Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Latest Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Progress on child survival rate since 2000

The pace of reducing child deaths has accelerated sharply since 2000, according to new data released by UNICEF, the World Health Organization, the World Bank and the UN Population Division.

14 Sep 2012

Objective response rate promising after crizotinib for NSCLC

More than half of the latest evaluated participants from the ongoing phase II PROFILE 1005 trial of crizotinib against ALK-positive advanced non-small-cell lung cancer, achieved an objective tumor response, report researchers.

14 Sep 2012

Global child mortality rates fall 41% since 1990, U.N. reports

"Child mortality worldwide has fallen 41 percent since 1990, the result of myriad improvements in nutrition, access to vaccines and antibiotics, cleaner deliveries, better care of infants immediately after birth, and the use of insecticide-treated mosquito nets," according to "the findings of a report released Wednesday by three United Nations agencies and the World Bank," the Washington Post reports.

14 Sep 2012

U-M develops new guidelines for family physicians to evaluate urinary leakage in women

Millions of women experience a loss of bladder control, or urinary incontinence, in their lifetime. It's a common and often embarrassing problem that many patients don't bring up with their doctors - and when they do, it may be mentioned as a casual side note during a visit for more pressing medical issues.

14 Sep 2012

Model predicts lung cancer risk

Researchers have shown that The Liverpool Lung Project Risk Model is effective in identifying those at the highest risk for lung cancer within 5 years, and who are therefore suitable for computed tomography screening.

13 Sep 2012

Pam2Cys nasal spray may be useful agent against pandemics and emerging viral strains

In an advance toward development of a nasal spray that protects against infection with influenza and spread of the disease, scientists are reporting identification of a substance that activates the first-line defense system against infection inside the nose. They describe effects of a synthetic form of a natural substance found in bacterial cell walls in ACS' journal Molecular Pharmaceutics.

13 Sep 2012

First study to report on vitamin D levels in large groups of critically ill children

Vitamin D is increasingly being recognized as important for good health. Vitamin D is a hormone made in the skin following sun exposure or acquired from diet and supplement intake. Previous medical research has shown that low body levels of vitamin D make people more susceptible to problems such as bone fractures, poor mental health and infections like the common cold.

13 Sep 2012

Genzyme receives FDA approval for AUBAGIO to treat relapsing forms of MS

Genzyme, a Sanofi company, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved AUBAGIO (teriflunomide) as a new once-daily, oral treatment indicated for patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS).

13 Sep 2012

Alarm raised over preoperative hyponatremia

Preoperative hyponatremia is common and, even when mild, carries a risk for perioperative complications and mortality, shows a large cohort study.

12 Sep 2012

Gene therapy regimen can safely restore immune systems to children with Bubble Boy disease

UCLA stem cell researchers have found that a gene therapy regimen can safely restore immune systems to children with so-called "Bubble Boy" disease, a life threatening condition that if left untreated can be fatal within one to two years.

12 Sep 2012

Researchers investigate whether altruism influences parental decisions to vaccinate children

As outbreaks of preventable diseases such as whooping cough and measles increase in the United States, researchers from the Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University School of Medicine are investigating whether altruism, known to influence adults' decisions to immunize themselves, influences parental decisions to vaccinate their children.

12 Sep 2012

Many pediatric respiratory hospitalizations unnecessary

Study findings suggest that a large number of pediatric hospitalizations, particularly those of a respiratory nature, could be prevented.

11 Sep 2012

Individuals without capacity excluded from potentially beneficial trials

Individuals who lack the capacity to consent to taking part in clinical trials could be missing out on the opportunity to receive potentially beneficial interventions, shows UK research.

11 Sep 2012

Pfizer, Visterra collaborate to discover novel antibodies

Visterra Inc., developer of novel therapeutics to treat major diseases, announced today that it has entered into a collaboration agreement with Pfizer to discover novel antibodies using Visterra's proprietary platform.

11 Sep 2012

Arsanis to develop monoclonal antibody therapeutics against nosocomial infections

Arsanis Biosciences GmbH, an early stage biotechnology company developing anti-infective human monoclonal antibodies, today announced the award of two major grants for the development of monoclonal antibody therapeutics against nosocomial infections.

11 Sep 2012

Stanford and MBL scientists win prestigious Lasker Awards

Scientists who invented new ways to study how "cargo" is moved within cells and, as a result, discovered a new biological motor protein, kinesin, at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole, Mass., have received the prestigious 2012 Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research, the Albert and Mary Lasker Foundation announced today.

11 Sep 2012

Dengue vaccine breakthrough

Results of the first ever trial to show that a safe and effective dengue vaccine may be possible are published Online First in The Lancet.

11 Sep 2012

Strep throat should be treated with penicillin or amoxicillin: IDSA guidelines

Although people often say they have "strep" throat, most sore throats actually are caused by a virus, not streptococcus bacteria, and shouldn't be treated with antibiotics, suggest guidelines published by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). Antibiotics are ineffective against viruses.

11 Sep 2012

Many older people not equipped to keep food safe during extended power outages

In the wake of Hurricane Isaac, which left millions without power, a new study highlights that many older adults are not equipped to keep food safe during an extended power outage.

11 Sep 2012

CSL Biotherapies receives U.S. Government contract to supply pandemic vaccine antigens

CSL Biotherapies, a subsidiary of CSL Limited, one of the world's leading manufacturers of influenza vaccine, announced it has been awarded a contract by the United States (U.S.) Department of Health and Human Services to supply pre-pandemic and pandemic vaccine antigens and related services to the U.S. national stockpile.

11 Sep 2012