Nov 4th, 2008 · Public health experts pushing flu vaccinations are always looking for crowds of people. They've found them today at polling places. There has been an effort to give voters the chance to go home with something extra — a sore arm and protection against influenza.
Oct 17th, 2008 · The Internet has made it possible for everyday people to have endless information at their fingertips. From celebrities weighing in on child vaccinations to science fiction authors disputing climate change studies, what happens to science when the line between expert and non-expert becomes fuzzy?
Sep 18th, 2008 · As of late 2007, just a fifth of U.S. girls under the age of 18 had gotten HPV shots, a vaccine that can protect against strains of the human papillomavirus that can cause cervical cancer. Experts blame the delay on questions of sexual activity — and a mistrust of vaccines.
Aug 29th, 2008 · State and local governments across the country are requiring a growing list of vaccinations for children entering school. Public health advocates say that the vaccines are well-tested and serve a vital role in preventing disease outbreaks, but some parents still have concerns.
Aug 22nd, 2008 · Decades after measles was officially declared eliminated from the United States, cases are now on the rise. In large part, that's due to an increase in the numbers of parents who choose not to have their children vaccinated for religious or philosophical reasons. CDC officials have released new numbers showing the number of cases of measles in the first seven months of this year is more than three times as many cases as was reported in all of 2007.
Aug 10th, 2008 · The 2001 anthrax attacks led to a huge, expensive clean-up effort and sparked a brand new industry called "biodefense." NPR's David Kestenbaum and Andrea Seabrook talk about how monitoring, vaccination, and other costly biosecurity programs have borne limited results.
Aug 3rd, 2008 · Dr. Bruce Ivins, who committed suicide last week, spent his career studying anthrax vaccines. Prosecutors believe he killed five people by sending anthrax through the mail in 2001. But how was someone who reportedly had a history of making homicidal threats allowed access to anthrax?
Aug 2nd, 2008 · When Dr. Bruce Ivins was hired 30 years ago to study anthrax vaccines at the Army's Institute of Infectious Diseases in Fort Detrick, Maryland, he didn't need security clearance.