Health Highlights: Sept. 17, 2009

Sept. 18 -- Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay:

U.S. Will Share 10 Percent of Swine Flu Vaccine With Other Nations

The United States will share 10 percent of its stock of H1N1 swine flu vaccine with other countries worldwide, President Barack Obama announced Thursday.

According to the Associated Press, the White House said the vaccine will be made available to the global fight against swine flu via the World Health Organization. The United States is coordinating with Australia, Brazil, France, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, which are also sharing vaccines.

Speaking at United Nations headquarters in New York City, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Susan Rice, said that, "as vaccine supplies emerge, they will be made available to the WHO on a rolling basis to assist countries that will not otherwise have direct access to the vaccine."

The aim, she said, is to help minimize global economic and social disruptions caused by H1N1. "We invite and encourage other nations to join in this urgent global health effort, donating vaccine, money and/or technical assistance in an international effort to save lives around the world," Rice said.

-----

Scald Burns Increasing Among Older Americans

From 2001 to 2006, 52,000 seniors in the United States were treated in hospital emergency departments for nonfatal scald burns caused by hot liquid or steam, says a new study.

The number of such injuries could increase dramatically as the population ages, say the researchers. They noted that many more older Americans are living alone and there's been a substantial rise in the incidence of all types of injuries among this population.

Scald burns among people 65 and older could be substantially reduced through preventive measures such as not leaving food unattended on the stove and by keeping the hot water heater set to less than 120 degrees, the researchers said.