The British scientists behind one of the major therapeutic Covid-19 trials have turned their focus to treatments for monkeypox, a viral disease that has been
labelled a global health emergency by the World Health Organization.
The team from Oxford University behind the so-called RECOVERY trial - which honed in on four effective Covid treatments - on Tuesday unveiled a new trial, dubbed
PLATINUM, to confirm whether Siga Technologies' tecovirimat is an effective treatment for monkeypox.
Although there are vaccines developed for the closely related smallpox that can reduce the risk of catching monkeypox, there are currently no treatments that have
been proven to help hasten recovery in those who develop the disease.
The UK has over 3,000 confirmed cases of monkeypox.
The virus is transmitted chiefly through close contact with an infected person. It typically causes mild symptoms including fever, rash, swollen lymph nodes and
pus-filled skin lesions. Severe cases can occur, though people tend to recover within two to four weeks.
Siga's drug, branded Tpoxx, has been cleared to treat diseases caused by the family of orthopoxvirus that includes smallpox, monkeypox and cowpox by the European
Union and United Kingdom, but due to limited trial data it is generally only used in severe cases in Britain.
Being aware of and understanding our mental health is extremely important. Mental health is not simply a medical condition, it essentially encompasses our
psychological and emotional well-being.
Mental health awareness has increased in recent years, however, since the COVID-19 pandemic, awareness of our mental stability and how we process our feelings
has become all too apparent. It is important that we all learn to be open with our feelings and also be able to support others who may be struggling with their
own mental health.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) conceptualises mental health as a "state of well-being in which the individual realises his or her own abilities, can cope
with the normal stresses of work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community."
Scientists Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman from Hungary and the United States respectively won the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for
discoveries enabling the development of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, the award-giving body said on Monday.
The prize, among the most prestigious in the scientific world, is selected by the Nobel Assembly of Sweden's Karolinska Institute medical university and also
comes with 11 million Swedish crowns (about £823,500).
"The 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman for their discoveries concerning nucleoside base modifications
that enabled the development of effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19," the body said.
Kariko was senior vice president and head of RNA protein replacement at BioNTech until 2022 and has since acted as an adviser to the company. She is also a professor
at the University of Szeged in Hungary and adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine.
Weissman is professor in vaccine research at the Perelman School.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) announced three new awards - the Daniel Thomas Award, the OPERA Award and the Barnett Award - at its annual
conference on Friday.
RPS President Professor Claire Anderson said each award recognises "exceptional contributions to the pharmacy field."
The Daniel Thomas Award recognises pharmacists or pharmaceutical scientists who died while actively practising in the profession.
It is named after Daniel Thomas, a pharmacist who died during the First World War in 1917 while serving with the Royal Army Medical Corps.
The Outstanding Pharmacy Early-Career Researcher Award or OPERA Award recognises the achievements of early-career researchers within the pharmacy field.
The National Health Service England (NHSE) aims to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040 by making the lifesaving Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination
easily accessible to people and increasing cervical screening uptake.
In addition to the campaign, the NHS is expanding the outreach of cervical screening more than ever before.
Last year, the health service invited over five million people aged 25 to 64 for the screening, out of which 3.5 million were tested.
Moreover, self-sampling will be trialled to see if the service can introduced as part of national screening.
England is among the first countries in the world to set this elimination ambition, which could save thousands of lives every year in the country.
Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of Officer of NHS England, announced the health service's new goal and how to achieve it at the NHS Providers' annual conference
today (15 November).
The 'Life and Health Sciences Launchpad' has been introduced to focus on the precision medicine sector.
It would help businesses and researchers to level up their impact on economic growth within the region.
The launchpad has been funded by Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
Kerry Curran, Director of GB & EU Trade in the Department for the Economy hailed the decision to support NI's "trailblazing" sector.
She said: "Life and Health Science, including our highly innovative precision medicine cluster, is an area the Department is also prioritising through its
10X Economy Vision, and this Launchpad represents a further endorsement of the world-leading growth potential of precision medicine, and indeed life and
health science, in Northern Ireland.
The MHRA's Criminal Enforcement Unit (CEU), working with other law enforcement partners, has seized more than two million "illegally traded medicines" this
year, with a total value of £5 million.
The products confiscated in the UK were prescription-only medicines including anti-depressants, pain medication and human growth hormones.
The MHRA launched an initiative, Operation Pangea, 15 years ago to combat "illegal internet trade in medical" products.
Andy Morling, the Deputy Director of Criminal Enforcement of MHRA, spoke about Operation Pangea's 15-year anniversary.
"Fifteen years ago, the MHRA started Operation Pangea, combining our knowledge and resources with those of international partners to disrupt and bring to justice
the criminal gangs responsible for selling medicines illegally and causing harm around the world.
The World Health Organization said on Sunday (May 29) that monkey pox constitutes a "moderate risk" to overall public health at global level after cases were reported in countries where the disease is not typically found.
"The public health risk could become high if this virus exploits the opportunity to establish itself as a human pathogen and spreads to groups at higher risk of severe disease such as young children and immunosuppressed persons," WHO said.
As of May 26, a total of 257 confirmed cases and 120 suspected cases have been reported from 23 member states that are not endemic for the virus, the health agency
said in a statement. There has been no reported fatalities so far.
WHO also said that the sudden appearance of monkeypox at once in several non-endemic countries suggests undetected transmission for some time and recent amplifying events.
The agency added that it expects more cases to be reported as surveillance in endemic and non-endemic countries expands.
Monkeypox is an infectious disease that is usually mild, and is endemic in parts of west and central Africa. It is spread by close contact, so it can be relatively easily contained through measures such as self-isolation and hygiene.
youbeingfit.com is designed to correct your health, fitness, food diet and to caution you with the goal that you can appreciate life openly. your life is exceptionally valuable, be always healthy, have an ideal daily routine to Be Healthy.
Be Fit Being Fit You Will Be Fit.
As we probably aware world is dealing with an extraordinary issue of pollution in air, water and that too in our everyday food, so it become necessary for us to take care of our health fitness. Thus, YouBeingFit will direct you how to Be Fit to Being Fit throughout everyday life.
A few of us think we get life to enjoy in any way and this thinking force them to do unfortunate things, they don't feel that they are trapped and this kill there immunity, there fitness and make them weak from inside as well as from outside as well. Many types of diseases attacks because of being unfit unhealthy. It's our responsibility to make Our Life Healthy, Fit and Fine. This is the right way to enjoy life.
It's our responsibility to make Our Life Healthy, Fit and Fine. This is the right way to enjoy life.
Appreciate your life in happy manner and it's chance to change our thinking in right manner. Live Healthy and Happily.
Covid-19 has accelerated a culture change for community pharmacists. Throughout the pandemic, they have been the first line of advice, treatment and referral for common illnesses, and they have Successfully prevented countless unnecessary visits to A&E.
The commitment of the profession to patient care has been widely recognised by both the government and the public. Despite immense pressure, pharmacy teams have risen to the challenges posed by a Global pandemic.
"The extent to which pharmacists went over and above the call of duty, acting outside of their licences from a humanity point of view was extraordinary," said Tess Player, vice president and global head of expert and health influencers at GSK Consumer Healthcare, calling them the "unspoken heroes" of Covid-19.
Pharmacy teams from around the world have shared with her their experiences. Pharmacists in China remained open round the clock and sourced face coverings for
their community and metered out the short supply for their patients.
The new deal struck by the NHS will enable provision of a life-saving treatment for babies and young children who suffer with a rare and fatal genetic disease, metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD).
The revolutionary gene therapy treatment, known by its brand name Libmeldy, is used to treat MLD, which causes severe damage to the child's nervous system and organs,
leading to a life expectancy of just five to eight years.
Having a reported list price of more than £2.8 million, it is the most expensive drug in the world, but can now be offered to young patients on the NHS in England after the health service negotiated a significant confidential discount.
the drug works by removing the patient's stem cells and replacing the faulty gene that causes MLD before then re-injecting the treated cells into the patient.
The most common form of MLD usually develops in babies younger than 30 months and can cause loss of sight, speech and hearing, as well as difficulty moving, brain impairment, seizures, and eventually death.
Thirty-five generic drug manufacturers will make a more affordable version of Pfizer's anti-Covid pill for the world's poorer nations, in licensing deals announced Thursday (17) by a UN-backed organisation.
The global Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) signed agreements with three dozen manufacturers to produce the oral Covid-19 treatment nirmatrelvir for supply in 95 low- and middle-income countries.
US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer signed a licence agreement with the MPP in November. The MPP, in turn, issued sub-licences to the generic drugs makers.
The deals announced Thursday will "help ensure access to our oral Covid-19 treatment for patients in need around the world", said Pfizer chairman Albert Bourla.
Two new subvariants of Omicron - BA.4 and BA.5 - are spreading much faster than other corovanirus variants in Europe, which could lead to more hospitalisations
and deaths as they become dominant, the EU's disease prevention agency said on Monday (June 13).
Most EU countries have so far detected low rates of the two subgroups. But in countries where the proportion has risen - such as Portugal, where BA.5 accounted for
87 per cent of cases by May 30 - there have been surges in overall cases, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
The two sublineages were added to the World Health Organization's monitoring list in March and have also been designated as variants of concern by the ECDC.
Variants BA.4 and BA.5 do not appear to carry a higher risk of severe disease than other forms of Omicron.But an increase in case numbers from higher transmission
rates risks leading to an increase in hospitalisations and deaths, the agency said.
"The growth advantage reported for BA.4 and BA.5 suggest that these variants will become dominant," ECDC said in a statement on its website.
Covid-19 vaccine makers are shifting gears and planning for a smaller, more competitive booster shot market after delivering as many doses as fast as they
could over the last 18 months.
Executives at the biggest Covid vaccine makers including Pfizer and Moderna said they believe most people who wanted to get vaccinated against Covid have already done so - more than five billion people worldwide.
In the coming year, most Covid vaccinations will be booster shots, or first inoculations for children, which are still gaining regulatory approvals around the world, they said.
Pfizer, which makes its shot with Germany's BioNTech and Moderna still see a major role for themselves in the vaccine market even as overall demand declines.
Upstart US vaccine maker Novavax and Germany's CureVac, which is working with GlaxoSmithKline, are developing vaccines they hope to target at the booster market.
The roles of AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson, whose shots have been less popular or effective, are expected to decline in this market.
The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) has expressed disappointment at the omission, once again, of the promised Employment Rights Bill omitted from the Queen's Speech earlier this week.
The Bill is pledged to strengthen day one employment rights and increase the productivity of businesses.
It set out plans which would protect and enhance workers' rights and aim to make the UK the best place in the world to work at. This included plans to introduce the right to request flexible working for around 2.2 million people in Great Britain - regardless of time served in a bid to modernise the way employees work.
The PDA said: "The Employment Rights Bill would have presented an opportunity to improve the ability for workers to obtain redress in the event of poor treatment or discrimination through the development of a single labour market enforcement body.
"Poor employment practices, such as insecure work through long-term zero-hours contracts, unilaterally changing workers' terms and conditions by terminating their
contracts and re-hiring them on new terms and conditions (also known as fire and rehire), and the sacking of workers without notice, as recently demonstrated by P
& O Ferries, could have been outlawed under new legislation."
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and Pharmacy Declares are inviting pharmacy teams from around the world to sign up and commit to taking "bold action"
on climate change as mentioned in a climate change charter which was published on Monday (June 13).
The charter asks pharmacy teams to commit to understanding how human health and the systems which underpin it are "reliant on the state of our natural environment"
and actively explore ways to make pharmacy practice and medicine use more sustainable.
It also asks to collaborate and share best practice to improve sustainability in pharmacy and healthcare; demonstrate leadership on sustainability or being a champion
for sustainability at work; and assist patients to optimise their medicine use to increase both health outcomes and environmental sustainability.
The individuals can also commit to a personal action on climate change of their own choosing.
The Charter is being supported by a strong coalition of organisations from across pharmacy including the Centre for Postgraduate Pharmacy Education, the Clinical
Pharmacy Association, College of Mental Health Pharmacy and Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists.
A smattering of monkeypox cases in Britain has prompted authorities to offer a smallpox vaccine to some healthcare workers and others who may have been exposed,
as a handful more cases were confirmed in parts of Europe.
Monkeypox is a usually mild viral illness, characterised by symptoms of fever as well as a distinctive bumpy rash.
There are two main strains: the Congo strain, which is more severe - with up to 10 per cent mortality - and the West African strain, which has a fatality rate of
about one per cent
First identified in monkeys, the viral disease typically spreads through close contact and largely occurs in west and central Africa. It has rarely spread elsewhere,
so this fresh spate of cases outside the continent has triggered concern.
In the United Kingdom, nine cases of the West African strain have been reported so far.
There isn't a specific vaccine for monkeypox, but a smallpox vaccine does offer some protection, a UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) spokesperson said.
Data shows that vaccines that were used to eradicate smallpox are up to 85 per cent effective against monkeypox, according to the World Health Organisation.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) launched a new Innovative Medicines Fund on Tuesday (June 7) under which £340 million has been made available
to purchase potentially life-saving drugs early.
This will allow NHS patients in England to have early access to potentially life-saving and cutting-edge treatments
Health secretary Sajid Javid said: "I want NHS patients to be the first in the world to access the most promising and revolutionary treatments that could extend or
save their lives.
"The launch of the Innovative Medicines Fund delivers another manifesto pledge and will fast-track cutting-edge medicines to adults and children to give people
renewed hope for a better future."
A total of £680 million has been ringfenced for the Innovative Medicines Fund and Cancer Drugs Fund - £340 million each - to fast-track medicines to NHS patients.
DHSC said: "The Innovative Medicines Fund will provide quick access to novel treatments, including potentially lifesaving gene therapies for serious conditions with
few treatment options. It often takes longer for pharmaceutical companies to collect data on a medicine's clinical and cost effectiveness for rare diseases due to
the smaller patient cohort.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has been accepted as a full member of three international work-sharing partnerships.
Through these partnerships the agency said it will play vital international role in making sure medicines and medical devices are regulated safely and efficiently
worldwide,
Two of these, the International Medical Device Regulatory Forum (IMDRF) and the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals
for Human Use (ICH) are focused on improving the harmonisation and convergence of medicines and medical devices regulation globally.
The partnerships will also help the MHRA to share expertise with other leading organisations, support the development of regulatory guidelines and drive greater
harmonisation of regulation around the world. This will help deliver timely access to innovative medical products not just in the UK but globally.
A group of drugs commonly used to treat erectile dysfunction may be able to boost the effect of chemotherapy in oesophageal cancer, according to new research
funded by Cancer Research UK and the Medical Research Council.
The research, published on Tuesday (June 22) in Cell Reports Medicine, found that the drugs, known as PDE5 inhibitors can reverse chemotherapy resistance by
targeting cells called cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) residing in the area surrounding the tumour.
Although this is early discovery research, PDE5 inhibitors combined with chemotherapy, may be able to shrink some oesophageal tumours more than chemotherapy could
alone, tackling chemotherapy resistance, which is one of the major challenges in treating oesophageal cancer.
Oesophageal cancer affects the food pipe that connects the mouth to the stomach, and while it is a relatively rare cancer, the UK has one of the higher rates in the
world, with 9,300 new oesophageal cancer cases in the UK every year.
Resistance to chemotherapy in oesophageal cancer is influenced by the tumour microenvironment, the area that sounds the tumour. This is made up of molecules, blood
vessels, and cells such as cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which are important for tumour growth. It feeds the tumour and can act as a protective cloak,
preventing treatments like chemotherapy from having an effect.
