scholarly journals Vaccination in Europe: Attitude of the Anthroposophical Society

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 132-138
Author(s):  
Olga Shimanskaya ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Vaccination Campaign ◽  
European Countries ◽  
European Medicines Agency ◽  
Philosophical Position ◽  
The Public ◽  
Waldorf Schools ◽  
World Outlook ◽  
Relevant Topic ◽  
Coronavirus Infection ◽  
Regional Authorities

The article is devoted to a relevant topic – the progress and readiness of the European society for vaccination against coronavirus and the public discussion that unfolded in European countries regarding the pace of the vaccine campaign, the safety of vaccines certified by the European Medicines Agency. The author analyzed the activities of one of the well-known religious and philosophical groups – the Anthroposophical Society in Germany, which has its own arguments, grounded in a religious and philosophical position, against any vaccination, and especially against insufficiently tested vaccines against COVID-19. The Anthroposophical Society is an influential world outlook organization and at the same time a corporation whose members implement their religious and philosophical views in the field of education, organic farming, the production of good quality cosmetics and medicines that are in demand among the population of European countries. Anthroposophic physicians in the context of a pandemic have launched work on the prevention of coronavirus infection, as well as on the rehabilitation of people who have undergone it. They insist on the inadmissibility of isolation measures for students of Waldorf schools, protest against the massive vaccination campaign. Their vigorous protests find support from skeptics who distrust government vaccination policies. As a result, anthroposophists reckon with the strength of the regional authorities and listen to the federal ones, since it demonstrates a certain vector of public opinion and sentiment associated with the vaccine campaign, which is necessary for a return to normal life.

PP106 Twenty Years Of Orphan Medicines Regulation: Have Treatments Reached Patients In Need Across Europe And Canada?

2021 ◽  
Vol 37 (S1) ◽  
pp. 19-19
Author(s):  
Nadine Henderson ◽  
Phill O'Neill ◽  
Martina Garau
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Western Europe ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Marketing Authorization ◽  
European Medicines Agency ◽  
The European Union ◽  
The Public ◽  
Orphan Medicinal Products ◽  
Medicines Regulation ◽  
Canadian Provinces

IntroductionThe European Union regulation for orphan medicinal products (OMPs) was introduced to improve the quality of treatments for patients with rare conditions. To mark 20 years of European Union OMP regulation, this study compared access to OMPs and the length of their reimbursement process in a set of European countries and Canadian provinces. Access refers to their full or partial reimbursement by the public health service.MethodsData were collated on European Medicines Agency orphan designation and marketing authorizations, health technology assessment (HTA) decisions and reimbursement decisions, and the respective dates of these events for all the OMPs centrally authorized in 14 European countries (Belgium, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Scotland, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland) and four Canadian provinces (Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec).ResultsSince the implementation of the OMPs Regulation in 2000, 215 OMPs obtained marketing authorization. We found that Germany had the highest level of coverage, with 91 percent of OMPs being reimbursed. The three countries with the lowest reimbursement rates were Poland, Hungary, and Norway (below 30%). We observed that Germany had the quickest time to reimbursement following marketing authorization, followed by Switzerland and Scotland. We observed that Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia consistently had the longest time to reimbursement.ConclusionsWe observed substantial variation in the levels and speed of national reimbursement of OMPs, particularly when comparing countries in Eastern and Western Europe, which suggests that an equity gap between the regions may be present. The data also indicated a trend toward faster times to reimbursement over the past 10 years.

Product Innovation in the Crafts Sector

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 100-109
Author(s):  
Maria Sarmento ◽  
Marlene Amorim ◽  
Marta Ferreira Dias ◽  
Mara Madaleno
Keyword(s):  
Product Innovation ◽  
Consumer Preferences ◽  
New Products ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Timely Manner ◽  
European Context ◽  
Territorial Identity ◽  
Relevant Topic ◽  
The Creation

Background: Innovation can result from progressive or significant changes to existing products leading to improvements in performance and user value. This is the type of innovation that is more easily perceived by the consumer, as it results in the creation of new products or the improvement of existing ones. Innovation in the Crafts Sector is a relevant topic to address market changes, and meet evolving consumer preferences. In this vein, artisans need to meet the calls for regularly investing in the design of new products and processes, with the purpose of achieving the sustainability of their business. Methods: This article addresses the existing calls for contextualizing the crafts sector and for fostering product innovation in this area, by investigating the barriers and problems faced by artisans, as well as by exploring existing experiences in overcoming them. The article builds on data collected in five European countries, under the scope of the Erasmus+ Project Craftsmanship+ “Fostering a New and Competitive Approach to Crafts and Semi Industrial high added-value sectors”1. Results and Conclusion: The aim is to analyze the importance of the crafts sector in a European context. This article contributes in a timely manner to the understanding of the crafts sector by paying attention to the obstacles that artisans face in order to ensure the sustainability of their business by introducing product innovation into their organization and/or market. This study offers a collection of innovation experiences in realities that are very significant for territorial identity, and thus aims to provide an incentive for further research.

Local Government, Passive Defense and Aerial Bombardment in Barcelona during the Spanish Civil War, 1936–9

2021 ◽  
pp. 002200942199789
Author(s):  
David A. Messenger
Keyword(s):  
Civil War ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Spanish Civil War ◽  
Regular Feature ◽  
The Public ◽  
Republican Government ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Civilian Defense ◽  
Regional Authorities

The bombardment of civilians from the air was a regular feature of the Spanish Civil War from 1936 to 1939. It is estimated some 15,000 Spaniards died as a result of air bombings during the Civil War, most civilians, and 11,000 were victims of bombing from the Francoist side that rebelled against the Republican government, supported by German and Italian aviation that joined the rebellion against the Republic. In Catalonia alone, some 1062 municipalities experienced aerial bombardments by the Francoist side of the civil war. In cities across Spain, municipal and regional authorities developed detailed plans for civilian defense in response to these air campaigns. In Barcelona, the municipality created the Junta Local de Defensa Passiva de Barcelona, to build bomb shelters, warn the public of bombings, and educate them on how to protect themselves against aerial bombardment. They mobilized civilians around the concept of ‘passive defense.’ This proactive response by civilians and local government to what they recognized as a war targeting them is an important and under-studied aspect of the Spanish Civil War.

scholarly journals From Isolation to Containment: Perceived Fear of Infectivity and Protective Behavioral Changes during the COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (12) ◽  
pp. 6503
Author(s):  
Arielle Kaim ◽  
Maya Siman-Tov ◽  
Eli Jaffe ◽  
Bruria Adini
Keyword(s):  
Vaccination Campaign ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Protective Behavior ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Road ◽  
Israeli Population ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Public Health Officials

In the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, maintenance of protective behavior is a continued challenge in the effort to contain the spread of the virus. A cross-sectional study via an internet questionnaire was utilized to elucidate changes in compliance to protective behavior among the Israeli population (n = 1120), after the beginning of the vaccination campaign. Comparison was made between individuals who were previously infected with the virus, those who received one dose of inoculation with the vaccine, and individuals that were neither infected or vaccinated. The study results indicate that those who were previously infected with the COVID-19 virus were less careful about mask wearing (18.8%) and social distancing (29.7%), as compared to the other examined groups (regarding mask wearing, 8.2% and 11.6% respectively, and with regard to social distancing 12.8% and 19.2%) and may require targeted risk communication campaigns to address this population. Furthermore, the study revealed that those that were non-Jewish (as compared to Jewish study counterparts) or that were older (19+) were more vigilant in their protective behavior (29.6% vs. 11.2% respectively for social distancing and 29.6% vs. 11.1% respectively for mask wearing). Despite a successful initial vaccination campaign in Israel, public health officials need to engage all members of the public to unremittingly observe compliance to directed health guidelines, to ensure that the results of previous governmental efforts in fighting the pandemic (such as lockdowns) will be effectively sustained, and the road to containment will be hastened.

scholarly journals Paranoid styles and innumeracy: implications of a conspiracy mindset on Europeans' misperceptions about immigrants

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Sergio Martini ◽  
Mattia Guidi ◽  
Francesco Olmastroni ◽  
Linda Basile ◽  
Rossella Borri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Demographic Factors ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Democratic Accountability ◽  
Common Phenomenon ◽  
Political Issues ◽  
The Public ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Socio Demographic Factors ◽  
Influence Perceptions ◽  
Western Democracies

Abstract Innumeracy, that is, the inability to deal with numbers and provide correct estimates about political issues, is reported to be widespread among the public. Yet, despite the recognition that a conspiracy mindset is an increasingly common phenomenon in Western democracies, this has not been considered as a potential correlate of innumeracy. Using data from an online sample of respondents across 10 European countries, we show that those with a higher propensity to hold a conspiracy worldview tend to overestimate the actual share of the immigrant population living in their own country. This association holds true when accounting for country heterogeneity and other cognitive, affective and socio-demographic factors. Employing a comparative design and refined measurements, the article contributes to our understanding of how a conspiracy mentality may influence perceptions of relevant political facts, questioning basic processes of democratic accountability.

scholarly journals DIC-Like Syndrome Following Administration of ChAdOx1 nCov-19 Vaccination

Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1046
Author(s):  
Gerardo Casucci ◽  
Domenico Acanfora
Keyword(s):  
Side Effects ◽  
Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation ◽  
Adverse Reactions ◽  
Thrombus Formation ◽  
European Countries ◽  
European Medicines Agency ◽  
Safety Committee ◽  
Vectored Vaccine ◽  
Short Time ◽  
Prompt Diagnosis

In recent weeks, adverse reactions have been reported after administration of Oxford–AstraZeneca chimpanzee adenovirus vectored vaccine ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AZD1222), in particular thrombus formation, which has led several European Countries to discontinue administration of this vaccine. On March 8, 2021, the European Medicines Agency Safety Committee did not confirm this probable association. We report the case of a patient who developed disseminated intravascular coagulation after the first dose of Oxford-Astra Zeneca vaccine, which resolved in a few days with the administration of dexamethasone and enoxaparin. This work demonstrates the safety of the Oxford-Astra Zeneca vaccine and that any development of side effects can be easily managed with a prompt diagnosis and in a short time with a few commonly used drugs.

scholarly journals The problems of increasing transparency on uncertainty

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 131-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magda Osman ◽  
Amanda J. Heath ◽  
Ragnar Löfstedt
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Disease Prevention ◽  
Prevention And Control ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
European Medicines Agency ◽  
Scientific Process ◽  
The Public ◽  
And Control ◽  
Current Guidelines ◽  
Practical Implications

Public regulators (such as European Food Safety Authority, European Medicines Agency, and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control) are placing increasing demands on scientists to make uncertainties about their evidence transparent to the public. The stated goal is utilitarian, to inform and empower the public and ensure the accountability of policy and decision-making around the use of scientific evidence. However, it is questionable what constitutes uncertainty around the evidence on any given topic, and, while the goal is laudable, we argue the drive to increase transparency on uncertainty of the scientific process specifically does more harm than good, and may not serve the interests of those intended. While highlighting some of the practical implications of making uncertainties transparent using current guidelines, the aim is to discuss what could be done to make it worthwhile for both public and scientists.

High cytokine levels and cytokine storm in the novel coronavirus infection

2021 ◽  
pp. 38-47
Author(s):  
Maksim Leonidovich Maksimov ◽  
Albina Ayratovna Zvegintseva ◽  
Lyudmila Yurievna Kulagina ◽  
Albina Zainutdinovna Nigmedzyanova ◽  
Elvina Ramisovna Kadyseva
Keyword(s):  
Peripheral Blood ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Cytokine Storm ◽  
The Public ◽  
Systemic Inflammatory Reaction ◽  
Scientific World ◽  
Cytokine Levels ◽  
Coronavirus Infection ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

A review article is based on current foreign sources. The level of cytokines in the peripheral blood can be increased in many diseases, but in some cases there may be an excess of their normal concentration in tens, hundreds or more times with the development of a peculiar clinical picture, which is based on a systemic inflammatory reaction. In the literature this condition has received the figurative name «cytokine storm», which highlights an extremely violent reaction of the immune system with an unknown (often unfavorable) outcome. Close attention of the scientific world and the public to the problem of extremely high levels of cytokines in the peripheral blood (hypercytokinemia) was drawn due to the high frequency of the cytokine storm in the novel coronavirus infection.

scholarly journals The Controversy Surrounding the 2008 Good Friday Prayer in Europe: The Discussion and its Theological Implications

2011 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans Hermann Henrix
Keyword(s):  
Jesus Christ ◽  
Jewish History ◽  
Jewish People ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Negative Experiences ◽  
Political Dialogue ◽  
Public Discussion ◽  
The Public ◽  
Good Friday ◽  
Friday Prayer

The Good Friday prayer “for the Jews” that was promulgated on February 4, 2008 triggered significant controversy. This article reviews how this controversy expressed itself in European countries in various ways and with differing intensity. It was eventually resolved at the level of political dialogue. Cardinal Kasper’s important commentary on the prayer, publicly approved by Secretary of State Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone, calmed the public discussion. But this did not resolve the theological questions raised by the prayer, the focus of the second half of the article. When in today’s Church, the words of prayers that are in accord with Scripture call to mind negative experiences in the Christian-Jewish history, can they be used as the Church’s prayer? Can the two Good Friday prayers for the Jews co-exist, that of the 1970 missal and that of 2008? The fundamental theological problem raised by the two different prayers is not the issue of mission, but rather the question of salvation. How does one resolve the tension between the fact that God’s covenant with the Jewish people has not been revoked and the universal salvific significance of Jesus Christ? Is it possible to create a Christian-Jewish bridge by referring to Jesus Christ? These questions remain unresolved, but theologians are now addressing them.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document