►February 2, 2004 - Antidepressant Strengthened Warnings About Pediatric Suicidality Risk Needed Immediately, Cmte. Says - FDA - The committee heard from 65 speakers during the meeting's public hearing, many of whom were parents of children who had committed or attempted suicide or homicide after a short time on antidepressants. Many described severe behavioral changes in their children.

►February 2, 2004 - Age at First Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccination in Children With Autism and School-Matched Control Subjects: A Population-Based Study in Metropolitan Atlanta - journal article - Pediatrics

►February 2, 2004 - Smallpox vaccinations may be risky - UPI via http://interestalert.com - "New studies show people vaccinated against smallpox pose a low risk of infecting others if they follow proper bandaging and hand-washing procedures."

►February 2, 2004 - Improving Childbirth - The Durango Herald

►January 30, 2004 - When demand exceeds supply - Parents do anything to get autistic children right treatment - The New York Times via The Houston Chronicle

►January 28, 2004 - Nigeria to Test Polio Vaccine to Counter Suspicion - Reuters via Yahoo!

►January 29, 2004 - Measles: Deadly as ever - www.sunstar.com.ph - "In healthy, well-nourished children, measles is rarely serious. However, complicating bacterial infections occur fairly often, and people with measles are especially susceptible to infection with streptococci bacteria."

Comment:  For Scandals columns on the measles and measles vaccine, go to What Is Wrong With This Picture?;  More confusing disease stats;   Playing With Fire - It's Not EASY To Fool Mother Nature;   Don't Worry, Be Happy;  Measles In The Vaccination Age:  Is It Now Deadlier?;   Why We Won't Take No* For An Answer  (*No relationship between MMR and autism);  and Shoot First, Don't Ask Questions Later.  

►January 30, 2004 - New parents to get immunization card - AP via GazetteXtra

►February 1, 2004 - Legislation Would Create Registry for Immunizations - The Santa Fe New Mexican

►February 2, 2004 - Bird flu virus claims more lives - Two more people have died of bird flu in Asia, as experts warned the virus was far from being under control. - BBC

►February 2, 2004 - Possible human transmission of bird flu casts dark spectre over Asia - AFP via Yahoo!

►February 1, 2004 - Baby Is Gulf War Syndrome Victim - Sunday Mirror, UK - "FIGHTING for breath with a mass of tubes keeping him alive, tiny Scott Bowen is Britain’s youngest victim of Gulf War Syndrome...Weighing just 2lb 4oz, the tragic tot was born two months prematurely after both his parents returned from serving in Iraq...Dad Justin, 27, and mum Vicky, 20, had multiple vaccinations before going to war last year and developed symptoms of the Syndrome...They are now sure the cocktail of jabs – especially the controversial anthrax shot – is behind their new-born’s desperate condition."

►January 29, 2004 - Democrats: Smallpox vaccination plan needs retooling - Eyeing a national smallpox vaccination program they say is stalled, House Democrats are urging the U.S. government to reinvigorate the plan for health-care workers if officials still believe terrorists may use smallpox as a weapon. - CNN

►January 30, 2004 - Probe into 'botched' bird flu jabs - The Age, Australia

►January 29, 2004 - Indonesia won't kill infected birds - AP via http://chealth.canoe.ca