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Challenges in global health: rising to meet them could save millions of lives, say experts

Responding to the HIV/AIDS pandemic and tackling so-called neglected tropical diseases are the focus of the November/December 2009 edition of Health Affairs. The articles, by leading global health experts from around the world, show that although these challenges differ dramatically, rising to meet them could save millions of lives.

3 Nov 2009

Want to quit smoking? Try a nicotine patch plus a nicotine lozenge

In a comparison of five different smoking cessation medications, a nicotine patch plus a nicotine lozenge appears most effective at helping smokers quit, according to a report in the November issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

3 Nov 2009

No evidence found to link decreased physical activity and spike in obesity rates among U.S. adolescents

Decreased physical activity may have little to do with the recent spike in obesity rates among U.S. adolescents, according to researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

3 Nov 2009

Mortal combination of health problems that can double the risk of heart attack identified

Researchers at the University of Warwick have identified a particular combination of health problems that can double the risk of heart attack and cause a three-fold increase in the risk of mortality.

3 Nov 2009

NHLBI survey results reveal COPD awareness continues to grow in the United States

Awareness of COPD-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease-continues to grow in the United States, according to national survey results released today by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health.

3 Nov 2009

FDA: Guidance document on diagnostic tests for the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today published a guidance document that should help manufacturers develop diagnostic tests for the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus. Although there are not any FDA-approved or cleared tests that diagnose this specific infection, during this pandemic, manufacturers can submit a request to the FDA for an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).

3 Nov 2009

Swine flu vaccine supply expected to increase 'in short order'

A senior adviser to President Barack Obama says the government "overpromised" with the swine flu vaccine but that the vaccine supply would catch up with the demand within a week. Meanwhile, a health group established to monitor the vaccine's safety will begin work this week.

3 Nov 2009

Malaria conference begins in Nairobi, will highlight outlook for RTS,S experimental malaria vaccine

The 5th Multilateral Initiative on Malaria (MIM) Pan-African Conference "kicked off in Nairobi late Sunday with a call for substantial and sustained support for research to guide evidence-based policies and the development of new malaria tools, which together could save countless lives," Xinhua reports (11/2).

2 Nov 2009

U.S. officially ends HIV travel ban

The White House on Friday announced an end to a 22-year-old travel ban on HIV-positive foreigners visiting the U.S. or seeking residency, the New York Times reports. The newspaper writes that President Barack "Obama announced that a rule canceling the ban would be published on Monday and would take effect after a routine 60-day waiting period" (Preston, 10/30).

2 Nov 2009

Deaths from H1N1 rise by 700 in one week, WHO reports

The number of deaths from H1N1 (swine flu) rose by 700 in a week, to top 5,700 since the virus was first identified in April, the WHO reported Friday, Agence France-Presse reports (10/30).

2 Nov 2009

Washington Post examines role of USAID's Richard Greene

As part of its ongoing "Federal Player of the Week" series with the Partnership for Public Service, the Washington Post examines the role of Richard Greene, the head of USAID's Office of Health, Infectious Diseases, and Nutrition in the Bureau of Global Health.

2 Nov 2009

CBO: Few Americans would sign up for public health insurance plan

The New York Times: "More and more, the Great Health Care Debate of 2009 is a numbers game. And the longer the debate goes on, the squishier the numbers seem to get. For months, many leading Democrats, including President Obama, have pushed for the creation of a government-run insurance plan to compete with private insurers. A main argument was that a public plan would save people money. It would not be under pressure to earn profits, pay high private-sector salaries or deny needed care."

2 Nov 2009

Poor managerial leadership linked with the amont of sick leave taken at workplace

Perceived poor managerial leadership increases not only the amount of sick leave taken at a workplace, but also the risk of sickness amongst employees later on in life. The longer a person has had a "poorer" manager, the higher his or her risk of for example suffering a heart attack within a ten-year period, according to a new thesis from the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet.

2 Nov 2009

First Edition: November 2, 2009

Today's headlines feature insights into President Obama's behind-the-scenes role in advancing the Democrats' health overhaul efforts in Congress, plus more analysis of the public insurance option.

2 Nov 2009

Global health organizations observe World Pneumonia Day; urge governments to take steps to fight pneumonia

Nearly 100 leading global health organizations from around the world joined forces to recognize the first-annual World Pneumonia Day on November 2 and urge governments to take steps to fight pneumonia, the world’s leading killer of young children.

2 Nov 2009

Unexpected consequences emerge in patients who are prescribed PPI medications for reflux diseases

Despite being highly effective and beneficial for many patients, unexpected consequences are emerging in patients who are prescribed proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for reflux diseases. Physicians are warned to monitor these effects and prescribe these medications carefully, according to a new commentary published in the November 2009 issue of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery.

2 Nov 2009

Study examines trajectories in sleep disturbances before and after retirement over an extended time window

A study in the Nov.1 issue of the journal Sleep shows that retirement is followed by a sharp decrease in the prevalence of sleep disturbances. Findings suggest that this general improvement in sleep is likely to result from the removal of work-related demands and stress rather than from actual health benefits of retirement.

2 Nov 2009

WCMC-Q's biomedical research program makes significant progress

The biomedical research program of Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar has made significant progress in its dual goals of advancing basic science and building a sustainable research community in Qatar since it was launched less than a year and a half ago.

2 Nov 2009

IVCC to launch new Malaria Decision Support System at MIM conference

IVCC will launch its new Malaria Decision Support System MDSS) at the 5th Pan-African Multilateral Initiative (MIM) conference in Nairobi, Kenya, 1-6 November 2009.

2 Nov 2009

Congressman Mike Thompson lauded for endorsing the Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Act

Today, Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA) praised Congressman Mike Thompson (D-CA) for his endorsement of the Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Act of 2009. Thompson joins Representatives Michael Honda (D-CA), Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) in strengthening California's Congressional support for this critically needed legislation.

31 Oct 2009

Public Health News and Research

Challenges in global health: rising to meet them could save millions of lives, say experts

Want to quit smoking? Try a nicotine patch plus a nicotine lozenge

No evidence found to link decreased physical activity and spike in obesity rates among U.S. adolescents

Mortal combination of health problems that can double the risk of heart attack identified

NHLBI survey results reveal COPD awareness continues to grow in the United States

FDA: Guidance document on diagnostic tests for the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus

Swine flu vaccine supply expected to increase 'in short order'

Malaria conference begins in Nairobi, will highlight outlook for RTS,S experimental malaria vaccine

U.S. officially ends HIV travel ban

Deaths from H1N1 rise by 700 in one week, WHO reports

Washington Post examines role of USAID's Richard Greene

CBO: Few Americans would sign up for public health insurance plan

Poor managerial leadership linked with the amont of sick leave taken at workplace

First Edition: November 2, 2009

Global health organizations observe World Pneumonia Day; urge governments to take steps to fight pneumonia

Unexpected consequences emerge in patients who are prescribed PPI medications for reflux diseases

Study examines trajectories in sleep disturbances before and after retirement over an extended time window

WCMC-Q's biomedical research program makes significant progress

IVCC to launch new Malaria Decision Support System at MIM conference

Congressman Mike Thompson lauded for endorsing the Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Act

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