Latest news with #Gounder
The Print
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Print
Retreat or strategic pause? Annamalai takes vow of silence on BJP-AIADMK alliance, for now
Annamalai, who once met the press frequently and rarely missed an opportunity to attack Dravidian parties including BJP ally AIADMK, told reporters Monday that he won't be commenting on political matters until August. 'I miss you all. I genuinely miss taking questions from you. I learnt a lot from you all. I am not talking about anything now. I will begin to talk from August onwards,' he told reporters in Coimbatore after an event. 'He has not let his guard down. He attends even small meetings of the party, wherever he is invited. However, he has decided not to speak much in front of the media as he hasn't got a formal role at the state level,' a source close to Annamalai told ThePrint on condition of anonymity. Chennai: The once fiery K. Annamalai appears to have toned down his aggression since stepping down as president of BJP's Tamil Nadu unit, largely confining himself to attending meetings in his stronghold in the western part of the state. His supporters say the former IPS officer-turned-politician's silence is a strategic pause—and not a retreat. When ThePrint reached him, Annamalai said he did not have any agenda to talk about. 'I will be talking after August,' he said without elaborating on the rationale behind the timeline. A native of Karur in the western region of Tamil Nadu, Annamalai belongs to the Gounder community, a dominant OBC grouping. During his tenure as state BJP president, the party's vote share in Tamil Nadu surged to 11 percent in the 2024 general election from 3 percent in the previous general election, though the party did not win any seats. Sources in the BJP told ThePrint that Union Home Minister Amit Shah promised Annamalai, who stepped down as state party president in April, a significant role at the national level. Though there was speculation that he might be inducted into Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Council of Ministers, or given a key organizational role at the national level, he was appointed as a member of the party's national council a day after his resignation. His exit as state president came as the BJP revived its alliance with the AIADMK for the 2026 assembly elections. Also Read: With 4 IAS spokespersons & new public redressal system, Stalin govt expands outreach ahead of 2026 polls Caste equations drove Annamalai's exit A senior BJP leader, who did not wish to be identified, said Annamalai's resignation was driven by caste considerations and not because of his criticism of Dravidian icons. 'It was not just because he was criticising the Dravidian icons. Even now, leaders in our party criticise the Dravidian icons. One of the main reasons is that both Annamalai and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami belong to the Gounder community. So the party wanted to avoid overlapping leadership profiles from the same community in the same region,' the senior BJP leader told ThePrint. BJP and AIADMK, which joined hands after the demise of former chief minister and AIADMK supremo J. Jayalalithaa, contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and 2021 Assembly elections together. However, a year before the 2024 general election, Annamalai began to assert that BJP would go it alone in the polls. His subsequent criticism of Dravidian icons, including former chief ministers C.N. Annadurai and Jayalalithaa, led to the break in the alliance in September 2023. In April 2025, after the BJP formally declared MLA Nainer Nagendran as its state president, the AIADMK and BJP officially revived their alliance for the 2026 assembly elections. Asked about Annamalai's role, BJP state vice president Narayanan Thirupathy told ThePrint that the national leadership will decide a role for him.'The BJP is not a regional party, which is run by dynasties. He will be given an appropriate role for his potential,' he said. Annamalai wanted BJP govt in 2026 Although AIADMK and BJP reunited after Annamalai's exit, tensions within the NDA remain, with the BJP favouring a coalition government and the AIADMK advocating for an independent government under its leadership. Annamalai, who had earlier pitched for a BJP-led government after the 2026 election, has not commented on the coalition government issue in recent weeks. But on 12 June, he seemed to strike a defiant note at a press meet in Tirupur when he said that he would not say that a coalition government would be formed, but a BJP government should be formed. 'In 2026, I would not call it a coalition government. I would say it's the BJP government only. I expect the BJP to contest in more seats. I would work for the development of the BJP till the end. I would abide by the decisions of the party,' he told reporters. The BJP and the AIADMK publicly dismissed Annamalai's assertive statement, saying the national leadership's decision was final. Former BJP state president Tamilisai Soundararajan reiterated that the party would follow the decision taken by the national leadership. A source in Coimbatore close to Annamalai told ThePrint that it was after this controversy that Annamalai chose to remain silent on the AIADMK-BJP alliance. 'He is a BJP karyakarta (worker) and will only speak for his own party. His stance is that the BJP's influence in the state has increased, and both the Dravidian parties are corrupt,' the source told ThePrint. 'However, the national leadership feels that the AIADMK-BJP strategic alliance is necessary to defeat the ruling DMK. Hence, he did not want to antagonize the alliance as well as his own party people,' the source added. Although Annamalai has not changed his stance on the BJP expanding its footprint in the state on its own, he also has not turned away from meeting AIADMK leaders. 'In the last couple of months, he met former AIADMK ministers Sengottaiyan and S.P. Velumani on different occasions and greeted them,' said the source quoted above. On the other hand, newly elected BJP state president Nagendran has been cordial with the AIADMK party leadership and workers. At the launch of AIADMK's campaign on 7 July, he said EPS would be the chief minister of an AIADMK-led NDA government in Tamil Nadu. (Edited by Sugita Katyal) Also Read: DMK wants young blood to join Dravidian ranks. It's counting on role with mouthpiece, fellowship
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Certain type of hormone therapy increases breast cancer risk, study finds
Women using a certain type of hormone therapy to treat menopause symptoms could be at higher risk for breast cancer, according to a new study. The study, published Tuesday in The Lancet Oncology, found that estrogen plus progesterone increases the risk of breast cancer in women under 55 with a uterus, while estrogen alone reduces the risk. Dr. Céline Gounder, CBS News medical contributor and editor-at-large for public health at KFF Health News, told "CBS Mornings" Wednesday the study participants, all under age 55, were divided into two groups — women who still have their uterus and those who do not, since they require different types of treatment. A hysterectomy is the surgical removal of the uterus, which may be done for a number of reasons, including abnormal vaginal bleeding, severe pelvic pain, uterine fibroids, severe endometriosis and certain types of cancer. Approximately 600,000 females get hysterectomies in the U.S. each year, according to the Cleveland Clinic. "For the women who do still have a uterus, you have to give estrogen plus progesterone together. Estrogen alone will cause a thickening of the uterine lining, which can cause a different kind of cancer, what we call endometrial cancer. So you have to give the combination," Gounder said. "In women who no longer have a uterus, you can give estrogen alone." And the difference in treatment mattered. "What they found is estrogen alone reduced the risk of breast cancer," she said. "There seems to be a slight increase in risk in breast cancer if you also took progesterone." This research is a "great example of (how) science evolves," Gounder added. It comes after an early 2000s study called the Women's Health Initiative that focused on older women who may not have started hormone replacement therapy until 10 or so years after going through menopause. The study, which raised safety concerns and led to a longtime public misunderstanding around hormone therapy, has since been found problematic in terms of how it was designed. Now healthcare professionals largely consider the treatment option safe and effective. "The newer research is focused on what actually happens in real life, which is women who go through menopause in their 40s or 50s, (and) start treatment around that age," Gounder said. As with most medications, hormone replacement therapy comes with certain risks for some people. The Mayo Clinic notes it can lead to increased risk of heart disease, stroke, blood clots and some cancers. In other cases, however, it can help reduce risk of cancer, prevent bone loss and reduce menopausal symptoms like hot flashes. As the latest study shows, timing and type of hormone therapy can be crucial to potential outcomes, making it important that people consult their doctor and consider family history and other factors when considering treatment options. Gounder said hormone replacement therapy is the most effective treatment for a lot of perimenopausal symptoms, and added, "You really need to sit down and talk to your doctor (to determine) what is the appropriate thing for you." Extended interview: Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi speaks to CBS News after U.S. strikes Details from inside the courtroom as Sean "Diddy" Combs jury announced verdict Split verdict in Sean "Diddy" Combs' sex trafficking and racketeering trial | Special Report
CBS News
19-05-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Breaking down Biden's prostate cancer diagnosis — here's what to know about the disease
Biden diagnosed with aggressive form of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer at age 82. The former president's office said he has an "aggressive form" of the cancer, which has spread to his bones. His cancer was categorized as having a Gleason score of 9, which places him in Grade Group 5, the most severe category. Here's what to know about the disease, its symptoms and treatments: Prostate cancer symptoms Most men are diagnosed with prostate cancer before they start showing symptoms, as early warning signs of prostate cancer are rare, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. The severity of symptoms can depend on the location of the cancerous cells and how advanced the disease has become. Symptoms can include urinary issues, such as frequent urination, weak or interrupted flow, blood in urine and trouble either holding in or starting urination, according to Johns Hopkins, which says other symptoms can include difficulty getting and maintaining an erection, painful ejaculation and pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips or upper thighs. Urinary symptoms, such as frequent urination or difficulty urinating, are quite common in older men and are usually due to benign conditions like having an enlarged prostate, CBS News medical contributor Dr. Celine Gounder says. But in this case, Biden's office said his symptoms led to a prostate exam that resulted in the discovery of a small nodule. Further testing determined it was cancerous. Some urologists were surprised that the 82-year-old underwent prostate cancer screening at all, according to Dr. Gounder, because routine screening in men over 75 is controversial. Many prostate cancers at that age are slow-growing, and overtreatment can do more harm than good, she said. Prior to the diagnosis, Biden had received a clean bill of health during a February 2024 physical, in which he was declared "fit to serve" while still in office. His situation underscores the importance of tailoring medical decisions to the individual, Gounder says. The former president had new symptoms and is functionally active, which justified a closer look. Gleason score and what bone metastasis means Gleason scores are a grading system for prostate cancer, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Pathologists grade each tissue sample on a 1 to 5 scale. The lower the grade, the more cancer cells look like normal cells. Each area of prostate cancer may have a different grade, so pathologists pick the two areas that make up most of the cancer. They add the two areas' grades to come up with a Gleason score, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Biden had a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5), which is determined by the pathologist who looked at cells under a microscope. A score of 9 is the second highest on the scale, which goes to 10. For scores 8, 9 and 10, the "cells look very different from healthy cells, which is called poorly differentiated or undifferentiated," the Cleveland Clinic said. The categorization suggests a poor prognosis without intervention, Gounder said, but there are treatment options available that can help. Moreover, Biden's prostate cancer diagnosis came with the presence of bone metastases, meaning the disease has spread. It places him within the high/very high-risk management group. Is prostate cancer curable? Prostate cancer is often curable if it's identified and treated early, and many medical advancements have been made in recent years that can help with more severe cases. "The good news is that prostate cancer actually has a lot of effective treatments, and so patients even who are diagnosed with more aggressive, more advanced stage disease, can live many years and have good quality of life," said Dr. Tanya Dorff, an oncologist who treats prostate and other genitourinary cancers at City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center in Los Angeles. In Biden's case — given his age and health — the goal isn't to cure the disease but to control it, to slow progression and preserve quality of life, Dr. Gounder says. Since the former president is reportedly in good functional health, more aggressive treatment is on the table. But these decisions always weigh the benefits against the potential risks and side effects, based on the individual's overall condition and priorities. While Biden's diagnosis represents a more aggressive form of prostate cancer, his office said the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive. This means the cancer should respond to testosterone-blocking treatment, since testosterone fuels prostate cancer growth, Gounder explained. Based on what is known about his diagnosis, the primary treatment would be to block testosterone with a medication like Lupron, she said. This might be combined with other hormone therapies like Zytiga, or even chemotherapy, depending on the specific case. Bone-targeted treatments are also part of the strategy when the cancer has spread to the skeleton, Gounder sadded. Biden is among an estimated 313,780 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. this year, according to the American Cancer Society's Cancer Facts & Figures. Approximately 35,770 of them (11%) will die from the disease this year, the organization said. Kiki Intarasuwan Kiki Intarasuwan is a news editor for CBS News & Stations. contributed to this report.
CBS News
14-05-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Can Trump lower prescription drug prices? Here's why U.S. drug costs are so high.
What to know about President Trump's executive order plans aimed at slashing drug prices President Trump signed an executive order Monday that will attempt to bring down the cost of some drugs in the United States — but why are drug prices so high to begin with? On average, Americans pay almost three times as much for prescription drugs as people in other high-income countries like the U.K., Germany or France, according to a 2024 report published by the nonprofit research organization RAND. For some medications, the cost difference is even steeper. A month of insulin, for example, costs about $100 in the U.S., compared to only about $10 in France, RAND found. In large part, this comes down to price negotiations. "You're talking about contrasting us with countries that have essentially universal health care, where you have the government that is paying for everything, negotiating for all the drug prices," Dr. Céline Gounder, CBS News medical contributor and editor-at-large for public health at KFF Health News, said Monday. "So when you have one player that's negotiating on behalf of the entire population, you just have a lot more negotiating power." The closest comparison in the U.S. is likely Medicare, the federal health insurance program for people over 65 years old, Gounder said, but that doesn't cover all Americans. Additionally, the ability for Medicare to negotiate drug prices didn't happen until the Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law in 2022 by President Joe Biden and it only allows for negotiations of "a small fraction of all prescription drugs," Gounder said. Because the U.S. doesn't have universal health care, "we don't have one negotiator for our drug prices," Gounder said. Most Americans have private health insurance, and the prices they pay for prescriptions are negotiated through Pharmacy Benefit Managers or PBMs. In theory, PBMs should help control growth in drug prices due to their ability to negotiate manufacturer rebates and other cost-effectiveness options, according to the Commonwealth Fund, a nonprofit foundation that advocates for health equity. "But PBMs have financial incentives that may contribute to growth in drug prices, higher patient out-of-pocket costs, and the closing of independent pharmacies in rural areas and low-income neighborhoods," the group notes on its website. Last year, the Federal Trade Commission called out pharmacy benefit managers — often described as prescription drug middlemen — for benefiting off of inflated drug prices. PBMs wield enormous control over the availability and cost of drugs, the FTC said in a report released in July 2024. In a more recent January report, the FTC said three major PBMs hiked costs for a wide range of lifesaving drugs, including medications to treat heart disease and cancer. Some prices were marked up by hundreds and sometimes thousands of percent, the FTC found. Will Trump's executive order help lower drug prices? It's uncertain if Mr. Trump's executive order can make headway on drug prices, and what drugs would even be affected. Gounder pointed to a similar effort during his first presidency, which only applied to drugs given by providers in hospitals and clinics through Medicare Part B, that failed. "The last time he proposed this in 2020, this was contested in the federal courts and did not hold up," Gounder said. To really change how drug prices are negotiated in the U.S., Congress would need to act, she said. Plus, "Pharmaceutical companies are among the biggest lobbying presences in Washington, D.C. They are, of course, opposed to this," Gounder said. The pharmaceutical industry has argued that lower prices will affect innovation and development of new medicines. "Applying other countries' antiquated approach to how they value — and pay — for medicines will stall investment across America's biotech companies, risk access to vital treatments and cures for millions of American patients, and lead to fewer American jobs," John F. Crowley, president of the advocacy group Biotechnology Innovation Organization, said in a statement Monday. To change how much influence pharmaceutical companies have would also require an act of Congress in the form of campaign finance reform, Gounder said. Patients For Affordable Drugs Now, a national patient advocacy organization, said in a statement that several aspects of the Mr. Trump's order raise questions. "This Executive Order is a step in the right direction, but without additional guardrails, it leaves room for pharmaceutical companies to continue gaming the system at the expense of patients," the statement read. "The reality is: drug companies set high prices in the U.S. because U.S. policy lets them — unlike other high income countries that negotiate lower prices."
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Study finds Ozempic may reverse signs of disease that contributes to 2,000,000 deaths per year
A study has found that Ozempic may reverse signs of a disease that contributes to 2,000,000 deaths per year. New research has discovered that there could be more effects associated with the drug than just weight loss. The study, which was published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that medications that are now being widely used for things such as diabetes and obesity have the potential to offer other health benefits. This includes treatment for people with liver disease who have seen positive effects from taking semaglutide, which is popularly sold as Wegovy and Ozempic. The weight loss drugs have been found to effectively treat metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). MASH is a type of chronic liver disease diagnosed when there is excessive fat build-up in the liver, and at least one metabolic risk factor. The condition can cause liver scarring, cirrhosis, liver failure and cancer. Talking about these health benefits, Dr. Celine Gounder, who is a CBS News medical contributor and editor-at-large for public health at KFF Health News, said: 'Almost two-thirds of people had a reduction in liver inflammation related to this fatty liver condition, and over a third had a reduction in liver scarring.' Speaking about the severity of the condition, Gounder added: 'The life-threatening consequences can be very real.' However, things could all turn around Throughout the study, 800 patients were monitored for up to 72 weeks where they documented significant improvements to their liver health while receiving the semaglutide drug. MASH is a major driver of liver cancer, which contributes to two million deaths per year. If the drug proves to be a viable treatment for patients with MASH, this could be life changing. However, despite the fact that study looks promising, Gounder has warned that more research will be needed, specifically longer studies. She added: 'Seventy-two weeks, that's not very long.' Examining the results, the study read: 'In part 1 of our trial, patients who received a weekly dose of 2.4 mg of semaglutide had better results regarding steatohepatitis and fibrosis than those who received placebo. Patients in the semaglutide group also had more weight loss. 'Although formal hypothesis tests were not planned or conducted, semaglutide appeared to be associated with improvements in glucometabolic factors and noninvasive markers of liver health. Changes in bodily pain did not differ significantly between the groups. 'The findings were similar regardless of the presence or absence of type 2 diabetes or obesity and regardless of age, sex, or fibrosis stage.'
