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Healthcare: Massive GDPR violations through outsourcing

The outsourcing of healthcare services can result in various GDPR-related problems: 1. Data protection and data security: According to Art. 9 GDPR, health data are considered particularly sensitive data and are subject to increased protection requirements. When outsourcing to external service providers, there is a risk that they may not adhere to the same high security standards as the healthcare facilities themselves[2]. 2. Lawfulness of data processing: It must be ensured that the processing of health data by the service provider has a legal basis and complies with the requirements of the GDPR[4]. 3. Order processing agreements: Detailed order processing agreements must be concluded with external service providers in accordance with Art. 28 GDPR, which regulate all data protection requirements[4]. 4. Information obligations and data subject rights: It must be clarified how information obligations towards patients are to be fulfilled and how their rights (e.g., access, deletion) can be guaranteed even with outsourced processes[2]. 5. Data transfers to third countries: When outsourcing to countries outside the EU, additional requirements must be met ...

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Germany outsources its diagnostics

The outsourcing of diagnostic services is a growing trend in Germany, posing new challenges for hospitals and laboratories. According to a study by Information Services Group (ISG), the outsourcing market in the DACH region grew by 63% in the first quarter of 2019 compared to the same period last year[4]. This increase also affects the healthcare sector, particularly laboratory diagnostics. A prominent example of diagnostics outsourcing is the University Hospital Aachen, which was one of the first university hospitals in Germany to outsource its entire laboratory diagnostics to a commercial provider. The hospital hoped to achieve annual savings of up to 5 million euros without compromising the quality of research, teaching, and patient care[1]. However, there are also critical voices regarding this approach. Prof. Dr. Karl Lackner, President of the German United Society for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, expressed concerns about the impact on research and teaching, as well as the quality of laboratory diagnostic services[1]. The reasons for this ...

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Obese US children to receive gene therapy

Through gene therapy, Dr. Farshid Guilak, research director at Shriners Children’s St. Louis, and Dr. Ruhang Tang, lead scientist, have discovered a “revolutionary new method to convert harmful fatty acids into beneficial ones.” This could allow “overweight children to lower their risk of other health problems, especially arthritis.” “We found that obesity is the biggest preventable risk factor for arthritis in children,” said Dr. Guilak. “Our typical response is to just tell kids to lose weight without addressing the bigger problem. Childhood obesity has become an epidemic, and as a result, childhood arthritis is becoming more common. One of our key findings is that it’s not just obesity itself that’s harmful, but diet. The types of fatty acids children consume play a significant role in a child’s weight gain. And once children are obese, it opens the door to… 

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To Mars: Will Elon fly?

Based on the available information, it appears unlikely that Elon Musk will personally fly to Mars in the near future, though he has expressed a desire to do so eventually. Musk has consistently stated his ambition to make humanity a multi-planetary species, with Mars as the primary target[1]. However, he has also acknowledged the extreme risks involved in early Mars missions. In a 2022 interview, Musk said: “I think for the first mission to Mars, I’d be happy to go and die on impact. I’d be happy to go and die on Mars, just not on impact“[2]. SpaceX’s current timeline aims to send the first uncrewed Starships to Mars in 2026, with potential crewed missions following in 2028 or 2030[3]. However, these dates have been pushed back several times already, and many experts consider them highly optimistic[4]. A 2024 study… 

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PFAS in biofilters for rainwater treatment

In collaboration with researchers from Ohio State University and the Swedish construction company NCC, researchers in Urban Water Engineering at Luleå University of Technology have conducted a comprehensive study on the occurrence, concentration, and distribution of PFAS in urban biofilters for stormwater treatment. This type of treatment facility is increasingly used worldwide when new industrial and residential areas are planned in cities. Consequently, the issue of maintenance is becoming increasingly important. "We found significant amounts of PFAS in most of the biofilters we studied. Unlike metals, which are captured high up in the biofilters, for example, PFAS were unevenly distributed in all filter layers, even at the very bottom of the filter materials, which are rarely replaced. These findings could have a major impact on the understanding of treatment processes and the future operation and maintenance of biofilters," says Ali Beryani, a doctoral student in the field of...

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USA: Female CEOs Earn More Than Male CEOs

Women CEOs at large US public companies outearned their male counterparts in 2024. The median compensation for female CEOs in the S&P 500 was $16.4 million, while their male counterparts earned $15.6 million. Despite higher compensation, the new report by The Conference Board, ESGAUGE, and FW Cook notes that women continue to hold few CEO positions in corporate America—just 7.9% in the S&P 500. That marks a small uptick from their representation in 2020, when they held 6.4% of CEO positions. Russell 3000: Female CEOs earned $6.7 million at the median, compared with $6.1 million for their male counterparts. Women constitute 6.9% of Russell 3000 CEOs. S&P 500: Median total CEO compensation increased to $15.5 million, up from $14.4 million in 2023.

RedHill Biopharma Secures U.S. Government Funding

RedHill Biopharma Ltd. (Nasdaq: RDHL) (“RedHill” or the “Company”), a specialty biopharmaceutical company, today announced that the U.S. government’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), a center of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)‘ Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), has selected opaganib2 for development to treat exposure to Ebola virus disease (EBOV). Under this cost-sharing contract, BARDA will provide partial funding for the company to further advance opaganib to mitigate infection and contain EBOV outbreaks. To date, opaganib has made positive development progress on the expected Animal Rule pathway towards potential approval as a treatment for EBOV. The Animal Rule allows for the use of pivotal animal model efficacy studies to support U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of new drugs when human clinical trials are not ethical or feasible.

Climate change affects emergency medicine worldwide

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International experts in emergency medicine warn that climate change will likely have serious consequences for emergency services worldwide. Nevertheless, few countries have assessed the extent of the impact or have a plan to deal with it. In a special session at the European Congress of Emergency Medicine today (Sunday), Luis Garcia Castrillo, now professor emeritus of emergency medicine at Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla in Santander, Spain, described how he and colleagues from the EUSEM working group on Emergency Medicine Day had asked 42 focus groups, consisting of experts in emergency medicine, preclinical care, and disaster medicine, in 36 countries across 13 UN regions of the world to complete a survey on awareness and preparedness for climate change [1]. The research findings are to be published in the European Journal of Emergency Medicine [2]. “On a scale of 0 to 9, they rated the severity of the impact of climate change on healthcare systems and particularly on emergency care, both now …

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FDA Approves IMULDOSA

Accord BioPharma, Inc., the U.S. specialty division of Intas Pharmaceuticals, Ltd., focused on the development of oncology, immunology, and critical care therapies, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved IMULDOSA (ustekinumab-srlf), a biosimilar to STELARA® (ustekinumab), for the treatment of chronic inflammatory conditions, including psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis. The FDA approved IMULDOSA for all indications of its reference medicine, STELARA. Accord anticipates a commercial launch of IMULDOSA in the first half of 2025.


Lilly reports one-year histologic outcomes in Phase 3 study of mirikizumab

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) announced data demonstrating more patients with moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease treated with mirikizumab achieved histologic response at Week 52 compared to ustekinumab, regardless of prior biologic experience. VIVID-1 is the first Phase 3 study for any approved or investigational treatment in Crohn’s disease to report histologic and combined histologic-endoscopic outcomes that were evaluated using a systematic assessment of five bowel segments (four colonic and one ileal) and strict definitions consistent with the recently published European Crohn’s and Colitis (ECCO) position statement on mucosal histopathology. These results are being presented as an oral presentation at United European Gastroenterology (UEG) Week, held in Vienna, Austria from October 12-15.