What’s the latest in health care, September 21

What’s new in drug approval?

FDA Approves Vaccines for 2009 H1N1 Influenza Virus 
The US FDA announced last week the approval of vaccines against the H1N1 flu virus. The Vaccines were manufactured by 4 pharma companies CSL Limited, MedImmune LLC, Novartis Vaccines, and Diagnostics Limited. According to FDA commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg

“Today’s approval is good news for our nation’s response to the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus. This vaccine will help protect individuals from serious illness and death from influenza.”

FDA Approves Donor Screening Test for Antibodies to HIV
Also approved by the FDA last week was a screening tool designed to detect the presence of certain antibodies to HIV. The tool is to be used to screen donated blood and blood specimens for HIV type 1.

What’s new on the web?

CDC Updates and Expands Social Media Tools Site
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stepped up its use of social media tools to reach more people. Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Flickr, Second Life, you name it, CDC has it. The newly released site highlights several social media campaigns, provides information on all of the social media tools CDC uses, and showcases social media data and metrics. The site also equips partners and the public with a unified, easily accessible space to find information on CDC social media efforts and assists communicators in their planning, strategy, and evaluation.

HHS and USDA Unveil New Food Safety Consumer Web Site at www.foodsafety.gov
On September 9, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack introduced to the public a new consumer web site at www.foodsafety.gov “designed to help consumers and families get all the latest information on food safety and food recalls in one convenient place.”

What’s new in safety?

National Child Passenger Safety Week: Keep your most precious cargo safe.
Last week, September 12–18 was National Child Passenger Safety Week in the US. According to the CDC, about 4 children ages 14 or younger were killed in motor vehicle crashes every day in 2008, and many more were injured. The CDC site gives us a list of ways to maximize security and reduce the risk.

Letter to Industry on Cigarettes Containing Certain Characterizing Flavors

The US FDA wrote a letter last week reminding the tobacco industry that effective Tuesday, September 22, 2009, cigarettes that contain certain characterizing flavors are considered adulterated under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA or the Act), as amended by the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (FSPTCA).