Pink Bibles Recalled, Linked To Planned Parenthood Funding
Some pink Bibles, which were for sale in retail outlets since October 2011, have been recalled because it was discovered that part of their sales money went towards breast cancer screenings at Planned Parenthood, a US family planning organization which also provides abortions. The Southern Baptist Convention's publishing arm says it is recalling the Bibles. Commentators say the move will have no impact on abortions figures, but will hurt lower-income women who would have received free breast cancer screenings.
Findings Suggest That Severe Sepsis Can Lead To Impairment Of Immune System
An analysis of lung and spleen tissue from patients who died of sepsis revealed certain biochemical, cellular and histological findings that were consistent with immunosuppression, according to a study in the December 21 issue of JAMA. "Sepsis is responsible for more than 225, 000 deaths annually in the United States. Developing new therapies for sepsis has been particularly challenging, with more than 25 unsuccessful drug trials. Characterized by an initial intense inflammatory response or 'cytokine storm, ' patients with sepsis may present with fever, shock, altered mental status, and organ dysfunction, " according to background information in the article.
Hospital Worker Flu Vaccination Rate Increased By Strict Policy
A California hospital raised its employee influenza vaccination rate above 90 percent by shifting from a voluntary vaccination program to one mandating all healthcare workers either get vaccinated or wear a mask at work for the entire flu season (December through March). A five-year study of evolving flu vaccination programs at University of California Irvine Medical Center is published in the January 2012 issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America.