MR’s newsletter about medicine, innovation, mental health, business and public policy
Nasal spray fights resistant depression
Spravato is approved by Anvisa to treat refractory depression, which is when the disease does not respond to at least two different antidepressants. According to the Brazilian Psychiatric Association, one-third of people with depression do not improve even after more than one treatment. Although it is considered very promising, the price of the drug is still an obstacle to access: the spray is sold for up to R$ 2,329.32, according to data from CMED (Chamber of Medicines Market Regulations).
UK Biobank: a treasure trove of health data
The UK Biobank is a large-scale health database containing detailed information on half a million individuals. Database data are collected through interviews, questionnaires, physical examinations, and genetic analysis. Data from the UK Biobank are used to research a wide range of diseases, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes and dementia. Data from the database have already yielded important results, such as the discovery of a gene that protects against obesity and diabetes.
What was published by the money report
Mysterious pneumonia is on the rise in Europe
An outbreak of pneumonia caused by the bacterium Mycoplasma pneumoniae, which infected countless children in China, was the first recorded case in Europe. In Denmark, for example, 541 cases were reported last week, three times the number recorded in October this year. According to the health research institute Statens Serum Institute (SSI), infections with the bacteria have reached “epidemic” levels on Danish territory. Information is based on diagnoses made by the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (Cidrap).
HIV: Brazil achieves target for people on antiretroviral therapy
Data presented by the Ministry of Health on Thursday (30) reveal that one million people were infected with HIV in Brazil in 2022. Of this total, 90% (900 thousand) were diagnosed, and 81% (731 thousand) of those diagnosed were Alive. Antiretroviral therapy and 95% (695 thousand) of those receiving antiretroviral therapy have an undetectable viral load.
The application that encourages blood donation can now be downloaded
The Hemovida app, which aims to estimate voluntary blood donation and facilitate donor recruitment, is available for download. The platform is integrated with ConecteSUS and allows you to locate the nearest health network and download the donor card containing your blood type and date of last donation.
The Ministry of Health stressed in a statement that the platform is free and has the potential to become a bridge between public blood centers and potential donors. The ministry said that the application plays an important role in disseminating information about blood donation and ongoing campaigns.
More doctors will have 28 thousand specialists in this field by the end of the year
This week, about 3,500 doctors completed the training course to work in the Mais Médicos programme. According to the Ministry of Health, this is the largest training batch since the program was launched 10 years ago. With the resumption of the initiative in the first semester, the number of registration applications reached 34,000 applications, the highest number in history. The Ministry believes that by the end of this year, 28,000 professionals will work in municipalities. Currently, 20 thousand are allocated.
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