Our World in Data | Life Expectancy
“For most of the 20th century, Iceland, Norway, Australia, and Sweden competed for the top position before being overtaken by Japan in 1984. Hong Kong and Japan have held the records since then.
These countries didn’t merely catch up; they’ve continued to push the limits higher.
Japan added six more years to female life expectancy between 1984 and 2010, rising from 80 to 86 years.”
From Our World in Data.
“Brazilian authorities on Wednesday approved the world’s first single-dose dengue vaccine, which they hailed as a ‘historic’ achievement as cases of the mosquito-borne disease soar globally due to rising temperatures.
Dengue, known for intense flu-like symptoms, crushing fatigue and body aches, reached record global levels in 2024 and researchers have attributed its spread to climate change.
Brazil’s health regulatory agency ANVISA authorized the use of Butantan-DV, developed by the Butantan Institute in São Paulo, for people aged 12 to 59.
Currently, the only dengue vaccine available worldwide is TAK-003, which requires two doses administered three months apart, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The single dose, developed after eight years of trials across Brazil, will allow for faster and simpler vaccination campaigns.”
From CTV News.
“Back in December 2022 Gavi made a promise. After years of slow progress, Gavi committed to a historic revitalisation of our human papillomavirus – or HPV – vaccine programme.
With US$ 600 million in new investment, we set a target of increasing the number of girls in the world’s most vulnerable countries protected by this lifesaver almost seven-fold, from 13 million to 86 million, and we gave ourselves just three years to do it. By the end of 2024, coverage in Africa had risen to 44%, surpassing coverage rates in Europe.
It was an ambitious target, which would require reaching new countries with the vaccine and massively expanding existing programmes.
I’m proud to announce that we have met it, ahead of schedule.
The impact of this huge expansion in the availability of and access to the HPV vaccine will be felt for years to come.
An estimated 1 million lives will be saved. US$ 2.3 billion in economic benefits could be realised. And millions of girls across the world will face a future free from the suffering and anguish caused by cervical cancer.”
From Gavi.
“During a 911 emergency, everyone is rightly expected to get out of the way of first responders driving to the scene. But these vehicles still need to follow roads, which most likely do not provide a straight shot to their destination. Traveling as the crow flies would be far more efficient—and that’s precisely the idea behind this remarkable drone-powered project.
A Duke Health project is using drones to deliver treatment devices during real medical emergencies in Clemmons, North Carolina. Described as a ‘first-of-its-kind study in the U.S.,’ the drones carry automated external defibrillators (AEDs—devices used to re-establish an effectual heartbeat rhythm in individuals experiencing cardiac arrest) to bystanders before EMS (emergency medical services) can get there, with the goal of decreasing cardiac arrest response times.”
From Gizmodo.
“A daily pill could soon be available as an alternative to Wegovy and Ozempic injections after a trial found it led to substantial weight loss and improved blood sugar levels in people with obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Orforglipron, developed by pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, is designed to work in the same way as semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic, which mimics a hormone called GLP-1.
A prior trial found that orforglipron enabled people with obesity but without type 2 diabetes to lose about 11 per cent of their body weight, on average, over 72 weeks. This is less than the 15 per cent typically achieved over a similar period with injectable semaglutide, but taking medication as a pill is more convenient, says Deborah Horn at the University of Texas.”
From New Scientist.
