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FDA approves Sanofi Pasteur's meningococcal vaccine

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of the sanofi-aventis Group, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted licensure to expand the indication for its meningococcal conjugate vaccine, Menactra, to include a two-dose schedule for infants and children 9 months through 23 months of age.

25 Apr 2011

Two studies about oral health inequalities in older people published in IADR/AADR journal

The International and American Associations for Dental Research (IADR/AADR) have published two studies about oral health inequalities in older people and low income individuals.

25 Apr 2011

Recent releases in Global Health

When health ministers gather for the World Health Assembly in May they will try to come up with a solution to "a dilemma that has dogged decision-makers for decades - whether and when to destroy the last remaining stocks of the smallpox virus," David Heymann and Emma Ross, both of the Global Health Security Centre at Chatham House, write in an article in The World Today.

25 Apr 2011

Rite Aid reduces price of whooping cough vaccine for children in California

Parents in California can now get their children vaccinated against whooping cough at more than 500 Rite Aid pharmacies for the newly lowered price of $57.99. By July 1, when a new state law takes effect requiring proof of vaccination for all students entering grades 7 through 12, nearly all of the approximately 600 California Rite Aid locations will be able to vaccinate walk-in patients or by appointment.

22 Apr 2011

Research roundup: New hips, Medicare & hospital stays; Medicaid update

JAMA: Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Medicare Patients Undergoing Total Hip Arthroplasty, 1991-2008 - "Total hip arthroplasty is a common surgical procedure but little is known about longitudinal trends," according to this study which found that "Between 1991 and 2008, the mean age for patients undergoing primary total hip arthroplasty increased from 74.1 to 75.1 years and for revision total hip arthroplasty from 75.8 to 77.3 years (P < .001)."

22 Apr 2011

State news: Calif. report faults screening of in-home care providers

Two of the state's largest private medical practices are in talks to merge into a giant doctor-run group that would care for nearly a million Massachusetts patients and significantly escalate the pace of health care consolidation throughout the state. Atrius Health, which runs the Harvard Vanguard system and four other doctors practices, is in advanced talks with Fallon Clinic, the Worcester-based medical group.

22 Apr 2011

Study suggests flaw in methods used to measure racial health disparities

Just weeks after HHS released the first national strategy to reduce racial and ethnic health disparities, a new study published in the journal Demography suggests there is a flaw in the method used to measure racial health differences: it does not adequately account for people of mixed race.

22 Apr 2011

LCA-GA calls on entire Georgia delegation to support Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Act

Today, Lung Cancer Alliance-Georgia (LCA-GA) thanked Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA) for being an original sponsor of the Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Act (S. 752), authorizing legislation that establishes a multi-agency, comprehensive research program addressing all aspects of lung cancer, and called on the entire delegation of Georgia to show their support for the lung cancer community.

22 Apr 2011

Worm protein controls key aspects of secretion of growth factors out of cells

Research in the worm is shedding light on a protein associated with a number of different human cancers, and may point to a highly targeted way to treat them.

22 Apr 2011

Trillium registered nurses choose ONA to become members of the union

Registered nurses employed at Trillium Health Centre have overwhelmingly voted yes to join the Ontario Nurses' Association, the largest nurses' union in Canada.

22 Apr 2011

IDF and DHA to host World Diabetes Congress in Dubai

Leading diabetes experts and members of the diabetes community will convene in Dubai from 4-8 December 2011 for the biennial World Diabetes Congress, organised by the International Diabetes Federation.

22 Apr 2011

Using dietary supplements may lead to health-risk behaviors

Do you belong to the one-half of the population that frequently uses dietary supplements with the hope that it might be good for you?

22 Apr 2011

Organophosphates exposure during pregnancy may impair child cognitive development

Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine have found that exposure during pregnancy to a family of pesticides called organophosphates may impair child cognitive development. The findings are published online in Environmental Health Perspectives.

22 Apr 2011

Health Partners earns NCQA accreditation for high quality care

Health Partners announced today that it is the first health plan in the nation to receive the new, "Multicultural Health Care Distinction" from the National Committee for Quality Assurance, the nation's most trusted independent source for health care quality accreditation.

22 Apr 2011

Elderly individuals with CKD more likely to suffer from heart disease

Chronic kidney disease is common and linked with heart disease in the very elderly, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology.

22 Apr 2011

Severely obese adolescents no more likely to be depressed

According to a new study, severely obese adolescents are no more likely to be depressed than normal weight peers. The study, which has been released online in the Journal of Adolescent Health, did find that white adolescents may be somewhat more vulnerable to psychological effects of obesity.

22 Apr 2011

GM-SCF therapy can reduce flu symptoms and prevent death

New research on mice has shown that pulmonary administration of granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor significantly reduces flu symptoms and prevents death after a lethal dose influenza virus.

22 Apr 2011

Roundup: Idaho Gov.'s exchange/health law decision; Calif. exchange board meets; Iowa mental health plan

Republican Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter is no fan of the health care reform -- he was the first governor to sign legislation requiring his state to sue over President Obama's overhaul -- but said the bill state lawmakers passed in the 2011 session would have required Idaho to forego the creation of a state health insurance exchange.

22 Apr 2011

Contraception drospirenone raises risk for blood clots

Two new drug safety studies conducted by researchers at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) provide strong evidence that women taking oral contraception with drospirenone have an increased risk of nonfatal venous thromboembolism, or blood clots, compared to women taking oral contraception with levonorgestrel.

21 Apr 2011

Toddlers having insecure emotional relationship with mothers at increased risk for obesity

Toddlers who do not have a secure emotional relationship with their parents, and particularly their mothers, could be at increased risk for obesity by age 4 ½, according to new research.

21 Apr 2011