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CDC Public Health Matters News Feeds (RSS)
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Practice Makes Perfect: Responding to a Mock Emergency
As relative newcomers to the field of public health, we’ve often dreamt — morbid as it may sound — about the day when we could be sent to respond to an actual disease outbreak. You can imagine our excitement when we found out that we would be getting that chance in our Emerging Infectious Diseases [...]
The JIC Never Sleeps
It was 5:45 a.m.The familiar vibration from the cell phone woke me up. The voice message said, “There was an 8.9 magnitude earthquake that occurred near Japan. We’re not sure about the extent of damages, deaths or injuries. But it has caused a tsunami that might affect Hawaii and the west coast later this morning. [...]
CDC Responds to Earthquake, Tsunami, and Radiation Release in Japan
On March 11, CDC immediately activated its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in Atlanta to respond to the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami and radiation release in Japan. CDC continues to closely monitor the effects of this disaster and is focused on making sure it is ready to support any requests that come in from [...]
Haiti Cholera Response: Stories from the Field, Part 3
On one beautiful sunny day, we passed by a group of people under an awning. At first, I thought they might be gathering after a church service. Only as we passed did I realize they sat facing a coffin. Fifteen minutes after passing this congregation, we came upon another group of people dressed in white [...]
Battling Disease Outbreaks in the Big Apple
Over one-third of New York City (NYC) residents are from outside the United States, so in addition to preparing for and responding to numerous indigenous infectious diseases, we also encounter many imported cases, some of which end up causing outbreaks. From Atlanta to New York City After spending five years in the CDC Influenza [...]
Haiti Cholera Response: Stories from the Field, Part 2
When I was in high school I studied French and learned about French-speaking countries. Haiti was one of them, and I always thought that one day I would visit this beautiful country as a vacation destination. I never, ever thought I would be part of a response like the one currently underway in Haiti [...]
Haiti Cholera Response: Stories from the Field, Part 1
“Cholera has an interesting personality.” That’s what I told my friends when they asked why I was going to Haiti to help with CDC’s cholera outbreak response. Understandably, they were worried I might get sick. Like my friends, most people don’t know much about cholera, so they assume it’s a big, bad bug. And it [...]
In The Field with the CEFO Program
I became a Career Epidemiology Field Officer (CEFO) in July 2008 after accepting an assignment with the North Carolina Division of Public Health in Raleigh. My initial projects focused on increasing capacity for disaster epidemiology, evaluating communicable disease surveillance, and conducting case, cluster, and outbreak investigations. These early projects provided great learning experiences, but my [...]
Change is in the Air
Change is a good thing: it brings new ideas and new opportunities. I’m excited about the new changes in my career as I transition from the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID) to the Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response (OPHPR) within CDC. I joined OPHPR this August as the [...]
Thinking About Keeping Live Poultry?
An increasing number of people around the country are choosing to keep live poultry, such as chickens or ducks. Along with the benefits of backyard chickens and other poultry, it is important to consider the risk of illness, especially for children, which can result from handling live poultry or anything in the area where [...]
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FDA News Feeds (RSS)
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FDA and industry reach agreement in principle on medical device user fees
The FDA and representatives from the medical device industry have reached an agreement in principle on proposed recommendations for the third reauthorization of a medical device user fee program. The recommendations would authorize the FDA to collect $595 million in user fees over five years, plus adjustments for inflation. Details of the agreement, such as the fee structure, are expected to be finalized soon.
FDA approves Gleevec for expanded use in patients with rare gastrointestinal cancer
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today granted Gleevec (imatinib) regular approval for use in adult patients following surgical removal of CD117-positive gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). Today’s action also highlights an increase in overall patient survival when the drug is taken for 36 months rather than the standard 12 months of treatment.
FDA approves Kalydeco to treat rare form of cystic fibrosis
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Kalydeco (ivacaftor) for the treatment of a rare form of cystic fibrosis (CF) in patients ages 6 years and older who have the specific G551D mutation in the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Regulator (CFTR) gene.
FDA takes action against New York cheese manufacturer
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is asking a federal court to prevent a New York cheese manufacturer from operating because of a history of unsanitary conditions and producing cheese in a facility contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria.
FDA approves new treatment for most common type of skin cancer
Today, Erivedge (vismodegib) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat adult patients with basal cell carcinoma, the most common type of skin cancer. The drug is intended for use in patients with locally advanced basal cell cancer who are not candidates for surgery or radiation and for patients whose cancer has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic).
FDA approves Inlyta to treat patients with a type of advanced kidney cancer
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Inlyta (axitinib) to treat patients with advanced kidney cancer (renal cell carcinoma) who have not responded to another drug for this type of cancer.
Department of Justice files Consent Decree of Permanent injunction against Ranbaxy
Generic drug manufacturer agrees to remedy deviations from the current good manufacturing practice requirements and to correct data integrity problems at numerous facilities
Maine company holds cold smoked salmon product after FDA order
A Maine food processing and storage company destroyed its cold smoked salmon product under the supervision of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration after inspectors found Listeria monocytogenes within the firm’s facility and on processing equipment
FDA permits marketing of first test for risk of rare brain infection in some people treated with Tysabri
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration allowed marketing of the first test to help determine the risk for a rare brain infection called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) in people using the drug Tysabri (natalizumab) to treat multiple sclerosis (MS) or Crohn’s disease (CD).
FDA approves Voraxaze to treat patients with toxic methotrexate levels
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Voraxaze (glucarpidase) to treat patients with toxic levels of methotrexate in their blood due to kidney failure.
Methotrexate is a commonly used cancer chemotherapy drug normally eliminated from the body by the kidneys. However, patients receiving high doses of methotrexate may develop kidney failure.
FDA completes work on three drug user fee programs
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has completed its recommendations for three user fee programs that will help speed safe and effective drugs and lower-cost generic drug and biosimilar biological products to patients, FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D. said today. The recommendations were transmitted to Congress today by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
FDA expands use of endovascular graft to treat aortic tears
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today expanded the approved usage for an endovascular graft manufactured by W.L. Gore and Associates Inc. to include treatment of life-threatening tears or ruptures of the aorta (thoracic aortic transection). (MB)
FDA to protect important class of antimicrobial drugs for treating human illness
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today issued an order that prohibits certain uses of the cephalosporin class of antimicrobial drugs in cattle, swine, chickens and turkeys effective April 5, 2012.
FDA expands use of Prevnar 13 vaccine for people ages 50 and older
Prevnar 13, a pneumococcal 13-valent conjugate vaccine, was approved today by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for people ages 50 years and older to prevent pneumonia and invasive disease caused by the bacterium, Streptococcus pneumoniae.
FDA to approve shared system REMS for TIRF products
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved a single shared Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) for the transmucosal immediate-release fentanyl (TIRF) products.
FDA: Chicago-area sandwich manufacturer agrees to stop production
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today that a Chicago-area company has agreed to stop making its ready-to-eat sandwiches and produce after FDA investigators repeatedly found unsanitary conditions and bacterial contamination in the facility.
FDA expands use of HIV drug Isentress to children and adolescents
Isentress (raltegravir) was approved today by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use with other antiretroviral drugs for the treatment of HIV-1 infection for children and adolescents ages 2-18.
FDA: Do not use ShoulderFlex Massager
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers again not to use the ShoulderFlex Massager, imported by King International and sold by various companies, due to serious potential health risks.
FDA collaboration to monitor rare eye condition associated with cataract surgery
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other government and professional organizations today unveiled a program to monitor medical devices used in cataract surgery in an effort to stem outbreaks of a rare, inflammatory condition associated with the procedure.
FDA approves mechanical cardiac assist device for children with heart failure
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved a medical device that supports the weakened heart of children with heart failure to help keep them alive until a donor for a heart transplant can be found.
The mechanical pulsatile cardiac assist device is called the EXCOR Pediatric System, made by a German company, Berlin Heart. The device comes in graduated sizes to fit children from newborns to teens.
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