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The current measles outbreak has gripped US states like Texas and New Mexico leaving people worried whether it would become a new pandemic. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services as of February 21, 90 cases were diagnosed in the last month in the South Plains area, with at least 77 of them were reported in children and teens under 17.
Measles is highly contagious and can be deadly. The outbreak, which started spreading in late January, has resulted in multiple hospitalizations, with at least nine confirmed cases and three probable cases as of early February. Health officials caution that at least one in five infected individuals will have to be hospitalized, highlighting the severity of the situation.
Misinformation surrounding vaccines and with the new Trump administration anti-vaccine campaigs, has causing parents to hesitate or refuse vaccination.
Furthermore, the country down under Australia is also witnessing a surge in measles cases as health officials in Sydney have issued an urgent alert, urging residents to watch for measles symptoms after an infected individual visited several places in Sydney over the last seven days.
Authorities report that the traveller had returned from South East Asia where there are ongoing outbreaks of measles.
Key symptoms of measles include fever, a runny nose, sore eyes, and a cough. Typically, a red, blotchy rash appears three to four days later, spreading from the head down to the body. Symptoms can manifest between 7 and 18 days after exposure.
Anyone who experiences these symptoms after potential exposure should immediately contact their doctor or emergency department. It is crucial to call ahead before visiting to avoid potentially exposing others in the waiting room. Dr. Selvey also highlighted that ongoing measles outbreaks are occurring in various parts of the world, making awareness and prompt action essential.
According to CDC everyone should get the MMR vaccine. It protects you from measles, mumps, and rubella. Getting vaccinated helps stop these diseases from spreading. There are two safe MMR vaccines available. They work the same way, so it doesn't matter which one you get. Kids can also get a shot that protects against chickenpox too, but this is only for children.
All children should get two MMR shots. The first shot should be given when they are between 12 and 15 months old. The second shot should be given when they are between 4 and 6 years old. If needed, the second shot can be given earlier, but it must be at least 28 days after the first shot.
Students going to college or other schools after high school, need two shots if they are not already immune. The shots must be at least 28 days apart.
Most adults need at least one MMR shot. Some adults need two shots, especially those who work in healthcare, travel a lot, or go to college. These people should get two shots, with 28 days between them.
Anyone traveling to other countries should make sure they are protected. Babies 6 to 11 months old should get one shot before traveling. Kids 12 months and older, teens, and adults need two shots, with 28 days between them.
People who work in healthcare should have proof that they are immune to measles, mumps, and rubella. If they are not immune, they need two MMR shots, spaced 28 days apart.
Women who might get pregnant should talk to their doctor about the MMR vaccine. It's safe to get the shot while breastfeeding.
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While TrumpRx is making headlines for lowering the prices of popular weight loss drugs, something else has also grabbed attention of many. A video from the Oval Office from the Thursday Press Conference when President Donald Trump was announcing the deal with the drugmakers, a man had collapsed. Many claimed that the person who collapsed was Gordon Findlay, who is Novo Nordisk's executive. Dr Mehmet Oz, an American present and a physician was swift to check on the man who had collapsed. Independent journalist Eric Daugherty shared the video and wrote: "A man just passed out during President Trump's Oval Office announcement. Dr Oz Sprung into action and assisted him. Pray for him."
Also Read: TrumpRx: Will Trump’s New Website Make Prescription Drugs More Affordable?
The reason why many have identified the man as Gordon Findlay because in the video, David Ricks, CEO of Eli Lily could be heard asking, "You okay? Gordon, you okay?" Upon this, the White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in the statement that "a representative with one of the companies fainted". However, no names were given.
Novo Nordisk later clarified the claims, and in a statement to Newsweek, the company said, "Please be aware that CEO Mike Doustdar and EVP, US operations, Dave More were the only two Novo Nordisk representatives in the Oval Office."
Dr Oz had previously also helped out at the Oval office in April, when a child fainted while he was being sworn in. A woman, who many media outlets claimed, appeared to be Oz's daughter, Daphne, escorted the girl who had fainted. Later, the White House official confirmed to Fox News Digital that the girl was family member of Oz and had recovered.
If someone collapses in front of you, the first need is for someone to try simple CPR or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, while medical help is on its way. What must one keep in mind if someone collapses?
Check for any danger around the person, and give the shoulders of the person who collapsed a shake. Ask them if they can hear you, notes BBC.
If there is no response, tilt their head back to ensure that the airway is clear. This may be enough for the person to again start breathing.
If they are not breathing, this is when CPR becomes important.
Also Read: Trump Strikes Agreement To Cut Costs of Popular Weight Loss Drugs: All You Need to Know
As per NHS, UK, there are two correct ways to practice CPR on adults:
This is to be carry out as a chest compression
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Ozempic is about to go on sale! With TrumpRx, a website announced by the US President Donald Trump will allow Americans to buy popular weight loss drugs at a cheaper rate. The drugmakers Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk have agreed to match prices to the lowest paid in peer nations for all their drugs in Medicaid and for the list prices when their medications first hit the market. They will be offering primary care medicines that will reach to customers directly at a discounted price.
While popular weight loss drugs could be bought from the website at as lowest as $149 per month, what else does TrumpRx offer?
In his own words, "By taking this bold step, we are ending the era of global price gouging at the expense of American families."
Not just Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, in fact, it was Pfizer, which is the first US pharmaceutical group that signed up to the website. The company said that it would offer discounts of up to 85%. This is for the medicines for those not using health insurance policies to pay and for those on the government's low-cost insurance programme - Medicaid.
The plan is to launch the website in early 2026 from where consumers could buy prescribed medicines directly from pharmaceutical companies without having to go through insurance. This is also to aid those under the Medicaid programme, which is a federal government programme for adults and children from lower-income backgrounds. The beneficiaries will have access to the drugs at a discounted prices, which is closer to those paid by national health services in foreign countries, known as the "most favoured nation" prices.
"Most Favoured Nation" or MFN prices are those that the national health services in countries including Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Denmark pay the US pharmaceutical companies for prescribed drugs.
Since these medicines are exported in a bulk, the prices are lowered as the purchasing power is greater to demand of the ordinary consumers. This is why pharmaceutical companies tend to sell their drugs at a lower price outside than in their own country. Earlier this year in May, Trump, thus signed an executive order that aimed at reducing prescription drug prices in the US. He stated, "The United States will no longer subsidise the health care of foreign countries.”
Apart from the lower drug prices of popular weight loss drugs, Trump, in July had sent letters to CEOs of 17 pharmaceutical companies and ordered them to reduce their prices, based on certain promises from his end, which included:
Manufacturers will be provided with an avenue to cut out middlemen and sell medicines directly to patients
Manufacturers will be supported by trade policy in raising prices internationally
Trump had also announced new 100% tariffs on imported, branded pharmaceutical products, which will allow him to deliver the second promise.
As per a 2022 study commissioned by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, which is published on the US government website, the standard insulin prices in the US are 10 times higher than the prices in 33 OECD countries (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development). Lowering of the prices of drugs domestically, and removing the middle men could bring the prices down.
The study also found that the average gross prices in US were more than 10 times the price in France, and the United Kingdom. The prices further skyrocketed by nine times in Italy, eight times the prices in Japan, seven times the prices in Germany, and more than six times in Canada.
While many people who take insulin already pay a "net price", which is lower than the standard price, however, the net price is still 2.33 times the price paid in other countries.
TrumpRx, thus, could benefit anyone who buys drugs directly from the website. This is especially for those who do not have a health insurance in the US. As per a 2024 report from the US Census Bureau, around 8%, which makes 26 million of the US population, do not have a health insurance.
Apart from Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk's popular weight loss drugs like Zepbound, Ozempic and Wegovy, Pfizer too has shared a list of primary-care medicine, not limited to the following:
Credits: PTI
TrumpRx: US President Donald Trump had announced this week that his administration plans to roll out a new website, called TrumpRx, which will allow Americans to purchase prescription medications from pharmaceutical companies at discounted rates.
In a major step to address rising drug costs, the Trump administration also unveiled agreements with Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to reduce prices for popular GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound. These deals, part of the TrumpRx initiative, are expected to make the drugs more affordable for Medicare, Medicaid, and direct consumers starting in 2026.
TrumpRx is an online platform designed to let consumers buy prescription medicines directly from the manufacturers, bypassing insurance intermediaries. The website is scheduled to launch in early 2026. Users will be able to search for the specific drug they need and be directed to the drug’s manufacturer, according to USA Today. The platform will offer prices closer to what national health services pay in other countries, following the principle of “most favoured nation” pricing. Medicaid beneficiaries—federal insurance for low-income adults and children—will also have access to the platform.
Also Read: Trump Strikes Agreement To Cut Costs of Popular Weight Loss Drugs: All You Need to Know
The website is part of a broader effort by Trump to curb high prescription drug costs in the US. In July, he sent a letter to the CEOs of 17 pharmaceutical companies demanding lower prices.
In the letter, he outlined several key points:
Anyone looking to buy prescription drugs directly from manufacturers, rather than through insurance, could benefit. A 2024 US Census Bureau report noted that 8% of Americans (about 26 million people) lacked health insurance in 2023, meaning they could significantly benefit from lower prices. Medicaid may also benefit, as its deal with Pfizer offers better pricing terms. Details about how this part of the program will work are not fully clear yet. Since most Americans rely on insurance for healthcare, experts believe initial adoption of the site may be limited.
On Thursday, President Trump announced deals with Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly to cut costs for the lowest doses of their popular weight-loss drugs, lowering barriers for new patients seeking treatment. Beyond government programs, the same GLP-1 drugs will be available directly to consumers via TrumpRx.gov, launching in January 2026.
The starting doses of injectable Wegovy and Zepbound will cost $350 per month but are expected to trend down to $245 over two years. Oral versions, including Novo Nordisk’s upcoming semaglutide pill and Eli Lilly’s orforglipron, will start at $149 per month once approved.
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