Despite an overall decrease in premature mortality in the Americas, just five countries are on track to achieve the 25% reduction target by 2025

Cristina Mitchell

26 Mar 2025

YOUR GUT is your gastrointestinal system and includes your stomach, intestines and colon. It digests and absorbs nutrients from food and excretes waste. About 200 different species of bacteria, viruses and fungi live in your large intestine. The...

President Irfaan Ali on Tuesday announced a five-year extension of the National Healthcare Initiative to transform Guyana’s public health system with world-class healthcare services accessible to every Guyanese citizen. This next phase of the initiative, launched in 2022 by the Government of Guyana in collaboration with the Mount Sinai Health System and Hess Corporation, will ...

Justice Mini Pushkarna ruled that public interest in affordable treatment outweighs corporate profits, particularly when the drug is the only available treatment for a rare disease in India. The court held;

"A drug which is the only one available for treatment in India, for a rare disease, its availability to the public at large at very economical and competitive prices, is a material factor which a Court will consider at the time of dealing with an application for interim injunction. Besides, the plaintiffs can be compensated by way of damages. However, there exists no right for the public to lessen or compensate itself.”

Background on Spinal Muscular Atrophy and Risdiplam

SMA is a severe neuromuscular disorder that causes motor neuron degeneration, leading to progressive muscle weakness. It is the leading genetic cause of infant mortality, affecting approximately one in 10,000 live births worldwide and one in 7,744 live births in India.

Until recent advancements, SMA treatment was limited to supportive care. However, Evrysdi (Risdiplam), developed by Roche, became a major breakthrough as the first oral therapy for SMA. Roche launched Evrysdi in India in July 2021, but its high cost remains a significant barrier. The annual treatment cost ranges between Rs 2.2 million to Rs 7.2 million, depending on patient weight and dosage.

With the unaffordability of the treatment, many families have turned to legal petitions seeking assistance for their children's treatment.

Patent Dispute Between Roche and Natco

Roche alleged that Natco Pharma was preparing to commercially manufacture Risdiplam, violating its Indian patent, valid until 2035.

Natco challenged the patent’s validity, arguing that Roche’s original international patent already covered the drug. The company contended that Roche was engaging in "evergreening" by filing a new patent specifically in India to extend its monopoly, despite not initially filing the broader patent.

The Delhi High Court found merit in Natco’s argument, stating that Roche’s patent could be invalidated under various grounds, including:

Anticipation by prior publication (Section 64(1)(e)),

Obviousness (Section 64(1)(f)), and

Misrepresentation (Section 64(1)(j)).

The Court noted that Risdiplam was implicitly covered under Roche’s previous international patent, a fact evident from Roche’s admissions in US, Australian, and Canadian patent filings.

Public Interest Consideration and Patent Injunctions

Justice Pushkarna underscored the importance of public interest in deciding whether an injunction should be granted. Citing Justice Prathiba M Singh's book on Patent Law, the Court reiterated that:

"At the interim stage, the impact of an injunction if granted on the public would also be considered by the Court. In addition to the three conditions for grant of injunctions, a fourth factor, i.e., public interest, has also been applied in few patent cases."

The court referenced past Delhi High Court rulings, where injunctions were denied for life-saving cancer drugs due to high pricing and limited access.

Justice Pushkarna stated:

“The approved drug, i.e., Risdiplam, which is marketed under the name Evrysdi, is not available at reasonably affordable prices in India. Thus, if a party is able to manufacture the drug and make it available at an affordable price, in such a case, the public interest would have to outweigh the need for grant of injunction.”

Since SMA has no cure, and Risdiplam (Evrysdi) is the only approved treatment in India, the court ruled that denying an injunction would ensure wider access to treatment, while Roche could still seek damages if it eventually won the case.

The Court concluded:

“A drug which is the only one available for treatment in India, for a rare disease, its availability to the public at large at very economical and competitive prices, is a material factor which a Court will consider at the time of dealing with an application for interim injunction. Besides, the plaintiffs can be compensated by way of damages. However, there exists no right for the public to lessen or compensate itself.”

To view the original order, click on the link below:

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/rochevsnatco-1-280226.pdf

As spring breakers this season continue to head south into warmer territory, mosquitoes are posing a health risk that calls for extra attention.

Global cases of dengue fever are on the rise, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — and it's warning of an uptick in U.S. travelers.

The agency released a Health Alert Network advisory on March 18 noting that dengue activity and transmission "remain high" in some parts of the U.S. and globally, including the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

DENGUE FEVER: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE MOSQUITO-BORNE ILLNESS SWEEPING JAMAICA

"Spring and summer travel coincide with the peak season for dengue in many countries, increasing the risk of both travel-associated and locally acquired cases in the United States," the CDC wrote.

The CDC has marked dengue fever as a level 1 health alert, urging the public to "practice usual precautions."

This includes avoiding mosquito bites by using an EPA-registered insect repellent, wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors, and sleeping in a room that has air conditioning or screened windows.

Many countries have reported a "higher-than-usual" number of dengue cases in 2024 and 2025, the CDC noted.

TIGER MOSQUITOES BLAMED FOR SPREAD OF DENGUE FEVER: ‘MOST INVASIVE SPECIES’

The following countries have also reported higher-than-expected numbers of dengue cases among American travelers returning to U.S. soil: Brazil, Burkina Faso, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Iran, Mexico, Pakistan, Panama, Philippines, Saint Lucia and Sudan.

Dengue fever is a virus spread through bites from an infected mosquito. 

It is common in the Americas, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific Islands, among other countries, according to the CDC.

TRAVEL HOT SPOT SEEKS EMERGENCY DECLARATION OVER MASSIVE BUG INFESTATION

In 2024, more than 13 million cases were reported in North, Central and South America, as well as in the Caribbean.

Local transmission of these outbreaks was reported in California, Texas and Florida last year.

Typical symptoms include aches and pains (in the eyes, muscles, joints, or bones), nausea, vomiting and rash — usually experienced within two weeks of being bitten.

Most people experience symptoms for two to seven days before recovering.

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"It’s typically a more mild illness, but can be severe, causing headaches, joint pain, fever, abdominal pain and even death," Dr. Mark Fischer, regional medical director of International SOS, a leading medical and security services company, previously told Fox News Digital. 

There is not currently any medication to treat dengue, according to the CDC. 

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health

Infected people are advised to rest, take acetaminophen for pain and fever, stay hydrated and see a doctor.

There is a vaccine available for U.S. children between 9 and 16 years of age who have previously tested positive for dengue and are living in areas where the infection is common.

Fox News Digital’s Melissa Rudy contributed reporting.

View the full post Pharmacognosist endorses Grenada Syrup to promote health-conscious cocktails on NOW Grenada.

While TB cases continue to rise in the Americas, new innovations promise improvements in early diagnosis and treatment

Cristina Mitchell

24 Mar 2025

Santo Domingo—During epidemiological week 10, the Ministry of Public Health and the General Directorate of Epidemiology (Digepi) reported three new confirmed malaria cases, bringing the total accumulated since the beginning of this year, 2025, to 82.

22.8% of the reported cases correspond to citizens of Haitian nationality, so health authorities announced that they had renewed the focus on the active search for cases, especially in migrant communities and settlements of agricultural workers on farms.

“The intensification of community-based febrile case detection strategies is one of the key actions within the strategic efforts to achieve the goal of malaria elimination in the country,” the document highlights.

Of the 82 confirmed tests, 64 were in San Juan, 16 in Azua, and two in Santo Domingo.

As for the patients with probable symptoms, the authorities indicate that, after the report of 298 incidents, the total number of suspected cases increased to 4,587.

The bite of the Anopheles mosquito transmits malaria.

Dengue
Between March 2 and 8, 27 suspected cases of dengue were reported in the country, but no new confirmed cases were reported.

The cumulative number up to week 10 is 404 suspected cases and 31 confirmed cases.

Compared to the same period in 2024, there was a 93% decrease in suspected cases and a 95.24% decrease in confirmed cases, reflecting a significant reduction in the incidence of the disease transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito.

Leptospirosis
Public Health and Digepi reported four suspected cases of leptospirosis, with no new laboratory confirmations.

The accumulated number of suspected cases is 103, and 16 have been confirmed cases. Of the cases, 33.98% are of Haitian nationality, and 66.02% are Dominican.

The Ministry of Health says it continues to reinforce key disease control strategies, such as rodent control and sanitation measures.

These include improving access to safe drinking water, reducing exposure to stagnant water, and promoting good hygiene practices. Animal vaccination campaigns are also being carried out, especially in areas where livestock can be a reservoir for Leptospira bacteria.

Cholera and diphtheria
Up to epidemiological week 10, no suspected cholera cases have been reported in the country, representing a 100% reduction compared to the same period last year, when 106 records were documented.

Regarding diphtheria, Public Health reported one probable case corresponding to a child between five and nine years of age who lived in the municipality of San Ignacio de Sabaneta.

So far this year, the accumulated number of cases is four.

Respiratory Viruses

Respiratory viruses continue to circulate in the country. (EXTERNAL SOURCE)
In Epidemiological Week 10, the circulation of influenza A (H1N1) pdm 09, influenza B Victoria, and parainfluenza viruses was detected. Throughout the year, authorities have observed the presence of a respiratory syncytial virus, metapneumovirus 1, 2, and 3, influenza A (H3N2), adenovirus, and Sars-CoV-2.

Public Health emphasizes the importance of preventive measures such as frequent hand washing, using masks with flu-like symptoms, avoiding self-medication, maintaining ventilated spaces, and going to the health center in case of fever or discomfort.

Maternal and infant deaths
In this new bulletin, two maternal deaths were reported, corresponding to women between 20 and 29 years of age, both of Dominican origin.

The accumulated figure up to week 10 is 33 deaths, which represents a decrease of 19 % to 2024 when 41 were reported.

With 22 new deaths, the total number of infant deaths rises to 337.

Of neonatal deaths, authorities reported 20 deaths, a total of 302 since the beginning of 2025.