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Health Regulations (health + regulation)
Selected AbstractsNational pandemic influenza preparedness planningINFLUENZA AND OTHER RESPIRATORY VIRUSES, Issue 4 2009Eduardo Azziz-Baumgartner Abstract, The recent outbreaks of influenza A/H5N1 and ,swine influenza' A/H1N1 have caused global concern over the potential for a new influenza pandemic. Although it is impossible to predict when the next pandemic will occur, appropriate planning is still needed to maximize efficient use of resources and to minimize loss of life and productivity. Many tools now exist to assist countries in evaluating their plans but there is little to aid in writing of the plans. This study discusses the process of drafting a pandemic influenza preparedness plan for developing countries that conforms to the International Health Regulations of 2005 and recommendations of the World Health Organization. Stakeholders from many sectors should be involved in drafting a comprehensive pandemic influenza plan that addresses all levels of preparedness. [source] Law, ethics and pandemic preparedness: the importance of cross-jurisdictional and cross-cultural perspectivesAUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Issue 2 2010Belinda Bennett Abstract Objective: To explore social equity, health planning, regulatory and ethical dilemmas in responding to a pandemic influenza (H5N1) outbreak, and the adequacy of protocols and standards such as the International Health Regulations (2005). Approach: This paper analyses the role of legal and ethical considerations for pandemic preparedness, including an exploration of the relevance of cross-jurisdictional and cross-cultural perspectives in assessing the validity of goals for harmonisation of laws and policies both within and between nations. Australian and international experience is reviewed in various areas, including distribution of vaccines during a pandemic, the distribution of authority between national and local levels of government, and global and regional equity issues for poorer countries. Conclusion: This paper finds that questions such as those of distributional justice (resource allocation) and regulatory frameworks raise important issues about the cultural and ethical acceptability of planning measures. Serious doubt is cast on a ,one size fits all' approach to international planning for managing a pandemic. It is concluded that a more nuanced approach than that contained in international guidelines may be required if an effective response is to be constructed internationally. Implications: The paper commends the wisdom of reliance on ,soft law', international guidance that leaves plenty of room for each nation to construct its response in conformity with its own cultural and value requirements. [source] Impact of implementing the washington state ergonomics rule on employer reported risk factors and hazard reduction activityAMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 1 2009Michael Foley MA Abstract Background In Washington State an ergonomics rule was adopted in 2000 that focused on primary prevention. The implementation process followed a 6-year phase-in schedule where employers came into compliance based upon their size and industry. In late 2003 the rule was repealed by an industry-funded voter initiative. Evaluating the implementation of this rule offers a unique opportunity to observe the general deterrent effect of a new public health regulation and to study how employers and workers responded to new requirements. Methods Weighted survey regression methods were used to analyze the results from three employer surveys covering more than 5,000 workplaces administered in 2001, 2003, and 2005. These were compared to a baseline employer survey conducted in 1998 before the rule was promulgated. Questions covered the following topics: WMSDs experienced at the workplace; levels of employee exposure to musculoskeletal hazards; steps being taken, if any, to address these hazards; results of these steps; and sources of ergonomic information/assistance used. Results From 1998 to 2003 there was a reduction in reported exposures among workplaces in the highest hazard industries. Following the rule's repeal, however, hazard exposures increased. While more workplaces reported taking steps to reduce exposures between 1998 and 2001, this gain was reversed in 2003 and 2005. Employers who took steps reported positive results in injury and absenteeism reduction. Large workplaces in the high hazard industries were more active in taking steps and used a wide variety of resources to address ergonomics issues. Small employers relied more on trade associations and the state. Am. J. Ind. Med. 52:1,16, 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Evaluation of a rapid diagnostic field test kit for identification of Phytophthora species, including P. ramorum and P. kernoviae at the point of inspectionPLANT PATHOLOGY, Issue 5 2007C. R. Lane Plant health regulations to prevent the introduction and spread of Phytophthora ramorum and P. kernoviae require rapid, cost effective diagnostic methods for screening large numbers of plant samples at the time of inspection. Current on-site techniques require expensive equipment, considerable expertise and are not suited for plant health inspectors. Therefore, an extensive evaluation of a commercially available lateral flow device (LFD) for Phytophthora species was performed involving four separate trials and 634 samples. The assay proved simple to use, provided results in a few minutes and on every occasion a control line reacted positively confirming the validity of the test. LFD results were compared with those from testing a parallel sample, using laboratory methods (isolation and real-time PCR). The diagnostic sensitivity of the LFD (87·6%) compared favourably with the standard laboratory methods although the diagnostic specificity was not as stringent (82·9%). There were a small number (n = 28) of false negatives, but for statutory purposes where all positive samples must be identified to species level by laboratory testing, overall efficiency was 95·6% as compared with visual assessment of symptoms of between 20-30% for P. ramorum and P. kernoviae. This work demonstrates the value of the LFD for diagnosing Phytophthora species at the time of inspection and as a useful primary screen for selecting samples for laboratory testing to determine the species identification. [source] EFFECT OF RE-STERILIZATION OF SURGICAL SUTURES BY ETHYLENE OXIDEANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 1-2 2007Prem Anand Nagaraja Background: Surgical suture packs are opened (and external packaging removed) on the operating table prior to surgery. Some of these suture packs may not be used in the surgery for reasons of inappropriateness or change in the surgical technique or following accidental contact with a non-sterile surface. These unused sutures with their foil packs still unopened are sometimes re-sterilized using ethylene oxide to allow for reuse. This re-sterilization of unopened suture packs can be contentious, due to legislation and health regulations in developed countries. The purpose of the present paper was to measure the effect of such repeated gas sterilization on sutures. Methods: The knot tensile strength was measured for new sterile sutures and ethylene oxide re-sterilized sutures. The tests were conducted on two available brands of sutures, including both absorbable and non-absorbable synthetic sutures. Results: No statistically significant difference was observed in the tensile strengths between the two sets of sutures, before and after re-sterilization. Some foil packs showed slight crimping after re-sterilization, but remained intact. No humidity was observed inside the foil packs. Conclusions: Re-sterilization of unused suture foil packs can be carried out without loss of tensile strength. [source] No demonstrable association between the Leningrad,Zagreb mumps vaccine strain and aseptic meningitis in a large clinical trial in EgyptCLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION, Issue 4 2010H. J. Sharma Clin Microbiol Infect 2010; 16: 347,352 Abstract To address the claim that the Leningrad,Zagreb (L-Z) mumps vaccine strain is causally associated with aseptic meningitis, a prospective, post-marketing safety study was conducted with a measles-mumps-rubella vaccine (MMR) (TRESIVAC®; Serum Institute of India Ltd., Pune, India), which uses the L-Z strain as its mumps component in Egypt. In all, 453 119 children (65 423 children aged 16,24 months and 329 211 children aged 5,7 years) received MMR. The control groups which, as a result of local health regulations, were slightly younger than vaccinees, comprised 12 253 and 46 232 children, respectively. Using questionnaires, the parents recorded solicited local, systemic and neurological adverse events for up to 42 days post-vaccination. All data were analysed externally on an intention-to-treat basis by individuals not participating in the study. Local and/or systemic reactions were reported in a small percentage of participants, with pain, fever and parotitis being the most common signs among vaccinees in both age groups. No case of aseptic meningitis, encephalitis, anaphylaxis or convulsions was observed in any participant. Thus, in this series of more than 450 000 Egyptian children, the L-Z mumps vaccine strain in this vaccine did not cause aseptic meningitis. The vaccine is considerably cheaper than Western competitors and a valid alternative to other MMR vaccines. [source] | ||||||||||