tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73398679651333840992011-11-27T16:44:35.285-08:00habibnoreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7339867965133384099.post-15634139619344572902011-05-19T20:25:00.000-07:002011-05-19T20:26:11.539-07:002011-05-19T20:26:11.539-07:00 <P>LOS ANGELES | Fri Apr 29, 2011 5:33pm EDT </P><P>LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A Virginia U.S. District Court jury has ordered Allergan Inc to pay $212 million to a man who claimed that injections of wrinkle-smoothing Botox left him with brain damage.</P><P>The jurors awarded 67-year-old Douglas Ray Jr $12 million in compensatory damages and $200 million in punitive damages, the company said on Thursday.</P><P>Ray said he was injured after getting Botox injections to relieve a hand tremor and writer's cramp, according to a report in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.</P><P>Allergan said in a statement that there was no evidence that the company failed to provide adequate information about the potential risks of the drug. It also said there was no proof that Botox caused his symptoms.</P><P>The company said it is evaluating the basis for an appeal, noting that Virginia state law caps punitive damages at $350,000.</P><P>Allergan agreed last year to plead guilty and pay $600 million to resolve a federal probe involving marketing Botox for unapproved non-cosmetic uses.</P><P>The Justice Department accused the company of paying kickbacks to doctors to prescribe Botox for unapproved uses -- such as treating headaches, pain and juvenile cerebral palsy -- and teaching doctors how to bill for such "off-label" uses.</P><br /><p><a href="http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/healthNews/~3/Pw0rgDL9Tl4/us-allergan-botox-idUSTRE73S74120110429" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7339867965133384099-1563413961934457290?l=poisonpork.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/2GPqbdYrr-O6ufozMq59wr13XT0/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/2GPqbdYrr-O6ufozMq59wr13XT0/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/2GPqbdYrr-O6ufozMq59wr13XT0/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/2GPqbdYrr-O6ufozMq59wr13XT0/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PoisonPork/~4/x01ldC2sF98" height="1" width="1"/>habibnoreply@blogger.com0http://poisonpork.blogspot.com/2011/05/jury-orders-allergan-to-pay-212-mln-in.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7339867965133384099.post-69280831630701791692011-05-05T23:26:00.000-07:002011-05-05T23:26:00.489-07:002011-05-05T23:26:00.489-07:00 <P><STRONG>Background</STRONG><BR>Over the past week, there have been several media reports describing unpublished findings from seasonal influenza vaccine studies conducted in Canada. The findings from these studies suggest that getting the 2008-09 seasonal influenza vaccine (given last influenza season) increases a person’s risk of getting 2009 H1N1 influenza.  In the studies done in Canada, the increase in risk among vaccinated persons is approximately double the risk for unvaccinated persons. These studies could not determine which seasonal influenza vaccine had been given. This research has not been published in the medical literature or presented at a public scientific meeting. The results of these studies have been presented by Canadian investigators to CDC scientists, but there has not yet been an opportunity to review the studies in detail. </P><P><STRONG>CDC Response</STRONG><BR>Preliminary results of studies conducted in the United States using methods similar to the Canadian studies suggest that receiving a seasonal influenza vaccine does not increase the risk of becoming ill with 2009 H1N1 influenza.  In addition, no other country has reported this finding. Only one study has been published on this issue, which reported data collected in Australia. The Australian study did not find any association between receipt of seasonal influenza vaccine and risk of getting 2009 H1N1 influenza. Australian researchers recently published these findings: Kelly H, Grant K. <STRONG>Interim analysis of pandemic influenza (H1N1) 2009 in Australia: surveillance trends, age of infection and effectiveness of seasonal vaccination</STRONG>. Eurosurveillance Volume 14, Issue 31, 06 August 2009. (http://www.eurosurveillance.org/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleId=19288). In addition, seasonal influenza vaccination leading to increased susceptibility to other influenza viruses has never been reported before.</P><P>CDC is working with scientists in Canada, the World Health Organization (WHO) and other countries to further investigate the findings from Canada and other countries. Studies in the United States also are continuing. Thus far, why findings from studies in Canada have been different from results of studies conducted in other countries is unknown.The influenza virus strains used to make the Canadian seasonal influenza vaccine were the same as used in the United States and many other countries. However, some seasonal influenza vaccines used in Canada are not available in the United States and vice versa. The Canadian studies reportedly cannot determine which vaccines study participants received.</P><P>CDC continues to recommend seasonal influenza vaccination for the 2009-10 influenza season. Currently the vast majority of influenza being reported to CDC is 2009 influenza A (H1N1). However, influenza is very unpredictable and seasonal influenza viruses might circulate at any point in the season. CDC does not recommend halting or deferring seasonal influenza immunization efforts.</P><P>The recommendations for who should get seasonal influenza vaccine have not changed. CDC recommends seasonal influenza vaccination for anyone who wants to reduce their chances of getting seasonal flu. Yearly vaccination is particularly important for certain groups of people, including those who are at high risk of having serious seasonal influenza -related complications or people who live with or care for those at high risk for serious seasonal influenza -related complications, including:</P>Children aged 6 months up to their 19th birthday Pregnant women People 50 years of age and older People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu, including: Health care workers Household contacts of persons at high risk for complications from the flu Household contacts and out of home caregivers of children less than 6 months of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated)<P>####</P><P>U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES</P><br /><p><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2009/s091002.htm?s_cid=mediarel_s091002" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7339867965133384099-6928083163070179169?l=poisonpork.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/0eO9bWlgQF_NLV0J3-_5bUTApVk/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/0eO9bWlgQF_NLV0J3-_5bUTApVk/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/0eO9bWlgQF_NLV0J3-_5bUTApVk/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/0eO9bWlgQF_NLV0J3-_5bUTApVk/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PoisonPork/~4/V4jpKn20Chg" height="1" width="1"/>habibnoreply@blogger.com0http://poisonpork.blogspot.com/2011/05/seasonal-influenza-vaccine-and-risk-of.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7339867965133384099.post-83551792613941539672011-05-05T18:30:00.000-07:002011-05-05T18:30:00.161-07:002011-05-05T18:30:00.161-07:00 <P>For Immediate Release: May 15, 2007<BR>Contact: Division of Media Relations<BR>404-639-3286</P><BR><P>Atlanta –A three-day training course which provides a standardized curriculum to state and local public-health responders about how to identify and control human infections and illness associated with avian influenza A (H5N1) is being released on-line today. The course, entitled "CDC/CSTE Rapid Response Training: The Role of Public Health in a Multi-Agency Response to Avian Influenza in the United States" is the result of a partnership between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE). The course is available at http://www.cste.org/influenza/avian.asp.</P><P>"We are pleased to release a new avian influenza training program that our state and local public-health partners can use to train rapid response teams," says Joshua Mott, an epidemiologist in CDC’s Influenza Division who led the training development project. The training focuses on human health issues during an avian influenza investigation. Through lectures, reference materials and case studies, the course provides mechanisms to facilitate discussion and planning among people who may be called on to respond to avian influenza A (H5N1) in the United States.</P><P>To date, no H5N1 cases in birds or humans have been found in the United States or any other country in the Western Hemisphere. However, in parts of Asia, Africa and Europe, the H5N1 virus has caused widespread infections and deaths in poultry and 291 human illnesses, resulting in 172 deaths. Public-health officials around the world consider H5N1 to be the greatest current pandemic influenza threat.</P><P>Background: The CDC and CSTE worked with educators at the North Carolina Center for Public Health Preparedness to develop the curriculum for on-line release. The on-line version was modified from regional "train the trainer" courses that were conducted in early 2007 in Washington D.C.; Denver, CO; and Atlanta, GA. These regional courses included 295 participants and facilitators and represented local and state health agencies, federal agencies, including CDC and United States Department of Agriculture, and representatives from the wildlife protection and agricultural sectors, public-health laboratories, public-health veterinarians, nursing and industry. Training was provided to representatives of all 50 states; several large U.S. cities including Washington, D.C., Seattle, WA, Chicago, IL, Houston, TX and New York City, NY; and Puerto Rico, American Samoa and the Virgin Islands. A key component of the training was coordination between veterinary and human public-health agencies at the federal, state and local level.</P><P>"The unique aspect of the training is that it brings together human and animal health professionals, who would work together as part of a multidisciplinary response to an avian influenza threat," says Mott. "Importantly, this training program also teaches public-health response skills that are applicable to other emerging diseases."</P><P>CDC provided $2 million in funding to CSTE to support development of the materials, to support the in-person trainings, to adapt the materials for on-line access, and to assist states in replicating the response training in their states using this curriculum.</P><P>####</P><P>U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES</P><br /><p><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2007/r070515.htm?s_cid=mediarel_r070515" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7339867965133384099-8355179261394153967?l=poisonpork.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/qKdx0JWR6iU_-eZ2Pjedc6m_hOk/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/qKdx0JWR6iU_-eZ2Pjedc6m_hOk/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/qKdx0JWR6iU_-eZ2Pjedc6m_hOk/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/qKdx0JWR6iU_-eZ2Pjedc6m_hOk/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PoisonPork/~4/A3GdwDnlKo0" height="1" width="1"/>habibnoreply@blogger.com0http://poisonpork.blogspot.com/2011/05/us-preparedness-to-respond-to-avian.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7339867965133384099.post-84354827379072464372011-05-05T14:45:00.000-07:002011-05-05T14:45:00.616-07:002011-05-05T14:45:00.616-07:00 <P>CDC will host a press conference to update on 2009 H1N1 Flu.</P><P>Thomas R. Frieden, M.D., M.P.H., Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</P><P>Thursday September 3, 2009 at 12 p.m. ET</P><P>Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<BR>1600 Clifton Road NE<BR>Atlanta, GA 30329<BR>Tom Harkin Global Communications Center (Building 19), Press Room<BR>For directions to CDC, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/about/resources/visitGuide.htm#direction. </P><P>Parking is available in the Building 19 parking deck located on CDC Parkway. Media should arrive at the CDC by 11:30 a.m. Media must present photo ID for access. Media who cannot attend in person can listen and ask questions by toll-free conference line. The briefing will begin promptly; media should dial in a few minutes before the start of the conference.</P><br /><p><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2009/a090902.htm?s_cid=mediarel_a090902" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7339867965133384099-8435482737907246437?l=poisonpork.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/pmxc8EKeMy7EY0bqv2AJSxTQmE4/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/pmxc8EKeMy7EY0bqv2AJSxTQmE4/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/pmxc8EKeMy7EY0bqv2AJSxTQmE4/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/pmxc8EKeMy7EY0bqv2AJSxTQmE4/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PoisonPork/~4/V38RE-1MYC8" height="1" width="1"/>habibnoreply@blogger.com0http://poisonpork.blogspot.com/2011/05/weekly-update-on-2009-h1n1-flu.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7339867965133384099.post-22685869706420468222011-05-05T10:55:00.000-07:002011-05-05T10:55:00.398-07:002011-05-05T10:55:00.398-07:00 <P>Hospitalizations for three common waterborne diseases cost the health care system as much as $539 million annually, according to research presented today at the International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases.</P><P>"These cost data highlight that water-related diseases pose not only a physical burden to the thousands of people sickened by them each year, but also a substantial burden in health care costs, including direct government payments through Medicare and Medicaid," says Michael Beach of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an author of the study.</P><P>Currently, there are no well-documented data on the total health care costs associated with all waterborne diseases. However, using data from a large insurance claims database between 2004 and 2007, Beach and his colleagues estimated the hospitalization cost of three common waterborne diseases in the United States: Legionnaires' disease, cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis. For each case of disease, they calculated the cost paid by the insurer, the out-of-pocket cost to the patient, and the total amount paid.</P><P>Total estimated costs for hospitalization for the three diseases was $154-539 million, including $44-147 million in direct government payments for Medicare and Medicaid. Estimated annual costs for the individual diseases were: giardiasis, $16-63 million; cryptosporidiosis, $37-145 million; and Legionnaires' disease, $101-321 million.</P><P>Inpatient hospitalization costs per case averaged more than $34,000 for Legionnaires' disease, approximately $9,000 for giardiasis and more than $21,000 for cryptosporidiosis.</P><P>"When people think about these diseases, they usually think of a simple case of diarrhea, which is a nuisance but quickly goes away. However, these infections can cause severe illness that often result in hospital stays of more than a week, which can quickly drive up health care costs," Beach says.</P><P>Other symptoms can include rashes, eye and ear infections and respiratory or neurological symptoms and can even be fatal.</P><P>Modest investments in preventing these diseases could lead to reduced disease and significant healthcare cost savings, Beach says. Some examples of possible, low-cost interventions include public education campaigns, appropriate maintenance of building water systems, and regular inspection of pools and other recreational water facilities.</P><P>###<BR>The International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases is organized by the CDC, the American Society for Microbiology, the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, the Association of Public Health Laboratories and the World Health Organization. More information on the meeting can be found online at www.iceid.org.</EM></P><br /><p><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2010/r100714.htm?s_cid=mediarel_r100714" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7339867965133384099-2268586970642046822?l=poisonpork.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/EuOdstcMM-3Qu0YYYjj4qduXmxE/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/EuOdstcMM-3Qu0YYYjj4qduXmxE/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/EuOdstcMM-3Qu0YYYjj4qduXmxE/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/EuOdstcMM-3Qu0YYYjj4qduXmxE/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PoisonPork/~4/U1VeI6M17Nw" height="1" width="1"/>habibnoreply@blogger.com0http://poisonpork.blogspot.com/2011/05/waterborne-diseases-could-cost-over-500.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7339867965133384099.post-35313631285768082622011-05-05T07:50:00.000-07:002011-05-05T07:50:00.095-07:002011-05-05T07:50:00.095-07:00 <P>CDC will host a press conference to provide an update on 2009 H1N1 flu and vaccine distribution. </P><P>Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, M.D., M.P.H., Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</P><P>Friday October 30, 2009 at 1:30 p.m.</P><P>Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<BR>1600 Clifton Road NE<BR>Atlanta, GA 30329<BR>Tom Harkin Global Communications Center (Building 19), Press Room</P><P>For directions to CDC, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/about/resources/visitGuide.htm#direction. </P><P>Parking is available in the Building 19 parking deck located on CDC Parkway. Media should arrive at the CDC no later than 1:00 p.m. Media must present photo ID for access.</P><P>Media who cannot attend in person can listen and ask questions by toll-free conference line. Please dial in a few minutes before the start of the conference.</P><P>This press briefing will be broadcast live at http://www.flu.gov/live.  We strongly encourage non-media to use this option for viewing. <BR></P><P>*Please dial in 10 to 15 minutes before the start of the press conference.  <BR>Media: 888-795-0855<BR>Listen Only: 800-369-1890<BR>INTERNATIONAL: 1-312-470-7280<BR>PASSCODE: CDC Media </P><P><STRONG>Important Instructions: </STRONG>If you would like to ask a question during the call, press *1 on your touchtone phone. Press *2 to withdraw your question. You may queue up at any time. You will hear a tone to indicate your question is pending. </P><P><STRONG>BROADCAST ACCESS:</STRONG><BR>Call Crawford Communications Bookings at 1-800-243-1995 to make arrangements for broadcast feed. </P><P><STRONG>TRANSCRIPT:</STRONG><BR>A transcript of this media availability will be available following the briefing at the CDC web site at http://www.cdc.gov/media.</P><br /><p><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2009/a091030.htm?s_cid=mediarel_a091030" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7339867965133384099-3531363128576808262?l=poisonpork.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/bc4SQJLHTEvL8n0dQ0XDvfB_x-8/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/bc4SQJLHTEvL8n0dQ0XDvfB_x-8/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/bc4SQJLHTEvL8n0dQ0XDvfB_x-8/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/bc4SQJLHTEvL8n0dQ0XDvfB_x-8/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PoisonPork/~4/JuMUivU897w" height="1" width="1"/>habibnoreply@blogger.com0http://poisonpork.blogspot.com/2011/05/weekly-cdc-2009-h1n1-flu-update_6085.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7339867965133384099.post-73010891135438715932011-05-05T04:14:00.000-07:002011-05-05T04:14:00.227-07:002011-05-05T04:14:00.227-07:00 <P>CDC will host a press conference to provide an update on 2009 H1N1 flu and vaccine distribution. </P><P>Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, M.D., M.P.H., Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</P><P>Friday October 30, 2009 at 1:30 p.m.</P><P>Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<BR>1600 Clifton Road NE<BR>Atlanta, GA 30329<BR>Tom Harkin Global Communications Center (Building 19), Press Room</P><P>For directions to CDC, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/about/resources/visitGuide.htm#direction. </P><P>Parking is available in the Building 19 parking deck located on CDC Parkway. Media should arrive at the CDC no later than 1:00 p.m. Media must present photo ID for access.</P><P>Media who cannot attend in person can listen and ask questions by toll-free conference line. Please dial in a few minutes before the start of the conference.</P><P>This press briefing will be broadcast live at http://www.flu.gov/live.  We strongly encourage non-media to use this option for viewing. <BR></P><P>*Please dial in 10 to 15 minutes before the start of the press conference.  <BR>Media: 888-795-0855<BR>Listen Only: 800-369-1890<BR>INTERNATIONAL: 1-312-470-7280<BR>PASSCODE: CDC Media </P><P><STRONG>Important Instructions: </STRONG>If you would like to ask a question during the call, press *1 on your touchtone phone. Press *2 to withdraw your question. You may queue up at any time. You will hear a tone to indicate your question is pending. </P><P><STRONG>BROADCAST ACCESS:</STRONG><BR>Call Crawford Communications Bookings at 1-800-243-1995 to make arrangements for broadcast feed. </P><P><STRONG>TRANSCRIPT:</STRONG><BR>A transcript of this media availability will be available following the briefing at the CDC web site at http://www.cdc.gov/media.</P><br /><p><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2009/a091030.htm?s_cid=mediarel_a091030" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7339867965133384099-7301089113543871593?l=poisonpork.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/TEIX5EmMnDzAhri00n7ITEx6dmA/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/TEIX5EmMnDzAhri00n7ITEx6dmA/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/TEIX5EmMnDzAhri00n7ITEx6dmA/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/TEIX5EmMnDzAhri00n7ITEx6dmA/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PoisonPork/~4/uHkNDiXoqM0" height="1" width="1"/>habibnoreply@blogger.com0http://poisonpork.blogspot.com/2011/05/weekly-cdc-2009-h1n1-flu-update_8844.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7339867965133384099.post-44186762782665562962011-05-05T00:39:00.000-07:002011-05-05T00:39:00.326-07:002011-05-05T00:39:00.326-07:00 <P>CDC will host a press conference to provide an update on 2009 H1N1 flu and vaccine distribution. </P><P>Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, M.D., M.P.H., Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</P><P>Friday October 30, 2009 at 1:30 p.m.</P><P>Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<BR>1600 Clifton Road NE<BR>Atlanta, GA 30329<BR>Tom Harkin Global Communications Center (Building 19), Press Room</P><P>For directions to CDC, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/about/resources/visitGuide.htm#direction. </P><P>Parking is available in the Building 19 parking deck located on CDC Parkway. Media should arrive at the CDC no later than 1:00 p.m. Media must present photo ID for access.</P><P>Media who cannot attend in person can listen and ask questions by toll-free conference line. Please dial in a few minutes before the start of the conference.</P><P>This press briefing will be broadcast live at http://www.flu.gov/live.  We strongly encourage non-media to use this option for viewing. <BR></P><P>*Please dial in 10 to 15 minutes before the start of the press conference.  <BR>Media: 888-795-0855<BR>Listen Only: 800-369-1890<BR>INTERNATIONAL: 1-312-470-7280<BR>PASSCODE: CDC Media </P><P><STRONG>Important Instructions: </STRONG>If you would like to ask a question during the call, press *1 on your touchtone phone. Press *2 to withdraw your question. You may queue up at any time. You will hear a tone to indicate your question is pending. </P><P><STRONG>BROADCAST ACCESS:</STRONG><BR>Call Crawford Communications Bookings at 1-800-243-1995 to make arrangements for broadcast feed. </P><P><STRONG>TRANSCRIPT:</STRONG><BR>A transcript of this media availability will be available following the briefing at the CDC web site at http://www.cdc.gov/media.</P><br /><p><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2009/a091030.htm?s_cid=mediarel_a091030" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7339867965133384099-4418676278266556296?l=poisonpork.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/QogUAmlIcW6KPzyl23eymlMof8c/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/QogUAmlIcW6KPzyl23eymlMof8c/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/QogUAmlIcW6KPzyl23eymlMof8c/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/QogUAmlIcW6KPzyl23eymlMof8c/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PoisonPork/~4/worcm8tBTiU" height="1" width="1"/>habibnoreply@blogger.com0http://poisonpork.blogspot.com/2011/05/weekly-cdc-2009-h1n1-flu-update_05.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7339867965133384099.post-61236794404569108452011-05-04T20:29:00.000-07:002011-05-04T20:29:00.145-07:002011-05-04T20:29:00.145-07:00 <P>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<BR>Tuesday, August 10, 2010</P><P>Contact: HHS Press Office<BR>(202) 690-6343</P><P>On August 10, 2010, the World Health Organization (WHO) International Health Regulations (IHR) Emergency Committee and the WHO Director-General, Dr. Margaret Chan, declared an end to the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic. This declaration was based on strong indications that influenza, worldwide, is transitioning toward seasonal patterns of transmission.</P><P>In the majority of countries, out-of-season 2009 H1N1 outbreaks are no longer being observed, and the intensity of 2009 H1N1 influenza virus transmission is lower than that reported during 2009 and early 2010. Members of the Emergency Committee further noted that the 2009 H1N1 viruses will likely continue to circulate for some years to come, taking on the behavior of a seasonal influenza virus.</P><P>This does not mean that the H1N1 virus has disappeared.  Rather, it means current influenza outbreaks including those primarily caused by the 2009 H1N1 virus, show an intensity similar to that seen during seasonal epidemics. Pandemics, like the viruses that cause them, are unpredictable.  WHO noted that continued vigilance is extremely important, and it is likely that the virus will continue to cause serious disease in younger age groups and pregnant women, at least in the immediate post-pandemic period.</P><P>The WHO Director-General ended the Public Health Emergency of International Concern in accordance with the International Health Regulations (2005). More information about the WHO declaration is available on the WHO website at http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/statements/2010/h1n1_vpc_20100810/en/index.html.</P><P><B>Implications for United States</B></P><P>This is a formal WHO declaration regarding the end of the pandemic at the global level. The U.S. Public Health Emergency determination for 2009 H1N1 Influenza expired on June 23, 2010.</P><P>The only impact on the United States resulting from the WHO declaration will be a cessation in weekly reporting under the International Health Regulations (IHR) to the Pan American Health Organization and the World Health Organization. CDC has reported weekly to IHR since early in the pandemic.</P><P>There are no changes for the United States in terms of CDC’s recommendations for the upcoming influenza season and the United States is already proceeding with the understanding that the 2009 H1N1 virus is now part of seasonal influenza virus circulation.</P><P>As is customary, beginning in October, 2010, CDC will provide weekly reports of influenza surveillance information throughout the season with the publication of FluView available at www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly .</P><P><B>Protecting Yourself and Others from Influenza</B></P><P>CDC recommends a three-step approach to fighting flu: vaccination, everyday preventive actions and the correct use of antiviral drugs if your doctor recommends them. The first and most important step in protecting against the flu is to get a flu vaccine each season.</P><P>The U.S. 2010-2011 influenza vaccine will protect against an H3N2 virus, an influenza B virus, and the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus that caused the first global pandemic in more than 40 years and resulted in substantial illness, hospitalizations and deaths. In the United States, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recently recommended that everyone 6 months of age and older be vaccinated against influenza each season.  Pregnant women, young children, and anyone with underlying health conditions like asthma, diabetes and neuromuscular diseases are at especially high risk for influenza-related complications and, therefore, should be vaccinated as soon as vaccine becomes available. Vaccine manufacturers are predicting an ample supply of influenza vaccine for the upcoming 2010-2011 U.S. influenza season.</P><P>Influenza (the flu) is a serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death. Anyone can get sick from the flu. For more information about influenza and how to protect yourself and your family, visit www.flu.gov.</P><P>###</P><P>Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at http://www.hhs.gov/news.</P>Last revised: January 03, 2011</P><br /><p><a href="http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2010pres/08/20100810b.html?s_cid=mediarel_r100810" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7339867965133384099-6123679440456910845?l=poisonpork.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/B4uXM2aI2rZ5BGlHFU-bStg8Y0o/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/B4uXM2aI2rZ5BGlHFU-bStg8Y0o/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/B4uXM2aI2rZ5BGlHFU-bStg8Y0o/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/B4uXM2aI2rZ5BGlHFU-bStg8Y0o/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PoisonPork/~4/FMjnd_yo0Zw" height="1" width="1"/>habibnoreply@blogger.com0http://poisonpork.blogspot.com/2011/05/who-declares-end-to-2009-h1n1-influenza.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7339867965133384099.post-77951904636527348692011-05-04T18:34:00.001-07:002011-05-04T18:34:58.963-07:002011-05-04T18:34:58.963-07:00The holidays are coming and what could be better than a family BBQ and its visions of red and white checkered picnic table cloths, grills, condiments, snacks, lots cold drinks and of course the meat. The meat is often cut to perfection, hand manicured, marinated, spiced, coated with tasty BBQ sauce concoctions, store bought and/or secret because this is the tradition of this epicurean ritual. We come to par take of revered relished foods to lose ourselves in the epicurean delight of flavors mixed with the social rewards of good company, with an expectation of a good time to be had by all. However all is not well in this savor's paradise, the center of attraction the meat, the pork the swine meat is not what it seems.<br /><br />The pork meats although beautifully packaged in clear plastic, white or colored Styrofoam trays, or basic butchers brown or white wrapping paper is only a decorative deception of the all too deadly truth swine, pig, pork is poison! Martha Stewart, Betty Crocker, nor the Seal of Good Housekeeping can console us or change the fact that pork is infected. It has been infected and will be infected no matter what. In fact all food industry giants are just as much potential victims as billions of other people in the world that have consumed, are consuming or will consume pork and all it's related by products.<br /><br />H1N1 virus and its other nasty infectious cousins have sent the world a wake up call. They are residing sheltering harboring and taking perfect refuge in the bodies of swine all over the globe and have become the mutating time bomb which makes hydrogen and atom bombs pale in comparison. Perhaps all countries would be better off shelving and scraping all their biological warfare programs development research and just purchase a hog farm. Right now it seems the ultimate result is the same, death and mayhem on an unprecedented global scale. It is clearly undeniable people are dispensable, only money and power are important. Corporations and governments have been aware of this problem for years and have chosen to say almost nothing without considerable pressure and arm twisting.<br /><br />H1N1 virus has been tracked for years and the virus that is killing and sickening, "only God knows how many!" is directly genetically linked to its ancestors present in pigs 10-17 years ago'. H1N1 and its deadly cousins have only mutated in order to better capitalize on its hosts, swine and the humans in contact with swine. Corporations and governments have been assisting the virus by under reporting or downright refusing to report the virus' contagion and advancement. Now it has come to light that the respiratory ailment that was noticed as a problem and officially identified as Swine Flu in La Gloria Mexico in March apparently was active long before, and the concerns of people residing in the area were willfully ignored.<br /><br />The locals complained about the contamination of their water sources by untold tons of the factory pig fecal matter left to simmer in large black filthy lagoons that overflowed with each rain fall. The locals complained about packs of ravenous dogs that feed on the discarded hog carcasses that surrounded the foul smelling operation, to no avail. For obvious reasons Smithfield Foods, neither the Mexican government nor the US government took any preventative measures or corrective actions. The results are plain the "genie is out of the bottle" and all the responsible parties have formed the usual circular firing squad blaming someone else for the collateral damage of lost lives and health consequences. In the midst of all this the main concern in corporate financial circles is the falling demand for pork and declining pork prices.<br /><br />People are scared and they should be because they have been sold out, fooled, deceived, lied to and bamboozled and all they are being told is to cook the stinking infected pork meat to 160 degrees before eating. Oh, by the way the meat is not contagious only the live pig! How can that be when the CDC (Center for Decease) clearly states that anything the pigs come in contact with could be contaminated by the H1N1 virus including pens holding area transport vehicles etc? What nonsense, it is common knowledge that virus' do not die when the host animal dies they are amazingly tough and resilient pathogens.<br /><br />This BBQ season and for all future seasons when those bratwurst, baby back ribs, pork chops, or sausages go on the grill knows that H1N1 is probably on your hands and utensils. Be a good host and ask your guest if they would like mustard on that pork hot dog or do they just want it plain with Swine Flu only?<br /><br />read more at the following sites:<br /><br />http://happymountainfarmstore.com<br /><br />http://acaiok.com<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7339867965133384099-7795190463652734869?l=poisonpork.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Z9SlXw6dCaMPhksHaGu2yFoLjSQ/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Z9SlXw6dCaMPhksHaGu2yFoLjSQ/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Z9SlXw6dCaMPhksHaGu2yFoLjSQ/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Z9SlXw6dCaMPhksHaGu2yFoLjSQ/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PoisonPork/~4/cV87TSVuSNw" height="1" width="1"/>habibnoreply@blogger.com0http://poisonpork.blogspot.com/2011/05/h1n1-swine-flu-bar-bq.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7339867965133384099.post-75585812389289754212011-05-04T16:25:00.000-07:002011-05-04T16:25:00.411-07:002011-05-04T16:25:00.411-07:00 <P>CDC will host a press conference to provide an update on 2009 H1N1 flu and vaccine distribution. </P><P>Anne Schuchat, M.D., Director, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases</P><P>Friday, November 20, 2009 at 12:00 noon ET.</P><P>Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<BR>1600 Clifton Road NE<BR>Atlanta, GA 30329<BR>Tom Harkin Global Communications Center (Building 19), Press Room<BR></P><P>For directions to CDC, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/about/resources/visitGuide.htm#direction. </P><P>Parking is available in the Building 19 parking deck located on CDC Parkway.  Media should arrive at the CDC no later than 11:45 a.m.  Media must present photo ID for access.</P><P>Media who cannot attend in person can listen and ask questions by toll-free conference line.  Please dial in a few minutes before the state of the conference.</P><P>This press briefing will be broadcast live at http://www.flu.gov/live.  We strongly encourage non-media to use this option for viewing.</P><P>* Please dial in 10 to 15 minutes before the start of the press conference.</P><P><BR>Media: 888-795-0855 <BR>Listen Only: 800-369-3344 <BR>International: 1-312-470-7280 <BR>Passcode: CDC Media</P><P><STRONG>Important Instructions: </STRONG>If you would like to ask a question during the call, press *1 on your touchtone phone. Press *2 to withdraw your question. You may queue up at any time. You will hear a tone to indicate your question is pending. </P><P>Call Crawford Communications Bookings at 1-800-243-1995 to make arrangements for broadcast feed. </P>A transcript of this press conference will be available following the briefing at the CDC media relations web site, http://www.cdc.gov/media. <BR><br /><p><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2009/a091120.htm?s_cid=mediarel_a091120" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7339867965133384099-7558581238928975421?l=poisonpork.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/4AJH_6XtaPKEPk-xLXXKAWP09W8/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/4AJH_6XtaPKEPk-xLXXKAWP09W8/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/4AJH_6XtaPKEPk-xLXXKAWP09W8/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/4AJH_6XtaPKEPk-xLXXKAWP09W8/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PoisonPork/~4/aXIraFxNIHQ" height="1" width="1"/>habibnoreply@blogger.com0http://poisonpork.blogspot.com/2011/05/weekly-cdc-2009-h1n1-flu-update.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7339867965133384099.post-1051425035987883552011-05-04T12:00:00.000-07:002011-05-04T12:00:00.185-07:002011-05-04T12:00:00.185-07:00 <P>On Thursday, August 5, 2010, CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met to discuss recommendations for use in the United States of seasonal influenza trivalent inactivated vaccine (TIV) [Afluria] manufactured by CSL Limited during 2010-11.</P><P>During the 2010 influenza season in Australia, administration of seasonal influenza TIV manufactured for the Southern Hemisphere by CSL Biotherapies (brand names Fluvax Junior and Fluvax) was associated with increased frequency of fever and febrile seizures in children aged 6 months through 4 years old. The rate of febrile seizures following Fluvax or Fluvax Jr was estimated at approximately 1 per 100 doses administered among children aged 6 months through 4 years old. There have also been increased reports of fever in children aged 5 years through 8 years following vaccination with 2010 Fluvax compared to the three previous seasons. On April 23, 2010, seasonal influenza vaccination of otherwise healthy children aged 5 years and younger was suspended in Australia by the Chief Medical Officer. Similarly, following reports of febrile seizures, the New Zealand Ministry of Health recommended against the use of CSL Fluvax for children less than 5 years old.</P><P>While data are limited, no increase in febrile seizures has been reported to date with administration of other TIV products during the 2010 influenza season in the Southern Hemisphere. On July 30, 2010, vaccination of children less than 5 years was allowed to resume in Australia using TIV products other than Fluvax or Fluvax Junior. Despite extensive investigations, no cause has been identified to explain the increase in fevers and febrile seizures reported. The manufacturing process for Afluria is the same as for Fluvax and Fluvax Jr, and the composition of 2010 Fluvax and Fluvax Jr is antigenically equivalent to that for 2010-2011 Afluria.</P><P>In several studies conducted in influenza seasons prior to 2010-11 in the United States, no association between influenza vaccination with any brand of influenza vaccine and febrile seizures has been detected. Seasonal CSL TIV, marketed in the United States under the brand name Afluria, is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in persons aged 6 months and older in the United States. Afluria was approved for use in adults 18 years and older in 2007, and subsequently, approved for use in children age 6 months and older in November 2009. Thus Afluria has not been widely used for pediatric vaccination of U.S. children. However, a clinical trial conducted in the U.S. of 2009 Northern Hemisphere TIV reported a higher frequency of fever following Afluria among children aged 6 months through 8 years old compared to a different TIV. On July 30, 2010, a warning was added to the Afluria package insert to inform U.S. health care practitioners that administration of CSL's 2010 Southern Hemisphere seasonal influenza vaccine has been associated with an increased number of reports relative to previous years of fever and febrile seizures following influenza vaccination in children predominantly below the age of 5 years.</P><P>Based upon the data to date suggesting an increased risk of febrile seizures in children aged 6 months through 4 years following 2010 Fluvax or Fluvax Jr, and a higher frequency of reported fever in children aged 5 years through 8 years following Fluvax compared to previous seasons; and based on a higher frequency of fever in children aged 5 years through 8 years following Afluria in one clinical trial in 2009, ACIP recommends that for the 2010-11 influenza season in the United States:</P>Afluria should not be used in children aged 6 months through 8 years.Other age-appropriate, licensed seasonal influenza vaccine formulations should be used for prevention of influenza in children aged 6 months through 8 years.If no other age-appropriate, licensed seasonal influenza vaccine is available for a child aged 5 years through 8 years old who has a medical condition that increases their risk for influenza complications, Afluria may be given, and providers should discuss the benefits and risks of influenza vaccination with the parents or caregivers before administering Afluria.<P>There are two types of seasonal influenza vaccines for children: the trivalent inactivated vaccine (TIV) (the flu shot) and the live attenuated vaccine (nasal spray)</P>VaccineTrade NameManufacturerAge GroupID Biomedical Corp. of Quebec<BR>(a subsidiary of GlaxoSmithKline)<P>*If no other age-appropriate, licensed inactivated seasonal influenza vaccine is available for a child aged 5 years through 8 years old who has a medical condition that increases their risk for influenza complications; providers may use Afluria. However, providers should discuss the benefits and risks of influenza vaccination with the parents or caregivers before administering Afluria.</P><P>A more detailed table is available on CDC's website at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/vaccine/vaccines.htm</P><P>###<BR>U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES</P><br /><p><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2010/s100806.htm?s_cid=mediarel_s100806" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7339867965133384099-105142503598788355?l=poisonpork.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/JN0xS0T9v1GG28O1PCQPziD1grw/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/JN0xS0T9v1GG28O1PCQPziD1grw/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/JN0xS0T9v1GG28O1PCQPziD1grw/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/JN0xS0T9v1GG28O1PCQPziD1grw/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PoisonPork/~4/IDBeVMXDUcc" height="1" width="1"/>habibnoreply@blogger.com0http://poisonpork.blogspot.com/2011/05/acip-recommendation-for-use-of-csl.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7339867965133384099.post-7351196038613495682011-05-04T07:35:00.000-07:002011-05-04T07:35:00.062-07:002011-05-04T07:35:00.062-07:00 <P>The number of adults tested for HIV reached a record high in 2009, according to an analysis of national survey data released today in a CDC Vital Signs</EM> report. Last year 82.9 million adults between 18 and 64 reported having been tested for HIV. This number represents an increase of 11.4 million people since 2006, when CDC recommended that HIV testing become a routine part of medical care for adults and adolescents, and that people at high risk of infection be tested at least once a year. Despite this progress, 55 percent of adults—and 28.3 percent of adults with a risk factor for HIV—have not been tested.</P><P>"Today's news shows that we have had progress increasing testing, and that more progress is both necessary and possible," said Thomas R. Frieden, M.D., M.P.H., CDC director. "With most adults and with nearly a third of high-risk people having never been tested for HIV, we need to do more to ensure that all Americans have access to voluntary, routine and early HIV testing in order to save lives and reduce the spread of this terrible disease."</P><P>The December Vital Signs</EM> report indicates that the percentage of adults who had been tested at least once in their lives increased to 45 percent in 2009, after holding steady at approximately 40 percent from 2001 to 2006.</P><P>CDC estimates that 1.1 million adults are living with HIV and that as many as one in five of these individuals (approximately 200,000 Americans) does not know that they are infected. Reducing the number of undiagnosed infections is a critical component of HIV prevention, as most sexually transmitted HIV infections in the United States are transmitted by people who are unaware of their infection. Research shows that once people learn they are infected, most take steps to protect their partners. Furthermore, people who are diagnosed earlier have longer life expectancies because they can benefit from HIV care and treatment.</P><P>The Vital Signs</EM> report also highlights surveillance data showing that many people with HIV are diagnosed too late in their infection to take full advantage of effective treatment options and protect their partners from infection. In the 37 states with long-standing, confidential, name-based HIV reporting systems, 32 percent of people diagnosed with HIV in 2007 progressed to AIDS within 12 months, indicating a late diagnosis and missed opportunities for treatment.</P><P>CDC is working with health care providers and state and local public health agencies to continue increasing access to routine HIV testing during medical visits, while also expanding community-based HIV testing programs that reach people outside of health care settings.</P><P>This summer, the White House announced the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, which includes the goal of increasing the proportion of HIV-infected individuals who are aware of their HIV status to 90 percent. Consistent with this goal, in 2010 CDC provided $60 million to support HIV testing efforts in 30 of America's jurisdictions most heavily impacted by HIV. The funding allows CDC and its partners to expand a successful three-year initiative to increase access to HIV testing among African-Americans, Latinos, men who have sex with men, and injection drug users.</P><P>For more information on HIV testing and prevention, visit www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns or www.cdc.gov/hiv.</P><P>CDC Vital Signs is a new report that appears on the first Tuesday of the month as part of the CDC journal Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report</EM> (MMWR</EM>). Vital Signs</EM> is designed to provide the latest data and information on key health indicators – cancer prevention, obesity, tobacco use, alcohol use, access to health care, HIV/AIDS, motor vehicle passenger safety, health care-associated infections, cardiovascular health, teen pregnancy, infant mortality, asthma and food safety.</P><P>###<BR>U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES</P><br /><p><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2010/r101130.html?s_cid=mediarel_r101130" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7339867965133384099-735119603861349568?l=poisonpork.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/YT97Pr_F3PDxjr2NjtE-fm92Yxw/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/YT97Pr_F3PDxjr2NjtE-fm92Yxw/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/YT97Pr_F3PDxjr2NjtE-fm92Yxw/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/YT97Pr_F3PDxjr2NjtE-fm92Yxw/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PoisonPork/~4/OzgzUtW2NXY" height="1" width="1"/>habibnoreply@blogger.com0http://poisonpork.blogspot.com/2011/05/11-million-more-adults-tested-for-hiv.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7339867965133384099.post-1234961296226512312011-05-04T02:57:00.000-07:002011-05-04T02:57:00.595-07:002011-05-04T02:57:00.595-07:00 <BR><BR><P>Approximately one in five (19 percent) men who have sex with men (MSM) in a study of 21 major U.S. cities is infected with HIV, and nearly half (44 percent) of those men are unaware of their infection, according to a new analysis from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  In the study, young MSM and MSM of color were least likely to know their HIV status.  The findings were published today in CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.</P><P>"This study's message is clear:  HIV exacts a devastating toll on men who have sex with men in America's major cities, and yet far too many of those who are infected don't know it,"  said Kevin Fenton, M.D., director of CDC's National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention.  "We need to increase access to HIV testing so that more MSM know their status, and we all must bring new energy, new approaches, and new champions to the fight against HIV among men who have sex with men." </P><P>The study's results bolster key themes in the President's National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States.  The recently released strategy states that "the United States cannot reduce the number of HIV infections nationally without better addressing HIV among gay and bisexual men," and MSM are listed among a few priority populations to focus HIV prevention efforts.  The President's strategy also sets targets for reducing the number of individuals living with HIV who are unaware of their HIV status.</P><P>The CDC study tested 8,153 MSM in 21 cities participating in the 2008 National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System (NHBS), and examined HIV prevalence and awareness of HIV status among this group.  NHBS monitors HIV testing, risk behaviors, and access to prevention services among at-risk populations in cities with high numbers of persons living with AIDS.</P><P>While MSM of all races and ethnicities were severely affected, black MSM were particularly impacted:  28 percent of black MSM were HIV-infected, compared to 18 percent of Hispanic and 16 percent of white MSM. </P><P>The study also found a strong link between socioeconomic status and HIV among MSM: prevalence increased as education and income decreased, and awareness of HIV status was higher among MSM with greater education and income.  These findings echo similar disparities found in recent NHBS research among heterosexuals.</P><P>The study provided additional insight into the populations of MSM most in need of HIV testing and prevention: </P>Among racial/ethnic groups, black MSM with HIV were least likely to be aware of their infection (59 percent unaware, vs. 46 percent for Hispanic MSM and 26 percent for white MSM). While young MSM (under age 30) had lower HIV prevalence than older men, they were far more likely to be unaware of their HIV infection.  Among MSM aged 18-29 who had HIV, nearly two-thirds (63 percent) were unaware, versus 37 percent for men age 30 and older.Among young MSM, young MSM of color were less likely than whites to know they were HIV-infected.  Among HIV-infected black MSM under age 30, 71 percent were unaware of their infection; among HIV-infected Hispanic MSM under age 30, 63 percent were unaware.  This compares to 40 percent of HIV-infected white MSM under age 30.<P>CDC officials note that low awareness of HIV status among young MSM likely reflects several factors:  they may have been infected more recently, may underestimate their personal risk, may have had fewer opportunities to get tested, or may believe that advances in HIV treatment minimize the threat of HIV.  For young MSM of color, discrimination and socioeconomic factors – such as poverty, homophobia, stigma, and limited health-care access – may be especially acute and pose particular challenges.</P><P>"For young men who have sex with men – including young men of color who are least likely to know they may be infected – the future is truly on the line," said Jonathan Mermin, M.D., director of CDC's Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention.  "It is critical that we reach these young men early in their lives with HIV prevention and testing services and continue to make these vital services available as they become older."  </P><P>CDC estimates that the majority of new sexually transmitted infections are transmitted by individuals who are unaware of their infection, and studies show that once people learn they are HIV-infected, most take steps to protect their partners.  Therefore, because undiagnosed infection likely plays a major role in HIV transmission, reaching younger MSM with regular HIV testing is critical. </P><P>CDC recommends that MSM of all ages get tested for HIV at least annually, or more often (every three to six months) if they are at increased risk (e.g., those with multiple or anonymous sex partners, or who use drugs during sex).  Notably, only 45 percent of HIV-infected MSM who were unaware of their infection had been tested in the past year, underscoring the importance of more frequent testing among those at highest risk.  </P><P>While HIV prevention for MSM remains a top CDC priority, agency officials note that a renewed national commitment to HIV prevention is needed to reduce the toll of HIV on MSM and increase access to prevention.  </P><P>For more information, please visit www.cdc.gov/hiv or www.actagainstaids.org.</P>###</P><P>U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES</P><br /><p><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/newsroom/ngmHAAD2010PressRelease.html?s_cid=mediarel_r100923" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7339867965133384099-123496129622651231?l=poisonpork.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/8QawWj0QunqCTjurCQws39YjuAM/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/8QawWj0QunqCTjurCQws39YjuAM/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/8QawWj0QunqCTjurCQws39YjuAM/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/8QawWj0QunqCTjurCQws39YjuAM/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PoisonPork/~4/pxEU3b0nVGM" height="1" width="1"/>habibnoreply@blogger.com0http://poisonpork.blogspot.com/2011/05/1-in-5-men-who-have-sex-with-men-in-21.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7339867965133384099.post-23630612603690984932011-05-03T22:25:00.000-07:002011-05-03T22:25:00.546-07:002011-05-03T22:25:00.546-07:00 <P>CDC's Guide to Community Preventive Services has released two reports on "Maintaining Limits on Days and Hours of Sale of Alcoholic Beverages to Prevent Excessive Alcohol Consumption and Related Harms". These reports were posted online today by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine and will be published in their December 2010 issue.</P><P>The reports show that increasing the number of hours and days when alcohol can be sold in bars, restaurants, and liquor stores leads to greater alcohol use and related harms, especially motor-vehicle crashes. National, state, and local policies that remove previously banned alcohol sales on weekend days (usually Sundays) or that increase the hours of sale by 2 or more hours contribute to excessive drinking and many dangerous outcomes, including driving after drinking and alcohol-related assault and injury.</P><P>The Task Force on Community Preventive Services, an independent, nonfederal body of public health experts, recommends maintaining limits on the days or hours during which alcohol can legally be sold, based upon a state-of-the-art systematic review process of all available studies on the topic.</P><P>Laws and policies regulating the availability of alcohol, including limits on the number of days of the week or hours when alcoholic beverages can be sold, are effective public health strategies to prevent the harms that result from drinking too much.</P><P>Excessive alcohol use causes more than 79,000 deaths in the U.S. each year and contributes to a wide range of health and social problems. For more information, see www.thecommunityguide.org</P><P>The Community Guide is an essential resource for people who want to know what works in public health. It provides evidence-based recommendations and findings about public health interventions and policies to improve health and promote safety. The Task Force on Community Preventive Services (Task Force)—an independent, nonfederal, volunteer body of public health and prevention experts—makes these findings and recommendations based on systematic reviews of scientific literature conducted under the auspices of the Community Guide. CDC provides ongoing scientific, administrative and technical support for the Task Force.</P><P>###<BR>U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES</P><br /><p><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2010/a101110.html?s_cid=mediarel_a101110" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7339867965133384099-2363061260369098493?l=poisonpork.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/lwDqSxHkSGR4oIg9DsOBfasDuMs/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/lwDqSxHkSGR4oIg9DsOBfasDuMs/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/lwDqSxHkSGR4oIg9DsOBfasDuMs/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/lwDqSxHkSGR4oIg9DsOBfasDuMs/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PoisonPork/~4/p1JJa5yNkHU" height="1" width="1"/>habibnoreply@blogger.com0http://poisonpork.blogspot.com/2011/05/cdc-releases-two-reports-on-excessive.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7339867965133384099.post-10483648792145523422011-05-03T19:24:00.000-07:002011-05-03T19:24:00.824-07:002011-05-03T19:24:00.824-07:00 <P>Many smokers also use smokeless tobacco, according to new data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that covers use of smokeless tobacco in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Guam. The data show that the rates of smokers who also use smokeless tobacco, including chew tobacco and snuff, range from 0.9 percent in Puerto Rico to 13.7 percent in Wyoming.</P><P>Smoking causes cancer, heart disease, emphysema and more, all of which lead to premature death. Use of smokeless tobacco while continuing to smoke may add to one's risk for tobacco-related diseases. Smokeless tobacco use has been marketed by tobacco companies as a substitute for tobacco users when they are in a place that does not allow smoking.</P><P>"Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death in this country," said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H., "and unfortunately smokers are also using smokeless tobacco. If you smoke, quitting is the single most important thing you can do to improve your health. Use of smokeless tobacco may keep some people from quitting tobacco altogether. We need to intensify our anti-tobacco efforts to help people quit using all forms of tobacco."</P><P>The research found that smokeless tobacco is predominantly a problem among men, young adults, those with a high school education or less, and in some states with higher smoking rates.</P><P>Among the states in 2009 smoking prevalence was highest in Kentucky (25.6 percent), West Virginia (25.6 percent), and Oklahoma (25.5 percent), and lowest in Utah (9.8 percent), California (12.9 percent), and Washington (14.9 percent).</P><P>Smokeless tobacco use was highest in Wyoming (9.1 percent) and West Virginia (8.5 percent) and lowest in the U.S. Virgin Islands (0.8 percent) and California (1.3 percent). Among adult male smokers, 23.4 percent in Wyoming and 20.8 percent in Arkansas reported smokeless tobacco use.</P><P>"These new numbers are concerning." said Tim McAfee, M.D., M.P.H., Director of CDC's Office on Smoking and Health. "But progress is possible. We need to fully put into practice effective strategies such as strong state laws that protect nonsmokers from secondhand smoke, higher tobacco prices, aggressive ad campaigns that show the human impact of tobacco use, and well-funded tobacco control programs, while stepping up our work to help people quit using all forms of tobacco."</P><P>For the full report, visit www.cdc.gov/mmwr. For state-specific tobacco data, visit CDC's State Tobacco Activities Tracking and Evaluation System</EM> at http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/statesystem. Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) or visit www.smokefree.gov for quitting assistance.</P><P>###<BR>U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES</P><br /><p><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2010/r101104.html?s_cid=mediarel_r101104" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7339867965133384099-1048364879214552342?l=poisonpork.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/huL1B53tVQo8XxFw9Py7HBl4SbA/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/huL1B53tVQo8XxFw9Py7HBl4SbA/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/huL1B53tVQo8XxFw9Py7HBl4SbA/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/huL1B53tVQo8XxFw9Py7HBl4SbA/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PoisonPork/~4/EX9yVDgvCOk" height="1" width="1"/>habibnoreply@blogger.com0http://poisonpork.blogspot.com/2011/05/cdc-releases-data-on-smokeless-tobacco.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7339867965133384099.post-35624784059880161672011-05-03T14:51:00.000-07:002011-05-03T14:51:00.187-07:002011-05-03T14:51:00.187-07:00 <P>Americans' differences in income, race/ethnicity, gender and other social attributes make a difference in how likely they are to be healthy, sick, or die prematurely, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.</P><P>For instance, state-level estimates in 2007 indicate that low income residents report five to 11 fewer healthy days per month than do high income residents, the report says. It also says men are nearly four times more likely than women to commit suicide, that adolescent birth rates for Hispanics and non-Hispanic blacks are three and 2.5 times respectively those of whites, and that the prevalence of binge drinking is higher in people with higher incomes.</P><P>The data are in the new "CDC Health Disparities and Inequalities Report — United States, 2011". The report also underscores the need for more consistent, nationally representative data on disability status and sexual orientation.</P><P>"Better information about the health status of different groups is essential to improve health. This first of its kind analysis and reporting of recent trends is designed to spur action and accountability at the federal, tribal, state and local levels to achieve health equity in this country," said CDC Director Thomas R. Frieden, M.D., M.P.H.</P><P>The report, the first of a series of consolidated assessments, highlights health disparities by sex, race and ethnicity, income, education, disability status and other social characteristics. Substantial progress in improving health for most U.S. residents has been made in recent years, yet persistent disparities continue.</P><P>Released as a supplement to CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the report addresses disparities at the national level in health care access, exposure to environmental hazards, mortality, morbidity, behavioral risk factors, disability status and social determinants of health – the conditions in which people are born, grow, live and work.</P><P>Findings from the report's 22 essays include:</P><P>In 2007, non-Hispanic white men (21.5 per 100,000 population) were two to three times more likely to die in motor vehicle crashes than were non-Hispanic white women (8.8 per 100,000). The gender difference was similar in other race/ethnic groups.</P><P>In 2007, men (18.4 per 100,000) of all ages and races/ethnicities were approximately four times more likely to die by suicide than females (4.8 per 100,000).</P><P>In 2007, rates of drug-induced deaths were highest among non-Hispanic whites (15.1 per 100,000) and lowest among Asian/Pacific Islanders (2.0 per 100,000).</P><P>Hypertension is by far most prevalent among non-Hispanic blacks (42 percent vs. 29 percent among whites), while levels of control are lowest for Mexican-Americans (31.8 percent versus 46.5 percent among non-Hispanic whites).</P><P>Rates of preventable hospitalizations increase as incomes decrease. Data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality indicate that eliminating these disparities would prevent approximately 1 million hospitalizations and save $6.7 billion in health care costs each year.</P><P>Rates of adolescent pregnancy and childbirth have been falling or holding steady for all racial/ethnic minorities in all age groups. However, in 2008, disparities persist as birth rates for Hispanic adolescents (77.4 per 1,000 females) and non-Hispanic black adolescents (62.9 per 1,000 females) were three and 2.5 times those of whites (26.7 per 1,000 females), respectively.</P><P>In 2009, the prevalence of binge drinking was higher in groups with incomes of $50,000 or above (18.5 percent) compared to those with incomes of $15,000 or less (12.1 percent); and in college graduates (17.4 percent), compared to those with less than high school education (12.5 percent). However, people who binge drink and have less than $15,000 income binge drink more frequently (4.9 versus 3.6 episodes) and, when they do binge drink, drink more heavily (7.1 versus 6.5 drinks).</P><P>The report supports the Healthy People 2020 goals and the forthcoming National Partnership for Action (NPA) to End Health Disparities. The report also complements the upcoming AHRQ National Healthcare Disparities Report and underscores the need to connect those working in clinical care and public health, especially at the local level.</P><P>"CDC publishes this report today not only to address gaps in health between populations in our country but also to begin to measure progress in years to come in reducing these gaps and inequities going forward," said Leandris Liburd, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.A., recently appointed director of CDC's Office of Minority Health and Health Equity. Dr. Liburd will provide leadership for the office and CDC's public health programs, policies, surveillance and research efforts in achieving health equity.</P><P>The full "CDC Health Disparities and Inequalities Report — United States, 2011", is available at www.cdc.gov/mmwr.</P><P>For more information on the CDC Health Disparities & Inequalities Report, visit: http://www.cdc.gov/minorityhealth/CHDIReport.html</P><P>###<BR>U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES</P><br /><p><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2011/p0113_healthdisparities.html?s_cid=2011_p0113_healthdisparities" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7339867965133384099-3562478405988016167?l=poisonpork.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/y8PDD6pCcE5GkmUQJIq2aP7xSTc/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/y8PDD6pCcE5GkmUQJIq2aP7xSTc/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/y8PDD6pCcE5GkmUQJIq2aP7xSTc/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/y8PDD6pCcE5GkmUQJIq2aP7xSTc/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PoisonPork/~4/qnrD4vv0O_g" height="1" width="1"/>habibnoreply@blogger.com0http://poisonpork.blogspot.com/2011/05/cdc-report-documents-important-health.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7339867965133384099.post-40685543158494869092011-05-03T11:15:00.000-07:002011-05-03T11:15:00.143-07:002011-05-03T11:15:00.143-07:00 <P>As many as 1 in 3 U.S. adults could have diabetes by 2050 if current trends continue, according to a new analysis from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.</P><P>One in 10 U.S. adults has diabetes now. The prevalence is expected to rise sharply over the next 40 years due to an aging population more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, increases in minority groups that are at high risk for type 2 diabetes, and people with diabetes living longer, according to CDC projections published in the journal Population Health Metrics. Because the study factored in aging, minority populations and lifespan, the projections are higher than previous estimates.</P><P>The report predicts that the number of new diabetes cases each year will increase from 8 per 1,000 people in 2008, to 15 per 1,000 in 2050.</P><P>The report estimates that the number of Americans with diabetes will range from 1 in 3 to 1 in 5 by 2050. That range reflects differing assumptions about how many people will develop diabetes, and how long they will live after developing the disease.</P><P>"These are alarming numbers that show how critical it is to change the course of type 2 diabetes," said Ann Albright, PhD, RD, director of CDC's Division of Diabetes Translation. "Successful programs to improve lifestyle choices on healthy eating and physical activity must be made more widely available, because the stakes are too high and the personal toll too devastating to fail."</P><P>Proper diet and physical activity can reduce the risk of diabetes and help to control the condition in people with diabetes. Effective prevention programs directed at groups at high risk of type 2 diabetes can considerably reduce future increases in diabetes prevalence, but will not eliminate them, the report says.</P><P>The projection that one-third of all U.S. adults will have diabetes by 2050 assumes that recent increases in new cases of diabetes will continue and people with diabetes will also live longer, which adds to the total number of people with the disease.</P><P>Projected increases in U.S. diabetes prevalence also reflect the growth in the disease internationally. An estimated 285 million people worldwide had diabetes in 2010, according to the International Diabetes Federation. The federation predicts as many as 438 million will have diabetes by 2030.</P><P>Risk factors for type 2 diabetes include older age, obesity, family history, having diabetes while pregnant, a sedentary lifestyle and race/ethnicity. Groups at higher risk for the disease are African-Americans, Hispanics, American Indians/Alaska Natives, and some Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders.</P><P>CDC and its partners are working on a variety of initiatives to prevent type 2 diabetes and to reduce its complications. CDC's National Diabetes Prevention Program, which launched in April, is designed to bring evidence-based programs for preventing type 2 diabetes to communities. The program supports establishing a network of lifestyle intervention programs for overweight or obese people at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. These interventions emphasize dietary changes, coping skills and group support to help participants lose 5 percent to 7 percent of their body weight and get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate physical activity. The program is working with 28 sites across the United States offering group lifestyle interventions with plans to expand to additional sites in the future.</P><P>The Diabetes Prevention Program clinical trial, led by the National Institutes of Health, has shown that those measures can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58 percent in people at higher risk of the disease.</P><P>Diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in 2007, and is the leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults under age 75, kidney failure, and non-accident/injury leg and foot amputations among adults. People with diagnosed diabetes have medical costs that are more than twice that of those without the disease. The total costs of diabetes are an estimated $174 billion annually, including $116 billion in direct medical costs. About 24 million Americans have diabetes, and one-quarter of them do not know they have it.</P><P>For information about diabetes visit www.cdc.gov/diabetes or the National Diabetes Education Program at www.yourdiabetesinfo.org. For a full copy of the report, visit http://www.pophealthmetrics.com/content/8/1/29.</P><P>###<BR>U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES</P><br /><p><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2010/r101022.html?s_cid=mediarel_r101022" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7339867965133384099-4068554315849486909?l=poisonpork.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/9jbzehZnsvKO5RhY84CR5cmuLag/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/9jbzehZnsvKO5RhY84CR5cmuLag/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/9jbzehZnsvKO5RhY84CR5cmuLag/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/9jbzehZnsvKO5RhY84CR5cmuLag/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PoisonPork/~4/8OKcK6EMbTs" height="1" width="1"/>habibnoreply@blogger.com0http://poisonpork.blogspot.com/2011/05/number-of-americans-with-diabetes.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7339867965133384099.post-23743090651284771142011-05-03T07:40:00.000-07:002011-05-03T07:40:01.020-07:002011-05-03T07:40:01.020-07:00 <P>Nearly 26 million Americans have diabetes, according to new estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In addition, an estimated 79 million U.S. adults have prediabetes, a condition in which blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. Prediabetes raises a person's risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.</P><P>Diabetes affects 8.3 percent of Americans of all ages, and 11.3 percent of adults aged 20 and older, according to the National Diabetes Fact Sheet for 2011. About 27 percent of those with diabetes—7 million Americans—do not know they have the disease. Prediabetes affects 35 percent of adults aged 20 and older.</P><P>"These distressing numbers show how important it is to prevent type 2 diabetes and to help those who have diabetes manage the disease to prevent serious complications such as kidney failure and blindness," said Ann Albright, Ph.D, R.D., director of CDC's Division of Diabetes Translation. "We know that a structured lifestyle program that includes losing weight and increasing physical activity can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes."</P><P>CDC is working on the National Diabetes Prevention Program, as stated in the Affordable Care Act. This program, based on the NIH-led Diabetes Prevention Program research study, is aimed at helping people reduce their risk for developing type 2 diabetes.</P><P>In 2008, CDC estimated that 23.6 million Americans, or 7.8 percent of the population, had diabetes and another 57 million adults had prediabetes. The 2011 estimates have increased for several reasons:</P>More people are developing diabetes.Many people are living longer with diabetes, which raises the total number of those with the disease. Better management of the disease is improving cardiovascular disease risk factors and reducing complications such as kidney failure and amputations.Hemoglobin A1c is now used as a diagnostic test, and was therefore incorporated into calculations of national prevalence for the first time. The test, also called glycated hemoglobin, measures levels of blood glucose (sugar) over a period of two to three months. Because of this change, estimates of populations with diabetes and prediabetes in the 2011 fact sheet are not directly comparable to estimates in previous fact sheets.<P>In a study published last year, CDC projected that as many as 1 in 3 U.S. adults could have diabetes by 2050 if current trends continue. Type 2 diabetes, in which the body gradually loses its ability to use and produce insulin, accounts for 90 percent to 95 percent of diabetes cases. Risk factors for type 2 diabetes include older age, obesity, family history, having diabetes while pregnant (gestational diabetes), a sedentary lifestyle, and race/ethnicity. Groups at higher risk for the disease are African-Americans, Hispanics, American Indians/Alaska Natives, and some Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders.</P><P>Other data from the fact sheet: About 215,000 Americans younger than age 20 have diabetes. Most cases of diabetes among children and adolescents are type 1, which develops when the body can no longer make insulin, a hormone that controls the amount of blood glucose.An estimated 1.9 million Americans were diagnosed with diabetes in 2010.Racial and ethnic minorities continue to have higher rates of diabetes after adjusting for population age differences. For adults, diabetes rates were 16.1 percent for American Indians/Alaska Natives, 12.6 percent for blacks, 11.8 percent for Hispanics, 8.4 percent for Asian-Americans, and 7.1 percent for non-Hispanic whites.Half of Americans aged 65 and older have prediabetes, and nearly 27 percent have diabetes.<P>The fact sheet estimates are drawn from a variety of sources, including CDC surveys, the Indian Health Service National Patient Information Reporting System, the U.S. Renal Data System of the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Census Bureau, and published studies. The fact sheet was prepared in collaboration with a number of agencies within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, other federal agencies, and the American Association of Diabetes Educators, the American Diabetes Association, and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International.</P><P>Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. People with diabetes are more likely to suffer from complications such as heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure, kidney failure, blindness and amputations of feet and legs. Diabetes costs $174 billion annually, including $116 billion in direct medical expenses.</P><P>The fact sheet is available at www.cdc.gov/diabetes. Information on diabetes prevention and control from the National Diabetes Education Program—a joint effort of CDC and NIH—is available at www.yourdiabetesinfo.org.</P><P>###<BR>U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES</P><br /><p><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2011/p0126_diabetes.html?s_cid=2011_p0126_diabetes" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7339867965133384099-2374309065128477114?l=poisonpork.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/zh2to-ZZUuWGNuAOcm-KpmP2bL8/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/zh2to-ZZUuWGNuAOcm-KpmP2bL8/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/zh2to-ZZUuWGNuAOcm-KpmP2bL8/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/zh2to-ZZUuWGNuAOcm-KpmP2bL8/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PoisonPork/~4/ZkpnaZtXYak" height="1" width="1"/>habibnoreply@blogger.com0http://poisonpork.blogspot.com/2011/05/number-of-americans-with-diabetes-rises.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7339867965133384099.post-86161079957332192332011-05-03T03:30:00.000-07:002011-05-03T03:30:02.562-07:002011-05-03T03:30:02.562-07:00 <P>On October 27, Vietnam released its first Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) results. Many countries conduct surveys to monitor adult tobacco use, but until recently, no single standard global survey for adults has consistently tracked tobacco use, exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke, and tobacco control measures. A fact sheet summarizing the results from Vietnam can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/global/gats/countries/WPR/fact_sheets/vietnam. </P><P>Highlights from the GATS Vietnam survey are as follows:</P>Over 15 million Vietnamese smoke. Vietnam is among those countries with the highest male smoking rates in the world.Nearly half of non-smokers were exposed to tobacco smoke at the workplace, despite a government ban on smoking in workplaces, healthcare facilities, schools and some public places.Vietnam bans advertising, promotion, and some forms of sponsorship, however 16.9 percent of GATS respondents report seeing some form of cigarette marketing.The median amount spent per pack of manufactured cigarettes equates to 29 US cents, making cigarettes in Vietnam among the cheapest in the world. 71.3 percent of adults support increasing taxes on tobacco products.Nearly 1.5 million Vietnamese want to quit smoking in the next month.<P>Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of premature disease and death in the world and kills up to half of those who use it. In the 20th century, the tobacco epidemic killed 100 million people worldwide; during the 21st century, it could kill one billion. Containing this epidemic is one of the most important public health priorities of our time.</P><P>To effectively combat the tobacco epidemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend MPOWER, a set of six proven strategies: <STRONG>m</STRONG>onitoring tobacco use and prevention policies; <STRONG>p</STRONG>rotecting people from tobacco smoke; <STRONG>o</STRONG>ffering help to quit tobacco use; <STRONG>w</STRONG>arning about the dangers of tobacco; <STRONG>e</STRONG>nforcing bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship; and <STRONG>r</STRONG>aising taxes on tobacco. Monitoring the tobacco epidemic is a key step in managing it. CDC oversees GATS, which is designed to produce national and sub-national estimates on tobacco use, exposure to secondhand smoke, and quit attempts among adults. GATS also indirectly measures the impact of tobacco control and prevention initiatives.</P><P>Thirteen countries besides Vietnam participated in the first phase of GATS: Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Mexico, Philippines, Poland, Russian Federation, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, and Uruguay. As with the other participating countries, results from GATS will assist Vietnam in translating data into action through improved policies and programs.</P><P>GATS is a scientifically representative household survey of all noninstitutionalized men and women aged 15 years of age and older using a standard and consistent protocol. Survey data are collected electronically during in-person interviews.</P><P>In Vietnam, GATS was conducted by the Ministry of Health, Vietnam Steering Committee on Smoking and Health, General Statistics Office, and Hanoi Medical University. Financial support was provided by the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use (partners include the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, CDC, CDC Foundation, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, WHO, and the World Lung Foundation). Technical assistance is provided by CDC, WHO, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and RTI International. Program support is provided by the CDC Foundation.</P><P>###<BR>U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES</P><br /><p><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2010/s101027.html?s_cid=mediarel_s101027" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7339867965133384099-8616107995733219233?l=poisonpork.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/BNO7K9IbgCDGQh-aAgjm7CVFbZE/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/BNO7K9IbgCDGQh-aAgjm7CVFbZE/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/BNO7K9IbgCDGQh-aAgjm7CVFbZE/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/BNO7K9IbgCDGQh-aAgjm7CVFbZE/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PoisonPork/~4/rim7V0Ty9YI" height="1" width="1"/>habibnoreply@blogger.com0http://poisonpork.blogspot.com/2011/05/statement-regarding-first-release-of.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7339867965133384099.post-27138605740603975332011-05-02T23:26:00.000-07:002011-05-02T23:27:10.467-07:002011-05-02T23:27:10.467-07:00 <STRONG>Kathleen Sebelius</STRONG><BR>Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services<STRONG>Regina M. Benjamin, M.D., M.B.A.</STRONG><BR>VADM, U.S. Public Health Service; U.S. Surgeon General<STRONG>Howard Koh, M.D., M.P.H.</STRONG><BR>Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services<P>Surgeon General Benjamin will host a press conference to release her first report on tobacco, A Report of the Surgeon General: How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease — The Biology and Behavioral Basis for Smoking-Attributable Disease</EM>. Since the historic 1964 report linking cigarette smoking to lung cancer, the Surgeon General's Report has become one of the most eagerly anticipated and widely read public health events of the year. The new report to be released December 9, 2010, provides new findings on how tobacco smoke damages the human body and leads to disease and death.</P><P>Thursday, December 9, 2010, 9:30am ET<BR>**Note: Media should arrive by 9:00am</EM></P><P>To confirm attendance, please RSVP at www.SGReport2010.org by December 8th.</P><P>The National Press Club<BR>Conference Rooms, 13th Floor (press conference location)<BR>529 14th Street NW<BR>Washington, DC 20045</P><P>The press event will also be available live on the Web at www.visualwebcaster.com/2010SGReport</P><br /><p><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2010/a101208.html?s_cid=mediarel_a101208" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7339867965133384099-2713860574060397533?l=poisonpork.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/F5ICeVrjp298h6Sq_f-1VxG5zqs/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/F5ICeVrjp298h6Sq_f-1VxG5zqs/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/F5ICeVrjp298h6Sq_f-1VxG5zqs/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/F5ICeVrjp298h6Sq_f-1VxG5zqs/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PoisonPork/~4/uRhHNTuclx4" height="1" width="1"/>habibnoreply@blogger.com0http://poisonpork.blogspot.com/2011/05/us-surgeon-general-to-release-new.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7339867965133384099.post-9376397225503716022011-05-02T12:48:00.000-07:002011-05-02T12:49:05.018-07:002011-05-02T12:49:05.018-07:00 <P>BEIJING | Fri Apr 29, 2011 4:23pm EDT </P><P>BEIJING (Reuters) - Courts in China have jailed 14 people, two of them for life, for selling milk powder tainted with the industrial chemical melamine, state media reported on Friday.</P><P>In 2008, at least six children died and nearly 300,000 fell ill from consuming powdered milk laced with melamine, an industrial chemical added to low quality or diluted milk to fool inspectors checking for protein levels.</P><P>Despite large-scale recalls and repeated vows to get tough, authorities continue to uncover cases of melamine in milk powder.</P><P>In the latest instances, individuals in the northern provinces of Shanxi and Hebei were found guilty of intentionally adulterating milk powder with melamine and passing it off as having met quality inspections, Xinhua news agency said.</P><P>In one case, in Hebei, people sold off tainted milk powder which had originally been seized after the 2008 scandal, simply replacing the packaging, the news agency said.</P><P>In another case, at least 130 metric tons of contaminated milk powder had already found its way onto the market before the authorities swooped, Xinhua said.</P><P>China's food sector has been beset by poisonings and toxin scandals that have shaken consumer confidence. Numerous crackdowns have apparently had little effect.</P><P>China said in March at least 20 percent of domestic dairy companies would lose their operating licences following inspections of fresh milk and infant formula producers.</P><P>Three children died this month after drinking nitrate-laden milk in what police judged an intentional poisoning.</P><br /><p><a href="http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/healthNews/~3/H_uK0KvEdcs/us-china-tainted-milk-idUSTRE73S6RE20110429" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7339867965133384099-937639722550371602?l=poisonpork.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/QA7FizMf8GnkqgA9PmS2kzQyfiQ/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/QA7FizMf8GnkqgA9PmS2kzQyfiQ/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/QA7FizMf8GnkqgA9PmS2kzQyfiQ/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/QA7FizMf8GnkqgA9PmS2kzQyfiQ/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PoisonPork/~4/fdhpF37GVIo" height="1" width="1"/>habibnoreply@blogger.com0http://poisonpork.blogspot.com/2011/05/china-jails-14-for-peddling-tainted.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7339867965133384099.post-83125523846728410622011-05-02T01:08:00.000-07:002011-05-02T01:08:00.731-07:002011-05-02T01:08:00.731-07:00 <IMG border=0 alt="A laboratory researcher in a file photo. REUTERS/File" src="http://www.reuters.com//resources/r/?m=02&d=20110429&t=2&i=400140907&w=460&fh=&fw=&ll=&pl=&r=2011-04-29T185258Z_01_BTRE73S18FO00_RTROPTP_0_CYTOS"> <P>A laboratory researcher in a file photo. </P>Credit: Reuters/File</P>By Jeremy Pelofsky</P><P>WASHINGTON | Fri Apr 29, 2011 2:53pm EDT </P><P>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An appeals court ruled on Friday the Obama administration can continue using federal money to fund human embryonic stem cell research, a possible avenue toward new treatments for many medical conditions.</P><P>The appeals court overturned a ruling by a federal judge who found that the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) guidelines on such research violated the law because embryos were destroyed and it put other researchers working with adult stem cells at a disadvantage to win federal grants.</P><P>Opponents of human embryonic stem cell research, including many religious conservatives, argue that it is unacceptable because it destroys human embryos.</P><P>Such stem cells come from days-old human embryos and can produce any type of cell in the body. Scientists hope to be able to use them to address spinal cord injuries, cancer, diabetes and diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.</P><P>U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth last August blocked the taxpayer funding. His decision was put on hold pending appeal so federal money continued to flow after the White House warned research costing millions of dollars would be lost if halted.</P><P>A panel of three judges of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, all appointed by Republican presidents, voted 2-1 to vacate Lamberth's injunction, saying the challengers were unlikely to win on the merits.</P><P>The U.S. law was "ambiguous" and "did not prohibit funding a research project in which an ESC (embryonic stem cell) will be used," the majority opinion said.</P><P>"This is a momentous day -- not only for science, but for the hopes of thousands of patients and their families who are relying on NIH-funded scientists to pursue life-saving discoveries and therapies that could come from stem cell research," NIH Director Francis Collins said in a statement.</P><P>Shortly after taking office in 2009, President Barack Obama expanded federal funding for research involving human embryonic stem cells in hopes it would lead to cures for diseases.</P><P>In a bid to answer critics, Obama directed the NIH to come up with an ethical process for paying for such research, specifically that the embryos come from fertility clinics and were going to be thrown away otherwise.</P><P>Since the appeals court ruling was on the injunction Lamberth issued, the focus now turns back to his courtroom where the two sides have been arguing over the specific merits of whether the stem cell guidelines are legal.</P><P>The U.S. law on embryonic stem cell research funding prohibits the NIH from funding the creation of human embryos for research or the research in which a human embryo is destroyed, leading the judges to argue over its true intent.</P><P>'LINGUISTIC JUJITSU'</P><P>Judge Douglas Ginsburg, appointed by President Ronald Reagan, wrote that it was "entirely reasonable" for the NIH to interpret the law as "permitting funding for research using cell lines derived without federal funding, even as it bars funding for the derivation of additional lines."</P><P>In a dissenting opinion, Judge Karen LeCraft Henderson, appointed by President George H.W. Bush, said the federal law was clear about banning funding for human embryonic stem cell research and that the court majority was engaging in "linguistic jujitsu" to back it.</P><P>The case emerged from two researchers who opposed work with embryonic stem cells and sued to block such funding. They argued that they were at risk of being squeezed out of federal grants for their own work with adult stem cells, which do not involve the destruction of embryos.</P><P>The researchers, Dr. James Sherley, a biological engineer at Boston Biomedical Research Institute, and Theresa Deisher, of Washington-based AVM Biotechnology, could appeal the ruling to the full appeals court, a lawyer involved in the case said.</P><P>Samuel Casey of the Law of Life Project, an attorney involved in the challenge, said he was disappointed but not surprised by the ruling, and was gratified that it was narrow.</P><P>Bernard Siegel, executive director of the Genetics Policy Institute and founder of the Stem Cell Action Coalition, hailed the decision as lifting a cloud of uncertainty over research.</P><P>"This case is not over by any stretch but this lifts the cloud temporarily," he told Reuters. "This is still fundamental research that needs to take place before we can advance it fully and translate it into cures. For them to hold it back in 2010, 2011 and on into 2012 would be a travesty for patients."</P><P>Gary Rabin, chief executive of Advanced Cell Technology, which is developing treatments for two eye diseases using embryonic stem cells and has gotten approval to begin human clinical trials, praised the ruling.</P><P>"You're at the very beginning of what will ultimately be a tidal wave of opportunities within the embryonic stem cell community," he said. "We believe this is the first step for us for ensuring that our cell lines will be fundable by the government."</P><P>(Additional reporting by James Vicini and Tabassum Zakaria in Washington and Bill Berkrot in New York, editing by Will Dunham)</P><br /><p><a href="http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/healthNews/~3/_72XpkOaH0U/us-usa-stemcells-court-idUSTRE73S41W20110429" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7339867965133384099-8312552384672841062?l=poisonpork.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Lb4hs5nKCogc-_W6zPPdYECCCYo/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Lb4hs5nKCogc-_W6zPPdYECCCYo/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Lb4hs5nKCogc-_W6zPPdYECCCYo/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Lb4hs5nKCogc-_W6zPPdYECCCYo/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PoisonPork/~4/4xaJg96geDs" height="1" width="1"/>habibnoreply@blogger.com0http://poisonpork.blogspot.com/2011/05/court-backs-federal-embryonic-stem.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7339867965133384099.post-8524134447178677882011-05-01T21:33:00.000-07:002011-05-01T21:33:00.749-07:002011-05-01T21:33:00.749-07:00 <IMG border=0 alt="An American Medical Response (AMR) ambulance crew transports an ill woman to a hospital from her home in Las Vegas, Nevada, in this March 24, 2011 file photo. REUTERS/Steve Marcus" src="http://www.reuters.com//resources/r/?m=02&d=20110429&t=2&i=400084323&w=460&fh=&fw=&ll=&pl=&r=2011-04-29T171056Z_01_BTRE73S1BIP00_RTROPTP_0_USA-AMBULANCES"> <P>An American Medical Response (AMR) ambulance crew transports an ill woman to a hospital from her home in Las Vegas, Nevada, in this March 24, 2011 file photo. </P>Credit: Reuters/Steve Marcus</P><P>WASHINGTON | Fri Apr 29, 2011 1:11pm EDT </P><P>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Hospitals that improve medical care for elderly patients, and reduce deadly errors, will get millions of dollars under an incentive program launched on Friday that aims to cut overall Medicare costs.</P><P>The government healthcare program for seniors spent about $4.4 billion in 2009 to care for patients who were harmed in the hospital, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).</P><P>Hospital readmissions because of faulty care cost Medicare, which is being targeted for budget cuts by both Democrats and Republicans, another $26 billion.</P><P>Hospitals that meet the quality performance standards in 2012 will receive a share of some $850 million the following year. The funds will come from what Medicare otherwise would have spent for extra hospital stays.</P><P>"It's a historic change," CMS Administrator Donald Berwick told reporters on a telephone conference.</P><P>"For the first time hospitals around the country are going to be paid for in-patient acute services based on healthcare quality not just on the quantity of services they provide."</P><P>The initiative to improve care quality was called for in President Barack Obama's healthcare overhaul.</P><P>It aims to reduce costly errors and repeated hospital stays and to improve follow-up with patients to make sure they are following treatment instructions.</P><P>"It is the most important answer to the healthcare sustainability issue, achieving lower costs through high quality is the right way to do it," Berwick said.</P><P>Medicare spending is expected to balloon over the next few decades as the 77-million-strong baby boom generation retires and draws on the benefits.</P><P>Studies have shown that hospital errors are behind as many as 98,000 deaths a year in the United States.</P><P>(Reporting by Donna Smith; Editing Laura MacInnis)</P><br /><p><a href="http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/healthNews/~3/dDgFnWTwNa4/us-usa-healthcare-hospitals-idUSTRE73S5B420110429" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7339867965133384099-852413444717867788?l=poisonpork.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/but6VxqcPb2EWa1I52itg7lkk3E/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/but6VxqcPb2EWa1I52itg7lkk3E/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/but6VxqcPb2EWa1I52itg7lkk3E/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/but6VxqcPb2EWa1I52itg7lkk3E/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PoisonPork/~4/75N41ZpDiLM" height="1" width="1"/>habibnoreply@blogger.com0http://poisonpork.blogspot.com/2011/05/hospitals-to-get-cash-boost-for-better.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7339867965133384099.post-24793581087527725082011-05-01T18:28:00.000-07:002011-05-01T18:28:00.143-07:002011-05-01T18:28:00.143-07:00 By Louis Charbonneau</P><P>UNITED NATIONS | Fri Apr 29, 2011 5:34pm EDT </P><P>UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The U.S. envoy to the United Nations told the Security Council on Thursday that troops loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi were increasingly engaging in sexual violence and some had been issued the impotency drug Viagra, diplomats said.</P><P>Several U.N. diplomats who attended a closed-door Security Council meeting on Libya told Reuters that U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice raised the Viagra issue in the context of increasing reports of sexual violence by Gaddafi's troops.</P><P>"Rice raised that in the meeting but no one responded," a diplomat said on condition of anonymity. The allegation was first reported by a British newspaper.</P><P>Pfizer Inc's drug Viagra is used to treat impotence.</P><P>Diplomats said if it were true that Gaddafi's troops were being issued Viagra, it could indicate they were being encouraged by their commanders to engage in rape to terrorize the population in areas that have supported the rebels. That would constitute a war crime.</P><P>Several diplomats said Rice provided no evidence for the Viagra allegation, which they said was made in an attempt to persuade doubters the conflict in Libya was not just a standard civil war but a much nastier fight in which Gaddafi is not afraid to order his troops to commit heinous acts.</P><P>"She spoke of reports of soldiers getting Viagra and raping," a diplomat said. "She spoke of Gaddafi's soldiers targeting children, and other atrocities."</P><P>RAPE AS WEAPON?</P><P>Rice's statement, diplomats said, was aimed principally at countries like India, Russia and China, which have grown increasingly skeptical of the effectiveness of the NATO-led air strikes, which they fear have turned the conflict into a protracted civil war that will cause many civilian deaths.</P><P>Most council members, diplomats said, had expected Gaddafi's government to collapse quickly. They said the frustration felt by India, Russia and China would likely grow if the war dragged on.</P><P>The use of rape as a weapon during wartime has received increasing attention at the United Nations. Last year, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appointed a special envoy on sexual violence during armed conflict, Margot Wallstrom.</P><P>Earlier this month, Wallstrom chided the Security Council for failing to mention sexual violence in two recent resolutions on Libya, despite having made the subject a priority.</P><P>Wallstrom said at the time that reports of rape in Libya remained unconfirmed but she cited the highly publicized case of Eman al-Obaidi, the woman who burst into a journalists' hotel in Tripoli last month saying she had been raped by pro-government militiamen.</P><P>The International Criminal Court is already investigating whether Gaddafi's government committed war crimes in its violent crackdown against demonstrators who demanded greater freedoms. The crackdown sparked a rebellion that has turned into a civil war.</P><P>The U.S. mission to the United Nations declined to comment.</P><br /><p><a href="http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/healthNews/~3/7Aq0rkAl2Kk/us-libya-troops-rape-idUSTRE73S74B20110429" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7339867965133384099-2479358108752772508?l=poisonpork.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/_hpRQKjDERRdiPiqSt7c46SjUeo/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/_hpRQKjDERRdiPiqSt7c46SjUeo/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/_hpRQKjDERRdiPiqSt7c46SjUeo/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/_hpRQKjDERRdiPiqSt7c46SjUeo/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PoisonPork/~4/jkfI84S9JIs" height="1" width="1"/>habibnoreply@blogger.com0http://poisonpork.blogspot.com/2011/05/us-envoy-gaddafi-troops-raping-issued.html