The Michigan Daily - Monday, January 6, 2003- 7A
Riding high
'U' prof's flu-fighting nasal
spray gains FDA approval
By Erin Saylor
Daily Staff Reporter
A flu vaccine may soon be available to the public in the form of a
nasal spray thanks to the work of University epidemiology Prof.
Hunein Maassab. Reviewed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
in December, FluMist was deemed safe and effective for healthy peo-
ple ages five to 49.
If approved by the FDA when it comes under review again next
month, FluMist could be available to the public in time for the Septem-
ber 2003 flu season, Rochford said. It would be the .first flu vaccine
available to the public in the form of a nasal mist.
"The positive recommendations of the FDA committee reviewing
FluMist are most welcome," Maassab said in a written statement. "I
believe that more people will use the nasal spray vaccine than a vac-
cine that must be injected. This should reduce the overall risk of flu."
The FDA's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Com-
mittee requested more data on the efficiency of FluMist for people 50 to
64 years old. Concerns included possible reactions to other vaccines
given to children and the risk of FluMist causing pneumonia or asthma.
University assistant epidemiology Prof. Rosemary Rochford said
that the FDA was just exercising caution and added that the recom-
mendation looks good.
"I'm so very excited for Maassab," Rochford said. "He wanted to
come up with a champion for the vaccine, and he has succeeded."
While current vaccines use inactive viruses to trigger immunity, Flu-
Mist is made with a weakened but live influenza virus. It adapts the
virus to the cool temperatures of the nasal passages, but not in the
warmer temperatures in the lungs where the disease develops. FluMist
is a trivalent vaccine, designed to fight three strains of influenza.
The vaccine is administered to a patient through a painless spray
into each nostril, twice a year for children and once for adults. Accord-
ing to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, about 70 million people
currently get the flu vaccine, yet influenza remains a serious public
health issue facing the country, killing 20,000 Americans each year
and hospitalizing 100,000.
Maassab began his research on influenza at the University in 1956
when he was an assistant researcher in the department of epidemiology.
Inspired by his mentor Thomas Francis Jr., who had overseen the U.S.
Army's flu vaccine program during World War II, Maassab spent the next
40 years of his life developing cold-adapted strains of influenza.
One year ago, biotechnology company MedImmune Inc.
announced plans to merge with Aviron, the company that holds the
license to FluMist.
AP PHOTO
A magnetic levitation train, built through collaboration between Germany and
Regents approve turf
for stadium at final
* meeting for Homing
GRANHOLM
Continued from Page A
exist. She has pledged to use tax increases
only as a last resort and to instead focus on
economic development to boost revenues into
state coffers.
"Government will be great and it will do
great, but it will take much more than govern-
ment to enhance our quality of life, especially
in these tough, tight, }trying economic times,"
she said. "It will take all of us working togeth-
er as a family. And, as a family, I know that
you will engage with me in setting our priori-
ties, in deciding what is most vital for the
public good."
Granholm replaces Republican John
Engler, who held the top office for 12 years
and was lauded by business groups but almost
despised by labor and environmentalist organ-
izations. She faces a Legislature with Repub-
lican majorities in both chambers - 22-16 in
the Senate and 62-48 in the House - and
Republicans controlling the offices of attor-
ney general and secretary of state.
Clio Democrat John Cherry, who replaced
Republican Lt. Gov. Dick Posthumus, cau-
tioned attendees not to expect a lot of new ini-
tiative in the first or second year of the
administration.
"We have enormous fiscal challenges that
will cause us to hit the pause button on some
of the plans and programs that we promised,"
Cherry, a former minority leader in the Sen-
ate, said. "We must deal first with the budget
and then get to work on our initiatives to pro-
tect our families and educate our children."
A new secretary of state
Terri Land, Michigan's new secretary of
state, promised to follow in the footstep of her
predecessor, Candice
Miller, in improving the
office responsible for
administering state elec-
tions and overseeing
vehicle licensing and reg-
istration.
Sworn in by Michigan
Supreme Court Chief
Justice Maura Corrigan,
Land promised to imple-
ment a "flex time" pro- Land
gram for her employees
- a staggered work hour system that would
allow branch offices to stay open later.
"I will work to make the secretary of state's
office responsive just like we did in Kent
County," she said.
Among her priorities: Putting more Depart-
ment of State functions online, assuming local
police departments' responsibility for towing
abandoned cars and the county clerks' task of
issuing concealed weapons permits. Land also
wants to make it easier for state residents to
obtain absentee ballots.
Cox to focus on child support
Livonia's Mike Cox, whose campaign for
attorney general had been all but written-off
until the last few weeks before the Nov. 5 elec-
tion, was sworn in as the state's top lawyer
Wednesday, ending the 48-year Democratic
hold on the Department of Attorney General,
which ended when Granholm assumed the title
of governor. Cox was
sworn in jointly by Corrig-
an and his brother, Wayne
County Circuit Judge Sean
Cox.
Cox, former head of
the homicide unit in the
Wayne County Prosecu-
tor's Office, pledged to
'place a heavy priority on
involving his office in
Cox child support collection
and said he would soon
establish a child support division within the
department to assist the Family Independence
Agency in collecting from delinquent parents.
"Every day in Michigan - and today on
inauguration day - over 600,000 children,
600,000 children wake up in Michigan not
knowing if they will receive the child support
they deserve," he said. "As attorney general, I
will protect these children."
"I'm going to bring in some people (to the
department) who will start going after dead-
beat parents," he said in an interview after the
address.
By Jeremy Berkowitz
Daily Staff Reporter
Michigan Stadium will sport a new turf next
fall, the University Board of Regents decided at its
December meeting.
The regents unanimously approved the
installation of an artificial turf system on the
football field. Athletic Department officials
said the current turf, which has been intact
since 1991, has grown progressively worse over
the past few seasons.
Officials and football players have complained
about a growth in the number of potholes and div-
ots on the field. In addition, the stadium's place-
ment close to the water level has made it more
difficult for grass to grow effectively
Construction on the turf is expected to start May
1 and should be completed by the middle of July.
Associate Athletic Director Mike Stevenson said it
should not interfere with any football program
activities, adding that although the new system is
supposed to be sufficient for eight years, he is
unsure of exactly how long it will last.
"All of the products we are evaluating have guar-
antees of eight years. We don't know if the surface
will surpass eight years since none of the infill sur-
faces have been out longer than five to six years,"
Stevenson said.
The regents also approved charters for two of its
new panels, the Compensation and Personnel
Commlittee and the Finance, Audit and Investment
Committee. The new committees will advise the
board but will not have any authority to bind the
board in making any decisions. The committee
OUTBACK
Continued from Page 1A
with 85 yards rushing on 28 carries, as well as
108 yards receiving. Quarterback John Navarre
threw for a career-best 319 yards, going a very
* efficient 21-for-36 with a touchdown and no
interceptions.
Despite Navarre's career performance, the
Michigan offense stumbled out of the gate and
took some time to find its rhythm; the unit's only
score until late in the second quarter came as a
result of a Florida miscue.
Deep in his own territory, Grossman found
ARRESTS
Continued from Page 1A
Circle and the Northwood Housing I and II cor
between Bishop Avenue and Hubbard Street - t
8 and 8:45 p.m. Dec. 9. Victims said thei
approached by two subjects, one carrying a gun
other a knife.
The suspects were also charged in an armed r
incident that occurred Dec. 8 around 11:30 p.m
wooded area near Bursley Residence Hall.
After the robberies, DPS increased patrols in 1
and issued a $1,000 reward for information leadi
suspect arrest, DPS spokeswoman Diane Brown
structure was established last February.
The Compensation and Personnel Committee
will oversee matters of evaluations of executive
officers, including the president.
The Finance, Audit and Investment Committee
will review financial matters of the University such
as operating budgets and financial reporting prac-
tices.
In addition, Regent Daniel Horning (R-
Grand Haven) was saluted at the meeting for
his eight years of service on the board. Horn-
ing chose not to seek a second term, and
Republican Andrew Richner of Grosse Pointe
Park will fill Horning's seat this month.
Regent Larry Deitch (D-Bingham Farms), a
10-year veteran of the board, praised Horning's
devotion to the University and his strong
beliefs in what he, thought was right.
"(I) have served with 14 people ... but none
more devoted to (the University) than Dan," Deitch
said. "Dan based his stances on issues on what was
the best for U of M."
Deitch and the rest of the regents presented
Horning with a Michigan football helmet.
Horning brought a conservative viewpoint to the
board, speaking out on many issues. In 2000, he
resisted the implementation of the English 317
"How to be Gay" course, a class that studied gay
culture and literature. Horning said the course
crossed moral lines. Even after sitting in on one
class, he still remained against it.
"I'm offended," Horning said in September
2000. "There's no excuse for having this course.
I'm bitterly disappointed in the University of
Michigan."
himself scrambling after a high snap. Kashama
beat him to the ball, recovered it inside the five-
yard line, and put his offense in position to grant
Perry his first touchdown.
After two Florida touchdowns, Zook made the
decision to attempt the two-point conversion try.
Its failure seemed to swing the momentum back
to the Wolverines, who utilized Perry via a num-
ber of screen passes to get him, Navarre and the
10-win Wolverines back on track.
This is the 23rd 10-win season in Michigan's
football history. The Wolverines will likely find
themselves ranked in the top-10 nationally when
the dust settles on the BCS.
Dasehie"lC"e aning"
toward enterig
presidentialool
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle
said yesterday he's strongly considering a run for president in 2004, joining
a growing field of potential candidates.
"I think it's fair to say I'm leaning in the direction of offering my candi-
dacy for president," Daschle said after a meeting with constituents this
weekend.
He spent the weekend talking with supporters in Rapid City, Aberdeen
and Sioux Falls.
He said an announcement on an exploratory committee is likely "in the
next couple of weeks."
Daschle said if he runs, he'd stay on as Democratic leader. "I think that
our caucus needs that stability and my expectation is that I would be leader
for the foreseeable future."
He said he has not decided whether he would run for a fourth Senate
term in 2004 if he lost the presidential nomination.
"It'll be some time before I do that. These decisions are made one step at
a time," Daschle said.
He also said he has the support of his wife and family.
Sens. John Kerry of Massachusetts and John Edwards of North Carolina
have joined outgoing Vermont Gov. Howard Dean in forming exploratory
committees. Rep. Richard Gephardt announced this weekend he will form
an exploratory committee Monday.
Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) listens to a question during a
Capitol Hill news conference on Nov. 8.
WWW.MICHIGANDAILY.COMRPORTS
Continued from Page IA
Although three of the suspects are female, initial vic-
tim interviews led DPS to issue two separate crime
alerts, each looking for two male suspects.
In the original crime alert for the Dec. 9 robberies,
the suspects were described as a white male between 15
and 18 years old, standing approximately 5-foot-7 to 5-
foot-8 and weighing 200 to 230 pounds, as well as a 13
to 16-year-old black male standing 5-foot-6 and weigh-
ing 130 pounds.
The crime alert for the Dec. 8 robbery sought two
college-aged black males wearing dark clothing, one
standing 6-foot and the other 5-foot-8.
Richmond said the suspects' clothing - consisting
of jackets that covered their hair and parts of their face
CIslamic miitants kill 56
soldiers, civilians in Algeria
- could help explain why the suspect descriptions
posted in the crime alerts do not fully correspond with
the arrested suspects.
"They are similar. ... It is my understanding that the
female suspects resembled male suspects by the way
they dressed," Richmond said.
"Each victim is different and gives different accounts
of what they saw."
A preliminary exam for Carter, Warren and Richard-
son is scheduled for Jan. 8 at 1 p.m. Oliver's prelimi-
nary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 15.
Richmond said three of the suspects are currently in
Washtenaw County Jail. Richardson was released after
posting a $25,000 bond.
HADDAD
Continued from Page 1A
On Dec. 14, the one-year anniversary of Haddad's
arrest, his supporters held a rally in front of the Federal
Building in Ann Arbor.
Speakers expressed their love for Haddad and anger
at the government for his detainment.
"He has been in jail for over a year without criminal
charges," Michigan ACLU Director Michael Steinberg'
said.
"We all would like to see Rabih walk down the
street," he added.
But Phillis Englebert, a member of the Ann Arbor
Adhoc Committee for Peace, pointed out that the rally
Northwest Airlines at John F. Kennedy International Air-
port in New York, passengers waited up to 30 minutes
longer than usual while their bags were sent through giant
screening machines and workers ripped open taped boxes
and rifled through their contents before closing them up
again.
Most travelers simply accepted the intensified screen-
ing, developed since the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11,
2001.
Before the attacks, only 5 percent of the roughly 2 mil-
lion bags checked each day were screened for bombs. The
federal government put an additional 23,000 screeners
into airports to implement the new order mandating that
no checked bag be allowed through without verification
that it contains no explosives.
"It may add a few minutes, but I think it's worth it," said
Trina Frandsen, who checked a cardboard box and large
suitcase at Kennedy for a flight home to Salt Lake City.
"Maybe they could send me through that and I could
get rid of that MRI appointment I have," Linda Johnson
joked as she watched her luggage roll slowly into the
bomb-detection machine at O'Hare before her flight to
Los Angeles. The machine checks the density and chemi-
cal makeup of items inside each bag and alerts to anything
unusual.
Jack Dunnigan, of Natick, Mass., watched his daughter
check in for a flight from Boston's Logan Airport to Flori-
da.
"The more they (inspectors) do, the better I feel," he
said.
Sonny Salgatar, a 23-year-old college student flying
ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) -
Islamic militants ambushed a mili-
tary convoy in northeast Algeria
and attacked families near the capi-
tal, in a bloody weekend of killings
that claimed at least 56 lives, Alger-
It attributed the attack to the
Armed Islamic Group, the north
African country's most radical
insurgency.
The killings dealt a blow to
claims by Algeria's military-backed
The mountainous region is a
stronghold of the extremist Salafist
Group for Call and Combat, or
GSPC.
The GSPC is on a U.S. list of ter-
rorist organizations and reportedly