Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Latest Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Scientists use NIR to predict how quickly pills dissolve in body

Scientists at the University of Maryland, Baltimore have successfully used near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) -- a method already used to test farm product quality -- to predict how quickly pills dissolve in the body.

7 Jan 2010

Tips to prevent injuries while shoveling

Snow shoveling tends to be an unpleasant task—this mundane seasonal chore combines heavy lifting and cold weather, resulting in possible injuries to the back, shoulder muscles if shovelers do not take the proper precautions. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) has recommendations to help you stay safe while clearing snow so you can still have some winter fun.

7 Jan 2010

Child abuse and neglect can increase when families are under stress

The holidays are over and the tree is down. For millions of families reality is setting in. Between the bills that will come due in January, the struggling economy and the stress that comes with it, it can be a very dangerous time for children. Experts say many parents who are overwhelmed often take out their anxieties and frustrations on their kids.

7 Jan 2010

Looking Forward: What might change quickly if health overhaul passes

Several news outlets look at what might happen if health reform legislation passes.

7 Jan 2010

Flu vaccine safe but ineffective for RA patients treated with rituximab

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients are partially protected by the influenza vaccine 6-10 months after treatment with rituximab. Researchers determined that while the flu vaccine is safe, it is ineffective for RA patients in the first 6 months following rituximab treatment.

7 Jan 2010

Bogus drug manufactures embrace new tactics to dupe consumers

Manufacturers of counterfeit prescription drugs are embracing new tactics to deal with an estimated $75-billion-year market in knockoffs, a battle that is far from being won.

7 Jan 2010

Texas Mutual Insurance offers tips to prevent H1N1 flu

Flu season peaks in January and February. For adults, the workplace is the most common place to catch the flu.

7 Jan 2010

Canada supports Mexico's pandemic response efforts

The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, on behalf of the Government of Canada, has announced it will be providing five million doses of H1N1 flu vaccine to Mexico to help bridge that country's immediate pandemic vaccine requirements. This is not a donation. Mexico will replenish Canada's H1N1 vaccine supply by March 31, 2010.

7 Jan 2010

Developing countries reassess need for donated H1N1 vaccine

As the number of H1N1 (swine flu) cases in some regions of the world continues to fall, developing countries scheduled to receive donated H1N1 (swine flu) vaccines from the WHO are reassessing just how many vaccines their countries need, the Canadian Press reports.

6 Jan 2010

Also in global health news: ART access in Zimbabwe; Indonesia bird flu deaths; Kenya floods; Solomon Island tsunami

Zimbabwe's government plans work with international organizations to increase the number of people receiving anti-retroviral therapy (ART) to 300,000 by the end of the year, up from the 180,000 who currently get the drugs, Henry Madzorera, the country's health minister, said on Tuesday, ZimOnline reports.

6 Jan 2010

HHS introduces National Influenza Vaccination Week to raise awareness about flu vaccine

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has designated the week of January 10 through 16 as National Influenza Vaccination Week, in an effort to raise awareness about the importance of the flu vaccine.

6 Jan 2010

CSHL scientist discovers how bookmarking protein triggers leukemia

Each cell inherits genes from its parent as well as epigenetic information - what amounts to an instruction manual that specifies which genes should be activated or "expressed," when and to what level.

6 Jan 2010

Montefiore Medical Center first to perform minimally invasive procedure on uterine fibroids

Montefiore Medical Center recently became the only hospital on the East Coast to conduct the Radio Frequency Ablation procedure to shrink uterine fibroids in women 30 years and older.

6 Jan 2010

American Red Cross offers tips to stay warm in bone chilling temperatures

Bone chilling temperatures have gripped much of the country, and the American Red Cross urges everyone to be safe and prepare as much as possible.

6 Jan 2010

LiveProcess platform allows hospitals to gather and distribute critical information during H1N1 pandemic

In Riverside County, California, one of the 32 states where the H1N1 pandemic continues to be widespread, there were 2478 hospitalizations/reported cases and 30 deaths from H1N1 as of December 16, 2009, and at press time, that number was still climbing. Riverside is the state’s fastest growing county and fifth largest in the country.

6 Jan 2010

CDC and AAFP recommend whooping cough vaccine for adults and adolescents

Many people may think of whooping cough as a disease of the past -- something eradicated generations ago. However, the number of cases reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that whooping cough (pertussis) is still very much a public health concern; health experts estimate that up to 600,000 cases occur each year in adults alone. In fact, whooping cough cases are on the rise in San Diego

6 Jan 2010

Loyola University Health System launches new program to study healthcare, costs and patient safety

Loyola University Health System has established a new Program in Health Services Research to study how doctors and nurses can provide better health care at lower costs to more people.

6 Jan 2010

Opinions: U.S. medical emergency response; micronutrients; rotavirus vaccine; antibiotic development

"[D]espite the tireless efforts of public health and health-care workers, America's experience with H1N1 shows that the nation is not prepared to deal with a flu pandemic," former Democratic Senator Bob Graham and former Republican Senator Jim Talent write in Washington Post opinion piece that examines U.S. preparedness for medical emergencies. The writers chaired the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism.

6 Jan 2010

H1N1 flu vaccine now available at CVS/pharmacy locations throughout California

CVS/pharmacy announced today that it has expanded the availability of H1N1 flu vaccine to more than 220 stores throughout the State of California.

6 Jan 2010

Wisconsin rural hospitals hope for federal money to offset state Medicaid cut

Wisconsin's rural hospitals hope to offset a state Medicaid cut with a tax that would bring more federal money to the hospitals. The proposed tax on the state's 59 'critical access' hospitals, all in rural areas, would prevent the hospitals from closing important services, officials say.

5 Jan 2010