...Sang the famous Spanish singer-songwriter Joaquín Sabina in 1992, “do not try the liqueurs of pleasure, build muscles from five to six, and watch your cholesterol.” Beyond his ironic lyrics about the exaggerated obsession with finding the elixir to prolong life, Sabina’s song alluded to a new reality: the increase in life expectancy and the implications that entails. … [Read more...] about If You Want to Live A Hundred Years…
Three Impacts of Digital Health on Healthcare
A young woman in Mexico with Type II diabetes hears her phone buzz and sees a notification – “Rise in blood sugar detected – inject 6 units of rapid acting insulin now.” … [Read more...] about Three Impacts of Digital Health on Healthcare
Would a Regional Regulatory Agency for Health Technologies be Feasible?
Regulatory agencies around the world are continuously reviewing requests for the commercialization of new medicines and other health technologies in their countries. With globalization, technological advances and innovation, and the emergence of new types of treatments, such as biologicals, biosimilars, and cell and gene therapies, the volume and complexity of such requests … [Read more...] about Would a Regional Regulatory Agency for Health Technologies be Feasible?
What is the Overview of Aging and Dependency in the Region?
Latin America and the Caribbean is aging at an accelerated and unprecedented rate. At present, 11 percent of its inhabitants are over 60 years old, a percentage that still does not amount to what is considered to be an aging population, as in the case of Europe (23.9 percent) or North America (20.8 percent). However, it is expected that by 2030 the population over 60 in Latin … [Read more...] about What is the Overview of Aging and Dependency in the Region?
Are We Ready for the Demographic Bill?
The population structures in Latin America and the Caribbean are changing and the challenges are not few. For example, 11 percent of the population over 60 years of age depends on other people for their daily care. Both the magnitude and the intensity of the dependence increase with the age of the population, mainly affecting women. And while from 1965 to the present the … [Read more...] about Are We Ready for the Demographic Bill?