* ►November 17, 2008 - Novartis to shift 100 jobs - Business Standard - "At a time when global pharmaceutical companies such as Merck and Pfizer are trimming their workforce to beat the economic blues, Novartis, the Swiss pharmaceutical major, has decided to shift 100 jobs to India."

* ►November 17, 2008 - Calls for Harney to resign over end to cancer vaccine scheme - The Irish Times - "Campaigners protesting over the scrapping of the cervical cancer vaccination programme for girls have called on Minister for Health Mary Harney to resign. About 100 people took part in a protest at the Spire on O'Connell Street in Dublin on Saturday afternoon during which the Government was urged to reverse its 'damaging' decision."

►November 17,  2008 - Cervical screening uptake could increase with better patient advice - HPV education programmes could increase the uptake of cervical screening, a survey of British women suggests. - Healthcare Republic

►November 17, 2008 - Aussie vaccine wins medical Nobel Prize - AAP via The Age, Australia - "Gardasil beat major blockbuster cancer drugs and an anti-smoking medication to win the pharmaceutical industry's top gong, the International Prix Galien."

►November 17, 2008 - Vaccine too late for our sun-loving teenagers - Northwest Tasmania Advocate

►November 17, 2008 - Accumulate GSK Pharma's stock to get steady returns - Economic Times, India - " The company is also bullish on its vaccines business, which currently contributes 11-12% to its topline. GSK is present in all types of vaccines, and this business segment is growing at 15% p.a."

* ►November 17, 2008 - Nigeria’s Polio Cases Embarrassing, Says Sambo - ThisDay, Nigeria - "...Sambo said the north’s high cases of the virus is not helped by unscrupulous immunisation officers, who dig holes and bury the oral polio vaccines meant for  children and then come back to report that they have administered it."

►November 17, 2008 - Polio virus prevalence embarrassing—Gov sambo - Vanguard, Nigeria

►November 17, 2008 - Plateau records 23 new polio cases - The Punch, Nigeria

►November 17, 2008 - How to win the cold war and fight off flu - The Times, UK

►November 17, 2008 - Biota Holdings Limited (ASX:BTA) LANI Phase III Clinical Trials Set For Enrolment - ABN Newswire

►November 17, 2008 - Search For AIDS Vaccine Ramps Up - New York City lab opens amid challenges for AIDS vaccines - Chemical & Engineering News

►November 17, 2008 - The Goo (FDA), the Bad (wrinkle fillers), and the Ugly (930 users) - Officials with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) report that the goo in wrinkle fillers can have ugly side effects including swelling, allergic reactions, infections, and even life-threatening complications. - iTWire

►November 16, 2008 - 1 in 150 children in US affected by autism - St. Louis Post-Dispatch - "In Missouri public schools, the number of students with autism is more than five times what is was a decade ago — from 934 in 1997 to 5,144 as of last December, when the most recent statewide count was conducted."

►November 16, 2008 - Troy, Mo., mom reaches out to help kids understand autism - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

* ►November 16, 2008 - NJ Vaccination Choice Rally On Autism One Radio - Age of Autism - "Managing Editor's Note:  From our friends at Autism One.  You'll see some familiar faces including Bob Krakow in Part 1 at 53 minutes, John Gilmore in Part 1 at 56 minutes, Kim Stagliano in Part 2 at 5 minutes, Sandy Gottstein of Vaccination News in Part 2 at 20 minutes and Kevin Barry in Part 2 at 10 minutes."

* ►November 16, 2008 - WSAV Savannah Georgia Allows Autism Vaccine Discussion By Kim Spencer - Age of Autism

* ►November 16, 2008 - Australian scientist to unveil skin cancer vaccine: reports - AFP via Google

►November 16, 2008 - Local Vaccine Maker Inks Pact With Indonesian Company - Bernama, Malaysian National News Agency

* ►November 16, 2008 - S.D. gets windfall from drug lawsuits - Attorney general, others have ideas for best use of $3.23M - Argus Leader

* ►November 16, 2008 - Tween 80 ( Polysorbate 80) - Exploring Vaccines

►November 16, 2008 - Nearly 2000 receive free flu shots in Watsonville - San Jose Mercury News

►November 16, 2008 - Mass vaccination test goes smoothly - Journal and Courier

►November 16, 2008 - 'Tis the flu shot season - Kane County Chronicle

►November 16, 2008 - Want a flu shot? You should be able to get one - Rock Hill Herald

* ►November 16, 2008 - 'Sexual politics' in vaccine move - Worry over 'promiscuity' stigma - Irish Independent - "Former Health Minister, Rory O'Hanlon, who is also a medical doctor, last week told the Fianna Fail parliamentary party meeting, as well as the Dail, that there were 'several reasons to be cautious in regard to human papilloma virus vaccination'. He told the Dail: 'Side effects have been reported which require further investigation. The vaccine has not been introduced in at least seven European countries.'"

* ►November 16, 2008 - Proportion of unsafe injections more in rural areas: Study - ZEENews.com - "Rural India is more at risk as far as unsafe injections during vaccinations are concerned, according to a new study conducted by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)."

►November 16, 2008 - The man behind the vaccine - Professor Ian Frazer's work on developing a vaccine for cervical cancer has made him one of the world's most highly-regarded scientists. Robyn Riley reports on the man who was destined for greatness. - Herald Sun, AU

* ►November 16, 2008 - 10 major miscues - The State - "For years, DHEC tested fish in S.C. rivers and lakes for signs of mercury contamination and developed booklets describing the dangers of eating those fish. But the agency warned residents of the dangers only by notifying newspapers and radio and television outlets. Only this year, after media scrutiny, did DHEC post signs where the public could see them — at boat landings and fishing spots. Mercury poisoning can cause brain and nerve damage."

* ►November 16, 2008 - New lab on front line of next germ scare - Columbia Tribune - "Staying one step ahead of disease is the goal of the $18 million Regional Biocontainment Laboratory dedicated yesterday at the University of Missouri. There, scientists will study diseases including the plague, anthrax and "Q Fever" in a safe, contained environment."

►November 16, 2008 - Galveston biodefense lab was fortress during Hurricane Ike - Dallas Morning News

►November 16, 2008 - Scientists, public tour new MU biocontainment lab - Columbia Missourian

►November 16, 2008 - Foodie Freak: Considering genetically modified foods - Lake County News

* ►November 16, 2008 - China, America and melamine - International Herald Tribune - "A related area of agricultural concern is animal feed. Chinese eggs seized last month in Hong Kong, for instance, contained elevated levels of melamine because of the melamine-laden wheat gluten used in the feed for the chickens that produced the eggs. To think American consumers are immune to this unscrupulous behavior is to ignore the Byzantine reality of the global gluten trade. Tracking the flow of wheat gluten around the world is like trying to contain a drop of dye in a churning whirlpool. More ominous, the United States imports most of its wheat gluten. Last year, for instance, the FDA reported that millions of Americans had eaten chicken fattened on feed with melamine-tainted gluten imported from China. Around the same time, Tyson Foods slaughtered and processed hogs that had eaten melamine-contaminated feed. The government decided not to recall the meat."

►November 16, 2008 - EPA Encourages Use of Mercury-Free Alternatives - Occupational Health & Safety

►November 16, 2008 - All the omega-3s without the mercury (requires registration) - Chicago Tribune

►November 16, 2008 - How our hospitals unleashed a MRSA epidemic - The Seattle Times

►November 16, 2008 - Staph infections spreading to schools, fitness clubs - The Nashua Telegraph

►November 16, 2008 - Looking Back in Fairbanks - Daily News-Miner - "Anchorage school officials say about 3,000 students in their district have not yet shown proof of having the second measles shot. Students who do not have proof of vaccination or a medical or religious exemption will be sent to special areas to wait for parents to take them home."

* ►November 16, 2008 - Canada mad cow case blamed on feed manufacturer - The Canada Food Inspection Agency says a British Columbia feed manufacturer is the most likely source of the country's 13th case of mad cow disease. - Merco Press

►November 16, 2008 - Novartis to support RP students to US BioCamp - Business Mirror

►November 16, 2008 - Merck Rolls the Dice on New Januvia Study - Seeking Alpha

►November 16, 2008 - Why am I mad at Merck over Vioxx? - Zan Jan Net

* ►November 15, 2008 - Cervical Cancer Strikes Poor Women Hardest - Of the 490,000 women worldwide who are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, 80 percent live in the developing world. Every year, 55,000 women in sub-Saharan Africa alone develop this disease, which is ten times more likely to affect women living with HIV. - Inter Press Service News Agency (IPS)

* ►November 15, 2008 - Science makes 'good bugs' to fight 'bad bugs' - McClatchy Newspapers via TwinCities.com

►November 15, 2008 - Conference explores Bay Area's hot new field of synthetic biology - The Mercury News

* ►November 15, 2008 - Crop sprays a risk to health, rules High Court - People living in the countryside are at risk from crop sprays and must be given better protection, the High Court has ruled. - Telegraph, UK

►November 15, 2008 - Seven-Year Clinical Trial $8.5 Million Funding For Novel IBS Treatment Developed At UB - University at Buffalo via Medical News Today

* ►November 15, 2008 - St. Luke's Partially Shut Down Due to Mercury (includes video) - Fox 12 Boise - "A mercury contamination scare at St. Luke's Medical Center Friday night. It all started when a baby bit off the end of thermometer exposing the child and family to mercury. The mom and grandma brought the baby to the emergency department. Hazmat teams and the Meridian Fire Department were called in to assess the area and test it for mercury exposure. They didn't find any. Still, St. Luke's took the necessary precautions. 'Mercury's a toxic substance,' said Beth Toal, spokesperson for St. Luke's, 'So anytime we realize there's exposure we're going to react to that and take appropriate precautions to make sure the area is safe.'"

* ►November 15, 2008 - Bay County Immunizations Suspended - WMBB News 13 - "The County Health Department is putting a stop on all immunizations. A mechanical failure in the refrigerator system is to blame."

►November 15, 2008 - The Gold Star Effect and Gardasil (The HPV Vaccine) - What Happened to Health

►November 15, 2008 - Rally against cervical cancer vaccine cuts today - The Irish Times

►November 15, 2008 - More than 1,000 flu vaccines given at drive-through clinic - San Gabriel Valley Tribune

►November 14, 2008 - Influenza: A Multipronged Approach to Protecting Our Smallest Patients (requires registration) (includes video) - The Medscape Journal of Medicine

►November 14, 2008 - PCMA: 'Change to Win' Agenda Will Increase Prescription Drug Costs by $16.1 Billion for New Yorkers - Policy Would Make a Bad Economy Even Worse - Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) via Business Wire via MarketWatch

* ►November 13, 2008 - Dead veteran's kin demand inquiry (includes video) - After death of son, dad takes cases to Capitol Hill - The Washington Times - "So far, he has identified nine veterans across the country - including four in West Virginia - who have died in their sleep after taking antidepressant and antipsychotic medications. Mr. White has met with members of Congress and asked for Capitol Hill hearings to investigate the deaths. His research prompted a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) investigation into Andrew's and one other death, which were found to have been caused by "combined drug intoxication." But the investigation could not determine whether the prescribed medications were at fault."

* ►November 13, 2008 - Gulf War vet health research lacking - Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses via AP via Yahoo!

* ►November 13, 2008 - New Technique Reveals Genetic Copy Number Variations With SIDS (requires registration) - Reuters Health via Medscape

* ►November 13, 2008 - Alternative medicine professions 'need statutory regulation' - The Independent, UK

* ►November 13, 2008 - Ban on food additives 'supported by ministers' - A ban on six food additives linked to hyperactivity in children has reportedly been backed by the Government, signalling the end of the road for green mushy peas. - Telegraph, UK

* ►November 13, 2008 - The additives which could be banned - The additives which the Food Standards Agency wants removed from British foods - Telegraph, UK

* ►November 13, 2008 - More countries make spreading HIV a crime - International Planned Parenthood Federation via AP via Yahoo! - "Health officials fear the trend could undermine gains made in fighting the AIDS pandemic and provoke a surge in cases. Globally, about 33 million people are thought to have HIV and nearly 3 million people are newly infected every year."

* ►November 13, 2008 - New Evidence Indicates Kawasaki Syndrome Likely Triggered by an Infectious Agent (requires registration) - The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal via Reuters Health via Medscape Pediatrics

►November 13, 2008 - U.S. Healthcare Reform Gets Backing in Congress (requires registration) - Reuters via Medscape

* ►November 13, 2008 - Should I get a 'non-needle' flu shot? Even homeopaths don't agree - Ottawa Citizen via Canada.com

►November 13, 2008 - Flu fighters take aim at schools - The Aurora Sentinel

►November 13, 2008 - If not bird flu... then what? - Sapa/AFP via Independent Online
 
►November 13, 2008 - 'Elixir of youth' drug could fight HIV and ageing - New Scientist

►November 12, 2008 - Study chronicles drug-resistant TB in the U.S. - Unlike what is happening in much of the developing world, new U.S. cases of tuberculosis have declined sharply over the last 15 years. (requires registration) - Los Angeles Times

* ►November 12, 2008 - Female fetuses are sensitive to hormone disrupters - Exposure to endocrine-disrupting compounds during a vulnerable window of development can lead to many reproductive disorders in adulthood." - Environmental Science & Technology via pubs.acs.org

►November 12, 2008 - FDA Safety Changes: Aceon, Metadate CD, Reyataz CME (requires registration) - Medscape Medical News

►November 12, 2008 - Study: Brain stimulation may ease anxiety disorder - The same kind of deep brain stimulation used to treat some patients for Parkinson's disease also helped a few people suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder, French scientists reported. - NEJM via AP via Physorg

►November 12, 2008 - Report urges states to tackle preterm birth crisis - March of Dimes via AP via Yahoo!

* ►November 11, 2008 - New melanic pigments in the human brain that accumulate in aging and block environmental toxic metals - journal article (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)

* ►November 11, 2008 - The New Gulf War Syndrome - Soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan are in danger from toxic chemicals, yet most don't know what they've been exposed to or where to get help. - AlterNet

►November 11, 2008 - Study: Deadly stomach bug more common than thought - The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology via AP via Yahoo!

* ►November 11, 2008 - Nurses' Role in Children's Environmental Health Protection (requires registration) (full text) - Pediatric Nursing via Medscape

►November 11, 2008 - Bringing a Much Needed Dose of Quirkiness to Medicine (requires registration) - Medscape Med Students

►November 11, 2008 - Impact of Spiritual Symptoms and Their Interactions on Health Services and Life Satisfaction (requires registration) (full text) - Annals of Family Medicine via Medscape

►November 11, 2008 - ACAAI 2008: Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Treatment Improves Asthma in Children (requires registration) - The American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology via Medscape Medical News

►November 11, 2008 - Antibacterial Use Increasing in US Academic Health Centers (requires registration) - Archives of Internal Medicine via Reuters Health via Medscape

* ►November 10, 2008 - A role for the body burden of aluminium in vaccine-associated macrophagic myofasciitis and chronic fatigue syndrome. - journal article (Medical Hypotheses) - "This case has highlighted potential dangers associated with aluminium-containing adjuvants and we have elucidated a possible mechanism whereby vaccination involving aluminium-containing adjuvants could trigger the cascade of immunological events which are associated with autoimmune conditions including chronic fatigue syndrome and macrophagic myofasciitis."

* ►November 10, 2008 - Prolonged Breast-Feeding May Improve Subsequent Lung Function CME/CE (requires registration) - Thorax via Medscape Medical News

►November 10, 2008 - Scientists and Philosophers Find That ‘Gene’ Has a Multitude of Meanings (requires registration) - The New York Times

►November 9, 2008 - Tyson Injects Unborn Chickens with Antibiotics, Sues USDA to Keep Antibiotic-Free Label - TreeHugger

►November 8, 2008 - Anti-smoking drug linked to 10 British suicides - Daily Mail, UK

►November 8, 2008 - Low Vitamin D Contributes to Thyroid Problems - Wellness Resources Health and Wellness News

* ►November 8, 2008 - Could Vitamin D Save Us From Radiation? - Radiological health expert Daniel Hayes, Ph.D., of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene suggests that a form of vitamin D could be one of our body's main protections against damage from low levels of radiation. Writing in the International Journal of Low Radiation, Hayes explains that calcitriol, the active form of vitamin D, may protect us from background radiation and could be used as a safe protective agent before or after a low-level nuclear incident. - Inderscience Publishers, via EurekAlert! via ScienceDaily

* ►November 7, 2008 - Pregnant Women and the Flu Vaccine: Medicine Matters From Sandra Fryhofer, MD (requires registration) (video) - Medscape

* ►November 6, 2008 - Small Shift in Infant Vaccine Schedule Could Reduce Pertussis Burden (requires registration) - Pediatrics via Medscape Pediatrics - "Starting the diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis vaccine (DTaP) series at 6 weeks of age rather than at 2 months could markedly reduce the number of pertussis cases seen each year in the US and help prevent serious complications, new research suggests."

* ►November 6, 2008 - Tangible evidence, trust and power: Public perceptions of community environmental health studies. - journal article (Social Science & Medicine)

* ►November 6, 2008 - New Trials of Antipsychotics in Children Published (requires registration) - American Journal of Psychiatry via Medscape Medical News

►November 5, 2008 - Phototherapy May Reduce Neurodevelopmental Impairment in Preterm Infants CME (requires registration) - New England Journal of Medicine via Medscape Medical News

* ►November 4, 2008 - Breast-Fed Children Have Fewer Learning Problems, Mental Health Diagnoses (requires registration) - The American Public Health Association 136th Annual Meeting via Medscape Medical News

►November 3, 2008 - Neurological Impairment Often Follows Meningococcal Septic Shock in Childhood (requires registration) - The Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine via Reuters Health via Medscape Pediatrics

►November 3, 2008 - NIAID media availability: Seizures following parasitic infection associated with brain swelling - NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases via EurekAlert!

►November 2, 2008 - Positive results in Phase 2 trial of treatment of C. difficile-associated diarrhea - Medarex and Massachusetts Biologic Laboratories announce top-line data from randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled Phase 2 clinical trial indicate statistically significant reduction in recurrences of CDAD - University of Massachusetts Medical School via EurekAlert!

* ►November 2008 - Educate before you Vaccinate - educateb4uvaccinate

* ►November 2008 - Improving flu vaccination rates among adolescents remains a challenge (requires registration) - Infectious Diseases in Children

* ►November 2008 - The ABCs of DTaP, Hib, HBV and IPV - (requires registration) - Infectious Diseases in Children

* ►November 2008 - ACIP clarifies pediatric pneumococcal vaccine recommendations (requires registration) - Concerns regarding combined vaccine schedules and revaccination intervals were discussed. - Infectious Diseases in Children

►November 2008 - Rapid diagnostic tests can improve quality of treatment if used appropriately (requires registration) - Infectious Diseases in Children

►November 2008 -  New labeling, packaging for pediatric over-the-counter cough medicine (requires registration) - Product labels will now state: ‘Do not use in children under 4 years of age.’ - Infectious Diseases in Children

►November 2008 - Kawasaki disease may be confused with toxic shock syndrome or septic shock (requires registration) - Infectious Diseases in Children

►November 2008 - 9-year-old girl with headaches, fevers and neck pain (requires registration) - A case to test your diagnostic skills. - Infectious Diseases in Children

* ►November 2008 - Drug names – catchy but dangerous? (requires registration) - The United States Pharmacopeia has errors for more than 3,170 pairs of generic and brand drug names. - Infectious Diseases in Children

►November 2008 - SPOT the rash (requires registration) - A monthly case study featured in Infectious Diseases in Children, with treatment information and discussion to follow. - Infectious Diseases in Children

►November 2008 - What's Your Diagnosis (requires registration) - A monthly case study featured in Infectious Diseases in Children, with treatment information and discussion to follow. - Infectious Diseases in Children

►October 31, 2008 - Elusive Belly Pain and Guillain-Barre Syndrome (requires registration) (full text) - Journal of Pediatric Health Care via Psychology via Medscape Medical News

►October 31, 2008 - ADHD Takes a Heavy Toll on Family Relationships (requires registration) - Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology via Medscape Medical News

►October 30, 2008 - Clinical Markers May Help Detect Abusive Head Trauma in Young Children CME/CE (requires registration) - Pediatrics via Medscape Medical News

►October 30, 2008 - 'Smart Choices' Food Labels Are Coming (requires registration) - The Keystone Center via WebMD via Medscape Medical News

►October 29, 2008 - Low Maternal Lead Levels Linked With Fetal Risk in Select Pregnant Women CME (requires registration) - The American Public Health Association 136th Annual Meeting via Medscape Medical News

* ►October 28, 2008 - Syringe Scare Sparks Search for Canadian Patients (requires registration) - Reuters via Medscape Medical News

►October 24, 2008 - Seasonal Influenza Treatment Options in a Family Setting CME (requires registration) - Medscape Pediatrics

* ►October 16, 2008 - Rally For Vaccination Choice - Thursday, October 16, 2008 - State House in Trenton, NJ, outside Gov. Corzine's office - video - AutismOne Radio

►October 2008 - Susceptibility of children to environmental pollutants. - journal article (Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences)

* ►Fall 2008 - Neuropsychiatric symptoms, omega-3, and mercury exposure in freshwater fish-eaters. - journal article (Archives of Environmental & Occupational Health) - "They observed a positive relation between hair mercury and neuropsychiatric symptoms solely for women, suggesting that men may respond differently to mercury."

►2008 - Characteristics of Recipients of Free Prescription Drug Samples: A Nationally Representative Analysis (requires registration) (full text) - American Journal of Public Health via Medscape

* ►November 17, 2008 - 'Eleventh Hour's' smallpox outbreak: How accurately does it portray the disease? (requires registration) - Los Angeles Times

* ►November 16, 2008 - Cancer jab scandal - News of the World investigation reveals British girls get cheap cervical drug - Girls receiving vaccinations against deadly cervical cancer may be missing out on proper protection — after ministers chose to give them a cheaper drug. - News of the World, UK

* ►November 16, 2008 - Ministers under fire for lack of detail on jab risks - Conflict of interest claim hits Cervarix maker - Sunday Herald, UK - "Ministers have been accused of misleading schoolgirls over the anti-cervical cancer jab. Leaflets tell pupils it is safe to take oral contraceptives and also receive the Cervarix injections, but the literature fails to mention that long-term use of the pill has been shown to quadruple the risk of contracting the disease. Critics are now pointing to a conflict of interest involving Cervarix's manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)."

►November 16, 2008 - The child is mother to the woman - Prevention of cancer starts in childhood. - Malaysia Star - "If your precious little darling is a girl, get her vaccinated against the human papilloma virus to reduce her chances of getting cancer of the cervix. Two brands of vaccination are available in Malaysia. Make sure your child is vaccinated against hepatitis B and don’t forget that booster!"

* ►November 16, 2008 - Skin cancer vaccine breakthrough - The pioneering Australian scientist who discovered the cure for cervical cancer is on the verge of creating the world's first vaccine for skin cancer. - The Daily Telegraph via www.news.com.au - "As with the jab now given to millions of young girls each year to prevent cervical cancer, children aged between 10 and 12 would be given the vaccine to prevent skin cancer later in life, Professor Frazer envisages. Testing on animals has shown the vaccine to be successful and human trials will start next year."

* ►November 16, 2008 - Professor Ian Frazer leads cancer fight: editorial - Queensland's Professor Ian Frazer is leading science towards another great victory in the war against cancer. - The Courier-Mail via www.news.com.au - "Professor Frazer, who developed the Gardasil vaccine that has done so much to remove the fear of cervical cancer for millions of young women, is on the verge of creating the world's first vaccine for skin cancer. ... Hopefully, within five to 10 years, Prof Frazer's breakthrough will provide protection for whole a generation of children and generations unborn."

►November 16, 2008 - Poke Practice - We kept our baby alive by prodding her for 10 days - Tiny Chloe Lawrence survived against all odds to beat deadly meningitis . . . thanks to her parents Prodding her back to life. - News of the World, UK

►November 16, 2008 - Compo payout for meningococcal death - Streem, Australia - "A family will receive a compensation payout after their daughter died following a visit to a hospital patient suffering meningococcal disease. In 2006, 18-year-old Jehan Nassif visited her boyfriends cousin in hospital who was sick with meningococcal."

►November 16, 2008 - Collective efforts needed for eradication of polio: Shahbaz - The Nation, Pakistan

* ►November 16, 2008 - Nigeria records 12,400 cases of measles – WHO - The Punch, Nigeria

* ►November 16, 2008 - 'Labs spreading AIDS, hepatitis' - The News International, Pakistan

►November 16, 2008 - Ladyhawke: 'You have no idea what I have been through' - She hated physical contact, shunned company and once locked herself in her house for three months. Then, two years ago, Pip Brown was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome. So how is she coping with life as Ladyhawke, the next big thing in pop? - The Independent, UK

►November 16, 2008 - Sarah Sands: Why the common good feels bad to me - Sarah Sands urges thrift until the banks start spending too - The Independent, UK - "I have noticed before that the personal and collective good are not wholly aligned. I would prefer my child not to have the MMR vaccine because it is not 100 per cent safe. The perfect solution would be for every other child but mine to have it."

* ►November 15, 2008 - Where are the FDA & AAP on Food Dyes? Commerce Before Calm. - Age of Autism

* ►November 15, 2008 - Child Warrior: Gianna By Kim Stagliano - Age of Autism

* ►November 15, 2008 - More parents choose to delay vaccinations - Appleton Post-Crescent

* ►November 15, 2008 - Gardasil -- a different way of looking at the reactions By Cynthia A. Janak - Renew America

►November 15, 2008 - Dublin protests over plans to scrap cervical cancer vaccine - Belfast Telegraph - "A rally is to take place in Dublin today against the Minister for Health's plans to scrap the cervical cancer vaccine for young girls. The protest has been organised as a result of an online discussion group on the social networking site Facebook."

* ►November 15, 2008 - More on the human trials of a "universal" flu vaccine - Effect Measure via ScienceBlogs

* ►November 15, 2008 - The Truth About the Flu Shot (includes video) - Outlaw Journalism

* ►November 15, 2008 - Vaccines contain mercury - Sioux Falls Argus Leader - "You have the right to ask for thimerosal-free vaccines. Check the package insert to make sure it is thimerosal-free and does not contain traces."

►November 15, 2008 - Higher dose vaccine could be more effective (includes video) - EurekAlert! via News 10 Now

►November 15, 2008 - Bird Flu: FG, W’Bank Pay N631m to Farmers - ThisDay

►November 15, 2008 - Doctors: Point is everyone needs to get a flu shot - The Coloradoan

* ►November 15, 2008 - The jab that protects (requires registration) - Jerusalem Post - "Ter Meulen is chairman of the European Academy of Science's advisory council. It has published a recommendation to the EU Council to guarantee a certain level of income to pharmaceutical companies if they develop new vaccines, such as one against malaria. The lack of new vaccines is a big problem, as they are especially needed in developing countries."

►November 15, 2008 - Preview: The Big Vaccine Debate - Channel 9 WCPO, Cincinnati - "Tonight in a special healthy living report, we'll look at both sides of this argument, allowing parents to make the choice. Tune in to 9 News on Monday, starting at five, for the big vaccine debate."

►November 15, 2008 - Extreme convenience shown in Pine Grove - Republican Herald - "The only thing more convenient than that would be to have medical folks go to homes to administer the vaccine while people are watching TV or something."

* ►November 15, 2008 - New theory says autism and schizophrenia same disease - The New York Times via The Chronicle Herald, Canada

►November 15, 2008 - Fight The Flu And Keep Kids Healthy - Content Provided By Families Fighting Flu, Inc. - WMUR 9 New Hampshire

►November 15, 2008 - Stephen Colbert: Cheating Death With Crestor - Pharmalot

►November 15, 2008 - 10 innovative fixes for what ails us - Toronto Star

* ►November 15, 2008 - Sugar Sickness Alternatives - Headworth & Associates - "Sugar depresses the immune system by slowing the ability of white blood cells to kill infection. Think of a group of kids just after a sugary cereal breakfast; they’re very susceptible to passing around viruses and bacteria. “Eating or drinking 100 grams (8 tbsp.) of sugar, the equivalent of about two cans of soda, can reduce the ability of white blood cells to kill germs by forty percent.  The immune-suppressing effect of sugar starts less than thirty minutes after ingestion and may last for five hours.”

►November 15, 2008 - Plant-based diet can help prevent chronic diseases - Statesman Journal

►November 15, 2008 - Nepal: AHF & National Center for HIV/AIDS, STI Control (NCASC) Dedicate Free AIDS Treatment 'Center of Excellence' in Kathmandu - Collaborative Antiretroviral Treatment Dedicated in Formal Ceremony Earlier this Week - press release - AIDS Healthcare Foundation via Business Wire via MarketWatch

►November 15, 2008 - Togo says to distribute HIV/AIDS drugs at no cost - Reuters South Africa

►November 15, 2008 - Researchers identify toehold for HIV's assault on brain - University of Rochester Medical Centre via Science Centric

* ►November 15, 2008 - EPA's Database on Mercury-Containing Products and Alternatives - EPA's Database on Mercury-Containing Products and Alternatives Latest Version: 08-18-2008 - http://foodconsumer.org

►November 15, 2008 - Eisai Wins US Drug Regulator Approval for Epilepsy Treatment - Bloomberg

* ►November 15, 2008 - Rabies Vaccination - The Big Scam By: Dr. John Fudens, D.V.M. - NaturalRearing.com via Aimee's Law

* ►November 15, 2008 - City seeking vets' input on rabies - The Wichita Eagle via Kansas.com - "The survey asks whether individual veterinarians should be 'legally allowed individual discretion' in determining how often the vaccine is given, and whether the vets think administering the vaccine on a multiyear basis, rather than annually, would harm human health or improve dogs' health. It also asks veterinarians how many instances they have seen in which their canine patients experienced adverse reactions to the rabies vaccine, and whether vets are concerned that people will not bring their pets in for routine exams if the vaccines are no longer required annually."

* ►November 14, 2008 - Meningitis baby sent home with Calpol by doctors - Burnley Express, UK

* ►November 14, 2008 - Fighting Shingles: Whether to Take the Only Vaccine - Wall Street Journal - "Still, some doctors are cautious. C. Bernie Good, a physician with the Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in Pittsburgh, thinks that patients should be clearly advised of the potential risk for side effects, and that they may want to wait a few years for more information about the safety profile. Merck is conducting additional studies to assess the vaccine's safety, though it isn't known when results will be available."

* ►November 14, 2008 - Rotavirus Vaccine Dramatically Reduces Hospital Visits For Rotavirus Gastroenteritis - Sanofi Pasteur via Medical News Today

* ►November 14, 2008 - Melanoma vaccine to go on trial - Trials of a cutting-edge melanoma vaccine will begin in New Zealand next year as new research shows the country has the highest rate of the cancer in the world. 0 The Press via Stuff.co.nz

►November 14, 2008 - Gardasil for Gents? - Women on the Web

►November 14, 2008 - Chinook Health getting positive response from HPV immunization program - Lethbridge Herald

►November 14, 2008 - Study: Vaccines May Improve Colorectal Cancer Treatment - Kalorama Information via EndoNurse.com

►November 14, 2008 - 1,000 women a day avail of free screening for cervical cancer - Irish Independent

►November 14, 2008 - The Pulse: Insurance Companies Balk At Autism - CBS2.com

►November 14, 2008 - Drive-through flu shots set for Sutter County - Sacramento Bee

►November 14, 2008 - Flu clinic gives 744 free shots to children - The Daily Republic

►November 14, 2008 - Hospital curtains carry Clostridium difficile - Triage Blog via Chicago Tribune

* ►November 14, 2008 - Minnesota officials expect whooping cough outbreak - Booster shots advised for teens, adults - TwinCities.com - "So far this year, the state has reported 275 cases of the bacterial infection that doctors know as pertussis. Of particular concern is the number of infections involving high school students and adults, whose childhood immunizations may be wearing off. 'When you get to three to four years after your last dose, you start to see waning immunity,' said Kris Ehresmann, who directs the vaccine programs for the Health Department."

* ►November 14, 2008 - Get whooping cough shots, state says after Chatham hit - News & Observer

* ►November 14, 2008 - Students at Pinecrest are sharing; unfortunately it’s pertussis - The Hastings Star-Gazette - "The problem is that as the kids near the age for the middle school, the immunizations they received as babies are beginning to wear off. The protection is a variable, diminishing in some faster than in others. That will be rectified in the booster the students will have before they start middle school. 'It’s a little unusual to see this in elementary school,' Miller said. 'That’s a little young.'"

* ►November 14, 2008 - Four added to Polio Hall of Fame at Warm Springs - The Times-Herald - "The Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation celebrated the near eradication of polio on Friday with ceremonies inducting four organizations into the Polio Hall of Fame."

* ►November 14, 2008 - Meningitis lessons haven’t been heeded, says victim's father - Western Mail via WalesOnline - "A father whose son died from meningitis 16 years ago today says the medical profession has not learned from its mistakes and misdiagnoses. Vernon Jones’s son Trystan died from meningococcal septicaemia when he was 16 – he was not admitted to hospital for vital treatment until it was too late."

►November 14, 2008 - Caution over transplant HIV 'cure' - Independent, UK

►November 14, 2008 - China recalls problematic intravenous needles - Xinhua via China View

* ►November 14, 2008 - US places ban on Chinese food imports - The Times, UK - "Some Chinese media knew about the scandal involving baby formula produced by the huge Sanlu Group as early as March but were unable to write about the case because of government constraints on reporting food problems during the Beijing Olympic Games....At least four babies have died and some 54,000 fell ill after being fed the formula laced with melamine, which can cause kidney problems and renal failure."

►November 14, 2008 - Georgina Downs: From ill 11-year-old to a British Erin Brockovich - Georgina Downs has named American water pollution campaigner Erin Brockovich as one of her "environmental heroes". - The Telegraph, UK

* ►November 14, 2008 - Drugmaker ads to target Obama idea - Lobbyist readies for prescription price fight - The Washington Times - "Drug manufacturers also gave more than $1.6 million to Mr. Obama's presidential election campaign - almost triple the amount the industry gave to the Democrat's Republican rival, Mr. McCain. "We've been moving the pieces on the chess board around for some time now getting ready for next year, and we've got a great game plan in place," Mr. Johnson said. "We think we've earned a right at the table, and we're optimistic that at the end of the day, the majority of members of Congress will recognize the importance of the pharmaceutical industry to health care."

* ►November 14, 2008 - India Halts Wyeth Vaccine Trial Over Infant Death - Pharmalot

* ►November 14, 2008 - Children's Mental Health - WSOC Charlotte - "According to SAMHSA's National Mental Health Information Center, one in five American children has some type of mental health disorder. One in ten is believed to have serious emotional disturbance. Here's a rundown of some of the more common types of mental health disorders affecting children in the U.S.:"

►November 14, 2008 - The Supreme question - The Deal via Reuters

* ►November 14, 2008 - Build Your Own Cell: Local Scientists Work to Engineer Life - Mercury News via Contra Costa Times - "The conference will also feature debates on nanotechnology, artificial intelligence and longevity. But opponents are organizing their own movement, as well. In an invitation-only meeting in San Francisco on Thursday , 80 activists discussed strategies to contain the research. They fear it could accidentally escape from the labs of well-intentioned scientists into the environment — or be used by terrorists to make deadly diseases."

* ►November 14, 2008 - A Path for Autism Spectrum Disorder - The Jeffersonian

►November 14, 2008 - Global partners work to prevent next pandemic - Gulf Times

►November 14, 2008 - Disease symposium kicks off - The Manhattan Mercury

►November 14, 2008 - Persistent Bacterial Infection Exploits Killing Machinery of Immune Cells - U.S. Department of State via News Blaze

►November 14, 2008 - Director Premiers Tuberculosis Film - The Harvard Crimson

►November 14, 2008 - Advances in ADHD Management: Maximizing Effects While Minimizing Side Effects of Treatment (requires registration) - Medscape

►November 14, 2008 - U.N. warns of 'brown cloud' threat - AP via The Baltimore Sun

* ►November 14, 2008 - Immune System And Intestinal Bacteria: The Key To Balanced Cohabitation - Researchers from the Institut Pasteur, CNRS and Inserm have just discovered a key mechanism that maintains the essential balance between bacteria living in our intestine and the immune system controlling them. - Nature via ScienceDaily

►November 14, 2008 - The Vytorin Limbo: Have Scrips Hit Bottom? - Pharmalot

* ►November 13, 2008 - Notice: Interim Safety and Risk Assessment of Melamine and Its Analogues in Food for Humans; Availability - Food and Drug Administration, HHS via www.pharmcast.com

►November 13, 2008 - Notice: Request for Notification From Industry Organizations Interested in Participating in the Selection Process for Nonvoting Industry Representative on Public Advisory Committees and Request for Nominations for Nonvoting Industry Representative on Public Advisory Committees - Food and Drug Administration, HHS via www.pharmcast.com

►November 13, 2008 - Notice: Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Guidance for Industry on Formal Meetings With Sponsors and Applicants for Prescription Drug User Fee Act Products - Food and Drug Administration, HHS via www.pharmcast.com

►November 13, 2008 - New HIV Treatment May Also Slow Aging Process - The Journal of Immunology via redOrbit - "In her current study, Effros took killer T-cells from HIV-infected people and exposed them to TAT2, a drug developed by Menlo Park, Calif.-based Geron Corporation that is believed to increase telomere production.  The drug is derived from the root extract of a plant called Astragalus, which is traditionally used in Chinese medicine to boost the immune system. Effros’ study found that TAT2 reduced telomere shortening, increased the ability of cells to divide, and supercharged their antiviral activity. Furthermore, this effect was blocked when a second drug was used to inhibit telomerase, suggesting that TAT2 was truly working through the enzyme.  However, the underlying mechanism that makes the drug work is not yet thoroughly understood."

►November 13, 2008 - Notice (A): Government-Owned Inventions; Availability for Licensing - National Institutes of Health, Public Health Service, HHS via www.pharmcast.com

►November 13, 2008 - Protecting neurons could halt Alzheimer's, Parkinson's diseases - Newly identified chemical compounds not toxic at high doses - Southern Methodist University via EurekAlert!

►November 13, 2008 - Experts urge more health care aid to states - Reuters

►November 13, 2008 - Government to ban six food additives linked to child hyperactivity - Daily Mail, UK

* ►November 13, 2008 - F.D.A. Detains Chinese Imports for Testing (requires registration) - The New York Times - "F.D.A. analyses have detected melamine and cyanuric acid, another contaminant, in 'a number of products that contain milk or milk-derived ingredients, including candy and beverages,' according to an alert that the agency sent to field personnel. The alert also noted that inspectors in more than 13 other countries had discovered melamine in Chinese products including milk, yogurt, frozen desserts, biscuits, chocolates and cookies."

* ►November 13, 2008 - Risky formula - Powdered infant milk linked to deadly form of meningitis in preemies - Beacon News via SuburbanChicagoNews.com

* ►November 13, 2008 - Prescription pill deaths soar - National trend is even more pronounced in Washington - Seattle Post-Intelligencer

* ►November 13, 2008 - Pennsylvania whooping cough outbreak - Examiner.com

►November 13, 2008 -  Listen for whooping cough this winter - The state has reported a surge in cases of the bacterial disease. While it's a problem for teens and adults, it can be fatal for infants. - Minneapolis Star Tribune

►November 13, 2008 - Today's Healthy Child On 'Today's THV at 6': The Importance Of Immunizations (includes video) - TodaysTHV.com - "Some parents have reservations about having their child vaccinated. But Doctor Burke says there's simply no reason to be afraid. 'Vaccines are extremely safe. We probably take a greater risk driving home from the clinic from this visit than we do in vaccinating our child.'"

►November 13, 2008 - Readers speak out on protecting pharmaceuticals (requires registration) - Baltimore Sun

* ►November 13, 2008 - Government acts to contain smallpox outbreak in goat herds in Mongolia - Mongolia Web News - "To date, 365 goats have been destroyed due to contracting smallpox while 11,000 have been vaccinated."

* ►November 12, 2008 - Children misdiagnosed with autism - transcript (includes podcast) - PM via www.abc.net.au - "ANNIE GUEST: But there's hope that a new Federal Government program will force practitioners to adopt the internationally accepted criteria for diagnosis. The $190-million package is currently being rolled out and Autism Spectrum Australia says children will not be able to access the early intervention programs unless they have been diagnosed in this way."

►November 12, 2008 - STATE: Autism funding may be restored - My Web Times

►November 12, 2008 - DelSite Patent for GelSite(R) Polymer Technology Issued - Protects GelSite(R) Polymer Core Technology; Manufactured Under cGMP at Kilogram Scale; Delivery Solutions for Therapeutics and Vaccines and Other Medical Applications; Drug Master File Filed With the FDA - DelSite, Inc. via Market Wire via Comtex via MarketWatch

►November 12, 2008 - New vaccine production unit to come up at Chennai - PTI via The Hindu - "The new vaccine unit will be under the Government-owned Hindustan Latex limited. Apart from this, Ramadoss said the Government is also contemplating switching over from the current trivalent system of vaccination to the pentavalent system from the middle of next year."

►November 12, 2008 - Should HPV Vaccination Be Mandatory? - Citizen Economists

►November 12, 2008 - Mum's the word - on cervical cancer vaccine (Pt 2) - In part one, 'Mum's the word on cervical cancer vaccine', published October 29, it was pointed out that there is a vaccine against cervical cancer, the second leading cancer among Jamaica's women and a leading cause of death here, but it is not on the government's immunisation schedule. - Jamaica Gleaner

►November 12, 2008 - Baby Death Inquest: 'Not much thought' given to condition - coroner - South Wales Argus

►November 12, 2008 - Stroudsburg Poconos Holistic Moms Talk About Vaccines - Allentown Morning Call - "The Poconos chapter of the Holistic Moms Network will hold a vaccine awareness event 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Dec. 6 at the Hughes Library Community Room in Stroudsburg. The event is free. Maureen Drummond, a mother of two vaccine-injured children and founder of the Network Organization for Vaccine Awareness and Choice, will explore the common misconceptions about the products and practices behind vaccination, vaccine ingredients, adverse reactions and more."

►November 12, 2008 - ACAAI: Schools Earn Poor Grade on Food Allergy Action Plans - MedPage Today

►November 12, 2008 - Bristol puppy fights off tetanus - This is Bristol

* ►November 12, 2008 - Integration of immunization services with other health interventions in the developing world: what works and why? Systematic literature review - journal article (Tropical Medicine & International Health)

►November 12, 2008 - Notice: Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for Office of Management and Budget Review; Comment Request; Current Good Manufacturing Practices and Related Regulations for Blood and Blood Components; and Requirements for Donor Testing, Donor Notification, and ``Lookback'' - Food and Drug Administration, HHS via www.pharmcast.com

►November 12, 2008 - Questions and Answers on Current Good Manufacturing Practices, Good Guidance Practices, Level 2 Guidance - Production and Process Controls - FDA/CDER

►November 12, 2008 - Update of Safety Review Follow-up to the October 1, 2007 Early Communication about the Ongoing Safety Review of Bisphosphonates - Bisphosphonates: Alendronate (Fosamax, Fosamax Plus D), Etidronate (Didronel), Ibandronate (Boniva), Pamidronate (Aredia), Risedronate (Actonel, Actonel W/Calcium), Tiludronate (Skelid), and Zoledronic acid (Reclast, Zometa) This information reflects FDA’s current analysis of available data concerning these drugs. - FDA/CDER

►November 12, 2008 - Sample sizes for brain atrophy outcomes in trials for secondary progressive multiple sclerosis - journal article (Neurology)

* ►November 11, 2008 - Kevin P. Miller's Film "Generation RX" Reveals Widespread Ethical Conflicts, Risks of Psychiatric Drugs to Children - "Generation RX" documents how an entire era of children have been caught in the middle of an unprecedented change in Western culture: that of drugging children with psychiatric medications earlier--and more often than ever before, according to the producers. This dynamic film has already garnered the support of some of the most respected names in Hollywood, including writer/director Paul Haggis, who won back-to-back Academy Awards® for "Million Dollar Baby", and "Crash." "Generation RX is a powerful and often chilling eye-opener. Weeks after viewing, the stories continue to haunt me," said Haggis. - press release - Common Radius Films via PRWeb - "International award-winning filmmaker Kevin P. Miller announced today that his new film, "Generation RX" will be released on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 through the film's website at www.GenerationRxFilm.com."

►November 11, 2008 - Hardest-to-treat form of TB rare in U.S.: study - Reuters

►November 11, 2008 - Can Google tell us when the flu will hit? - New York Times via Star Tribune

►November 10, 2008 - Prediction of Infection Due to Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria by Select Risk Factors for Health Care–Associated Pneumonia - journal article (Archives of Internal Medicine)

►November 2008 - Oral Polio Drops need Injectable polio Vaccine: IAP - 13 years of polio immunisation programme, 486 cases this year alone in 87 districts - Express Healthcare Management

►November 2008 - Indian Chapter of Strategic Alliance for Pneumococcal Disease Prevention Launched - The international wing of ASAP was launched in December 2007 in Seoul - Express Healthcare Management

►November 2008 - Involving patients in decisions during psychiatric consultations - journal article (The British Journal of Psychiatry)

►November 2008 - Childhood Leukemia in Relation to Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Fields in the Vicinity of TV and Radio Broadcast Transmitters - journal article (American Journal of Epidemiology)

►November 2008 - Who delivers preventive care as recommended? - journal article (Canadian Family Physician)

* ►October 28, 2008 - Title: Protective antigen of epstein barr virus (patent) - The Rockefeller University (New York, NY) via www.pharmcast.com

* ►October 28, 2008 - Title: Treatment of diseases caused by viral infection (patent) - Apodemus AB (SE) via www.pharmcast.com - "A method of prophylactic and/or therapeutic treatment of a mammal for a disease that is caused by a Ljungan virus infection, such as Myocarditis, Cardiomyopathia, Guillain Barre Syndrome, and Diabetes Mellitus, Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Myasthenia Gravis, Amyothrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Dermatomyositis, Polymyositis, Spontaneous Abortion, Intrauterine Death, Preeclampsia, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, Bell's (facial) paralysis, Addison's disease, and Pernicious anemia, is described."

►October 28, 2008 - Title: Herbal extracts of Salicornia species, process of preparation thereof, use thereof against tuberculosis (patent) - Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (New Delhi, IN) via www.pharmcast.com

►October 28, 2008 - Title: Phospholipid-based powders for drug delivery (patent) - Weers; Jeffry G. (Half Moon Bay, CA), Tarara; Thomas E. (Burlingame, CA), Dellamary; Luis A. (San Marcos, CA), Riess; Jean G. (Falicon, FR), Schutt; Ernest G. (San Diego, CA) via www.pharmcast.com

►October 28, 2008 - Title: Screening methods for identifying viral proteins with interferon antagonizing functions and potential antiviral agents (patent) - Mount Sinai School of Medicine of New York University (New York, NY) via www.pharmcast.com

►October 28, 2008 - Title: Delivery of stimulants through an inhalation route (patent) - Alexza Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Mountain View, CA) via www.pharmcast.com

►October 28, 2008 - Title: Genetically modified tumor-targeted bacteria with reduced virulence (patent) - Vion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (New Haven, CT), Yale University (New Haven, CT) via www.pharmcast.com

►October 28, 2008 - Title: Method of modulating inflammatory response (patent) The Regents of the University of Michigan (Ann Harbor, MI) - via www.pharmcast.com

►October 21, 2008 - In Sour Economy, Some Scale Back on Medications (requires registration) - The New York Times

* ►Extend Statute of Limitations for Vaccine Injury Claims - PetitionOnline.com

►The Informed Parent, UK - Events - Jayne Donegan, Trevor Gunn, Dawn Waterhouse, Dr Tim O’Shea, Magda Taylor

►December 2008 - Myelination progression in language-correlated regions in brain of normal children determined by quantitative MRI assessment - journal article (International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology)

►December 2008 - From bench to bedside: stealth of enteroinvasive pathogens - journal article (Nature Reviews Microbiology)

►December 2008 - Prominent synaptic and metabolic abnormalities revealed by proteomic analysis of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder - journal article (Molecular Psychiatry)

►December 2008 - Reduced gray matter brain volumes are associated with variants of the serotonin transporter gene in major depression - journal article (Molecular Psychiatry)

►December 2008 - Epileptic disorders in pregnancy: an overview. - journal article (Current Opinion in Obstetrics & Gynecology)

►December 2008 - Health economics of asthma: assessing the value of asthma interventions - journal article (Allergy)

►December 2008 - Oxidative stress and its determinants in the airways of children with asthma - journal article (Allergy)

►December 2008 - Bench and bedside advances in otitis media. - journal article

►December 2008 - Insomnia of childhood. - journal article (Current Opinion in Pediatrics)

►December 2008 - Wheat allergen exposure and the prevalence of work-related sensitization and allergy in bakery workers - journal article (Allergy)

►December 2008 - The safety of sublingual immunotherapy with one or multiple pollen allergens in children - journal article (Allergy)

►December 2008 - Does a `reverse' atopic march exist? - journal article (Allergy)

►November 16, 2008 - Stay Healthy Why Kids Need Vitamin D - Parade Magazine

►November 15, 2008 - How scientists tracked down the origin of Aids - The Scotsman

►November 15, 2008 - Measles alert issued in Auckland - A measles alert has been issued by health officials in Auckland. - Radio New Zealand - "An international passenger who arrived in the city on 31 October on a Qantas flight has been diagnosed with English measles, prompting the alert."

►November 15, 2008 - Anthrax outbreak kills six people in Zimbabwe - Xinhua via China View

* ►November 15, 2008 - Wyeth drug tests fall foul of watchdog - Infant’s death leads DCGI to allege testing rules were violated for vaccine; Wyeth points to GVK Biosciences - livemint via The Wall Street Journal - "The inclusion of an infant with a cardiac condition in the Wyeth vaccine test violates India’s drug testing rules that strictly monitor subjects on who such tests are conducted. Wyeth had been permitted to conduct tests only on healthy babies, according to the regulator. The trial was being conducted on healthy babies who were between 42 and 72 days old."

* ►November 14, 2008 - David Kirby: Minneapolis and the Somali Autism Riddle - The Huffington Post - "Tomorrow, a few hundred very concerned citizens of Minnesota will gather to discuss a baffling and heartbreaking riddle: Why is the reported rate of autism among children of Somali refugees so alarmingly high (now an estimated 1-in-28 schoolchildren)?"

►November 14, 2008 - David Kirby on HuffPo: Minneapolis and the Somali Autism Riddle - Age of Autism

* ►November 14, 2008 - TrentonRally-1of4.mpg - Gary Null and other speakers lead a rally outside the Trenton, NJ state house to raise awareness of New Jersey's mandatory vaccination laws. - Google Video

* ►November 14, 2008 - TrentonRally-2of4.mpg - Gary Null and other speakers lead a rally outside the Trenton, NJ state house to raise awareness of New Jersey's mandatory vaccination laws. - Google Video

* ►November 14, 2008 - TrentonRally-3of4.mpg - Gary Null and other speakers lead a rally outside the Trenton, NJ state house to raise awareness of New Jersey's mandatory vaccination laws. - Google Video

* ►November 14, 2008 - TrentonRally-4of4.mpg - Gary Null and other speakers lead a rally outside the Trenton, NJ state house to raise awareness of New Jersey's mandatory vaccination laws. - Google Video

* ►November 14, 2008 - UIC joins international research effort to study autism - University of Illinois at Chicago via EurekAlert! - "Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago are taking part in an international effort to gather DNA samples from 2,000 autism patients and their families over the next three years. The initiative, called the Simons Simplex Collection, is the first coordinated effort to create a database of information about families with only one autistic child."

►November 14, 2008 - Autism Professionals Appear On Call The Doctor - WVIA Public Broadcasting - "To learn more about autism and how to help your child with autism, don't miss Autism: A New Childhood Epidemic on Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. on WVIA-TV's Call the Doctor."

►November 14, 2008 - Tragic death of autistic teen - Tameside Advertiser, UK - "An autistic teenager `dived' in front of a Metrolink tram after walking out of school because a trip to Blackpool had been cancelled at the last minute."

►November 14, 2008 - Parents Push States For Autism Insurance Laws - WBZtv.com

►November 14, 2008 - Obama’s anti-science EPA head? - Discover Magazine

* ►November 14, 2008 - Slouching Toward Fanaticism - Passionate intensity, but little rationality, in the anti-immunization movement - book review - City Journal

* ►November 14, 2008 - Letter: The rest of the story - South County Independent - "The standard influenza vaccine from a multi-dose vial contains a mercury-based preservative known as thimerosal. Each dose contains up to 25 mcg of mercury, per the FDA. The standard vaccine is still routinely given to infants, children, pregnant women and the elderly."

* ►November 14, 2008 - Diagnosis Mercury: Money, Politics and Poison by Jane M. Hightower - The Times review by Richard Ellis - book review - The Times, UK - "Reading Diagnosis Mercury I have concluded that there really is no safe level of mercury, and I'm going to stop eating tuna. Why would anyone want to continue to ingest poison? I'm going to tell my children to stop eating it, and anybody else who will listen."

* ►November 14, 2008 - Modelling Research Shows CervarixTM-induced Immune Response May Be Prolonged For At Least 20 Years For Both HPV 16 And 18 - GlaxoSmithKline via Medical News Today - "'Predicting the levels of antibodies generated and sustained against HPV 16/18 is important as long as we have no better options to directly measure duration of protection,' said Dr. Koen Van Herck of the Centre for the Evaluation of Vaccination, Antwerp, Belgium....The statistical models used in this study utilised data from an ongoing phase II study conducted up to 6.4 years."

* ►November 14, 2008 - Media Gearing Up for Merck’s ‘Gardasil for Boys’ Campaign - BNET

* ►November 14, 2008 - HPV Vaccine for Men: It's About Time - Heart to Heart by Bernadine Healy M.D. via U.S. News & World Report

►November 14, 2008 - Vaccination support - Fiji Times

►November 14, 2008 - Who Should Get Gardasil? - American Council on Science and Health

►November 14, 2008 - McDaid unrepentant over cancer vaccine vote - Belfast Telegraph

* ►November 14, 2008 - Gardasil Mandated For New US Citizens - John Birch Society

* ►November 14, 2008 - Firm says weakened smallpox vaccine has good safety profile - CIDRAP News

* ►November 14, 2008 - Union: CVS flogged costly med for Merck - FiercePharma - "A group of labor unions are in a tug-of-war with CVS Caremark's pharmacy benefits management, and a Merck diabetes drug stands right in the middle of it. The unions say CVS pushed doctors to prescribe Januvia to specific patients, violating patient privacy and potentially boosting drug costs."

* ►November 14, 2008 - New Data Points to Long Lasting Beneficial Effects of CEL-SCI's Rheumatoid Arthritis Vaccine - CEL-SCI Corporation via PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX via MarketWatch

►November 14, 2008 - FDA panel sees small benefit to Alpharma pain pill - Seattle Post-Intelligencer

►November 14, 2008 - DOR BioPharma Reports 3rd Quarter 2008 Financial Results - DOR Begins Generating Revenue From Named Patient Sales of orBec(R) - DOR BioPharma, Inc. via Market Wire via CNNMoney

►November 14, 2008 - China Bio-Immunity Corporation Reports Third Quarter 2008 Financial Results - press release - China Bio-ImmunityCorporation via Xinhua-PRNewswire-FirstCall via International Business Times

* ►November 14, 2008 - Jesse Palmer Throws a "Season Pass" at Influenza Awareness to College Students Nationwide - ESPN Sportscaster and Former Pro Football Player Urges Students to Get Seasonal Flu Shot - press release - CSL Biotherapies via Business Wire via MarketWatch

►November 14, 2008 - Parents urged to get flu shots for their children - Sioux Falls Argus Leader - "Kightlinger urged parents to take advantage of the free vaccine the state is providing for kids aged 6 months through 18 years."

►November 14, 2008 - On the cusp of flu season, state urges vaccine for kids - Rapid City Journal

►November 14, 2008 - Privacy groups target Google Flu Trends - CNET News

►November 14, 2008 - First influenza cases reported, flu shot recommended - Detroit Free Press

►November 14, 2008 - GHANA: Meningitis outbreak kills 10 - IRIN Africa

►November 14, 2008 - Baby Death Inquest: 'Never let this happen again' - mum - South Wales Argus, UK - "Nine-month-old Aleesha Evans' death from meningococcal septicaemia could have been avoided had she been admitted to the Royal Gwent Hospital instead of sent home, a coroner concluded this week."

* ►November 14, 2008 - Brothers found dead in Visalia had pneumonia - The Fresno Bee - "The boys were identified as Angel Camarillo, 10, and his brother, George, 2. Both were born with the same birth defect, Glutaric Acidemia Type I, the police department reported."

►November 14, 2008 - Anti- polio national campaign to be launched next Monday - Saba Net

►November 14, 2008 - Bloomberg, 200 Guests Celebrate Opening Of New AIDS Vaccine Research Center - Lab Part of New Biotech Center at Brooklyn Army Terminal in Sunset Park - Brooklyn Daily Eagle

* ►November 14, 2008 - Safety high at vaccine facility - London Free Press - "Working with a live version of a virus that has killed 25 million people, staff inside a new HIV vaccine plant that London is bidding to build will have only their eyes exposed. 'Everything else has to be covered with sterile gowns and scrubs and so on,' said Dr. Chil-Yong Kang of the University of Western Ontario."

►November 14, 2008 - University of Missouri to Dedicate Biodefense Lab - NTI: Global Security Newswire 

►November 14, 2008 - Man Found Guilty In HIV Disclosure Case - 10TV.com

►November 14, 2008 - Gilead says Teva files to sell generic of HIV drug - Reuters

►November 14, 2008 - Dirty teeth a health hazard? - Reno Gazette Journal

* ►November 14, 2008 - Study Confirms Genetically Engineered Crops Threaten Human Fertility - www.newswithviews.com

* ►November 14, 2008 - US military chem-bio warfare exposures website unveiled - Anthrax Vaccine -- posts by Meryl Nass, M.D.

* ►November 14, 2008 - Dead musician's drum had anthrax - Traces of anthrax have been confirmed at a workshop belonging to a musician who died after contracting the disease. - BBC

* ►November 14, 2008 - Anthrax Hoax Suspect Indicted on 13 Counts - NTI: Global Security Newswire

►November 14, 2008 - Mercury & The Environment - KIVI-TV

►November 14, 2008 - Products & Devices That May Contain Mercury - KIVI-TV

►November 14, 2008 - Mercury Analysis: Fedje Seafood Tainted by Sub? - NORWAY - A new investigation has been carried out analysing mercury in seafood caught from the area around the submarine U864 outside Fedje, Norway. - TheFishSite.com

►November 14, 2008 - TEXT-ICL launches product to reduce mercury emissions - Reuters via eTaiwan News

►November 14, 2008 - Researchers work on easier tracking of dangerous mercury emissions - Capital News Service via MLive.com

* ►November 14, 2008 - State Demands Answers To Unreported Mercury Spill - KIRO Seattle

* ►November 14, 2008 - U.S. Blocks Chinese Milk Products (requires registration) - Washington Post

►November 14, 2008 - Carteret sees two confirmed rabies reports in a month - ENC Today

* ►November 14, 2008 - Biological Product Shortages Zostavax - FDA/CBER

* ►November 14, 2008 - Pharma Plans Ads To Attack Obama Health Reform - Pharmalot

* ►November 14, 2008 - Preemption: Now Available On DVD (includes video) - Pharmalot

* ►November 14, 2008 - Did Merck And CVS Violate Patient Privacy? - Pharmalot

►November 14, 2008 - DTC Ad Spending Is Down… And Falling Fast - Pharmalot

►November 14, 2008 - Breakthrough In Cell-type Analysis Offers New Ways To Study Development And Disease - Like skilled assassins, many diseases seem to know exactly what types of cells to attack. While decimating one cadre of cells, diseases will inexplicably spare a seemingly identical group of neighbors. What makes cells vulnerable or not depends largely on the kinds and amounts of proteins they produce - their "translational profile," in the lingo of molecular biology. For this reason, scientists have struggled to parse the subtle molecular differences among the hundreds of specialized cell types that are tangled together in tissues like the brain. - Rockefeller University, via EurekAlert! via ScienceDaily

►November 14, 2008 - Troubles With Manufacturing: Prabir Basu Explains - Last month, the FDA awarded the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Technology and Education, a non-profit representing several universities, a contract to develop ‘Quality by Design’ guidance for drugmakers. The idea is to improve manufacturing processes that, presumably, would improve quality and lower costs in plants - and create mininum standards for overseas plants as well. We spoke with Prabir Basu, a former pharma exec who heads NIPTE, which is aligned with the FDA’s Critical Path Initiative, about what QBD can do. This is an excerpt… - Pharmalot

►November 14, 2008 - US Immunologist William E. Paul Receives The Max Delbrück Medal - Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine via Medical News Today - "His claim to fame is the discovery of the molecular bases of the immunological memory driving allergy. More over, his discoveries have been essential for our current understanding of how immunological memory works as such and how we may be able to manipulate it for the benefit of vaccination."

* ►November 14, 2008 - Cleveland Clinic Recognizes New Strategies For Creating Vaccines For Avian Flu As A Top Ten Medical Innovation For 2009 - Novavax via Medical News Today

* ►November 14, 2008 - Early Diagnosis Of Diabetes In Children And Adolescents Is Vital; Support World Diabetes Day - ESP Bioscience via Medical News Today

* ►November 14, 2008 - New Findings From Genome-Wide Association Studies - American Society of Human Genetics via Medical News Today - "They reported on the exciting results of recent genome-wide association scans that have identified new genes associated with autism, type 2 diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)."..."The group did not observe any genome-wide significant results in their initial scan, indicating there are not many genes of moderate to large effect size associated with autism susceptibility, even in families with highly heritable autism. However, by incorporating additional replication data, the researchers identified a novel site associated with autism located on chromosome 5. The latter is an attractive candidate gene, given that it is down-regulated in autism, and is known to influence neuronal development."

►November 14, 2008 - Director Premiers Tuberculosis Film - The Harvard Crimson

►November 14, 2008 - Neurodegenerative disease: New ways of tackling A toxicity - Two studies reveal an important function for amyloid- (A) peptides in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease and suggest a novel therapeutic approach to tackle A's deleterious effects. - journal article (Nature Reviews Neuroscience)

►November 13, 2008 - What is the optimal management of partial epilepsy uncontrolled by a first choice anticonvulsant? - journal article (BMJ)

►November 14, 2008 - Nurse cleared of arenavirus - Health24.com

* ►November 13, 2008 - BCG vaccination in children - journal article (BMJ)

* ►November 13, 2008 - Efficacy of percutaneous versus intradermal BCG in the prevention of tuberculosis in South African infants: randomised trial - journal article (BMJ)

►November 13, 2008 - Seventeen People Suffered from Bird Flu Symptoms - Tempointeractive

►November 13, 2008 - Efficacy assessment of a cell-mediated immunity HIV-1 vaccine (the Step Study): a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, test-of-concept trial - journal article (The Lancet)

►November 13, 2008 - Drugs and Medicines Used in Amoebiasis and Other Protozoal Infections - American Chronicle

►November 13, 2008 - Effect of fibre, antispasmodics, and peppermint oil in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: systematic review and meta-analysis - journal article (BMJ)

►November 13, 2008 - U.S. 'Super Bugs' Invading South America - Two clones of highly antibiotic-resistant organism strains, which previously had only been identified in the United States, are now causing serious sickness and death in several Colombian cities including the capital Bogotá, say researchers at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston. The study, done in collaboration with Universidad El Bosque in Bogotá, is presented in a research letter published in the Nov. 13 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. - University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston via ScienceDaily

►November 13, 2008 - Professor to exhibit immune system research - Tennessee Journalist

* ►November 13, 2008 - Gilead To Appeal FDA Demand For More Data - Pharmalot

►November 13, 2008 - Is health care getting safer? - journal article (BMJ)

►November 13, 2008 - Management of acute moderate and severe childhood malnutrition - journal article (BMJ)

►November 13, 2008 - Cases from AHRQ WebM&M: Failure to Latch CME/CE (requires registration) - Medscape

►November 13, 2008 - UAB wins $2M grant to study immune system - Birmingham Business Journal

►November 13, 2008 - Basilea gets Swiss approval for superbug drug - Reuters via Interactive Investor

►November 13, 2008 - Treatment of irritable bowel syndrome in primary care - journal article (BMJ)

►November 13, 2008 - How eating red meat can spur cancer progression - University of California - San Diego via EurekAlert!

►November 13, 2008 - Effect of fibre, antispasmodics, and peppermint oil in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: systematic review and meta-analysis - journal article (BMJ)

* ►November 13, 2008 - Adverse reactions - Life and Death - journal article (BMJ)

* ►November 13, 2008 - Autism Speaks Announces New Policy to Give Families Easy, Free Access to Key Research Findings - Becomes First Public Advocacy Organization Requiring Grant Recipients to Post Scientific Papers on Free PubMed Central Archive - Autism Speaks

►November 13, 2008 - Fianna Fáil defection as McDaid abstains on vaccination vote - The Irish Times

* ►November 13, 2008 - Ó Caoláin slams cancer vaccine cuts - Health: Morgan ejected from Dáil chamber as he accuses Harney of lying - An Phoblacht

* ►November 13, 2008 - Curing county schools' nursing shortage - Officials say increasing health needs for students requires more nurses - Gazette.net - "Despenza-Green said the need for school nurses is critical because today's students deal with more illnesses at school — such as diabetes, allergies and asthma — than students did in previous generations. Bates also said students who have special needs, such as ventilators, require considerable attention from the school nurse....In addition to managing immediate health needs of students, school nurses also track which students in the school are in compliance with their state-mandated vaccine requirements; county school officials have struggled to keep students in compliance in the past. This year, officials reported more students are getting their required vaccines. Currently, 98 percent of the county's students are in compliance with vaccine requirements."

►November 13, 2008 - Judge in Idaho likely to dismiss West Nile lawsuit - AP via KBCI-TV via Montana's News Station - "A 4th District Court judge in Idaho says he'll likely dismiss a lawsuit filed by a man who says local officials should have warned him about West Nile virus."

►November 13, 2008 - PA Health Department Reports Southeast Region's First Lab-Confirmed Influenza Case of the Season - Pennsylvania Department of Health via PRNewswire-USNewswire via PharmaLive

►November 13, 2008 - Woman dies after virus outbreak at wedding reception - Victim among 51 struck down by bug at wedding - Evening Express, UK

* ►November 13, 2008 - OncoVAX, Other Vaccines Provide Hope for Colorectal Cancer Treatment, Prevention - press release - Kalorama Information via Market Wire via Comtex via MarketWatch

* ►November 13, 2008 - DelSite Presents Nasal Powder and Synthetic Typhoid Vaccine Technologies at the 2nd Vaccines Asia Conference - GelVac(TM) Nasal Powder Platform for Needle-Free and Cold Chain-Free Vaccine Delivery Synthetic Typhoid Fever Vaccine -- Safer and More Economical Approach Against a Major Infectious Disease That Causes 500,000 to 600,000 Deaths per Year Worldwide Significant Advantages Over Current Vaccine Technologies - press release - DelSite Inc. via Market Wire via MarketWatch

* ►November 13, 2008 - An HIV Vaccine Lab Lands on the Brooklyn Waterfront - Wall Street Journal Health Blog

►November 13, 2008 - Cancer Treatment Might Offer Clue To AIDS Cure - Doctors at a Berlin hospital were surprised to discover that, while treating a man for cancer, they also rid his blood of the HIV virus. This could yield a new direction in the fight against AIDS. - Deutsche Welle

►November 13, 2008 - WHO and health partners lead massive cholera response in eastern DRC - World Health Organization (WHO) via ReliefWeb

►November 13, 2008 - Older adults should be part of treatment decisions - Journal of the American Geriatrics Society via Reuters Health

* ►November 12, 2008 - 5 of 5: What was the real 19th century grim reaper? - Hilary's Desk via Beyond Conformity

* ►November 12, 2008 - Plea to parents over measles - Crewe Chronicle - "Michelle Dale, whose daughter Emily, three, attends Sandbach Community Primary School’s nursery, says parents need to act urgently and responsibly. She added: 'I think those who don’t get their children immunised are being very selfish. 'I trust my doctor and I would rather take the risk of her having the MMR injection than of her getting measles.'"

►November 12, 2008 - Darkness falls - We don’t know where the great flu of 1918 came from, or whether it will come again, finds Tom Jefferson - book review - journal article (BMJ)

►November 12, 2008 - Avoiding the Flu - Utne Reader Online

►November 12, 2008 - JE vaccination put on hold - Times of India

►November 12, 2008 - Indian-American creates molecule that stops SARS virus - IANS via The Hindu

* ►November 12, 2008 - Desperate Big Pharma Pushing To Double Statin Sales - www.newswithviews.com

►November 12, 2008 - Coroner wants nationwide allergy service to avoid needless deaths from adverse reactions - journal article (BMJ)

►November 12, 2008 - Pharmacy customers' knowledge of side effects of purchased medicines in Mexico - journal article (Tropical Medicine & International Health)

►November 12, 2008 - HIV prevention gets £220m research fund - journal article (BMJ)

►November 12, 2008 - Molecule That Stops SARS Invented - A Purdue University researcher has created a compound that prevents replication of the virus that causes SARS and could lead to a treatment for the disease. - Purdue University via ScienceDaily

►November 12, 2008 - GSK proposes to close Dartford manufacturing site in the UK by 2013 - PharmiWeb

►November 12, 2008 - Trust decides against legal action to force girl to receive heart transplant - journal article (BMJ)

►November 11, 2008 - Oregon Appellate Court Rules Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Testimony Admissible - American Chronicle

* ►November 10, 2008 - Herpes Zoster-Related Hospitalizations and Expenditures Before and After Introduction of the Varicella Vaccine in the United States. - journal article (Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology) - "Conclusions.  As the rates of VRHDs and the associated charges have decreased, there has been a significant increase in HZHDs and associated charges, disproportionately among older adults. Herpes zoster vaccine may mitigate these trends for HZHDs."

►November 10, 2008 - Burden of Invasive Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Penis in the United States, 1998-2003 - Abstract - Cancer Research Center of Hawaii via UroToday

►November 10, 2008 - Giving feedback in clinical settings - journal article (BMJ)

►November 9, 2008 - Don't panic! - A flu pandemic could trigger needless nationwide chaos. Whatever happened to our stiff upper lip? - Comment is free via The Guardian, UK

* ►November 9, 2008 - Military Intelligence — Chem-bio warfare exposures website unveiled - Frederick News-Post - "From World War II through 1975, thousands of service members and veterans were potentially exposed to chemical or biological weapons as subjects or observers of tests carried out by the Department of Defense. The department unveiled a new website Monday to provide information about what happened during those tests."

* ►November 8, 2008 - FDA must act now to restrict this known risk - The idea that this chemical, which leaches into food and drinks, is safe for children has lost all credibility. The FDA should take several common sense steps now to keep children safe. - editorial - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

►November 2008 - Integrating ancillary studies in a large clinical trial: The design and rationale of the APEX librarystar, open - journal article (Contemporary Clinical Trials)

* ►Chemical Fallout: A Journal Sentinel Watchdog Report - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

* ►It Came From The Grocery Store: Genetically Engineered Meat May Be Heading To A Supermarket Near You - True Food Network, The Center for Food Safety - "The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is currently accepting public comments on its draft guidance for the commercialization of such GE animals, opening the way for grocery stores to sell food made from genetically engineered animals. And the agency is proposing that these products be sold to you without your knowledge."