Tag: 16/7/25

Categories : Mental Health Neurodegenerative DiseasesTags :

Parkinson’s Drug Effective in Treating Persistent Depression

On By ModernMedia
Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash

In the largest clinical trial to date, pramipexole was found to be substantially more effective than a placebo at reducing the symptoms of treatment resistant depression (TRD) over the course of nearly a year, when added to ongoing antidepressant medication.

The trial, supported by National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and published in The Lancet Psychiatry, included 150 patients with treatment resistant depression, with equal numbers receiving 48 weeks of pramipexole or a placebo, alongside ongoing antidepressant medication.

Overall, the group taking pramipexole experienced a significant and substantial reduction in symptoms by week twelve of treatment, with the benefits persisting over the course of a year. However, there were also significant side effects, such as nausea, sleep disturbance and dizziness, with around one in five people on pramipexole dropping out of the trial as a result.

Professor Michael Browning, from the Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, and workstream lead in Mood Disorders for the NIHR Mental Health-Translational Research Collaboration (MH-TRC) Mission, who led the trial, said: ‘Effectively treating people who have not responded to first-line interventions for depression is a pressing clinical problem and there has long been an urgent need to find new treatments.

‘These findings on pramipexole are a significant breakthrough for patients for whom antidepressants and other treatments and therapies have not worked.

‘Pramipexole is a medicine licensed for Parkinson’s disease and works by boosting the brain chemical dopamine. This differs from the majority of other antidepressant medications which act on brain serotonin and may explain why pramipexole was so helpful in this study.

‘We now need more research focusing on reducing the side effects of pramipexole, evaluating its cost-effectiveness, and comparing it with other add-on treatments.’

Previous research into using the drug for depression had shown promise, but there had been limited data on its long-term outcomes and side effects until now.

Current guidelines for people with treatment resistant depression recommend adding new treatments, such as lithium or antipsychotics, to ongoing antidepressant treatment, but these have limited effectiveness and do not work for everyone.

Phil Harvey, 72, from Oxfordshire, was diagnosed with depression 20 years ago and tried different tablets and counselling but nothing worked. Eventually he had to take a year off work before retiring. He started on the trial in 2022.

He said: ‘Within a few weeks I felt the effects, it was amazing. I kept a diary which they gave us on how my mood was, motivation and how it improved. It was dragging me out of this dark black hole that I’ve been in for years.’

Participants were recruited from across the country, including as part of the NIHR-funded MH-TRC Mission mood disorder clinics, which are hosted at Oxford but located across the country. The clinics efficiently, and largely remotely, assess patients with difficult to treat mood disorders and offer them enrolment in research studies. The network can also support primary care services by providing assessment and treatment advice for patients who have not responded to initial treatment.

Source: University of Oxford

Categories : VaccinesTags :

Operation Dudula Blocks Babies from Getting Vaccines

On By ModernMedia

Vigilante group is controlling clinic queues in Johannesburg

Photo by William Fortunato on Pexels

By Kimberly Mutandiro

Mothers of newborn babies, turned away at public clinics in Johannesburg because they are not South African, say their children are missing out on lifesaving vaccines.

In recent months, vigilante group Operation Dudula has been taking control of clinic queues across Johannesburg, chasing away immigrants or telling them to stand separately from South Africans. It is alleged that some healthcare staff have been participating.

This is despite a 2023 ruling in the Gauteng High Court that pregnant and lactating women and young children should be granted free health care services regardless of their nationality. 

The court ordered the Gauteng Department of Health to change its policy denying immigrants healthcare, and to place notices on the walls at all healthcare facilities stating lactating women and children may not be denied access. This order is not being consistently complied with.

GroundUp visited the Jeppe Clinic last week and saw no such notice. There was a small group of Operation Dudula members pulling immigrants out of the queue and telling them to stand to one side.

Jane Banda, a Malawian national, was at the clinic. She has been struggling to get her seven-week-old baby vaccinated, but has been blocked every time by Operation Dudula. She fears her baby’s health may be at risk if she continues to miss essential vaccinations.

Aisha Amadu, an asylum seeker from Malawi, who has a two-year-old baby, had an appointment at Jeppe Clinic last week but was chased away by Operation Dudula.

Grace Issah, also from Malawi, has a 14-week-old baby who was due for a vaccine two weeks ago. But she has been chased away from clinics in Jeppe, Bez Valley and Hillbrow.

“I feel like giving up because it seems there is nothing that I can do. My husband has no money for private doctors,” she said.

Several other women said they have also been denied access to clinics in Malvern, Kensington, Rosettenville and Soweto.

The Socio-Economic Rights Institute (SERI) launched a case in the Gauteng High Court in 2024, on behalf of Kopanang Afrika Against Xenophobia (KAAX), the Inner City Federation, Abahlali BaseMjondolo, and the South African Informal Traders Forum.

The group is seeking an interdict to declare the actions of the vigilante group, which include denying healthcare to immigrants, unlawful. The matter was heard in June, and judgment was reserved.

Mike Ndlovu from KAAX says it is a constitutional right for everyone in South Africa to be able to access healthcare.

“What Operation Dudula and a few complicit nurses are doing is unconstitutional, a criminal act, and a betrayal of our democracy. Denying healthcare is a violation of basic human rights,” said Ndlovu.

Ndlovu called on healthcare workers to remember their professional duty: to care without discrimination.

Operation Dudula’s actions have been condemned by the South African Human Rights Commission.

Department of Health spokesperson Foster Mohale said the department is aware of the action by Operation Dudula, but denied that department staff members are involved.

“The health facility managers have been advised to alert the law enforcement agencies whenever they experience these protests because that is a security issue to enforce the law,” Mohale said.

Mohale did not respond to questions about whether the department has complied with the 2023 court order to put up the notices.

Zandile Dabula, spokesperson for Operation Dudula, did not respond to a request for comment. But Veli Ngobese, a member of the movement who was at Jeppe clinic on the day GroundUp visited, said: “We are targeting all people from outside the country. We want Home Affairs to start afresh. Foreign nationals who come into the country should come and invest because the ones we see are selling amagwinya [vetkoek], pushing trolleys, and selling peanuts, and we are the ones paying taxes.”

He said the group will be conducting daily protests until immigrants stop going to clinics.

Republished from GroundUp under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Read the original article.

Categories : Emergency Medicine Injury & TraumaTags :

Unlocking Fast, Targeted Treatment for Trauma Injuries

On By ModernMedia
Photo by Mat Napo on Unsplash

A groundbreaking study by researchers at Rutgers Health has uncovered a way to precisely identify and target trauma sites in the body within minutes of injury. The findings, published in the journal Med (Cell Press), could revolutionise emergency care by enabling real-time diagnostics and site-specific treatments delivered within minutes of injury.

A team of scientists, led by Renata Pasqualini and Wadih Arap at the Rutgers Cancer Institute discovered something new about how the body reacts to injury. When cells are damaged, like in a major bone break, calcium levels shift, which causes certain proteins to change shape. These changed proteins, called the “traumome,” are only found in injured tissues and show up right after an injury happens. This discovery opens up a new way to treat injuries directly, without affecting healthy parts of the body.

“The moment trauma occurs, specific proteins undergo structural changes, creating a molecular footprint of injury,” said Arap. “This opens the door to delivering diagnostics or therapies directly to the site – without affecting healthy tissues.”

This discovery has relevance in emergency treatment because many medicines can affect healthy organs when they’re given too soon. With this new approach, doctors could deliver treatments like imaging agents, clotting factors or antibiotics directly to the injured area, which would help the body heal faster with fewer side effects.    

“Our long-term vision is a simple injection that autonomously finds and treats injury sites,” said Pasqualini. “This could be transformative for battlefield medicine and emergency trauma care, where every second matters.”

The team used advanced testing on a pig model with major injuries to find tiny protein pieces called peptides. These peptides are like guides that can find and stick to the specific proteins altered by injury. One of these peptides stands out because it can attach to a protein that changes shape when calcium levels rise after an injury. This makes it possible to use special scans, like PET or MRI, to see exactly where the injury is in the body.

The trauma-targeting peptide worked the same way in rats, which shows that this injury “signature” is similar in all mammals, including humans.

The work was supported by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Defense, underscoring its strategic value in both civilian and military medical applications. “Non-compressible bleeding remains a leading cause of death among soldiers before they reach a hospital, and localised treatment could dramatically improve survival rates, which was the original impetus of this research,” said Jon Mogford, a study co-author and former DARPA official.

The next phase of research will involve linking therapeutic agents to the trauma site-homing peptides and testing them in animal models before moving to early human clinical trials. The team envisions translational applications ranging from battlefield medicine to civilian trauma response and possibly even sports injuries or surgical recovery.

“We are actively developing peptide-linked drugs and imaging agents based on this discovery,” said Arap. “The traumome concept may also have applications beyond trauma, including in surgery, inflammation and tissue regeneration.”

Source: Rutgers University

Categories : Mental HealthTags :

Strength Through Struggles – Why Men’s Mental Health Matters

On By ModernMedia
Photo by Elizeu Dias on Unsplash

In South Africa, men are four to five times more likely to die by suicide than women. The silence around men’s mental health has become a national crisis. Momentum Health is confronting the uncomfortable truth: traditional ideas of masculinity are costing South African men their lives. The need for a more inclusive and proactive approach to men’s health is urgent.

With men accounting for a staggering 37.6 suicides per 100 000 people2 and depression affecting over 27% of South Africans3, the economic and human cost of ignoring men’s overall wellbeing has reached a breaking point. Mental health-related absenteeism alone costs the economy billions every year, a price tag that extends far beyond financial metrics into affected families and communities.

“We’ve long lived in a society that praises men for physical strength but punishes them for emotional vulnerability. While this is slowly changing, it’s not happening fast enough to make real impact,” says Damian McHugh, Chief Marketing Officer at Momentum Health. “This is why we’re challenging South Africa to redefine what strength really means. True strength is not silently suffering; it’s having the courage to reach out before crisis hits.”

A New Narrative for Men’s Health

In many communities across South Africa, men delay seeking medical help until conditions become critical and avoid mental health services despite growing internal struggles.

“When we tell boys to ‘man up’ we’re essentially telling them to disconnect from their emotional and mental wellbeing,” McHugh explains. “At Momentum Health, we believe real strength lies in connection to yourself, to professional support and to your community. That is why our approach integrates physical, mental, emotional and financial wellbeing, rather than treating them as separate issues.”

This holistic approach sets Momentum Health apart from conventional healthcare models that focus only on symptoms instead of the whole person.

The New Frontline for Men’s Mental Health

According to the 2025 Digital Report for South Africa5, 78.9% of the population are now online, with mobile connectivity exceeding 193% due to multiple device ownership. Recognising that many men would rather engage privately through an app than visit a therapist’s office, Momentum Health has deployed technology to meet men where they are.

“Technology is a powerful equaliser,” says McHugh. “It breaks down barriers of stigma, geography, and access. By meeting men in the digital spaces, they already inhabit, we’re not just offering support, we are changing the way mental health care is delivered.”

The Hello Doctor platform lets men chat privately with health experts right on their phones. It gives them a safe, non-judgmental space to talk about their mental health without feeling embarrassed. This service isn’t just offering help; it’s changing the way mental health care works in South Africa.

Health and Wealth: Two Sides of the Same Coin

The link between health and financial wellbeing is clear. Poor health can derail financial goals, while financial stress can strain mental and emotional resilience. Momentum Health’s integration of financial and health services addresses a critical reality: mental health struggles and financial problems can create a devastating downward spiral.

“You cannot separate these aspects of wellbeing and expect sustainable outcomes. When we say, ‘your health is your wealth,’ we are talking about a fundamental truth: without mental and physical resilience, financial success becomes meaningless,” says McHugh.

Creating a Culture of Support

South African men must take a proactive stance, not just for themselves, but for their families, their communities and future generations.

“This is not about perfection. It is about progress,” says McHugh. “And this is not just about saving lives, though that alone would be enough, it is about transforming what it means to be a man in today’s society.”

Categories : Cardiovascular DiseaseTags :

P2Y12 Drugs Preferable to Aspirin for CVD Prevention in Coronary Artery Disease

On By ModernMedia

Findings support use of P2Y12 therapy instead of aspirin for long term prevention

Source: Wikimedia CC0

Giving a P2Y12 inhibitor anti-clotting drug to patients with coronary artery disease is associated with lower rates of cardiovascular death, heart attack and stroke compared with traditional aspirin, with no increased risk of major bleeding, finds a study published by The BMJ.

P2Y12 inhibitors are often given to patients alongside aspirin (“dual therapy”) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) – a procedure to widen or unblock a coronary artery – to help prevent cardiovascular events including heart attack and stroke.

After several months, patients are usually switched from dual therapy to lifelong aspirin, but some trials have suggested that a P2Y12 inhibitor may be more effective for long term prevention than aspirin.

To explore this further, researchers analysed individual patient data from five randomised clinical trials involving 16 117 patients (average age 65; 24% women) who were assigned to a P2Y12 inhibitor (clopidogrel or ticagrelor) or aspirin after completing dual therapy following PCI.

After an average follow-up period of around 4 years, P2Y12 inhibitor therapy was associated with a 23% lower risk of an outcome that combined cardiovascular death, heart attack, or stroke, compared with aspirin, with no significant difference in major bleeding. This means that for every 46 patients taking a P2Y12 inhibitor instead of aspirin after dual therapy, one cardiovascular death, heart attack, or stroke would be prevented.

When considering outcomes individually, P2Y12 inhibitor therapy reduced heart attacks and stroke compared with aspirin. However, all-cause death, cardiovascular death, and stent thrombosis were similar between the treatments.

The researchers acknowledge that some changes in the original design of some trials were needed to create uniform data, and that certain characteristics of individual trial populations may reduce the generalisability of the findings.

But they say no significant difference in major bleeding between groups was seen, and results were consistent after further analyses accounting for factors such as age, sex, geographical region, smoking, previous heart attack or stroke, underlying conditions and medication history, suggesting they are robust.

“Overall, this study supports preferential P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy prescription over aspirin due to reductions in major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) without increasing major bleeding in the medium term,” say researchers in a linked editorial.

However, they note that “medium term efficacy does not necessarily extend lifelong, which is the duration we advise patients to continue these medications.”

As such, they suggest that “a large-scale globally representative trial directly comparing different monotherapy strategies (including discontinuation) with extended follow-up would benefit our understanding of the long-term impact of P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy across the treatment class for secondary prevention following PCI.”

Source: BMJ Group