Genetics Provide Evidence for the Movement of Avian Influenza Viruses from Asia to North America via Migratory Birds
Wild migratory birds may be more important carriers of avian influenza viruses from continent to continent than previously thought, according to new scientific research that has important implications for highly pathogenic avian influenza virus surveillance in North America. As part of a multi-pronged research effort to understand the role of migratory birds in the transfer of avian influenza viruses between Asia and North America, scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Alaska and the University of Tokyo, have found genetic evidence for the movement of Asian forms of avian influenza to Alaska by northern pintail ducks.

US Pledges Additional $320 Million in Fight Against Bird Flu
Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt: With the announcement of a new pledge of $320 million for avian and pandemic influenza assistance, U.S. support to international organizations and to more than 90 countries now totals $949 million. Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs, Paula Dobriansky, announced the U.S. pledge today at the International Ministerial Conference on Avian and Pandemic Influenza at Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

Early Pandemic Flu Wave May Protect Against Worse One Later
New evidence about the worldwide influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 indicates that getting the flu early protected many people against a second deadlier wave, an article co-authored by an NIH epidemiologist concludes.

CDC Awards $16.9 Million to Combat Pandemic, Seasonal Influenza
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded a $16.9 million contract to American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) of Manassas, Va. to implement the CDC Influenza Reagent Resource (CDC-IRR), a secure, Web-based system that will improve access to influenza viruses, test kits and other reagents for approved laboratories.

FDA Clears New CDC Test to Detect Human Influenza
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today cleared a new test developed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to diagnose human influenza infections and the highly pathogenic influenza A (H5N1) viruses.

CDC Awards $24 Million for Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Projects
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded $24 million to fund 55 projects in 29 state and local public health departments that could serve as innovative approaches for influenza pandemic preparedness.

Bacterial Pneumonia Caused Most Deaths in 1918 Influenza Pandemic
The majority of deaths during the influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 were not caused by the influenza virus acting alone, report researchers from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health. Instead, most victims succumbed to bacterial pneumonia following influenza virus infection.

California Wildfires: Protect Yourself and Others
Smoke from wildfires is a mixture of gases and fine particles from burning trees and other plant materials. Smoke can hurt your eyes, irritate your respiratory system, and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases. Know whether you are at risk and protect yourself.

New! FAQ: Melamine in Food Products Manufactured in China
News reports and the World Health Organization (WHO) state that tens of thousands of infants in China who consumed infant formula contaminated with melamine are suffering from urinary tract stones, kidney damage, and kidney failure.

New! CDC Responds to Hurricane Season 2008
Learn what you can do to be prepared before a hurricane, what to do during the storm, and how to stay safe in the aftermath.

New! Blast Injury Fact Sheets — seven new fact sheets added.
Fact sheets for health care providers on the treatment of blast injuries.

New! Recommendations to Protect Persons Wounded During Bombings and Other Mass Casualty Events
New recommendations were published jointly this week in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports (MMWR) and the American Medical Association’s (AMA) Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness journal

Floods: Protect Your Health and Safety
During a flood and its aftermath, there are some basic facts to remember that will help protect your personal health and safety.

New!Public Health Preparedness: Mobilizing State by State (HTML version)
A CDC Report on the Public Health Emergency Preparedness Cooperative Agreement From: Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Keeping Cool in a Heat Wave
Learn about keeping cool and staying healthy in a heat wave.

New! Public Service Announcements for Keeping Food, Water, and Prescription Drugs Safe During and After a Disaster
Learn about safe handling of food after the power goes out and know what to do in the event that your prescription drugs are exposed to extreme heat or water.

New! Public Service Announcements for Extreme Heat
Learn now to stay safe and healthy during hot weather and know what to do to stay cool if the power goes out.

UPDATE: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About CDC Funding Opportunity Announcement TP-08-001
Preparedness and Emergency Response Research Centers: A Public Health Systems Approach (P01)

Investigation of Outbreak of Infections Caused by Salmonella Agona
CDC is collaborating with public health officials in multiple states across the United States and with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate a multi-state outbreak of Salmonella Agona infections.

CDC Health Advisory: Adverse Effects Associated with Consuming “Total Body Formula” and “Total Body Mega Formula
CDC is working collaboratively with state health departments, the American Association of Poison Control Centers, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on reports of adverse health effects following consumption of the dietary supplement “Total Body Formula,” and “Total Body Mega Formula.”

New Website for the CDC Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness & Emergency Response (COTPER)
COTPER has a new website. Learn how COTPER helps the nation prepare for and respond to urgent public health threats by providing direction, coordination, and support for all of CDC’s terrorism preparedness and emergency response activities.

Video: A New Era of Preparedness
A video presentation of what CDC is doing to ensure you and your family are safer and healthier in these ever-changing times.

Update! Chemical Agents: Shipping Instructions for Samples Collected From People Potentially Exposed to Chemical Terrorism Agents (CSH Guidelines Version 03.08)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Shipping Instructions for Specimens Collected from People Who May Have Been Exposed to Chemical-Terrorism Agents"

Update! Chemical Agents: Flowchart: Chemical Terrorism Event Shipping Instructions - Blood (CT Blood Shipping Pictorial Version 03.08)
This is a one-page document containing photographs, and related text, of the required steps necessary for packaging and shipping blood specimens to CDC.

Update! Chemical Agents: Flowchart: Chemical Terrorism Event Shipping Instructions - Urine (CT Urine Shipping Pictorial Version 03.08)
This is a one-page document containing photographs, and related text, of the required steps necessary for packaging and shipping urine specimens to CDC.

Update! Chemical Agents: Chemical Terrorism Blood Specimen Collection and Shipping Manifest
Adobe Acrobat PDF (81 KB/2 pages)

Update! Chemical Agents: Chemical Terrorism Urine Specimen Collection and Shipping Manifest
Adobe Acrobat PDF (25 KB/2 pages)

CDC’s COTPER Releases Systems Research Funding Opportunity Announcement
CDC’s Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response (COTPER) invites accredited Schools of Public Health to submit grant applications for the development of Preparedness and Emergency Response Research Centers (PERRCs) that will investigate the structure, capabilities, and performance of public health systems for preparedness and emergency response activities.

Ricin Health Advisory
Ricin is made from the waste left over from processing castor beans, and can be extremely lethal. It has some potential medical uses, such as bone marrow transplants and cancer treatment (to kill cancer cells).

Pandemic Influenza Funding Announcement for Competitive Proposals TP08-802 (Budget Year 08)
This document provides guidance for applying for competitive funding for demonstration projects designed to further pandemic influenza preparedness and response.

Frequently Asked Questions (1 of 2) for the Pandemic Influenza Funding Announcement for Competitive Proposals
FAQ 1 of 2

Frequently Asked Questions (2 of 2) for the Pandemic Influenza Funding Announcement for Competitive Proposals
FAQ 2 of 2

Public Health Preparedness: Mobilizing State by State
CDC's Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response (COTPER) has released its inaugural report on public health emergency preparedness. The report highlights progress made in state and local preparedness and response, identifies preparedness challenges facing public health departments, and outlines CDC’s efforts to address those challenges. Designed to increase accountability regarding the country’s investment in preparedness activities, the report presents national data as well as state-specific snapshots for all 50 states and four directly funded localities.

UPDATED: Information on hydrazine, the rocket fuel found on the satellite that was destroyed February 20
Hydrazines are clear, colorless liquids with an ammonia-like odor. Most hydrazines are manufactured for use as rocket propellants and fuels, boiler water treatments, chemical reactants, medicines, and in cancer research. Hydrazines are highly reactive and easily catch fire.

Potential Health Effects Associated with Hydrazine and Satellite Reentry
A CDC Health Advisory

Preliminary Findings on Air Quality in FEMA-supplied Mobile Homes and Trailers
CDC and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) released preliminary results from recent testing that found higher than typical indoor exposure levels of formaldehyde in travel trailers and mobile homes used as emergency housing in the Gulf Coast Region.

The Recommendations for postexposure interventions to prevent HBV, HCV, or HIV infections and tetanus for persons wounded during bombings and similar mass casualty events in the United States 2007.
NEW: The "Recommendations for postexposure interventions to prevent HBV, HCV, or HIV infections and tetanus for persons wounded during bombings and similar mass casualty events in the United States 2007. Recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)", a DRAFT document, distributed solely for the purpose of pre-dissemination peer review under applicable information quality guidelines, which does not represent and should not be construed to represent any CDC determination or policy, is now available for public review and comment.

UPDATED: Letter showing Yet's intent to withdraw the license for Dryvax vaccine
REQUIRED

Notice from CDC to vaccine holders to destroy Dryvax vaccine
Form for reporting destruction of Dryvax to CDC Drug Services.

CDC Emergency MedKit Evaluation Study Summary Fact Sheet
This fact sheet provides an overview of the emergency MedKit evaluation study which was designed to evaluate a strategy that addresses the timeliness of distributing antibiotics to the general public as an effective measure against a release of anthrax.

Report From the Institute of Medicine
Research Priorities in Emergency Preparedness and Response for Public Health Systems.

Public Service Announcement: "Recognizing Hypothermia"
Hypothermia is a serious medical condition that strikes during very cold weather or when people are chilled from rain, sweat, or cold water…

Public Service Announcement: "Recognizing Frostbite"
Protect yourself from frostbite. When outdoors, wear warm clothing, such as hats, gloves and jackets…

Public Service Announcement: "Preventing Hypothermia and Frostbite"
Protect yourself against hypothermia and frostbite during cold weather…

Social Networks that Care about Health
Wikipedia describes a social network as "a social structure made of nodes (which are generally individuals or organizations) that are tied by one or more specific types of interdependency, such as values, visions, ideas, financial exchange, friends, kinship, dislike, conflict, trade, web links, sexual relations, disease transmission, or airline routes. The resulting structures are often very complex."

Take the Test. Blog the Day.
To help prepare for National HIV Testing Day (June 27, 2008), AIDS.gov is sponsoring a Webinar for Bloggers (sometimes called a 'blogginar') on Tuesday, June 17th at 2:00pm eastern time. Beginning with a similar webinar last year, AIDS.gov has been communicating directly with bloggers so they can help encourage their readers to get tested. Since one in four Americans living with HIV is unaware of having it, this effort is a crucial piece of protecting and improving the health of people in the US. It also is an excellent example how Web 2.0 strategies can be used to impact health.

China – The New Health Marketing Frontier
I've asked Melinda Frost, former lead for NCHM's Global Communication and Marketing team, to write a guest blog for this month's edition of Health Marketing Musings. Since early November, Melinda has served in a unique capacity for our Center. She works under the US Embassy in Beijing, China as the first US CDC health communications officer placed overseas. One of her roles is to determine how US CDC can best partner with China's Ministry of Health to increase their ability to deliver tailored, culturally appropriate health information to affected populations at national and sub-national levels. – Jay Bernhardt

Going Mobile for Public Health
The most important platform in the world for collecting and delivering targeted and tailored health information during the first half of the 21st Century will be mobile phones. Mobile phones and integrated wireless devices will revolutionize the practice of public health and touch billions of lives around the world.

Can you obtain, process, and understand this blog?
Health Literacy is the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions, as defined by the National Library of Medicine and as used in Healthy People 2010. According to the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL), more than 77 million adults in the US demonstrate basic or below basic health literacy skills.

World AIDS Day
On December 1, 2007, the world will collectively observe World AIDS Day. Since 1988, World AIDS Day has provided an important opportunity for governments, organizations, communities, and individuals to generate greater public awareness of the devastating impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic and to re-energize those fighting against it. Worldwide, HIV prevalence—the percentage of people living with HIV—has leveled off and the number of new infections dropped in 2007. However, AIDS remains among the leading causes of death around the world and continues to be the primary cause of death in Africa. In 2007, an estimated 2.1 million died of AIDS.

Better Health through Social Media
On Saturday October 19, I attended part of the first <em>CONNECT. Public Relations & Social Media Conference</em> hosted by the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia. The <a href="http://www.grady.uga.edu:16080/connect/Agenda.php" target="_blank">agenda</a> included renowned PR professionals (or "Rock Stars" as accurately described by <a href="http://kayesweetser.com/" target="_blank">Dr. Kaye Sweetser</a>) who discussed cutting-edge social media techniques and how they can be used in PR and marketing. Many thanks to UGA for organizing and including me in this event. I invite you to browse the <a href="http://ugaconnect.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">CONNECT blog</a>, where you can find audio, blogs, links, twitter content, podcasts, photos and more from the conference.

Expand. Increase. Advance.
This is an exciting time to be working in health communication, marketing, and media. While each of these areas has roots in distinct disciplines, what brings us together is our shared belief that customers (however defined) matter most, information is powerful, and protecting and promoting people's health is a noble cause worth fighting for.

Today is the Day
One of the mainstays of health marketing is to designate a day (or week or month) to a public health issue and use that day and the time leading up to it to raise awareness and promote health messages. Unfortunately, this strategy has become so commonplace that nearly every week has one, if not several, worthwhile observances associated with it, thereby reducing the likelihood of getting attention among the many competing stories appearing in the media. Nonetheless, some "days" are particularly important and well worth our attention and efforts.

Trust Me
Last week I attended a morning panel presentation at Emory University's Goizueta Business School featuring Richard Edelman, Chairman and CEO of Edelman. Richard discussed the 2007 Edition of the <A href="http://www.edelman.com/trust/2007/" target="_blank">Edelman Trust Barometer</A>, an annual survey of influentials from 18 countries and their perceptions of trust and credibility in different organizational sectors and information sources.

CDC 2.0
When I came to CDC in August 2005, I brought with me one major goal: to improve the CDC website. I am proud to say that as of April 19, 2007, we have accomplished this goal with the launch of the new <A href="http://www.cdc.gov/">CDC.gov homepage</A> and top-level navigation pages. Not that the old site was that bad compared to some others (who will remain nameless), but it certainly wasn't nearly as good as it could be. The design of the new site is based on science, best practices, and evidence-based research, like everything else we do at the CDC and the National Center for Health Marketing.

Made in China
Before I share my topic for this blog, I have an admission to make. I am a lousy blogger. This blog entry is long overdue. I deeply believe in blogging and the incredible power of personal narrative, but am having a hard time keeping it fresh. I invite suggestions from veteran bloggers to let me know how they manage to do their day jobs and still keep their blog novel.

Crossroads
Congratulations and thanks are due to Dimitry Kruglyak from the Medical Blog Network (http://www.healthvoices.com/), who organized and recently hosted the first Healthcare Blogging Summit in Washington, DC as part of Consumer Health World. I was honored to speak at the Summit and share the dais with many accomplished innovators and leaders in the world of health-related blogging. A number of participants and attendees have written about the Summit and you can find their feedback here: http://www.technorati.com/search/healthcare+blogging+summit

Putting the Public into E-Health: The Potential of E-Public-Health
It was great seeing old colleagues and meeting new innovators in Toronto recently at the 11th World Congress on Internet in Medicine (MedNet) (http://www.mednetcongress.org/). I had the honor of delivering the keynote address at the conference and today's blog will offer a brief synopsis of my remarks.

This blog can save your life!
For the last several weeks, CDC has been actively engaged leading the public health response to the <i>E. coli</i> outbreak associated with fresh spinach that has sickened more than 150 people and may have claimed three lives. When public health emergencies or outbreaks occur, the CDC activates the Director's Emergency Operation Center (DEOC). One of the core components of the DEOC is the Joint Information Center (JIC) led by the Emergency Communication System (ECS), which is an agency wide risk communication activity led by the National Center for Health Marketing (NCHM). [Note: CDC loves its acronyms!]...

Health Communication: Science and Art
It is my pleasure to welcome our first "guest blogger" to health marketing musings. The following remarks are from my colleague Dan Rutz, MPH, the Associate Director of Communication Science from the CDC National Center for Preparedness, Detection, and Control of Infectious Diseases (NCPDCID). He shares interesting and important observations about the frailty of our human experience and our communication science, and he calls for strengthening both. As always, reader comments are welcome and encouraged...

A rose by any other name...
More than any other question, the one I am most frequently asked has to do with the name of our center at CDC, the National Center for Health Marketing (NCHM): "What is health marketing?" Other common questions include "What is the difference between health communication and health marketing?" "Is it the same thing as social marketing?" and "Why is CDC trying to change the name of our field?!?" In this, my second blog entry, I'll try to answer some of these questions and share my thoughts on the sensitive issue of disciplinary names and identities...

We exist...
Legendary newsman Daniel Schorr once observed, "If you don't exist in the media, for all practical purposes, you don't exist." The same can be said today for the web -- if you don't have an online presence, and if you don't show up in Google, for all practical purposes, you don't exist. Therefore, I'm happy to announce that the National Center for Health Marketing (NCHM) at the CDC finally exists...

Fresh Perspectives


Lessons Learned From a Binational Survey to Examine Women's Health Status in the US-Mexico Border Region


Improving Ways to Generate and Use Local Data to Create and Strengthen Binational Programs


Reproductive Health Surveillance in the US-Mexico Border Region: Beyond the Border (and Into the Future)


The Past, Present, and Future of Reproductive Health Surveillance in the US-Mexico Border Region


Exchanging Information About Reproductive and Sexual Health on the US-Mexico Border: A Good Example of Collaboration


Mortality Patterns in the West Bank, Palestinian Territories, 1999-2003


Validation of the Spanish Translation of the Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (PACIC) Survey


Screening High School Students for Eating Disorders: Results of a National Initiative


Identifying Adolescent Metabolic Syndrome Using Body Mass Index and Waist Circumference


Cervical Cancer Screening Among Women Who Gave Birth in the US-Mexico Border Region, 2005: The Brownsville-Matamoros Sister City Project for Women's Health


Attempted Breastfeeding Before Hospital Discharge on Both Sides of the US-Mexico Border, 2005: The Brownsville-Matamoros Sister City Project for Women's Health


A New Evaluation Tool to Obtain Practice-Based Evidence of Worksite Health Promotion Programs


Strategies of Asian, Hispanic, and Non-Hispanic White Parents to Influence Young Adolescents' Intake of Calcium-Rich Foods, 2004 and 2005


Characteristics of Young Women Who Gave Birth in the US-Mexico Border Region, 2005: The Brownsville-Matamoros Sister City Project for Women's Health


Prenatal HIV Testing in the US-Mexico Border Region, 2005: The Brownsville-Matamoros Sister City Project for Women's Health


Promising Practices in Promotion of Healthy Weight at Small and Medium-Sized US Worksites


Assessing Retail Fruit and Vegetable Availability in Urban and Rural Underserved Communities


Exploring the Feasibility of Combining Chronic Disease Patient Registry Data to Monitor the Status of Diabetes Care


Enforcement of State Indoor Tanning Laws in the United States


Reproductive Health Surveillance in the US-Mexico Border Region, 2003-2006: The Brownsville-Matamoros Sister City Project for Women's Health


Effectiveness of a Multifactorial Cardiovascular Risk Reduction Clinic for Diabetes Patients with Depression


Prior Contraceptive Use Among Women Who Gave Birth in the US-Mexico Border Region, 2005: The Brownsville-Matamoros Sister City Project for Women's Health


Assessing the Professional Development Needs of Public Health Educators in Light of Changing Competencies


Awareness, Use, and Perceptions of Low-Carbohydrate Diets


Objective Physical Activity Accumulation in Bouts and Nonbouts and Relation to Markers of Obesity in US Adults


A Policy and Environmental Response to Overweight in Childhood: The Impact of Gold Medal Schools


Internet-Based Morbidity and Mortality Surveillance Among Hurricane Katrina Evacuees in Georgia


The National Diabetes Education Program Evaluation Framework: How to Design an Evaluation of a Multifaceted Public Health Education Program


Worms and Germs, Drink and Dementia: US Health, Society, and Policy in the Early 20th Century


<i>Mental Health Care in the African-American Community</i>


<i>Health Care Reform Now! A Prescription for Change</i>


Erratum, Vol 5: Issue 3


Erratum, Vol 5: Issue 3


Erratum, Vol 5: Issue 3

Mycobacterium bovis Infection in Holstein Friesian Cattle, Iran, K. Tadayon et al.


Hemoplasma Infection in HIV-positive Patient, Brazil, A.P. Santos et al.


Multiple Francisella tularensis Subspecies and Clades, Tularemia Outbreak, Utah, J.M. Petersen et al.


Bartonella henselae Antibodies after Cat Bite, K. Westling et al.


Fatal Case of Israeli Spotted Fever after Mediterranean Cruise, N. Boillat et al.


Rickettsia parkeri in Argentina, S. Nava et al.


Transmission of Atypical Bovine Prions to Mice Transgenic for Human Prion Protein, V. Beringue et al.


Human Illnesses Caused by Opisthorchis felineus Flukes, Italy, O. Armignacco et al.


Identification of New Rabies Virus Variant in Mexican Immigrant, A. Velasco-Villa et al.


Multicenter Study of Brucellosis in Egypt, H. Samaha et al.


Detection and Phylogenetic Analysis of Group 1 Coronaviruses in South American Bats, C.V.F. Carrington et al.


Outbreak of Trichinellosis Caused by Trichinella papuae, Thailand, 2006, C. Khumjui et al.


Occupational Exposure to Streptococcus suis among US Swine Workers, T.C. Smith et al.


Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus (H5N1) in Red Foxes Fed Infected Bird Carcasses L.A. Reperant et al.


Influenza Infection in Wild Raccoons J.S. Hall et al.


Novel Borna Virus in Psittacine Birds with Proventricular Dilatation Disease K.S. Honkavuori et al.


Avian Influenza Outbreaks in Chickens, Bangladesh P.K. Biswas et al.


Genetic Characterization of Toggenburg Orbivirus, a New Bluetongue Virus, from Goats, Switzerland, M.A. Hofmann et al.


Influenza Virus (H5N1) in Live Bird Markets and Food Markets, Thailand, A. Amonsin et al.


Prevalence and Pathogenicity of WU and KI Polyomaviruses in Children, the Netherlands, M.M. van der Zalm et al.


New Foci of Buruli Ulcer, Angola and Democratic Republic of Congo, K. Kibadi et al.


Establishment of Biomphalaria tenagophila Snails in Europe, G. Majoros et al.


Bacteremia Caused by Mycobacterium wolinskyi, Y.-C. Chen, et al.

Parent Smoking During Pregnancy Raises Kids&#39; Heart Risks (HealthDay)
HealthDay - THURSDAY, Nov. 20 (HealthDay News) -- Damage to the arteries of children of smokers can be detected in the early decades of their lives, a new Dutch study finds.

U.S. Lags on HIV Testing Goals (HealthDay)
HealthDay - THURSDAY, Nov. 20 (HealthDay News) -- Two years after U.S. health officials recommended routine HIV testing for Americans 13 to 64, such testing remains hit-and-miss, and the AIDS epidemic marches on.

Study backs Finland&#39;s colon cancer screening (Reuters)
Reuters - A national screening program in Finland has detected about 40 percent of colon cancers early, showing that such tests can make a difference, Finnish researchers reported on Friday.

Unintended pregnancy raises risk of future ones (Reuters)
Reuters - Women and girls who&#39;ve had an unplanned pregnancy in the past are at risk of future unplanned pregnancies, regardless of other risk factors like age and education, a new study shows.

Removing small colon polyps costly, unnecessary (Reuters)
Reuters - The surgical removal of small colon polyps found during computed tomography imaging of the colon, or CT colonography, is costly and unnecessary, according to a new study.

More research needed into foodborne diseases: WHO (Reuters)
Reuters - Foodborne diseases appear to be on the rise in both rich and poor countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.

Health Highlights: Nov. 19, 2008 (HealthDay)
HealthDay - Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay:

European patent office restores breast cancer gene patent (AFP)
AFP - The European Patent Office on Wednesday restored on appeal a controversial patent for a breast cancer gene that had been withdrawn from a US biotech firm, but granting it in a more restricted form than before.

Health Highlights: Nov. 18, 2008 (HealthDay)
HealthDay - Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay:

Non-AIDS Cancer Risk Higher for Those With HIV (HealthDay)
HealthDay - TUESDAY, Nov. 18 (HealthDay News) -- People with HIV have about twice the risk of developing a non-AIDS cancer as members of the general population, a new report says.

Health Insurers Offer to Accept All Applicants, on Condition
The health insurance industry said it would support a plan requiring insurers to accept all customers, but asked that Congress require all Americans to have coverage in return.<br/><br/><span class="advertisement"> <a href="http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/us/20health.html"><img src="http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/us/20health.html" border="0"/></a></span>

Obama’s Pick of Daschle May Test Conflict-of-Interest Pledge
At issue is Tom Daschle’s work since leaving the Senate as a board member of the Mayo Clinic and a highly paid adviser to health care clients.<br/><br/><span class="advertisement"> <a href="http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/us/politics/20daschle.html"><img src="http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/us/politics/20daschle.html" border="0"/></a></span>

Use of Antipsychotics in Children Is Criticized
Powerful antipsychotic medicines are being used far too cavalierly in children, and regulators must do more to warn doctors of their risks, a panel of experts said.<br/><br/><span class="advertisement"> <a href="http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/19/health/policy/19fda.html"><img src="http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/19/health/policy/19fda.html" border="0"/></a></span>

Federal Court Upholds Drug Privacy Law
The court upheld the right of states to prohibit the sale of doctor-specific prescription drug data that is widely used in pharmaceutical marketing.<br/><br/><span class="advertisement"> <a href="http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/19/business/19drug.html"><img src="http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/19/business/19drug.html" border="0"/></a></span>

Protests Over a Rule to Protect Health Providers
A Bush administration proposal would protect health care providers who cite religious or moral objections.<br/><br/><span class="advertisement"> <a href="http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/18/washington/18abort.html"><img src="http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/18/washington/18abort.html" border="0"/></a></span>

F.D.A. Scientists Accuse Agency Officials of Misconduct
In a letter to Congress, federal scientists said that officials ignored their concerns and approved unsafe or ineffective medical devices.<br/><br/><span class="advertisement"> <a href="http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/18/health/policy/18fda.html"><img src="http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/18/health/policy/18fda.html" border="0"/></a></span>

Americans Skip Care
More than half of Americans with chronic health problems skip pills and doctors’ appointments because of their costs, according to a new survey.<br/><br/><span class="advertisement"> <a href="http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/18/health/policy/18cost.html"><img src="http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/18/health/policy/18cost.html" border="0"/></a></span>

Employers Offer Workers Fewer Health Care Plans
Many workers are finding that the buffet of options in their medical plans has been trimmed to a very short menu.<br/><br/><span class="advertisement"> <a href="http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/15/business/15insure.html"><img src="http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/15/business/15insure.html" border="0"/></a></span>

F.D.A. Detains Chinese Imports for Testing
Products from China that contain milk will be held at the border until tests prove that they are not contaminated.<br/><br/><span class="advertisement"> <a href="http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/14/business/worldbusiness/14fda.html"><img src="http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/14/business/worldbusiness/14fda.html" border="0"/></a></span>

Senator Takes Initiative on Health Care
Without waiting for Barack Obama, Senator Max Baucus will unveil a blueprint to guarantee health insurance for all Americans.<br/><br/><span class="advertisement"> <a href="http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/12/washington/12health.html"><img src="http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/12/washington/12health.html" border="0"/></a></span>

Veterans’ Families Seek Aid for Caregiver Role
Veterans groups are pursuing legislation to allow families of soldiers with traumatic injuries to be paid for caregiving.<br/><br/><span class="advertisement"> <a href="http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/12/us/12veterans.html"><img src="http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/12/us/12veterans.html" border="0"/></a></span>

Some G.M. Retirees Are in a Health Care Squeeze
To conserve cash, General Motors will cut lifetime health care for management retirees at the end of this year.<br/><br/><span class="advertisement"> <a href="http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/10/business/10gm.html"><img src="http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/10/business/10gm.html" border="0"/></a></span>

Market Values: The Time May Be Right for Investing in Medicine
Neglect hurt returns from health care stocks for a while, but in a market like this, being ignored can lead to an outperformance.<br/><br/><span class="advertisement"> <a href="http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/08/business/08values.html"><img src="http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/08/business/08values.html" border="0"/></a></span>

F.B.I. Looks Into a Threat to Reveal Patient Data
Express Scripts, the pharmacy benefit manager, received an extortion letter threatening to expose millions of patient records.<br/><br/><span class="advertisement"> <a href="http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/07/business/07data.html"><img src="http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/07/business/07data.html" border="0"/></a></span>

Some Big Food Companies Adopt Nutrient Standards
The “Smart Choices Program” aims to reduce confusion in the grocery aisle over nutritional value by adopting common standards.<br/><br/><span class="advertisement"> <a href="http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/28/business/28food.html"><img src="http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/28/business/28food.html" border="0"/></a></span>

The Evidence Gap: Quickly Vetted, Treatment Is Offered to Patients
The F.D.A. regularly allows devices to market after only cursory review and without clear evidence they help.<br/><br/><span class="advertisement"> <a href="http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/27/health/policy/27device.html"><img src="http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/27/health/policy/27device.html" border="0"/></a></span>

F.D.A. Warns Bayer on Marketing of 2 Aspirins
Aspirin medicines from Bayer intended to promote healthy hearts are being illegally marketed with unproven health claims, federal regulators said.<br/><br/><span class="advertisement"> <a href="http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/29/health/29fda.html"><img src="http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/29/health/29fda.html" border="0"/></a></span>

Child Warning Added to Cold Remedies
Manufacturers of pediatric cough and cold medicines said Tuesday that they would voluntarily change their products’ labels.<br/><br/><span class="advertisement"> <a href="http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/08/us/08cough.html"><img src="http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/08/us/08cough.html" border="0"/></a></span>

Essay: Campaign Myth: Prevention as Cure-All
Why do both presidential candidates champion one of medical care’s most pervasive myths?<br/><br/><span class="advertisement"> <a href="http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/07/health/views/07essa.html"><img src="http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/07/health/views/07essa.html" border="0"/></a></span>

Violations Reported at 94% of Nursing Homes
Most nursing homes were cited for violations of federal health and safety standards last year, a report said.<br/><br/><span class="advertisement"> <a href="http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/30/us/30nursing.html"><img src="http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/30/us/30nursing.html" border="0"/></a></span>

The Safety Gap
China is becoming the biggest producer of pharmaceutical ingredients in the world – but the F.D.A. inspects just a tiny fraction of China’s drug plants. Can we be sure what we’re taking is safe?<br/><br/><span class="advertisement"> <a href="http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/02/magazine/02fda-t.html"><img src="http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/02/magazine/02fda-t.html" border="0"/></a></span>

Court Blocks White House Push on Medicare Expenses
A federal court has blocked the Bush administration’s effort to save money on Medicare by paying for only the least expensive treatments for particular conditions.<br/><br/><span class="advertisement"> <a href="http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/04/washington/04medicare.html"><img src="http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/04/washington/04medicare.html" border="0"/></a></span>

Women Buying Health Policies Pay a Penalty
Women pay much more than men for individual insurance policies providing identical coverage, according to new data from insurance companies and online brokers.<br/><br/><span class="advertisement"> <a href="http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/30/us/30insure.html"><img src="http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/30/us/30insure.html" border="0"/></a></span>

Businesses Wary of Details in Obama Health Plan
Economists believe large and medium companies might have to contribute as much as 6 percent of their payrolls toward coverage.<br/><br/><span class="advertisement"> <a href="http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/27/us/politics/27healthcare.html"><img src="http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/27/us/politics/27healthcare.html" border="0"/></a></span>

Saturday Interview: A Plan to Improve Health Care and Limit Costs
Scott Serota, president and chief executive of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, recently discussed its new goals.<br/><br/><span class="advertisement"> <a href="http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/18/business/18interview.html"><img src="http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/18/business/18interview.html" border="0"/></a></span>

Business Cool Toward McCain’s Health Coverage Plan
Business leaders fear that John McCain’s proposal to revamp taxation of health benefits would help to erode employer-sponsored health insurance.<br/><br/><span class="advertisement"> <a href="http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/07/us/politics/07health.html"><img src="http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/07/us/politics/07health.html" border="0"/></a></span>

Bailout Provides More Mental Health Coverage
The new law, which will affect more than one-third of all Americans, comes after 12 years of advocacy by friends and relatives of people with mental illness and addictions.<br/><br/><span class="advertisement"> <a href="http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/06/washington/06mental.html"><img src="http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/06/washington/06mental.html" border="0"/></a></span>

Medicare Won’t Pay for Medical Errors
Medicare will stop paying hospitals for the added costs of treating patients who are injured in their care.<br/><br/><span class="advertisement"> <a href="http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/01/us/01mistakes.html"><img src="http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/01/us/01mistakes.html" border="0"/></a></span>

Financing for Massachusetts Preserves Health Plan
Massachusetts received the Bush administration’s seal of approval for its landmark experiment in health care.<br/><br/><span class="advertisement"> <a href="http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/01/us/01insure.html"><img src="http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/01/us/01insure.html" border="0"/></a></span>

What’s Behind an F.D.A. Stamp?
It can be tough to figure out what bits of product information have actually been vetted by federal regulators.<br/><br/><span class="advertisement"> <a href="http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/30/health/policy/30fda.html"><img src="http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/30/health/policy/30fda.html" border="0"/></a></span>

The Evidence Gap: For Widely Used Drug, Question of Usefulness Is Still Lingering
Zetia and Vytorin are heavily prescribed despite a lack of proof the cholesterol drugs help to prolong life or prevent heart attacks.<br/><br/><span class="advertisement"> <a href="http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/02/business/02vytorin.html"><img src="http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/02/business/02vytorin.html" border="0"/></a></span>

The Evidence Gap: Drug Makers’ Push Leads to Cancer Vaccines’ Rise
Drug makers call the rapid deployment of a vaccine against cervical cancer education, but their critics call it marketing.<br/><br/><span class="advertisement"> <a href="http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/20/health/policy/20vaccine.html"><img src="http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?x=7c1655f2142946c6930a2d46d6929c19&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/20/health/policy/20vaccine.html" border="0"/></a></span>

Announcement: Thank You Public Health Professionals!
The CDC Public Health Law News wishes to thank our friends and colleagues working in public health for all you do. Public Health Thank You Day is November 24, 2008. Visit http://www.publichealththankyouday.org/ for more information.

Announcement: Global Alcohol Strategy
The World Health Assembly has held public hearings with Member States and other stakeholders on ways to reduce the harmful use of alcohol. To follow the progress of implementing the WHA61.4 resolution and preparing the draft strategy, visit http://www.who.int/substance_abuse/activities/globalstrategy/en/index.html.

Announcement: Wisconsin Drinking Culture Special Report
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has published a 5-part series on drinking culture in Wisconsin. The series, "Wasted in Wisconsin," is available at http://www.jsonline.com/news/30565984.html.

Announcement: HIV Testing Laws Compendium
The National HIV/AIDS Clinicians' Consultation Center has published a State HIV Testing Law Compendium, describing key state HIV testing laws and policies. To access the compendium, visit http://www.nccc.ucsf.edu/StateLaws/Index.html.

Announcement: Medical Fitness to Drive Report
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has released Medical Fitness to Drive and a Voluntary State Reporting Law, based on an evaluation of Missouri's Voluntary Reporting Law. Download the publication from http://www.aaafoundation.org/pdf/MedicalFitnesstoDriveReport.pdf.

Announcement: Rabies Management Plan
In October, CDC and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, with Canadian and Mexican authorities, signed the first North American Rabies Management Plan. To learn more about the plan, visit http://www.cdc.gov/news/2008/10/rabies.html.

Announcement: Master Settlement Agreement Update
The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Lung Association and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation have issued a report entitled A Decade of Broken Promises: The 1998 State Tobacco Settlement Ten Years Later. To access the report, visit http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/reports/settlements/.

Announcement: Tobacco Regulations Table
Public Health Law and Policy's Technical Assistance Legal Center has released a Comparison of California and Local Laws Regulating Sales of Tobacco to Minors. Access the document at http://talc.phlpnet.org/pdf_files/0092.pdf.

Announcement: WHO Guidelines for Tuberculosis and Air Travel
The World Health Organization has published "Tuberculosis and Air Travel: Guidelines for Prevention and Control." To download the guidelines, visit http://www.who.int/tb/publications/2008/WHO_HTM_TB_2008.399_eng.pdf.

Announcement: Tuberculosis Incidents Report
The Government Accountability Office has released Public Health and Border Security: HHS and DHS Should Further Strengthen Their Ability to Respond to TB Incidents. Access the document at http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d0958.pdf.

Announcement: Health Boards Authority Report
The National Association of Local Boards of Health (NALBOH) has published an updated and amplified State Statutory Authority for Local Boards of Health, available for purchase at http://www.nalboh.org/Publications.htm.

Announcement: Mass Antibiotic Dispensing Broadcast (12/4)
The Strategic National Stockpile will present a satellite broadcast and Webcast entitled "Mass Antibiotic Dispensing: Partnering with Tribal Governments and Communities," on December 4, 2008. The broadcast will be held from 1:00-2:30 p.m. ET. For more information, visit http://www2.cdc.gov/phtn/tribal/default.asp.

Iowa schools stretch to meet nursing law
Dozens of school districts in Iowa are scrambling to meet the requirements of a 2007 law making school nurses mandatory. According to state records, at least 38 small school districts have no registered nurses on staff. The average salary for a registered nurse in Iowa is more than $35,000 a year -- a price many rural districts cannot afford. "There seems to be a shortage of [nurses] in all areas right now, and they could earn a pretty good wage going to the hospitals or clinics. How does the school compete with that?" asked Rick Pederson, superintendent of the Sumner and Fredericksburg school districts. The law does not specify a minimum number of hours per week the nurse must work, and some districts have gotten creative about meeting the requirement. For example, officials in Fredericksburg bought a fifth of the school nurse's contract in a nearby county. The nurse now spends one day a week in Fredericksburg. Others have been granted a waiver from the mandate, although waivers will not be granted after autumn 2009. The demand for skilled nursing has risen in recent years and is attributed to the mainstreaming of mentally and physically disabled children into public schools.

Agency objects to clean truck program
The Federal Maritime Commission has asked a federal court to strike down parts of a "clean truck" program designed to cut pollution at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, California. The Commission said some components of the program "are likely, by a reduction in competition, to produce an unreasonable increase in transportation cost or unreasonable reduction in service." One of the parts of the program meeting with objection requires that truck drivers work only for approved concessionaires. The commission has not, however, sought to overturn a ban on the oldest, most-polluting trucks built before 1989. "The commission believes that the surgical removal of substantially anti-competitive elements of the agreement, such as the employee mandate, will permit the ports to implement on schedule those elements of the CTP [Clean Trucks Program] that produce clean air and improve public health," wrote the commission in a statement. Supporters of the program expressed their disapproval of the Commission's move. "The Commission is siding with a filthy industry and blocking the path to clean air and public health," said Peter Lehner, executive director of the Natural Resources Defense Council. <BR><BR> [Editor's note: The Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, and Coalition for Clean Air have filed suit against the Federal Maritime Commission for seeking to halt parts of the Clean Trucks Program. See "3 groups file suit to protect clean trucks plan," Associated Press (11/11/08) http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_10956387.]

New Bibb cemetery ordinance draws national attention
A recently-enacted ordinance in Bibb County, Georgia, thought to be the first of its kind in the United States, effectively prohibits "green" cemeteries on the basis of health and safety. Green cemeteries are those that use natural burial practices, such as no embalming fluid and only biodegradable coffins or shrouds. The new ordinance enacted by the Bibb County Commission sets strict rules regarding where cemeteries can be located and requires bodies to be buried in a leak-proof casket or vault, effectively banning a green cemetery that was planned for ten acres in the county. The Commission said decomposing bodies pose health and safety hazards to nearby residents. "It just flies in the face of common sense to say it poses no hazard to residents," Commissioner Lonzy Edwards said of natural burials, which he equated with not lining a landfill before dumping trash. Advocates expressed alarm at the new rule. "People who are concerned about leakage from bodies, I understand their concerns, but they're wrong. They're flat wrong," said Joshua Slocum, executive director of the Funeral Consumers Alliance.

NJ flu-shot mandate for preschoolers draws outcry
Last December, New Jersey's Public Health Council enacted a first-in-the-nation requirement that children receive a flu shot to attend preschools and day-care centers. The rule requires children from six months to five years of age who attend preschool or day-care to receive the vaccine before December 31, 2008, and has raised the ire of many New Jersey parents who say the decision to vaccinate belongs to them, not the state. "Vaccines not only protect the child being vaccinated but also the general community and the most vulnerable individuals within the community," said the New Jersey Health Department in a statement. A bill sponsored by Assemblywoman Charlotte Vandervalk would allow for conscientious objections to the vaccine (the state currently allows for medical and religious exemptions). "The right to informed consent is so basic," she said. "Parents have the right to decide for their own children what is injected in their bodies." The Health Department is strongly opposed to the bill, and argues that the state is uniquely vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases because of its high population density and many newly-arrived immigrants. Many of those protesting the New Jersey policy say they accept the need for mandatory vaccinations for highly dangerous diseases, but argue that the flu is not such a disease. However, federal statistics indicate that about 36,000 people in the United States are killed by the flu each year, and about 200,000 are hospitalized. While children make up only a small percentage of those numbers, the New Jersey Health Department has characterized young children as "particularly efficient" at transmitting the flu to others. <br><br> [Editor's note: For more information from the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, Vaccine Preventable Disease Program, visit "Questions and Answers on Immunization Regulations Pertaining to Children Attending School / Higher Education," http://www.state.nj.us/health/cd/documents/vaccine_qa.pdf and scroll to page 4.]

New Navajo law provides breast-feeing rights
The Navajo Tribal Council has enacted a bill that would require employers on the reservation to provide a place for working women to breastfeed. The council voted 64-0 in favor of the Navajo Nation Healthy Start Act. If signed into law by Navajo President Joe Shirley Jr., the provision would allow mothers unpaid time during their work day to breastfeed children or use a breast pump. Businesses would have 90 days to send a written plan detailing how they will comply with the law to the Office of Navajo Labor Relations. The Navajo Nation Labor Commission will oversee the law's enforcement. While mothers who breastfeed are already afforded some protections under existing tribal law, the new law would address concerns expressed by many women that they have difficulty asking their supervisors to breastfeed. "It's very hard on them emotionally. It's like they're asking for something they have no right to ask for," said Roberta Duncan, a member of a breastfeeding task force that pushed for the new law. Five thousand women of childbearing age would be affected by the new rule, according to Duncan. According to statistics from the federal Women, Infants and Children program, 74 percent of mothers on the reservation initially breastfeed, but only 35 percent continue to do so after six months, and only 23 percent breastfeed after 12 months. "As a mother, I feel it is a healthy start for our children, and this service to our babies will never end as long as we have females, we have pregnancies, we have child birth," said Council Delegate Alice Benally, who sponsored the measure.

Courts give addicts a chance to straighten out
Since the first drug court opened its doors in Miami in 1989, the concept has spread to more than 2,100 courtrooms in every state, and advocates and critics are weighing in on their effectiveness. According to C. West Huddleston III of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals, 70,000 offenders are in adult or juvenile drug courts nationwide. The special courts give arrested drug addicts an opportunity to avoid prison by volunteering for 9 to 18 months of intensive supervision by a judge, including random urine testing, group therapy, and mandatory sobriety meetings. Critics of the courts say the process can infringe upon a defendant's rights by requiring an admission of guilt; if such a defendant fails the program, he or she must then serve a sentence without having fought the charges. Others believe the drug courts are unlikely to make a significant impact on the prison population, citing a dearth of judges with the required skills and talents to run a successful program. But recent studies show that drug courts have reduced recidivism on an average of eight to ten percent nationally, even among those who failed to complete the program. A report by the Urban Institute found that for 55,000 people in adult drug courts, supervision and treatment costs can reach half a billion dollars, but $1 billion is saved in reduced law enforcement, prison, and victim costs. <br><br> [Editor's note: To read the Urban Institute report, "Evidence on the prospects of expanding treatment to drug-involved offenders," visit http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/411645_treatment_offenders.pdf.]

EPA places stricter regulations on airborne lead
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently lowered the regulatory limit on airborne lead for the first time since 1978. Over 6,000 scientific studies have shown that young children suffer neurological harm at much lower blood lead levels than was recognized when the standard was set thirty years ago. The majority of airborne lead is thought to come from lead smelters and then fall to the ground, where children are exposed to it in indoor dust and soil. More than 300,000 children in the United States exhibit some effects of lead poisoning. "America's air is cleaner today than just a generation ago. And just last night I built upon this progress by signing the strongest air-quality standards for lead in our nation's history....This action will improve public health, especially for children," said EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson. While public health advocates and environmentalists praised the decision, some questioned EPA's plans for measuring lead pollution. "We commend EPA for taking a giant step in the right direction, but they need to greatly expand the lead-monitoring network if they hope to enforce this new standard. However...with less than 200 air lead monitors nationwide, scientists don't even know how much lead is in the air in most communities," said Gina Solomon, a senior scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council. According to Johnson, EPA will expand its monitoring network.

Briefly Noted: Californians drill for day none want to arrive
California: Earthquake drill uses Internet to organize millions to "drop, cover and hold on"

Briefly Noted: Court weighs Calif. law on violent video games
California: Federal appeals panel hears challenge to 2005 ban on violent game sales to minors

Briefly Noted: Rule letting dogs on cafe patios has tails wagging
Colorado: City allows dogs on restaurant patios

Briefly Noted: Realtors violated rules on lead paint
Connecticut: EPA considers lead paint fines for New England realtors

Briefly Noted: Health dept.: sick food workers must stay home
Indiana: Health officials begin to require policies for excluding workers with certain illnesses

Briefly Noted: County amends zoning ordinance to legalize FEMA trailers
Iowa: Supervisors allow flood victims to place trailers on lots next to damaged homes

Briefly Noted: Nebraska to alter safe-haven law
Nebraska: Legislature to fix over-inclusive safe haven law after parents abandon teens

Briefly Noted: Class-action lawsuit rejected in hepatitis C outbreak
Nevada: District Court ends plans to file on behalf of thousands

Briefly Noted: Atlantic City suspends casino smoking ban
New Jersey: City Council votes to relieve casinos from poor economy, declining revenues

Briefly Noted: Calories-on-menus measure OK's 15-1 in Westchester
New York: County joins ranks of those requiring calories on menu boards for some chains

Briefly Noted: City tries to curtail cigarette sales from reservation
New York: Motion filed in federal court to bar reservation dealers from selling untaxed smokes

Briefly Noted: General Tobacco sues 52 attorneys general
North Carolina: Tobacco company alleges conspiracy to stifle competition

Briefly Noted: Prisons to outlaw smoking
Ohio: Institutions to go tobacco free on March 1

Briefly Noted: What's new on menu? Labeling
Pennsylvania: Menus to list calories, saturated fat, trans fat, carbs, sodium

Briefly Noted: Some big food companies adopt nutrient standards
National: Companies work with scientists, retailers, academics on "Smart Choices Program"

Briefly Noted: Toys containing banned plastics still on market
National: Unintended consequence of phthalate ban floods market with ducks

Briefly Noted: Teens banned from solariums
Australia: Cosmetic surgery, tanning beds ruled off limits for under-18s

Briefly Noted: Canada labels BPA a toxin
Canada: Gov't will ban plastic baby bottles with bisphenol A

Briefly Noted: Raw-milk farmer seeks maximum penalty
Canada: Farmer vows to keep selling raw milk

Briefly Noted: Murder trial hears Ont. man didn't tell partners he had HIV
Canada: Nation's first HIV murder trial begins

Briefly Noted: Quebec defends pesticide ban
Canada: NAFTA challenge by Dow Chemical seeks $2 million for health and safety rule

Briefly Noted: Croatia adopts tough anti-smoking law
Croatia: Smoking banned in all public institutions and work places

Briefly Noted: India's anti-smoking drive meets with peculiar problems
India: Officials face unique challenges enforcing smoking ban

Briefly Noted: Meat Act gathers dust, public health in peril
Nepal: Health officials unable to implement slaughterhouse, meat inspection rules

Briefly Noted: Go-ahead for pig cell trial on humans
New Zealand: Health minister gives approval for diabetes trial

Briefly Noted: Philip Morris stalls hearing in N130 billion tobacco suit
Nigeria: Tobacco maker alleged to be evading service

Briefly Noted: Valenzuela passes ordinance requiring food establishments to serve purified water
Philippines: City Council passes rule to allay fears of diners

Briefly Noted: Tougher penalties for health and safety offences
United Kingdom: New law increases fines, threatens prison for health and safety offences

Obituaries: Paul G. Rogers, 'Mr. Health' in Congress, is dead at 87
National: FL Rep. took leading role in passing dozens of laws promoting health, environment

Obituaries: Remembering Ron Davis, MD
National: Past AMA president continued public health advocacy to the end

Journal Articles: The impact of a vision screening law on older driver fatality rates
<i>Archives of Ophthalmology</i> (11/08) Gerald McGwin Jr. and others

Journal Articles: Bringing health care advocacy to a public defender's office
<i>American Journal of Public Health</i> (11/08) Homer Venters and others

Journal Articles: Building human resilience: the role of public health preparedness and response...
<i>American Journal of Preventive Medicine</i> (11/08) Mark E. Keim

Journal Articles: Building public health law capacity at the local level
<i>Journal of Law, Medicine and Ethics</i> (Fall 2008) Diane E. Hoffmann and Virginia Rowthorn

Journal Articles: Can the food industry play a constructive role in the obesity epidemic?
<i>JAMA</i> (10/15/08) David S. Ludwig and Marion Nestle

Journal Articles: Enhancing public health law communication linkages
<i>Journal of Law, Medicine and Ethics</i> (Fall 2008) Ross D. Silverman

Journal Articles: Ethical, legal, and social issues in health technology assessment for prenatal/preconceptional...
<i>Public Health Genomics</i> (09/03/08) B.K. Potter and others

Journal Articles: J.S. Mill and the American law of quarantine
<i>Public Health Ethics</i> (09/08) Wendy E. Parmet

Journal Articles: Medical-legal partnerships: transforming health care
<i>Lancet</i> (11/08/08) Barry Zuckerman and others

Journal Articles: Preventing HIV transmission via HIV exposure laws: applying logic and mathematical...
<i>Journal of Law, Medicine and Ethics</i> (09/08) Carol L. Galletly and Steven D. Pinkerton

Journal Articles: Public health law for the collection and reporting of health care-associated infections
<i>American Journal of Infection Control</i> (10/08) Benjamin Mason Meier and others

Journal Articles: The regulation of direct-to-consumer genetic tests
<i>Human Molecular Genetics</i> (10/15/08) Jane Kaye

Journal Articles: The synergy of toxic tort law and public health: lessons from a century of cigarettes
<i>Connecticut Law Review</i> (10/08) Jean M. Eggen

Journal Articles: Training individuals in public health law
<i>Journal of Law, Medicine and Ethics</i> (Fall Supp. 2008) Jason A. Smith

Journal Articles: Work schedules of long-distance truck drivers before and after ... hours-of-service rule change
<i>Traffic Injury Prevention</i> (05/08) Anne T. McCartt and others

Journal Articles: The licensing of older drivers in Europe -- a case study
<i>Traffic Injury Prevention</i> (08/08) C.G.B. Mitchell

Journal Articles: Scottish smoke-free legislation and trends in smoking cessation
<i>Addiction</i> (11/08) Freya J.I. Fowkes and others

Court Opinions: South Dakota: State court lacks personal jurisdiction over cigarette maker
<i>State v. Grand River Enterprises</i> <br> South Dakota Supreme Court <br> 2008 SD 98 <br> Filed October 22, 2008 <br> Opinion by Judge Lori S. Wilbur

Court Opinions: Federal: Court documents unconstitutional prison conditions, orders changes
<i>Graves v. Arpaio</i> <br> U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona <br> No. CV-77-0479-PHX-NVW <br> Filed October 22, 2008 <br> Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law and Order by Judge Neil V. Wake

Court Opinions: Federal: Plaintiff expert opinions found inadmissible under Daubert standard
<i>In re Human tissue Products Liability Litigation</i> <br> U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey <br> Civ. No. 06-135 MDL No. 1763 <br> Filed October 22, 2008 <br> Opinion by Judge William J. Martini

Quotation of the week
"I guess I'm supposed to say 'ow.' I said 'ow' earlier, but everyone just kept walking." <br><br> -- Jonathan Agam, 13, Beverly Hills student, on his performance during the recent Great Southern California ShakeOut, during which he was instructed to feign an abdominal injury. According to organizers, some 5.3 million people registered to participate in the event -- a magnitude 7.8 earthquake -- on the group's Website (<a href="http://www.shakeout.org">http://www.shakeout.org</a>). The drill brought together emergency agencies, schools, businesses, and individuals.