The final political declaration for the United Nations High-Level Meeting (HLM) on NCDs is substantially weaker than the zero draft, no longer referring to taxing sugar-sweetened beverages – while describing higher taxes on tobacco and alcohol as “considerations… in line with national circumstances” rather than concrete proposals. However, targets for reducing tobacco use and increasing […] Continue reading ->
WHO’s 2025 Essential Medicines Lists (EML), published Friday, has included the active ingredients in popular weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy –  semaglutide or other comparable  GLP-1 receptor agonists – in a recommendation that recognizes the growing importance of the drugs in clinical treatment of diabetes worldwide.  These drugs, as well as new PD-1/PD-L1 […] Continue reading ->
Digital tests based on speech and smell are being developed to screen for cognitive decline, researchers told the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Toronto. Two speech apps are already some way down the road, testing several markers including speech speed, vocabulary and rhythm in different languages to establish a baseline for testing, a session convened […] Continue reading ->