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New Scientist has a neat little timeline of H1N1 flu:

1889

Prior to 1889, the main flu virus circulating in humans has been from the H1 family. But this year, a new strain of H2 flu emerges in Russia and spreads around the world, killing about 1 million people. Afterwards, H2 replaces H1 in humans. Such replacements seem to be a regular feature of flu pandemics.

People born before 1889, who have been exposed to H1 flu, have some immunity to it. This affords them some protection in the deadly H1N1 epidemic of 1918. Those born after 1889 do not have any immunity to H1.

1918

The “Spanish flu” epidemic of 1918 kills at least 50 million people worldwide. It is caused by an H1N1 virus which evolves directly from a bird flu into a human flu.

After a mild wave of infections in the summer, the epidemic goes global: one-third of the population eventually get sick. Although most cases are mild, many sufferers develop a rapidly fatal infection deep in their lungs. People born before 1889 are less susceptible, thanks to their previous exposure to H1N1.

Most deaths are caused by bacterial lung infections that move in after the virus. Modern antibiotics might mean that a re-run of the 1918 pandemic would be less dangerous.

After 1919, the descendants of the H1N1 virus continue to circulate and cause seasonal flu outbreaks in humans – and pigs.

(via BoingBoing)

Great article by Steven Novella on H1N1 – the flu, the vaccine, and safety fears. I quote his conclusion below – but read the whole article – as usually his statements are well supported:

While there is uncertainty and reasonable concerns regarding the flu vaccine, and more research is welcome, current evidence is sufficient to recommend that the vaccine is safe and effective. The bottom line with any medical intervention is risk vs benefit. The benefit of the H1N1 vaccine far outweighs the minimal risk.

Further, the more people who get the vaccine the more effective it will be. At this rate, we are unlikely to achieve herd immunity, but everyone who gets vaccinated will not only provide themselves with a level of protection, but will also protect those around them.

It is still too early to tell how severe the H1N1 pandemic will be, but at least it will result in a bad flu season. It is also clear at this point that the pandemic will be significantly worsened by fear-mongering against the most effective defense we have against the flu – the vaccine.

There is a body count attached to this unreasonable fear, justifying FDR’s famous words.

Here’s a good, average Joe friendly article on critically reading articles on health & healthcare. [a href='http://dancingsamurai.ca/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/HowToReadANewsStory_vers03_26Nov08.pdf'>Local cache] It’s all old hat to us McMaster Evidence-Based medicine folks, but a great overview with some humour thrown in:

If you’ve just read a health-related headline that’s caused you to spit out your morning coffee (“Coffee causes cancer” usually does the trick) it’s always best to follow the Blitz slogan: “Keep Calm and Carry On”. On reading further you’ll often find the headline has left out something important, like “Injecting five rats with really highly concentrated coffee solution caused some changes in cells that might lead to tumours eventually. (Study funded by The Association of Tea Marketing)”.

(via BoingBoing)

At least, that’s one interpretation of comments made by Dr. Reid Blackwelder:

U.S. adults are spending almost $34 billion a year on complementary and alternative medicine, or CAM, products and therapies, as well as on visits to CAM practitioners. And that popularity can translate into extra dollars for family physicians, says one FP.

[...]

“In many ways, the physician-patient encounter creates a suggestible moment similar to what is done in a hypnosis session,” said Blackwelder. “Use that power!”

Family physicians can build in discussions of CAM during face-to-face office visits for specific complaints, he said, by suggesting, for example, nasal irrigation for allergies and respiratory problems; yoga relaxation breathing for insomnia and anxiety; yin yoga for back, hip and flexibility problems; journaling for grief, depression, rheumatoid arthritis and asthma; and meditation and prayer for hypertension, stress and depression.

The article mentions many proven therapies many of us are already recommending (e.g. nasal irrigation), but many ‘therapies’ discussed actually have lots of evidence saying they are not effective.

More comments at Respectful Insolence and Science Based Medicine.

Well, still cleaning up my hard drive… and found something else funny…

One of the my classmates back at medical school sent these out at the end of our pre-clerkship days… he’d been taking notes about all the funny things our crazy professors said during lectures. Ahh… brings back memories.

(more…)

Matt Taibbi on the US Health Care crisis:

The system doesn’t work for anyone. It cheats patients and leaves them to die, denies insurance to 47 million Americans, forces hospitals to spend billions haggling over claims, and systematically bleeds and harasses doctors with the specter of catastrophic litigation. Even as a mechanism for delivering bonuses to insurance-company fat cats, it’s a miserable failure: Greedy insurance bosses who spent a generation denying preventive care to patients now see their profits sapped by millions of customers who enter the system only when they’re sick with incurably expensive illnesses.The cost of all of this to society, in illness and death and lost productivity and a soaring federal deficit and plain old anxiety and anger, is incalculable — and that’s the good news. The bad news is our failed health care system won’t get fixed, because it exists entirely within the confines of yet another failed system: the political entity known as the United States of America.

via Dawg’s Blog.

Well, the blogosphere is abuzz with criticism of the University of Toronto and SickKids for supporting the Autism One / Autism Canada conference – which appears to be loaded with people promoting dubious if not dangerous treatments like homeopathy, and who have a history of blaming autism on vaccines.  Some relevant articles:

• University of Toronto embraces Autism Quackery
• Autism Quackery at the University of Toronto? Say it ain’t so!, followed by SickKidsFoundation supports woo
• Charities, Stakeholders, and Guilt by Association

… even when there shouldn’t be.

I laughed so hard at this, I just had to share (via Shadowfax):

Similarly funny, if a more serious topic, is this great video – homeopathy vs real science (same source):

Choice quotes
“I’m sorry… ‘herbal medicine’ has been around for thousands of years… and indeed it has! And then we tested it all, and the stuff that worked became ‘medicine’. The rest of it is just a nice bowl of soup and potpourri, so knock yourself out!”