Healthcare and Human Welfare Systems

[april boy]

Four pharmaceutical firms get licenses for ampalaya tablet

By MELODY M. AGUIBA
August 22, 2010, 5:18pm
Manila Bulletin

Four pharmaceutical companies have obtained a license to market the Filipino-developed anti-diabetes ampalaya (bitter gourd) tablet and are just awaiting reformulation of the drug before hitting the big market for this degenerative disease.

The government has granted a license to Pascual Laboratories Inc., Herbs and Nature, Herbcare Corp., and the state-run Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Herbal Medicine (PITAHC) for the commercialization of ampalaya tablet, according to Philippine Council for Health Research and Development-Department of Science and Technology (PCHRD-DoST).

The ampalaya tablet, a drug for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, was originally developed and clinically-tested under the National Integrated Research Program on Medicinal Plants (NIRPROMP), a multi-agency, multi-disciplinary project coordinated by the PCHRD.

Already P80 million has been allocated by the government for the development of drugs using indigenous plants some of which have already become a famous brand in the market including Pascual Laboratory’s Ascof, a lagundi tablet and syrup for cough treatment developed by NIRPROMP.

“I could not have imagined before that our products would reach (a successful commercialization level) as now when they are being advertised on t.v. and are being endorsed by a famous celebrity,” said Dr. Jaime C. Montoya, PCHRD executive director, in a press briefing.

The government has so far earned P40 million from royalty from Pascual Laboratory’s license use of lagundi. It is anticipating more income from other lagundi licensees. These are from the New Marketlink Pharma Corp. (NMPC), a subsidiary of Tao Corp, PITAHC (Lagundi brand), Herbs and Nature (Flemex brand), Pharmacare (Astrol brand).

“We earned P5 million from lagundi royalty from Pascual Lab alone and only for the month of December (2009),” said PCHRD’s Vicky Miranda in a separate interview.

For the ampalaya tablet, Miranda said government is also funding the reformulation so that patients do not have to take many tablets to receive the right dosage from the medicine.

The government is earning between 1.5 to three percent in royalty from drug development, according to Merlita M. Opena, PCHRD infromation and utilization program chief.

Licensees also have to pay government an upfront fee of around P100,000 which must be minimal enough for the commercialization of well-researched, clinically-tested drugs that have cost government a substantial research and development (R&D) investment.

Montoya said earnings from the commercialization of these drugs should be plowed back for R&D in order to prompt the local drug industry to flourish.

Other NIRPROMP-developed indigenous plant-based drugs, some of which have been successfully launched in the market are sambong tablet, a diuretic (for the treatment of edema or “manas”) and of kidney stone; yerba buena tablet, an analgesic for the treatment of pain; and tsaang gubat, for biliary and intestinal colic pain.

[Linguine]

Non-PhilHealth members urged to register
By CHARISSA M. LUCI
September 4, 2010, 10:10pm

Manila, Philippines — The Department of Health (DoH) and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) have urged all the non-members of PhilHealth to take advantage of the one-day registration in October and be part of the government’s health insurance program.

PhilHealth President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Rey B. Aquino asked “financially capable” individuals to pay their premium contributions to give them health security blanket.

The whole-day registration called “PhilHealth Sabado, Magseguro, Magparehistro” is set for Saturday, October 2.

“We encourage those financially capable of paying for their premium contributions to register under our Individually Paying Program,” Aquino said.

“In particular, we would like to reach out to our fellowmen who are not yet members, but who have the financial means to pay for their premium contributions.”

There are about 20 million principal PhilHealth members, 3.42 million of whom are individually paying members.

The registration centers include all regional and service offices of PhilHealth, as well as the DoH’s Centers for Health Development and DoH-retained hospitals nationwide.

source

[Linguine]

DSWD Asked to Justify Raising Poor Pension Eligibility to 80 Years

By HANNAH L. TORREGOZA
September 15, 2010, 6:03pm

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) was asked Wednesday to justify its plan to raise the age criteria of eligibility of beneficiaries for its indigent social pension program.

Sen. Edgardo Angara said the DSWD should explain why they raised the age requirement from 60 years old to 80 years old that would in effect lower the number of indigent senior citizen eligible for the benefits.

Angara raised the issue apart from the fact the agency has a proposed P34.3-billion budget for 2011 which is up by 123% from its 2010 budget of P15.4 billion.

He said around 1.7 eligible senior citizens stand to benefit from the agency’s social pension program which is under the Expanded Senior Citizens Act (ESCA). Raising the eligibility to 80 years old lowers the number to a more manageable 145,000.

Angara noted this is in addition to the established requirements: frail or sickly, no regular income and no regular financial support.

“Yung eligibility requirements ninyo — no family support, no financial means, frail and sickly — wala nang 80-year olds kapag ganyan ang conditions,” Angara told the agency’s officials during a recent budget hearing.

Angara also asked the agency to clarify its rules to avoid future misunderstanding of a policy that is meant to improve the lives of the people.

This was also after the DSWD confirmed Angara’s assumption that the average life expectancy of Filipino women is now around 79 years old while the men had a lower life expectancy of about 76.

However, the National Statistics Office projects the average life expectancy of Filipino females from birth at 73.14 years from 2010 to 2015, and at 71.64 from 2015 to 2010. This compares to 73.34 years from 2005 to 2010.

The NSO projects average life expectancy of Filipino males at 67.61 years from 2010 to 2015, and at 66.11 from 2015 to 2020. This compares to 68.81 years from 2005 to 2010.

Studies show that the average life expectancy of Filipinos from birth rose from 61.6 years in 1980 to 64.6 years in 1990. This rose to 69 years in 2000 and projected to rise to 70.5 years in 2005.

The studies said that in the Philippines life expectancy of females are higher than males: 72.8 years for females compared to 67.5 years for males in 2004.

“The law might not respond to the needs of the people they are created for simply because of improper wording,” he said.

“For example, the term ‘financial assistance’ should not disqualify them from availing of this pension, because we can’t be sure that the help that they are receiving is sufficient for their basic needs,” he explained.

http://www.mb.com.ph/node/277230/d

[Linguine]

Budget For Public Health Slashed
DoH hospital funds cut by as much as 50%

By JENNY F. MANONGDO
September 13, 2010, 6:06pm

MANILA, Philippines — A group of medical workers on Monday voiced its concern over the slash in the operational budget of almost all public hospitals in the country.

In a statement, the Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD) said the “Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE)” of public hospitals have been reduced by as much as 50 percent in the proposed national budget of the Department of Health (DoH) for 2011.

While the operational budget for public hospitals has been cut, the 2011 outlay for the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has been increased to P34.4 billion from P15.4 billion in 2010 or a 123 percent increase.

“The MOOEs are the operational funds of these hospitals, their very lifeblood,” said Dr. Geneve Rivera, secretary-general of HEAD. “If these are not enough, then the provision of direct health services will be adversely and severely affected. Filipino patients will suffer for this.”

The HEAD official said the MOOE of Culion Sanitarium in Palawan will receive the biggest cut in the budget at P13 million or lower by more than 50 percent. From P25.9-million budget in 2010, it will receive P12.9 million in 2011. Western Visayas Medical Center will also receive a reduction in budget with 42 percent decrease in MOOE or P39 million.

“In Metro Manila, eight of the 12 DoH-retained hospitals have decreased MOOEs in 2011 amounting to a total of P70.8 million. The MOOE of Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center, the DoH’s flagship hospital, is reduced by P9.3 million, while that of San Lazaro Hospital, where most infectious cases are taken, is reduced by P6.5 million,” Rivera added.

Dr. Gene Nisperos Alzona, HEAD vice chair, said they based their claims on the proposed budget of DoH for 2011 that is available online.

But “there is no change for hospital budgets," Dr. Yolly Oliveros, DoH head executive assistant insists in a separate interview.

Dr. Nisperos said HEAD has studied the allocations of the proposed 2011 budget that clearly shows the drop in the budget for public hospitals.

“The proposal for the 2011 budget is available online. They said there is no change in the budget of hospitals because they are looking at the total. There are three kinds of budget. One is the capital outlay which is for the infrastructures, the operational budget, and the personnel salaries. If you look at the whole thing, there is no change. But the capital outlay has been removed, the salaries increased only because they are applying the salary standardization scheme. The operational budget is needed because this is where the capacity to give services is dependent… If you look at the total, there seems to be no big change in it… The ‘actual increases’ are covered by ‘deceptive increases,’” he said.

HEAD also noted the increase in the allocation of two hospitals under the Department of National Defense (DND).

It said the Armed Forces of the Philippines Medical Center has an increase of P168.0 million, from P923.5 million in 2010 to P1.091 billion 2011, while the Veterans Memorial Medical Center also has an increase of P130.7 million, up to P820.2 million (2011) from P689.4 million (2010).

“If President Benigno Simeon Aquino III can give such an amount to hospitals under the DND, it should give the same, if not more, to DoH hospitals because these cater to the general public, particularly the poor,” Dr. Rivera said.

In contrast to the DoH proposed budget of P32 billion, HEAD is proposing a P90-billion budget where P40 billion should be allocated for improving the public healthcare delivery system, particularly the state of public hospitals.

“All 12 DoH-retained hospitals should each get P1 billion while the 55 public hospitals nationwide should each get an average of P500 million. These funds will be used to improve and upgrade their equipment, and ensure sufficient medical supplies and medicines in their pharmacies.”

Meanwhile, lawmakers in the House of Representatives on Monday questioned the significant cut of allocation for several public hospitals all over the country.

In a public hearing, House minority leader Edcel Lagman asked Health Secretary Enrique Ona to explain the reductions. (With a report by Rio Rose Ribaya)


http://www.mb.com.ph/node/276877/public-health-peril

[icarusrising]

ANTIDENGUE DRIVE
DoST develops mosquito trap


By Christine O. Avendaño
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 03:59:00 09/16/2010

Filed Under: Dengue, Science & Technology, Health, Diseases


MANILA, Philippines—Prompted by persistent reports of dengue cases nationwide, the Department of Science and Technology (DoST) has developed a mosquito trap that check the spread of the virus and may soon become available next month.

The trap has successfully passed laboratory tests and will be subjected to field tests in 500 households in Quezon City and 500 households in Marikina City next week, Science Secretary Mario Montejo said at a press briefing in Malacañang Wednesday.

“If we get positive results which we expect, we can roll them out all over (the country),” Montejo said. “We have to be careful that what we’re claiming is really validated, including implementation details.”

Dengue fever, a mosquito-borne disease, has so far afflicted more than 50,000 people, killing 500 of them.

Montejo presented to reporters the mosquito trap, a small plastic black container with a black “organic” solution developed by epidemiologists and a piece of wood.

“Mosquitoes are attracted by the color, as well as the solution, which has fumes,” he said.

100-percent kill

The insects gather inside the container and lay their eggs, but the larvae end up being killed there, Montejo said. Laboratory tests showed the solution killing “100 percent” of the larvae, he added.

The secretary said he hoped the mosquito trap could be made available in a month.

The container and solution cost P30 or less, he said. People can just come up with their own plastic container and buy the solution, which will cost only P5 a pack, he added.

Montejo said he expected the trap to last for two months as he noted that the life span of a mosquito was only one month. A female mosquito lays as many as 400 eggs four times in its life, and 80 percent of the eggs turn out to be female.

The science official said the device was not new because as early as 12 years ago, it was used mainly to attract mosquitoes and monitor their number.

What is new is the development of the solution, and thus the trap is the first one to kill mosquito larva, according to Montejo.

A household may need between five and 10 mosquito traps, depending on where family members want to place them, he said.

Montejo also disclosed that the DoST and the Department of Health would come out “in the near future” with diagnostic kits to help doctors determine if their patients have contracted the disease.

Read more...

[RonnieR]

If it's only P5/pack, then it is very affordable.


Filipinos expect govt to provide healthcare to all

http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php...lthcare-to-all

Friday, 17 September 2010 00:00

ABOUT 87 percent of adult Filipinos expect the government to provide healthcare for all, including those who cannot afford to pay for it, according to a Social Weather Station (SWS) survey. It also found that 60 percent of the respondents felt satisfied with the government in providing quality health services for all. In addition, 25 percent never consulted a doctor or a health facility during sickness, while 55 percent have no health insurance; and that the majority were willing to pay higher premium to cover dependents/children (67 percent) and other healthcare costs (55 percent).

The survey learned that 78 percent gave importance to the issue of health insurance in choosing their president in the May 2010 polls.

The study also showed that 75 percent of the respondents consulted a doctor when they felt sick, of which 31 percent said that they did so in the past 12 months; 19 percent—about one to two years ago; 9 percent—three to four years ago; and 16 percent—five years ago or more. On the other hand 25 percent have not gone to a doctor or a health facility when they were sick.

Of those who went to a doctor or health facility upon falling ill, the survey revealed that only 8 percent of the respondents used PhilHealth to pay for their medical bills.

The SWS also said that 72 percent of those who participated in the survey paid for their medical bills, while 16 percent got it for free from a public doctor. Only 5 percent said that they had family or friends to help them pay for their medical bills.

According to the study, the most common reason for not going to a doctor or health facility was “I knew what medicine to buy in order to cure myself” (33 percent). Other reasons cited include: “I couldn’t afford it” (24 percent), “Never consulted a doctor when sick” (17 percent), and “There is no doctor or hospital nearby” (4 percent).

The survey also found that 55 percent did not have any public or private insurance to cover for their healthcare expenses, with higher proportions coming from Class D (54 percent) and E (66 percent), as compared to those belonging to the upper and middle classes (28 percent).

Asked if part of what the government spends for road-building should be better spent for healthcare, 59 percent said that they agree with the statement. On another question, 64 percent disagreed with the statement that getting health insurance is a waste of money, while 25 percent agreed. The remaining 10 percent were undecided on the matter.

About half (49 percent) also disagreed that “only rich people can afford to buy health insurance,” while 39 percent agreed. 12 percent were undecided.

The SWS survey, which was commissioned by the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines, was conducted from January 29 to February 1, during the administration of former President and now Rep. Gloria Arroyo of Second District of Pampanga.
THE TIMES

[Linguine]

Solon wants P5-M set aside for mothers’ health

Written by Fernan Marasigan / Reporter
Saturday, 18 September 2010 10:14

As the government scrambles to meet Millennium Development Goal (MDG) No. 5 in 2015, House Minority leader Edcel Lagman proposed to earmark and utilize annually at least P5 million from the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of each House of Representatives member which he said can boost the country’s chances of achieving the goal in improving maternal health and reducing maternal mortality.

Lagman said that a total of P6.75 billion in five years can be sourced from PDAF, also called “pork barrel” which could help attain Goal No. 5 even as he lamented that “among all the eight MDGs, the least likely to be achieved is Goal No. 5.”

He said that worldwide, the least progress has been in the area of reducing maternal mortality and improving mother’s health.

“This mirrors the low status accorded to women in most societies because the goal that specifically protects and promotes their health and well-being is the one where the commitment of majority of the signatory-countries is at best, faltering and at worst, feeble and half-hearted,” said Lagman in a speech before participants to the Women Deliver Conference recently.

Lagman proposed to earmark and utilize annually at least P5 million from the congressmen’s PDAF or a total of P1.35 billion yearly for related programs and activities to help achieve MDG 5 in their respective districts and constituencies.

He emphasized that allocating funds through the PDAF for basic and emergency obstetric care and information campaign to avoid high-risk pregnancies will lower maternal mortality and morbidity.

“If we collectively adopt and implement this proposal starting in 2011, we shall be able to harness P1.35-billion annually or P6.75 billion in five years in the House of Representatives alone,” Lagman said. The deadline for achieving the MDGs is 2015.

Lagman added that “the enactment of a rights-based, development-oriented and health-driven law on reproductive health that is well-funded and national in scope will help ensure that the miracle of life will not mean death for so many mothers.”

In the Philippines, Lagman said that 11 women die daily of causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. The country’s current maternal mortality ratio (MMR) is pegged at a high of 162 deaths for every 100,000 live births, while the MDG target is an MMR of 52 by 2015.


http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/hom...mothers-health

[Linguine]

Obesity in Young Filipinos Rising

By GABRIEL S. MABUTAS
September 23, 2010, 6:58pm




Obesity is now on the rise among Filipino adults ages 20 and up, and threatens to increase the number of people having degenerative diseases, a DoST study showed.

MANILA, Philippines — Obesity is now on the rise among Filipino adults ages 20 and up, and threatens to increase the number of people having degenerative diseases like heart disease, hypertension and diabetes mellitus, as study conducted by the Department of Science and Technology (DoST) showed.

The increase was discovered in 2008 when it registered a trend in the study conducted by the DoST’s Food and Nutrition Research Institute.

Based on the study, there were about 20 out of 100 adults of both sexes who were overweight 1998. The figure then increased to 24 and 27 out of 100 in 2003 and 2008, respectively.

In the 2008 survey, 2.7% Filipino adults aged 20 years and over are suffering from impaired fasting glucose, while hyperglycemia or high fasting blood sugar (FBS) level is 4.8%.

The prevalence of hypertension among adults is 25%, increasing with age starting from age 40-49 years.

Overweight, when left unattended, may result in many chronic degenerative diseases like heart diseases, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus.

Diabetes is a disease characterized by elevated blood sugar levels due to deficiency or absence of insulin which is needed to utilize blood sugar to turn it into energy.

It causes sugar levels in the blood to increase. Individuals having fasting blood sugar level equal to or greater than 100-125 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl) are considered having impaired glucose level, while those with blood sugar level equal to or greater than 125 mg/dl are classified as diabetics.

The signs and symptoms of diabetes are numerous including frequent urination, excessive thirst, extreme hunger, sudden weight loss, weakness and fatigue, recurring or hard to heal wound or gum infection, drowsiness, tingling or numbness in hands or feet, itching of skin and genitals, sudden vision changes, and blurred vision.

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/278649...lipinos-rising

[Linguine]

PhilHealth for cancer outpatients urged

Written by Sara Susanne D. Fabunan / Correspondent
Thursday, 23 September 2010 13:28

A GROUP of cancer-patient groups on Thursday urged the government to expand the coverage of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) by including benefits for Filipino outpatients.

In a press conference, Cancer Warriors Foundation (CWF) executive director James Auste said President Aquino’s commitment to increase the coverage of health-insurance members won’t be complete if the government will not implement benefits for outpatients.

He said from the 45 percent of Filipinos who availed themselves of PhilHealth benefits last year, 25 percent had not consulted a doctor during illness and 90 percent are outpatients.

“Most of these [treatments] are out-of-pocket expenses by the family of the afflicted. Universal coverage can be meaningless if the benefit package is curative in nature. For PhilHealth to be aligned with the Health department’s battle cry, it should focus on preventive approaches. There should be a benefit package for outpatient and maintenance medication for people stricken with chronic diseases,” Auste said in a press conference in Manila.

Auste said 65 percent of children who suffer from cancer are all outpatients.

“PhilHealth covers only those patients who are hospitalized, and those cancer patients who are admitted to hospital are those who [already have] a terminal condition,” he lamented.

 By way of example, he said the treatment for children with leukemia costs about P13,000 a month, excluding the expenses for antibiotics in other infectious illnesses.

According to CWF, of the 3,500 Filipino children diagnosed with cancer, 2,500 die yearly, mainly because “they have no money to buy medicines.” In contrast, in the US and other developed countries, eight out of 10 kids diagnosed with cancer survive. “In the Philippines, eight out of 10 die, only two survive, because the drugs are expensive and the poor have no money for these,” Auste said in an interview.

Benefits for outpatients, that PhilHealth must include, he said, are consultation fee, dental fee, blood test, diagnostic test and medication.

Cut the Cost, Cut the Pain Network (3CPNet) spokesman Salvacion Basiano also said PhilHealth accounts for only 12 percent to 15 percent of the country’s total health-care expenditure, while out-of-pocket expenses account for almost 60 percent and the rest is covered by private health-service institutions.

3CPNet reported that an average spending for health care per household is P5,874, way above the poverty threshold of P4,835.

“A significant number of daily wage earners suffering from diabetes or hypertension could not comply with their regular medication because these are not covered by PhilHealth, and they’d rather spend their hard-earned income for their family’s food on the table,” Ayos na Gamot sa Abot-Kayang Presyo convener Ludy Casaña said.

Their group also asked the PhilHealth to implement the cost-containment measure of the cheaper medicine law.

The coalition wants to initiate dialogues to improve its partnership with and among government agencies, the private sector and civil-society groups on the maldistribution of health resources, low quality of government facilities, underinvestment, and the health expenditures being dominated by out-of-pocket payments. 

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/hom...patients-urged

[Linguine]

Leyte Opens 4 New Birthing Centers

September 24, 2010, 8:57pm

TACLOBAN CITY – The provincial government of Leyte, in partnership with private group Kakak Foundation, has opened at least four more birthing centers in strategic villages.

The establishment of the birthing centers is in support to the local government’s plan to provide various areas in the province with safe affordable birthing centers and thereby reduce maternal and infant mortality.

Leyte Gov. Carlos Jericho “Icot” L. Petilla led in the inauguration of the birthing centers located in the villages of Culasian in Capoocan town, Jugaban in Carigara, District 3 and Governor Jaro in Babatngon.

Petilla said that with the establishment of birthing facilities, expectant mothers can now avail of quality and affordable maternal health care services – and no longer resort to the traditional “hilots,” and thereby avoid risks of mother and infant mortality.

With health among his priority programs, Petilla earlier vowed that he would make Leyte as one of the top provinces with the most number of birthing centers, in an effort to eradicate mother and infant mortality.

Earlier, the Leyte government has already opened birthing centers in the towns of Palo, Sta. Fe, Inopacan, and Tabango.

While other birthing centers will be opened in the municipalities of La Paz and Julita.

Petilla, however, said the thrust in establishing more birthing centers should be coupled with appropriate family planning and education – especially for villagers in far-flung barangays. (Jack C. Gadaingan)

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/278896...rthing-centers

[NOVO ECIJANO]

GUYABANO(SOURSOP)NATURAL CANCER CELL KILLER

by María-Isabel Marqués on Friday, August 6, 2010 at 10:47pm
I received this e-mail from a friend (doctor)... I want to share with everybody... so please share with your friends...

Guanábana as we called in Puerto Rico, is one of my favorite fruit since i was a little child...


The Soursop Fruit or GUANABANA (name of the fruit in Puerto Rico) GUYABANO, is the name Philippines call the fruit.
The SOUR SOP or the fruit from the GRAVIOLA TREE is a miraculous natural cancer cell killer 10,000 times stronger than Chemo.

Why are we not aware of this? Its because some big corporation want to make back their money spent on years of research by trying to make a synthetic version of it for sale.

So, since you know it now you can help a friend in need by letting him know or just drink some sour sop juice yourself as prevention from time to time. The taste is not bad after all. It's completely natural and definitely has no side effects.. If you have the space, plant one in your garden.
The other parts of the tree are also useful.
The next time you have a fruit juice, ask for a sour sop.

How many people died in vain while this billion-dollar drug maker concealed the secret of the miraculous Graviola tree?

This tree is low and is called graviola in Brazil , guanabana in Spanish and has the uninspiring name "soursop" in English. The fruit is very large and the subacid sweet white pulp is eaten out of hand or, more commonly, used to make fruit drinks, sherbets and such.

The principal interest in this plant is because of its strong anti-cancer effects. Although it is effective for a number of medical conditions, it is its anti tumor effect that is of most interest. This plant is a proven cancer remedy for cancers of all types.

Besides being a cancer remedy, graviola is a broad spectrum antimicrobial agent for both bacterial and fungal infections, is effective against internal parasites and worms, lowers high blood pressure and is used for depression, stress and nervous disorders.

If there ever was a single example that makes it dramatically clear why the existence of Health Sciences Institute is so vital to Americans like you, it's the incredible story behind the Graviola tree.

The truth is stunningly simple: Deep within the Amazon Rainforest grows a tree that could literally revolutionize what you, your doctor, and the rest of the world thinks about cancer treatment and chances of survival. The future has never looked more promising.

Research shows that with extracts from this miraculous tree it now may be possible to:
> * Attack cancer safely and effectively with an all-natural therapy that does not cause extreme nausea, weight loss and hair loss
> * Protect your immune system and avoid deadly infections
> * Feel stronger and healthier throughout the course of the treatment
> * Boost your energy and improve your outlook on life
The source of this information is just as stunning: It comes from one of America 's largest drug manufacturers, the fruit of over 20 laboratory tests conducted since the 1970's! What those tests revealed was nothing short of mind numbing... Extracts from the tree were shown to:
>
> * Effectively target and kill malignant cells in 12 types of cancer, including colon, breast, prostate, lung and pancreatic cancer..
> * The tree compounds proved to be up to 10,000 times stronger in slowing the growth of cancer cells than Adriamycin, a commonly used chemotherapeutic drug!
> * What's more, unlike chemotherapy, the compound extracted from the Graviola tree selectivelyhunts down and kills only cancer cells. It does not harm healthy cells!The amazing anti-cancer properties of the Graviola tree have been extensively researched--so why haven't you heard anything about it? If Graviola extract is as half as promising as it appears to be--why doesn't every single oncologist at every major hospital insist on using it on all his or her patients?

The spine-chilling answer illustrates just how easily our health--and for many, our very lives(!)--are controlled by money and power.

Graviola--the plant that worked too well

One of America 's biggest billion-dollar drug makers began a search for a cancer cure and their research centered on Graviola, a legendary healing tree from the Amazon Rainforest.

Various parts of the Graviola tree--including the bark, leaves, roots, fruit and fruit-seeds--have been used for centuries by medicine men and native Indians in South America to treat heart disease, asthma, liver problems and arthritis. Going on very little documented scientific evidence, the company poured money and resources into testing the tree's anti-cancerous properties--and were shocked by the results. Graviola proved itself to be a cancer-killing dynamo.

But that's where the Graviola story nearly ended.

The company had one huge problem with the Graviola tree--it's completely natural, and so, under federal law, not patentable. There's no way to make serious profits from it.

It turns out the drug company invested nearly seven years trying to synthesize two of the Graviola tree's most powerful anti-cancer ingredients. If they could isolate and produce man-made clones of what makes the Graviola so potent, they'd be able to patent it and make their money back. Alas, they hit a brick wall. The original simply could not be replicated. There was no way the company could protect its profits--or even make back the millions it poured into research.
As the dream of huge profits evaporated, their testing on Graviola came to a screeching halt. Even worse, the company shelved the entire project and chose not to publish the findings of its research!

Luckily, however, there was one scientist from the Graviola research team whose conscience wouldn't let him see such atrocity committed. Risking his career, he contacted a company that's dedicated to harvesting medical plants from the Amazon Rainforest and blew the whistle.

Miracle unleashed
When researchers at the Health Sciences Institute were alerted to the news of Graviola, they began tracking the research done on the cancer-killing tree. Evidence of the astounding effectiveness of Graviola--and its shocking cover-up--came in fast and furious....

.....The National Cancer Institute performed the first scientific research in 1976. The results showed that Graviola's "leaves and stems were found effective in attacking and destroying malignant cells." Inexplicably, the results were published in an internal report and never released to the public...

...Since 1976, Graviola has proven to be an immensely potent cancer killer in 20 independent laboratory tests, yet no double-blind clinical trials--the typical benchmark mainstream doctors and journals use to judge a treatment's value--were ever initiated...

....A study published in the Journal of Natural Products, following a recent study conducted at Catholic University of South Korea stated that one chemical in Graviola was found to selectively kill colon cancer cells at "10,000 times the potency of (the commonly used chemotherapy drug) Adriamycin..."

....The most significant part of the Catholic University of South Korea report is that Graviola was shown to selectively target the cancer cells, leaving healthy cells untouched. Unlike chemotherapy, which indiscriminately targets all actively reproducing cells (such as stomach and hair cells), causing the often devastating side effects of nausea and hair loss in cancer patients.

...A study at Purdue University recently found that leaves from the Graviola tree killed cancer cells among six human cell lines and were especially effective against prostate, pancreatic and lung cancers.... Seven years of silence broken--it's finally here!

A limited supply of Graviola extract, grown and harvested by indigenous people in Brazil , is finally available in America .

The full Graviola Story--including where you can get it and how to use it--is included in Beyond Chemotherapy: New Cancer Killers, Safe as Mother's Milk, a Health Sciences Institute FREE special bonus report on natural substances that will effectively revolutionize the fight against cancer.
> This crucial report (along with five more FREE reports) is yours ABSOLUTELY FREE with a new membership to the Health Sciences Institute. It's just one example of how absolutely vital each report from the Institute can be to your life and those of your loved ones.

From breakthrough cancer and heart research and revolutionary Amazon Rainforest herbology to world-leading anti-aging research and nutritional medicine, every monthly Health Sciences Institute Member's Alert puts in your hands today cures the rest of America --including your own doctor(!)--is likely to find out only ten years from now.

[Linguine]

Doctors told to quit smoking, practice what they preach

By Cynthia Balana
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:50:00 09/26/2010

Filed Under: Health

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine Medical Association (PMA) urged its members to set an example to patients by not smoking. In a resolution Friday, the PMA “prohibited” smoking among its members and enjoined all other medical practitioners not to smoke.

PMA president Oscar Tinio pointed out that smokers were not the only ones affected by the habit. He said the health of nonsmokers was put at risk by secondhand smoke, “which is equally, if not more, damaging.”
The PMA resolution asked doctors to inform their patients about the benefits of not smoking and the ill effects of tobacco use.

“Our members are in the best position to know the damaging effects of tobacco smoking on a person’s health,” Tinio said.

Dr. Mike Aragon, chair of PMA’s media affairs, said members violating the resolution would be subject to penalties provided for in the association’s rules.

He encouraged the public to report doctors who were smoking. A committee would decide on what to do with the erring members, he added.

The PMA resolution was signed at the end of the association’s Fun Run, an activity led by “running priest” Fr. Robert Reyes at the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City.

Similar activities were held simultaneously in the PMA’s 118 chapters in cities and towns around the country. Aside from doctors, representatives of civic organizations that advocated no smoking also joined the Fun Run.

Tinio admitted that some doctors continued to smoke despite knowing its ill effects. This gave the public the false impression that PMA was not supportive of the no smoking campaign, he said.

“Physicians must be role models on matters of health...that is why it is highly inappropriate for physicians to be seen smoking,” Tinio said.
Government statistics show that there are some 17.3 million smokers in the Philippines, about 28 percent of the population aged 15 and above. Even President Benigno S. Aquino III is a smoker, saying the habit helps him deal with the stress of his job.

Aragon said the PMA, which counts majority of the country’s medical practitioners as members, was a crucial partner of government in nation-building and was promoting public-private partnership.

The PMA is helping, among other things, the pursuit of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDG) particularly the achievement by 2015 of Philippine targets on child health, maternal mortality and infectious diseases.

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Natural health products take centerstage

(The Philippine Star) Updated September 28, 2010 12:00 AM Comments (0) View comments

MANILA, Philippines - October, declared as the Traditional Health Month, will not be complete without the staging of the 4th Marpe Health Expo 2010 on Oct. 22 to 24 that carries the theme “Pinoy Herbals: The Natural Way to Health & Wellness.”

The three-day show is organized by the Chamber of Herbal Industries of the Philippines Inc. (CHIPI, whose company-members and products are recognized both here and abroad and collectively contribute about $600 million to the economy annually.

Teresita “Tess” E. Santos, CHIPI treasurer and the overall chairman of the show, said the expo is expected to become the biggest tradeshow in the Philippine herbal industry.

“This expo will be the biggest tradeshow in the Philippine herbal industry,” Santos who is president and CEO of Prosource International, said. She added the event is supported by the Department of Health, the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care and the Department of Trade and Industry.

The 4th Marpe Health Expo 2010, managed by Mil-dred B. Caballero of Trade Advertising Exhibitions and Conventions International Inc. (Tradecon Inc.), the undisputed leader in the events management and organizing industry, will run from Oct. 22-24 at the Megatrade Hall, 5th Level, Mega B, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City.

For inquiries, call event manager Tradecon, Inc. at 633-8547; 395-5137; 395-5009 or email at tradecon.inc @gmail.com.

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Noy urged to endorse RH bill

By Jess Diaz (The Philippine Star) Updated September 29, 2010 12:00 AM Comments (7) View comments

MANILA, Philippines - House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman urged President Aquino yesterday to endorse the Reproductive Health Bill, which he authored.

He said the President should complement his advocacy of voluntary family planning, birth spacing and use of contraceptives by immediately endorsing the RH bill, which the previous Congress failed to approve.

“This endorsement would fittingly cap the Aquino administration’s first 100 days and mitigate early setbacks,” he said.

He said the bill guarantees “the right to make free and informed decisions” on how to plan one’s family, and promotes “without bias all modern natural and artificial methods of family planning that are medically safe, legal and effective.”

Lagman pointed out that the Philippines “is the only middle-income Asian country without a comprehensive reproductive health law.”

“The need to institutionalize by legislation a progressive reproductive health policy is imperative to counteract the vagaries and idiosyncrasies of changing administrations and leaders,” he stressed.

He said the United Nations Millennium Development Goal (MDG) on improving maternal health includes universal access to reproductive health by 2015.

He noted that the Philippines is one of 189 signatory countries to the Millennium Declaration made 10 years ago this month.

The opposition leader said family planning and reproductive health are interlinked with the other MDGs, particularly with reducing extreme hunger and poverty and reducing child mortality as well as with achieving universal primary education and ensuring environmental sustainability.

He said when the first RH bill was filed in the 11th Congress 10 years ago, the Philippine population was about 75 million.

A decade later, on July 1, 2010, when the measure was re-filed, the population “has ballooned to 93.4 million, or a staggering increase of 19.3 million – an average of almost two million annually,” he said.

Citing the human development report of the UN Development Program in 2009, Lagman said that while the Philippines is the 12 most populous country in the world, its human development index has slipped to 105 among 182 countries.

“A high population growth of 2.04 percent impacts adversely on all indicators of human development like health, education, food security, mass housing, and the environment,” he emphasized. – With Marvin Sy, Evelyn Macairan and AP

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100% hike in PhilHealth premiums scored

By Lira Dalangin-Fernandez
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 11:44:00 09/30/2010

MANILA, Philippines—Lawmakers on Thursday asked President Benigno Aquino III to reconsider the government’s decision to increase the premium of Philippine Health Insurance Inc. (PhilHealth), saying it is anti-poor.

Eastern Samar Representative Ben Evardone and Kabataan party-list Representative Raymond Palatino said the 100-percent increase in premium will discourage indigent families from enlisting as Philhealth members, especially if they will be the ones to pay premium.

Bacolod Representative Anthony Golez, a medical doctor, meanwhile, proposed a “categorized” premium that would vary depending on the income of the member.

“The plan of PhilHealth to increase the premium by 100 percent is anti-poor and anti-people,” Evardone said in a text message.

He said the President should recall the decision of the board to raise the premium because this would only defeat the government’s plan to have a universal coverage.

“Because of the prohibitive cost of enrolment, many won’t be able to afford,” Evardone added.

Evardone, former secretary general of the League of Provinces of the Philippines, said there was no need for PhilHealth to increase the premium because it is awash with cash.

In a separate interview, Palatino said the increase in premium would be an additional burden to the Filipinos, especially if the poor will shoulder it.

Palatino said the conditional cash transfer, the government cash subsidy to the poorest of the poor in the country, will be for nothing if the families would have to pay for the increased premium.

Golez said the increase in premium should be matched with increase in benefits of members. He also said that any increase should be paid by the government, not the poor families.

He proposed a “categorized” premium that would depend on the member’s capacity to pay.

Golez said those who are capable of paying higher premium should be charged more so that they can subsidize a portion of the premium of the poor families. He said this will also unburden the government of shouldering the cost of the premium of the indigents.

In a circular approved by its board, PhilHealth premium contributions for new members will increase from P300 to P600 quarterly or a total of P2,400 per year

Covered by the increase are members who are earning P25,000 a year based on their income tax returns.

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Now we are subsidizing those 100,000 newly enrolled Philhealth member...

PhilHealth hikes professionals’ premium

Manila Standard Today
by Macon Araneta
October 5, 2010

MEDICAL doctors, lawyers, engineers, architects and other individual-paying members of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. will have their annual premium contributions doubled starting on Oct. 12.

For next year, the premium will rise by 200 percent, PhilHealth said in circular 24 series of 2010.

The premium rate hike is meant to rationalize the contributions of individual members who have been paying a premium based on a nine-year old schedule, Philhealth president and chief executive officer Rey Aquino said on Monday.

PhilHealth’s individual members, who accounted for 3.5 million or 16 percent of Philhealth’s membership of 21 million, will be made to pay P600 per quarter or P2,400 for one year. The rate will then increase to P900 per quarter or P3,600 annually for next year. IPMs pay for their premium contributions, unlike regular members whose contributions are partly shouldered by their employers.

An individual member whose monthly family income in the last 12 months reached only P25,000 would be exempted from the premium increase, according to the circular. His/her contributions remain at P300 per quarter or P1,200 a year.

To gain exemption from the premium increase, a member has to show proof of income such as his/her tax returns, Aquino said.

Among those categorized as IPMs are accountants, engineers, lawyers, medical doctors, nurses and teachers, while “other professions” refer to artists, businessmen, consultants, media practitioners and athletes.

“For as long as they practice their professions beyond any employee-employer relationship, they can be covered by PhilHealth as IPMs. This means that they have no employer and they are paying their Philhealth premiums on their own. So if they earn above P25,000, they will pay the increase in Philhealth premiums,” Aquino said.

He said it just makes perfect sense to strike a balance between the high and low earning segments of the informal economy and make the IPM program a truly equitable one.

Citing the principle of social equity and solidarity, Aquino stressed that “those who are receiving more should pay more while those who are receiving less should pay less without prejudice to the benefits that both of them are entitled to as active members of the program.”

He cited Section 28 of Republic Act 7875 as amended which states that “all members of the National Health Insurance Program shall contribute to the fund, in accordance with a reasonable, equitable, and progressive contribution schedule.”

RA 7875 as amended is PhilHealth’s enabling law first enacted in 1995.

He said the new premium policy for self-practicing professionals who are registered as IPMs is being implemented by the state-run health insurance agency to rationalize its contribution schedule.

He said the premium adjustment is their timely response to a growing clamor to rationalize the contribution schedule. PhilHealth last increased its IPM premiums in April 2001 from P75 to P100 a month.

President Noynoy Aquino wants a 100-percenthealth insurance coverage of the whole population within three years.

The PhilHealth official also allayed fears that the increase in PhilHealth fees will adversely affect the poor members.

Meanwhile, health groups belonging to the Coalition for Health Advocacy and Transparency urged PhilHealth to implement a socialized scheme in the premium payment of PhilHealth members and stop the planned across increase in premium payment for the individually-paying members next month.

“How can the informal workers and self-employed low-income groups possibly afford the premium payment at double the existing rate? This proposal will perpetuate our long-held problem of inequity in the delivery of health services and will be the complete opposite of the promise of this administration to provide universal health care for all,” said Paula Tanquieng, spokesman of one of the groups.

The groups urged PhilHealth to defer the implementation of the premium increase pending a credible study on the most appropriate mechanism to ensure that the poor who do not qualify as “true indigents” under the National House Targeting system of the Department of Social Welfare and Development will still be covered by PhilHealth.

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Recto: Use PhilHealth Funds to Enhance Healthcare System
October 6, 2010, 8:15pm

MANILA, Philippines (PNA) — With retained earnings amounting to some P110 billion, Senator Ralph G. Recto bared on Wednesday that the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) can single-handedly revitalize a public healthcare system ailing from a deficiency in financial resources.

"PhilHealth's accumulated reserved fund is more than thrice the proposed budgetary allocation of the Department of Health for next year, which is about P32.6 billion," Recto said during the hearing of the Senate Committee on Finance on the budget of the health department.

"If we are to put these funds to better use, then we should focus on using these resources to complement the DoH's efforts to enhance the delivery of healthcare services to the people."

PhilHealth President Rey Aquino told the committee that as of June 20, 2010, the government corporation has a total of P115 billion worth of assets, with liabilities amounting to P6.172 billion.

The senator said that easily, PhilHealth's accumulated income can be used to wipe out the country's healthcare infrastructure deficit.

According to DoH Sec. Enrique Ona, the financial requirement for the upgrade of public health facilities nationwide stands at P19 billion, but only about P7 billion is proposed in its expenditure program next year.

"Imagine how many hospitals, rural health units and barangay health stations can be upgraded and improved if Philhealth chooses to redirect these funds to augment the DOH's budgetary allocation for its facilities enhancement program?" Recto said.

He also added that these funds can even be utilized to accelerate the country's compliance to some of the health-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of the United Nations.

"And with a retained income of P110 billion, it is well within PhiliHealth's prerogative to increase its members' benefits through the further reduction of out-of-pocket expenses related to health-care, which in some instances reach 90-percent of the total costs," Recto said.

He explained that even with PhilHealth coverage, members or beneficiaries still cough up cash from their own pockets to pay for extra hospital expenses, which should have been already part of the health insurance.

The senator explained that since these funds are not pension funds like those of the Social Security System (SSS) and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), then there is no defensible reason for PhilHealth to hold on to these earnings.

"I can think of a lot of ways in which we can use these funds to improve our healthcare system. The DoH and PhilHealth should discuss how to use these monies," Recto said.

As of June 2010, PhilHealth has a total of 21.65 million registered members, the bulk of which comes from the private sector (7.41 million).


http://www.mb.com.ph/node/280875/recto-u

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GE, Century Ink $100-M Tourism Project

By JAMES A. LOYOLA
October 6, 2010, 5:00pm

General Electric’s subsidiary GE Healthcare, a leading global provider of healthcare information and medical technology, has announced its partnership with property developer Century Properties for the creation of a $100 million world-class outpatient medical-IT building in Makati.

The project will rise in a one-hectare IT park accredited by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority at the 3.4-hectare Century City, the firm’s flagship mixed-use development in Kalayaan Avenue, Makati.

The project is expected to generate 3,000 jobs during its construction and 5,000 jobs upon the start of operations, which is estimated to be in the latter part of 2013 or early 2014.

As a state-of-the-art outpatient medical arts building, the project is envisioned to have the latest technology and equipment that will enable doctors to practice their disciplines with great ease, as well as provide fast and convenient services to local patients and medical tourists.

The building will house clinics of doctors specializing in various disciplines of medicine; floors devoted to diagnostic equipment and services; rooms for aesthetic procedures; post-recovery suites; cafes and restaurants; and spaces for other service providers in health, wellness and preventive medicine.

The GE and Century Properties partnership was marked by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on September 23 at the Sofitel Hotel in New York City which was witnessed by President Benigno S. Aquino III.

“We are optimistic that this assistance of providing advanced medical equipment, best practices and technological solutions will not only boost medical tourism in the Philippines, but also improve the standards of outpatient medical services in the country and make this accessible to more people,” said GE Technology Infrastructure Vice Chairman and CEO John Rice.



http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/280823...ourism-project

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Makati Gives Flu Shots to its Employees

By ANNA LIZA T. VILLAS
October 8, 2010, 4:47pm

MANILA, Philippines – The city government of Makati Friday started giving free swine flu vaccine shots to its thousands of employees as a precautionary measure against the A(H1N1) influenza.

Dr. Ma. Lourdes Salud, City Health Officer, said the vaccination drive, costing P3.4 million, was being conducted upon the directive of Mayor Jejomar Erwin S. Binay.

“Mayor Binay puts a premium on the health and well-being of all local civil servants in Makati because he knows they will not be the only ones who will benefit. Ultimately, our constituents stand to benefit even more because they will be able to enjoy quality and uninterrupted service delivery from the city government,” Salud said.

Salud said the Makati Health Department has purchased 2-in-1 flu vaccines worth almost P3.4 million from Novartis, a research-based Swiss healthcare company. Last Monday, the first batch out of 7,600 employees received A(H1N1) +Flu vaccine shots.

The health chief said the mayor appreciated the importance of keeping the city workforce healthy, particularly through immunization against communicable and even non-communicable diseases, because as frontliners in public service, they handle the implementation of various programs and projects for the people.

“We recognize the continuing threat of influenza and the need to remain vigilant. Our influenza vaccination program is in line with the city government’s commitment to help prevent the onset and spread of life-threatening diseases such as A(H1N1) influenza,” Salud said.

Around 4,000 regular employees and 3,600 casual employees of Makati will be receiving the A(H1NI) vaccine for free starting Sunday. In the succeeding days, employees can receive their shots at the City Employees Clinic or in designated barangay health centers.

In June last year, city workers were given free vaccination against the common flu as part of the city’s plan to mitigate the threat of the A (H1N1) flu virus, for which no vaccine had been developed yet at that time.

Recently, the city government also conducted a vaccination drive against cervical cancer among female employees aged 40 years old and below. Around 1,000 beneficiaries have been entitled to the three doses required for full immunization against cervical cancer.


http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/281118...-its-employees

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Private sector is really the one subsidizing Philhealth Fund..see the news below....

Govt owes P8b to PhilHealth

Manila Standard Today
by Eileen A. Mencias
October 28, 2010

THERE have been proposals to expand the coverage of state-run Philippine Health Insurance Corp. and increase the benefits to its members, but the Audit Commission says PhilHealth has not been collecting enough premium payments, and that the government alone owes it P8.89 billion in premium contributions for the years 2001 to 2008.

The Senate committee on health on Wednesday conducted a hearing on proposals to establish a children’s health insurance program and universal coverage under the national health insurance program together with the committees on finance, local government and labor.

The Philippines instituted a national health insurance program in 1995 to provide health insurance coverage and ensure affordable health services for Filipinos under the National Health Insurance Act of 1995, which also created the PhilHealth.

Senators Ralph Recto and Edgardo Angara co-authored Senate Bill 55 that aims to establish mechanisms for children’s health insurance, while Senator Loren Legarda authored Senate Bill 2126 that has the same objectives.

Senators Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Antonio Trillanes IV co-authored Senate Bill 18 that aims for the automatic health insurance coverage for all Filipinos.

But expanding PhilHealth’s coverage and benefits is expected to affect its finances. The company must still collect P8.89 billion from the national government, which represents its contribution to the fund as an employer.

The government has a history of not paying its worker’s premium contributions. In 2003 the Government Service Insurance System billed it for billions in unpaid teacher contributions to the fund.

The Audit Commission says PhilHealth has billed the government for its unpaid counterpart premiums as employer of all government agencies. P8.89 billion was due on it in 2009, and P7.4 billion still require verification from various government agencies.

The commission says PhilHealth should have received P3.5 billion in subsidies from the national government under the General Appropriations Act of 2007, but it received only P2 billion. The subsidy is separate from the government’s contribution to the fund as an employer.