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Daily Rounds: Failed Herpes Vaccine; Restricting Antibiotics In Animals; Insurance Gaps Hurt Care; New Name For Nutritionists

Failed herpes vaccine puzzles virologists : Nature News & Comment "But in a randomized, double-blind clinical trial involving 8,323 women, the vaccine did not prevent infection by HSV-2 — although it did offer some protection against a closely related virus, HSV-1. The results, published today in The New England Journal of Medicine1, are puzzling given the promising results shown by the vaccine in previous, smaller clinical trials. “It’s very disappointing for the field,” says Lawrence Corey, a virologist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington. “We know it failed, but we don’t have a lot of insight as to why.” (Nature.com)

F.D.A. Restricts Cephalosporin Antibiotics in Livestock - NYTimes.com "Drug regulators announced on Wednesday that farmers and ranchers must restrict their use of a critical class of antibiotics in cattle, pigs, chickens and turkeys because such practices may have contributed to the growing threat in people of bacterial infections that are resistant to treatment. The medicines are known as cephalosporins and include brands like Cefzil and Keflex. They are among the most common antibiotics prescribed to treat pneumonia, strep throat, and skin and urinary tract infections. Surgeons also often use them before surgery, and they are particularly popular among pediatricians." (nytimes.com)

Gaps In Health Coverage Can Disrupt Preventive Care : Shots - Health Blog : NPR "The people who had breaks in their insurance coverage were much less likely to get tests that diabetics are supposed to have at least once a year, including cholesterol screening, kidney function and HbA1c screening. In fact, they did no better than the people who never had any insurance coverage when it came to getting those tests done." (npr.org)

The American Dietetic Association changes its name - latimes.com "Heads up, those of you looking for the American Dietetic Assn. The organization, made up of food and nutrition professionals, has a new name: The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The name change officially happened on Jan. 1, and the decision wasn't made lightly. In a news release academy President Sylvia Escott-Stump explained the thoughts behind changing the original name, which has been in place since the group was founded in 1917. "Protecting the public's health is the highest priority of the Academy and our members, and our new name complements our focus: the nutritional well-being of the American public." (Los Angeles Times)

This program aired on January 5, 2012. The audio for this program is not available.

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