Health

Thailand Vaccine the Beginning of the End of AIDS?

Published

13 years ago

September 28, 2011

Bchcomber

Publishing the exciting results of the first effective HIV vaccine trial.

Bangkok, Thailand – I have vivid memories of treating patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the nascency of the pandemic in the 1990s. Mostly I recall telling patients they were going to die in a matter of months if they didn’t go on the incredibly difficult drug cocktail doctors were prescribing at that time – it was all we had. Sadly, some opted for unfettered death.

Since then I’ve followed developments in HIV medicine peripherally, as it has burgeoned into an incredibly complex medical subspecialty. We’ve seen treatment options go from one drug with crippling side effects to more than 2 dozen drugs with manageable side effects. Although there are about 33 million infected worldwide, with many more thousands infected every day, doctors are no longer telling newly-diagnosed patients to get their papers in order. And despite its reputation as a disease of gay men, more than half of those infected with HIV are women.

So it was an incredible honor to be invited by the National Press Foundation into fellowship to attend the AIDS Vaccine Conference in Bangkok, Thailand, this month. The conference, sponsored by the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise, the Thai Ministry of Health and Mahidol University, was being held in Asia for the first time.

Why Thailand? As it turns out, the first promising HIV vaccine trial results came from a study performed here. In 2009, the groundbreaking RV144 clinical trial made worldwide headlines by boasting of a protection rate of 31% in 8000 vaccinated volunteers. These surprising results energized HIV vaccine researches that had been browbeaten by decades of setbacks in previous experiments. A vaccine that is only 31% effective is not effective enough to be manufactured and used on patients, but the trial demonstrated that a vaccine for HIV is possible, the elusive “proof of concept.”

Why is a vaccine so important? First of all, it’s the only possibility of wiping out this immune-system-destroying virus. A vaccine is our only hope to rid the earth of AIDS, as it did for smallpox, and as it is on its way for doing for polio. Second, the world can’t bear the enormous financial burden of caring for and treating those infected with HIV. One scientist estimated the cost of treating all persons infected with HIV at $30 billion in a 10-year span, with annual costs of treatment at a modest $8,000 – $12,000, not to mention social, family and lifestyle disruption. A vaccine would cost only $800 a pop. During the opening ceremony, Dr. Carl Dieffenbach, of the National Institutes of Health, summed it all up. “The Holy Grail of HIV prevention remains a safe, efficacious and durable HIV vaccine.”

Why is a vaccine so elusive? It’s a huge scientific challenge – the HIV virus has thousands and thousands of strains and changes its composition frequently to escape annihilation. It operates under the presumption that the best defensive is a good offensive, and holds a person’s immune system hostage by wiping out the body’s own immune cells that are needed to fight it.

Many vaccine attempts have been made under the Fail Fast Principle: screen out as quickly as possible vaccines and vaccine mechanisms of action that aren’t going to work, so that the most time and the real money can be spent on hypotheses that have a real chance. The title of this conference is a misnomer. In my opinion, it should be called the HIV Vaccine Conference. Because everyone who has AIDS is infected with HIV, but not everyone who is infected with HIV has AIDS. AIDS is a medical term for those most severely impacted by the infection, whether it’s because they’ve developed a complicating illness, like pneumonia, or because their immune system is failing, as demonstrated by laboratory testing. And we are in pursuit of a vaccine that will prevent or halt the infectious process, not just the most severe implications of the infection.

So here we are. In 2011, on the 30th anniversary of the first HIV cases in the U.S., we can finally see a light at the end of the tunnel. Decades of research on an HIV vaccine has finally been vindicated. Although years away, thousands of vaccine trial participants shy of drug approval, many millions of dollars in need, and with discoveries of other prevention techniques and exciting giant steps along the way — issues that I will explore throughout this conversation – the tightly knit and committed HIV scientists have circled the wagons and are taking their best collaborative shots towards the eradication of the human immunodeficiency virus.

By Dr. Mona Khanna

Health

Report Causes Pfizer Stock to Climb Approximately $1 Billion Acquired by Starboard

Published

3 months ago

October 7, 2024

Salman

(VOR News) – According to a rumor that activist investor Pfizer Starboard Value has taken a holding in the struggling pharmaceutical business that is expected to be worth around one billion dollars, the stock of Pfizer (PFE) is on the increase in premarket trading on Monday.

This comes after the report was made public. The report was made available to the general public following this. Starboard Value was successful in moving forward with the acquisition of the position.

Starboard is said to have approached Ian Read, a former chief executive officer of Pfizer, and Frank D’Amelio, a former chief financial officer, in order to seek assistance with its goals of boosting the performance of the company, according to the Wall Street Journal. Read and D’Amelio are both former Pfizer executives.

The purpose of this is to facilitate the accomplishment of its objectives, which include enhancing the overall performance of the firm.

In their previous jobs, D’Amelio and Read were chief financial officers.

It is stated in the report that the hedge fund is of the opinion that Pfizer, which is currently being managed by Albert Bourla, who succeeded Read as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in 2019, does not demonstrate the same level of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) discipline that Read did. Bourla took over for Read in 2019. Read was succeeded by Bourla in the year 2019.

Pfizer, a multinational pharmaceutical conglomerate, has made substantial investments in the acquisition of more companies that are involved in the research and development of cancer medicines.

These businesses have been acquired for billions of dollars. The biotechnology company Seagen, which was acquired by Pfizer in the previous year for a price of $43 billion, is included in this category. One of the businesses that can be classified as belonging to this category is Seagen.

In spite of the fact that the S&P 500 Index experienced a 21% increase in 2024.

No major trading occurred in Pfizer stock that year.

Due to the fact that the demand for Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccines fell after the firm reached its pandemic peak in 2021, the share price of the corporation has decreased by over fifty percent since that time.

This drop has occurred ever since the company’s shares reached their maximum peak, which was during the time that this decline occurred. Not only have they not changed at all, but they have also remained essentially stable. This is in contrast to the S&P 500, which has gained 21% since the beginning of this year.

Recently, the corporation was forced to take a hit when it decided to recall all of the sickle cell illness medications that it had distributed all over the world.

Fears that the prescription could lead patients to experience severe agony and possibly even death were the impetus for the decision to recall the product. In spite of the fact that Pfizer’s stock is increasing by almost three percent as a result of the news that followed the company’s decision, this is the circumstance that has come about.

SOURCE: IPN

Health

New Study Reveals Drinking Soda Pop Increases the Risk of Stroke

Published

3 months ago

October 6, 2024

VORNews

If you drink too much soda, fruit juice and coffee, beware!

A recent report from global research indicates that excessive consumption of coffee or soda pop is associated with an increased risk of stroke, although the intake of black and green tea is correlated with a reduced risk. Excessive consumption of soda pop or coffee warrants caution!

Recent research indicates that it may substantially elevate the risk of stroke.

Consuming four cups of coffee daily elevates the risk of stroke, according to studies, although ingesting 3-4 cups of black or green tea daily typically offers protection against stroke. Additionally, consume more coffee; it may reduce your risk of mortality.

Recent findings from global research studies co-led by the University of Galway and McMaster University, alongside an international consortium of stroke researchers, indicate that soda, encompassing both sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened variants such as diet or zero sugar, is associated with a 22 percent heightened risk of stroke. The risk escalated significantly with the consumption of two or more of these beverages daily.

Stroke Risk Fizzy Drinks and Soda Pop

The correlation between fizzy drinks consumption and stroke risk was most pronounced in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and South America. Women exhibit the most elevated risk of stroke from bleeding (intracranial hemorrhage) associated with fruit juice beverages. Consuming over 7 cups of water daily diminishes the likelihood of stroke due to a clot.

Researchers observed that numerous items advertised as fruit juice are derived from concentrates and have added sugars and preservatives, potentially negating the advantages often associated with fresh fruit and instead elevating stroke risk.

Fruit juice beverages were associated with a 37 percent heightened risk of stroke resulting from bleeding (intracranial hemorrhage). Consuming two of these beverages daily increases the risk thrice.

Consuming over four cups of coffee daily elevates the risk of stroke by 37 percent, although lower consumption levels do not correlate with stroke risk. Conversely, tea consumption was associated with an 18-20 percent reduction in stroke risk. Additionally, consuming 3-4 cups daily of black tea, such as Breakfast and Earl Grey varieties, excluding green and herbal teas, was associated with a 29 percent reduced risk of stroke.

Consuming 3-4 cups of green tea daily was associated with a 27 percent reduction in stroke risk. Notably, the addition of milk may diminish or inhibit the advantageous effects of antioxidants present in tea. The lower risk of stroke associated with tea consumption was negated for individuals who added milk.

Disclaimer: This article is intended solely for informational reasons and should not be considered a replacement for professional medical counsel. Consistently consult your physician regarding any inquiries pertaining to a medical problem.

Starbucks Faces Sales Decline Amid Price Fatigue and Rising Competition

Starbucks Faces Sales Decline Amid Price Fatigue and Rising Competition

Health

Following a Diagnosis of Breast Cancer, What Else Should You Know?

Published

3 months ago

October 5, 2024

Salman

(VOR News) – Even though breast cancer affects one in eight American women, receiving a diagnosis can make a woman feel isolated.

Experts in breast cancer from the American College of Physicians (ACS) advise patients on how to manage their disease so that they may better cope with this awful information.

First, the kind and stage of breast cancer dictates the course of your care.

In addition to immunotherapy and chemotherapy, there are various surgical options available for the treatment of breast cancer.

Women of African descent are disproportionately affected by triple-negative breast cancer, an extremely aggressive form of the disease that has never proven easy to treat.

According to the American Cancer Society, pembrolizumab (Keytruda), an immunotherapy, has been shown to be helpful when combined with chemotherapy and is currently the recommended course of treatment for certain combinations of triple-negative breast cancer.

In her presentation, Dr. Katharine Yao said, “It’s really important that the patient and physician discuss the patient’s preferences and values when deciding what type of treatment to pursue and that they have an honest, individualized discussion with their care team.”

She is currently responsible for developing breast cancer treatment recommendations for more than 575 hospitals and institutions nationwide in her role as chair of the American College of Surgeons’ National Accreditation Program for Breast Institutions (NAPBC).

Yao, vice chair of research at Endeavor Health NorthShore Hospitals in New York, pointed out that each decision made about a patient’s treatment plan should take her preferences and diagnosis into consideration.

She ought to think about whether she would prefer a mastectomy—a surgical procedure that involves removing the entire breast with or without reconstruction—or a lumpectomy, which involves a surgical procedure that spares part of the breast tissue.

She stated that “the breast cancer you have may be very different from the breast cancer you hear about in your neighbor, colleague, or friend” in a press release issued by the American Cancer Society (ACS).

“Consider that while discussing breast cancer with others.”

Throughout your journey, it is critical that you look after your emotional health because having breast cancer may have a detrimental impact on your mental health.

“Getting a cancer diagnosis does not mean that everything in your life stops to be normal.” Director of the Fellowship in the Diseases of the Breast program at the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas and state head of the American Cancer Society Commission on Cancer for Arkansas, Dr. Daniela Ochoa She thinks adding the burden of a cancer diagnosis and treatment to all the other pressures in life may be taxing.

“Managing stress and emotional health is vital component of a treatment plan.”

Ochoa recommends clinically trained psychologists and social workers who have assisted people in coping with cancer to anyone receiving treatment. Learning coping techniques might also be facilitated by joining cancer support groups or cancer wellness initiatives.

Breast cancer specialists say your care team is crucial.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) defines comprehensive care as having support at every stage of the procedure from surgeons, oncologists, patient navigators, nurses, social workers, psychologists, and other specialists.

After receiving a breast cancer diagnosis, women should see a surgeon or medical oncologist to explore their options; nevertheless, treatment shouldn’t be discontinued after just one appointment or after surgery is over.

Additionally, you can ask trustworthy friends or family members to accompany you to appointments and aid you with research or notes. They could serve as a network of support for you.

Yao stated in his talk that “one of the most important things is that patients should search out a team they have confidence in, that they trust will have their back when they need it, and a team they feel they can get access to and that will help them when they are in need.”

SOURCE: MP