News @ a glance
===============


![Figure1](http://www.cmaj.ca/https://www.cmaj.ca/content/cmaj/173/6/586.2/F1.medium.gif)

[Figure1](http://www.cmaj.ca/content/173/6/586.2/F1)

Figure. Photo by: US Peace Corp

**HIV jump:** More than 6 million of South Africa's 40 million citizens may be infected with HIV, up from previous estimates of 4.5 million, states the country's health department. India has the second highest overall number of people living with the disease. An estimated 5.1 million Indian people — 38% of them women — live with HIV, an increase of 500 000 from 2002. In the US, the number of people living with HIV surpassed 1 million for the first time in June, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The infection is more prevalent among men, at 74%. In Canada, 56 523 positive HIV tests were reported to the Centre for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control between November 1985 and June 2004. The annual number of reports has increased from 2112 in 2000 to 2499 in 2004.

**Avian flu vaccine:** US researchers have successfully tested an avian influenza vaccine in healthy volunteers. The *New York Times* (Aug 7, 2005) reported high doses of the vaccine produced antibody responses to the A(H5N1) strain of avian influenza virus in preliminary trials conducted by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. More tests are needed to determine optimal doses. Final study results will not be published until the trial is complete. The A(H5N1) strain has been responsible for killing 57 people to date. Health officials worldwide, fearing an avian influenza pandemic, are rushing to develop mass vaccination plans for the virus. — *Sally Murray*, CMAJ

**e-Health Canada:** Health Canada has launched MedEffect ([www.healthcanada.gc.ca/medeffect](http://www.healthcanada.gc.ca/medeffect)) to centralize health product safety information. The site includes access to Health Canada's advisories, warnings and recalls, the Canadian Adverse Reaction Newsletter and the Canadian Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring Program Online Query and Data Extract. Health Canada has also redesigned its Web site ([www.healthcanada.gc.ca](http://www.healthcanada.gc.ca)) to make it easier to search and use. More than 60 000 pages are now organized by subject, rather than departmental structure. — Compiled by *Barbara Sibbald*, CMAJ