The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), one of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is launching the largest randomized clinical trial of the effectiveness and safety of long-term, home oxygen therapy for COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). The six-year, $28 million project will study patients with moderate disease.
GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE:GSK), one of the world?s largest vaccine manufacturers, today announced it has been awarded a contract to supply pre-pandemic vaccines to the US strategic national stockpile. The company has received an initial $40 million order under the contract from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for bulk H5N1 antigen – the substance in the vaccines that will help produce an immune response.
Novartis announced today that it has been awarded a contract valued at USD 40.95 million to supply to the US government a pre-pandemic influenza vaccine* against the H5N1 avian influenza strain. Global health authorities have identified H5N1 as an influenza strain with pandemic potential.
An international, interdisciplinary team of researchers led by professor Xiangming Xiao of the University of New Hampshire is taking a novel scientific approach in an attempt to understand the ecology of the avian influenza, develop better methods of predicting its spread, and provide an accurate early warning system.
A powerful analysis from this month’s Vaccine highlights the huge gap between current vaccination coverage across Europe and the recommendations endorsed by the European U nion. Currently, only one-third of all high-risk populations are receiving seasonal influenza vaccine in Europe, resulting in avoidable morbidity, hospitalizations and mortality.
For the first time, researchers from the U.S. and abroad have identified the H3N1 swine influenza virus in domestic pigs in Korea. They report their findings in the November 2006 issue of the Journal of Clinical Microbiology.
GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK) joins in supporting the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention?s (CDC) first National Influenza Vaccination Week November 27 ? December 3. Throughout the week, HHS and CDC will be reminding Americans of the importance of receiving an annual flu shot, while highlighting the increased availability of supply from previous years.
Tamiflu (oseltamivir phosphate) was demonstrated in clinical trials to be a safe and effective medication for influenza prevention and treatment. Tamiflu was approved in 1999 and has been used by more than 42 million people in over 80 countries.
Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory have set the stage for the rapid identification of compounds to fight against severe acquired respiratory syndrome (SARS), the atypical pneumonia responsible for about 800 deaths worldwide since first recognized in late 2002.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., (NYSE: WMT) announced that starting today, it is rolling out its $4 generic prescription program in 11 additional states and adding 17 more prescriptions to the program. With the announcement, the expanded $4 generic prescription program will now be available in an additional 502 stores throughout Idaho, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, Washington and West Virginia.