Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic has solidified its position as the leading medical tourism destination in the Caribbean and ranks second in Latin America, attaining the 19th spot globally, thanks to the arrival of 262,902 patients in 2022. These medical tourists spent six times more than conventional tourists, making a significant contribution to the country’s economy.

This data was unveiled during the Sixth International Congress of Health and Wellness Tourism, a gathering of prominent figures from the medical, tourism, and financial sectors, both local and regional. At the event, Alejandro Cambiaso, President of the Dominican Association of Health Tourism (ADTS), presented the second study on Health and Wellness Tourism in the country, shedding light on the sector’s economic impact and challenges.

The report underscores that international patients seeking medical care in the Dominican Republic spend an average of $7,500. Of this, $5,000 is allocated for medical expenses, while $2,000 goes towards accommodation and transportation. This substantial expenditure significantly surpasses the average spending by regular tourists.

In 2022, the country welcomed 262,902 international patients, with the majority seeking dental treatments (179,085), followed by plastic surgeries (40,000), other surgeries (26,290), and outpatient and preventive medicine (17,527). These health tourists accounted for approximately 3.7% of non-resident tourists arriving in the country by air, totaling 7,163,394 visitors.

The study reveals that 77% of medical tourism services are provided by private clinics, while 23% operate under different management schemes with advanced technology. Some of these centers hold international accreditations, including Joint Commission International (JCI), Accreditation Canada, and Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC). Nineteen establishments were identified throughout the country, with information collected from 13 of them, representing 68% of the sample.

The majority of health tourism services are concentrated in the southeastern region (Santo Domingo, Punta Cana, and La Romana) and the northern Cibao region (Santiago and Puerto Plata).

The study also identifies several challenges, including the need to enhance innovation and establish an effective medical recertification system. It highlights that although medical personnel are highly qualified, technical and nursing staff need improvement. Challenges related to language proficiency, moonlighting, and technological capabilities were also noted.

Santo Domingo.- Public Health authorities in the Dominican Republic have reported three new confirmed deaths in minors due to dengue, bringing the total number of deaths from the disease this year to 16. Additionally, there are 15,606 suspected cases of dengue in the country.

During epidemiological week 42, 1,175 febrile patients with possible dengue were reported, which is lower than the previous weeks. The head of the General Directorate of Epidemiology emphasized the importance of seeking medical assistance from the first day of fever, particularly for children.

The Vice Minister of Collective Health noted that patients who arrive late for treatment are at a higher risk of complications and death. Currently, there are 687 patients admitted with fever in the public healthcare network, and the demand for beds is highest in certain regions.

Efforts to combat dengue include fumigations, abatement deliveries, and blood tests. There is also a demand for platelet donations due to dengue-related cases.

Dengue remains a significant health concern in the Dominican Republic, and authorities are working to manage and reduce the impact of the disease.

Better care for cancer patients may be on the horizon.

A new prescription medicine for treating cervical cancer has been showing positive results in clinical trials.

In phase 3 global trials, TIVDAK (tisotumab vedotin) was linked to a 30% overall reduction in the risk of death compared to chemotherapy.

BREAST CANCER BREAKTHROUGH: AI PREDICTS A THIRD OF CASES PRIOR TO DIAGNOSIS IN MAMMOGRAPHY STUDY

TIVDAK also demonstrated a 33% decrease in the risk of worsening disease or death.

In addition, the intravenous drug showed an improved objective response rate of 17.8% compared to chemotherapy at 5.2%.

The trial also measured the disease control rate, which is the percentage of patients who experience complete response, partial response or stable disease.

TIVDAK displayed a 75.9% disease control rate, while chemo showed a 58.2% rate.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Dr. Brian Slomovitz, director of gynecologic oncology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, Florida, emphasized the importance of these findings.

ULTRA-PROCESSED FOOD CONSUMPTION LINKED TO HIGHER RISK OF DEATH FROM OVARIAN, BREAST CANCERS: NEW STUDY

"To have an overall survival advantage in this disease is extremely, extremely rare," he said.

"It changes the second-line standard of care for this disease. Now, all patients who recur after first-line therapy should be considered for this therapy," Slomovitz added. "So it's a game-changer."

Slomovitz, who has been directly involved in the trials, explained that the new class of drugs attacks a certain protein on the cell, which allows chemotherapy to be delivered to the cell "in a precise fashion."

He said, "So, it doesn't give a lot of the peripheral side effects that we see with traditional chemotherapy."

Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, is not involved in the drug's development or testing, but he believes the drug shows promise as an effective treatment.

"Cervical cancer can be a very aggressive disease, difficult to diagnose early, with a poor prognosis when it is metastatic," he told Fox News Digital.

"It is generally treated with multiple drugs, including chemo and radiation, which can shrink the tumor but very often does not cure it," he added. "The new targeted therapy TIVDAK, which includes a monoclonal antibody against the tissue factor associated with the tumor, is an "effective additional and useful therapy with a high response rate."

TIVDAK has shown ocular side effects such as conjunctivitis (pink eye), peripheral neuropathy (weakness, numbness, and pain from nerve damage) and some bleeding, but Dr. Kathleen Moore, associate director of clinical research at Stephenson Cancer Center in Oklahoma City, said she felt that is manageable.

BREAST CANCER DRUG COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY SERIOUS SIDE EFFECT, NEW RESEARCH REVEALS

Moore has been administering TIVDAK to her patients since the FDA’s accelerated approval in 2021. 

She reported that they haven’t had a difficult time managing and offsetting side effects. Patients usually find relief by using prescription eye drops prior to beginning treatment and cold compresses to mitigate potential toxicity, Moore said.

"There's not been a single issue with a patient not being able to use the eyedrops and be compliant with all the mitigation strategies in order to obtain the benefit from this medication," she said.

Only 5% of patients have had to discontinue treatment due to side effects, Slomovitz reported.

OVARIAN CANCER COULD BE DETECTED EARLY WITH A NEW BLOOD TEST, STUDY FINDS

Chemotherapy, comparatively, shows a "much higher risk" of side effects, including anemia, nausea, hair loss and neutropenia, according to Slomovitz.

"We’re hoping that a treatment like [TIVDAK] is something that the patients prefer as opposed to the chemotherapy option," he said.

"As clinicians, we feel that the side effects are very manageable — and given the overall increase in efficacy, it's something that our patients are willing to have."

Moore mentioned that Oklahoma has "quite a bit of experience" with TIVDAK, since there is a large population of cervical cancer patients who present with "very advanced disease or metastatic disease at diagnosis" and require the treatment.

The doctor, who is also a drug developer, said her patients have done "very well" with the drug and appreciate its effectiveness and accessibility through insurance.

CERVICAL CANCER: WHAT ARE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS?

"That's unheard of," she said. "In the past, we just did not have active medications and our patients really were left with ineffective therapies, and they just died."

Patients are recognizing that TIVDAK has worked to shrink their tumors, Moore said, which then leads to less pain and reduced dosage of medication.

"They’re feeling better because their disease is shrinking," she said.

TIVDAK has been used in practice since phase 2 trials led to accelerated approval by the FDA in the U.S.

The drug, however, could not earn full FDA approval until phase 3 was complete, Slomovitz noted.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

"We're hoping that the FDA approves this for a confirmatory trial in the setting, which would obviously have a great impact on the care of our patients," he said.

Slomovitz said he’s optimistic the FDA will give full approval for the drug in the "near future."

Both doctors shared their hopes for FDA drug clearance globally.

"We're starting to see, finally, improvements in therapies for patients who have advanced metastatic cervical cancer, all improving overall survival," Moore said. "So it is looking brighter."

Cervical cancer is the fourth most deadly cancer in female patients, according to Slomovitz.

Moore pointed out that the best way to avoid cervical cancer is to prevent it through annual screenings and vaccinations.

"This is an entirely preventable disease," she said. 

"The correct way to cure is to prevent, so that’s what we should be doing, too."

For more Health articles, visit foxnews.com/health

Santo Domingo.- Public health authorities reported three new confirmed deaths in minor patients due to dengue on Wednesday, bringing the total number of dengue-related deaths this year to 16. The number of suspected dengue cases also rose to 15,606.

During epidemiological week 42, 1,175 febrile patients with possible dengue were reported, which is a lower figure compared to previous weeks when there were 1,248 patients in week 41, 1,398 in week 40, and 1,431 in week 39.

Dr. Ronald Skewes, the head of the General Directorate of Epidemiology, emphasized the importance of seeking medical assistance from the first day of fever, especially for children, to receive proper care and guidance on how to proceed. He noted that 56% of cases arrive late, with fever lasting between three and five days, increasing the risk of severity.

Vice Minister of Collective Health, Eladio Pérez, highlighted that most dengue-related deaths occur in patients who arrive late to the emergency room. Currently, there are 640 patients admitted with fever, and there is a 32% availability of beds in the public healthcare network across the country.

In regions like Cero, which includes Monte Plata, the National District, and Santo Domingo, there is a high demand for beds, with only 24 beds available out of 332 internal patients.

Dhamelisse Then, director of the Hugo Mendoza Hospital, mentioned that 70% of dengue patients do not require hospitalization if they receive early care and follow-up. The hospitals are working to manage the increasing cases of dengue efficiently and provide the necessary care to patients.

The Accident and Emergency Department is again experiencing a surge in the number of patients presenting for treatment with various medical complaints. At 11am today November 1st, 2023, approximately 50 patients were waiting to be seen by our medical team.

The peak in numbers has led to some patients experiencing increased wait times in the department. For further information or advice on if you need to present to the Accident and Emergency Department with your medical complaint, please call our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS/Help Desk) at 536-4800 using regular or whatsapp calls from 9am to 12 midnight during this surge.

You also have the option of visiting the 24-hour Winston Scott Polyclinic at Jemmotts Lane, St. Michael for treatment or your private General Practitioner.

If you present to the AED with medical conditions which are not deemed life-threatening or an emergency, it is possible you may experience an extended wait.

Life-threatening conditions, under the Accident and Emergency’s Triage System will continue to be seen and treated immediately. These include patients who for example, have life, limb or sight threatening complaints, gunshot wounds, heart attacks, active seizure activity or a patient who needs resuscitation.

We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused and we will continue to provide updates as we work to reduce extended waiting times and offer the best possible care and treatment in the Accident and Emergency Department

The post Public Notice: Increased wait times at the Accident and Emergency Department appeared first on Barbados Today.

Santo Domingo.- President Luis Abinader has described the recent protest at the Los Mina Maternity Hospital as an attempt at “blackmail” related to alleged privatization of the hospital. He clarified that the government is not privatizing public hospitals but rather implementing expense controls and audits to manage public funds more efficiently.

Abinader emphasized that the government’s focus is on controlling funds generated through entities like Senasa (National Health Insurance) and ensuring transparency. He highlighted the creation of volunteer civil society groups, including pastors and neighborhood associations, to evaluate the management of medical centers.

The president stated that his government is not pursuing privatization of state assets, citing examples of initiatives to save public funds, such as the acquisition of the Samaná highway.

The protest at Los Mina Maternity Hospital involved healthcare unions, including doctors, nurses, secretaries, laboratory technicians, and X-ray personnel, who expressed their opposition to the alleged privatization. They emphasized that they will not allow the hospital’s services to be privatized, particularly because it serves many low-income mothers.

Protesters called on Mario Lama, the director of the National Health Service (SNS), to address their concerns and asserted that acquired rights should not be taken away.

The Metropolitan National Health Service (SNSM) clarified that Los Mina Maternity Hospital does not face privatization, as it belongs to the Public Health Services Network. The SNSM affirmed its commitment to providing quality healthcare to mothers and babies at the facility.

President of the Dominican Medical College (CMD) in the Santo Domingo Este branch, Rafael de los Santos, suggested that the SNS should have informed the medical staff about any privatization initiatives from the beginning to avoid suspicion and confusion among healthcare workers.

Healthcare personnel learned about the situation when they sought payroll information at the SNS and were informed that they no longer belonged to the SNS but directly to the hospital’s administration. The situation raised concerns among staff, leading to protests.

Efforts were made to address these concerns, with a planned meeting between union representatives and Mario Lama, the director of the SNS, at the SNS headquarters.

Grenada will observe World Diabetes Day 2023 on 14 November, with the theme “Empowering Global Health”

View the full post Nutrition and Diabetes on NOW Grenada.

Santo Domingo.- The demand for medical care for feverish patients with suspected dengue remained high in emergency and hospitalization areas yesterday. Healthcare centers and medical staff continued to experience significant pressure due to the influx of patients seeking treatment, with many requiring hospitalization.

Over the course of 24 hours, 76 patients were admitted to hospitals in Greater Santo Domingo, as reported by the National Health Service (SNS).

The Robert Reid Cabral Children’s Hospital admitted 16 patients with suspicious dengue symptoms, bringing the total number of admissions to 78 by mid-morning. Four of these patients were in intensive care. Additionally, in the early morning hours, seven patients with a confirmed dengue diagnosis were still awaiting available beds, and this number increased as more patients arrived at the emergency area.

In terms of prevention, state institutions, along with volunteers and collaborators, conducted extensive mobilization efforts over the weekend. The goal was to eliminate breeding sites for the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is the carrier of the dengue virus and breeds in clean water, including containers found in yards and streets.

Out of the 74 patients in the wards with suspected dengue at the Reid Cabral hospital, eight had confirmed cases of the disease. Four of these confirmed cases were in the Intensive Care Unit and were reported to be in stable condition. Fortunately, there were no reported deaths due to dengue at the health center in the last 24 hours.

The Reid Cabral hospital is the second-largest pediatric center in the country that has admitted a significant number of patients with suspected dengue this year, following the emergence of the epidemic.

SOURCE: AP – The only cure for painful sickle cell disease today is a bone marrow transplant. But soon there may be a new cure that attacks the disorder at its genetic source.

On Tuesday, advisers to the Food and Drug Administration will review a gene therapy for the inherited blood disorder, which in the U.S. mostly affects Black people. Issues they will consider include whether more research is needed into possible unintended consequences of the treatment.

If approved by the FDA, it would be the first gene therapy on the U.S. market based on CRISPR, the gene editing tool that won its inventors the Nobel Prize in 2020.

The agency is expected to decide on the treatment in early December, before taking up a different sickle cell gene therapy later that month.

Dr. Allison King, who cares for children and young adults with sickle cell disease, said she’s enthusiastic about the possibility of new treatments.

“Anything that can help relieve somebody with this condition of the pain and the multiple health complications is amazing,” said King, a professor at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. “It’s horribly painful. Some people will say it’s like being stabbed all over.”

The disorder affects hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. A genetic mutation causes the cells to become crescent-shaped, which can block blood flow and cause excruciating pain, organ damage, stroke and other problems.

Millions of people around the world, including about 100,000 in the U.S., have the disease. It occurs more often among people from places where malaria is or was common, like Africa and India, and is also more common in certain ethnic groups, such as people of African, Middle Eastern and Indian descent. Scientists believe being a carrier of the sickle cell trait helps protect against severe malaria.

Current treatments include medications and blood transfusions. The only permanent solution is a bone marrow transplant, which must come from a closely matched donor without the disease and brings a risk of rejection.

No donor is required for the one-time gene therapy, “exa-cel,” made by Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics. This new treatment involves permanently changing DNA in a patient’s blood cells.

The goal is to help the body go back to producing a fetal form of hemoglobin — which is naturally present at birth but then switches to an adult form that’s defective in people with sickle cell disease.

When patients undergo the treatment, stem cells are removed from their blood and CRISPR is used to knock out the switching gene. Patients get medicines to kill off other flawed blood-producing cells and then are given back their own altered stem cells.

The treatment has been tested in a relatively small number of patients thus far, the nonprofit Institute for Clinical and Economic Review said in an evidence report.

In a briefing document released Friday before the advisory committee meeting, Vertex said 46 people got the treatment in the pivotal study. Of 30 who had at least 18 months of follow-up, 29 were free of pain crises for at least a year and all 30 avoided being hospitalized for pain crises for that long.

The company called the treatment “transformative” and said it has “a strong safety profile.”

Victoria Gray, of Mississippi, the first patient to test the treatment, shared her experience with researchers at a scientific conference earlier this year. She described suffering with terrible bouts of pain since childhood and receiving high-dose pain medications and sometimes blood transfusions. She described feeling she “was being reborn” the day she got the gene therapy.

Now, she’s able to run around with her kids and work a full-time job. “My children no longer have a fear of losing their mom to sickle cell disease,” she said.

But the FDA is asking an outside panel of gene therapy experts next week to discuss a lingering issue that often comes up when discussing CRISPR: the possibility of “off-target effects,” which are unexpected, unwanted changes to a person’s genome. The FDA is looking for advice on whether the company’s research on such effects was adequate to assess the risk or whether additional studies are needed. While the agency doesn’t have to follow the group’s advice, it often does.

If the treatment is allowed on the market, the company has proposed a post-approval safety study, product labeling outlining potential risks and continuing research.

The FDA is expected to decide on the second gene therapy for sickle cell, made by Bluebird Bio, before the end of the year. Bluebird’s treatment works differently. It aims to add functional copies of a modified gene, which helps red blood cells produce “anti-sickling” hemoglobin that prevents or reverses misshapen cells.

The companies have not released potential prices for either therapy, but the institute report said prices up to around $2 million would be cost-effective. By comparison, research earlier this year showed medical expenses for current sickle cell treatments, from birth to age 65, add up to about $1.6 million for women and $1.7 million for men.

King, the St. Louis doctor, acknowledged the new treatments would be expensive. “But if you think about it,” she said, “how much is it worth for someone to feel better and not be in pain and not be in the hospital all the time?”

The post A new cure for sickle cell disease may be coming. Health advisers will review it next week appeared first on Barbados Today.

Saturday, 18 November 2023 from 9 am to 12 noon, at Perdmontemps Gospel Hall

View the full post GDA Free Diabetes & Health Clinic on NOW Grenada.