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‘Informed consent’ states often give women considering abortions inaccurate information

‘Informed consent’ states often give women considering abortions inaccurate information

Women considering abortions are getting medically inaccurate information nearly a third of the time in states that require doctors to provide informed consent materials to their patients, according to a Rutgers study. The study, “Informed or Misinformed Consent? Abortion Policy in the United States,” analyzed statements about embryological and fetal development from information booklets produced […]

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Acid-sensitive molecular changes contribute to the emergence of pandemic influenza

Acid-sensitive molecular changes contribute to the emergence of pandemic influenza

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital scientists have identified a molecular property of the hemagglutinin protein that contributed to the emergence of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic influenza virus. The findings may help officials recognize and control flu viruses that pose the greatest risk to humans. The study appears in the online, early edition of the scientific […]

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Infant-friendly flu vaccine developed with key protein

Infant-friendly flu vaccine developed with key protein

According to the World Health Organization, influenza causes serious illness among millions of people each year, resulting in 250,000 to 500,000 deaths. Those most at risk include infants younger than six months, because they cannot be vaccinated against the disease. Now, researchers at the University of Missouri School of Medicine have identified a naturally occurring […]

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Prime-boost H7N9 influenza vaccine concept promising in clinical trial

Prime-boost H7N9 influenza vaccine concept promising in clinical trial

In clinical trials, several candidate H7N9 pandemic influenza vaccines made from inactivated viruses have been shown to be safe and to generate an immune response. However, scientists believe for practical use, these potential vaccines would require multiple doses or the addition of adjuvants, which enhance the immune response. With hopes of making one dose of […]

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Avian influenza expert raises concerns as USDA stockpiles vaccines

Avian influenza expert raises concerns as USDA stockpiles vaccines

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is creating a stockpile of avian influenza vaccines, but an expert suggests careful consideration of the strategy and cautions that the strain of the next outbreak is unknown. Wild birds are typically the source of the introduction of the virus to backyard and commercial poultry flocks, which makes it very […]

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Study identifies genetic risk for hyperinflammatory disorder from viral infection

Study identifies genetic risk for hyperinflammatory disorder from viral infection

A group of people with fatal H1N1 flu died after their viral infections triggered a deadly hyperinflammatory disorder in susceptible individuals with gene mutations linked to the overactive immune response, according to a study in The Journal of Infectious Diseases. Researchers at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, the University of Alabama Birmingham (UAB) and Children’s […]

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New project to help reduce unsafe abortion death rates in disaster zones

New project to help reduce unsafe abortion death rates in disaster zones

New research led by Dr Nibedita S Ray-Bennett at the University of Leicester will look into the sexual and reproductive health issues in disaster-prone areas during times of humanitarian crisis. The project, supported by the International Planned Parenthood Federation’s (IPPF) Innovation Programme, will explore the opportunities and challenges around reproductive health during disasters and emergencies […]

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Advances in fetal medicine outstrip abortion law reform, Australia

Advances in fetal medicine outstrip abortion law reform, Australia

Developments in the detection of fetal abnormalities have outstripped Australia’s patchworked abortion laws, creating barriers to access for women, according to the authors of an editorial published online by the Medical Journal of Australia. “Medicare-funded diagnosis of fetal abnormality is now routinely offered to all pregnant Australian women – with the implication that a woman […]