Health

Beating Malaria in the Greater Mekong Subregion

CHIANG RAI – In Southeast Asia’s Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), the battle against malaria is advancing at a rapid pace. Between 2012 and 2017, reported malaria cases fell by a staggering 84%, with deaths from the disease down by 93%.

In Cambodia, China’s Yunnan Province, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, more people are free of malaria’s deadly menace than ever before.

To understand the magnitude of this achievement, it helps to go back to 2008, when artemisinin-resistant malaria parasites were first confirmed along the vast, densely forested Thai-Cambodian border. That finding immediately became a source of deep concern, because artemisinin is a critical ingredient in treatments for Plasmodium falciparum malaria, the deadliest form of the mosquito-borne parasite.

The discovery of resistant strains of malaria meant not just that it would be harder to treat, but that the overall approach to fighting the disease would have to change. National malaria prevention and treatment programs were fortified, and monitoring at field operations in affected areas was tightened significantly.

At the same time, greater cross-border collaboration, along with up-to-date information about emerging multidrug resistance in the GMS, became essential. At first, cross-border collaboration was limited to Thailand and Cambodia, the two countries where drug-resistant parasites were first confirmed.

But, by 2011, China, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Lao PDR – with support from the World Health Organization’s South-East Asia and Western Pacific offices – were also on the case. Public-health authorities throughout the region were providing actionable, up-to-date parasitological data, and taking clear steps to address the problem.

In 2013, the WHO launched its Emergency Response to Artemisinin Resistance in the GMS. As support from Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, The Global Fund, the UK Department for International Development, the US Agency for International Development, and the US President’s Malaria Initiative was being provided, resolve to confront the challenge was crystallizing throughout the subregion.

Then under the WHO’s Strategy for Malaria Elimination in the Greater Mekong Subregion 2015-2030, the emphasis shifted from controlling drug resistance to pursuing total malaria elimination. The WHO provided public-health authorities in the GMS with the technical and strategic guidance needed to make the dramatic, life-changing advances that we have seen in recent years.

Although there have been challenges along the way, the GMS’s progress so far suggests that it could eliminate the Plasmodium falciparum parasite by 2025, and eliminate malaria completely by 2030, at the latest. To succeed, however, all of those involved in the fight against malaria will need to focus on five core areas.

First, we must maintain high-level political commitment. Any lapse on the part of one country can and will have consequences elsewhere, so it is crucial that leaders remain resolute. Fortunately, at a high-level meeting last December in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, delegates from all six GMS countries explored ways to accelerate malaria reduction in the region. Looking ahead, they must continue to build on what they discussed.

Second, we need to pay special attention to high-burden areas. National malaria programs should allocate more resources to hard-to-reach communities that lack access to health care. They also need to extend all of the services they provide to non-citizens, which will require building trust within remote communities.

Third, we must do more to eliminate poor-quality antimalarial medicines. To that end, the GMS’s region-wide ban on the production and marketing of oral artemisinin-based monotherapies, which actually contribute to drug resistance, is to be commended, as is the strengthening of national supply chains to improve the availability of high-quality medicines.

Fourth, GMS countries need to establish more robust surveillance systems and fully leverage existing channels for sharing information at the regional level. With improved surveillance – and with the WHO’s regional data-sharing platform – national malaria programs will be better positioned to redirect resources as needed, especially in the event of an outbreak.

And, finally, the GMS countries must embrace research and development, to improve their understanding of malaria parasites and the mosquitoes that spread them. Specifically, there is a need for more high-quality data on the performance of programmatic interventions, and on the efficacy of current treatments.

The GMS must take full advantage of the opportunity it now has to eliminate malaria. The subregion’s national leaders are paying attention to the problem, international partners are offering their support, and local public-health agencies have a wide range of effective tools at their disposal.

Given that malaria still threatens millions of people, there is no room for delay or loss of focus. We must build on the GMS’s remarkable progress and eliminate malaria once and for all.

By Poonam Khetrapal Singh and Shin Young-soo

Health

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

(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

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?

(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