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Random vaccine distribution prevents spread of disease: Study

The best way to prevent the spread of disease in rural areas may be by targeting select popular hangouts, according to a new study by the Kansas State University EpiCenter research team.The team published "Efficient Mitigation Strategies for Epidemics in Rural Regions" in the July edition of the journal PLoS ONE. The study looks at mitigation strategies based on a contact network model developed using information collected from residents in Clay County, Kan.

30 Jul 2010

BD third-quarter revenues increase 3.2% to $1.878 billion

BD, a leading global medical technology company, today reported quarterly revenues of $1.878 billion for the third fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2010, representing an increase of 3.2 percent from the prior-year period, or 3.9 percent on a foreign currency-neutral basis.

From BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) 29 Jul 2010

Texas raises organ donor registry; D.C. not ready for medical marijuana sales; L.A. health department facing major service cuts

"Though Texas has the nation's lowest percentage of registered organ and tissue donors, several recent initiatives have more than doubled the state's donor rolls this year. The number enrolled in the Glenda Dawson Donate Life Texas Registry has ballooned since Jan. 1, when state law required Department of Public Safety clerks to ask all driver's license and ID card applicants whether they would like to register as organ donors. Since then, nearly 70,000 donors a month have joined the pool" (George, 7/27).

29 Jul 2010

Ten precautionary health tips for beachgoers, bathers

A yearlong beach study led by a team of University of Miami researchers suggests that swimmers at sub-tropical beaches face an increased risk of illness. The multi-disciplinary team examined the risk of illness that beachgoers face when exposed to recreational marine water at sub-tropical beaches with no known source of pollution or contamination.

29 Jul 2010

BiondVax receives 2010 European Influenza Vaccines Technology Innovation Award

Frost & Sullivan is pleased to announce the award of its prestigious 2010 European Influenza Vaccines Technology Innovation Award to BiondVax Pharmaceuticals for their breakthrough work on a universal influenza vaccine. This vaccine, the Multimeric-001, is designed to provide multi-season and multi-strain protection against most influenza virus strains, including both seasonal and pandemic strains, and has the potential to eliminate the need for annual flu vaccination. BiondVax is entering Phase II clinical trials for the development of the Multimeric-001 universal influenza vaccine.

28 Jul 2010

Sec. of State Clinton participates in ASEAN forum; ASEAN health ministers meet

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton arrived in Vietnam on Thursday to participate in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) regional forum and to mark the 15th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Vietnam, VOV News reports. According to the news service, this is Clinton's first visit to the country since she became secretary of state. During her trip, she will have meetings with Deputy Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem (7/22).

23 Jul 2010

Enrollment jump helps UnitedHealth Group profits soar 31 percent

Health insurer UnitedHealth Group reported a second quarter profit jump of 31 percent as enrollment in the insurer's plans went up, The Associated Press/The New York Times reports. "The company's total enrollment grew about 1 percent, to 32.5 million compared with last year, with gains in Medicare and Medicaid businesses offsetting commercial health insurance losses." The company's commercial enrollment fell 440,000 as the sector deals with job cuts and the recession (7/20).

22 Jul 2010

First Edition: July 21, 2010

Today's headlines include news regarding specific examples of what could happen at the state level if Congress doesn't extend enhanced federal Medicaid funding.

21 Jul 2010

Preventative measures to avoid Lyme disease

Research on the population of black-legged ticks, which can transmit Lyme disease from host animals to humans, reinforces that it is important to take preventative measures when spending time outdoors.

21 Jul 2010

New development in flu prevention & treatment

In a groundbreaking development, scientists at the Australian National University in Canberra have found the key to the mutation of the flu virus. This may allow the manufacturing of a life-long vaccine stopping the need for repeated vaccinations. The scientists reveal that they have found a protein in the virus that changes or mutates in order to develop resistance in the virus.

20 Jul 2010

Study evaluates immunization benefits of dissolving microneedles

A new vaccine-delivery patch based on hundreds of microscopic needles that dissolve into the skin could allow persons without medical training to painlessly administer vaccines - while providing improved immunization against diseases such as influenza.

19 Jul 2010

BioRadar develops TransFMDV for Foot and Mouth Disease

BioRadar UK Ltd. predicted one year ago the current severe Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreaks after recording an increase of the Replikin Count (ref. 1) of the FMD Virus (FMDV) to its highest level in 52 years. Based on these findings, a new synthetic Replikins Trans-Strain FMD Vaccine, called TransFMDV(TM), has been developed and is now available. The announcement was made at the recent Biorbis Conference on Vaccine Production and Manufacturing in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The conference was attended by major pharmaceutical company executives to examine how vaccine production could be accelerated in view of the problem last year of responding "too little, too late" to the H1N1 influenza pandemic.

17 Jul 2010

FDA can promote personalized medicine by identying gaps in laboratory operations: ACLA

The Food and Drug Administration can promote progress toward personalized medicine by approaching the oversight of laboratory developed tests (LDTs) in a focused, flexible, and balanced way according to the American Clinical Laboratory Association (ACLA). ACLA, which represents the nation's leading clinical laboratories, says that the factors supporting this approach include the growing role that such tests play in clinical decision making, especially in the area of new advanced diagnostics that derive from the mapping of the human genome and help fulfill the promise of personalized medicine.

17 Jul 2010

Also in Global Health News: WHO reacts to Amnesty's N. Korea report; Universal flu vaccine; Malaria-resistant mosquitoes

The WHO is questioning the validity of the findings of a recent Amnesty International report which highlighted the dire needs of North Korea's health system, "contradict[ing] the rosier picture given by WHO chief Margaret Chan after her April trip there," the Associated Press reports. Although WHO spokesman Paul Garwood "insisted he wasn't criticizing Amnesty's work … he said Thursday's report was anecdotal, with stories dating back to 2001," which "[h]e contrasted … with WHO's science-based approach" (7/16).

17 Jul 2010

Hemispherx publishes report of Japanese government funded program to develop nasally delivered H5N1 vaccine

Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc. announced that it was publicizing the full technical (unedited) report in Japanese, prepared by Hideki Hasegawa, M.D. Ph.D., Director, Laboratory of Infectious Disease Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Disease (NIID, formerly Japan's National Institute of Health) and the certified English translation.

16 Jul 2010

New drug launches for HCV in the Philippines to increase market earned revenues to $4.5 billion by 2017

Efforts to raise disease awareness in the Philippines have increased the number of cases and patient pool available for hepatitis C treatment. Screening and detection efforts by the Red Cross as well as growing awareness in the Philippines have been largely responsible for the rise in the number of diagnosed cases. These campaigns have encouraged people, mostly from the urban areas, to opt for physical examinations that enable the detection of hepatitis C.

15 Jul 2010

First 1M doses of smallpox vaccine for immune-compromised populations delivered

Delivery to the Strategic National Stockpile of the first 1 million doses of the nation's first smallpox vaccine for certain immune-compromised populations is now complete, the result of a Project BioShield contract.

15 Jul 2010

Over half of UK swine flu hospital admissions, deaths occurred in previously healthy people: Research

Over half of UK swine flu hospital admissions and inpatient deaths occurred in people with no underlying health problems or obvious risk factors, research at the University of Liverpool has found.

15 Jul 2010

Hendra virus treatment to be ready in a few months

Of the dozen people who were exposed to a horse infected with the Hendra virus, 11 have been cleared of the infection by repeated tests on Queensland's Sunshine Coast. These 12 people had first come into contact with the infected horse at Tewantin in May and have since then been subjected to testing to rule out infection with the deadly virus. It is expected that the 12th person will also be cleared soon. Quarantine restrictions were also lifted last month.

14 Jul 2010

Health Canada approves FluMist for preventing seasonal influenza

AstraZeneca Canada Inc. announced today that Health Canada has approved FluMist (Influenza Vaccine, Live, Attenuated) for the prevention of seasonal influenza. FluMist is the first vaccine in Canada that is administered as a gentle mist sprayed into the nose.

14 Jul 2010

Flu News and Research

Random vaccine distribution prevents spread of disease: Study

BD third-quarter revenues increase 3.2% to $1.878 billion

Texas raises organ donor registry; D.C. not ready for medical marijuana sales; L.A. health department facing major service cuts

Ten precautionary health tips for beachgoers, bathers

BiondVax receives 2010 European Influenza Vaccines Technology Innovation Award

Sec. of State Clinton participates in ASEAN forum; ASEAN health ministers meet

Enrollment jump helps UnitedHealth Group profits soar 31 percent

First Edition: July 21, 2010

Preventative measures to avoid Lyme disease

New development in flu prevention & treatment

Study evaluates immunization benefits of dissolving microneedles

BioRadar develops TransFMDV for Foot and Mouth Disease

FDA can promote personalized medicine by identying gaps in laboratory operations: ACLA

Also in Global Health News: WHO reacts to Amnesty's N. Korea report; Universal flu vaccine; Malaria-resistant mosquitoes

Hemispherx publishes report of Japanese government funded program to develop nasally delivered H5N1 vaccine

New drug launches for HCV in the Philippines to increase market earned revenues to $4.5 billion by 2017

First 1M doses of smallpox vaccine for immune-compromised populations delivered

Over half of UK swine flu hospital admissions, deaths occurred in previously healthy people: Research

Hendra virus treatment to be ready in a few months

Health Canada approves FluMist for preventing seasonal influenza

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