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Tue Nov 30, 7:16 AM ET
BOMBAY, India (Reuters) - India, home to the world's second largest HIV (news - web sites) population after South Africa, is set to begin human trials of a new vaccine against the virus in January, a research institute said Tuesday.
The country has over 5.1 million people living with HIV/AIDS (news - web sites) and experts saying the number could quadruple by 2010.
SAO PAULO, Brazil (Reuters) - An experimental vaccine reduced the level of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, by at least 80 percent in a Brazilian study of 18 infected patients released in the journal Nature Medicine.
Viral loads in all patients fell and stayed low for one year after being inoculated with the vaccine three times in a six-week period, the study said. In eight of the patients, viral loads fell by more than 90 percent, according to the article posted on the journal's Web site (nature.com).
Therapeutic dendritic-cell vaccine for chronic HIV-1 infection. Nature [Epub ahead of print]
Author: Lu W
From: Nature medicine
Date: 2004
ISSN: 1078-8956
December 2004
The Merck Institute of Aging & Health (MIAH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) are releasing this report to assess the health status of the growing number of older Americans and to make recommendations to improve the mental and physical health of all Americans in their later years. This report is divided into six sections. Two sections offer report cards—one at the national level and one for individual states and the District of Columbia—that show whether older Americans are meeting specific health targets set in Healthy People 2000. The other four sections examine issues that are critical to improving our ability to meet these targets.
Application Receipt Date(s): February 1, 2005, June 1, 2005, October 1, 2005
The purpose of this initiative is to invite applications for research projects that will enhance understanding of human decision-making processes so that individuals can make more informed and satisfying choices regarding their health. The NCI encourages collaborations between basic judgment and decision-making researchers, and applied cancer control researchers that will elucidate single-event decision-making processes at the level of the individual patient or health care provider that are pertinent to cancer prevention, detection, treatment, survivorship, or end-of-life care. For the purpose of this initiative, a single-event decision is defined as a discrete decision made at a specific point in time. This PA will use the NIH exploratory/developmental (R21) award mechanism and the NIH investigator-initiated research project grants (R01) award mechanism. Because the nature and scope of the proposed research will vary from application to application, it is anticipated that the size and duration of each award will also vary. The total amount awarded and the number of awards will depend upon the mechanism numbers, quality, duration, and costs of the applications received.
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-05-017.html
To view all grants available through the Cancer Center, visit http://www.cancer.umn.edu/page/aboutus/grantopp.html
Application Receipt Date(s): February 1, 2005, June 1, 2005, October 1, 2005
The purpose of this initiative is to invite applications for research projects that will expand our knowledge of basic decision-making processes underlying initiation and long-term maintenance of healthy lifestyle behaviors that may reduce one's risk of cancer and other chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and addiction. The NCI, NIDA, and NIAAA encourage collaborations between basic judgment and decision-making researchers, and applied cancer control or addiction researchers that will elucidate the basic cognitive and affective processes involved in decisions that are made repeatedly over time, such as adhering to weight-loss programs or smoking cessation programs. This PA uses the NIH exploratory/developmental (R21) award mechanism and the NIH investigator-initiated research project grants (R01) award mechanism. Because the nature and scope of the proposed research will vary from application to application, it is anticipated that the size and duration of each award will also vary. The total amount awarded and the number of awards will depend upon the mechanism numbers, quality, duration, and costs of the applications received.
Nov 27, 2004 Washington
The world is suffering an acute shortage of doctors, nurses, and other health workers, according to a global group of health leaders. They say overburdened health workers on the front lines of survival are losing the fight against diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria.
A new report blames feeble national health systems for the rollback of spectacular gains made over the last century in human survival. The authors are with the Joint Learning Initiative, an independent network of more than 100 health leaders from institutions such as the World Health Organization, the World Bank, and universities and government public health agencies globally.
Thursday, November 25, 2004 Posted: 10:06 PM EST (0306 GMT)
BANGKOK, Thailand -- The World Health Organization has issued a dramatic warning that bird flu will trigger an international pandemic that could kill up to seven million people.
The influenza pandemic could occur anywhere from next week to the coming years, WHO said.
"There is no doubt there will be another pandemic," Klaus Stohr of the WHO Global Influenza Program said on the sidelines of a regional bird flu meeting in Bangkok, Thailand.
Sat Nov 27, 2004 10:40 AM ET
By Fayen Wong
SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singapore, facing a rise in AIDS cases, is considering making it compulsory for pregnant women to be screened for HIV/AIDS, an official said on Saturday.
"If all mothers had been tested for HIV, and treatment started for HIV positive mothers, the risk of the baby having AIDS would be reduced from 25 percent to 2 percent," said Balaji Sadasivan, senior minister of state for health, at the fourth Singapore AIDS Conference.
Although Singapore has one of the lowest levels of HIV infection in Asia, the number of new infections hit a record high with 257 cases reported in the first 10 months of this year, more than the 242 new cases reported for all of 2003.
Chicago, November 25: A teenage girl has become the first known rabies victim to survive the disease without the benefit of a rabies vaccination, her doctors said.
Doctors at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin broke the news of the medical first on Wednesday, crediting an experimental treatment that they crafted when the sick teenager showed up at the hospital with an advanced case of the disease.
Jeanna Giese, 15, contracted the deadly virus when she was bitten by an infected bat at a church on September 12 and was admitted to hospital a month later, according to hospital officials.
THE GUARDIAN , LONDON
Thursday, Nov 25, 2004,Page 6
The AIDS pandemic rampaging around the globe will not be stopped without radical social change to improve the lot of women and girls, who now look likely to die in greater numbers than men, UN agencies said on Tuesday.
Infections among women are soaring, from sub-Saharan Africa to Asia to Russia. What began as a series of epidemics among men -- in some regions gay and bisexual men, in others men who frequented sex workers or male drug users -- has spread to their female partners who are biologically more easily infected.
New tests show initial screening was false alarm
WASHINGTON (AP) -- No sign of mad cow disease was found in an animal the Agriculture Department had singled out for followup tests, officials said Tuesday. Initial screenings last week had raised the possibility of a new case of the disease in the United States.
A more definitive test at the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa, came back negative, the officials said. The announcement was a relief to the U.S. beef industry, which is still trying to recover from the nation's first case of the disease last December.
The department said it ran a "gold standard" test twice. Officials did not say where the cow came from or why it was suspected of being diseased.
"Negative results from both ... tests make us confident that the animal in question is indeed negative," the announcement said.
The initial screenings had produced what officials said were "inconclusive" results, but just the possibility of a second case had rattled cattle producers, meatpackers and hamburger chains.
DANIEL YEE
Wednesday, November 24, 2004 Posted: 5:24 PM EST (2224 GMT)
ATLANTA, Georgia (AP) -- The flu season in the United States is off to a slow start, with only Delaware and New York reporting significant outbreaks -- a relief to government health authorities, given the U.S. vaccine shortage.
Even so, the "widespread" flu activity in Delaware -- the first state to be classified at the nation's highest flu level -- is a little misleading. The state meets the designation because confirmed cases of the flu had been found in every county of that state.
By Karishma Vyas
BANGKOK (Reuters) - The bird flu virus that rampaged across much of Asia this year is the most likely cause of the next human flu pandemic, which could hit up to 30 percent of the world's people, a top international expert said Thursday.
There was no question about whether another influenza pandemic would sweep through the world's more than six billion people, only a question of when, Dr Klaus Stohr told a news conference.
"There are estimates that would put the number of deaths in the range between 2 and 7 million and the number of people affected will go beyond the billions as 25 to 30 per cent will fall ill," he said.
The Gerontological Society of America
Individuals aged 65 and older are unlikely to receive needed mental health treatment in the United States, according to a recent national study by researchers at Texas A&M University. Drawing upon data from the 2001 National Household Survey on Drug Use and Health, the researchers found that older adults were three times less likely than younger adults (individuals aged 18-64) to receive outpatient mental heath care. Only 2.5% of older adults throughout the nation reported utilizing any outpatient mental health treatment in the year prior to the survey, compared to seven percent of younger adults. Although older adults were found to have lower rates of mental illness than their younger counterparts, even those with serious mental illness (SMI) were highly unlikely to receive treatment. Only one in ten older adults with SMI received any outpatient mental health care, a rate substantially lower than that for younger adults.
Preliminary Application Die Date: March 1, 2005
Full Application Due Date: March 1, 2005
Proposal should be based on epidemiological, molecular, cellular or
integrated systems findings and be conceptually innovative. The
application should have a clear plan for the clinical exploitation of the
studies proposed. The application must indicate the applicant will apply
for a Translational Research Program grant through the Society’s standard
procedure, which, if awarded, may be used for the A4 program’s matching
requirements. Awards will be limited to a maximum of $200,000, which
include direct cost per year for three years. Budget requests should be
carefully justified and funding for two additional years may be available
from the Society. Requests for renewal of support require a competitive
renewal application and must include an TRB-approved clinical trial as the
centerpiece of the research plan.
Inquiries: Director of Research Administration, The Leukemia & Lymphoma
Society, 1311 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains, NY 10605, phone 914-821-8859,
e-mailresearchprograms@tlls.org
To view all grants available through the Cancer Center, visit
http://www.cancer.umn.edu/page/aboutus/grantopp.html
Application Receipt Dates: Feb 1, 2005, June 1, 2005 and October 1, 2005
The Comprehensive Minority Biomedical Branch (CMBB), Office of Centers,
Training and Resources (OCTR), Office of the Deputy Director for Extramural
Sciences (ODDES), National Cancer Institute (NCI), invites transition
career development award applications from recipients of the NCI Mentored
Career Development Award for Underrepresented Minorities or from advanced
postdoctoral and/or newly independent research scientists representative of
groups underrepresented in biomedical, behavioral, clinical, or social
sciences. The purpose of the NCI Transition Career Development Award to
Promote Diversity (K22) is to provide "protected time" for recipients to
develop and receive support for their initial cancer research program. This
award is intended to facilitate the transition of underrepresented
postdoctoral research scientists from the mentored to the independent
stages of their careers in cancer research. The unique feature of this
award is that the individuals may apply without a sponsoring institution
while they are still in a mentored position.
Awards in response to this program announcement will be made through the
Transition Career Development Award (K22) mechanism for a total project
period not to exceed 3 years. Planning, direction, and execution of the
proposed training program will be the responsibilities of the applicant on
behalf of the applicant institution. Grants are not transferable from one
principal investigator to another and they are non-renewable.
This award will provide salary up to $75K annually plus fringe benefits and
up to $50K, direct costs, for research and development expenses. The total
salary requested must be based annually on a full-time, 12-month staff
appointment requiring the candidate to spend a minimum of 75 percent effort
conducting cancer research with the remaining effort being devoted to
activities related to the development of a successful research career.
Facilities and administrative costs will be reimbursed at 8 percent of
modified total direct costs. It is expected that 10 grants will be funded
per fiscal year. For more information visit
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-05-011.html
Letters Of Intent Receipt Date(s): January 14, 2005
Application Receipt Dates(s): February 11, 2005
This postdoctoral, institutional National Research Service Award (NRSA)
will support the establishment of innovative programs that provide formal
coursework and research training in a new interdisciplinary field to
individuals holding advanced degrees in a different discipline. These
training programs are required to include a behavioral or social science
discipline. The NIH is especially interested in training programs that
integrate the behavioral and/or social sciences with the more traditional
biomedical sciences. It is anticipated that approximately $800,000 in total
costs will be awarded. Three to five awards are anticipated. This RFA will
use the Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA institutional research training grant
(T32) mechanism.
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-RM-05-010.html
Letters of Intent Receipt Date(s): April 11, 2005
Application Receipt Date(s): May 11, 2005
The objective of this RFA is to establish the Leadership of three to six
HIV/AIDS Clinical Trials Networks to carry out the NIAID research agenda in
the following areas: (1) Vaccine Research and Development; (2)
Translational Research/Drug Development; (3) Optimization of Clinical
Management, Including Co-Morbidities; (4) Microbicides; (5) Prevention of
Mother-to-Child Transmission (MTCT) of HIV; and (6) Prevention of HIV
Infection. NIAID and collaborating ICs anticipate awarding $150 million in
FY2006 to fund the Leadership of approximately three to six HIV/AIDS
Clinical Trials Networks. Networks are expected to vary substantially in
size and scope of activities. For this reason, the amount of first-year
awards is expected to vary; however, the range of awards is anticipated to
be from $10 million to $20 million direct costs for the three Network
Leadership components combined.
This funding opportunity will use the U01 award mechanism(s). As an
applicant, you will be solely responsible for planning, directing, and
executing the proposed project.
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-AI-05-001.html
Letters Of Intent Receipt Date: January 22, 2005
Application Receipt Dates: February 22, 2005
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) invites cooperative agreement
applications (U54) for the implementation of Comprehensive Minority
Institution/Cancer Center Partnerships between Minority-Serving
Institutions (MSIs) and NCI-designated Cancer Centers (or groups of
Centers). The purpose of this grant is to provide opportunities for
intensive collaborations among MSIs and the Cancer Centers in order to
develop stronger national cancer programs aimed at understanding the
reasons behind the significant cancer disparities and impact on minority
populations.
Since the War on Cancer was initiated in 1971, the disparities in cancer
incidence, morbidity, and mortality in underserved racial and ethnic
minority populations and among the socio-economically disadvantaged have
continued to rise. Clearly, more research is needed that specifically
addresses these and other disparities if they are to be eliminated by 2010
(President's Initiative on Race and Health Disparities). This initiative is
also in line with the priority recommendations for DHHS to lead the Nation
in eliminating cancer health disparities (Making Cancer Health Disparities
History).
This funding opportunity will use the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
cooperative agreement specialized center (U54) award mechanism. As an
applicant, you will be solely responsible for planning, directing, and
executing the proposed project. This RFA is a one-time solicitation. For
more information visit
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-CA-05-021.html
Receipt date: February 15, 2005
The Division of Cancer Biology (DCB) of the National Cancer Institute (NCI)
announces its intent to provide funds to supplement existing DCB-supported
research projects in FY05 to support and encourage scientific collaboration
among DCB grantees, as well as with other members of the scientific
community. This initiative, known as the Activities to Promote Research
Collaborations (APRC) program, can support collaborative activities that
bring together ideas and approaches from disparate scientific disciplines,
including those not currently supported by DCB. Examples of collaborative
activities include, but are not limited to, initiating new collaborative
research projects, sharing resources and reagents, developing novel
technologies, and organizing cross-disciplinary meetings/workshops. It is
essential, however, that proposed APRC activities be within the overall
scope of the active parent award and that the collaborative activity is new.
There are four areas of special scientific emphasis for FY05: (1)
structural biology; (2) integrative cancer biology; (3) tumor
microenvironment; and (4) mouse models. However, applications focused on
other cancer biology topics are will be accepted. For more information
visit
http://grant s.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-CA-05-005.html
The newly revised “Application for a DHHS Public Health Service Grant” (PHS
398, rev. 9/04) instructions and forms are now available and will be
accepted for submission/receipt dates on or after December 1, 2004. All
applications received on or after May 10, 2005 must use the new
instructions and forms. During the transition period, applications using
the previous version (rev. 5/01) of the PHS 398 will be accepted through
May 9, 2005. However, after this date, applications submitted using
instructions and forms other than the PHS 398 (rev 9/04) will be returned
to the applicant.
This edition of the PHS 398 has been extensively rewritten with a focus on
clarity and special emphasis on simplicity and plain language. For more
information visit
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-05-006.html
The Sallie Rosen Kaplan Fellowship is specifically designed to encourage
women scientists in cancer research to pursue advanced training at the
NCI. Successful applicants will be matched with an intramural NCI
investigator for a postdoctoral fellowship and are eligible to receive an
augmented stipend. The goal is to support the careers of women in
biomedical research. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent
residents. Completed applications are due Wednesday, December
15th.
Get flyers or access a brochure about the fellowship.
Apply online by going to NCI's StarCather Web site or contact M. Teresa
Estrada, Ph.D., Office of Workforce Development, NCI, 6116 Executive Blvd.,
Ste. 502, Bethesda, MD 20892-8342, 301-451-8826, 301-402-3509 FAX,
Friday, November 19, 2004 Posted: 9:47 AM EST (1447 GMT)
ATLANTA, Georgia (Reuters) -- An increasing number of American adults diagnosed with diabetes are obese, making it more likely they will suffer heart disease, vision damage and other health problems, U.S. officials said Thursday.
A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 54.8 percent of diabetics over the age of 19 were obese between 1999 and 2002. That compared with 45.7 percent in the same age group between 1988 and 1994.
Tuesday, November 23, 2004 Posted: 7:49 PM EST (0049 GMT)
LONDON, England (Reuters) -- Women make up nearly half of the 37.2 million adults living with HIV and in sub-Saharan Africa the proportion rises to almost 60 percent, according to a U.N. report released on Tuesday.
"Increasingly the face of AIDS is young and female," said Dr. Kathleen Cravero, deputy executive director of the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).
In every region of the globe, the number of women infected with the deadly virus has risen during the past two years. East Asia had the highest jump with 56 percent, followed by Eastern Europe and Central Asia with 48 percent.
Published: Wednesday 24 November 2004 - 08:30
In Short:
The number of people living with HIV has reached 39.4 million people worldwide - with high increases reported from EU's neighbouring Russia and Ukraine, according to an annual AIDS report.
Brief News:
The number of people living with HIV has reached its highest level ever, with approximately 39.4 million people infected all over the world, a UNAIDS / World Health Organisation (WHO) report has revealed. The highest increases in HIV infections in the last couple of years have been reported from East Asia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
According to the annual 'AIDS Epidemic Update', an increase in the number of infected individuals at the doorstep of the EU (in countries such as Ukraine and Russia) accounts for most of the 40 per cent increase in the Eastern European and Central Asian regions. The report claims that Russia has the worst epidemic in Europe, with 860,000 people living with HIV at the end of 2003.
Last Updated: 2004-11-18 16:16:30 -0400 (Reuters Health)
By Paul Simao
ATLANTA (Reuters) - An unexpectedly high number of U.S. soldiers injured in the Middle East and Afghanistan are testing positive for a rare, hard-to-treat blood infection in military hospitals, Army doctors reported on Thursday.
A total of 102 soldiers were found to be infected with the bacteria Acinetobacter baumannii. The infections occurred among soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany and three other sites between Jan. 1, 2002, and Aug. 31, 2004.
Announcement Type: New
Funding Opportunity Number: CE05-012
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.136
Key Dates:
Letter of Intent Deadline: December 6, 2004
Application Deadline: February 2, 2005
Posted on Fri, Nov. 19, 2004
U.S. reports possible new case of mad cow disease
By Johanna Neuman
Los Angeles Times
WASHINGTON - U.S. Department of Agriculture officials announced Thursday that they had discovered a possible new case of mad cow disease but cautioned that the preliminary positive test was "inconclusive."
Final results should be available from the USDA lab in four to seven days, officials said.
After the first U.S. case was discovered last December in a cow in Washington state, the USDA instituted a rapid-screening test on cows considered at risk for the disease older cattle, "downers" too ill to walk, cattle displaying symptoms of neurological ailments as well as on 20,000 healthy cows.
HONG KONG, Nov. 20 (Xinhuanet) -- The staff of the Hong Kong Center for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health hasperformed contact tracing on over 300 healthcare workers, their home contacts, visitors and patients discharged from the pediatrics wards of the Caritas Medical Center (CMC).
Among those contacts who reported fever and respiratory symptoms, two were health care workers who have now recovered, and four were discharged patients from the pediatrics ward.
BALTIMORE (November 20, 2004) —
A potential new case of mad cow disease has been found in the U.S. – but tests so far are inconclusive, said U.S. agriculture officials.
A preliminary screening test for mad cow disease will be confirmed in 4-7 days, and few additional details will be released until then.
Despite the public message from agriculture officials that this shouldn't cause alarm, the news has already economically rattled the cattle industry, meat companies and hamburger restaurant chains. Thursday's announcement about the inconclusive test sent cattle prices tumbling. Shares of McDonald's, Wendy's, and other restaurant chains slumped, as did those of U.S. meat producers such as Tyson Foods.
By Dorsey Griffith and Lesli A. Maxwell -- Bee Staff Writers
Published 2:15 am PST Saturday, November 20, 2004
Calls for changing the way the government monitors drug safety erupted Friday, as consumer advocates and worried patients zeroed in on testimony that five federally approved medicines posed significant health risks.
The allegations, made public in Washington on Thursday, sparked a spirited rebuttal by the Food and Drug Administration, which sought to defend itself against claims by one of its own that the agency fails to protect consumers.
Sat Nov 20, 2004 09:33 AM ET
By Toni Clarke and Bill Berkrot
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The recent Vioxx withdrawal and testimony from an FDA insider accusing the agency of failing to protect public health are fueling such heightened concern over drug safety that valuable medicines could be kept from patients, doctors said on Friday.
In a congressional hearing to investigate the recall of Merck & Co. Inc.'s arthritis drug Vioxx, a senior Food and Drug Administration safety official on Thursday accused the agency of being "incapable of protecting America."
Cites complex and distracting work environment
PHILADELPHIA – A University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing study provides the first detailed description of the nature and prevalence of errors by hospital staff nurses. During a 28-day period, 393 registered nurses kept a detailed journal of their errors and prevented errors, referred to as near-errors. Thirty percent of the nurses reported at least one error during the 28-day period, and 33 percent reported a near-error. Although the majority of errors and near-errors were medication-related, the nurses also reported a number of procedural, transcription and charting errors.
"Given the prevalence of other types of errors, an exclusive focus on medication administration errors, often a typical practice, may miss many important and potentially hazardous situations," said Ann E. Rogers, an associate professor in Penn's School of Nursing.
FOR RELEASE: Nov. 19, 2004
Contact: Susan S. Lang
Office: 607-255-3613
E-Mail: SSL4@cornell.edu
ITHACA, N.Y. -- What's the best way to get a statistically reliable sample of people who are hard to identify, such as illegal-drug users in large cities, itinerant jazz musicians, aging Manhattan artists and semi-professional storytellers?
Answer: Use a new "pyramid" sampling method developed by a Cornell University sociologist. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will use the method to recruit injection drug users (IDUs) and measure their HIV-risk behavior in the 25 U.S. cities with the largest number of AIDS cases.
By: E. EDUARDO CASTILLO - Associated Press
MEXICO CITY -- African countries are facing a health crisis because they lack enough medical personnel to attend to the sick, a top international health official told a summit of government ministers and researchers Thursday.
Tim Evans, the World Health Organization's assistant director-general, said Africa only has 0.8 health workers for every 1,000 people, way below the minimum of 2.5 health workers needed to "provide essential health care."
Developed countries have between 10 and 15 health employees for every 1,000 people, while Latin America, Eastern Europe and parts of Asia have between 2.5 and four workers.
"That gives some sense of the magnitude of the crisis," he said.
Ministers and experts meeting this week in Mexico were trying to find ways to increase the number of doctors and nurses in Africa.
Evans said the dearth of personnel can result in a lack of basic care and deaths that could have been prevented.
The few health workers in Africa are at risk of being recruited to developed nations, some of which also have their own health worker shortages.
Fri Nov 19, 2004 08:26 AM ET
LONDON (Reuters) - A low-cost antibiotic which has performed well in tests should be given to all HIV children in developing countries to prevent infections such as pneumonia and reduce deaths, scientists said on Friday.
Dr. Diana Gibb of Britain's Medical Research Council said a trial involving HIV-infected children in Zambia was stopped early because it was so successful.
A daily dose of the drug co-trimoxazole nearly halved the death rate in youngsters taking it compared to those given a placebo.
WASHINGTON (AP) _ Consumer and cattle-industry groups joined the government in cautioning against public alarm as federal scientists investigate a possible new case of mad cow disease.
The Agriculture Department said Thursday that additional checks were needed after an initial screening proved inconclusive for the disease in a single animal. Results will be known in four days to seven days.
The announcement raised fears that the United States might have its second case of the fatal brain-wasting disease and rattled the cattle industry, meat companies and hamburger restaurant chains.
Mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy, attacks an animal's nervous system. People who eat food contaminated with BSE can contract a rare disease that is nearly always fatal _ variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
BY MICHAEL O BOYLE/The Herald Mexico
El Universal
Jueves 18 de noviembre de 2004
Nuestro mundo, página 1
While spending on health has tripled over the last 20 years, poor countries are not reaping the benefits, experts warn.
Poorly managed health systems and the lack of skilled professionals are undercutting international efforts to fund better health care in developing nations, a top health official said Wednesday.
"We need to wake up to these problems," said World Health Organization (WHO)Assistant Director General Tim Evans in an interview on the sidelines of an international conference in Mexico City. "Health systems are a binding constraint on progress."
Dozens of health ministers, officials from 55 countries and hundreds of researches and representatives of aid organizations are gathered here through Saturday for two parallel conferences on improving health research.
Evans said it was the first time ministers had gathered expressly to discuss health research at a summit.
By Jan Blackburn
Contributing Writer
Since the flu is a dangerous but easily preventable disease, it should receive much more attention from the public health community, Dr. Stephen Morse told an engaged crowd in the Aidekman Center for the Performing Arts last night.
"Influenza is one of the most common and transmissible infections," Morse said. In a normal year for the flu, thousands of people die from a disease "preventable with a vaccine," he said.
Morse is the principal investigator and director of the Columbia University's Center for Public Health Preparedness (CPHP), a branch of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) established in October of 2000.
From the UK
This White Paper sets out the key principles for supporting the public to make more healthier and informed choices in regards to their health. The Government will provide information and practical support to get people motivated and improve emotional wellbeing and access to services so that healthy choices are easier to make.
UK Department of Health
GPHIN II collects and disseminates alerts in seven languages
OTTAWA/NEW YORK -- The newest version of the Global Public Health Intelligence Network (GPHIN II) was jointly launched today by the Government of Canada and the Washington-based Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI). This unique "early warning" system gathers and disseminates preliminary reports of public health significance on a real-time, 24/7 basis in seven languages.
The secure, web-based system was developed by Canadian health officials with important support and financial assistance from NTI, an organization devoted to reducing global threats from nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, co-chaired by philanthropist Ted Turner and former United States Senator Sam Nunn.
Tue Nov 16, 2004 11:18 PM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. government researchers launched the biggest-ever study of children on Tuesday, saying they will track 100,000 children from birth through age 21 to see what makes kids sick.
The study, being launched at 96 centers, will follow the children as they grow up, looking at their environments, behavior, family and genetics.
"Together the children from these 96 locations will represent the face of all of America's children," the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, which is sponsoring the study, said in a statement.
Study Examined Ozone Levels in 95 U.S. Cities
Changes in ground-level ozone were significantly associated with an increase in deaths in many U.S. cities, according to a nationwide study conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Yale University School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. The risk of death was similar for adults of all ages and slightly higher for peop