(2024-02-11). Public Pharma for Europe, a Game-Changer for Access to Medicines. scheerpost.com 
(2024-02-10). Correspondence] Health implications of GSK's departure from Nigeria. thelancet.com GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) announced plans to cease operations in Nigeria in the face of worsening economic conditions and declining revenues.1 GSK's departure as a crucial pharmaceutical provider in Nigeria holds substantial implications for the country's health-care sector, including disruptions in disease management, treatment access, and immunisation efforts, and potentially puts patients at risk due to supply chain disruptions for medicines and vaccines.2 The absence of GSK-manufactured medications such as Amoxil (amoxicillin), Cervarix (a human papillomavirus vaccine), and Bexsero (a meningitis vaccine) could le…
(2024-02-10). Public pharma for Europe, a game-changer for access to medicines. peoplesdispatch.org "It's time to step up, promote health justice, and meet the real needs of people," says Alan Silva from the European chapter of the People's Health Movement (PHM), addressing the need for revolutionizing pharma policies in Europe. A long-time advocate for access to medicines, Silva understands how important it is for Europe to change the way it thinks about research and development, but also production and distribution of health technologies. | If the region were able to de-link itself from the interests of transnational pharmaceutical companies, it would be a true game changer, he says. "We need public pharma in…
(2024-02-10). Public pharma for Europe, a game-changer for access to medicines. peoplesdispatch.org "It's time to step up, promote health justice, and meet the real needs of people," says Alan Silva from the European chapter of the People's Health Movement (PHM), addressing the need for revolutionizing pharma policies in Europe. A long-time advocate for access to medicines, Silva understands how important it is for Europe to change the …
(2024-02-11). Mayo Clinic Minute: Syphilis surge is cause for concern. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that cases of syphilis continue to rise in the U.S. This is while rates of other forms of sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia and gonorrhea are flat or declining. Learn more about what syphilis is, what the symptoms are and how it can be prevented in this Mayo Clinic Minute. Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute youtu.be/hFJIE8UnNjA Journalists: Broadcast-quality video pkg (0: 58) is in the downloads…
(2024-02-11). Treating stomach cancer. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org More than 26,000 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with stomach cancer this year, and nearly 11,000 people will die of the disease, according to the American Cancer Society. Stomach cancer accounts for about 1.5% of all new cancers diagnosed in the U.S. each year. Stomach cancer, also known as gastric cancer, can affect any part of the stomach. In most of the world, stomach cancers form in the main part of the stomach. In the…
(2024-02-11). Mayo Clinic Minute: Hypertension and cardiovascular disease in the Black community. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org February is American Heart Month. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. African Americans are significantly affected by heart disease, resulting in higher mortality rates compared to white Americans. One of the reasons for the disparity is due to high hypertension rates in the Black community. Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, can increase your risk of developing heart disease. Dr. LaPrincess Brewer, a Mayo Clinic cardiologist, discusses cardiovascular disease…
(2024-02-11). Mayo Clinic Minute: What is vascular dementia? newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org An estimated 55 million people are believed to be living with dementia, according to the World Health Organization. Vascular diseases contribute to approximately 25% of all diagnoses. When blood vessels are damaged or blocked, it can deprive your brain of vital oxygen and nutrients, which could lead to a condition called vascular dementia. Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute youtu.be/Q-kourqRrPQ Journalists: Broadcast-quality video pkg (1: 03) is in the downloads at the end of…
(2024-02-11). Mayo Clinic Minute: What to do for a healthier heart. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heart disease refers to a range of conditions, of which many can be prevented or treated by making healthy lifestyle choices. Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute youtu.be/wXk1Nj28Hm4 Journalists: Broadcast-quality video pkg (1: 07) is in the downloads at the end of…
(2024-02-11). Mayo Clinic Minute: How a coronary calcium scan assesses heart attack risk. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Do you know your risk of coronary artery disease, the most common form of heart disease? Dr. Regis Fernandes, a Mayo Clinic cardiologist, says an easy and efficient test called a coronary calcium scan can help determine your risk before you show symptoms. Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute youtu.be/r1Q45bi8nhM Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (1: 04) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script. What a coronary calcium scan measures…
(2024-02-11). New 4D imaging may detect poor pumping in deadly heart disease. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Researchers at Mayo Clinic in Florida have found that a newer imaging technique may find subtle changes in heart dysfunction during acute stages of myocarditis and also heart functional differences by sex.
(2024-02-11). Heart attack symptoms in women are often different than men. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org MANKATO, Minn. — Sweating, nausea, dizziness and unusual fatigue may not sound like typical heart attack symptoms. However, they are common for women and may occur more often when resting or asleep.Unlike with men, pain, pressure or discomfort in the chest are not always severe or even the most prominent heart attack symptom in women. That's why women need to understand their unique symptoms while also working to reduce their risk of heart disease. "It's…
(2024-02-11). Growing mini-organs to find new treatments for complex disease. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Microscopic view of an intestinal organoid Mayo Clinic investigators are growing three-dimensional human intestines in a dish to track disease and find new cures for complex conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease. These mini organs function like human intestines with the ability to process metabolites that convert food into energy on a cellular level and secrete mucus that protects against bacteria. These 3D mini intestines in a dish, known as "organoids," provide a unique platform…
(2024-02-11). Understanding whooping cough with a Mayo Clinic expert. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Whooping cough (pertussis) is caused by Bordetella pertussis bacteria. Some areas of the U.S. —and abroad — are seeing an uptick in whooping cough (pertussis) cases — including in parts of Wisconsin. Whooping cough is an infectious respiratory illness caused by Bordetella pertussis bacteria. It spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. "This is an infection that causes quite a significant cough," says Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, a pediatric infectious diseases expert with the Mayo…
(2024-02-11). Lifestyle links to heart health go beyond food, exercise, Mayo Clinic Healthcare expert explains. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Countries around the world observe Heart Month in February LONDON — What are steps you can take beyond a healthy diet and exercise to improve your heart health? In this expert alert, Gosia Wamil, M.D., Ph.D., a cardiologist at Mayo Clinic Healthcare in London, answers that question and more. Gosia Wamil, M.D., Ph.D. 1. Does loneliness affect heart health? Loneliness and social isolation have been linked to heart disease, Dr. Wamil says. "Studies suggest that…
(2024-02-10). Correspondence] Intramuscular vaccination needle length: a call to arms. thelancet.com When compared with intramuscular administration, subcutaneous administration of vaccines can be associated with a higher frequency and severity of injection site reactions.1 These reactions are of public health significance because adverse events following immunisation contribute to vaccine hesitancy or refusal, which at a population level can contribute to reduced vaccine uptake and an associated increased prevalence of vaccine-preventable disease.1,2 Immunogenicity of some vaccines, such as hepatitis B and influenza vaccines, is reduced if given via a subcutaneous injection rather than an intramuscular injectio…
(2024-02-10). Shocking CDC Report: Autoimmune Heart Disease Risk Skyrockets Post-COVID Vaccination. expose-news.com
(2024-02-11). Xi delivers speech at Spring Festival reception, extending festive greetings to all Chinese. ecns.cn In his speech, Xi noted that over the past year, we implemented the new development philosophy on all fronts, adhered to the general principle of seeking progress while maintaining stability, decisively downgraded the level of COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control, and promoted the recovery and development of the economy.
(2024-02-11). Comicomment: Lingering shadows of the East Palestine train derailment. ecns.cn One year ago, a Norfolk Southern freight train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, displacing a community, jeopardizing health, harming the local environment, and exposing the country's inability to handle disasters effectively. Now, a year later, federal and local officials insist East Palestine and the surrounding regions are safe, health issues still linger there.
(2024-02-11). Chinese dragon is not scary, says former senior UN official. ecns.cn Erik Solheim, the former UN under-secretary-general, said the dragon in Chinese culture is a symbol of good luck strength, health, and power.
(2024-02-11). Day 128: Israeli Enemy Commits More Massacres against Civilians in Gaza. english.almanar.com.lb 
The Israeli occupation forces continued on Sunday its massacres against the civilians in Gaza, raising the Palestinian war toll to 28,064 martyrs and 67,611 injuries. The Palestinian health ministry announced that 14 Zionist massacres left 112 martyrs and 173 injuries during the past 24 hours. In eastern Rafah, Israeli bombardments and air raids at houses …
(2024-02-11). Symptoms that may require a consultation with a cardiologist. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org MANKATO, Minn. — As people age, many start to experience more aches and pains throughout their bodies. While many symptoms can be chalked up to the natural aging process, it's important to pay special attention to the cardiovascular system. "Heart Month is a great time of year to remind people that not all symptoms are created equal when it comes to our cardiovascular health," says Vinayak Nagaraja, M.B.B.S., interventional cardiologist at Mayo Clinic Health System….
(2024-02-11). Mayo Clinic Minute: Closing the gaps in cancer care. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org 2024 could mark a grim milestone in the battle against cancer. In January, the American Cancer Society announced that, for the first time ever, new cancer cases could exceed the 2 million mark. Early detection and the right treatment are among the best weapons to fight cancer. However, today many people don't have equitable access to cancer care because of systemic barriers and health disparities. Mayo Clinic is working to change that with strategic initiatives aimed at health…
(2024-02-11). World Cancer Day: Making a commitment to close the cancer care gap. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org The Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) recognizes World Cancer Day annually on February 4. The UICC's 2024 theme for World Cancer Day is "Close the Care Gap." The care gap is the gap between people who can obtain healthcare related to the prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment of cancer and those who cannot. The factors that create this gap include income, education and geographical location barriers. Discrimination based on ethnicity, race, gender, sexual orientation, age,…
(2024-02-11). WHO's Pandemic Treaty negotiations are failing; they are blaming it on vaccine patents. expose-news.com Maybe 5% of the negotiations regarding the World Health Organisation's Pandemic Treaty and amendments to the International Health Regulations ("IHR") are about a trade agreement. The other 95% are about global control …
(2024-02-11). 117 Palestinians killed in Gaza in last 24 hours, taking death toll to over 28,000. muslimmirror.com ANKARA : ACt least 117 Palestinians were killed in the Gaza Strip in the last 24 hours, taking the death toll in Israeli onslaught on the besieged enclave to more than 28,000, the territory's Health Ministry said on Saturday. "The Israeli occupation committed 16 massacres against families in the Gaza Strip, leaving 117 martyrs and …
(2024-02-10). Correspondence] Post-earthquake demolition in Türkiye: health implications. thelancet.com On Feb 6, 2023, a magnitude 7 ∑8 earthquake occurred in southeastern Türkiye and northern Syria. Approximately 9 h later a second earthquake of magnitude 7 ∑6 followed. The official death toll surpassed 40‚Äà000,1 but the number could be much higher due to the unofficial presence of Syrian refugees and complicated rescue conditions. Around 26 million people have been directly affected by the earthquakes.2 WHO defined it as the worst natural disaster of the past century in Europe.3…
(2024-02-10). oPt: Israel attacks remaining medical infrastructure in the Gaza Strip, further reducing Palestinians' chances of survival [EN/AR]. reliefweb.int 
Country: occupied Palestinian territory | Source: Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor | Please refer to the attached file. | Geneva – As it enters the fifth month of its genocidal war against the Gaza Strip, Israel has not stopped targeting what is left of the health system there and is sabotaging any chance it may have to save Palestinian lives by firing and bombarding hospitals, ambulances, and medical teams, Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor said in a statement issued Friday. | The rights organisation has documented several serious Israeli military attacks in the past few days which have disrupted the pa…
(2024-02-10). DR Congo: Gavi, l'Alliance du Vaccin, l'OMS, l'UNICEF et leurs partenaires concluent une retraite de deux jours à Kinshasa axée sur l'évaluation de l'assistance technique en matière de la vaccination en RDC. reliefweb.int Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo | Sources: GAVI Alliance, UN Children's Fund, World Health Organization | Kinshasa, 07 février 2024 — Mise à jour, publiée le 10 février 2024 | Gavi, l'Alliance du Vaccin, en collaboration avec ses partenaires, notamment l'Organisation mondiale de la Santé (OMS), le Fonds des Nations Unies pour l'Enfance (UNICEF) et d'autres, a conclu une retraite de deux jours (06-07 février) à Kinshasa, sous le leadership du Ministère de la Santé Publique, Hygiène et Prévention. La retraite visait à évaluer la mise en ≈ìuvre et l'efficacité de l'assistance techniqu…
(2024-02-10). Correspondence] Manufactured scarcity and the allocation of scarce resources. thelancet.com An ethical framework to allocate scarce resources by influential US-based ethicists Ezekiel J Emanuel and Govind Persad is riddled with shortcomings that have the potential to detract from global health ethics, rather than advance the moral utility of the field.1…
(2024-02-10). World Report] Health in Brazil: 1 year of Lula. thelancet.com 12 months after his return to the presidential palace, Brazil's Lula has focused on resurrecting and restrengthening health programmes. Lise Alves reports from Sao Paulo.
(2024-02-10). Palestinian Death Toll In Gaza Exceeds 28,000: Ministry #MENAFN #Bitcoin #LatestNews #BreakingNews. menafn.com (MENAFN – Nam News Network) | GAZA, Feb 11 (NNN-XINHUA) The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, has exceeded 28,000, the Gaza-based Health Ministry said …
(2024-02-10). What The US Can Learn From The Cuban Health Care System. popularresistance.org David Ramirez Alvarez is Second Secretary in the Cuban Embassy, representing Cuba's cultural and political forces sectors. He will be presenting an historical and current analysis of the Cuban health care system, how it differs from our profit-driven system, how Cuba provides comprehensive primary and quaternary health services in the face of a decades' long illegal and brutal U.S. blockade and still has better outcomes than ours. Ramirez Alvarez will also address how the training of health care providers and scientists in Cuba is intimately connected to the socialist culture derived from the Cuban Revolution. Is…
(2024-02-10). World: Actualización Epidemiológica – Encefalitis Equina del Oeste en la Región de las Américas – 8 de febrero del 2024. reliefweb.int 
Countries: Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, World | Source: Pan American Health Organization | Please refer to the attached file. | La presente es una nueva actualización de la información epidemiológica, a la cual se añaden orientaciones para la vigilancia y las definiciones de casos de EEO en humanos. | Hasta el 9 de enero del 2024, se habían reportado 1.314 brotes en animales (1.258 en Argentina y 56 en Uruguay) y se habían confirmado 21 casos de este virus en humanos, incluyendo un fallecido, todos ellos en Argentina. | Hasta el 5 de febrero del 2024, se han notificado un total de 2.438 brotes en animales (1…
(2024-02-10). World: Evaluación de Riesgos para la salud pública relacionada con el virus Oropouche (OROV) en la Región de las Américas – 9 de febrero 2024. reliefweb.int 
Countries: Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana (France), Panama, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), World | Source: Pan American Health Organization | Please refer to the attached file. | Fecha de la evaluación de riesgo: 7 de febrero de 2024 | Declaración de riesgo general | Ante la alerta emitida por la Organización Panamericana de la Salud / Organización Mundial de la Salud (OPS/OMS), el pasado 2 de febrero del 2024, debido al incremento en la detección de casos de infección por el virus Oropouche (OROV), en algunos países de la Región de las Américas en los últimos meses…
(2024-02-10). World Report] Health and aid organisations give UNRWA warning. thelancet.com Agencies say that no other organisation can do the work of UNRWA to provide humanitarian and health assistance in Gaza. Sharmila Devi reports.
(2024-02-10). Correspondence] Manufactured scarcity and the allocation of scarce resources. thelancet.com Ezekiel J Emanuel and Govind Persad have pinned the failures of the COVID-19 pandemic response on inadequate operationalisation of ethical principles in public health.1 The authors outline three procedural approaches they claim would have facilitated rapid development of priority groups and avoided mistakes in resource allocation.2 In doing so, the authors sidestep an important question: how useful or relevant are high-level guiding principles if we continually fail to implement them faithfully in different contexts?
(2024-02-10). Gaza: Death Toll Passes 28,000. telesurenglish.net The Ministry of Health, during its daily assessment of the Israeli siege in the Gaza Strip, reported that a total of 28,064 Palestinians have been killed and another 67,611 injured, after 117 people were killed in Gaza in the last 24 hours. | RELATED: | News agencies report as Israel still intensifying its attacks on Rafah, city in the southern Gaza Strip, people are now escaping to the central part of the Strip about 20km (eight mi…
(2024-02-10). Editorial] Malaria vaccines: a test for global health. thelancet.com Throughout recorded history, malaria has blighted populations across the globe. Today, by far, WHO's African region has the highest burden. In 2022, the region was home to 233 million (94%) malaria cases and 580‚Äà000 (95%) malaria deaths, about 80% of which were in children younger than 5 years. Despite ambitions to reduce this burden, efforts to control malaria have stagnated: global cases dropped by 29% between 2000 and 2019 but only by 2% between 2015 and 2019. Might this all be about to change? On Jan 22, 2024, Cameroon began the roll-out of RTS,S/AS01, the first malaria vaccine to be used…
(2024-02-10). Perspectives] Ashwin Vasan: committed to addressing NYC's health challenges. thelancet.com In 2019, an inhabitant of New York City (NYC) could expect to live into their early eighties, but in 2020 that age fell to late seventies. Tackling this "challenge of falling life expectancy" is a public health priority for Ashwin Vasan, the Commissioner of the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, NY, USA. "There are many direct and indirect drivers of this drop in lifespan", he says. "Certainly COVID-19 has caused significant excess deaths, but when you examine more closely there are other drivers like rising overdoses, increasing rates of interpersonal violence, widening birth inequities, and stubborn a…
(2024-02-10). Burkina Faso: Bulletin d'informations spécial: Introduction vaccin antipaludique RTS,S – 7 janvier 2024. reliefweb.int 
Country: Burkina Faso | Source: World Health Organization | Please refer to the attached file. | INTRODUCTION VACCIN ANTIPALUDIQUE RTS,S – 7 JANVIER 2024 | Le Burkina Faso a introduit le vaccin antipaludique RTS,S dans son programme élargi de vaccination (PEV) le 5 février 2024. Il est le deuxième pays à vacciner les enfants hors phase pilote après le Cameroun. Revivez quelques-uns de ce moment historique à travers ce bulletin d'information.
(2024-02-10). Burkina Faso: Nearly 10 000 children vaccinated as malaria vaccine rollout in Africa expands. reliefweb.int Countries: Burkina Faso, Cameroon | Source: World Health Organization | Brazzaville — Nearly 10 000 children in Burkina Faso and Cameroon have now received the RTS,S malaria vaccine since being introduced this year. A wider malaria vaccine rollout is underway this year in several African countries, with Cameroon being the first outside the malaria vaccine pilot programme to do so. | Cameroon launched the vaccine on 22 January 2024. It is being integrated into its national routine immunization programme in more than 500 public and private health facilities across 42 health districts in the country's 10 re…
(2024-02-10). Australia: NSW Labor government ends free parking in further attack on health workers. wsws.org The health unions' "campaign" against paid parking is a fraud, designed to allow workers to let off steam, while preventing any real challenge to the latest attack on take-home pay.
(2024-02-11). The Explosive Link Between COVID Vaccines and Increased Cancer Rates in Children & Young Adults. expose-news.com
(2024-02-10). Correspondence] R21/Matrix-M vaccine: optimising supply, maximising impact. thelancet.com Following decades of extensive research and development, a second malaria vaccine, the R21/Matrix-M vaccine, has been recommended by WHO.1 The recommendation comes at a crucial time when progress has stalled over the past decade due to a host of factors, including parasite resistance and persisting suboptimal access to preventive interventions, diagnostics, and therapeutics, with service disruptions by the COVID-19 pandemic posing additional constraints.2 The addition of the new vaccine to the arsenal of malaria control and elimination tools offers a glimmer of hope and creates an impetus for expediting current e…
(2024-02-10). Prime Minister of Slovakia Links COVID-19 Vaccines to Cardiovascular Deaths. globalresearch.ca
(2024-02-10). Correspondence] Vaccination and the defence of democracy — Authors' reply. thelancet.com Roger L Albin's Correspondence shows some of the many ways to conceptualise the potential mechanisms underlying the evolution and expansion of anti-vaccine activism in the USA. Two of Albin's points prompted us to elaborate here on ideas we discussed in our Viewpoint.1…
(2024-02-10). Correspondence] Vaccination and the defence of democracy. thelancet.com Richard M Carpiano and colleagues provide a useful summary of anti-vaccine activism in the USA.1 Their policy prescriptions are sensible but are likely to fall short because they fail to confront a fundamental feature of anti-vaccine activism. Anti-vaccine activism is one of numerous right-wing initiatives defending free market fundamentalism.2…
(2024-02-10). Perspectives] Hospital dogs and Sigrid Nunez's The Friend. thelancet.com The start of the COVID-19 lockdown brought with it an unprecedented spike in animal adoptions. But as policies relaxed and societies moved on from the pandemic, countless pets suddenly found themselves once again abandoned. These unwanted pets were not the only animals that ended up shelters. As millions of people worldwide died or became chronically ill from COVID-19, many animals lost their owners, highlighting a question often overlooked in hospitals: what happens to pets when their owners are no longer able to take care of them?
(2024-02-10). Correspondence] Manufactured scarcity and the allocation of scarce resources. thelancet.com I appreciated the discussion by Ezekiel J Emanuel and Govind Persad,1 but would like to raise three considerations. First, although the authors claim, "A consensus exists on what ethical values are relevant to addressing the challenges of allocating scarce medical resources within and among countries",1 such arguably broad consensus did not always translate into clear and fair prioritisation criteria during the COVID-19 pandemic. For instance, at times during the COVID-19 pandemic, governments and various advisory commissions and panels developed criteria that neglected some individuals most at risk of developing…
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Players in the health sector have called for greater regulation of assistive technologies in the country. There are fears that some of the devices being donated in the country are wrongly prescribed or do not meet the standards. Assistive technologies can benefit a wide range of people, including those with …