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Thailand says Laos to blame for spread of bird flu

According to official sources an emergency cabinet meeting has been held in the communist state of Laos to discuss how to combat the latest outbreak of avian influenza in the landlocked country.

31 Jul 2006

HHS to stockpile Anthrax immune globulin

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced it will purchase 10,000 therapeutic courses of treatment of Anthrax Immune Globulin (AIG) from Cangene Corporation of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada for a total of $143,833,719.

30 Jul 2006

Mad dogs and Englishmen should stay out of the midday sun!

In a timely release, as much of Europe and Britain in particular sizzles through an unusually hot summer, a new report is warning against the dangers of exposure to the sun.

30 Jul 2006

Blair threatens food and drinks industry with legislation

British Prime Minister Tony Blair has virtually given the food and drinks industry in the UK an ultimatum saying unless the "junk food" industry can sort itself out it will be forced to restrict advertising to children next year.

27 Jul 2006

Simple policies could control a smallpox epidemic

A series of simple public health policies would be able to effectively contain the spread of smallpox if it were released into a population, according to research published in PNAS.

27 Jul 2006

Thailand confirms case of human infection with H5N1 avian influenza

The Ministry of Public Health in Thailand has confirmed a case of human infection with H5N1 avian influenza.

26 Jul 2006

Taking multivitamins around time of conception reduces preeclampsia risk

Women who are considering becoming pregnant may significantly reduce their risk of developing a common life-threatening complication called preeclampsia by taking a multivitamin supplement regularly three months before conception and during the first trimester of pregnancy.

26 Jul 2006

Nitric oxide reduces lung disease in premature, very-low-birth-weight infants

Delivering nitric oxide to the lungs of premature, very-low-birth-weight infants during their second week of life improves their chances of surviving without chronic lung disease, according to a national study of nearly 600 babies.

26 Jul 2006

Active transportation increases adherence to activity recommendations

Some California residents who walk or bike to work or errands may not be as inactive as previous studies - which focused on leisure-time physical activity - have suggested.

26 Jul 2006

Midlife physical activity and mobility in older age

More physical activity in midlife translates to more physical mobility in old age, researchers conclude in a new study of older adults living in the Chianti region of Italy.

26 Jul 2006

Vaccination with irradiated Listeria induced protective T cell immunity

Vaccines made with bacteria killed by gamma irradiation, rather than by standard methods of heat or chemical inactivation, may be more effective, say researchers.

26 Jul 2006

Increasing rates of diabetes among U.S. adults

Adults in the United States have increasingly become overweight or obese in recent years, according to a national survey conducted for Indiana University, dispelling the notion of a plateau and injecting a note of urgency into efforts to help Americans achieve a healthier weight.

26 Jul 2006

Breakdown of disease caused by UV radiation

Ultraviolet radiation from the sun causes a considerable global disease burden, including specific cancers, a new World Health Organization (WHO) report finds.

25 Jul 2006

FDA approves Elaprase (idursulfase) for Hunter syndrome

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Elaprase (idursulfase), the first product for the treatment of Hunter syndrome (Mucopolysaccharidosis II, or MPS II).

25 Jul 2006

Global early warning system for zoonoses launched

A global early warning system for animal diseases transmissible to humans (zoonoses) was formally launched this week by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

24 Jul 2006