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CNA
5 days ago
- Health
- CNA
Singapore launches new online tool to help healthy adults plan end-of-life care
SINGAPORE: Adults with no existing serious illnesses can now document their end-of-care life preferences online for free, without the need to meet a facilitator, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Saturday (Jul 19). The advance care planning (ACP) tool, known as myACP, was officially launched by Minister for Health and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies Ong Ye Kung at the Plan Your Legacy Today roadshow in Bedok. MOH said the tool, jointly developed with the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) and the Government Technology Agency (GovTech), is a 'significant step forward' in making advance care planning more accessible to Singaporeans. "We need more open and early conversations about future care needs. Don't be pantang, but be open and honest," said Mr Ong, using a local term for avoiding certain topics out of superstition or tradition. "That way, we prepare ourselves emotionally and mentally for the future, together with our loved ones. Normalise the discussions." HOW IT WORKS The online tool guides users aged 21 and above to document their care preferences. These include medical treatment approaches, daily care needs, and personal preferences related to hygiene, companionship and religious requirements. The tool also enables individuals to indicate their priorities between comfort care and life-sustaining treatments. Individuals are to appoint up to two nominated healthcare spokespersons who will convey their care preferences if they are unable to speak for themselves in the future. The myACP service will be available for those with no existing serious illness, such as cancer or dementia. Those with existing serious illnesses will continue to undergo facilitated advanced care planning sessions tailored to their medical condition, said MOH. Those who prefer face-to-face guidance or are less comfortable with digital tools can continue to seek assistance at advanced care planning community nodes. MOH said more than 77,000 advance care plans were completed in Singapore as of Jul 11 this year. This is a 40 per cent increase from 55,000 plans completed from 2011 to 2024. This growth reflects increasing awareness of the importance of legacy planning, but that more can be done to translate awareness into action, noted the ministry. The Legacy Planning Roadshow, jointly organised by MOH, AIC, the Central Provident Fund Board (CPFB), the Ministry of Social and Family Development and the Public Service Division, is part of a multi-year legacy planning campaign to encourage Singaporeans to take action on their legacy plans. The roadshow helps members of public understand ACP, Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA), CPF nomination and wills through informational booths, education talks and guided consultations. More information on advance care planning can be found at the MyLegacy@LifeSG website. PROGRESS The introduction of myACP comes amid ongoing efforts under the ministry's National Strategy for Palliative Care (NSPC), which was launched in July 2023. MOH reported progress in expanding care capacity, easing hospital-to-home transitions, strengthening palliative competencies in the community and improving the affordability of palliative care services. The number of inpatient hospice beds has grown by 15 per cent, from 260 in 2023 to about 300 as of Mar 31 this year. Home palliative care places have also increased by 25 per cent, from 2,400 to almost 3,000 in the same period, and will further grow to 3,600 places by end-2025. MOH also said hospital-to-home transitions were smoothened under the NSPC, with public hospitals implementing standardised compassionate discharge protocols to simplify the process for terminally ill patients who wished to return home for their final days. 'The equipment rental scheme, launched in end October 2024, provides subsidised equipment which supports patients discharged home for palliative care. It has benefited more than 1,000 Singaporeans to date,' added the ministry. MOH noted the strengthening of palliative care competencies in nursing homes. Previously, nursing home residents approaching their end of life would likely have returned to hospitals to be managed. 'Today, 62 or approximately two-thirds of nursing homes in Singapore have worked with the public hospitals to develop palliative care capabilities which allow their residents to pass on in the comfort and familiarity of their nursing homes.' Financial support for palliative care has likewise improved. Last year, MOH raised the MediShield Life daily claim limits for inpatient palliative care and removed the lifetime MediSave withdrawal limit for all home palliative and day hospice patients who use their own MediSave. Subsidies are also enhanced for all community palliative care patients. Since the implementation of the NSPC, MOH said the number of hospital deaths has declined from 62.5 per cent in both 2022 and 2023 to 59.8 per cent in 2024. 'This translates to thousands of Singaporeans being able to spend their final days in their preferred setting outside of hospitals,' said MOH, adding that it targets to further reduce the number of hospital deaths to 51 per cent by 2027.
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
How public sector incubator AIC is helping startups turn ideas into impact in Hyderabad
Imagine enjoying a sweet treat with no calories — just protein. Or savouring your favourite meat dish without the animal fat? Or drinking milk that doesn't come from a buffalo or a cow? What if scientists could work with stem cell-based 'organoids' instead of animals in the labs? These are not pipe dreams, but innovations nurtured at the Atal Incubation Centre (AIC) of the CSIR-Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CCMB), located in Uppal, Hyderabad. It was the only one from the public sector out of 10 incubators selected by NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India) in 2017 under the Atal Innovation Mission, with ₹6-crore seed capital to support startups in life sciences. Starting with four budding firms, the institute now hosts 23 companies and has mentored about 160 startups over the past six years with total funding arranged, including support from angel investors, reaching upto ₹250 crore 'There are 13-14 firms that have already made a mark and are generating revenue. It is difficult to say if they will produce earth-shaking or disruptive products, but they are going to do well,' affirms Chief Executive Officer N. Madhusudhana Rao. Among the exciting ventures are f Althion Tech Innovations which has developed a dialysis-grade water purification unit, Oncosimis which is focused on biopharmaceuticals, Sway (or Sweetway)which is creating natural sweet protein products with zero calories, and Phyx44 which is working on cultured meat and milk, to name a few. 'Access to equipment is key but real value lies in mentoring. We provided initial research support in our lab, guided them towards funding and scaling up. We have about 70 mentors drawn from CSIR labs, industry, intellectual property rights and other domains,' says the CEO. CSIR-CCMB Director Vinay Kumar Nandicoori notes that AIC has been supporting young, aspiring scientists with bright ideas by providing key infrastructure. 'Moreover, they also benefit from accessing CCMB's facilities at nominal charges and interacting with an outstanding pool of scientists,' he adds. The Incubation Centre was clear about its direction from the beginning. 'Our primary focus is on life sciences and biotechnology. We look for original ideas and give them a platform to test their product or process in our lab at a low rate,' says Mr. Rao. From 'Idea to Proof of Concept', startups are helped in developing samples in real-world settings like hospitals and are guided to understand the timelines involved. They receive help with idea validation, physical incubation, seed funding, product validation, and regulatory approvals. Most funding comes from Central government ministries and departments such as the NIDHI-Seed Support Programme, Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS), National Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Board (NSTEDB) and the likes. The AIC conducts workshops and fellowship programmes to attract emerging entrepreneurs. 'Biological sciences is a risky business. Unlike IT/ITES, turnaround times here are longer. It takes at least five years unless you import readymade products from foreign partners,' says Mr. Rao, a former CCMB scientist who has led AIC since its inception. AIC-CCMB's success stems from the experience of working in a top research organisation and the 'frustration and disappointment' when scientists like Dr. Rao were unable to bring their own research outcomes closer to the public. 'I know what is required since I was in the game for many years and have a fairly good idea of what works. Having the backing of then CSIR-CCBM director Rakesh Mishra during inception and the CCMB's brand value helped us, as people wanted to be associated with us,' he recalls. The COVID-19 pandemic led to increased trust in science, and 'suddenly we also had angel investors coming forward to fund. We are also helping such investors conduct due diligence. Usually, we nudge the startup after two years, once they gain traction, to look for greener pastures with six-monthly reviews', explains the scientist. Over the years what the CEO has realised is that 'many people are not smart in their spending'. 'We also help them review their balance sheets, burn rates and expected product timelines to ensure they stay on course. We also support some companies virtually,' he says. He says technology entrepreneurship is the way forward for the country. 'People have ideas; all they need is support and autonomy. We also need technology transfer offices in all universities and labs just like the IITs,' asserts AIC-CCMB is also working on a revenue model where successful firms will be ready to pay back. The incubator has recently expanded its activities into wildlife conservation — helping in Hangul deer preservation, introducing a PCR-based method to test for authenticity of Pashmina shawls etc. Biodimension which is into bio-fabricated human tissues as efficient alternatives for drug screening, Cellverse, intending to use 3D bioprinting to create human cancer-on-chip models, PopVax which is into mRNA modelling and a few others are among the promising startups from the AIC stable Despite the progress, what still rankles Mr. Rao is that Magellen Life Sciences (2018), one of the first promising startups, could not get funding even after having developed a protein '1,200 times sweeter than sugar' based on an African fruit. 'Fed up with the experience where he could not even get proper food labelling, the entrepreneur left for the UK and has now received generous funding. We felt bad when there were no takers then. But today, I am sure he would have got proper backing,' he says.
The Hindu
7 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
AIC, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sattenapalli join hands, plant 500 saplings
In a tribute to mothers and nature, PM SHRI Kendriya Vidyalaya Sattenapalli, in collaboration with Agriculture Insurance Company (AIC), Guntur, planted 500 saplings under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' initiative. As part of the Mission LiFE programme, the drive witnessed enthusiastic participation from students, staff, and officials. Principal J.K. Gupta and AIC Regional Manager G.G. Raju highlighted the environmental and emotional significance of the tree plantation drive. The event coordinated by AIC representatives, emphasised the role of schools in nurturing eco-conscious citizens.
The Hindu
15-07-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
AIC-CCMB planning trials for Chikungunya vaccine with indigenously developed mRNA technology
CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) Atal Incubation Centre (AIC) is planning to go ahead with the next stage larger-scale trials of the indigenously developed mRNA vaccine technology for tackling Chikungunya. 'Chikungunya is a serious, major debilitating disease in India and it does not yet have a vaccine. We have already demonstrated the ability to make use of mRNA technology to develop vaccines with a 'Proof of Concept' (PoC) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our lab data trials show our Chikungunya vaccine works,' disclosed AIC-CCMB chief executive officer N. Madhusudhana Rao. Results of lab experiments The lab experiments conducted on animals showed that the vaccine candidate can produce antibodies against Chikungunya proteins. The next phase will be to infect the animals and check if the virus load has decreased upon injecting the developed vaccine, he explained. The CEO said the institute had also completed initial trials into a potential mRNA vaccine to prevent tuberculosis (TB). But, to go into the next stage of animal trials and more elaborate testing, adequate funding is required, for which different options are being explored. How vaccines work? Vaccines work by preparing and training the immune system to identify disease-causing microorganisms and eliminate them quickly when the system encounters them. In mRNA technology, the host cell's immune system is trained to evade the real infection by introducing mRNA of an important protein of the microorganism of concern into the host, said Mr. Rao. Interestingly, though AIC had developed the PoC for mRNA technology in less than a year and had announced the same two years ago, it did not elicit much response from either the Indian industry or foreign collaborators. 'There were a few firms which evinced interest in making use of our mRNA technology for vaccine research. But they never came back with concrete proposals. It is an accepted fact that firms spend millions to take licenses from abroad rather than spend a few lakhs on local technology,' said Mr. Rao, a former senior scientist of the CSIR-CCMB. Comirnaty (by Pfizer) or Spikevax (by Moderna) are based on mRNA technology for COVID and found to be extremely effective. The mRNA technology is considered chemically safe with no long-term challenges. The one developed in AIC-CCMB too is based on the existing mRNA vaccine model. It is as safe as the one approved by the US Food & Drug Administration Agency and had undergone a third party quality check, affirmed the CEO. mRNA works much better on viruses and vaccines can be developed for other diseases faster. 'It is unfortunate that there are few takers for our technology, though many are trying the same through different platforms. But we want to go ahead with our trials for the potential Chikungunya and TB vaccine candidates now with different partners,' added Mr. Rao.
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cost of living: Which are the cheapest and most expensive countries in Europe?
Prices vary significantly between countries in Europe. Significant differences exist even between neighbouring countries such as Austria and Hungary — or Germany and Poland. But how can we best compare prices across Europe? And what are the most expensive and cheapest countries across the continent? Price level indices are a good way to help us understand how expensive or cheap goods and services are in each country. They compare national price levels to the EU average and are calculated using Purchasing Power Parities (PPPs). According to Eurostat, PPPs act like an artificial common currency, as they show how much people can buy with the same amount of money across countries. The results are based on price surveys covering more than 2,000 consumer goods and services, conducted across 36 European countries. There are several price level indices that compare the cost of different goods and services — such as food, drink, clothing, hotels, and more. In addition to these individual or group indices, there are two main indicators that show the 'overall' price level of consumer goods and services: One is actual individual consumption (AIC), which measures all goods and services actually consumed by households. It includes consumer goods and services purchased directly by households, as well as services provided by non-profit institutions. The indicator also includes services provided by the government for individual consumption such as health and education services. Another indicator is household final consumption expenditure (HFCE), which studies total spending on individual goods and services by resident households. In other words, AIC looks at what households use — including services they don't directly pay for — and HFCE shows what they spend money on. Eurostat notes that AIC is often used in international comparisons, as it captures more than the narrower concept of household consumption. Euronews has therefore used AIC figures for comparisons, although consumption data is also included in the chart. As of 2024, out of 36 countries, Switzerland is the most expensive, with prices at 184% of the EU average — 84% higher than the average. Turkey is the cheapest, with prices at 47% of the EU average, meaning they are 53% lower than the EU average. This makes Switzerland 3.9 times as expensive as Turkey, revealing the sharp contrast in price levels across Europe. A price level above 100 means a country is more expensive than the EU average; below 100 means it's cheaper. In the EU, Luxembourg is the most expensive country, with prices 51% higher than the EU average. Bulgaria and Romania are the cheapest members, at 57% of the EU average. This means Luxembourg is about 2.7 times as expensive as Bulgaria and Romania, showing a significant but smaller gap compared to the difference between Switzerland and Turkey. Ten EU countries have prices above the EU average. Denmark (143%) and Ireland (141%) follow Luxembourg as the most expensive. Among the EU's four largest economies, Germany (109%) and France (108%) are slightly above average, while Italy (98%) and Spain (91%) are below. Western and Northern European countries tend to have high price levels. Switzerland, Iceland, Luxembourg, Denmark, Ireland, Norway, and Finland all show significantly above-average prices. These are generally high-income countries with strong currencies and higher living costs. All five Nordic countries— Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Iceland — also consistently rank near the top. In contrast, Central and Eastern European countries generally have lower price levels. Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, and the Baltic States — Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia — are all below the EU average. These regions typically record lower labour costs. Price levels are also lower in the EU candidate countries. They included Turkey, North Macedonia, Albania, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Two European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries — Switzerland and Iceland —rank first and second in 2024, with Norway in sixth place. In a 2018 analysis based on 2017 figures, Lars Svennebye of the EFTA Statistical Office explained that high workforce productivity and corresponding high salaries were key factors behind the high price levels in EFTA countries. Individual or household incomes are not included in price level comparisons. 'These figures are pure price comparisons of goods and services. They do not take the level of wages, salaries or other measures of personal income into account,' Lars Svennebye told Euronews Business. This means that someone living in a country with a high price level may still be able to buy more goods and services than someone in a country with a lower price level, depending on income. Price levels vary significantly across different categories. For example, the price level for alcohol and tobacco in the EU was nearly three times higher in Ireland (205%), the most expensive country, than in Bulgaria (69%), the cheapest. Restaurants and hotels showed the second-largest gap. Denmark had the highest prices at 148% of the EU average, while Bulgaria again recorded the lowest, at 53%. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
