Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
22 November 2012 09:22
French healthcare giant Sanofi Pasteur is reported to be planning trials starting in India of a vaccine for dengue fever
A vaccine for dengue fever is set to be tested in India as concerns mount about the wider spread of the disease around the world. French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi Pasteur will initially trial the vaccine in approximately 120 adults before proceeding with trials on children, according to the Times of India.
The vaccine could come on to the global market as early as 2015, the newspaper said. Sanofi chief executive Christopher Viehbacher was quoted as saying the final trials of the vaccine will take place across sites from Thailand to India because it needs to be effective among different populations.
The majority of dengue fever patients experience flu-like symptoms but there is a strain that can lead to life-threatening internal bleeding. At present there is no licensed dengue fever vaccine, and attempts to develop one have been hit by various complications. Firstly dengue appears to be a condition that is unique to humans, making animal trials impossible, and secondly there are four different strains of the disease, all of which may be involved in an outbreak area. People with health conditions are advised to take out the most appropriate pre-existing medical travel insurance for their needs when they travel overseas, so that they are well protected against eventualities while they are away.
17 April 2018
Despite its reputation as a party drug, ketamine is licensed as an anaesthetic. A recent US study found use of the drug via a nasal spray led to "significant" improvements in depressive symptoms in the first 24 hours.
[more...]
Simple brain-training exercises carried out at home have been shown to reduce emotional stress in female breast cancer survivors, it's recently been revealed.
13 April 2018
Drinkers who consume more alcohol than UK guidelines suggest could be cutting years off their lives, according to new research.
12 April 2018
A recent study has revealed that people who sustain brain injuries are at an increased risk of developing dementia later in life.
11 April 2018
Scientists have announced their latest breakthrough in the battle against Alzheimer's disease, after neutralising a high-risk gene in a human brain cell for the first time.
07 April 2018
The Philippines is set to shut its most famous holiday island of Boracay for six months, after the President described it as a "cesspool".
05 April 2018
Taxes on soft drinks, alcohol and tobacco - nicknamed "sin taxes" - could be a powerful step towards combating rising rates of chronic diseases worldwide, research has suggested.
New "one-stop shops" to speed up cancer diagnosis are being trialled across the country for the first time.
30 March 2018
Doctors should tell patients that e-cigarettes are less harmful than smoking but not without risk, according to new national guidance.
29 March 2018
Young people suffering from mental health problems are finding it hard to get the support they need, a survey has revealed.
28 March 2018
Children exposed to epilepsy drugs in the womb may achieve poorer test results at school, a study has suggested.
27 March 2018
Air pollution is responsible for nearly 40% of childhood asthma cases in Bradford, a city which was at the centre of the Industrial Revolution, a study has found.