* ►December 17, 2008 - Farms may not be using 'right vaccines' - China Daily - "The re-emergence of bird flu in Asia and Egypt was partly because poultry farms were not using the right vaccines and that the virus is mutating, experts said on Tuesday. Guan Yi, of the University of Hong Kong and an expert on H5N1 virus, warned that poultry farms in some parts of the world were using vaccines that did not provide full protection against the H5N1 and can't keep up with its mutation process."

►December 17, 2008 - Fowls culled after avian flu virus found - China Daily

►December 17, 2008 - Fear of Deportation Makes Many Nurses Hide Infectious Diseases - Khaleej Times

►December 17, 2008 - MMR take-up rate hits target for the first time - The Scotsman

►December 17, 2008 - Uganda Orphan's Visit Sheds Harsh Light on US HIV/AIDS Efforts - RH Reality Check

►December 17, 2008 - Meningitis Outbreak Claims 24 in Sokoto - ThisDay Nigeria

►December 17, 2008 - 10-year-old died of meningitis: MoH - Kuwait Times

* ►December 17, 2008 - Defeat Malaria? Yes We Can. - Glaxo's vaccine shows promise. - Wall Street Journal

* ►December 16, 2008 - Vaccine debate - Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal - "For a child to enter school or daycare, Mississippi law requires immunization against childhood diseases. The schedule begins with newborns, and over time children receive vaccinations against numerous diseases. State law allows for medical exemptions in certain instances, but many parents and autism advocates argue such requests are systematically denied. 'I'm asking our Legislature to modify our laws,' said Aimee Hawkins, who described one of her three children as having a sensory integration disorder and another with an autoimmune disorder. She was denied a waiver for both. 'Now I have a choice to make: vaccinate, move or home school,' she said. 'It's time for Mississippi to step up to the plate.'  'I'm here to ask you to let me have a choice,' said Chris Sonnenberg, the father of an autistic son, whose wife must home school because the state denied them a waiver."

* ►December 16, 2008 - Alzheimer's and Autism By Kent Heckenlively, Esq. - Age of Autism

* ►December 16, 2008 - Mom Continues Autism Fight By Lin Wessels - Age of Autism

* ►December 16, 2008 - Easter Seals' Study Sheds New Light on Parents' Life-Long Fears, Anxieties and Critical Supports Needed to Raise a Child With Autism - With autism, parents have extreme concerns about future independence, finances and isolation, compared to more common worries of parents with typically developing children - press release - Easter Seals via PRNewswire

* ►December 16, 2008 - New Easter Seals-MassMutual Study: Autism Strains Family Finances, Threatens Long-Term Care and Security - One parent responds, 'We're drowning financially' - press release - MassMutual via PRNewswire

* ►December 16, 2008 - Autism study: Fears for the future (requires registration) - Chicago Tribune - "'When you see a study like this, you see the parents are just drained,' said Wendy Murphy, director of therapeutic schools for Easter Seals Metropolitan Chicago, which was not involved in the national study. 'They're spending their life savings and they're in massive debt because they're trying to get therapies that insurance won't cover.'"

►December 16, 2008 - Autism study findings (requires registration) - Chicago Tribune - "Selected results from a new national Easter Seals study on autism, released Tuesday:"

►December 16, 2008 - The Financial Strain of Autism - Keloland.com

►December 16, 2008 - Autism Strains Families' Pocketbooks, Emotions - U.S. News & World Report On Parenting Blog

►December 16, 2008 - Autism support DVD sent to Europe - A support package to help the parents of children with autism pioneered in Northern Ireland is to be rolled out across Europe. - BBC

* ►December 16, 2008 - Tax cut hits cancer jab - Only well-off parents will be able to stump up €600 for vaccine warns charity - Daily Mail, UK

►December 16, 2008 - Join the Irish Daily Mail's cervical cancer vaccination campaign today - Daily Mail, UK

►December 16, 2008 - Generex Biotechnology and Pevion Biotech Announce Plans for Immunotherapeutic Vaccine Collaboration - press release - Generex Biotechnology Corp. via Globe Newswire

* ►December 16, 2008 - UK Researcher Discusses High Blood Pressure Vaccine - University of Kentucky News

* ►December 16, 2008 - MMR jab rates reach record levels - The number of children receiving at least one dose of the MMR jab by the age of five has reached 95% for the first time in Scotland. - BBC

►December 16, 2008 - Doctors recommend RotaTeq - CTV Calgary - "It is up to each province to decide if they will cover the cost. In Alberta, the vaccine is not covered which means parents will have to pay $165 for the three doses which are given when the child is two-months, four-months and six-months."

►December 16, 2008 -  IAC Express Issue number 771 - Immunization Action Coalition

►December 16, 2008 - Jonathan Kay: The other reason I admire Amanda Peet - Full Comment Blog via National Post

►December 16, 2008 - Immunization deadline in Simcoe - Bayshore Broadcasting News Centre - "Stanford tells us parents do have a choice of whether to immunize their kids and have to fill out an exemption form if they don't want to."

►December 16, 2008 - 'We could save 7 million children' - Dr Samba Sow is trying to raise awareness of pneumococcal disease and its effect on his native west Africa. A vaccine has been promised in early 2009, but will it be enough to stop the biggest killer of children in the developing world? - The Guardian Weekly

* ►December 16, 2008 - State Tobacco Cash Funneled Into Vaccines, Biotech Drug Delivery, Cardiac Arrest, and Mental Health Research - Xconomy Seattle

* ►December 16, 2008 - FDA chief to leave post when Obama takes office - Reuters - "U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach has told staff he will leave the agency on January 20, the day Barack Obama becomes president."

* ►December 16, 2008 - FDA To Boost Suicide Warnings On Epilepsy Drugs - Dow Jones via CNNMoney

* ►December 16, 2008 - FDA Faults Drug Information for Consumers (requires registration) - Washington Post

* ►December 16, 2008 - Life Sciences Discovery Fund Awards $4.7 Million to Support New Vaccine Program - press release - Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center via PRNewswire - "The Washington Life Sciences Discovery Fund (LSDF) has awarded nearly $4.7 million to launch the start-up phase of the Washington Vaccine Alliance (WAVA) and to support initial research into three new vaccines for E. coli, herpes and syphilis. Announced today, the grant is funded by Washington's$350 million tobacco-lawsuit-settlement bonus and provides essential funding to bring this innovative new organization to life."

* ►December 16, 2008 - Austrian scientists make progress in anti-skin cancer vaccine - Xinhua via China View

* ►December 16, 2008 - Top 10 Health News Stories of 2008 - Salmonella, Vaccines, Belly Fat Were Hot Topics in 2008 - WebMD

►December 16, 2008 - QSV Biologics initiates Monoclonal Antibody Production for NovaDigm Therapeutics Inc. - press release - QSV Biologics Ltd. via CNW Group

* ►December 16, 2008 - Bird flu flares anew, raising uneasy questions - Reuters India - "While the use of human vaccines is overseen by the World Health Organisation, supervision over the use of veterinary vaccines is far more lax. ... Lo Wing-lok, an infectious disease expert in Hong Kong, says governments have also to be alert to the smuggling of chickens across borders, especially when poor vaccines may be 'masking' the disease in poultry, but not preventing its spread."

* ►December 16, 2008 - Health, emergency staff get drugs first in pandemic - Reuters - "Health care and emergency services workers who might help sick people during an influenza pandemic should take antiviral drugs throughout the epidemic, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said in new guidance released on Tuesday."

* ►December 16, 2008 - Avian influenza - situation in Egypt - World Health Organization

* ►December 16, 2008 - HHS Releases Guidance for Use and Stockpiling of Antiviral Drugs for Pandemic Influenza - press release - U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

►December 16, 2008 - China reports new H5N1 outbreaks - CIDRAP News

►December 16, 2008 - Treatment comes first in HHS antiviral guidance - CIDRAP News

►December 16, 2008 - Pregnant? Don't skip flu shot - Mayo Clinic via Orlando Sentinel

►December 16, 2008 - Flu shot could help protect against heart attacks - KVUE.com

►December 16, 2008 - Health Department Encourages Getting A Flu Vaccine - The Chattanoogan

►December 16, 2008 - Dr. David Minkoff Offers Hot Alternatives for Cold and Flu Season - Dr. David Minkoff, M.D., infectious disease and alternative medicine healthcare expert, says there are seven simple steps individuals can take to stay healthy during cold and flu season. - press release - Dr. David Minkoff via PRLog

►December 16, 2008 - India confirms new outbreak of bird flu - AFP via Google

►December 16, 2008 - New outbreaks in Asia as bureaucrats argue over bird flu - Ars Technica

►December 16, 2008 - Flu shot debate: It could be like taking a gamble - NewsOK.com

* ►December 16, 2008 - MRSA infection linked to death of 12-year-old boy - Orlando Sentinel - "A 12-year-old Volusia County boy initially thought to have died from chickenpox may have succumbed to a drug-resistant staph infection known as MRSA, an official said Monday. ... In Volusia, the chickenpox outbreak at Spruce Creek High School is prompting public-health officials to emphasize proper education, prevention and treatment. A highly successful chickenpox vaccine, introduced in 1995, is likely the reason that problem has shifted from elementary schools to high schools, Zelnick said. It wasn't until 2006 that health officials began recommending children 12 to 15 years old receive a second dose of the vaccine. Some high-school students may not have received the initial dose as an infant or toddler or missed the second dose, he said. 'Instead of young kids getting it, we're getting older kids getting it,' he said."

►December 16, 2008 - County: Child likely died from MRSA, chickenpox - Daytona Beach News-Journal

►December 16, 2008 - Sri Lanka advises pilgrims to India to take polio vaccine - IANS via The Hindu

►December 16, 2008 - Whooping cough finds its way into Osakis School District - Osakis Review

►December 16, 2008 - Increasing Cases Of Whooping Cough Reported In North Dakota - North Dakota Department Of Health via eMaxHealth.com

* ►December 16, 2008 - Teenage and adult mumps cases exceed 1,000 - Irish Medical Times - "'The huge rise in cases – nearly 60% of whom are between 15 and 24 years old - highlights once again the importance of getting vaccinated with two doses of MMR, which are needed to minimize the risk of infection."

►December 16, 2008 - Mumps outbreak affecting teenagers & young adults - Young people warned to ensure they are vaccinated - Galway News

►December 16, 2008 - Eight-fold increase in mumps cases this year - Irish Times

►December 16, 2008 - Indonesian province scraps plans to tag HIV patients with microchips - AP via Newsday

►December 16, 2008 - HIV infects women through healthy tissue: US study - Reuters

►December 16, 2008 - Fish Is Good For the Brain Despite Mercury Risk, Says Controversial FDA Report - Discover Magazine

►December 16, 2008 - Students exposed to mercury at Wabash school - The Journal Gazette

►December 16, 2008 - Stevia a natural, no-cal way to satisfy a sweet tooth. But is it safe? - Scientific American

►December 16, 2008 - Defra confirms no tender for 2009 bluetongue vaccines - DEFRA has confirmed it will not be issuing a tender for bluetongue vaccines for 2009, but will instead open it up to the free market. - Farmers Guardian

* ►December 16, 2008 - Dr. Fox: Feline lives with a growing tumor - United Features Syndicate via St. Louis Post-Dispatch - "DEAR G.R.: There is a definite connection between where a vaccination is injected and the development of fibrosarcoma in cats. The aluminum hydroxide in vaccines may play a role, and until safer vaccines are developed, it's best to follow the minimal vaccination protocol detailed on my Web site, www.doctormwfox.org. Other injections can cause this problem, so there is no simple answer as to the cause. In order to facilitate surgical removal if a tumor develops, veterinarians do not vaccinate in the nape of the neck but as far down the leg as possible."

* ►December 15, 2008 - Shot with controversy - Despite protest against N.J. flu vaccine rule, deadline nears - Star-Ledger via NJ.com

* ►December 15, 2008 - Vaccines? Safe. Parents? Dangerous. - Inside Vaccines

* ►December 15, 2008 - Man Fights Order To Undergo Electroshock Therapy (includes audio) - Day to Day via NPR - "A man in Minnesota is being forced by court order to have electroshock therapy. It's being used to treat him for psychotic episodes and it's been going on for weeks. The patient, Ray Sandford, wants the treatment stopped and has a court hearing this week to end the electroshock sessions."

►December 15, 2008 - Virus may play role in obesity - Corpus Christi Caller-Times

►December 15, 2008 - SDI and MedImmune Publish Ground-Breaking Study on Geographically Specific, Seasonal RSV Disease Outbreak Data - Surveillance data may help improve patient care - press release - SDI and MedImmune via Business Wire

►December 15, 2008 - Temple Grandin on Encouraging Kids With Autism - Education Week Blog

* ►December 15, 2008 - Mysterious rise of Autism - Genetic mutations may be at the base of an increase in autism cases, says a report. - Energy Publisher

►December 15, 2008 - Edge on Autism - Autism's Mysterious Increase - The Cutting Edge News

►December 15, 2008 - Window into autism: Brain-wave studies may lead to new treatments - AP via El Paso Times

►December 15, 2008 - New treatment could mean the end of injections - Research is being undertaken to create a groundbreaking treatment that would allow patients to inhale drugs rather than use a needle and syringe. - stv.tv

►December 15, 2008 - Positive early results for GSK malaria vaccine candidate - VaccineEthics.org

►December 15, 2008 - Vatican bioethics document discusses vaccines derived from fetal tissue - VaccineEthics.org

►December 14, 2008 - CU Statement on FDA Position on Mercury From Fish Consumption - Consumers Union via HealthNewsDigest.com

* ►December 13, 2008 - The Growing War Between Modern Medicine and the Public by Bill Sardi - Lew Rockwell - "Add flu shots to the list of disproven therapies. They have not been shown to reduce mortality from flu-related illness among high-risk groups (young children and older adults.) The cervical cancer vaccine has not saved one life, and may never do so, and may produce nothing more than side effects (9,749 adverse reactions and 21 reported deaths related to this vaccine in the last two years)."

►December 12, 2008 - Drive-thru vaccination exercise completed - U.S. Marine Corps Bases Japan

►December 11, 2008 - Reports of whooping cough cases increase - Minot Daily News

* ►December 7, 2008 - Rapid Responses to: Hypersensitivity reactions to human papillomavirus vaccine in Australian schoolgirls: retrospective cohort study BMJ 2008; 337: a2642 [Abstract] - journal article (BMJ)

►December 4, 2008 - Gulf War and Health: Volume 7. Long-term Consequences of Traumatic Brain Injury - Institute of Medicine

►December 2, 2008 - Stevia: The 'Holy Grail' of Sweeteners? - Plant Extract Could Become Additive in Processed Foods Pending FDA Approval - ABC News

►December 2008 - Nicotine Addiction and Autism - Shared brain protein link. - ADVANCE for Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists

* ►December 2008 - SafePoint Trust Launches Injection Safety Awareness Campaign - With a budget of 7,00,000 Euros or 4.20 crore, the campaign will utilise media in an intensive manner - Express Healthcare Management - "At a country level, nearly two third of the injections were administered in an unsafe manner and of all the injections administered in India..."

* ►November 18, 2008 - Doctor Recommends Avoiding Flu Shot, Taking Vitamin D Instead - A cardiac surgeon and Professor of Surgery at the University of Washington recommends avoiding the flu shot and taking vitamin D instead. Donald Miller, MD, says “Seventy percent of doctors do not get a flu shot.” (includes video) - Eco Child's Play

►Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Transition Team - How Would You Fix Health Care? - "Tom Daschle, newly-nominated Secretary for Health and Human Services, called on Americans to step up and help shape health care reform.  Learn how to lead a health care discussion in your home or community."

►Easter Seals' Living with Autism Study - "What will happen to my son when we are gone?" - Easter  Seals

* ►HPV Vaccine Mysteries - Why is a Nobel Award being given for this on December 10th? By Janine Roberts (pdf) - www.sparks-of-light.org - "On December 10th, a Nobel Prize will be awarded for finding HPV and proving its link to cervical cancer to Dr Harad zur Hausen. However this is a missing link in this – for he failed to find a way to persuade cells to make his virus."

Posted December 15, 2008

►January 2009 - Eating the enemy within: autophagy in infectious diseases - journal article (Mucosal Immunology)

►January 2009 - Autophagy in CD4+ T-cell immunity and tolerance - journal article (Mucosal Immunology)

* ►December 22, 2008 - Research looks at new ways to ease pain of kids' shots - Distractions, topical anesthesia and education of parent and child all are possible tactics to soften the sting. - www.ama-assn.org

►December 22, 2008 - Taking it to the bank: A new strategy for health plans - While pledging to be "trusted advisers" for members and employers, health plans are positioning themselves to be financial players, too. - www.ama-assn.org

►December 22, 2008 - IOM urges more rest for residents in push to improve patient safety. - Recommendations call for cutting back consecutive hours without sleep and providing more off days. - www.ama-assn.org

►December 22, 2008 - Ho ho woes: Wrap rage results in lacerations and bad tempers - Emergency department doctors report that thousands get medical attention annually for wounds related to packaging. - www.ama-assn.org

►December 22, 2008 - CMS proposes no-pay rules for 3 surgical errors - The agency is seeking comments on which physicians should forego Medicare pay under the policy and what related complications might qualify as errors. - www.ama-assn.org

►December 22, 2008 - Federal court dismisses New Jersey suit over SCHIP limits - Despite the setback, states are anticipating changes under the new administration that would allow health coverage expansions to continue. - www.ama-assn.org

►December 22, 2008 - Illness interrupts (book excerpt: Life in the Balance) - Thomas Graboys, MD, 64, was a renowned Boston cardiologist before Parkinson's disease and dementia forced him to stop practicing. His book chronicles the drastic change from doctor to patient. - www.ama-assn.org

►December 22, 2008 - State societies warn of primary care shortages - Physician leaders say efforts such as tuition breaks are needed to ensure there are enough doctors. - www.ama-assn.org

►December 22, 2008 - New Hampshire ban on sale of prescribing data upheld - The court said drugmakers' use of doctors' prescribing information is not protected speech. -  www.ama-assn.org

►December 22, 2008 - Usefulness of home monitoring devices studied - Insurers traditionally have shied away from home monitoring reimbursement, but pilot programs are allowing payers to test the benefits. - www.ama-assn.org

* ►December 22, 2008 - Most patients rely on word of mouth when picking a new doctor - In contrast, online physician rating sites based on cost and quality criteria are used by one in 10 patients looking for a new physician. - www.ama-assn.org

►December 22, 2008 - A green approach to public health - A range of new AMA policies underscores the impact of global climate change on health and urge physician action to address it. - www.ama-assn.org

►December 22, 2008 - COPD awareness is growing, but information gap persists - Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a leading cause of death in the U.S., but a survey reveals that more public health educational efforts are needed. - www.ama-assn.org

►December 22, 2008 - Letters to the Editor - Medical home designation carries threat of more scut work - Will small practices be able to compete for title of medical home?  - www.ama-assn.org

►December 22, 2008 - News in brief: Health & Science - AAP wants oral health as part of routine care - College students vaccinated against flu miss fewer classes - Neuropathy guidelines issued - www.ama-assn.org

►December 22, 2008 - News in brief: Government & Medicine - AHA joins AMA, NMA to address racial disparities - www.ama-assn.org

►December 22, 2008 - News in brief: Professional Issues - Singapore considers paying expenses of kidney donors - FSMB names interim CEO - www.ama-assn.org

►December 16, 2008 - Academics, Epidemics and Politics for Launch - ThisDay Online - "A book titled: Academics, Epidemics and Politics (an eventful career in public health) by Prof Idris Mohammed  will be launched  on  Wednesday, December 17, 2008 at the Shehu Musa  Yar’Adua Center, Abuja."

►December 16, 2008 - Dengue Virus Sickens 34 People in Cairns, Northern Australia - Bloomberg

►December 16, 2008 - Hualien women urged to be alert for cervial cancer - Taipei Times - "Meanwhile, a pharmaceutical firm has donated 600 vaccine doses to Hualien County for women with a family history of cervical cancer."

►December 16, 2008 - Wayne State prof's research pushes autism treatment forward - Model D

* ►December 15, 2008 - Some New York Times Reporters are Just Ignorant By J.B. Handley - Age of Autism

* ►December 15, 2008 - Child Warrior: Mia By Kim Stagliano - Age of Autism

* ►December 15, 2008 - HPV Virus Infects the Nobel Prize Committee? By Kent Heckenlively, Esq. - Age of Autism

* ►December 15, 2008 - Pro-Life Group Stresses Abortion-Based Vaccine Alternatives After Vatican Rules - LifeNews.com - "Debi Vinnedge, the director of Children of God for Life, a pro-life group in the U.S. that monitors vaccines and their link to abortion, says she is happy the Vatican encouraged parents and researchers to look into life-affirming alternatives."

* ►December 15, 2008 - FDA's Proposed Mercury Fish Advice Based on Flawed Science, Say MD and Anti-Mercury Advocates - press release - Mercury Policy Project via PRNewswire-USNewswire via The Earth Times - "'We've known for years that mercury is toxic to the brain and other organs in varying amounts depending on the individual's status.  For FDA to suddenly change the equation to say that benefits outweigh risks is like once again declaring the earth is flat after discovering it was round,' concluded Jane M. Hightower, M.D., an internal medicine physician in San Francisco, CA, who published a landmark study that brought the issue of mercury in seafood to national attention.  'Simply stated, FDA's proposed recommendation to eat more fish is likely based on flawed science.'"

* ►December 15, 2008 - Eat Fish, Forget Mercury Urges FDA - Newsmax.com

* ►December 15, 2008 - Product Approval Information Proper Name: Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed - BioPort Corp, License #1260 - FDA/CBER

* ►December 15, 2008 - Researchers solve failed vaccine mystery - Research led by Johns Hopkins Children's Center scientists has figured out why a respiratory syncytial virus vaccine used in 1966 to inoculate children against the infection instead caused severe respiratory disease and effectively stopped efforts to make a better one. - Johns Hopkins Childrens Center via New-Medical.Net

* ►December 15, 2008 - UCSF says reports on drug trials skew positive - San Francisco Chronicle - "After winning approval, the companies typically sponsor reports of those tests in medical journal publications, which many doctors often rely on to determine whether to prescribe new drugs for their patients. Now a skeptical team of medical investigators at UCSF has accused the major drug companies of bias by distorting the results of their trials in those publications, making it hard for doctors to judge for themselves the pros and cons of prescribing the new drugs."

* ►December 15, 2008 - The US Supreme Court And A Preemption Case - Pharmalot - "For those wondering whether the US Supreme Court will dispense with preemption and allow consumers to sue drugmakers in state courts, a narrow decision today may offer some clues. In a 5-4 vote, the court ruled that tobacco companies can be sued under state laws for deceptive advertising of “light cigarettes” (here is the ruling)."

* ►December 15, 2008 - Why this bird flu survivor is now ruling the roost - China Daily

* ►December 15, 2008 - Study: Drug data distorted in journals - FiercePharma

►December 15, 2008 - Bird flu outbreaks raise fresh fears of an epidemic - FiercePharma

* ►December 15, 2008 - Another Tysabri Patient Has Brain Infection (requires registration) - The Wall Street Journal

►December 15, 2008 - Elan Shareholder Wants CEO To Go - Pharmalot

►December 15, 2008 - For Pharma, Some Biotechs Are Not A Cheap Date - Pharmalot

►December 15, 2008 - AstraZeneca Ties To Nobel Foundation Questioned - Pharmalot

►December 15, 2008 - Hormone Replacement Pills Linked To Breast Cancer - Pharmalot

►December 15, 2008 - Pharma Strategies - Merck launches into the biosimilars business - Chemical & Engineering News

►December 15, 2008 - Merck's sNDA for HIV drug accepted for review by FDA - Trading Markets

►December 15, 2008 - Breast Cancer Rates Falling With Reduced Hormone Therapy Use, Immune System Works Better at Night, Women Living With Multiple Generations Have Increased Heart Risks - Insidermedicine

►December 15, 2008 - Chronic cough in a child. - Finnish Medical Society Duodecim via www.guideline.gov

►December 15, 2008 - Spinal Tap: Medtronic And A Patient Death - Pharmalot

►December 15, 2008 - Immune system stronger at night than during day - expressindia.com

* ►December 15, 2008 - For child vaccine questions, go to experts, not celebrities - Actress Amanda Peet argues that vaccinations are safe for children, noting no studies have found a relationship between shots and autism. She urges parents to consult health experts rather than anti-vaccination activists, such as actress Jennifer McCarthy. - editorial - Seattle Times

* ►December 15, 2008 - When Controversy Shouldn’t Exist - The science shows no link between vaccines and autism, but the public is still skeptical - Chemical & Engineering News - "Those of us with an understanding of the scientific process need to take the time to explain the difference between causality and coincidence and to share that the scientific case against any vaccine-autism link is sound. We also need to communicate that not vaccinating poses greater risks to both individuals and whole communities. Currently, the science is getting lost, and our online package is one small tool to help fix that."

* ►December 15, 2008 - Insist on the shots - editorial - The Star-Ledger via NJ.com - "After Dec. 31, preschools cannot accept kids who have not had a flu shot. Even as the deadline nears, some parents are trying to overturn the law by citing unproved theories that vaccinations may cause autism. Some parents want to pick and choose which vaccines their kids get. That's a personal choice that puts too many others at risk."

►December 15, 2008 - Iran's father of vaccine production dies - The father of Iranian vaccine production, Hossein MirShamsi, dies at the age of 95 after dedicating 60 years of his life to this field. - Press TV

* ►December 15, 2008 - Hawaii Biotech Completes Dosing of Phase 1 Trial for West Nile Virus Vaccine - press release - Hawaii Biotech, Inc. via Business Wire

* ►December 15, 2008 - Officials now say MRSA infection probably to blame in death of Daytona boy - Chickpox thought to be the cause last week - Daytona Beach News-Journal - "Five days before his death, Shrout went to Halifax Health Medical Center for injuries he suffered in a skateboarding accident. His 8-year-old sister found him face-down on the floor of his bedroom on Friday morning."

* ►December 15, 2008 - MRSA, not chickenpox, may be cause of 12-year-old's death - Orlando Sentinel - "Until recently, most MRSA infections were caught by people in hospitals or nursing homes. But there has been a great increase in so-called 'community-associated' MRSA infections that can sicken even healthy people."

►December 15, 2008 - Scary stuff - phillyBurbs.com Blog - "Add another log to the HPV vaccine controversy fire."

►December 15, 2008 - Girl paralysed after jab - mother - The Press Association via Google

* ►December 15, 2008 - IAC Express Issue number 770 - Immunization Action Coalition - "IAC recently updated 'MMR vaccine does not cause autism: Examine the evidence!' Two additional references have been added to the list of articles demonstrating there is no connection between MMR vaccine and autism. To access the updated piece, go to: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4026.pdf"

►December 15, 2008 - Medicago announces expansion of manufacturing facility - press release - Medicago Inc. via Canada NewsWire via COMTEX via FOX Business

►December 15, 2008 - As malaria vaccine trials progress, gratitude deserved - SmartBrief

►December 15, 2008 - Avian Flu virus found in Bengal, culling ordered - Sify News

* ►December 15, 2008 - India confirms H5N1 bird flu - Straits Times

* ►December 15, 2008 - Egyptian girl dies of bird flu - Reuters UK

* ►December 15, 2008 - Staff pose flu risk to patients - Medical staff who do not get their flu jab are putting their patients in danger, say experts. - BBC

* ►December 15, 2008 - Progress reported at WHO meeting on virus sharing - CIDRAP News

►December 15, 2008 - Flu jab target exceeded in Lothian - Allmediascotland

►December 15, 2008 - Protect yourself against the flu - guest column - Miramichi Leader

►December 15, 2008 - The flu vaccine: It’s not too late to get your children (or yourself) vaccinated - Gather.com

►December 15, 2008 - Measles cases continue to rise in Coventry - Coventry Telegraph - "The number of suspected cases in the county has risen in the last two weeks from 46 to 67, according to the Health Protection Agency (HPA). And there are now 10 unconfirmed cases reported in Coventry, up from six a fortnight ago."

►December 15, 2008 - Large Increase In Mumps Cases in Galway, Mayo and Roscommon - Galway City Tribune - "Most cases involve teenagers and young adults in the 15-24 year age group with smaller numbers occurring among younger and older people."

►December 15, 2008 - Whooping cough vaccines available in Juneau - AP via KTUU.com

►December 15, 2008 - Calaveras health officials warn of whooping cough - Union Democrat

►December 15, 2008 - Warning over meningitis symptoms - The Argus, UK

* ►December 15, 2008 - A Coat of Many Proteins May Be This Parasite’s Downfall (requires registration) - The New York Times - "Biologists led by Hugo D. Luján at the Catholic University of Córdoba in Argentina have gained a striking insight into its coat-shuffling stratagem. With this knowledge, they have accomplished a cunning counterploy: they have forced the parasite to make and wear all its coat proteins at the same time. This altered parasite, they hope, should serve as the perfect vaccine, because it immunizes the body to the full repertoire of giardia’s coat proteins all at once. The idea has worked well in animal tests, Dr. Luján said."

►December 15, 2008 - TB-positive doctor treated babies - AAP via The Age, Australia

* ►December 15, 2008 - Watching Out for Her Little Ones - Belgium and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child - ParentalRights.org - "Now imagine a place where the government threatens parents with fines, or even jail time, if they refuse to vaccinate their children - all in the name of 'watching out' for the best interests of 'its' children. Imagine a country that permits doctors to terminate the lives of “deficient” children up to a year old, even without parental consent, for the sake of 'a better society'.  To find such a place, you need look no further than the nation of Belgium."

►December 15, 2008 - Immune System Works Better at Night - Greater success fighting infection than during the day, study says - HealthDay via U.S. News & World Report

►December 15, 2008 - How much vitamin D does a child need? - Allentown Morning Call

►December 15, 2008 - Nanotechnology May Be Used for Food Safety - Nanotechnology and Development News

►December 15, 2008 - China blacklists 17 food additives - United Press International

* ►December 15, 2008 - Lye, boric acid banned as food additives in China - AP via Google

* ►December 15, 2008 - FDA To Revise BPA Review, Considers Independent Studies - Dow Jones via CNNMoney - "The FDA's original report on BPA, issued in August, relied on studies funded by the chemical industry and said the chemical is safe at levels currently found in plastic baby bottles and canned foods."

►December 15, 2008 - Despite the Hype, Patients’ Use of Retail Clinics Is ‘Modest’ - Wall Street Journal Health Blog

►December 15, 2008 - The world’s worst travel diseases - What you need to know to stay healthy when you’re traveling - MSNBC

►December 15, 2008 - Does a younger dad mean a healthier child? - New studies from Tel Aviv University suggest that waiting until a man can give his son "all the advantages" may have a disadvantage, too. - PhysOrg.com

* ►December 15, 2008 - Use the Internet, but include your doctor in the mix (requires registration) - Boston Globe - "From a pediatrician's point of view, a perfect example of an emotional misuse of the Internet is some parents' belief that immunizations cause autism. These parents hold that view despite good studies, accepted by most doctors, that disprove any connection. Pediatricians spend an inordinate amount of time trying to reassure parents about the advantages of immunizations, but it is almost impossible to refute the continual stream of online invective that counters sound evidence-based data."

* ►December 15, 2008 - Justices Reject Appeal in Anthrax Libel Suit (requires registration) - The New York Times

►December 15, 2008 - Supreme Court won't hear Hatfill's libel suit - Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press

►December 15, 2008 - Quarantined employee "livid" after Friday's anthrax scare - KRNV.com

* ►December 14, 2008 - State deadline nears for kids to get flu shots (includes video) - NJ.com - "For some parents, such as Louise Kuo Habakus, even one state-ordered vaccination is too much. Habakus is spokeswoman for the New Jersey Coalition for Vaccination Choice. The organization has more than 10,000 signatures on petitions demanding the state abandon all mandatory vaccines, including polio, diphtheria and measles. They claim adverse reactions to vaccines include brain damage, diabetes, arthritis, convulsions, deafness and death. They seek complete choice on immunization, an effort vigorously opposed by state health officials and the CDC."

►December 14, 2008 - Providence employees get vaccine ultimatum - Anchorage Daily News via Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

►December 14, 2008 - Changing Season in Asia Revives Avian Flu Threat to Humans and Birds (requires registration) - The Wall Street Journal

►December 14, 2008 - Enzyme that mutates antibodies also targets a cancer-causing oncogene - The human immune system is in a perpetual state of self-experimentation. - News-Medical.net

* ►December 14, 2008 - Wyeth Paid Ghost Writers to Author Favorable Medical Journal Articles on its HRT Drugs - NaturalNews.com

* ►December 13, 2008 - "Hundreds Dead" in Failed Diabetes Drug Trial - NaturalNews.com

* ►December 13, 2008 - Concern for the Male Population - NaturalNews.com

* ►December 12, 2008 - Many Scientists Confirm Convincing Evidence of Major Scientific Fraud in Seminal AIDS Research Has Been Revealed In New Book - They Call For The Withdrawal of Famed AIDS Research Papers (pdf) - Janine Roberts, Author, “Fear of the Invisible”, Impact Investigative Media Productions via www.sparks-of-light.org

* ►December 12, 2008 - Grants without peer review? (requires registration) - The Scientist

* ►December 12, 2008 - Columbia neuro employees steal 200K (requires registration) - The Scientist

►December 12, 2008 - Schering-Plough hepatitis C drug approved for kids - FDA approves Schering-Plough hepatitis C drug for kids, first with long-acting technology - AP via Yahoo!

►December 11, 2008 - Stressed-Out Mice Reveal Role of Epigenetics in Behavior - Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne via Biocompare

►December 11, 2008 - Flu vaccination uptake up, but so is illness - Just over half of patients aged over 65 have received their annual flu vaccination, according to the first uptake figures published for this season’s campaign. - Pulse, UK

►December 10, 2008 - Illawarra faces whooping cough spate - The Illawarra is currently experiencing an upsurge in the number of recorded cases of whooping cough. - www.abc.net.au - "The increase is being attributed in some circles to a drop in immunisation rates, but some children are still contracting the condition, despite being immunised against it."

►December 10, 2008 - ‘Reduce price of vaccine’ - Sowetan

* ►December 10, 2008 - Rapid Response to This allergies hysteria is just nuts: Re: A voice of common sense - journal article (BMJ) - "Nonmurine Animal Models of Food Allergy http://www.ehponline.org/members/2003/5705/5705.html "In the atopic dog model for food allergy (Ermel et al. 1997), newborn pups (day 1) were subcutaneously injected in the axillas with 1 µg of cow's milk, beef, ragweed, and wheat extracts in alum. Food antigen was again administered on days 22, 29, 50, 78, and 85. At ages 3, 7, and 11 weeks, all pups were vaccinated with attenuated distemper-hepatitis vaccine. Immunized pups responded with allergen-specific IgE by week 3 and peaked at week 26 of age." Is it a stretch to think that the vaccines are causing anaphylaxis in the general population?"

* ►December 9, 2008 - Sixty Percent of Doctors Refuse to Get Flu Shots - NaturalNews.com

* ►December 9, 2008 - Poor Families Pressed Into Vaccine Trials by Drug Companies; 12 Babies Die - NaturalNews.com

►December 9, 2008 - QEH to pay out $288,000 to young woman left deaf - The Supreme Court has increased the damages bill that the Queen Elizabeth Hospital must pay to a young woman left partially deaf because of its negligence. - AdelaideNow via www.news.com.au

►December 9, 2008 - Flu Shots Are Best Prevention Against Virus, Say Health Officials - MyNC.com

►December 9, 2008 - Health officials to public: Get flu shots now - Contra Costa Times

►December 9, 2008 - Health chiefs in jab call - Lancashire Evening Post, UK

►December 9, 2008 - Herefordshire PCT urges parents stop spread of measles - Hereford Times, UK

►December 9, 2008 - Fears of Measles New Outbreak - Doncaster Today, UK

►December 8, 2008 - Measles outbreak threat goes critical (includes video) - Channel Television, UK

►December 8, 2008 - MMR jabs urged as measles strikes - Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News, UK

►December 8, 2008 - Dementia Often Missed as Cause of Death - This could skew the truth about deadliness of Alzheimer's, report says - HealthDay via Forbes

* ►December 4, 2008 - Norfolk couple's court bid to get children back - EDP24, UK - "A top QC told London's Appeal Court that Nicky and Mark Webster were victims of a 'terrible miscarriage of justice' after being accused of inflicting multiple fractures on their baby boy. The couple, from Mill Road, Cromer are battling to persuade top judges that their baby son's injuries were due to a modern case of scurvy, brought on by his acute eating problems, which saw him existing on an exclusive diet of soya milk."

►December 2008 - E-Newsletter - Talk About Curing Autism

* ►November 2008 - Activism Alerts - Vaccine Safety Awareness - Mothering Magazine - "Making the decision to vaccinate or not requires a lot of consideration. To ensure that both you and your physician are fully aware of the risks involved and the additives in the particular vaccine that will be administered, consider requesting that your physician complete this Physician's Warranty of Vaccine Safety before you make the final decision. To find out more about vaccine safety, please visit www.safeminds.org."
 
* ►Child Vaccinations - The Doctors debate: As measles make a nationwide comeback, are parents who refuse to vaccinate their children contributing to the problem? Or are the vaccinations more dangerous than the disease itself? (includes video) - "The Doctors" via TACA Talk About Curing Autism

Posted December 14, 2008

* ►January 7, 2008 - Nosocomial influenza: Need to vaccinate health-care workers - journal article (Vaccine)

* ►January 7, 2008 - Flu vaccination policy in old adults: Need for harmonization of national public health recommendations throughout Europe - journal article (Vaccine)

* ►January 7, 2008 - In vitro evidence that commercial influenza vaccines are not similar in their ability to activate human T cell responses - journal article (Vaccine)

►January 7, 2008 - Potential impacts of schedule changes, waning immunity and vaccine uptake on measles elimination in Australia - journal article (Vaccine)

►January 7, 2008 - Combining DNA technologies and different modes of immunization for induction of humoral and cellular anti-HIV-1 immune responses - journal article (Vaccine)

►January 7, 2008 - Determinants of non-compliance with herpes zoster vaccination in the community-dwelling elderly - journal article (Vaccine)

►January 7, 2008 - Correlation between humoral and cellular immune responses and the expression of the hepatitis A receptor HAVcr-1 on T cells after hepatitis A re-vaccination in high and low-responder vaccinees - journal article (Vaccine)

►January 7, 2008 - A recombinant West Nile virus envelope protein vaccine candidate produced in Spodoptera frugiperda expresSF+ cells - journal article (Vaccine)

* ►January 7, 2008 - Histidine at position 1042 of the p150 region of a KRT live attenuated rubella vaccine strain is responsible for the temperature sensitivity - journal article (Vaccine)

►January 7, 2008 - Identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis vaccine candidates using human CD4+ T-cells expression cloning - journal article (Vaccine)

►January 7, 2008 - Safety and immunogenicity of a CTL multiepitope peptide vaccine for HIV with or without GM-CSF in a phase I trial - journal article (Vaccine)

►January 7, 2008 - Enhanced immune stimulation by a therapeutic lymphoma tumor antigen vaccine produced in insect cells involves mannose receptor targeting to antigen presenting cells - journal article (Vaccine)

►January 7, 2008 - Immunisation coverage in Australian Indigenous children: Time to move the goal posts - journal article (Vaccine)

►December 15, 2008 - We ’ll Eradicate Polio From Abuja - Rotarian - LeadershipNigeria

►December 15, 2008 - Rabies outbreak in Bali sparks tourist warning - AAP via The Age, Australia

* ►December 14, 2008 - Birmingham residents weigh in with CDC on vaccine use - Some fear tie to autism; others see health benefit - The Birmingham News via al.com - "Some of the nation's top immunization experts led a conference in Birmingham on Saturday to gauge public feeling about vaccine safety. ... Later forums will be conducted Jan. 10 in Ashland, Ore., and Jan. 17 in Indianapolis. The three cities were chosen to provide geographical and ethnic diversity, organizers said. Birmingham and Indianopolis have a fairly high rate of immunization, while Ashland tends to reject immunization at a higher rate because of safety concerns."

* ►December 14, 2008 - AstraZeneca’s Role in Nobel Prizes Is Questioned - BNET Pharma Blog

* ►December 14, 2008 - Methyl B12 and Folinic Acid Raise Glutathione Levels in Autistic Children - Adventures in Autism

* ►December 14, 2008 - NY Philosophical Exemption Mandates Meeting 12/15 - Age of Autism - "The meeting begins at 11 am and continues till 2 pm at Stony Brook University (on Long Islang) Student Activities Center, Ballroom B, comments from the public will be allowed."

* ►December 14, 2008 - Vaccines Against Avian Flu - AmVac AG Cooperates With National Health Research Institutes In Taiwan - AmVac AG via Medical News Today

* ►December 14, 2008 - Toxics battle in Merced neighborhood - San Francisco Chronicle - "In a lawsuit filed in federal court in Fresno, they claim that for decades after the contamination was discovered, the plant's corporate owners failed to alert area residents to the health risk they faced, while continuing to discharge dangerous chemicals into the soil and groundwater for part of that time. If successful, the plaintiffs could win millions in damages. The companies whose subsidiary operated the plant over the years - the pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. of New Jersey and Amsted Industries of Chicago - insist they did nothing wrong."

* ►December 14, 2008 - Girls' autism signs miss early diagnosis - The Journal Gazette

* ►December 14, 2008 - Mercury-tainted fish on FDA menu - Chicago Tribune - "Once again, the Bush administration seems intent on ignoring sound science on mercury poisoning," Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) said. "This backroom bouquet for special interests should be stopped in its tracks." The Environmental Working Group, an advocacy organization that obtained the FDA report, sent a letter to EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson urging him to fight the proposal. In an e-mail response to questions, the FDA said a final decision had not been reached. "The FDA will make no final determination until all the relevant comments and scientific analysis has been carefully considered," the agency wrote."

►December 14, 2008 - Opinion: Can Ethics And Business Co-exist? - Planet Blacksburg

►December 14, 2008 - Utica High School student diagnosed with TB - AdvisorSource.com

* ►December 14, 2008 - In bacteria, vet sees key to human ills - The News & Observer - "Spread by biting pests such as fleas, lice, sandflies and possibly ticks, Bartonella are difficult to detect in human blood. As a result, Breitschwerdt thinks the bacteria are taking an unacknowledged toll on human health. "I believe it's a silent epidemic," says Breitschwerdt, who is also an adjunct professor in infectious diseases at Duke University Medical School."

►December 14, 2008 - Editorial: Schools reacted properly to air quality results - Green Bay Press-Gazette

►December 14, 2008 - Rare childhood cancer hits 3 area families - Fond du Lac Reporter

►December 14, 2008 - Cellphone health study on hold - Other nations have released their data on wireless health effects, so why hasn't Canada? - The Toronto Star

►December 14, 2008 - Cell towers provide money -- and questions -- to schools - St. Petersburg Times

►December 14, 2008 - Toxic legacy revisited: Valley of the Drums, 30 years later - The Courier-Journal

►December 14, 2008 - Novartis annual gift up by $1,000 - The Boston Globe

►December 14, 2008 - Schoolgirl, 12, paralysed after receiving cervical cancer jab - A 12-year-old girl has become paralysed from the waist down after being injected with the cervical cancer vaccine, raising concerns about possible side-effects of the jab. - The Telegraph, UK

* ►December 14, 2008 - Cervical cancer jab left my 12-year-old daughter paralysed, says mother - Daily Mail, UK - "A spokesman for the MHRA said: 'Guillain-Barré syndrome naturally occurs in the population. There is no good evidence to suggest that the Cervarix vaccine can cause it.'  But Jackie Fletcher, of anti-vaccine organisation Jabs, said: 'We should halt the HPV vaccine programme in the UK until we get to the bottom of whether this poor girl's paralysis was caused by the vaccine or not.'"

* ►December 14, 2008 - Ontario School Board Votes Against Sending Warning Pamphlet On HPV Vaccine To Parents - LifeSiteNews.com via Lifeissues News

►December 14, 2008 - UCSF says reports on drug trials skew positive - San Francisco Chronicle

* ►December 14, 2008 - Ego-driven style brings down Blagojevich - The State Journal-Register - "He became notorious for publicity stunts funded by Illinois taxpayers. In 2004, with the nation facing a shortage of flu vaccine, Blagojevich announced he would get Illinois its own supply from England. He ordered $2.6 million in vaccine despite being told the federal government would not allow it into the country. When the federal government wouldn’t let it in, Illinois got stuck with the bill. The vaccine expired. Blagojevich then tried to send it to Pakistan to help in earthquake relief. But even a disaster-ravaged country won’t inject its citizens with expired medicine, and the vaccine was destroyed."

►December 14, 2008 - Indian state to kill 200,000 fowl in bird flu cull - Reuters

►December 14, 2008 - Flu season officially begins in England - a month early - The 'flu season has officially begun in England a month earlier than last year with cases of the disease on the rise, officials have warned. - The Telegraph, UK

►December 14, 2008 - Shingles vaccine hard to obtain this year - AP via Foster's Daily Democrat

►December 14, 2008 - Editorial: Were they just 'unaware'? - Las Vegas Review - Journal - "Congressional concern about disease outbreaks in ambulatory surgery centers -- including the hepatitis C outbreak at a Las Vegas endoscopy center attributed to dangerous injection procedures -- have prompted a nationwide study to determine what role the facilities play in the spread of medically caused infection."

►December 14, 2008 - Gilead sues Teva for HIV patent infringement - Teva has applied to the FDA to make and market generic Truvada. - Globes

►December 14, 2008 - Confirmation: Letter spores grown in medium to which silicon added - Anthrax Vaccine -- posts by Meryl Nass, M.D.

►December 14, 2008 - Red Reflex eye exam for infants - NBC2 News Online - "The American Academy of Pediatrics says it's becoming even more critical to catch eye disorders at a very early age before they become irreversible."

►December 14, 2008 - Autism File Magazine Conference Call: How to Prepare Families for the Holidays - Age of Autism

* ►December 14, 2008 - Winners - Newsday - "Keri Chiappino, a chiropractic neurologist at New Life Chiropractic in Smithtown, recently received the Achievements in Healthcare Award from Hofstra University in conjunction with the Long Island Business News for her work with children suffering from neurological disorders. Chiappino is a practitioner with Defeat Autism Now!, an initiative of the Autism Research Institute, and uses a noninvasive holistic therapy titled Maximum Achievement Program."

* ►December 14, 2008 - Child psychiatry is sick with hidden conflicts of interest - NY Daily News

* ►December 13, 2008 - Fallen Heroes of Children's Mental Health - Psychology Today Blogs

* ►December 13, 2008 - Defending Vaccines or Ignoring the Autism Epidemic. Are our Children Collateral Damage? - Tanners Dad's Blog

►December 13, 2008 - Protecting children from a common virus - San Antonio Express-News

►December 13, 2008 - Suspected whooping cough cases cause concern - Indianapolis Star

►December 13, 2008 - Whooping cough cases in Barrington - Dept. of Health says "very small" outbreak - WPRI.com

►December 13, 2008 - Bucks' Health Department has a $14.5 million budget and 126 employees. - Bucks County Courier Times via phillyBurbs.com - "The department distributed 4,000 flu shots in a matter of hours in its most recent annual pandemic exercise. The goal is terrorism preparedness, which Damsker noted is crucial, but the exercise also strengthens the county's response to more mundane outbreaks."

►December 13, 2008 - Crucell Announces Excellent Results for Influenza Antibody - Crucell via PR-Canada.Net

* ►December 13, 2008 - The Mad Cow Epidemic is here to stay. - OpEdNews - "Deborah Norville, a MSNBC anchor, had a show titled Deborah Norville Tonight. On the April 22, 2004 edition of the show, she discussed the Mad Cow Disease with the theme, could it happen in America.  She reported that clusters of the disease in humans were showing up in Pennsylvania, Florida, Oregon, New York, Texas and New Jersey.  One guest on the show explained her theory of why her son came down with CJD, and she believes it was the beef by-products in the protein supplements he was consuming to gain weight while weight training."...."The show was then preempted by the Michael Jackson arrest in California.  Many people speculated that the Cattleman’s Beef Association had something to do with the preemption.  Deborah Norville left MSNBC a few weeks later and claimed she wanted to spend more time with her family.  To date, Creekstone Farms has been in an ongoing legal battle with the USDA and has recently lost an appeal to test for BSE.  As it stands now, according to Creekstone Farms’ website, Creekstone is barred from testing its cattle for BSE."

* ►December 12, 2008 - Holy See Document, Dignitatis Personae, Sets Bioethics Standards for Research and Aborted Fetal Vaccines - Children of God for Life -"Once again, it is important that people read the entire statement carefully", Vinnedge cautioned. "We have already seen some news stories opining that parents can use these vaccines without reporting on the further conditions laid down by the Holy See."  Vinnedge is strongly encouraging concerned families to do as the Church is instructing and begin rallying behind AVM Biotechnology, ( www.avmbiotech.com ) the only company worldwide whose mission it is to bring morally produced alternative vaccines to the United States."

►December 12, 2008 - EPA job filled with challenges - The Philadelphia Inquirer

►December 12, 2008 - Notice: Withdrawal of Certain Proposed Rules and Other Proposed Actions - Food and Drug Administration, HHS via www.pharmcast.com

►December 12, 2008 - Notice: Your Druggist Pharmacy; Revocation of Registration - Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration via www.pharmcast.com

* ►December 12, 2008 - Swedish Officials Investigating Nobel Prize Board - Newsmax.com - "The Nobel Prize Committee is facing criminal investigation of bribery and corruption after allegedly taking huge payments from a pharmaceutical company that directly benefits from the work of this year's Nobel Prize winner in medicine. The astonishing scandal, being reported in the European trade press and conspicuously absent from Sweden's major daily newspapers, surfaced just days before the internationally renowned awards were presented in Stockholm on Wednesday. According to Swedish trade journal Dagens Medicin, two Nobel-affiliated corporations -- Nobel Media and Nobel Webb -- are accused of taking 'many millions' of dollars from Swedish-American pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca. AstraZeneca, which holds patents on and collects royalties for both human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines currently available -- Gardasil in the U.S. and Cerverix in Europe -- stands to benefit financially from the 2008 Nobel Prize given to German Harald zur Hauser for his discovery of HPV and its link to cervical cancer."

►December 12, 2008 - More people getting flu shot this season - Area has first influenza A case - Peterborough Examiner

►December 12, 2008 - Possible whooping cough case in Stafford - A suspected case of pertussis has been reported in a Stafford elementary school - The Free Lance-Star via Fredericksburg.com - "Franck said he did not know what the child's symptoms were. He said the child had received a childhood vaccination and a more recent booster shot against pertussis."

* ►December 11, 2008 - Barr says FDA is reviewing biotech vaccines - The Boston Globe

* ►December 11, 2008 - Hospital halves number of babies born with brain damage by implementing NICE guidance - journal article (BMJ)

►December 11, 2008 - Australian health professionals warned against featuring in advertisements - journal article (BMJ)

►December 11, 2008 - Doctors owed thousands of pounds as medical reporting agency goes into administration - journal article (BMJ)

* ►December 11, 2008 - Comparable data on maternal and infant in Europe available for the first time - European Perinatal Health Report released by EURO-PERISTAT project - INSERM (Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale) via EurekAlert!

* ►December 11, 2008 - Notice: Draft Guidance for Industry on Questions and Answers Regarding the Labeling of Nonprescription Human Drug Products Marketed Without an Approved Application as Required by the Dietary Supplement and Nonprescription Drug Consumer Protection Act: Revision 1; Availability - Food and Drug Administration, HHS via www.pharmcast.com

* ►December 11, 2008 - Notice: Draft Guidance for Industry: Questions and Answers Regarding the Labeling of Dietary Supplements as Required by the Dietary Supplement and Nonprescription Drug Consumer Protection Act: Revision 1; - Food and Drug Administration, HHS via www.pharmcast.com

►December 11, 2008 - Comprehensive health data across Asia-Pacific region available for first time - journal article (BMJ)

►December 11, 2008 - DelSite Chairman George DeMott Resigns - press release - DelSite, Inc. via PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX via MarketWatch

►December 11, 2008 - Measles epidemic warning - Times Series

* ►December 11, 2008 - State's schedule for vaccinations topic of meeting - Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal - "'There is a strong belief among parents of autistic children that the vaccinations actually trigger autism,' said Rep. Steve Holland, D-Plantersville. Holland, who is chairman of the state House Public Health Committee, has organized a public meeting for Monday to explore a change in the way immunizations are given to Mississippi's children. The meeting starts at 5 p.m. at the Advanced Education Center on the University of Mississippi-Tupelo campus. Parents, legislators and health officials are expected to speak."

* ►December 11, 2008 - Juneau becomes a 'hot spot' for whooping cough - Vaccination effort aims to stem the rise in pertussis cases - Juneau Empire

* ►December 10, 2008 - Flu vaccine in over 65s - journal article (BMJ) - "Almost all of them are observational studies with their attendant risks of bias and exaggeration. Some make incredible claims for the vaccine—for example, a year round 50% reduction in all cause mortality."

* ►December 10, 2008 - Politics choke clean-air efforts - Scientists say the EPA chief bowed to pressure from the White House, hampering pollution-control efforts. - The Philadelphia Inquirer

►December 10, 2008 - UQ research targets West Nile virus and dengue fever - Research Australia via EurekAlert!

►December 10, 2008 - Don’t be an ostrich - journal article (BMJ)

►December 10, 2008 - This allergies hysteria is just nuts - journal article (BMJ)

►December 10, 2008 - Regulation’s threat to research Can anyone beat my delays? - journal article (BMJ)

►December 10, 2008 - Regulation’s threat to research Regulation has run amok - journal article (BMJ)

* ►December 10, 2008 - Regulation’s threat to research Research is no longer attractive - journal article (BMJ)

►December 10, 2008 - Regulation’s threat to research Barrier is impossible to leap - journal article (BMJ)

►December 10, 2008 - Regulation’s threat to research A UK problem - journal article (BMJ)

►December 10, 2008 - Regulation’s threat to research A regulator writes - journal article (BMJ)

* ►December 10, 2008 - Simple measures could halve global deaths from unintentional injury, report says - journal article (BMJ)

►December 10, 2008 - Scans show immune cells intercepting parasites - Washington University School of Medicine via EurekAlert!

►December 10, 2008 - A new class of anti-inflammatory drugs - Fewer side effects than aspirin - Goethe University Frankfurt via EurekAlert!

►December 10, 2008 - Public Health & Education | CDC Releases Data on HIV Transmission Rates in U.S. - www.kaisernetwork.org

* ►December 9, 2008 - Cell phones, smoking, flu shots on '09 agenda - Des Moines Register - "Mercury ban in flu shots: Some studies show a link between mercury-based preservatives in vaccines and autism in children. Iowa became the first state in 2004 to ban mercury in vaccines, even though medical officials said the substance was already removed from most injections. Iowa's law, however, exempts flu shots from the ban. Rep. John Whitaker, a Democrat from Hillsboro, is drafting the mercury-free legislation."

* ►December 9, 2008 - Semmelweis Endorses Scientists Call for Science to RETRACT Fraudulent Reports on HIV - press release - Semmelweis.org - "Nearly 25 years after the publication of four foundational articles on HIV and AIDS, prominent scientists, physicians and legal experts are now asking for their removal from the journal Science. Their request is based upon new evidence that Dr. Robert Gallo - the former National Cancer Institute (NCI) researcher who declared he had found the probable cause of AIDS - had actually based his claims on his own unverified last-minute alterations to lab reports and experiments. The letter's 37 signatories include medical doctors, chemists, oncologists, university professors, virologists, researchers, pathologists, AND biologists."

* ►December 9, 2008 - US psychiatrist is fired from radio programme for not disclosing drug company ties - journal article (BMJ)

* ►December 9, 2008 - A Nobel cause - journal article (BMJ) - "At 72, zur Hausen, one of the three Nobel prize laureates in medicine 2008, comes here almost every day, whenever his commitments as a much sought after speaker at meetings allow."..."He tells me that viruses are responsible for about 20% of all malignant tumours and so need to be explored much further "The most likely candidates for viral aetiology are lymphoma and leukaemia," he says, pointing out that new viruses and subtypes are detected every year."

►December 8, 2008 - Managing health problems in people with intellectual disabilities - journal article (BMJ)

►December 8, 2008 - Civil rights groups say justice isn’t being done for accused father - Effingham Herald

►December 8, 2008 - Study sheds light on cause of bowel disease - Scientists have uncovered vital clues about how to treat serious bowel disorders by studying the behavior of cells in the colon - University of Edinburgh via EurekAlert!

►December 8, 2008 - UT Southwestern scientists identify 'border patrol agents' in the gut - Southwestern Medical Center

►December 6, 2008 - Mobile Phones Affect Memory In Laboratory Animals, Swedish Study Finds - Can radiation from cell phones affect the memory? Yes -- at least it appears to do so in rat experiments conducted at the Division of Neurosurgery, Lund University, in Sweden. Henrietta Nittby studied rats that were exposed to mobile phone radiation for two hours a week for more than a year. These rats had poorer results on a memory test than rats that had not been exposed to radiation. - Lund University via ScienceDaily

►December 6, 2008 - Judge rules against class-action status in Teflon litigation - The Charleston Gazette

* ►December 5, 2008 - Coerced Medication Used In Psychiatric Care Despite Lack Of Clinical Evidence - Researchers are calling for more studies into the practice of forcing psychiatric patients to take medication, after a research review showed that there have been very few rigorous investigations of the procedure. - Journal of Advanced Nursing via ScienceDaily

* ►December 5, 2008 - Penn Medicine to disclose doctors' drug ties - The Philadelphia Inquirer

►December 5, 2008 - Seroprevalence of parvovirus B19 in fibromyalgia syndrome. - journal article (Clinical Rheumatology)

►December 4, 2008 - Immune cell counts and risks of respiratory infections among infants exposed pre- and post-natally to organochlorine compounds: a prospective study (pdf) - journal article (Environmental Health)

►December 4, 2008 - Vitamin E shows possible promise in easing chronic inflammation - University of Illinois

►December 4, 2008 - Manipulating Circadian Clock Improves Performance on the Night Shift - University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine via MedPage Today

* ►December 3, 2008 - Cleveland Clinic disclosing doctors' business ties - AP via The Washington Post

* ►December 3, 2008 - Efficacy of methylcobalamin and folinic acid treatment on glutathione redox status in children with autism - journal article (The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition)

►December 3, 2008 - Novel bioreactor enhances interleukin-12 production in genetically modified tobacco plants - Worcester Polytechnic Institute via EurekAlert!

►December 3, 2008 - Have numbness, pain or muscle weakness? Guidelines identify best tests for neuropathy - American Academy of Neurology via EurekAlert!

* ►December 2, 2008 - Team selected to probe 142 shaken baby cases - Child-death case review urged in Goudge report - The Toronto Star

* ►December 1, 2008  - 'Safe levels' of chemical exposure under review - EurActiv

►December 2008 - Global Child Health (pdf) - journal article (Pediatric Annals)

►December 2008 - The Importance of Global Health Issues (pdf) - journal article (Pediatric Annals)

►December 2008 - Global Health Training for Pediatric Residents (pdf) - journal article (Pediatric Annals)

* ►December 2008 - Chronic acquired sensory neuron diseases. - journal article (European Journal of Neurology)

* ►November/December 2008 - The history of vaccinations in the light of the autism epidemic - journal article (Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine)

* ►November/December 2008 - A possible central mechanism in autism spectrum disorders, part 1. - journal article (Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine)

►November 30, 2008 - McGill researcher on a quest to cure disfiguring parasitic disease - New results may lead to targeted, less toxic treatment for dreaded Leishmania parasite - McGill University via EurekAlert!

►November 26, 2008 - Herbal remedy clinical trials in the media: a comparison with the coverage of conventional pharmaceuticals (pdf) - journal article (BMC Medicine)

* ►November 25, 2008 - Title: Vaccine against streptococci (patent) - Merial Limited (Duluth, GA) via www.pharmcast.com

* ►November 25, 2008 - Title: Adenovirus formulations (patent) - Merck & Co., Inc. (Rahway, NJ) via www.pharmcast.com - "The preferred virus is an adenovirus, including but not limited to human Ad5, Ad2, Ad6, Ad24 serotypes, and especially recombinant adenoviral virus for use in human gene therapy or human gene-based vaccination technology, including a prophylactic or therapeutic application utilizing such a gene-based vaccination technology."

* ►November 25, 2008 - Title: Human monoclonal antibodies against Bacillus anthracis protective antigen (patent) - Medarex, Inc. (Princeton, NJ) via www.pharmcast.com

►November 25, 2008 - Title: Methods and compositions for treating viral infections using antibodies and immunoconjugates to aminophospholipids (patent) - Board of Regents, The University of Texas System (Austin, TX) via www.pharmcast.com

►November 25, 2008 - Title: Therapeutic peptides for demyelinating conditions (patent) - President and Fellows of Harvard College (Cambridge, MA) via www.pharmcast.com

►November 25, 2008 - Title: Tetracycline-regulated adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors for gene delivery to the nervous system (patent) - Children's Memorial Hospital (Chicago, IL) via www.pharmcast.com

►November 25, 2008 - Title: Melatonin-based composition for improved sleep (patent) - Iomedix Development International Srl (Bridgetown, BB) via www.pharmcast.com

* ►November 20, 2008 - Generation X’d Out: An end to the human race as we've known it? - Babies born to GENERATION X-RAY may be on the fast track to humanity's genetic DEAD END. - The Idaho Observer