Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release December 21, 2004 EXECUTIVE ORDER – – – – – – – UNITED STATES-MEXICO BORDER HEALTH COMMISSION By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 1 of the International Organizations Immunities Act (22 U.S.C. 288) (the “Act”), and having found that the United States participates in the United States-Mexico Border Health Commission (USMBHC) pursuant to the United-States Mexico…

A CDC report published in today’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report says that approximately 5,800 Americans will end up in the ED this holiday season to be treated for falls that occur while hanging holiday ornaments and decorating Christmas trees. The CDC estimates that “decorating-related injuries” account for approximately 1% of the 1.9 million injuries caused by falling between Nov. 1 and Jan. 31 of each year and that, during the past three holiday seasons, there have been approximately 17,465…

For Immediate Release The three AIDS Education and Training Centers serving the US/Mexico border region announced today the launch of www.aetcBorderHealth.org, a new online resource directory that provides information on HIV/AIDS resources in the U.S./Mexico border region. Hardcopies of the directory will also be available to the HRSA (Health Resources and Services Administration) grantees attending the “Moving Forward Together on the Border” summit December 1-3 in Dallas, Texas. AETCs are the training arm of the HRSA Ryan White Care Act…

By Howard Fischer CAPITOL MEDIA SERVICES PHOENIX – Gov. Janet Napolitano refused Wednesday to formally proclaim voter approval of Proposition 200, a move that will further delay use of the initiative’s voting provisions. Napolitano said she decided not to act after a federal judge in Tucson on Tuesday blocked implementation of the new law pending a Dec. 22 hearing. The governor said that if Judge David Bury lifts his restraining order, she is prepared to sign the papers. Napolitano’s move…

By Howard Fischer CAPITOL MEDIA SERVICES TUCSON — A federal judge blocked the state Tuesday from implementing Proposition 200, at least for the next three weeks. Judge David Bury granted a temporary restraining order after lawyers hired by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund argued that people will be harmed if the voter-approved initiative is allowed to take effect. Attorney Hector Villagra said individuals are likely to be denied benefits to which they are legally entitled. Villagra said…

National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month, 2004 As a Nation, we have made great strides in reducing the deadly cost of impaired driving, but driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs still shatters too many lives and robs too many people of their potential. During National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month, we continue our work to end impaired driving and urge all Americans to be responsible and safe drivers this holiday season and throughout the year. My…

Application Deadline: Feb 1, 2005 This program offers leadership development for nurses who have senior executive roles in health services, public health, and nursing education and who aspire to help shape the U.S. health care system of the future. The three-year fellowships offer participants the experiences, insights, competencies, and skills necessary for executive leadership positions in a health care system undergoing unprecedented change. Applications for this program must be submitted online Website: Documentation in PDF format.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today announced that the distribution of some 7.2 million doses of the nation’s remaining supply of flu vaccine will be determined by the states’ health departments. Since early October when a vaccine shortage was announced, CDC and vaccine manufacturer Aventis Pasteur had been shipping vaccine based primarily on estimates of high-risk populations in each state. Officials say the new process will allow more specific information about local needs to be applied…

The purpose of this APS is to disseminate information about USAID/Mexico’s new border health program and to publicize Mission procedures for review, evaluation and award of competitive grant proposals. USAID seeks to provide limited funding for organizational alliances in the United States and Mexico and their private and public sector partners to combine expertise and resources to meet specific health sector challenges in the border region.

Experts say the current U.S. flu vaccine shortage “highlights the weaknesses in the international system for regulating medicines,” particularly as more multinational drug companies are producing their medications overseas, the Wall Street Journal reports. According to the FDA, the “rising number of factories to police all over the globe” make it much harder for the agency to inspect all of the manufacturing sites regularly; in 2000, nearly 80% of the ingredients found in U.S. medications were produced abroad. Although the…