WASHINGTON, DC—Smoking rates among US adults remained stalled in 2008, halting the nation’s progress toward ending the tobacco epidemic, according to the CDC. Full Article

This new section of U.S. Medicine will bring to our readers highlights from the peer-reviewed literature and clinical trials of topics that are of most universal interest to the readers of this multidisciplinary magazine. Full Article

washington, dc—The VA and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) want to take advantage of new opportunities afforded by evolving technology to reach those who are suicidal, officials said last month at the 2010 DoD/VA Suicide Prevention Conference. “It has been part of our effort to try to adapt ourselves [to changing technologies],” said SAMHSA suicide prevention expert Richard McKeon, PhD. Full Article

GAITHERSBURG, MD—There is an admonition that pediatricians can frequently be heard to say to other physicians: “Children are not just small adults.” This is no truer than when dealing with prescription drugs. Children are not immune to serious illness and disease—the kinds of disease that require powerful pharmaceuticals. But many times no pediatric formula exists and parents and physicians are left to play a guessing game Full Article

WASHINGTON, DC—The CDC has awarded $2.7 million to establish two new Preparedness and Emergency Response Research Centers (PERRCs). These new PERRCs will conduct research that will evaluate the structure, capabilities, and performance of public health systems for preparedness and emergency response activities. These new centers are additions to the existing seven research centers funded in 2008. Full Article