Treating H1N1 – WHO recommends keeping antivirals for severe cases

In contrast to the H1N1 treatment protocols established by many developed nations, the World Health Organization recently announced that healthy patients who get H1N1 swine flu without suffering complications do not need to be treated with antivirals like Tamiflu.  Antiviral treatments are strongly recommended for pregnant women, patients with underlying medical conditions and children [...]

Healthy living reduces risk of chronic disease by 80%

Leading a healthy lifestyle reduces the chance of developing common chronic diseases by nearly 80 per cent, according to recent research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.
Those who exercised regularly, stayed slim, ate a healthy diet and never smoked were (as compared to those who adhered to none of the four [...]

Ethics, research and NGOs

The Global Bioethics Blog recently added a very interesting post about the ethical challenges faced by humanitarian organizations in conducting research, with a specific focus on MSF.  The following is an abbreviated version of the post, though the original is certainly worth reading:
Medecins sans Frontieres (MSF) is a humanitarian organization whose Nobel Prize winning work [...]

UN report on HIV transmission in Asia: more than 90% of HIV+ women in Asia were infected by husbands or long-term partners

A new UN report estimates that more than 90 per cent of the 1.7 million women living with HIV in Asia became infected from their husbands or partners while in long-term relationships.  A further 50 million women in Asia, who are either married or in long-term relationships with men who engage in high-risk sexual behaviours, [...]

Canada’s provincial drug plans and drug rebates – negotiating savings or creating tiered healthcare?

Canada’s health care system has come under increasing scrutiny as the debate on health reform intensifies in the U.S.  The National Post recently published an interesting article on Canada’s provincial drug plans and recent changes that have allowed some of them to negotiate prices directly with drug companies in exchange for having their products listed.  [...]

H1N1 vaccines close to approval says WHO

The World Health Organization recently stated that the first vaccines to combat H1N1 swine flu should be approved and ready for use in some countries from September, according to a recent article by Reuters.
Marie-Paule Kieny, WHO director of the Initiative for Vaccine Research, also said vaccine production yields were improving, following a disappointing start that [...]