"Health & Medical News"

With a Congressional funding ban finally lifted, the District of Columbia government announced that it will spend $650,000 of local taxpayers’ money to establish needle-exchange programs aimed at cutting HIV/AIDS transmission among drug users, the Washington Post reported Jan. 3.

In its FY2008 budget plan, Congress ended a ban on D.C. using public funds to fund needle exchanges, although a ban on federal funding for the harm-reduction programs remains in place. D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty said the clean-needle programs are needed to help reduce the HIV/AIDS rate in the city, which is among the highest in the nation.

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The Bush administration wants to pour billions into fighting drugs in Mexico after doing the same in Colombia, but some Central American nations are complaining that they are not getting their share of the antidrug cash, the Washington Post reported Nov. 29.

“Central American officials feel that they will not be able to confront threats effectively without more assistance,” said U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.), ranking minority member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.? ”They fear that gang members and drug traffickers will flee Mexico for Central America, where it will be easier to operate.”

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Washington — Long-awaited resources to help the Food and Drug Administration more closely monitor the safety and effectiveness of the nation’s pharmaceuticals and medical devices will begin to flow as a result of a comprehensive new law signed Sept. 27 by President Bush.

The Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007 reauthorizes the Prescription Drug User Fee Act, the Medical Device User Fee Act and laws that govern the safety of children’s drugs and devices.

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