Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Latest Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Pregnant women must be vaccinated against H1N1 and seasonal flu

Pregnant women should be sure to get all their flu shots as soon as the vaccines become available this year to protect them against both the seasonal flu and the H1N1 (swine) flu, according to eight leading national maternal and infant health organizations.

24 Sep 2009

Global effort needed to protect people from species-crossing diseases, Report finds

A team of health experts on Tuesday called for the U.S. "to lead a global effort to protect people from new outbreaks of deadly infectious diseases that originate in animals, such as swine flu, AIDS and SARS," Reuters writes (Morgan, 9/22).

24 Sep 2009

Study of new swine flu vaccines looks for local children to take part

Paediatricians at Bristol Children's Vaccine Centre are looking for 170 children to take part in a study of the two swine 'flu vaccines due to be used in the UK this winter.

23 Sep 2009

Safety tips for OTC and prescription medications

The beginning of October marks the start of Talk About Prescriptions Month, which is sponsored by the National Council on Patient Information and Education. In support of this annual awareness effort, Health Net, Inc. (NYSE:HNT) is sharing tips to help consumers safely take over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications.

23 Sep 2009

Nukepills replenishes its stock of N95 face masks for flu season

Nukepills.com today announced the replenishment of its stock of N95 Particulate Masks just in time for the upcoming flu season. A deluge of online orders in May of this year, in response to media stories of the Swine Flu Virus (H1N1), depleted the company's large inventory in just a few days.

23 Sep 2009

Stay Fresh textiles technology from Quick-Med

Quick-Med Technologies, Inc. (OTCBB:QMDT) announced today the development of a proprietary Stay Fresh™ technology and that the Company is seeking partners to commercialize this revolutionary new technology in key segments of the textile market.

23 Sep 2009

Dr. John Clarke polls more than 50,000 votes to win the 2009 H1N1 PSA contest

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sebelius and Department of Education (ED) Secretary Arne Duncan today announced that Dr. John Clarke of Baldwin, N.Y., is the winner of the 2009 H1N1 PSA Contest. More than 50,000 votes were cast by Americans across the country on YouTube. Dr. Clarke will receive a $2,500 cash prize and his ad will be broadcast on national television.

23 Sep 2009

Technological and scientific initiatives from Helicos BioSciences Corporation

Helicos BioSciences Corporation provided updates on recent scientific findings and progress on Helicos’s technology initiatives. Speaking at the Personal Genomes conference in Cold Spring Harbor, NY, and the CHI Next Generation Sequencing conference in Providence, RI, Patrice Milos, Ph.D. Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer provided an overview of recent technological and scientific initiatives underway at Helicos.

23 Sep 2009

NIST collaborates with private industry to release a new reference material for beryllium

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), in collaboration with private industry and other government agencies, have produced a new reference material for beryllium. Beryllium, an exotic rare-earth metal used as a hardener in high-performance alloys and ceramics, can cause berylliosis-a chronic, incurable and sometimes fatal illness.

23 Sep 2009

Autism Treatment Center of America announces Son-Rise Program lecture dates

Raun K.Kaufman, CEO of the Autism Treatment Center of America and Advisory Board Member of the United States Autism & Asperger's Association (USAAA), announces a series of lecture dates to be held this autumn in the UK. The Son-Rise Program of the Autism Treatment Center of America has assisted parents worldwide and in the UK dealing with Autism Spectrum Disorders including Alison Taylor.

23 Sep 2009

State Round-Up: Michigan wrestles with Medicaid cuts

News outlets examine state health issues, including potential Medicaid cuts in Michigan and the effect of swine flu on Louisiana's Medicaid budget.

23 Sep 2009

Report outlining global weaknesses in preventing deadly diseases

Significant weaknesses undermine the global community's abilities to prevent, detect early, and respond efficiently to potentially deadly species-crossing microbes, such as the pandemic H1N1 influenza virus sweeping the globe, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council. The report provides a detailed plan for establishing and funding a comprehensive, globally coordinated system to identify novel zoonotic disease threats as early as possible wherever they arise so appropriate measures can be taken to prevent significant numbers of human illnesses and deaths, and livestock losses.

23 Sep 2009

Automated software solution for H1N1 preparation

San Diego-based Concerro, Inc., the market leader in enterprise-wide hospital shift and emergency workforce management software, is pleased to announce the launch of PanFluAware™, an automated software solution and decision making system for H1N1 preparation and response. A free webcast demonstration will be held on Friday, September 25th at 1:00 PM eastern standard time.

23 Sep 2009

Report on species-crossing microbes and H1N1

23 Sep 2009

Axion Health and CHS to deliver Workforce Emergency Preparedness and Response programs

Axion HealthTM (www.axionhealth.com), a workforce health protection, emergency preparedness and response provider, today announced that it will partner with Comprehensive Health Services, Inc. (www.chsmedical.com), the industry’s largest independent provider of onsite health centers, nationwide exam programs and rapid response medical readiness teams for workforce health to deliver its ReadySetTM Program for Workforce Emergency Preparedness and Response; including the ReadySet Pandemic Program for prevention, protection and response to pandemic health threats.

23 Sep 2009

Children’s Hospital offers tips on H1N1 and seasonal flu

With the early onset of flu season coinciding with the start of school this year, parents are concerned about the flu. Experts from The Children’s Hospital in Denver, Colo., offer a pediatric perspective on all types of flu, including H1N1, also known as swine flu.

23 Sep 2009

Applied Spine Technologies’ new corporate headquarters in Connecticut

Applied Spine Technologies Inc. (www.appliedspine.com), a medical device company focused on motion preservation of the lumbar spine, announced today their plans to relocate the company to Rocky Hill, Connecticut and close their New Haven office.

23 Sep 2009

British Prime Minister to unveil $1b effort to improve health systems in developing countries

During the U.N. General Assembly meeting in New York, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Wednesday is scheduled to announce that Britain is teaming up with Norway, the Netherlands and Australia to invest $1 billion to strengthen the health systems in developing countries, the Financial Times/NineMSN reports (Jack, 9/21).

23 Sep 2009

Chan calls for additional H1N1 vaccines for poor countries during WHO Asia-Pacific regional meeting

During the WHO Asia-Pacific regional meeting Monday, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan discussed the organization's efforts to ensure that poor nations have access to H1N1 vaccines, VOA News reports (Bayron, 9/21).

23 Sep 2009

Government orders additional H1N1 vaccine

Associated Press/Boston Globe reports that on Monday, "the United States ordered more swine flu vaccine, bringing its eventual total to 251 million doses, up from the long-planned 195 million doses.

23 Sep 2009