Inbrief

Baxter, the US-based pharmaceutical company, is to donate more than 280,000 doses of meningitis vaccine to Kashmir earthquake victims at risk of contracting the disease this spring. The company has also announced a $250,000 (£142,000) grant, awarded through the Baxter International Foundation, to help the charity Care USA with relief in India and Pakistan. Baxter gave more than $35million to good causes in 2005, including $4.3m to support disaster relief efforts worldwide.