http://pandemicflu.bmj.com Pandemic flu related content from the BMJ Group daily 1 2009-07-20T14:09:52Z http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/letter-competing-interests-more-queries-about-h1n1-scandal Why did it take so long to detect the trick uncovered by the BMJ and Bureau of Investigative Journalism’s inquiry?.. No publisher JHayes letters 2010-08-05T15:29:37Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/news-who-swine-flu-review-committee-promises-to-probe-links-with-drug-industry The chairman of the external expert review committee examining the World Health Organization’s management of the H1N1 pandemic said on 2 July that the panel will probe deeper into allegations that the drug industry may have unduly influenced key outcomes... No publisher JHayes news 2010-07-08T12:46:53Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/news-uk-response-to-h1n1-pandemic-was-highly-satisfactory-independent-review-says The United Kingdom’s response to the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic, which cost £1.2bn (1.5bn; $1.8bn), was highly satisfactory and good value for money, concludes an independent review. But any purchasing for future pandemics should allow greater flexibility, it adds... No publisher JHayes news 2010-07-06T10:56:00Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/news-italian-auditor-criticises-contract-for-h1n1-vaccine The contract between the drug firm Novartis and Italy’s health ministry over the purchase of 24 million doses of the H1N1 flu vaccine Focetria raises "many perplexities," a report from the Italian Court of Audit (Corte dei Conti) has said... No publisher JHayes news 2010-07-06T10:55:01Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/letters-who-and-pandemic-flu-what-happened-in-mexico Another important issue for the World Health Organization’s declaration of the AH1N1 pandemic is how the original outbreak was managed in Mexico... No publisher JHayes letters 2010-07-05T09:35:50Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/letters-who-and-pandemic-flu-glaxosmithkline-uk-responds Cohen and Carter explore whether the World Health Organization should have taken advice from experts who had declarable financial and research ties with pharmaceutical companies producing antivirals and influenza vaccines, including GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)... No publisher JHayes letters 2010-07-05T09:34:20Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/letters-response-who-director-general-replies-to-the-bmj In her editorial accompanying the feature on conflicts of interest at the World Health Organization,Godlee notes that it is "almost certainly true" that the mildness of the H1N1 pandemic, compared with the severity long expected from a virus like H5N1, has contributed to the current critical scrutiny of WHO’s decisions... No publisher JHayes letters 2010-07-05T09:30:03Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/letters-who-and-pandemic-flu-time-for-change-who The World Health Organization has long term relationships with the pharmaceutical industry1 2 and even conceives of industry as a "partner"... No publisher JHayes letters 2010-07-05T09:28:02Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/letters-who-and-pandemic-flu-there-was-also-no-new-subtype Cohen and Carter state that the World Health Organization changed the definition of an influenza pandemic by excluding reference to the words "with enormous numbers of deaths and illness"... No publisher JHayes letters 2010-07-05T09:26:24Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/letters-who-and-pandemic-flu-another-question-for-gsk The relation between the declaration of a pandemic and the activation of pandemic vaccine contracts came under considerable attention recently... No publisher JHayes letters 2010-07-05T09:23:14Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/news-telephone-and-internet-surveys-will-improve-estimates-of-flu-incidence-experts-say Experts have admitted that accurate predictions of the incidence of the H1N1 flu pandemic in the United Kingdom proved a near impossible challenge... No publisher JHayes news 2010-06-29T11:10:47Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/news-a-more-severe-flu-pandemic-is-as-inevitable-as-death-and-taxes The next flu pandemic could be more severe than the H1N1 pandemic of 2009, health experts have warned... No publisher JHayes news 2010-06-29T11:08:38Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/news-who-admits-to-inconsistencies-in-its-policy-on-conflicts-of-interest The World Health Organization has admitted that its policies governing the publication of conflicts of interests of its expert advisers have "inconsistencies" and that safeguards "surrounding engagements with industry" need to be tightened... No publisher JHayes news 2010-06-16T09:26:40Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/views-reviews-personal-view-preventing-iatrogenic-pandemics-of-panic.-do-it-in-a-nice-way The decisions to stockpile antivirals and influenza vaccines to control avian flu (2005-6) and swine flu (2009) cost large amounts of money... No publisher JHayes personal view 2010-06-10T13:05:35Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/views-reviews-personal-view-the-price-of-poor-pandemic-communication Fuelled by public distrust, a season of inquiries has begun into how governments and public health agencies responded to the A/H1N1influenza pandemic. If these reviews are to be meaningful, they would do well to address the failures in communication both before and during the pandemic that helped create this public distrust... No publisher JHayes personal view 2010-06-10T13:02:40Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/letter-child-influenza-vaccination-ramifications-of-adverse-events-in-children-in-australia Many serious adverse reactions to this year’s seasonal influenza vaccine have occurred across Australia, and its use remains suspended in children aged 5 years and under. Data released on 1 June 2010 show that 1 in every 110 young children vaccinated with the CSL vaccine had a febrile seizure... No publisher JHayes letters 2010-06-10T13:00:41Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/news-australian-government-says-healthy-under-5s-should-not-be-given-seasonal-flu-jab Australia’s health authorities have recommended that healthy children under 5 should not be given the seasonal flu jab, after preliminary research showed rates of febrile convulsions nine times higher than expected... No publisher JHayes news 2010-06-07T15:15:11Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/news-council-of-europe-condemns-unjustified-scare-over-swine-flu The Council of Europe has heavily criticised the World Health Organization, national governments, and EU agencies for their handling of the swine flu pandemic... No publisher JHayes news 2010-06-07T15:12:43Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/feature-conflicts-of-interest-who-and-the-pandemic-flu-conspiracies Key scientists advising the World Health Organization on planning for an influenza pandemic had done paid work for pharmaceutical firms that stood to gain from the guidance they were preparing. These conflicts of interest have never been publicly disclosed by WHO, and WHO has dismissed inquiries into its handling of the A/H1N1 pandemic as "conspiracy theories"... No publisher JHayes feature 2010-06-04T15:12:10Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/editorial-conflicts-of-interest-and-pandemic-flu The world should of course be thankful that the 2009 influenza A/H1N1 pandemic proved such a damp squib. With so many fewer lives lost than had been predicted, it almost seems ungrateful to carp about the cost. But carp we must because the cost has been huge. Some countries—notably Poland—declined to join the panic buying of vaccines and antivirals triggered when the World Health Organization declared the pandemic a year ago this week. However, countries like France and the United Kingdom who have stockpiled drugs and vaccines are now busy unpicking vaccine contracts, selling unused vaccine to other countries, and sitting on huge piles of unused oseltamivir... No publisher JHayes editorial 2010-06-04T15:08:32Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/research-safety-and-immunogenicity-of-as03b-adjuvanted-split-virion-versus-non-adjuvanted-whole-virion-h1n1-influenza-vaccine-in-uk-children-aged-6-months-12-years-open-label-randomised-parallel-group-multicentre-study Objectives To compare the safety, reactogenicity, and immunogenicity of an adjuvanted split virion H1N1 vaccine and a non-adjuvanted whole virion vaccine used in the pandemic immunisation programme in the United Kingdom... No publisher JHayes research 2010-05-28T09:53:58Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/news-former-roche-employee-questions-marketing-of-oseltamivir-to-businesses-1 A former employee of Roche has questioned the drug company’s sales practices for the antiviral drug oseltamivir (Tamiflu), as well as its efforts to maintain market share and tender for distributors for a broad range of products... No publisher JHayes news 2010-05-28T09:38:22Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/news-swine-flu-pandemic-review-panel-seeks-access-to-confidential-documents-between-who-and-drug-companies The chairman of the external expert review committee examining the World Health Organization’s management of the H1N1 pandemic said the panel wants access to confidential documents between the agency and drug companies... No publisher JHayes news 2010-05-28T09:17:45Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/research-transmission-of-pandemic-a-h1n1-2009-influenza-on-passenger-aircraft-retrospective-cohort-study Objectives To assess the risk of transmission of pandemic A/H1N1 2009 influenza (pandemic A/H1N1) from an infected high school group to other passengers on an airline flight and the effectiveness of screening and follow-up of exposed passengers... No publisher JHayes research 2010-05-24T13:40:58Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/news-trusts-forced-to-cut-services-because-of-costs-of-swine-flu Some primary care trusts have had to cut spending on their regular services because of the costs of the recent A/H1N1 flu pandemic, it has been shown. A Freedom of Information Act request by GP newspaper showed that the cost of dealing with the pandemic forced one in six trusts to cut other services... No publisher JHayes news 2010-05-14T13:20:36Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/news-gsk-chief-defends-profits-made-on-back-of-swine-flu-crisis Andrew Witty, chief executive of global drug company GlaxoSmithKline, has denied accusations that the company profiteered during the swine flu crisis. Last year the company made a pre-tax profit of more than $13bn (£8.5bn; 9.8)... No publisher JHayes news 2010-05-04T15:49:33Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/news-new-director-of-european-disease-centre-defends-its-role-in-flu-pandemic Marc Sprenger, the new director of the Stockholm based European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), has made it clear that he will not be pushing for the centre’s mandate to be extended to include non-communicable diseases... No publisher JHayes news 2010-05-04T15:47:07Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/news-australia-suspends-seasonal-flu-vaccination-of-young-children Australia has extended a suspension of vaccination of children aged 5 years and under against seasonal flu, pending further investigations into an apparent spike in febrile convulsions associated with the vaccine... No publisher JHayes news 2010-05-04T15:44:11Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/news-hospital-stays-for-young-adults-with-flu-shot-up-in-england-in-2009 Hospitalisation rates for young adults with influenza were 37 times higher in the autumn of 2009—when the H1N1 strain was predominant—than for the same period in the previous year, the latest figures for hospitals in England show... No publisher JHayes news 2010-04-28T15:48:58Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/news-external-committee-is-to-look-at-criticisms-of-who2019s-management-of-h1n1-pandemic An evaluation of the World Health Organization’s management of the H1N1 swine flu pandemic will include an examination of the criticisms levelled at the agency, an interim report by an external expert review committee says... No publisher JHayes news 2010-04-28T15:43:20Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/news-department-of-health-agrees-deal-with-gsk-to-cancel-part-of-swine-flu-vaccine-order The Department of Health in England announced that it has agreed with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) to cap its order for the company’s swine flu (H1N1) vaccine, saving about one third of the value of the original order that it placed for enough vaccine to protect the entire UK population... No publisher JHayes news 2010-04-15T13:34:07Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/blog-tom-nolan-assessing-the-swine-flu-pandemic GPs, politicians, journalists, and practice managers met for the Pandemic Summit at the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) last Thursday to share their experiences on surviving the swine flu pandemic... No publisher JHayes about this blog 2010-03-26T15:38:32Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/news-out-of-hours-services-would-need-to-expand-in-more-severe-flu-pandemic A lack of capacity in out of hours services means that GPs in England would struggle to cope if a more severe wave of pandemic flu were to occur, speakers said at a pandemic summit at the Royal College of General Practitioners in London on 18 March... No publisher JHayes news 2010-03-22T15:41:20Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/research-critical-illness-due-to-2009-a-h1n1-influenza-in-pregnant-and-postpartum-women-population-based-cohort-study Pregnant women are at increased risk of influenza and its complications. The effects of influenza during pregnancy have been noted in previous pandemics, particularly the increased mortality in pregnant women compared with the general population... No publisher JHayes research 2010-03-19T16:11:54Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/editorial-critical-illness-as-a-result-of-influenza-a-h1n1-infection-in-pregnancy The 2009 pandemic influenza A/H1N1 virus has a predilection for the lower respiratory tract. In some cases, infection results in a pneumonitis and severe acute respiratory distress syndrome, which can be difficult to manage despite advanced ventilatory techniques... No publisher JHayes editorial 2010-03-19T16:08:29Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/news-head-of-who2019s-vaccines-advisory-group-defends-its-policy-on-competing-interests The chief who oversees the World Health Organization’s top advisory group on global vaccines has defended the oversight mechanism that guards against potential conflicts of interest among its members... No publisher JHayes news 2010-03-19T16:02:38Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/observations-body-politic-why-we-went-over-the-top-in-the-swine-flu-battle Once we had started to mobilise against H1N1, it was too late to turn back... No publisher JHayes from the fontline 2010-02-15T10:35:02Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/letter-english-mortality-from-a-h1n1-discrepancies-in-published-data A BBC report with which Sir Liam Donaldson1 was associated in September 2007 stated: "According to Department of Health figures, flu contributes to over 25 000 excess winter deaths every year and thousands of people are hospitalised due to serious complications..." No publisher JHayes letters 2010-02-02T16:09:20Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/letter-english-mortality-from-a-h1n1-comparisons-with-recent-flu-mortality How do the number of deaths from pandemic A/H1N1 compare with influenza related mortality in recent years?... No publisher JHayes news 2010-02-02T16:07:17Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/news-council-of-europe-launches-investigation-into-h1n1-pandemic A Europe wide investigation will begin this week into the World Health Organization’s decision to label the outbreak of swine flu a "pandemic," amid allegations that it did so under pressure from drug companies looking to boost demand for their vaccines... No publisher JHayes news 2010-02-02T10:18:41Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/news-use-leftover-tamiflu-to-grit-icy-roads-mp-suggests An MP has said that unused supplies of oseltamivir (Tamiflu) pills left over from the swine flu pandemic that never quite happened in the United Kingdom could be used to grit icy roads... No publisher JHayes news 2010-01-26T11:32:38Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/letter-a-h1n1-flu-pandemic-life-threatening-infections-labelled-swine-flu Algorithms for remote diagnosis and issue of antiviral drugs are indispensable during a pandemic. Their application through the National Pandemic Flu Service to both high and low prevalence areas is, however, controversial, and the lack of specificity in the use of the algorithm has been highlighted by Payne et al and at November’s meeting of the Federation of Infection Societies in Birmingham... No publisher JHayes letters 2010-01-18T10:51:56Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/letter-the-truth-about-tamiflu-data-access-is-matter-of-trust The UK Faculty of Public Health strongly supports the BMJ’s call for mandatory disclosure of raw data of all trials cited in drug licensing applications and marketing claims... No publisher JHayes letters 2010-01-18T10:49:51Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/letter-the-truth-about-tamiflu-zanamivir-should-be-inhaled-not-nebulised Jefferson and colleagues say that nebulisation is the route of administration for zanamivir.1 However, prescribers should be aware that the approved use of zanamivir in the United States and European Union is by inhalation, not nebulisation... No publisher JHayes letters 2010-01-18T10:48:28Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/letter-the-truth-about-tamiflu-neuraminidase-inhibitors-in-pandemic-a-h1n1-flu Jefferson and colleagues describe the effectiveness of neuraminidase inhibitors in otherwise healthy adults infected with seasonal flu virus,1 but it is mainly the A/H1N1 flu virus that is currently in circulation... No publisher JHayes letters 2010-01-18T10:45:37Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/h1n1-now-entering-the-recrimination-phase If influenza was a rock band how would it rate its latest release, H1N1? Not too well, I suspect, despite the greatest prepublicity since—well, its previous release ... No publisher BTwisselmann editorial 2010-01-14T17:40:17Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/news-politician-accuses-drug-companies-of-overplaying-dangers-of-h1n1 Drug companies are being accused of unnecessarily raising fears over the H1N1 swine flu virus so as to increase profits by boosting sales of their new vaccines ... No publisher BTwisselmann news 2010-01-12T17:12:11Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/news-who-vaccine-expert-had-conflict-of-interest-danish-newspaper-claims Controversy has arisen at the World Health Organization after allegations that some WHO experts, including a leading vaccine adviser, have financial ties to the drug industry ... No publisher BTwisselmann news 2010-01-12T17:03:09Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/news-government-is-in-talks-with-gsk-to-offload-surplus-swine-flu-vaccine The Department of Health in England is negotiating with GlaxoSmithKline over what can be done with millions of doses of swine flu vaccine it has ordered under contract from the company but that are now unlikely to be needed. No publisher JulietWalker news 2010-01-11T15:56:17Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/fever-as-nature2019s-engine Data suggest that the use of paracetamol to reduce the body temperature and alleviate the symptoms of flu is counterproductive ... No publisher BTwisselmann letters 2010-01-08T13:13:50Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/news-too-early-to-declare-h1n1-swine-flu-pandemic-over-says-who-chief It is too soon to declare the H1N1 swine flu pandemic over and the evolution of the virus should be monitored closely over the next year, the head of the World Health Organization has warned ... No publisher BTwisselmann news 2010-01-08T13:08:45Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/bmj-learning-module-swine-flu-difficult-patient-questions In this audio module Dr Helen Morant chairs a panel featuring Dr Dean Marshall, one of the BMA’s lead negotiators for Pandemic Flu, Dr Kate Adams, a GP in Hackney and one of the GP liaisons for the national pandemic flu service and Anna Sayburn, a medical writer and Editor of Best Health. In this module the panel tackle some tricky patient questions about swine flu. No publisher THoffman bmj learning module 2010-01-05T11:19:07Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/bmj-learning-module-swine-flu-lessons-from-the-first-wave In this audio module Dr Cath McDermott interviews John Watson, the lead flu expert at the The Health Protection Agency (HPA). The HPA recently published the report 'Pandemic (H1N1) flu 2009 in England: initial findings and implications for the second wave'. We visited the HPA to learn more about the report and the HPA's role in managing the swine flu pandemic. This interview was recorded on 9 December 2009. No publisher Thom Hoffman bmj learning module 2009-12-23T18:39:10Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/news-swine-flu-has-been-considerably-less-lethal-than-feared-says-donaldson Two thirds of primary care trusts in England have now reached agreements for GPs to vaccinate children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years against swine flu and the rest are close to finalising deals. No publisher BTwisselmann news 2009-12-21T12:57:24Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/news-who-dispatches-h1n1-vaccines-to-priority-group-of-35-poorer-nations Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, and Mongolia will be the first three countries out of a priority group of 35 poor nations to receive the deliveries of H1N1 pandemic flu vaccines donated by governments and drug companies ... No publisher BTwisselmann news 2009-12-21T12:56:48Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/news-gps-make-deals-with-local-nhs-to-vaccinate-children-against-swine-flu GPs in London and the north east of England have reached agreements with local NHS bodies to vaccinate children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years against swine flu, after the BMA failed to make a national deal with the government. No publisher JulietWalker news 2009-12-14T10:32:05Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/point-by-point-response-from-roche-to-bmj-questions James Smith responds on behalf of Roche to some of the issues raised with regard to the Cochrane Review on oseltamivir published in the BMJ (doi:10.1136/bmj.b5106) No publisher JulietWalker letters 2009-12-10T12:23:41Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/roche-replies-to-the-authors-of-the-cochrane-review-on-oseltamivir We would like to respond to some of the issues raised with regard to the Cochrane Review on oseltamivir published in this issue of the BMJ.... No publisher JulietWalker letters 2009-12-10T12:23:05Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/why-don2019t-we-have-all-the-evidence-on-oseltamivir The full data from drug trials must be available for scrutiny by the scientific community No publisher JulietWalker editorial 2009-12-10T12:22:30Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/health-ministers-from-around-the-world-make-h1n1-top-priority Health ministers from around the world agreed last week that H1N1 remains the top global health threat. No publisher JulietWalker news 2009-12-10T12:21:52Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/analysis-what-can-we-learn-from-observational-studies-of-oseltamivir-to-treat-influenza-in-healthy-adults No publisher JulietWalker analysis 2009-12-10T12:16:06Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/neuraminidase-inhibitors2014the-story-behind-the-cochrane-review Although billions have been spent on oseltamivir in the face of pandemic influenza, the team updating the Cochrane review of neuraminidase inhibitors in healthy adults found that the public evidence base for this global public health drug was fragmented and inconsistent. Peter Doshi tells the story No publisher JulietWalker feature analysis 2009-12-10T12:15:01Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/complications-tracking-down-the-data-on-oseltamivir A Cochrane group’s attempt to reproduce an analysis underpinning the use of oseltamivir in pandemic influenza hit a brick wall. Deborah Cohen retraces its steps No publisher JulietWalker feature 2009-12-10T12:13:28Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/neuraminidase-inhibitors-for-preventing-and-treating-influenza-in-healthy-adults-systematic-review-and-meta-analysis No publisher JulietWalker research 2009-12-10T12:12:49Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/fall-in-swine-flu-cases-may-not-signal-an-end-of-the-epidemic England’s chief medical officer has said it is too early to know whether the "striking reduction" in numbers of new swine flu cases would continue in weeks ahead, and warned there may be a rise of infections among older people after Christmas. No publisher JulietWalker news 2009-12-10T12:12:05Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/bmj-blog-fear-and-swine-flu-in-bangladesh The fear of H1N1 is real in Bangladesh, as we look across the border to India where schools have been closed and re-opened, the situation is viewed as a true public health emergency. Within Bangladesh, enterprising yet nefarious agents were reportedly selling “swine flu vaccine” in the informal market. I wonder what they were shooting into people? Saline? Another real vaccine like Hib or measles? Something potentially dangerous? Fortunately, there were no reported deaths from the fake vaccines. No publisher DPayne 2009-11-30T16:16:31Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/news-gps-are-told-to-vaccinate-all-priority-groups-against-swine-flu-before-christmas More than a million doses of swine flu vaccine are estimated to have been given to people in high risk priority groups since the programme began in the United Kingdom at the end of October, according to information on uptake from the Department of Health. No publisher BTwisselmann news 2009-11-30T11:49:52Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/swine-flu-interview-with-professor-sir-liam-donaldson-2013-your-questions-answered Swine flu: Interview with Professor Sir Liam Donaldson – your questions answered In this audio module, Recorded 25th November 2009, Dr Helen Morant interviews Professor Sir Liam Donaldson, and BMJ Learning users ask their questions live over the phone and via email. No publisher THoffman bmj learning module 2009-11-30T09:59:11Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/blog-how-to-kiss-during-a-flu-pandemic The first cases of H1N1 infection resistant to oseltamivir (Tamiflu) spreading from person-to-person were found in Wales last week. No publisher BTwisselmann bmj.com blog 2009-11-25T17:21:52Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/news-up-to-a-third-of-schoolchildren-in-some-parts-of-england-may-already-have-had-swine-flu Up to a fifth of school age children in England may have been infected with the swine flu virus in the first wave of the outbreak between April and the end of September this year, the Health Protection Agency has estimated. No publisher BTwisselmann news 2009-11-25T17:19:06Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/informed-consent-the-doctor-and-h1n1-immunisation How does a doctor obtain informed consent for H1N1 immunisation consistent with General Medical Council guidance? The Department of Health’s guidance does not provide sufficient information for this. This is an attempt by Andrew Rouse and Tom Marshall to rectify this omission, providing information required for informed consent consistent with good professional practice. No publisher BTwisselmann bmj.com blog 2009-11-20T11:35:49Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/the-economy-wide-impact-of-pandemic-influenza-on-the-uk-a-computable-general-equilibrium-modelling-experiment Balancing school closure against "business as usual" and obtaining sufficient stocks of effective vaccine are more important factors in determining the economic impact of an influenza pandemic than is the disease itself. No publisher BTwisselmann research 2009-11-20T11:32:34Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/the-economic-impact-of-pandemic-influenza In the UK this could double the drop in GDP as a result of the recession No publisher BTwisselmann editorial 2009-11-20T11:31:34Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/bmj-learning-module-swine-flu-glasgow-any-flu-questions Dr Helen Morant chairs a Q&A session with a panel of experts live from Glasgow. Delegates at the BMJ Masterclass update for GPs put questions to Dr Dean Marshall, Dr Malcolm Mcwhirter, Dr Martin Donaghy and Dr Bill Mathewson. Recorded 10th November 2009 To take part in the next question and answer session, send your question to pandemic.podcast@bmjgroup.com. No publisher Thom Hoffman bmj learning module 2009-11-17T16:29:59Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/mary-e-black-on-flu-suits-and-holy-water-dispensers Plagues create business opportunities and the worried well in any era present a commercial opportunity. In the Middle Ages, the Black Death and the Great Plague saw brisk sales in fumigators, herbal remedies, and the plague suit - predecessor of the DuPont TK555T HazMat suit, and equally unsettling for nervous patients. Quacks (from the old Dutch word Quacksalver, for one who boasts or “quacks” about his or her salves) thrived in an era unchallenged by scientific evidence and online Cochrane reports. No publisher JulietWalker bmj.com blog 2009-11-16T13:47:23Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/deaths-from-swine-flu-in-uk-rise-while-cases-fall No publisher JulietWalker news 2009-11-16T08:54:05Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/only-12-of-germans-say-they-will-have-h1n1-vaccine-after-row-blows-up-over-safety-of-adjuvants No publisher JulietWalker news 2009-11-16T08:53:04Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/who-recommends-early-antiviral-treatment-for-at-risk-groups-with-suspected-swine-flu People in groups at high risk of complications—such as pregnant women, children under 2 years old, and people with underlying medical conditions—and who are suspected of having swine flu should be treated promptly with antiviral drugs, the World Health Organization said on 12 November. No publisher JulietWalker news 2009-11-16T08:52:17Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/tom-nolan-new-pandemic-flu-guidelines-don2019t-forget-your-oximeter New guidelines on the management of pandemic H1N1 influenza were published recently by the Department of Health. No publisher JulietWalker bmj.com blog 2009-11-13T14:55:05Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/bmj-learning-module-swine-flu-secondary-care-2 Dr Helen Morant interviews Dr Bruce Taylor and Dr Jake Dunning to get an update on issues regarding swine flu and secondary care. Recorded 2nd November 2009. To take part in the next question and answer session, send your question to pandemic.podcast@bmjgroup.com. This is also published as a BMJ Learning module. For the latest updates on all the BMJ’s flu content visit http://pandemicflu.bmj.com No publisher THoffman bmj learning module 2009-11-12T13:00:29Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/reassure-pregnant-women-over-swine-flu-vaccine-health-officials-urge England’s Department of Health has urged GPs to reassure pregnant women who are worried about being vaccinated against swine flu. No publisher JulietWalker news 2009-11-09T15:30:38Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/joe-collier-on-swine-flu-and-ministries-of-fear One thing about the current swine flu pandemic is that it has brought with it a universal sense of fear. As with all fears, individuals respond differently, but we know what they are feeling because the sensation of fear, which varies from a mild anxiety to incapacitating panic, is so much part of our constitution that some see it as a normal component of the human condition. No publisher DPayne 2009-11-04T15:56:34Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/does-every-new-influenza-reassortant-virus-qualify-as-a-pandemic-virus The effects of the swine flu pandemic have, so far, been less severe than many had feared, raising the question as to whether this infection has in fact reached pandemic proportions. But when is the right time to declare a pandemic? The WHO have recently revised their own criteria, but predicting how much harm a virus strain will cause is notoriously difficult and often controversial. In his editorial, Peter Gross examines the impact of influenza over the last century, and discusses whether refining the pandemic criteria put forward by the WHO might reduce the risk of a false alarm. No publisher Samantha.Barton clinical evidence editorial 2009-11-03T13:47:07Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/news-number-of-swine-flu-patients-going-into-intensive-care-is-rising The proportion of patients in hospital with swine flu who have been admitted to intensive care continues to rise in England, said the chief medical officer, Liam Donaldson, last week. No publisher JulietWalker news 2009-11-02T15:19:45Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/tom-nolan-on-what-every-doctor-should-know-about-the-swine-flu-vaccine The H1N1 vaccination programme is underway in the UK and many other countries across the globe. In Sweden a million people have already been vaccinated. No publisher JulietWalker bmj.com blog 2009-10-30T14:07:40Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/acceptability-of-a-h1n1-vaccination-during-pandemic-phase-of-influenza-a-h1n1-in-hong-kong-population-based-cross-sectional-survey The uptake of vaccination against influenza A/H1N1 by the general population of Hong Kong is unlikely to be high and would be sensitive to personal cost. Evidence about safety and efficacy is critical in determining the prevalence of uptake of vaccination. No publisher JulietWalker research 2009-10-28T09:01:49Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/best-practice-monograph-2009-influenza-a-h1n1-virus Best Practice, the online medical resource from the BMJ Evidence Centre has released a new, free access swine flu topic, providing detailed information on diagnosis, treatment and prevention. Recommendations are provided in an intuitive step-by-step format, and treatment information presented according to patient group, allowing fast navigation to the required information. No publisher BTwisselmann bestpractice monograph 2009-10-27T14:30:15Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/cases-of-swine-flu-in-england-almost-double-in-a-week The number of patients with swine flu who required intensive care rose to its highest level so far in the epidemic last week, with 99 patients being admitted compared with 63 at the end of July. No publisher JulietWalker news 2009-10-27T12:35:30Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/bmj-learning-module-swine-flu-vaccination-your-questions-answered-3 BMJ Learning users put questions to Professor David Salisbury (DH) and Dr Peter Holden (BMA) on swine flu vaccination. Recorded 14th October 2009. To take part in the next question and answer session, send your question to pandemic.podcast@bmjgroup.com No publisher Dominic Byrne bmj learning module 2009-10-26T17:10:03Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/news-h1n1-pandemic-flu-found-to-cause-viral-pneumonia-in-severe-cases-says-who The World Health Organization expressed heightened concern following the presentation of new evidence on clinical aspects of the H1N1 pandemic by experts from heavily affected countries ... No publisher BTwisselmann news 2009-10-20T11:23:04Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/news-h1n1-vaccination-begins-as-proportion-of-cases-in-hospital-admitted-to-intensive-care-rises The swine flu vaccination programme will begin on Wednesday 21 October, when the first vaccines are distributed to acute trusts for use in "very high risk" patients and healthcare professionals, the chief medical officer Liam Donaldson has announced. No publisher BTwisselmann news 2009-10-20T11:00:48Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/jech-letter-influenza-a-h1n1-pandemic-true-or-false-alarm M F Allam suggests it is time to send out a message of calm and safety to the general population, and to prepare for combating the next expected wave of influenza A (H1N1) Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 2009;63:862; doi:10.1136/jech.2009.094581 Copyright © 2009 by the BMJ Publishing Group Ltd. No publisher HMorant specialist journal article 2009-10-16T09:34:12Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/jech-editorial-influenza-a-h1n1-pandemic-true-or-false-alarm Dr Andrew Hayward discusses whether the World Health Organization (WHO) and mass media conclusions overestimated have exaggerated the problem of pandemic influenza. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 2009;63:775-776; doi:10.1136/jech.2009.096628 Copyright © 2009 by the BMJ Publishing Group Ltd. No publisher HMorant specialist journal article 2009-10-16T09:34:52Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/bmj-learning-module-swine-flu-epidemiology-your-questions-answered BMJ Learning users put questions to Professor John Edmunds and Dr Andrew Hayward on swine flu epidemiology. Recorded 12th October 2009. To take part in the next question and answer session, send your question to pandemic.podcast@bmjgroup.com No publisher HMorant bmj learning module 2009-10-15T18:13:40Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/who-will-start-delivering-h1n1-vaccine-to-100-poorer-nations-in-november About 100 low and middle income nations will start receiving the first deliveries of H1N1 flu vaccines donated by drug companies and governments as early as November, World Health Organization officials announced on 12 October. No publisher BTwisselmann news 2009-10-14T15:42:41Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/a-lucky-flu-break England’s chief medical officer Sir Liam Donaldson can sound gloomy and pessimistic but he sounded very upbeat in this week’s swine flu update... No publisher BTwisselmann bmj.com blog 2009-10-13T08:03:28Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/link.2009-10-09.0789319479 Evidence presented here points to influenza being a relatively rare cause of ILI and a relatively rare disease. No publisher Samantha.Barton clinical evidence editorial 2009-10-09T09:24:37Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/editorial-the-future-of-influenza-vaccines Vaccines may not be available in time, even in countries that have procured sufficient quantities. "To protect against seasonal and pandemic strains, vaccines and vaccine production need to improve," it concludes. No publisher DPayne 2009-10-08T10:11:52Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/research-partial-protection-of-seasonal-trivalent-inactivated-vaccine-against-novel-pandemic-influenza-a-h1n1-2009 The 2008-9 seasonal flu vaccine provides some protection against pandemic influenza A/H1N1 2009, particularly the most severe forms of the disease, but seasonal vaccine should not replace vaccination against it, according to this case-control study in Mexico City. No publisher DPayne research 2009-10-08T10:07:27Z Link http://pandemicflu.bmj.com/archive/podcast-vaccines-q-a BMJ Learning users put questions to Professor Lyndsey Davies, Dr Jane Zuckerman and Professor Vivienne Nathanson on the UK swine flu vaccination programme. Recorded 1st October 2009. To take part in the next question and answer session, send your question to pandemic.podcast@bmjgroup.com. No publisher HMorant podcast 2009-10-07T17:10:07Z Link