News & Updates

Multipathogen testing an essential part of Test-Target-Treat strategy for respiratory illnesses

At a recent webinar, experts discussed the paradigm shift in respiratory illnesses and treatment practices as the COVID-19 pandemic transitions to an endemic phase. The late Dr Mohan Ravuru, Physician Researcher and former Asia Pacific Medical Director, Abbott, Dr Johnny Sinon, Senior Emergency Physician from Makati Medical Center, Philippines, and Associate Professor Nuntra Suwantarat, Infectious Disease Specialist, from Chulabhorn International College of Medicine, Thammasat University, Thailand, delivered informative presentations and engaged the audience through a stimulating panel discussion.

Among the topics covered were the ‘immunity debt’ phenomenon leading to potential epidemics, challenges in the differential diagnosis of COVID-19 and influenza, and the importance of point-of-care, multipathogen testing as a part of the Test-Target-Treat strategy in respiratory diseases.

Commercial smartwatch detects low blood oxygen saturation

Compared with a medical-grade pulse oximeter, the Apple Watch Series 6 can detect reduced levels of blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) as accurately as a medical-grade pulse oximeter does, according to a recent study.

Smoking cessation intervention during lung screening may encourage quitting

A smoking cessation intervention, introduced as part of lung health screening, may encourage quitting in about 30 percent of smokers, results of the UK-based YESS* trial showed.

Pembrolizumab a novel treatment alternative for early-stage NSCLC?

In the second interim analysis of the PEARLS/KEYNOTE-091 study, adjuvant pembrolizumab monotherapy provided a clinically meaningful improvement in disease-free survival (DFS) in individuals with stage IB–IIIA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after complete resection and adjuvant chemotherapy (CT).

Original New Drug Application Approvals by US FDA (16 - 30 November 2022)

New drug applications approved by US FDA as of 16 - 30 November 2022 which includes New Molecular Entities (NMEs) and new biologics. It does not include Tentative Approvals. Supplemental approvals may have occurred since the original approval date.