News & Perspective

(CIDRAP News) – Infectious diseases are causing fewer deaths and illnesses worldwide than two decades ago, with fewer kids dying, but younger and middle-aged adults are bearing more of the overall medical burden, according to a massive multipart study published today in The Lancet.

(CIDRAP News) – Public health officials today announced the launch of the first national accreditation program for health departments, a move designed to create a voluntary national standard to measure and improve the performance across a range of health departments, from local to state.

The group of national and local leaders made the announcement at the National Press Club in Washington, DC.

(CIDRAP News) – A dramatic 78% drop in measles deaths since the start of the decade has global health officials eyeing eradicating the disease, but two major setbacks— resurgence of the disease in Africa and shrinking disease-fighting funds —threaten the efforts, experts said today.

(CIDRAP News) – Alaskan quarantine officials yesterday issued a reminder to cruise and cargo ship operators to quickly report on-board illnesses and disease outbreaks, which they said are sometimes slow to come to the attention of health authorities.

As the world recovers its bearings after spikes in pandemic flu activity and anticipates how the upcoming flu season will unfold, antiviral and vaccine experts in Atlanta today plotted out the new prevention and treatment tools public health officials may someday use to fine-tune their disease responses.