28
filipino globe
health matters
June 2008
Some stomach pains may be an underlying symptom
Thank goodness for bullet points.
HEALTHTALK
reach the level of pain. If you have these signs, or any kind Can you do anything else to avoid
Some thoughts are best expressed as • The discomfort is mainly of stomach pain or discomfort, talk dyspepsia? You can do quite a bit to
a kind of laundry list, especially if what the doctor says concentrated in the upper abdomen, to your family doctor. help yourself feel better:
there are quite a few things to note although a person may also have pain This is especially important if any • If you smoke, stop smoking.
and remember. in other areas. one of the following is true for you: • If some foods bother your
And nothing works better than that Here are some of the signs of • You’re over 50 stomach, try to avoid eating them.
small dot at the start of each item. dyspepsia: • You recently lost weight without • Try to reduce the stress in your
So when we asked Dr Michael
Dr Jun
• Bloating trying to life.
Vilar, a medical specialist at the
Amigo
• If you have acid reflux, don’t eat
Mandaluyong Medical Center, for
Both men and women get it. About
right before bedtime. Raising the
his comments about dyspepsia in head of your bed with blocks under
response to a reader, he broke the
People of any age can get
one in every four people gets two legs may also help.
diffcult subject down to small parts.
dyspepsia. Both men and women get
Dr Vilar was responding to Maricel
it. About one in every four people
dyspepsia at some time
• Unless your doctor tells you
otherwise, don’t take a lot of
Cordon, an office worker in Hong
gets dyspepsia at some time.
anti-inflammatory medicines like
Kong. He writes:
Watch out for these symptoms:
• Heartburn • You have trouble swallowing ibuprofen, aspirin, naproxen and
Dyspepsia is a pain or an
• Recurrent or persistent abdominal
• Nausea (upset stomach) • You have severe vomiting ketoprofen.
uncomfortable feeling in the upper
pain or abdominal discomfort
• Vomiting • You have black, tarry bowel Acetaminophen is a better choice
middle part of your stomach. The
centered in the upper abdomen.
• Burping movements for pain, because it doesn’t hurt your
pain might come and go, but it’s
• The “discomfort” is an
• A gnawing or burning stomach • You can feel a mass in your stomach.
usually there most of the time.
uncomfortable feeling but does not
pain stomach area
Send queries to health@filglobe.com
After long
delay, cheaper
medicine is
here at last
New law completes hard-earned
reform of country’s drug industry
President Arroyo has signed the
Cheaper Medicines Act, which pro-
vides for quality medicines at afford-
able prices.
The long-awaited law replaces the
Generics Act, which was widely criti-
cised as incomplete.
“The importance of the Cheaper
and Quality Medicines Act is that we
have now completed our legislative
reforms in bringing affordable medi-
Altogether, 45 babies were exposed to the blood infection. Last month, there were 16 cases but no deaths.
cines to the people,” Arroyo said.
The new law allows the parallel im-
portation of patented medicines from
Makati hospital unit shut after 25 babies die
other countries where these are more
affordable. Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay The hospital had 16 cases of
It also allows local generics firms to we have now (right) ordered the neonatal sepsis in the four months to April
test, produce and register their gener-
ic versions of patented drugs, so these
completed our
intensive care unit of the Ospital but did not report any deaths.
ng Makati closed after 25 babies Two years ago, another Manila
can be sold upon patent expiry.
legislative reforms
died of a blood infection. hospital was forced to close its
However, the new law prohibits the
Binay announced the closure neonatal unit after seven babies
grant of new patents based on newly
in bringing
after receiving reports of the died of sepsis.
discovered uses of a known drugs
deaths. He said 45 other babies Dr Ramoncito Coronel, the
substance. affordable
were exposed to the infection, hospital’s chief of clinics, said
The new law also allows the gov-
known as neonatal sepsis, last newborn sepsis is “unavoidable”
ernment use of patented drugs when
medicines to
month. in a statistical sense, but is
The Department of Health had usually controllable.
the public interest is at stake.
the people launched an investigation, media “Sometimes, mothers don’t
It also gives the President the power
reperts said. undergo necessary prenatal
“to impose price ceilings on various
PRESIDENT ARROYO
The unit has been sterilised checkups and end up having
drugs, upon the recommendation of
On signing the measure into law
and the number of women giving premature babies who have
the Secretary of Health.
birth in the public hospital has weak immune systems and are
These drugs include those for
fordable medicines by requiring drug been restricted. susceptible to infection.”
chronic illnesses, for prevention of
outlets to carry a variety of brands for Reports said 45 cases of Coronel acknowledged that the
diseases, and those in the Philippine
each drug, including those sourced
neonatal sepsis, contracted by figure for sepsis fatalities for May
National Drug Formulary essential
from parallel importation, to give the
infants less than 90 days old,
immunity to diseases or did not
was alarming.
drug list.
consumer more choices.
were reported at the hospital last
undergo prenatal checkups.
He said a similar outbreak
The law also strengthens the Bu-
The new law also creates a con-
month out of 273 deliveries.
“Neonatal sepsis could also be
occurred in Ospital ng Makati
reau of Food and Drugs to ensure the
gressional oversight committee, such
Eric Tayag of the Department of
caused by unsanitary hospital
three or four years ago. “Our
safety of medicines by allowing it to
as the Quality Affordable Medicines
Health’s National Epidemiology
conditions,” he said.
nursery and delivery room
retain revenue for upgrading its facili-
Oversight Committee, to monitor
Center, said the infections could
Tayag said 25 deaths in one
facilities were also partially
ties, equipment and human resources.
occur if the mother had poor
compliance and give advice on future
month was “alarming.”
closed that time,” he said.
It also ensures the availability of af-
initiatives.
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