The percentage of people under age 65 in families having problems paying medical bills decreased from 21.7 percent in the first six months of 2011 to 20.3 percent in the first six months of 2012, according to a report from CDC's National Center for Health Statistics.

Original title: “Fewer Americans having problems paying medical bills - Press Release”

The estimated annual cost savings from eliminating smoking in all U.S. subsidized housing would be $521 million, according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Original title: “Smoke-free subsidized housing would save $521 million a year - Press Release”

The number of pregnant and breastfeeding women in Malawi with HIV who started life-saving antiretroviral treatment increased by more than 700 percent in one year, according to a study in CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The new treatment option, called Option B+, offers all pregnant or breastfeeding women infected with HIV lifelong antiretroviral treatment (ART), regardless of the stage of their HIV infection.

Original title: “Innovative policy to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV shows positive impact - Press Release”

Comprehensive smoke-free laws cover 30 of 50 largest U.S. cities, up from just one in 2000.

Original title: “60 percent of America's biggest cities are now smoke-free”

The Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices voted today 13 to 1, with 1 abstention, to recommend that infants at increased risk for meningococcal disease should be vaccinated with 4 doses of HibMenCY at 2, 4, 6, and 12 through 15 months. These include infants with recognized persistent complement pathway deficiencies and infants who have anatomic or functional asplenia including sickle cell disease. HibMenCY can be used in infants ages 2 through 18 months who are in communities with serog

Original title: “CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Recommends HibMenCY for Infants at Increased Risk for Meningococcal Disease”

The Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices voted today 14 to 0, with one abstention, to recommend that providers of prenatal care implement a Tdap immunization program for all pregnant women. Health-care personnel should administer a dose of Tdap during each pregnancy irrespective of the patient's prior history of receiving Tdap. If not administered during pregnancy, Tdap should be administered immediately postpartum.

Original title: “CDC Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices Recommends Tdap Immunization for Pregnant Women”

In response to a nationwide outbreak of meningitis and stroke associated with a widely distributed medication, CDC is providing updated guidance to clinicians and patients about contaminated medication products received from the New England Compounding Center located in Framingham, Mass.

Original title: “Update on Nationwide Meningitis Outbreak”

Loopholes in tax structure, classification system are possible causes.

Original title: “Drop in cigarette consumption offset by increases in other forms of smoked tobacco”

Annual cost savings in states with universal motorcycle helmet laws were nearly four times greater (per registered motorcycle) than in states without these comprehensive laws, according to a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report study released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Universal helmet laws require that motorcycle riders and passengers wear a helmet every time they ride.

Original title: “CDC study finds universal motorcycle helmet laws increase helmet use, save money”

On June 5, 2012 the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released a report on "Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program: Vulnerabilities in Vaccine Management.". CDC's VFC program provides free vaccines to eligible children through a national network that includes all states and U.S. territories and is composed of more than 44,000 participating provider sites. This program plays a significant role in improving access to vaccination for millions of children

Original title: “Statement regarding Office of the Inspector General Vaccines for Children report”

The 2011 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) reflects an adjustment in the way the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention collects and weighs data for this annual report. This year's report includes surveys collected using cellular telephone numbers in addition to land-line telephone numbers.

Original title: “CDC Adds Cell Phone Data to Annual Behavior Survey”

The Community Preventive Services Task Force today announced it recommends team-based care (TBC) for improving blood pressure control on the basis of strong evidence of effectiveness.

Original title: “Task Force recommends team-based care for improving blood pressure control”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is launching a new antibiotic tracking system allowing hospitals to monitor antibiotic use electronically, make better decisions about how to improve use, and compare themselves to other hospitals.

Original title: “CDC now tracking antibiotic use in hospitals”

CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) approved today recommendations for routine vaccination of males 11 or 12 years old with 3-doses of HPV4 to protect against Human Papalloma Virus.

Original title: “ACIP recommends all 11-12 year-old males get vaccinated against HPV”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today announced awards of approximately $9 million for comprehensive workplace health programs across the nation.

Original title: “Affordable Care Act helps improve the health of the American workforce, increase workplace health programs”

Draft guidelines on organ transplants call for more thorough donor screening and more advanced organ testing to help protect patients from infections transmitted through transplants.

Original title: “New proposed guidelines for organ transplantation”

Holding alcohol retailers liable for injuries or damage done by their intoxicated customers can reduce motor vehicle deaths, homicides, injuries, and other alcohol-related problems, according to the Community Preventive Services Task Force.

Original title: “Task Force finds commercial liability an effective strategy to reduce alcohol related problems”

Medical care in outpatient settings has surged in recent years, yet in many cases, adherence to standard infection prevention practices in outpatient settings is lacking. To protect patients and help educate clinicians about minimum expectations of safe care, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today released a new, concise guide and checklist specifically for health care providers in outpatient care settings such as endoscopy clinics, surgery centers, primary care offices, and pain

Original title: “CDC Releases Infection Prevention Guide to Promote Safe Outpatient Care”

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) develops written recommendations for the routine administration of vaccines to children and adults in the civilian population; recommendations include age for vaccine administration number of doses and dosing interval, and precautions and contraindications.

Original title: “CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Meeting”

Motor vehicle crash-related deaths in the United States resulted in an estimated $41 billion in medical and work loss costs in a year, according to state-based estimates released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Half of this cost ($20.4 billion) was in 10 states, the report says.

Original title: “CDC Finds Annual Estimated Cost of U.S. Crash-Related Deaths is $41 Billion”