Health

WHO asks experts to help decide if mpox outbreak in Africa is global emergency

Published

2 hours ago

August 8, 2024

WHO asks experts to help decide if mpox outbreak in Africa is global emergency

The World Health Organization Director-General said he would ask independent experts to advise WHO on whether the increasing spread of the mpox virus in Africa should be declared a global emergency.
The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that cases are up 160% and deaths have jumped by 19% compared with the same time period last year.
Earlier this year, scientists reported the emergence of a new form of the deadlier version of mpox in Congo, which can kill up 10% of people.

The head of the World Health Organization said Wednesday he will convene an expert group to determine if the increasing spread of the mpox virus in Africa warrants being declared a global emergency.

At a press briefing in Geneva, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that given the increasing spread of mpox cases beyond Congo, he has decided to ask independent experts to advise WHO “as soon as possible.”

Last week, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that mpox, also known as monkeypox, has now been detected in 10 African countries this year including Congo, which has more than 96% of all cases and deaths. Compared with the same time period last year, the agency said cases are up 160% and deaths have jumped by 19%.

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Officials at the Africa CDC said nearly 70% of cases in Congo are in children younger than 15, who also accounted for 85% of deaths.

Mpox was reported last week in Burundi and Rwanda for the first time while other countries including Kenya and the Central African Republic also identified cases.

A colorized transmission electron micrograph shows monkeypox particles (red) found within an infected cell (blue). Kenya and the Central African Republic declared new outbreaks of mpox on July 31, 2024, as Africa’s health officials are racing to contain the spread of the disease. (NIAID via AP, File)

WHO’s Tedros said the agency has released $1 million from its emergency fund to support the response to mpox.

Earlier this year, scientists reported the emergence of a new form of the deadlier version of mpox, which can kill up 10% of people, in a Congolese mining town that they feared might spread more easily among people. Mpox spreads via close contact with infected people, including via sex.

In 2022, WHO declared mpox to be a global emergency after it spread to more than 70 countries, mostly affecting gay and bisexual men. Before that outbreak, the disease had mostly been seen in sporadic epidemics in central and West Africa when people came into contacted with infected animals.

Western countries mostly shut down the spread of mpox with the help of vaccines and treatments, but very few of those have been available in Africa.

Maria Van Kerkhove, who leads WHO’s outbreak department, said there were numerous concerning issues in Africa’s mpox epidemic and called for a more urgent response.

“We do not want the world to sit and watch and wait,” she said. “The time (to act) is now.”

Health

Shed Pounds and Boost Calorie Burn With Our Walking Plan for Weight Loss

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2 hours ago

August 8, 2024

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Shed Pounds and Boost Calorie Burn With Our Walking Plan for Weight Loss

Walking Plan for Weight Loss: Shed Pounds and Increase Calorie Burn | Woman’s World

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Health

Endometrial cancer patients see new hope as FDA approves 'transforming' immunotherapy drug

Published

10 hours ago

August 8, 2024

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Endometrial cancer patients see new hope as FDA approves 'transforming' immunotherapy drug

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new drug for certain adult patients with endometrial cancer.

Jemperli (dostarlimab-gxly) — made by British pharmaceutical company GSK — is intended for people with primary advanced or recurrent forms of the cancer, according to the FDA’s Aug. 1 announcement.

It is an immunotherapy-based drug, which means it leverages the body’s immune system to attack cancer cells.

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In clinical trials, Jemperli showed an improved progression-free survival and overall survival for all patients, according to Dr. Brian Slomovitz, director of gynecologic oncology and co-chair of the Cancer Research Committee at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Florida.

“This class of drugs has been used in the second-line setting,” Slomovitz said — meaning they were only used if a first-line (primary) treatment was not effective or had intolerable side effects.

The FDA has approved a new drug for certain adult patients with endometrial cancer. (iStock)

“Moving them to first-line [status] here will yield better outcomes.”

This is the third FDA approval this year for immunotherapy in endometrial cancer, the doctor noted.

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“This is great news for our patients,” Slomovitz told Fox News Digital.

“Endometrial cancer has become the leading cause of death over all other gynecologic cancers, including ovarian cancer.”

Jemperli (dostarlimab-gxly) — made by British pharmaceutical company GSK — is intended for people who have primary advanced or recurrent forms of the cancer. (iStock)

Before the immunotherapy options became available, the only treatment for endometrial cancer was chemotherapy alone, Slomovitz said.

“These results are game-changing — it is unprecedented to have three approvals in such a short period of time.”

The most common side effects of all immunotherapy drugs are gastrointestinal, endocrine and dermatologic toxicities, the doctor noted.

“These results are game-changing — it is unprecedented to have three approvals in such a short period of time.”

“Patients should understand that adding immunotherapy to traditional chemotherapy has better results and the toxicity profile is manageable,” he added.

For doctors, Slomovitz emphasized the need to adjust quickly and make the newly approved drug a first-line treatment option for their patients.

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is the U.K.-based pharmaceutical company that makes Jemperli. (REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo)

In June, the FDA approved Merck’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) to be used in combination with chemotherapy for adult patients with primary advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer.

“The Merck trial (pembrolizumab) showed a significant improvement in progression-free survival for all patients,” Slomovitz said.

In that same month, AstraZeneca’s Imfinzi (durvalumab) was approved for patients with advanced or recurrent disease who have a certain biomarker.

The AstraZeneca trial also showed improved progression-free survival for all patients.

All trials for the new cancer drugs were run through the GOG Foundation, which is the largest cooperative group for all gynecologic oncology research, Slomovitz noted.

“The addition of immunotherapy to chemotherapy provided improvement in survival outcomes without a negative impact on quality of life,” an oncologist said. (iStock)

In the trials, the use of immunotherapy drugs in combination with chemotherapy reduced the risk of disease progression by approximately 70% in patients whose tumors had certain biomarkers.

In other patients without that biomarker, there was still a “clinically and statistically significant improvement in time to progression, which is meaningful for our patients and has now led to FDA approvals in both biomarker settings,” Kathleen N. Moore, M.D., co-director of the Stephenson Cancer Center at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, told Fox News Digital.

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“These studies have transformed outcomes for patients with endometrial cancer and are poised to change the treatment landscape for the better into the future,” she added.

Shannon N. Westin, medical director of the Gynecologic Oncology Center at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, said she is “thrilled” to have multiple new options for patients with advanced and recurrent endometrial cancer after years with no new therapies.

This is the third FDA approval this year for immunotherapy in endometrial cancer, the doctor noted. “This is great news for our patients,” an oncologist told Fox News Digital. (iStock)

“We no longer have to treat everyone in the same cookie-cutter fashion, and can instead employ precision medicine to improve survival for these survivors.”

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“The addition of immunotherapy to chemotherapy provided improvement in survival outcomes without a negative impact on quality of life,” she went on.

“This is the ideal scenario.”

Fox News Digital reached out to GSK for comment.

Health

Why more Americans aren't having kids, plus prisoners' trauma and new cancer tests

Published

17 hours ago

August 8, 2024

Press Room

Why more Americans aren't having kids, plus prisoners' trauma and new cancer tests

The birth rate has dropped to a historic low, decreasing by 3% since 2022, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in April. Click the article below to get experts’ take on the shift. (iStock)

FAMILY DOWNSIZING – As the birth rate in America has dropped to a historic low, experts offer theories on why more adults are opting out of having kids. Continue reading…

‘ALARMING TREND’ – 17 cancer types are more common in Gen X and millennials, a new study finds. An oncologist provides guidance on ways to reduce the risk. Continue reading…

PRICE OF FREEDOM – After Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and American veteran Paul Whelan were released from Russia in a large prisoner swap, experts say they may struggle with the effects of trauma. Continue reading…

Former prisoners Paul Whelan, left, and Evan Gershkovich, right, were released from Russia on Aug. 2, 2024. (Getty Images)

THE ART OF LISTENING – A new Gallup poll finds that most teens want to vent to their parents about their stresses, but don’t necessarily want advice. Continue reading…

OZEMPIC AND OPERATIONS – Patients who are taking GLP-1 medications for diabetes and obesity could face risks during surgery, doctors warn. Continue reading…

EARLY DETECTION – The FDA has approved a new blood test that can screen for colon cancer in routine health care settings. Experts weigh in on the potential impact for patients. Continue reading…

Shield, made by Guardant Health in California, is the first approved blood test that is considered a primary screening option for the disease and meets Medicare coverage requirements, the company stated. (Guardant Health)

FRACTURED PLANS – Aerosmith has announced the end of their farewell tour due to frontman Steven Tyler’s throat injury. A specialist explains what causes a laryngeal fracture and why it can be life-threatening. Continue reading…

‘GOTTA DO IT’ – Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports, shares his colonoscopy experience and encourages men to get screened. Continue reading…

MINING THE MIND – Artificial intelligence is fast-tracking dementia diagnoses by tapping into ‘hidden information’ in brain waves, researchers say. Continue reading…

An electroencephalogram (EEG) is a test that measures electrical activity in the brain using small, metal discs (electrodes) attached to the scalp. This activity shows up as wavy lines on an EEG recording. (iStock)