"Seqirus Media Monitoring" 13th Aug 2019
Seqirus mentions
No News Recorded
Industry News
No-deal Brexit could deepen Europe's shortage of medicines - experts
As the Oct. 31 deadline for Britain to leave the EU approaches, health professionals are warning that shortages of some medicines could worsen in Europe in the event of a no-deal Brexit. “Despite intensive preparation by industry for every scenario, a no-deal Brexit risks disruption to the supply of medicines” throughout the EU, Andy Powrie-Smith, an official at the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations, told Reuters.The EU drugs regulator, the European Medicines Agency (EMA), said the bloc is well prepared for Brexit and has finalised authorisations for nearly all the 400 drugs under its watch that required further clearing because of Britain’s impending departure. But authorisation is pending for three medicines that need EU-wide licences, an EMA official said
Study to Evaluate Experimental Adjuvants for Seasonal Influenza Vaccine
The National Institutes of Health has announced the launch of an early-stage clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of 2 licensed seasonal influenza vaccines, administered with or without novel adjuvants. For the study, participants will be randomized to receive 1 dose of the northern hemisphere 2018-2019 influenza seasonal version of either Fluzone quadrivalent influenza vaccine or Flublok quadrivalent influenza vaccine, which will be administered alone or in combination with either the AF03 or the Advax-CpG55.2 adjuvant.
Pandemic Influenza News
No News Recorded
Academic studies
Supportive Care Lacking in Older Multiple Myeloma Patients
Older adults with multiple myeloma in the U.S. are not receiving the appropriate amount of guideline-recommended supportive care, including bone-modifying drugs, influenza vaccination, and antiviral prophylaxis, according to the results of a new study published in Cancer. In addition, non-Hispanic Blacks were less likely to received bone-modifying drugs and an influenza vaccination, compared with other groups.
Pediatric influenza news
AAFP, Other Groups Encourage Well Visits for 16-Year-Olds
The AAFP and six other medical and public health organizations have teamed up to publish a "Dear Colleague" open letter that encourages family physicians and other health care professionals to ensure that 16-year-old patients are seen for a well visit. During that visit, say the groups, these teens should receive vaccines recommended for them by the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
Back to School Checklist: Make Sure Your Children Are Healthy as Can Be on Their First Day
In the U.S., many parents schedule their child's once-a-year physical before the start of each school year. The appointment is a chance to make sure vaccinations are up-to-date and to check on your child's growth. Make sure you know all the vaccinations that are required by the school and/or afterschool activities that your child will be participating in, and talk to your doctor about boosters and flu vaccines.
Addressing Immunizations in Pregnant and Lactating Women
The immunization status of pregnant and lactating women should be routinely assessed, and indicated vaccines should be recommended. During the 2015-2016 flu season, most pregnant women received their influenza vaccine at an obstetrician gynecologist (OBGYN)/midwifery office (36.6%) or another physician office (28.4%); however, a substantial proportion of women (13.2%) received their influenza vaccine at a pharmacy or store.
Over 65’s influenza news
Should NIP flu vaccines be extended to 50 year olds?
A study presented at the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand Annual Scientific Meeting 2019 in Adelaide found extending National Immunisation Program (NIP) flu vaccines to 50 year olds could potentially prevent up to 1,482 heart attacks. Pointing out there is growing evidence suggesting that flu is a contributor in coronary heart disease (CHD), and flu vaccination’s association with a reduction of risk of CHD outcomes, the researchers concluded that extending the NIP to adults aged 50 to 64 is likely to be cost beneficial to the Federal government.
General Influenza News
Flu seasons passes peak but vaccine will still protect this year
This year's flu season may have passed its peak, but NSW Health warns people still need to remain vigilant for the next few weeks. It is urging those yet to have their flu shot this year to do so now, as influenza is still spreading around the state. NSW Health's Director of Communicable Disease, Dr Vicky Sheppeard, says even though it is nearing the end of winter when the risk is greatest, people can still be struck down with the flu all year round.
What really happened?
In early July, at the height of consumer campaigns promoting flu vaccination and GP outcry over pharmacist involvement, 34-year-old Michael McGrady from WA spoke to Perth media claiming to have been vaccinated in his upper back, next to his shoulder, by a pharmacist. Following the vaccination, marketing company director Mr McGrady said he experienced a range of side effects including seizures. AJP reached out to Mr McGrady to hear his version of events and find out what happened since the story first broke just over a month ago.
Reported flu cases higher in Young in 2019
In Australia, sixty-one confirmed flu cases have been reported in Young so far this year. Murrumbidgee Local Health District last week reported the amount of positive tests in Young, with 2922 confirmed across the entire district. It's a big rise from nine recorded cases in Young in 2018, while in 2017 there was 206. Pharmacist Tom Mok believes doctors are taking a more proactive approach compared to recent years, and said that pharmacies are delivering more and more flu vaccines each year
How The Cold Is Silently Killing Australians
Breathlessness, fatigue and swollen ankles are sometimes dismissed as signs of getting older- - but they can also be symptoms of heart failure, and ignoring them could land you in hospital. All of this has the potential for a deadly outcome, particularly during the horror flu season being felt across the country. "Add on top of it an external stress, like an infection such as the flu, and that combination can often cause people to spiral downwards"
Flu alert: 'Israel is in for a tough winter'
Statistics from the southern hemisphere are showing that the northern hemisphere is in for a tough winter. Statistics from Australia's Health Ministry are showing that flu season began early relative to previous years, and that the flu is more active than usual as well. However, the severity of the flu is not especially high, the report said. Reports also show that one of the strains of flu has undergone changes, so that it is no longer included in the vaccine
What is the flu and how to prevent it: Katie Lawless
Katie Lawless is a board-certified Advanced Practice Registered Nurse experienced in emergency and trauma nursing. She explains how people can protect themselves from the flu and why it is important to do so. The single best way to prevent the flu and serious complications is to receive an annual vaccination. Flu vaccines protect against the viruses that are researched to be the most common to reduce illness, doctor's visits, hospitalizations, and missed work and school due to flu.
News Scan for Aug 12, 2019 - Saudi Arabia prepares for hajj with new disease monitoring system
As Saudi Arabia anticipates the arrival of more than 2 million pilgrims this month for the observance of hajj, the country's ministry of health announced they will be using the Health Early Warning System (HEWS), which ensures the early detection of and timely response to health threats and emergencies related to mass gatherings. The system is based on both syndromic and indicator-based surveillance, and it is well adapted to spot the diarrheal diseases and respiratory infections that are liable to occur during mass gatherings, the WHO said.
Burden of disease
Southern Hemisphere Flu News: August 12, 2019
In the Southern Hemisphere's temperate countries, flu activity appears to have peaked, says WHO global flu update #347. In Australia, influenza and influenza-like illness (ILI) activity are reported slightly higher (183,331 cases), than average for this time of the flu season, when compared to previous years. However, the disparity between the 2019 flu season and previous years has been decreasing over the last few weeks. Unfortunately, there have been 383 flu-related deaths reported in Australia in 2019.
Maharashtra: Swine flu death toll rises, drop in mercury a worry
The swine flu death toll in the state of Maharashtra has gone up by five more casualties over the past two weeks, taking the collective tally to 197 this year. As many as 2,066 people have tested positive for the contagion in the state so far this year and experts cautioned that the virus transmission might increase with the persistent rain triggering a drop in temperature. This is a conducive condition for the virus to grow and spread
Flu Surveillance in Animals
Ohio State research in flu protection starts at county fairs
For researchers with The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, the work to identify new flu strains and increase the effectiveness of the flu vaccine begins in pig barns at state and county fairs. According to the CDC, the deadly 2009 flu pandemic, which originated in pigs, resulted in 60 million cases of the flu in the U.S. and more than 12,000 deaths in humans. After this outbreak, Dr. Andrew Bowman and his team began looking to the fair circuit for answers. They travel to more than 100 fairs each year, swab the snouts of exhibition pigs, then take the samples back to the lab to identify new strains of the flu.