Vaccine News and Research

Latest Vaccine News and Research

Research provides definitive evidence of safety of Tdap immunization during pregnancy

A preliminary study finds that receipt of the tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine in the third trimester of pregnancy did not increase the risk of adverse events for the mother or infant, according to a study in the May 7 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on child health.

5 May 2014

Puzzle in breast cancer solved

In a new study published in Cell Reports, scientists at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center demonstrate that mice lacking one copy of a gene called CTCF have abnormal DNA methylation and are markedly predisposed to cancer.

5 May 2014

Biotech to the rescue

MIT professor Ram Sasisekharan's three biotech companies — Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Cerulean Pharma, and Visterra — share a similar goal.

1 May 2014

Equatorial Guinea launches first phase of campaign to immunize children against polio

The government of Equatorial Guinea launched the first phase of a campaign to immunize the nation's children against polio last week. The government has been working closely with World Health Organization, UNICEF, United Nations, Center for Disease Control and Prevention Atlanta, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and others to implement this proactive campaign.

30 Apr 2014

Research on different pediatric topics to be presented at Vancouver meeting

Research on bullying, firearms, ADHD, safe sleep, obesity, autism, vaccine hesitancy and other pediatric topics will be presented in Vancouver, British Columbia, May 3-6 at the Pediatric Academic Societies and Asian Society for Pediatric Research 2014 Joint Meeting, the largest international meeting focused on research in child health.

30 Apr 2014

Children with ASD more likely to experience general gastrointestinal complaints

A new study conducted by researchers at Marcus Autism Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University School of Medicine indicates that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are more than four times more likely to experience general gastrointestinal (GI) complaints compared with peers, are more than three times as prone to experience constipation and diarrhea than peers, and complain twice as much about abdominal pain compared to peers.

29 Apr 2014

Researchers develop animal model of human hantavirus pulmonary syndrome

National Institutes of Health (NIH) researchers have developed an animal model of human hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in rhesus macaques, an advance that may lead to treatments, vaccines and improved methods of diagnosing the disease.

29 Apr 2014

Scientists identify natural human antibodies against virus that causes MERS

Scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have identified natural human antibodies against the virus that causes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), a step toward developing treatments for the newly emerging and often-fatal disease.

29 Apr 2014

Viewpoints: Boehner's 'truthful gaffe' on health law; Larry Kramer's AIDS crusade; costly drugs

Although "repeal and replace" has been the Republican position on Obamacare since 2010, "replace" has been there mainly because it polled well. Republicans were satisfied with the health-care status quo in 2009, and would have been glad to repeal Obamacare to return to it. As Steve Benen points out, Republicans voted for just-plain-repeal many times.

29 Apr 2014

Single cell type actively suppressed in several experimental cancer vaccines

Most cancer vaccines have not lived up to their promise in clinical trials. The reason, many researchers suspect, is that the immune cells that would help the body destroy the tumor - even those reactions boosted by cancer vaccines - are actively suppressed.

29 Apr 2014

Sinovac Biotech commits to commercialize Sabin Inactivated Polio Vaccine in China

Sinovac Biotech Ltd., a leading provider of biopharmaceutical products in China that focuses on the research, development, manufacturing and commercialization of vaccines, announced today that it has entered into a license agreement with Intravacc (Institute for Translational Vaccinology) from The Netherlands to develop and commercialize the Sabin Inactivated Polio Vaccine (sIPV) for distribution to China and other countries.

28 Apr 2014

Research roundup: Structural concerns in ACOs; public's view of mandated contraception coverage

The Medicare Accountable Care Organization (ACO) programs reward participating health care provider groups that achieve slower spending growth and high quality of care.

26 Apr 2014

SFU researchers trace evolution of HIV in North America

A study tracing the evolution of HIV in North America involving researchers at Simon Fraser University has found evidence that the virus is slowly adapting over time to its human hosts. However, this change is so gradual that it is unlikely to have an impact on vaccine design.

26 Apr 2014

Promising new approach targets cancer protein to slow tumor growth

Sometimes a full-on assault isn't the best approach when dealing with a powerful enemy. A more effective approach, in the long run, may be to target the support system replenishing the supplies that keep your foe strong and ready for battle.

26 Apr 2014

SGO welcomes new options for detecting and preventing cervical cancer

The FDA approval of primary human papillomavirus (HPV) testing will provide doctors one more tool to use in cervical cancer screening, a health routine responsible for saving countless lives. As the largest organization of doctors specializing in the treatment of women's cancers, including cervical cancer, the Society of Gynecologic Oncology welcomes new options for detecting and preventing this terrible disease.

25 Apr 2014

Georgia State researcher receives grant to develop novel therapeutics against RSV infection

Dr. Richard Plemper, a professor in the new Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State University, has received a five-year, $2.83 million federal grant to develop novel therapeutics against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) infection.

25 Apr 2014

TSRI scientists discover new HIV target

A team led by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) working with the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) has discovered a new vulnerable site on the HIV virus. The newly identified site can be attacked by human antibodies in a way that neutralizes the infectivity of a wide variety of HIV strains.

25 Apr 2014

Survey: Most Americans favor health law's birth control coverage mandate

Though this health law provision continues to be controversial and is the subject of various legal challenges, a recent survey conducted by University of Michigan researchers found that 69 percent of Americans support the requirement.

25 Apr 2014

Study shows effect of whooping cough vaccination on Bordetella pertussis bacteria

The most comprehensive study to date of the family of bacteria that causes whooping cough points to more effective vaccine strategies and reveals surprising findings about the bacteria's origin and evolution. The new results could alter public health strategies to control this respiratory disease, which kills 195,000 children worldwide each year.

25 Apr 2014

Nearly 179 million cases of acute diarrhea occur each year in the U.S.

In the United States, approximately 179 million cases of acute diarrhea occur each year, and most of those cases are entirely preventable, a researcher from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston concluded in a New England Journal of Medicine review article.

23 Apr 2014