News

In brief

Health minister resigns over Iraq: Health minister Lord Hunt of Kings Heath resigned this week because he objected to military action against Iraq without a fresh United Nations mandate. His resignation followed that of cabinet minister Robin Cook, who quit on Monday.

Meningitis vaccine could provide long lasting immunity: A new meningitis vaccine developed by the Meningitis Vaccine Project, a partnership between the World Health Organization and the Programme for Appropriate Technology in Health, could begin clinical trials in 2004. It is hoped the meningococcal group A conjugate vaccine would provide long lasting protection and confer herd immunity to people in Africa. More detail is available at www.meningvax.org

Nuffield Council on Bioethics to consider research using animals: The Nuffield Council on Bioethics has announced a new working party to consider the ethics of research involving animals. A major focus of the working party, which is to be chaired by Baroness Perry of Southwark, pro-chancellor of the University of Surrey, will be the increasing use of genetically modified animals. See also www.nuffieldbioethics.org/home/index.asp

Canada to be hit hard by West Nile disease: Infectious diseases experts meeting in Quebec city warn that West Nile disease will hit Canada earlier and harder this spring. Last year Canada had more than 1000 cases and 12 deaths.

SIDS not caused by childhood vaccines: Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is not caused by the vaccines given to infants, says a report by the US Institute of Medicine's immunisation safety review committee (see www.iom.edu/IOM/IOMHome.nsf). But further research on the aetiology and pathology of the syndrome is needed. Similar conclusions were reached in a UK study (BMJ 2001;322: 822)[Abstract/Free Full Text].