U.S. Government News

Remembering Dad: Father�s Day: June 18

Fri, 28 Apr 2006 06:14:00 PST

Nearly 95 million estimated number of Father�s Day cards were given last year in the United States, making Father�s Day the fourth-largest card-sending occasion. (Source: Hallmark research)

HHS to Make Available Federal Surplus Property for Supportive Housing to Assist the Homeless

Fri, 27 Jan 2006 07:56:00 PST

HHS Deputy Secretary Alex Azar today announced that local governments and community groups will soon be able to use federal surplus property for permanent, supportive housing. This housing is to be provided in conjunction with other services that address mental and physical disabilities, substance use problems, and co-occurring mental and substance use disorders of individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness.

Mice Studies Illustrate Potential of Chimp/Human Antibodies to Protect Against Smallpox

Tue, 24 Jan 2006 07:53:00 PST

Results from a new study performed in mice indicate that hybrid laboratory antibodies derived from chimpanzees and humans may provide a potentially safe and effective way to treat the serious complications that can occur following smallpox vaccination � and possibly may even protect against the deadly disease itself.

New Checklist Helps Faith-Based and Community Organizations Prepare for an Influenza Pandemic

Thu, 12 Jan 2006 22:10:00 PST

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt today announced the release of the �Faith-Based and Community Organizations Pandemic Influenza Checklist.� This tool provides guidance for religious organizations, social service agencies that are faith-based and community organizations to plan for the impact of a pandemic on their organization and mission.

HHS Releases Pandemic Influenza Plan

Thu, 03 Nov 2005 08:19:00 PST

Plan Provides Guidance to Prepare Nation�s Health Care System for a Pandemic

HHS Secretary Leavitt Unveils National PSA Campaign at Underage Drinking Prevention Summit in Washington, D.C.

Tue, 01 Nov 2005 06:20:00 PST

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in partnership with the Ad Council, today launched a national public service advertising (PSA) campaign designed to prevent underage drinking. The campaign aims to encourage parents to speak to their children about alcohol in an effort to prevent and reduce underage drinking.

HHS Approves Tennessee Child Welfare Waiver

Sat, 15 Oct 2005 15:50:00 PST

HHS Approves Tennessee Child Welfare Waiver - Initiative to Help Youth Live in Permanent, Stable Homes

ACF Awards $200M in Welfare Bonuses

Thu, 13 Oct 2005 06:42:00 PST

WASHINGTON, D.C. --- The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced $200 million in High Performance Bonuses from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. The awards to 41 states and the District of Columbia are for transitioning welfare recipients to work and for job retention, increased earnings or meeting other goals of welfare reform.

ACF Awards $75M for Reduction in Out-of-Wedlock Births

Thu, 13 Oct 2005 06:40:00 PST

WASHINGTON, D.C. --- The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced the awarding of $25 million bonuses each to New York, Utah and the District of Columbia for achieving significant decreases in out-of-wedlock births.

Cold Treatment Protects Against Infant Disability and Death From Oxygen Loss

Thu, 13 Oct 2005 05:54:00 PST

Life-saving Information on Stroke Easily Accessible at NIHSeniorHealth

Mon, 19 Sep 2005 17:22:00 PST

Each year, more than 700,000 strokes occur in the United States, nearly three-quarters of them in people over age 65. Because the risk of stroke more than doubles each decade after age 55, it is especially important for older Americans to know stroke�s warning signs and act quickly.

Researchers Discover How Malaria Parasite Disperses From Red Blood Cells

Mon, 19 Sep 2005 17:18:00 PST

Researchers at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development have determined the sequence in which the malaria parasite disperses from the red blood cells it infects. The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development is one of the National Institutes of Health.

Contraception For Women Aged Over 40 Years � U.S. Recommended Guidelines

Mon, 05 Sep 2005 10:03:00 PST

Recommended contraception for sexually active women aged over 40 years.

Teens' Driving Riskier with Male Teen Passenger, Teen Boy's Driving Safer with Female Teen Passenger

Sun, 28 Aug 2005 07:11:00 PST

Teenage drivers�both males and females�were more likely to tailgate and exceed the speed limit if there was a teenage male passenger in the front seat, according to a study by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health.

Survey Uncovers Surprising Attitudes Towards HIV Vaccine Research

Mon, 08 Aug 2005 06:56:00 PST

A survey of U.S. adults has found that a majority believe that HIV vaccines are the best hope for controlling the global AIDS epidemic and are confident such vaccines can be made. But while most of those surveyed felt it personally important to help support HIV vaccine research, a majority expressed reluctance to support a friend or family member�s participation in an HIV vaccine clinical trial.

New Research on Topical Vaginal Microbicides For Women may help Reduce the Spread of HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Infections

Thu, 04 Aug 2005 08:39:00 PST

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, today announced an agreement with the International Partnership for Microbicides (IPM) to share information and expertise in an effort to develop vaginal microbicides, which are creams, gels or other substances that can be applied topically and may reduce the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

More Than Half the U.S. Population is Sensitive to One or More Allergens

Thu, 04 Aug 2005 07:24:00 PST

More than fifty percent of the U.S. population tested positive to one or more allergens, according to a large national study. The new findings, based on data from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), shows that 54.3% of individuals aged 6-59 years old had a positive skin test response to at least one of the 10 allergens tested. The highest prevalence rates were for dust mite, rye, ragweed, and cockroach, with about 25% of the population testing positive to each allergen. Peanut allergy was the least common, with 9% of the population reacting positively to that food allergen.

New Study Find Links Consumption Of Alcohol With Increased Risk Of Cancer

Wed, 03 Aug 2005 07:44:00 PST

Drinking alcoholic beverages has been linked to an increased risk of upper gastrointestinal cancer and other types of cancer. Researchers looking for the potential biochemical basis for this link have focused on acetaldehyde, a suspected carcinogen formed as the body metabolizes alcohol. In the journal Nucleic Acids Research (vol. 33, num. 11), scientists from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) report that polyamines � natural compounds essential for cell growth � react with acetaldehyde to trigger a series of reactions that damage DNA, an event that can lead to the formation of cancer

Parents Report Estimated 2.7 Million Children with Emotional and Behavioral Problems

Fri, 22 Jul 2005 12:45:00 PST

A special feature in the report, America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being 2005 shows that nearly 5 percent�or an estimated 2.7 million children�are reported by their parents to suffer from definite or severe emotional or behavioral difficulties, problems that may interfere with their family life, their ability to learn, and their formation of friendships. These difficulties may persist throughout a child's development and lead to lifelong disability, including more serious illness, more difficult to treat illness, and co-occurring mental illnesses.

New Discovery May Help Doctors Treat Infertility

Thu, 21 Jul 2005 08:10:00 PST

New research suggests that medications commonly referred to as fertility drugs may be ineffective for women who lack a gene called the estrogen receptor beta. The study showed that fertility drugs did not improve ovulation rates in mice that were genetically engineered to lack estrogen receptor beta.