BERLIN – Global life expectancy rose again in 2023 after a decline during the COVID pandemic with overall life expectancy 20 years higher as compared to 1950.  But North America and Latin America are seeing higher death rates among adolescents and young adults due to a crisis in mental health – reflected in higher rates […] Continue reading ->
Vaccinations have saved the lives of an estimated 17 million people between 2021 and 2024 – but global immunisation programmes face several challenges, according to an assessment by the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunisation. Dr Kate O’Brien, WHO director of Immunisation, Vaccines and Biologicals, acknowledged the “deep commitment […] Continue reading ->
Engaging people from a nomadic community in rural Kenya in a clinical trial involved employing community mobilisers on motorbikes and understanding seasonal and cultural practices. Geographic touchpoints such as waterholes and schools were mapped as places to find trial participants as they searched for grazing and water for their cattle and goats. This was a […] Continue reading ->
NEW YORK CITY – A painstakingly negotiated Political Declaration on Noncommunicable Diseases with overwhelming support from UN member states failed to win formal endorsement at a special High Level Session of the General Assembly (GA) Thursday – after the United States torpedoed its adoption by consensus. The last minute moves means that the draft declaration […] Continue reading ->
WHO’s 2025 Essential Medicines Lists (EML), published Friday, has included the active ingredients in popular weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy –  semaglutide or other comparable  GLP-1 receptor agonists – in a recommendation that recognizes the growing importance of the drugs in clinical treatment of diabetes worldwide.  These drugs, as well as new PD-1/PD-L1 […] Continue reading ->
The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated government regulatory authorities in Canada, Japan, and the United Kingdom as WHO-Listed Authorities (WLAs), a status granted to national authorities that meet the highest international regulatory standards for medical products. The recognition widens the pool of WHO-recognized authorities significantly beyond the previously recognized authorities in Europe, the United […] Continue reading ->