Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Latest Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

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

Phase III trials for CS-8958 neuraminidase inhibitor successful

Hovione is pleased to announce that its TwinCaps(R) inhaler licensees Daiichi Sankyo Co. Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan) and Biota Holdings Ltd (Victoria, Australia) have both announced successful Phase III trials for CS-8958, a new long-acting neuraminidase inhibitor for treatment of influenza (known as a prodrug of laninamivir).

9 Sep 2009

Philadelphia MCAN project as model for managing childhood asthma and reducing H1N1 risk

Nearly a dozen 7th graders with asthma were welcomed along with other classmates back to school today by a special guest who had a message for them about staying healthy - Kathleen Sebelius, 21st Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS).

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

NanoViricides' drug pipeline to be discussed at NanoBusiness2009

NanoViricides, Inc. (the "Company"), announced today that Anil Diwan, PhD, President of the Company has been asked to present a talk at NanoBusiness2009 - the 8th annual NanoBusiness Conference.

8 Sep 2009

Pharma manufacturer's failure to disclose endangers Swine Flu vaccination program

As autumn approaches and millions of Americans consider taking an H1N1 Swine Flu vaccination, the integrity of all vaccine developers has been called into question by the financial relationship of a leading vaccine advocate and a pharmaceutical manufacturer. Dr. Paul Offit of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), who was interviewed for a Dateline NBC television special, failed to tell millions of viewers that while he was promoting MMR as safe he had also made tens of millions of dollars from selling another vaccine patent to Merck, which is the manufacturer of MMR.

8 Sep 2009

Third human clinical trial of LigoCyte's norovirus vaccine started

LigoCyte Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that it has initiated its third human clinical trial of its norovirus vaccine. The Phase I/II study will assess safety and immunogenicity associated with LigoCyte's investigational, nasally-delivered, dry powder vaccine in healthy adults. The study will also assess potential protection against clinical symptoms of norovirus infection by including a live virus challenge of subjects that have received either the vaccine or placebo.

8 Sep 2009

Chronic pediatric cough linked to reflux and allergies

New research shows that chronic cough in children is most often caused by gastroesophageal reflux and allergies. Researchers from Tulane University in New Orleans, LA, evaluated 40 patients aged 5 to 12 years with chronic cough (> 8 weeks in duration) with no obvious cause. Each patient underwent extensive multispecialty testing. Results showed that reflux was the single most commonly associated factor of chronic cough by itself (27.5 percent), followed by allergy (22.5 percent).

8 Sep 2009

COPD patients to have better protection against pneumonia with new vaccine

A new vaccine against pneumonia may offer better protection from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients than the currently accepted vaccine, according to recent research that will be published in the September 15 issue of the American Journal of the Respiratory and Critical Care Journal, a publication of the American Thoracic Society.

8 Sep 2009

Cognitive abilities decline more for people with Alzheimer's disease due to infections

Getting a cold, stomach bug or other infection may lead to increased memory loss in people with Alzheimer's disease, according to research published in the September 8, 2009, print issue of Neurology-, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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

Study calls for compelling messages to induce washing of hands

"Many students say they routinely wash their hands," said Douglas Powell, an associate professor of food safety at Kansas State University. "But even in an outbreak situation, many students simply don't."

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

Flu vaccinations now available at all 22 Target Clinic locations

Target(R) announces that flu vaccinations are now available at all 22 Target Clinic locations in Minnesota. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends nearly everyone protect themselves against this potentially serious illness.

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

Researchers study tumor diversity to improve breast cancer treatment

One person's breast cancer is not the same as another person's, because the gene mutations differ in each tumor. That makes it difficult to match the best therapy with the individual patient.

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