- FDA Warns About Stolen Respiratory Medicines
- Swine Flu Vaccine Production Lower Than Expected: WHO
- U.S. Will Share 10 Percent of Swine Flu Vaccine With Other Nations
- Scald Burns Increasing Among Older Americans
Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay:
FDA Warns About Stolen Respiratory Medicines
Consumers should be watchful for stolen respiratory medications that may not have been stored or handled properly, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned Thursday.
The medications are Ipratropium Bromide Inhalation Solution, 0.02 percent, and Albuterol Sulfate Inhalation Solution, 0.083 percent, made by Dey L.P., a subsidiary of Mylan Inc. The medications were part of a shipment on a tractor trailer that was stolen in Tampa, Fla., United Press International reported.
The stolen drugs are from the following lots:
- Albuterol Sulfate Inhalation Solution with the brand name "Dey," lot numbers 9GO4, 9FD8, 9FD9, and 9FE1.
- Ipratropium Bromide Inhalation Solution with the brand name "Dey," lot numbers F09089, C09119 and C09120.
The FDA said consumers can get more information by contacting Dey at 800-527-4278, UPI reported.
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Swine Flu Vaccine Production Lower Than Expected: WHO
Worldwide production of vaccine for the H1N1 swine flu will fall short of the previous maximum prediction of 94 million doses a week because some manufacturers are still making vaccines for seasonal flu, according to the World Health Organization.
Production problems have also contributed to the lower-than-expected weekly output of H1N1 vaccine, WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl said Friday, the Associated Press reported.
Still, the WHO says that, in theory, all 6.3 billion people worldwide should receive at least one dose of the pandemic vaccine, the AP reported.
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U.S. Will Share 10 Percent of Swine Flu Vaccine With Other Nations
The United States will share 10 percent of its stock of H1N1 swine flu vaccine with other countries worldwide, President Barack Obama announced Thursday.
According to the Associated Press, the White House said the vaccine will be made available to the global fight against swine flu via the World Health Organization. The United States is coordinating with Australia, Brazil, France, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, which are also sharing vaccines.
Speaking at United Nations headquarters in New York City, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Susan Rice, said that, "as vaccine supplies emerge, they will be made available to the WHO on a rolling basis to assist countries that will not otherwise have direct access to the vaccine."
The aim, she said, is to help minimize global economic and social disruptions caused by H1N1. "We invite and encourage other nations to join in this urgent global health effort, donating vaccine, money and/or technical assistance in an international effort to save lives around the world," Rice said.
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Scald Burns Increasing Among Older Americans
From 2001 to 2006, 52,000 seniors in the United States were treated in hospital emergency departments for nonfatal scald burns caused by hot liquid or steam, says a new study.
The number of such injuries could increase dramatically as the population ages, say the researchers. They noted that many more older Americans are living alone and there's been a substantial rise in the incidence of all types of injuries among this population.
Scald burns among people 65 and older could be substantially reduced through preventive measures such as not leaving food unattended on the stove and by keeping the hot water heater set to less than 120 degrees, the researchers said.
The study was published Thursday in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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