Health Highlights: April 24, 2008

"The suffering or death of even one child from a vaccine-preventable disease is an unnecessary human tragedy. Let us renew our efforts to ensure that no child, adolescent or adult will have to needlessly suffer from a vaccine-preventable disease," she said.

Schuchat said there are vaccines to protect children against 15 diseases before the age of 2, yet more than 20 percent of 2-year-olds in the United States aren't fully immunized against infectious diseases to which they're especially vulnerable.

While vaccinating infants is especially important because they're more vulnerable to many diseases than older children and adults, "it's important for adults to also be vaccinated to keep themselves healthy and to keep from spreading infections to vulnerable people, including children," Schuchat said.

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Senate to Vote on Genetic Information Bill

The U.S. Senate was to vote Thursday on a bill that would protect people from losing their jobs or health insurance if they have genetic testing to find out if they're predisposed to serious diseases.

Under the proposed legislation, insurance companies could not use genetic information to set premiums or determine eligibility, and employers would be prohibited from using genetic information to hire, fire or promote workers, theAssociated Pressreported.

It's expected the Senate will pass the measure by a large margin and the House of Representatives could take it up early next week, before sending it to President Bush for his signature. A similar bill approved last year had White House support.

While genetic testing could help patients with a wide range of hereditary-based diseases get early, lifesaving treatment, many people have expressed concern that genetic information could be used against them.

If patient protection is guaranteed by law, ""researchers and clinicians can actively encourage Americans to participate in clinical trials and appropriate genetic testing unencumbered by the fear of discrimination based upon the results," Aravinda Chakravarti, president of the American Society of Human Genetics, told theAP.

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New Law Strengthens Mad Cow Disease Safeguards