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PHARMACEUTICAL

AstraZeneca heart drug given US approval

Anglo-Swedish pharmaceuticals firm AstraZeneca announced on Thursday that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved its Brilinta heart drug for use on patients in the United States.

AstraZeneca heart drug given US approval

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) backed the use of Brilinta tablets to reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes and death, AstraZeneca said in a statement.

“The FDA approval of Brilinta is good news for patients in the United States and represents a significant milestone as we seek to help ensure… patients around the world have access to this innovative medicine,” AstraZeneca chief executive David Brennan said in the statement.

AstraZeneca is hoping that the drug, which won EU approval in late 2010, can rival current blockbuster heart drug Plavix that is produced by pharmaceutical giant Sanofi-Aventis and BMS.

“With over one million people affected by ACS (acute coronary syndrome) in the US each year, the fact that physicians have a new and more effective treatment option than clopidogrel to help reduce the rate of heart attack and cardiovascular death in these patients is an important advance,” Brenna said.

According to the American Heart Association, over one million Americans are hospitalised with ACS every year.

Brilinta is now approved in 39 countries including the US, Brazil, Australia and Canada and in the EU it is marketed under the trade name Brilique.

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VACCINE

Danish engineers first to be jabbed under voluntary vaccine scheme

Twenty employees of the Danish engineering firm Lowenco, together with their boss Mikael Hoier, on Sunday became the first people to be given the Johnson & Johnson vaccine under Denmark’s new optional vaccination scheme.

Danish engineers first to be jabbed under voluntary vaccine scheme
Practio co-founder Jonas Nilsen said that the employees had all been given detailed adviuce before they were given the jab. Photo: Practio

The group wanted to get vaccinated so that they can travel to India to install 20 freezers at a vaccine factory.

“It went pretty well, pretty calm and then a little prick,” Hoier, director of Lowenco, told state broadcaster DR.

After undergoing a medical consultation on Saturday, the group were given the green light to get vaccinated on Sunday.

“They all had many questions about potential side effects and the pros and cons of receiving the vaccine,” said Jonas Nilsen, a doctor and co-founder of Practio, which has been given the task of vaccinating Danes under the new optional scheme.

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After thinking over the decision overnight, two of the company’s employees opted against receiving the vaccine. 

“That is absolutely OK by me. It’s a personal decision and it won’t go against them,” Hoier said. 

Practio doctors advised the company to delay their departure to India to the end of this week, so the vaccine has more time to take effect, and they do not suffer complications during their trip.

“There is a chance that someone will be affected by side effects such as headaches, fever and soreness shortly after being injected,” he said.

Sunday’s vaccinations were carried out at Sønderbro Apotek in Copenhagen, and from Monday, vaccinations will be given at Practio’s own vaccine site in Copenhagen, where up to 5,000 people can be vaccinated a day.

The company plans to soon open vaccination centres in Roskilde, Odense, Aarhus and Aalborg. 

On Sunday, Nilsen told Norwegian broadcaster NRK that more than 20,000 people in Denmark had already put themselves down on the list for an optional vaccination, and said that his company is capable of treating about 70,000 vaccination patients a day. 

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