Rappler's latest stories on medicine
[OPINION] Medicine needs to evolve with Darwin
'[B]iology should always be the principal core of medical education, not just a preface to it'
EU body recommends use of remdesivir to treat coronavirus
'Remdesivir is the first medicine against COVID-19 to be recommended for authorization in the EU,' the European Medicines Agency says
Pandemic antibiotics surge will cause more deaths – WHO
WHO's Director-General calls the threat of antimicrobial resistance 'one of the most urgent challenges of our time'
Virus 'eminently capable' of spreading through speech – study
Scientists estimate that each minute of loudly speaking can generate more than 1,000 virus-containing droplets capable of remaining airborne for 8 minutes or more in a closed space
RITM among beneficiaries of €2-million grant from France to fight coronavirus
The grant will support the COVID-19 response of 7 frontline laboratories in the Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam
RITM: 38 personnel fully recover from coronavirus
The Research Institute for Tropical Medicine says 7 other staff members who are still recovering from COVID-19 are in stable condition
'Serious side effects' from Trump-backed virus drugs – EU agency
Beneficial effects of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, which count US President Donald Trump as a major backer, have 'not yet been demonstrated,' says the European Medicines Agency
43 RITM staff infected with coronavirus
Dr Celia Carlos, director of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, says they are scaling down operations after 43 employees tested positive for the virus
Traditional Chinese medicine being studied as cure for coronavirus – DOH
The Department of Health says that 3 of the 12-man team of Chinese doctors and experts who arrived in the Philippines on Sunday, April 5, specialize in traditional Chinese medicine
AI tool predicts which coronavirus patients get deadly 'wet lung'
Researchers identify changes in 3 features – liver enzyme alanine aminotransferase (ALT), reported body aches, and hemoglobin levels – that may predict COVID-19 progression to acute respiratory disease syndrome
‘Clerical oversight’: RITM says congressman Yap ‘remains negative’ for COVID-19
(UPDATED) The fact remains, however, that Eric Go Yap of ACT-CIS Partylist, while a person under investigation, broke quarantine protocols and exposed several high-level government officials in the process
RITM urges 'utmost diligence' in setting up coronavirus testing centers
'Not all laboratories can be COVID-19 testing centers,' says RITM Director Celia Carlos amid offers from local governments and private laboratories to set up their own testing centers
RITM chief stays, but senior DOH official coming in to ‘assist’ testing gridlock
DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III still vouches for the technical expertise of RITM director Celia Carlos, but says she needs help in expanding the country's COVID-19 testing capacity
Robredo's office donates extraction kits worth P5.3M for coronavirus tests
The office of Vice President Leni Robredo says an extraction kit is an essential part of the full coronavirus test kit. Its procurement from a local supplier was requested by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), the country’s primary testing center.
LIST: Websites and apps that offer medicine delivery, online ordering
Here are some online options for getting your medicine
4 more PH laboratories to start coronavirus testing on March 19 – WHO
(UPDATED) The World Health Organization also gives additional test kits to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, increasing the laboratory's daily testing capacity from 300 to 450 tests
Where are testing centers for coronavirus in PH?
(25th UPDATE) As of July 11, tests are conducted at full scale in 63 laboratories nationwide and in 22 labs using Gene Xpert. At least 93 other laboratories are being prepared to handle tests.
SM Group donates P100M worth of medical supplies to RITM, PGH
The group is also helping to improve the availability of coronavirus testing kits
4 more Philippine laboratories may soon test samples for coronavirus – DOH
Secretary Francisco Duque III also says the health department still won't use rapid diagnostic testing kits that have not been accredited by the World Health Organization
7 million senior citizens to benefit from EO setting medicine price cap – DOH
A majority of the medicines covered by the new EO involve illnesses that often hit the elderly, like diabetes and hypertension
Duterte signs EO imposing price cap on certain medicines
(UPDATED) Existing inventory stock will be allowed to be disposed of at current prices within 90 days from the effectivity of the order
New coronavirus study places incubation period at around 5 days
The Chinese team behind a paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine says their findings support a 14-day medical observation period for people exposed to the pathogen
Africa struggles to stem deadly flood of fake medicine
It is estimated that between 30% to 60% of medicine sold in Africa is fake and mostly comes from China or India
FAST FACTS: What herbal medicines are being promoted by DOH?
Since the establishment of the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Healthcare in 1997, the health department has endorsed only 10 scientifically validated herbal plants
The science of zombies: Will the undead rise?
If you think nothing like that could ever happen to humans, think again.
Pharma companies offer to cut drug prices
This comes as the Department of Health prepares to update the list of essential medicines for price regulation under the Cheaper Medicines Act
Activist-doctor bares death threats
University of the Philippines College of Medicine assistant professor Gene Nisperos says the threats result from the prevailing culture of intolerance for critical thinking and dissent
Trio win 2019 Nobel Medicine Prize for work on how cells adapt to oxygen
(UPDATED) 'They established the basis for our understanding of how oxygen levels affect cellular metabolism and physiological function,' the jury says
[OPINION] Dengue fever and the language of medicine
The language of medicine should connect with the language of the people
French drugmaker, watchdog on trial over weight loss pill deaths
At least 500 people are thought to have died in France after taking the drug Mediator in a major health scandal
Lesotho now Africa's medical cannabis pioneer
Cannabis – referred here as 'green gold' – is grown legally by the Lesotho-based company Medigrow and is regulated by the government
[OPINION] Help define how our democracy will survive
'Even as we see what's being destroyed around us, remember: we are creating the future now,' says Rappler CEO Maria Ressa in a speech at the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Commencement Ceremonies
Recto wants Senate probe on fake medicines
Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto says the government should 'unmask' which counterfeit pharmaceutical products have entered the Philippine market
DOJ to probe almost-expired medicines in DOH warehouses
A 2018 Commission on Audit report finds that over P367 million in medicines were about to expire but were still sitting in warehouses of the Department of Health
PH has most cases of fake medicines in Southeast Asia – UN report
Transnational organized crime is on the rise in Southeast Asia and its most dangerous form, fake medicines, appears most rampant in the Philippines
WHO warns against counterfeit anti-rabies vaccines, serum
The World Health Organization says investigations and laboratory analyses are ongoing to better assess the products’ risk to public health
In fluke experiment, espresso quells rare genetic disease
The parents of an 11-year-old boy with the rare genetic muscular disorder dyskinesia, carry out an accidental test that proves the efficacy of caffeine as a treatment of the disease
Mobile app promises to detect child's ear infections without doctor visit
Shyam Gollakota, head of the lab that developed the project, likens its utility to that of a thermometer, which helps people decide whether a visit to a doctor is appropriate
#AskTheTaxWhiz: Documentary requirements for VAT-exempt medicines
The Philippine Tax Whiz discusses the documentary requirements for VAT-exempt medicines
Don't have time to exercise? Here's a regime everyone can squeeze in
Incorporating more high intensity activity into our daily routines – whether that’s by vacuuming the carpet with vigor or walking uphill to buy your lunch – could be the key to helping all of us get some high quality exercise each day
DOH: Patient at RITM tests negative for MERS
DOH Calabarzon Regional Director Eduardo Janairo says the patient is still under observation to determine the cause of pneumonia
Vaping twice better for quitting smoking than patches, gum – study
However, an accompanying editorial in the New England Journal of Medicine cautioned: 'While e-cigarettes are 'safer' than traditional cigarettes, they are not without risks'
#AskTheTaxWhiz: VAT-exempt medicines and other 2019 TRAIN provisions
The Philippine Tax Whiz discusses provisions of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law taking effect in 2019
Taiwan's traditional medicine stores struggle on life support
Some 200 traditional medicine shops close every year as the government refuses to issue new licenses since 1998
Japan says 10 med schools altered admissions, some kept out women
An investigation finds out improper school admission practices at 10 Japanese medical schools, including 4 that tried to keep women out
First baby born via uterus transplanted from dead donor
The breakthrough operation, performed two years ago in Brazil, shows that such transplants are feasible and could help thousands of women unable to have children due to uterine problems
Alleged distributor of fake medicines arrested in Manila
P1.2 million worth of counterfeit medicines are also seized from the suspect, mostly versions of popular over-the-counter drugs
Probiotics no help to kids with stomach flu – studies
Probiotics are surging in popularity, with the global market predicted to expand from $37 billion in 2015 to $64 billion by 2023
Nobel-winning therapy weaponizes immune system against cancer
While chemotherapy destroys cancerous cells along with normal cells – often with toxic and debilitating effects on a patient – immunotherapy unleashes the body's immune system to target tumor cells
American, Japanese pair win Nobel Medicine Prize for cancer therapy
For figuring out how to help the patient's own immune system tackle the cancer more quickly, immunologists James Allison of the US and Tasuku Honjo of Japan win the 2018 Nobel Prize for medicine
