Life-saving health programs on the chopping block in House budget; new study on state-based vaccine mandates; it’s National Nurses Week. Plus, more on mutant flu research. Those stories and more topping public health headlines today, Monday, May 7, 2012.
APHA’s Get Ready blog – Mutant flu research in the news
If you’ve paid attention to the news recently, you may have heard about researchers who created “mutant” bird flu in a lab. Sounds scary, right? Should you be worried about this human-made type of flu? This so-called mutant flu was created from a combination of two strains of influenza, known as H5N1 and H1N1. The research was going on last year, but didn’t get major attention until December 2011, when the scientists tried to make their results public.
Associated Press – Highlights of House GOP budget cuts
Health Care — Cuts the president’s overhaul law in several ways, saving $66 billion. Cuts include requiring those receiving health insurance subsidies to repay excess subsidies when their income increases, eliminating grants to states to set up health insurance exchanges and repealing a fund for prevention efforts like cancer screenings and immunizations.
New York Times – No Longer Just ‘Adult-Onset’
A study of diabetes in overweight and obese youngsters bears an ominous warning about future health care trends in this country. It found that Type 2 diabetes, a new scourge among young people, progresses faster and is harder to treat in youngsters than in adults. The toll on their health as they grow older could be devastating.
HealthDay – Study: More Pre-Teens Get Vaccines When Middle Schools Require Them
Pre-teens living in states that require vaccinations for incoming middle school students are more likely to be immunized than those in states without such requirements, a new study finds. Current vaccine guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that boys and girls aged 11 to 12 receive three immunizations or boosters: tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis (TdaP); meningococcal conjugate; and three doses of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.
The Hill – White House touts health law’s benefits for nurses in new report
The 2010 healthcare law is benefiting nurses and helping to cure nursing shortages, the Obama administration says in a new report to be released on Monday. The report’s release coincides with the start of National Nurses Week and comes as President Obama launches his reelection effort with special attention to healthcare issues.
