Guests will include Norman W. Baylor, Ph.D., director of the Office of Vaccines Research and Review at the Food and Drug Administration. Dr. Baylor is in charge of formulating next year’s flu vaccine. According to the FDA, the 2008-09 formulation will undergo the biggest change in several decades.
In the monthly edition of Sound Ethics, Lewis will begin a two-part series on the challenges of dealing with “neglected diseases.” The World Health Organization estimates that 10 million people die annually (mostly in developing countries) because they don’t have access to existing medicines and vaccines. Many more suffer from neglected diseases which are very rare or primarily afflict the poor, and are not deemed profitable enough to attract the research and development necessary to find and distribute a cure. Guests are Eric Meslin, Ph.D., director of the IU Center for Bioethics, and Alan Breier, M.D., chief medical officer for Eli Lilly & Co.
April is National Donate Life Month and Dave Undis, executive director of LifeSharers, will discuss the goal of nonprofit organization which is to increase the availability of donated organs by creating incentives for people to voluntarily be organ donors.
Robin L. Toblin of the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the Centers for Disease Control, will discuss a recent study showing that at least 82 youths have died as a result of playing what has been called “the choking game.” Toblin has specific tips for parents and teachers to help alert them to the dangerous game, which also is called the “pass-out game” or “space monkey.”
Today, there are more than 55,000 American centenarians and the over-85 age group, are the fastest-growing populations in the United States. Contrary to common logic, long life spans aren’t solely reserved for those in tip-top health, says one new study. NPR’s Allison Aubrey reports on findings that many very old people can reach the age of 100, despite chronic diseases.
Archived editions of Sound Medicine as well as other helpful information can be found at http://www.soundmedicine.iu.edu.
Sound Medicine is underwritten by the Lilly Center for Medical Science, Clarian Health, and IU Medical Group. Jeremy Shere’s “Check-Up” is underwritten by IUPUI.