Health and Lifestyle

New obesity treatment lowers body weight in animal study

WASHINGTON -- An experimental treatment involving injection of engineered proteins significantly lowered body weight, blood insulin, and cholesterol levels in obese mice, rats and monkeys, according to a study published Wednesday in the US journal Science Translational Medicine.The results could... Read More

PGH awaits IRR on rare disease law

MANILA -- The Philippine General Hospital (PGH), together with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Philippine Society for Orphan Disorders (PSOD), expressed hope that the Department of Health would soon complete the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) for Republic Act No. 10747 or... Read More

Group lobbies to block return of incinerators

MANILA -- Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) Asia has sought the scrapping of House of Representatives Bill No. 2286 that seeks to repeal the ban on incineration and amend the Philippine Clean Air Act to allow the re-entry of Waste-to-Energy incineration technologies in the country.In a news release... Read More

DOH declares alert in Metro hospitals

MANILA -- The Department of Health (DOH) has placed all hospitals in Metro Manila under "Code White" on Monday in anticipation of any health emergencies that may arise due to the transport strike staged by the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON)."Code white alert is... Read More

DOH OIC vows continuity of ‘great’ programs

MANILA -- Newly appointed officer-in-charge of the Department of Health (DOH), Dr. Herminigildo Valle, said Friday he will continue “the great programs" that the agency has set in place.In an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA), Valle said he will improve and ensure PhilHealth... Read More

Valle named DOH OIC

MANILA -- The Department of Health (DOH) announced Thursday that Undersecretary Herminigildo Valle has been designated by Malacañang Palace as department officer-in-charge.According to DOH spokesperson, Dr. Corazon Flores, the appointment of Dr. Valle was issued through a memorandum from the... Read More

WHO cites effects of negative working environments on mental health

MANILA -- The World Health Organization (WHO) warned that having unfavorable work environments could lead to physical and mental health problems."There are many risk factors for mental health that may be present in the working environment. Most risks relate to interactions between type of work, the... Read More

Experimental Ebola vaccines induce year-long immune response in trial

WASHINGTON -- Two experimental Ebola vaccines can safely elicit immune responses by one month after initial vaccination that last for at least one year, results from a large clinical trial in Liberia showed Wednesday.The trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine and conducted by a... Read More

‘Ngipin’ project brings smiles to Romblon’s elderlies

MANILA -- The Department of Health’s (DOH) office in the Mimaropa region has distributed free dentures to indigent senior citizens in Odiongan municipality, Romblon province in celebration of “Elderly Filipino Week”.“This is our way of expressing our gratitude to our... Read More

FDA assures transparency in contraceptives review

MANILA -- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Monday reassured the public that the conduct of evaluation and reevaluation of contraceptives, including those covered by a Supreme Court (SC) order, “is aboveboard and transparent.”Results of the process “will be fully compliant... Read More

Acer customers may get exclusive Salvatore Mann bags until Oct. 15

MANILA -- Customers of technology and innovations company, Acer Philippines, have until October 15 to grab an exclusive bag from fashion brand Salvatore Mann when they purchase select Acer products.For every purchase of select Acer laptops and projectors, customers can get exclusive Salvatore Mann... Read More

Cholera death toll rises to 2,151 in war-torn Yemen: WHO

SANAA -- The death toll of the Cholera epidemic in war-ravaged Yemen has risen to 2,151 since it broke out in late April, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Saturday.A total of 800,626 people from 22 provinces out of total 23 have been infected, WHO said in a statement distributed to the local... Read More

DOH, World Vision to monitor compliance with breastfeeding laws

MANILA -- The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday partnered with non-governmental organization (NGO), World Vision, to monitor and report violations of the country’s breastfeeding laws through text and mobile applications.Health Secretary Dr. Paulyn Ubial said the partnership involves the... Read More

DOH-Mimaropa uses ‘Telemedicine’ for remote diagnosis, treatment

MANILA -- The Department of Health’s (DOH) office in the Mimaropa region is using “Telemedicine” in assessing the health of people believed to have been exposed to residues of mine tailings left behind by the 1996 Marcopper mining disaster.Head of Marinduque’s provincial... Read More

FDA warns vs. use of 8 unregistered ‘Healing Galing’ products

MANILA -- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is cautioning the public against consuming eight unregistered food supplements with therapeutic claims under the trademark "Healing Galing", being sold and advertised in a webpage.In its Advisory No. 2017-275, the agency named the food products that... Read More

Marinduque opens nursery for toxin-absorbing bamboo

BOAC, Marinduque – A Beema bamboo nursery was opened at the Marinduque State College (MSC) here Tuesday to propagate this type of bamboo tree that would help absorb toxic substances left by the Marcopper mining disaster in Marinduque province back in 1996.The initiative was led by the... Read More

Public told not to buy unregistered HIV self-test kits sold online

MANILA -- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned the public against using unregistered home self-test kits for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that are sold online.Based on its Advisory 2017-271, the FDA identified the product as the One Step Cassette Style HIV 1+2 Rapid Screen Test... Read More

Vaccine still best defense vs. JE: experts

MANILA -- Vaccination remains to be the most effective way to prevent and control Japanese encephalitis (JE), the Philippine Pediatric Society (PPS) and Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines (PIDSP) said Monday.In a statement, the two groups noted that while they agree that such... Read More

DOH-MIMAROPA monitoring decline in diarrhea cases in Palawan

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan -- The Department of Health (DOH) in MIMAROPA has ordered the delivery of requested medicines and other medical supplies to the southern Palawan town of Quezon in a bid to prevent the further increase of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) or diarrhea in several... Read More

Removal of tobacco industry's seat at IAC-T pushed

MANILA --The Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA) said that it supports call for the removal of the tobacco industry from the Inter-Agency Committee on Tobacco (IAC-T).In a press briefing on Friday, SEATCA - Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Program Director, Dr. Ulysses... Read More