Public Health News and Research

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Flu vaccine shortages in developing countries could destabilize global security, says former WHO deputy head

"Flu vaccine shortages in developing nations may destabilize global security should the H1N1 [swine flu] virus become more deadly … David Heymann, a former deputy head of the World Health Organization" said Monday, Bloomberg reports.

10 Dec 2009

Pelosi: Depending on Senate, House could work part of Christmas week

CQ Politics: "Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday she wouldn't rule out keeping the House in session for part of Christmas week, if that could lead to final action this year on a health care overhaul. Right now, however, such a scenario appears unlikely." In the Senate, Democratic leaders are waiting for an updated Congressional Budget Office analysis -- a report not expected before next week -- that includes the most recent round of proposals to the bill they are considering.

10 Dec 2009

Fewer Massachusetts taxpayers penalized for lacking health insurance

The Boston Globe: "Fewer Massachusetts taxpayers were penalized for lacking required health insurance last year than were fined in 2007, the state said yesterday in a report reflecting the second year that residents had to report on their tax returns whether they were covered under the state's near-universal-coverage mandate.

10 Dec 2009

Key Democratic Senators aren't yet committing to health bill

Some of the key players in the health care debate are featured in news articles today.

10 Dec 2009

UnitedHealth Group invests $5.4M in The Help Group’s tax-exempt revenue bonds

The Help Group received $5,395,000 in capital that will support development of its newest campus serving Los Angeles-area children, adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorders.

10 Dec 2009

Differences between Senate and House health bills increase

CNN reports that the Senate's public option "compromise appears to be a far cry from the government-backed public health care option offered in the House bill. The Senate's original health care bill included a public option similar to that of the House version.

10 Dec 2009

Public health information website to provide information about advanced disinfectants launched

TouchSurfaces.Org launches a public health information website alerting visitors on how the hard surfaces in the home, the work place, and in public venues can act as host to a multitude of infectious viruses and bacteria including H1N1, MRSA, HIV, and others.

10 Dec 2009

Despite worldwide outbreak of H1N1 virus, American adults not eager to get vaccinated

American adults are not being vaccinated against the seasonal flu any more often than they were last year, despite increased public discussion of the importance of influenza vaccines resulting from the worldwide outbreak of the H1N1 virus, according to a new RAND Corporation study.

10 Dec 2009

Tobacco prevention and cessation programs: States cut funding by more than 15%

The states are collecting record amounts of revenue from the 1998 tobacco settlement and tobacco taxes, but have cut funding for programs to reduce tobacco use by more than 15 percent in the past year, according to a report released today by a coalition of public health organizations.

10 Dec 2009

New survey shows doctors are more likely to report side effects through EHR system

Pfizer announced today results of a survey the company recently sponsored that shows physicians are more likely to report side effects through an electronic health records (EHR) system, as compared to traditional paper methods. Nearly 60 percent of physicians who responded to the survey also agreed that adverse event reporting through an EHR system would improve patient care.

10 Dec 2009

Franklin County Commissioners provide $7 million to prevent premature births

Saving the lives of children is the goal of a $7 million announcement today by Franklin County Commissioners Paula Brooks, Marilyn Brown and John O'Grady.

10 Dec 2009

Sanofi Pasteur expands dengue vaccine clinical program in Latin America

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of the sanofi-aventis Group (EURONEXT: SAN and SNY), announced today the expansion of its dengue vaccine clinical program in Latin America with a new multicenter study in children and adolescent in Mexico, Colombia, Honduras and Puerto Rico. This new multicenter study complements an earlier study in Mexico and an ongoing study in Peru.

10 Dec 2009

Study reveals increased discussion on flu vaccines has no significant impact on public's behavior

Seasonal flu vaccination rates among American adults have only slightly improved over last year, despite increased public discussion of the importance of influenza vaccines resulting from the worldwide outbreak of the H1N1 virus.

10 Dec 2009

Rise in U.S. disability health care spending, but preventive care may reduce expenditure

Just over one-quarter of U.S. adult health care spending was associated with disability in 2006, according to a new study by researchers at RTI International and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.

10 Dec 2009

New research shows increase risk of cardiovascular disease for people on low-carbohydrate high-fat diets

New scientific research has shown that low-carbohydrate high-fat diets, made popular by the likes of the Atkins diet, do not achieve more weight loss than low-fat high-carbohydrate diets. Worryingly, the research, lead by Dr Steven Hunter from the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, also shows significantly increased risks of cardiovascular disease for people following low-carbohydrate high-fat diets

9 Dec 2009

More number of obese adults are turning to bariatric surgery as a last resort, says WHO

The obesity epidemic is a staggering public health problem and despite increased attention and education, the WHO still predicts the number of obese adults worldwide to increase from 400 million to 700 million between 2005 and 2015.

9 Dec 2009

NIH awards Lentigen a SBIR grant for program to generate Hepatitis C Virus-Like Particles

Lentigen Corporation, a biotechnology company specializing in the development and manufacture of lentiviral gene delivery technologies, announced today that it has received a National Institutes of Health (NIH) small business innovation research (SBIR) grant for a program on "A Novel Method of Generating Hepatitis C Virus-Like Particles using Lentivirus". In this program, Lentigen will collaborate with Epixis SA (Paris, France).

9 Dec 2009

New York cuts drug reimbursements, states trim tobacco prevention funding

The Associated Press: "States cut funding for state tobacco prevention programs more than 15 percent this year, pushing it further than ever below federally recommended levels, according to a report that a coalition of public health groups is releasing Wednesday.

9 Dec 2009

March of Dimes poll finds majority of pregnant women worry about birth defects

The March of Dimes polled about 1,200 moms to find out exactly what it is that caused them to lose sleep (other than the fact they were pregnant!) while they were pregnant. The results were presented today at the March of Dimes National Communications Advisory Council luncheon where experienced, practicing obstetricians and gynecologists discussed the survey results, as well as some of the frequently asked questions their patients ask.

9 Dec 2009

LCA and national organizations join hands to address lung cancer

Today, Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA) praised the growing coalition of national organizations joining LCA in its "call to action" to devise a better public health strategy to address the nation's most lethal cancer.

9 Dec 2009

Public Health News and Research

Flu vaccine shortages in developing countries could destabilize global security, says former WHO deputy head

Pelosi: Depending on Senate, House could work part of Christmas week

Fewer Massachusetts taxpayers penalized for lacking health insurance

Key Democratic Senators aren't yet committing to health bill

UnitedHealth Group invests $5.4M in The Help Group’s tax-exempt revenue bonds

Differences between Senate and House health bills increase

Public health information website to provide information about advanced disinfectants launched

Despite worldwide outbreak of H1N1 virus, American adults not eager to get vaccinated

Tobacco prevention and cessation programs: States cut funding by more than 15%

New survey shows doctors are more likely to report side effects through EHR system

Franklin County Commissioners provide $7 million to prevent premature births

Sanofi Pasteur expands dengue vaccine clinical program in Latin America

Study reveals increased discussion on flu vaccines has no significant impact on public's behavior

Rise in U.S. disability health care spending, but preventive care may reduce expenditure

New research shows increase risk of cardiovascular disease for people on low-carbohydrate high-fat diets

More number of obese adults are turning to bariatric surgery as a last resort, says WHO

NIH awards Lentigen a SBIR grant for program to generate Hepatitis C Virus-Like Particles

New York cuts drug reimbursements, states trim tobacco prevention funding

March of Dimes poll finds majority of pregnant women worry about birth defects

LCA and national organizations join hands to address lung cancer

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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