Health

The COVID-19 pandemic may have triggered cancer cases in young adults, as the disease itself, which gravely affects the immune system, and the adoption of a sedentary lifestyle brought by the pandemic has led to increased cancer rates in the young population, an expert has warned.

The Greek agency for pharmaceuticals, EOF, has announced a ban on the distribution and sale of Tork Alcohol Gel Hand Sanitizer, a product marketed as an antiseptic hand gel. According to the announcement, the product has not been approved by EOF, despite being promoted as an effective antiseptic.

Slovenian spa resorts harbour much optimism ahead of the May Day holidays, saying that bookings so far are promising and that more are expected just before the holidays. Most of the guests will be from Slovenia, but the number of foreign visitors has been increasing this year.

The first international conference on active and healthy ageing was held in Ljubljana this week, addressing the subject of accessibility of healthcare in remote areas of the Adriatic-Ionian region and development of telemedicine through the lens of the international project SI4CARE. Participating countries signed an agreement for healthy ageing.

Spearheaded by leading addiction specialist and government "drug czar" Jindrich Voboril, the expert group has been meeting regularly since December to prepare a draft law on the liberalisation and possible legalisation of recreational cannabis use, sale and production in the Czech Republic.

Millions of lives could be saved by a range of new vaccines for a range of diseases, including cancer, experts say. A leading pharmaceutical company has announced that by 2030 there will be vaccines against cancer, cardiovascular, autoimmune and other diseases, the Guardian writes.

Hasija, the four-month-old white tiger cub found under a garbage bin outside Attica Zoological Park in late February, has been put down, the zoo has said.

In a post on Facebook, the zoo said that it had done everything possible to save the animal, the tiger's "serious incurable and painful genetic problems were incompatible with a basic quality of life and well-being."

As night fell in Mexico's Yucatan jungle, veterinarian Omar Garcia extracted blood and fluids from a bat as part of an investigation aimed at preventing the next potential pandemic.

"My wife and I help students study without being shackled by debt on their chosen career path," says Greek-American Roy Vagelos, 93, a prominent figure in the pharmaceutical industry.

By 2030, the world will have a shortage of about 10 million specialists, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the creation of the World Health Organization.

"As the world recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, we call on all countries to protect and invest in their health workforce," he said.