CDC Makes Recommendations For Use Of Swine Flu Vaccine

Five key populations targeted for vaccine against novel influenza A (H1N1)

By James Limbach, ConsumerAffairs.com

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is out with its recommendations on who should be vaccinated against swine flu.

The recommendations determine which groups of the population should be prioritized if the vaccine is initially available in extremely limited quantities.

The committee recommended the vaccination efforts focus on those who are at higher risk of disease or complications, those who are likely to come in contact with novel H1N1, and those who could infect young infants.

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~Sandy G.

Findings May Explain Gap in Cancer Survival

By RONI CARYN RABIN, The New York Times

Scientists say they have made a discovery that may help explain the racial gap in cancer survival, providing clues to why white patients often outlive blacks even when they have what appear to be the same cancers.

The insights come from research at the University of Maryland into throat cancer and squamous-cell cancers of the head and neck, which have been increasing sharply in recent years, apparently because of the human papillomavirus — the same sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer and is the target of a vaccine for girls.

The virus can also be spread through oral sex, causing cancer of the throat and tonsils, or oropharyngeal cancer.

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~Sandy G.

Lack of Study Volunteers Hobbles Cancer Fight

By GINA KOLATA, The New York Times

Not long ago, at a meeting of an advisory group established by Congress to monitor the war on cancer, participants were asked how to speed progress.

“Everyone was talking about expanding the cancer work force and getting people to stop smoking,” said Dr. Scott Ramsey, a cancer researcher and health economist, who was participating in that January 2008 meeting of the President’s Cancer Panel. “Lots of murmurs of approval.”

Then it was his turn.

The biggest barrier, in his opinion, was that almost no adult cancer patients — just 3 percent — participate in studies of cancer treatments, mostly new drugs or drug regimens.

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~Sandy G.