HHS

27 May 2009 -- As of 06:00 GMT, 27 May 2009, 48 countries have officially reported 13,398 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection, including 95 deaths.

The breakdown of the number of laboratory-confirmed cases by country is given in the following table.

Laboratory-confirmed cases of new influenza A(H1N1) as officially reported to WHO by States Parties to the International Health Regulations (2005)

Country Cumulative total    » read more »

Failure to Investigate or Report Cases of Doctor Wrongdoing Endangers Patients

May 27, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Though a federal law requires hospitals to report physicians who have had their admitting privileges revoked or restricted for more than 30 days, a Public Citizen report released today found that in addition to inadequate discipline of physicians, hospitals routinely exploit loopholes to avoid government requirements, with nearly half of all hospitals not submitting a single doctor’s name to the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) in the more than 17 years it has existed.    » read more »

May 27, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today asked Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to fund a $1.2 million study designed to reduce the high rate of suicides among Alaska natives.

In a letter to the Secretary, Murkowski pointed to a study proposed by Commissioner Warren Zapol of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission that would examine the mental and behavioral health issues facing Alaska Native populations living in the Arctic. Zapol’s study would be conducted by the Institute of Medicine at the National Academy of Sciences.

This new study would seek to determine the specific genes that contribute to major depressive disorders and alcohol abuse leading to targeted treatment options for Alaska Natives.    » read more »

As Confirmed Cases of the Virus Continue to Rise, Funding Necessary to Address Budgetary Shortages That Threaten Local, State, and National Response Efforts

May 27, 2009 -- Today, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced their push to include no less than $350 million in the final Supplemental Appropriations bill to upgrade state and local ability to prepare for and respond to the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus and other potential pandemics.    » read more »

26 May 2009 -- As of 06:00 GMT, 26 May 2009, 46 countries have officially reported 12 954 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection, including 92 deaths.

The breakdown of the number of laboratory-confirmed cases by country is given in the following table:

Laboratory-confirmed cases of new influenza A(H1N1) as officially reported to WHO by States Parties to the International Health Regulations (2005)    » read more »

May 26, 2009 -- By sequencing the genomes of more than 50 samples of the new A(H1N1) influenza virus, researchers have found that it is distantly related to its nearest relatives, indicating that its genes have been circulating undetected for an extended period. The findings suggest that in the future pig populations will need to be closely monitored for emerging influenza viruses.

Completed by an international team of investigators from the United States, the United Kingdom and Mexico, the research was made available for immediate release 22 May 2009, following acceptance by Science. Journal editors provided free public access to the findings, in light of public health concerns regarding the A(H1N1) virus.    » read more »

May 26, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH) today announced that the Manchester Community Health Center (MCHC) will receive $711,365 in federal grant funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Community Health Centers serve patients in medically underserved areas and provide preventative care, as well as help treat those who are sick, regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. These funds will help Manchester continue to make available these critical services to individuals and families without health insurance in the Manchester area.    » read more »

Initial U.S. order for bulk vaccine valued at $190 million

Swiftwater, Pa. and Lyon, France – May 25, 2009 - Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of the sanofi-aventis Group (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY), announced today it has received the first of what is expected to be a series of orders from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to commence production of a vaccine to help protect against the new influenza A(H1N1) virus.    » read more »

22 May 2009 -- GSK announced today that the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has placed initial orders for A (H1N1) influenza vaccine antigen and the company’s proprietary adjuvant system, AS03, to support its pandemic influenza preparation efforts.

GSK manufactures both a traditional vaccine antigen, which will be made from the recently isolated A (H1N1) influenza strain, as well as an adjuvant system. An adjuvant system can be added to the antigen at time of administration.

GSK expects to fill the US adjuvant order within the next few months. The first doses of the vaccine antigen are expected to be available four to six months after the company receives the H1N1 seed strain, subject to regulatory approval. The new vaccine will be tested in clinical trials.    » read more »

New PSA Campaign Unveiled at the HHS/Department of Education Childcare Center

May 22, 2009 -- Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is joining the Ad Council and Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, to launch a national public service advertising campaign designed to encourage American families and children to take steps to protect themselves from the 2009 H1N1 flu virus and continue to practice healthy habits.    » read more »

May 20, 2009 -- WASHINGTON -- AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond released the following statement on today’s announcement on the creation of the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team by the departments of Health and Human Services and Justice.

“The skyrocketing costs of health care are hurting Americans’ wallets and the bedrock programs like Medicare that millions of Americans depend on. Too much of that spending is lost to health care fraud. We simply cannot afford to pay for care that is never delivered and equipment that is not needed.    » read more »

May 21, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals for key administration posts: Christopher Schroeder, Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Policy, Department of Justice; Paul Anastas, Assistant Administrator for Office of Research and Development, Environmental Protection Agency; Sherry Glied, Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Department of Health and Human Services; Winslow Sargeant, Chief Counsel for Advocacy, Small Business Administration; Ambassador Nancy Powell, Director General of the Foreign Service, Department of State; and Deborah Matz, Chair, National Credit Union Administration.    » read more »

May 22, 2009 -- HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today that the department will take important steps necessary to prepare for potential commercial-scale production of a candidate vaccine for the novel Influenza A ( H1N1). The Secretary is directing approximately $1 billion in existing funds that will be used for clinical studies that will take place over the summer and for commercial-scale production of two potential vaccine ingredients for the pre-pandemic influenza stockpile.    » read more »

25 May 2009 -- As of 06:00 GMT, 25 May 2009, 46 countries have officially reported 12 515 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection, including 91 deaths.

The breakdown of the number of laboratory-confirmed cases by country is given in the following table:

Laboratory-confirmed cases of new influenza A(H1N1) as officially reported to WHO by States Parties to the International Health Regulations (2005)    » read more »

May 22, 2009 -- “The State Department of Health (DOH) and State Education Department have finalized a voluntary statewide system for monitoring illness and absenteeism in schools that will enhance monitoring that has been underway since the start of the outbreak. This additional monitoring is designed to identify situations that may warrant additional State level attention. It will supplement the data school districts already collect regarding absenteeism and support consistent and informed application of best practices on a statewide basis.    » read more »