Health standards

Europe will fast-track swine flu vaccine
Worried about the eruption of swine flu infection during the coming winter, the European drug agency is accelerating the approval process for swine flu vaccine; critics, and even WHO, worry about the potential dangers of the accelerated approval process
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When will swine flu vaccine be available?
Here are clarifications to some of the confusion surrounding swine flu: pregnant women appear more susceptible to infection; WHO estimates that by August, global production of the vaccine will reach 94.5 million doses per week; pregnant women and obese people will likely be first to be vaccinated
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Scientists unveil new weapon in swine flu fight
Taiwanese researchers say they have developed an organic compound which could help control the global swine flu epidemic; the compound can destroy viruses such as A(H1N1) swine flu and avian influenza
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WHO: Swine flu sweeping world at "unprecedented speed"
WHO said Friday that the speed at which the swine flu epidemic is spreading could tip the world into deflation and delay the economic recovery
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China orders hospitals to stop shock therapy for Internet addicts
Two hospitals in China use electro-shock treatment to “cure” Chinese youngsters of what the Chinese term “Internet addiction”; some 3,000 youth were forced to undergo the treatment (to add insult to injury: their families had to pay $805 a month for the privilege); the Chinese define Internet addiction as playing games and looking at pornography rather than working or studying — and getting angry when unable to get online
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Cities need to prepare for a home-made nuke
An explosion of ten kiloton nuclear bomb in a city would be disastrous; as catastrophic as such an attack would be, it would not level an entire city, and a timely response could save many lives
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Humans may infect pigs with swine flu
Researchers find that the strain of influenza, A/H1N1, which is currently pandemic in humans has been shown to be infectious to pigs and to spread rapidly in a trial pig population
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A first: Ebola virus found in pigs in the Philippines
For the first time, Ebola virus has been detected in pigs, raising concerns it could mutate and pose a new risk to humans
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Swine flu advances in southern hemisphere
In the southern hemisphere it is winter, and people there are in the midst of the winter flu season; swine H1N1 virus seems to be replacing the seasonal flu viruses that circulated till now — classic pandemic behavior
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Swine flu virus spreads ineffectively from person to person
H1N1 flu virus ill-suited for rapid transmission, but new strain bears watching, could mutate
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To claim that swine flu has been "contained" is premature
We have not yet reached the “containment” phase of the swine flu epidemics; to say we have is PR, not public health policy
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Minnesota company recalls two years of food products
Plainview Milk Products Cooperative is recalling two years of food products — instant non-fat dried milk, whey protein, fruit stabilizers, and gums— due to possible salmonella contamination
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Scientists block Ebola infection in cell-culture experiments
University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston have discovered two biochemical pathways that the Ebola virus relies on to infect cells; breakthrough could lead to first therapy for deadly disease
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Swine flu tally past 52,000
The United States remains the most infected country with 21,449 cases; biggest jump in cases was recorded in Canada
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New lethal virus discovered in Africa
Scientists identify a lethal new virus — called Lujo — which has already killed four people in Zambia and South Africa; the bug comes from a family of viruses found in rodents
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