The term antibiotic was first coined in 1941 by Selman Waksman to describe any small molecule made by a microbe that antagonizes the growth of other microbes. The antibiotic age occurred with the development of other agents such as tetracycline, streptomycin and chloramphenicol from soil bacteria; amongst others. Modern medicine ...
In my opinion, the consequences of increasing incidence of obesity fall into four key dimensions: individual, societal, structural and economic. This is Part 4 of my Obesity in the UK series. If you missed Parts 1, 2, or 3 - mainly dealing with the consequential factors of obesity.
I am a firm and unapologetic believer that the partnership of NGOs, national and international health governance with the pharmaceutical industry, rather than its exclusion, is vital to the effective treatment of disease globally.
Rabies is a vaccine-preventable, zoonotic disease of global concern, resulting in over 55 000 deaths annually. Whilst standard post-exposure treatments are estimated to prevent hundreds of thousands of fatalities, these are not without shortcomings. Recent immunological research into novel treatments has revealed promising results. Published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, the research paper this article comments on has been described as groundbreaking. (I dare say, most notably by those enchanted by the spell of the [magical] monoclonal antibody: still one of the coolest cocktail party topics in immunology.)
In the most remote regions of the African continent, where healthcare centers and clinics are few and far between; where a journey on foot or on a bicycle to the nearest healthcare facility can easily last an entire day in the merciless, blistering heat of the sub-Saharan sun; too many children below the age of ...
Here is a very uncharacteristic piece. Uncharacteristic as it is neither related to health or development. At least not directly. As the month of May has drawn to an end – I have reflected upon what May 2019 meant to me. I recall one of my favourite speeches – and most profound in its timing. Delivered ...
If your aim is to gain a bare bones understanding of clinical trials in 5 minutes or less, this is for you. Here I will explain what clinical trials are, some basic history, changes that have been made to effectuate what are called the ‘best’ clinical trials. There will be a part two to this ...
The Office for the United Nations High Commission on Human Rights (OHCHR) Human Rights Council is still ongoing this week! As a teen, I recall taking time off class with my student newspaper press pass with some fellow, editor colleagues to attend HRC sessions. If you haven’t been following – including the few walkouts during ...
Let’s discuss why investors in the pharmaceutical industry should start investing in drugs, therapeutics and medical devices aimed at treating, managing and ameliorating diseases affecting middle income countries in particular and the ‘global south’ in general.
Child survival. The dramatic improvement in child survival globally has brought babies per woman to as low as 2.2 in Bangladesh; 2.3 in India and 3.97 in Ethiopia. These are not anomalies. This is the norm. Furthermore, in cities, such as the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, the number of babies per woman is less ...
Life Cycle Management: An ‘Insider’s’ guide on how to make your drug last FOREVER $$$
A CASE STUDY In the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, there is a critical point in dealing with your novel agent when it becomes vital to have a clear and cohesive strategy as to how to manage and optimize the life of said drug, agent or device! Namely, ahead of introduction to the market. So, just ...
By chonye on 27 February 2019