Picks of the day archives - news that hit the "front page"

                                                         Vaccination News    

* ►September 2008 - Autism's False Profits (book review) - Paul Offit, MD - Bad Science, Risky Medicine, and the Search for a Cure - The Zack Company

* ►June 2008 - Shigellosis: the current status of vaccine development. - Pathogenesis and immune response - journal article (Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases)

* ►June 2008 - Recently identified factors predisposing children to infectious diseases. - Paediatric and neonatal infections - journal article (Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases)

* ►May 12, 2008 - Acetaminophen (paracetamol) use, measles-mumps-rubella vaccination, and autistic disorder: The results of a parent survey. - journal article (Autism) - "This preliminary study found that acetaminophen use after measles-mumps-rubella vaccination was associated with autistic disorder."

* ►May 9, 2008 - Merck top executives sacked for demanding compensation - The News - International - Pakistan

* ►May 9, 2008 - MSD awaits nod for cervical cancer drug - Business Standard, India - "MSD Pharmaceuticals, the wholly owned Indian subsidiary of Merck, is awaiting approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) to launch a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to treat cervical cancer. The company has already conducted clinical trials."

* ►May 9, 2008 - Two new polio cases detected - The News - International - Pakistan - "Shifaat had not received a single routine immunisation dose while Ashfaq had only received one routine immunisation dose and 3 additional OPV doses."

* ►May 9, 2008 - Progress Toward Interruption of Wild Poliovirus Transmission --- Worldwide, January 2007--April 2008 - MMWR/CDC

* ►May 8, 2008 - University of the Sciences hosting vaccine symposium - Philadelphia Business Journal - "The panel will consist of Dr. Alan R. Hinman, senior public health scientist at Emory University; Dr. Paul A. Offit, chief of the division of infectious diseases and director of the vaccine education center at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; Dr. Stanley A. Plotkin, emeritus professor at the University of Pennsylvania and the developer of the rubella vaccine; and Dr. Thomas M. Vernon, retired vice president for policy, public health, and medical affairs at Merck & Co."

* ►May 8, 2008 - Jab urged after diphtheria death - Infectious disease experts have warned parents to check their children are vaccinated after a child in London died from what is thought to be diphtheria. - BBC

* ►May 8, 2008 - David Kirby: If Autism Has Always Been With Us... By David Kirby - Age of Autism - "If autism has always been with us in the same high numbers that we see today -- as some scientists and academics contend -- then we should be able to identify the 1 in 150 adults currently living with autism in places like the US and UK."

* ►May 8, 2008 - Monsanto GMOs: One British Boy's Reaction (includes video) - Adventures in Autism - "Because GMO foods are not labeled in the US, we have no idea if our kids are reacting to them."

* ►May 8, 2008 - To honor Mother's Day, Sierra Club takes on coal plants' mercury pollution - Institute for Southern Studies

* ►May 8, 2008 - NVIC Vaccine E-Newsletter

Examining the Science & Politics of HPV Vaccine by Barbara Loe Fisher

It has been nearly two years since the FDA fast tracked the licensure of Merck's GARDASIL vaccine and the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended it for universal use by all 11 year old girls. Calls for state mandates for sixth grade entry soon followed with Merck leading an aggressive lobbying campaign with pro-forced vaccination proponents talking about 12 year old girls having sex. The National Vaccine Information Center countered by publicly framing the debate about GARDASIL mandates as a product safety and informed consent issue: the vaccine had only been tested in fewer than 1200 girls under age 16 followed up for less than two years.

Now, a leading HPV vaccine researcher has spoken out opposing mandates in a three-part series produced by CBS4-TV in Miami. Speaking to investigative journalist Michele Gillen Harper said "We don't know yet what's going to happen when millions of doses of the vaccine have been given and to put in process a place that says you must have this vaccine, it means you must be part of a big public experiment. So we can't do that until we have more data."

It takes a lot of courage for any scientist or physician to stand up and speak out about the need for government, industry and physicians to embrace the precautionary principle: First, do no harm. Dr. Harper has upheld high standards for scientific and ethical integrity by responsibly calling for rigorous post- marketing surveillance of licensed HPV vaccines and adherence to the informed consent ethic.

The National Vaccine Information Center has received nearly 100 reports of serious health problems following vaccination. NVIC issued three reports on GARDASIL adverse events reported to the federal Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS). In August 2007, NVIC called on the CDC to warn doctors that the safety of giving GARDASIL simultaneously in combination with other vaccines had not been proven safe.

A family support group for those who have reported HPV vaccine reactions to NVIC is being created. If you or a loved one has suffered an HPV vaccine reaction, you can make a report to NVIC's 26- year old Vaccine Reaction Registry by going to https://www.nvic.org/report/reaction.htm. Please indicate if you would like to participate in the HPV Vaccine Reaction Family Support Group.

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"According to Dr. Diane Harper, "the vaccine has not been out long enough for us to have post marketing surveillance to really understand what all the potential side effects are going to be. We feel it is very safe." However, she adds, "We don't know yet what's going to happen when millions of doses of the vaccine have been given and to put in process a place that says you must have this vaccine, it means you must be part of a big public experiment. So we can't do that until we have more data." Barbara Loe Fisher agrees. She took to the streets a grass roots fight credited with derailing many efforts around the country to mandate the vaccine. "It was the quickest effort I have ever seen in 25 years for a vaccine to be mandated," says Fisher. A mother of a son who she say was left with learning disabilities following a routine vaccination in the 1980's, Fisher is President and Co Founder of the National Vaccine Information Center. It is a non-profit independent clearinghouse for information on vaccines and disease. Fisher says her organization has been contacted by nearly 100 parents claiming their daughters have suffered some type of adverse reaction following a Gardasil shot - at times given in combination with other vaccines. She says many parents are frustrated in their search for answers and that they don't know where to turn. She tells Gillen "the National Vaccine Information Center is getting reports every week, mostly mothers, of what is happening to their 11-year old girls after receiving Gardasil." - CBS4-TV (Miami), Michele Gillen reporting (May 7, 2008)
http://cbs4.com/video/?id=54565@wfor.dayport.com

"Bell says she now finds herself on a search for answers as to what happened to her daughter, Brittney, just weeks following an injection of Gardasil and a tetanus shot. The former cheerleader and runner's left leg was mysteriously affected by paralysis. The family wants to know if the condition could have been triggered by the vaccines she received that day. Reported adverse events following vaccine injections, including Gardasil, have come under increasing scrutiny by parents reviewing them on the U.S. Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS)....."Brittany's case is at a quandary," said Sean Cronin, attorney for the Bell family. Cronin says it is an uphill battle trying to investigate whether the Gardasil shot played any role in what has happened to Brittney. Christina Bell says Brittney's pediatrician does not believe there is a link. Now the Bell family has learned that Merck can't be sued over its Gardasil vaccine because it has been added to a federal list of vaccines recommended by the government. The vaccine manufacturers are insulated from liability." - CBS4-TV (Miami), Michele Gillen reporting (April 25, 2008)
http://cbs4.com/video/?id=53934@wfor.dayport.com

"Christina Bell's daughter, Brittney, was one of the young girls who received the vaccine. Just weeks later, her life took a radical turn for the worse. Seemingly, in a moment's time, Brittney's left leg became paralyzed, her ankle swinging like a rag doll's. Even with a shoe brace, she walks with a limp. "It's hard for me to lift it up," Brittney told Gillen. Brittney's limb paralysis occurred shortly after the 12 year old went to the doctor for a routine tetanus shot for school.....Last February, the FDA told CBS4 that it was investigating reports of 13 deaths following an HPV vaccination. At the time, the agency said it was confident that none were tied to the vaccine and that reports of adverse events were under review but not considered anything out of the ordinary. An FDA spokeswoman told CBS4 this week that she could not provide an update on the number of reported events, including deaths. "I haven't seen updated numbers for several months. We monitor on a daily basis but we don't total it up. We are not seeing a problem," said Susan Cruzan, spokesperson for the FDA.....Brittney's mom said she can't find a doctor willing to report an adverse reaction following the administration of her daughter's vaccines. CBS4 informed her that parents, just like doctors, can report an adverse event and the Bell family has done just that." - CBS4-TV (Miami), April 24, 2007
http://cbs4.com/video/?id=53899@wfor.dayport.com

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* ►May 8, 2008 - Gardasil Researcher Criticizes Moves to Make HPV Vaccine Mandatory - Newsinferno

* ►May 8, 2008 - Vaccine for Girls Oversold? - Immunization said to 'prevent cervical cancer.' BC govt's claims for $39 million shots program challenged. - The Tyee - "To Victoria drug policy researcher Alan Cassels, the British Columbia government's announcement of funding for the vaccine sounded more like pharmaceutical marketing than sober public health policy. The announcement made claims that are yet to be proven, said Cassels, the author of two books on drug marketing, including The ABCs of Disease Mongering."

* ►May 8, 2008 - Health experts wonder why Alberta only province not to offer HPV vaccine program - Canadian Press via Google

* ►May 8, 2008 - HPV vaccine: What doctors do not tell you - FoodConsumer.org

* ►May 8, 2008 - Malta only EU state not to discuss free HPV vaccine - Malta Today - "As the Health Minister continues to politely avoid the issue, women in Malta are being exposed to a ubiquitous billboard advertising campaign urging them to protect themselves from HPV. Among the methods advertised is immunisation by means of Cervarix (GlaxoSmithKline), a three-injection vaccination programme. At around €190 a shot, the total cost of immunisation works out at between €500 and €600. One woman who has already taken two of the three shots feels that the product is overpriced. 'I was helped by family, otherwise I would not have been able to afford it,' she told MaltaToday in confidence. The same woman also feels that the advertising campaign is to a point misleading: 'The campaign omits to mention that the HPV virus is only the preliminary stage of cervical cancer and that often it takes years for the virus to develop into the illness. If well monitored and treated, a woman who has contracted the virus does not run a serious risk of it developing into cancer. Of course, taking the vaccination is a reasonable precaution; but like all effective advertising campaigns, this one has relied on scaremongering.'"

* ►May 8, 2008 - 25 years after HIV virus discovered, AIDS vaccine effort must go on: Bernstein - Canadian Press via Google

* ►May 8, 2008 - AIDS Research Continues at US Laboratory, After Human Trials Halted - Although the government and researchers halted most clinical trials for an AIDS vaccine, a research institute in Baltimore continues its work on the most deadly virus of our times.  Vaccine trials were stopped late last year when it appeared the drug put some people at a higher risk of getting the disease. Scientists at the Institute for Human Virology are hard at work developing a new vaccine. VOA producer Zulima Palacio has the story, beginning with a scientist in the institute's lab. - Voice of America

* ►May 8, 2008 - Merck Deceived FDA, Researchers Say - U.S. Medicine

* ►May 8, 2008 - North Carolina Changes Immunization Requirements - WSOC Charlotte - "Rising 6th graders now need a booster shot called T-DAP. That is if they haven't had the booster in the past 5 years."

* ►May 8, 2008 - State faces new headache over immunizing sect children - Houston Chronicle - "A state requirement that children in foster care be inoculated against disease has prompted another round of headaches for lawyers who represent 464 children taken from a polygamist ranch last month....Some parents worry that even if they don't want their children immunized, they will appear uncooperative with the state and risk losing their child forever....'If you refuse to allow your child to be inoculated, are you — the mother — going to be branded by CPS as non-cooperative? Are you going to be considered as not having the best interests of your child?'"

* ►May 8, 2008 - Health — State's children properly vaccinated from illness - Wilton Villager - "Most parents are willing to follow the recommended vaccination guidelines, but others are more reluctant, said Dr. Sarojini Kurra, a pediatrician with Doctors Pediatrics in Wilton and also at Norwalk Hospital. 'We recommend vaccines very highly, and we won't accept children as our patients if their parents don't agree to vaccinate them because this puts their children and other children at jeopardy,' Kurra said."

* ►May 8, 2008 - China virus death toll hits 30 as outbreak spreads - AFP via ABS-CBN News

* ►May 8, 2008 - High-Dose Influenza Virus Vaccine Provides Improved Immune Responses in the Elderly Compared With Conventional Dose: Presented at AGS - Doctor's Guide - "Lead author Ann R. Falsey, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, and her collaborators sought to evaluate the protective efficacy of high-dose influenza virus vaccine compared with standard-dose vaccine. The high-dose regimen tested contained haemagglutinin 60 mcg per strain, while the licensed standard-dose regimen contained haemagglutinin 15 mcg per strain, said the researchers....Funding for this study was provided by sanofi-pasteur."

* ►May 8, 2008 - CMU student dead after contracting bacterial meningitis - LaMott Smith, 26, of Sterling Heights, fell ill on Tuesday - ABC12.com

* ►May 8, 2008 - Ouch. We all might have to do this again - As the first immunized generation hits middle age, experts wonder if the shots they had as children might lose their effectiveness - Globe And Mail

* ►May 8, 2008 - Congress Criticizes FDA Over HRT Ingredient - Pharmalot

* ►May 8, 2008 - Technology improves production - The Creston News Advertiser - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX via Trading Charts - "The biggest thing that we do is vaccinations," said Dr. Gregory Weis, co-owner of Southern Hills Veterinary Services. "Veterinary medicine has come to a place where it's more economical to prevent a disease than treat it." We strive to vaccinate the majority of our clients' animals. "The cows are at less risk to get sick, even though no vaccination is 100 percent," said Weis. "The chances of their staying healthy throughout their feeding period increases." Vaccination program Before cows conceive, they are started on a vaccination program, he said."

* ►May 8, 2008 - WARF licenses influenza vaccine technology to FluGen - Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation via University of Wisconsin-Madison News - "FluGen's new technology makes this new manufacturing process faster and less expensive by increasing vaccine yield substantially. This could lead to the need for smaller facilities and less time to produce the appropriate vaccines, which could be critical in the event of a "bird flu" pandemic."

* ►May 8, 2008 - Do Antidepressants Enhance Immune Function? - Infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which leads to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), is an epidemic of global concern. According to the most recent estimates, released in November 2007, by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 33.2 million worldwide are living with HIV infection currently. Although the rates of infection appear to be decreasing, there are obviously immense implications for achieving improvements in HIV/AIDS treatment. - Elsevier, via EurekAlert! via ScienceDaily

* ►May 8, 2008 - A longer lasting vaccine for dogs? - Medill Reports, Chicago Northwestern University - "Ronald Schultz, professor and chairman of pathobiological sciences of the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is lead researcher of the Rabies Challenge Fund, testing a hypothesis that the rabies vaccine can last as long as 5 to 7 years. Currently, rabies vaccines are licensed to last only 3 years."

* ►May 7, 2008 - City man on 'Regis & Kelly' Thursday - Shakopee Valley News - “I was just very humbled by what Janine goes through on a daily basis,” Schmelz said. He has followed Gianna’s story since she was born and has been videotaping her each time the families spend time together. He even started a Web site to tell Gianna’s story at www.giannasstory.com and to raise money in hopes of purchasing a van for the family. A trust — the Gianna Pandolfino Family Fund — has been set up at Wells Fargo Bank, 1156 Vierling Drive E. in Shakopee, to help with Gianna’s long-term care. Born July 9, 2000, Gianna began suffering seizures as an infant, most likely due to a reaction to routine vaccinations."

* ►May 7, 2008 - Streetinvesting.com: SIGA Adds Vice President of Clinical and Regulatory Affairs to Management Team - Trading Charts - "SIGA Technologies is applying viral and bacterial genomics and sophisticated computational modeling in the design and development of novel products for the prevention and treatment of serious infectious diseases, with an emphasis on products for biological warfare defense. SIGA believes that it is a leader in the development of pharmaceutical agents to fight potential bio-warfare pathogens. SIGA has antiviral programs targeting smallpox and other Category A pathogens, including arenaviruses (Lassa fever, Junin, Machupo, Guanarito, Sabia, and lymphocytic choriomeningitis), dengue virus, and the filoviruses (Ebola and Marburg). For more information about SIGA, please visit SIGA's Web site at www.siga.com."

* ►May 7, 2008 - LSD and the corruption of medicine (Part II): The entanglement of academia - Scientific Misconduct Blog - "MK-ULTRA set the standard for later industrial-university collaboration. It set the most important precedent for the collusion of academic leadership and civilized government with scientific misconduct. It was the most flagrant violation of the just-signed Nuremberg code of ethics. These events of 50 years ago provide a key to understanding the problems we face in 2008. The main focus of this section is to discuss how academics and Universities participated in MK-ULTRA funded research, and how the contracting worked."

* ►May 7, 2008 - WHO To Update Guidelines for Possible Flu Pandemic - About 150 experts from governments, the World Health Organization, and other organizations are meeting to work on new guidelines to help nations confront and combat a potential influenza pandemic. The World Health Organization, which is hosting the week-long meeting, says governments must be prepared. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from the opening of the conference in Geneva. - Voice of America

* ►May 6, 2008 - Neonatal BCG Vaccination Prevents Allergic Airway Responses in Mice (requires registration) - Allergy via Reuters Health via Medscape

* ►May 6, 2008 - Vaccine Manufactures Need to Prove No Harm - Vaccinating Your Baby Blog, Dr. Jay Gordon - "Vaccine manufacturers, the CDC/FDA/AAP/ACIP need to prove the safety of the aluminum, formalin, residual egg and porcine cells in immunizations. It is not our job to prove danger, it’s their job to prove that attempting to create immunity against certain illnesses is safe and worth the risk to an individual child. The discussion of Public Health is important but parents also want and are completely entitled to discuss risks and benefits for one child, their child."

* ►May 6, 2008 - Hospitals Say, "No Money, No Care" - MSNBC

* ►May 6, 2008 - Child Abuse May 'Mark' Genes in the Brains of Suicide Victims - Landmark study shows how environment affects genes in brains of men who killed themselves - Public Library of Science via Biocompare

* ►May 4, 2008 - Rehberg backing veteran's measure - KPAX-TV Montana's News Station - "Some of the veterans who were exposed to biological and chemical weapons tests in the 1960's and 1970's may be getting closer to receiving health benefits. Representatives Denny Rehberg (R-MT) and Mike Thompson (D-CA) introduced similar legislation three years ago. The bill introduced last week, requires Veteran's Administration to assume the toxins in the weapons tests caused the veteran's injuries and illnesses, making them eligible for compensation. The testing exposed veterans to toxins aboard tugboats as part of Project 112 and Project SHAD. They were exposed to e-Coli, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and a standing for anthrax, but the chemicals used for decontamination may have done more harm."

* ►May 2008 - Vaccine-related pain: picking up the child soon after the injection reduces the time of crying - journal article (Archives of Disease in Childhood)

* ►May 2008 - Mast cell activators: a new class of highly effective vaccine adjuvants - journal article (Nature Medicine)

* ►May 2008 - Children’s consent and paediatric research: is it appropriate for healthy children to be the decision-makers in clinical research? - journal article (Archives of Disease in Childhood)

* ►May 2008 - Reflex sympathetic dystrophy: complex regional pain syndrome type I in children with mitochondrial disease and maternal inheritance - journal article (Archives of Disease in Childhood) - "CRPS-I should be considered in patients with mitochondrial disease who complain of idiopathic pain. Maternally inherited mitochondrial disease may not be a rare cause of CRPS-I, especially in children who present with other manifestations of dysautonomia."

* ►May 2008 - Sudden infant deaths in sitting devices - journal article (Archives of Disease in Childhood)

* ►May 2008 - Abnormal functional connectivity in autism spectrum disorders during face processing - journal article (Brain)

* ►May 2008 - Losing your lab (requires registration) - In 2007, more than 4,000 NIH-funded researchers were denied grant renewals. For some,that means they have to close up shop. - The Scientist

* ►May 2008 - The Importance of a Plan B (requires registration) - Even when the source of your salary is the government, it's not a guarantee. - The Scientist

* ►April 30, 2008 - A novel CD4 T-cell epitope described from one of the cervical cancer patients vaccinated with HPV 16 or 18 E7-pulsed dendritic cells - journal article (Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy)

* ►April 26, 2008 - Therapeutic effect of a T helper cell supported CTL response induced by a survivin peptide vaccine against murine cerebral glioma - journal article (Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy)

* ►April 10, 2008 - Hepatitis E vaccine - journal article (Hepatology International)

* ►April 8, 2008 - Assessment of immunologic response and recurrence patterns among patients with clinical recurrence after vaccination with a preventive HER2/ neu peptide vaccine: from US Military Cancer Institute Clinical Trials Group Study I-01 and I-02 - journal article (Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy)

* ►Gianna's Story (includes video) - website - "Upon learning of the NVICP government program, the Pandolfino’s initiated a claim to seek funding to facilitate the special needs of their daughter. That claim lead to an investigation through the federal government. In their quest to seek justice for what had happened to their daughter, the Pandolfino’s ambitiously tried to find the physicians that had cared for Gianna to sign a document that would acknowledge the correlation between Gianna’s vaccinations and her illness.  'Off the record' the Pandolfino’s had little trouble finding doctors to substantiate their suspicions.  Unfortunately, the doctors feared more for their own liability than they did about Gianna and her family’s future. While in the hospital, a neurologist specializing in epilepsy told Janine 'off the record' that her daughter’s condition could have been caused from her DPT vaccination. He added that she would never find anyone that would take responsibility for that."

* ►June 1, 2008 - Changing Epidemiology of Pneumococcal Meningitis after the Introduction of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine in the United States - journal article (Clinical Infectious Diseases)

* ►June 1, 2008 - Population Seroprevalence of Human Papillomavirus Types 6, 11, 16, and 18 in Men, Women, and Children in Australia - journal article (Clinical Infectious Diseases) - "Australian seroepidemiological data, showing differing age-specific patterns of HPV seropositivity in male and female patients, are likely to be generalizable to other developed countries and add to other data supporting completion of HPV vaccination before adolescence."

* ►June 1, 2008 - Safety and Immunogenicity of a Replication-Incompetent Adenovirus Type 5 HIV-1 Clade B gag/pol/nef Vaccine in Healthy Adults - journal article (Clinical Infectious Diseases)

* ►June 1, 2008 - Who Is Steering the Ship? External Influences on Infection Control Programs (full text) - journal article (Clinical Infectious Diseases)

* ►May 8, 2008 - Etiquette-Based Medicine (free full text) - journal article (NEJM)

* ►May 8, 2008 - More on Subgroup Analyses in Clinical Trials (free full text) - journal article (NEJM)

* ►May 8, 2008 - Private vaccine makers step in to plug shortfall - Three public sector vaccine manufacturing units were told to suspend production for not adhering to the Good Manufacturing Practice norms. - Hindu Business Line

* ►May 8, 2008 - Mayor urges bribes to get kids jabbed - Parents should be "bribed" to immunise children against killer diseases, Lower Hutt Mayor David Ogden has suggested. - The Dominion Post via www.stuff.co.nz

* ►May 8, 2008 - Measles shot clinic attracts at least 750 Wednesday - Tuscon Citizen - "According to a University Medical Center memo, proof of one vaccination is not enough. All employees must have proof of receiving a booster vaccination as well. The hospital will be vaccinating their employees starting Wednesday and through the rest of the week. 'Any staff member who does not have full immunity documentation must have an MMR vaccine and blood test before Friday … to be considered immune,' the memo stated. 'This important measure is required for employment or contract compliance at UMC.'"

* ►May 7, 2008 - HPV Scientist Speaks Out - CBS 4 - "'This is a real danger zone,' says Dr. Diane Harper. Why might you care about what she says? Dr. Harper is one of the world's top experts on the Human Papilloma virus, HPV, which can lead to cervical cancer. In fact, she's one of the leading scientists the pharmaceutical industries turned to for help to conduct clinical trials – including those that led to approval by the US Food and Drug Administration of Gardasil – and the recommendations that followed."

* ►May 7, 2008 - The Montreal Children's Hospital of the MUHC Begins Search for Causes of Autism - International Effort Considered Groundbreaking - press release - McGill University Health Centre - "Dr. Eric Fombonne, from the Research Institute of the MUHC at the Montreal Children's Hospital, is involved in a multi-site consortium to gather DNA samples from 2,000 autism patients and their families over the next three years."

* ►May 7, 2008 - Charges dropped in chelation death - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - "Mr. Lindsay said he had prominent physicians ready to testify that the delivery method of the chelation -- an intravenous push, versus a drip -- is preferred for a small child and that, while the agent used, disodium EDTA, was not 'preferred ... they cannot see that it would have caused the death.' He said the physicians would have testified at trial, which would have begun May 19, that the child's heart damage had actually occurred prior to his death on Aug. 23, 2005. 'First, the DA's office would have had to show beyond a reasonable doubt that the cause of death was this particular chelation process,' Mr. Lindsay said. 'Had they gotten that far, then the next question would have been whether it was gross negligence to the point of criminality. I don't think they could have done it.'"

* ►May 7, 2008 - Doctor says he will treat patients after DA drops charges - AP via York Daily Record

* ►May 7, 2008 - Charges against doctor dropped in boy's death - AP via GoErie.com - "Kerry had surrendered his license pending the outcome of the case, but his license will be reinstated based on the withdrawal of the criminal charges, a Department of State spokeswoman said."

* ►May 7, 2008 - The Bruno's by Harry Hofherr - Age of Autism

* ►May 7, 2008 - AAP Ohio Seeks Input on Autism - Age of Autism

* ►May 7, 2008 - New study: Autism Pilot Project - WKYC.com

* ►May 7, 2008 - Environmental groups sponsor mercury testing - Hair clippings part of an effort to thwart power plants. - Austin American-Statesman

* ►May 7, 2008 - Group To File Lawsuit Over Mercury Levels At New Coal-Fired Plants - 590 KLBJ News Radio - "Neil Carmen with the Sierra Club says the Oak Grove and Sandy Creek plants, near Waco, are not doing enough to control mercury levels. He says they're making a bad situation worse. He says 'Texas is the leading state in terms of mercury pollution, air pollution, from coal-fired power plants, and these new plants would add even more.'"

* ►May 7, 2008 - Xlibris releases Mercury Poisoning and Deep Faith -- Author Pamela Elizabeth Lacek Shares With Readers Her True Story of Suffering Under Mercury Poisoning and How She Survived - Xlibris via Prime Newswire

* ►May 7, 2008 - Mercury Still A Major Environmental Pollutant - Newsinferno.com

* ►May 7, 2008 - Minnesota Bans Mercury in Cosmetics - NaturalNews.com

* ►May 7, 2008 - SPECIAL REPORT: Life After An Autism Diagnosis; Special Diets Pt. 3 - WSAW.com - "The cause of most cases of autism remains a constant source of friction between doctors and parents of autistic children. A small percent of cases - between 2 and 6 percent-- are believed to be caused by a genetic condition called fragile x-syndrome. Researchers are also looking into the possibility that vaccines can trigger the disorder in some children."

* ►May 7, 2008 - SPECIAL REPORT: Life After An Autism Diagnosis; Special Diets - WSAW.com

* ►May 7, 2008 - Life After An Autism Diagnosis: Legislation (includes video) - WSAW.com

* ►May 7, 2008 - Genvec wins third grant from NIH this year - Washington Business Journal - "This is the third $600,000 NIH grant Genvec has secured in 2008. The others are for work on vaccines for genital herpes and malaria. The latest grant will support Genvec's efforts to develop vaccines for the prevention of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)."

* ►May 7, 2008 - Drug rejection shows FDA staying cautious - The Star-Ledger via www.nj.com

* ►May 7, 2008 - The mystery of medications linked to suicide - As number of drug warnings rise, investigators search for reasons why - MSNBC

* ►May 7, 2008 - Boy, 10, who lost legs after doctors misdiagnose meningitis for chicken pox wins multi-million pound payout -  Daily Mail, UK - "A multi-million pound payout has been awarded to the family of a boy who lost both his legs to meningitis after a doctor said he had chicken pox and told his parents to give him Calpol and take him home."

* ►May 7, 2008 - Fluoride pioneer Grand Rapids rethinks safety of putting chemical in water - The Grand Rapids Press via Mlive.com

* ►May 7, 2008 - Ga. company testing AIDS vaccine (requires registration or subscription) - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - "Despite the failure last fall of Merck & Co.'s AIDS vaccine, a fledgling Atlanta biotechnology company, GeoVax Inc., is charging ahead into advanced tests of a new drug that it says shows 'significant promise.' 'We've had excellent results in our early stage human trials,' said Emory University's Harriet Robinson, leader of a team of scientists working on the vaccine....Robinson said her hope is that GeoVax's vaccine may one day be administered to adolescents."

* ►May 7, 2008 - VaxGen sells anthrax vaccine to rival firm - CIDRAP News

* ►May 7, 2008 - Vietnam warning on EV71 virus after at least 10 children die - AFP via France 24 - "The intestinal virus, which hits children hardest, has infected around 400 children this year, mainly in southern Vietnam, said Nguyen Huy Nga, head of the Health Ministry's Preventive Medicine Department. 'The virus killed at least 10 children in Vietnam in the first four months of this year,' he told AFP, adding that no precise data was available because the enterovirus is not a notifiable disease in the communist country."

* ►May 7, 2008 - Spreading virus kills 28 children in China (includes video) - CNN - "Chinese health authorities have been dispatched to the worst-hit province, Anhui, in rural eastern China, where 22 of the fatalities have occurred. The deaths are blamed on enterovirus 71, or EV-71, one of the most common causes of HFMD. All of the deaths occurred in Fuyang City."

* ►May 7, 2008 - National Influenza Summit Meeting in Atlanta to Address 2008 - 2009 Influenza Vaccine Issues - press release - CDC via PRNewswire-USNewswire via StreetInsider.com - "WHEN: Monday, May 12 and Tuesday May 13, convening Monday at 1:00 p.m. and adjourning Tuesday afternoon at 4:00 p.m."

* ►May 7, 2008 - Electronic Pillbox Helps Seniors Stick to Drug Regimens - Study found fewer doses were missed, more doses taken on time - U.S. News & World Report - "On that score, a second study also presented at the meeting by Yale University School of Medicine researchers indicated that more than 90 percent of senior citizens taking five or more medications experience one or more 'mildly bothersome' side effects. And one-third attributed such mood change, insomnia, impaired balance, fatigue, and/or dizziness problems to one of their medications."

* ►May 7, 2008 - The design of a vaccine against Leishmaniasis - The parasitology team at the "Severo Ochoa" Molecular biology centre (CSIC-UAM) has focused its research efforts on the search for a vaccine capable of activating immunity against the parasite that causes leishmaniasis. - Molecular biology research centre Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM) via News-Medical Net

* ►May 7, 2008 - The search continues - At a recent forum, experts and researchers discussed what the future holds for HIV and the ongoing quest for a vaccine. Garrett Bithell reports. - SX News

* ►May 7, 2008 - How The FDA Will Spend Some PDUFA Fees - Pharmalot

* ►May 7, 2008 - Germs better for kids than parents may think - Exposure to germs could spur incidence rates of allergies and other illnesses - The Daily Cardinal

►May 7, 2008 - Corticosteroids and Mortality in Children With Bacterial Meningitis - journal article (JAMA)

* ►May 7, 2008 - Patients, Doctors, Pharmacists Praise Bipartisan House Resolution on Compounded Hormones Containing Estriol - The International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists (IACP) via PRNewswire-USNewswire via The Earth Times - "International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists today joined hundreds of thousands of women and doctors in applauding the introduction of H. Con. Res. 342, a bipartisan resolution stating that "the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) new policy restricting women's access to medications containing estriol does not serve the public interest" and calling on the FDA to "reverse its policy."

* ►May 7, 2008 - Seoul Stunned by Double Blows from Cows and Birds (opinion) - The Korea Times - "Various signs show that avian influenza is becoming increasingly hard to contain. Unlike the previous two occurrences in 2003 and 2006, the latest strike of avian influenza has spread even to Seoul and in a surprisingly short period of a month or so. Before, the disease broke out in winter but disappeared when the weather got warmer. The current one, however, occurred in spring and is continuing through early summer. People used to link avian influenza to wild migrant birds in the past, but now urban resident birds like pigeons may have to be added to the list."

* ►May 7, 2008 - Traces of Drugs Found in Drinking Water - Health Effects Unknown, Safer Disposal Urged - journal article (JAMA)

* ►May 7, 2008 - Stronger Formaldehyde Regulation Sought - journal article (JAMA)

* ►May 7, 2008 - Mental disorders cost society billions in unearned income - NIH/National Institute of Mental Health via EurekAlert!

* ►May 7, 2008 - Interview: Indonesia sees cultural divide on bird flu sharing - Reuters

* ►May 7, 2008 - China child virus cases high but no cause for panic - Reuters via Yahoo!

* ►May 6, 2008 - New Method to Create Vaccines - Nature via Ivanhoe - "Researchers from Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation and Emory University have found a way to identify and clone human antibodies specifically tailored to fight infection. The new process develops a “smart bomb” for the immune system. Researchers isolated antibody-secreting cells from people who have received the influenza vaccine, then cloned the antibody genes from these cells."

* ►May 6, 2008 - Novartis Menveo® vaccine shows superior immune response against four types of meningitis disease in pivotal phase III trial - Novartis

* ►May 6, 2008 - Officials urge Iowans to check vaccinations for measles - AP via KWQC TV

* ►May 6, 2008 - New Discovery On Role of Vital Protein That Fights Meningitis - University of Leicester research assigns hitherto unappreciated importance to protein of the body’s immune defence system. - University of Leicester via Pharma Live

* ►May 6, 2008 - County, schools team up to offer state-mandated vaccines - Baraboo News Republic

* ►May 6, 2008 - FDA Won’t Test All Drugs For Psychiatric Problems - Pharmalot

* ►May 6, 2008 - Overcoming Gaps In Newborns' Immune Response - Children's Hospital Boston via Medical News Today

* ►May 6, 2008 - State of the World's Mothers 2008 Closing the Survival Gap for Children Under 5 (pdf) - www.savethechildren.org

* ►May 6, 2008 - The best and worst places to be a mother or child: survey - Study ranked countries based on access to health care, education and economy - CBC News

* ►May 6, 2008 - How To Bank $41 Million: Delay The Vioxx Deal - Pharmalot - "The second and latest postponement moves the enrollment deadline to June 30, and this means the date by which Merck must now deposit the $4.1 billion into escrow is August 18. Why? Merck doesn’t have to deposit $4.1 billion into an escrow fund until two business days after the expiration of its walk away right, which is now Aug. 14, or 45 days after June 30. That’s also four months later than April 15."

* ►May 6, 2008 - US Kids Use Antipsychotics More Than In The UK - Pharmalot

* ►May 6, 2008 - China: Baxter Is Obstructing Heparin Probe - Pharmalot

* ►May 6, 2008 - Lilly discovery could help control 'hunger hormone' - Research points to a possible way to battle obesity, scientists say - The Indianapolis Star

* ►May 5, 2008 - Kid dies after vaccine shot - Express News Service via Newindpress - "A three-month-old boy, which was administered vaccine on Wednesday, died on Saturday. The child's parents alleged that death was due to vaccination while the Health Department declared it to be death due to diarrhoea."

* ►May 5, 2008 - Efficacy of FluMist(R) in Children Highlighted at Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting - MedImmune via PRNewswire via RT Magazine

* ►May 5, 2008 - Bird flu drug supply flagging: researchers - Researchers say Australia needs to look at how it will deal with a bird flu pandemic if the nation's stockpile of anti-viral drugs is not renewed. - ABC News

* ►May 5, 2008 - Tamoxifen: An Intracellular Target for Treatment of Mania - Another small, positive study for a drug that alters intracellular dynamics - journal article (Journal Watch Psychiatry)

* ►May 3, 2008 - Low carb diet curbs epileptic fits in children · Trial shows seizures can be cut by more than 50% · Scientists still unsure how ketogenic regime works - The Guardian, UK

* ►May 1, 2008 - Rates of Human Papillomavirus Vaccination, Attitudes About Vaccination, and Human Papillomavirus Prevalence in Young Women - journal article (Obstretrics & Gynecology)

* ►May 2008 - A novel approach to improve influenza vaccination rates among health care professionals: A prospective randomized controlled trial - journal article (American Journal of Infection Control)

* ►April 25, 2008 - ADHD as a (non) allergic hypersensitivity disorder: A hypothesis. - journal article (Pediatric Allergy and Immunology) - "As genes related to the immune system may be associated with ADHD, further genetic research is compulsory. Immunotherapeutic approaches, using immunotherapy and probiotics, can subsequently be implicated in the treatment of ADHD. If hypersensitivity to environmental stimuli like foods contributes to the development of ADHD, the assessment and treatment of ADHD will have to be reconsidered, thereby improving the quality of care for these patients."

* ►April 2008 - Psychopharmacology of aggression in children and adolescents with autism: a critical review of efficacy and tolerability. - journal article (Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology)

* ►March 2008 - Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) IV Drug Safety Five-Year Plan (pdf) - FDA/CDER