Capsules

POLLUTION

Beware, it’s in the air

More than 80 per cent of people living in urban areas are exposed to air quality levels that exceed WHO pollution levels. While all regions of the world are affected, low-income cities are the most impacted. As urban air quality declines, the risk of stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and chronic and acute respiratory diseases, including asthma, increases. And it is the youngest, oldest and poorest who are most impacted. Reducing industrial emissions, increasing use of renewable power sources, and prioritising rapid transit, are among the affordable strategies available.

MEDICINES

The problem of price

The growing problem of high medicine prices and its impact on healthcare systems is getting more attention in many countries. And regulators are willing tosolve the problem and in facilitating continued access to safe and effective medicines, a European Medicines Agency (EMA) note said. In an article in the New England Journal of Medicine, two EMA representatives and heads of two national agencies discuss possible regulatory interventions. They include enabling quick approval of generics and biosimilar as this fosters competition and drives down prices.

HEALTH HAZARD

Paws off chocolate

The US Food and Drug Administration has warned that chocolate can be dangerous for your pooch. If your dog manages to get its teeth into a pack of sugarless chewing gum, the consequences can be deadly. Sugarless gum may contain xylitol, a class of sweetener known as sugar alcohol. Xylitol is present in many products and foods for human use, but can have devastating effect on your pet. Over the past several years, the Center for Veterinary Medicine at the USFDA has received several reports of dogs getting poisoned by xylitol, the regulator said.