New breast cancer medicine to be introduced by government

Nov 16 2021

The Ministry of Health announced that it has begun the process to acquire a new treatment for cancer immediately after certification.

Pembrolizumab, which is used for negative triple type breast cancer, was certified by the European Medicines Authority (EMA) on the 19th of October.

The Ministry for Health issued a statement saying that since 2017, around 17 new cancer medicines have been given free of charge in the Government formulary. Around 500 patients benefitted from this medicine per year.

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Ten inmates on hunger strike due to prison director Alex Dalli suspension

Nov 16 2021

Ten inmates at the Corradino Correctional Facility are undergoing a hunger strike in support of the now self suspended prison director Alex Dalli. The former director resigned from his post following another inmate suicide – the third this year alone. A spokesperson for the Home Affairs Ministry spoke with Times of Malta, revealing that 10 prisoners are on a strike which started on Sunday.

All participants are being closely monitored by a medical team as per protocol. The prisoners confirmed their strike as being in reaction to the suspension, saying that they disapproved. Conversely, inmates from four different divisions are refusing to sign a petition in support of Dalli. MaltaToday confirmed that inmates from divisions 4, 5, 13 and 17 refused to sign the petition. Other hardened inmates are believed to be supporting Dalli’s reinstatement.

Prison sources confirmed to MaltaToday that two petitions are being circulated around in prison – one for inmates and another for guards. The Home Affairs ministry also refused to condemn the dissemination of the petition. Dalli’s reputation is a mixed bag, with some praising him for weeding out drugs out of the prison and others criticising his unorthodox discipline methods. A total of 14 prisoners died in the last three years whilst serving time in Malta’s prison. In Dalli’s stead, former Detention Services Unit head Robert Brincau was appointed acting director.

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Companies Pfizer, BioNTech and Moderna making €57,100 per minute

Nov 16 2021

Pharmaceutical companies Pfizer, BioNTech and Moderna are making the combined profit of €57,100 ($65,000) per minute due to their successful COVID-19 vaccines. Despite the world’s poorest countries remaining largely unvaccinated, the companies have sold the vast majority of their doses to rich countries.

The People’s Vaccine Alliance (PVA), a coalition campaigning for wider COVID vaccine access, revealed how this is leaving low-income nations far behind in their epidemiological battle against the pandemic. The alliance is estimating that the trio will make pre-tax profits of €30 billion this year between them. This translates to €879 per second, €65,000 per minute and €82.2 million per day.

‘It is obscene that just a few companies are making millions of dollars in profit every single hour, while just 2% of people in low-income countries have been fully vaccinated against coronavirus’ highlighted Maaza Seyoum of the Africa Alliance and People’s Vaccine Alliance Africa.

Pfizer and BioNTech delivered less than 1% of their total supplies to low-income countries, whereas Moderna delivered just 0.2%. Conversely, 98% of people in low-income countries have not been fully vaccinated. These actions are contrasted to AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson, which provided vaccines on a not-for-profit basis. This is set to end as the pandemic winds down.

The PVA also said that the three companies are refusing calls to transfer vaccine technology to producers in low to middle income countries via WHO, which can increase global supply, drive down prices and save millions of lives.

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Illegal for bosses in Portugal to contact employees outside work hours

Nov 16 2021

Portugal has just passed new laws which make it illegal for bosses to contact employees outside of working hours. The new labour laws were passed earlier this month by Portugal’s Parliament, following an increase in people working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The document explained how workers should have the right to at least 11 consecutive hours of ‘night rest’ with no interruptions. Employees can only be contacted for emergencies. Employers are also required to contribute to their staff’s work-from-home expenses which involve electricity and internet. Bosses will also have to meet with staff members face-to-face every two months.

Portugal’s Minister of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security Ana Mendes Godinho said that the pandemic shows how telecommuting was a game changer which gave employees the power over more of their work lives. Fines could be expected for employers who do not abide by the rules, but the law does not apply to companies with less than 10 members of staff.

Not all proposed laws were approved however. The proposal to give workers the right to ‘disconnect’ and turn off work devices at the end of the day was denied. This law has already been introduced in some form in countries like France and Spain.

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