4 ways to talk with vaccine skeptics

Your neighbor is telling you about his new baby. He feels nervous about vaccinating, and says he's considering delaying Lucy's vaccines. Your mother's group is chatting about vaccines. One mother tells the group Jimmy isn't vaccinated, and she's using the Immune-Strengthening Diet instead. In a Facebook parenting group, someone comments we shouldn't trust pharmaceutical companies because they're covering up studies showing vaccines cause autism. These and similar scenarios may sound familiar. So what do you do when you're faced with someone who questions vaccination? Do you try to convince them to vaccinate? Do you ignore them? Or might something else work?

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How long will the world wait for the next pandemic of antimicrobial resistance before we act?

Article | August 9, 2022

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become an increasingly serious global health problem in recent years. World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 700,000 people die each year due to drug-resistant infections, and the number is expected to increase in the coming years. How does antimicrobial resistance emerge? Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites change over time and no longer respond to medicines. It makes infections harder to treat and increases the risk of disease, severe illness, and death. When we use antibiotics, some bacteria die, but resistant bacteria can survive and even multiply. The overuse of antibiotics and substandard antibiotics make resistant bacteria more common. So, the more we use antibiotics, the more chances bacteria have to become resistant to them. The rise in AMR is caused by multiple factors including the misuse and overuse of antibiotics by humans as well as in livestock and agriculture. Although these are the main drivers in the development of drug-resistant pathogens, the emergence of substandard and falsified antibiotics is another lesser-known, huge contributory factor. Even though AMR is a leading cause of death around the world, it is tracked most closely in clinical high-income settings and developed countries. Unfortunately, this is not the case in low and middle-income countries, where the highest burden is in low-resource settings and low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). These countries are disproportionately affected, in part due to the high burden of communicable diseases. Consequences to human health of AMR AMR poses significant risks to human health, resulting in prolonged and more severe infections, extended hospitalizations, and increased healthcare expenses. It can also lead to an increased risk of death, as an infection may become untreatable. Additionally, it can reduce the effectiveness of medicines and treatments, making it more difficult to manage existing medical conditions. It is even more concerning that it can lead to the emergence of new, more dangerous strains of bacteria, viruses, and other microbes. This would mean medical procedures, such as surgery, including caesarean sections or hip replacements, cancer chemotherapy, and organ transplantation, will become riskier. Counterfeit medicines and antibiotics: Antibiotics are the most counterfeited medicines in the world, as they account for 28% of global counterfeit medicines. Substandard and falsified antibiotics are medicines that do not meet the quality standards set by regulatory authorities. Counterfeit antibiotics are estimated at 5% of the global antibiotic market. These medicines are often of inferior quality or contain incorrect ingredients or incorrect amounts of active ingredients. They may also contain toxic contaminants or be expired, posing serious consequences for patients. Sadly, counterfeit antibiotics are mostly found in LMICs due to a lack of regulation and enforcement, as well as a lack of access to quality healthcare. In many of these countries, the demand for antibiotics is higher than the supply, and counterfeit antibiotics are seen as a cheaper and more accessible alternative. Furthermore, there is a lack of awareness around the dangers of taking counterfeit antibiotics, and there is a lack of resources for health authorities to test for the authenticity of these medicines. Why are antibiotics so rife for counterfeit drugs? Counterfeiters of pharmaceuticals succeed in large part by exploiting weaknesses in supply chains, which are often fragmented with poor regulatory frameworks. Antibiotics are often counterfeited because they are in high demand and can be sold for a large profit. To combat the problem of substandard and falsified antibiotics, governments must take a multi-pronged approach. This should encompass enacting laws and regulations to ensure the quality and safety of medicines, conducting surveillance for detecting and removing substandard and falsified products from the market, as well as providing training and education to healthcare professionals and patients regarding the responsible use of antibiotics. In addition, governments must work to strengthen the pharmaceutical supply chain. This includes increasing the transparency of the supply chain, improving the quality control systems, and introducing traceability systems to track the movement of medicines from the manufacturer to the patient. Medical investment in low and middle-income countries Another neglected aspect by international NGOs and governments is investment in building local laboratory capacity in LMICs to combat antimicrobial resistance. Localized laboratory facilities can help identify, track, and prevent the spread of antimicrobial-resistant infections, as well as provide early warnings of emerging drug-resistant strains. Localized microbiology, surveillance, and quality control laboratories can also play an important role in developing new treatments and interventions for combating antimicrobial resistance. In addition, having localized laboratory capacity can provide more accurate standardized data on the prevalence of drug-resistant infections, which can help inform policy decisions and public health interventions. Affordable medicines Finally, governments must work to increase access to high-quality, affordable medicines. This includes improving the availability of generic medicines, which are typically cheaper alternatives to brand-name drugs. They also need to increase access to newer, more effective antibiotics.

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PHARMACY MARKET

Tips for Managing Chronic Pain Beyond Prescription Painkillers

Article | October 10, 2023

Painkillers like Oxycontin, Percocet, and Vicodin, have been prescribed by primary physicians, surgeons, dentists, and other healthcare providers to patients suffering from varying levels of pain. Though these medications have proven to be an effective source of pain relief, they have also proven to be highly addictive. In fact, it has even been reported that there are more cases of a drug overdose and deaths from prescription painkillers than heroin or cocaine. While there are a number of factors that play into this opioid epidemic, educating doctors and patients on alternative solutions to managing chronic pain is a great place to start combatting this nationwide crisis.

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Pharmacy Market

What are the advantages of PCD Pharma Company?

Article | July 7, 2023

PCD Pharma stands for propaganda distribution. A PCD company gives brand name and support to its franchises. They also provide distribution rights and monopoly rights within a particular region. If a person wants to establish their business, it is a must for them to know the pros and cons of the business to make a sound decision. Needless to mention that PCD company has a lot to contribute in the medical filed. Worldwide in a medical field, A PCD Pharma Company is playing an essential and crucial role in the rapid growth. The pharma industry is progressing t a fast pace. The company uses the latest technologies for each brand which ensures the safety of products and accepts the responsibility of human health & life by providing better outcomes. To have a drug license number and company registration, the cost to establish the company is quite cost-effective that is15000-20000rs. So this gives people a brilliant opportunity to have their unit without digging a big hole in their bank balance. Indian produces exquisite quality products, which make pharma companies a considerable success.

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WALGREEN’S IN HOT WATER OVER PHONY PHARMACIST

Article | February 11, 2020

The drugstore chain agreed to pay $7.5 million in fines after an unlicensed pharmacist at several San Francisco Bay locations illegally filled more than 700,000 prescriptions over a ten-year period. According to California prosecutors, Kim Thien Le stole license numbers from other pharmacists to fill prescriptions for Fentanyl, morphine, and other painkillers. Le pleaded guilty to multiple felony impersonation counts. Walgreen’s agreed to the settlement to avoid being charged with consumer fraud in Alameda and Santa Anna Counties. Prosecutors alleged that Walgreen’s failed to verify Le’s license and did not conduct a thorough background check. The company insisted it has taken remedial measures.

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Vaccine for Lassa Fever Set To Be Trialed

Technology Networks | October 25, 2019

There is currently no vaccine for the Lassa arenavirus, which causes Lassa fever. This hemorrhagic fever, endemic in West Africa, infects up to 300,000 people each year. Given the urgency of the situation, scientists in the Biology of Viral Emerging Infections Unit and the Viral Genomics and Vaccination Unit at the Institut Pasteur evaluated the efficacy of several vaccine candidates. Following their analyses, they identified one of these vaccines, based on the measles platform, as being the most effective to enter clinical testing in humans as soon as possible. This raises hopes in the fight against a disease that claims between 5,000 and 6,000 lives every year. Lassa fever, a hemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus (LASV), is responsible for several thousands of deaths in endemic countries in West Africa every year. The natural reservoir of the virus is a peridomestic rodent that lives near or inside homes, so contacts between humans and the infected reservoir in villages are frequent (see our disease fact sheet). Humans are generally infected by ingesting or inhaling material contaminated with the animal's excreta (urine or feces). Early diagnosis of Lassa fever is difficult to establish because the first symptoms are non-specific (fever, vomiting and nausea), and there is currently no treatment. Vaccinating the populations concerned is therefore the most promising strategy to deal with recurrent outbreaks of Lassa fever. The World Health Organization (WHO) has included Lassa fever in its R&D Blueprint list of epidemic threats needing urgent R&D action. Frédéric Tangy, Head of the Institut Pasteur's Viral Genomics and Vaccination Unit, said in an interview: "When it comes to vaccines, all the easy work has already been done, and the more difficult work has still not been completed. Fundamental research is vital for the development of new solutions."

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Lipid nanoparticles used to deliver RNA in vaccines

European Pharmaceutical Review | September 30, 2019

Researchers have developed a series of lipid nanoparticles, which encapsulate RNA, for effective and improved vaccine delivery. Researchers have developed a series of lipid nanoparticles to deliver RNA vaccines accurately, to ensure the therapy reaches the correct immune cells and produces sufficient amounts of the encoded protein. A team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), US conducted the research into the vaccine. They say it also behaves like an “adjuvant”, boosting the effectiveness of the treatment. Using mouse models, the researchers showed that the RNA vaccine is successful in inhibiting the growth of melanoma tumours. “One of the key discoveries of this paper is that you can build RNA delivery lipids that can also activate the immune system in important ways,” says Daniel Anderson, an associate professor at MIT and the senior author of the study. Anderson’s lab has previously developed lipid nanoparticles for delivering RNA and DNA for a variety of applications. These lipid particles form tiny droplets that protect the RNA molecules and carry them to their destinations.

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Vaccines for Alzheimer’s: exploiting similarities with Down syndrome

Pharmaceutical Technology | September 20, 2019

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Technology Networks | October 25, 2019

There is currently no vaccine for the Lassa arenavirus, which causes Lassa fever. This hemorrhagic fever, endemic in West Africa, infects up to 300,000 people each year. Given the urgency of the situation, scientists in the Biology of Viral Emerging Infections Unit and the Viral Genomics and Vaccination Unit at the Institut Pasteur evaluated the efficacy of several vaccine candidates. Following their analyses, they identified one of these vaccines, based on the measles platform, as being the most effective to enter clinical testing in humans as soon as possible. This raises hopes in the fight against a disease that claims between 5,000 and 6,000 lives every year. Lassa fever, a hemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus (LASV), is responsible for several thousands of deaths in endemic countries in West Africa every year. The natural reservoir of the virus is a peridomestic rodent that lives near or inside homes, so contacts between humans and the infected reservoir in villages are frequent (see our disease fact sheet). Humans are generally infected by ingesting or inhaling material contaminated with the animal's excreta (urine or feces). Early diagnosis of Lassa fever is difficult to establish because the first symptoms are non-specific (fever, vomiting and nausea), and there is currently no treatment. Vaccinating the populations concerned is therefore the most promising strategy to deal with recurrent outbreaks of Lassa fever. The World Health Organization (WHO) has included Lassa fever in its R&D Blueprint list of epidemic threats needing urgent R&D action. Frédéric Tangy, Head of the Institut Pasteur's Viral Genomics and Vaccination Unit, said in an interview: "When it comes to vaccines, all the easy work has already been done, and the more difficult work has still not been completed. Fundamental research is vital for the development of new solutions."

Read More

Lipid nanoparticles used to deliver RNA in vaccines

European Pharmaceutical Review | September 30, 2019

Researchers have developed a series of lipid nanoparticles, which encapsulate RNA, for effective and improved vaccine delivery. Researchers have developed a series of lipid nanoparticles to deliver RNA vaccines accurately, to ensure the therapy reaches the correct immune cells and produces sufficient amounts of the encoded protein. A team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), US conducted the research into the vaccine. They say it also behaves like an “adjuvant”, boosting the effectiveness of the treatment. Using mouse models, the researchers showed that the RNA vaccine is successful in inhibiting the growth of melanoma tumours. “One of the key discoveries of this paper is that you can build RNA delivery lipids that can also activate the immune system in important ways,” says Daniel Anderson, an associate professor at MIT and the senior author of the study. Anderson’s lab has previously developed lipid nanoparticles for delivering RNA and DNA for a variety of applications. These lipid particles form tiny droplets that protect the RNA molecules and carry them to their destinations.

Read More

Vaccines for Alzheimer’s: exploiting similarities with Down syndrome

Pharmaceutical Technology | September 20, 2019

One approach to overcome continuing challenges facing drug research and development for Alzheimer’s is a vaccine. Swiss AC Immune has developed an Abeta-focused vaccine called ACI-24, which shown to be both effective and safe in pre-clinical models. As well as studying ACI-24 in Alzheimer’s patients, the company is investigating the candidate in Down syndrome patients who have a genetic predisposition to developing Alzheimer’s and are a more homogenous patient group. Believed to be caused by the build-up of plaques in the brain consisting of fibrillary amyloid beta (ABeta) peptides and neurofibrillary tangles of tau proteins, Alzheimer’s disease affects approximately 50 million people globally and is the leading cause of dementia. Despite its prevalence, academic researchers and the pharmaceutical industry have struggled to develop effective therapies against Alzheimer’s disease, with many drugs failing in late stage clinical trials. Research carried out between 2002 and 2012 concluded that the condition has a 99.6% trial failure rate.

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