Health and Lifestyle
WHO urges to expand access to testing, treatment for TB prevention
February 23, 2018, 11:56 am
GENEVA -- The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday called for scaling up access to testing and treatment for TB infection, especially among groups that are particularly at risk, such as children and people living with HIV. The WHO has updated the guidelines for programmatic management of… Read More
DOH says it is bent on suing Sanofi
February 23, 2018, 7:59 am
MANILA -- Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Thursday vowed that his department would never stop running after Sanofi Pasteur, saying they are hastening the filing of cases against the pharmaceutical giant over the Dengvaxia controversy. “I have forwarded the letter to the legal department… Read More
Health workers in Mimaropa to visit Dengvaxia recipients
February 21, 2018, 10:04 pm
MANILA -- The dengue task force of the Department of Health’s (DOH) office in Mimaropa plans to visit each of the 76 people in the region who had received the dengue vaccine, Dengvaxia. "Dahil importante na nakikita nila na concerned tayo; second, marami silang hindi alam na kailangan ipabatid… Read More
2 FDA officials relieved of posts over Dengvaxia
February 21, 2018, 8:09 pm
MANILA -- The Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday ordered the relief and re-assignment of two officials of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) linked to the issuance of the Certificate of Product Registration (CPR) to Sanofi Pasteur for its dengue vaccine, Dengvaxia. In a Department… Read More
Global mortality rates remain 'alarmingly high': UNICEF
February 21, 2018, 12:04 pm
UNITED NATIONS -- Newborns are dying at "alarmingly high" rates in less-developed countries, especially in countries that are conflict-ridden or with weak institutions, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said Tuesday in a new report. The report revealed that babies born in these places… Read More
Duque tells DOH officials to reveal conflict of interest
February 21, 2018, 8:49 am
MANILA -- Health Secretary Francisco Duque III has issued a memo directing all officials of his department to disclose any conflict of interest in relation to the use of pharmaceutical products and medical devices. "It is the duty of the Department of Health (DOH) to uphold the integrity of its… Read More
WHO experts to arrive mid-March to ‘boost DOH’s capacity’
February 20, 2018, 5:43 pm
MANILA -- Experts of the World Health Organization (WHO) will arrive here next month to boost the Department of Health’s (DOH) capacity to address the problems created by the anti-dengue vaccine, Dengvaxia, a health official said Tuesday. “The schedule of WHO for this mission to happen would… Read More
LGUs get portable ultrasound machines from DOH-Mimaropa
February 20, 2018, 2:30 pm
SAVING MOTHER AND BABY. Head of Mimaropa’s health office, Dr. Eduardo C. Janairo (far right), with representatives of local government units in the region who received portable ultrasound machines from the office during a ceremony held in Quezon City on Monday (Feb. 19, 2018). The regional… Read More
Sanofi declines 2nd request for Dengvaxia refund, DOH to sue
February 19, 2018, 10:22 pm
MANILA -- A Department of Health (DOH) official said Monday they have no recourse but to file a civil suit against Sanofi Pasteur following its refusal to refund the estimated PHP2 billion spent by the department to procure the controversial Dengvaxia vaccine for its dengue immunization program.… Read More
DOH stands pat on full refund by Sanofi Pasteur
February 18, 2018, 8:08 am
MANILA -- The Department of Health (DOH) remains firm in its desire to have a full refund of the money paid for the "used" Dengvaxia vaccine by invoking certain provisions of the Civil Code of the Philippines. According to DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III, such intention for full refund was… Read More
Duque denies VACC obstruction of justice claim
February 17, 2018, 10:32 am
MANILA -- Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Friday refuted allegations by the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) that he is obstructing justice by refusing to cooperate in the ongoing probe into the Dengvaxia issue. “I deny any accusation that I am obstructing justice. I am not… Read More
FDA on ‘contaminated’ canned food from Thailand: Fake news
February 16, 2018, 8:05 pm
MANILA -- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has called on the public not to be misled by false information circulating in social media that canned food products from Thailand had allegedly been contaminated with HIV. "In the interest of truthfulness and consumer rights protection, the… Read More
DOH-Mimaropa monitors, assures aid for 74 Dengvaxia recipients
February 16, 2018, 4:12 pm
MANILA -- The Department of Health’s (DOH) office in Mimaropa has identified 74 people in the region who had received the anti-dengue vaccine, Dengvaxia, and two of them required medical assistance. "One of the two Dengvaxia recipients complained of abdominal pain and headache after suffering… Read More
Cutting off cervical cancer's fuel supply stymies tumors
February 16, 2018, 2:13 pm
CHICAGO -- Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found that cervical tumors that don't respond to radiation may be vulnerable to therapies that also attack the cancer's fuel supply. The study has been newly published online in the journal Cancer Research. Studying… Read More
Kids injected with Dengvaxia monitored in Zambo
February 15, 2018, 7:04 pm
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- The City Health Office is closely monitoring the condition of children who were injected with Dengvaxia vaccine in this city. Dr. Dulce Amor Dagalea-Miravite, OIC-city health officer, told the Philippine News Agency that there were 136 children injected with Dengvaxia vaccine by… Read More
DOH hopes to use funds from Dengvaxia return to monitor kids’ health
February 15, 2018, 12:42 pm
MANILA -- Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said they are exploring the possibility of using part of the funds returned by Sanofi Pasteur for the unused Dengvaxia to address the concerns raised by parents of recipients of the controversial vaccine. "Patungkol dito, kami ay susulat sa Kongreso… Read More
Scientists in Sweden find new tool to fight cancer
February 15, 2018, 12:19 pm
WASHINGTON -- Small molecules that specifically restrain a selenium-containing enzyme in the human body may be a tool to fight cancer, a study published in a U.S. medical journal on Wednesday said. The study published in Science Translational Medicine said researchers at Karolinska Institute in… Read More
Measles outbreak declared in Zamboanga City
February 14, 2018, 6:39 pm
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar issued Executive Order No. BC-333-2018, declaring a measles outbreak in this city. Salazar’s order came after the City Health Office recorded 101 cases of measles from January to February 1, this year. Dr. Dulce Amor Dagalea-Miravite said… Read More
Vaccines help reduce antibiotic resistance: child health expert
February 14, 2018, 4:50 pm
MANILA – A health expert on Tuesday cited the contribution of immunization to the reduction in antibiotic use and, hence, in addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In a forum entitled "Vaccination 101", Philippine Foundation for Vaccination founder and professor emeritus at the University of… Read More
11K were diagnosed with HIV in 2017: DOH
February 14, 2018, 11:53 am
MANILA --The number of Filipinos found to be human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) – positive jumped from 9,264 in 2016 to 11,103 last year, with the daily average likewise rising from 26 to 31 over the period. Of last year’s 11,103 cases, 1,415 had developed full-blown acquired immune… Read More
