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Inadequate vaccine coverage drives Disneyland measles outbreak

Inadequate vaccine coverage is likely a driving force behind the ongoing Disneyland measles outbreak, according to calculations by a research team at Boston Children's Hospital.

16 Mar 2015

Second-line bosutinib well tolerated by Japanese patients

Phase I/II clinical trial data support the use of bosutinib as second- or third-line tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy in Japanese patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukaemia.

17 Feb 2015

Infectious diseases expert discusses the myths and facts about measles outbreak

Measles, a highly contagious respiratory infection that causes serious complications in about 3 of 10 people, has been grabbing headlines since last December's outbreak at Disneyland. In January, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 102 cases of measles in 14 states. One unconfirmed case was just reported in New Jersey. Measured against the approximately 600 cases reported in 2014, this year is on track to set a record for a disease that was declared eradicated in the United States in 2000.

8 Feb 2015

UAB doctor says measles can be halted with safe, effective measles vaccine

An ongoing, multistate measles outbreak linked to a California amusement park has already caused 68 confirmed cases between Jan. 1 and 23, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

30 Jan 2015

Study confirms safety of two measles-containing vaccines

A 12-year study of two measles-containing vaccines, published today in Pediatrics, found that seven main adverse outcomes were unlikely after either vaccine.

5 Jan 2015

Corrective information can successfully reduce false beliefs about flu vaccines

With health systems in the U.S., U.K., and around the world trying to increase vaccination levels, it is critical to understand how to address vaccine hesitancy and counter myths about vaccine safety. A new article in the journal "Vaccine" concludes, however, that correcting myths about vaccines may not be the most effective approach to promoting immunization among vaccine skeptics.

8 Dec 2014

High impact health interventions reduce maternal and child mortality in poor countries

New studies have uncovered the specific interventions and advances that have led to the success with these at-risk populations in the poorest countries.

17 Sep 2014

Measles infections worse than flu, new study reveals

Measles causes significant absence from school or work and has a much larger impact on people’s daily lives than illnesses like flu or chicken pox, according to a new study by researchers from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Public Health England.

11 Sep 2014

High uptake of US infant vaccination in 2013

The recently published National Immunization Survey (NIS) conducted by the CDC, shows that the majority of infants in the US were vaccinated against potentially serious diseases in 2013. Fewer than 1% of children were unvaccinated in 2013.

29 Aug 2014

Irinotecan-based therapy improves survival rates for patients with stage III colon cancer

A subset of patients with stage III colon cancer had improved survival rates when treated with irinotecan-based therapy, according to a new study in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association.

29 Aug 2014

Expanding age of eligibility for measles vaccination could have large effects on coverage in Africa

Expanding the age of eligibility for measles vaccination from 12 to 15 months could have potentially large effects on coverage in Africa, according to a new report published by Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs.

27 Aug 2014

Communications about the benefits of vaccination influence parents' intentions to immunize children

How do parents decide whether to vaccinate their child? In a study designed to formally look at the content of parent-targeted communications about the benefits of vaccination for measles, mumps and rubella, Indiana University School of Medicine investigators report that the framing of these messages influences parents' intentions to immunize their children.

19 Aug 2014

New guideline recommends genetic testing of tumors for colorectal cancer patients

Of the 143,000 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer annually in the U.S., up to 25 percent have a familial risk of colorectal cancer. A new guideline from the U.S. Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer recommends genetic testing of tumors for all newly diagnosed colorectal cancer patients.

5 Aug 2014

Access to dedicated vaccine website can increase uptake, say experts

Giving parents access to a dedicated website on the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is the most cost-effective way to increase uptake, say experts.

30 Jul 2014

Doctors remind parents about importance of immunizing children

Doctors at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center want to remind parents about the importance of immunizing their children when preparing to send the children back to school.

29 Jul 2014

Trials show immunizations are effective in adults

As kids prepare to head back to school, required immunizations are typically on the to-do list, but getting potentially lifesaving vaccines should not end when adulthood begins, says one University of Alabama at Birmingham infectious diseases expert.

26 Jul 2014

Combined MMRV vaccine slightly increases risk of febrile seizures in children

The combined measles-mumps-rubella-varicella (MMRV) vaccine shows a slightly increased risk of febrile seizures in children, compared with the previously separate vaccines for MMR and varicella (chickenpox) (MMR+V), according to an article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

10 Jun 2014

New United Nations data show sharp decline in maternal deaths

New United Nations data show a 45% reduction in maternal deaths since 1990. An estimated 289 000 women died in 2013 due to complications in pregnancy and childbirth, down from 523 000 in 1990.

6 May 2014

Viewpoints: Sebelius withstood attacks, but wasn't 'warrior' for law; Burwell offers GOP chance to focus on law's problems

Kathleen Sebelius was known for her patience and cool under savage attack by Republicans, who treated her as a stand-in for the health law. She sat through hearings calmly reciting talking points while they fumed and fulminated for their audience. But that turned out to be one of her biggest liabilities ... What the health law needed in its first years was a cheerful, populist warrior who could laugh at the truly ridiculous distortions and lies Republicans invented about it, and roar back with the truth. Instead, she came across as a mild technocrat. She never emerged from the defensive crouch she assumed after the law's calamitous debut (David Firestone, 4/11).

15 Apr 2014

NPS MedicineWise urges parents to ensure that children's vaccinations are up to date

Following a recent spate of measles cases being reported in a number of Australian states, NPS MedicineWise is reminding parents to check whether their children’s immunisations are up to date before they head back to school next week.

22 Jan 2014