http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/publichealth/ en-us Sun, 19 May 2013 19:00:54 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3021380/posts ... A new, casually transmittable infection — a unique strain of bacterial meningitis — has cast a pall over the gay night life and dating scene, with men wondering whether this is AIDS, circa 1981, all over again. Seven men have died in New York City, about a third of diagnosed cases, since 2010. And in the last few months, the contagion seemed to be accelerating. It has targeted gay and bisexual men, and nobody knows exactly why. The city’s best hope to curb the outbreak is to vaccinate as many at-risk men as possible, focusing on those most in... New York Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3021380/posts#comment Sun, 19 May 2013 19:00:54 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3017114/posts France's health ministry on Wednesday reported the country's first case of a SARS-like virus that has killed 18 people so far, mostly in Saudi Arabia. An unidentified person who came back to France from a trip to the United Arab Emirates was diagnosed with the deadly novel coronavirus, the ministry said. "This is the first and only confirmed case in France to date," it added. The patient is currently in intensive care in hospital and has been placed in isolation. The virus, known in medical jargon as nCoV-EMC, was first detected in September 2012 and since then more than 30... The Local (France) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3017114/posts#comment Wed, 8 May 2013 17:26:15 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3008352/posts “Gay” sex is becoming even more dangerous. Health officials are warning sexually active “gay” men about an outbreak of potentially deadly bacterial meningitis in Los Angeles and New York. The disease has infected 22 people in New York and caused seven deaths since 2010. Health officials in Los Angeles are testing to see if the strain infecting “gay” men there is the same one hitting New York. The AIDS Healthcare Foundation began offering free meningitis vaccines today after a “gay” man from West Hollywood was declared brain dead on Friday. Thirty-three-year-old lawyer Brett Shaad died within a week of feeling... World Net Daily http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3008352/posts#comment Tue, 16 Apr 2013 11:55:44 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3008096/posts "Health officials work to diffuse fears of national epidemic"“Gay” sex is becoming even more dangerous. Health officials are warning sexually active “gay” men about an outbreak of potentially deadly bacterial meningitis in Los Angeles and New York. The disease has infected 22 people in New York and caused seven deaths since 2010. Health officials in Los Angeles are testing to see if the strain infecting “gay” men there is the same one hitting New York. The AIDS Healthcare Foundation began offering free meningitis vaccines today after a “gay” man from West Hollywood was declared brain dead on Friday. Thirty-three-year-old lawyer... WorldNetDaily http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3008096/posts#comment Mon, 15 Apr 2013 19:09:44 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2992278/posts In the name of public health Nanny Bloomberg in New York City won't let his subjects gulp down a 16-ounce soda or light up a cigarette at a bar but as the HIV epidemic continues unabated it's apparently still okay to cruise for anonymous sex among the maze-like corriders of the East and West Side Clubs where gay men can rent claustrophobic cubicles for their presumed hookups. A new study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concludes that "one in five gay men in the United States has HIV, and almost half of those who carry the... Friends of Ours http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2992278/posts#comment Thu, 28 Feb 2013 22:04:00 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2986041/posts Reps. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas), Pete King (R-N.Y.) and more than two dozen Democrats have introduced legislation that would create a national nurse to work alongside the surgeon general. The National Nurse Act, H.R. 485, would designate the chief nurse officer of the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) as the "National Nurse for Public Health." The bill would have the national nurse work alongside the surgeon general and "focus on health promotion, improving healthcare literacy, and reducing health disparities." "As the first registered nurse in Congress, I know from experience how nurses play a critical role in health promotion and... The Hill http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2986041/posts#comment Thu, 7 Feb 2013 00:05:46 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2978850/posts Google http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2978850/posts#comment Wed, 16 Jan 2013 22:43:28 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2977009/posts Some of the most common and most powerful prescription painkillers on the market will be restricted sharply in the emergency rooms at New York City’s 11 public hospitals, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg said Thursday in an effort to crack down on what he called a citywide and national epidemic of prescription drug abuse. http://www.nytimes.com/ http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2977009/posts#comment Fri, 11 Jan 2013 10:25:04 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2976403/posts Hospitals across the country are being stretched for service as this year’s flu season looks to be the most intense in nearly a decade, with facilities beginning to turn patients away because of the danger that it could spread through their staffs. Thirty-nine states and New York City have reported significant levels of influenza-like-illnesses as medical professionals are reminded of the 2003-2004 season when more than 40,000 people died because the predominant strain was so dissimilar from the vaccine that year, reported Fox News. Hospital officials have described the season so far as “chaotic.” Doctors are telling patients to begin... Newsmax http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2976403/posts#comment Wed, 9 Jan 2013 16:16:30 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2976385/posts The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is reporting that 18 Bay Staters have died from the flu so far this season. At least four of these people were from Boston, the Boston Public Health Commission’s Nick Martin told the Herald. “We’re seeing a significant increase in sickness and severity,” Martin said. Boston Herald http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2976385/posts#comment Wed, 9 Jan 2013 15:38:01 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2945151/posts Parents are being advised to keep their children home from school on Oct. 30 if their local education officials are allowing the Southern Poverty Law Center’s “Mix It Up” day to be held on campus. The advisory comes from the pro-family American Family Association, because of the pro-homosexual message that is expected to be delivered during the events. “The Southern Poverty Law Center is using this project to bully-push its gay agenda, and at the same time, intimidate and silence students who have a biblical view of homosexuality.” “This is the same organization that launched hateful and malicious rhetoric toward... World Net Daily http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2945151/posts#comment Mon, 15 Oct 2012 18:40:43 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2932539/posts According to research out of Yale, there’s a fat chance that public health campaigns will help overweight Americans. The messages could have the opposite effect. After analyzing 1,041 Americans and 30 public service announcements, the researchers concluded that the campaigns may make members of the intended audience feel worse about themselves. As a result, many will go to fridge to find comfort. “Public health campaigns that are designed to address obesity should carefully consider the kinds of messages that are disseminated, so that those who are struggling with obesity can be supported in their efforts to become healthier, rather than... Personal Liberty Digest http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2932539/posts#comment Mon, 17 Sep 2012 23:30:49 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2920846/posts Aug 20 (Reuters) - People who survived the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki as children continue to have a higher-than-normal risk of thyroid cancer more than 50 years after radiation exposure, according to a U.S. study. Thyroid cells are particularly vulnerable to ionizing radiation, the kind produced by the Chernobyl nuclear meltdown or the atomic bombings in Japan. The study published in the International Journal of Cancer tracked new cancer diagnoses in people who were in Japan during the bombings in 1945 and those who were not. In total, there were 371 thyroid cancers diagnosed between 1958 and 2005... Reuters http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2920846/posts#comment Mon, 20 Aug 2012 22:47:12 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2920064/posts From the Property and Environment Research Center, here’s a thought-provoking little vid about why we should all think a little more deeply about the unintended consequences of even our best intentions before we push for government fiat to make them a reality. The environmental movement in particular tends to be a big fan of forcing society to comply with what they deem to be virtuous behavior via government crackdown. The EPA is constantly justifying it’s many regulations by claiming that they’re only safeguarding the public’s health and welfare — for instance, that the costs of their clean-air regulations are trumped... Townhall.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2920064/posts#comment Sat, 18 Aug 2012 14:17:49 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2918436/posts Introduced in the 1970s, the compound triclosan has become an increasingly popular ingredient in many antibacterial soaps and other personal-care items, such as deodorants and mouthwashes. However, as the chemical’s popularity continues to grow, a recent report has raised concerns about some frightening risks that triclosan could pose to public health. A new study published in the "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences" has revealed that exposure to triclosan is linked with muscle function impairments in humans and mice, as well as slowing the swimming of fish. By reducing contractions in both cardiac and skeletal muscles, the chemical has... FoxNews.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2918436/posts#comment Tue, 14 Aug 2012 18:46:03 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2905812/posts A majority of Florida voters oppose the national health care law and half want it repealed, a new Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times/Bay News 9 poll shows two weeks after President Barack Obama’s signature achievement was largely upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. Only 43 percent of voters statewide support the Affordable Care Act and 52 percent oppose it, with 5 percent undecided. With the exception of southeast Florida, more voters think the law will make the health care system worse. More voters also favor the state opting out of provisions of the law, something Gov. Rick Scott has already said... Miami Herald http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2905812/posts#comment Thu, 12 Jul 2012 20:35:49 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2895591/posts CNSNews.com) – Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) sent a letter signed by 62 other Democrats to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, supporting her agency's review of the policy that bans homosexual and bisexual men from donating blood. The Democrats say the ban is “outdated,” and they called the HHS pilot study an important step in "assessing the feasibility of allowing healthy gay and bisexual men to donate blood while maintaining the safety of our blood supply." http://cnsnews.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2895591/posts#comment Fri, 15 Jun 2012 13:51:27 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2895505/posts Mayor Bloomberg's proposed soda ban is about himself, not about public health. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s proposed ban on big sodas in the Big Apple is generating accusations that he is a Nanny Statist. But that’s not quite accurate. A nanny forces others to do things for their own good. Bloomberg is a moral narcissist forcing New Yorkers to do things that make him feel good. Under his soda ban, street vendors and restaurants would be barred from selling pop in anything over 16-ounce containers on the theory that limiting access to sugary drinks will help combat the... Reason http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2895505/posts#comment Fri, 15 Jun 2012 07:20:29 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2891503/posts LA County Finds Health Code Violations in Skid Row LOS ANGELES (AP) — The city of Los Angeles is violating the county health code for hazardous conditions on Skid Row, including nearly 90 rats' nests, a dozen hypodermic needles and piles of human excrement and trash on sidewalks, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has found. The notice of violation stems from an extensive Health Department inspection last month of the 10-block area of downtown Los Angeles that houses the nation's densest population of homeless people, most of them mentally ill and substance abusers. Health officials ordered the... AP http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2891503/posts#comment Mon, 4 Jun 2012 22:36:04 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2882834/posts Washington state’s worst outbreak of whooping cough in decades has prompted health officials to declare an epidemic, seek help from federal experts and urge residents to get vaccinated amid worry that cases of the highly contagious disease could spike much higher. It’s the first state to declare a whooping cough, or pertussis, epidemic since 2010, when California had more than 9,000 cases, including 10 deaths. Washington has had 10 times the cases reported in 2011, and so has Wisconsin with nearly 2,000 cases this year, though that state has not declared an epidemic. California responded to its crisis two years... Washington Post http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2882834/posts#comment Sat, 12 May 2012 03:18:08 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2876884/posts Enlarge Image An advisory committee that met yesterday to consider the design of the struggling National Children's Study (NCS) came down firmly in favor of one option: The study should recruit children from a geographic sample that represents the entire U.S. population. But whether the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will go with that plan isn't yet clear. Proposed by Congress 12 years ago, NCS aims to enroll 100,000 pregnant women and follow their babies' health from before birth to age 21. In February, NIH announced that because the original plan to recruit women from certain addresses in 105... ScienceInsider http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2876884/posts#comment Thu, 26 Apr 2012 20:32:05 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2856671/posts Black women in six major U.S. cities have rates of infection with the AIDS virus that are five times higher than anyone thought, researchers reported on Thursday. The findings stunned even the researchers doing the work – who already knew that the HIV epidemic in the United States is worse among blacks, and that young black women have a special risk. “The fact that the rate for infections in these women is something like the rate in Congo is something that ought to get peoples’ attention,” Dr. Charles Flexner, a clinical pharmacologist and infectious-disease expert at Johns Hopkins University in... National Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2856671/posts#comment Fri, 9 Mar 2012 05:11:39 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2812277/posts Parents who do not have their children fully immunised will be stripped of family tax benefits under a scheme announced by the Federal Government. The Government says 11 per cent of five-year-olds are not immunised and has announced a shake-up of the system which will take effect from July 1 next year. Under the changes, families who refuse vaccinations face losing up to $2,100 per child in benefits. Families will need to have their children fully immunised to receive the Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part A end-of-year supplement. A new immunisation check will be introduced for one-year-olds to supplement the... Australian Broadcasting Corporation http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2812277/posts#comment Fri, 25 Nov 2011 18:21:19 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2789674/posts A Maryland health advocate who fought successfully this year for an increase in the state’s alcohol sales tax is pushing for a tax increase on cigarettes. Vincent DeMarco, president of the Maryland Citizens’ Health Initiative, says the group will start a campaign next week asking the General Assembly to increase the state’s $2-a-pack tax on cigarettes to $3 and raise taxes on other tobacco products, including cigars and smokeless tobacco. Mr. DeMarco — a health lobbyist who has long championed so-called “sin taxes” on tobacco and alcohol — hopes to build on momentum from this year’s assembly, in which legislators... The Washington Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2789674/posts#comment Sat, 8 Oct 2011 03:34:01 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2779157/posts After hearing from more than 30 speakers during hours of debate, the Virginia Board of Health on Thursday approved sweeping changes to abortion-clinic regulations that abortion-rights groups say will close many of the state's 22 clinics. Acting under a mandate from the Legislature, the board passed the new rules on a 12-1 vote. The emergency regulations, favored by pro-life advocates, give the state more control over facilities that provide five or more first-trimester abortions per month and requires those facilities to abide by regulations normally reserved for hospitals. By the start of 2012, clinics would be required to renovate their... Washington Examiner http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2779157/posts#comment Fri, 16 Sep 2011 03:22:09 GMT