Latest News — Page 81

Comments on Rob Abbott’s piece on the HEOR Competencies Framework by ISPOR! Highlights Core competencies are essential, not just in business but also in public & non-profit sectors. ISPOR’s HEOR Framework, launch in 2020, is a pioneering tool guiding academic programs & aiding professionals in their career paths. While the universality of core competencies is commendable, how adaptable are they to the unique challenges of non-business sectors?

The healthcare industry has faced significant challenges recently which has led to escalating costs. These have also continued to expand the disparities within healthcare worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic brought these to light, with the marginalised communities experiencing higher rates of infection, morbidity, and mortality. These communities also continued to experience greater care disruptions. But what can be done about this? How could technology look to improve the outcomes and provide value? The quintuple framework proposes valuable aspects to improve healthcare […]

A New Era for African Health Startups The 2023 cohort of the Google for Startups Growth Academy: AI for Health program has been announced. The aforementioned selection comprises a total of 30 startup companies. All originating from the regions of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Out of the selection, five African firms have been designated, namely mDoc and PharmaRun from Nigeria. The selection of these firms is based on their utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) in a pioneering manner […]

A Better Understanding of the Financial Burden In the United States, roughly one in five people will struggle with some form of mental illness in any given year; yet, less than half of those people will obtain the appropriate care. The COVID-19 pandemic has further compounded the absence of effective mental health services, leaving millions of people with unmet treatment needs. Untreated mental illness has consequences that reach beyond the person who suffers from it. These consequences include a decrease […]

The Importance of Developing a Brand-New Structure The field of digital health technologies (DHTs), which offers novel solutions for the delivery of healthcare, is undergoing rapid development. However, doing an evaluation of their usefulness presents a novel obstacle due to the fact that conventional frameworks for health technology such as pharmaceuticals and medical equipment cannot be directly applied to them. The Peterson Health Technology Institute (PHTI) has established a value assessment framework to guide evaluations of digital health technologies (DHTs), […]

Greek Healthcare System The Greek healthcare system is a unique blend of both public and private sectors. The National Organisation for the Provision of Health Services (EOPYY), established in 2011, is the sole purchaser of healthcare services for patients covered by the publicly financed National Health System (ESY). The Ministry of Health (MoH) is responsible for planning and regulating the ESY, and setting up regional health authorities (YPEs) that carry out extensive healthcare planning, organisation, and provision. The introduction of […]

COVID-19 Treatments: A Race Against Time The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an urgent need for effective treatments of this unknown disease. As of January 2023, there have been over 620 million confirmed cases of the virus and more than six-and-a-half million deaths worldwide. In the UK alone, the numbers are staggering with more than 24 million cases and nearly 200,000 deaths during this time. COVID-19 Treatments Review Various treatments have been developed and used to help people who have […]

Healthcare expenditure continues to rise, despite advances in medical training and technology. We’ve touched on this before, using an example from the US, where they have experienced these escalating costs. This was largely healthcare expenditure waste. Unfortunately, underperforming public services and poor health outcomes have been coupled with this. This, however, created the shift towards more efficient, cost-effective solutions. One such solution is the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare, and its role in reducing healthcare waste and cost. […]

SAHPRA Online OTC Medicines Directory The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) has announced a new online directory of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. Optimised for mobile use, this directory includes all registered over-the-counter medicines in Schedule 0, 1, and 2. It serves as an essential guide for the general public and medical professionals. Enhancing One’s Capability to Access Crucial Information The team first introduced the online directory on January 6th, 2021, with a planned launch in May 2021. The directory […]

For decades, North American and European nations have actively expanded their venture capital markets. In Canada, for instance, the amount of venture capital available to life sciences companies more than doubled from 2001 to 2010. While in Europe, the United Kingdom boasted the second largest venture capital market in 2009, representing 21% of all investments. In that same year, 20% of the UK’s £677 million in venture capital was invested in healthcare. So Venture capitalists in 17 EU countries typically […]

Concerning Inappropriate Use of Antibiotics In middle income countries such as Nigeria, the improper use of antibiotics poses a significant risk to the general population’s health. A recent investigation into consumers’ knowledge, perceptions, and the factors related with this usage was carried out in Ibadan, Nigeria. An alarmingly high percentage of consumers (95.9%) felt that antibiotics could prevent the growth of bacteria, and 60.7% believed that they could treat all infections using antibiotics. Unbelievably, 57.4% of respondents were not aware […]

Venture capitalists (VC) firms play a crucial role in the next steps for many a start-up. They exist primarily in the realm of adolescent maturity of start-ups, where a start of returns looks favourable. But what are Venture Capitalists? what is their greater role? Can they provide value-based care? VCs look to invest in lucrative industries (start-ups) that show good signs of growth and return. The old belief was that VCs start the process, but that’s the role of the […]

The Promise and Challenges of Gene Therapies Gene therapies offer transformational benefits to patients, health systems, and society. However, several challenges hinder timely patient access. A report commissioned by Pfizer, penned by Besley et al. (2022), discusses the difficulties of health technology assessment (HTA) of gene therapies and proposes potential solutions.   Gene therapies, as defined by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), are medicines containing genes that lead to therapeutic, prophylactic, or diagnostic effects. They work by inserting ‘recombinant’ genes […]

The Importance of Preventative Measures to Public Health Both the government of the United Kingdom and the National Health Service (NHS) recognise the significance of prevention work within the medical field. Despite widespread knowledge, people often ignore beneficial preventative strategies. The public health grant has seen a cut of more than a quarter, or 26%, per person since the 2015/2016 fiscal year. This grant covers the delivery of public health services, including preventive measures. The cut has affected its real […]

Teenagers are an unutilised resource in the fight against obesity New research just published in Obesity Reviews reveals that young people in Europe are increasingly tackling obesity. The European Union supported this research project. Its goal was to understand the perspectives of young adults and adolescents in the country. These individuals will be the future decision-makers and parents. The study aimed to gain insights into their experiences and potential solutions to this health crisis.  Researchers came to the conclusion that […]

The Encouraging Possibilities Offered by ChatGPT The field of healthcare is one of the many industries that has been significantly advanced by the application of artificial intelligence (AI). A recent study sheds light on the potential of chatbots driven by artificial intelligence, notably ChatGPT, to revolutionise the practice of pharmacy. Patients can receive assistance from ChatGPT, a conversational bot, which responds to questions regarding their health and offers individualised guidance. The efficacy of this technology, on the other hand, is […]