November 24, 2003 - Warning of mumps epidemic - Worrying rise in number of cases - Belfast Telegraph - "In an interview with the Belfast Telegraph, Dr Campbell, the province's chief medical officer, said: "Mumps is a leading cause of meningitis, and meningitis is something that is feared by every parent."

Comment:  This is scare tactics at its worst.  Mumps is associated with aseptic, not bacterial meningitis.  Aseptic meningitis rarely is as serious as bacterial meningitis or has long-term complications. For more on this click 1, 2 and 3.   Aseptic meningitis is also thought to have occurred as a result of the mumps and MMR vaccine (e.g., click here).

October 28, 2003 - Experimental Vaccine to Prevent Shingles Part of National Study - Canadian Press - "For every 100 kids that get chickenpox, she says five of them will have complications, some extremely serious. Secondary bacterial infections have been known to get into the bloodstream and even cause flesh-eating disease in children or travel to their bones and joints...A cautionary theory has been put forward on the chickenpox vaccine-shingles issue...So the concern is: Will we trade a childhood disease for something that's far worse in adults?"

Comment: Where do they get statistics like the 5 in 100 one above?  Click here to see what they used to say about chickenpox, before there was a vaccine for it.  Go to Rise In Shingles Cases Linked To Universal Chickenpox Vaccine Program, in the Online Vaccines Conference at Redflagsdaily.com and Scandals: When is an oops not really an oops?  When you get to solve the problems you cause, and make money doing both! for more on the "chickenpox vaccine-shingles issue".

November 25, 2003 - Ebola blamed in tragic decline of great apes - Emergency meeting aimed at staving off extinction from disease, poaching, habitat destruction - MSNBC

November 26, 2003 - Building a bug from scratch - Scientists report quick progress in synthetic-organism quest - The Houston Chronicle - "Scientists have announced significant progress toward creating an artificial organism that one day may have uses ranging from pollution control to clean energy production."

November 26, 2003 - Flu loosens grip as cases fall - The Herald, UK

Wisconsin Mercury Sourcebook - A Guide To Help Your Community Identify and Reduce Releases of Elemental Mercury - EPA

Comment:  What, no "Mercury Use: Vaccines"?

December 1, 2003 - The Wrong Drug, The Wrong Dose - Time.com  -  "We learn from our mistakes only if we admit we're making them. And it appears that the medical community is increasingly stepping forward to do just that, according to U.S. Pharmacopeia's fourth annual report of hospital medication errors."

November 25, 2003 - Fasting fakir flummoxes physicians - Doctors and experts are baffled by an Indian hermit who claims not to have eaten or drunk anything for several decades - but is still in perfect health. - BBC - "Followers of Indian holy men and ascetics have often ascribed extraordinary powers to them, but such powers are seldom subject to scientific inspection."

November 25, 2003 - Study Questions New Schizophrenia Drug - Study Says Newer Schizophrenia Drug May Not Be Much Better Than Older and Cheaper Medication - AP via ABC News

For more on this, go to: Up to 20% of drugs may cause unexpected problems and Safety of New Drugs Cannot Be Known for Many Years

November 26, 2003 - U.N. Report Calls Efforts Against AIDS 'Entirely Inadequate'  - The New York Times

Comment: And what if, as some believe, HIV has nothing to do with AIDS? 

Comment:  And what of the role medical intervention has played in the spread of AIDS in Africa?  For more on this go to Scandals: "But Faith, fanatic Faith, once wedded fast To some dear falsehood, hugs it to the last." and BD Applauds Senate Action to Prevent Unsafe Medical Practices That Can Cause HIV/AIDS Spread in Africa

November 26, 2003 - FOND DU LAC, WIS.: County sees whooping cough epidemic  - Pioneer Press

Comment:  It can't exactly be blamed on the unvaccinated, given the 99.6% vaccination rate among children in grades K-12.

Combined Vaccines: The Latest in Immunization - Fewer vaccines means less crying for Baby and less stress for Mom and Dad. - www.parentstages.com

Comment:  But at what cost to the baby's health?

November 25, 2003 - MedImmune Seeks Help In Relaunching FluMist - New Plan to Be Rolled Out in January - The Washington Post

November 26, 2003 - Drug Maker Wyeth Wins Fen-Phen Lawsuit - AP via FindLaw

November 25, 2003 - Vaccinations, Infections May Lower Melanoma Risk – Reuters Health via Medline 

November 25, 2003 - Emory and CDC scientists explore why most breastfed infants of HIV-positive mothers resist infection – www.eurekalert.org  

November 25, 2003 - U.N.: No end in sight for AIDS epidemic - The AIDS epidemic shows no signs of abating, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, and political action to fight the virus is failing, according to a report released Tuesday. – CNN