Pandemic News and Research

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A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. During a pandemic, transmission can be anticipated in the workplace, not only from patient to workers in health care settings, but also among co-workers in general work settings. A pandemic would cause high levels of illness, death, social disruption, and economic loss. Everyday life would be disrupted because so many people in so many places become seriously ill at the same time. Impacts could range from school and business closings to the interruption of basic services such as public transportation and food delivery.

OVD issue highlights prevalence of eye problems in general population

In the latest issue of Optometry & Vision Development (OVD), Dr. Dominick Maino, editor of OVD, notes that: "In 2010 there are 9 million people with lazy eye and 18 million individuals with eye-turns

17 Mar 2010

Booster shot appears to improve TB resistance in previously vaccinated adults

A booster shot appears to improve tuberculosis (TB) resistance in previously vaccinated adults, according to new research in South Africa.

17 Mar 2010

Fraunhofer USA CMB receives $4.395M award from DARPA to develop H1N1 influenza vaccine

Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology announced today that it has received a $4.395 million award from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to develop a vaccine against H1N1 influenza virus using its plant-based production platform.

16 Mar 2010

Obesity limits body's ability to fight infections

Obesity may limit the body's ability to develop immunity to influenza viruses, particularly secondary infections, by inhibiting the immune system's ability to "remember" how it fought off previous similar bouts of illness, according to new research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

16 Mar 2010

Opinions: Discrimination against sexual orientation; WFP in Somalia; Haiti's recovery; WHO's policy role

In a Washington Post opinion piece, Desmond Tutu, archbishop emeritus of Cape Town, South Africa, and Nobel Peace Prize recipient, speaks out against efforts to deny individuals "their fundamental rights and freedoms" based on their sexual orientation.

16 Mar 2010

Kettering Health Network licenses DIATHERIX Laboratories' TEM-PCR testing process

Kettering Health Network is the nation's first health system to use a new testing process developed by DIATHERIX Laboratories, which dramatically reduces the time it takes to detect H1N1, methicillin resistant staphylococcus (MRSA), Clostridium difficile (C-diff) and other infectious diseases. Kettering Medical Center will be the first hospital in the network to use the testing system and DIATHERIX will maintain an onsite lab at the facility.

16 Mar 2010

Clinton delivers speech at U.N. women's meeting as conference closes

"Calling the subjugation of women a threat to American security, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary [Rodham] Clinton made a vibrant plea to give equal rights to women around the world," during a speech a the U.N. on Friday, Agence France-Presse reports.

16 Mar 2010

TCAD therapy superior to double combinations and monotherapy against influenza viruses

Adamas Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a privately held company, announced today results from in vivo animal studies and in vitro tests demonstrating that its triple combination antiviral drug (TCAD) therapy is superior relative to double combinations and monotherapy against multiple strains of pandemic and avian influenza viruses. Results of these studies were presented Sunday evening in an oral session at the XII International Symposium on Respiratory Viral Infections being held in Taipei.

15 Mar 2010

Children with chronic illness more likely to develop H1N1 influenza: Study

As critical care professionals develop a better understanding of the progression of H1N1, they are becoming better prepared to treat children with severe cases, according to a new study that will be published in the March issue of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine (PCCM).

12 Mar 2010

PhRMA spends $6.3 million lobbying in fourth quarter, slight increase from year before

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America spent $6.3 million lobbying Congress and other government arms on health care in the fourth quarter of 2009, The Associated Press reports. PhRMA "spent just 2 percent more than the $6.17 million it paid out for lobbying in the year-ago period.

12 Mar 2010

Baxter International, DVC present Phase III clinical efficacy data for PREFLUCEL

Baxter International Inc., in conjunction with DynPort Vaccine Company LLC, a CSC Company, today presented Phase III study data measuring the clinical efficacy for PREFLUCEL, a trivalent seasonal influenza candidate vaccine. PREFLUCEL is made using Baxter’s Vero cell culture platform and does not contain an adjuvant or preservatives. The data were presented at the International Congress on Infectious Disease (ICID) in Miami, Florida.

From Baxter International Inc. 12 Mar 2010

British government, HIV/AIDS advocates warn decreased aid budgets could lead to reversals in HIV/AIDS treatment progress

Recent gains in the global fight against HIV/AIDS could be reversed as the "global economic downturn pinches poor countries' budgets and donors show signs of backing away from their promise to provide universal access to AIDS treatment," the British government together with Medecins Sans Frontieres warned Tuesday, Reuters AlertNet reports.

11 Mar 2010

UNAIDS director cautions against funding cuts to Global Fund

During an appeal to government and private donors to pledge money to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria on Monday, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibe warned of the repercussions tightening budgets could play in the global fight against HIV/AIDS, the Associated Press reports.

10 Mar 2010

Selective immunization of children may help reduce community transmission of influenza

Immunizing children and adolescents with inactivated influenza vaccine resulted in reduced rates of influenza in their community compared to a similar community in which children did not receive the vaccine, suggesting that vaccinating children may help prevent transmission of the virus and offer protection for unimmunized community residents, according to a study in the March 10 issue of JAMA.

10 Mar 2010

Celltrion develops novel human monoclonal antibodies against influenza virus infection

Celltrion, Inc., a South Korean biopharmaceutical company, has developed novel human monoclonal antibodies against influenza virus infection, which neutralize a broad spectrum of influenza viruses, including pandemic H1N1 and the deadly H5N1 avian influenza virus. Preliminary tests in laboratory animals indicate that the novel human monoclonal antibodies can be used to prevent disease when given either before or after infection.

10 Mar 2010

Chicago Female Condom Campaign: Educating women about HIV/AIDS and FC2 Female Condom

The Female Health Company is supporting the launch of a social marketing campaign in Chicago that will educate women about HIV/AIDS and boost awareness, availability, and access to the FC2 Female Condom®, the only FDA approved woman-initiated HIV prevention method currently available.

9 Mar 2010

Obesity - Body's effort to protect organs from lipids' toxic effects

The collection of symptoms that is the metabolic syndrome-insulin resistance, high cholesterol, fatty liver, and a greater risk for diabetes, heart disease, and stroke-are all related to obesity, but, according to a review in the March 9th issue of the Cell Press publication Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism, not in the way you probably think they are.

9 Mar 2010

NOVAVAX' Stage B 2009 H1N1 VLP pandemic influenza vaccine study in Mexico: Enrollment complete

Novavax, Inc. announced today that the enrollment of over 3,500 subjects in Mexico has been completed in Stage B of its pivotal 2009 H1N1 virus-like-particle (VLP) pandemic influenza vaccine study. With the 1,000 subjects already enrolled in Stage A of the trial, the enrollment in this pivotal trial is now complete with over 4,500 subjects.

8 Mar 2010

Vaxart raises $12.5M to advance Phase I clinical trials on Avian flu vaccine

Vaxart, Inc., a San Francisco biotechnology company developing oral-delivery vaccines, has closed a $12.5 million Series B financing, led by Care Capital of Princeton NJ. The funding will be used to advance the Company's lead product, an oral vaccine for Avian influenza, through Phase I clinical trials.

4 Mar 2010

FDA issues final guidance to help develop safe and effective cell-based viral vaccines

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today issued final guidance to help manufacturers who are developing safe and effective cell-based viral vaccines to address emerging and pandemic threats.

3 Mar 2010

Pandemic News and Research

Further Reading

OVD issue highlights prevalence of eye problems in general population

Booster shot appears to improve TB resistance in previously vaccinated adults

Fraunhofer USA CMB receives $4.395M award from DARPA to develop H1N1 influenza vaccine

Obesity limits body's ability to fight infections

Opinions: Discrimination against sexual orientation; WFP in Somalia; Haiti's recovery; WHO's policy role

Kettering Health Network licenses DIATHERIX Laboratories' TEM-PCR testing process

Clinton delivers speech at U.N. women's meeting as conference closes

TCAD therapy superior to double combinations and monotherapy against influenza viruses

Children with chronic illness more likely to develop H1N1 influenza: Study

PhRMA spends $6.3 million lobbying in fourth quarter, slight increase from year before

Baxter International, DVC present Phase III clinical efficacy data for PREFLUCEL

British government, HIV/AIDS advocates warn decreased aid budgets could lead to reversals in HIV/AIDS treatment progress

UNAIDS director cautions against funding cuts to Global Fund

Selective immunization of children may help reduce community transmission of influenza

Celltrion develops novel human monoclonal antibodies against influenza virus infection

Chicago Female Condom Campaign: Educating women about HIV/AIDS and FC2 Female Condom

Obesity - Body's effort to protect organs from lipids' toxic effects

NOVAVAX' Stage B 2009 H1N1 VLP pandemic influenza vaccine study in Mexico: Enrollment complete

Vaxart raises $12.5M to advance Phase I clinical trials on Avian flu vaccine

FDA issues final guidance to help develop safe and effective cell-based viral vaccines

Best practices - optimize qPCR processes for pathogen detection eBook

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How the Arts Reshape Brain Function: Susan Magsamen on the Future of Neuroaesthetics

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