Changing Diabetes in Children

Novo Nordisk today announced a partnership with the Malaysian Endocrine and Metabolic Society (MEMS) and Roche to launch the Changing Diabetes® in Children (CDiC) project in Malaysia – a long-term initiative with a dedicated focus on improving the quality of care for children and young adults with type 1 diabetes. Children and young adults who have type 1 diabetes in Malaysia will receive free glucose monitoring supplies (glucometer and glucose test strips) – a significant advance in the management of diabetes in children and young adults. With its launch in Malaysia, CDiC will contribute to improving access to care, in line with this year’s World Diabetes Day theme of “Access to Diabetes Care”.
 
Type 1 diabetes is the most common form of childhood diabetes in Malaysia, accounting for 73%–77% of all childhood diabetes, and the International Diabetes Federation reported 955 cases of type 1 diabetes in Malaysian children aged 0–19 years in 2021. Nationally, the misdiagnosis rate for children with type 1 diabetes is 38.7%, which highlights the need for improving both awareness and access to care for childhood type 1 diabetes. 
 
The CDiC project aims to bridge critical gaps in diagnosis, support self-monitoring of blood glucose, and patient knowledge by building on existing efforts to address local barriers to healthcare, support the development of comprehensive diabetes care solutions and integrating with local healthcare systems. Specific components of CDiC in Malaysia include providing educational workshops for patients and their caregivers, training healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and management of the disease, establishing or refurbishing diabetes resource centres, developing a national registry, research on type 1 diabetes management, as well as raising public awareness of type 1 diabetes in Malaysia.
 
The partnership was launched today by Dato’ Dr. Mohd. Azman bin Yacob, Director of the Medical Development Division from the Ministry of Health Malaysia, and was attended by project partners, healthcare professionals in diabetes care, as well as patients with type 1 diabetes and their caregivers. At the event, attendees heard about the treatment landscape in Malaysia, current management of type 1 diabetes, as well as the patient journey and challenges from Dr. Nurain Mohd Noor, President of MEMS and the chair of the CDiC project in Malaysia; Mr. Anand Shetty, the Corporate Vice President, Business Area South East Asia of Novo Nordisk; and Bryan Koh, Cluster Head of Asia Pacific Mature Markets, Roche Diabetes Care.
 
Dr. Nurain Mohd Noor, President of MEMS and the Chair of CDiC project Malaysia said, “The misdiagnosis rate of Malaysian children with type 1 diabetes is alarmingly high as children and young adults are often diagnosed with alternative conditions like respiratory or gastrointestinal illnesses. To address this pressing issue and ensure timely and accurate diagnoses and care, initiatives such as ‘Changing Diabetes® in Children’ are important for more timely interventions and improved care. The project will also equip frontliners with knowledge and management skills to help them help their patients with type 1 diabetes”.
 
Anand Shetty, the Corporate Vice President, Business Area South East Asia of Novo Nordisk stated, “Our purpose is to drive change to defeat chronic diseases such as diabetes by pioneering scientific breakthroughs and improving the lives of patients. With our CDiC partners in Malaysia, we aim to improve the lives of vulnerable type 1 diabetes patients by building a holistic system of care for children and young adults under the age of 25 living with type 1 diabetes.”
 
Bryan Koh, Cluster Head of Asia Pacific Mature Markets, Roche Diabetes Care, said, “We are committed to enhancing access to essential diabetes care for children and young adults living with type 1 diabetes in Malaysia with our partners, through building a sustainable continuum of care to support them in growing up well and fulfilling their full potential.”

 

Scott’s and 99Speedmart Join Forces to Launch Donation Campaign to Serve Underprivileged Children’s Nutritional Needs

Scott's, the market leader in the kids supplement category, 

has partnered with 99Speedmart to launch the "BUY1DONATE1" campaign.

For every Scott's product purchased 

at any 99Speedmart store nationwide

between 13 October and 13 November 2023, 

the brand will donate another. 

The goal of the campaign is to donate 

a total of 30,000 Scott's products 

such as Scott’s Vitamin C, 

Scott’s Multivitamin Gummies, 

and Scott’s Emulsion, 

to orphanage homes within Klang Valley.

Bryan Wong, 
General Manager, 

Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei (MSB), 

Haleon, said: 

“At Haleon, 

we are committed to do more to tackle barriers 

that stand in the way of people’s better everyday health. 

We do so by understanding what holds people back 

from better everyday health 

so we can include them in opportunities 

to improve and achieve better health outcomes. 

We believe that every child deserves access 

to proper nutrition 

and the opportunity to experience happiness. 

Through our BUY1DONATE1 campaign, 

we hope to continue our efforts 

to improve health inclusivity in our communities. 

We are excited to partner with 99Speedmart 

and the community to make a positive impact 

on the lives of these children.”

The campaign will also include weekly visits 

to 5-10 orphanage homes in Klang Valley 

by the Scott's team and its mascot. 

These visits will include the distribution of Scott's products, 

creating memorable moments filled with joy and laughter.

Scott’s has been dedicated to advocating 

for the health and well-being of Malaysian children, 

including those who face challenges in accessing proper nutrition. 

In line with the brand’s commitment 

in spreading happiness 

and addressing the nutritional needs of children in need, 

the “BUY1DONATE1” campaign aims 

to enable simple yet meaningful ways for anyone

 to participate in collectively 

bringing a positive impact to our communities.
 
For more information about Scott’s BUY1DONATE1 campaign, 

please visit Scott’s Malaysia Facebook Page.

Pfizer launches new antibiotic Zavicefta® in Malaysia

Photo provided by Pfizer

Pfizer today officially launched Zavicefta® a novel combination antibiotic developed to treat serious Gram-negative bacterial infections requiring hospitalisation, in Malaysia. Zavicefta® is a combination of ceftazidime, a third-generation antipseudomonal cephalosporin and avibactam, a beta-lactamase inhibitor. Zavicefta® has a well-established efficacy and safety profile. In Malaysia, Zavicefta® is indicated for the treatment of adults 18 years and above with complicated intra-abdominal infection (cIAI) in combination with metronidazole, complicated urinary tract infection (cUTI) including pyelonephritis, and Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia (HAP), including Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP)[Pfizer Malaysia Zavicefta Prescribing Information, 1220

 

“The launch of Zavicefta® reaffirms Pfizer’s commitment to addressing the threat of antimicrobial resistance through antibiotics research and development of a more robust antibiotics pipeline. To help patients facing serious infectious diseases, Zavicefta® was developed to address difficult-to-treat Gram-negative bacteria, many of which have become increasingly resistant to currently available antibiotics,” said Dr Jerusha Naidoo, Country Medical Director for Malaysia at Pfizer.

 

“Early adequate antibiotic therapy is crucial for patients with serious Gram-negative infections, to avoid increased healthcare utilisation, cost and mortality. We hope Malaysians will be able to benefit from Zavicefta® when needed,” she added. Failure to treat early and appropriately has been associated with poor outcomes in patients with serious Gram-negative infections, although early treatment must consider patient risk factors as well as local epidemiology.

 

“Today, antimicrobial resistance is one of the biggest threats to global health, impacting our ability to treat serious infections and provide standard medical procedures, and influencing public healthcare outcomes and costs. Antimicrobial medicines, especially antibiotics, are among the most precious medical resources the world has ever known, but more and more incidents of resistant infections are being reported, including by Gram-negative bacteria,” commented Dato' Dr Mahiran Mustafa, Consultant Infectious Disease Physician and National Head, Infectious Disease Discipline, Ministry of Health Malaysia.

She said all stakeholders will need to play their part if there is to be any significant headway in mitigating the threat of antimicrobial resistance. “Healthcare providers will need to prescribe antibiotics appropriately and adequately, while members of the public will need to use antibiotics responsibly. The efforts of the pharmaceutical industry is key and we appreciate the leading role Pfizer plays in global antimicrobial R&D and stewardship.”

 

Meanwhile, infectious disease physician Dr Asok Kurup shared, “For multifactorial reasons including inappropriate antibiotic use and poor infection control standards, antibiotic resistance has become a major threat in healthcare settings universally, and our region is not spared. Gram-negative bacteria in particular are becoming more resistant not only to typical antibiotics but also broad-spectrum ones like Carbapenems. Infections implicating these multidrug resistant organisms (MDRO) are associated with higher morbidity, mortality and cost compared with susceptible infections. Moreover, there is an imperative to treat these infections early to prevent adverse outcomes. Up until recently, managing these difficult to treat infections have been very challenging given inadequacies of available therapeutic agents, or toxicities.

 

Pfizer’s commitment to tackling antimicrobial resistance

Pfizer takes a multi-pronged approach to tackling antimicrobial resistance, developing vaccines that help prevent infections and reducing the need for antibiotics that may result in resistant strains, while also actively developing anti-infectives and working with partners to close critical prevention and treatment gaps in infectious disease around the globe. In addition, Pfizer offers one of the largest and most accessible AMR surveillance programmes in the world, called the Antimicrobial Testing Leadership and Surveillance (ATLAS) database – the only platform that provides public access to both antifungal and antibacterial resistance data through a single resource, enabling decision makers to adapt stewardship and infection control and prevention programmes. Pfizer is also one of the leading contributors to the AMR Action Fund, a collaboration among more than 20 biopharmaceutical companies that aims to bring 2-4 new antibiotics to patients by 2030 through collaboration between pharmaceutical companies, philanthropies, development banks and multilateral organisations.

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Pfizer - War Against Superbugs

Pfizer Malaysia,
In commemoration of World Antibiotic Awareness Week,
Reaffirms its commitment,
To working with industry partners and policymakers,
To help prevent and combat the global public health threat,
Of antimicrobial resistance (AMR)
At the "War Against Superbugs" campaign launch..

Sharing by Datuk Dr Christopher Lee,
Head of Infectious Diseases,
MOH & Hospital Sungai Buloh..

Sharing by Associate Professor,
Dr Syafinaz Amin Nordin,
MSIDC

Sharing by Mr Amrahi Bin Buang,

President,

Malaysian Pharmaceutical Society