Cardiology

Mobile phone calls linked with increased risk of high blood pressure – EurekAlert

Sophia Antipolis, 5 May 2023: Talking on a mobile for 30 minutes or more per week is linked with a 12% increased risk of high blood pressure compared with less than 30 minutes, according to research published today in European Heart Journal Digital Health, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).1

Its the number of minutes people spend talking on a mobile that matter for heart health, with more minutes meaning greater risk, said study author Professor Xianhui Qin of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. Years of use or employing a hands-free set-up had no influence on the likelihood of developing high blood pressure. More studies are needed to confirm the findings.

Almost three-quarters of the global population aged 10 and over own a mobile phone.2 Nearly 1.3 billion adults aged 30 to 79 years worldwide have high blood pressure (hypertension).3 Hypertension is a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke and a leading cause of premature death globally. Mobile phones emit low levels of radiofrequency energy, which has been linked with rises in blood pressure after short-term exposure. Results of previous studies on mobile phone use and blood pressure were inconsistent, potentially because they included calls, texts, gaming, and so on.

This study examined the relationship between making and receiving phone calls and new-onset hypertension. The study used data from the UK Biobank. A total of 212,046 adults aged 37 to 73 years without hypertension were included. Information on the use of a mobile phone to make and receive calls was collected through a self-reported touchscreen questionnaire at baseline, including years of use, hours per week, and using a hands-free device/speakerphone. Participants who used a mobile phone at least once a week to make or receive calls were defined as mobile phone users.

The researchers analysed the relationship between mobile phone usage and new-onset hypertension after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, race, deprivation, family history of hypertension, education, smoking status, blood pressure, blood lipids, inflammation, blood glucose, kidney function and use of medications to lower cholesterol or blood glucose levels.

The average age of participants was 54 years, 62% were women and 88% were mobile phone users. During a median follow up of 12 years, 13,984 (7%) participants developed hypertension. Mobile phone users had a 7% higher risk of hypertension compared with non-users. Those who talked on their mobile for 30 minutes or more per week had a 12% greater likelihood of new-onset high blood pressure than participants who spent less than 30 minutes on phone calls. The results were similar for women and men.

Looking at the findings in more detail, compared to participants who spent less than 5 minutes per week making or receiving mobile phone calls, weekly usage time of 30-59 minutes, 1-3 hours, 4-6 hours and more than 6 hours was associated with an 8%, 13%, 16% and 25% raised risk of high blood pressure, respectively. Among mobile phone users, years of use and employing a hands-free device/speakerphone were not significantly related to the development of hypertension.

The researchers also examined the relationship between usage time (less than 30 minutes vs. 30 minutes or more) and new-onset hypertension according to whether participants had a low, intermediate or high genetic risk of developing hypertension. Genetic risk was determined using data in the UK Biobank. The analysis showed that the likelihood of developing high blood pressure was greatest in those with high genetic risk who spent at least 30 minutes a week talking on a mobile they had a 33% higher likelihood of hypertension compared to those with low genetic risk who spent less than 30 minutes a week on the phone.

Professor Qin said: Our findings suggest that talking on a mobile may not affect the risk of developing high blood pressure as long as weekly call time is kept below half an hour. More research is required to replicate the results, but until then it seems prudent to keep mobile phone calls to a minimum to preserve heart health.

ENDS

Authors:ESC Press OfficeMobile: +33 (0)7 8531 2036Email:press@escardio.org

Follow us on Twitter @ESCardioNews

Funding: The study was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program (2022YFC2009600, 2022YFC2009605), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81973133, 81730019).

Disclosures: The authors have no conflicts of interest to report.

References

1Ye Z, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, et al. Mobile phone calls, genetic susceptibility and new-onset hypertension: results from 212,046 UK Biobank participants. Eur Heart J Digit Health. 2023. doi:10.1093/ehjdh/ztad024.

Link will go live on publication:

https://academic.oup.com/ehjdh/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/ehjdh/ztad024

2International Telecommunication Union. Measuring digital development: facts and figures 2022. https://www.itu.int/hub/publication/d-ind-ict_mdd-2022/

3World Health Organization. Key facts on hypertension. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hypertension.

About the European Society of Cardiology

The European Society of Cardiology brings together health care professionals from more than 150 countries, working to advance cardiovascular medicine and help people lead longer, healthier lives.

About European Heart Journal Digital Health

European Heart Journal Digital Health is the official digital health journal of the European Society of Cardiology. It covers the whole sphere of cardiovascular medicine, from all perspectives of digital health.

European Heart Journal - Digital Health

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

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Mobile phone calls linked with increased risk of high blood pressure - EurekAlert

Cardiology

Statin Misinformation on Social Media Flagged by AI – Medscape

Using artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze large amounts of information from social media platforms generated some novel insights into public perceptions about statins, results of a new study show.

The study, which used AI to analyze discussions about statins on the social media platform Reddit, corroborated previously documented reasons for statin hesitancy, including adverse effect profiles, and general disenfranchisement with healthcare.

But it also found novel points of discourse including linking statins to COVID-19 outcomes, and the role of cholesterol, statins, and the ketogenic diet.

"We used AI to tell us what is being discussed about statins on social media and to quantify the information in topics that people think are important," senior study author Fatima Rodriguez, MD, MPH, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, told theheart.org | Medscape Cardiology.

"Some of the themes were surprising to us. While we expected discussion on side effects, we were surprised to see so much discussion refuting the idea that increased levels of LDL were detrimental. There were also a large amount of posts on statin use being correlated to COVID outcomes. Our findings show how widespread this misinformation is," she said.

"As a preventative cardiologist I spend a lot of my time trying to get patients to take statins, but patients often rely on social media for information, and this can contain a lot of misinformation.

"People tend to be more honest on online forums than they are in the doctor's office, so they are probably asking the questions and having discussions on subjects they really care about. So, understanding what is being discussed on social media is very valuable information for us as clinicians."

The study was published online April 24 in JAMA Network Open.

The researchers analyzed all statin-related discussions on Reddit that were dated between January 1, 2009, and July 12, 2022. Statin- and cholesterol-focused communities were identified to create a list of statin-related discussions. An AI pipeline was developed to cluster these discussions into specific topics and overarching thematic groups.

A total of 10,233 unique statin-related discussions and 5,188 unique authors were identified. A total of 100 discussion topics were identified and classified into six overarching thematic groups: (1) ketogenic diets, diabetes, supplements, and statins; (2) statin adverse effects; (3) statin hesitancy; (4) clinical trial appraisals; (5) pharmaceutical industry bias and statins; and (6) red yeast rice and statins.

Several examples of statin-related misinformation were identified, including distrust of the hypothesis that LDL-C has a causal association with heart disease. Discussions included quotes such as "I think LDL is pretty much irrelevant. Your HDL and triglycerides are far more important."

Other topics suggested that certain natural supplements would be an acceptable alternative to statins. Quotes included: "Red yeast rice is a statin basically, by the way," and "statins are basically mycotoxins and deplete you of fat-soluble nutrients, like coQ10, vit D, K, A and E, and in all likelihood through these depletions worsen cardiovascular health."

The researchers also looked at temporal trends and found that these sorts of discussions have increased over time.

One of the common themes identified was using the ketogenic diet phenomenon as an argument against increased cholesterol levels being bad for health.

Rodriguez elaborated: "People think the ketogenic diet is healthy as they lose weight on it. And as it can be associated with a small increase in LDL cholesterol there was a lot of opinion that this meant increasing LDL was a good thing."

The researchers also conducted a sentiment analysis, which designated topics as positive, negative or neutral with regard to statins.

"We found that almost no topic was positive. Everything was either neutral or negative.This is pretty consistent with what we are seeing around hesitancy in clinical practice, but you would think that maybe a few people may have a positive view on statins," Rodriguez commented.

"One of the problems with statins and lowering cholesterol is that it takes a long time to see a benefit, but this misinformation will result in some people not taking their medication," she added.

Rodriguez noted that in this study AI is augmenting, not replacing, what clinicians and researchers do. "But it is a valuable tool to scan a large volume of information, and we have shown here it can generate new insights that we may not have thought of.It's important to know what's out there so we can try and combat it."

She pointed out that patients don't read the medical literature showing the benefits of statins but rather rely on social media for their information.

"We need to understand all sorts of patient engagement and use the same tools to combat this misinformation. We have a responsibility to try and stop dangerous and false information from being propagated," she commented.

"These drugs are clearly not dangerous when used in line with clinical guidelines and they have been proven to have multiple benefits again and again, but we don't see those kinds of discussions in the community at all. We as clinicians need to use social media and AI to give out the right information. This could start to combat all the misinformation out there."

JAMA Network Open. Published online April 24, 2023. Full text

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Statin Misinformation on Social Media Flagged by AI - Medscape

Cardiology

PET Nuclear Medicine Market By Applications ( Oncology, Cardiology, Neurology, Other PET Applications ) – openPR

PET Nuclear Medicine Market

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Key Players Analysis: Cardinal Health Curium GE Healthcare Lantheus Medical Imaging, Inc. Bayer AG Bracco Imaging S.P.A. Eczacibasi-Monrol Nuclear Products Nordion, Inc. (A Subsidiary of Sterigenics International) Advanced Accelerator Applications (AAA) (A Part of Novartis) NTP Radioisotopes Soc, LTD.

The report covers key developments in the PET Nuclear Medicine market as organic and inorganic growth strategies. Various companies are focusing on organic growth strategies such as product launches, product approvals and others such as patents and events. Inorganic growth strategies witnessed in the market were acquisitions, and partnership & collaborations. These activities have paved way for expansion of business and customer base of market players. The market players from PET Nuclear Medicine market are anticipated to have lucrative growth opportunities in the future with the rising demand for PET Nuclear Medicine in the global market. Below mentioned is the list of few companies engaged in the PET Nuclear Medicine market.

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MARKET SEGMENTATIONThe PET nuclear medicine market is segmented on the basis of type and application. Based on type, the market is segmented as F-18, Rb-82, Other PET Isotopes. On the basis of application, the market is categorized as oncology, cardiology, neurology, and other pet applications.

The report provides a detailed overview of the industry including both qualitative and quantitative information. It provides overview and forecast of the PET Nuclear Medicine Market based on various segments. It also provides market size and forecast estimates from year 2020 to 2028 with respect to five major regions, namely; North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA) and South & Central America. The PET Nuclear Medicine Market by each region is later sub-segmented by respective countries and segments. The report covers analysis and forecast of 18 countries globally along with current trend and opportunities prevailing in the region.

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The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We specialize in industries such as Semiconductor and Electronics, Aerospace and Defense, Automotive and Transportation, Biotechnology, Healthcare IT, Manufacturing and Construction, Medical Device, Technology, Media and Telecommunications, Food and Beverages, Consumers and Goods, Chemicals and Materials.

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Cardiology

Radiation Scatter 101: Risks, Dangers and Latest Solutions – Diagnostic and Interventional Cardiology

Invented in 1896 by Enrico Salvioni, the fluoroscope remains a flagship technology of modern medicine. The live video X-ray image it provides can guide a catheter safely through a living patients circulatory system, delivering a therapeutic action precisely where needed. As an interventional cardiologist, Id be blind without my fluoroscope, and the life-saving procedures it permits would be impossible.

Unfortunately, the machines great power comes from the X-ray beam it uses to penetrate and image the human bodys interior. The very high frequency, short wavelength electromagnetic radiation generated in its X-ray tube is a well-known danger to living beings, and must be very carefully controlled. Most of us who work with radiation in medical applications believe we are controlling it, but that may stem more from complacency than from facts.

Within the last decade, studies have revealed that interventional cardiology and cardiac electrophysiology staff experience increased rates of cancer, skin lesions, cataracts and orthopedic illnesses as compared with their unexposed colleagues, even though they had adhered to international and federal radiation dose limits. These maladies increased with the amount of time spent conducting interventions.

While the diagnostic and treatment benefits of radiologic medicine are far too valuable to give up, we deny its downside at our peril: an increased risk of debilitating and potentially lethal health effects for the doctors, nurses, technicians and other staff who work in the catheterization lab daily and absorb small amounts of scatter radiation repeatedly over the course of their careers.

This risk is compounded by the trend toward higher-power machines to produce sharper images. Its the Catch-22 of a life in the catheterization lab: the better fluoroscopes get at helping our patients, the more they seem to hurt our healthcare team.

While most healthcare providers know about the dangers of direct radiation and take steps to avoid exposure, the threat of scatter radiation is less commonly understood. But over time, it can be just as dangerous. To help them grasp the concept, I tell my students to think of a high-tech heist movie, where the treasure to be stolen is protected behind a wall of crisscrossing laser beams: when you break one beam the alarm sounds. Its much the same with scatter radiation in the cath lab, except that the beams are invisible and harmful, and no alarm sounds when we move through them.

Thats why its a good idea, from time to time, to refresh our understanding of the risks and dangers of scatter radiation during fluoroscopic interventions, along with the best practices and new technologies that are making it easier to stay safer in the cath lab. With these in place, we no longer have to choose between improving our patients health and protecting our own.

Over more than a century using radiation in medical applications, weve learned a lot about what it can do, for better and worse. Unseen but for the damage it leaves behind, ionizing radiation is dangerous both acutely in higher doses and cumulatively in lower doses over time, as happens with scatter radiation in the catheterization lab.

The damage it can wreak on the human body takes one or more of the following forms:

Direct effects. These injuries result from acute overexposure to a directed radiation beam or proximity to a radioactive substance such as uranium, and can include all levels of burns to the skin and underlying tissue, radiation sickness, and death. Modern medical equipment is designed to prevent such massive overdoses.

Stochastic effects. Like an insidious poison, low doses of radiation repeated over time can increase ones risk of acquiring naturally occurring cancers. This is because radiation damages the genetic code deep within cell nuclei, increasing the chance that mistakes in the repair process could lead to a cancer-causing mutation to be incorrectly inserted into ones DNA. Stochastic effects for cath lab staff also include cataracts and cognitive problems.

Genetic effects. Damage to a chromosome that is repaired with an incorrect sequence can cause serious genetic mayhem, and it can be passed on to subsequent generations.

Embryo and fetus effects. A developing child is particularly vulnerable to radiations dose-dependent effects, which can include death or congenital abnormalities that appear at birth or later in life.

For fluoroscope users like me, no list of radiations dangers would be complete without mentioning the pain, fatigue and occasionally debilitating effects caused by wearing heavy garments, an antiquated but still technically effective way to protect staff. In fact, Ive known cath lab colleagues who were forced to retire from the field due to long-term damage caused by these cumbersome devices. With 12 years of training required for each interventional cardiologist, losing them to back pain seems a terrible waste of resources. Thankfully, lighter, lead-free alternatives are proliferating along with non-apparel methods to protect the whole room, and these will form the core of an effective 21st century fix for the problem.

The solution to radiation exposure is radiation protection, and when it comes to policies that can best protect cath lab staff from scatter radiation, the guiding principle must be ALARA, the acronym for as low as reasonably achievable. It means in all instances ones mindset should be to use the minimum amount of radiation to get the job done and produce the least exposure. This is especially important when it comes to personal protective equipment, as forgetting to don it before entering the danger zone can lead to real trouble. A protective gear checklist to review when suiting up can help, as well as maintaining an environment where staff are encouraged to continually check each others safety status.

Time, distance, shielding and dose monitoring are the time-tested pillars of radiation protection in medical settings. Combined with an ALARA mindset, they imply the following directives:

Time. Minimize your time operating the fluoroscope or being in the room while its on.

Distance. Maximize your distance from the radiation source. Two steps away from the table cuts your exposure by half.

Shielding. Put as much shielding as possible between you and the radiation source.

Monitoring. Wear a personal dosimeter to monitor and gauge your exposure.

Ultimately, all cath lab staff should be fully educated on scatter radiations dangers and the policies, practices, and technologies in use to defeat it.

Fluoroscopic image quality can suffer from insufficient power, usually because the image is too noisy or cluttered for a low dose scan. High dose settings (sometimes called detail mode) can improve image quality by boosting contrast, but this sends more radiation to the patient and more scatter into the room. In practice most of the time, the low power setting produces an excellent though slightly less sharp image, with no practical reduction in diagnostic value.

The following habits can also minimize overexposure due to machine settings:

Higher magnification and frame rates increase radiation overall, so use lower settings for these features unless a higher one is necessary.

Use the fluoro save feature to save the last image and reduce the need for more imaging.

Place lead drapes under the patient table, avoiding obstructions to C-arm travel.

Put the X-ray source under the patient table as far away as possible to reduce scatter radiation by directing it through the table and patient before it reaches staff, and place the X-ray detector as close to the patent as possible to produce the sharpest image.

Use tubing extensions to maintain a two-step distance from the table during imaging.

Avoid using the fluoroscope if a non-radiological imaging device can do the job; ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), optical coherence tomography (OCT), intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) or transesophageal echo (TEE) might be a safer alternative.

Other factors that can affect radiation scatter include larger patients. Modern fluoroscopes with automatic brightness control (ABC) will increase their power to penetrate patients with thicker or denser than average bodies. In these cases, the fluoroscopist should check if the ABC can be turned off and still produce an acceptable image.

A technological fix is always tempting, but we must remember that scatter radiation is a problem that sprang from a previous technological fix the use of X-rays to image the inner body. Every device designed to solve this problem will likely have positive and negative aspects that warrant careful consideration, and you may have to change the way you practice to reap all the benefits they promise.

Anyone who has worn leaden shielding garments for this type of work will be quick to suggest lightening the load, and modern medical science is answering the call with lead-free alternatives that dramatically reduce weight without sacrificing shielding power. Removing toxic lead from shielding also prevents it from finding its way into our environment, which is another win for healthcare.

Companies such as RadPad and Vitalcare Products produce a range of lead-free pads, table skirts, drapes, and other innovative shield types that are sterilizable and disposable. They are a simple and less expensive way to put shielding where needed, they keep the ALARA principle alive, and they serve as a helpful adjunct to more complicated, high-tech systems.

The Zero-gravity drape wrap from TIDI Products is one such step up in technical complexity. It offers security, light weight and ease of movement through a suspended lead-acrylic head shield that protects the operator from overexposure while working with the fluoroscope. Its chief advantage is in reducing strain on the back, neck, shoulder, hips, knees and ankles.

Of course, the holy grail of cath lab radiation protection will be a system that protects everyone in the room, and early attempts at such systems have begun to appear.

For example, Egg Medicals EggNest cath lab table reduces overall scatter by up to 91%, and Ramparts IC M1 123 independently adjustable acrylic shielding panels give it multiple vascular access points and may block enough X-ray scatter that lead aprons are not required.

Radiaction Medicals approach to full room protection relies on intuitive controls and an ingenious design to reduce scatter radiation by up to 90%, with up to a 97% reduction to the operators head, face and neck. The device doesnt impede access to the patient, and data indicate it may eliminate the need for up to 75% of protective lead apparel. It attaches unobtrusively to the fluoroscopes C-arm and deploys robotically on command, extending shielding panels that conform to the patients body and to the rotational angle of the C-arm. Afterward, the Radiaction device retracts quickly, minimizing its small footprint even further.

The EggNest radiation protection system reduces radiation exposure without compromising workflow. Image courtesy of Egg Medical.

Safer fluoroscopic interventions are both possible and necessary, but addressing the dangers of scatter radiation in interventional suites requires a commitment from all involved, from staff who must religiously follow safety protocols to administrators who must provide appropriate, effective tools to ensure our workplace safety. Fortunately for all of us, awareness is spreading, technology is progressing, and a bright future of long, healthy careers in radiologic medicine is well within our grasp.

Mohammad Sahebjalal, MD, is an Interventional Consultant Cardiologist at Musgrove Park Hospital. He was appointed in 2017 making him, at the time, one of the youngest interventional consultants in the UK.

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Radiation Scatter 101: Risks, Dangers and Latest Solutions - Diagnostic and Interventional Cardiology

Embryology

These are the six things to think about before freezing your eggs – Daily Mail

Thousands of women undergo the procedure every year.

Egg freezing has taken off over the last decade, with the numbers turning to the fertility preserving treatment increasing 10-fold in the UK over that time period.

The process, which sees a woman's eggs collected, frozen and later thawed, has spiked in popularity as growing numbers of women have put off having children until later in life.

But embryologist Cynthia Hudson has warned of the importance of women being fully informed if they choose to go ahead with the fertility treatment.

She has revealed to MailOnline the six things women should consider, from what age they should freeze their eggs to how much it will cost.

Ms Hudson, vice president of clinical strategy at IVF and cell management company TMRW Life Sciences, says there is not one correct answer on when a woman should freeze their eggs, as every situation and woman is different.

She said: 'We know, for sure, that the quality of eggs declines with age, so logically, the earlier you freeze them, the better.

'The best chances of having a baby can be had if you are under 35-years-old when you freeze your eggs.

'But being over 35 simply means you will likely need to freeze more.'

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) says 38 is the most common age for egg freezing but some women wait until they are in their 40s.

The reasons one may choose to pursue egg freezing can vary widely.

For example, one might be worried about fertility declining with age but is not yet ready to have a child or receiving life-saving but sterilising medical treatment.

Whatever the reason is, Ms Hudson says to consult your doctor as soon as possible to discuss your treatment options.

Women in the UK can now store their frozen eggs for up to 55 years.

This rule, which also applies to sperm and embryos, has been in place since July 2022, when the duration increased from the previous 10-year limit.

It means that women in the UK are now in a better position to consider freezing their eggs at a younger age when they have the best chance of a successful outcome as they do not face restrictions on the length of time they can keep them.

However, women will need to renew their consent for a clinic storing their eggs every 10 years.

And those who frozen their eggs before July 2022 and want them to be stored for longer than 10 years need to contact their clinic to see if it is possible,

One of the most important and often overlooked things a woman should consider before freezing her eggs is storage, Ms Hudson says.

The goal of egg freezing is to have your eggs 'safely stored for future use', so she urges women to ask their clinic how their eggs will be stored until they are needed.

Egg freezing should be considered an insurance policy rather than a guarantee, according to the embryologist.

Ms Hudson says it can help preserve your fertility but it cannot promise success.

Success rates are largely dependent on the woman's age when they are frozen, but experts say what also matters is the total number of eggs available for use.

Just like when utilising fresh eggs, not every egg will fertilise, not every fertilised egg will result in a viable embryo, and not every viable embryo will lead to a live birth.

The success rates among those aged under 35 are higher than those who are over, declining rapidly after the age of 40.

One US study found that the chance of a live birth among women using their own frozen eggs was 39 per cent overall, rising to 51 per cent among those who were younger than 38 when they froze their eggs.

For those actively pursuing parenthood with fresh eggs, further attempts at a pregnancy by undergoing additional egg collection cycles can be made.

It is essential to understand all of the data and the options available, Ms Hudson says, as treatment decisions made now may determine the success of having a child in the future.

Fertility specialists can answer questions and give advice accordingly.

The entire processes from freezing eggs to thawing in the UK costs 7,000 to 8,000, on average.

Whilehaving your eggs collected and frozen will clock up a bill of around 3,350, this is just one part of the process.

Hormonal medication that needs to be taken to stimulate egg production before the procedure costs approximately 500-1,500 on top of that.

Storage costs are extra and vary between clinics but tend to be between 125 and 350 per year, according to HFEA.

Thawing eggs and transferring them to the womb costs an average of 2,500.

NHS funded treatment is available for some women who choose to freeze their eggs before cancer treatment, but the amount of funding and eligibility criteria vary.

At this time, there is no NHS funding for patients who want to freeze their eggs for other reasons, but there are other options one can pursue.

Some employers provide this type of coverage directly to their employees, while others provide financing options directly to patients.

When considering future fertility, Ms Hudson insists the choice of clinic is paramount.

The HFEA is responsible for licensing and inspecting UK fertility clinics, and they publish scores for each fertility clinic inspected.

Ms Hudson said this can help the decision-making process, as it gives an indication of the success and patient ratings of a clinic.

While success rates and cost are key factors, Ms Hudson also suggests you focus on proximity of the clinic to your work or home.

She says this is because you may need to make multiple trips to the clinic, sometimes with short notice.

And you should also enquire about the technology and equipment used by the clinics to freeze and store your eggs, she says, as the 'entire reason for freezing them now is to have them safe and available when ready to use them'.

For those considering freezing their eggs,Ms Hudson said being aware of what the process involves is vital.

She said that the first step is to consult a fertility specialist to review the options that are available.

An initial evaluation will likely involve blood tests, a pelvic ultrasound scan and a discussion of your medical history.

If you proceed with egg freezing, the first stage of the process, known as 'ovarian stimulation', will start.

This involves hormone injections to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs rather than the one egg that is typically and naturally released each month.

This treatment entails multiple visits to the fertility clinic over a few weeks, Ms Hudson says, with your blood hormone levels and ovaries regularly monitored.

When the time is right for them to come out, a medical professional will use an ultrasound guided needle and, with a suction device, remove the eggs seven to 14, on average, for women aged under 38 from the ovarian follicles.

The extracted eggs will be transported into the laboratory, evaluated, and flash-frozen by an embryologist using an ultra-rapid procedure called vitrification and then typically placed into a flask containing liquid nitrogen.

Storage at very cold temperatures, below -150C (-238F), allows the eggs to remain viable for use at a later date.

When you want to use them, the eggs will be thawed and those that have survived intact will be injected with your partner's or donor's sperm.

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These are the six things to think about before freezing your eggs - Daily Mail

Embryology

USask researcher aims to revolutionize human-assisted reproduction – USask News

Now, a new method developed by University of Saskatchewan (USask) researcher Dr. Roger Pierson (PhD) and his team, including his daughter, first author and alumna Dr. Hannah Pierson (PhD13), to statistically assess the quality of human embryos for transplant success promises to revolutionize the field of ART.

In a paper published May 1, 2023, in the journal Reproductive BioMedicine Online, the researchers explain the formula they developed to convert the currently used qualitative method of grading embryo quality into a quantitative ranking.

Its a revolutionary approach to understanding the contribution of the embryo in assisted reproduction therapies, and how to use the indicator embryo quality in statistical analyses to improve therapy, he said. Solving this problem has opened up a whole new world for us and everyone in embryology. Its a very exciting development.

The team developed the algorithm to tease out the relative contributions of the embryo, the endometrium and embryo transfer efficiency. They validated the NEQsi system with a detailed clinical analysis of more than 1,700 in vitro fertilization cycles at a single Canadian fertility centre. The results showed that NEQsi score was a significant predictor of pregnancy.

The currently used Gardner grading system assigns qualitative scores to an embryo based on three visual factors: the expansion of the blastocyst (the space inside the fertilized egg); inner cell mass (cells that grow into a fetus); trophectoderm quality (cells become the placenta and membranes). Given the possible grade combinations, that works out to an unwieldy 54 possible embryo grades which combine quantitative and qualitative indicators. These broad categories obscure useful data.

Respecting the Gardner systems strength in yielding a high-quality assessment of embryo quality in the lab, Piersons group developed an equation, called the numeric embryo quality scoring index (NEQsi), that mathematically condenses the 54 Gardner grades to a linear scoring system ranging from 2-11 that better represents the embryo grade. This enables researchers to incorporate embryo quality into their statistical analyses of other factors in ART.

Piersons group is making the algorithm public and providing a NEQsi calculator so that clinics and embryologists everywhere can use it. Even patients will be able to access it to help understand where their embryos fit onto the scale and have informed conversations with their care providers about how best to proceed.

Its a part of being a small piece of the university that the world needsbuilding collaborations with new university technologies and commercial entities to bring new technology to the marketplaceand we also hope to demonstrate how businesses and academia can work well together, Pierson said.

He connects the great potential of the NEQsi equation to another of his research successes at USaska non-invasive, ultrasound-based endometrial receptivity (usER) system. His Synergyne Group of Companies reached an agreement with USask to secure the rights to the technology in 2012, and Synergynes trademarked Matris system is used in ART clinics across Canada. Trials in clinics around the world will be initiated in the coming weeks.

Matris uses mathematical algorithms and specialized visualization technologies to assess and interpret ultrasonographic images and assigns a numeric score based on what the results predict will be the quality of the endometrial lining at the time of embryo transfer.

Its a very important tool in helping patients increase the probability of pregnancy at each transfer, decrease the time it takes to become pregnant, decrease the cost, and to support women through this process because they often feel personally responsible for the quality of the uterus, said Pierson.

The higher the Matris score, the higher the probability of pregnancy. Pierson said Matris has successfully raised the likelihood of pregnancy by 20 per cent for fresh embryo transfer cycles and 10 per cent for frozen embryos in some clinics.

Matris is revolutionary in understanding the contribution of the endometrium. This new NEQsi system is allowing us to analyze the contribution of the embryo on a transfer-by-transfer basis. The next step is to put those two pieces together, said Pierson.

Matching all the patient parameters, embryo parameters and endometrial parameters to assess the success of the innovative approach is expected to take between 12,000 to 20,000 fertilization cycles at large ART clinics in Europe and North America, he said.

The combination of these two technologies incorporated into leading assisted reproduction clinics will represent a highly significant improvement to the care of women globally.

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USask researcher aims to revolutionize human-assisted reproduction - USask News

Embryology

Merck Foundation CEO and Liberia First Lady Report the Impact of Their Long-Term Partnership to Transform Patient Care in Liberia – Devdiscourse

Merck Foundation CEO and Liberia First Lady meet with 12 African First Ladies during 9th Edition of Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary 2022 to approve their future strategy and announce their impact report and call for action to build healthcare capacity and empower women & girls in Liberia Merck Foundation is transforming the Patient care landscape and making history together with Liberia First lady and other partners in Africa, Asia, and beyond. Watch partnership journey of Merck Foundation with Liberia First Lady: https://youtu.be/Zwy9HQ_38GY Watch the video of The First Lady of Liberia & Ambassador of Merck Foundation "More Than a Mother" during the Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary 2022 here: https://youtu.be/jGb0xwG8Ehk Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, recently conducted their annual conference, the 9th Edition of "Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary". The conference was inaugurated by Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp, Chairman of Merck Foundation Board of Trustees, and Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and Chairperson of Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary, and H.E. Mrs. CLAR MARIE WEAH, The First Lady of Liberia & Ambassador of Merck Foundation "More Than a Mother" along with African First Ladies of Botswana, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Zambia, Angola and Central Africa.

Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej emphasized, "I met my dear sister, H.E. Mrs. CLAR MARIE WEAH, The First Lady of Liberia in Senegal in 2018 for the first time and our long-term partnership started since then. We have achieved a lot in a very short time.

We had a long meeting during 9th edition of our Luminary to discuss our joint programs and strategy and report its impact. I am proud to share that together we have provided 37 scholarships to young doctors in Liberia in critical and underserved specialties like Oncology, Fertility & Embryology, Sexual & Reproductive care, Diabetes, Biotechnology of Human Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, and Acute Medicine. Together, we will transform the healthcare sector in the country. I am looking forward to amazing revolution that our long-term partnership can achieve in Liberia." H.E. Mrs. CLAR MARIE WEAH, The First Lady of Liberia & Ambassador of Merck Foundation "More Than a Mother" emphasized, "Our partnership journey is supporting the social and economic development of our country and Merck Foundation programs are very beneficial for the people of our country. We have achieved many milestones since 2018.

Together we are also working on various initiatives to raise awareness about critical social and health issues like Breaking Infertility Stigma, supporting Girl Education, Stopping GBV, Ending Child Marriage & FGM, diabetes & hypertension awareness. Merck Foundation has provided Sanitary Napkin Production Machine and raw materials to help our young girls to ensure good menstrual hygiene for them, so they can continue their education and reduce the number of girls dropping out from school.

Together, we have provided 37 medical scholarships to our young doctors. This is a huge achievement for us, and we are definitely making history in Libera by training the first specialists in many medical fields such as: Infertility, Embryology, Oncology and Diabetes." On day 2 of the Luminary, Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative- MFFLI committee meeting was also conducted between The First Ladies and Merck Foundation Chairman and CEO. During the MFFLI committee meeting, the future strategy of 2023 was discussed and the impact of their partnership programs since 2018, were announced.

"I personally enjoyed our reading session of Children's storybooks created by Merck Foundation, 'Jackline's Rescue' to focus on the importance of Girl Education and highlight the immoral practices of society including child marriage & dowry system; and 'A Ride Into The Future' to emphasize on the importance of empowering girls through education. It was my favorite part of MFFLI committee, I hope we keep doing this every year," Senator Rasha Kelej emphasized.

Watch the video of MFFLI committee meeting: https://youtu.be/hGd8fTM7qwg During the Luminary, an important one to one meeting between The First Lady of Liberia and Merck Foundation CEO, Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej was also held to discuss the impact of on-going programs and define strategies to further build healthcare and media capacity in Liberia.

Watch the video of Merck Foundation CEO, Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej receiving Liberia First Lady, H.E. Mrs. CLAR MARIE WEAH: https://youtu.be/Ws9oPzfPBv4 Together with Liberia First Lady, Merck Foundation has provided 37 scholarships to local doctors in Liberia in critical and underserved specialties so far, out of which 9 scholarships have been provided to doctors for Diabetes as a part of their Nationwide Diabetes Blue Points Program.

Moreover, 4 scholarships have been provided for the Oncology Fellowship and Master Program. This has given Liberia the first oncologists and will transform the landscape of cancer care in the country by forming the first cancer care team.

Merck Foundation has also provided 13 scholarships for One-Year Online PG Diploma and Two-Year MSc in Sexual and Reproductive Medicine, and 8 scholarships for Embryology training, Fertility training and Master in the Biotechnology of Human Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, and 3 scholarships have been provided for One-Year Online Post Graduate Diploma and Two-year MSc in Acute Medicine.

"Merck Foundation has always believed in the importance of building healthcare capacity and has been working towards this since 2012. We will continue to provide medical training to Liberian doctors in various medical specialties in partnership with the First Lady of Liberia," assured Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej.

Merck Foundation in partnership with The Liberia First Lady has also initiated "Educating Linda" Program, which is very important for Liberian girls as through this program, scholarships will be provided to 20 underprivileged but brilliant girls to continue their education till they graduate. Additionally, Merck Foundation distributed 3000 essential school items sets to school-going girls.

Moreover, Merck Foundation together with The First Lady of Liberia and The Ministry of Education launched three children's storybooks titled: "Marpeh's Story" to emphasize on the strong family values of love and respect from a young age which will reflect on eliminating the stigma of infertility and resulted domestic violence in the future, "Educating Miatta Story" to emphasize on the importance of empowering girls through education and "Make the Right Choice Story" to raise awareness about coronavirus prevention amongst children and youth as it provides facts about the pandemic and how to stay safe and healthy during the outbreak. 30,000 copies of these storybooks have been distributed to school students of Liberia.

"Together we will soon also launch more storybooks to address issues like supporting girl education, child marriage, GBV and diabetes and hypertension. Moreover, we will also continue to train more young doctors and provide Liberia with many more first medical specialists," assured Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej.

Merck Foundation also announced the Call for applications for their 8 important awards in partnership with The First Lady of Liberia for Media, Musicians, Fashion Designers, Filmmakers, students, and new potential talents in these fields.

The 9th Edition of Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary 2022 was streamed live on the social media handles of Merck Foundation and Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej.

Link to the Facebook live steam of Inaugural Session of Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary & African First Ladies High Level Panel: https://www.facebook.com/KelejRasha/videos/1578702445903102 Merck Foundation is transforming the Patient care landscape and making history together with its partners in Africa, Asia, and beyond, through: 1580 + Scholarships provided by Merck Foundation for doctors from 50 Countries in 36 critical and underserved medical specialties Merck Foundation is also creating a culture shift and breaking the silence about a wide range of social and health issues in Africa and underserved communities through: 2500+ Media Persons from more than 35 countries trained to better raise Awareness about different social and health issues 8 Different Awards Launched annually for best media coverage, fashion designers, films, and songs Around 30 songs to address health and social issues by local singers across Africa 8 Children's Storybooks in three languages - English, French, and Portuguese Pan African TV Program ''Our Africa by Merck Foundation" addressing Social and Health Issues in Africa through "Fashion and ART with Purpose" Community 1000+ Girls from 15 African countries supported through scholarships or school items, annually.

9 Social Media Channels with more than 5 Million Followers.

Click on the link below to download Merck Foundation App https://www.merck-foundation.com/MF_StoreRedirection Join the conversation on our social media platforms below and let your voice be heard Facebook: Merck Foundation Twitter: @MerckFoundation YouTube: MerckFoundation Instagram: Merck Foundation Flickr: Merck Foundation Website: http://www.merck-foundation.com About Merck Foundation The Merck Foundation, established in 2017, is the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people and advance their lives through science and technology. Our efforts are primarily focused on improving access to quality & equitable healthcare solutions in underserved communities, building healthcare and scientific research capacity and empowering people in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) with a special focus on women and youth. All Merck Foundation press releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become available on the Merck Foundation Website. Please visit http://www.merck-foundation.com to read more. Follow the social media of Merck Foundation: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Flickr.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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Merck Foundation CEO and Liberia First Lady Report the Impact of Their Long-Term Partnership to Transform Patient Care in Liberia - Devdiscourse

Embryology

IVF works for the lucky few. After a decade, I finally realised I wasnt one of them – The Guardian

Why I quit

We tried and tried, but failed and failed. Yet the fertility industry kept offering us hope, so long as we offered them money

Is it possible to become addicted to fertility treatment? When does spending tens of thousands of pounds on IVF with no guarantee that it will actually work become a gambling problem? These are the questions I am searching for answers to as I meet virtually with a doctor from a top London fertility clinic. Women are a mystery, he jokes. I smile politely into the tiny camera on my laptop. I had been considering treatment with his clinic and we have spent the last hour running through my history of infertility, or rather, in my case, incomplete fertility.

My husband and I have been trying for nine years to have a baby. Im quite good at getting pregnant, especially when we first started trying, but I cant seem to stay pregnant. I dont know why. And as it turns out, neither do the experts. I have spent years seeking their help, and because IVF wasnt available on the NHS in my area, I have paid thousands of pounds along the way in my relentless pursuit of pregnancy.

IVF can be an invaluable blessing, and I know so many people who have benefited from the treatment. But there are no guarantees. Despite the tremendous costs associated with private IVF treatment, according to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, the average live birth rate for IVF patients under 35 is around 32% per embryo transferred. For patients older than 35, the stats decrease significantly by age. Those are pretty bad odds for success, but like thousands of women in the UK, I tried my luck.

Early in our journey, we were labelled as a case of unexplained infertility. And while that sounds as if it should be an anomaly, in reality at least 25% of infertility cases in the UK today are classified as unexplained, a mystery.

For me, unexplained is the worst diagnosis of all. If I had one of the common causes of infertility, such as polycystic ovaries, irregular periods or endometriosis, or if my husband had a male infertility factor, we could target the problem and treat it.

But after all the tests and weve had them all we are painfully, extraordinarily, normal.

One clinic was honest in its assessment that it could not identify why our pregnancies wouldnt last, and advised me not to continue the physical burden of IVF. It refunded us part of the cost when its treatments werent successful.

Others were not so kind. Treatment at the most expensive clinic I went to, a Harley Street stalwart, left me physically bruised, financially depleted and none the wiser. My final interaction with them was a 15-minute consultation, weeks after my failed cycle, in which the doctor shuffled through my papers and said: It should have worked, we did everything right. Try again.

And so, I did.

But after further unsuccessful cycles, I started to realise that IVF treatment is more art than science. My experience was that IVF is experimental, each clinic offering different cocktails of medicines, treatment plans and add-ons.

I tried every option available to me. Cycle after cycle, I gained weight, lost control of my moods, and for years I was anchored in a constant state of grief. But the urge to keep trying refused to disappear.

Despite my efforts not to fall for the promise of IVF again, curiosity and temptation got the better of me. Maybe another clinic could help? Maybe it could offer something new, something different, that the others couldnt?

And so, I found myself speaking to this new doctor on my laptop. You are too young and too healthy to give up, he said. He suggested a strategy and a three-cycle package for us to consider. And so I tried again. I was meticulous in execution but despite our excellent graded embryos and my healthy uterus, the cycles failed.

It was a painful reminder that this is how the fertility business works. I could be tempted to pay thousands to treat an undiagnosed condition. A schedule of appointments, injections and procedures could offer me a comforting, yet false, sense of control in an otherwise bewildering experience.

IVF clinics are a business first and foremost, and the private fertility industry in the UK alone is worth more than 320m annually. The model relies on patients like me trying, failing, then paying to try again. And again. And again. Until it works. Maybe.

Its not just the private clinics. Beyond sparse regulation, the booming fertility market is a free-for-all, crowded with pseudoscientific products aimed at desperate women. Ovulation kits, fertility smoothies, maca powder, royal jelly, prenatal supplements, acupuncture, massages, coaches and countless pricey pregnancy tests Ive paid for them all.

Its irresistible when the one thing they sell above all else is hope.

It took me nearly a decade, but I realised that IVF works for the lucky few, and I wasnt one of them. And so, I finally quit. I conceded that the toll it was taking on my body and my mental health was not worth it. I had vanished. My identity, my time, the light inside of me, all diminished. I decided I needed to regain control of my body.

I am considered a case of unexplained infertility because there are gaping holes in the scientific understanding of how life is created, why miscarriage happens and why some of us struggle to conceive, even in the best of circumstances. My doctor was right, womens health is still too often shrouded in mystery.

Its fair to say that my IVF days are over. But I wont give up hope of having a healthy baby one day. I also hope to see change in the fertility industry. I hope that assisted fertility becomes a less traumatic experience for patients; that more regulation is put in place to curb the ever-rising costs of treatment, and that success rates are calculated on personalised data based on patient diagnosis. I also hope for fairer marketing practices that would allow patients to make more informed choices, and for continued research to develop treatments with more promising success rates. Above all, I hope that society wakes up to this silent crisis in womens health happening all around us.

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IVF works for the lucky few. After a decade, I finally realised I wasnt one of them - The Guardian

Embryology

When your mother’s not your mother and the problems of … – The Tablet

Under current legislation, which is by no means perfect, the surrogate mother is the legal parent of a child born through surrogacy.Daisy-Daisy / Alamy

For most couples, the desire to have children is deeply imbedded in their relationship. After all, human beings are made for love and children are a real expression of love. So, when couples discover that they cannot have children this can be devastating. On the other hand, some couples, notably same sex couples, enter their union knowing from the outset that having their own children together is impossible, yet they still yearn to be parents, as do some single people who are not in any relationship. Welcoming a child via a surrogate mother seems to provide the answer. Influential celebrities who use surrogate mothers have become role models for surrogacy and hold out this as an option for all. However, the desire to be a mother or father does not justify any right to have a child. Children have the right to be born in their own real families with their own mother and father.

Without any real discussion of the serious ethical issues involved in surrogacy, and despite significant concerns over surrogacy arrangements, new proposals have been put forward by the Law Commission of England and Wales and the Scottish Law Commission that will not only facilitate and enable surrogacy but will also turn surrogacy and parenthood into merely an administrative process. Under these proposals parenthood becomes a matter of a paper agreement between the parties: the intended parents and surrogate mother who make up the surrogacy team, under the oversight of an organisation that ensures the team are aware of the implications of their agreement. The proposals appear in the Law Commissions joint report Building families through surrogacy: a new law.

While the ostensible aim of the report is to clarify the law, in effect the proposals provide a new pathway to having children. Significantly, these proposals move from tolerance of the practice to full support of surrogacy as a means of having a family. Surrogacy becomes simply part of the range of assisted conception options (a phrase used both in the report and by government) and parenthood is reduced to administration. Not only would surrogacy be normalised if these proposals were implemented, the proposals would deprive the natural mother of her status as a mother from the very beginning of the pregnancy and, if she wants her own child, she has to reclaim her child within six weeks of the birth.

Surrogacy is often presented as an altruistic act of helping a couple fulfil their dreams of having a family. However, the child is a person too and surrogacy is always an injustice. Surrogacy raises serious questions. Human beings cannot be the objects of a transaction between others. There is a real concern of the exploitation of women. Instead of being a gift for the parents, the child becomes an object of a commissioning agreement between the surrogate and intended parents. By its very nature, surrogacy intentionally deprives the child of the mother who gave bodily care from the very beginning of the childs life and so surrogacy fragments parenthood. However, the new proposals bypass these serious issues. Instead, the proposals simply consider the practicalities of surrogacy as if it is merely a contractual and administrative process. They discuss what can be done in a given legal framework without discussing what should be done. The proposal normalises otherwise unjust actions. With its proposed new pathwayBuilding families treats the surrogate as temporary rented accommodation. The occupant, the child, remains vulnerable to the intentions and desires of the surrogacy team of the intended parents and the surrogate mother.

Under current legislation, which is by no means perfect, the surrogate mother is the legal parent of a child born through surrogacy. To have a legally recognised relationship to the child the intended parents must obtain a parental order through the courts. This means that, when courts decide on a parental order application, they give paramount consideration to the welfare of the child. Under the proposed new pathway the necessity for a court application for a parental order is removed. Instead, the intended parents and the surrogate agree before the childs conception that the intended parents will become the childs legal parents at birth. There need not be a medical reason for taking the route of surrogacy. Surrogate mothers need not have given birth before (as such a requirement would not respect the autonomy of women who want to be surrogates) and there is no upper age limit or limit to the number of surrogate pregnancies she may undertake. This pathway agreement will be overseen by proposed new Regulated Surrogacy Organisations (RSOs), supervised by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). As the UKs regulator of fertility treatment and research using embryos, the HFEA already has a long reach, and its remit will be further expanded to encompass surrogacy arrangements. The task of RSOs is to ensure that the surrogacy team are aware of the implications of surrogacy and its emotional and practical consequences. This pre-conception assessment of the understanding of the surrogacy team includes an assessment of whether a future child would be at risk of significant harm or neglect. However, it is a weak and ineffective replacement for a court decision on the best interests of an existing child. Rather than the focus being on the welfare of the child, under the proposed legislation what is now of paramount importance are the intentions and choices of the surrogacy team.

The proposed new pathway that presents surrogacy as yet another reproductive choice means that the welfare of the child, already precarious under previous legislation and under existing reproductive technologies, now loses any real significance. The aim of the law commissions may have been to reform the law, but this was not in response to addressing the serious ethical issues related to surrogacy or to remedy injustice or to protect women and children who are at risk of exploitation or objectivisation. The underlying aim for the reform seems to be to reinforce and deliver the pre-conception intentions of the surrogacy team. In part this is due to the practical concern that intended parents worry the surrogate may change her mind and the surrogate worries that the intended parents will change theirs: concerns that are inevitable given the very nature of surrogacy. However, contract and the instrumentalisation of motherhood seem to have triumphed over the natural mother-and-child bond. We are in the process of normalising mothers not being mothers.

Dr Pia Matthews is a Senior Lecturer St Marys University.

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When your mother's not your mother and the problems of ... - The Tablet

Embryology

On World Veterinary Day Let us Celebrate the Diversity of the Noble … – Rising Kashmir

Veterinarian in common parlance means an Animal Doctor. This noblest of all noble acts of healing a sick animal constitutes a very small part of a Veterinarians Job Profile. Will Rogers has rightly said, The best doctor in the world is a Veterinarian. He can't ask his patients what is the matter - he's got to just know.A Veterinarian is not only the guardian of animal health but human health as well. One Health Concept is dedicated to improving the lives of all species - human and animal - through the integration of Human Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and Environmental Science. It seeks to promote, improve, and defend the health and well-being of all species by enhancing cooperation and collaboration between Physicians, Veterinarians, other scientific health and environmental professionals and by promoting strengths in leadership and management to achieve these goals. Veterinarian as a farm manager manages dairy, sheep and poultry farms to produce milk, meat and egg for nutritional security, a step ahead of food security. As an animal breeder he works towards improvement of animal productivity, as a nutritionist he devises optimum feeding regimen for better productivity and as food technologist he looks for ways and means to enhance the shelf life of animal products and their value addition.

Veterinary and Animal Science Education, Research and Training

Veterinary and Animal Science Education and Research presently falls under the Ministry of Agriculture. Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) has nationwide network of Deemed Universities, Directorates, Project Directorates, Research Institutes, National Research Centers, National Bearuex, Network Projects and All India Co-ordinated Research Projects dedicated to research and education in fields of Agriculture and allied sectors. Out of the vast network a few institutes are dedicated exclusively to Animal Sciences. State Agriculture Universities invariably have Veterinary and Animal Science Faculties/ Colleges taking care of Undergraduate and Postgraduate Veterinary education. Many states have separate Veterinary Universities with Faculties/Colleges of Veterinary Sciences, Fisheries, Dairy Technology etc. Southern state of Tamil Nadu has established a network of extension centers on lines of Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) linked to Veterinary University known as Veterinary University Training and Research Centres (VUTRCs) and state of Karnataka has established Animal Science Polytechniques to create much needed para-veterinary manpower. A statutory body called Veterinary Council of India (VCI) has been established that presently regulates undergraduate teaching, while post-graduate education, research and extension continue to be regulated by ICAR. Veterinary and Animal Science Education in State of Jammu and Kashmir is taken care of by two Faculties of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, one each in Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology Kashmir and Jammu (SKUAST-K and SKUAST-J). Besides BVSc and AH degree programme Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Faculties offer Postgraduate and Doctoral Degree programmes in as many as 18 disciplines.

A rigorous five and a half years undergraduate programme during which a student goes through a wide range of subjects like: Anatomy, Histology, Embryology, Physiology, Climatology, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Pharmacology, Toxicology, Pathology, Microbiology, Immunology, Parasitology, Public Health and Food Safety, Livestock Production and Management, Poultry Science, Wild life Science, Fodder Production and Grassland Management, Animal Nutrition, Feed Technology, Animal Genetics and Breeding, Medicine, Surgery, Radiology, Animal Reproduction, Gynecology and Obstetrics Extension Education, Veterinary Medical Ethics, Animal Products Technology followed by a rigorous Clinical and Farm management practice leads to the award of Bachelors Degree in Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry (B. V. Sc& A. H). As diverse are the subjects so are the animal species about which Veterinary student is supposed to study. These include Cattle, Buffalo, Equines, Swine, Sheep, Goat, Rabbit, Laboratory Animals, Canines, Felines and Avians like Chicken, Duck, Turkey, Guinea fowl etc. to name a few.

Veterinarians in Service of Society

A Veterinarian serves society in a wide variety of ways:

Government Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Services: In Departments of Animal and Sheep Husbandry a Veterinary Assistant Surgeon has multifarious responsibilities including, Animal health care, Disease diagnosis and surveillance, Epidemiology, Dairy, Sheep, Goat and Poultry Development. Genetic improvement of livestock, Production of Biologicals, Maintenance of semen and germplasm banks and hatcheries, Feed formulation, compounding and quality control, Livestock and Poultry Farm Management, and providing Vetero-legal opinion whenever required

Research teaching and education: Post graduate Veterinarians take up Research, Teaching and Extension assignments in State Agricultural/Veterinary Universities, KVKs, Research Institutes under Agricultural Research System and in Departments of Science and Technology, Department of Biotechnology, Defence Research Development Organization, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research etc.

Defence Veterinary Services: Indian Army has Remount Veterinary Corps that inducts Veterinarians to take care of number of Military Dairy farms, Equine studs and other Livestock farms and Canine squads. Besides they are involved in meat and milk inspection at various military establishments. For similar assignments paramilitary forces like BSF, ITBF, and CRPF etc also induct Veterinarians in their ranks

Banking and Insurance: Public and private sector banks and Insurance companies induct Veterinarians for looking after Cattle/Animal Husbandry finance schemes and livestock insurance sectors respectively

Private Practice and Consultation: A Veterinarian as a consultant to Dairy Sheep and Poultry enterprises contributes immensely in increasing the availability of animal products.

Veterinarians in Wild life Conservation: Veterinarians contribute to Wildlife conservation in capacity of Wildlife Veterinarians in National Parks / Sanctuaries and Zoos. In event of Wild Animal- Human Conflict the Veterinarians are called upon to control the strayed Wild animal in order to ensure its safe return to natural habitat.

Veterinarians as Guardians of human health: Veterinarians act as guardians of human health in capacity of Livestock Inspectors in municipalities and local bodies, Meat inspectors at Slaughter houses, Milk and Milk product inspectors in Dairy Plants. In event of outbreak of Zoonotic disease Veterinarians are called upon to use their expertise in controlling the disease.

Veterinarians as administrators: Being accustomed to rigorous study schedule and hard work Veterinarians find it easy to crack Civil services Examinations like IAS, IFS, State Administrative Services etc. and many Veterinarians have in recent years made it to coveted positions in administration.

Besides there are number of other fields where services of Veterinarians are required

World Veterinary Day

On last Saturday of April every year the global Veterinary community comes together to celebrate World Veterinary Day. Created by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and the World Veterinary Association (WVA), World Veterinary Day first celebrated in year 2001 is meant to raise public awareness about the important roles veterinarians undertake. The celebrations are cantered on focusing attention to the crucial role veterinarians play in the development of more sustainable Animal Husbandry practices, which improve not only the health of animals, but also the health and well-being of people and the environment. By implementing a One Health Approach, Veterinarians are working together with other health professionals to improve and develop new production systems that are also respectful of animal welfare and the environment, By doing so, veterinarians are contributing to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to reduce poverty and ensure zero hunger, good health, and economic growth. Each year, WVA declares a theme for World Veterinary Day.

This year the theme for World Veterinary Day is Promoting Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness in Veterinary Profession. Along with the global Veterinarian Community, the Veterinarians at SKUAST of Kashmir comprising Scientists, Teachers, Extension workers, Students and Research Scholars celebrate World Veterinary Day with traditional enthusiasm at Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, SKUAST-Kashmir, Shuhama, Alusteng. On 29th of April 2023 the last Saturday of April this year SKUAST-K Veterinarians shall converge at the Faculty Lawns, where Chief Guest, Honble Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-K shall unfurl the World Veterinary Association Flag and unveil the new issue of Vets Vision. This would be followed by a Veterinary Day Rally to Multi-speciality Veterinary Clinics, inauguration of Animal Clinical Camp, Felicitation of achievers, theme lecture by Organizing Secretary and scores of other programmes. The visit of School Children and retired Veterinarian shall also add colour to celebrations.

( The Author is a Veterinarian serving at SKUAST-K as Associate Director Research and Officer on Special Duty to Vice Chancellor The views expressed in the write-up are the views of the author and need not represent the views of the Institution. He can be contacted at azmatalamkhan@gmail.com)

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On World Veterinary Day Let us Celebrate the Diversity of the Noble ... - Rising Kashmir