Vaccine for the 2011-12 flu season is now available, and health experts recommend that all of us get immunized for the fall and winter months that lie ahead. The recommendation, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), applies to everyone over six months of age.

Marked by its iconic swoosh, sportswear giant Nike announced plans to eliminate the release of allegedly hazardous chemicals from the production cycle of all products in its global supply chain by 2020. Apparently, the decision was spurred by the anti-business NGO Greenpeace, which is concerned that toxic chemicals are winding up in Chinese rivers upon being expelled from large manufacturing sites.

It seems that among men who undergo prostate removal, there is a disconnect between expectations and the reality of how severe the side effects of the surgery are. According to a study published in the Journal of Urology, many men are shocked by the level of dysfunction they experience after the operation, which commonly includes urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction.

Splish splash, be careful when you take that bath! A recent analysis published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report found that, each year, 235,000 people aged 15 and over end up in the ER due to a bathroom injury. In fact, over a third of injuries occured while bathing or showering, which, somewhat surprisingly, were most frequent among those aged 15 to 24.

Doctors typically prescribe statin medications to treat patients with high cholesterol; however, those with normal cholesterol levels may still be at risk of heart attack and stroke if they have elevated levels of coronary artery calcium (CAC).

And, from the Annals of What s Wrong with Outsourcing, a new study suggests that clinical trials conducted outside the U.S. may not be a reliable indication of a drug s efficacy for its intended American population. The study, just published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, found that beta blockers had no effect when tested on U.S.

A story in yesterday s New York Postturns attention to the increasingly popular electronic cigarette. These clean nicotine delivery devices are designed to mimic the look and feel of conventional cigarettes without delivering any of the carcinogenic by-products of combustion and they re catching on with smokers who would like to quit.

Two distinct efforts to combat increasing U.S. drug shortages are in the works. Recently, a bipartisan group of senators has introduced a bill that calls for drug manufacturers to alert the FDA to any impending shortages, which would then theoretically allow the agency to begin seeking alternatives.

Drug shortages, as ACSH s Dr. Bloom explained in a recent op-ed, are a serious and growing problem in the U.S. As he points out, these shortages consist largely of pharmaceutical staples: saline solution, antibiotics, sedatives, epinephrine and morphine supplies found in every emergency room.

After first learning of the adverse health outcomes associated with early elective Cesarean sections, we were pleased to hear that some OBGYNS put their foot down on such procedures.