* ►October 29, 2008 - Danger in horse flu vaccine, leading vet says - The racing industry's push to vaccinate horses against equine influenza could have a devastating effect on the horse population, according to a leading veterinarian. - The Australian - "He said the selective vaccination of horses would lead to a sub-population of immune horses that might develop the disease but not show symptoms, in the same way that some children who were immunised against chicken pox could still develop a mild form of the disease and spread it to others. Dr Gilkerson argued that the infectious horses would not be detected until the devastating disease had spread into the general horse population."

* ►October 29, 2008 - MSD mulls vaccines for lesser known illnesses - Daily News & Analysis, India - "MSD Pharmaceuticals, the 100% subsidiary of US-based Merck, is looking at bringing preventive vaccines for illnesses people in India are generally apathetic to."
 
* ►October 29, 2008 - O'Hanlon and Spelman: Autism agenda beckons - Washington Times

►October 29, 2008 - Baby vaccines arrive - Fiji Times - "The Pentavalent vaccine for babies has finally arrived in Fiji. This vaccine is given to babies who are six, 10 and 14 weeks respectively to ensure they don't get diseases such as hepatitis B, polio and three other diseases."

►October 29, 2008 - Chile's health minister resigns over HIV scandal - Xinhua via China View

►October 29, 2008 - Catching birds to stop the flu - www.abc.net.au

►October 29, 2008 - Global economic slowdown, others threaten MDGs success in 2015 - BusinessDay

* ►October 29, 2008 - Single vaccine 'safety' warnings - UK researchers have raised concerns over the monitoring of the safety of single measles and rubella vaccines. - BBC - "It comes after an unexpectedly high number of cases of anaphylactic shock after single vaccines given at private clinics in south west England."

* ►October 29, 2008 - Vaccinations’ benefits proved; enforce the law - editorial (requires registration) - Atlanta Journal-Constitution - "The vaccine-autism link has been thoroughly debunked. States should not back off mandatory vaccination laws, and local school districts and health departments should do a better job of enforcing compliance."

* ►October 28, 2008 - Miracles or menaces? - Star-Ledger via NJ.com - "Are childhood vaccines saving hundreds of lives a year or are they behind a surge of neurological disorders, such as autism, and chronic conditions, such as asthma? Should vaccines be mandated or should parents have a choice whether their kids get the shots?  Those questions were fiercely debated at a forum on infant and child vaccines last week hosted by Deirdre Imus, president of the Deirdre Imus Environmental Center for Pediatric Oncology at Hackensack University Medical Center."

* ►October 28, 2008 - Vaccines and flu shots: Worth the risk? - Parental Guidance Blog via NJ.com

* ►October 28, 2008 - Avoidable By J.B. Handley - Age of Autism

* ►October 28, 2008 - Kim Stagliano: Autism and Politics: We're On The Island of Misfit Toys - The Huffington Post

* ►October 28, 2008 - Denis Leary Tells Parents: I’m Sorry - ‘Raising Children With Autism’ Deserves Admiration, Comic Says - Boston Herald - "Comedian Denis Leary, best known for pushing the envelope of convention, apologized yesterday 'to all parents of children with autism' after the mother of a stricken Saugus 6-year-old dared him to spend just one hour of challenging daily life with her son."

►October 28, 2008 - Text of Denis Leary’s statement in response to controversial book - Boston Herald

►October 28, 2008 - Denis Leary Sorta, Kinda Apologizes for Offending Autism Community - Autism Blog via http://autism.about.com

►October 28, 2008 - Can Facebook Cure Autism? - mom.notcalm Blog via Spectrum Publications

►October 28, 2008 - Chantal Sicile-Kira Brings Her New Autism Book to Autism One Radio - Age of Autism

►October 28, 2008 - City School Aims To Pave The Way For Better Autism Education - NY1

►October 28, 2008 - Elliott doesn't deserve autism bill credit - opinion - Myrtle Beach Sun News

►October 28, 2008 - Compensation For Spanish Child Damaged By MMR Vaccine - The One Click Group

►October 28, 2008 - MMR plea to Knowsley parents - Knowsley Online

* ►October 28, 2008 - 3.4 million deaths averted through GAVI-funded immunization programs - New figures to be presented at board meeting in Geneva - GAVI Alliance via EurekAlert! via Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News

►October 28, 2008 - WHO Reports Immunization Programs Save Millions of Lives - The World Health Organization reports 3.5 million children in the world's poorest countries are alive today thanks to immunization programs funded by the GAVI Alliance between 2000 and 2008. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from GAVI headquarters in Geneva. - Voice of America

►October 28, 2008 - NFL stars no match for bacteria - CNN - "A 6-foot-4 football player is more than a million times the size of a typical Staphylococcus bacterium. But under the right conditions, that athlete could find himself defenseless against the microscopic bug."

►October 28, 2008 - Community MRSA getting more dangerous, CDC says - FierceHealthcare

►October 28, 2008 - Preparedness for influenza pandemic needs to be tested - MediaGlobal

►October 28, 2008 - BioCryst Reports Positive Results From a Phase 2 Study of Intravenous Peramivir for Outpatient Influenza - A Single Dose of Peramivir is Effective and Well-Tolerated at Both 300 mg and 600 mg Dose Levels - press release - BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. via PRNewswire-FirstCall

* ►October 28, 2008 - Pneumococcal vaccine could prevent numerous deaths, save costs during a flu pandemic, model predicts - A new predictive model shows that vaccinating infants with 7 valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7)--the current recommendation--not only saves lives and money during a normal flu season by preventing related bacterial infections; it also would prevent more than 357,000 deaths during an influenza pandemic, while saving $7 billion in costs. - Emory University via PhysOrg.com - "Klugman and colleagues at Harvard University, i3 Innovus in Medford, Ma. and Wyeth Research constructed a model to estimate the public health and economic impact of current pneumococcal vaccination practices in the context of an influenza pandemic."

* ►October 28, 2008 - University Of Minnesota Gives 11,538 Flu Shots Tuesday, Shattering Guinness World Record for Most Flu Shots in a Single Day - press release - The University of Minnesota  via PRNewswire via COMTEX via MarketWatch

* ►October 28, 2008 - Does flu shot record really belong to the U? Mayo says no - The University of Minnesota etched its way into the Guinness Book of World Records just after noon today. - Minneapolis Star Tribune

►October 28, 2008 - Flu shots not perfect but worth pain, experts say - CP via London Free Press

►October 28, 2008 - 75 Million Missed Work Days Expected This Flu Season - Californians are Provided With Resources to Prevent Millions in Lost Wages - QuickHealth via PRNewswire via COMTEX via MarketWatch

►October 28, 2008 - Health department dispensing mass flu shots on Thursday - Times-Herald

►October 28, 2008 - New, injected flu drug appears to protect - study - Reuters - "Doctors are hoping peramivir will also be useful because flu mutates quickly and strains of seasonal flu that resist Tamiflu have already been found."

►October 28, 2008 - Ten misconceptions about cold and flu - KTRK ABC13

►October 28, 2008 - It's time to get that annual flu shot - Sudbury Star

►October 28, 2008 - Homeopathic clinic offers painless alternative to flu shot - Orleans Online

►October 28, 2008 - Influenza vaccination: Prevention is better than cure – PS - Malta Independent Online

►October 28, 2008 - Mandatory flu vaccines now available - McGuire Air Force Base - "FluMist is now available for all active-duty Airmen enrolled with the 305th Medical Group; compliance with the vaccine is mandatory."

►October 28, 2008 - ‘Boo to the Flu’ equips students, public for upcoming flu season - The Daily Beacon

►October 28, 2008 - Want a side of fries with that? Flu shots offered to go (requires registration) - Boston Globe

►October 28, 2008 - Study reinforces importance of flu shots: health unit - Belleville Intelligencer

►October 28, 2008 - Panama first in region to provide free HPV vaccine to young adolescent girls - UNICEF

►October 28, 2008 - Catholics put girls' lives at risk - opinion - Edmonton Sun

►October 28, 2008 - Gardasil Vaccine Required for Young Women Seeking Immigration to U.S. good news for pickup artists, bad news for immigrants... - OhMyGov.com

* ►October 28, 2008 - Does vaccine turn girls into guinea pigs? - Bishop Fred Henry, For The Calgary Herald via Canada.com - "First of all, are we confident that this vaccine is safe to administer to young girls? Many, including Dr. Diane M. Harper, a lead researcher, scientist, physician, professor and former director of Gynecological Cancer Prevention Research Group at Dartmouth Medical School have stated: 'This vaccine should not be mandated for 11-year-old girls. . . . It's not been tested in little girls for efficacy. At 11, these girls don't get cervical cancer -- they won't know for 25 years if they will get cervical cancer. Giving it to 11-year-olds is a great big public health experiment.'"

* ►October 28, 2008 - Catholic boards split on vaccine - Fairview Post - "The Grande Prairie and District Catholic School Division (GPCSD) board of trustees has decided, in a 5-2 decision, to not allow public health nurses to vaccinate students against the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)."

* ►October 28, 2008 - Merck: making life difficult for GSK in rotavirus vaccine wars - Datamonitor via COMTEX via Trading Markets - "Unlike the EU, the US has a universal recommendation for rotavirus vaccination, which secures a guaranteed market, but also turns it into the central battleground for competing products."

►October 28, 2008 - Rotavirus Vaccine Prevents Gastroenteritis in United States: Presented at ICAAC/IDSA - Doctor's Guide

►October 28, 2008 - Health unit encouraging people aged 17-38 to attend mumps clinics - Belleville Intelligencer

►October 28, 2008 - MMR reminder follows bug outbreak - Nursing in Practice

►October 28, 2008 - Warning on child disease - Blackpool Gazette

►October 28, 2008 - Measles warning for Solihull - Birmingham Post

►October 28, 2008 - Invasive Pneumococcal Disease Occurs At a Higher Frequency in Cancer Patients: Presented at ICAAC/IDSA - Doctor's Guide - "'Cancer patients should get pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine and be targeted for an expanded valency conjugate vaccine,' asserted lead author Alexander Wong, MD, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta."

►October 28, 2008 - Health officials test Brandon students, families for whooping cough - Lufkin Daily News

►October 28, 2008 - Medarex And PharmAthene Announce New Therapeutic Data for Anthrax Anti-Toxin, Valortim(R) - Data Presentation at 48th ICAAC / IDSA 46th Annual Meeting - press release - Medarex, Inc. via PRNewswire-FirstCall

►October 28, 2008 - When playing drums, it's best not to inhale - New Scientist - "Now, along with booze, drugs and fast living, we can add another occupational hazard: anthrax. A person is in intensive care in London, England today, after inhaling anthrax spores from an animal skin they were making into a drum."

►October 28, 2008 - PEI school recovering after virus sends students home - More than 75 staff and students suffer gastro-intestinal disease - Charlottetown Guardian via Canada.com

►October 28, 2008 - Newburyport man dies from mosquito-borne EEE virus - Boston Herald

►October 28, 2008 - Four new cases of human West Nile reported in county - San Diego Union-Tribune

►October 28, 2008 - Medical Minute 10-28: Medicine's Next Big Thing: Plague Vaccine - WCTV.tv

►October 28, 2008 - Nicotine Vaccine, Mouth Spray - New Tools to Stop Smoking - About 90 percent of cigarette smokers in the United States try to break the habit. Most fail. But now there are some tools and some research-backed methods to help people quit. VOA's Carol Pearson has more. - Voice of America

►October 28, 2008 - Salva Kiir launches Polio campaign in Southern Sudan - Sudan Tribune

►October 28, 2008 - WHO declares Liberia polio free - African Press Agency

►October 28, 2008 - Science & Medicine | Merck's Antiretroviral Isentress More Efficient in Suppressing HIV Among Untreated Patients - www.kaisernetwork.org

►October 28, 2008 - Why Are Some Veterans Who Are Coinfected With Hepatitis C and HIV More Likely to Be Treated for HCV Than Others? - Research to be presented Sunday, November 2, 2008 at this year's liver meeting in San Francisco, California, October 31 - November 4 SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 28 - press release - American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases via PRNewswire via The Earth Times

►October 28, 2008 - ICAAC-IDSA: Cryptococcus Major Killer Among Those with HIV - MedPage Today

►October 28, 2008 - Scientists develop method aimed at improving artificial antibodies - SmartBrief

►October 28, 2008 - Mimicking Body Biosensors - Artificial antibodies could be used in cheap, field-ready toxin sensors - MIT Technology Review

►October 28, 2008 - Too Few Understand Diabetes' Dangers - Americans more fearful of shark bites than this common, potentially lethal disease, survey shows - HealthDay via U.S. News & World Report

►October 28, 2008 - Uganda Red Cross intensifies malaria campaign in eastern Uganda - Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) via ReliefWeb

►October 28, 2008 - WHO: Nine out of ten children succumb to malaria, Aids in Africa - Guardian via IPPmedia

►October 28, 2008 - Sangamo BioSciences Presents Data at ICAAC Demonstrating 'In Vivo' Protection Against HIV Infection by CCR5-ZFN Therapeutic - Preclinical Animal Data Demonstrates Selective Survival Advantage of ZFN-Treated Immune Cells after HIV Infection and Reduced Viral Loads - press release - Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. via PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX via MarketWatch

* ►October 28, 2008 - Revolutions Medical Corporation Files Pre Market 510K Application with the FDA for 3cc Rev Vac Safety Syringe - press release - Revolutions Medical Corporation via MarketWatch - "The Rev Vac safety syringe uses patented technology to draw the needle into the syringe chamber after use. This safety syringe should result in a major decrease in accidental needle stick injuries. Another safety feature is that it will disallow the reuse of the syringe. This may decrease the spread of HIV and other blood borne diseases."

* ►October 28, 2008 - FDA View Of BPA as Safe Isn't Supported by Expert Panel - Wall Street Journal

* ►October 28, 2008 - Conflict of Interest Allegations Cloud US Bisphenol A Meeting - Bloomberg

►October 28, 2008 - FDA's conclusion that chemical is safe is flawed - AP via Yahoo!

►October 28, 2008 - Anadys Pharmaceuticals Commences Dosing ANA598 in Hepatitis C Patients in Phase Ib Study - Anadys Pharmaceuticals, Inc. via PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX via MarketWatch

►October 28, 2008 - OraSure Technologies Files For FDA Approval of OraQuick Rapid Hepatitis C Test When Approved, OraQuick(R) HCV is Expected to be the First Rapid HCV Test in U.S. - press release - OraSure Technologies, Inc. via Business Wire via MarketWatch

►October 28, 2008 - New CFS Definition Criticised - The One Click Group

►October 28, 2008 - Harvard Professors Perpetrate Academic Muzzling - Alliance for Human Research Protection via The One Click Group

►October 28, 2008 - Weston Home Exposed to Mercury - WDTV.com

►October 28, 2008 - Bayer Warned by U.S. Over Aspirin With Supplements - Bloomberg - "Bayer AG was told by U.S. regulators that the company's products combining aspirin with calcium or phytosterols are new drugs and can't be sold without approval."

►October 28, 2008 - SSW08: FDA Director Talks Agency Priorities - Natural Products Industry Insider

* ►October 28, 2008 - Reused syringes spur HIV testing (requires registration or subscription) - The Globe and Mail - "Up to 2,700 patients, including children, need to be tested for HIV and hepatitis because a handful of nurses in a Northern Alberta hospital injected drugs with reused syringes for nearly two decades."

* ►October 28, 2008 - Allergic reaction to penicillin jab killed pensioner - A London hospital trust has tightened its checking systems after an elderly woman died following an allergic reaction to penicillin. - This is London

* ►October 28, 2008 - Brockovich joins probe into tumors - www.stjoenews.net - "Famed environmental activist Erin Brockovich formally became involved Monday in efforts to uncover a cause for brain tumors plaguing several Northwest Missouri counties."

►October 28, 2008 - Unused bluetongue vaccine could be sold off - Western Mail via Wales Online

►October 28, 2008 - EU offers new funds to tackle bluetongue virus - Reuters via Forbes

►October 28, 2008 - Canada regulators approve E. coli vaccine for cattle - SmartBrief

►October 28, 2008 - Complete Immunity For Drug Companies? Doctors and Attorneys Both Say "No"! - InjuryBoard.com

* ►October 27, 2008 - FDA Chantix Data: Deaths Spiral - Alliance for Human Research Protection

* ►October 27, 2008 - A Failed Paradigm of Care - Alliance for Human Research Protection

* ►October 27, 2008 - To the Editors of the Journal of Health Economics: Have You No Shame? - Alliance for Human Research Protection

* ►October 27, 2008 - Six Good Reasons to Avoid the Flu Shot - NaturalNews.com

* ►October 27, 2008 - Dr Andrew WAKEFIELD Professor John WALKER-SMITH Professor Simon MURCH Fitness to Practise Panel Planned dates: 3 – 19 November 2008 - This session is expected to last 12 days. Please note that Thursday 13 November 2008 is a non-sitting day. - General Medical Council Press Office

* ►October 27, 2008 - In Drug Case, Justices Weigh Right to Sue (free content) - Wall Street Journal

* ►October 27, 2008 - The FBI's Road to Ivins - Washington Post Investigations

* ►October 27, 2008 - Targeting MS at the root - vaccine developments - Lifescience-online

►October 27, 2008 - Stop-Smoking Drug Linked to Suicide - NaturalNews.com

►October 27, 2008 - 'Deadly fever killed Medi-Clinic cleaner' - Independent Online

►October 27, 2008 - Man hospitalized with mosquito-borne EEE virus - Boston Herald

►October 27, 2008 - Your money or your life - St. Louis Post-Dispatch - "Just after noon one Thursday last month, the main ballroom of the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis filled with perhaps 150 Rotarians. They had come for an unlikely double bill: bird flu and lunch."

►October 27, 2008 - Migratory Ducks Carry Bird Flu From Asia to Alaska - Environment News Service

* ►October 27, 2008 - France: Mercury in Lawyer’s Car Is Ruled Accidental (requires registration) - The New York Times - "French investigators have concluded that mercury found in the car of a prominent Russian human rights lawyer had been accidentally spilled from a broken thermometer before the lawyer bought the vehicle, according to the police. The lawyer, Karinna Moskalenko, complained of headaches and vomiting this month, raising speculation that she had been the target of a poisoning plot."

►October 27, 2008 - RI to be inducted into Polio Hall of Fame - Rotary International News

►October 26, 2008 - Cast A Ballot AND Get A Flu Shot In One Stop - 11Alive.com

►October 25, 2008 - Mangalore: vaccination for Haj pilgrims - Mangalorean.com

►October 24, 2008 - FDA seeks comments on Web portal for adverse-event reporting - SmartBrief

►October 24, 2008 - Green tea may delay type-1 diabetes - Times of India

►November/December 2008 - Combined Anti-CD40 Conditioning and Well-timed Immunization Prolongs CD8+ T Cell Accumulation and Control of Established Brain Tumors. - journal article (Journal of Immunotherapy)

►November 3, 2008 - Caught unaware, doctors get delay in FTC enforcement of ID theft rules - The AMA and other groups won a six-month reprieve for doctors to implement a prevention program originally mandated for Nov. 1. - www.ama-assn.org

►November 3, 2008 - Slow adoption of e-prescribing forces Medicare to try hard sell - Medicare incentives take effect on Jan. 1, but few doctors have adopted the technology. - www.ama-assn.org

►November 3, 2008 - When incentives lack appeal: Medicaid reform meets confusion, skepticism - West Virginia is one of the first states to offer inducements for patients who pledge to follow physicians' orders, but most of those eligible aren't taking the bait. - www.ama-assn.org

►November 3, 2008 - Board settlement can't be used in Minnesota liability trial - Physicians say the decision upholds licensing boards' authority to oversee medical practice. - www.ama-assn.org

►November 3, 2008 - Hospitalist, generalist: How they balance care - What obligations do primary care physicians and hospitalists have? - www.ama-assn.org

►November 3, 2008 - Medical travel doesn't have to be overseas - Hospitals and physician practices work to make medical tourism a domestic endeavor by offering patients a good location, cost savings and a nationwide reputation for excellence. - www.ama-assn.org

►November 3, 2008 - Pennsylvania ponders final comments on proposed insurance deal - The American Medical Association and a Pennsylvania Blues plan are among those arguing against the Highmark-Independence merger. - www.ama-assn.org

►November 3, 2008 - Start a healthy conversation - A new AMA program can get physicians and patients talking about diet, exercise, smoking and alcohol use. - www.ama-assn.org

►November 3, 2008 - More hospitals start palliative care programs - Comprehensive quality-of-life programs for seriously ill patients are growing despite financial hurdles. - www.ama-assn.org

►November 3, 2008 - AMA initiatives fight inequities of claims processing - A message to all physicians from Joseph M. Heyman, MD, chair of the AMA Board of Trustees.. - www.ama-assn.org

►November 3, 2008 - Familiar faces speak as patients (AAFP annual scientific assembly) - Physicians and those they care for come together to explore state-of the-art science and the day-to-day reality of life affected by disease. - www.ama-assn.org

►November 3, 2008 - Written screening tests confuse some patients - A pair of studies suggests that these tools may be limited by deficiencies in literacy and numeracy. - www.ama-assn.org

►November 3, 2008 - Letters to the Editor - Tobacco is harmful, but attacks on freedom to smoke also pose a threat - www.ama-assn.org

►November 3, 2008 - News in brief: Health & Science - Vitamin K fails to slow bone loss - Alzheimer's may lower blood pressure because patients can't recall stress - Adolescent immunization rates improve but still miss targets - www.ama-assn.org

►November 3, 2008 - News in brief: Government & Medicine - Medicaid spending on the rise - Lawsuit targets Okla. abortion law - New law cracks down on illegal Internet pharmacies - Senators want employer health spending disclosed - Florida offers new plans to uninsured  - www.ama-assn.org

►November 3, 2008 - News in brief: Professional Issues - High litigation costs force civil cases to settle, study shows - www.ama-assn.org

* ►November 1, 2008 - Psychiatric Epidemiology: Reducing the Global Burden of Mental Illness (free full text) - journal article (American Journal of Epidemiology)

* ►November 1, 2008 - The Association Between Water Supply and Inflammatory Bowel Disease Based on a 1990–1993 Cohort Study in Southeastern Norway - journal article (American Journal of Epidemiology) - "The authors found that risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, was associated with high iron content."

►November 2008 - Differentation of Post-Streptococcal Reactive Arthritis from Acute Rheumatic Fever - journal article (The Journal of Pediatrics)

* ►October 29, 2008 - Reactogenicity of infant whole cell pertussis combination vaccine compared with acellular pertussis vaccines with or without simultaneous pneumococcal vaccine in the Netherlands - journal article (Vaccine)

* ►October 29, 2008 - Air travel as a risk factor for introduction of measles in a highly vaccinated population - journal article (Vaccine) - "Although these importations did not result in an outbreak among unvaccinated subjects, the observations illustrate the challenges for measles control in a country with high measles vaccination coverage (>95%) but with pockets of low coverage."

* ►October 29, 2008 - Internationally adopted children: What vaccines should they receive? - journal article (Vaccine)

* ►October 29, 2008 - Genetic diversity of Group A Streptococcus M protein: Implications for typing and vaccine development - journal article (Vaccine)

►October 29, 2008 - Comparison between two severity scoring scales commonly used in the evaluation of rotavirus gastroenteritis in children - journal article (Vaccine)

►October 29, 2008 - Production of biologically active CXC chemokines by Lactococcus lactis: Evaluation of its potential as a novel mucosal vaccine adjuvant - journal article (Vaccine)

* ►October 28, 2008 - Whooping cough lies, ad infinitum - Hilary's Desk via Beyond Conformity - "Whenever whooping cough breaks out in Australia, the medical profession indulge in their usual lies about why they are having (*yawn*) yet another whooping cough outbreak. This year is no exception except the lies have a little extra bribery and fearmongering twisted into the foment provided to the media."

►October 28, 2008 - WHO predicts AIDS deaths will peak in 2012 - Radio Australia

►October 28, 2008 - Politics stalls search for vaccine - Business Daily Africa - "If the Indonesian government demands that the private sector hand over too much in the way of intellectual property and technology in return for samples of body fluid in which viruses reside, companies will be deterred from researching an avian ‘flu vaccine."

►October 28, 2008 - Nasty jab against bird flu research - Bangkok Post

►October 28, 2008 - ‘No reason to fear flu jabs’ - Essex Echo

►October 28, 2008 - Chinese chocolates are adulterated: FDA - Times of India

►October 28, 2008 - WHO Praises Sudan Commitment to Polio Eradication Strategy - Sudan Vision

* ►October 28, 2008 - Baby died after contracting the herpes virus - Herald Sun via www.news.com.au

* ►October 27, 2008 - 35,000 Euro compensation after child loses hearing after being vaccinated - The courts have ordered the regional government in Valencia to make the compensation payment after the child suffered 33% hearing loss. - Typically Spanish

* ►October 27, 2008 - Wyeth Reports Positive Data on Prevnar Successor Vaccine (free content) - Wall Street Journal - "The company is looking at whether kids who have already been inoculated with Prevnar should get reimmunized with the new version once it becomes available, and has already begun discussions with the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which writes vaccine administration guidelines, says Jim Connolly, head of Wyeth's vaccine business unit. Millions of children have been immunized with Prevnar since it was approved in 2000 by the FDA."

►October 27, 2008 - Study Suggests Expanded Prevnar Vaccine Will Be Effective - Dow Jones via CNNMoney

►October 27, 2008 - Pfizer drug case set for November out-of-court deal : lawyers - AFP via Africasia

* ►October 27, 2008 - RPT-Pfizer keen to settle Nigeria drug trial lawsuits - Reuters - "Pfizer Inc ... said on Monday it hoped to reach an out-of-court settlement with Nigeria over a 1996 drug trial that the government says caused the death of 11 children and left dozens disabled."

* ►October 27, 2008 - Anthrax Vaccine Safety Data - "A one sided picture" - Alliance for Human Research Protection

* ►October 27, 2008 - Trail of Odd Anthrax Cells Led FBI to Army Scientist: Washington Post - Anthrax Vaccine -- posts by Meryl Nass, M.D.

* ►October 27, 2008 - Trail of Odd Anthrax Cells Led FBI to Army Scientist (requires registration) - Washington Post

* ►October 27, 2008 - Child Drug Guidelines Prepared By Pharma $$$ Kick-Back Docs - Alliance for Human Research Protection via The One Click Group - "Evidence shows that the committee of academic-affiliated psychiatrists and pharmacists solicited and received cash payments from drug companies that have an enormous stake in ensuring that state-sponsored psychiatric drug prescribing guidelines endorse their products."

* ►October 27, 2008 - ThinkTwice Launches Vaccine Videos - The One Click Group

►October 27, 2008 - Study Presents State Of World's Health - World Health Organization via eMaxHealth.com

* ►October 27, 2008 - WHO: People Under Age 60 Account For Half of Global Deaths - A World Health Organization study finds half of all deaths in Africa are children under 15, and people under age 60 account for half of all deaths around the world. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from WHO headquarters in Geneva on the latest assessment of the Global Burden of Disease. - Voice of America

* ►October 27, 2008 - National Vaccine Information Center Says Government Denies Gardasil Risks - Medical News Today

* ►October 27, 2008 - Despite successes, Merck’s Gardasil HPV/cervical cancer vaccine faces ongoing skepticism - Bizmology

►October 27, 2008 - Merck Targets Gardasil Advertising to Older Women - findingDulcinea

* ►October 27, 2008 - Gardasil Grope: Merck Lusts After Adult Women - Pharmalot - "Using a mathematical model, they showed that vaccinating women in the US by ages 12 through 45 against HPV could reduce cervical cancer cases by up to 55 percent for 45-year-old women, Reuters writes. The Reuters story, by the way, failed to note the speaker, Warner Huh of the University of Alabama, receives funding from Merck for consulting, research and speaking (look here)."

* ►October 27, 2008 - Phase 3 Data Indicate Investigational 13-valent Vaccine May Broaden Protection Against Pneumoccocal Disease in Children Younger than Two - Wyeth via PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX via MarketWatch - "The pivotal Phase 3 trial (#G-2117), conducted in Germany with 604 infants, compared the candidate PCV13 to Prevnar. The immunogenicity assessments were conducted at one month after completion of the infant vaccination series (using a vaccination schedule of 2, 3 and 4 months)."

* ►October 27, 2008 - Pharma Funded Texas Program, Despite Denials - Pharmalot - "Discussed the need to defeat a bill in the Legislature that would have banned the use of psychiatric drugs in foster children younger than 5. They indicated the bill would prevent children from getting the medical treatment they need. The bill never made it past a legislative committee; Considered incentives to get children enrolled in trials, including offering them gift certificates to Blockbuster and McDonald’s. It’s unclear whether the incentives were ever offered."

* ►October 27, 2008 - Vaccination problems for students - Get Schooled Blog via The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - "Should students be barred from school until they have all their shots? Whose job is it to enforce immunization requirements?"

* ►October 27, 2008 - The New Way Parents Avoid Vaccination - Some parents avoid vaccinating their kids by taking drastic measures. - Mom Logic

* ►October 27, 2008 - ICAAC-IDSA: Rotavirus Vaccine Success Called Remarkable - MedPage Today - "The Merck analysis was supported by the company, of which Dr. Mast is an employee. Dr. Lieberman is an employee of Quest Diagnostics, which supported his study. The CDC analysis was supported by the agency, which employs Dr. Cortese."

* ►October 27, 2008 - Positively Autistic (includes video) - CBC The National - "Is autism a disorder, or just a neurological difference? Meet the people who are working to change the negative view of living with autism"

* ►October 27, 2008 - McCain or Obama: Who Will Reform Vaccine Safety? - Age of Autism

* ►October 27, 2008 - Obama Releases Autism Plan - Adventures in Autism

►October 27, 2008 - The Future of the FDA in the Next Administration - Recent Regulatory Snafus May Signal Tough Decisions Ahead for the New President - ABC News

* ►October 27, 2008 - South Carolina's $21 Million Cut Affects Autism Services - Age of Autism

* ►October 27, 2008 - Angry mom challenges Denis Leary to walk in her shoes - Boston Herald

►October 27, 2008 - Putting a price on autism in Oklahoma - Pilot program finds a lack of behavioral practitioners who can work with children - NewsOK.com

►October 27, 2008 - New ways to diagnose autism earlier - The Wall Street Journal via Abilene Reporter-News

►October 27, 2008 - Child Warriors: Duncan and Jayden - Age of Autism

►October 27, 2008 - High-tech clues to facial cues - A new device helps people with Asperger's or autism interpret expressions of emotion (requires registration) - Boston Globe

►October 27, 2008 - Autism and parental age - NHS Choices

* ►October 27, 2008 - IAC Express Issue number 760 - Immunization Action Coalition - "HIB VACCINE SHORTAGE WILL CONTINUE TO MID-2009  On October 17, 2008, Merck Vaccine Division announced that they will be unable to return to the U.S. Hib vaccine market by the end of 2008 as originally planned. Merck stated that they will make a regulatory filing with the Food and Drug Administration for a manufacturing process change. The manufacturer now projects returning to the U.S. Hib vaccine market in mid-2009."

* ►October 27, 2008 - Protecting Newborns from the Flu - Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy and the Infectious Diseases, 2008 via Ivanhoe

* ►October 27, 2008 - Egypt conference on avian and human influenza : "We must remain vigilant," says IFRC expert - International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) - Switzerland via Reuters AlertNet

* ►October 27, 2008 - Where Will the Next Pandemic Emerge? - The next killer germ could burst from the African rain forest—or from your family pet. - Discover Magazine

* ►October 27, 2008 - PTA Pushes Flu Shots for Kids - On Parenting via U.S. News & World Report

* ►October 27, 2008 - Masks, hand washing, prevent spread of flu-like symptoms by up to 50 percent (includes audio) - University of Michigan - "In a first-of-its-kind look at the efficacy of non-pharmaceutical interventions in controlling the spread of the flu virus in a community setting, researchers at the University of Michigan School of Public Health studied more than 1,000 student subjects from seven U-M residence halls during last year's flu season."

* ►October 27, 2008 - Goldy Gopher chases students will flu vaccines (includes video) - Minneapolis City Pages

* ►October 27, 2008 - Drug-resistant flu viruses cause growing concern - CIDRAP News

* ►October 27, 2008 - Genetics Provide Evidence for the Movement of Avian Influenza Viruses from Asia to North America via Migratory Birds - U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey via USGS.gov

* ►October 27, 2008 - Nanoemulsion-Based Intranasal Influenza Vaccine Adjuvant Triggers Robust Immunity Using Significantly Less Antigen - Data presented at the 2008 ICAAC/IDSA meeting in Washington, DC - press release - NanoBio Corporation via PRNewswire - "A single administration of a novel, nasally delivered influenza vaccine elicited immune responses in ferrets that were more than 20 times higher than those generated by two injections of the currently approved vaccines, according to a study by NanoBio Corporation. The new vaccine used only half the standard antigen dose to produce this effect."

* ►October 27, 2008 - CDC: Flu Shot Side Effects Rare - Vaccine Well Worth The Risk, Experts Say (includes video) - WSMV Nashville - "But there are very rare cases, about one in a million, of a debilitating side effect called Guillain-Barre syndrome. 'I was completely paralyzed below my waist,' said Richard Ryan of his reaction to a flu shot two years ago. 'Above my waist, I had varying degrees of paralysis. I could barely breathe or swallow.'"

* ►October 27, 2008 - Universal flu shot saves lives, resources: study (requires registration or subscription) - Canadian Press via Toronto Star - "Assessing the impact of the program has been challenging. Ontario did not build an analysis component into the program, which costs about $26.5 million per year. Though a built-in assessment arm would have added substantially to the cost of the program, it would have allowed scientists to conduct randomized trials – the gold-standard of research – or at least follow what happened to individuals who chose to get vaccinated and compare them to people who forgo flu shots. Without the ability to track individuals, Kwong and his co-authors had to look at the Ontario population as a whole, trying to find evidence in medicare data of the impact of the program. While some applauded the effort, others said these kinds of findings can't be considered conclusive."

* ►October 27, 2008 - New research on flu vaccination in PLoS Medicine - Public Library of Science via EurekAlert!

* ►October 27, 2008 - Boosting flu shots decreases hospital stays, deaths - CTV

* ►October 27, 2008 - Mega Flu Shots May Boost Immunity (includes video) - http://wbztv.com - "A new study, funded by a flu vaccine maker, found that giving people age 65 and older four times the standard dose boosts flu-protecting antibodies in their blood -- up to 80 percent more."

* ►October 27, 2008 - Survivor stresses importance of flu shots - Lawrence Journal-World

* ►October 27, 2008 - Readers worried flu vaccine can make them sick - Vineland Daily Journal

►October 27, 2008 - One more time: Vaccine doesn't cause the flu - SouthCoastToday.com

►October 27, 2008 - W. Africa bird flu risks remain, despite early action - Reuters via The Guardian, UK

►October 27, 2008 - Flu shot or spray? - Tampa Bay's 10

►October 27, 2008 - Are flu shots worth the effort? Shots not perfect but worth the momentary pain - Canadian Press via CanadaEast.com

►October 27, 2008 - BioCryst flu drug trial says it's 'safe' - Birmingham Business Journal - "BioCryst received a $102.6 million, four-year contract from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in January 2007 to develop peramivir for the treatment of seasonal and life-threatening influenza."

►October 27, 2008 - If you do one thing this week... Go and get a flu shot - The Salt Lake Tribune

* ►October 27, 2008 - Smallpox vaccine safe in HIV-infected patients - Reuters India - " IMVAMUNE, a third-generation smallpox vaccine, can be safely given to people infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, with comparable effectiveness, research indicates."

* ►October 27, 2008 - Mysterious African disease is a new virus - expert - Reuters South Africa - "A mysterious hemorrhagic disease that has killed three people in South Africa and forced others into isolation appears to be a never-before-seen strain of a virus known as an arenavirus, an expert said Monday."

* ►October 27, 2008 - Small Outbreak of Zyvox-Resistant MRSA - Spanish Hospital Has Cases of MRSA That Won't Respond to Antibiotic of Last Resort - WebMD

►October 27, 2008 - MMR vaccine appeal to parents amid outbreak - Press Association via Chester Standard, Wales - "Three laboratory confirmed cases and a further 11 probable or possible cases have been reported in the Sandbach and Middlewich areas."

►October 27, 2008 - More measles in Wales - News Wales

►October 27, 2008 - Malawi to embark on nationwide measles campaign Tuesday - African Press Agency

►October 27, 2008 - Second Dose Of Hepatitis 'A' Vaccine Available To PF Chang's Customers - KYPost.com

►October 27, 2008 - Update On Hepatitis C Cases In Las Vegas - InjuryBoard.com

►October 27, 2008 - University Viral Hepatitis Campaign off to a strong start - Daily News Egypt

►October 27, 2008 - Vertex Pharmaceuticals Highlights Progress with Hepatitis C and Cystic Fibrosis Programs and Reports Third Quarter 2008 Results - press release - Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated via The Earth Times

►October 27, 2008 - Fungal meningitis spreads in Pacific Northwest - Rare infection slowly making its way down Washington-Oregon coast - Science News - "The new findings indicate that the culprit, a yeast-like fungus called Cryptococcus gattii, is spreading gradually down the West Coast."

►October 27, 2008 - Meningitis ruled out in Guelph child's death - Guelph Mercury - "Funeral services were held Monday for a Guelph child whose death was originally thought to be related to meningococcal disease, of which meningitis is one form. That cause, however, has been ruled out by public health officials. Isabella Dibucchianico, known as Bella, died suddenly Oct. 23. She was just four years old and a junior kindergarten student in the Wellington Catholic District School Board."

* ►October 27, 2008 - Polio Spreads to New Countries and Increases Where It’s Endemic (requires registration) - The New York Times - "The Indian Academy of Pediatrics has endorsed adding injectable vaccine as a backup for those who can afford it, because it can protect children whose oral doses are eliminated by diarrhea."

* ►October 27, 2008 - South Sudan vaccinated after polio reappears - Reuters South Africa

►October 27, 2008 - Cheltenham's Rotary to fight polio - This is Gloucestershire

►October 27, 2008 - Dr. Bill Elliott: Vitamin D adds more than just a little sunshine - Marin Independent-Journal

►October 27, 2008 - Neb. mercury testing site 1 of a handful in Central Plains testing for dangerous toxin - AP via KPTM.com 

►October 27, 2008 - Obesity Is Linked to Increased Risks From Bacterial Infections - Bloomberg

* ►October 27, 2008 - Diabetes drug costs soaring, top $12 billion last year - AP via WTHI TV 10

* ►October 27, 2008 - Osteoporosis Meds Linked to Heart Problem - Bisphosphonates may up rate of serious atrial fibrillation, review finds - U.S. News & World Report

►October 27, 2008 - Statins Linked to Reduced Mortality Risk in Pneumonia Patients - Archives of Internal Medicine via MedPage Today

►October 27, 2008 - Freak illness raises concerns for breed - Local owner questions how dog picked up tetanus - myKawartha

►October 27, 2008 - Alta. scientists develop new tools in E.coli battle - Canwest News Service via Canada.com

* ►October 27, 2008 - E. coli vaccine for cows approved by feds; expert cautions bacteria risk remains - Medicine Hat News

* ►October 27, 2008 - Abstracts On RSV And Influenza Presented By MedImmune At 48th Annual ICAAC/46th Annual IDSA Meeting - MedImmune via Medical News Today

* ►October 27, 2008 - Vaccinating family members protects newborns from flu - Vaccinating mothers and family members against flu before the newborns leave hospitals, creates a 'cocooning effect' to protect babies from the life-threatening virus, a research has found. - Durham Regional Hospital via India eNews

* ►October 27, 2008 - Infant dies after vaccination in east China - Xinhua via People's Daily, China - "His mouth turned blue and his face turned pale several minutes after we left the hospital," said the baby's father, Yu Jingkuan. "He also had diarrhea. Then that afternoon, the baby looked normal." However, Yu said his child suffered the same symptoms the next day. "Doctors suggested the infant be transferred to another hospital for treatment, but my child died on the way." he said."

* ►October 27, 2008 - Provenge Activists Seek US Supreme Court Review - Pharmalot

►October 27, 2008 - Credit crunch threatens investment in medicines - The London Times

* ►October 27, 2008 - Merck & Co., Inc., Announces New Disclosures in Just-Released Corporate Responsibility Report - Renewed Commitment To Transparency - CSRwire - "Merck will begin disclosing the information in its 2006-2007 global corporate responsibility (CR) report, which it published today at www.merck.com/cr.

►October 27, 2008 - Merck 3Q net profit 200.1 million euros - Merck via PR-inside.com

►October 27, 2008 - Clinical research has opened up new vistas of employment - The Financial Express

►October 27, 2008 - U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Fights Infectious Disease Outbreaks with SPSS Data Collection Survey Software - CDC Standardizes on SPSS Predictive Analytics Data Collection Software to Quickly Design and Deploy Surveys to Gather Critical Public Health Information - CDC via Business Wire

►October 27, 2008 - Biosecurity and infectious disease - On Line Opinion

►October 27, 2008 - Novartis - ACZ885 drug works against rare arthritis - Novartis via Reuters
 
►October 26, 2008 - Finding a Flu Shot Just Got Easier - The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America via PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX via MarketWatch

►October 26, 2008 - A silver lining for pharmaceuticals - The credit crunch means small companies will be seeking suitors - a good thing as Big Pharma hits a "patent cliff." - Philadelphia Inquirer

* ►October 26, 2008 - Fresh Hopes and Concerns As Fetal DNA Tests Advance - The Washington Post - "The tests, which use "gene chips" to detect much subtler chromosomal variations than standard prenatal testing can, have also triggered complaints that they mark another step toward a society that seeks to weed out aberrations in the quest for the perfect child."

►October 26, 2008 - Next year may bring increase in West Nile for Tri-Cities - Tri-City Herald

►October 26, 2008 - Parents advocating for food allergy safety in PSD - The Coloradoan - "Lily was a toddler when Martin smeared a small amount of peanut butter on her lips. Within minutes, Lily’s breathing was compromised and she was rushed to the hospital. “I literally turned back around and her face was completely swollen,” Martin said."

►October 26, 2008 - Preventing Deaths in Africa by Improving Antibiotic Access and Effectiveness - Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics via PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX via MarketWatch

►October 26, 2008 - Hong Kong tests more China food after egg scare - AP via Philly.com

►October 26, 2008 - Where are the new young doctors? - The News-Herald

►October 26, 2008 - Developing our brains from cradle to grave - PR-USA.Net

►October 26, 2008 - New Merck HIV Drug Works In Untreated Patients - Isentress worked slightly better than an older HIV drug called efavirenz in suppressing levels of the AIDS virus. - Javno.com

►October 26, 2008 - Reports of toxic spills spiking - Rural counties struggle to respond to calls, and cleanup often is left to the polluters. - The Denver Post

* ►October 26, 2008 - Europe's secret plan to boost GM crop production - Gordon Brown and other EU leaders in campaign to promote modified foods - The Independent, UK

►October 26, 2008 - Making Flies Sick Reveals New Role For Growth Factors In Immunity - A Salmonella infection is not a positive experience. However, by infecting the common laboratory fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster with a Salmonella strain known for causing humans intestinal grief, researchers in the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University have shed light on some key cell regulatory processes – with broad implications for understanding embryonic development, immune function and congenital diseases in humans. - Arizona State University, via EurekAlert! via ScienceDaily

►October 26, 2008 - Record level of pesticides on fruit and veg - Unpublished draft of European Commission report highlights increased contamination of our food By Rob Edwards, Environment Editor - Sunday Herald

►October 26, 2008 - Health Highlights: - Rotavirus Vaccine Cuts Infant Diarrhea - Tagless Label Ink May Cause Baby Rashes - New Test Checks Embryos for 15,000 Inherited Diseases - Sales of Anti-Obesity Drug Acomplia Suspended in Europe - Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay via U.S. News & World Report

* ►October 26, 2008 - Antibodies Do NOT Produce Immunity - Exploring Vaccines

►October 26, 2008 - Infant dies after vaccination in east China - Xinhua via China View

►October 26, 2008 - State medication protocol researchers sought money from drug firms - The Dallas Morning News

►October 25, 2008 - NVIC Slams Gardasil Cover Up Risk Report - The One Click Group

►October 25, 2008 - Second teen hit by bug - Gold Coast News - "Ms Arnold, of Runaway Bay, said tests had shown it was the B-type of the bacteria involved, which was the same type that recently struck down another Gold Coast teenager."

* ►October 25, 2008 - U.S. International Avian and Pandemic Influenza Assistance Approaches $950 Million - U.S. Department of State

►October 25, 2008 - US Pledges Additional $320 Million in Fight Against Bird Flu - AFP and Reuters via Voice of America

* ►October 25, 2008 - Benefit at Vineyards brings attention to autism - Naples Daily News - “We don’t know what causes autism,” Garbarino said. “Scientists have no idea if it could be because of vaccinations or from paints or the air. Scientists are now trying to find a cure to the puzzle.” One out of 150 children born in the United States is autistic; 80 percent are boys and 20 percent are girls, he said."

►October 25, 2008 - Dengue continues skyrocketing in HCMC - Cases of dengue fever have surged over the last year and health officials say the dreaded disease is now showing greater complications. - Thanh Nien Daily

►October 25, 2008 - A History of Medicine - part 3 - EuropeNews

►October 25, 2008 - Science forum highlights problems with U.S. health care - Tennessee Journalist

►October 24, 2008 - Flu vaccination program halfway done - Temple Daily Telegram - "With 17 schools done and about 21 more to go, the local student flu vaccination program is nearing the halfway mark with an end in sight. As of Wednesday, 4,358 students and 920 adults received flu vaccinations in the Vaccines for Influenza Prevention in Schools campaign, said Dr. Manjusha Gaglani, the local principal investigator of the study and associate professor of pediatric infectious diseases at Scott & White Memorial Hospital and Clinic."

* ►October 24, 2008 - Rwanda: Country to Save More Lives, to Introduce Pneumococcal Vaccine - The New Times (Kigali) via www.allafrica.com

* ►October 24, 2008 - Canada: Boys Need HPV Vaccine, Too; Nobel Winner Says Males Carry Cancer-Linked Virus - Toronto Star via www.aegis.org

►October 24, 2008 - The polio threat - The Post, Pakistan

►October 24, 2008 - DAN conference: Opening - Autism Freedom Blogging OCRegister.com

►October 24, 2008 - Care for children and adolescents living with diabetes - Thaindian News

►October 24, 2008 - To Flu Shot, Or Not To Flu Shot? - The Juggle Wall Street Journal Blog

►October 24, 2008 - More people continue to be injured, killed by prescription drugs - Seattle Post-Intelligencer Blog

* ►October 24, 2008 - Chantix Under Review by FDA After Traffic Accident Report - Newsinferno.com

* ►October 23, 2008 - 2nd National Stakeholder Meeting. Review of Priorities in the National Vaccine Plan - Event Date:   December 01, 2008 - Institute of Medicine - "The workshop will focus on topics related to Goal 1 of the update to the National Vaccine Plan (Research and Development), and on draft portions of the update currently being developed by federal agencies with coordination by NVPO. The draft plan will be posted to the project website when it is given to the committee by NVPO (approximately two weeks before the meeting). December 1, 2008: Second national stakeholder meeting, Irvine, CA December 2, 2008: Closed committee meeting"

►October 23, 2008 - Meninigitis alert as teen is hospitalised - Neath Guardian via WalesOnline

►October 23, 2008 - Light Shed On Motor Neuron Diseases Like ALS Folowing Gene Discovery - University of Rochester Medical Center via Medical News Today

►October 23, 2008 - Antimicrobial Drug Use and Resistance in Europe CME (requires registration) (full text) - Emerging Infectious Diseases via Medscape Pediatrics

►October 23, 2008 - Epidemiological Study of Influenza Virus Infections in Young Adult Autpatients From Buenos Aires, Argentina (requires registration) (full text) - Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses via Medscape Pediatrics

►October 23, 2008 - Epilepsy: A New Relationship Between Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor And Inflammatory Signaling - Boston University via Medical News Today

►October 23, 2008 - Ruc-Ruc-Ruc (requires registration) (video) - The Stooges at the AMA have stuck primary care in the eye--again - Medscape Family Medicine

►October 23, 2008 - Research on Rare Cancer in Children Takes Step Toward Treatment (requires registration) - Nature via Medscape Medical News

►October 23, 2008 - Lead-poisoning rates high among kids in Kalamazoo Co. - Kalamazoo Gazette via MLive.com

►October 23, 2008 - Yasoo Health Introduces Syndion(TM): Optimized Nutritional Support for Neurodevelopmentally Challenged Children and Adults with Special Nutritional Needs and/or Food Sensitivities. - PRNewswire via StreetInsider

►October 23, 2008 - Counseling Interventions Recommended to Promote and Support Breast-Feeding CME/CE (requires registration) - Medscape Medical News

►October 22, 2008 - Doctors 'too busy to tackle measles crisis' - Measles spread but NHS 'is tied up by reforms' - Sweeping health reforms could be distracting doctors from the measles epidemic hitting the capital. - This is London

►October 22, 2008 - Doubts grow over flu vaccine for elderly - The New York Times via Rutland Herald

►October 22, 2008 - Dedication of first lab at Md. biodefense campus - AP via Examiner.com

►October 22, 2008 - Antigenics seeks EU approval for cancer vaccine - Reuters - "If approved, Oncophage will be the first therapeutic cancer vaccine to receive a marketing licence in the European Union."

►October 21, 2008 - Pandemic Flu Exercise Event, flu vaccine clinic to be combined - Hannibal.net

►October 21, 2008 - Fast food concept applied to immunizations - KTKA.com

* ►October 21, 2008 - Advanced Parental Age and the Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder (free full text) - journal article (American Journal of Epidemiology)

►October 20, 2008 - US Children, Adults Referred for Patch Test Equally Likely to Have Contact Dermatitis CME (requires registration) - Medscape Medical News

* ►October 16, 2008 - A Call to Arms (and Noses): Influenza Vaccination of Healthcare Workers (requires registration) (video) - Medscape Pediatrics

►October 16, 2008 - BitTorrent's Bram Cohen Isn't Limited by Asperger's (includes video) - Bram Cohen has Asperger's, which makes it hard to deal with everyday life. Even so, he started his own company, BitTorrent - BusinessWeek

* ►October 3, 2008 - Paging Dr. Colombo: When Physicians Become Instruments of the Law (requires registration) - Family Practice Management via Medscape Pediatrics

►October 15, 2008 - Diagnostic Challenges in Adolescent Schizophrenia (requires registration) (video) - Medscape Psychiatry & Mental Health

* ►September 30, 2008 - Calgary Bishop Confronts Alberta Health Minister For Criticizing School Board's Rejection of STD Vaccine - LifeSiteNews.com

►September 29, 2008 - Addressing Questions About Gardasil - FDA

* ►September 15, 2008 - Prenatal Phenol and Phthalate Exposures and Birth Outcomes (requires registration) (full text) - Environmental Health Perspectives via Medscape Pediatrics

►MMR: A Special Thinktwice - Powerpoint/Flash Presentation - ThinkTwice Global Vaccine Institute

►Vaccines & Autism - A Special Thinktwice Powerpoint/Flash Presentation - ThinkTwice Global Vaccine Institute

►Influenza: A Special Thinktwice Powerpoint/Flash Presentation - ThinkTwice Global Vaccine Institute

►Hepatitis B: A Special Thinktwice Powerpoint/Flash Presentation - ThinkTwice Global Vaccine Institute

►HPV: A Special Thinktwice Powerpoint/Flash Presentation - ThinkTwice Global Vaccine Institute

►Tetanus: A Special Thinktwice Powerpoint/Flash Presentation - ThinkTwice Global Vaccine Institute

Posted October 26, 2008

►October 28, 2008 - Catholic School board declines HPV vaccine - Central Peace Signal

►October 27, 2008 - Health watch on side-effects - Fiji Times - "Ministry of Health officials visiting schools for the Gardasil HPV vaccination have been reminded to report all side effects experienced by the girls to the national office."

►October 27, 2008 - The chickens come home to roost - On Line Opinion, Australia

►October 27, 2008 - State agencies collaborate to control disease-carrying species - State agencies align against pests carrying diseases - Tucson Citizen

►October 27, 2008 - Don't dodge the needle, doctors say - The Age, Australia

►October 27, 2008 - Vaccines first for Bahrain - Gulf Daily News - "Bahrain yesterday became the first country in the Middle East and the 11th globally to formally introduce the Rotavirus vaccine. The country is also the first in the region to introduce the Hexavalent vaccine, which will now be given to infants as a replacement for the first dose of the Penta vaccine and the oral polio vaccine."

* ►October 26, 2008 - Infant dies after vaccination in E China - Xinhua via China Daily - "A four-month-old baby died after receiving a pneumonia and meningitis vaccine in east China's Shandong Province, an official with the local health bureau said on Sunday. The baby was vaccinated against Haemophilus influenza type B, or Hib, on October 19 at the Chinese Medicine Hospital in Liaocheng City."

* ►October 26, 2008 - Spotlight: Vaccination law fails to touch all kids - Schools claim their hands are tied, noting that enforcing rules lie with health department. (requires registration) - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - "Officials at the Georgia Division of Public Health said they were stunned by the number of schools identified by the AJC that allowed 30 percent to 80 percent of their kindergartners or sixth-graders to attend classes nearly two months into the 2007-08 school year without proof of all vaccinations, temporary waivers or forms legally exempting them from shots. 'It just makes me physically ill to see this,' said Michelle Conner, the division’s senior director of essential preventive clinical services, on viewing the AJC’s list."

►October 26, 2008 - Vaccination law not enforced for many kids - Schools allowing enrollment without proof of immunization (requires registration) - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

* ►October 26, 2008 - Gardasil safety questioned, CDC urged to back up statement with data - The National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) is calling on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to publicly release the study design, data and names of principal investigators involved in a statement this week maintaining that Gardasil vaccine is safe with no serious side effects. - News-Medical.net

►October 26, 2008 - Reducing cervical cancer risk in young women - Suburban News via NJ.com - "Union County's school and health department nurses are invited to attend a symposium titled Who, What, and Why? Reducing the Risk of Cervical Cancer and Genital Warts in Girls and Women, to be held at The Westwood, 438 North Ave. in Garwood on Nov. 20. The program is made possible by Merck & Company in partnership with Union County's Immunization Program."

* ►October 26, 2008 - CNN "Advertises" Offit's RotaTeq in The Crawl By Kim Stagliano - Age of Autism

* ►October 26, 2008 - Obama Team on Disability Responds To Palin Speech By Kim Stagliano - Age of Autism

* ►October 26, 2008 - The Doctors TV Program 10/28 - Age of Autism

* ►October 26, 2008 - Diet may help autism - Yuma Sun

►October 26, 2008 - Risk of Autism Increases with Parental Age - But No One Knows Why - Autism Blog via http://autism.about.com

►October 26, 2008 - When It Comes to Autism, Must we "Pay Now or Pay Later?" - Autism Blog via http://autism.about.com

►October 26, 2008 - Service dog changes life for Fairbanks girl with autism - Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

►October 26, 2008 - NSW Health warns of whooping cough outbreak - New South Wales Health is warning of an outbreak of whooping cough in the state. - www.abc.net.au

►October 26, 2008 - Victoria unveils new vaccination strategy - A new three-year vaccination strategy in Victoria will target those who remain vulnerable to disease. - www.abc.net.au

►October 26, 2008 - Polio eradication - letter - The Post

►October 26, 2008 - U.N. bird flu chief says compensation is key - Reuters India

►October 26, 2008 - U.S. to provide extra $320 mln to fight bird flu - Xinhua via China View - "Paula Dobriansky, U.S. Under Secretary of State, made the remarks on the sidelines of an international conference on bird flu opened earlier in the day in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, the Egyptian MENA news agency reported."

* ►October 26, 2008 - The Flu Vaccine Myth - Dr. Buttar's Blog

* ►October 26, 2008 - New Jersey’s flu-shot mandate goes too far - opinion - The Journal Times

* ►October 26, 2008 - Family Flu Shots Protect Babies Before Leaving Hospital - Vaccinating those in closest contact with newborns provides 'cocooning effect' - HealthDay via U.S. News & World Report

* ►October 26, 2008 - High Dose Of Flu Vaccine Boosts Immune Response In Elderly - University of Rochester Medical Center, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS via ScienceDaily

* ►October 26, 2008 - High-Dose Influenza Vaccine Shows Increased Immune Response Among Adults 65 Years of Age and Older - press release - sanofi pasteur via PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX via MarketWatch

* ►October 26, 2008 - VaxInnate's Universal Flu Vaccine Candidate Shown Safe and Immunogenic in Phase I Clinical Study - Study validates proprietary technology that could transform flu vaccine production - press release - VaxInnate Corporation via Business Wire

►October 26, 2008 - Health unit to launch battle against influenza - LondonTopic.ca

►October 26, 2008 - Finding a Flu Shot Just Got Easier - press release - The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America via PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX via MarketWatch

►October 26, 2008 - Dog that bit girl did not have rabies vaccination - Decorah Journal

* ►October 26, 2008 - How Breastfeeding Transfers Immunity To Babies - Brigham Young University via ScienceDaily - "'This tells us that this molecule is extremely important, so if we want to design a vaccine for the mother so she could effectively pass protective antibodies to the child, it would be absolutely essential to induce high levels of CCR10,' said Wilson."

* ►October 26, 2008 - State collects $2 million in drug suit - AP via Fox44 News - "Attorney General William Sorrell says Vermont will collect $2 million from drug company Pfizer to settle a lawsuit over the company's marketing practices."

* ►October 26, 2008 - 2008 First Quarter Reports High Number of People Continue to Suffer Injuries from Prescription Drugs - InjuryBoard.com

►October 26, 2008 - Deadly polio strain from Bihar creating havoc in Uttar Pradesh - IANS via Thaindian.com

►October 26, 2008 - 4 die of hepatitis C within two days in Faiz Gunj taluka - Regional Times, Pakistan

►October 26, 2008 - Camp Study Shows Deadly Skin Infection Rate Can Drop - Bloomberg

►October 26, 2008 - New Merck HIV drug works in untreated patients - Reuters

►October 26, 2008 - Earlier HIV treatment may be better, study finds - Reuters UK

►October 26, 2008 - MicroRNAs Make For Safer Cancer Treatments - Viruses -- long regarded solely as disease agents -- now are being used in therapies for cancer. Concerns over the safety of these so-called oncolytic viruses stem from their potential to damage healthy tissues. Now Mayo Clinic researchers have discovered a way of controlling the viruses behind potential cancer therapeutics. - Mayo Clinic via ScienceDaily

►October 26, 2008 - Senator Clinton Urges FDA to Work with Communities to Address Concerns About Melamine Contamination - Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton today called on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to expand efforts to reach out to communities impacted by food potentially contaminated with the deadly chemical melamine. - press release - PRLog

►October 26, 2008 - Today in History - Radio Taiwan International - "On this day in 1977, the last case of naturally occurring smallpox was discovered in Somalia. The WHO considers this date the anniversary for the eradication of smallpox."

* ►October 25, 2008  - Stomping Through A Medical Minefield - The author of a new book about autism says exactly what he thinks about vaccines and other hot topics. (includes videos) - Newsweek (From the magazine issue dated Nov 3, 2008)

* ►October 25, 2008 - Autism's True Prophet? - Dr. Paul Offit discusses his new book, 'Autism's False Prophets - video - Newsweek

* ►October 25, 2008 - At Odds With Offit - Robert Krakow on why he believes a flu vaccine caused autism in his son - video - Newsweek

* ►October 25, 2008 - Supporting Offit's Science - After considering vaccines as a cause of autism in her son, Kristina Chew decided it was genetics. - video - Newsweek

* ►October 25, 2008 - Autism link to firstborn of older parents - Scotland on Sunday

►October 25, 2008 - First-born children of older parents are more likely to be autistic - A major US study has provided the strongest evidence yet that older mothers and fathers are more likely to have a child with autism. - The Telegraph, UK

►October 25, 2008 - Palin on Special Needs Education: What's Your Take? - Autism Blog via http://autism.about.com

►October 25, 2008 - Mercury spill triggers disruption at Meridian school - Northwest Cable News

►October 25, 2008 - Mercury spill triggers disruption at Idaho school - AP via KTVB-TV via LocalNews8.com

* ►October 25, 2008 - Fleas, the good, the bad and the very ugly - Hilary's Desk via Beyond Conformity

►October 25, 2008 - Concern over low uptake of MMR jab - Fenland Today

►October 25, 2008 - Doctors: The flu shot is safe - Los Angeles Times via Daily Press

►October 25, 2008 - Flu shot benefits for seniors are debated by doctors - Los Angeles Times via Daily Press

►October 25, 2008 - Flu shots on rise since 9-11 - Abilene Reflector-Chronicle

►October 25, 2008 - County Health Department testing mass vaccination - San Mateo Daily Journal

►October 25, 2008 - People In Omaha Drive-Thru To Get Flu Shots - Action 3 News

►October 25, 2008 - 'Dirt Doctor' planting faulty advice about flu shots - Dallas Morning News

►October 25, 2008 - Doctors push to give smokers free vaccines - The Canberra Times

►October 25, 2008 - County Schedules Flu Shot Clinics - KGET 17 - "The County is offering reduced price flu shots to tens of thousands of people again this year and Friday, Health Department officials used its first immunization clinic as a huge disaster practice."

►October 25, 2008 - Vaccine your best shot for beating the flu bug - Health officials say there should be plenty to go around this year - Dubuque Telegraph Herald

►October 25, 2008 - U.S. pledges extra $320 million for bird flu fight - Reuters via The Guardian, UK

* ►October 25, 2008 - Improper Flu Treatment Might Spur Drug-Resistant Gut Bacteria - Bloomberg

* ►October 25, 2008 - ROTATEQ® Substantially Reduced Rotavirus-related Hospitalizations and Emergency Room Visits Combined in New U.S. Observational Study - press release - Merck & Co., Inc. via Business Wire

* ►October 25, 2008 - Rotavirus Infections Decline More than 70 Percent in Children in U.S. - press release - Quest Diagnostics via PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX via MarketWatch

►October 25, 2008 - Merck's Diarrhea Vaccine Cut Cases in Non-Immunized Children - Bloomberg

►October 25, 2008 - Gardasil could cut rates of other cancer, too - letter - Calgary Herald via Canada.com

►October 25, 2008 - Aggressive vaccine effort could cut cervical cancer - Reuters India - "Using a mathematical model, they showed that vaccinating women in the United States by ages 12 through 45 against the cancer-causing human papillomavirus, or HPV, could reduce cases of cervical cancer by 85 percent for 12-year-olds and up to 55 percent for 45-year-old women."

►October 25, 2008 - Virus hits more than 100 on Caribbean Princess (requires registration or subscription) - The Globe and Mail

►October 25, 2008 - Ethiopia: Ethiopian papers write on polio eradication, economy - Afrique en ligne

►October 25, 2008 - Tewksbury museum to be featured in PBS documentary - Tewksbury Advocate - "'The Polio Crusade' will premiere locally on WGBH 2 on Monday, Feb. 2, 2009. The film combines emotional stories of polio’s ravaging effects with the drama of the scientific race to find a cure."

* ►October 25, 2008 - China Bans Hepatitis-B Carriers from Daycare Centers - Central News Agency via The Epoch Times

►October 25, 2008 - Hep B falling under our radar - Australia needs to wake up to its complacency on hepatitis B, experts believe. - The Australian

►October 25, 2008 - South Africa pioneers HIV-positive transplants • Patients receive infected kidneys after ban lifted • Groundbreaking surgery set to save thousands - The Guardian, UK

►October 25, 2008 - HIV, AIDS Increasing in Idaho - Fox 12 Boise

* ►October 24, 2008 - Bedford school employees mistakenly get insulin, not flu vaccine - Lynchburg News and Advance - "Five Bedford County elementary school employees were sent to the hospital Friday after a school nurse mistakenly injected them with insulin instead of flu vaccine, said Ryan Edwards, spokesman for the school division. The flu vaccine, in packaging nearly identical to the insulin, had been stored in the same refrigerator, Edwards said, leading to the mix-up at New London Academy."

* ►October 24, 2008 - FDA Conspired with Chemical Industry to Declare Bisphenol-A Harmless - NaturalNews.com

►October 24, 2008 - Living with Enza: The Forgotten Story of Britain and the Great Flu Pandemic of 1918 by Mark Honigsbaum - book review - The Times, UK

►October 24, 2008 - Flu shots offered at Sacramento International - Sacramento Business Journal

►October 24, 2008 - Officials say flu has reached Connecticut - The Day via Newsday

►October 24, 2008 - Stamford offers shots to 'Fight the Flu' - Stamford Advocate

►October 24, 2008 - No shortage of flu vaccine this year - The Reporter

►October 24, 2008 - MedImmune to Present Nine Abstracts on RSV and Influenza at 48th Annual ICAAC/46th Annual IDSA Meeting - press release - MedImmune via PRNewswire-USNewswire

►October 24, 2008 - Fish-eaters warned of mercury pollution dangers - Fair Home

►October 24, 2008 - Breast Milk Molecule Gives Mom's Immunity to Baby - Antibody pathway to mammary glands channels protection against intestinal bugs, study says - U.S. News & World Report

►October 24, 2008 - Commentary: Roll Up Your Sleeves (includes audio) - KERA Public Broadcasting

►October 24, 2008 - Sloan Barnett: The EpiPen: The Latest Kids' Accessory - The Huffington Post

►October 24, 2008 - Whooping Cough Cases Triple In 2008 - Doctors Add Pertussis Booster To Every Tetanus Shot - WSMV Nashville

►October 24, 2008 - Dramatic Rise In Whooping Cough Cases In Missouri - MyFox St. Louis

►October 24, 2008 - “The Butterfly Effect”: Chapter Energy Helps the Measles Initiative Soar - Chapter activities create a whirlwind, attracting more advocates and increasing support to defeat measles - Red Cross

►October 24, 2008 - Immunity gap identified as major cause of polio epidemic - The News International, Pakistan

►October 24, 2008 - Cantell students among first to have cervical cancer jab - Southern Daily Echo

* ►October 24, 2008 - World Polio Day - ‘Stop Polio Forever’ - MedIndia

* ►October 24, 2008 - New Gardasil cervical cancer vaccination requirement for immigrants stirs controversy - New York Daily News

* ►October 24, 2008 - EICS votes against HPV vaccine in schools - Board chair said close vote reflects vaccine’s controversy; EICS encourages parents to make decision for their kids - Sherwood Park News

* ►October 24, 2008 - Inoculation questions remain - Parents still unsure about HPV vaccine issue - Grande Prairie Daily Herald Tribune

* ►October 24, 2008 - Gardasil Is Found Safe—But Some Families Wonder - On Women Blog via U.S. News & World Report

* ►October 24, 2008 - Kaiser patients to get second shot at vaccination - The Columbian - "People who might have received ineffective flu shots will be able to be revaccinated at Kaiser Permanente flu clinics. After the health care system kicked off its annual flu clinic schedule a week ago, medical staffers noticed that a temperature strip in a shipment indicated that the vaccine may have been exposed to excessive cold."

►October 24, 2008 - Two NS cases of meningitis not linked, officials say - Canadian Press via The Chronicle Herald

►October 24, 2008 - 'Miracle Boy' wins battle with bacterial meningitis - Daily Register

►October 24, 2008 - Common Cold Virus Alters Body's Genes - Finding could one day lead to a cure, scientists say - HealthDay via U.S. News & World Report

►October 24, 2008 - Suspected botched vaccination claims four infants in Assam - The Morung Express

►October 24, 2008 - Novel treatments and current clinical trials for Alzheimer's disease therapies show promise - Science Centric

* ►October 24, 2008 - FDA should lift stevia import alert, says ABC - The American Botanical Council has called on the US Food and Drink Administration (FDA) to rescind its "outdated import alert" on stevia. - Foodnavigator-USA.com

* ►October 23, 2008 - 'Stevia is a drug', says FDA citizen’s petition - A two-man law firm from Washington DC has petitioned the US Food and Drink Administration (FDA) to prevent the addition of steviol glycosides to food. - Foodnavigator-USA.com

►October 23, 2008 - Sandown boy diagnosed with meningitis - UnionLeader.com

►October 23, 2008 - Bill Gates is paying him to ‘catch a virus’ - TODAYonline

►October 23, 2008 - Thai scientist gets Gates grant - Bangkok Post

►October 23, 2008 - Gardasil Vaccine Not Linked to Serious Side Effects - Wall Street Journal Health Blog

►October 23, 2008 - HPV Vaccine -- So Far, So Good - http://kdka.com

►October 23, 2008 - Officials struggle to offer vaccine - Health regions seek ways to inoculate Catholic girls - Calgary Herald via Canada.com

►October 22, 2008 - Grande Prairie Catholics say no to HPV vaccine - Edmonton Sun

►October 22, 2008 - Mind Control Without Drugs: How Complete Corporate Immunity/Preemption Snuffs - Quick Disclosure: The author is a plaintiff’s practicing injury lawyer, and a registered independent voter, who prior to law school was employed as a staff assistant to a Republican U.S. Congressman for two years - InjuryBoard.com

►October 22, 2008 - EU trains 54,000 persons on routine immunisation - Triumph, Nigeria

►October 22, 2008 - Gwinnett school cautious on TB - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

►October 22, 2008 - 'Love Them, Protect Them, Immunise Them' - Press Release: Waikato District Health Board via Scoop.co.nz

►October 22, 2008 - Rotarians give backing in world-wide polio fight - Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser

►October 22, 2008 - Egypt: Egypt to Host Conference On Avian And Pandemic Influenza - America.gov (Washington, DC) via AllAfrica.com

►October 22, 2008 - Avian Influenza and the Threat of a Pandemic Are Serious Risks to World Health - Voice of America

►October 22, 2008 - Cancer vaccine study already works miracles (requires registration) - letter - Baltimore Sun

* ►October 21, 2008 - FDA Running Extortion Racket: Natural Supplement Companies Threatened with Arrest if They Don't Pay Up - NaturalNews.com

►October 20, 2008 - Immunity challenge - Albany professor studies body's response to tularemia - Albany Times Union

►Autism Speaks Sponsors Symposium at Neurotoxicology Meeting - Environmental Etiologies of Neurological Disorders: Scientific, Translational and Policy Implications October 12-16, 2008 Rochester, NY - Autism Speaks