This is the official last episode of Season 1! The Global Health Conversations Newsletter continues throughout the holidays until we're back after the Christmas holidays. Click here to Sign up to the free Global Health Conversations fortnightly newsletter. It is packed with the latest news in global health with themes each fortnight. You will also be notified when the next exciting interview is up! Today's episode focussed on sustainability in the Pharma and biotech industries - redefining what sustainability means in the field. Our special guest, Elisabetta Marani, or Eli, as I call her is a sustainability expert with almost a decade of experience working gin sustainability, CSR, continuous improvement & supply chain in the Pharma, Biotech and Medical devices industries; including at Biotech, Catalent and Amplifion. She has a wealth of knowledge and a dear friend of mine having completed our MScs together in Drug Discovery & Pharma Management at the UCL School of Pharmacy. She is also the founder of The Young Sustainability Network - providing guidance and solutions for young professionals with an interest in working in sustainability. We talked about many topics including circular economy, greenwashing, net zero carbon emissions goals and the role of sustainability in Pharma, practical solutions, access to medicines as a key objective of the industry alongside furthering environmental sustainability aims and if you are a young professional interested in this area - be sure to listen to the end as Eli provides her expert advice in this area. If you are not a young professional, be sure to listen to the very end for Eli's advice as to how we can all make a difference in our personal spheres of work. About Today's Guest: Elisabetta Marani graduated in Biochemistry at the University of Sheffield, pursued a masters at UCL in drug discovery & pharma management, and later on an Msc in environmental management at the Open University.She worked in the pharma & biotech industry for 6+ years, first focusing on environmental impact of pharma production sites and progressively moving to corporate roles of ESG reporting, wider corporate social responsibility programs management. She recently moved over to the medical device/hearing care industry and is now in the function of procurement, focusing on building sustainable supply chain and sourcing programs .She is a Certified Auditor ISO14001, Sustainability Practitioner (IEMA) and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt. She is also founder of The Young Sustainability Network (TYSN), an online global community aimed to support and empower young professionals as they embark in sustainability careers.Disclaimer provided by guest:Views expressed are personal opinions of the guest speaker and do not represent the views of the companies she has worked or currently works for in any way.If you are interested in a career in sustainability and would like to get in touch with Eli's initiative, reach out to The Young Sustainability Network (link).

*****If you or a friend or loved one has been affected by the issues raised in this episode, I strongly encourage you to 1. Click here to find a domestic violence hotline or helpline near you in your country please speak to someone who will understand your situation and help. 2. Delete your search history and stay safe. *****Sign up to the Global Health Conversations fortnightly newsletterThese are the ways in which women disproportionately die prematurely because of being women. Throughout this episode, you will hear me use this phrase as I walk through the ways that gender based violence impacts the right to long and healthy life; as well as the real life stories of survivors. Fortunate to have lived but with life long scars - physical and emotional - to carry. *********- Listen to Episode 10: The Role of Storytelling in Women's Health (ft. Loredana Marta) - Ross Kemp Human trafficker interview (TW)Sources of clips used: - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hI9p_PhbKQ- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Num0P3H7lU&t=415s- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/QG4iyS0MYUw- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4I_o0l5jdOg- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1XvFSoUhWI&t=191s- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77vz3r7OmZA- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU1i2IlkLbU

(Note: I was unfortunately unable to add the supplementary slides to the show notes. However, the image described in question 8 is in this week's Newsletter. Thanks for understanding and I hope you enjoyed the episode! If so, it really helps me if you leave me a kind, cheeky little five star rating ;) Thank you, Friend, for being part of the Conversation.) This week's episode delves into the fundamentals of global health. A beginners guide to the most basic concepts. The first part focussed on this overview: 04:00The second part is a fun Global Health Quiz: 18:35Each of the 8 questions is designed to illustrate an important concept in global health. The questions are below. And so are the answers. Global Health General Knowledge Quiz Questions 1.  What percentage of the world lives in extreme poverty today? 2. Average Life Expectancy at birth globally is 73 (2020). Which country has a lower life expectancy than the global average?3. How many babies are born per woman in Sri Lanka (fertility rate)? 4. What is the global average adult literacy rate (female)? 5. What is the immunisation coverage for measles and DPT in Zimbabwe? 6. Maternal mortality (per 100 000 live births) ranges from 2 – 1150 globally. What is the global average?   7. What percentage of the world’s population live in cities? 8.The world average for out-of-pocket expenditure is 18% of total health expenditure. Which country has the highest OOP %? _______ Mentioned in the episode: 1. The End of An Era: 2015 Millennium Development goals round-up (2016)2. The Lancet Global Health (2023): A call to action: the global failure to effectively tackle maternal mortality rates_______ Quiz Answers: D C  A B D  BD A

Timestamps: Intro & Update: 01:36Health Systems strengthening: 5:07Local manufacturing: 19:19Read the Newsletter hereSummary: This week’s episode provides a high level summary of important pillars in health systems strengthening and provides background on the move to manufacture vaccines and biologics regionally in Africa and beyond. Listen to Part 1 here:  Universal Health Coverage: No-one Left Behind & Financial Protection (Part 1)Resources: Tracking universal health coverage: 2023 global monitoring reportBrookings Op-ed: Africa must produce its own vaccinesThe Guardian: South Africa launches ‘unprecedented’ investigation of Johnson & Johnson over TB drug prices Health Systems Strengthening points: 1. Health Service Delivery2. Health Workforce Development - health workforce has been a cornerstone of discussions 3. Health Infrastructure and Equipment:4. Health Information Systems:5. Health Financing:Develop sustainable and equitable financing mechanisms, such as taxation, health insurance, and social health protection schemes, to ensure that healthcare services are affordable and accessible to all, regardless of income. Reduce out-of-pocket expenses for healthcare, which can lead to financial hardship.6. Governance and Leadership:Strengthen the governance and leadership of health systems by improving policies, regulations, and management structures. Enhance transparency and accountability to prevent corruption and mismanagement.7. Community Engagement and Empowerment:Involve communities in decision-making processes and encourage them to actively participate in their own health care. Promote health education and awareness to empower individuals to make informed health choices.8. Collaboration across sectors:Recognize that health outcomes are influenced by factors beyond the healthcare sector, such as education, sanitation, nutrition, and economic conditions. Foster collaboration with other sectors to address these social determinants of health.9. Research and Innovation:Encourage research and innovation to continuously improve the effectiveness and efficiency of healthcare services. Promote the adoption of evidence-based practices and technologies.10. Emergency Preparedness and Response:Strengthen the health system's ability to respond to public health emergencies and disasters, ensuring that it can provide essential services even during crises.11. Equity and Inclusivity:Ensure that vulnerable and marginalized populations, including those in remote or conflict-affected areas, have equitable access to healthcare services.12. Monitoring and Evaluation:Establish mechanisms to regularly monitor and evaluate the performance of the health system in achieving UHC goals and make necessary adjustments.

We discussed the role and impact of storytelling on women’s health and explored inequities that exist in this area. We also discussed health tech and the many persisting shortcomings that impact women’s health, treatment and lives. Loredana Marta pens a newsletter under the name Vulvarina about how sexism interferes with our lives in unseen ways, in areas ranging from medical care, to industrial design and social dynamics. Her storytelling is stats- and fact-based, letting her legal background shine through, jazzed up with approachable anecdotes of mundane London life. She spent the last two years in the startup scene, where along with her two cofounders, she built OPEN social, bringing genuine conversations back to social media by matching people based on their moods. Writer and tech gal/lady (?) is currently exploring female health and digitalisation, as well as a gender and ethnicity personalised approach to medical research and care.Click here to read and subscribe to Vulvarina. Loredana's hard hitting newsletter.Resources from this week's episode: 1. The leadership gap in healthcare: https://www.oliverwyman.com/our-expertise/perspectives/health/2019/jan/women-in-healthcare-make-80--of-purchasing-decisions--yet-13--of.html2. Female founders in the US Venture Capital ecosystem: https://pitchbook.com/news/reports/2022-all-in-female-founders-in-the-us-vc-ecosystem3. Health system tracker - health expenditures: https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/chart-collection/health-expenditures-vary-across-population/#Average%20individual%20health%20spending,%202019%C2%A04. Discussion of the research and funding gap in women's health: https://medcitynews.com/2022/12/womens-health-is-suffering-due-to-lack-of-research-and-funding-experts-say/5. Commentary piece on the profitability of women's health - Why we're betting big on women's health6. Research Funding for Women's Health: A Modeling Study of Societal Impact: Findings for Alzheimer's Disease and Alzheimer's Disease Related Dementia Model (Free to access)7. Medical textbooks: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081015132108.htm8. Time: 'Women Die From Heart Attacks More Often Than Men': https://time.com/5499872/women-heart-disease/9. Principles of Sex-based Differences in Physiology: https://www.sciencedirect.com/bookseries/advances-in-molecular-and-cell-biology/vol/34/suppl/C10. Guardian commentary on study: 'Women 32% more likely to die after operation by male surgeon' If you're not yet subscribed to the Global Health Conversations fortnightly newsletter, click here to check it out!

Sign up to the Fortnightly Newsletter here In today’s episode our Conversation was centered around the role of Medical countermeasures (MCMs) in pandemic preparedness and we also touched on the concept of Disease X. Medical countermeasures refer to the measures and products aimed at addressing the medical needs arising from infectious disease outbreaks. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored deficiencies and requirements in ensuring a swift, efficient, and equitable response to global infectious disease outbreaks. One significant concern lies in the institutional capacity required to advance research and development and introduce novel medical countermeasures (MCMs) for pandemics or diseases with pandemic potential to the market. An all-encompassing perspective that guarantees equitable and sustainable access to MCMs involves expeditious progress throughout the stages of research and development, manufacturing, production, delivery, and the creation of demand, particularly for high-risk populations. Addressing global challenges like a pandemic crisis or a potential pandemic crisis exposes the world to shared vulnerabilities, necessitating international collaboration in response. During the pandemic, international collaborations were established, and existing ones were adapted to meet evolving needs. Additionally, we briefly discussed the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A), which serves as a cross-agency partnership focused on providing access to COVID-19 tools, including MCMs. This underscores the critical emphasis on pandemic preparedness. In addition to addressing current challenges, it is imperative that our global efforts in pandemic preparedness and medical countermeasures remain vigilant and adaptable to the ever-evolving landscape of infectious diseases, including the potential emergence of "Disease X," a term used to represent unknown or unexpected pathogens that may pose future threats to humanity.The last five minutes of this episode includes a teaser of the Johnson & Johnson Bedquilline story of their treatment for multi drug resistant Tuberculosis that, post patent extension, the company agreed to waive their rights in certain regions where MDR Tuberculosis is highly prevelent. This will allow generics manufacturers to manufacture the drug and thus make it available at a lower price point to patients that need it most. But the story gets a little more interesting. The video mentioned is included in the full original article. Read the full article from the newsletter archives here: https://globalhealthconversations.substack.com/p/breakthrough-in-drug-patents-forAnd for follow ups, check out the later newsletters and subscribe for more news as this story unfolds:  https://globalhealthconversations.substack.com/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=substack_profileResources:Lancet Paper: Disease X: accelerating the development of medical countermeasures for the next pandemicDisease X - Comments on Disease X from Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund - Third party article: https://www.politico.eu/article/next-pandemic-disease-climate-change-peter-sands-global-fund/

This solocast episode dives into the dual burden of disease and its intersection with cancers in Africa. Across the African continent life expectancies are increasing. Advancements in primary care, strengthening of public health care systems and access to vital medical treatments have resulted in longer, healthier lives across the continent over the past few decades. Nonetheless, living longer makes one susceptible to acquiring an array of non-communicable diseases associated with longer life. The dual-burden of disease concept deals with the phenomenon of more and more emerging economies dealing with a combination of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and malaria alongside the rising incidence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes. This paradigm and its many nuances are demonstrated through a story. Thelma, a fictional character from Tanzania, illustrates the multi-faceted challenges faced by individuals dealing with both infectious and non-communicable diseases that typify the dual-burden of disease issue. And the story weaves itself through the episode.Discussing the rising cancer burden in Africa, emphasizing the significance of comprehensive cancer prevention and early detection programs we also addresses the increasing adoption of unhealthy lifestyles and their role in elevating cancer risks. And the insufficient access to cancer treatments that exists in too many parts of the continent due to financial constraints and inadequate healthcare systems as a critical challenge. Efforts to improve access and provide palliative care are explored, along with the role of research and innovation in addressing Africa's unique cancer challenges. Touching upon the importance of vaccination initiatives, government programs, and specialized treatment centers in addressing cancer. We underscore the need for investment in cancer research, local production of medical products, and the strengthening of biomanufacturing infrastructure to enhance healthcare accessibility as well as safe and reliable supply chains for Africa. The episode aims to spark awareness and conversations about the importance of targeted interventions, healthcare access, education, and research to address this complex public health issue.Resources:Sign up to the Fortnightly Newsletter on Global Health ConversationsWorld Humanitarian Day https://www.un.org/en/observances/humanitarian-dayRelevant blog articles: The Basics: The Paradox of the Dual Burden – NCDs and CDs (2016) Seven lessons I learned from Professor Hans Rosling: A Tribute (2017)Challenges Facing the South African Pharmaceutical Industry (2017)Other resources: World Cancer Research Fund. (2020). Cancer statistics for Africa.International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). (2018). Cancer in Africa: Epidemiology and Prevention.Contact: christiana@globalhealthwriter.com

Dr. Asika Miriam is the Hospital Manager at Zenith Medical and Kidney Center.  Miriam is a medical doctor and a healthcare management consultant with 7+ years of experience in clinical service delivery, healthcare operations management, health policy, planning & financing, strategic planning, and performance improvement gleaned from career endeavors in  Eastern Europe, England, and Africa. Miriam is an alumnus of the Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University, where she earned her MD (General medicine) degree. She also holds a postgraduate degree in International Health Management from Imperial College Business School. Miriam is passionate about African development and wants to improve healthcare delivery and strengthen the region's healthcare system.This was a great conversation with a truly insightful healthcare professional. Miriam loves to inspire others and often works with earlier career professionals to help them figure out their path. Especially fellow clinicians going into management. Reach out to Miriam here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miriambeth-asika-173893a8/

This episode is a little different. Today's episode is a story looking at the case of the TGN1412 CIinical Trial. A trial that went terribly wrong. I thoroughly enjoyed making this episode and have a number of ideas for similar ones. If you liked this bonus episode, please leave a 5 star rating so that I know you're interested to hear more in future.In March of 2006, a clinical trial for the drug TGN1412 gathered eight young and healthy men as volunteers. Within a mere 16 hours, all six were urgently transferred to Northwick Park Hospital's intensive care unit due to severe and life-threatening reactions.This catastrophic event, now infamously known as the 'Elephant Man Drug Trial,' sent shockwaves rippling through the medical and pharmaceutical communities. TGN1412, a groundbreaking monoclonal antibody drug developed by TeGenero, a German biotech company, had held the promise of treating autoimmune diseases and leukemia. Paraxel, a prominent contract research organization, was responsible for conducting the Phase I trial, the critical first-in-human testing, within an independent clinical trials unit at Northwick Park.Prior to the trial, comprehensive clinical and animal testing, including studies involving non-human primates, had been diligently carried out. These preliminary tests had seemingly indicated no signs of safety issues.Subscribe to the newsletter to be notified of future bonus episodes and news from the world of global health: https://globalhealthconversations.substack.com/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=substack_profileContact me: christiana@globalhealthwriter.comExpert group on Clinical Trials report: Duff GW, et al. (Expert Group on Phase One Clinical Trials) (7 December 2006). Expert Group on Phase One Clinical Trials: Final report (Report). Excellent, open-access paper looking at the biochemical phenomenon behind this case. Revisiting CD28 Superagonist TGN1412 as Potential Therapeutic for Pediatric B Cell Leukemia: A Review*Correction: The compensation that the 6 affected participants received was £2mil to be split between the 6 participants.

This episode is a must listen.In this episode of Global Health Conversations, I spoke to Maria Myrto Kasimati, MHCM, a scientific expert specialized in immunology and public health currently working for Havas Just:: as a Medical Writer. We talked about nudges, financial incentives, financial discincentives and using these health economics and policy approaches in addressing the causes affecting reduced life expectancy. It was an interesting talk - an unofficial Part 2 to Episode 3 structured as a discussion. Connect with Mary here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-myrto-kasimati-mhcm-92139314b/Resources: 1.     Nudges Versus Financial Incentives (abstract) (2023)  2.      Changes in life expectancy and house prices in London from 2002 to 2019: hyper-resolution spatiotemporal analysis of death registration and real estate data (Full paper)3.     World Bank - Life Expectancy at Birth (years) (up to 2021) 4.     Key Data on Health and Health Care by Race and Ethnicity (2023)5.     CDC Vital Statistics Surveillance Report (2021)Sign up to the Fortnightly Newsletter: https://globalhealthconversations.substack.com/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=substack_profileI would love your feedback. Feel free to e-mail me here: christiana@globalhealthwriter.com

Subscribe to the Global Health Conversations Newsletter to be updated on the latest interviews and episodes 🤩 :  https://globalhealthconversations.substack.com/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=substack_profileMargareta Rybarikova is a current PhD candidate with a keen interest in the development of novel therapies for genetic disorders. She received her Bachelor's degree in Biomedical Sciences from Brunel University London, where she focused on gene therapy, genomic medicine, molecular pharmacology, and cellular pathologies. Margareta went on to complete a Master's degree in Genes, Drugs, and Stem Cells - Novel Therapies at Imperial College London, where she was elected as the Course Representative. For her MSc project, she explored AAV-mediated gene editing with small Cas9 nucleases for Huntington's disease. Her passion for genetic therapy led her to pursue a PhD at the CHUV, as part of the Lemanic Neuroscience Doctoral School in Lausanne. In her doctoral research, she is developing a CRISPR-Cas9 system for ATXN3 gene editing in Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3).A friend of the podcast, Margareta discusses her research, gene therapies as a frontier in tackling rare diseases, access to biotherapeutics and balancing life and science and scientific career paths.

Sign up to the newsletter: https://globalhealthconversations.substack.com/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=substack_profileImagine a world in which public health policies were shaped by powerful insights derived from cutting-edge technologies like AI, Machine Learning, and Big Data models. This fascinating intersection of science and policymaking is explored in the latest episode of our podcast, titled "The Role of AI, Machine Learning, and Big Data Models in Shaping and Influencing Public Health Policy." In this episode, we delve into the transformative potential of predictive and prescriptive analytics, shedding light on how these techniques can revolutionize the way we approach public health challenges. Well, we’ve officially arrived.One example discussed in this solocast episode revolves around vaccine policy. Predictive analytics, a technique that harnesses historical health data and other relevant factors, can play a pivotal role in anticipating disease outbreaks. By analyzing patterns in previous outbreaks, demographic information, climate data, and even social media trends, AI-powered predictive models can forecast the likelihood of an infectious disease spreading in a particular region. We talk about a hypothetical example of Dengue fever. This invaluable early warning system empowers policymakers to take proactive measures, allocating resources and implementing preventive strategies to curb the impact of theoutbreak beforehand.However, predictive analytics is just the tip of the iceberg. Prescriptive analytics, a more advanced form of data analysis, takes the game to a whole new level. Picture a scenario where a prescriptive analytics model optimizes vaccination campaigns during a pandemic or mass immunization effort. By leveraging AI, Machine Learning, and Big Data models, policymakers can unlock powerful insights to guide their decision-making process. These models consider a myriad of factors, including population density, demographics, disease prevalence, healthcare infrastructure, and vaccine supply chains. With this wealth of information, the prescriptive analytics model provides actionable recommendations. It advises on the optimal locations for vaccination centers, the scheduling of appointments, prioritization criteria, and resource allocation. This level of precision ensures that limited vaccine supplies are distributed efficiently, maximizing immunization coverage while minimizing the impact of the disease on public health.In this latest solocast episode, we explore how analytics is revolutionizing decision-making across industries, uncover the challenges and ethical considerations associated with their implementation, and gain valuable insights into the future of this rapidly evolving field.This solocast is a little longer than the standard 20 minutes. I hope you enjoy it. Let's start a conversation.Contact me: christiana@globalhealthwriter.com

In this episode of Global Health Conversations, I spoke to Maria Myrto Kasimati, MHCM, a scientific expert specialized in immunology and public health currently working for Havas Just:: as a Medical Writer. Maria has research experience in Ebola studies at University of Surrey’s faculty of Epidemiology, Immunology and Public health; and is an absolute firecracker passionate about democratizing healthcare access for all. Having pivoted her career path, Maria, known to her friends as Mary, is a true international and having earned her degrees in the United Kingdom, has worked in medical communications in London focusing on healthcare access. Today she is a specialist medical writer working closely with the pharmaceutical industry. We discuss career paths, healthcare access and medical writing. Have you wondered how to harness your scientific background into science-driven education and medical writing? This episode is a must-listen for any young scientist asking yourself the question we all ask ourselves: What do I do next?Connect with Mary here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-myrto-kasimati-mhcm-92139314b/

The consequences of rising obesity are far-reaching. It increases the risks of chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. The strain on healthcare systems and associated economic costs are substantial, underscoring the urgency to address this issue. In this solocast episode, we explore the causes and consequences of the rise in obesity incidence in the United Kingdom. With a focus on facts, we uncover the multifaceted factors contributing to the issue and its implications on individuals and communities.Sign up to the newsletter: https://globalhealthconversations.substack.com/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=substack_profileContact: christiana@globalhealthwriter.comMentioned:Obesity series (2017)Part 1 - Rising incidence of obesity in the United Kingdom – IntroductionPart 2 – Causes of Rising Incidence of Obesity in the United KingdomPart 3 – Even more causes of rising obesity incidence in the United KingdomPart 4 – Consequences of Rising Incidence of Obesity in the United KingdomPart 5 – Conclusions on Causes and Consequences of Rising Obesity Levels in the UKSedentary Behaviour (2016)Reflection: On Sitting, Standing and Sedentary behavior

Imagine a world where quality healthcare is accessible to all individuals and communities, without the burden of financial hardship. This is the essence of universal health coverage, a concept that has gained significant attention in recent years and lies at the heart of the SDG Agenda for health. In this three-part series, we delve into the importance of UHC and its different components, exploring how it can transform healthcare systems and improve people's lives. At the heart of UHC lies the idea of providing comprehensive health services to everyone: leaving no one behind. This episode is a solocast. Sign up to the newsletter: https://globalhealthconversations.substack.com/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=substack_profileResources: https://www.afro.who.int/health-topics/universal-health-coveragehttp://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/361229/9789290234760-eng.pdf?sequence=3Contact me: christiana@globalhealthwriter.com

Global health conversations is a podcast dedicated to exploring the most pressing issues in public health today from the fields of science, medicine, health economics, global public health and development. New episodes and interviews every two weeks. Sign up to the newsletter here: https://globalhealthconversations.substack.com/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=substack_profile