News & Perspective

(CIDRAP News) – The winter flu season is now officially under way in the Northern Hemisphere, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported today in releasing its most recent influenza data.

Meanwhile, US data also released today show influenza activity again rising, and a third report says flu activity is increasing dramatically in the United Kingdom.

(CIDRAP News) – A new report says that a cell culture derived influenza vaccine and a conventional egg-based vaccine both proved effective in a large international clinical trial, offering support for those who contend that cell-based vaccines should become an important part of flu vaccine supplies in coming years.

(CIDRAP News) – An independent review of the United Kingdom's response to the H1N1 pandemic gave the government good marks for the way it handled the outbreak, but said the experience yielded useful lessons for the next such health emergency, such as including break clauses in all future vaccine contracts.