Health e News
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The Constitutional Court last week upheld the pricing regulations scheme issued in terms of the Medicines Act, but declared the key contested provisions ‘ those dealing with pharmacists’ dispensing fees ‘ invalid and sent it back to the Pricing Committee to be redrafted. Read an abbreviated version of the judgement here.
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Read the letter 199 health professionals signed and sent to Western Cape Health minister Pierre Uys, demanding an end to the actions of Matthias Rath and his foundation, which they said are endangering people’s lives.
The health minister Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, denied in Parliament that she ever said that traditional medicines, nutrition and vitamins should be offered as an alternative to antiretrovirals. Health-e, spoke to the health department’s Director-General Thami Mseleku, and asked him what point the Minister seeks to make when she talks about AIDS treatment.
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Los Angeles police are investigating Aids dissident Christine Maggiore who doesn’t believe HIV causes Aids, after her three-year-old died of Aids-related pneumonia.
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Renewed calls for Government to take action against the controversial Dr Rath Health Foundation have come from a large group of health professionals working in the Western Cape’s internationally acclaimed antiretroviral programme.
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Cosatu secretary-general Zwelinzima Vavi fired a broadside at Health Minister Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang and President Thabo Mbeki at the weekend, accusing them of failing to provide leadership in the fight against HIV. The minister’s spokesperson has in turn accused Vavi of being irresponsible and ignorant. Read the full text of Vavi’s speech and the minister’s statement here.
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In her recently-published book, ‘Khabzela: The Life and Times of a South African’, first-time author Liz McGregor asks the most pertinent question: Why did Fana Khaba, the popular deceased DJ on Gauteng-based youth station, YFM, die?
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Top government health officials seem poised to let the Dr Rath Health Foundation off the hook for conducting illegal clinical trials on people with HIV in Khayelitsha.
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While the Department of Health’s nutrition expert has been quick to point out concerns over Dr Matthias Rath’s multi-vitamin supplements, which he touts as the only effective way to ‘fight off’ HIV, its Director-General says there is nothing wrong with the pills, nor the activities of Rath’s Health Foundation in South Africa.
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There is much to worry about regarding the multi-vitamin supplements being marketed to South Africa’s HIV-positive population by the German doctor, Matthias Rath, according to the Department of Health’s own nutrition expert, Lynne Moeng.
The worldwide shortage of health workers means that rich countries are not likely to stop poaching health workers from poorer countries.
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Two HIV-positive women in Khayelitsha died within weeks of being convinced to discard their medication in favour of vitamins touted as a cure by the Dr Rath Health Foundation, while others say they were told to strip to their underwear, photographed and had blood taken without giving consent.