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Flu Preparedness Program offering latest information on the H1N1 virus

TeleVox Software, Inc., a leading provider of communication solutions for the healthcare industry, today launched its Flu Preparedness Program (www.televox.com/fluprogram), designed to enable health care providers to give their patients the latest information about fighting the Flu and the H1N1 virus, commonly referred to as the swine flu. Doctors can easily communicate with their patients through a variety of methods such as voice, email, postcards and text messages.

21 Sep 2009

No communication to workers from employers about policies in the workplace pertaining to H1N1: Study

Most workers have not had any direction from their employers about the upcoming flu season, according to a national survey released today by Mansfield Communications Inc.

21 Sep 2009

SmarterTravel releases precautionary checklist for travelers regarding swine flu

SmarterTravel(R), a comprehensive travel advice resource for the budget-conscious traveler, today released a checklist of strategies for staying safe while traveling during this highly anticipated flu season.

21 Sep 2009

NIAID awards Antigen Discovery a Phase II STTR grant for Chlamydia vaccine development

Antigen Discovery, Inc. ("ADi", formerly ImmPORT Therapeutics, Inc.), a leading biotech company in high throughput antigen and biomarker discovery, announced today that the Company was awarded a Phase II STTR from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009.

21 Sep 2009

Study reveals that daily commuting may lead to mosquito-borne diseases

University of Hawaii at Manoa assistant researcher Durrell Kapan recently published a paper, Man Bites Mosquito: Understanding the Contribution of Human Movement to Vector-Borne Disease Dynamics, in PLoS One. Published August 26, the paper highlights how daily commuting patterns in mega-cities may be a critically overlooked factor in understanding the resurgence of mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue fever, infecting 50-100 million people annually.

21 Sep 2009

TIME examines voluntary airline tax that aims to fund global health projects

TIME examines a voluntary airline tax, to be introduced in the U.S. and several European countries in January, that aims to "make up a shortfall in official government aid to poor countries — a shortfall exacerbated by the world financial crisis." The tax will be used to combat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, and it will also go towards improving maternal health and reducing child mortality.

21 Sep 2009

Recent releases: Climate change, health; ITNS; Mexico H1N1; Policy Tracker; TB treatment; blogs

In addition to the Lancet's recent publication of an opinion piece and letter by 18 doctor association leaders about the potential health risks associated with climate change, the journal includes an editorial about sexual and reproductive health and climate change and a comment on the upcoming Copenhagen conference in December (9/19).

21 Sep 2009

PBS shows examine door-to-door medical counseling in Rwanda, malaria in Tanzania

NOW on PBS recently aired a segment examining a project in Rwanda, which is a collaboration of the government and Partners in Health, that uses local doctors, nurses and villagers "to deliver medicine and medical counseling door-to-door." According to the show, "In rural Rwanda, the simple and time-tested idea of medical house calls is not only improving the health of the community, but stimulating its economy as well."

21 Sep 2009

Kenya to launch measles vaccine campaign

The Kenya Ministry of Public Health on Saturday will launch a $1.8 million measles vaccination campaign targeting "1.3 million children who have not been vaccinated against the disease since July 2006," Business Daily Africa reports.

21 Sep 2009

Influenza vaccination low among healthcare workers

Less than one third of healthcare workers have themselves vaccinated against classic influenza. This reluctance is astounding, firstly because vaccination against influenza viruses is considered safe and effective and secondly because it has been proved to prevent nosocomial transmission of disease to patients-provided at least 50% of employees have been vaccinated.

21 Sep 2009

Study reveals that allergies are a major health issue in Sweden

Asthma, nasal symptoms and eczema is a major public health problem in Sweden, not least among young people. Half of all teenagers are affected in Västra Götaland County in West Sweden.

21 Sep 2009

H1N1 infected people continue to shed live virus days after the symptoms

ABC News and other outlets are reporting that two studies released on Tuesday suggest that people infected with the H1N1 virus continue to shed virus after the point where current recommendations say they can resume their normal activities.

19 Sep 2009

My Insurance Expert in support of the AIDS Walk Detroit 2009

My Insurance Expert, one of the nation leading online services to compare and secure affordable health insurance, is supporting AIDS Walk Detroit 2009 with a corporate donation and encouraging employees and friends to participate in the annual fund-raiser.

19 Sep 2009

Rwanda to receive second shipment of AIDS drug

Apotex Inc. today announced that the second shipment of Apo-TriAvir, the generic triple-combination AIDS drug produced to simplify AIDS treatment in developing countries, was leaving for Rwanda, the only country to have benefited from Canada's Access to Medicines Regime (CAMR).

19 Sep 2009

Mass notification systems to relay pandemic outbreaks

As students head back to school, the CDC is reporting increasing influenza activity across the U.S. (http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/). With the H1N1 vaccine not yet available, what can schools do to ease parent's minds? Communicate.

18 Sep 2009

Researchers reveal reasons for low vaccination rates against influenza viruses

Less than one third of healthcare workers have themselves vaccinated against classic influenza. This reluctance is astounding, firstly because vaccination against influenza viruses is considered safe and effective and secondly because it has been proved to prevent nosocomial transmission of disease to patients—provided at least 50% of employees have been vaccinated.

18 Sep 2009

NIDDK awards $1.2 million grant to Bolder BioTechnology for long-acting EPO analog program

Bolder BioTechnology, Inc. announced today that it has been awarded a $1.2 million Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant, entitled "Long-Acting EPO Analog for Treating Anemia Associated with Chronic Kidney Disease," from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) of The National Institutes of Health (NIH). Receipt of the entire grant award is contingent upon the achievement of certain research milestones.

18 Sep 2009

Study reveals that older widowers are likely to be diagnosed with a STD

Widowers take care: Older men who have recently lost their wives are more likely than still-married peers to be diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease (STD), according to a new study.

18 Sep 2009

Book on the effects of antibiotic-resistant microbes

In RISING PLAGUE: THE GLOBAL THREAT FROM DEADLY BACTERIA AND OUR DWINDLING ARSENAL TO FIGHT THEM (Prometheus Books, $26), Dr. Brad Spellberg-an infectious diseases specialist and member of a national task force charged with attacking antibiotic resistant infections-tells the story of this potentially grave public health crisis.

18 Sep 2009

Also in global health news: HIV/AIDS in Bangladesh; river blindness in Tanzania; potential immune system booster; compounds might fight TB

BDNews24.com reports on a new $13 million U.S.-government initiative aimed at "providing HIV-prevention services to two million at-risk people in Bangladesh including injecting drug users, male, female and transgender sex workers and their clients, and HIV-positive people through a network of 50 health centres." USAID will partner with Family Health International (FHI) to implement the program (9/17).

18 Sep 2009