News and Features Related to Cold & Flu

1. New Bird Flu Vaccine a Shot of Hope
   

   June 11, 2008 -- A new, faster-to-make type of flu vaccine may protect against multiple bird flu strains, early studies in humans suggest. Two shots of the new vaccine are given three weeks apart. The most effective dose of the vaccine elicited supposedly protective levels of antibodies in 76% of vo

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2. Flu Vaccine Worst in 10 Years
   

   April 17, 2008 -- This year's flu shot was only 44% effective, a new study suggests -- the least effective flu vaccine in a decade. The findings come from a study of 616 Wisconsin residents who came down with flu-like illnesses during the peak of the flu season. Study findings appear in today's issu

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3. New Warnings for Flu Drug Relenza
   

   April 2, 2008 -- The flu drug Relenza has new warnings about reported neurologic and psychiatric problems that could lead to self-injury and, in some cases, death. Those problems -- which include delirium and abnormal behavior -- "appear to be uncommon but may result in accidental injury to the pati

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4. Antibiotics No Help for Sinus Cold
   

   March 13, 2008 -- Even after suffering 10 days with a head cold, antibiotics won't help your stuffy sinuses get better. Antibiotics don't help virus infections, the cause of most head colds. But after an adult patient has suffered stuffy sinuses for a week to 10 days, most doctors offer antibiotic t

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5. Cold Remedy Airborne Settles Lawsuit
   

   March 4, 2008 -- If you bought Airborne, the popular herbal and vitamin formula originally touted as a cold preventive, you're due for a refund. The makers of Airborne have agreed to refund money to consumers as part of a $23.3 million settlement of a class-action lawsuit for false advertising. It d

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6. Stronger Psychiatric Warning on Tamiflu
   

   March 4, 2008 -- The FDA today announced that the flu drug Tamiflu now has a stronger warning about rare reports of delirium and abnormal behavior leading to self-injury, and, in some cases, death. Tamifu's label continues to stress the importance of watching flu patients for signs of unusual behavi

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7. Why Flu Virus Thrives in Winter
   

   March 3, 2008 -- Scientists may have found a chink in the armor of the flu virus. Their discovery may lead to new flu treatments. Researchers today reported that in winter, even the flu virus wears a coat, and it's a coat that helps the virus spread through the air. Tinkering with that coat might di

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8. Panel: All Kids Should Get Flu Vaccine
   

   Feb. 27, 2008 -- Every child aged 6 months to 18 years should get a yearly flu vaccine, the CDC's immunization advisory panel said today. What's more, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) panel sent a strong signal that it is ready to recommend annual flu vaccination for everyone.

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9. Flu Shot Failure? Questions & Answers
   

   The CDC reports this year's flu shot may not protect against a strain of influenza that's hitting the U.S. Q. Does this mean the flu shot is useless? Not at all. Although this year's flu vaccine doesn't match two of the three main types of flu strains now in circulation, people who did get a flu sho

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10. Panel: Overhaul Next Year's Flu Vaccine
    

    Feb. 22, 2008 -- A government scientific advisory board recommended for the first time this week a complete overhaul of the makeup of the flu vaccine for next year. The move would replace all three flu virus strains in this year's vaccine with three new strains for next year. The shift could complic

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