Vaccines news from FierceHealthcare
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Flu blamed for deaths of Maryland teens
Health officials in Maryland are pushing people to go out and get flu shots after the highly publicized deaths of two local teenagers, reports The Washington Post. Both Zachary Weiland, 15, and Ian... Read more...
Study: Mercury in vaccines doesn't hurt kids
A new study has come out that adds to evidence suggesting that a mercury-based preservative previously used in vaccines isn't harmful to children. The study tracks children who, in the early 1990s,... Read more...
Google searches for the flu
Last year, a test showed that Google could pinpoint flu outbreaks up to two weeks faster than the CDC's tracking by using search terms. Now Google.org (Google's philanthropic branch) is actively... Read more...
ALSO NOTED: Plavix copycat on the rise in Europe; Hospital bills for services to dead patient; and much more...
> Pharma giants Sanofi-Aventis and Bristol-Myers Squibb are preparing to battle a copycat generic to its Plavix brand. Read more...
ALSO NOTED: FDA admits it can't afford to boost foreign inspections; Researchers test anti-smoking vaccine; and much more...
> The FDA has conceded that maybe, just maybe, it will need more money if it's going to do a good job of inspecting foreign drug manufacture sites. Read more...
ALSO NOTED: CO delays raising malpractice award limits; Feds say vaccines might contribute to autism; and much more...
> Colorado has delayed plans to raise limits for judgments in malpractice suits. Report > Big news: It looks like federal authorities... Read more...
ALSO NOTED: U.S. adults ignoring valuable vaccines; FL hospitals face CMS hand-slap; and much more...
> It appears that U.S. adults are largely avoiding several new vaccines that can prevent serious illness, according to a new survey. Read more...
ALSO NOTED: Medicare tests PHRs in SC; WellCare in more trouble; and much more...
> Medicare will soon begin testing personal health records with 100,000 beneficiaries in South Carolina. Read more...
Should practices "get tough" with insurers?
This week, as part of my coverage of the Medical Group Management Association's annual meeting, I wrote about how hard it's getting to Read more...
Vaccine development surges
After years of underfunding, this is now a great time for the vaccine business. Three new vaccines hit the market during 2006 alone, the most known for a single year, and costly new vaccines are likely to find acceptance this year. Vaccines released during 2006 include HPV, which has been linked to the development of cervical cancer, and rotavirus, which kills 600,000 children around the world. And the trend is likely to continue, experts say. Technology breakthroughs, boosted by higher …
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