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IDRI's TB vaccine protects against drug-resistant tuberculosis

The Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI) announces it has developed a new tuberculosis (TB) vaccine that protects against TB including drug-resistant strains of the disease in animal studies. The results of these studies are published in Science Translational Medicine today.

18 Oct 2010

Paper presented at HBPR 2010 highlights relationship between BMI and blood pressure in children

The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) welcomes the findings of a paper presented today at the American Heart Association's High Blood Pressure Research 2010 Scientific Sessions (HBPR 2010) held in Washington, DC, USA.

18 Oct 2010

Oseltamivir reduces mortality in influenza A/H5N1 patients

A study published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases indicates that treatment with oseltamivir significantly reduces mortality in patients with influenza A/H5N1, or 'bird flu', even when given late in the course of illness.

15 Oct 2010

Crosstex International introduces customized surgical masks

Cantel Medical Corp., announced today the launch of a new, unique design of medical face masks - the SecureFit™ series by Crosstex International, a Cantel subsidiary and a leading U.S. manufacturer of medical face masks. The SecureFit™ series of masks addresses scientific research that points to poorly fitting masks as a major hindrance to their effectiveness.

15 Oct 2010

$Spinal fractures remain undiagnosed and untreated$

Spinal fractures remain undiagnosed and untreated

A new report issued by the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) for World Osteoporosis Day puts the spotlight on the severe impact of spinal fractures and calls on health professionals to recognize the signs of these fractures in their patients.

15 Oct 2010

Visa supports global law enforcement action against online sale of counterfeit, illegal medicines

Visa Inc. and Visa Europe today announced support for "Operation Pangea III," a global law enforcement action coordinated by INTERPOL targeting the online sale of counterfeit and illegal medicines resulting in arrests across the globe and the seizure of thousands of potentially harmful medicines.

15 Oct 2010

WHO Western Pacific meeting addresses immunization, TB control, women's health

The WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific meeting continued with leaders discussing regional immunization goals, public health emergencies, TB control, and the health effects of urbanization, multiple news outlets report.

15 Oct 2010

State News: Wash. adults could lose Medicaid coverage for prescriptions, Michigan restores services

Detroit Free Press: "Michigan has reopened through Nov. 30 a program that provides free or nearly free medical care to adults 21 and older. The benefits could help as many as 58,000 poor people — some who couldn't previously get help because the Adult Medical Program, as it is called, had been frozen since May 31, 2009, because of state budget cuts.

15 Oct 2010

Study reveals copy number variants exclusive to obese children

A new study by pediatric researchers has added to the evidence that genes have a strong influence on childhood obesity.

15 Oct 2010

Cancer cluster among Sydney Harbour Bridge workers triggers investigation

There are reports of a cancer cluster among Sydney Harbour Bridge workers with at least eight known cases that unions believe are linked to the use of lead paint. The Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) will investigate the matter. Of the eight workers five have already died and all of them had been involved in painting and maintaining the bridge for more than 10 years, the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) said. This included scraping off lead paint, initially with little protective equipment.

14 Oct 2010

A bad job is worse than unemployment: Mental health study

According to the latest research a bad job is worse than unemployment for a person’s mental health. The study was published today in the journal BMC Public Health. Australian National University (ANU) researchers conducted the study.

14 Oct 2010

Researchers report prevalence data on mental disorders among U.S. adolescents

Mental disorders in children are often difficult to identify due to the myriad of changes that occur during the normal course of maturation. For the first time, researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health have reported on the prevalence data on a broad range of mental disorders in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adolescents, which show that approximately one in five children in the U.S. meet the criteria for a mental disorder severe enough to disrupt their daily lives.

14 Oct 2010

European Society of Cardiology to commence new programme of Global Scientific Activities at GW-ICC

On the opening day of today's Great Wall International Congress of Cardiology in Beijing the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) will take its first step in a new programme of Global Scientific Activities. The GW-ICC will host a one-day ESC educational programme built around highlights from the Society's annual meeting in Stockholm and this year's newly published ESC guidelines.

14 Oct 2010

Center for Global Health faculty to participate in consortium to enhance medical knowledge in Nigeria

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine is among the U.S. medical schools and universities involved in an initiative to invest $130 million over five years to transform African medical education and dramatically increase the number of health workers.

14 Oct 2010

Israeli's have higher life expectancy than Americans and other OECD members

A new study conducted by a researcher at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) for Jerusalem's Taub Center for Social Policy Studies in Israel reports that Israeli's have a higher life expectancy on average than Americans and residents of other OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries.

14 Oct 2010

Federal guidance aims to reduce misuse of synthetic DNA to create dangerous organisms

Federal guidance issued today aims to reduce the risk that synthetic DNA will be misused deliberately to create dangerous organisms. Screening Framework Guidance for Providers of Synthetic Double-Stranded DNA, issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, supports national biosecurity goals and balances the promise of synthetic DNA with its potential biosecurity risks.

14 Oct 2010

Justices wrestle with issue of protecting vaccine makers

The Supreme Court is grappling with the question of how much protection the 1986 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act was meant to provide vaccine manufacturers against lawsuits. The case involves Hannah Bruesewitz, whose parents claim that a Wyeth-manufactured D.T.P. vaccine she received as an infant in 1992 led to developmental problems.

14 Oct 2010

Stop TB Partnership launches Global Plan to Stop TB 2011-2015

The WHO's Stop TB Partnership "laid out a new plan on Wednesday to combat tuberculosis and the nearly 2 million deaths it causes each year," Reuters reports.

14 Oct 2010

Walking six miles per week preserves memory in old age

New research suggests that walking at least six miles per week may protect brain size and in turn, preserve memory in old age, according to a study published in the October 13, 2010, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

14 Oct 2010

Today's Opeds: Individual mandate in court, on ballot and in campaigns

The first federal court decision on the constitutionality of the new health care reform law upheld its validity and dealt a well-deserved setback to opponents who are trying to overturn it.

14 Oct 2010