Health

Can Thailand Break the Annual PM2.5 Haze Cycle

The COVID-19 pandemic may have passed, but the threat of haze remains for the foreseeable future. Hazy skies are a warning that dangerous fine dust particles, which can be fatal, should not be ignored.

“We expect the smog to worsen for the rest of the year,” said Assoc Prof Witsanu Attavanich of Kasetsart University, an expert in climate change research and PM2.5 situation analysis.

Dr. Witsanu explained that PM2.5 dust particles in the air are now increasing because COVID-19 control measures have been lifted.

“Most people don’t work from home anymore,” he said. “Most students have also returned to campus.”

Sonthi Kotchawat, an independent environmental health expert, observes that many activities have resumed in the post-pandemic period.

Unsafe Haze Levels

In 2019, the average PM2.5 particles in Bangkok air was as high as 59 micrograms. There were 64 days when PM2.5 haze levels exceeded the safe limit.

When lockdown measures were implemented in 2020 to control the spread of COVID-19, the situation improved slightly. The average amount of PM2.5 fell to around 46 micrograms, and the number of days with dangerous levels was reduced to 60.

When COVID-19 restrictions were relaxed slightly last year, the number of days with PM2.5 levels above the safe limit increased to 61.

According to Witsanu, the three main sources of PM2.5 pollution is haze from farming, combustion-engine vehicles, and industrial operations.

Farmers frequently start burning their fields in November in preparation for the new growing season.

“Black exhaust fumes from vehicles contribute to air pollution.” Thailand has moved the implementation of Euro 5 emission standards from 2020 to 2024. Without the delay, air pollution could have been significantly reduced,” he said.

This year, there were 11.56 million registered vehicles in Bangkok alone, up from 10.9 million the previous year.

Witsanu went on to say that while many factories have now turned their machines back on around the clock, the Department of Industrial Works has yet to release haze data on their pollutant emissions.

Can Thailand Break the Annual PM2.5 Haze Cycle

Haze is expected to worsen in the coming months.

Witsanu stated that rain was a key factor in reducing air pollution and predicted that the dry season would worsen air quality throughout Thailand. Normally, the transition from wet to dry season occurs in October.

He predicts that smog will first arrive in Greater Bangkok before spreading to the rest of the country.

“In November, smog began to cause problems. “It’ll be at its peak in December or January,” he added.

He expects heavy PM2.5 pollution in the Northeast from December to March, when farmers start agricultural burning.
The region will almost certainly be affected by haze from neighbouring Laos and Vietnam as well.

“In the meantime, the North will face a PM2.5 threat from January to April due to farm burning, forest fires, and Myanmar smog.”

Lung Cancer from the Haze

The public was shocked earlier this month to learn that a 28-year-old medical student had been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer despite regularly exercising, getting plenty of rest, and not smoking.

The young doctor has lived in Chiang Mai’s northern province for more than ten years, prompting many to blame his cancer on smog. At certain times of the year, Chiang Mai is notorious for severe air pollution.

Outdoor air pollution, specifically particulate matter in polluted air, has been classified as carcinogenic by the World Health Organization.

Last year, WHO reduced the safe limit for annual average PM2.5 levels from 10g/m3 to 5g/m3. The decision was based on solid scientific evidence that when PM2.5 levels exceed that level, the fatality rate skyrockets. WHO established a 24-hour limit of 15g/m3 micrograms.

Thai authorities set a much higher safe limit, insisting that air quality is healthy if the average PM2.5 levels do not exceed 50g/m3 over a 24-hour period.

Thailand’s PM2.5 standard, on the other hand, is set to be tightened in line with global trends. The 24-hour safe limit will be reduced to 37.5g/m3 on June 1st of next year.

However, there is growing concern about whether the country’s major polluters will be able to adjust in time to help meet the new safe limit. “I’m not sure if all parties in Thailand are prepared to comply with this standard,” Sonthi said.

Anti-smog mechanisms

The Center for Air Pollution Mitigation has implemented 7 smog-fighting measures. These measures include issuing early warnings in all areas, treating smog as a national priority, implementing a Fire Danger Rating System, advocating for international anti-smog mechanisms, and involving all sectors in smog-eradication efforts.

CAPM also aims to reduce emissions at the source, such as from factories, vehicles, and other polluters. It is also constructing an air-quality data centre that will use CCTV to detect pollution hotspots and outdoor buring.

When a fire is detected, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration personnel will be dispatched to put it out as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, the Disease Control Department has directed hospitals in Bangkok to investigate which diseases are associated with dust-particle pollution.

The study has so far included 3,409 people with asthma and other respiratory problems. Fifteen diseases have been linked to air pollutants, providing relevant authorities with more data to protect people from smog.

The Public Health Ministry has also established 66 air-pollution clinics in Thailand’s 33 provinces.

Even better, as many as 78 medical facilities offer online counselling to patients suffering from air pollution-related illnesses.

The BMA has established five air-pollution clinics in the capital.

According to Dr Chaicharn Pothirat, from Chiang Mai University’s Faculty of Medicine, the percentage of lung cancer patients who haven’t smoked is comparable to smokers.

“However, in Thailand, pollution victims are not treated the same as smokers. “Those exposed to air pollution in the United States are treated similarly to smokers in order to monitor their cancer risks,” he explained.

Meanwhile, several Thai provinces lack air quality monitoring equipment. Bangkok has over 50 of the government’s 138 air quality monitors, whereas some provinces have none.

Greenpeace points out that due to a lack of these devices, people in the North know very little about the PM2.5 air quality in their communities.

Source: Thai PBS

Health

Report Causes Pfizer Stock to Climb Approximately $1 Billion Acquired by Starboard

(VOR News) – According to a rumor that activist investor Pfizer Starboard Value has taken a holding in the struggling pharmaceutical business that is expected to be worth around one billion dollars, the stock of Pfizer (PFE) is on the increase in premarket trading on Monday.

This comes after the report was made public. The report was made available to the general public following this. Starboard Value was successful in moving forward with the acquisition of the position.

Starboard is said to have approached Ian Read, a former chief executive officer of Pfizer, and Frank D’Amelio, a former chief financial officer, in order to seek assistance with its goals of boosting the performance of the company, according to the Wall Street Journal. Read and D’Amelio are both former Pfizer executives.

The purpose of this is to facilitate the accomplishment of its objectives, which include enhancing the overall performance of the firm.

In their previous jobs, D’Amelio and Read were chief financial officers.

It is stated in the report that the hedge fund is of the opinion that Pfizer, which is currently being managed by Albert Bourla, who succeeded Read as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in 2019, does not demonstrate the same level of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) discipline that Read did. Bourla took over for Read in 2019. Read was succeeded by Bourla in the year 2019.

Pfizer, a multinational pharmaceutical conglomerate, has made substantial investments in the acquisition of more companies that are involved in the research and development of cancer medicines.

These businesses have been acquired for billions of dollars. The biotechnology company Seagen, which was acquired by Pfizer in the previous year for a price of $43 billion, is included in this category. One of the businesses that can be classified as belonging to this category is Seagen.

In spite of the fact that the S&P 500 Index experienced a 21% increase in 2024.

No major trading occurred in Pfizer stock that year.

Due to the fact that the demand for Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccines fell after the firm reached its pandemic peak in 2021, the share price of the corporation has decreased by over fifty percent since that time.

This drop has occurred ever since the company’s shares reached their maximum peak, which was during the time that this decline occurred. Not only have they not changed at all, but they have also remained essentially stable. This is in contrast to the S&P 500, which has gained 21% since the beginning of this year.

Recently, the corporation was forced to take a hit when it decided to recall all of the sickle cell illness medications that it had distributed all over the world.

Fears that the prescription could lead patients to experience severe agony and possibly even death were the impetus for the decision to recall the product. In spite of the fact that Pfizer’s stock is increasing by almost three percent as a result of the news that followed the company’s decision, this is the circumstance that has come about.

SOURCE: IPN

Health

New Study Reveals Drinking Soda Pop Increases the Risk of Stroke

If you drink too much soda, fruit juice and coffee, beware!

A recent report from global research indicates that excessive consumption of coffee or soda pop is associated with an increased risk of stroke, although the intake of black and green tea is correlated with a reduced risk. Excessive consumption of soda pop or coffee warrants caution!

Recent research indicates that it may substantially elevate the risk of stroke.

Consuming four cups of coffee daily elevates the risk of stroke, according to studies, although ingesting 3-4 cups of black or green tea daily typically offers protection against stroke. Additionally, consume more coffee; it may reduce your risk of mortality.

Recent findings from global research studies co-led by the University of Galway and McMaster University, alongside an international consortium of stroke researchers, indicate that soda, encompassing both sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened variants such as diet or zero sugar, is associated with a 22 percent heightened risk of stroke. The risk escalated significantly with the consumption of two or more of these beverages daily.

Stroke Risk Fizzy Drinks and Soda Pop

The correlation between fizzy drinks consumption and stroke risk was most pronounced in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and South America. Women exhibit the most elevated risk of stroke from bleeding (intracranial hemorrhage) associated with fruit juice beverages. Consuming over 7 cups of water daily diminishes the likelihood of stroke due to a clot.

Researchers observed that numerous items advertised as fruit juice are derived from concentrates and have added sugars and preservatives, potentially negating the advantages often associated with fresh fruit and instead elevating stroke risk.

Fruit juice beverages were associated with a 37 percent heightened risk of stroke resulting from bleeding (intracranial hemorrhage). Consuming two of these beverages daily increases the risk thrice.

Consuming over four cups of coffee daily elevates the risk of stroke by 37 percent, although lower consumption levels do not correlate with stroke risk. Conversely, tea consumption was associated with an 18-20 percent reduction in stroke risk. Additionally, consuming 3-4 cups daily of black tea, such as Breakfast and Earl Grey varieties, excluding green and herbal teas, was associated with a 29 percent reduced risk of stroke.

Consuming 3-4 cups of green tea daily was associated with a 27 percent reduction in stroke risk. Notably, the addition of milk may diminish or inhibit the advantageous effects of antioxidants present in tea. The lower risk of stroke associated with tea consumption was negated for individuals who added milk.

Disclaimer: This article is intended solely for informational reasons and should not be considered a replacement for professional medical counsel. Consistently consult your physician regarding any inquiries pertaining to a medical problem.

Starbucks Faces Sales Decline Amid Price Fatigue and Rising Competition

Starbucks Faces Sales Decline Amid Price Fatigue and Rising Competition

Health

Following a Diagnosis of Breast Cancer, What Else Should You Know?

(VOR News) – Even though breast cancer affects one in eight American women, receiving a diagnosis can make a woman feel isolated.

Experts in breast cancer from the American College of Physicians (ACS) advise patients on how to manage their disease so that they may better cope with this awful information.

First, the kind and stage of breast cancer dictates the course of your care.

In addition to immunotherapy and chemotherapy, there are various surgical options available for the treatment of breast cancer.

Women of African descent are disproportionately affected by triple-negative breast cancer, an extremely aggressive form of the disease that has never proven easy to treat.

According to the American Cancer Society, pembrolizumab (Keytruda), an immunotherapy, has been shown to be helpful when combined with chemotherapy and is currently the recommended course of treatment for certain combinations of triple-negative breast cancer.

In her presentation, Dr. Katharine Yao said, “It’s really important that the patient and physician discuss the patient’s preferences and values when deciding what type of treatment to pursue and that they have an honest, individualized discussion with their care team.”

She is currently responsible for developing breast cancer treatment recommendations for more than 575 hospitals and institutions nationwide in her role as chair of the American College of Surgeons’ National Accreditation Program for Breast Institutions (NAPBC).

Yao, vice chair of research at Endeavor Health NorthShore Hospitals in New York, pointed out that each decision made about a patient’s treatment plan should take her preferences and diagnosis into consideration.

She ought to think about whether she would prefer a mastectomy—a surgical procedure that involves removing the entire breast with or without reconstruction—or a lumpectomy, which involves a surgical procedure that spares part of the breast tissue.

She stated that “the breast cancer you have may be very different from the breast cancer you hear about in your neighbor, colleague, or friend” in a press release issued by the American Cancer Society (ACS).

“Consider that while discussing breast cancer with others.”

Throughout your journey, it is critical that you look after your emotional health because having breast cancer may have a detrimental impact on your mental health.

“Getting a cancer diagnosis does not mean that everything in your life stops to be normal.” Director of the Fellowship in the Diseases of the Breast program at the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas and state head of the American Cancer Society Commission on Cancer for Arkansas, Dr. Daniela Ochoa She thinks adding the burden of a cancer diagnosis and treatment to all the other pressures in life may be taxing.

“Managing stress and emotional health is vital component of a treatment plan.”

Ochoa recommends clinically trained psychologists and social workers who have assisted people in coping with cancer to anyone receiving treatment. Learning coping techniques might also be facilitated by joining cancer support groups or cancer wellness initiatives.

Breast cancer specialists say your care team is crucial.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) defines comprehensive care as having support at every stage of the procedure from surgeons, oncologists, patient navigators, nurses, social workers, psychologists, and other specialists.

After receiving a breast cancer diagnosis, women should see a surgeon or medical oncologist to explore their options; nevertheless, treatment shouldn’t be discontinued after just one appointment or after surgery is over.

Additionally, you can ask trustworthy friends or family members to accompany you to appointments and aid you with research or notes. They could serve as a network of support for you.

Yao stated in his talk that “one of the most important things is that patients should search out a team they have confidence in, that they trust will have their back when they need it, and a team they feel they can get access to and that will help them when they are in need.”

SOURCE: MP