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Seeing Eye to Eye on the Matter

21 September 2020
The sense of sight is often referred to as a gift. Sight allows for the ease of navigation, provides us with a sense of the inclusion in our world and also allows us to witness great events in our time. Sight confers appreciation of the beauty and splendor that resides on our planet. Sight brings light in all meaning of the word, into our lives. The loss of the gift of sight is no different to the robbery of our treasured possession. A loss of sight brings a sense of frustration and isolation leaving an individual to feel excluded. It plunges the said individual in to the darkness both the literal and figurative sense, and from within this darkness it leaves an individual feeling most vulnerable. The loss of sight is not far from the feeling of being dealt a cruel hand. This needn’t be the case. This brief article will explore eye care within the UK, what it means to individuals, the UK economy the ramifications to the NHS and what is being done to save, maintain and improve the nation’s sight. 

Within the UK, it is believed that 250 people lose their sight everyday, with 1 in 5 set to lose their eyesight in their lifestyle 1 . Yet with 50% of sight loss being avoidable and 16 million free NHS test are conducted each year, it calls for a deeper assessment of eye care within the UK 2 . The leading loss of sight in the UK is refractive error (shortsighted and long-sightedness), followed by age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataracts and other eye conditions, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. Looking ahead it is projected that sight loss will increase by a third from 2 million currently, to 2.7 million by 2030 and could potentially double to over 4 million by 2050 2 3 .
The leading causes of eye loss from those listed above are certainly preventable if detected early before ocular signs and symptoms develop. Therefore, looking at the nation’s attitude towards eye care is vital in order to establish areas for intervention and investment.

Data from conducted research suggests that the sense of sight is the most valued of all the five senses, with 78% of people saying it is the sense they would like to lose the least 1 . The same poll sought to identify the key barriers that prevented individuals from visiting their opticians and found that the leading reasons were; i) they did not think anything was wrong with their eyes (33%), ii) others did not have the time or the opportunity to get round to it (24%) and iii) others were concerned about the cost of new glasses (17%). 
These reasons, for not having a regular eye test, contain fallacies both flawed and flimsy in equal measure. The first is complacency. This is the single most dangerous factor that contributes to sight-loss. The presence of no palpable signs or symptoms is the main iniquity of vision loss. Vision loss is a gradual process of deterioration. The presentation of symptoms reduces the chances of a favourable prognosis (recovery). It is for this reason that regular visits to the opticians are paramount in detecting early signs of vision loss, even if you believe your vision to be fine an eye exam can also provide information about your general health (see pie charts below). The second fallacy is not having enough time. This is a convenient, yet insufficient reason when applied in context over a two-year period. Over this period, over half (59%) will get their boiler checked, over 42% will make four trips to the dentist, 36% will have reviewed their mobile phone contract at least once and 23% will have had a health check twice. An appointment takes less time than a film or TV show from a streaming site is between 20 to 30 minutes. To put this into perspective the average British road user spent 115 hours in traffic last year 4 . A possible reason that could be proffered for this perceived lack of will towards taking an eye exam, could be due to the principle of moral hazard. Moral hazard is defined as the phenomenon of not taking precaution to avoid risk of injury or consequence due to some form of coverage and protection. The coverage and protection in this form is the NHS. These findings indicate that education and increased awareness is required to change attitudes towards eye care amongst the population. 
The next area, aside from addressing attitudes, entails identifying those most at risk of vision loss. As it stands, there are 350,500 people across the Isles who are registered blind or partially sighted. We must do our utmost to ensure we do not contribute to this number by failing to reach those who are most at risk and those whose conditions are preventable. Those most at risk are; children and young people, low-income individuals, people of certain ethnicity, people leaving with diabetes, people learning disabilities, people who smoke and stroke survivors. The three groups we shall touch upon quality are the ones in need of the most funding considering these economic times:

i) The Elderly: We have rapidly aging population with 11.8 million of our 67 million are aged 65 and above with around 79% of people living with sight loss are over the age of 64. In addition to this 35% of people aged 85 or over are living with sight loss. 

ii) People on Low-income: Perplexingly, children and older people living in poverty are less likely to have an eye examination despite being eligible for free NHS-funded eye tests. Concerns and barriers to visiting an optometrist have included transportation costs to opticians, and the cost of glasses.

iii) People of Certain Ethnicity: African and Caribbean people are four to eight times at risk of developing certain forms of glaucoma, compared to Caucasian people. The risk of diabetic eye disease is around three times greater in South Asian people compared to Caucasian people. Black Afro-Caribbean people are also at a higher risk of diabetic eye disease. 

 It is vital that finance and funding be available either through direct government investment or by the reallocation existing resources to support these groups. This was certainly a challenge going forward, however, the COVID-19 pandemic has compounded and heightened the challenges further. The shape of the economy certainly has a stake in eye care within the UK. 

As a measure to obtain a handle on the COVID-19 virus by reducing the ‘R’ rate (rate of viral replication) the government initiated a national lockdown. The decision to do so was not without disruption and consequences, both being visited upon the economy. Given the imminent impact on existing jobs the government launched a furlough scheme equating to £60bn (£14bn a month) 5 . In addition to this the government, provided £15bn for grants for small firms, £10bn to support for the self-employed, a £5bn emergency response package for the NHS with a further £6bn (£1.2bn a year paid over 5 years) to pay for staff and upgrades across the NHS. It is believed that the total sum of these crisis packages is more than £100bn 6 . As a result of these urgent financial rescue packages issued by the government, the UK fell into recession for the first time in 11 years as gross domestic product (GDP) fell 2.2% in the first quarter of 2020 and gain in the second quarter of 2020. It was said that the economy contracted by 20.4% during the lockdown 7 . The recovery from this economic downturn was anticipated to be a “V-shaped” recovery and according to the latest data from the ONS, the economy grew by 6.6% in July. However, it is still very much below the pre-pandemic levels. With this weakened economy there still remains there still remains a requirement to meet the goals for eye care for the nation via NHS funding to ensure that those three aforementioned groups are not left behind as it was. That their access to quality eye care does not deteriorate beyond the current situation, which already sees the government spending £28.1bn on eye care consisting of direct and indirect costs amounting to £3bn and £25.1bn respectively. 2
The answer to this tremendous economic burden is to adhere to unified goal of creating a more robust and sustainable NHS. At the centre of this goal, lies the benefit and the necessity of preventative medicine related to public health. Eye care is no different and hence, is not exempt from this course of action. 

The first step towards achieving this goal is to increase education and awareness regarding available and proposed services applicable to these core groups. Universally across these groups, awareness of available NHS is vital. In addition to the increase of awareness, adjustments must be made in the manner of delivery pertaining to these groups. For the over 65 years of age, domiciliary eye tests should be made available along with regular reviews and examinations for corrective lenses should they need to be dispensed or prescribed. This risk group is most dependent on NHS services should vision loss occur and subsequently impact levels of independency previously enjoyed. Failure to meet this group’s need places a greater burden on the economy and the NHS’s finances. 

For low-socioeconomic groups, an improvement in patient experience is key to surmounting key barriers to access eye care. An example of such enhanced experience would involve streamlining services to allow for tests, reviews and treatments to be performed in one visit, which significantly reduces the cost to these groups whilst quashing the reasoning that a visit to the opticians is challenging and time consuming. Offering non-retail optometry services in alternative locations in deprived areas would be an effective way to catch early stage eye disease. 

For Black, Asian, Minority Ethnicity (BAME), both awareness and alternative venues would be most certainly welcomed, however anticipating demand utilising previous years and current data of prevalence within geographical areas within UK, as opposed to responding to capacity crisis, would serve this group the best. It is important that this methodology of screening and service providing is adopted quickly, as figures show that demand in the access for eye care services is and will increase in the years to come. Education amongst this risk group regarding commonly associated diseases such as hypertension, heart disease and diabetes is essential for favourable prognosis in ocular disorders in these individuals. The overall message is that education, awareness and flexibility in the delivery of service is urgently required. Data shows that an individual’s perception and attitudes are appreciative of the values and benefits of a trip to the opticians despite barriers. Therefore, conversion to uptake of these services and preventative measures is how this goal, of reducing financial burden and vision loss is to be achieved. 

Closing points: 

Secondly, reinforcing education to and awareness to compound public perception and attitude must extend to holistic approaches that promote favourable lifestyle choices and habits that are synonymous with good eye health. As a result individuals should seek to improve their diet ensuring they incorporate the recommended daily allowance of Vitamin A, B6, B9, B12, C, D, E, K, orange fruits & dark green vegetables. It is encouraged that individuals increase their levels of physical activity, their levels of sleep and begin or continue with smoking cessation if they are still smoking. According to statistics, 10 million people in the UK are smokers. Smoking increases the risk of AMD. If an individual stop smoking after a period of years the risk of developing AMD is reduced 2 . In addition to this individuals should do their utmost to maintain regular check-ups and the donning of protective eyewear when necessary. Investment in education and health promotion is another cornerstone to the goal of a sustainable NHS. 

Thirdly, opticians and related professional bodies must continue producing and update current guidelines on how they are dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus is indeed a major barrier for particular groups in accessing an optician, as there are concerns over safety regarding contracting the virus. Those most at risk of contracting COVID-19 people over the age of 60 and BAME are those for whom primary eye care services are important to. Again if possible domiciliary services and alternative non-retail venues must be explored, if they have not been so far. 

Finally, the implementation of these measures in order to meet the goals of a sustainable NHS going forward, whilst reducing vision loss with the UK will take a concerted effort across all healthcare professionals (HCP) in primary care setting, GPs, optometrist, pharmacists, community nurses and health care and social care workers. Be it a consultation requiring a referral from the GP or optometrist, or when a pharmacist reviews a patient’s medication particularly a diabetic patient or when a nurse visits a patient’s home to change dressing as part of wound management care, each HCP must be vigilant to the opportunity to intervene and encourage and promote eye health. All interactions wherever they should arise, should stress the importance of preventative intervention to reverse preventable vision loss from occurring. However this must not be left solely to primary care professionals. The private health sector, along with secondary care within the UK, has a role to play in amplifying this initiative surrounding the utility of a preventative approach to tackle vision loss. In some way this is a concerted and national effort to ensure that the financial burden in a future economy, from a present economy impacted by this pandemic doesn't widen the gap between successfully reducing the rate of vision loss and in obtaining a sustainable NHS. 

In conclusion, our sense of sight is important and somewhat of a gift according to the public, even though some attitudes with regards to eye care are indeed contradictory. Nevertheless, it remains that the principles of preventative medicine are adopted towards eye care. These specific groups; the older people of society, people from low-socioeconomic backgrounds and people of BAME ethnicity should not be left behind. This commitment has been made more challenging by the economic damage inflicted by COVID-19. With the government spending up to £100bn on a financial crisis, it poses a threat and places additional strain on the future economy and the desire for a robust and sustainable NHS if preventative eye care is not adopted and continued today to stave off vision loss and the subsequent costs that follow. Therefore the government, primary care, secondary care and the private sector must be in alignment to tackle vision loss within the UK. Failure in working towards this objective could further exacerbate the impact of eye care for the UK economy, NHS and the public. On this one occasion it would be ideal if the true price of the gift of sight were not subjective and that all associated players involved could see eye to eye on the matter.

© All rights reserved, Nnadi’s Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Limited, 2020. 

Signposting & Useful Documents: 

Reference: 

1. RNIB. The State of the Nation Eye Health 2017: A Year Review.

2. RNIB. The State of the Nation Report 2016

3. RNIB. Eye Health and Sight Loss Stats and Facts. 2018

4. S Barnes. Motorists wasted 115 hours in traffic jams last year, research finds. The Telegraph. 

5. D Strauss. UK’s furlough scheme to cost less than expected, says watchdog. Financial Times. 

6. B Chu. How much does the furlough scheme cost, compared to 2008 banks bailout, Trident and HS2? Independent. 

7. D. Jordan UK economy continues recovery in July. BBC News <https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54113948> accessed 11th September 2020
6 December 2024
Following on from our “Faith & Medicine” article and in keeping with the theme of spirituality, I’d like to announce that the Archangel Michael stands as the patron of Nnadi’s Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Ltd. “St Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of Heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruins of souls.”  Whilst Nnadi’s Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals remains a company that will always stay true to the principles of evidence-based medicine and “Good Science”, we pledge to utilise the scientific skill, talent and ambition that this company possesses to best serve patients & customers be they in the United Kingdom or abroad. Our privilege to serve those in need of our goods & services is a commitment we do not take lightly. We are most humbled and grateful to undertake this responsibility, and thus ask for the guidance & protection of St Michael the Archangel in all our endeavours henceforth. Most Sincerely, Sonny A. Ume Founder & Managing Director
6 December 2024
In the Western world, and specifically to Western medicine (allopathic medicine), faith commonly tends to meet medicine at the intersect of “last resort”. Sporting analogies vividly depict such dire occasions, the “Hail Mary Pass” of American Football, “The bottom of the ninth” of American baseball or “90 minutes plus stoppage time” in football (soccer). Once the game plans and tactics have been tried and exhausted to no avail, the game of the respective sports take on a more urgent, opportunistic and hopeful complexion for the teams involved. This scenario is very much reminiscent of when medicine has been deployed as the opening gambit to tackle ill health only to find it is yielding little to no dividends towards improving to the patient’s health or condition. In this situation desperate times call for desperate measures and in the face of such desperation faith is sought and clung onto. Faith and medicine enjoy a polarising duality; Spirituality versus Science, “The Unseen” versus “The Proven”, subjectivity versus objectivity, belief versus evidence. Even in the face of this presented incompatibility between Faith and Medicine, there resides a common thread that unifies both. Patients. This article will look at the importance of acknowledging faith in medicine and the role faith plays in healthcare, particularly in primary care. The opening sentiment of this article on the relationship between Faith and Medicine may appear somewhat flippant and reductive. For some patients, faith does not follow a sense of hopelessness or vulnerability. Rather faith, in their respective religion, is their North Star. Their compass in navigating their day-to-day life of which, their healthcare needs are no different. Faith is central to the identity of an individual and for the collective community and demographic. An understanding of a patient’s faith in the healthcare sector is necessary in a multicultural country like the UK and more so in her multicultural major cities such as London. According to the latest data from the ONS (Office for National Statistics) 2021 Census, Christianity remains the largest religion in London with 40.66%, with Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Sikhism and Buddhism following in sequential order at 14.99%, 5.15%, 1.65%, 1.64% and 0.99% respectively 1. When making an eyeball comparison of the religions distribution chart from the ONS 2011 Census against the ethnic group distribution chart from the 2021 Census, it provides a quantitative and qualitative insight into where specific demographics are situated across London 2. For instance you will find a majority of the Black Afro-Caribbean demographic in South East London an area with a high number of individuals identify as Christians, Asian-Indian in West London, an area where a large majority identify as Hindus and Sikhs, Asian Pakistanis far West & East London where Islam is the dominant religion and individuals who identify as Jewish are predominantly situated in the North and North West London area.  A majority people who identify within an ethnic group demographic will have some connection to a religion, which plays an integral part to shaping their culture as well as their faith. This is of significance as these individuals then to be those as risk of preventative chronic disease of which the health outcome can be a poor prognosis. The data derived from the charts below will form the basis for strategies that are to be deployed in meeting the clinical needs of the multicultural demographic in London.
9 September 2024
Dear Reader, We’d like to apologise for our absence and inconsistency in our posting activities. We had planned for 2023 to be the year to springboard growth for the company. However, by August 2023 our plans were derailed by unapproved amendments to an investment deal, unforeseen operational changes by appointed service partner and the negligent damage to our current stock. Due this catalogues of disruptions, it resulted in the business having to concentrate its efforts on stabilizing and navigating through this thorny period. Sadly the decisive actions we took have impacted our agility and growth for 2023 heading into early 2024. It would be no stretch of the English language to deem 2023 as an annus horribilis for Nnadi’s Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals. Despite the hurdles of learning and operational obstacles to surmount, we persevere not out of foolishness or folly but out of a sense of duty and determination to contribute something positive to the country. Something positive for the nation’s economy and the health of the population too. Through Fergie’s Sparkling Water®, we have had the opportunity to connect and listen to people. We have come to gain an insight into people’s relationship with their nutrition, GP and the NHS as a whole. Through these conversations with the public, it is apparent there is still much work to do. Aside from these conversations, I would be remiss not to mention and acknowledge the kind words of support and gradual return business we have accrued in spite of all these difficulties since August 2023. We are grateful to these customers and supporters, we shall repay their faith by continuing to make strides towards securing investment. Our path towards securing investment now adopts a strategy of patience (as much as we can afford). The investment climate in the UK is constricted and conservative to nascent SME science ventures. According to an experienced business advisor, investments in the UK have dropped by 61%. Aside from the slow velocity of investment capital, there seems to be a shortage of courage and patience towards modest & sustainable business model. Investing in STEM ventures is not for the faint-hearted, but it is an investment that pays dividends both financially and socially. In this climate, we have to wait discerningly for the correct investing partner that will pull us out of the vicious cycle of traction against capital. I have full confidence in the company’s potential and mission. I hope this is a sentiment shared by our investors. We shall indeed wait and see. In the meantime, we shall continue with our daily operational activities and ambitions. We have come to accept that investment is very much now a waiting game. Kindest Regards, Sonny Ume Founder & Managing Director
23 December 2022
Dear Reader, This year has been a year of marked progess and incremental growth in comparison to the previous year. Early into Q1, we began officially trading with Fergie’s Sparkling Water ® and have been garnering sales throughout the year. Between late Q2 and mid Q3 , we encountered challenges and hinderances in involving our marketing campaign impeding us from fully capitalising upon the double heatwave that swept through the UK in the Summer. Due to thte unwelcomed impact, we have parted ways from the responsible marketing firm that oversaw our campaign during the periods of the aforementioned quarters. New marketing partners have been identified for 2023. Despites seeing sales and an increase in social media follwers across all platforms, we have had to contend with difficult macroeconomic factors. The leading macroeconomic factor has indeed been the steep rise in inflation, exacerbated by the Russia-Ukraine conflict in March of this year leading to soaring commodity prices affecting businesses, families and individuals alike. As a result of this, the UK, amongst other countries in Europe, are enduring a cost of living crisis. In relevance to our sector, for Fergie’s Sparkling Water ® , grocery shopping (food) inflation currently stands at 14.6% (down 0.1%, 6 Dec 2022), significantly higher than this time last year’s recorded at 4.2%. To combat this inflationary environment we have decided on two courses of action. Firstly, we have opted not to engage in cost-push inflatuion from our end, which would see us pass the additional cost onto the consumer. This is clearly demonstrated by us not levying a delivery charge on the customer’s orders. Secondly, we have offered small sample packs and have revised and reduced our prices across our current SKU (flavours/lines) which now includes multiflavour packs. These practices have created new customers, returning customers and prospective customers. Regarding the later, we have seen an increase in orders left at the basket checkout (a common practice observed by e-commerce merchants and retailers). We would prefer to convert these incompleted orders to sales. We shall indeed concentrate attention and focus on this practice and these prospective customers in the coming year. Aside from opening achievements and current challenges, we have achieved milestones on a marketing and parternship front this year. In mid Q2 we were part sponsors of a well known health conference with leading dietician and nutritionist . We will explore the possibility of sponsoring this event again. In addition to this come Q1 of 2023 we will be sponsoring a University Netball Team Club for the second half of their season. We intend for this to be a promising promotional endeavour. Whilst forming sponsorship links we enagegd in our first out-of-home (OOH) marketing campaign in a thriving and bustling area within the city of London. This achievement and opportunity allowed us for to showcase our distinctive golden cans and unique and delicious flavours to passers-by in the capital. Again, we aim to incorporate this form of marketing into future marketing campaigns. Rounding up on positive fronts, the final preparations are being made towards the end of Q4 following the better articulation of our product portfolio and strategy heading into 2023. On behalf of the company I am filled with much confidence and optimism as to what lies ahead for 2023. Overall, 2022 has provided an additional 12 months that have served as an invaluable learning curve. Both in evaluation and identification and better yet, realization. And come the end of this year we realize the necessity and central importance of securing funding in 2023. I believe my confidence and optimism are not misplaced surrounding the current potential and awaiting achievements of this company. For, if we can successfully complete our next round of funding and secure sufficient capital investment, it would serve as both fuel and vehicle to propel our commercial ambitions and endeavours. Nnadi’s Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals aspires to make its contribution to the gauntlet and satellite challenges that have arisen following the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent scrutiny of the pharmaceutical industry. Given our stance towards the current perception of the pharmaceutical industry and our intended efforts to a propose remedy to the heightened scrutiny through Nnadi’s Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals’ operating model, hence there has not been a more enticing time to be involved in this sector. Nnadi’s Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals will strive to be among those enterprises, big and small, who wish to use all their efforts in tackling the challenges and seizing the opportunities that lie ahead in this field. Again, our ambition can only be realized with the necessary capital to fortify and grow based on what we have achieved so far. In closing, and returning to current matters, I would like to take this time to thank you for reading this and subsequent articles we have posted this year. I would like to thank all those who have supported and offered advice to bring us this for. And finally, above all else I would like to thank our customers who have invaluable not just in support through purchase, but in patience too.  I would like to wish you and you a very Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year. May 2023 be a year of achivements and delivery for you as I hope it will be for Nnadi’s Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals. Kind Regards, Sonny Ume Founder & Managing Director Nnadi’s Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
23 December 2022
Fergie’s Sparkling Water ® is delighted to announce it will be a sponsor for the second half of the University of Strathclyde Female Netball Club (USFNC). Fergie’s Sparkling Water ® can be enjoyed as part of a healthy diet, but as a thirst-quenching healthier alternative after physical activity such as sports. Increasing and encourage physical activity, through the medium of sports, is something we wish to do now and in the future. A club officer and player of the USNC, Oriana Smith said; “We have chosen Fergie's Sparkling water as one of our sponsors this year because we really believe in their product of a healthy alternative to sugary soft drinks. As a netball team who take our sport seriously, we can't wait to enjoy Fergie's drinks after our games and around Strathclyde Campus. Thanks so much Fergie's for being one of our sponsors this year!” We will certainly cheering the team on!
14 November 2022
The pharmaceutical industry is a force for good! Our opening remark serves as a reminder and maxim within our company’s mission statement of elevating the patient’s and consumer’s perception of the pharmaceutical industry. Now more so than ever in recent times, this maxim of ours is necessary to recalibrate the perception of our industry. For failure to do so will have far reaching consequences, not just upon the pharmaceutical industry but also on public health. As it stands, Big Pharma and the remaining stakeholders within the pharmaceutical industry must, if not currently are, run through a gauntlet consisting of disenfranchised, incredulous and angry members of the public. This brief will look at the current obstacles and challenges that await Big Pharma and other industry players, whilst proffering solutions that go some way to repairing the strained relationship between pharma and the public. The objective of this reconciliation between both pharma and public seeks to restore the lack of confidence and subsequently the trust that has been broken. The future and integrity of the pharmaceutical industry depends on the mending of this relationship. Beginning with confidence itself, it is its latter crystalised end product of trust, that has been eroded or completely shattered resulting in the pharmaceutical industry being brought into disrepute. The leading contributing factor has been the lack of transparency in commercial activities and the decisions of Pfizer Inc. surrounding their vaccine. The earliest sense of opacity and perceived artifice involved the non-attendance of Albert Bourla pulling out of an initially scheduled European Parliament’s special committee on COVID (COVID committee). Mr. Bourla was not legally bound to attend nor was he subjected to any criminal punishment, as this was not an inquiry. Mr Bourla was intended to speak off the record. Mr. Bourla’s non-attendance proved irksome and did little to quell the committee’s frustration in the pursuit of answer. Another invitation has been extended to Mr Bourla. In Mr. Bourla’s place Janine Small, Pfizer’s Regional President of International Developed Markets stood in. The committee sought to address their concerns surrounding the heavily redacted vaccine purchase contract and the text messages between the Pfizer CEO and EU President Ursula von der Leyen. French MEP and COVI Committee member Veronique Trillet-Lenoir put these questions to Ms. Small. The purpose of Ms. Trillet-Lenoir’s line of questioning was to establish the relevant components about the operations in the manufacturing and delivery of the vaccines. 1 To this, Small answered that the information remains confidential for “competition reasons. This answer in the eyes of the COVI Committee ran contrary to Pfizer’s initial claim of transparency.
7 September 2022
The role of a mother in the development of an infant is invaluable. Whether it be supporting intellectual development or social development at an early age, there remains and even more crucial form of development. Nutritional development. To mark the significance of nutritional development in the early weeks and months of a babies’ life, the first week of August (1st-7th) is considered World Breastfeeding Week by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA). WABA is a global network of individuals and organisations dedicated to the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding worldwide. However, it would seem that the message and rationale promulgated by WABA faces much challenge whilst heading towards a collision course with the proprietors of instant baby formula milk (IBFM) a form of breast milk substitute (BMS) and their proliferation over the previous decades. This article will explore how and whether the marketing practices deployed to promote BMS affects and hence jeopardises breastfeeding. We shall look at the importance and significance of breastfeeding, the current challenges and barriers to breastfeeding. We’ll review the marketing practices used by brand labels of IBFM and rebuttals they propose to these claims. Finally, we shall conclude on the repercussions of these claims on the marketing practices and their impact on breastfeeding and IBFM, before providing a conclusion.  Breastfeeding is one of the earliest and vital acts a mother engages in to support the physiological and nutritional development of her baby. It is for this reason why the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends solely breastfeeding babies for the first six months of their life. 1 The WHO’s recommendation stems from the constituents of human breast milk, all of which contain basic essential nutrients such as carbohydrates, protein and fats too. Apart from breast milk being tailor made for a mother’s baby, breast milk is rich in million of live cells (white blood cells and stem cells etc.) that are immune-boosting and help organs develop and heal. Breast milk contains enzymes, growth factors, antibodies known as immunoglobulins (key in protecting the baby from illness and infections) by neutralising bacteria and viruses. In addition to this breast milk includes long-chain fatty acids, which play a pivotal part in the development of a babies nervous system, brain and eye development. Finally, breast milk contains 1,400 microRNAs which are thought to regulate gene expression crucial in preventing or halting disease development, whilst supporting the babies immune system and remodeling of the mother’s breast. 2 The development and properties of breast milk occur over three stages; colostrum, transitional milk and mature milk (foremilk & hindmilk).
8 June 2022
Inflation, defined in simple economic terms, is when prices of goods and services generally increase (along with a rise in demand) whilst reducing the purchasing power of money as each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services. The 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan, once quipped, “Inflation was violent as a mugger, frightening as an armed robber and as deadly as a hit man.” And as this perpetrator is very much on the loose and as of the time of writing, poses a clear and present danger to family and households in the West. The global economy, in particularly those of the West, is emerging from the embers and effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and whilst still undergoing a jittery and steady recovery, inflation seems to have stalled and in some cases reverse growth in the West. In the United States inflation has hit an annual rate of 8.3% down from 8.5% in March, but still an inflation rate that remains close to a 40-year high.1 Across the pond, Western European nations are grappling, with inflation across the Eurozone reaching 7.5%.2 In addition to this, the raging conflict between Russia and Ukraine has exacerbated the inflationary pressures on the continent. This article will look at how inflation is impacting the UK population and the dangers towards diabetes prevention and what attainable steps or measures can be taken to tackle this.  Despite the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, the escalation of geopolitical tension between the US, Russia and Ukraine has now regrettably broken out into military conflict as of Thursday 24th February 2022 and has sent commodity prices soaring. As of 2019, Russia and Ukraine exported more than 25% of the World’s wheat.3 Ukraine is considered the breadbasket of Europe, as 71% of Ukraine land is agricultural. Ukraine is also home to a quarter of the World’s “black soil” or “Chernozem”, which is highly fertile.
27 May 2022
“Be yourself” , “Love who you are” and “Never apologise for being you” are common self affirmations associated with wellbeing but can extend to body positivity. The fashion, beauty and sporting industry are leading the vanguard on the encouragement of body positivity in the name of representation and diversity of body types. This is indeed a good thing and very much welcomed. However, there must be a sense of awareness and caution to the indirect promotion of any health implications, in particularly prediabetes. This article will explore the dichotomy between social norms of body positivity versus clinical (health) concerns surrounding body positivity. This article will cover, to an extent, the relationship and impact of body positivity and body image may have upon mental health, healthy weight management and how best to beat prediabetes and Type-2 diabetes. Finally, we shall cover how a healthy weight is calculated, its significance and metabolic difference between individuals. This article will not cover nor engage in any post-discussion or debate on the topic of body positivity in relation to attraction. From a medical viewpoint, attraction is a subjective, fickle and not germane to this article. Given the sensitivity of the subject it would be appropriate to cover the impact on mental health and psychological well-being. Body positivity is inextricably linked to our self-image, which is key to our sense of identity. Simply put, how we look equates to how we feel. The perpetuation and desirability in the pursuit of the “perfect body” arises primarily from various forms of consumption. Common sources and outlets of this category include; Hollywood, Reality TV, ITV’s mega-successful Love Island franchise and Meta’s Instagram, all offering a window into innocuous entertainment, whilst showcasing the latest beauty trends that go on to become the societal standard. However, this harmless form of entertainment ceases to be so when the perpetuated trends by A-listers, well-known celebrities or recognised public figures (devoid of malice or agenda on their part), are, perceived as unattainable. It is this realisation that is impactful and leaves a detrimental effect on the most vulnerable members of the public on the uses of body image- teens and adolescents. The data to support this is worrying. According to UK survey of 11-16 years olds conducted by Be Real found that 79% said how they look is important to them. Over half (52%) often worried about how they looked. 1 In a survey of young people aged 13-19, 35% said their body images cause them to ‘often’ or ‘always’ worry. Research has shown that girls are more likely to be dissatisfied with their appearance an their weight than boys.2 3 In a survey by Mental Health Foundation, 46% of girls reported that their body image caused them to worry ‘often’ or ‘always’ compared to 25% of boys.4 In addition to this UK survey by Be Real, targeted at UK adolescents, it was revealed that 36% agreed they would do whatever it took to look good with 57% saying they had considered going on a diet and 10% saying they had considered cosmetic surgery.5 Disturbingly among secondary school boys, 10% said they would consider taking steroids to achieve their goals.6 Through these surveys, young people have expressed that body image is a substantial concern. Body satisfaction and a pressure to be thin is linked to depressive symptoms such as anxiety disorders (social anxiety or panic disorder) particularly in those children who do not match societal views of the ideal body.7 8 9 Possessing a poor body image may also prevent young people from engaging in healthy behaviours, as studies have found that children with poor body image are less likely to take part in physical activity. Survey data has shown that 36% of girls and 24% of boys avoided taking part in activities like physical exercise/physical education (P.E.) due to worries about their appearance. Body image is a substantial concern identified by 16-25 year olds and is the third biggest challenge currently causing harm to young people behind a lack of employment opportunities and failure to succeed within the education system being the first two.10
27 May 2022
To mark the Diabetes (Type-2) Prevention Week, we shall provide you with a brief overview of what prediabetes is, why it is significant, who is most at risk and what can be done to tackle it. What is prediabetes? Prediabetes, also known as non-diabetic hyperglycaemia, is a serious health condition that sees a person’s blood glucose level reside above the healthy range, but reside just below the range required for the person to be diagnosed with Type-2 Diabetes (T2D). An individual is deemed prediabetic if they have an HbA1c reading of between 42mmol/mol (6%) to 47.9mmol/mol (6.4%) or a fasting plasma glucose (FPG) of 5.5mmol/l to 6.9 mmol/l. In the UK, statistics suggest that there are 13.6 million people at risk of developing Type-2 diabetes.
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