H1N1 News and Research

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Novel influenza A (H1N1) is a new flu virus of swine origin that was first detected in Mexico and the United States in March and April, 2009. The first novel H1N1 patient in the United States was confirmed by laboratory testing at CDC on April 15, 2009. The second patient was confirmed on April 17, 2009. It was quickly determined that the virus was spreading from person-to-person. On April 22, CDC activated its Emergency Operations Center to better coordinate the public health response. On April 26, 2009, the United States Government declared a public health emergency.

It’s thought that novel influenza A (H1N1) flu spreads in the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread; mainly through the coughs and sneezes of people who are sick with the virus.

Providing Tamiflu and educating on sanitizer use helped to stop spread of H1N1 at boys' summer camp

Providing preventive Tamiflu and educating and emphasizing the need for repeated hand sanitizer use and disinfectant spray helped stop the spread of H1N1 influenza at a boys' summer camp in northern Alabama, according the co-director of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases.

4 Feb 2010

Mandatory flu shot program increases vaccination rate to more than 98% in BJC HealthCare

Making flu shots mandatory in 2008 dramatically increased the vaccination rate among St. Louis-based BJC HealthCare's nearly 26,000 employees to more than 98 percent, according to a report now online in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

4 Feb 2010

New York Times examines WHO process for getting H1N1 vaccines to countries in need

The New York Times examines the WHO's role as a "clearinghouse" for getting the H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine to lower income nations. Though H1N1 has died down in North America and many wealthier nations "are trying to get rid of their [vaccine] surpluses," the virus continues to circulate in regions of North Africa, Central Asia and Eastern Europe, according to the newspaper.

3 Feb 2010

Penn Medicine experts available to offer medical insight and commentary during 2010 Winter Olympics

Experts from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine are available to offer expert medical insight and commentary during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver on issues ranging from the effects of performance enhancing drugs to concerns about the spread of novel H1N1, head trauma and more.

3 Feb 2010

Pandemic H1N1 influenza of swine origin has distinct means of transmission from seasonal flu

Current research suggests that pandemic H1N1 influenza of swine origin has distinct means of transmission from the seasonal flu, yet does not result in the pathogenic severity of avian flu viruses.

2 Feb 2010

Romark Laboratories commences enrollment in Alinia clinical trial for acute uncomplicated influenza

Romark Laboratories announced that it has initiated enrollment of patients in a clinical trial of Alinia® (nitazoxanide) for treating acute uncomplicated influenza including illness caused by the currently circulating H1N1 strain.

1 Feb 2010

Humana announces consolidated revenues of $7.63 billion for fourth-quarter 2009

Humana Inc. today reported diluted earnings per common share (EPS) for the quarter ended December 31, 2009 (4Q09) of $1.48, as compared to $1.03 per share for the quarter ended December 31, 2008 (4Q08), reflecting lower PDP claim expenses in 4Q09 than in 4Q08.

1 Feb 2010

Canada to donate 5m doses of H1N1 vaccine to WHO; agency has received commitment of 200m vaccines

The Canadian government on Thursday announced the country would donate five million doses of H1N1 vaccines to the WHO from the country's current surplus, the Canadian Press reports (Branswell, 1/28).

30 Jan 2010

Agent-enhanced CT scan plays a supporting role in diagnosing severe cases of H1N1 flu virus

Published reports on the usefulness of CT scans for complicated H1N1 cases have spurred use of these procedures in U.S. hospitals. According to healthcare market research publisher Kalorama Information, this opens up a pathway of diagnostics for physicians and overall is a positive sign not only for the technology but also for companies making chemical agents for procedures.

29 Jan 2010

Life Technologies reports fourth-quarter and fiscal year results ended December 31, 2009

Life Technologies Corporation today announced results for its fourth quarter and full year ending December 31, 2009. Non-GAAP revenue for the fourth quarter was $874 million, resulting in full year non-GAAP revenues of $3.30 billion, an increase of 5 percent over the $3.14 billion reported for 2008, as if Invitrogen and Applied Biosystems had been combined.

From Danaher 28 Jan 2010

National contest invites teens and teachers to participate in flu prevention campaign

Former American Idol finalist Danny Gokey and The Clorox Company have teamed up to launch I Don't Want to Miss…, a national contest designed to get teens and their teachers involved in flu prevention.

28 Jan 2010

Sinovac prices public offering at $5.75 per common share

Sinovac Biotech Ltd., a leading China-based vaccine manufacturer, announced today that it has priced its public offering of 10,000,000 common shares at $5.75 per common share. Sinovac has granted the underwriters a 30-day over-allotment option to purchase up to an additional 1,500,000 common shares on the same terms and conditions.

28 Jan 2010

African vaccine maker plans to increase production capacity sevenfold by 2013

Biovac Institute, a South African vaccine maker, said Monday that it is working with other major pharmaceutical firms to increase its annual capacity sevenfold to 35 million doses by 2013, Reuters reports.

28 Jan 2010

WHO addresses handling of H1N1 at Council of Europe meeting

During a Council of Europe meeting on Tuesday to address the WHO's handling of the H1N1 virus, the WHO said it had not "fallen under the sway of drugs firms and exaggerated the dangers of the H1N1 flu virus, but said it might have handled the crisis better," Reuters reports.

27 Jan 2010

MBL generates human monoclonal antibodies against pandemic A type influenza virus

Medical & Biological Laboratories Co., Ltd. (MBL), with the collaboration of Osaka University, has successfully generated several fully human monoclonal antibodies against pandemic A (H1N1 and H3N2) type influenza virus by utilizing blood samples from volunteers who were inoculated with influenza vaccine.

27 Jan 2010

Recipients of the 2010 Media Awards for Health Reporting announced

The Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) and the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) today announced the recipients of the 2010 Media Awards for Health Reporting, Canada's premier health journalism awards.

27 Jan 2010

WHO Director-General highlights global health gains, challenges at executive board meeting

During the WHO's recent executive board meeting, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan reflected on public health gains over the past decade and the challenges that lie ahead, Nigeria's Guardian reports. Chan commended the international community's response to H1N1 and global efforts to reduce child mortality, fight malaria and tuberculosis.

27 Jan 2010

Health care providers play a critical role in H1N1 vaccinations

Results from the latest C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health indicate health care providers play a critical role in influencing parents and patients to vaccinate their children and themselves against H1N1 flu.

27 Jan 2010

WHO rejects accusations it mishandled H1N1, updates worldwide stats

WHO spokesperson Gregory Hartl on Monday rejected accusations that the organization miscategorized H1N1 (swine flu) as a pandemic, calling such accusations "irresponsible," the Associated Press/Washington Post reports. "WHO also dismissed claims it colluded with drug companies to bring economic benefit to the industry by playing up the danger of the new H1N1 [swine flu] influenza strain," the news service writes.

27 Jan 2010

Department of Health to continue H1N1 vaccination clinics every Saturday in Pennsylvania

In an effort to ensure that Pennsylvania's citizens are protected against the H1N1 flu virus, the Department of Health will continue public vaccination clinics at all 60 state health centers every Saturday through Feb. 6 from 9 a.m. to noon.

23 Jan 2010

H1N1 News and Research

Providing Tamiflu and educating on sanitizer use helped to stop spread of H1N1 at boys' summer camp

Mandatory flu shot program increases vaccination rate to more than 98% in BJC HealthCare

New York Times examines WHO process for getting H1N1 vaccines to countries in need

Penn Medicine experts available to offer medical insight and commentary during 2010 Winter Olympics

Pandemic H1N1 influenza of swine origin has distinct means of transmission from seasonal flu

Romark Laboratories commences enrollment in Alinia clinical trial for acute uncomplicated influenza

Humana announces consolidated revenues of $7.63 billion for fourth-quarter 2009

Canada to donate 5m doses of H1N1 vaccine to WHO; agency has received commitment of 200m vaccines

Agent-enhanced CT scan plays a supporting role in diagnosing severe cases of H1N1 flu virus

Life Technologies reports fourth-quarter and fiscal year results ended December 31, 2009

National contest invites teens and teachers to participate in flu prevention campaign

Sinovac prices public offering at $5.75 per common share

African vaccine maker plans to increase production capacity sevenfold by 2013

WHO addresses handling of H1N1 at Council of Europe meeting

MBL generates human monoclonal antibodies against pandemic A type influenza virus

Recipients of the 2010 Media Awards for Health Reporting announced

WHO Director-General highlights global health gains, challenges at executive board meeting

Health care providers play a critical role in H1N1 vaccinations

WHO rejects accusations it mishandled H1N1, updates worldwide stats

Department of Health to continue H1N1 vaccination clinics every Saturday in Pennsylvania

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