News
10-05-2010
One year of the A H1N1 Influenza
A year ago, in April 2009, the discovery in Mexico and the USA of a virus unknown until then, called H1N1, awoke the menace of a deadly pandemia and triggered a chain of unprecedented actions on behalf of the authorities who have spent thousands of millions of Euros as is now being criticised.
After one year, we still have no answer to the question of whether the World Heath Organisation’s (WHO) decision of declaring the first pandemia of the 21st Century was an excessive dramatization or whether it was governed by trade interests.
The governments spent huge amounts of money in vaccines, which subsequently proved to be a total waste due to the minimal number of people wishing to be vaccinated.
In the name of transparency and in order to respond to the criticism toward its action, the WHO – that denies any influence from the laboratories in its decisions – has created an independent committee to assess how the pandemia was dealt with, and its conclusions are expected to be known this spring.
The H1N1 flu caused 16.900 deaths throughout the world. In Mexico, where the virus was discovered, 1.200 people died and 72.000 people were infected.
30-11-2009
A or H1N1 Influenza
In order to provide replies to all the requests for information which we are receiving either by phone o e-mail regarding the A/H1N1 flu and the corresponding vaccination campaign, we intend offering you every few days an update of the information available and of the recommendations from both the Ministry of Health and the Generalitat.As you may know, different advice is given and different regulations apply in each European country. Here, we shall inform you about the situation in Spain and, more particularly, in the Valencian Region. The first thing to take into account is that the A/N1H1 flu normally develops into a light medical condition and that it is not necessary – nor advisable – for everyone to get vaccinated.
The A/H1N1 flu starts with symptoms similar to those of any type of flu (temperature, cough, muscular pain, headache, throat ache and, sometimes, nauseas and diarrhea) and, in general, the condition is lighter than in the case of the seasonal flu although it seems it could be more contagious (perhaps due to the fact that, as it is a “new” virus, the population’s level of immunity against it is low).
What shall I do if I have flue symptoms? Stay at home, rest and drink sufficient liquid (minimum 1,5 litres per day). If you do not normally have health problems, the condition will pass within a week. Do not get near places where there are lots of people (waiting rooms!), avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Wash your hands regularly. Use disposable tissue hankies when sneezing. Get in touch with your doctor if you have fever for more than 5 days (or 3 days in the case of children over the age of 2, but as soon as the first symptoms appear in the case of toddlers of less than 2 years). If the fever resumes after a few days or if you experience difficulties in breathing, consult a doctor. Should you belong to one of the risk groups, notify your doctor.
Who should be vaccinated? Vaccination is voluntary and, logically, everyone should decide as he/she sees fit. We cannot make a decision in your place. The four risk groups defined at present are: health workers, staff of essential public services (State Security personnel such as police, army, etc., firemen, civil protection services, people working in emergency health services and attention centres for refugees and immigrants), pregnant women and patients with chronic conditions over six months. The latter group includes children or adults suffering from chronic cardiovascular diseases (excluding high blood pressure), respiratory diseases, diabetes type I or II with drug treatment, medium or severe kidney failure, moderate or severe haemoglobinopathy and anaemia, asplenia (absence of spleen). The list also includes advanced chronic liver diseases, severe neuromuscular conditions, patients with a suppressed immune system, people with morbid obesity (BMI - Body Mass Index equal to, or higher than, 40), as well as children under the age of 18 under acetylsalicylic acid treatment due to their risk of developing Reye’s Syndrome.
When does the vaccination start? The vaccination will start on 16th November at national level. It must be stressed that different dates may apply in the various Autonomous Regions. The Valencian Region has just confirmed the date: www.antelagripeactua.gva.es/inicio.
Where does vaccination take place? The vaccination will be carried out in the local health centres, without priorities among the risk groups.
- Each patient belonging to a risk group, who is a resident in Spain and has a SIP card, may go to the local health centre and ask for vaccination. If you don’t have a file in your local health centre you have to ask one from your own GP.
- Patients who are resident in Spain and do not have a SIP card must report at the local health centre and present a certificate from the Town hall stating that they live in the municipality (“certificado de empadronamiento”) as well as a report on their clinical history from their usual GP.
- Patients who are resident in Spain and do not have a SIP card but do have a national private health insurance must report a the local health centre with a report on their clinical history from their usual GP, an identity card and the details of the health insurance. The health insurance will charge the costs directly on the private insurance.
- (New:) Patients who are not resident, but do have the European Health Insurance Card EHIC, must report at the local health centre with a report on their clinical history from their usual GP.
When the number of vaccines necessary to cover all risk groups has been secured, the vaccine will be made available to anyone wishing to get it, with a medical prescription. It is estimated that, by end of December, it will be possible to get monodose vaccines for individual sale at the chemist.
26-05-2009
Make an appointment for a screening mammogram
Techniques used in diagnosing breast cancer have improved considerably over the recent years and new treatments have been developed, all of which make it possible for many women to successfully overcome the disease. At present, the best way to fight breast cancer is to carry out periodical screening mammograms which enable the detection of nodules even before these become palpable. The countries where early detection programmes have been developed for years have reduced their death rates as consequence of breast cancer. A breast cancer prevention programme (Programa de Prevención de Cáncer de Mama) is in force in the Valencian Region, offering the possibility to women between 45 and 69 years of age of going through a screening mammogram every two years, this being the interval which experts consider the most adequate.All women over age 45 residing in our region may request to be included in this breast cancer prevention programme (UPCM). All they need to do is send a fax at nº 966 423 729, enclosing their certificate of inscription in the local town hall (empadronamiento) and stating the following information: postal address, telephone number, NIF/NIE and date of birth. They will receive a letter with an appointment date. The telephone number to change appointments is 966 420 560. Meantime, do carry out regular self-examinations as these also contribute to early detection.
17-02-2009
Your medication: Be informed
A Spanish on-line adaptation of the British National Formulary has recently been inaugurated under the name “Guía de Prescripción Terapéutica”. This guide covers all the medicines available in Spain, classified by pathology. In addition, it offers a number of notes which provide each doctor with information to help him to select the appropriate medicine. It is also interesting from the patients’ point of view as it enables them to find out about the dosage and the possible side effects of all the Spanish medicines in a scientific and objective manner.
Foreigners also benefit from valuable assistance by consulting the “Vademécum” page, which includes a chapter called “Equivalencias”, where they can look for the Spanish equivalent of the medicines prescribed in their country of origin, and vice-versa. Once they have found the name, they can then search for detailed information in the guides from their respective countries and in their own language.
In today’s world, where people are constantly travelling, we always advice them to carry along a list of the medicines they are taking, including their generic name, as this information enables any doctor around the world to know exactly what the patient is taking.
Guía de Prescripción Terapéutica: www.imedicinas.com/GPTage/Open.php?cDAw
Vademécum: www.vademecum.es
10-10-2008
Influenza Vaccine 21-10-2008
Dear patients:
Again this year we organise an Influenza Vaccine Day. We recommend this vaccine for the next groups of people:
- Persons over 60 years old
- Persons suffering from chronic pulmonary diseases (like bronchitis, emphysema, asthma, bronchiectasis, pulmonary tuberculosis and fibrosis); chronic hart diseases (like hypertensive heart, valve insufficiency); chronic renal insufficiency; patients under immunosuppressive treatment; diabetes mellitus and other less common metabolic alterations; furunculosis.
- Persons who run a higher risk to become infected because of their profession, epidemic situation and persons who are in frequent contact with a higher risk group (doctors, nurses, family)
At our desk there's a list available of patients to whom the vaccine could be beneficial. This message does not reach all patients: if you think that this vaccine could be of benefit to anyone in your surroundings, please inform him/her about it.
