Medical, Health & Pharmaceutical Stocks

NEW PAIN KILLER

jmwells — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 03:58:44 GMT

Now rolling out Cobroxin for stage 2 pain over the counter . Sold on line @cobroxin.com ,, to be in most stores soon . Product from NUTRA PHARMA nphc ...... Non adictive ,great results .

Flu Shots

aldentevontino — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 15:33:07 GMT

Straight off the HHS website:

HHS 2009 H1N1 Vaccine Development Activities

Fact Sheet

Overview

The newly emergent 2009 H1N1 influenza virus is a novel virus with pandemic potential. Consistent with the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza, HHS is committing funds for the production of pilot lots for clinical studies, as well as a bulk supply of antigen and adjuvant for use in a potential vaccine for the 2009 H1N1 which will become a part of the national stockpile of pre-pandemic influenza vaccines.

A vaccine is made from a virus or bacteria (referred to as an antigen), which causes the human body’s immune system to develop antibodies against a specific virus or bacteria so the body can recognize and fight the virus or bacteria. Adjuvants may be added to a vaccine to help generate a stronger immune response so less vaccine is needed for the body to recognize and fight a virus or bacteria.

Vaccine Development

When the 2009 H1N1 strain was isolated and identified as a novel influenza virus, work began to prepare a virus reference strain. This is a standard practice when new influenza strains are discovered, where a clinical sample of the virus is mixed with another influenza virus that grows in eggs to develop a new virus that has some of the properties of the novel virus and the ability to grow in eggs. This work is necessary in order to create an influenza vaccine using conventional methods.

Once a virus reference strain is ready, it will be made available to influenza vaccine manufacturers in order to create a master virus seed, which prepares a virus to be used in making the vaccine.

HHS Contracting Activities

Since 2004, HHS has contracted with manufacturers that currently hold U.S. licenses for flu vaccine as part of the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza. In May 2009, HHS issued new orders on these contracts to produce a bulk supply of vaccine antigen and adjuvant and to produce pilot (also called investigational) lots of a 2009 H1N1 vaccine. Most will be stored in bulk, and a small amount will be prepared as vaccine for use in clinical studies to evaluate vaccine safety and the dosage required for a protective effect. This research will include studies with adjuvant to determine its safety and the effect it would have on the immune system’s response.

Orders for Bulk Supply of H1N1 Influenza Vaccine Antigen and Adjuvant: May 22, 2009

Manufacturer	Bulk Vaccine Antigen	Oil-In-Water Bulk Adjuvant
Novartis	$150 million	$139 million
GlaxoSmithKline	$ 38 million	$144 million
Sanofi Pasteur	$191 million
CSL Biotherapies	$180 million
MedImmune	$ 90 million
Total	$649 million	$283 million

Orders for Bulk Supply of H1N1 Influenza Vaccine Antigen and Adjuvant: July 9, 2009

Manufacturer	Bulk Vaccine Antigen	Bulk Virus Concentrate/FFF	Oil-In-Water Bulk Adjuvant
Sanofi Pasteur	$61,425,000	0	0
GSK	$0	0	$71,400,000
Novartis	$346,334,450	0	$343,810,470
CSL	$0	0	0
MedImmune	$0	$61,008,000	0
Total	$407,759,450	$61,008,000	$415,210,470

If you have kids ........

corky — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 06:11:08 GMT

Keep checking your E mails from the school 3 times a day ...... No matter how much they scare you ! I got 5 emails from the schools just today about H1N1 . Why the heck don't they just shut down for crying out loud . Monday I am calling the schools and telling them My kids are not sick and I want it to stay that way so they are not coming to school . The Emails said more then 5 % of the kids are out with the flu just today ! Well HELLO ! That is good enough for me not to let my kids any where near the school . Sunny beaches !

How Common Are Medical Mistakes?

InnaD — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 17:50:08 GMT

They are too common. Although exact estimates are difficult to find, it is not surprising that an industry as stretched, complex, and burdened as the medical industry is fraught with errors. Many errors go unreported and tracking their exact prevalence is difficult. Nevertheless, bearing in mind that about 2.5 million deaths occur annually in the USA, here are some of the statistics and death rate estimates from various reports:

42% of people believed they had personally experienced a medical mistake (NPSF survey)
44,000 to 98,000 deaths annually from medical errors (Institute of Medicine)
225,000 deaths annually from medical errors including 106,000 deaths due to "nonerror adverse events of medications" (Starfield)
180,000 deaths annually from medication errors and adverse reactions (Holland)
20,000 annually to 88,000 deaths annually from nosocomial infections
2.9 to 3.7 percent of hospitalizations leading to adverse medication reactions
7,391 deaths resulted from medication errors (Institute of Medicine)
2.4 to 3.6 percent of hospital admissions were due to (prescription) medication events (Australian study)

Various studies have been performed about medical errors. A phone survey by the National Patient Safety Foundation found that 42% of people believed they had experienced a medical error personally or to a relative or friend. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) reports on two studies estimating the hospital deaths due to medical errors at 44,000 to 98,000 annually, which would place medical errors in the top ten causes of death in the USA. Barbara Starfield's article in JAMA places the estimates even higher, citing a total of 225,000 deaths due to iatrogenic causes, which would place health-caused deaths as the 3rd leading cause of death in the USA. Holland et al (1997) estimates as many as 1 million patients are injured while in the hospital and approximately 180,000 die as a result, with the majority due to medication adverse reactions.

Nosocomial infections caught during a hospital stay are also common, although these are not necessarily due to an identifiable error by medical personnel. On the other hand, many nosocomial infections would be prevented if hospital staff placed greater emphasis on preventive measures such as hand washing and sterilization. Estimates of nosocomial infections are as high as 2 million case annually or about 10% of hospital patients in the USA. Death rate estimates range from 20,000 annually to 88,000 deaths annually. The cost burden may be as high as $4.5 billion annually.

IOM study: deaths from medical errors: An Institute of Medicine (IOM) study in 1999 cited two different studies placing the number of deaths due to medical error in hospitals at 44,000 and 98,000 annually in the USA. For comparison, the CDC reports that in 1999 there were roughly 2.4 million US deaths, which would mean the above estimates represent approximately 1.8% and 4.0% of deaths respectively. The CDC lists the following top ten causes of death in USA for 1999 (see deaths overview for more details):

725,192 from heart disease,
549,838 from cancer,
167,366 from stroke or other cerebrovascular disease,
124,181 from chronic lower respiratory disease,
97,860 from accidents,
68,399 from diabetes,
63,730 from influenza and pneumonia,
44,536 from Alzheimer's disease,
35,525 from certain types of kidney disease,
30,680 from septicemia, and
484,092 from other causes.

By either estimate, the results would place deaths from medical errors clearly into the top ten causes of death at either position 5 or position 9. Furthermore, since these reports were based only on hospital admissions, the real number of deaths from medical errors in a doctor's office, such as misdiagnosis or delayed treatment, may be much higher.

The above reports were based on estimates of the rates of hospital admission that results in death from adverse events. The reports found rates of adverse events at 2.9 and 3.7 percent of hospitalizations respectively, and these were extrapolated to the annual rate of hospitalizations in the USA of 33.6 million admissions in the USA 1997. About half of these adverse events were due to errors: 58% and 53% respectively.

How common are medication errors? The IOM report gives much detailed information about deaths and adverse events due to errors in medication. The report estimates that 7,391 deaths resulted from medication errors in 1993. The IOM report cites one study finding that about 2% of hospital admissions experienced a preventable adverse drug event, although the majority were not fatal. Medication error was cited as the cause of death for 1 in 131 outpatient deaths and 1 in 854 inpatient deaths. Errors in prescription and dispensing are known but difficult to quantify. For example, the IOM report cites an Australian study for 1988-1996 finding that 2.4 to 3.6 percent of hospital admissions were due to medication events, of which 32 to 69% were preventable. For more details, see medication errors.

Surgical errors: Death rates from anesthesia in surgery have declines massively to about 1 per 200,000-300,000 cases compared to 2 per 10,000 in the early 1980s.

Starfield JAMA article: Barbara Starfield's JAMA article (Volume 284, No. 4, 2000), gives very large estimates of death due to medical treatment. A total of 225,000 deaths are attributed to various iatrogenic causes. This figure puts them at the 3rd highest cause of death, only after heart disease and cancer. With roughly 2.4 million US deaths in 1999, these estimates would put iatrogenic causes at approximately 9.3% of deaths.

However, not all of these deaths are necessarily from "mistakes" with 106,000 deaths due to "nonerror adverse events of medications". In other words, people had adverse reactions to a medication but it was not an error because they had no previous indication of a risk factor. Another 80,000 deaths are attributed to nosocomial infections, which are also not necessarily due to a particular "error" since there is always a risk of infection in hospitals. Her report also cites 12,000 deaths from unnecessary surgery, 7,000 deaths from medication errors in hospitals, and 20,000 deaths in hospitals from causes other than medication errors.

National Patient Safety Foundation Survey: The National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF) commissioned a phone survey in 1997 to review patient opinions about medical mistakes. The findings showed that 42% of people believed they had personally experienced a medical mistake. In these cases, the error affected them personally (33%), a relative (48%), or a friend (19%).

References

National Patient Safety Foundation at the AMA: Public Opinion of Patient Safety Issues, Louis Harris & Associates, September 1997.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (National Center for Health Statistics), Deaths: Final Data for 1997. National Vital Statistics Reports: Deaths: Leading Causes for 1999. Volume 49, Number 11, October 12, 2001
Institute of Medicine (IOM), "To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System", 2000, online.
Barbara Starfield, MD, MPH, Is US Health Really the Best in the World?, JAMA, Volume 284, No. 4, July 26, 2000, html, PDF
Lazarou J, Pomeranz BH, Corey PN. Incidence of adverse drug reactions in hospitalized patients: a meta-analysis of prospective studies. JAMA 1998 Apr 15;279(15):1200-5, html, PDF
JAMA / volume:279 (page: 1216) Drugs and Adverse Drug Reactions: How Worried Should We Be? David W. Bates, MD, MSc April 15, 1998 html, PDF
EILEEN G. HOLLAND, PHARM.D., and FRANK V. DEGRUY, M.D. Drug-Induced Disorders, Volume 15, No. 7, November 1, 1997, html
Phillips DP, Christenfeld N, Glynn LM. Lancet 1998 Feb 28;351(9103):643-4 Increase in US medication-error deaths between 1983 and 1993. medline
National Academies, "Preventing Death and Injury From Medical Errors Requires Dramatic, System-Wide Changes" November 29, 1999, (press release)
Richard J. Bonnie, Carolyn E. Fulco, Catharyn T. Liverman, Editors; Committee on Injury Prevention and Control, Institute of Medicine, Reducing the Burden of Injury: Advancing Prevention and Treatment, online
Schuster M, McGlynn E, Brook R. How good is the quality of health care in the United States? Milbank Q. 1998;76:517-563. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/htbin-post/Entrez/query?db=m&form=6&Dopt=r&uid=9879302

H1N1

corky — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 04:56:58 GMT

How do you think a major break out of this flu will effect the stock market ? How Bad dose it scare you ? will you get the shot when it comes out next month ? ........ I think it could have a very bad effect on the stock market and yes it dose scare me and NO I will not get the shot or let my kids get it .

Half of Health Workers Reject Swine Flu Shot

InnaD — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 18:10:35 GMT

About half of Hong Kong's health workers would refuse the swine flu vaccine, new research says, a trend that experts say would likely apply worldwide. In a study that polled 2,255 Hong Kong health workers this year, researchers found even during the height of global swine flu panic in May, less than half were willing to get vaccinated.

Most said they would pass on the swine flu shot, which is not yet available, because they were afraid of side effects and doubted how safe and effective it would be.

Doctors and nurses are on the swine flu front lines — and if they become infected, they may not only spread the disease to patients, but their absence from work could cripple health systems.

The World Health Organization recommends countries vaccinate their health workers. Many Western countries including Britain, Spain, and the U.S. have said doctors and nurses will be among the first to get swine flu shots.

The study results, published online in BMJ, formerly known as the British Medical Journal on Wednesday, suggest that carrying out those plans may be tricky.

"A good argument can be made that health workers have an ethical obligation to be vaccinated, not to protect themselves, but to protect their patients," said George Annas, a bioethics expert at Boston University. "But if they don't believe that vaccine to be safe and effective, it will be a hard sell."

Several drug makers are testing their swine flu vaccines. So far, officials say that among the few thousand people who got the injections no one has reported anything more serious than a sore or swollen arm.

It is unlikely any rare side effects will pop up until the vaccine is given to millions. That might include things like Guillain-Barre syndrome, a temporary paralyzing disorder, which was seen after the 1976 swine flu vaccination campaign, and happens fewer than once every 1 million vaccinations.

Researchers at the University of Hong Kong surveyed doctors and nurses in public hospitals this year from January to May, asking them if they would get a pandemic vaccine based either on bird flu or swine flu. About 35 percent of health workers were willing to get a bird flu vaccine, versus 48 percent for swine flu.

Experts were surprised so few of Hong Kong's health workers were willing to be vaccinated, since the city was hit hard during the 2003 outbreak of SARS, or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome.

Paul Chan of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, one of the study authors, thought the results would be similar elsewhere. Fewer than 60 percent of health workers in most countries get vaccinated against regular flu, thought to be a reliable indicator of whether they might get a swine flu shot. In the U.S., about 35 percent of health workers get a regular flu shot, while in Britain, only about 17 percent do.

Annas said health workers were ultimately like everyone else when it comes to getting vaccines. "Like the lay population, they assume they won't need the shot because they don't think they will get the flu."

Any thought about DVAX?

hkstock74 — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 09:24:44 GMT

Has anyone created a FDA calendar?

hkstock74 — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 22:56:38 GMT

I'm looking for a FDA calendar which lists dates such as PDUFA.

Any thought about ARIA?

hkstock74 — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 17:01:13 GMT

http://seekingalpha.com/article/156163-ariad-pharmaceuticals-significant-catalysts-approaching

Any thought about KERX?

hkstock74 — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 09:25:09 GMT

Any thought about NEPH?

hkstock74 — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 09:24:22 GMT

Any thought about HGSI?

hkstock74 — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 09:23:36 GMT

Big Pharma

SHOTCALLER — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 17:49:34 GMT

There seems to be a lot of speculation on the chances of Spectrum Pharma (SPPI) being acquired over the coming months. I personally don't think it will happen, but there are a few companies that could be interested. Bayer (BYERF.PK) will always be mentioned because of the fact they sell Zevalin in Europe, but Bayer did just divest two oncology drugs to Genzyme (GENZ), Fludara and Leukine, which makes me think that oncology is not where they want to focus their company. Allergan (AGN) should also be mentioned because of their partnership of bladder cancer drug EOquin with Spectrum, the drug is in phase three trials. If AGN really believes the drug is a winner, then why not try to own 100 percent.

Health ETFs

SHOTCALLER — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 21:07:17 GMT

Biotech ETFs: Bets on health care reform

"Health care reform could mean opportunities for astute investors," says Brandon Clay in his top-notch Invest With an Edge.

Here, eyes two biotech ETFs that "should be on everyone's watch list." The advisor notes, "With health care on the front burner in Washington, these biotechnology ETFs may finally be ready to pop."

"Investors in health care should think outside the realm of traditional pharmaceutical companies and health insurers.Those sectors are each facing headwinds that make stock picking difficult.

"In addition, several big pharma companiesare desperate to reload their empty pipelines in the face of increased competition from generic drug makers.Acquiring a smaller biotech firm is the easiest way for a pharma giant to find a potential new blockbuster drug.

"The best way to play the government-sponsored health care boom is through biotech ETFs.Today, we focus on the two that should be on everyone’s watch list.

"As a trading vehicle, we like theiShares Nasdaq Biotechnology Trust (NYSE: IBB), the most popular and liquid of the biotech ETFs with an average trading volume of nearly one million shares per day.

"The bid/ask spreads are typically well maintained, even though it holds 123 stocks.This ETF mirrors the performance of the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index and has been steadily advancing the past two months.

"For longer-term investors, we like the S&P SPDR Biotech ETF (ASE: XBI), which holds 25 equally weighted stocks and tracks the S&P Biotechnology Select Index.

"XBI does a good job of mixing solid large cap names such as Amgen (AMGN) and Gilead Sciences (GILD) with riskier small cap fare.This ensures good diversification within the biotech space and gives you the opportunity to profit from the smaller players.

"XBI lagged the market dramatically since late February, making now a great opportunity to get on board without the risk of buying an overextended ETF.

"With health care on the front burner in Washington, these biotechnology ETFs may finally be ready to pop after missing the recent market rally.

"They offer exciting profit potential on Washington's next boondoggle, and their defensive characteristics may insulate investors if the market turns down again.To play health care reform defensively

Do You have any patience to wait for Universal Health Care?

Purplepassion — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 05:39:56 GMT

The AMA on Universal Health Care
Doctors far and wide have weighed in on the prospect of universal health care. Here's a sampling of how they feel about it...
The Allergists voted to scratch it, but the Dermatologists advised not to make any rash moves.
The Gastroenterologists had sort of a gut feeling about it, but the Neurologists thought the Administration had a lot of nerve.
The Obstetricians felt they were all laboring under a misconception.
Ophthalmologists considered the idea shortsighted.
Pathologists yelled, "Over my dead body!"
while the Pediatricians said, 'Oh, Grow up!'
The Psychiatrists thought the whole idea was madness, while the Radiologists could see right through it.
Surgeons decided to wash their hands of the whole thing.
The Internists thought it was a bitter pill to
swallow,
and the Plastic Surgeons said, "This puts a whole new face on the matter."
The Podiatrists thought it was a step forward, but the Urologists were pissed off at the whole idea.
The Anesthesiologists thought the whole idea was a gas, and the Cardiologists didn't have the heart to say no.
In the end, the Proctologists won out, leaving the entire decision up to the assholes in Washington.

Media Blasts Oprah for Supporting Alternative Medicine

InnaD — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 22:15:29 GMT

In January of this year, Oprah Winfrey invited Suzanne Somers on her show to talk about health tips. The 62-year-old actress uses bio-identical estrogen cream and progesterone on her arm two weeks a month.

According to Somers, the bio-identical hormones are identical to the ones created by the human body, unlike conventional hormones, which are made from mare’s urine.

The result has been a media firestorm condemning both Somers and Oprah, including the hit piece in Newsweek linked below. The authors of the piece, Weston Kosova and Pat Wingert, argue that bio-identical hormones are just as synthetic as conventional hormones -- although they don’t much discuss the fact that conventional hormones are actually different from the 17-beta-estradiol made by your body, while the bio-identical hormones are 17-beta-estradiol itself.

The real reason for the attacks on bio-identical hormones?

As Somers points out, many doctors, scientists and media figures make a good deal of money off of the pharmaceutical industry.

And one thing you won’t see mentioned in the Newsweek article is the fact that Pat Wingert is the co-author of a pharmaceutically biased book on hormones and menopause, and that Newsweek is heavily funded by pharmaceutical companies.

This resembles an incident a few years ago when the cattle industry actually sued Oprah Winfrey just for talking about Mad Cow Disease.

Sources: Newsweek May 30, 2009

Hospital stocks tumble after Obama targets Medicare

InnaD — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:07:12 GMT

CHICAGO - Shares of hospital operators slumped early Monday after President Barack Obama over the weekend proposed cutting an additional $313 billion from programs such as Medicare help pay for healthcare reform.

"The bulk of cuts are to the hospital industry and are more severe than what we were expecting," Leerink Swann analyst Jason Gurda said in a note to clients.

"We expect strong opposition from the industry to these cuts, although some of them are likely to be included in any final reform legislation, in our view," he wrote.

Among the proposals, Obama's plan would save $110 billion by reducing annual Medicare payment increases and $106 billion by reducing subsidies to hospitals to care for uninsured patients.

The cuts, which would be phased in over 10 years, are on top of the $634 billion the president proposed in his budget.

"This proposal should not come as any surprise, as the healthcare provider stocks already reflect large cuts that would be needed to pay for an aggressive healthcare agenda," said Oppenheimer analyst Michael Wiederhorn.

"Hospitals are likely to be called on to finance a larger burden of reform due to the substantial benefits that they would gain from reform," he said.

Shares of Tenet Healthcare Corp (THC) were down 1.63 percent at $3.01 in morning trading on the New York Stock Exchange after an initial dip of 8 percent.

Shares of Universal Health Services (UHS) were down 1.97 percent at $51.35. Health Management Associates (HMA) fell 5.06 percent to $4.88, and LifePoint Hospitals Inc (LPNT) fell 1.64 percent to $27.01.

U.S. takes over Falls hospital pension plan

soberwolf — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 22:12:07 GMT

Home > Business

Updated: 04/30/09 03:23 PM

U.S. takes over Falls hospital pension plan

By Jonathan Epstein

Buffalo News

Story tools:

The U.S. Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. took over the pension plan for 1,200 employees and retirees of Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center today because the struggling hospital can't afford to fund the payments that it is required to make.

The federal agency announced the sudden termination of the plan Thursday, saying it acted to shut down the plan because the medical center failed to make about $7 million in legally required contributions to support it.

The hospital hasn't paid into the plan since September 2006, and doesn't have the money to make up past-due payments or support future responsibilities, the agency said. Its failure to do so means the plan has violated the minimum funding standards under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, which governs pension plans.

The PBGC said retirees and beneficiaries still will get their monthly benefit checks without interruption, and other participants will get their pensions when they are eligible to retire. The agency will take over the plan's assets and use its own insurance funds to pay guaranteed benefits that have been earned.

However, an agency spokesman said there will no longer be any cost-of-living adjustments for retirees, as provided for under the plan. Also, the maximum guaranteed benefit that the agency can pay for a 65-year-old in the plan is $54,000, since that's the current limit for this year, when the plan ended. Workers who retire at a younger age, such as 62, will get less, while those retiring at older ages will get more.

The PBGC, which is set up like a government insurance fund for pension plans similar to what exists for bank deposits, said taking over Niagara Falls Memorial's unfunded liabilities won't have a significant effect on its financial statements

Navy Reports 21 Swine Flu Cases on USS Iwo Jima

InnaD — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 04:02:08 GMT

NORFOLK, Va. -- The Navy is reporting 21 cases of swine flu on board the USS Iwo Jima.

Navy spokesman Cmd. Cappy Surette says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the first case on May 27. The amphibious assault ship left New York on May 26 after participating in Fleet Week.

Surette says the cases were mild. All 21 sailors and Marines were treated in New York and have since returned to duty.

Several other people have been isolated in the ship's medical ward after developing flu-like symptoms.

The Iwo Jima is scheduled to return to Norfolk later this week.

Surette says the Navy has had 147 confirmed cases of H1N1, and 137 of those people have returned to work.

Family Axes Wedding Plans, Egyptian Cuts Off Organ

InnaD — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 18:32:17 GMT

CAIRO -- A 25-year-old Egyptian man cut off his own penis to spite his family after he was refused permission to marry a girl from a lower class family, police reported Sunday.

After unsuccessfully petitioning his father for two years to marry the girl, the man heated up a knife and sliced off his reproductive organ, said a police official.

The young man came from a prominent family in the southern Egyptian province of Qena, one of Egypt's poorest and most conservative areas that is also home to the famed ancient Egyptian ruins of Luxor.

The man was rushed to the hospital but doctors were unable to reattach the severed member, the official added citing the police report filed after the incident.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak with the press, added that the man was still recovering in the hospital.

Traditionally, marriages in these conservative part of southern Egypt are between similar social classes and often within the same extended families _ and are rarely for love.

WHO Declares H1N1 Flu Pandemic Has Begun

InnaD — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 22:03:05 GMT

GENEVA -- The World Health Organization has told its member nations it is declaring a swine flu pandemic - the first global flu epidemic in 41 years.

The move came Thursday as infections climbed in the United States, Europe, Australia, South America and elsewhere.

In a statement sent to member countries, WHO says it decided to raise the pandemic alert level from phase 5 to 6, meaning that a global outbreak of swine flu has begun. The decision was made after the U.N. health agency held an emergency meeting on swine flu with its experts.

The declaration of a pandemic pushes drugmakers to fast-track production of a swine flu vaccine.

Chicago Reports Nation's 12th Death From Swine Flu

InnaD — Tue, 26 May 2009 02:35:46 GMT

CHICAGO -- Illinois health officials say a person in the Chicago area has died of swine flu. It's the nation's 12th confirmed death from the illness.

Illinois Department of Public Health director, Dr. Damon Arnold, said Monday the victim had other medical conditions. No more information about the person was released.

As of Monday morning, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported more than 6,700 cases in the U.S., most of them mild. The CDC has tallied 10 deaths, but New York health officials reported another death over the weekend.

The World Health Organization tallied more than 12,500 swine flu cases worldwide as of Monday, with more than half of them in the U.S. Of at least 91 deaths, 80 were in Mexico, where the outbreak was identified in April.

Well another salmonella scear

Ferdenanone — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 07:42:43 GMT

The F.D.A. warns consumers 2 stop eating food thats got selmonlla n them....

Doctors Face Tough Task With Boy Who Refuses Chemo

InnaD — Tue, 19 May 2009 17:36:07 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS -- A 13-year-old boy's vow to resist chemotherapy by punching or kicking anyone who tries to force it on him will present doctors with a tough task if they can't change his mind.

A judge was due Tuesday to hear the results of his order that Daniel Hauser undergo a chest X-ray and his family pick an oncologist to be treated for Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Daniel and his parents stopped chemotherapy after one treatment and opted for "alternative medicines," prompting Brown County authorities to intervene. The cancer is regarded as highly curable with chemotherapy and radiation, but is likely fatal without it.

Daniel was scheduled for an X-ray Monday. His attorneys couldn't confirm he kept the appointment, and calls to the Hauser home in Sleepy Eye rang unanswered.

"It can be very difficult to treat a 13-year-old boy who doesn't want to be treated," said Arthur Caplan, chair of the medical ethics department at the University of Pennsylvania. "I don't want to say it's impossible, but it makes it very tough on the doctors."

Last week, Brown County District Judge John Rodenberg ruled that Daniel's parents, Colleen and Anthony Hauser, were medically neglecting him.

Rodenberg said if a new X-ray showed a good prognosis, chemotherapy and possible radiation appeared to be in his best interest. Chemotherapy would not be ordered if the cancer was too advanced.

If chemotherapy was ordered and the family refused, Daniel would be placed in temporary custody. It wasn't immediately known where the boy might be treated or how medicine would be administered if he fights it.

Caplan said the medical community recognized a person's right to refuse treatments _ but those rights didn't extend to incompetent people or children. Still, he said: "It is hard to treat someone who won't cooperate." Restraints could be used.

Officials at some Minnesota hospitals that treat cancer in children described several methods they would try to break through the boy's resistance.

Dr. Steven Miles, a professor of medicine and bioethics at the University of Minnesota Center for Bioethics, said a hospital may assign a companion to a child, or administer a sedative to relieve anxiety. Sometimes foster homes catering to medically ill children can help by providing a loving environment and education about what the child needs.

"The kid says he's not sick and the mom says she'll treat it if it's an emergency," Miles said of the Hauser case. "With cancer, if it's an emergency, it's too late."

In court testimony earlier this month, doctors familiar with Daniel's case said they would have a hard time administering chemotherapy to Daniel if he resisted.

Dr. Bruce Bostrom, a pediatric oncologist at Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, and Dr. Vilmarie Rodriguez, a pediatric hematologist and oncologist from the Mayo Clinic, both testified their hospitals had child life specialists and psychologists to help children work through their fears.

Children's also has an integrative medicine program to help patients deal with the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation, with such techniques as massage, acupuncture, aromatherapy, or music therapy.

Brian Lucas, a spokesman at Children's, said ethics experts met Monday to make sure everyone was up to speed on Daniel's case and plan for any possibility.

Caplan said he believed the judge made the right decision.

"This case falls, for me, squarely in the 'You've gotta get him treated' camp," Caplan said. "If it's not life and death, you might not push so hard. If it's not a proven treatment ... you wouldn't push so far."

But doctors may not have to follow the court order "if they feel it can't be carried out _ if it's literally impossible to get a needle into this kid," Caplan said.

Dr. Susan Sencer, medical director of the pediatric hematology and oncology program at Children's, said incorporating natural healing techniques into medical care can help. And educating parents is a big part of treatment.

"Cancer is the scariest word in our vocabulary and to hear that your child has cancer just shakes you to your very foundation," Sencer said.

Part of the job of the oncologist, she said, is to help families make sense of what is essentially a "fluke of nature."

Butterfly, bee, wasp, moth and other pollinating insect numbers

Mirth — Wed, 20 May 2009 14:29:15 GMT

I am curious to know whether any of you who might garden or farm have noticed any recent changes in the numbers of pollinating insects e.g. bees, wasps, butterflies, moths etc.,... that you are observing outside?

Several months ago, I spoke with my Aunt, an avid gardener, and she commented that both she and another relative of ours have observed significantly fewer bees and butterflies in the garden in the past two years. This impression also fits my garden observations in a different region of the country (USA). I realize that many bee hives have been lost in the United States due to colony collapse disorder-- but our observations also relate to other insect pollinators as well.

Has anyone else noticed this situation?

Thanks for your help!

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Butterfly, bee, wasp, moth and other pollinating insect numbers