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Measles outbreak in northern NSW and Queensland

There is a confirmed measles outbreak just south of the Queensland border according to Queensland Health authorities. There have been seven cases of this highly infectious disease at Tweed Heads, NSW, including a person who reportedly visited a McDonald’s restaurant at Coolangatta over the weekend. Any residents who visited the fast food outlet between 8am and 1pm on Saturday are advised to check their vaccination status.

23 Aug 2010

Rural development in Australia

Rural health services in Australia are in bad shape. Cancer mortality rates are higher, waiting lines for doctor visits are longer, and budget share of Medicare spending is lower. Despite this the issue has not drawn the attention of the election campaign.

23 Aug 2010

Flu vaccine to be available at local pharmacies, doctor's offices

Flu vaccine will soon be available at local pharmacies and doctor's offices, and government officials are urging everyone over 6 months of age to receive it. This year's vaccine protects against H1N1 and two other strains of seasonal flu.

23 Aug 2010

Brain can act as a hiding place for HIV virus: Study

Studies of the spinal fluid of patients given anti-HIV drugs have resulted in new findings suggesting that the brain can act as a hiding place for the HIV virus. Around 10% of patients showed traces of the virus in their spinal fluid but not in their blood.

23 Aug 2010

Cornell University experts comment on recall of 380 million eggs

Cornell University experts on farm animals and food safety comment on the recall of at least 380 million eggs in the past week due to concerns over salmonella contamination.

21 Aug 2010

US oncology announces its contributions in development of 42 novel cancer therapies

US Oncology, Inc., the nation's leading integrated oncology company, announced today that in less than two decades it has played a role in the development of 42 novel cancer therapies approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.

21 Aug 2010

Cardinal DiNardo calls for support on 'No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act'

Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo, chair of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Pro-Life Activities, called on members of the House of Representatives to support the "No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act" (H.R. 5939), introduced by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) at the end of July.

21 Aug 2010

Low testosterone levels to blame for low libido, fatigue and weight gain

While most frequently associated with women's health, age-related hormone changes, often dubbed menopause, can occur in men as well, causing symptoms of fatigue, mood swings, decreased desire for sex, hair loss, lack of concentration and weight gain. Experts estimate that more than 5 million men are affected, yet worry the number may be considerably higher since symptoms are frequently ignored.

21 Aug 2010

Prescription opioids can be gate way to illicit drug addiction: Study

Thirty-one of 75 patients hospitalized for opioid detoxification told University at Buffalo physicians they first got hooked on drugs legitimately prescribed for pain. Another 24 began with a friend's left-over prescription pills or pilfered from a parent's medicine cabinet. The remaining 20 patients said they got hooked on street drugs.

21 Aug 2010

Report says developing countries remain unprepared for cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment

"Developing countries will bear 60 percent of the world's cancer burden by 2020 and 70 percent by 2030," according to a report released Thursday during the World Cancer Congress in Shenzhen, China, Reuters reports. These countries also lack the necessary "infrastructure … to prevent cancer, diagnose it early or provide long-term treatment, according to CanTreat International, which comprises experts from leading international cancer organizations," the news service writes.

20 Aug 2010

Many ED patients could have been treated in an urgent care center: Study

The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control's (CDC) National Health Statistics Reports shows continued use of the nation's emergency rooms for conditions that could be treated in an urgent care setting.

20 Aug 2010

NSF issues award to develop techniques for analyzing children's behavior

A team led by the Georgia Institute of Technology has received a $10 million "Expeditions in Computing" award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop novel computing techniques for measuring and analyzing the behavior of children.

20 Aug 2010

Education and caution needed before taking nutritional supplements to reduce cancer risks

Men and women should educate themselves and use caution before taking nutritional supplements to reduce their cancer risks, according to experts at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center.

20 Aug 2010

Hospitals seek to end emergency room violence

NPR: A Maryland program is seeking to curb hospital violence. "Hospital emergency rooms are filled with the fallout of violent crime. Sometimes, the victims and the perpetrators are one and the same. It's a cycle of violence many would like to end.

20 Aug 2010

Quality issue roundup: J & J revamping controls; The odds for orthopedic surgery; Automatic prescription refills and patient compliance

The New York Times: Johnson & Johnson has said it will "revamp its quality controls, creating a single framework for its drug, medical device and consumer health care divisions." The move comes after the drugmaker saw a number of recalls of its medicines, such as Tylenol and Motrin, as well as probes by a congressional committee and the FDA into actions at its McNeil Consumer Healthcare subsidiary.

20 Aug 2010

Scientists suggest combination vaccine prevents pertussis

If you think you shouldn't be worried about your child's—or your—lingering, nagging cough, think again. Pertussis has reemerged on the scene. In what some public health officials are calling the worst outbreak in 50 years, pertussis, better known by its unique sound—whooping cough, has been found in six states with 1,500 cases reported, six of them fatal.

19 Aug 2010

NAFC to sponsor free medical clinic for uninsured Gulf Coast area residents

Gulf Coast area residents who are without health insurance are urged to register now for the upcoming massive free clinic to be held in New Orleans on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1.

19 Aug 2010

Ragweed allergy season more miserable for people with dog, cat or dust mite allergies

Ragweed allergy season can be even more miserable for those with dog, cat or dust mite allergies, according to new research. These year-round allergies appear to "pre-prime" the immune system so symptoms hit harder, according to a study recently published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, the scientific journal of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI).

19 Aug 2010

Protection from unrealistic claims of Direct to consumer genetic tests needed

Direct to consumer (DTC) genetic tests are increasingly being marketed to the public via television, print ads, and the Internet. These home genetic tests provide access to a person's genomic information without necessarily involving a doctor or insurance company in the process.

19 Aug 2010

Hospitals grapple with increasing ER visits; LA officials order changes to boost patient safety; Mass. nurse fired after reporting problem

"Hartford Hospital opened an expanded emergency department this month, with new rooms and triage areas meant to keep up with an increase in patient visits. Across town, St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center is preparing to double its emergency department space as part of a new 10-story tower set to open next spring. UConn's John Dempsey Hospital expanded its emergency department earlier this year in response to rising patient volume, but there are still days when patients wait in the hallways because the rooms are full. Emergency department visits are increasing in Connecticut and across the country, and doctors say they are likely to become even busier as health reform rolls out."

19 Aug 2010