News & Perspective

(CIDRAP News) – A large prospective study from Hong Kong raises the possibility that elderly people with chronic illnesses can significantly reduce their risk of stroke and heart attack by getting vaccinated against influenza and pneumococcal disease at the same time, but other researchers are greeting the findings with a mix of caution and skepticism.

(CIDRAP News) – One third of US adults aged 65 and older are not vaccinated against pneumonia, according to a national report that describes them as representative of millions of adult Americans who are vulnerable to diseases that can be forestalled by vaccines.

(CIDRAP News) – A recent Associated Press (AP) report revealed that, in the name of preventing biological attacks, the United States has rules barring the exportation of vaccines for avian influenza, smallpox, yellow fever, and many other pathogens to five countries classified as sponsors of terrorism.