Madely Health Headlines Commentary for December 9, 2009

Sources:
British researchers say little evidence Tamiflu works, but WHO says the drug is useful

Swine Flu Pandemic May Be Less Severe Than Expected

I am not a fan of how newspapers use headlines to misrepresent stories to provke unwarranted fear, and heightened risk perception. Today, the Ottawa Citizen published two stories about seasonal and H1N1 vaccine. The first story, For Guillain-Barre survivors, flu shot stirs up unwelcome memories, emblazoned on the front page has all the elements [...]

Originally published in The Ottawa Citizen Friday, November 12, 2004
Original Title: Infection control for dummies

Infection control can be a complicated matter, especially [...]

Originally published in The Ottawa Citizen October 18, 2004
Original Title: The HN factor
New information and reports of bird flu have shifted attention to [...]

At the end of October, the Flu vaccine will be available in our region. Many will opt to forego an inexpensive and safe approach to preventing a disease that causes significant misery and death. Some fear the vaccine causes the flu; others take the chance that it will pass them by and many others will roll up their sleeves. Why should we protect ourselves? The historical record provides an excellent answer.

Originally published in The Ottawa Citizen October 15, 2002
Original Title: Daycare Part III: A little red in the face
Part I – Why children fight [...]

A recent article about parents holding chickenpox parties to intentionally infect their children perpetuates the popular misconception that chickenpox is a benign disease. One of the parents said: “It’s a natural way to deal with the problem, instead of introducing more chemicals into kids.” She was concerned about whether it provided lifelong immunity and erroneously believed that the vaccine had been available for only six years.

Originally published in The Ottawa Citizen July 4, 2001
We know all too well the pain and suffering the victim, their families and [...]