Latest news with #Heide
DW
29-06-2025
- Health
- DW
In 4 African nations, 1 in 6 cancer drugs are defective – DW – 06/27/2025
Across Africa, cancer medications have been found to be substandard or falsified. It means people are being given medicine that may not work, or that might even may cause them harm. An alarming number of people across Africa may be taking cancer drugs that don't contain the vital ingredients needed to contain or reduce their disease. It's a concerning finding with roots in a complex problem — how to regulate a range of therapeutics across the continent. An American and pan-African research group published the findings this week in . The researchers had collected dosage information, sometimes covertly, from a dozen hospitals and 25 pharmacies across Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi and Cameroon. They tested nearly 200 unique products across several brands. Around 17% — roughly one in six — were found to have incorrect active ingredient levels, including products used in major hospitals. Receiving insufficient dosages of these ingredients could allow a patient's tumors to keep growing, and possibly even spread. Similar numbers of substandard antibiotics, antimalarial and tuberculosis drugs have been reported in the past, but this is the first time that such a study has found high levels of falsified or defective anticancer drugs in circulation. "I was not surprised by these results," said Lutz Heide, a pharmacist at the University of Tübingen in Germany who has previously worked for the Somali Health Ministry and has spent the past decade researching substandard and falsified medicines. Heide was not part of the investigative group, but said the report shed light on a problem not previously measured. "I was delighted that, finally, someone published such a systemic report," Heide said. "That is a first, really significant systematic study of this area." "There are many possible causes for bad-quality products," the investigation's senior researcher Marya Lieberman of the University of Notre Dame, US, told DW. Those causes can include faults in the manufacturing process or product decay due to poor storage conditions. But some drugs are also counterfeit, and that increases the risk of discrepancies between what's on the product label and the actual medicine within. Spotting substandard and falsified products can be difficult though. Usually, a medical professional or patient is only able to perform a visual inspection — literally checking a label for discrepancies or pills and syringes for color differences — to spot falsified products. But that's not a reliable method. In the study, barely a quarter of the substandard products were identified through visual inspection. Laboratory testing identified the rest. Fixing the problem, Lieberman said, will require improving regulation and providing screening technologies and training where they're needed. "If you can't test it, you can't regulate it," she said. "The cancer medications are difficult to handle and analyze because they're very toxic, and so many labs don't want to do that. And that's a core problem for the sub-Saharan countries where we worked. Even though several of those countries have quite good labs, they don't have the facilities that are needed for safe handling of the chemo drugs established." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Nearly a decade ago, the World Health Organization (WHO) found around 1 in 10 medicines used in low and middle-income countries were substandard or falsified. Independent research conducted since has backed those figures up, sometimes finding rates that are potentially twice as high. "This could lead to treatment failure, adverse reactions, disease progression," health economist Sachiko Ozawa told DW. Ozawa contributed to the investigation on anticancer drugs and has separately researched other cases of defective medicines. "For the community, there's also economic losses in terms of wasted resources,' she said. 'So countries may be spending a lot of money on medications that are not going to be effective." While high-income countries can monitor supply chains and have stringent regulatory systems in place to identify and withdraw suspect products, the infrastructure to do that is far from common in other regions. In those places, poor access to affordable medication often drives patients to less-regulated marketplaces. Inadequate governance and regulation, as well as a scarcity of surveillance and diagnostic equipment to test pharmaceuticals, are all contributing to the problem in Africa. "In high-income countries, I think there's a much more secure supply chain where you know the manufacturers are vetted, it has to go through very stringent regulatory processes to get gets tested more frequently," Ozawa said. The WHO told DW that following the report's findings, it was working with the four impacted countries to address the problem. "We are concerned with the findings the article has highlighted. WHO is in contact with national authorities of 4 impacted countries and obtaining relevant data," it said in a statement. "We expect to assess full information to evaluate the situation, which often takes time and capacity. But we're committed to address these issues working with the relevant countries and partners." It also reiterated its ongoing call for countries to improve their regulatory frameworks to "prevent incidents of substandard and falsified medicines, including in settings of cancer programmes." In 2017, the WHO's review of substandard and falsified medicines offered three solutions based around prevention, detection and response. Stopping the manufacture and sale of those medicines is the primary preventative measure, but where defective products make it to market, surveillance and response programs can prevent poor quality medicines from reaching patients. Regulatory reform sought by experts and authorities takes time though. More immediate solutions are being developed in the form of better screening technologies. Lieberman is working on a "paper lab" — a type of test that can be used by trained professionals to chemically test the quality of a product before it's administered to a patient. Other laboratory technologies are also under development. One comforting point is that while a significant proportion of the medication circulating in medical facilities in the four African countries was defective, the majority of the products tested met required standards. " [With] two-thirds of the suppliers, all the products [were] good quality, so there are good quality suppliers," Heide said. "But a few of them really have a suspiciously high number of failing samples."
DW
27-06-2025
- Health
- DW
1 in 6 cancer drugs in four African nations are defective – DW – 06/27/2025
Across Africa, cancer medications have been found to be substandard or falsified. It means that people are being given medicines that may not work, or that might even may cause harm. An alarming number of people across Africa may be taking cancer drugs that don't contain the vital ingredients needed to contain or reduce their disease. It's a concerning finding with roots in a complex problem — how to regulate a range of therapeutics across the continent. An American and pan-African research group published the findings this week in . The researchers had collected dosage information, sometimes covertly, from a dozen hospitals and 25 pharmacies across Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi and Cameroon. They tested nearly 200 unique products across several brands. Around 17% — roughly one in six — were found to have incorrect active ingredient levels, including products used in major hospitals. Receiving insufficient dosages of these ingredients could allow a patient's tumors to keep growing, and possibly even spread. Similar numbers of substandard antibiotics, antimalarial and tuberculosis drugs have been reported in the past, but this is the first time that such a study has found high levels of falsified or defective anticancer drugs in circulation. "I was not surprised by these results," said Lutz Heide, a pharmacist at the University of Tübingen in Germany who has previously worked for the Somali Health Ministry and has spent the past decade researching substandard and falsified medicines. Heide was not part of the investigative group, but said the report shed light on a problem not previously measured. "I was delighted that, finally, someone published such a systemic report," Heide said. "That is a first, really significant systematic study of this area." "There are many possible causes for bad-quality products," the investigation's senior researcher Marya Lieberman of the University of Notre Dame, US, told DW. Those causes can include faults in the manufacturing process or product decay due to poor storage conditions. But some drugs are also counterfeit, and that increases the risk of discrepancies between what's on the product label and the actual medicine within. Spotting substandard and falsified products can be difficult though. Usually, a medical professional or patient is only able to perform a visual inspection — literally checking a label for discrepancies or pills and syringes for color differences — to spot falsified products. But that's not a reliable method. In the study, barely a quarter of the substandard products were identified through visual inspection. Laboratory testing identified the rest. Fixing the problem, Lieberman said, will require improving regulation and providing screening technologies and training where they're needed. "If you can't test it, you can't regulate it," she said. "The cancer medications are difficult to handle and analyze because they're very toxic, and so many labs don't want to do that. And that's a core problem for the sub-Saharan countries where we worked. Even though several of those countries have quite good labs, they don't have the facilities that are needed for safe handling of the chemo drugs established." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Nearly a decade ago, the World Health Organization (WHO) found around 1 in 10 medicines used in low and middle-income countries were substandard or falsified. Independent research conducted since has backed those figures up, sometimes finding rates that are potentially twice as high. "This could lead to treatment failure, adverse reactions, disease progression," health economist Sachiko Ozawa told DW. Ozawa contributed to the investigation on anticancer drugs and has separately researched other cases of defective medicines. "For the community, there's also economic losses in terms of wasted resources,' she said. 'So countries may be spending a lot of money on medications that are not going to be effective." While high-income countries can monitor supply chains and have stringent regulatory systems in place to identify and withdraw suspect products, the infrastructure to do that is far from common in other regions. In those places, poor access to affordable medication often drives patients to less-regulated marketplaces. Inadequate governance and regulation, as well as a scarcity of surveillance and diagnostic equipment to test pharmaceuticals, are all contributing to the problem in Africa. "In high-income countries, I think there's a much more secure supply chain where you know the manufacturers are vetted, it has to go through very stringent regulatory processes to get gets tested more frequently," Ozawa said. The WHO told DW that following the report's findings, it was working with the four impacted countries to address the problem. "We are concerned with the findings the article has highlighted. WHO is in contact with national authorities of 4 impacted countries and obtaining relevant data," it said in a statement. "We expect to assess full information to evaluate the situation, which often takes time and capacity. But we're committed to address these issues working with the relevant countries and partners." It also reiterated its ongoing call for countries to improve their regulatory frameworks to "prevent incidents of substandard and falsified medicines, including in settings of cancer programmes." In 2017, the WHO's review of substandard and falsified medicines offered three solutions based around prevention, detection and response. Stopping the manufacture and sale of those medicines is the primary preventative measure, but where defective products make it to market, surveillance and response programs can prevent poor quality medicines from reaching patients. Regulatory reform sought by experts and authorities takes time though. More immediate solutions are being developed in the form of better screening technologies. Lieberman is working on a "paper lab" — a type of test that can be used by trained professionals to chemically test the quality of a product before it's administered to a patient. Other laboratory technologies are also under development. One comforting point is that while a significant proportion of the medication circulating in medical facilities in the four African countries was defective, the majority of the products tested met required standards. " [With] two-thirds of the suppliers, all the products [were] good quality, so there are good quality suppliers," Heide said. "But a few of them really have a suspiciously high number of failing samples."
Yahoo
13-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Sheboygan letters on tutors, the economy, Glenn Grothman and MAGA
Here are this week's letters to the editor of the Sheboygan Press. See our letters policy below for details about how to share your views. April is National Volunteer Appreciation Month, and I'm writing today to celebrate two incredible individuals who have spent the last four years supporting our students. As AmeriCorps members with Reading Corps, Heide Doolittle and Crystal Fozard have dedicated themselves to providing extra practice and support to help our students improve their reading skills. Over the past four years, they have collectively given a total of 9,600 hours to help students succeed! Heide and Crystal work one-on-one or in small groups with students who need extra help building their reading skills. With their tutoring supplementing the excellent work our teachers are already doing, we've seen remarkable growth in our students. I especially have enjoyed watching them build strong relationships with the students they serve. I couldn't let the school year end without acknowledging Heide and Crystal and all they've done to support our students. It's been incredible having them as part of our school community. We're looking for more great people like Heide and Crystal to join our team as tutors. If you're interested, please visit Lexi Foerster Principal, Jackson Elementary School Sheboygan Finally, we have an economic genius in the White Housse. Businesses are having a real problem finding people to work for them. Some (not all) are even looking the other way when it comes to the use of marijuana. So, what do the brilliant economic minds in Washington, D.C., do? Put tariffs on countries to bring back jobs to the USA. The very jobs Republicans led the charge on in the 1970s and 1980s to send overseas. I was alive, and also a victim of this. I remember the Republicans' selling point: lower wages mean higher profits. You couldn't buy a job in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Even the great Ronald Reagen put a hiring freeze on the government because the government was the only one hiring. Or you could join the military. Even if we did bring all these jobs back, who is going to do them if people won't work for $15-$20 an hour? Do you think people in the United States will work for $2 an hour and no benefits? 40 years ago, Republicans led the charge to send jobs overseas — tax breaks for moving your company included because you kept your offices here. Now, Republicans are trying to bring back jobs nobody wants. GENIUS! Robert R. Ries Sheboygan While DOGE decimates the agencies of the federal government that were created by the people to protect the people, avian influenza has spread to the Sixth Congressional District on Glenn Grothman's watch. He and his cronies have not fulfilled their promises to protect the people's health and wealth. Quite the opposite. This administration, under his party's control, has put us at risk, both physically and financially. Throughout the utter chaos created by the executive branch, the Republican-dominated Congress does nothing. More significantly, Glenn Grothman does nothing but what he's told to do by the party bosses. Such a weak-minded and cowardice human-being is pathetic. Grothman fails miserably as a leader and does not represent the people of the Sixth District responsibly. Steve Jaeger Sheboygan When Democrats vote to 'save democracy,' consider its basic definition: 'Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch.' Fortunately, our founders, probably Ben Franklin, continued, 'Liberty is a well-armed lamb, contesting the vote.' That insight resulted in a new constitutional republic that uses the law as the well-armed lamb who contests the vote, limiting the savagery of wolves and safeguarding the peacefulness of lambs. In so doing, they created the freest, most dynamic and yet the safest society the world has ever known. Lambs and wolves alike rushed into this new country seeking both liberty and law — laws so necessary for everybody's self-interest that they can pass the scrutiny of two contentious houses of congress and the veto of an elected president — constitutional laws with the power to protect the weakest of the flock while freeing the energy of the pack. Wolves now torching their beloved Teslas to punish Musk's DOGE for exposing the appalling graft in Democrat federal agencies tell us what the wolves are having for lunch. It's past time for the lambs on the menu to act. Lions in Congress and on the Supreme Court must join the lions in the Trump administration and delete entire lawless agencies and exterminate any black-robed wolf who strays from its jurisdictions to prey on the flock. American lions — lambs well-armed with constitutional law — have made America great before and must do so again. Art DeJong Sheboygan Letters to the editor are published in the order in which they are received and letter-writers are limited to having one letter published per month. Letters can be emailed to news@ and Editor Brandon Reid at breid@ Letters must meet specific guidelines, including being no more than 250 words and be from local authors or on topics of local interest. All submissions must include the name of the person who wrote the letter, their city of residence and a contact phone number. Letters are edited as needed for style, grammar, length, fairness, accuracy and libel. This article originally appeared on Sheboygan Press: Sheboygan letters on tutors, the economy, Glenn Grothman and MAGA
USA Today
05-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Texas adds Purdue forward Camden Heide through transfer portal
Texas adds Purdue forward Camden Heide through transfer portal New Texas coach Sean Miller has added another key piece to the Longhorns men's basketball team. Former Purdue forward Camden Heide has committed to the Horns via the transfer portal. Heide initially entered the transfer portal on April 2. The 6-foot-7 redshirt sophomore averaged 4.7 points and 3.6 rebounds per game while shooting 49.1% from the floor and 39.2% from three-point range this season. Heide had a good game in Purdue's season-ending loss to Houston in the Sweet Sixteen, scoring nine points and grabbing five rebounds. His season high came in December against Maryland when he went for 15-points. Heide played high school basketball at Wayzata (MN), where he was a four-star prospect. He was the No. 130 overall player and No. 33 small forward in the 2022 recruiting cycle in the On3 Industry Ranking. Heide is the fourth Purdue player to enter the transfer portal this offseason. Miller also added Xavier forward Dailyn Swain via the portal this week and both Tramon Mark and Jordan Pope announced they would remain at Texas. Follow us on X/Twitter at @LonghornsWire.
![2025 Movistar Chile Open: Heide [160th] vs. Faria [87th] Prediction, Odds and Match Preview](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsportsbookwire.usatoday.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F16%2F2025%2F02%2F14991234-155.jpg%3Fw%3D1024%26h%3D576%26crop%3D1&w=3840&q=100)
USA Today
26-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
2025 Movistar Chile Open: Heide [160th] vs. Faria [87th] Prediction, Odds and Match Preview
In the Round of 16 at the Movistar Chile Open on Wednesday, Jaime Faria (ranked No. 87) faces Gustavo Heide (No. 160). Heide is favored (-120) in this match against the underdog Faria (-105). Tennis odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds updated Wednesday at 6:35 AM ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub. Gustavo Heide vs. Jaime Faria matchup info Tournament: Movistar Chile Open Movistar Chile Open Round: Round of 16 Round of 16 Date: Wednesday, February 26 Wednesday, February 26 Court Surface: Clay Watch the Tennis Channel and more sports on Fubo! Heide vs. Faria Prediction Based on the implied probility from the moneyline, Heide has a 54.5% to win. Heide vs. Faria Betting Odds Heide's odds to win match: -120 -120 Faria's odds to win match: -105 -105 Heide's odds to win tournament: +2500 +2500 Faria's odds to win tournament: +2000 Heide vs. Faria matchup performance & stats Heide has a record of 11-6 on clay over the last 12 months. In terms of serve/return winning percentages on clay over the past year, Heide has won 81.9% of his games on serve, and 25.1% on return. Heide has converted 41.1% of his break-point opportunities on clay (46 of 112) over the past year. Heide was beaten by Francisco Comesana (6-7, 7-6, 3-6) on February 17 in the Round of 32 of his most recent tournament, the Rio Open presented by Claro. Faria is 9-7 in six tournaments on clay over the past 12 months. Faria is 134-for-181 in service games on clay courts (winning 74.0%) and 50-for-177 in return games (28.2%). Faria has won 42.1% of break points on clay courts (40 out of 95) which ranks 60th. In the Rio Open presented by Claro, Faria's most recent tournament, he went head to head with No. 91-ranked Camilo Ugo Carabelli in the quarterfinals on February 21 and was defeated 6-7, 4-6. Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside. We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. Sportsbook Wire operates independently, though, and this doesn't influence our coverage.
