Source: World health statistics 2018: monitoring health for the SDGs, sustainable development goals. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2018. CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.

ISBN: 978-92-4-156558-5

 Published online: May 2018

The World Health Statistics series is WHO’s annual snapshot of the state of the world’s health. This 2018 edition contains the latest available data for 36 health-related Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators. It also links to the three SDG-aligned strategic priorities of the WHO’s 13th General Programme of Work: achieving universal health coverage, addressing health emergencies and promoting healthier populations.

The latest data show that:

:: Less than half the people in the world today get all of the essential health services they need.

:: In 2010, almost 100 million people were pushed into extreme poverty because they had to pay for health services out of their own pockets.

:: 13 million people die every year before the age of 70 from cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, diabetes and cancer – most in low and middle-income countries.

:: Every day in 2016, 15 000 children died before reaching their fifth birthday.

:: 303 000 women died due to complications of pregnancy or childbirth in 2015. Almost all of these deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries (99%). Reducing maternal mortality crucially depends upon ensuring that women have access to quality care before, during and after childbirth.

For details and additional information / Más información y material adicional click here.

Full report / Informe completo click here.

The Brazilian Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) certified for the first time in Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) two Colombian pharmaceutical laboratories without a visit, which is based exclusively on inspection reports of the National Institute of Food and Drug Surveillance (Invima).

The certified laboratories are: Procaps S.A (Barranquilla) and Eurofarma Colombia S.A.S. (Bogotá).

This important achievement is based through the level of recognition that Invima gained by being a National Regulatory Authority of Regional of Reference (NRAr) level VI by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), indicating that the agency has uniform and transparent methodologies for the fulfillment of its functions of control, efficacy, safety and quality of medicines. Likewise, ANVISA is also recognized as one of the eight NRAr.

Source: https://www.invima.gov.co/primeros-laboratorios-farmac%C3%A9uticos-colombianos-certificados-en-bpm-por-anvisa-sin-visita.html

[5-14-2018] The Food and Drug Administration is advising consumers not to purchase or use Best Candy, a product promoted as an energy booster on various websites and possibly in some retail stores. This product was identified during an examination of imported goods.

FDA laboratory analysis confirmed that Best Candy contains nortadalafil. Nortadalafil is structurally similar to tadalafil, the active ingredient in Cialis, an FDA-approved prescription drug for erectile dysfunction. This undeclared ingredient may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs, such as nitroglycerin, and may lower blood pressure to dangerous levels. People with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease often take nitrates.

Health care professionals and patients should report adverse events or side effects related to the use of this product to the FDA’s MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program:

• Complete and submit the report online at MedWatch Online Voluntary Reporting Form, or;
• Download and complete the form, then submit it via fax at 1-800-FDA-0178.

(…)

For more information go to:  https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/BuyingUsingMedicineSafely/MedicationHealthFraud/ucm607663.htm

En el próximo viernes, 18 de mayo, as las 11hs (ETS), será realizada la 22da edición del programa de Webinars de RedETSA, el próximo viernes, 18 de mayo, a las 11hs (EST).

El Dr. Carlos Eduardo Pinzón-Flórez, Subdirector de Evaluación de Tecnología en Salud del Instituto de Evaluación Tecnológica en Salud (IETS), Colombia, dará una presentación sobre “Incorporación del valor social y la perspectiva de pacientes y ciudadanos en el desarrollo de la ETS”.

El link de WebEx que utilizaremos es el siguiente: https://goo.gl/238dg9

El presente Webinar está dirigido a todos interesados en el tema “Evaluación de Tecnología en Salud (ETS)”.

A continuación está disponible una tabla con el horario correspondiente a cada país.

Contamos con su presencia.

Equipo RedETSA y HSS/MT

Horario Webinar –  viernes 18 de mayo:

Red de Evaluación de Tecnologías en Salud de las Américas – RedETSA

[Original text in Spanish]

The National Directorate of Medicines of El Salvador (DNM) and the National Health Surveillance Agency of Brazil (ANVISA) exchange experiences on pharmacovigilance in the framework of the Bilateral Cooperation Program between El Salvador and Brazil 2017-2019.

Both Medicines Regulatory Authorities develop training among their members and the pharmaceutical industry to strengthen health surveillance and regulation. Part of these activities were developed in the facilities of the DNM, on dates of May 7 to 10, 2018.

The training program was attended by Adalton Guimarães Ribeiro, Technical Director of Pharmacovigilance and Fernanda Simioni Gasparotto, Specialist in Health Regulation and Surveillance of ANVISA.

The specialists provided technical knowledge for the sector of the pharmaceutical industry on specific topics such as: Pharmacovigilance Master File, Minimum Standard Operating Procedures for the operation of a Pharmacovigilance system in the Industry, Pharmacovigilance Inspections in the Pharmaceutical Industry, Periodic Safety Updat Report, Risk Management Plan, and Spontaneos Adverse Events Report.

For more information go to http://www.medicamentos.gob.sv/index.php/es/secciones-m/noticias-dnm/261-dnm-y-anvisa

The President of the Republic Salvador Sánchez Cerén, this day, was sworn in to Dr. Leonor Morales de Acosta as National Director of Medicine.

The swearing in took place in the Presidential House Honor Room. It should be noted that Dr. Acosta already served as Director of said autonomous interim from January to date, but with this appointment the President of the Republic makes it official in the position.
The new incumbent served for six years as Executive Director of this same institution, therefore, she has the technical and scientific knowledge, as well as the capacity and leadership to assume with responsibility the leadership of the National Directorate.

With his appointment to the position, the continuity of the projects and institutional objectives outlined is guaranteed, including the Level IV Certification, granted by the Pan American Health Organization. This certification converts the National Directorate of Drugs into a Regional Reference Regulatory Authority.

Dr. Acosta, assumes the commitment to lead this great project of the nation that seeks to continue to guarantee the quality, safety and efficacy of medicines, as well as their rational use and low prices.

Source: http://www.medicamentos.gob.sv/index.php/es/secciones-m/noticias-dnm/259-juramentacion

COFEPRIS, FEUM and USP strengthen their bilateral cooperation

The Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risks (COFEPRIS), the Pharmacopoeia of the United Mexican States (FEUM) and the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP for its acronym in English) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding which will contribute to the development and strengthening of a bilateral cooperation framework through the implementation of projects and activities that have a positive impact on the development of the health sector.

For more information go to https://www.gob.mx/cofepris/articulos/farmacopeas-de-mexico-y-de-eeuu-firman-memorandum-de-entendimiento-155888?idiom=es