Pandemic News and Research

RSS

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.

WHO's Chan says swine flu will 'test' world on 'fairness'

Addressing a meeting of South East Asian health ministers Tuesday, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said the H1N1 (swine) flu pandemic will "test the world on the issue of fairness" and "reveal in a measurable and tragic way the consequences of decades of failure to invest adequately in basic health systems and infrastructure,"

10 Sep 2009

New Influenza A/H1N1 detection kit launched

QIAGEN, today announced both the launch of a new Influenza A/H1N1 test and several updates to its activities in providing solutions for the global surveillance of the swine flu pandemic. QIAGEN’s new kit enables both the highly sensitive and specific detection of the novel Influenza A/H1N1, the virus that causes “swine flu”, as well as of all other known Influenza A and B virus strains.

10 Sep 2009

First trial of 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine testing launched

The first trial testing a candidate 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine in pregnant women is launching this week, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, announced today.

10 Sep 2009

Plant extract could lead to new drug development for H1N1

Scientists in China have discovered that roots of a plant used a century ago during the great Spanish influenza pandemic contains substances with powerful effects in laboratory experiments in killing the H1N1 swine flu virus that now threatens the world.

10 Sep 2009

International summit on the H1N1 influenza pandemic and critical business preparedness

The Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota is convening an international summit on the H1N1 influenza pandemic and critical business preparedness.

9 Sep 2009

Sinovac's first lot of H1N1 vaccine released by China's NICPBP

Sinovac Biotech Ltd. (NYSE Amex: SVA), a leading provider of vaccines in China, today announced that the first lot of PANFLU.1, its H1N1 vaccine, has passed the lot release process of China's National Institute for the Control of Pharmaceutical and Biological Products and obtained the Certificate for the Release of Biological Products, which means the released vaccines are ready for delivery.

9 Sep 2009

Nanoemulsion-based adjuvant increases immunity and cross protection against influenza

NanoBio Corp. announced today that data from a large ferret study indicates that its intranasal, nanoemulsion-based adjuvant elicits robust immunity and cross protection against influenza using 1/15th of the standard antigen dose, without evidence of toxicity or tolerability concerns.

9 Sep 2009

Rice researchers describe a new method to predict the efficacy of H1N1 vaccines

As manufacturers work furiously to make a vaccine to protect against 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus, a Rice University bioengineer is trying to improve the process for future flu seasons. The goal is to shorten the time it takes to identify targeted flu strains and manufacture the vaccines for them.

9 Sep 2009

Increase in number of domestic H1N1 cases concerns China's Minister of Health

"China faces a grim situation in containing the H1N1 [swine] flu, as schools start up again and the number of domestic cases, as well as clusters of cases, rises, China's Minister of Health said on Tuesday," Reuters reports.

9 Sep 2009

NIH awards Vaxart $2.8M grant to develop an orally-delivered H5N1 Avian influenza vaccine

Vaxart, Inc., a San Francisco biotechnology company developing oral-delivery vaccines, has been awarded a $2.8 million phase II Small Business Innovation Research grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (National Institutes of Health) to support development of its first product, an orally-delivered vaccine for H5N1 Avian influenza.

9 Sep 2009

South East Asian ministers gather at WHO regional meeting

South East Asian health ministers met on Monday in Kathmandu, Nepal, for their 27th meeting during the 62nd session of the WHO Regional Committee for South East Asia, Republica reports.

9 Sep 2009

African health ministers adopt resolutions to improve health as WHO regional meeting closes

At the conclusion of the 59th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa, African health ministers agreed on four resolutions that aim to improve health on the continent, the Guardian reports.

8 Sep 2009

MyMedicalRecords PHR offers medical reimbursement for H1N1 affected susbcribers

MMR Information Systems, Inc. (OTCBB: MMRF) (the "Company"), which through its wholly-owned operating subsidiary, MyMedicalRecords, Inc. ("MMR") provides consumer-controlled Personal Health Records ("PHRs") (www.mymedicalrecords.com) and electronic safe deposit box storage solutions (www.myesafedepositbox.com), today announced that it has launched a new subscriber Program to reimburse up to $5,000 for remaining medical insurance deductibles, or out-of-pocket medical expenses up to $5,000, for a MyMedicalRecords PHR subscriber family member who has a confirmed case of the H1N1 (Swine Flu) virus.

8 Sep 2009

Tool to aid health organizations tackle spread of pandemic diseases

OAG, the leading provider of global airline data and intelligence, has developed a prototype to assist health organizations and government agencies in preparing their strategies to combat the spread of pandemic diseases, including the H1N1 virus and other flu strains.

7 Sep 2009

Biotechnological approach to fight H1N1 influenza

ETBOND TECHNOLOGY defines Biotechnology approach to fight H1N1 Influenza A (Swine Flu)

7 Sep 2009

New enhanced version of irms|PM software launched

Today, Upp Technology, a leading provider of public health solutions, announced the new enhanced version of their irms|PM (Patient Management) software product.

5 Sep 2009

Sinovac to purchase H1N1 vaccine for the national stockpiling plan

Sinovac Biotech Ltd. (NYSE: SVA), a leading provider of biopharmaceutical products in China, announced today that the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People's Republic of China has issued the initial order to Sinovac to purchase H1N1 vaccine for the national stockpiling plan.

5 Sep 2009

Over 2,800 people worldwide have died from H1N1, WHO reports

The WHO on Friday announced the H1N1 (swine) flu virus has killed at least 2,837 people - the result of an continued increase in the number of H1N1 cases worldwide, not the virulence of the virus, Reuters reports. "There is no sense that the virus has mutated or changed in any sense," WHO spokesperson Gregory Hartl said during a news conference (Nebehay/MacInnis, 9/4).

5 Sep 2009

Toronto nurses join In Labour Day parade

Front-line registered nurses from the Toronto area will join hundreds of union members marching in the city's Labour Day parade this long weekend.

5 Sep 2009

Nurses urge CDC to follow the recommendations for swine flu protection from the Institute of Medicine

The California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee (CNA/NNOC) today applauds the Institute of Medicine for recommending strong patient safety protections for patients and caregivers to avoid airborne transmission during the ongoing H1N1/swine flu pandemic--and calls on the Centers for Disease Control to meet the same, stringent standards.

5 Sep 2009

Pandemic News and Research

Further Reading

WHO's Chan says swine flu will 'test' world on 'fairness'

New Influenza A/H1N1 detection kit launched

First trial of 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine testing launched

Plant extract could lead to new drug development for H1N1

International summit on the H1N1 influenza pandemic and critical business preparedness

Sinovac's first lot of H1N1 vaccine released by China's NICPBP

Nanoemulsion-based adjuvant increases immunity and cross protection against influenza

Rice researchers describe a new method to predict the efficacy of H1N1 vaccines

Increase in number of domestic H1N1 cases concerns China's Minister of Health

NIH awards Vaxart $2.8M grant to develop an orally-delivered H5N1 Avian influenza vaccine

South East Asian ministers gather at WHO regional meeting

African health ministers adopt resolutions to improve health as WHO regional meeting closes

MyMedicalRecords PHR offers medical reimbursement for H1N1 affected susbcribers

Tool to aid health organizations tackle spread of pandemic diseases

Biotechnological approach to fight H1N1 influenza

New enhanced version of irms|PM software launched

Sinovac to purchase H1N1 vaccine for the national stockpiling plan

Over 2,800 people worldwide have died from H1N1, WHO reports

Toronto nurses join In Labour Day parade

Nurses urge CDC to follow the recommendations for swine flu protection from the Institute of Medicine

Best practices - optimize qPCR processes for pathogen detection eBook

Shaping the Future of Neuroscience: A Conversation with Atlas Antibodies on the MolBoolean™ and the Impact of SfN 2024

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

Inside the Alzheimer's Association: Dr. Heather Snyder on Driving Research and Collaboration

Latest News