San Francisco de Macorís, DR.- The Ministry of Education of the Dominican Republic (Minerd), in collaboration with the Public Ministry, is currently investigating an incident involving 22 students and five teachers from the Max Henríquez Ureña school in the municipal district of Cenoví, Duarte province. The individuals experienced health problems following the fumigation of an area near the educational center.

To address this matter, personnel from the General Directorate of the School Police, along with educational authorities, conducted thorough surveys to ensure compliance with legal procedures.

The health issues arose around 9 in the morning during a mass celebrating Ash Wednesday. According to reports, students were the first to detect the presence of chemicals in the environment.

The preliminary report indicates that cases of students experiencing symptoms like dizziness and nausea were documented. Simultaneously, some teachers reported skin allergies and vomiting.

Jocelyn Jiménez Concepción, the campus director, along with the affected students and teachers, were promptly transported to various health centers in the vicinity. They received treatment and were subsequently discharged. The investigation is ongoing to determine the circumstances and address any potential implications in accordance with the law.

Santiago, DR.- Continuing to make strides in modern medicine, renowned North American urologist David Samadi achieved a significant milestone in the Dominican Republic. Performing five robotic surgeries for prostate cancer in a single day at the Samadi-HOMS Robotic Institute of the Metropolitan Hospital of Santiago, he emphasized the uniqueness of their program in the country.

Describing it as groundbreaking news, Dr. Samadi highlighted the extraordinary capability of their robotic surgery program, positioning it as a distinctive and exceptional offering in the Dominican Republic. He credited the vision of the President of the Administrative Council at Hospital Metropolitano de Santiago HOMS for making these medical feats possible.

A decade ago, the president recognized the impact of robotic surgery on medicine and health, leading to the collaboration with Dr. Samadi in the Dominican Republic. Over the years, hundreds of patients have benefitted from robotic surgeries, not only for prostate cancer but also in fields such as kidney surgery, gynecology, bariatric surgery, and more.

Dr. Samadi, considered a pioneer in robotic surgery in the country, has been providing Dominican patients with the best procedures for prostate cancer for the past ten years. His approach focuses on reducing the risk of complications, minimizing scars, ensuring a high success rate, facilitating quick recovery, and significantly improving sexual life by 85%.

As one of five surgeons in New York State qualified to perform robotic prostatectomy using the Da Vinci robotic system, Dr. Samadi has an impressive professional record, having conducted 10,000 surgeries with a 96% success rate. Additionally, he is recognized as one of the few surgeons in the United States trained in oncology, open surgery, and advanced minimally invasive treatments for prostate cancer.

Santo Domingo.- This Wednesday, the Ministry of Public Health disclosed that the country recorded 197 fresh cases of coronavirus within the past week, based on 5,271 samples collected nationwide for disease detection.

According to the weekly bulletin from the ministry, the cumulative number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Dominican Republic stands at 188. Notably, there are currently no individuals hospitalized due to the virus.

The latest statistics indicate a weekly positivity rate of 6.74%, with the positivity rate for the last four weeks calculated at 10.09%.

Overall, the Dominican Republic has documented a total of 675,890 COVID-19 cases, with the death toll remaining at 4,384 since August 2022.

The primary aim of Grenada’s first One Stop Centre is to provide essential gender-based violence (GBV) services and prevent victim re-traumatisation

View the full post First One Stop Centre for gender-based violence services on NOW Grenada.

Santo Domingo—For several months, there has been an acute shortage of insulin in the country’s private pharmaceutical sector, especially one of the most widely used, type 70/30.

The situation has forced patients to go to the Instituto de la Diabetes (INDEN) and the Farmacias del Pueblo in search of the product, which still has a supply but is registering a high increase in demand.

This shortage is generating serious difficulties for patients with diabetes who require the use of insulin as an indispensable treatment for the control of their condition and who acquire the drug in the private sector, especially those with type 1 diabetes, who are insulin-dependent, as well as concern among endocrinologists and diabetologists.

The drug is also used by about 40% of patients who have type 2 diabetes, which is estimated to occupy 90% of the people living with this condition in the country, where studies indicate that about two million people live with diabetes or more than 13% of the Dominican population is affected by this condition of increased blood sugar.

The shortage of medicine in the private market and the difficulties for the supply were confirmed to Listín Diario by the president of the Dominican Society of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Sherezade Hazbún; the executive director of the Union of Pharmacies, Scarlet Sánchez; the director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Nutrition (INDEN), Ammar Ibrahim and the executive director of the Program of Essential Medicines (PROMESE/CAL), Adolfo Pérez and Arelys Mercedes, president of the Dominican Society of Diabetology.

They assured that the shortage of the product affects the private sector but that this does not occur with the hospitals of the Public Network that have maintained their rhythm of use without alteration, nor the People’s Pharmacies or the Diabetes Institute, since they have a stop of the medicine in stock due to their large volume purchase and long-term agreements with their international suppliers.

ARAPF EXPLAINS CAUSES
Regarding the problem, the Association of Representatives, Agents and Pharmaceutical Producers, Inc. (ARAPF) explained that currently, the global production of drugs related to glycemic control for insulin-dependent diabetic patients faces significant challenges in planning due to the shortage of an essential component for the manufacture of insulin, as a result of the increase in the number of patients with diabetes.

“This situation has resulted in a worldwide shortage of the product, recently affecting the Dominican Republic. This decrease in availability has been manifested mainly in the vial presentation, as it is the one most commonly used by the population; however, in the pencil type presentation the supply has been stable and has not presented any affectation in a general way”, affirms the entity in declarations offered to Listín Diario.

It points out that the relevant institutions have the necessary availability to respond to the immediate needs, and the pharmaceutical laboratories “which we represent assure to have shipments on the way, with availability to guarantee the access of this to the patients.”

The organism understands that “this feeling of shortage” should not be prolonged and that this type of medicine will be supplied regularly in the next few days, so it should not represent a significant situation for the Dominican healthcare system.

Likewise, when confirming the supply difficulties, Sanchez said that the Pharmacy Union does not know the causes of the problems that the laboratories or the industrial sector have in supplying the insulin demand that the pharmacies have, but that for months, they have been observing that when they receive the order, especially the insulin 70/30 units, it is immediately sold out in the chain of pharmacies that they represent.

SIX-MONTH SUPPLY
The PROMESE director also assured that the medicine is guaranteed in the Farmacias del Público and that they have enough of the product in stock for the next six months due to the planning done and the purchase agreements signed with suppliers.

“Even if the private sector were to run out completely, we at PROMESE have enough to guarantee insulins to patients for the next few months,” he said, recalling that worldwide there are difficulties because Ukraine is one of the leading suppliers of insulin and biosimilars in the world. It has been affected by the war with Russia.

USE IN COMBINATION
Ibrahim explained that the most significant shortage is observed in the 70/30, which is a mixture of the NPH human insulin 70 units of rapid insulin and 30 units, so if a patient runs out, he can go to his doctor and ask him to explain that he can take 70 of one and 30 of the other because it can be combined since the mixture was made to avoid the patient having two punctures at the same time.

He said that INDEN still has a drug supply and that the manufacturers promise new deliveries before the end of this month. He assured us that they have been supplying a large part of the patients who go there in search of the drug.

Some drugs may seem like they were named by throwing darts at the alphabet – but the process of drug naming is actually very intentional.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Dr. Dave Latshaw, CEO of the AI health care company BioPhy, revealed how medicines are labeled.

The Philadelphia-based doctor, formerly the AI drug development lead at Johnson & Johnson, said that he, too, at first questioned, "How do they even come up with these [names]?"

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Naming drugs can be viewed as a "staged process," based on drug advancement, which begins with the chemical name, Latshaw said.

"If you're talking about a small molecule, which is the most prevalent type of drug in development, that's usually a combination of chemical-type names that you've probably seen mashed into a single line," he said.

"If it's a biologic molecule, its chemical name is typically whatever sequence it happens to be, so that’s the actual chemical composition of the drug itself."

Once a drug program is picked up by a company, Latshaw said, it is given an "internal code name."

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That code is generally "less complicated" than the chemical name.

"And it usually reflects something about the name of the company and potentially what number in the pipeline it is," he said.

For example, the rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis drug Humira, which is developed by AbbVie (formerly Abbott), is referred to by its drug code, "ABT-D2E7."

As the drug progresses, it is given a more formal yet generic name for its introduction to the public, Latshaw said.

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These evolved names are chosen through collaboration among a few different organizations, including the United States Adopted Names Council (USAN), which is part of the American Medical Association (AMA).

Since the 1960s, the USAN program has assigned generic names to all active drug ingredients in the U.S., in partnership with the United States Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) and the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), according to the AMA Journal of Ethics.

"With few exceptions – [such as] prophylactic vaccines and mixtures not named by the USAN Council – a drug cannot be marketed in the United States without a USAN," the publication wrote.

A drug’s generic name involves nomenclature that "tells you what the drug is," Latshaw said, but in words rather than chemical structure.

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The doctor used the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra as an example, noting its formal name of Sildenafil.

The generic name uses a prefix and a suffix – the suffix, or "stem," identifies the drug family, and the prefix serves as the drug’s "unique identifier."

"You have the suffix that is supposed to tell you what type of drug it is, and then they try to make the prefix as different as possible, relative to the other drugs within that family, so there's minimal confusion when it comes to prescriptions … to minimize error," Latshaw told Fox News Digital.

The prefix is most likely one or two syllables, according to the AMA.

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Once the drug is fully developed and ready for consumers, its brand name is used for commercial marketing, such as Humira or Viagra.

Humira’s generic name is "adalimumab," with the "-mab" suffix identifying that the type of molecule in the drug is a monoclonal antibody.

The AMA offered the cancer drug "imatinib" as another example on its website, noting how the stem "-tinib" refers to the drug’s function as a tyrosine kinase (TYK) inhibitor.

Latshaw shared that involved parties "do an incredible amount of research" when coming up with brand names to best differentiate them.

The USAN Council is "aware of the importance of coining names that will not be confused with other drug names, compromise patient safety, or mislead health care professionals and patients about the action or use of a new drug substance," as stated in the AMA Journal of Ethics.

"Once you know this information, if you start seeing the names of drugs referenced, at least you can sort of understand it … and know there’s a relationship there," Latshaw said.

"If somebody's talking about a particular drug that might be beneficial to them, that might help them understand, at least at face value, that there are other alternatives … within the same drug family that they might consider or at least bring up with their doctor."

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

By some measures, private equity investment lagged in 2023, a year marked by growing distress and high-profile downfalls among private equity-backed health care companies.

Even so, three sectors still managed to see strong deal flow and prices: med spa, cardiology, and clinical trial sites, according to a new PitchBook report analyzing private equity investments in health care services in 2023. Each of the three niches continue to generate buzz among investors, even as other areas fizzle.

It’s not that those three industries are perfect fits for private equity, it’s that the more obvious areas like autism therapists and physician practices are struggling with high interest rates and regulatory scrutiny, said Rebecca Springer, PitchBook’s lead health care analyst.

Continue to STAT+ to read the full story…

She explained that endoscopy is a safe procedure, as it follows different phases established as standards through international protocols. In the case of CEMDOE, a medical center accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI), it adheres to strict norms with the aim of safeguarding patient safety throughout their care process. These norms range from indication based on clinical practice guidelines, prior evaluations, and correct patient identification to safety pauses before, during, and after the procedure.

Sánchez also emphasized the importance of patients choosing a safe environment for the procedure, strictly adhering to cleaning and disinfection standards.

At the same time, she recommended that, before the study, patients undergo evaluation and approval by both the cardiologist, if applicable, and the anesthesiologist.

“It is crucial to address any previous difficulty and then undergo evaluation again. In addition, there is a need to report any newly occurring symptoms on the day of the study, emphasizing manifestations such as dizziness, fever, pain, abdominal distension, nausea, and/or vomiting, as this could lead to changes in plans and, ultimately, rescheduling the study,” detailed the CEMDOE doctor.

Myths and Fears

Endoscopic studies have been conducted for a long time, and with its progression, there have been more advances in technology, diagnosis, and treatment, as well as in patient comfort during the procedure. “Techniques have evolved; previously, endoscopy was a traumatic procedure where the patient was conscious of everything that happened, experiencing discomfort that they remembered for a long time. To date, we have patients with ‘inherited’ fears due to information passed down about the pain or discomfort of this study,” said Dr. Sánchez.

She pointed out that another significant concern stems from the belief that the patient may die from anesthesia. The specialist explained that this is one of the safest procedures, where anesthesia or sedation is administered by an anesthesiologist, and the patient is strictly monitored at all times.

“Furthermore, waking up is extremely quick because it is a short-duration procedure, and it is important to note that the recommended fasting is 4 to 6 hours prior to the study, so it can be done in the afternoon,” detailed Sánchez.

It is important to highlight that endoscopic studies of the digestive pathways serve to explore, diagnose, treat, and study the digestive system. These studies are frequent and common; they use a hose-shaped device with a light and a camera at the tip, as well as a working channel for the introduction of instruments to perform specific procedures.

Santo Domingo.- On Wednesday, health authorities announced the identification of 419 new cases of coronavirus detected in the past week, following the examination of 6,673 samples during this timeframe.

The latest epidemiological bulletin on the progression of covid-19 indicates that the current number of active cases stands at 385, with none of the patients requiring hospitalization.

The daily positivity rate is recorded at 11.36%, while the four-week cumulative positivity rate stands at 13.27%.

To date, the country has reported a total of 675,693 cases of covid-19, with the number of deaths due to the disease remaining at 4,384 since August 2022.

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