“Understanding the molecular drivers in patients with non-small cell lung cancer is critical for therapy selection,” said Matt Sause, CEO of Roche Diagnostics. “By identifying MET protein expression at the appropriate stage in the patient journey, we can help provide timely, tailored treatment options that may improve patient outcomes and offer hope to those facing this challenging disease.”

Despite advances in treatment, lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in both men and women throughout the world. Lung cancer is often diagnosed at an advanced stage when treatment options are limited; median survival is less than one year. Approximately 85% of lung cancers are classified as NSCLC.

Among advanced NSCLC patients with a normal (wild-type) epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene, around a quarter exhibit high levels of MET protein, making MET protein expression an important factor in determining treatment options for patients with this type of cancer.

The FDA accelerated approval is supported by data from the Phase 2 LUMINOSITY study, an ongoing study designed to characterize the efficacy and safety of Emrelis in c-Met overexpressing advanced NSQ-NSCLC populations. Findings from the study showed patients with c-Met protein high expression who received Emrelis demonstrated 35% overall response rate (ORR) and duration of response (DoR) with a median of 7.2 months.

"The launch of the first immunohistochemistry (IHC) MET companion test exemplifies Roche’s commitment in this area, and represents an important addition to the company’s market-leading portfolio of immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in situ hybridisation (ISH) companion diagnostics. These diagnostics are designed to provide critical insights that enable more informed clinical decisions, advancing personalised healthcare and improving patients’ lives," the company stated in a release.

The VENTANA MET (SP44) RxDx Assay detects the MET protein and is scored by pathologists based on the percentage of tumour cells stained and the intensity of the staining. The FDA’s approval is based on data from AbbVie’s Phase 2 LUMINOSITY clinical study, in which the test was used as the enrollment assay. MET protein overexpression is defined as ≥50% tumor cells demonstrating strong (3+) membrane and/or cytoplasmic staining.

By providing critical information on MET protein expression, the assay informs clinicians about the likelihood that a patient will benefit from c-Met-targeted therapy, allowing for a more personalised approach to treating NSQ-NSCLC.

Tom Speight, showing off his gym-honed physique, looked every inch the confident pop star as the photographer snapped away. Less obvious was the battle it had taken him to get to that point.

The Association of Volunteers for the Reintegration of Prisoners in Haiti expressed deep concern after the Minister of Justice revealed that nearly 2,000 cases of people living with HIV have been identified in Haitian prisons...

NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more....-->

NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more....-->

17 May 2025
Global Updates on Front of Package Warning Labelling; HCC at the UN Interactive Multistakeholder Hearing; National School Nutrition Policy Tabled in Jamaica Senate; A Message from the HCC President on World Hypertension Day 2025; Zero draft of the Political Declaration for the High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health is Out; HCY Member Participates Multistakeholder Hearing Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health for Young Professionals; Dispelling Industry Myths on NCDs; Webinar: Towards Zero Tolerance: Eliminating Trans Fats from the Edible Oil Industry; MAPPS II; Virtual Launch of NCDs Quick Buys Paper; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….

15 April 2025
HCC-led Caribbean Advocacy Priorities for the 4th UN High Level Meeting on NCDs (HLM4); HCC Director Apointed to WOF Board of Trustees; HCC Board Member Dr Colette Cunningham-Myrie Named as One of Eight New Professors at UWI; LET’S DO BETTER FOR THE CHILDREN!; Changing the Game: Ending Unhealthy School Sports Sponsorships for a Healthier Future; How Health Taxes can Combat the NCD Crisis; 69th CARPHA Annual Health Research Conference; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….

22 March 2025
National NCD Commission Welcomes 2025 Budget; NCD Survey: Alcohol Use on the Rise in T&T; Healthy Caribbean Youth Takes Over Instagram!; Heart & Stroke Foundation of Barbados’ Childhood Obesity Prevention Programme Launches the “Protect Us!” Mass Media Campaign; Special Issue of the Caribbean Law Review on “Unhealthy Food, Alcohol, Tobacco and the Law”; New Health Survey to Address Barbados’ NCD Crisis; The Road to HLM4 – Get Prepared for the Multistakeholder Hearing; HCC Webinar: Changing Systems, Healthier Lives: The Caribbean Journey to the UN High Level Meeting; Small Island Developing States: Addressing the Intersecting Challenges of Non-Communicable Diseases, Food Insecurity, and Climate Change; Diabetes Crisis Overwhelms QEH – Expert; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….

16 March 2025
HCC Open Letter; Target Salty Food; New Tax On Salted Snacks; HCC Civil Society Organisation Capacity Building Sessions – Maximizing Social Media for Advocacy: Strategies for Engagement and Impact; HCC Webinar: Changing Systems, Healthier Lives: The Caribbean Journey to the UN High Level Meeting; Heart & Stroke Foundation of Barbados’ Childhood Obesity Prevention Programme Launches the “Protect Us!” Mass Media Campaign; Carpha’s New Executive Director Dr Lisa Indar’s Passion to Help the Caribbean; Campaign Launched To Promote School Nutrition Policy; CARPHA’s Health Conference To ‘Unpack’ Mental Health; PAHO Virtual Course: Better Care for Noncommunicable Diseases; World Obesity Day Review; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….

4 March 2025
World Obesity Day 2025 – Now is the Time to Change Systems to Support Healthier Lives; ACTION: Systems Change; Strengthening Systems for Healthier Lives: Tackling Obesity in the Caribbean; Obesity and Climate Change in the Caribbean; HCC Webinar: Changing Systems, Healthier Lives: The Caribbean Journey to the UN High Level Meeting; Our Healthy Caribbean Youth Will Also Be Sharing Their Perspective on the World Obesity Theme This Year; World Obesity Day Webinar: Acceleration Plan to Stop Obesity; How are Our Members and Partners Commemorating World Obesity Day?; World Obesity Day Over years; Our Work; Our Publications Read more….

26 February 2025
Healthy Caribbean Coalition at the NCD Alliance Global Forum in Kigali, Rwanda; We Remember Marvlyn Birmingham – a Fierce and Passionate Advocate; HCC Civil Society Organisation Capacity Building Sessions – Advocacy in Action: Preparing for High-Level Engagement; HCC Civil Society Organisation Capacity Building Sessions – Maximizing Social Media for Advocacy: Strategies for Engagement and Impact; HCC Webinar: Changing Systems, Healthier Lives: The Caribbean Journey to the UN High Level Meeting; World Obesity Day Webinar: Acceleration Plan to Stop Obesity; The Countdown is on to World Obesity Day on March 4th!; News From PAHO; Healthy Caribbean Youth Member Highlights the Expensive Cost of NCDs; Fourth Time a Charm?- How to Make the UN High-Level Meeting on Noncommunicable Diseases Effective; How to Build Alliances Between Health Professionals and People of Faith for a Better Climate; Call for Entries: 36th CBU Media Awards; UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health – Priorities for Mental Health; Second General Meeting of the WHO GCM/NCD; The World Conference on Tobacco Control 2025; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….

7 February 2025
Latin America and the Caribbean Code Against Cancer; PAHO Calls on Latin American and Caribbean Countries to Improve Access to Essential Cancer Medicines and Supplies; World Cancer Day: 4 February 2025; Webinar: Effective Interventions for the Early Diagnosis of Childhood Cancer; CIBC Caribbean Donates Over $100K to Civic Groups on World Cancer Day; Don’t Push Unhealthy Foods; Go Red for Women Day 7 February; NCDs Continue to Drive-Up Jamaica’s Premature Death Rates; Healthy Caribbean Coalition – Operations Manager Opportunity; CARICOM Heads of Government Will Meet in Barbados for 48th Regular Meeting; Data for Action: Harnessing the New RTSL Global Nutrition Database To Shape Healthier Packaged Food Policies; Call To Participate in Childhood Nutrition Surveillance Study; 6th Annual Heart & Stroke Symposium Registration 2025; Communications & Media Advocacy Action Guide; UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health – Priorities for Mental Health; Call for Entries: 36th CBU Media Awards; Second General Meeting of the WHO GCM/NCD; The World Conference on Tobacco Control 2025 NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….

1 February 2025
World Cancer Day: 4 February 2025 UNITED BY UNIQUE; Access to Medicines and Supplies for Cancer Prevention and Control; Alcohol Drinkers At Risk Of Seven Cancers; Consuming Alcohol Causes Cancer Prof. Marvin Reid, MB BS PhD Explains; A Call for Accountability: The Contradictions of Corporate Sponsorship; Healthy Caribbean Coalition – Operations Manager Opportunity; CARICOM Heads of Government Will Meet in Barbados for 48th Regular Meeting; This is My Life: Stories from People Living with NCDs – Olvin Forde; Jamaica Closer to Eliminating Trans-Fats; Data for Action: Harnessing the New RTSL Global Nutrition Database To Shape Healthier Packaged Food Policies; Call To Participate in Childhood Nutrition Surveillance Study ; Prostate Cancer Rates Alarm as Younger Barbadians at Risk; 6th Annual Heart & Stroke Symposium Registration 2025; Communications & Media Advocacy Action Guide; UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health – Priorities for Mental Health; New UN Report: 74 Percent of Latin American and Caribbean Countries Are Highly Exposed to Extreme Weather Events, Affecting Food Security; Civil Society Engagement in the Development of World Health Assembly Resolutions and Decisions; Call for Entries: 36th CBU Media Awards; Can We Turn the Tide on NCDs in 2025?; Second General Meeting of the WHO GCM/NCD; The World Conference on Tobacco Control 2025; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….

18 January 2025
Big Alcohol’s Predatory Practices in 2024 Revealed; “Sports Washed” Away: The Power of Big Soda, from the Olympics to Caribbean; HCC HLM4 Time to Lead; Speaking Out – Urgent Action Required to Ban Harmful Snacks; Lake Health and Wellbeing Programme Director, Abi Begho, Shares Her Experience of Attending and Participating in the Commonwealth People’s Forum in Samoa; Sugary Drinks Drive Global Diabetes and Cardiovascular Cases Particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean; Population Drinking and Smoking More; Cancer Care Equipment Commissioned Into Service at National Public Health Laboratory; Saint Lucia MOH Reports 2024 Health Initative Gains, Outlines 2025 Priorities; Development of an Agenda for Research and Action on Climate Change and Health in the Caribbean; Advocate Calls for More Mental Health Support for Youth; Call for Entries: 36th CBU Media Awards; NCDs Account for More Than 5% GDP Loss in Caribbean – World Bank; Second General Meeting of the WHO GCM/NCD; The World Conference on Tobacco Control 2025; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….

2 January 2025
As we welcome in the New Year take a moment to celebrate 2024, another great year for the HCC family, our members, our partners and our supporters. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT Read more….

10 December 2024
HCC Launches a New Resource: Safeguarding Public Health Nutrition in the Caribbean During Emergencies: Guidelines for Managing Donations from the Commercial Sector; Unmasking Influence: Regulating Alcohol Marketing in the Caribbean – Webinar Recording Now Available; Feeding Communities in the Eye of the Storm: Food Systems, Nutrition and Natural Disasters – Webinar Recording Now Available; “Sports Washed” Away: The Power of Big Soda, from the Olympics to Caribbean – Op ed by Maisha Hutton, Executive Director, HCC; Nicole Foster, HCC Policy Advisor Receives UWI Principal’s Award for Excellence 2024/25 for Outstanding Contribution to Public Service; Octagonal Warning Labels Save Lives Post-Campaign Evaluation; Childhood Obesity Fight Ramps Up With Octagonal Label Push; World Bank Group Webinar: The Impact of Non-communicable Diseases in the Caribbean; Springer’s HYPE Day Sparks Awareness on NCDs; Zimbabwe Introduces Fast Foods Tax to Combat Obesity and Promote Healthier Eating; Call for Entries: 36th CBU Media Awards; International Universal Health Coverage Day; Smoke-Free Policy Implementation and Enforcement: A Practical Guide; The World Conference on Tobacco Control 2025; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….

18 November 2024
Unmasking Influence: Regulating Alcohol Marketing in the Caribbean; Feeding Communities in the Eye of the Storm: Food Systems, Nutrition and Natural Disasters; Sagicor and Healthy Caribbean Coalition Sign Memorandum of Understanding; HCC President Attends Multisectoral Stakeholder Consultation Hosted at the CARICOM Secretariat, in Georgetown, Guyana; HCC Partners With Caribbean Broadcasting Union on Media and the Environment, Healthy Nutrition Food Policy Virtual Media Sensitisation; HCY Member Michele Baker Joins the Global Climate and Health Alliance; Meet Better Care for NCDs an Initiative To Accelerate Actions in Primary Health Care; Ministry of Health and Wellness and Elderly Affairs Saint Lucia: Join the ‘No Sweet Tooth Challenge’; PAHO, Health Ministry Collaborate To Enhance Suicide Reporting, Mental Health Awareness; Landscape Analysis of the Regulation of Trans Fatty Acids in Selected CARICOM Countries; Technical Health Experts Meet to Define Caribbean Health Priorities for New PAHO Caribbean Subregional Strategy; Urgent Action Needed As Global Diabetes Cases Increase Four-Fold Over Past Decades; NCD Alliance 4th Quarter Advocacy Webinar; Do You Work on Improving Health Outcomes Around the World? Have Your Say!; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….

1 November 2024
Landscape Analysis of the Regulation of Trans Fatty Acids in Selected CARICOM Countries; HCC HLM4 Time to Lead – Caribbean NCD Leadership Spotlight; Sir Trevor Hassell Recognised for His Outstanding Work in the Fight Against NCDs; The Healthy Caribbean Coalition/Healthy Caribbean Youth is a Member of the WHO Youth Council and Endorsed the Declaration; Guyana Ministry of Health Assessing the Implementation of the HEARTS Initiative With PAHO/WHO Support; What Are Healthy Diets?; Reparations, Health and Climate Change; HCC Media Sensitisation Session on CBU Media Awards Category “Healthy Nutrition Food Policy”; Prioritising Mental Health – From Home to the Workplace; Do You Work on Improving Health Outcomes Around the World? Have Your Say!; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….

15 October 2024
World Food Day October 16 2024; World Food Day 2024 Video; World Food Day 2024 Poster Competition; World Food Day Panel Discussion; TIME TO LEAD Global Week for Action on NCDs 15-22 October 2024; Time to Lead – Caribbean NCD Leaders Spotlight; Jamaica Moves on NCDs; HCC Attend the 61st Directing Council of the Pan American Health Organisation; HCY Lead Danielle Walwyn Appointed to WHO Youth Council; Let’s Talk About Trans Fats and Why They Need To Go!; WHO Food Systems Community of Practice Expert Hour – Trans Fat Elimination; HCC Media Sensitisation Session on CBU Media Awards Category “Healthy Nutrition Food Policy”; Do You Work on Improving Health Outcomes Around the World? Have Your Say!; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….

14 September 2024
Caribbean Wellness Day 14 September, 2024; A Message from Dr Kenneth Connell, President, Healthy Caribbean Coalition on Caribbean Wellness Day 2024; A Statement from the Healthy Caribbean Coalition on Caribbean Wellness Day 2024; Letter to the Students of 2030: Hope for The Future; ‘My Health My Right’ a Message from Members of the Healthy Caribbean Youth; Message from Dr Carla Barnett, CARICOM Secretary-General on Caribbean Wellness Day 2024; Caribbean Wellness Day 2024; Regional Caribbean Wellness Day Statement; Regional Messages on Caribbean Wellness Day; Big Soda’s Playbook to Block Important Public Health Policy for Healthier Societies; Wellness Week 2024. Regional Launch; Health Ministry to Launch BVI Moves Wellness Programme; Govt To Launch National Nutrition Policy Amid Growing NCD Concerns; Decriminalising Suicide: Saving Lives, Reducing Stigma – Read the Report; World Suicide Prevention Day: PAHO Calls for Changing Stigmatizing Narrative and Fostering a Culture of Support; Global Week for Action on NCDs: Time to Lead; Online Public Consultation: Draft Guideline on Nutrition Labelling Policies; CARPHA 69th Annual Health Research Conference; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….

7 September 2024
World Suicide Prevention Day 2024; World Suicide Prevention Day 2024: Change the Narrative; Caribbean Media Awards; CARPHA and New PAHO Subregional Director Commit to Continued Collaborations To Improve Public Health in the Caribbean; Caribbean Wellness Day 14 September 2024; Shanielle Allen and Jonathan Atkins | Press the Accelerator – Finalise School Nutrition Policy; Barbadians Need Greater Access to Healthy Food; Health Education Officer Declares ‘War Against the NCDs’ Through Children’s Publication; Barbados Fighting Obesity In Schools With Healthier Wraps And Tacos; T& T Health Ministry Launches Hotline for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs); PAHO and Alzheimer’s Disease International Join Forces To End Stigma Around Dementia; World Alzheimer’s Month 2024; Online Public Consultation: Draft Guideline on Nutrition Labelling Policies; Digital Health Revolution: Trinidad and Tobago Receives Cutting-Edge Health Service Robots from PAHO/WHO; Cancer Support Services 10th Annual Conference on September 28, 2024; Global Week for Action on NCDs: Time to Lead; CARICOM Launches Mental Health First Aid Programme for Youth Leaders; CARPHA 69th Annual Health Research Conference; Caribbean Public Health Law Forum Newsletter; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….

25 August 2024
Kick Big Soda Out of Sport; Youth Ambassadors Lead Campaign Against Sugar-Sweetened Beverages; Official Launch of the Caribbean Regional Coalition for the Decriminalization of Suicide; Youth in The Bahamas and Montserrat Lead on – Hope for the Future; Healthy Caribbean Youth Message for International Youth Day 2024; When The School Bell Rings – What’s In Your School Food Environment?; PAHO Office for the Caribbean Subregion Welcomes Interim Director, Dr Juan Manuel Sotelo; Cancer Support Services 10th Annual Conference on September 28, 2024; Mental Health: The New Battleground; Sweetened Profits: The Industry Playbook to Fight Sweetened Beverage Taxes; Toxic Foods Having Devastating Impact on Health; Policy Priorities To Prevent Cancer; Global Week for Action on NCDs: Time to Lead; WHO 5-Year Milestone Report on Global Trans Fat Elimination 2023; World Suicide Prevention Day 2024: Change the Narrative; Small Island Developing States: Standing Together on NCDs and Mental Health; CARPHA 69th Annual Health Research Conference; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….

3 August 2024
Closing the Gap: Breastfeeding Support for All; HCC Welcomes New President, Vice President and New Board Members; Kick Big Soda Out of Sport; This World Breastfeeding Week, UNICEF and WHO Call for Equal Access to Breastfeeding Support; BCNF Celebrating 9 Years of Service; Impending Tax Increase Aimed at Mitigating NCDs; Former West Indies Captain Bats for Prostate Cancer Screening in the Region; St Kitts and Nevis: Minister Duggins Calls for Tackling NCDs via Sports During 11th CSMM; SVG To Combat Non-Communicable Diseases With New Hospital Facility; Global Week for Action on NCDs: Time to Lead; PAHO/Green Climate Fund (GCF) Caribbean Readiness Project Underway; Four Foods That Should Come With a Smoking-Style Health Warning; Why Is It So Hard To Get Ultra-Processed Foods out of Our Diets? A Lack of Time; World Suicide Prevention Day 2024: Change the Narrative; WHO: Global Deaths From Alcohol Remain High; Embracing Community Sport To Promote Global Health; Mexico’s Bold New Law on Adequate and Sustainable Nutrition; CARPHA 69th Annual Health Research Conference; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….

23 July 2024
Kick Big Soda Out of Sport; Coca-Cola’s Ongoing Olympic Sponsorship Is Bad for Everyone’s Health; PAHO Showcases Longstanding Powerful Relationship With HCC; Barbados Childhood Obesity Prevention Coalition Meet With the Minister of State Responsible for NCDs; 9th Plenary Session of the Caribbean Public Health Law Forum; Access to Health Remains Vital As Hurricane Devastated Member States Recover” – CARPHA; Taxpayers Paying Big for NCDs; Empowering Communities in Addressing Commercial Determinants of Health; Supporting Member States in Reaching Informed Decision-Making on Engaging With Private Sector Entities for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases: A Practical Tool; Global Week for Action on NCDs: Time to Lead; Soft Drinks Tax Slashes Sugar Consumption; New WHO Guidance Can Support Transparent and Informed Engagement With the Private Sector; The Deep Pockets of Health-Harming Industries; A Real Chance To Reduce Death and Disability From Stroke; CARPHA 69th Annual Health Research Conference; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….

7 July 2024
PAHO Launches Preparedness Plans As Hurricane Beryl Approaches; Stronger Together; PFA in Disaster Management in the Caribbean – Second Edition; Are We Hitting Healthy Food Policies for a Six?; International Dialogue on Sustainable Financing for NCDs and Mental Health; Pierre Cooke Jr. Presented with Emerging Youth Leader Award; Youth Parliament Debate Addresses NCDs, Reducing Sugary Food Consumption Among Youth; Nearly 1.8 Billion Adults at Risk of Disease From Not Doing Enough Physical Activity; Caribbean Youth Now Have Central Hub for Mental Health; WHO Launches New Guideline on Fiscal Policies To Promote Healthy Diets; Global Mental Health Advocacy Forum; Global Week for Action on NCDs: Time to Lead; CARPHA 69th Annual Health Research Conference; Ultra-Processed Foods Need Tobacco-Style Warnings, Says Scientist; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….

15 June 2024
Ignite Change: Tobacco-Control Efforts in the Caribbean; Lake Health and Wellbeing Works To Strengthen Their Civil Society Partners in NCD Advocacy With Support From the Commonwealth Foundation Capacity Strengthening Grant; Equitable Access Key to Ensuring Health Resilience in Small Island Developing States; HCC Represented at the 77th World Health Assembly in Geneva; Jamaica – World No Tobacco Day Activities; Did You Know The Tobacco Industry Has A Hold On Our Youth?; Healthy Food Must Be Affordable Too; Just Four Industries Cause 2.7 Million Deaths in the European Region Every Year; Webinar Recording: A Happy and Healthy Start for a Lifetime of Wellness and Wellbeing; Restricting Digital Marketing in the Context of Tobacco, Alcohol, Food and Beverages, and Breast-Milk Substitutes: Existing Approaches and Policy Options; Protecting Caribbean Patients Diagnosed With Cancer From Compounding Disasters; CAOH 2024 Conference Theme: A Holistic Approach to Cancer Care; NCD Lab Cycle 4: Transforming the delivery of NCD and mental health services in primary health care; Webinar Recording: Experiences and Innovative Strategies To Protect Children and Youth From Tobacco Marketing; Webinar Recording: Caribbean Mobilising to Eliminate Industrially Produced Trans Fat; CARICOM Urged To Eliminate Deadly Industrially Produced Trans Fats (iTFA) From Caribbean Food Supply;Antigua, Region Urged To Eliminate Deadly Industrially Produced Trans Fats From Food Supply; Global Mental Health Advocacy Forum; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….

31 May 2024
Healthy Caribbean Youth Have Their Say on World No Tobacco Day; Did You Know The Tobacco Industry Has A Hold On Our Youth?; Ignite Change – A Conversation on Tobacco-Control Efforts in the Caribbean; A Toxic Friend in the Caribbean; A Smoke Free Caribbean; World No Tobacco Day 2024 – Youth Step In and Speak Out #TobaccoExposed; Experiences and Innovative Strategies To Protect Children and Youth From Tobacco Marketing; Tobacco and Nicotine Industry Tactics Addict Youth for Life;Hooking the Next Generation: How the Tobacco Industry Captures Young Customers; Launch of the Virtual Course on Regulatory Policies To Prevent Obesity and Diet-Related Noncommunicable Diseases; Trinidad and Tobago Cancer Society Youth Statement Campaign; Protecting Children From Tobacco Industry Interference; CARICOM Urged To Eliminate Deadly Industrially Produced Trans Fats (iTFA) From Caribbean Food Supply; Global Mental Health Advocacy Forum; Webinar: A Happy and Healthy Start for a Lifetime of Wellness and Wellbeing; Caribbean Nutrition Awareness Day 1 June 2024; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….

23 May 2024
Webinar Recording: Caribbean Mobilising to Eliminate Industrially Produced Trans Fat; UWI Lecturer: Pressure Govt Over Food Access; Healthy Habits ‘Need Push’ for Major Events; World No Tobacco Day 2024 – Youth Step In and Speak Out #TobaccoExposed; Experiences and Innovative Strategies To Protect Children and Youth From Tobacco Marketing; Launch of the Virtual Course on Regulatory Policies To Prevent Obesity and Diet-Related Noncommunicable Diseases; From Social Media Campaign to Life-changing NGO; Preventing Suicide: A Resource for Media Professionals; Global Mental Health Advocacy Forum; By the SIDS, for the SIDS; Webinar: A Happy and Healthy Start for a Lifetime of Wellness and Wellbeing; World Hypertension Day 2024; Bermuda Makes Progress in Hypertension Management with Hearts Implementation; 77th Session of World Health Assembly; Caribbean Nutrition Awareness Day; Latin America Labels Ultra-Processed Foods. Will the US Follow?; A New Roadmap For Obesity Prevention; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….

11 May 2024
Webinar: Caribbean Mobilising to Eliminate Industrially Produced Trans Fat; HCC Participates in Youth Ambassador Summit Organised by CTFK and CREA Red; Launch of Caribbean Children and Youth Mental Health Resources; Caribbean Nutrition Awareness Day; World No Tobacco Day 2024 – Youth Step In and Speak Out #TobaccoExposed; Health Ministry Urges Participation in NCDs Survey; Launch of the Virtual Course on Regulatory Policies To Prevent Obesity and Diet-Related Noncommunicable Diseases; A Call for Action from SIDS Delegates; Tackling NCDs: Best Buys and Other Recommended Interventions for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases, 2nd Ed; PAHO Organizes QualityRights Workshop for Mental Health Professionals in the Caribbean; Latin America and the Caribbean Hit with Record-Breaking Heat and Other Climate Effects in 2023; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….

7 April 2024
World Health Day 2024; A Message from the Members of Healthy Caribbean Youth on World Health Day 2024; Our Health, Our Right – A Rights-Based Childhood Obesity Prevention Agenda for the Caribbean; World Physical Activity Day 2024 Are We Subjecting Our Children To Poor Health Outcomes?; Young Professionals Speak Out Against Food Industry Tactics That Are Obstructing Health Policies!; World Health Day Celebrations in Barbados; CARICOM Health Ministers Endorse Caribbean Moves; World Health Day: PAHO Reaffirms Its Commitment to the Right to Health for All People; New Resource: WHO launches – Communicating on climate change and health: Toolkit for health professionals; Caribbean Climate and Health Responders Course: Education for Action; Webinar: Air Pollution and Heart Health; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….

28 March 2024
New Publication Launched; Young Professionals Speak Out Against Food Industry Tactics That Are Obstructing Health Policies!; Experts Warn Parents About the Harmful Effects Marketing Ultra-Processed Foods, Beverages Has on Children’s Health; SIDA Action on NCDs and Mental Health; Podcast: What Are We Missing; Cancer Deaths Rising, Prioritize Screenings, Urges Dominica Cancer Society; Doctors Warn About Dangers, Addiction: Is Vaping Safer Than Smoking Cigarettes?; Caribbean Climate and Health Responders Course: Education for Action; Webinar: Air Pollution and Heart Health; NGOs Blame NCDs on Junk Food, Smoking, Quacks; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….

18 March 2024
New Publication Launch – Public Health Decision-Making in CARICOM: Strengthening the Front-of-Package Nutrition Labelling Standardisation Programme; The Caribbean Represented at the Annual Food Governance Conference in Australia; 10th Conference of the Parties (COP10) of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control; HCC Participate in the 3rd Latin America and Caribbean Tobacco Control Leadership Program; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….

4 March 2024
World Obesity Day – 4 March 2024; Webinar: Let’s Talk Obesity & the Right to Healthy School Food Environments; Youth Across the Caribbean Are Calling for the Urgent Implementation of a Comprehensive Suite of Healthy Food Policies in the Caribbean; Deborah Chen – Let’s Talk Obesity and Need for Healthy School Food Environments; Civil Society Organisations Recognize World Obesity Day and Continue To Amplify the Call for Healthier Food Environments!; Heart Foundation Marks World Obesity Day; Public Summit On Obesity; Worldwide Trends in Underweight and Obesity From 1990 to 2022; WHO Calls for Private Sector Accountability Amid Massive Obesity Increase; Ultra-Processed Food Linked to 32 Harmful Effects to Health, Review Finds; The Caribbean Versus the Climate Crisis; Webinar: In Case You Missed it; Guyana Indifferent to FOPWL; STEPS Survey Results; ‘Sweet Drink Tax’ Leads to Drop in Soda Sales; Webinar: Public Policies To Prevent Childhood Obesity From a Food Systems Perspective; Heart & Stroke Foundation of Barbados – Octagonal Warning Labels Save Lives Campaign Launch Event; PAHO Equips Six Caribbean Countries in Drafting Legislation To Tackle Two Public Health Issues; Why the Delay in Implementing School Nutrition Policy; Let’s Talk about Obesity & the Right to Healthy School Food Environments in the Caribbean; World Obesity Day Webinar: Obesity and Youth: Young People Catalysing Change; Caribbean Climate and Health Responders Course: Education for Action; A Decade After Its Pioneering Food Law, Where Does Chile’s Obesity Crisis Stand?; Over 1 in 3 People Affected by Neurological Conditions, the Leading Cause of Illness and Disability Worldwide; The Caribbean Has Lowered Its Tobacco Consumption Rates; PAHO Engages With Youth Footballers; Historic Step Towards the Elimination of Cervical Cancer; NCD Hard Talks Webinar: Toxic Air Is Fueling NCDs–Why Are We Not Taking Action?; One in Eight People Are Now Living With Obesity; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….

24 February 2024
Webinar: How Are Some Food Industry Actors Working Against Octagonal Warning Labels?; See the Truth Campaign Video and Graphics; Youth Meeting in Barbados, Empowering Caribbean Youth Voices for Health Advocacy – Igniting Change for Healthy Food Policies; Let’s Talk Obesity Webinar; NCD Commission Chair: Nix Harmful Food Advertising; 82 Percent Of Deaths In Saint Lucia Attributed To NCDs; Youth Ambassador Plans To Promote Healthy Lifestyle in Montserrat; Youth Suicide Prevention: Recognize the Signs; PAHO Partners With St Jude Children’s Research Hospital; New Guidance; Creating a ‘Smoke-Free Generation’ Is a Unique Chance To Lead the World in Tackling Tobacco; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….

10 February 2024
Webinar: How Are Some Food Industry Actors Working Against Octagonal Warning Labels?; See the Truth Campaign Video and Graphics; Youth Meeting in Barbados, Empowering Caribbean Youth Voices for Health Advocacy – Igniting Change for Healthy Food Policies; The Ripple Effect: Professor Rohan Maharaj Investigates Alcohol’s Impact on Family and Community Well-beingOur Publications; Close the Care Gap for World Cancer Day 2024; Trinidad and Tobago Frontrunner in Fighting Non-Communicable Diseases; The Slowly Evolving Truth About Heart Disease and Women; World Obesity website is now live!; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….

3 February 2024
PAHO: World Cancer Day: Close the Care Gap; PAHO World Cancer Day: Webinar; Global Cancer Burden Growing, Amidst Mounting Need for Services; International Childhood Cancer Day; World Cancer Day: Close the Care Gap; World Cancer Day 2024: A Global Call To Close the Care Gap; Celebrate, Remember, Fight Back; World Cancer Day 2024; See the Truth: Some Food Industry Actors Working Against Octagonal Warning Labels; Jamaica Coalition for Tobacco Control Urges Jamaican Government To Ban Disposable Vapes; World Obesity Day 2024; PAHO Releases Toolkit To Enhance Management of Cardiovascular Risk and Hypertension in the Americas; Adequate Food: The Human Right of Us All Course Presentation Webinar Recording; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….

29 January 2024
HCC and Partners Launch “See the Truth” Campaign; Watch the campaign video; Check out the campaign graphics; Here’s Why The Caribbean Still Has No Warning Labels On Unhealthy Food; Patients Versus Profits Obesity and Lifestyle Diseases; Scholarship Winner’s Mission to Fight Chronic Diseases With School Nutrition; Adequate Food: The Human Right of Us All Course Presentation Webinar; IAHF New Leadership; World Obesity Day 2024; The Tenth Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP10) to the WHO FCTC Will Be Held in Panama City From February 5–10, 2024; Virgin Islands Heads Regional Drive Against Cervical Cancer; Caribbean Public Health Law Forum Newsletter; International Childhood Cancer Day; Tobacco Use Declines Despite Tobacco Industry Efforts To Jeopardize Progress; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….

January 8 2024
As we welcome 2024 and look forward to the challenges ahead, we take a moment to reflect on 2023, another great year for the HCC family, our members, our partners and our supporters. Read more….

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The post HCC News Roundup appeared first on Healthy Caribbean Coalition.

Health leaders from the Americas and around the world gather at the 78th World Health Assembly with a call for unity in health

Cristina Mitchell

16 May 2025

A spike in violent crime, including a record number of gun-related deaths, is overwhelming the Accident & Emergency (A&E) Department at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), with senior officials warning that the toll on staff and resources is becoming unsustainable.

The violence is disrupting operations and traumatising frontline healthcare workers, said CEO Neil Clark, describing the effects of the unseen toll of criminal violence on public health infrastructure as far-reaching and deeply felt within the hospital.

“Absolutely. It has a major impact on the QEH,” he said. “The staff clearly will treat anybody who comes in, but having to treat somebody who’s coming with gunshots is not only slowing down everybody else who’s coming without the gunshots, it slows down the whole department and the department moves into lockdown.”

As of Wednesday, Barbados had recorded 17 gun-related deaths.

Clark stressed that while A&E staff remain committed, fear and psychological distress have become routine parts of their job.

“There’s also a fear amongst the staff that that might continue into the department. So they’re treating people and being nervous at the same time,” he said. “Our security team is excellent… but sometimes those injuries are horrific and that has its toll… especially as a child [is] involved in a shooting.”

The emotional burden, the hospital boss added, is compounded by the sheer unpredictability and scale of trauma cases staff must face.

“They’ve got the normal, mild conditions of people turning up with mild illnesses or they’ve twisted their wrist, and then the next minute they’ve got a multiple shooting coming in… and then after that they’re supposed to go back to work normally,” he pointed out.

He called on the public to show greater empathy and understanding, noting that frustration over long wait times should not be directed at individual nurses or doctors.

“They’re doing their best,” he said. “We have to take our hats off to those people who work in A&E and do this day in, day out.”

Director of Nursing Services Henderson Pinder added that the psychological cost of repeated exposure to violent trauma is mounting across departments.

“These are psychologically hurtful incidents… and they do have an effect on not only nurses, [but] all the staff,” Pinder explained. “We have what we call a huddle after these incidents… but in most instances, it’s more than that. So we need to have outside counsellors and bereavement persons come in to help staff work through this.”

Beyond the emotional fallout, Pinder said that violence consumes precious human and material resources: “We have to use a lot of individuals, specialists, doctors… and we as a small country can ill afford to be using so much resources. It would be better if we could cut out the violence and live as a peaceful nation.”

He also flagged ongoing concerns about security, with fears of retaliation even when patients are hospitalised.

“When they get on the ward there’s always the fear of retaliation… so it places additional strain on our security personnel and puts our nurses… always having to quell these disputes,” Pinder noted.

Clark said the QEH has mental health support in place but recognises the need to scale it up.

“We already have counselling support available for all staff… and we’re hoping to expand that as part of the QEH strategy,” he said. “We’re even looking at mental health first aid training.”

The CEO highlighted a gap in national preparedness around recognising and addressing stress and anxiety, saying: “A lot of people suffer silently… and we have to look after our own staff and each other.”

Speaking more broadly about the A&E, Clarke said the hospital is making progress on a systemic redesign of its A&E Department to ease bottlenecks and improve overall patient care.

“We’re about a quarter of the way through a redesign of our A&E flow,” he said. “It’s not just about the A&E Department… it becomes the bottleneck for the whole healthcare system.”

Clark explained that improving patient flow requires action at every level – from the triage process to diagnostics, ward admissions, and discharges.

“Everybody who arrives at the A&E should be triaged within 15 minutes by a nurse… if not, there’s an escalation process,” he said. 

The hospital CEO admitted that delays persist but insisted patients are not neglected once they enter the system.

“They may be in A&E for two days but they’re still under the care of the specialist doctor,” he said. “It’s no different than if they were on the ward…, but I accept it’s not the right place for that treatment to be taking place, and we hope to change that in the near future.” 

sheriabrathwaite@barbadostoday.bb

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At the Department of Homeland Security, a man was led off the elevator in handcuffs.

But the area housing the regional office of the Department of Health and Human Services was eerily quiet.

In March, HHS announced it would close five of its 10 regional offices as part of a broad restructuring to consolidate the department’s work and reduce the number of staff by 20,000, to 62,000. The HHS Region 2 office in New York City, which has served New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, was among those getting the ax.

Public health experts and advocates say that HHS regional offices, like the one in New York City, form the connective tissue between the federal government and many locally based services. Whether ensuring local social service programs like Head Start get their federal grants, investigating Medicare claims complaints, or facilitating hospital and health system provider enrollment in Medicare and Medicaid programs, regional offices provide a key federal access point for people and organizations. Consolidating regional offices could have serious consequences for the nation’s public health system, they warn.

“All public health is local,” said Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association. “When you have relative proximity to the folks you’re liaising to, they have a sense of the needs of those communities, and they have a sense of the political issues that are going on in these communities.”

The other offices slated to close are in Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, and Seattle. Together, the five serve 22 states and a handful of U.S. territories. Services for the shuttered regional offices will be divvied up among the remaining regional offices in Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Kansas City, and Philadelphia.

The elimination of regional HHS offices has already had an outsize impact on Head Start, a long-standing federal program that provides free child care and supportive services to children from many of the nation’s poorest families. It is among the examples cited in the lawsuit against the federal government challenging the HHS restructuring brought by New York, 18 other states, and the District of Columbia, which notes that, as a result, “many programs are at imminent risk of being forced to pause or cease operations.”

The HHS site included a regional Head Start office that was closed and laid off staff last month. The Trump administration had sought to wipe out funding for Head Start, according to a draft budget document that outlines dramatic cuts at HHS, which Congress would need to approve. Recent news reports indicate the administration may be stepping back from this plan; however, other childhood and early-development programs could still be on the chopping block.

Bonnie Eggenburg, president of the New Jersey Head Start Association, said her organization has long relied on the HHS regional office to be “our boots on the ground for the federal government.” During challenging times, such as the covid-19 pandemic or Hurricanes Sandy and Maria, the regional office helped Head Start programs design services to meet the needs of children and families. “They work with us to make sure we have all the support we can get,” she said.

In recent weeks, payroll and other operational payments have been delayed, and employees have been asked to justify why they need the money as part of a new “Defend the Spend” initiative instituted by the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency, created by President Donald Trump through an executive order.

“Right now, most programs don’t have anyone to talk to and are unsure as to whether or not that notice of award is coming through as expected,” Eggenburg said.

HHS regional office employees who worked on Head Start helped providers fix technical issues, address budget questions, and discuss local issues, like the city’s growing population of migrant children, said Susan Stamler, executive director of United Neighborhood Houses. Based in New York City, the organization represents dozens of neighborhood settlement houses — community groups that provide services to local families such as language classes, housing assistance, and early-childhood support, including some Head Start programs.

“Today, the real problem is people weren’t given a human contact,” she said of the regional office closure. “They were given a website.”

To Stamler, closing the regional Head Start hub without a clear transition plan “demonstrates a lack of respect for the people who are running these programs and services,” while leaving families uncertain about their child care and other services.

“It’s astonishing to think that the federal government might be reexamining this investment that pays off so deeply with families and in their communities,” she said.

Without regional offices, HHS will be less informed about which health initiatives are needed locally, said Zach Hennessey, chief strategy officer of Public Health Solutions, a nonprofit provider of health services in New York City.

“Where it really matters is within HHS itself,” he said. “Those are the folks that are now blind — but their decisions will ultimately affect us.”

Dara Kass, an emergency physician who was the HHS Region 2 director under the Biden administration, described the job as being an ambassador.

“The office is really about ensuring that the community members and constituents had access to everything that was available to them from HHS,” Kass said.

At HHS Region 2, division offices for the Administration for Community Living, the FDA’s Office of Inspections and Investigations, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration have already closed or are slated to close, along with several other division offices.

HHS did not provide an on-the-record response to a request for comment but has maintained that shuttering regional offices will not hurt services.

Under the reorganization, many HHS agencies are either being eliminated or folded into other agencies, including the recently created Administration for a Healthy America, under HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

“We aren’t just reducing bureaucratic sprawl. We are realigning the organization with its core mission and our new priorities in reversing the chronic disease epidemic,” Kennedy said in a press release announcing the reorganization.

Regional office staffers were laid off at the beginning of April. Now there appears to be a skeleton crew shutting down the offices. On a recent day, an Administration for Children and Families worker who answered a visitor’s buzz at the entrance estimated that only about 15 people remained. When asked what’s next, the employee shrugged.

The Trump administration’s downsizing effort will also eliminate six of 10 regional outposts of the HHS Office of the General Counsel, a squad of lawyers supporting the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and other agencies in beneficiary coverage disputes and issues related to provider enrollment and participation in federal programs.

Unlike private health insurance companies, Medicare is a federal health program governed by statutes and regulations, said Andrew Tsui, a partner at Arnall Golden Gregory who has co-written about the regional office closings.

“When you have the largest federal health insurance program on the planet, to the extent there could be ambiguity or appeals or grievances,” Tsui said, “resolving them necessarily requires the expertise of federal lawyers, trained in federal law.”

Overall, the loss of the regional HHS offices is just one more blow to public health efforts at the state and local levels.

State health officials are confronting the “total disorganization of the federal transition” and cuts to key federal partners like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CMS, and the FDA, said James McDonald, the New York state health commissioner.

“What I’m seeing is, right now, it’s not clear who our people ought to contact, what information we’re supposed to get,” he said. “We’re just not seeing the same partnership that we so relied on in the past.”

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Emrelis, an antibody drug conjugate developed by AbbVie, is now FDA approved for patients whose non-small cell lung cancer overexpresses the protein c-Met. The pharma company said this ADC is its first internally developed solid tumor medicine as well as its first solid tumor FDA approval in lung cancer.

The post AbbVie’s Solid Tumor Strategy Gets a Win With Accelerated FDA Approval in Lung Cancer appeared first on MedCity News.