The House and Senate are finishing up a continuing resolution (CR) that will fund the federal government through December 3, and plan to adjourn after voting on the CR until November. Under the CR, funding will continue at FY 2010 enacted levels for most programs – including cancer research programs at the National Institutes of Health and colorectal cancer control programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Congress is not expected to finish the fiscal year 2011 appropriations bills until after the election.

Take action today, and tell Congress to increase fiscal year 2011 cancer research funding. As they head home for the election, take a minute to remind Members that they have work to finish when they come back to DC in November. Tell your Senators and Representative that you expect them to make colorectal cancer a top priority.

On Facebook? Take action and share this alert with your friends and family so that they can help in the fight too.
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Check the eggs in your refrigerator!

The FDA, collaborating with the Centers for Disease Control, the Department of Agriculture, and state health departments, have traced a nationwide spike in Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) infections to a single firm in Iowa.

Eggs shipped from Wright County Egg of Galt, Iowa after May 16,2010 have been recalled.

The CDA received approximately 200 reports of Salmonella Enteritidis every week in late June and early July, more than four times the usual 50 weekly reports over the past five years. Read the rest of this entry »

The House Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee approved its fiscal year 2011 funding bill on Thursday, July 15 by a vote of 11-5.

The bill would provide $76.7 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services.  This is $3.8 billion more than last year’s funding level and about $270 million more than the President requested.

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A growing number of foodborne illnesses are tied to salsa and guacamole dips, according to a just-reported CDC study.

The popular dips that combine chopped raw veggies and herbs have been implicated in 1 in 25 outbreaks of food poisoning since 1998.

Most of the problem has been in restaurants and delis where 84 percent of salsa or guacamole-associated (SGA) outbreaks were discovered.  Since the dips are prepared in large batches, many customers may be exposed to dangerous bacteria in them.  Lack of refrigeration is also an issue.

About a third of the outbreaks were traced to poor refrigeration, and one in five to food service staff. Read the rest of this entry »

One out of three Americans who needs colorectal cancer screening hasn’t gotten it.

There are 22 million men and women in the US who haven’t had a life-saving test than can prevent colorectal cancer.

But the good news is that screening rates are going up.  In 2000, half of people who should have been screened reported a current test.  Now almost two-thirds have colorectal cancer screening up-to-date

The bad news is that screening rates for the uninsured are almost half those for people with insurance.  Read the rest of this entry »