Influenza News and Research

Latest Influenza News and Research

H1N1 vaccine administration coverage from Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in New Hampshire

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in New Hampshire has announced that it will offer coverage for the administration of the H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine when it becomes commercially available to the general public. The vaccine administration will be covered for members whose benefit plans provide coverage for vaccines.

19 Aug 2009

George Rehm and David Mahoney joins Adamas' Board of Directors

Adamas Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a privately held company, announced today that it has closed a $40 million Series D round of funding led by aeris CAPITAL AG and DAG Ventures. Earlier investors MDV-Mohr Davidow Ventures and Northgate Capital also participated in the round. In conjunction with the financing, the company announced the election of George M. Rehm, Managing Partner of aeris CAPITAL AG, and David L. Mahoney, a private equity investor, to the company's Board of Directors.

19 Aug 2009

Elsevier/Lancet launch H1N1 resource centre

An H1N1 influenza channel has been added to the Elsevier Global Medical News (EGMN) wire service division of the International Medical News Group. The H1N1 channel was created to meet physicians' continuing needs to keep up-to-date with the news about the spread of the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus, as well as the new diagnostics, vaccines, clinical trials, and treatments for H1N1 infections.

18 Aug 2009

H1N1 pandemic: no time for complacency

Prevention of H1N1 influenza virus through vaccination must be our top priority if disease patterns in the northern hemisphere follow those in the southern hemisphere this fall, writes Paul Hébert, Editor-in-Chief of CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) in an editorial.

18 Aug 2009

New guidance on novel H1N1 influenza for K-12 schools

The Secretary of Health today released guidance on Novel H1N1, also known as swine flu, for elementary and secondary schools in an effort to keep kids and staff healthy and flu-free this school year.

17 Aug 2009

New consortium to tackle African sleeping sickness and Leishmaniasis

A new consortium has been formed to boost drug development for the treatment of two deadly diseases, African sleeping sickness and Leishmaniasis, which affect millions of people worldwide.

17 Aug 2009

New microneedle-based injection device from Nanopass

Following the World Health Organization (WHO) declaration of a swine flu pandemic, NanoPass Technologies Ltd. (NanoPass) announced today that it has successfully developed a microneedle-based injection device that could dramatically enhance both the effectiveness and supply of pandemic flu vaccines.

14 Aug 2009

Terraboost unveils free H1N1 risk mitigation product

Terraboost -- creator of the patent pending combination hand sanitizing display/dispenser -- announced a new program today to provide complimentary touch-free hand sanitizing displays to businesses worldwide, helping people around the globe mitigate risk related to H1N1 swine flu and other disease-causing bacteria.

13 Aug 2009

Mumbai closes schools, some businesses in effort to fight H1N1 spread

Beginning on Thursday, "Mumbai, India’s commercial capital, will shut schools and movie theaters as swine flu-related deaths jumped, ignoring federal government advice to keep educational institutions open," Bloomberg reports. Schools will close for seven days and malls and cinemas for three in an effort to contain the virus, Prajakta Lavangare, a director general of the Maharashtra state government, explained Wednesday (Jatakia/Chatterjee, 8/12).

13 Aug 2009

Response Biomedical announces Q2 2009 financials

Response Biomedical Corporation (TSX:RBM) (OTCBB:RPBIF) reported that clinical products revenue for the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2009 increased 373% and 208% to $1,805,308 and $3,548,014, respectively, compared to $381,615 and $1,150,760 for the same periods in 2008.

13 Aug 2009

Cannabis Science reports on future plans for cannabis drug trials

Cannabis Science, Inc. (OTCBB: CBIS) has announced that it has completed its review of the FDA licensing requirements and has made key progress with mapping out its initial cannabis drug medicines for FDA clinical trials.

12 Aug 2009

Nanoviricides herpes study discussed on CBS News report

NanoViricides, Inc. (OTC BB: NNVC.OB), reported today that the CBS affiliate TV station WBRZ interviewed Professor K. Gus Kousoulas , PhD, in which he explained the potential implications of the Company’s nanoviricides™ anti-Herpes drug candidates.

12 Aug 2009

Past flu pandemics help predict the future course of 2009 H1N1 virus

A commonly held belief that severe influenza pandemics are preceded by a milder wave of illness arose because some accounts of the devastating flu pandemic of 1918-19 suggested that it may have followed such a pattern.

12 Aug 2009

Britain's first swine flu vaccine trials start

Britain's first swine flu vaccine trials, led by the University of Leicester and University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, are taking place at the Leicester Royal Infirmary.

11 Aug 2009

U.S., Mexico, Canada vow to work together against H1N1

President Obama together with Mexican President Felipe Calderon and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper "vowed on Monday to fight the spread of the H1N1 swine flu," during their summit in Guadalajara, Mexico, Reuters reports.

11 Aug 2009

H3N2 influenza unlikely to spread between humans

Seeing animals up close is an integral part of experiencing the state and county fairs that take place around the country each summer and fall. And with good hygiene, Kansas State University veterinary experts say fair visitors shouldn't worry about contracting diseases from animals.

11 Aug 2009

CDC expands existing vaccine distribution partnership with Mckesson to include H1N1 flu vaccine

McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK) today announced that its current partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been expanded to include preparations for H1N1 flu vaccine distribution. The CDC currently has a contract with McKesson for distribution of its public-sector purchased adult and pediatric vaccines, including those distributed through the Vaccines for Children Program.

10 Aug 2009

Association of Specialty Professors announces the 2009 T. Franklin Williams scholars

The Association of Specialty Professors (ASP) is pleased to announce the eighth class of T. Franklin Williams Scholars. These scholars are recipients of two- to four-year career development awards funded by a generous grant from the Atlantic Philanthropies (USA) Inc. and the John A. Hartford Foundation, and co-sponsored by 12 internal medicine specialty societies.

10 Aug 2009

Aethlon Medical tests Hemopurifier against H1N1 virus

Aethlon Medical, Inc. today disclosed that researchers have initiated testing of its Hemopurifier(R) as a candidate treatment against the H1N1 Swine Flu Virus. The Hemopurifier(R) is the first-in-class medical device to selectively adsorb viruses and immunosuppressive toxins from the bloodstream.

10 Aug 2009

Parents need immunizations too!

Texas schoolchildren must be current on their immunizations before going back to class this fall, but it may have been decades since some of their parents have had a vaccination. August is National Immunization Awareness Month, and UnitedHealthcare wants to remind adults that immunizations are not just for children.

10 Aug 2009