Podtech

Kala azar, black fever, or visceral leishmaniasis. VL for short.   The most serious of three main forms of leishmaniasis, VL is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) that is almost always fatal if left untreated. Like the other kinds of leishmaniasis, it is caused by protozoan parasites, transmitted by the bite of infected female phlebotomine…

In 1970, 15% of the world’s new cancer cases were found in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).   In 2008, 56% of the world’s new cancer cases were found in LMICs.   By 2030, it is estimated that a whopping 70% of new global cancer cases will be found in LMICs.   What about survival…

In the past several decades, the world of healthcare has borne witness to countless innovations in drugs, vaccines, therapeutic modalities, medical technology, and healthcare delivery. From the eradication of smallpox and the novel use of mRNA for vaccine delivery to remote monitoring devices and telemedicine for remote medical consultations, the health sector has come a…

When antibiotics were introduced, they were a game-changer in the treatment of infectious diseases which had previously overwhelmed health systems and claimed innumerable lives.   Today, antibiotics and other antimicrobial drugs are still important concerns in the health sector, but not for the right reasons. After years of use, overuse, and misuse of antimicrobial drugs…

The first step in fighting an infection or disease is to label it correctly, i.e., to get an accurate diagnosis. If you live in a high-income country or a fairly well-developed urban area, this doesn’t seem like much of a problem. You visit the nearest lab or call a health professional to your home to…

Prefab is not a fad: The history of modular construction   People often have the misconception that prefabricated modular construction is an unstable and cheap quick fix. They couldn’t be more wrong.   Prefabricated construction, in pharma and beyond, is far from a passing trend. It has been part of the engineering and construction industry…

Excessive thirst, the need to urinate frequently, tiredness, weight loss, blurred vision. The onset of symptoms like these often indicates the development of diabetes and a lifetime of managing high blood glucose and related health issues. Think kidney failure, stroke, heart attacks.   A universal problem?   In 2021, 529 million people across the world…

The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, or the SDGs: 17 goals and many more targets for the world to meet by 2030.   Goal 3 is to “ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages”.   Target 3.3 is to end the scourge of communicable diseases, a significant one being the HIV/AIDS…

Cleanrooms and other spaces involved in the production of pharmaceuticals must be, well, clean, to say the least. A gust of wind bringing in dust and other outdoor pollutants? Personnel operating the machines sneezing or shedding clothing fibres or skin flakes? Chemicals emitted by building materials? All of these are big no-nos. That’s why it’s…

In the late 1990s and the early 2000s, Eli Lilly did something which wasn’t very common. The Big Pharma company transferred technology for two tuberculosis (TB) drugs to pharma manufacturers in South Africa. This early instance of tech transfer in the pharma industry in Africa effectively helped fight the multi-drug resistant TB problem.   More…