September 2009

Fatal Occupational Injuries Decline 10 Percent in 2008

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has just released a slew of intriguing data pertaining to 2008 work-related deaths. Overall, the news is good, with a full 10 percent decrease in workplace fatalities when compared to 2007 figures. Furthermore, 2008 occupational deaths (5,071 in total) register as the smallest annual preliminary total for any year …

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FDA Outlines New Rules Intended to Improve Access to Experimental Drugs

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced two new rules related to experimental drug access. The goal of these rules is to clarify existing regulations and provide access of experimental drugs to a broader group of patients. Until now, the only clear way to access experimental drugs was to take part in a …

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Nanoparticles Linked to Lung Disease in Seven Chinese Workers

Seven female employees of a polyacrylic coating facility in Beijing, China have been diagnosed with severe lung disease. The root cause, as described in a case report published in the European Respiratory Journal, is inhaled nanoparticles present in the polystyrene boards that the women worked with on a daily basis. All seven women were admitted …

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Senate Introduces Bill to Amend Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid introduced a bill to amend the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act of 1970. The bill, marked as S. 1580 and backed by Senator Edward Kennedy, seeks to expand the power of OSHA. Major changes that would result from the bill’s approval include: An expansion of OSHA protection to public …

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Childhood Cancer Treatment Increases Risk for Diabetes

In a retrospective examination, researchers have determined that specific types of childhood cancer treatments result in elevated risks for developing diabetes later in life. Six American research hospitals, along with the University of Alberta in Canada, collaborated on the study, which looked at more than 8,500 cancer cases in which a cancer patient age 21 …

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