Swine flu vaccine has been delayed even more than U.S. officials expected. Only 13 million doses were available this week, compared with the last forecast of 45 million. Also this week, health experts said U.S. officials should recommend Cervarix as a routine vaccine for girls to prevent cervical cancer. It's the second vaccine approved for this purpose. Other government news this week came from the National Transportation Safety Board. The agency said sleep apnea is a transport hazard. It called for testing of ship pilots and bus and truck drivers. Finally, researchers said this week that most people in the hospital with heart failure don't get one drug that could help them. Spironolactone, a water pill, helps to keep people with heart failure out of the hospital.
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Swine Flu Vaccine Delayed Even More
Fewer than 13 million doses of H1N1 (swine) flu vaccine were available in the United States this week. That's way below the 120 million first expected by now. It's also much lower than even the revised forecast of 45 million doses by mid-October. Delays are occurring for several reasons, the Associated Press said. First, there's the time-consuming method of growing the virus for vaccine in chicken eggs. This has been used for many years for seasonal flu vaccine. But swine flu didn't grow as well in the eggs. Factories also were backed up from producing swine flu and seasonal flu vaccines at the same time. Factories that put the vaccine into syringes also had delays. Testing of the batches also was held up. The government now predicts that 150 million doses will be available by mid-December.

Many Don't Get Preferred Heart Failure Drug
Most people in the hospital for heart failure don't get sent home with a drug that could prevent a return visit, says a study released this week. The drug is spironolactone, a water pill. This drug helps to prevent fluid buildup in the lungs, blood and elsewhere in people with heart failure. It has been shown to reduce hospital stays and deaths. But it also can be dangerous in some people, such as those with kidney problems. The study included 201 hospitals, the Associated Press said. More than 12,500 patients were eligible to receive spironolactone. But only about one-third received the pills. Guidelines for doctors have recommended this drug for heart failure since 2005. The study appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Advisers Recommend Cervarix as Routine Vaccine
A panel of experts this week endorsed a new vaccine to protect girls and women against cervical cancer. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decided last week to license the vaccine, Cervarix. It is the second vaccine of its type. Gardasil was approved in 2006. Both vaccines prevent infection with types of human papilloma virus that cause about 7 out of 10 cervical cancers. Gardasil also prevents genital warts. The vote this week provides advice to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC already recommends Gardasil as a routine vaccination for girls. It will decide whether to recommend Cervarix as another option. The expert group decided not to recommend that boys get the vaccine, too. Last week, the FDA approved use of Gardasil to prevent genital warts in boys.

Sleep Apnea Called Transportation Safety Issue
Truck and bus drivers and merchant ship pilots should be tested for sleep apnea, a U.S. agency said this week. The National Transportation Safety Board proposed the new rule. The Associated Press wrote about the proposal. The safety board sent its advice in letters to agencies that regulate trucks, buses and ships. The board said sleep apnea tests can help prevent accidents. It cited several examples of fatal accidents caused by drivers or pilots who had sleep apnea. The condition affects the quality of sleep. It can make people drowsy in the daytime. Earlier this year, the safety board endorsed sleep apnea tests for airline pilots and train operators.

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