BBC By James Gallagher Health and science correspondent A “very concerning” rise in the number of people catching measles in the UK has been reported by health officials. The virus spreads incredibly easily and a fall in vaccination rates is leaving more children vulnerable to infection. There were 54 cases of measles in the whole of last year. However, there have already been 49 in the first four months of 2023. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is encouraging parents to ensure their children’s vaccinations are up to date. The main symptoms of measles are a fever and a rash. But it can cause more serious complications including meningitis, and an infection can be fatal. That is why the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is part of routine childhood immunisations. Vaccination rates had been falling in the UK before the Covid pandemic. However, the disruption caused by Covid has dented vaccination ...
In a recent study published in the journal Vascular Health and Risk Management, researchers discuss the various non-traditional and traditional practices, as well as the socioeconomic and food insecurity-related limitations associated with adopting diets for heart health. Background Despite considerable progress in medicine and dietary interventions that have improved cardiovascular health, cardiovascular disease remains one of the most prevalent causes of mortality in the United States. Early studies on the association between diet and cardiovascular health reported that a diet rich in fish, vegetables, grains, fruits, and beans was linked to a lower rate of myocardial infarctions. Moreover, the consumption of vegetables and fruits, along with regular exercise, was associated with 40% lower rates of myocardial infarction. Hypertension, excess abdominal fat, dyslipidemia, and type 2 diabetes are some of the risk factors for cardiometabolic diseases that can be modified through changes in the diet. In the U.S., ...
The maker of the mpox vaccine is looking at ways to dramatically scale up its production capacity to prepare for a potential threat from smallpox. Bavarian Nordic CEO Paul Chaplin said the rapid spread of mpox last year was a wake-up call for the company, which is based in Denmark. “If it wasn’t mpox but it was smallpox, we are completely at the wrong scale,” Chaplin told CNBC in an interview. “We’re looking at ways we can dramatically change the way we manufacture to increase our scale,” he said. Mpox is in the same virus family as smallpox. Bavarian Nordic’s Jynneos vaccine is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to protect against both pathogens. Previously known as monkeypox, the World Health Organization changed the name to mpox last year to reduce stigma. Bavarian Nordic plans to simplify its production process so ...
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has announced its vaccination programme against mpox will end this summer. Cases of the disease have fallen from a peak of 350 per week in July to just six new cases so far in 2023, three of which were caught overseas. First doses of the vaccine will remain available to those at highest risk until 16 June, with second doses available until the end of July. The UKHSA says it will monitor cases and restart the programme if needed. While the mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, virus can infect anyone, most UK cases were among men who have sex with men. Anyone eligible who has not yet received a vaccine is being encouraged to book an appointment to protect themselves before summer. Greg Owen, from sexual health and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) charity the Terrence Higgins Trust, said: ...
The United States faces a rising medication shortage that’s so severe it’s causing a national security risk, according to a Senate report released Wednesday. Drugs in short supply recently include children’s medication, antibiotics and ADHD treatments, says the report by the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. It says new drug shortages rose by almost 30% from 2021 to 2022. “Shortages continue to have devastating consequences for patients and health care providers, including medication errors and treatment delays, and in some cases, have led to doctors having to ration lifesaving treatments,” the report said. Committee Chairman Gary Peters, D-Mich., said Wednesday the shortages peaked at 295 drugs at the end of last year and “have left health care professionals grappling with limited resources to treat patients in need,” NBC News reported. The Hill noted, “The report also said the average drug shortage ...
Medtech’s resilience and flexibility have been clear to see during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this forward-looking view for 2022, CEOs from some of the Top 50 global medtechs share their perspectives on the present and the future, from company and health care system standpoints.
The new EU Pharmaceutical Strategy, adopted today by the European Commission, is designed to improve and accelerate patients’ access to safe and affordable medicines and address unmet medical needs in the areas of antimicrobial resistance, cancer, and rare diseases. It is also aiming to bolster the competitiveness and the innovative capacity of the EU’s pharma industry. Enhancing crisis preparedness and response mechanisms, and addressing security of supply, drawing lessons from the COVID-19 crisis, are also namechecked as top policy priorities in the strategy, as well as a need to guarantee a strong EU voice on the global stage by promoting a high level of quality, efficacy and safety standards. “The COVID-19 pandemic has, and continues to have, a very serious impact on Europe. Though Europe’s response has demonstrated strengths, existing vulnerabilities have been thrown into sharp focus, including those related to data availability, the supply of medicines or the availability ...
For Immediate Release: October 22, 2020 Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the antiviral drug Veklury (remdesivir) for use in adult and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older and weighing at least 40 kilograms (about 88 pounds) for the treatment of COVID-19 requiring hospitalization. Veklury should only be administered in a hospital or in a healthcare setting capable of providing acute care comparable to inpatient hospital care. Veklury is the first treatment for COVID-19 to receive FDA approval. This approval does not include the entire population that had been authorized to use Veklury under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) originally issued on May 1, 2020. In order to ensure continued access to the pediatric population previously covered under the EUA, the FDA revised the EUA for Veklury to authorize the drug’s use for treatment of suspected or laboratory confirmed COVID-19 in hospitalized pediatric patients weighing 3.5 kg to ...
As the fight against the Coronavirus rages, the debate surrounding the possible use of chloroquine and a derivative, hydroxychloroquine, is heating up.
Go to Page Go
your submission has already been received.
OK
Please enter a valid Email address!
Submit
The most relevant industry news & insight will be sent to you every two weeks.