Public health

Senators Call Announcement a "Monumental Victory"

June 17, 2009 -- (Washington D.C.) – After a nearly decade-long fight, Montana Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester, joined by Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, today announced a long-awaited Public Health Emergency for Libby.

The Public Health Emergency determination requires the federal government to provide screenings and health care for Libby residents with asbestos-related disease. The Department of Health and Human Services is making available a short-term grant to provide needed asbestos-related medical care to Libby and Troy residents.    » read more »

June 17, 2009 -- AUGUSTA – Surrounded by Legislators and public health advocates, Maine Governor John E. Baldacci today ceremonially signed three bills designed to combat the problem of obesity in Maine.

"This is a critical public health issue, especially when it comes to our children’s health," said the Governor. "Maine has the highest rate of obesity in New England. It’s estimated that 30 percent of our youth are overweight or obese.”

“We know that obesity and overweight are key contributors to serious medical conditions, generating high costs to our health care system,” said the Governor. “These bills will help us to continue to address reduce obesity, and thus the preventable diseases associated with it.”    » read more »

CDC report provides look into foods associated with outbreaks

June 11, 2009 -- Norovirus and Salmonella were the leading causes of foodborne disease outbreaks in 2006, according to a report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report, based on investigations of foodborne disease outbreaks provides the most recent report of how many illnesses were linked to specific types of foods.    » read more »

Lyon, France and Swiftwater, Pennsylvania – June 11, 2009 – Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of sanofi-aventis Group (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY), announces today it is ready to support public health efforts to respond to the emergence of the new A(H1N1) influenza strain following the decision made by the World Health Organization (WHO) to raise the pandemic alert level from Phase 5 to Phase 6, the highest level of alert in the WHO global influenza preparedness plan.    » read more »

WHO raises influenza pandemic alert to phase 6

June 12, 2009, London, UK -- The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced it has raised the current level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 5 to phase 6. As stated by the WHO, phase 6 indicates that there now is a pandemic ongoing caused by the new A (H1N1) influenza virus. The WHO has stated in their current assessment of the situation that this pandemic is currently of a moderate severity.

In addition to increasing production and supply of the anti-viral medication, Relenza (zanamivir), the company continues to focus efforts on the development of a candidate A (H1N1) adjuvanted influenza vaccine.    » read more »

First results achieved with A(H1N1) wild type strain shows significant time savings of cell-based production over egg-based manufacturing approach confirming its value in pandemic situations.

Basel, June 12 2009 - Novartis has successfully completed the production of the first batch of influenza A(H1N1) vaccine, weeks ahead of expectations.

Cell-based manufacturing technology[1] allows vaccine production to be initiated once a pandemic virus strain is identified without the need to adapt the virus strain to grow in eggs, as with traditional vaccine technologies. This advance has cut weeks off the time required to begin vaccine production.    » read more »

Senators, Public Health Community & Restaurant Industry Reach Historic Agreement to Provide Nutrition Information at Chain Restaurants

June 10, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – A bipartisan coalition of senators on the Senate healthcare committees, as well as numerous public health organizations and the restaurant industry today announced an agreement that would require chain restaurants to list calories on their menus and menu boards.

The compromise combines key elements of the Menu Education and Labeling (MEAL) Act, sponsored by Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) and the Labeling Education and Nutrition (LEAN) Act, sponsored by Senators Tom Carper (D-DE) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK).    » read more »

Acting Surgeon General Issues ‘Call to Action to Promote Healthy Homes’

June 9, 2009 -- Acting Surgeon General Steven K. Galson, M.D., M.P.H., today issued The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Promote Healthy Homes at a press conference from the National Building Museum in Washington D.C. The Call to Action looks at the ways housing can affect health; its release will initiate a national dialogue about the importance of healthy homes.

“The home is the centerpiece of American life,” Galson, a Rear Admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service, said during today’s press conference. “We can prevent many diseases and injuries that result from health hazards in the home by following the simple steps outlined in this Call to Action.”    » read more »

June 9, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, and Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Superfund, Toxics and Environmental Health, released the following statements regarding a report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO)

Biomonitoring involves assessing chemical levels in blood and tissue samples to study levels of human exposure to toxic chemicals in our workplaces, homes, and environment. showing that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should increase its ability to protect public health by expanding its assessment of toxic chemical exposures through the use of biomonitoring.    » read more »

American Public Deserves to Know Chemicals Used Near Their Water Sources

June 9, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC– U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) joined U.S. Reps. Diana DeGette (D-CO), Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) and Jared Polis (D-CO) today to introduce companion Senate and House bills, the FRAC Act -- Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act, amending the Safe Drinking Water Act.

The legislation would repeal a Bush administration exemption provided for the oil and gas industry and would require them to disclose the chemicals they use in their hydraulic fracturing processes. Currently, the oil and gas industry is the only industry granted an exemption from complying with the Safe Drinking Water Act.    » read more »

8 June 2009 -- As of 06:00 GMT, 8 June 2009, 73 countries have officially reported 25,288 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection, including 139 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 »

5 June 2009 -- As of 06:00 GMT, 5 June 2009, 69 countries have officially reported 21,940 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection, including 125 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 »

June 4, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Mark Udall urged his colleagues to support bipartisan legislation designed to reduce the number of kids who get hooked on smoking, help smokers overcome their addiction, and make tobacco products less toxic.

In a speech submitted for the Congressional Record, Udall said that by preventing new smokers from becoming addicted, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act being debated in the Senate this week would help lower health care costs and promote wellness – two of the biggest hurdles facing the American health care system today.    » read more »

Statement of Worldwatch Senior Researcher Danielle Nierenberg to Mexican Congress

June 3, 2009 --
Washington, D.C. -- As health officials scramble to develop a vaccine for the H1N1 virus, commonly referred to as swine flu, there is reason to believe that the current swell is merely a sign of the larger pandemic to come. We should regard the current outbreak of H1N1 as a bad dress rehearsal for opening night. It is not a question of whether the virus will reemerge, but when, and we are woefully unprepared.    » read more »

Attached is an addition to the supplemental request currently being considered by Congress.

June 2, 2009 -- WASHINGTON -- June 2, 2009 -- Dear Madam Speaker: On April 30, I wrote to you to request funding for the 2009 H1Nl flu outbreak. Since this request, we have learned much about the outbreak and the level of national response that possibly could be necessary in the coming months. There also remains much uncertainty about the outbreak and its potential to return during the upcoming flu season in the United States.    » read more »