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Search for vaccine to prevent Chlamydia

It's the most common bacteria-related sexually transmitted disease in the United States, so researchers at The University of Texas at San Antonio's South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases (STCEID) and The University of Texas at San Antonio Health Science Center have partnered to discover a vaccine that will prevent Chlamydia.

19 Feb 2007

Chinese authorities praise HIV/AIDS advocate Gao after preventing her from coming to U.S.

The Chinese government on Monday praised HIV/AIDS advocate and retired physician Gao Yaojie after placing her under house arrest last week to prevent her from visiting the U.S. to accept an award from the group Vital Voices Global Partnership, the AP/International Herald Tribune reports.

19 Feb 2007

Jesse Jackson urges HIV awareness, testing, more research for a cure

The Rev. Jesse Jackson on Monday in Philadelphia at the 2007 National Conference on African-Americans and AIDS called for increased research funding to find a cure for HIV/AIDS, as well as more awareness about HIV testing, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

19 Feb 2007

Chinese HIV/AIDS advocate Gao Yaojie remains under house arrest

Chinese HIV/AIDS advocate and retired physician Gao Yaojie on Thursday said she remains under house arrest despite abandoning plans to visit the U.S. to accept an award from the group Vital Voices Global Partnership, the New York Times reports

19 Feb 2007

Senate HELP committee passes mental health legislation

The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Wednesday voted 18-3 to approve a bill (S 558) sponsored by Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) that would require health insurers to provide the same level of coverage for treatment of mental illnesses and substance abuse as they provide for physical illnesses, CQ Today reports.

19 Feb 2007

Bush signs $463.5 billion fiscal year 2007 appropriations bill

President Bush on Thursday signed a $463.5 billion fiscal year 2007 omnibus appropriations bill, which includes increased funds for health programs, the AP/Arizona Daily Star reports (AP/Arizona Daily Star, 2/16).

19 Feb 2007

Where you live influences risk of heart attack or stroke

Sure you think about diet and exercise as key to heart disease prevention. But what about the neighborhood you live in?

18 Feb 2007

Millions to benefit from mental health insurance

New legislation in the United States will mean that health insurance companies will have to offer mental health coverage on a par with financial and treatment coverage offered for other physical illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes or asthma.

18 Feb 2007

Survey finds perceived risk of recurrence is low in African American breast cancer survivors

A unique survey of African American breast cancer survivors at heightened risk for hereditary breast cancer has found the majority do not believe they have an increased chance of developing the cancer again.

15 Feb 2007

Response to "The HIV/AIDS Crisis in Papua New Guinea"

The report titled The HIV/AIDS Crisis in Papua New Guinea by Miranda Darling Tobias which was released on 8 February by The Centre for Independent Studies is conceptually and methodologically problematic in its analysis of the impact of the HIV epidemic in Papua New Guinea (PNG).

14 Feb 2007

Texas lawmakers ask Gov. Perry to rescind order mandating HPV vaccination for girls entering sixth grade

Thirty-two Texas lawmakers last Thursday sent a letter to Gov. Rick Perry (R) reiterating their plea for him to rescind an executive order that would mandate vaccination against human papillomavirus for girls entering the sixth grade, the AP/Dallas Morning News reports.

13 Feb 2007

Actions taken on HPV vaccine proposals in Alabama, Louisiana, Utah, Washington

The following highlights recent news of state actions on human papillomavirus vaccine proposals. Merck's HPV vaccine Gardasil and GlaxoSmithKline's HPV vaccine Cervarix in clinical trials have been shown to be 100% effective in preventing infection with HPV strains 16 and 18, which together cause about 70% of cervical cancer cases.

13 Feb 2007

Rwanda plans to control population growth

Officials in Rwanda within the coming months plan to unveil a campaign promoting contraception and family planning to control the country's population growth and stabilize its economy, the New York Times reports.

13 Feb 2007

Brazil to continue plans to install condom vending machines in schools nationwide for HIV prevention

Brazil's Ministry of Health on Tuesday pledged to continue plans to install condom vending machines in schools nationwide as part of the country's HIV prevention efforts, Reuters/Washington Post reports.

12 Feb 2007

Congress likely to approve FDA prescription drug safety reforms in 2007

The Baltimore Sun on Friday examined how Democrats' takeover of Congress and the expiration of a law that requires drug manufacturers to pay user fees to FDA "is driving a flurry of activity that could lead to major changes" in the agency's drug safety policies.

12 Feb 2007

South Africa starts major HIV/AIDS vaccine trial

The launch of the first large-scale study to evaluate a candidate HIV vaccine on the African continent was announced today by study collaborators in the United States and South Africa. The trial will involve up to 3,000 participants at five sites throughout South Africa and is expected to continue for four years.

11 Feb 2007

African-American women three times more likely to deliver babies prematurely

African-American women are three times more likely to deliver babies three to 17 weeks prematurely than Caucasian women, according to a review of Missouri birth statistics by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

11 Feb 2007

Scientists discover enzym that activates epigenetically silenced genes

For several years now, cancer researchers have been studying a mechanism that contributes to the development of malignant tumors: The cell attaches small molecules containing a carbon atom, called methyl groups, to specific building blocks of DNA, thereby individually switching off the genes thus labeled.

11 Feb 2007

Aprotinin use associated with an increased risk of death following CABG surgery

Aprotinin, a drug used for limiting blood loss in patients undergoing cardiac surgery, is associated with an increased risk of death during five years following the surgery, according to a new study in the February 7 issue of JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association.

7 Feb 2007

Children who sleep more tend to weigh less

Children who slept more had lower BMI (body mass index) measures and were less likely to be overweight five years later than their counterparts who slept less, even when their BMI and overweight status and such factors as parents' income and education and the children's race and ethnicity were taken into consideration.

7 Feb 2007