Health Archives - Barbados Today
Schools can address health, safety issues internally first. Here’s how, says official
Concerns about health and safety in Barbados’ schools should be managed internally through proactive committees before escalating to the Ministry of Education or unions, Deputy Chief Education Officer Julia Beckles said on Monday.
Addressing more than 130 educators at an awareness-building session for health and safety committee chairpersons at the Erdiston Teachers’ Training College, Beckles, the ministry’s senior official responsible for schools, suggested that many issues could—and should—be resolved at the school level through proactive, well-functioning health and safety committees.
Her comments come against the backdrop of last school year’s disruptions, when teachers at several schools walked off the job over environmental and safety concerns, prompting ministry intervention and temporary closures in some cases.
“Some are active, but we would like all of them to be active, and we would like them to be more active than they are,” she said. “We are hoping that we will be able to foster that culture of collaboration on safety, which will see matters of safety being dealt with at the level of the school before they have to be reported to the union or even to us, because in some cases there are matters that can be fixed once management and the health and safety committees work together to bring resolution.”
Beckles explained that, while all schools have established health and safety committees as required by law, not all are functioning at full capacity. “We can tell you that all schools have health and safety committees, and we are hoping that after today and some other interventions that we are going to put in place, that all of them, we will have 100 per cent excited and forging ahead, ensuring that we have that culture of collaboration as it relates to safety and disaster risk reduction.”
Citing an example raised during the session about rodents and droppings sightings, Beckles said these too could be managed at the school level through education and preventative action.
“Schools are in residential areas, and we know that sometimes the practices—we can’t control the practices of everyone—but certainly in terms of education, health and safety committees can speak to their members at schools to ensure that they are doing the right things as it relates to disposing of rubbish,” she said.
“Principals can have campaigns at schools to ensure that children are disposing of rubbish properly because obviously we have to starve the rodents out. If they feel that they can be fed, they’re going to come to those environments.”
Beckles added that when environmental challenges arise, “the principal can then, along with the health and safety committee, determine whether it is a situation where there is a breach and what measures can be put in place. They can collaborate on this, baiting can be done, and that would involve calling in the Ministry of the Environment and health personnel”.
The deputy chief education officer said the ministry recognised the need to do more to support school health and safety teams, especially as Barbados continues its ongoing education transformation efforts.
“We deemed it necessary that more be done to assist our schools’ health and safety teams, and certainly to ensure that our schools’ health and safety teams are up, running and being proactive,” Beckles said. “Part of the pillars on which this transformation rests is the objective of having school environments that are fit for purpose. We want to modernise our school environments, and part of that modernisation should always have a focus on health and safety.”
She told the participants that schools needed to be fit for purpose, especially as the ministry was rolling out its education reform programme.
As Barbados joins the rest of the region in observing Caribbean Safety Week this week, Beckles said the ministry viewed the timing as ideal to renew focus on creating a “culture of health and safety in schools.”
“We want you to go back and re-energise and mobilise your teams—not in any acrimonious way, not because you are there just looking for when something goes wrong. We want you to be there all the time,” she said.
Encouraging reflection, Beckles asked participants to consider: “When was the last time your health and safety team held a meeting that had nothing to do with any problem seen within the environment? When was the last time your health and safety team did a walk-through of your school’s environment?”
The post Schools can address health, safety issues internally first. Here’s how, says official appeared first on Barbados Today.
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Las Américas Airport advances toward designation as official health entry point
Santo Domingo.- The Ministry of Public Health of the Dominican Republic, in collaboration with national and international organizations, is advancing efforts to designate Las Américas International Airport (AILA–Dr. José Francisco Peña Gómez) as an official health point of entry, in accordance with the International Health Regulations (IHR-2005).
Santo Domingo.- The Ministry of Public Health of the Dominican Republic, in collaboration with national and international organizations, is advancing efforts to designate Las Américas International Airport (AILA–Dr. José Francisco Peña Gómez) as an official health point of entry, in accordance with the International Health Regulations (IHR-2005). This designation will ensure that the airport has the necessary protocols, equipment, and trained personnel to respond effectively to public health emergencies, including disease outbreaks and other health risks to travelers and residents.
During a week of joint evaluation, representatives from the Ministry of Health, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the Civil Aviation Board (JAC), and Aerodom assessed AILA’s operational readiness and advanced the creation of an action plan to achieve official recognition.
The evaluation highlighted significant progress in communication and technical coordination, though it also identified areas for improvement in environmental management, operating procedures, and resource allocation. The Health Point of Entry initiative aims to enhance global disease prevention and control through well-prepared ports and airports. Following AILA’s upcoming certification, similar processes are planned for Punta Cana International Airport and Cibao International Airport, complementing the steps already taken in 2024 to strengthen the Port of Haina as a maritime health entry point.
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The post BMS Joins the In Vivo Cell Therapy Chase With $1.5B Orbital Therapeutics Acquisition appeared first on MedCity News.
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News Archives - Healthy Caribbean Coalition
HCC News Roundup
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....-->
14 October 2025
Highlights from the 4th UN High Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health; HCC at the 50th Meeting of the COHSOD; HCC at the PAHO 62nd Directing Council; The Wellness Effect Podcast Series; Sweet Talk Campaign. Let’s End the Sweet Talk and Make Antigua and Barbuda Healthier; Heart Foundation of Jamaica Mass Media Campaign – The Time is Now; Back-to-School Time Shouldn’t Mean Back to Unhealthy Food Marketing; Series of Brochures for Persons Living with NCDs in Natural Disaster Prone Areas; Let Your Pain Speak – Webinar; Advancing Multisectoral and Multistakeholder Actions on Noncommunicable Diseases: Thematic Issue Briefs; Better Care for NCDs: Accelerating Actions in Primary Health Care – Free Online Course; Empower, Connect, Care: Strengthening Child and Youth Mental Health in the Americas: Webinar Recording; Excited to Announce a New Call for Papers; World Stroke Day 2025: Shining a Light on Heart Attacks and Strokes in Barbados; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….
17 September 2025
NCD Alliance Policy Brief: UN Fourth High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health; With Just Over One Week Until the 4th UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health, HCC is Calling on CARICOM Heads of Government to Deliver the Following 4 Key Asks; Health Civil Society Organisations Call for CARICOM Leaders to Take the Lead and Ensure that Caribbean Voices are Centered at the Upcoming UN High Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health; Global Week for Action on NCDs; Mental Health and Suicide Prevention – UNGA Fourth High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health; Webinar Recording: Back to School, Back to Health: Nothing at School Should Encourage Unhealthy Choices – Let’s Do Better for the Children!; The Wellness Effect Podcast Series; Caribbean Wellness Day 2025; Upcoming Capacity Building Series for CSOs- We Need Your Help!; PAHO and Partners Launch a Series of 8 Brochures for Persons Living with NCDs in Natural Disaster Prone Areas; Healthy Caribbean Youth Members Attend Suicide Prevention: A Conversation with Caribbean Youth; Cradle to Grave: The Health Toll of Fossil Fuels and the Imperative for a Just Transition; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….
6 September 2025
With Less Than 3 Weeks Until the 4th UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health, HCC is Calling on CARICOM Heads of Government to Deliver the Following 4 Key Asks; WEBINAR: Back to School, Back to Health: Nothing at School Should Encourage Unhealthy Choices – Let’s Do Better for the Children!; The Wellness Effect Podcast Series; HCC and CBU Partners Showcase – Healthy Nutrition Food Policies ; HCC at the 36th Caribbean Media Awards; “Those closest to the problem are closest to the solution” – Why the HLM matters to the Caribbean; Youth Gather to Empower Ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day; Global Week for Action on NCDs; Mental Health Conditions Soar Past One Billion Worldwide; The Dialogue Around NCDs Needs To Change; Transforming Mental Health Care Through Equitable Access to Medicines; WHO Updates List of Essential Medicines To Include Key Cancer, Diabetes Treatments; WHO STEPS and the Future of Cardiovascular Disease Prevention; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….
18 August 2025
NCD Focal Points from Across the Caribbean Leading the Charge Against NCDs; Political Declaration in Silence; HCC Healthy Nutrition Food Policy Awards Return to the 36th CBU Caribbean Media Awards; The Wellness Effect Podcast Series; International Youth Day Highlights; Prominent Youth Health Champion Appointed to the UN Secretary-General’s Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change!; Barbados Minister Joins Step Up to Protect Children’s Health Movement!; PAHO Salutes Youth Leaders Making a Difference; Global Week for Action on NCDs; Second General Meeting of the WHO Global Coordination Mechanism on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases: Meeting Report, 23-25 April 2025;
PAHO Digital Literacy Program; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….
12 August 2025
International Youth Day 2025; HCC OPEN LETTER to CARICOM Heads of Government; Caribbean Regional Stakeholder Meeting on the 4th UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health – Webinar Recording; Caribbean Youth are Calling on CARICOM Leaders to Act on Facts and Prioritize Healthy School Food Environments!; CARICOM, Our Children Are Waiting: It’s Time to Act on Facts; Hope for the Future; Bahamas Ministry of Health and Wellness Launches Hope for the Future 2.0 on Healthy Eating in Young People; Want to learn more about the Hope for the Future 2024 activities?; International Youth Day Chat; Youth Advocate Kayla Wright Powerful Testimonial; Youth Advocates from the Barbados Childhood Obesity Prevention Coalition Take Their Message of the Importance of Healthy Food Environments to the Community!; Heart and Stroke Foundation of Barbados (HSFB) Youth Advocates Celebrate International Youth Day with “Step Up!” Challenge; Virtual Veranduh Chat – Prioritizing Breastfeeding: Policy to Practice – Webinar Recording; The Wellness Effect Podcast Series; CARPHA Launch Their Strategic Plan 2025-30; For Half of Humanity: Four Billion Reasons We Need Action on Obesity; Neglecting Obesity in the 2025 NCD Agenda Will Leave One Billion People Behind; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….
24 July 2025
CARICOM Heads of Government Communique SILENT on NCDs and HLM4; Webinar: CARICOM Regional Stakeholder Meeting; Beyond Personal Responsibility: Tackling Industry Influence in Caribbean School Environments; The Population and Societal Benefit of Increasing the Drinking Age from 18 to 21 in Developing Countries; Ambassador Matthew Wilson of Barbados Highlights NCDs and SIDs in His Speech at the 9th Annual Health 20 Summit, WHO, 20 June 2025; The Wellness Effect Podcast Series; PAHO Director and CARICOM Secretary-General Sign 2025–2029 Joint Subregional Cooperation Strategy To Advance Health and Equity in the Caribbean; HCC Team Attends World Bank Workshop in Saint Lucia; Health warning One in every four Jamaicans living with at least one chronic illness; Health Advocates Urge CARICOM Leaders To Renew Fight Against NCDs, Mental Health Crisis; What Does Health in a Secure and Sustainable Future Look Like? CARICOM’s Time to Lead Again on NCDs; St. Kitts and Nevis Among Top Five for NCD-Related Deaths, Says PAHO; PAHO/WHO and the Ministry of Health and Wellness Join Forces To Strengthen Mental Health Services in Belize; News Snippets; NCD Global; Video Rewind; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….
21 June 2025
HCC OPEN LETTER TO CARICOM HEADS OF GOVERNMENT; Putting People & Health First in Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Webinar Recording; Caribbean Youth Lead Mental Health Fight Amid Climate Concern; Debate Soon On New Tobacco Control Bill in Jamaica; The Wellness Effect Podcast Series; Off Track and Underfunded: Confronting the Global Non-Communicable Disease Crisis; NCD Alliance Leadership Dialogues; Hear from HCY Member: Romario Griffith; Kick Big Soda Out of Sport ‘s New Campaign; Fried Chicken Frenzy Versus Public Health: A Call for Policy Alignment; Fuel, Move, Thrive: Supporting Physical Wellness at Work and Home; Strengthening Maternal and Child Health Through Improved Breastfeeding Practices; Laws and Regulations Addressing the Acceptability, Availability and Affordability of Alcoholic Beverages; NCD Alliance Newsletter; Our Work; Back to the HCC Archives; Our Publications Read more….
7 June 2025
World Environment Day – 5 June 2025; ‘Sip Sustainably: Sea the Change’ – A New Campaign Uniting Health and Ocean Conservation; A Reflection on World Environment Day 2023: The Story of the Bottle Cap; Webinar: Putting People & Health First in Disaster Preparedness, Response and Recovery; Bridging the Gap: Advancing Mental Health through Transformation, Inclusion and Action. Symposium!; FutureHEALTH Launches with Bold Mission to Drive Innovation in Healthcare; UNICEF Jamaica Launch of Fix My Food Jamaica “Behind the Labels—A Policy Dialogue; Kick Big Soda Out of Sport ‘s New Campaign; Launch of the Better Care for NCDs Virtual Course; Major Stakeholders Unite to Combat the Devastating Effects of NCDs; Call for Experts To Develop a Who Guideline on Consumption of Ultra-Processed Foods; The Pan American Journal of Public Health Opens Call for Papers for a Special Issue on “Better Care for NCDs.”; 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.
1 week 6 days ago
Latest, News, Recent, Advocacy, HCC, NCDs
Medical News, Health News Latest, Medical News Today - Medical Dialogues |
Delhi HC Dismisses Roche Appeal, Allows Natco to Continue Selling Generic Risdiplam for Spinal Muscular Atrophy
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has dismissed an appeal filed by Swiss drug major F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG and its Indian arm, challenging the order of a Single Judge that refused to restrain Natco Pharma Limited from manufacturing and selling Risdiplam, a drug used to treat Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA).
The Division Bench of Justice C. Hari Shankar and Justice Ajay Digpaul held that Roche’s species patent (IN 334397) for Risdiplam was prima facie vulnerable to invalidation under Section 64(1)(f) of the Patents Act, 1970, as being obvious in view of prior art disclosed in Roche’s own genus patent (WO 2013/119916 / US 9586955).
Risdiplam is admittedly manufactured and marketed by the appellants in various countries, including India, under the brand name EVRYSDI Risdiplam is an oral prescription medicine used for the treatment of Spinal Muscular Atrophy.
Roche, which manufactures Risdiplam under the brand name Evrysdi, alleged that Natco’s generic version infringed its subsisting Indian Patent IN 334397, valid until May 11, 2035. The company sought an interim injunction under Order XXXIX Rules 1 and 2 of the CPC, restraining Natco from selling the drug.
Also Read: Delhi HC seeks Centre's response on plea challenging PG medical seats allocation at AFMS
Roche contended that Risdiplam, though related to compounds described in its earlier genus patent, represented a distinct and novel invention deserving independent protection. It argued that the drug was not merely “covered” by the broad Markush formula of the genus patent but was a specific compound not disclosed or enabled therein.
The company submitted that the Single Judge had erred in equating “coverage” with “disclosure” and in holding the compound “obvious” without any concrete teaching or motivation to make such structural modification.
Roche emphasized that the substitution of a nitrogen atom (-N) for a carbon-hydrogen (-CH) group in the molecule involved a non-obvious inventive step and that the difference conferred significant therapeutic efficacy, making Risdiplam a new chemical entity under the law.
Natco, on the other hand, invoked Section 107(1) of the Patents Act to defend itself, arguing that Risdiplam was already covered and obvious from Roche’s earlier genus patent WO 2013/119916 / US 9586955, which disclosed a large set of similar compounds for treating Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA).
Natco maintained that the only structural difference between Risdiplam and Compound 809 of the genus patent was the replacement of a -CH radical with a nitrogen atom (-N), a well-known and predictable modification in medicinal chemistry based on Grimm’s Hydride Displacement Law.
It pointed out that four inventors were common to both the genus and species patents, showing that the later patent was a mere routine optimization aimed at extending exclusivity rather than a genuine innovation. The company therefore contended that the suit patent lacked an inventive step and was vulnerable to revocation under Section 64(1)(f).
The Division Bench agreed with the Single Judge’s view that Risdiplam was prima facie obvious to a person skilled in the art, particularly because the same inventors were involved in both patents.
“Something which is ‘obvious’ to a person skilled in the art would be ‘more obvious’ to the inventor of the genus patent, who would be ‘in the know’ of things,” the Bench observed.
The judges further held that allowing minor molecular substitutions to extend patent protection would amount to evergreening, contrary to the public interest in ensuring access to essential medicines.
The court stated, “
"By no means can an inventor be permitted, by making changes to an invented pharmaceutical preparation… to keep the invention out of the public domain beyond the period of life of the patent.”
While the Bench expressed reservations about whether Risdiplam lacked novelty under Section 64(1)(e), it found “no reason to interfere” with the Single Judge’s conclusion that the compound was obvious under Section 64(1)(f). The Bench reiterated that under the Wander Ltd. v Antox India Pvt Ltd principle, appellate courts should not interfere with discretionary orders unless the lower court’s findings are arbitrary or perverse. The Division Bench held;
“We do not deem this to be a fit case for interference with the impugned judgment of the learned Single Judge. The appeal is, accordingly, dismissed.”
With this, the Delhi High Court effectively upheld Natco Pharma’s right to continue manufacturing and marketing its generic version of Risdiplam pending the outcome of the main suit.
To view the official order, click the link below:
https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/chs09102025fac432025224135-304210.pdf
2 weeks 1 day ago
News,Industry,Pharma News,Top Industry News,Inshorts
The popular breakfast foods that protect the brain from early onset dementia - Daily Mail
- The popular breakfast foods that protect the brain from early onset dementia Daily Mail
- Dietary tweaks can quickly change your brain for the better futurity.org
- A dietitian made 5 simple changes to her eating habits for better brain health AOL.com
- 10 Foods to Prevent Early Alzheimers - Sada News Agency وكالة صدى نيوز
- Surprising way to fight brain decline: This high-fat diet might be the key, says research The Economic Times
2 weeks 1 day ago
The country registers 123 maternal deaths this year
Up to week 39, the Ministry of Public Health’s epidemiological surveillance system recorded 123 maternal deaths.
However, health authorities indicate that maternal and infant mortality indicators show a general downward trend in 2025. 123 deaths have been recorded, compared to 135 in 2024.
According to official figures, this is a 9% decrease.
Up to week 39, the Ministry of Public Health’s epidemiological surveillance system recorded 123 maternal deaths.
However, health authorities indicate that maternal and infant mortality indicators show a general downward trend in 2025. 123 deaths have been recorded, compared to 135 in 2024.
According to official figures, this is a 9% decrease.
However, this overall decline contrasts with the increases observed in provinces such as Santiago, which has 22 cases; La Altagracia, which has 14 deaths; and Distrito Nacional, which has seven, highlighting persistent challenges in the coverage and timeliness of obstetric care in areas with high demand for services.
Maternal mortality is an indicator that reflects the quality of care provided to women; however, it is related to other social determinants. Some specialists argue that women die due to poverty, a dehumanized system, and the lack of effective primary care.
Most mothers who die during or after childbirth have been reported in the public health system, which calls into question the quality of service provided by health personnel and the support network.
Infant mortality
As of week 39, according to the Epidemiology Department, 1,331 maternal deaths have been reported. Authorities estimate that infant mortality in the country has decreased by 22%, from 1,700 to 1,331, according to the report.
This was observed in El Seibo, Monseñor Noel, and Monte Plata. However, increases were observed in provinces such as Independencia, Bahoruco, and Sánchez Ramírez, highlighting the challenges still present in areas with lower installed capacity.
Neonatal
Neonatal mortality is a key indicator of perinatal care and decreased by 16%, from 1,378 to 1,145 deaths. Progress has been seen in Monseñor Noel (-63%), Duarte (-43%), San Cristóbal (-39%), Puerto Plata (-38%), and La Altagracia (-35%).
However, increases were observed in San José de Ocoa (150%), Independencia (100%), Bahoruco (71%), and Hato Mayor (64%), although the figures were small.
This indicator requires greater effort, since in the infant mortality category, the highest number of deaths is recorded in the neonatal group.
The story
Maintaining surveillance of indicators, such as maternal and infant mortality, has been a challenge for nearly 30 years. Maternal mortality is monitored by hospital committees and reported to the Department of Epidemiology.
Greater integration of specialized professionals in public centers is required.
2 weeks 1 day ago
Health, Local
Health & Wellness | Toronto Caribbean Newspaper
If banks can show balances in seconds, why can’t health care show us our own records?
“It is time for health care in Canada, the United States, and everywhere else, to be a lot more transparent.”
The post If banks can show balances in seconds, why can’t health care show us our own records? first appeared on Toronto Caribbean Newspaper.
2 weeks 2 days ago
Your Health, #communitynews, #health, #LatestPost, better health, Canadian health, Healthcare
Deadly rare cancer surges in young people as experts sound alarm due to 'sheer numbers' - Daily Mail
- Deadly rare cancer surges in young people as experts sound alarm due to 'sheer numbers' Daily Mail
- A hard-to-spot breast cancer now makes up more than 1 in 10 cases in the US: Report ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos
- New Report Details Rising Incidence of Invasive Lobular Carcinoma Pharmacy Times
- Advancing awareness of lobular breast cancer UT Health San Antonio
- Lobular breast cancer cases are on the rise. Could alcohol be partially to blame? weareiowa.com
2 weeks 2 days ago
News Archives - Healthy Caribbean Coalition
Highlights from the 4th UN High Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health
Highlights from the 4th UN High Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health held on 25 September 2025 (HLM4) under the theme “Equity and integration: transforming lives and livelihoods through leadership and action on noncommunicable diseases and the promotion of mental health and well-being.”
Highlights from the 4th UN High Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health held on 25 September 2025 (HLM4) under the theme “Equity and integration: transforming lives and livelihoods through leadership and action on noncommunicable diseases and the promotion of mental health and well-being.”
HCC sends warm congratulations to Her Excellency Ambassador Inga Rhonda King, Permanent Representative of the Saint Vincent and Grenadines to the United Nations in New York for her stewardship of the HLM4 process in her capacity as Co-Facilitator alongside HE Ambassador Olivier Maes of Luxembourg.
We also wish to recognise and thank the CARICOM Permanent Missions of Saint Kitts and Nevis and Guyana for their significant roles as CARICOM Lead Negotiator and G77 Co-negotiator respectively.
CARICOM Secretariat in partnership with PAHO, CARPHA and HCC hosted a successful high-level side event at the HLM4 attended by many including: CARICOM Secretary General Dr. Carla Barnett; The Honourable Philip Davis Prime Minister of The Bahamas; The Hon. Dickon Mitchell Prime Minister of Grenada; Dr. The Honourable Christopher Tufton, Minister of Health of Jamaica; Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, PAHO/WHO Director; Dr. Lisa Indar, Executive Director of CARPHA and key global partners including NCD Alliance and the World Bank.
Prime Minister Davis delivered outstanding opening remarks addressing a range of issues including mental health and the intersection with climate change and the commercial determinants of health, stating that ‘regulation of harmful commercial practices is not a luxury it is protection of our citizens’ and ‘ we must confront the commercial forces driving diseases’. Prime Minister Mitchell of Grenada praised HEARTS and underscored the shared risk factors for mental health and NCDS and the need to place measures in place to identify risk of harm and suicide in young people. The Honourable Minister Tufton wrapped up the event highlighting the importance of Caribbean solidarity.
HCC President Dr. Kenneth Connnell and Executive Director attended the HLM4 and participated in the Plenary Session and the 1st Multistakeholder panel where Dr. Connell delivered an intervention from the floor. You can view Dr. Connell’s reading of the intervention here.
CARICOM Representation at the Plenary Session: Nine (9) CARICOM countries represented by Heads of Government and Ministers of Health delivered remarks during the Plenary session: The Republic of Suriname, Saint Kitts and Nevis on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Antigua and Barbuda, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, and Guyana. The Honourable Terrance Drew, Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis, presented comments on behalf of CARICOM. His remarks acknowledged the important role of civil society with a specific mention of Healthy Caribbean Coalition. Prime Minister Drew in his comments also noted with concern that the Political Declaration did not reflect the urgency of the NCD crisis pointing to insufficiently bold targets.
Senator Dr. The Most Honourable Jerome Walcott, Senior Minister, Ministry of Health and Wellness of Barbados participated in a High-Level Side Event entitled: “One Vision, One Future: Rallying Global Momentum on NCDs for Generations to Come” at UNHQ on September 24, 2025. Minister Walcott’s comments touched on key steps Barbados has taken including taxation of SSBs, addressing childhood obesity in schools, investment in primary health care, upcoming trans fat legislation, partnerships across sectors and the role of the commercial sector. The recording of the side event can be found here.
For more on the HLM4, including seeing CARICOM country interventions, visit the WHO page here where you can view recordings from the Plenary and the 2 panels.
Visit the HLM4 WHO Media page here.
The post Highlights from the 4th UN High Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health appeared first on Healthy Caribbean Coalition.
2 weeks 2 days ago
News, Slider
Health Archives - Barbados Today
QEH cancer machine faces fresh setback
Cancer patients and advocates are once again facing anguish and uncertainty as the launch of a new radiotherapy machine at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) has been postponed until the end of November, deepening concerns about life-saving care amid official silence.
Men’s Cancer Support Group Interim Coordinator Vincent Yearwood told Barbados TODAY the repeated postponements in commissioning a $10-million linear accelerator continue to cause hardship for patients in urgent need of treatment.
“I understand the hospital had said it would have been ready by mid-September,” Yearwood explained. “From the information that has reached us, it now seems they’re saying October, but they haven’t come and said anything to the public at all. So one still doesn’t know what the status of the machine is.
“As we speak, at least one of our members is in Trinidad currently receiving radiation treatment. So, in other words, the disappointment continues, and the QEH hasn’t said a word.”
The linear accelerator, which is used to deliver high-precision radiation therapy to cancer patients, was delivered to Barbados last year. But despite several assurances from health officials, it has yet to be installed and brought into use.
On Thursday, QEH spokesman Shane Sealy acknowledged that the machine’s full installation had been delayed once again owing to construction adjustments that had to be made.
“We’re hoping to have it up and running by the end of November,” Sealy told Barbados TODAY. “Everything in this project has to be precise. What held things up was that, following the civil works, we learned that the floor was out by two millimetres. That had to be corrected because the equipment can only work with exact measurements.”
Those adjustments have now been completed and installation of the accelerator is expected to take place between this month and next, according to Sealy.
“The corrections have been made, and the new accelerator is going to be installed shortly, now that the civil works have been completed. We’re looking to the end of November for it to go live,” he said.
Back in June, Deputy Prime Minister Santia Bradshaw expressed frustration in Parliament that the life-saving equipment was still not operational, warning that lives were being lost as a result of the delay.
“We have people dying while waiting. This can’t continue,” Bradshaw declared during debate on a resolution to lease state land at Coverley for a new palliative care facility. “It cannot be that the equipment is sitting there and not being used while people are desperate for treatment. There has to be a sense of urgency.”
Bradshaw, a breast cancer survivor herself, described the matter as one of national importance and urged health authorities to accelerate the process of commissioning the machine.
“We have started the process,” she said. “We know where we want to go. Now we need to act. Lives are on the line.”
In response to Bradshaw’s concerns at the time, health minister Davidson Ishmael sought to assure MPs that the installation of the linear accelerator machine was finally nearing completion.
The minister told lawmakers he was “disheartened” by the fact that the ministry had not yet delivered on the commitment, but due to civil works delays, the project had faced some unfortunate challenges.
He insisted: “Any entity that has any radiation involved, there has to be a special purpose-built facility and space for its housing. Therefore, some of these civil works have taken inordinately long, but the team at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital is working assiduously to ensure that we can get to the point where the civil works are completed.”
The minister said he had been informed that those civil works were due to be finished that week.
Back in January, the Barbados Cancer Society sounded the alarm on the increasing incidence of colon cancer in the country, attributing it largely to Barbadians’ diet.
The society’s president, Professor David Rosin, said: “Here in Barbados, the commonest cancer is still — despite it being half the population [men] — prostate cancer. There are, in fact, 320 new cases every year out of a population of 285 000 people. That is about 45 per cent of all cancers [reported locally]. It’s really something to worry about. The anxiety here is not only is it the commonest cancer, but it is also unfortunately more aggressive and occurring in younger men.”
The post QEH cancer machine faces fresh setback appeared first on Barbados Today.
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Health, Local News, Headline
PAHO/WHO | Pan American Health Organization
Inter-American Mental Health Week: PAHO and OAS join forces to disseminate information and strategies on mental health in the Region
Inter-American Mental Health Week: PAHO and OAS join forces to disseminate information and strategies on mental health in the Region
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9 Oct 2025
Inter-American Mental Health Week: PAHO and OAS join forces to disseminate information and strategies on mental health in the Region
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2 weeks 3 days ago