World News

Gary Culliton and Dara Gantly bring you a round-up of the healthcare-related news making the headlines around the world.

Health impact study requested following PIP implant scandal

The European Commission has asked for further scientific study on the safety of silicone products manufactured by the Poly Implant Prothèse (PIP) company, following a report from the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly-Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR).

The Commission will also discuss with the Member States how surveillance of the medical devices can already be reinforced immediately within the existing legislative framework.

In parallel, a ‘stress test’ of the legislation on medical devices is under way in order to identify how best the questions raised by this issue can be addressed in the revision of this framework already foreseen for 2012.

Health and Consumers Commissioner John Dalli said that in the current situation, patients’ health remained the priority. “The Commission will discuss with the Member States a series of immediate measures to strengthen the existing surveillance and safety controls on medical devices already on the market. The capacity to detect and minimise the risk of fraud must be increased.

“We had already been working on a revision of the Medical Devices Directive, envisaged for adoption this spring.  We will now also take into account the lessons learnt from this case and take them on board in redrafting our legislation, in particular with regard to market surveillance, vigilance and functioning of notified bodies.”

Scientists concluded that data available to date were insufficient to lead to firm conclusions regarding the health risk for women with PIP silicone breast implants.

The SCENIHR report — requested by the Commission in early January — stressed that, based on the limited data currently available, there was some concern regarding the possibility of inflammation induced by ruptured PIP silicone implants. Each case needed to be assessed individually, so the advice remained that women who were worried should contact their surgeon.

SCENIHR said that PIP implants have been found to vary considerably in composition and, as a result, are likely to vary substantially in performance characteristics. It concluded on the basis of available data, that many PIP implants were manufactured from non-medical grade silicone and that this type of silicone may contain some components that can weaken the implant shell and diffuse into the body tissues.

It is estimated that around 400,000 PIP silicone breast implants were sold worldwide, and approximately 1,500 Irish patients were implanted with these products.

Worldwide appeal aims to end stigma of leprosy

A new worldwide appeal to end the stigma of leprosy has been launched by the Nippon Foundation and the World Medical Association.

In a ceremony held by the Brazilian Medical Association at the Paulista Medical Association in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the ‘Global Appeal 2012 to End Stigma and Discrimination against People Affected by Leprosy’ was officially launched.

Dr José Luiz Gomes do Amaral, President of the World Medical Association, said: “Hansen’s disease, or leprosy as it is more commonly known, can be eliminated. This is feasible and we should not fall short of our aspirations. But we also have to care for those who have acquired the disease. We have to treat them and we have to make sure they are not discriminated against, segregated or otherwise stigmatised.”

Mr Tatsuya Tanami, representing the Nippon Foundation, said that today more than 200,000 people not only developed leprosy every year, but many of them also suffered from severe symptoms with permanent damage. Yet this was unnecessary.

Tanami said: “Leprosy is curable, treatment is free and there must be no social stigma in the 21st century. A patient is not really cured until stigma ends.”

Campaign has boosted Rwanda surgical safety

A campaign by Canada’s anaesthetists to supply pulse oximeters for all operating rooms, recovery areas and birthing centres in Rwanda has proved so successful that the original goal of supplying 250 of the machines was quickly surpassed.

In January, the Canadian Anaesthesiologists’ Society (CAS) — an affiliate of the Canadian Medical Association — reported that donations to supply 268 of the machines, which cost about $250 (€298) each, had been made in response to a countrywide appeal. CAS President Dr Rick Chisholm wasn’t surprised. “Canadian anaesthesiologists have a history of aiding the CAS’s International Education Fund in its outreach initiatives,” he said.

The CAS campaign delivered a blunt message. “Imagine administering anaesthesia to your patient without the use of a pulse oximeter,” it stated. “In more than 77,000 operating rooms across the developing world, your colleagues have no alternative — it’s just too expensive to supply the machines.”

Dr Chisholm said the CAS effort is part of a broader global campaign led by Lifebox, an organisation that includes the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists and the Harvard School of Public Health. It is, in turn, part of a worldwide ‘safer surgery’ campaign led by the WHO.

Mental health suffering after drop in GP funding
Doctors in Australia have welcomed the Canberra government’s acknowledgement that May budget cuts to mental health services are hurting patients, but have described the decision not to reverse cuts to Medicare funding for GP mental health services was “disappointing”.

President of the Australian Medical Association (AMA) Dr Steve Hambleton said that the government had failed to address the fact that the budget cuts to Medicare rebates for GP mental health services were having a detrimental impact on patients. “Medicare data show that since the government cut Medicare rebates for GP mental health services, the number of GP mental health care plans has dropped by over 6 per cent compared to the same period in the year before.

“This decline is a direct result of the Aus$400 million (€326m) cut in the May budget from these key mental health services. It is clear that the cuts have made it harder for patients with mental illness to access high-quality GP care, and this is having a heavy impact on one the most vulnerable groups in society.”

Dr Hambleton added that fewer mental health services were being provided and patients faced higher out-of-pocket costs. “Government changes have seen patients with mental illness have their Medicare entitlement slashed by up to almost half.

“The government has ignored an independent evaluation showing that the Better Access Programme is cost effective and is making a positive difference to the lives of people suffering from mental illness. The programme has previously been supporting the delivery of GP mental health services at the local community level to around one million people each year.

“These cuts have sent the programme into reverse — despite assurances from government officials that this would not happen,” said Dr Hambleton, who called for the full restoration of the funding.

Collaborative health agreement signed with WHO
Latvia’s Minister of Health Dr Ingrida Circene has met with Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO Regional Director for Europe, and other senior staff at WHO/Europe recently to sign the Biennial Collaborative Agreement between the Ministry of Health and WHO/Europe, setting out areas of joint work for the next two years.

Discussions focused on health system strengthening, including improved maternal and child health services, health financing, the introduction of cervical screening, the country’s new public health strategy for 2011–2017 and the establishment of a new centre for the prevention and control of communicable and noncommunicable diseases.

Dr Circene agreed to take an active role in the 62nd session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe in September and to work with WHO in preparing for Latvia’s presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2015. The priorities for the period include integrating the social determinants of health/health indicators into national health policies and strategies, in the context of the European health policy ‘Health 2020’.

Other priorities also include improving the Baltic state’s capacity to develop health policies on medical products, developing financing policies related to health to minimise the negative effect of the financial crisis, and making evidence on the country’s health system available.

Reducing the burden of communicable diseases will be a key concern.

Medics launch health App
As elsewhere, many Americans resolved to become healthier in the New Year, but are having trouble monitoring their progress. Now there’s an App for that, released by the American Medical Association (AMA) as part of the AMA Healthier Life Steps programme.

AMA President Dr Peter Carmel said: “This encourages people to work with their physicians to set healthy goals and track their progress.”

The Weigh What Matters App is free, easy to use and encourages users to consult with their physician to establish personal health goals for three categories: weight, eating and activity. Once goals are established, users can track their weight, physical activity and nutrition with daily entries. It also calculates a user’s Body Mass Index and provides a mechanism to view progress reports and email them to the user’s doctor.