Global health

Access to HIV drugs rises across the world, says UNAIDS

The number of people in the world with HIV who gained access to antiretroviral treatment in the past six months has risen by one million, according to a report published by the international charity UNAIDS on 21 November 2016. There are now 18.2 million people receiving the therapy – dou…

Access to Medicine Index says industry is making ‘moderate progress’

A total of 2 billion people worldwide cannot get the medicines they need despite “moderate progress” by industry to improve access over the past two years, according to the latest Access to Medicine Index.…

Q&A: World Bank warns that inaction on antimicrobial resistance could increase healthcare costs in developing countries

Tim Evans from the World Bank Group talks about new research that shows how inaction on antimicrobial resistance could wipe out decades of healthcare gains and dramatically increase healthcare costs in developing countries.…

Access to essential drugs achievable for up to US$2 per person per month

It would cost between US$1 and US$2 per person per month to ensure those living in a low-to-middle income country have access to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) list of 201 essential medicines, according to a landmark report.…

World Health Organization to send 1 million doses of cholera vaccine to Haiti to avert new cases

The World Health Organization will send 1 million doses of oral cholera vaccine to Haiti because of concerns that the hurricane-devastated country will experience a spike in new cholera cases.…

Global declaration to fight antimicrobial resistance

A declaration to tackle drug-resistant infections is due to be signed by 193 countries at the United Nations General Assembly on 21 September 2016.…

Incorporating immunisation training into the undergraduate pharmacy course

Vaccines save 2.5 million lives each year globally. Not only do they decrease the global burden of preventative diseases, they also altruistically spread herd immunity to the community and drive down the costs of healthcare. Since the 20th century, pharmacists have contributed to this public health …

Community pharmacies could provide vaccines across the globe, says FIP

Community pharmacies have the potential to deliver vaccinations to one in eight people globally, finds a report published by the International Pharmaceutical Federation, which represents 3 million pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists worldwide.…

Anaesthesiologists call on UN to resist making ketamine a controlled substance

The World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists (WFSA) has called for support to protect the status of the anaesthetic ketamine as an essential medicine.  The plea comes in response to repeated attempts by China and other south-east Asian countries that have problems with ketamine…

European region most sceptical of vaccine safety, study finds

Results of an international study suggest that lack of confidence, rather than lack of access, is the main barrier to vaccination in some countries.…