Health

Thai Health to Offer Free Anti-Retroviral Drugs to HIV Patients

The rate of new HIV infections is not falling fast enough, currently about 8,000 people get infected every year.

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BANGKOK – Thailand’s Universal Coverage Health Scheme now provides all Thais who test HIV-positive with free anti-retroviral drugs irrespective of their immunity levels.

Thailand will be one of the first developing countries to eliminate mother-to-child HIV transmission, and is now aiming to “end Aids” by 2030.

But the good news and ambitious goals paint only half the picture. The rate of new HIV infections is not falling fast enough. Currently about 8,000 people get infected every year. Almost a quarter of those already infected are not aware of their status, and, for years now, the number of annual Aids-related deaths has hovered around 20,000.

Last year, a report from by UNAIDS and the Lancet Commission warned governments of the risk of a dramatic rebound of the disease unless they accelerated prevention efforts over the next five years.

“We must face hard truths – if the current rate of new HIV infections continues, merely sustaining the major efforts we already have in place will not be enough to stop deaths from Aids increasing within five years in many countries,” said Professor Peter Piot, co-chair of the Lancet Commission.

The lead author of the report pointed out the importance of sustainable access to treatment, but emphasised that “we will not treat ourselves out of the Aids epidemic. We must also reinvigorate HIV prevention efforts, particularly among populations at highest risk, while removing legal and societal discrimination.”

Ending Aids requires effectively eliminating HIV transmission in all populations. During his recent Bangkok visit, UNAIDS executive director Michel Sidibe made it clear that, “Universalism is key. We must bring services to people regardless of their personal status.”

If any group is left behind in the prevention efforts, it’s only a matter of time before HIV once again explodes in the general population. Already there are worrying signs. Recent studies show HIV prevalence is increasing among certain populations. Among these is young men who have sex with men (MSM), none of whom witnessed the early days of Aids and are thus less likely to practice safe sex or get tested.

An important lesson learned after 30 years of the epidemic is that there’s no “one size fits all” solution. To be effective, a country’s HIV/Aids response must involve a complex programme, with different parts tailor-made to serve different sections of the population. It’s like juggling with several balls of different shapes and sizes in the air at the same time.

Although the Thai government’s hospital-based services may be adequate for serving the public at large, it’s the local non-governmental organisations that are actively extending the reach of HIV protection to the populations who are disproportionately affected by HIV and harder to access due to stigma and discrimination – namely, MSMs, transgender persons, sex workers, people who inject drugs, and migrant workers. These are the “tricky” balls that the government’s hand struggles to catch.

Emphasising the indispensable role of NGOs in reaching key affected populations, Sidibe said, “I don’t see any bureaucratic structures that will be able reach the community and work with them and integrate them. They are not designed for that. They are designed for people to come to them.”

But the future of Thailand’s NGO arm in HIV/Aids response is now uncertain. While the Thai government shoulders around 89 per cent of the country’s overall Aids-related expenses, it funds only about 14 per cent of the work among the key affected populations. The remaining budget overwhelmingly comes from external sources, especially the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM).

This source of support, however, will soon evaporate. Since Thailand rose to the rank of an upper-middle-income country in 2011, GFATM has indicated that it will soon pull its funding from the country to make way for a fully government-owned HIV/Aids response. The last round of GFATM support will finish at the end of this year, despite the fact that Thai-government support for NGO work among key affected populations is nowhere near sufficient and, worse, hindered by unhelpful laws and regulations.

With the Global Fund’s exit and the government’s lack of preparedness, the country’s HIV response will suddenly have to juggle with one hand tied behind its back, even as the balls are falling faster. Government-NGO coordination in HIV prevention that took years to hone will undoubtedly atrophy, leaving key populations vulnerable again.

This confluence of events couldn’t happen at a worse time, because if Thailand drops the balls during this transition, decades of gains in the national fight against HIV/Aids could be reversed. Announcements of achievements, therefore, are at best premature and at worst misleading.

By Paisarn Likhitpreechakul

Paisarn Likhitpreechakul is the Advocacy and Communications Officer at Raks Thai Foundation, a principal recipient of the GFATM-supported “Stop Aids and TB through Reach-Recruit-Test-Treat-Retain Program”.

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