AUSTRALIA: Gardasil vaccine fears baseless, says audit (article may require login)

The report, published on the Therapeutic Goods Administration's website, says: "No safety concern in females or males was identified. The types and reporting rates of (adverse events) for males and females were consistent with information on these adverse events in the Gardasil Product Information and reported in clinical trials.

"Overall, the results from the first year of enhanced surveillance of acute adverse events following HPV vaccination in schools affirm the positive benefit-risk profile of HPV vaccination."

The Australian, June 8, 2015

For young gay and bisexual men, the risk of HIV infection is linked with societal issues, a new study says.

 "What we're starting to say here, if you're black and Hispanic you're more likely to become HIV positive, but really this is driven by you're low income, you live in a poor neighborhood or you live in a neighborhood with higher HIV prevalence," said lead author Perry Halkitis of New York University.

All 11- and 12-year-old children should receive HPV vaccine as part of the adolescent immunization platform.

AAP News, 2015

As more and more parents choose to skip vaccinations for their children, public health professionals and researchers have been looking at new ways to ease the concerns of parents who are hesitant.But that turns out to be tough to do. Studies have found that simply educating parents about the safety and efficacy of vaccines doesn't increase the likelihood that they will get children vaccinated. Since numerous studies show that doctors are the most trusted communicators of information about vaccines, the Group Health Research Institute in Seattle wanted to see if it would help to train doctors and other providers on how they communicate with mothers hesitant about vaccines.

NPR, June 1, 2015

A new study links a commonly used household pesticide with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and young teens.The study found an association between pyrethroid pesticide exposure and ADHD, particularly in terms of hyperactivity and impulsivity, rather than inattentiveness. The association was stronger in boys than in girls.

By law, all primary school students in the Netherlands must receive some form of sexuality education. The system allows for flexibility in how it's taught. But it must address certain core principles - among them, sexual diversity and sexual assertiveness. That means encouraging respect for all sexual preferences and helping students develop skills to protect against sexual coercion, intimidation and abuse. The underlying principle is straightforward: Sexual development is a normal process that all young people experience, and they have the right to frank, trustworthy information on the subject.

NPR, May 27, 2015

Researchers find men who were overweight or obese when they were 16-20 are more likely to develop disease in their 50s.

The Guardian, May 25, 2015

Suicide Rates Doubled Among African-American Children Ages 5 To 11 Since 1993

 Researchers have found that rates of suicide among African-American children, specifically boys, have doubled since 1993, surpassing for the first time the rates among white children which dropped over the same period. The study published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics Tuesday, was based on data obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which gives a breakdown of causes of death in 657 cases of suicide among children ages five to 11 between 1993 and 2012, 84 percent of whom were boys.

inquisitr.com, May 23, 2015