners will no longer be required to take their animals in for a rabies shot every year. The ordinance includes a medical exemption for sick animals."

* ►December 17, 2008 - Airborne settles with Indiana, 31 other states - WTHR-TV via MSNBC - "Airborne is sold as dissolving tablets or powder. The mixture of vitamin C and herbs is added to water. ... But 32 attorneys general, including Indiana's Steve Carter, say Airborne's makers were engaged in deceptive advertising by claiming the product could cure colds and flu, fight allergies and germs, and prevent illness. Those claims, they say, violated laws that require any company making such claims must first obtain approval from the Food and Drug Administration to sell the product as a drug instead of a dietary supplement."

* ►December 17, 2008 - Glaxo, Dynavax To Develop Immuno-Inflammatory Disease Treatments - Dow Jones via CNNMoney - "Dynavax shares, which closed Tuesday at 26 cents, traded as high as $6.55 in March, but lost more than half their value after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration put a clinical hold on two approval applications for a hepatitis B vaccine in development with Merck & Co. (MRK). The stock plummeted another 80% in late October after the FDA told the companies that the balance of risk versus potential benefit no longer favored clinical evaluation of the vaccine in healthy adults and children."

* ►December 17, 2008 - Cancer vaccines embroiled in controversy - Vietnam’s Health Ministry has approved two vaccines against cervical cancer but concerns have risen about their effectiveness. - Thanh Nien Daily - "On July 18, Quang sent a letter to MSD’s Chief Executive Officer Richard Clark and administrative president for the Asia-Pacific region, Ramesh Subramanian, to complain about the company’s unethical lobbying activities in Vietnam, the Tuoi Tre newspaper reported Monday."

* ►December 17, 2008 - Ditch 'useless' vitamins and buy this life-saving cancer jab, urges expert - Daily Mail, UK

* ►December 17, 2008 - Union rescue bid for Irish cancer vaccine - €20m cost-cutting plan to fund cervical jabs - Daily Mail, UK

* ►December 17, 2008 - Top surgeons say Irish cancer jab U-turn was a disgrace - Daily Mail, UK

►December 17, 2008 - Health campaigners in Ireland take fight for cancer jabs to Washington - Daily Mail, UK

►December 17, 2008 - Philippines asks FAO to investigate Ebola in pigs - Reuters

* ►December 17, 2008 - Nabi Biopharmaceuticals Enters Clinical Initiative With US Military to Advance PentaStaph(tm) - Collaboration to Develop Vaccine Against Life-Threatening Staph Infections - GlobeNewswire via COMTEX via MarketWatch

* ►December 17, 2008 - 'Tis the season for the flu - Scripps News - "While flu shots are still worthwhile for this age group, the researchers note that either bigger doses or stronger vaccines may be needed to protect very frail seniors."

* ►December 17, 2008 - The Epidemiology of Guillain-Barré Syndrome Worldwide - journal article (Neuro-epidemiology)

►December 17, 2008 - Flagging fraud (requires registration) - The Scientist

►December 17, 2008 - Healthcare Costs Prevented Almost 40 Million Americans from Filling Their Prescriptions in 2008 - Manhattan Research via PharmiWeb

►December 17, 2008 - New scientific knowledge on juvenile diabetes - Metabolic disturbances indicate progress of the disease even years in advance - VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland via EurekAlert!

►December 17, 2008 - 2009 Trends to Watch: Pharmaceutical Technology - Datamonitor

►December 17, 2008 - A Pharma Company Will Actually Add Jobs - Pharmalot

►December 17, 2008 - Migraines: Help for a common problem in children and teenagers - Children and teenagers can learn how to avoid some migraines and better understand their headaches and medication - Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care via via EurekAlert!

►December 17, 2008 - USDA to donate $212 million to Food For Progress - Reuters

* ►December 16, 2008 - Exorbitant health care costs just keep going up - News-Leader.com - "In 2007, my daughter used a clinic as an out-of-network provider and we paid $247 per injection for the new vaccine, Gardasil. The drug costs $125 per dose for the clinic which allowed the provider to make more then the drug's manufacture on a per dose basis. I found out later, other providers such as, Planned Parenthood, charged much less."

►December 16, 2008 - Jim Carrey on films, depression and love (includes video and transcript) - Larry King Live via CNN

►December 16, 2008 - Ditching cancer vaccine is a big step back, says expert - Daily Mail, UK

►December 16, 2008 - ICLL: Positive opinion for approval of Japanese Encephalitis vaccine in Europe * IXIARO(R) receives positive opinion from European Committee for Human Medicinal Products (CHMP) * First licensed vaccine against Japanese Encephalitis for travelers and military personnel to enter markets in Europe * Commercial product launch in the U.S., Europe and Australia expected in early 2009 - PipelineReview.com

►December 16, 2008 - Vaccine may block recurrence of lung cancer - Belleville News Democrat

* ►December 16, 2008 - Normal mitochondrial respiratory function is essential for spatial remote memory in mice (pdf) - journal article (Molecular Brain)

* ►December 16, 2008 - Negative predictive value of drug skin tests in investigating cutaneous adverse drug reactions - journal article (British Journal of Dermatology)

* ►December 16, 2008 - Health, emergency staff get drugs first in pandemic - Reuters

►December 16, 2008 - How to be on guard in case of a flu disaster in Oklahoma - Stay prepared for the possibility of a pandemic arises, state suggests - NewsOK.com

* ►December 15, 2008 - SDI Reports: Number of Flu Vaccines Given in Physicians’ Offices Lower This Season - The Number of Vaccines Given After Thanksgiving Has Not Rebounded - press release - SDI via Business Wire - "SDI’s VaccineTrack™ provides weekly tracking of vaccine administration in physicians’ offices based on nationally projected data from electronic office medical claims."

►December 15, 2008 - County health officials urge flu shots - Last winter's outbreak was worst in decade for Northern California - The Modesto Bee

►December 15, 2008 - Attacking and defending. - What's New in Life Science Research via ScienceBlogs

►December 15, 2008 - Irish Advocates Call For Government To Reinstate HPV Vaccination Plan - Daily Women's Health Policy Report via Medical News Today

* ►December 15, 2008 - New Method Of Scoring IQ Tests Benefits Children With Intellectual Disabilities - Parents of children with intellectual disabilities have long been frustrated by intelligence quotient (IQ) testing that tells them little to nothing about the long-term learning potential of their children. - University of California - Davis - Health System via ScienceDaily

* ►December 14, 2008 - Uganda: Health Services - Anti-Graft Organisation Exposes Dirt In Koboko - New Vision via AllAfrica.com - "After two months, the monitors have discovered that health workers at the lower health units in Koboko impose charges for routine immunisation services which are meant to be free. ... At Kuluba Health Centre II, it was discovered that vaccinators, who are volunteers, charge between sh500 and sh1,500 for the service. 'Some mothers had their children's vaccination cards confiscated for non-payment,' Todoko said."

* ►December 14, 2008 - Deaths raise questions in Indian hospital - St. Petersburg Times via TampaBay.com - "Rahul Verma suspected he was opening a can of worms when he filed a request under India's new Right to Information Act. Verma, whose critically ill son has been treated at All India Institute of Medical Sciences here, had heard parents complain that their children were not admitted because the hospital's beds were filled with patients in clinical trials."

* ►December 14, 2008 - The latest industry being outsourced to India: clinical drug trials - St. Petersburg Times via TampaBay.com - "One well-known scandal occurred about eight years ago, when a Johns Hopkins University researcher injected an untested chemical in 27 patients at a public cancer hospital in the southern state of Kerala. Lawyer Vincent Panikangulara represented an illiterate coolie laborer with throat cancer who unknowingly enrolled in the trial after signing a form in a language he did not understand. India's court dismissed his claim of a human rights violation, citing a statute of limitations of one year from the time of the injection. By the time the court ruled, the patient was dead."

* ►December 12, 2008 - Federal agencies at odds over fish consumption - FDA report argues people should eat more; EPA calls study ‘inadequate’ - AP via MSNBC

►December 12, 2008 - Santa gets his Christmas wish: no rabies - Los Angeles Times Blog - "Luckily for a PetSmart Santa Claus (who posed for photos with pets in a "Santa Paws" fundraiser for a New Jersey dog rescue group), he won't need a rabies shot after all."

►December 12, 2008 - Abelson tyrosine kinase links PDGFbeta receptor activation to regulation of NMDA receptors in CA1 hippocampal neurons (pdf) - journal article (Molecular Brain)

* ►December 11, 2008 - India's poor often test drugs bound for U.S. markets - St. Petersburg Times via TampaBay.com - "The crowded slums of Ahmedabad in northwest India are prime recruiting ground for the area's generic drug makers, who need healthy subjects for Phase I, or first-in-human testing of new drugs. Among those who have responded to the call is Kamlesh Solanki. A member of India's Dalit, or untouchables, caste, Solanki has volunteered for about nine Phase I trials of new generic drugs since 2001. Now 24, he's consumed pills for everything from heart problems to acid reflux in studies that involved X-rays, frequent blood tests and overnight stays. The most complicated trial paid 7,500 rupees ($150), a godsend in an area where farmers earn about 50 rupees ($1) a day."

►December 10, 2008 - Meningitis not the cause of preschooler's death (requires registration) - San Jose Mercury News

►December 10, 2008 - Washington U. says freshman appears to have died from natural causes - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

►December 9, 2008 - Vitamin D Deficiency - An Important, Common, and Easily Treatable Cardiovascular Risk Factor? - journal article (Journal of the American College of Cardiology)

* ►December 8, 2008 - At last, vindication - Report confirms Gulf War illness, but much more must be done - Army Times

►December 4, 2008 - The role of TRPV1 in different subtypes of dorsal root ganglion neurons in rat chronic inflammatory nociception induced by complete Freund's adjuvant (pdf) - journal article (Molecular Pain)

* ►December 1, 2008 - Gulf War Vets Vindicated, Not Helped - AP via Military.com

* ►December 1, 2008 - Vitamin D Vital for the Heart - Lack of the sunlight-derived nutrient tied to increased cardiovascular events - HealthDay via U.S. News & World Report

►December 1, 2008 - EU Agencies Update - Applied Clinical Trials

►December 1, 2008 - Professional Societies and Associations - Applied Clinical Trials

►December 1, 2008 - Behavioral and genetic evidence for a novel animal model of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Predominantly Inattentive Subtype (pdf) - journal article (Behavioral and Brain Functions)

►December 2008 - Early accounts of Gulf War illness and the construction of narratives in UK service personnel - journal article (Social Science & Medicine)

* ►December 2008 - The PRESCRIBE acronym - A tool for appraising pharmaceutical industry–sponsored presentations - journal article (Canadian Family Physician)

►December 2008 - Assessment of health care personnel needs for training in infection control: one size does not fit all - journal article (American Journal of Infection Control)

* ►December 2008 - Prescriptions for self-injectable epinephrine and follow-up referral in emergency department patients presenting with anaphylaxis - journal article (Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology)

* ►December 2008 - Food Allergy Is Associated With Potentially Fatal Childhood Asthma - journal article (Journal of Asthma)

►December 2008 - Effect of maternal depression and anxiety on use of health services for infants - journal article (Canadian Family Physician)

►December 2008 - Pearls and pitfalls of allergy diagnostic testing: report from the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology/American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Specific IgE Test Task Force - journal article (Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology)

►December 2008 - Probiotics for the treatment of allergic rhinitis and asthma: systematic review of randomized controlled trials - journal article (Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology)

►December 2008 - Antibiotics for the allergist: part 1 - journal article (Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology)

►December 2008 - The Longitudinal Course of Comorbid Oppositional Defiant Disorder in Girls With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Findings from a Controlled 5-Year Prospective Longitudinal Follow-Up Study. - journal article (Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics)

►November/December 2008 - Measuring the Impact of Rotavirus Acute Gastroenteritis Episodes (MIRAGE): A prospective community-based study - journal article (The Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases & Medical Microbiology)

►November/December 2008 - Paediatric Infectious Diseases Foodborne infections - journal article (The Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases & Medical Microbiology)

* ►November 24, 2008 - Study Suggests Some Cancers May Go Away (requires registration) - The New York Times

* ►November 2008 - Atopic features in early childhood autism - journal article (European Journal of Paediatric Neurology)

* ►Testing Grounds - Our medicine at what cost? - Drug makers save money when they test new medicines for FDA approval in countries like India.  But patients on both sides of the globe may end up paying the price. - St. Petersburg Times via TampaBay.com

* ►Saturday: McCarthy & Somers - Jenny McCarthy! A mother's fight for her child with autism. How she helped him. Plus! Suzanne Somers. She took control of cancer and beat it! - Larry King Live via CNN

Posted December 17, 2008

* ►January 1, 2008 - Postexposure Immunization with Modified Vaccinia Virus Ankara or Conventional Lister Vaccine Provides Solid Protection in a Murine Model of Human Smallpox - journal article (The Journal of Infectious Diseases)

* ►January 1, 2008 - Preventing Bacterial Infections with Pilus-Based Vaccines: the Group B Streptococcus Paradigm - journal article (The Journal of Infectious Diseases)

* ►January 1, 2008 - Oral Therapeutic Vaccination with Streptococcus sobrinus Recombinant Enolase Confers Protection against Dental Caries in Rats - journal article (The Journal of Infectious Diseases)

* ►January 1, 2008 - Broad Cross-Protection against H5N1 Avian Influenza Virus Infection by Means of Monoclonal Antibodies that Map to Conserved Viral Epitopes - journal article (The Journal of Infectious Diseases)

►January 1, 2008 - Effect of Male Circumcision on the Prevalence of High-Risk Human Papillomavirus in Young Men: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial Conducted in Orange Farm, South Africa (full text) - journal article (The Journal of Infectious Diseases)

►January 1, 2008 - Pneumocystis Colonization in Immunocompetent and Simian Immunodeficiency Virus–Infected Cynomolgus Macaques - journal article (The Journal of Infectious Diseases)

►January 1, 2008 - Common Variants in Immune and DNA Repair Genes and Risk for Human Papillomavirus Persistence and Progression to Cervical Cancer - journal article (The Journal of Infectious Diseases)

* ►January 2009 - Systems biology approach predicts immunogenicity of the yellow fever vaccine in humans - journal article (Nature Immunology)

* ►January 2009 - Summary and findings of the EPA and CDC symposium on air pollution exposure and health - journal article (Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology)

* ►January 2009 - Coregulation of CD8+ T cell exhaustion by multiple inhibitory receptors during chronic viral infection - journal article (Nature Immunology)

* ►January 2009 - Use of health information in air pollution health research: Past successes and emerging needs - journal article (Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology)

* ►January 2009 - Exposure information in environmental health research: Current opportunities and future directions for particulate matter, ozone, and toxic air pollutants - journal article (Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology)

►January 2009 - The attribution of urban and suburban children's exposure to synthetic pyrethroid insecticides: a longitudinal assessment - journal article (Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology)

►January 2009 - The histone deacetylase HDAC11 regulates the expression of interleukin 10 and immune tolerance - journal article (Nature Immunology)

►January 2009 - Calcium signaling in immune cells - journal article (Nature Immunology)

►January 2009 - Community-based intervention to reduce pesticide exposure to farmworkers and potential take-home exposure to their families - journal article (Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology)

* ►December 18, 2008 - X-ray structure of NS1 from a highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza virus - journal article (Nature)

►December 18, 2008 - Revisiting Duty-Hour Limits — IOM Recommendations for Patient Safety and Resident Education (free full text) - journal article (NEJM)

* ►December 18, 2008 - Outbreak of Adverse Reactions Associated with Contaminated Heparin (free full text) - journal article (NEJM)

* ►December 18, 2008 - Military Medical Ethics (free full text) - journal article (NEJM)

►December 18, 2008 - Temporomandibular Disorders - journal article (NEJM)

►December 18, 2008 - Dyslexia, Learning, and the Brain (book review) - journal article (NEJM)

►December 18, 2008 - Ethical Issues in Neurology (book review) - journal article (NEJM)

►December 18, 2008 - A very sneezy Christmas: Flu infections up 50 per cent in a week, new figures show - Daily Mail, UK

►December 18, 2008 - P1 type polio-virus detected in Jamui dist - Times of India

►December 18, 2008 - Pulse polio immunisation on Dec 21 - Times of India

►December 18, 2008 - Whiff of VHP aid in polio drive, parties raise storm - Expressindia.com

►December 18, 2008 - New vaccine launched in Sattari taluka - Times of India - "Pentavac vaccine replaces earlier Diphthera, Tetanus, Pertussis, Hepatitis B and Haemophilus Type b Conjugate Vaccine (Adsorbed) I.P."

* ►December 18, 2008 - Panel seals fate of three public sector vaccine units - Times of India - "New Delhi: It's now almost certain that the Central Research Institute (Kasauli), Pasteur Institute of India (Coonoor) and BCG Lab (Chennai) will not manufacture vaccines anymore."

►December 18, 2008 - Commissioner Tasks Clerics On Immunisation - Leadership Nigeria

►December 18, 2008 - Vaccine supplies will be normalised: Anbumani - The Hindu

►December 18, 2008 - Suspected meningitis outbreak kills 29 in N Nigeria - Xinhua via China View

* ►December 18, 2008 - Primate offers missing link to ancestor of the Aids virus - The Guardian, UK - "Research into the Madagascan grey mouse lemur published by a team from Stanford University school of medicine, California, suggests that far from being a relatively recent phenomenon, the family of primate lentiviruses to which HIV belongs may be scores of millions of years old."

* ►December 18, 2008 - Mumps cases in west increase fourteen fold - Galway Advertiser - "Some 258 cases were reported by mid December this year - this compares with 18 cases reported last year. Most cases are teenagers and young adults (15-24 year age group) with smaller numbers occurring among younger and older people."

* ►December 17, 2008 - Product Approval Information Tetanus Toxoid, Reduced Diphtheria Toxoid and Acellular Pertussis Vaccine, Adsorbed Boostrix - GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, License #1617 - FDA/CBER

* ►December 17, 2008 - Product Approval Information Proper Name: Tetanus and Diphtheria Toxoids Adsorbed For Adult Use DECAVAC - Sanofi Pasteur, Inc, License #1725 - FDA/CBER

* ►December 17, 2008 - Dr. Gott: Tot’s immune system attacks - Northwest Herald - "Gott: My 3-year-old grandson has been diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome. He’s unable to walk or use the fine movements of his hands, and it seems to have affected his speech. His face looks tired. He has physical and occupational therapy three times a week. Will he recover fully? We’ve also been told he is not to have any more flu shots, as this could sometimes trigger the condition."

* ►December 17, 2008 - Anti-Allergy Vaccines To Help People With Asthma - Asthma UK via Medical News Today

* ►December 17, 2008 - CDC Panel Recommends Vaccine for Smokers; Reviews HPV Safety Data - journal article (JAMA)

* ►December 17, 2008 - Florida Medicaid, Antipsychotics And Small Children - Pharmalot - "Most of these drugs can lead to weight gain and diabetes, and one prominent study found they were no more effective than older meds. Yet the drugs are increasingly prescribed for children, with Medicaid programs in several states reporting rising expenditures for antipsychotics, sometimes to treat ADD or ADHD, which are unapproved uses (look here and here)."

* ►December 17, 2008 - Johnson & Johnson, Texas And Medicaid Fraud - Pharmalot - "The records in the civil suit allege Janssen defrauded the state repeatedly over the last decade to secure a spot for Risperdal on the state’s Medicaid preferred drug list and on controversial medical protocols that determine which drugs are given to adults and children in state custody, the paper writes."

* ►December 17, 2008 - Amgen Whistleblower Will Get A Jury Trial - Pharmalot

* ►December 17, 2008 - Did a Drug Company "Buy" One of This Year's Nobel Prizes? - Rumors swirl, but a Swedish prosecutor will only confirm a "preliminary investigation" into allegations that pharma giant AstraZeneca fixed the Nobels for financial gain - Scientific American

* ►December 17, 2008 - New York Legislative Vaccine Roundtable Follow Up By Louise Kuo Habakus - Age of Autism

* ►December 17, 2008 - Donald McNeil of NY Times Responds With an Early Gift By J.B. Handley - Age of Autism

* ►December 17, 2008 - Why Age of Autism Continues to be a Pain in the Ass to Many By Kim Stagliano - Age of Autism

* ►December 17, 2008 - The Autism Treatment Acceleration Act By Julie Obradovic - Age of Autism

* ►December 17, 2008 - Possible Clues To Root Of Epilepsy, Autism, Schizophrenia - Rice University researchers have found a potential clue to the roots of epilepsy, autism, schizophrenia and other neurological disorders. - Rice University via ScienceDaily

* ►December 17, 2008 - Children forced into cell-like school seclusion rooms (includes video) - CNN - "Public schools in the United States are now educating more than half a million more students with disabilities than they did a decade ago, according to the National Education Association. 'Teachers aren't trained to handle that,' said Dr. Roger Pierangelo, executive director of the National Association of Special Education Teachers. 'When you have an out-of-control student threatening your class -- it's not right and it can be very damaging -- but seclusion is used as a 'quick fix' in many cases.'"

* ►December 17, 2008 - Doctors tv show debate vaccines (includes video) - Exploring Vaccines

►December 17, 2008 - Rising Star - Nantucket Independent - "At 16 years old, Kent Martling, a sophomore at Nantucket High School, has been designing and selling his own line of greeting cards, for the past five years. While Kent's accomplishments would be notable for a 'typical' adolescent, Kent has autism, a neurobiological disorder that impairs his ability to communicate and relate to others."

* ►December 17, 2008 - Eli Lilly spent more than $3.3M lobbying in 3Q - AP via Forbes

* ►December 17, 2008 - Independent Audit of Global Child Immunizations Urged (requires registration) - Lancet via HealthDay via Washington Post

►December 17, 2008 - Safe to STICK - Examining the complication rate of mass immunizations performed by auxiliary healthcare workers - EMS Responder Magazine

* ►December 17, 2008 - FDA Stuns Scientists, Declares Mercury in Fish to be Safe for Infants, Children, Expectant Mothers! - NaturalNews.com - "You want to know the REAL reason the FDA is easing up on its warning about mercury in fish? It's because the agency is being relentlessly pounded over two related issues: Mercury in dental fillings and mercury preservatives in vaccines. And the FDA can't keep up its lie about the 'safety' of vaccines and mercury fillings if it has already declared mercury to be dangerous in fish, right?"

* ►December 17, 2008 - FDA Officially Jumps The Shark, Tells Pregnant Women To Eat Mercury Laden Fish - Adventures in Autism

* ►December 17, 2008 - Nabi Biopharmaceuticals Enters Clinical Initiative With US Military to Advance PentaStaph(tm) - Collaboration to Develop Vaccine Against Life-Threatening Staph Infections - press release - Nabi Biopharmaceuticals via Globe Newswire

* ►December 17, 2008 - Irish Mail Comment: Must they destroy our girls' innocence as well? - Daily Mail, UK - "Health Minister Mary Harney promised in August to roll out the scheme for 12-year-olds next year. On Tuesday she announced it was being shelved to save money."

* ►December 17, 2008 - Cervical cancer vaccination campaign: Join today and get a free car sticker - Daily Mail, UK

* ►December 17, 2008 - Fears of Promiscuity Pose Barrier to Cervical Cancer Vaccinations - Yale School of Public Health - PNAS via HealthNewsDigest.com

►December 17, 2008 - Male circumcision lowers cervical cancer risk: study - Reuters

►December 17, 2008 - A Vaccine Against Giardia? - Researchers from Argentina find a promising breakthrough to fight this water-borne parasite - Backpacker Magazine

►December 17, 2008 - SIGA Completes Manufacture of ST-246 Registration Batches - press release - SIGA Technologies, Inc. via GlobeNewswire via COMTEX via MarketWatch

►December 17, 2008 - Report finds research spending limited on eight infectous diseases - The Plain Dealer via Cleveland.com - "Research efforts to combat eight diseases that are prevalent among more than a quarter of the world's population account for less than 1 percent of the National Institutes of Health's annual budget, according to a report released this morning by Families USA."

►December 17, 2008 - Asian Countries Battle New Bird Flu Outbreaks - Voice of America

►December 17, 2008 - Cost, resistance aired in HHS webcast on antivirals - CIDRAP News

►December 17, 2008 - More people getting flu shot - Chatham Daily News

►December 17, 2008 - Cambodia confirms bird flu outbreak, starts culling - Reuters

►December 17, 2008 - Indian villagers resist bird flu poultry cull - Reuters

►December 17, 2008 - Factbox-WHO figures for bird flu cases in humans - Reuters

* ►December 17, 2008 - Additional tests confirm MRSA as cause of 12-year-old's death - Orlando Sentinel

* ►December 17, 2008 - Inside health: Shot in the arm for fight against measles - The Scotsman - "Despite Scotland having MMR vaccination rates higher than in many parts of England, the number of cases rose significantly this year. ... This year has also seen an increase in the number of cases of whooping cough, with lab-confirmed cases up from 51 last year to 85 so far in 2008. The insider said that uptake of whooping cough jab was also high, making the rise in cases harder to explain."

* ►December 17, 2008 - The Central African Republic starts national anti-measles targeting 745,000 children - UNICEF - "Ruth Mwero, a 30 years-old mother who took two of her children to be vaccinated said it was good to combine the vaccinations with the mosquito nets and soap give-aways because 'when you're talking about the health of your children you have to look at every aspect (that could make them sick), not just one thing.'"

►December 17, 2008 - Judge: Vegas clinics must show financial records (requires registration) - AP via San Jose Mercury News - "A judge has ruled that Las Vegas medical clinics linked to a hepatitis C outbreak have to turn over financial records to lawyers representing infected patients."

►December 17, 2008 - Medic found guilty of misconduct - A Derbyshire GP who made a "devastating error of judgement" over a child who died of meningitis can carry on practising, a panel has ruled. - BBC

►December 17, 2008 - Kentucky Student Diagnosed With Meningitis (includes video) - WLKY Louisville

►December 17, 2008 - Hardin County middle schooler diagnosed with dangerous meningitis, no other cases reported - WHAS11.com

►December 17, 2008 - A birthday for Bella - Family to honor memory of infant who died of meningitis with community blood drive - Mas Bakersfield

►December 17, 2008 - Disease control - The Public Health Ministry will continue trying to control communicable diseases, which have already claimed many lives this year. So far, up to 89 people have died from dengue fever, 69 have succumbed to leptospirosis and three have been killed by streptococcus suis. - The Nation

►December 17, 2008 - Whooping cough numbers rise - Homer, Juneau top state charts in contagious respiratory cases - Homer Tribune

►December 17, 2008 - The Island of Fossil Viruses - Discover Magazine - "The discovery, reported this week, came when a team of American and English scientists perused the genome of the gray mouse lemur. Nestled among its genes were segments of DNA that bore a remarkable resemblance to HIV."

►December 17, 2008 - Federal health team studies increase in valley fever cases in the Northwest Valleuy - The Arizona Republic

►December 17, 2008 - Why kids get sicker at night - CNN

* ►December 17, 2008 - The True Cost of Asbestos: More Than 7,000 Years of Human Life Lost - Despite restrictions on the use of asbestos, the toll from disease is increasing 64% - The Daily Green - "The asbestos story also has lessons for other environmental contaminants. For years, industry maintained that asbestos was safe and that there was little risk to human life. That scenario plays out over and over again, where a harmful chemical or substance is used widely, even while independent research raises concerns and Americans continue to be exposed. It's only after years of research that the true toll becomes clear."

►December 17, 2008 - FDA Clears Natural Sweetener Stevia - Wall Street Journal

►December 17, 2008 - What to watch out for - Stamford Advocate - "Lead and mercury: Lead can show up in products that have hydrated silica, such as in toothpaste. Mercury, found in the preservative thimerosal, is in some mascaras."

►December 17, 2008 - Ask The Nutritionist: Acceptable Sulfur Levels In Cattle Diets To Reduce Polio Concerns - What is an acceptable level of sulfur in finishing cattle diets containing distillers’ grains to reduce concerns of polio? - Cattle Network

►December 17, 2008 - Fears over bluetongue vaccine supply as Defra confirms no order for 2009 - England will not be guaranteed enough vaccine to protect livestock from an outbreak of bluetongue in 2009, after Defra confirmed it would not be issuing a tender for more supplies. - Farmers Guardian

►December 17, 2008 - New Virus Killer at the Zoo - San Diego Reader

►December 17, 2008 - Don’t take a chance: Rabies vaccination can protect pets and their owners - Joplin Globe

►December 17, 2008 - Biden’s dog breeder cited for violating dog laws - Christian Science Monitor

►December 17, 2008 - Influenza spreading at fast pace in Japan - The Mainichi Daily News

►December 17, 2008 - FDA Announces New Recommendations on Evaluating Cardiovascular Risk in Drugs Intended to Treat Type 2 Diabetes - FDA

►December 17, 2008 - Glaxo, Dynavax To Develop Immuno-Inflammatory Disease Treatments - DowJones via CNN Money - "The compounds being investigated under the Glaxo partnership inhibit certain receptors on the surfaces of cells that can induce strong inflammatory responses from the immune system. The lead product candidate, DV1079, is expected to enter clinical development in the fourth quarter of 2009."

►December 17, 2008 - Drugmaker Not Forced To Offer Experimental Med - Pharmalot - "At issue in the Gunvalson case: the boy’s family contended that PTC led them to believe he could participate in a clinical trial, but the drugmaker went back on its word. For its part, PTC maintained no promises were made, and argued that allowing the teen to join the clinical trial would not be safe and would set a bad precedent that could hurt researchers."

* ►December 17, 2008 - Jiangsu suspects bird flu virus mutation - Interfax China

►December 17, 2008 - Medicine Discovers Child Abuse - journal article (JAMA)

►December 17, 2008 - Access to Experimental Drugs for Terminally Ill Patients - journal article (JAMA)

►December 17, 2008 - Illegal Internet Drug Sales - journal article (JAMA)

►December 17, 2008 - Anti-bird flu programs untested - Inquirer.net, Philippine News

►December 17, 2008 - Multiple Sclerosis Clue - journal article (JAMA)

►December 17, 2008 - Arsenic Exposure and Diabetes Mellitus in the United States - journal article (JAMA)

►December 17, 2008 - Arsenic Exposure and Diabetes Mellitus in the United States—Reply - journal article (JAMA)

►December 17, 2008 - German Merck curbs output as demand drops - Reuters

* ►December 16, 2008 - Vaccinations Study and Why They are Dangerous - The Health Dancer Blog

* ►December 16, 2008 - Conflict of Interest in NEJM Paper: Footnote to Bodies in Rebellion Statement - Consumercidal Happenings - "For example, a recent Thimerosal study, "Weight of Evidence Against Thimerosal Causing Neuropsychological Deficits" was published in The New England Journal of Medicine. The investigators listed no conflict of interest, but the facts do not bear this out:"

►December 16, 2008 - Egypt confirms 23rd bird flu human death - China View

►December 16, 2008 - FDA Requires Warnings about Risk of Suicidal Thoughts and Behavior for Antiepileptic Medications - FDA

* ►December 16, 2008 - Drug Experiment: FDA Eyes Simulated Studies - Pharmalot - "Under an agreement with the FDA, three drugs now being studied for heart-related conditions in large human trials will be tested by the simulation technology, the paper writes, although the drugs involved in the project are not being disclosed (here is the Entelos statement)."
 
* ►December 16, 2008 - Drug Lawsuits Keep Atlantic City A Judicial Hellhole - Pharmalot - "Why? The group says the court has “become the destination of choice for those suing the pharmaceutical industry."

* ►December 16, 2008 - It’s Official: FDA Commish To Leave January 20 - Pharmalot

►December 16, 2008 - US Should Lower Co-Pays To Save Money: Study - Pharmalot

►December 16, 2008 - Pharmacy Info To Consumers Is Lacking: FDA - Pharmalot

* ►December 16, 2008 - Study Finds Much of Private-Sector Consumer Medication Information Not Consistently Useful - FDA

►December 16, 2008 - Healthcare "like in Europe?" - Drugwonks

►December 16, 2008 - Vitamin D, the Immune System and the Yearly Outbreaks of Flu - This year, kiss the flu goodbye! - Dr. Sorenson Blog

►December 16, 2008 - Vitamin D Deficiency in Infants and Nursing Mothers Carries Long-Term Disease Risks - Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. via PRNewswire via COMTEX via MarketWatch

►December 16, 2008 - Canadian Generic Drugmakers Fight Patent Law - Pharmalot

►December 16, 2008 - ADHD in Childhood and Adolescence: New Evidence in Diagnosis and Treatment CME/CE (requires registration) - Medscape

►December 16, 2008 - How Do the New EPR3 Asthma Guidelines Affect Your Practice? Let's Ask the Experts CME (requires registration) - Medscape

* ►December 16, 2008 - Vineland: Preschoolers need flu vaccine by Dec. 31 - Vineland Daily Journal - "Vineland Public Schools preschool students must receive at least one dose of the flu vaccine before Dec. 31, or they will be refused admittance to classes, said Rosolyn Williams, supervisor of school health services, in a news release."

* ►December 16, 2008 - High Doses of Vitamin B-3 Fights Alzheimer's Disease-J Neuroscience - Alliance for Human Research Protection

* ►December 16, 2008 - Goodwin Tells GW Student paper: Infinite Mind got 30% to 50% Pharma $$$ - Alliance for Human Research Protection

►December 16, 2008 - Gesenhues: A lesson from the flu - The News and Tribune

►December 16, 2008 - Health, emergency staff get drugs 1st in pandemic - Reuters

►December 16, 2008 - Third Indian state culls poultry over bird flu - Reuters

* ►December 16, 2008 - Interview-Bird flu flares anew, raising uneasy questions - Reuters

►December 16, 2008 - 'Incentivising child jabs may lead to over-reporting' - Financial incentives to improve global childhood vaccination rates may be leading to over-reporting, researchers warn in The Lancet. - Healthcare Republic

* ►December 16, 2008 - Insurance Coverage for Vaccinations Found Inconsistent - Science in the Headlines via The National Academies

►December 16, 2008 - New parents urged to immunise babies for whooping cough - Mudgeee Guardian and Gulgong Advertiser

►December 16, 2008 - Two Little Miami students get whooping cough - Lebanon Western Star

►December 16, 2008 - Universal Detection Technology Receives Purchase Order For Anthrax Detection Equipment From Canada Police Service - Quick Facts - RTTNews

* ►December 16, 2008 - F.D.A. Commissioner and Other Top Health Officials Plan to Step Down (requires registration) - The New York Times

►December 16, 2008 - Seven unsolved medical mysteries - New Scientist

►December 16, 2008 - ACIP: Nominations for Future Vacancies on ACIP - CDC

* ►December 15, 2008 - Speakers: Give health-care industry some help - The Philadelphia Inquirer - "Gephardt, who served in the U.S. House for 18 years, six of them as majority leader, said he believed the health-care industry should get a piece of the proposed $700 billion-plus bailout package. "There are two reasons," he said. "The whole area of pharmaceuticals and biotechnology is a huge job creator in our country. Health care has supplanted a lot of the industry jobs we've lost in manufacturing over the years. The second factor is that success in this area means saving money elsewhere."

* ►December 15, 2008 - Attacking and defending. - ScienceBlogs - "To be sure, our bodies are engaged in constant battle with new natural variants of influenza, for example, and some years' flu shots are more effective than others. So turning to a pathogen designed to elude a vaccine sends your enemies back to the vaccine drawing board. But your designer pathogen can still get people on your own side sick, which means you'll need to develop a new vaccine, too."

►December 15, 2008 - U of R to Investigate "Post-Radiation Pill" - The University of Rochester via Rochesterhomepage.com

* ►December 15, 2008 - Are Nut Bans Promoting Hysteria? (requires registration) - The New York Times

►December 15, 2008 - 'Makeover' Family Saved From Foreclosure - AP via Hickory Record

►December 15, 2008 - Celiac Disease: More Common Than Once Thought - The Pharmacist

►December 15, 2008 - Immunity Stronger At Night Than During Day - Research will be presented at American Society for Cell Biology conference - American Society for Cell Biology via Biocompare

►December 15, 2008 - Exciting Discovery Could Stop Cancer From Killing People - Queen Mary, University of London via Biocompare

►December 15, 2008 - Stimulant Abuse, Misuse, and Diversion in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Managing Risks to Optimize Outcomes CME/CE (requires registration) - Medscape

►December 15, 2008 - Seeking To Evaluate Commercial Products, or Products in Development, for In Vitro Serological Diagnosis of Pertussis - press release - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Documents and Publications/ContentWorks via COMTEX via TMCNet

* ►December 15, 2008 - Whooping cough on rise in Kentucky - Ky. cases double from last year - The Courier-Journal - "Experts attribute whooping cough's return to several factors, chiefly waning immunity among children 10 and older who were vaccinated against the disease as young children."

* ►December 14, 2008 - Whooping cough cases up - Students being sent home - Cincinnati.com - "The Northern Kentucky Health Department has received reports of 15 cases in Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties since Sept. 1. 'All of those cases are people who had been vaccinated that are older than 11 or so,' said Emily Gresham, public information manager. 'The vaccine seems to be wearing off.'"

►December 14, 2008 - Budget cuts could worsen public health crisis - Atlanta Journal-Constitution

►December 12, 2008 - FDA’s Internal Advisory Committees - Many of FDA’s biggest decisions happen after an internal review called a “regulatory briefing.” Never heard of them? You’re not alone. - The RPM Report

►December 12, 2008 - The Long Campaign for FDA Commissioner (Part 1) - The presidential election is over, but the campaign to run FDA is just heating up. In this installment, Steve Nissen makes his case at the FDA/CMS Summit for Biopharma Executives. - The RPM Report

►December 12, 2008 - The Long Campaign for FDA Commissioner (Part 2) - Everyone is looking at outsiders to run FDA, but the next commissioner is all but certain to come from inside the agency—albeit with an “acting” or “interim” designation. Two likely choices—Janet Woodcock and Frank Torti—spoke at the FDA/CMS Summit for Biopharma Executives. - The RPM Report

* ►December 12, 2008 - The Long Campaign for FDA Commissioner (Part 3) - The speculation about who will be the next person to run FDA glosses over an important question: Why on earth would anyone want the job? - The RPM Report

►December 12, 2008 - DTC in Europe? Don’t Hold Your Breath - The speculation about who will be the next person to run FDA glosses over an important question: Why on earth would anyone want the job? - The RPM Report

►December 12, 2008 - In Follow-On Biologics We Trust - Merck’s “biogenerics” play—really a “bio-better” play—woke up Wall Street at its annual investor day. Merck is not alone in seizing the opportunity to play in the new FOB market. - The RPM Report

►December 12, 2008 - GAVI Alliance: UN Secretary-General Praises GAVI'S Role in Creating Innovative Ways to Pay For Health - MaximsNews Network

►December 12, 2008 - Barr, Duramed file application for vaccines - Business Courier of Cincinnati - "Duramed Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s license application to produce an oral vaccine for two types of adenovirus has been accepted for filing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the company said Thursday."

►December 12, 2008 - Mallard shot in Johnston was infected with avian flu - Providence Journal

►December 11, 2008 - Is bird flu over? - Booster Shots Blog via Los Angeles Times

►December 11, 2008 - Lack Of Vitamin D Causes Weight Gain And Stunts Growth In Girls -  Insufficient vitamin D can stunt growth and foster weight gain during puberty, according to a new study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Even in sun-drenched California, where scientists from the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) and the University of Southern California conducted their study, vitamin D deficiency was found to cause higher body mass and shorter stature in girls at the peak of their growing spurt. -  McGill University Health Centre via ScienceDaily

►December 11, 2008 - Fourth case of whooping cough in Lebanon schools - Health commissioner urges people to receive booster shot to renew their immunization. - The Western Star

►December 11, 2008 - Whooping cough cases rise in Indiana - Indianapolis Star

►December 11, 2008 - Second student diagnosed with whooping cough - Richmond Register

►December 10, 2008 - Whooping cough confirmed - The Spectrum

►December 10, 2008 - Whooping cough cases increase in ND - Jamestown Sun

►December 10, 2008 - Got the Flu Shot? Half Say 'No' - 53% of U.S. Adults Still Haven't Gotten Flu Vaccine - WebMD

►December 10, 2008 - During Cold and Flu Season, Don't Get Caught Dirty Handed - press release - Soap and Detergent Association via PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX via MarketWatch

►December 10, 2008 - SLC health center helps track the flu - Health » Utah has 33 sentinel flu clinics. - Salt Lake Tribune

►December 5, 2008 - A childhood case of antiphospholipid syndrome. - journal article (Journal des Maladies Vasculaires)

* ►November 5, 2008 - ACIP Presentation Slides - October 2008 Meeting - October 22-23, 2008 - CDC