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The World Health Organisation (<keyword id="19895006" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="WHO" source="keywords">WHO</keyword>) has announced that <keyword id="22989608" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="M-Pox" source="keywords">M-Pox</keyword> will continue to be classified as a <keyword id="21952478" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="public-health-emergency" source="keywords">public health emergency</keyword> of international concern (PHEIC), citing a resurgence in cases and the virus's ongoing geographic spread. The high-alert status initially declared in August, was reaffirmed following a meeting of the WHO Emergency Committee, The Express Tribune reported on Friday. The decision comes as M-Pox cases surge, particularly with the spread of the <keyword id="22875864" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="clade-Ib-variant" source="keywords">clade Ib variant</keyword> beyond its origin in the Democratic Republic of Congo to neighbouring African nations, Europe, and Asia. "Rising case numbers, the continuing geographic spread, and the need for a cohesive response have made it essential to maintain this emergency status," the WHO said in its statement. Confirmed cases of clade Ib have been detected in the United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, and India, highlighting the global scale of the outbreak, reported The Express Tribune. M-Pox, a viral disease transmitted through close contact, presents flu-like symptoms and lesions. Although typically mild, it can be fatal, particularly in regions with inadequate healthcare. Over 46,000 suspected cases have been reported this year in Africa, with Congo accounting for the majority of the more than 1,000 suspected deaths. The new PHEIC declaration underscores the global threat posed by clade Ib and follows earlier alerts related to a separate strain during the 2022-2023 outbreak. In response to growing concerns, the WHO has expanded vaccine authorisations. Bavarian Nordic's <keyword id="24137585" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="M-Pox-vaccine" source="keywords">M-Pox vaccine</keyword> was approved earlier this year, with Japan's KM Biologics' vaccine added to the list of emergency-use vaccines in September. WHO officials have faced criticism for delays in <keyword id="21847727" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vaccine-distribution" source="keywords">vaccine distribution</keyword> but stressed that vaccination remains a cornerstone of global response efforts, The Express Tribune reported. "The emergency status underscores the urgency to mount a unified global response," a WHO spokesperson stated. The organisation urged countries and health partners to collaborate on widespread vaccination campaigns and enhance public awareness to curb the virus's spread effectively.

M-Pox remains public health emergency: WHO

The national capital has reported an "isolated" case of Japanese Encephalitis, official sources said on Thursday. All public health measures have been instituted as per the National Centre for Vector Borne Diseases Control (NCVBDC) guidelines, the sources said, adding there was no cause for concern. Referring to an order issued by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi on Wednesday, the sources said that the 72-year-old man from west Delhi was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences on November 3 following chest pain. The patient was diabetic, had coronary artery disease, bilateral lower limb weakness and bowel and bladder incontinence, the source said. After the patient's blood sample was collected on November 6, he tested positive for Japanese Encephalitis. He was discharged on November 15, the sources said. According to the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme data, in 2024, 1,548 Japanese Encephalitis cases were reported from 24 states and Union Territories, with 925 cases from Assam alone. The central government guidelines, two doses of the vaccine have been a part of the Universal Immunisation Programme since 2013. Adult <keyword id="24203625" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Japanese-Encephalitis-vaccine" source="keywords">Japanese Encephalitis vaccine</keyword> has been introduced in high-burden states, sources said. "No outbreak of Japanese Encephalitis has been reported in Delhi in the past although occasional isolated cases have been reported from tertiary hospitals like AIIMS, Ram Manohar Lohia and Safdarjung among others - mostly from neighbouring states," a source said. While all public health measures have been instituted according to the NCVBDC guidelines, there is no cause for concern due to this isolated case of Japanese Encephalitis, the source said. The Japanese Encephalitis virus is normally carried by waterfowl and amplified in pigs from where it is accidentally transmitted to humans through the bite of infected culex mosquitoes. The infection may result in febrile illness and in a small proportion of cases cause neurological illness and may result in death, he said. There is no specific treatment for Japanese Encephalitis and there is no human-to-human transmission of the virus, the source said. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/honda-activa-e-and-qc1-electric-scooters-unveiled-in-india-to-go-on-sale-in-2025/articleshow/115725242.cms" target="_self"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/honda-activa-e-and-qc1-electric-scooters-unveiled-in-india-to-go-on-sale-in-2025/articleshow/115725242.cms" target="_self">Honda Activa e and QC1 electric scooters unveiled in India, to go on sale in 2025</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/indias-pc-market-reaches-new-high-with-4-49-million-shipments-in-q3-2024/articleshow/115719599.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/indias-pc-market-reaches-new-high-with-4-49-million-shipments-in-q3-2024/articleshow/115719599.cms" target="_blank">India’s PC market reaches new high with 4.49 million shipments in Q3 2024</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/realme-gt-7-pro-with-snapdragon-8-elite-chipset-launched-starting-at-59999/articleshow/115689685.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/realme-gt-7-pro-with-snapdragon-8-elite-chipset-launched-starting-at-59999/articleshow/115689685.cms" target="_blank">Realme GT 7 Pro with Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset launched starting at ₹59,999</a>

Delhi reports 'isolated' case of Japanese Encephalitis

<keyword id="19894886" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="china" source="keywords">China</keyword>'s top drug regulator has cleared a mpox vaccine developed by local drug firm Sinopharm for clinical trials which could be the country's first experimental dose to battle the deadly disease. The domestic vaccine candidate, created by the Shanghai Institute of Biological Products and administered by Sinopharm, is expected to play an important role in preventing and controlling mpox infections, the company said in a statement released on Monday afternoon. There is currently no approved mpox vaccine in China. Globally, a few vaccines have been approved in the United States, Canada, the European Union, Japan and Russia. In China, a vaccine candidate typically goes through three phases of clinical trials before gaining market approval. The process can take years, even decades. However, the National Medical Products Administration, China's top drug regulator, has launched a number of accelerated or streamlined channels to facilitate applications of novel drugs and vaccines or those in urgent need, state-run China Daily reported on Tuesday. According to the company, the new vaccine is a replication-deficient vaccine based on a strain called MVA. The description is the same as <keyword id="22925756" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="jynneos" source="keywords">Jynneos</keyword>, the world's first mpox vaccine approved by the <keyword id="20256595" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="food-and-drug-administration" source="keywords">Food and Drug Administration</keyword> in the United States in 2019. The <keyword id="19902256" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="world-health-organisation" source="keywords">World Health Organisation</keyword> said on August 14 that the mpox outbreak in <keyword id="19924003" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="africa" source="keywords">Africa</keyword> constitutes a public health emergency of international concern - its highest form of alert. Previously, in July 2022, the WHO declared a global emergency but then lifted it in May last year because of a sustained decline in international cases. So far, more than 120 countries and regions across the world have reported more than 100,000 confirmed infections and 226 related deaths. China reported its first imported case in September 2022 and the first domestic case in June last year. By the end of July, the nation had reported 2,567 confirmed cases, according to the China Daily report. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/ather-energy-looks-to-raise-3100-crore-files-ipo-papers-with-sebi/articleshow/113214971.cms">Ather Energy looks to raise ₹3,100 crore, files IPO papers with SEBI</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/iphone-16-pro-iphone-16-pro-max-india-price-specifications/articleshow/113204340.cms">iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max with bigger displays, A18 Pro chipset launched starting at ₹1,19,900</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/apple-iphone-16-iphone-16-plus-price-specs/articleshow/113203568.cms">iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus with A18 chipset launched starting at ₹79,900</a>

China's drug regulator clears mpox vaccine; to undergo clinical trial

Sydney, Aug 15 (The Conversation): The <keyword id="19896311" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="World-Health-Organization" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="World Health Organization" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="World Health Organization">World Health Organization</keyword> (<keyword id="19895006" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="WHO" source="keywords">WHO</keyword>) has declared <keyword id="20965747" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="mpox" source="keywords">mpox</keyword> a public health emergency of international concern, after rising cases in the <keyword id="22796094" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Democratic-Republic-of-the-Congo" source="keywords">Democratic Republic of the Congo</keyword> and the potential for further spread. This now triggers a coordinated international response to an extraordinary event and the mobilisation of resources, such as vaccines and diagnostic testing, to curb the spread of this infectious disease. But WHO has not declared mpox a <keyword id="19913581" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pandemic" source="keywords">pandemic</keyword>. Rather, the measures it has triggered are designed to prevent it from becoming one. <h2>What triggered this latest alert?</h2> Mpox, once known as monkeypox, is a viral infection closely related to <keyword id="22362924" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="smallpox" source="keywords">smallpox</keyword>. Initial symptoms include a fever, headache, swelling of the lymph nodes and muscle ache. A typical rash follows, mainly on the face, hands and feet. The spread of mpox through certain African countries led the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention to declare earlier this week mpox a public health emergency of continental security. This is the first time the organisation has issued such an alert since it was established in 2017. The situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in central Africa has been particularly worrying for more than a year. There are two types or clades of mpox. Clade II, which originates in west Africa, is less severe. It has a fatality rate of up to 1 per cent (in other words, roughly one in 100 are expected to die from it). But clade I, from central Africa, has a fatality rate of up to 10 per cent (up to one in ten die). This compares to a 0.7 per cent fatality rate for the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is seeing large epidemics of the more deadly clade I mpox. Mpox is endemic in some parts of central and west Africa, where the virus exists in animals and can spread to humans. Outbreaks have been increasing, with more human-to-human spread, since 2017. This is partly due to very low levels of immunity to the mpox virus, which is related to the virus that causes smallpox. Mass vaccination against smallpox ceased more than 40 years ago globally, resulting in minimal immunity in populations today against mpox. The WHO designation announced this week relates to the clade I. Not only does this have a higher fatality rate, it has new mutations that enhance spread between people. These changes, and the global lack of immunity to mpox, makes the world's population vulnerable to the virus. <h2>There are two different epidemics</h2> In 2022, an epidemic of mpox swept through non-endemic countries, including beyond Africa. This was a variant of clade II originating from Nigeria, called clade IIb. This was sexually transmitted, predominantly affecting men who have sex with men, and had a low fatality rate. That epidemic peaked in 2022, with vaccines made available to people at risk in high-income countries, but there has been an uptick in 2024. At the same time, large clade I epidemics were occurring in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but with far less attention. Vaccines were not available there, even in 2023, when there were 14,626 cases and 654 deaths. Mortality was 4.5 per cent, and higher in children. In fact, most cases and deaths in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have been children. This means most transmission there is non-sexual and is likely to have occurred through close contact or respiratory aerosols. However, in 2023 an <keyword id="20877025" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="outbreak" source="keywords">outbreak</keyword> in a non-endemic part of the country, South Kivu in the east, appeared to be by sexual transmission, indicating more than one epidemic and different transmission modes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. By mid-2024, there were already more cases in the country than all of 2023 - more than 15,600 cases and 537 deaths. Testing capacity is low in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, most cases are not confirmed by lab testing, and the data we have are from a small sample of genomic sequences from the Kamituga region of South Kivu. This show mutations to the clade I virus around September 2023, to a variant termed clade Ib, which is more readily transmissible between people. We do not have much data to compare these viruses with the viruses causing cases in the rest of the country. <h2>Mpox is spreading internationally</h2> In the past month, the virus has spread to countries that share a border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo - Rwanda and Burundi. It has also spread to other east African countries, such as Kenya and Uganda. None of these countries have had mpox cases previously. In an interconnected, mobile world, cases may spread to other continents, as mpox did in 2018 from Nigeria to the United Kingdom and other countries. A few travel-related cases between 2018 and 2019 may have led to the large multi-country 2022 clade IIb epidemic. <h2>We have vaccines, but not where they are needed</h2> As the mpox virus and smallpox viruses are related (they are both orthopoxviruses), smallpox vaccines offer protection against mpox. These vaccines were used to control the 2022 clade IIb epidemic. However, most of the world has never been vaccinated, and has no immunity to mpox. The newer <keyword id="19959412" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vaccine" source="keywords">vaccine</keyword> (called Jynneos in some countries and Imvamune or Imvanex in others) is effective. However, supplies are limited, and vaccine is scarce in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. WHO's declaration of mpox as a public health emergency of international concern will help mobilise vaccines to where they are needed. The Africa Centres for Disease Control had already begun negotiations to secure 2,00,000 doses of vaccine, which is a fraction of what is required to control the epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. <h2>What happens now?</h2> Ultimately, a serious epidemic anywhere in the world is a concern for all of us, as it can spread globally through travel, as we saw with the COVID pandemic. Controlling it at the source is the best measure, and WHO's latest declaration will help mobilise the required resources. Surveillance for spread of this more serious version of mpox is also essential, bearing in mind that many countries do not have the capacity for widespread testing. So we'll have to rely on "suspected cases", based on a clinical definition, to keep track of the epidemic. Open-source epidemic intelligence - such as using AI to monitor trends in rash and fever illness - can also be used as an early warning system in countries with weak health systems or delayed reporting of cases. A further complication is that 20-30 per cent of people with mpox may simultaneously have chickenpox, an unrelated infection that also causes a rash. So an initial diagnosis of chickenpox (which is easier to test for) does not rule out mpox. Effective communication and tackling push-back against public health measures and disinformation is also key. We saw how important this was during the COVID pandemic. Now, WHO will coordinate the global mpox response, focusing on equity in disease prevention and access to diagnostics and vaccines. It is up to individual countries to do their best to comply with the International Health Regulations, and the protocols for how such a global emergency are managed.

WHO has declared mpox a global health emergency. What happens next?

The <keyword id="22407175" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="U-WIN" source="keywords">U-WIN</keyword> portal, a replication of the <keyword id="19897423" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="COVID-19" source="keywords">Covid-19</keyword> vaccine management system Co-WIN, is set for a pan-India launch likely by the end of August, aiming to maintain an electronic registry of routine immunisations, official sources said. Currently, U-WIN is in pilot mode across all states and Union Territories, except for West Bengal, which is yet to start uploading data, the sources told PTI, adding that it is still under consideration in the state. The U-WIN platform captures every <keyword id="19933690" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vaccination" source="keywords">vaccination</keyword> event for pregnant women and children under the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP). Minister of Finance <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nirmala-sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> had announced in the interim Budget for 2024-2025 that U-WIN, along with intensified efforts under Mission Indradhanush, will be rolled out nationwide for managing <keyword id="21423640" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="immunisation" source="keywords">immunisation</keyword>. "The U-WIN will ensure timely administration of vaccine doses by digitally recording every vaccination event under the Universal Immunisation Programme among all pregnant women and children aged 0-5 years," an official told PTI. "The portal will target 2.9 crore pregnant women and 2.6 crore infants (0-1 years) annually by providing 11 vaccines against 12 vaccine preventable diseases -- diphtheria, measles, rubella, and tetanus through more than 1.2 crore vaccination sessions across the country," the official added. The platform generates a uniform QR-based, digitally verifiable e-vaccination certificate, similar to Covid vaccination certificate, which can be accessed anytime by the citizens through a single click. Vaccination records under UIP are being maintained manually as of now. So this will do away with the hassle of keeping a physical record, the officials explained. It will enable the digitisation of session planning, and updating vaccination status on a real-time basis, they added. "Also, there is no mechanism of individual tracking. There is also lack of awareness among beneficiaries about session location and date especially in urban areas and iniquity in immunisation coverage in states and UTs," another official said. "Besides, another major issue is that immunisation at private health facilities is not recorded," the official added. The U-WIN is going to be the single source of information for immunisation services which will record pregnancy details and outcome, newborn registration and immunisation at birth. It will update vaccination status, and delivery outcome, among others, on real time, the official said. As of July 9, 2024, the pilot has registered 5.33 crore beneficiaries on U-WIN. Over 83.55 lakh vaccination sessions have been digitally conducted, and 18.15 crore vaccine doses have been recorded. The platform aims to reduce zero-dose and left-out children through a name-based tracking mechanism and empower citizens with anytime, anywhere access to vaccination services, particularly benefiting migratory populations, the official said. "The U-WIN portal is likely to be launched pan <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="India" source="keywords">India</keyword> in August end," the official stated. Citizens can self-register for vaccinations via the U-WIN web portal or its Android mobile application, select preferred vaccination centres, and schedule appointments. Automated SMS alerts inform citizens about registration confirmations, administered doses, and upcoming dose reminders, ensuring timely and age-appropriate vaccinations. It also facilitates the creation of Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) IDs for comprehensive health record maintenance. The U-WIN also supports the frontline workers to digitally record all vaccination events for children and pregnant women for complete, accurate and easy record maintenance, the official said.

Pan-India rollout of U-WIN to track routine immunisations likely by Aug end

The Indian Council of Medical Research Director General Dr Rajiv Bahl on Monday criticised a recently published study on the long-term safety analysis of the <keyword id="9485939" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="covaxin" source="Orion">Covaxin</keyword> in adults and adolescents for its poor methodology and design, and clarified the article misleadingly and erroneously "acknowledges" <keyword id="19918794" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ICMR" source="keywords">ICMR</keyword>. Dr Bahl said the study had no control arm of unvaccinated individuals for comparing the rates of events between the vaccinated and unvaccinated groups. Hence, the reported events in the study cannot be linked or attributed to COVID-19 vaccination. He added that the ICMR is not associated with the study and has not provided any financial or technical support for the research. The ICMR DG has written a letter to the authors of the paper and Editor of the journal to immediately remove the acknowledgement to ICMR and publish an erratum. A research paper, titled 'Long-Term Safety Analysis of the BBVl52 <keyword id="21730391" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="coronavirus-vaccine" source="keywords">Coronavirus Vaccine</keyword> in Adolescents and Adults: Findings from a l-Year Prospective Study in North India' stated that nearly one-third of the 926 participants in the study who received Bharat Biotech's anti-Covid vaccine Covaxin reported 'adverse events of special interest,' or AESI. Dr Bahl said that ICMR was acknowledged for research support without any prior approval of or intimation to ICMR, which is inappropriate and unacceptable. He stated that ICMR cannot be associated with this poorly designed study which purports to present a "safety analysis" of Covaxin due to several critical flaws. He said the study does not even provide background rates of observed events in the population, making it impossible to assess the change in incidence of observed events in the post-vaccination period. Baseline information of study participants is missing. The study tool used is inconsistent with 'Adverse Events of Special Interest (AESI)' as defined in the reference provided in the paper for AESI. The method of data collection has a high risk of bias, he said. Study participants were contacted telephonically one year after vaccination and their responses were recorded without any confirmation with clinical records or by physician examination, he pointed out. Dr Bahl also noted that similar acknowledgements to ICMR have been made in previous papers without permission, raising concerns about the authors' practices. "The authors have been urged to immediately rectify the acknowledgment to ICMR and publish an erratum. Additionally, they are asked to address the methodological concerns raised. Failure to do so may prompt ICMR to consider legal and administrative action," he said. The Editor has been asked to retract the paper which implicitly makes conclusions on <keyword id="21495684" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vaccine-safety" source="keywords">vaccine safety</keyword> which are not supported by evidence. The study, conducted by researchers from the Banaras Hindu University from January 2022 to August 2023, stated that nearly 50 per cent of 926 study participants in the study complained of infections during the follow-up period, predominated by viral upper respiratory tract infections. Serious AESI, which included stroke and Guillain-Barre syndrome, were reported in one per cent of individuals, the study, which looked at long-term safety of the BBV152 (Covaxin) vaccine in adolescents and adults, claimed. The study involved 635 adolescents and 291 adults, who received the BBV152 vaccine.

BHU study on Covaxin side effects poorly designed, critically flawed: ICMR Director General

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is President-elect Trump's pick to lead the US Department of Health and Human Services.</li><li>RFK has been vocal in his opposition to fluoride in tap water, and vaccine mandates.</li></ul>"Make America Healthy Again" is the new healthcare slogan from Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Trump's new pick for Health and Human Services secretary.Trump has said in the past that he'll let Kennedy "go wild" on health. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-robert-f-kennedy-jr-rfk-department-health-human-services-2024-11">As head of HHS</a>, Kennedy will be responsible for overseeing many federal health agencies, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).Kennedy is a former environmental justice lawyer, who pivoted in recent years to running an anti-vaccine charity. He ran for president himself as an independent candidate in the 2024 race, before dropping out to join Trump's inner circle.Here's what we know so far about Kennedy's public health philosophy, and what kinds of reforms he might fight for in 2025 and beyond.<h2 id="79c799a9-93e2-4522-9d2c-5e71f4588e27">Kennedy's MAHA ideas include shifts in some basic public health protocols</h2><div type="image" title="tap water" height="4000" width="6000" msid="115314143" hostid="261" sizebytes="655952"></div>He has said he would:<ul><li>Lobby against <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fluoride-in-water-why-it-is-controversial-risks-benefits-2024-11">fluoride</a> in the water system</li></ul>Though the federal government isn't in charge of this issue, Kennedy has made it clear he's not in favor of fluoridated water, and would encourage water districts to get rid of it.<ul><li>Get rid of vaccine mandates</li></ul>Kennedy, previously at the helm of one of the biggest <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/robert-f-kennedy-jr-views-vaccines-autism-testing-debunked-2023-7">anti-vaccine charities</a>, has been careful in recent interviews to say that he wouldn't ban vaccines."I'm not going to take away anybody's vaccines," he told <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/trump-win-rfk-jr-says-wont-take-away-anybodys-vaccines-rcna178955">NBC</a> after Trump's election. "If vaccines are working for somebody, I'm not going to take that away. People ought to have choice."Like with fluoride, Kennedy can't actually control which routine vaccines kids get for school, that task is largely up to each individual state to decide. But he could change which vaccines federal employees are required to take, or have an influence on US <a target="_blank" href="https://www.hhs.gov/immunization/who-and-when/military-members/index.html">military</a> vaccine protocols.His stance has public health officials spooked, because part of what makes vaccination work so well is the fact that nearly everyone in our society does it."We have a very short memory of what it is like to hold a child who has been paralyzed with polio, or to comfort a mom who lost their kid from measles," CDC Director Mandy Cohen <a target="_blank" href="https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/cdc-fda-officials-warn-kids-could-die-from-rfk-jr-s-anti-vaccine-stance/">said</a> on Wednesday at a conference in Washington DC. "I don't want to have to see us go backward in order to remind ourselves that vaccines work."<ul><li>Encourage people to use more "functional medicine" and make "alternative" healthcare mainstream</li></ul>Kennedy has said he'd push for more coverage of functional medicine, and devote 50% of the National Institutes of Health budget to "preventive, alternative and holistic approaches to health." Typically, visits to functional medicine doctors, and the kinds of tests and treatments they provide for health concerns like allergies, gut issues, or disease prevention, are not necessarily covered by traditional health insurance.He also floated the idea of giving every American a Health Savings Account for medical spending, which is basically a debit card-like alternative to a traditional private healthcare plan. With a HSA, you put money you earn into a tax-free account to use for healthcare expenses like doctor's visits and prescriptions, instead of paying monthly premiums to insurance.In a Wall Street Journal <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/trump-can-make-america-healthy-again-rfk-jr-reforms-chronic-disease-crisis-a9b4b8c0">opinion piece</a> he published in September, Kennedy also said in wants to "reform the Prescription Drug User Fee Act," a move he hopes would boost competition in the drug market.<h2 id="a747df1e-458d-41c6-be6f-aed4a6408629">A big chunk of the other ideas Kennedy has for improving human health have to do with our nutrition and fitness</h2><div type="image" title="fruit loops" height="3024" width="4032" msid="115314148" hostid="261" sizebytes="1059522"></div>These are aimed at improving rates of chronic health issues like obesity and type 2 diabetes."I don't think you have to be too smart to say we have a chronic disease crisis going on in this country that starts in childhood with terrible diets," FDA Commissioner Robert Califf <a target="_blank" href="https://www.statnews.com/2024/11/12/fda-commissioner-califf-trump-election-rfk-jr-public-health-food-nutrition/">recently told</a> STAT. "There is work that needs to be done."Some of Kennedy's biggest ideas on this front include:<ul><li>Getting rid of artificial food coloring and banning some additives and chemicals</li></ul>The European Union has banned specific dyes like red #40, which studies have linked to hyperactivity and neurobehavioral issues like ADHD in some kids. California is currently trying to copy the strategy, with limited success.On the campaign trail with Trump, Kennedy has made Fruit Loops the poster child for this issue, pointing out how the US version contains more artificial colors and additives than versions sold elsewhere.<ul><li>Ending FDA scrutiny of things like raw milk and supplements</li></ul>Kennedy has claimed that the FDA is battling a "war on public health" and is suppressing the use of anything "that advances human health and can't be patented by Pharma."<a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/RobertKennedyJr/status/1849925311586238737">On X</a>, he recently listed out the items he feels the agency is overregulating: "psychedelics, peptides, stem cells, raw milk, hyperbaric therapies, chelating compounds, ivermectin, hydroxychloroquine, vitamins, clean foods, sunshine, exercise, nutraceuticals."The FDA does not tell consumers that they can't drink raw milk, take supplements, or enjoy sunshine and exercise. Rather, the agency often issues warnings about the health hazards of certain items. Raw milk increases your risk of developing E. coli, and in rare cases can be fatal.The FDA is also responsible for ensuring drugs are safe and effective before they are put on the market. It doesn't approve dietary supplements, but the agency warns consumers when it finds contamination in our supplements and food supply.<ul><li>Changing the rules for food stamps</li></ul>Kennedy doesn't want people to use SNAP benefits to buy ultra-processed foods. He has also said he wants to ban ultra-processed foods in school lunches.<ul><li>Getting rid of conflicts of interest and ties to food and drug companies at various federal agencies</li></ul>Kennedy said he'd work to ensure members of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee have no connections to food or drug companies. He also wants to reform farm subsides, cutting back on corn and soy.<ul><li>Requiring medical students at federally-funded institutions to take nutrition classes</li></ul>Doctors only tend to receive about <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/diet-related-diseases-are-the-no-1-cause-of-death-in-the-us-yet-many-doctors-receive-little-to-no-nutrition-education-in-med-school-236217">three hours</a> of nutrition education during medical school.<ul><li>Coming up with some new "presidential fitness standards"</li></ul>"My uncle John F. Kennedy was right in 1960 <a target="_blank" href="https://archive.org/stream/the-soft-american-kennedy/The%20Soft%20American%20-%20Kennedy_djvu.txt">when he wrote</a>, 'The physical vigor of our citizens is one of America's most precious resources.'" Kennedy recently wrote in an op-ed.<h2 id="314334a6-b0ff-45de-83d9-23c9a86f7b1d">He also has a couple of ideas for Big Pharma reform</h2>Kennedy's said he wants to:<ul><li>Negotiate drug prices</li></ul>This is something a lot of countries do, but the US does not. Lots of politicians (like Bernie Sanders) have said this is something they want to do. In practice, it's been <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.sanders.senate.gov/press-releases/news-sanders-statement-on-medicare-negotiating-drug-prices/">pretty hard</a>.<ul><li>Crack down on pharmaceutical ads</li></ul>Again, the US is one of the few places in the world where drugmakers can sell commercials that run in primetime TV and market drugs directly to consumers.<h2 id="d5d943f7-f1ea-4ec2-9259-d9fd87aa5c73">It's pretty unclear how realistic this all is</h2>A lot of what Kennedy wants to do for public health is in conflict with Project 2025, which would basically deregulate the entire food industry.The Project 2025 plan, drafted by a consortium of conservative DC think tanks, would lift federal restrictions on sugar, get rid of dietary guidelines altogether, eliminate mandatory food labeling, and defund school lunches for kids.

Cheat sheet: How RFK Jr., Trump's pick for HHS secretary, promises to 'Make America Healthy Again'

The pharmaceutical giant <keyword id="19910149" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AstraZeneca" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="AstraZeneca" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="AstraZeneca">AstraZeneca</keyword>'s <keyword id="20040659" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="COVID-19-vaccine" source="keywords">COVID-19 vaccine</keyword> is being withdrawn worldwide after the company acknowledged for the first time in court documents that it can cause a rare and dangerous side effect, according to a report in the British Newspaper 'The Telegraph'. AstraZeneca has announced that the <keyword id="19959412" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vaccine" source="keywords">vaccine</keyword> was being removed from markets for commercial reasons. It further said that the vaccine was no longer being made or supplied, having been superseded by updated vaccines that fight new variants. The application to withdraw the vaccine was made on March 5 and came into effect on May 7. The vaccine can be no longer used in the European Union following the company's decision to withdraw its "marketing authorisation." Similar applications will be submitted in the UK and other nations in the coming months that have given a go-ahead to the vaccine, known as Vaxzevria. In recent months, Vaxzevria has come under scrutiny over a very rare side effect, which causes blood clots and low blood platelet counts. In court documents, AstraZeneca in the High Court in February admitted that the vaccine "can, in very rare cases, cause <keyword id="20218859" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="TTS" source="keywords">TTS</keyword>". TTS which stands for <keyword id="21475609" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Thrombosis-with-Thrombocytopenia-Syndrome" source="keywords">Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome</keyword> has been associated with at least 81 deaths in the UK and hundreds of serious injuries. More than 50 alleged victims and grieving relatives have filed a lawsuit against AstraZeneca in a High Court case. AstraZeneca has insisted that the decision to withdraw the vaccine is not related to the case or admission that it can cause TTS and termed the timing a pure coincidence, according to The Telegraph report. "We are incredibly proud of the role Vaxzevria played in ending the global pandemic. According to independent estimates, over 6.5 million lives were saved in the first year of use alone and over three billion doses were supplied globally. Our efforts have been recognised by governments around the world and are widely regarded as being a critical component of ending the global pandemic," The Telegraph quoted AstraZeneca as saying. In a statement, the pharmaceutical giant said, "As multiple, variant Covid-19 vaccines have since been developed, there is a surplus of available updated vaccines", adding that it has led to a decline in demand for Vaxzevria, which is no longer being manufactured or supplied, The Telegraph reported. It further announced its decision to initiate the withdrawal of the marketing authorisations for Vaxzevria within Europe. The company said, "We will now work with regulators and our partners to align on a clear path forward to conclude this chapter and significant contribution to the Covid-19 pandemic." Last week, AstraZeneca reiterated its commitment to patient safety while emphasising the vaccine's overall safety profile. An AstraZeneca spokesperson had stated, "Our sympathy goes out to anyone who has lost loved ones or reported health problems. Patient safety is our highest priority, and regulatory authorities have clear and stringent standards to ensure the safe use of all medicines, including vaccines." This comes in the wake of a recent admission by AstraZeneca, the pharmaceutical company, that its <keyword id="19896627" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="covid" source="keywords">Covid</keyword> vaccine Covishield and Vaxzevria "can, in very rare cases, cause Thrombosis Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS)." Despite these rare occurrences, the pharmaceutical company maintained that extensive clinical trial data and real-world evidence consistently support the vaccine's safety and efficacy. Regulatory agencies worldwide continue to assert that the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks of such extremely rare side effects. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/webstories/aadhar-housing-finance-ipo-price-band-to-risk-factors-all-you-need-to-know/slidelist/109919298.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/webstories/aadhar-housing-finance-ipo-price-band-to-risk-factors-all-you-need-to-know/slidelist/109919298.cms" target="_blank">Aadhar Housing Finance IPO – Price band to risk factors, all you need to know</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/webstories/top-selling-cars-in-india-in-april-2024-tata-punch-continues-to-dominate/slidelist/109909744.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/webstories/top-selling-cars-in-india-in-april-2024-tata-punch-continues-to-dominate/slidelist/109909744.cms" target="_blank">Top-selling cars in India in April 2024 – Tata Punch continues to dominate</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/worldwide-tablet-shipments-grow-in-q1-2024-after-two-years-of-decline/articleshow/109876390.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/worldwide-tablet-shipments-grow-in-q1-2024-after-two-years-of-decline/articleshow/109876390.cms" target="_blank">Worldwide tablet shipments grow in Q1 2024 after two years of decline</a>

AstraZeneca withdraws COVID-19 vaccine worldwide, cites commercial reasons

Medical expert Dr Rajeev Jayadevan said that <keyword id="21480687" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Thrombosis-Thrombocytopenia-Syndrome" source="keywords">Thrombosis Thrombocytopenia Syndrome</keyword> (<keyword id="20218859" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="TTS" source="keywords">TTS</keyword>) refers to the <keyword id="21480686" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="clot-in-blood-vessels" source="keywords">clot in blood vessels</keyword>, and it occurs in very rare cases, following the use of certain types of <keyword id="19953288" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vaccines" source="keywords">vaccines</keyword>. Acknowledging that the <keyword id="20250806" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="COVID-vaccines" source="keywords">Covid vaccines</keyword> have helped in preventing numerous deaths, Jayadevan, who is the Co-Chairman of National Indian Medical Association (IMA) Covid Task Force in Kerala, stated that reports of such cases have also been highlighted in many reports. "TTS is thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome, which is basically clot in blood vessels of the brain or elsewhere, along with a low platelet count. It is known to occur in very rare instances following certain types of vaccines and also from other causes. According to the WHO, adenovirus vector vaccines in particular have been rarely associated with this condition," he told ANI. "Although COVID vaccines have prevented numerous deaths, reports of these extremely rare but potentially serious immune mediated events have also been published in reputed journals," Dr Jayadevan added. This comes in the wake of a recent admission by <keyword id="19910149" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AstraZeneca" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="AstraZeneca" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="AstraZeneca">AstraZeneca</keyword>, the pharmaceutical company, that its Covid vaccine Covishield and Vaxzevria "can, in very rare cases, cause TTS." According to several UK media reports, AstraZeneca has made the admission in court documents in connection with a case that alleges that the vaccine, developed with the University of Oxford, caused death and serious injury in dozens of cases. The Serum Institute of India produced COVID-19 vaccine named Covishield but not using mRNA platform. It has been prepared using the viral vector platform. In the vaccine, a chimpanzee adenovirus - ChAdOx1 - has been modified to enable it to carry the COVID-19 spike protein into the cells of humans. This cold virus is basically incapable of infecting the receiver, but can very well teach the immune system to prepare a mechanism against such viruses. The same technology was used to prepare vaccines for viruses like Ebola. Amid reports about clot in blood vessels in the UK media, the Serum Institute of India did not respond to the query. Notably in 2023, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said in its report that TTS emerged as a new adverse event following immunisation in individuals vaccinated with COVID-19 non-replicant adenovirus vector-based vaccines. This refers to the AstraZeneca COVID-19 ChAdOx-1 vaccine and the Johnson &amp; Johnson (J&amp;J) Janssen COVID-19 Ad26.COV2-S vaccines. "TTS is a serious and life-threatening adverse event. WHO has issued this interim emergency guidance to increase awareness about TTS in the context of COVID-19 vaccination and help healthcare providers in the assessment and management of potential TTS cases," the 2023 statement by WHO read. However, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in March 2024 at 'Dialogues - Navigating India's health sector' said that ICMR has done a detailed study which shows that COVID-19 vaccine is not responsible for heart attacks, and an individual's lifestyle and factors such as binge drinking could be among underlying causes. Mandaviya said, "If someone has a stroke today, they think it is because of the Covid vaccine. ICMR has done a detailed study that the (Covid) vaccine is not responsible for heart attacks." (ANI)

TTS: Clot in blood vessels occurs in rare cases with certain vaccines, says medical expert amid reports over AstraZeneca

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Vaccine stocks have tumbled since Trump appointed vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to health secretary.</li><li>Vaccine-makers Moderna, Pfizer, and GSK saw sharp losses.</li></ul>It's been a tough day for health stocks since Donald Trump announced his appointment of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-robert-f-kennedy-jr-rfk-department-health-human-services-2024-11">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a> — a staunch vaccine skeptic — as health secretary.The news, which came late in the day on Thursday, sent the shares of vaccine-makers sharply lower on Friday, with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/mrna-stock">Moderna</a> leading the losses, falling as much as 10%. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/pfe-stock">Pfizer</a> and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/nvax-stock">Novavax</a> both dropped 6% at intraday lows, while <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/gsk-stock">GSK</a> lost 5%.But the selling wasn't contained to just vaccine names. It spread into US-exposed European healthcare stocks, such as Novo Nordisk and Roche, which were down 5% and 3% at intraday lows, respectively.The losses extend a days-long skid for the sector after the election results last week saw investors boost bets that Kennedy — a key Trump ally — would notch a cabinet role.Since Election Day, Moderna has fallen more than 30%, while Pfizer has slid 11%. Those losses have stood in contrast to the rally enjoyed by the rest of the market, which has <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/trump-election-win-stock-market-today-record-high-sp500-dow-2024-11">rallied</a> on the hopes that Trump's lighter regulatory stance and corporate tax cuts could boost corporate earnings.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/robert-f-kennedy-jr-views-vaccines-autism-testing-debunked-2023-7">Kennedy</a> has long railed against vaccines, once calling those that protect against Covid-19 a "crime against humanity." He has treaded more carefully in recent weeks, though, and has said he wouldn't outright ban vaccines."If vaccines are working for somebody, I'm not going to take that away. People ought to have choice," he told <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/trump-win-rfk-jr-says-wont-take-away-anybodys-vaccines-rcna178955">NBC</a> after Trump's election.Since Trump's election win, several analysts have downgraded their outlooks on vaccine stocks amid the rising uncertainty in the industry. Bank of America analysts lowered their price target on Moderna last week, from $110 to $90, partially citing uncertainty after Trump's election win, while Deutsche Bank analyst Emmanuel Papadakis cut his rating on GSK to a hold after Kennedy's appointment."We consider vaccines to be amongst the greatest scientific achievements to impact public health: unfortunately this view is not shared by the nominee," Papadakis wrote in a client note <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-11-15/health-stocks-slide-as-trump-picks-vaccine-skeptic-kennedy">seen by Bloomberg</a>.Formerly an environmental justice lawyer, Kennedy pivoted to running an anti-vaccine charity in recent years, and ran for president as an independent candidate in this election cycle. He dropped out to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rfk-jr-drops-out-presidential-race-2024-8">endorse Trump</a> in August, which some sources reported was a bid to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rfk-wanted-white-house-job-exchange-for-endorsing-trump-report-2024-7">secure a position</a> in the administration.In his role as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-rfk-jr-plans-to-make-america-healthy-again-2024-11">health secretary</a>, Kennedy will have a top role in health policy in the US, but likely won't be able to actually control which vaccines children are required to get for school. That will remain up to individual states, but he could change vaccine requirements for federal employees or the US military.That's if the Senate confirms his appointment, which some have said could be a close vote considering mixed reactions among policymakers so far.Kennedy has also promoted removing fluoride from water supplies and overhauling federal food regulations, and has supported products like raw milk, which the Food and Drug Administration warns against.He's also floated hopes to cut highly processed food from school lunches, which was a priority under the Obama administration.

Health stocks are tumbling after Trump's appointment of vaccine skeptic RFK Jr.

When Josef Woodman's shoulder gave out in 2012 — strained from chopping firewood on his farm outside Chapel Hill, North Carolina — he said he was quoted between $2,400 and $3,200 for an MRI at Duke University Hospital.He didn't want to shell out the cost of a nice vacation just to find out he didn't need surgery, so he decided to wait, even as his mobility decreased to the point where he had to severely limit his farm work and could hold only one-third of the weight he normally could. Two years later, his patience was rewarded: While on a work trip to Bangkok, he got an MRI for just $460, landing an appointment two days after his consultation at a hospital."The results came back and they said, 'You don't need surgery. You've got a separated rotator cuff,'" Woodman said. The surgeon prescribed physical therapy, which he completed in the US. "The shoulder got way better," he told me. He was glad he waited.Like Woodman, millions of Americans travel abroad for medical procedures each year, saving anywhere from 40% to 90% on the services they receive. Many <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amjmed.com/article/S0002-9343(18)30620-X/fulltext">don't have health insurance</a> or don't get coverage for the procedures they seek out — dental work and cosmetic procedures like breast implants and liposuction are by far the most popular. There's also a small but growing market for people seeking thorough checkups and testing abroad. An ascendant medical-tourism industry is offering these types of screenings, including MRIs and electrocardiograms, in beautiful locations around the world and packaging them with transportation, accommodations, food, shopping, and sightseeing. And with an increasing obsession with "wellness" and celebrities like Kim Kardashian promoting full-body imaging, it's easy to see why more and more Americans are looking to pair cabanas with CAT scans."If you've got some kind of joint pain, or if you have some kind of condition that isn't progressing, incorporate that into your normal travel plans," Woodman, now 72, said. In 2007, he founded Patients Beyond Borders, a healthcare-consulting company that helps Americans plan medical vacations, after growing up taking trips to Mexico for dental work with his dad. "In any kind of industrialized nation, you'd be able to get access to good-quality screening and people who can interpret the results," he said.Medical tourism comes with risks; the American Medical Association recommends going only to medical facilities recognized by international accrediting bodies and following up testing with care at home. But a growing number of Americans are willing to take those risks, as suites of tests abroad are often cheaper and faster than just a single test in the US."We just don't have a preventative-oriented society here in the United States," Woodman said. "Our approach is reactive."In a July <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@bryn.elise/video/7386406512593325355?lang=en">TikTok</a> that's amassed over 17 million views, Bryn Elise documented her experience at a Turkish hospital where she received over 30 scans and tests, including an EKG, chest X-ray, and abdominal and thyroid ultrasounds, in a single day. The bill? $830. Without insurance, the cost of an EKG alone in the US <a target="_blank" href="https://enhancehealth.com/blog/how-much-does-an-ekg-cost-at-urgent-care-without-insurance/#:~:text=The%20total%20cost%20of%20an,where%20you%20get%20the%20service.">can vary from $100 to $5,000</a>."Personally, I'd rather spend $700 on a flight to Turkey, get dozens of tests there, and take a whole vacation than spend the thousands that this would have cost in the United States," Elise said in the video, which also featured clips of her on a beach, poolside, and eating a spread of delicious-looking Turkish veggie bowls. The 29-year-old health- and beauty-tourism influencer said she booked the trip because she wanted to investigate some "mysterious ailments," including brain fog, vision problems, and heart palpitations, without paying America's sky-high healthcare costs. She told her followers she had struggled with an eating disorder for 10 years and that "since our US checkups are only a tap on the knee and a blood-pressure check, I've been low-key terrified that I've caused permanent damage to my body but would never find out until it's too late."Her tests unearthed an astigmatism, early signs of osteoporosis, and "critically low" levels of vitamin B12. "The feeling of impending doom I've had due to health concerns is gone," Elise said.She chose a hospital that had been accredited by the Joint Commission International, an Illinois-based organization that has accredited over 1,000 health facilities in more than 70 countries. Dr. Paulo Neno, an international-accreditation surveyor at the commission, told Business Insider the accreditation process takes up to two years to complete and is renewed every three years. It includes a 12-part evaluation, during which a team of doctors and nurses visit the medical facility and assess everything from its operating theaters and intensive-care units to its power and water systems."We are focused on understanding how they are providing safe care for high-risk patients," Neno said.It's unclear, though, how many medical tourists visit accredited facilities, and there's still the question of whether all these tests are useful for someone who is seemingly in good health. Woodman knew he had an issue that needed to be examined, but Elise was more interested in a holistic screening regimen. One person commented on Elise's TikTok, "The hypochondriac in me thinks this is the perfect vacation. I'd go every year."Since COVID-19 came into the picture, health screenings and extensive physicals have received some buzz. Last year, Kardashian got a full-body MRI done by Prenuvo, a US chain of diagnostic clinics that offers the service for $2,500. In an Instagram post promoting it, Kardashian described it as a "life saving machine" that could detect cancer or conditions like aneurysms in their earliest stages. Especially given the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/colon-cancer-cases-doubled-young-people-2024-5">rise in colon cancer</a> among young people — a disease that can spread with no or minimal symptoms — <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/get-colonoscopy-colon-cancer-symptoms-colorectal-oncologist-2024-4">early screenings</a> are on more people's minds.But Arturo Vargas Bustamante, an associate professor of health policy and management at the University of California, Los Angeles, said these kinds of rigorous tests can often do more harm than good."You may get a lot of things that you may not need based on your age profile, or you may get screenings that ultimately would find something that could lead to treatment that may harm you," he said. US guidelines on which demographics should get tested are based on scientific evidence, he added, while clinics abroad may be more motivated by profit.If a test finds cancer at a very early stage when it's very slow-moving, Vargas Bustamante said, the patient may feel compelled to treat it immediately, subjecting themself to chemotherapy and radiation. But in reality, it's possible they could have gone years without needing to start treatment. "Sometimes knowing too much may not be that good for you," he said.Others, however, think that America's lack of access to robust preventive screening is a critical failure.Dr. Misael Uribe Ramos is the director of international medicine at Médica Sur in Mexico City, a Joint Commission International-accredited hospital that offers checkups with eight different specialists for $1,600. Uribe Ramos has seen interest in rigorous physicals boom since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic — and he thinks it's a good thing.Often when you go to the doctor, it's to treat a specific issue or disease, he said. "But why is that? Because you don't have prevention," he said. "Prevention is the best way to be healthy."In America, chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer are leading causes of death and disability, driving the majority of the US's $4.5 trillion in yearly healthcare expenses, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/chronic-disease/about/index.html">according to</a> the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These illnesses are largely preventable. The CDC also says that between 30% and 50% of cancers diagnosed today could be prevented by reducing risk factors (like not smoking and maintaining a healthy body weight) and getting recommended screenings and vaccinations. However, according to the <a target="_blank" href="https://health.gov/news/202401/prevention-still-best-medicine">US Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion</a>, only 5.3% of Americans 35 and older received all recommended clinical prevention services in 2020 — a number that dropped from 8.5% in 2015. Why? Simply put, many Americans aren't regular healthcare users. They often don't have a family doctor, they live too far from one, they don't have a way to get there, or they simply can't afford it, the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion says. Meanwhile, preventive-care services aren't prioritized because healthcare providers are paid to treat diseases — not to prevent them by keeping people healthy. A 2020 study said the National Academy of Medicine <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7309216/">estimated</a> that missed prevention opportunities cost the US $55 billion annually.Other countries take a different approach. In Japan, for instance, the most basic annual checkups include EKGs, chest X-rays, blood tests, eye and hearing tests, and stool and urine tests. And some residents require a more comprehensive version that includes cancer screening. Japanese employers are required to provide them for all of their employees. In 2019, about 74% of men and 66% of women in Japan completed some type of medical checkup, according to the country's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.South Korea's regimen is similar to Japan's. On a work trip there in 2010, Woodman had extensive testing done, including an MRI and CT scan, as part of a "wellness preventative program" he tried out for work, he said. He was offered an endoscopy and colonoscopy as part of the package but declined."Testing in the United States is really kind of pathetic," Woodman said. "They weigh you. They take your blood test. 'How tall are you?' And that's pretty much it."Americans seeking better preventive screening tend to visit South Korea, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates, while Mexico, Barbados, and Thailand are popular for genetic and fertility testing, as well as testing related to gender-affirming care, medical-tourism advocates told BI.Many of these countries have hospitals that cater to foreigners. In Mexico, Médica Sur's checkups take about five hours, with screenings across disciplines such as internal medicine, cardiology, gynecology, and ophthalmology. (In the US, a typical physical takes less than an hour.) Packages include breakfast, transportation, accommodation, menus catering to dietary restrictions, discounted sightseeing for an extra cost, and concierge staff who help patients coordinate their stay and remain by their side for the duration. The hospital is also connected to a Holiday Inn if visitors want to stay on-site.Results are available within two weeks, at which point the patient can discuss the findings with a doctor in person or remotely; a checkup three months later is also included in the price. If, for example, the screenings indicate a malignant tumor, Uribe Ramos said, doctors will explain to a patient which follow-up tests they need, either in their home country or at Médica Sur. He recommends getting a thorough exam once a year.Since opening its international-medicine wing in 2019, the hospital has seen 5,000 foreign patients, most of them American and Canadian, Uribe Ramos said.Imani Bashir was living in Cancún three years ago when she felt what she thought was a lump in her breast. At the time she was 34 — <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cancer.org/cancer/screening/screening-recommendations-by-age.html#:~:text=Women%20ages%2040%20to%2044,should%20get%20mammograms%20every%20year.">young</a> to be receiving a mammogram — but her family had a history of the disease, so she booked an appointment anyway. In the US, the median <a target="_blank" href="https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/JCO.2023.41.16_suppl.e18917">cost</a> of a mammogram ranges from $140 to $360 for women who aren't insured. In Mexico, it was under $50. As a Black woman who grew up in the US without health insurance, the 37-year-old communications director found the experience especially validating."When we go to the doctor and say that we're in pain, it's kind of just shooed away, like it's not a big deal," Bashir said. In Mexico, the medical center didn't question her. Now that she's living in Washington, DC, she continues to travel to Mexico for both her and her son's dental appointments and other medical issues because it's cheaper and easier to get appointments. "It always feels good when you feel like you can take care of yourself, and financially, it's not going to be a detriment to your life and your health," she says.Given how many people experience difficulty navigating the American healthcare system, it's no surprise that the medical-tourism market is growing rapidly. Patients Beyond Borders estimates the industry is growing between 15% and 25% each year. And 2022 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9104082/#:~:text=The%20increase%20in%20medical%20tourism,other%20time%20in%20the%20past.">research</a> found that the increase in international tourism had helped fuel the trend. As <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/travel-agents-back-gen-z-millennials-vacation-planning-overseas-resorts-2024-6">more people spend time abroad</a>, it becomes easier to tack a few small medical tests onto your trip.Vargas Bustamante thinks traveling internationally for rigorous testing probably most benefits healthy people who just want "peace of mind." Despite the risk factors, the industry's growing appeal illustrates the limitations of American healthcare."Why would someone have to buy a plane ticket to go all the way on the other side of the world just for an adequate amount of healthcare? It's nuts," Bashir said. "But if people have the privilege, if people have the money to be able to do so, then I say, yeah."<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/manisha-krishnan">Manisha Krishnan</a> is an Emmy award-winning journalist who covers healthcare. She is based in Brooklyn.

Mojitos and an MRI: Meet the Americans who are getting health screenings on vacation 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>There's a lot that a healthy lifestyle can do for your longevity.</li><li>But in old age, a big part of the equation comes down to genetics.</li></ul>We are, collectively speaking, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/raadfest-cheat-death-longevity-loma-linda-blue-zone-2023-9">living longer than ever</a> before.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-has-life-expectancy-changed-throughout-history-2015-6">Life expectancy in the US</a> shot up at a rate of about three years per decade in the last century: from roughly age 47 in 1900 to age 77 in 2000. This was largely due to major medical breakthroughs and public health moves that <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-improve-longevity-supplements-vs-exercise-and-diet-2024-3">boosted longevity</a>, including handwashing, proper sanitation, nutrition, and exercise.An <a target="_blank" href="https://affiliate.insider.com?h=51af0bbb0c5c69614864bb3c70f60d706f8bf315ccfd568dcea8dbe05f1a4ed4&amp;postID=67037fd3e5b5408300488cea&amp;postSlug=human-life-span-plateaued-what-you-can-do-long-life-2024-10&amp;site=bi&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fs43587-024-00702-3+">analysis</a> published Monday in Nature Aging suggests that our longevity-boosting heyday is coming to a close.As more people in wealthy countries make it to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/blue-zones-longevity-breakfast-smoothie-protein-rich-and-easy-recipe-2024-8">old age</a>, human life expectancy gains are nearing a plateau. There are no demographic hints to suggest that most of us alive now will make it into the triple digits, no matter how hard we try, how rich we may become, or what any <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biological-age-test-calculation-interpret-results-2024-2">biological age test</a> might tell us. It appears there are some strict limits to what medicine and biology can do for the human lifespan, at least right now."If somebody tells you that they know how to get you to 100, don't listen to them because they don't know what they're talking about," lead study author S. Jay Olshansky, a biostatistician who studies the upper limits of human longevity at the University of Illinois, Chicago, told Business Insider.<div type="image" title="An older woman in novelty glasses behind a cake with candles that say &quot;100.&quot;" height="1414" width="2120" msid="114021009" hostid="261" sizebytes="96772"></div>His assertion is that, barring any big advances, only 15% of women and 5% of men may live to 100 in this century. This best-case-scenario estimate is bolstered by 30 years of demographic study on some of the longest-lived, richest countries in the world, from 1990 to 2019.But, he says, this isn't cause for despair. It's a reality check."We've got a lot of people making it out to 85 or 90," he said, but "100 isn't going to happen for most people."The study has ramifications for aging science too, because stagnation in the life expectancy curves means longevity scientists will need to develop new, creative tactics to deliver major life expectancy gains for humanity in the decades to come.<h2 id="99163054-58fd-4c5c-8dd8-67a69d0b77ff">There is still a lot we can do to live long lives</h2><div type="image" title="mick jagger" height="2031" width="3000" msid="114021008" hostid="261" sizebytes="345730"></div>Olshansky's new study includes data from the US, plus eight of the longest-living countries in the world (Australia, France, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland ) and the one place which, until very recently, consistently boasted the highest life expectancies on Earth (Hong Kong). The study tracks trends in their death rates and life expectancy from 1990 to 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic started.He says his projection doesn't mean that <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/longevity-experts-eat-nordic-meals-salad-sourdough-moderation-2024-9">personal health choices</a> are unimportant."The first take-home message is: avoid the things that shorten life," he said. "One of the reasons <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-long-can-humans-live-with-without-medical-advancement-2023-4">why people often don't live as long as they can</a> is because they adopt unhealthy lifestyles."Some of the best anti-aging interventions we have today include healthy, vegetable and whole grain-heavy <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/blue-zones-expert-shares-cheap-longevity-supplements-beans-walnuts-2024-5">diets</a> combined with ample <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/longevity-trainer-fitness-markers-to-watch-for-a-longer-life-2024-7">exercise</a>.There is serious science suggesting that lifting weights can <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/improve-mobility-build-muscle-longevity-exercise-personal-trainer-2023-11">help you maintain mobility</a>, boost bone health, and reduce pain. Cardio like running, walking, swimming, and biking has benefits that go beyond just keeping your heart healthy or your blood pressure down. It can help protect the brain from <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/brisk-walking-reverse-brain-aging-in-older-adults-study-2023-6">cognitive decline</a> and lowers your risk of early death. Scientists often say that <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tips-live-longer-eat-mediterranean-diet-exercise-2023-11/">exercise is the best anti-aging drug</a> we've found so far.<div type="image" title="An older man in a white T-shirt playing basketball." height="1414" width="2120" msid="114021011" hostid="261" sizebytes="115800"></div>A lot of what determines who makes it past the century mark comes down to genetic luck."When somebody says 'What's the best advice you can give to somebody on how to live to a hundred?' My answer is: choose long-lived parents," Olskansky said. "There's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/doctor-made-longevity-calculator-estimates-how-long-you-will-live-2023-4">a strong genetic component</a> of how long we can live, and we can't really control that. So control what you can control."<h2 id="527b2561-9ae9-4351-b9ed-e927261c8065">New ways to slow down aging</h2>Aging researchers generally agree that new tactics beyond traditional medicines, vaccines, and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/supplement-expert-doesnt-take-supplements-eats-vegan-2023-11">supplements</a> will be needed to improve human health and longevity at very old ages."We've created a toolbox in medicine to go after one disease at a time," Olshansky said. In order to advance further, aging science "needs to go after the aging process itself," he said.Future advances could come from innovations in genetics, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oxx-cXDZbg">cellular reprogramming</a>, and other areas of biology."Big breakthroughs in a technology only happens as a result of a lot of prior work that doesn't have any actual dramatic consequences, until it does," aging researcher Aubrey de Grey told Business Insider. De Grey says he is focused on "damage repair" interventions against aging and is studying regenerative medicine in mice that could lead to breakthroughs for <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/longevity-escape-velocity-what-is-it">human lifespan extension</a>. He's currently testing different combinations of stem cell treatments, drugs (including one that's a potential <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tech-titans-sam-altman-turning-to-anti-aging-drugs-2023-5">"zombie cell" killer</a>), and a gene therapy."The goal is to throw together enough of these to be able to essentially cover all the bases," he said.Physicist and aging researcher Peter Fedichev is another aging scientist who envisions paradigm shifts that could help slow down the aging process itself. His AI-based drug company, Gero, hasn't developed any treatments tested in people yet, but it's partnering with drug companies including Pfizer, working on research to develop new targets for fibrotic disease. "If we keep doing what we have been doing, the solution does not appear to be there," Fedichev told BI. "We need to decouple aging and diseases in our minds, and we should put effort into designing interventions against aging, to prevent that decline."

The human life span may have finally plateaued. Here's what you can do to optimize your chances for a long life — and what researchers are working on next.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Dalia Goldberg moved to Spain with her then-husband in late 2018.</li><li>A few years later, she was overwhelmed with her job, going through a divorce, and felt lonely living abroad.</li></ul>It's 9 p.m. I'm standing onstage, and the wooden tables spread across the crowded bar are packed with people. The lights are dimmed, and the air smells like yeast and hops. And Jennifer, one of the members of my <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/learning/affordable-online-comedy-improv-writing-classes">improv group</a>, is squawking like a duck.There is something thrillingly hilarious about her impression. Flapping her wings and wagging her tail feathers manically, she somehow captures the very essence of duck-ishness. The crowd roars with laughter.Later, I spin an impromptu romantic yarn about a mole. My friend Will becomes a frenetic sports pundit, belting out razor-sharp commentary with quick-fire energy. Alex, the host, warms up the crowd with witty banter, towering over us all in his brightly patterned shirt. Accents are thrown around at random; pop culture references go every which way. There are no rules.Two years ago, I couldn't have imagined that I would be jumping around whimsically on this stage. Trapped in a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/signs-youre-in-a-healthy-relationship-2023-11">struggling relationship</a> and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-to-do-if-you-hate-job-cant-quit-2023-11">unsatisfied with my career</a>, I constantly felt anxious and on edge. At a friend's wedding, where I was asked to be a bridesmaid, my social anxiety was so intense that I had one too many glasses of wine and sat out most of the event.<h2 id="ae5393c5-d981-4234-b770-ec2508d2d7d1">I felt lonely after moving to Spain</h2>The COVID-19 pandemic led to an uptick in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/modern-loneliness">loneliness around the world</a>, as lockdowns and travel restrictions kept people away from family and friends. And I was no exception.In early 2020, I'd just spent my first year and a half in Seville, Spain. Plans to integrate, learn Spanish, and meet new people were interrupted by lockdowns and panic over new virus variants.My husband and I had<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-moved-to-spain-for-sun-fun-affordable-better-life-2024-8"> moved to Spain</a> thinking we'd travel around and enjoy a great quality of life while working remotely. Instead, with travel bookings canceled and meetups kiboshed, I settled into a rigorous work-from-home routine, interspersed with immigration paperwork and reading up on vaccines. I tried to keep in contact with friends in North America through video calls, but it just wasn't the same.As a remote freelancer, my workload increased as companies around the world transitioned to remote work. I went from casually teaching English lessons online to launching a remote copywriting business, where I was often answering emails 24/7. The stress and pressure, combined with the quirks of renting an old apartment and managing immigration paperwork, quickly became overwhelming.As the years trickled by with no end in sight, I began to wonder <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moved-to-spain-from-us-better-work-life-balance-2024-1">what I was doing in Spain</a>, and questioned whether the move had been worth it. The gloominess on the news didn't help.Eventually, my marriage succumbed to the pressure of these challenges and fell apart. I found myself starting a new <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spain-dating-locals-tinder-clubbing-split-bill-living-with-parents-2024-8">life on my own in Spain</a>. This was a scary time, but also a welcome opportunity for a new beginning.As I soon found out, the best antidote for stress and loneliness can be laughter.<div type="image" title="The Improvites comedy group in Spain" height="791" width="1055" msid="113866255" hostid="261" sizebytes="29710"></div><h2 id="baa0eaf9-4705-4350-a138-ace9431b1869">Making new friends through improv</h2>True to its name, improv comedy isn't scripted. It's a series of games where the players crack jokes, and the audience is invited to give suggestions. Everything happens for the very first time onstage… so you could end up saying anything, no matter how ridiculous.When I started taking improv classes in May 2023, I was recovering from the breakup and was curious about trying new things. I thought I'd take one or two classes, but ended up coming back every week.Then, in September of that year, a popular English-language professional improv group in Seville — <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.facebook.com/theimprovites">The Improvites</a> — held auditions. I decided to try out, and was excited to see that I got in.Many members of the Improvites told me the activity has boosted their confidence and helped them make new friends. Bob Rouf, a teacher and subtitler hailing from the UK and one of the group's founders, said it helped him beat social anxiety. "If you're an adult, you spend your time in drudgery, the grind, working… things get kind of heavy, you get worn down. But you do improv, and suddenly you're light again," he says.Will, another member from the UK, moved to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-places-to-visit-in-fall-no-crowds-frequent-traveler-2024-9#you-can-bypass-fall-altogether-in-south-island-new-zealand-3">Seville</a> from northern Spain after his marriage also broke down. When he attended his first improv session, he didn't know what to expect, but he says he's so happy to have stepped outside his comfort zone. "Doing improv has led me to meet so many like minded people whom I've had such a good time with. I haven't laughed so much in years," he told me.I've realized that improv is one of the few times I can let my inner child run free. Deep connections have formed, and I now feel empowered to let go and allow myself to be authentic — even in front of a crowd.Got a personal essay to share about challenges faced while living abroad? Get in touch with the editor: <a target="_blank" href="mailto:akarplus@businessinsider.com">akarplus@businessinsider.com</a>.

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