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BMJ report questions WHO advisors' ties to pharmaceutical industry

"Key scientists behind World Health Organization advice on stockpiling of pandemic flu drugs had financial ties with companies which stood to profit," according to a joint investigation by BMJ in collaboration with the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, BBC News reports (6/4).

5 Jun 2010

South Africa prepares health systems for World Cup disaster — but could be overwhelmed

The Associated Press: South Africa is attempting to prepare its emergency services in case of a disaster at the World Cup, which begins next week. "But the public system won't have to cope alone, the chief medical officer for local tournament organizers said in an interview this week. Dr. Victor Ramathesele outlined plans for what he said would be unprecedented coordination between the public system, the military and the private sector in case of emergency during Africa's first World Cup."

5 Jun 2010

British PM calls for G8, G20 to reduce maternal mortality, announces new health worker training fund

In a Guardian opinion piece, published on Thursday, British Prime Minister David Cameron says G8 and G20 nations should reduce maternal mortality in developing countries and set "'an ambitious target' of saving three million more lives by 2015," the Guardian reports (Watt, 6/3).

5 Jun 2010

High frequency ventilation for preterm babies just as effective

A University of Sydney study of ventilation strategies has shown that high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) for preterm babies gives the same outcomes as conventional ventilation (CV).

4 Jun 2010

Advergames can promote unhealthy eating habits in children

UC Davis public health researchers have found that children, who are already saturated with television messages about unhealthy food choices, are the targets of a new medium used to sell high-fat, high-sugar foods: advergames.

4 Jun 2010

USP, Ukrainian Centre sign agreement to improve quality of pharmaceuticals worldwide

With the mutual goal of improving the quality of pharmaceuticals worldwide, the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention and the Ukraine Scientific Pharmacopoeial Centre for the Quality of Medicines have entered into an agreement to share standards for the quality, purity, strength and identity of medicines.

4 Jun 2010

Health professionals can learn from smoking cessation campaigns on how to tackle maternal obesity

Health professionals worried about the increasing number of obese pregnant women could learn lessons from successful smoking cessation campaigns, according to a study into how maternity services could be developed to effectively tackle maternal obesity.

4 Jun 2010

Researchers look for effective programs to curb smoking among people with HIV/AIDS

While researchers have done a good job documenting health problems associated with the high prevalence of smoking among Americans who have HIV/AIDS, it's now time to focus on how to get these smokers to kick the habit, Saint Louis University School of Public Health research finds.

4 Jun 2010

MAXIMUS President to present on challenges that impact efficiency of Medicaid and CHIP

MAXIMUS, a leading provider of government services worldwide, announced today that Bruce Caswell, President and General Manager of MAXIMUS Health Services, will present at the upcoming Fifth National Medicaid Congress in Washington, D.C.

4 Jun 2010

NICE recommends minimum price for alcohol and ban on alcohol advertising

The government should introduce a minimum price for alcohol and consider an outright ban on alcohol advertising, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has said.

4 Jun 2010

Special dementia care plan does not slow functional decline compared with usual care: Study

A special dementia care plan, involving regular assessments of patients with Alzheimer's disease in specialist memory clinics, does not slow functional decline compared with usual care, finds a study published on bmj.com today.

4 Jun 2010

WHO says H1N1 remains pandemic

WHO Director-General Margaret Chan on Thursday announced the WHO still considers H1N1 (swine) flu a pandemic, despite the fact "its most intense activity has passed in many parts of the world," Reuters reports (Lynn, 6/3).

4 Jun 2010

Study: 10% increase in cigarette pricing can reduce smoking among people with alcohol, drug disorders

A new study from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA suggests that increasing cigarette taxes could be an effective way to reduce smoking among individuals with alcohol, drug or mental disorders.

4 Jun 2010

Study: Delays in seeking health care appear to be common for Latino women

Delays in seeking health care appear to be common for Latino women in upstate New York, a new study finds. In the latest issue of the journal Ethnicity & Disease, about 70 percent of a group of mostly Caribbean Latinas in the Albany area reported they put off getting health care. Insurance did not seem to be an issue, since 80 percent had insurance, yet 60 percent of the women said that they had a prior chronic medical condition.

4 Jun 2010

Two-day workshop on sickle cell trait

Scientists from across the nation will gather June 3-4 to discuss what is known about sickle cell trait and the potential health implications related to this genetic blood condition. "Framing the Research Agenda for Sickle Cell Trait" will examine the ethical, legal, social, and public health impacts of the blood condition.

3 Jun 2010

National initiative to share wealth of new community health data to improve health of Americans

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Institute of Medicine President Harvey Fineberg today launched a national initiative to share a wealth of new community health data that will drive innovation and lead to the creation of new applications and tools to improve the health of Americans.

3 Jun 2010

Miners' living, working environments fuel spread of TB in sub-Saharan Africa, study says

A study, published Tuesday in the American Journal of Public Health, found that poor living and working environments for miners of diamonds and precious metals is significantly fueling the spread of tuberculosis in sub-Saharan Africa, Reuters reports.

3 Jun 2010

Scientists awarded $3.9M grant to study how XDR-TB transmitted in rural South Africa

The National Institutes of Health has awarded scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University a five-year, $3.9 million grant to study how extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis is transmitted in rural South Africa. The findings could alter public health approaches for controlling the XDR-TB epidemic in the developing world.

3 Jun 2010

Loophole in CHIP costs feds millions in lost revenue

"A tobacco tax loophole in President Barack Obama's children's health insurance program cost the government more than $250 million in its first year, public health officials say. The loophole allowed companies to avoid huge tax increases on loose rolling tobacco by relabeling their product as pipe tobacco. The simple marketing twist lets companies pay $2.83 per pound, rather than the $24.78 per pound levied on rolling tobacco. That proved an expensive technicality in the way the government pays for health insurance for poor children."

3 Jun 2010

Chili peppers may cause weight loss and fight fat buildup, says study

Scientists are reporting new evidence that capsaicin, the stuff that gives chili peppers their kick, may cause weight loss and fight fat buildup by triggering certain beneficial protein changes in the body. Their study, which could lead to new treatments for obesity, appears in ACS' monthly Journal of Proteome Research.

3 Jun 2010

Public Health News and Research

BMJ report questions WHO advisors' ties to pharmaceutical industry

South Africa prepares health systems for World Cup disaster — but could be overwhelmed

British PM calls for G8, G20 to reduce maternal mortality, announces new health worker training fund

High frequency ventilation for preterm babies just as effective

Advergames can promote unhealthy eating habits in children

USP, Ukrainian Centre sign agreement to improve quality of pharmaceuticals worldwide

Health professionals can learn from smoking cessation campaigns on how to tackle maternal obesity

Researchers look for effective programs to curb smoking among people with HIV/AIDS

MAXIMUS President to present on challenges that impact efficiency of Medicaid and CHIP

NICE recommends minimum price for alcohol and ban on alcohol advertising

Special dementia care plan does not slow functional decline compared with usual care: Study

WHO says H1N1 remains pandemic

Study: 10% increase in cigarette pricing can reduce smoking among people with alcohol, drug disorders

Study: Delays in seeking health care appear to be common for Latino women

Two-day workshop on sickle cell trait

National initiative to share wealth of new community health data to improve health of Americans

Miners' living, working environments fuel spread of TB in sub-Saharan Africa, study says

Scientists awarded $3.9M grant to study how XDR-TB transmitted in rural South Africa

Loophole in CHIP costs feds millions in lost revenue

Chili peppers may cause weight loss and fight fat buildup, says study

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Why use light scattering to analyze proteins and viral vectors?

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