Implications of the World Cancer Declaration for LAC
Wednesday, September 17th, 2008The World Cancer Congress recently concluded with by adopting the World Cancer Declaration (WCD), a global plan of action to combat cancer, particularly in developing countries such as those of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). The Declaration has already been endorsed by hundreds of organizations, including many health ministries (such as Chile‘s) and other […]
A mortalidade de não-fumantes expostos à fumaça do tabaco / The Mortality of Non-smokers Exposed to Tobacco Smoke
Thursday, September 4th, 2008Synopsis in English: Just before Brazil’s National Day to Combat Tobacco (29 August) the National Cancer Institute (INCA) released a study on “Mortality Attributable to Passive Smoking in the Brazilian Population.” The first study of its kind in Brazil and one of the first worldwide served as backdrop to the National Day’s theme this year, […]
Toward a Caribbean Public Health Agency
Wednesday, August 13th, 2008Over the last three decades, the nations of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have developed a series of small health-related institutions for different tasks, spread out over different member states. In recent years some member governments have questioned the wisdom and cost-effectiveness of having such compartmentalization. And some have even dared to wonder aloud if the […]
The Disease Burden Associated with Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008Last month the World Health Organization (WHO) released, without much fanfare, Safer Water, Better Health, its estimate of how many deaths or how much “disease burden” can be attributed to deficiencies in water, sanitation and hygiene (WSH). Access to safe drinking water and proper sanitation is key to improving health conditions in developing countries. Water-related […]
Promoting Local Production of Cancer Medicines
Wednesday, July 9th, 2008A few years back, I engaged someone I know in the research-based pharmaceutical industry in a discussion of the raging debate over whether developing countries would impose compulsory licensing of key patented (by multinational companies) drugs for the treatment of life-threatening conditions such as HIV/AIDS and cancer, followed by either local production or importing generics […]
Cancer Agency: Smoke-Free Policies Work
Wednesday, July 2nd, 2008From the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC): SMOKE-FREE POLICIES EFFECTIVE, SAYS INTERNATIONAL AGENCY FOR RESEARCH ON CANCER Smoke-free policies reduce the exposure of both adults and children, reduce the prevalence of smoking in adults and reduce the risk of heart disease related to smoke exposure. A resulting reduction in the lung cancer burden […]
Tackling Chronic Diseases in the Caribbean / Atacando enfermedades crónicas en el Caribe
Thursday, September 27th, 2007From the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO): Campaign against Chronic Diseases Set for the Caribbean A major new campaign to fight chronic disease in the Caribbean is getting underway in an effort to stem "the worst epidemic of chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory disease in the Americas," with the […]
The Distribution of Cancer in Argentina
Monday, August 13th, 2007When you read my post last week about colon cancer rates rising in Buenos Aires Province (PBA), did you wonder what the rates are for other types of cancer in the rest of Argentina? I did (but then, I am curious like that). So I went hunting for the information. It appears that most Argentine […]
Peru Launches Anti-tobacco Program
Friday, August 10th, 2007Synopsis in English: With much fanfare but few concrete details, Peru’s Health Ministry (MINSA) recently launched a five-year “National Plan to Combat Tobacco Addiction.” According to Health Minister Dr. Carlos Vallejos Sologuren, currently in Peru there are as many as 3.8 million smokers; 60.5% have tried tobacco smoking at least once in their life; the […]
Colon Cancer Rates Rising in Buenos Aires Province?
Monday, August 6th, 2007In a recent article in La Nacion, the Cancer Registry of Argentina's most populous province, Buenos Aires (PBA), reported that colon cancer rates appear to be rising for reasons unknown. 13% of the cancer cases registered in PBA involve colon cancer, an incidence rate of about 37.4 per 1,000 inhabitants every year. If the trend […]
« Previous Entries Next Entries »