News & Perspective

(CIDRAP News) – Federal health officials are in the midst of crafting a framework for funding H5N1 avian influenza gain-of-function studies, and today at a workshop they heard varied feedback from researchers, biosecurity experts, and others.

(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) – Federal and state health officials are investigating an Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to mixed salad greens that has sickened at least 28 people in five East Coast states, most of them in New York.

(CIDRAP News) – A Senate committee hearing today on the fungal meningitis outbreak covered some of the same ground as yesterday's House hearing but aired the views of compounding pharmacy industry groups and provided a strong example for strengthening the nation's public health infrastructure.

(CIDRAP News) – The first congressional hearing today on the fungal meningitis outbreak linked to tainted steroids was marked by tough questions for regulators, political wrangling, and an appearance by the owner of the compounding pharmacy that produced the drugs, but he declined to testify.