Search Medical Journals & Research Articles

[Correspondence] Nafithromycin in CABP: promise and precaution—authors’ reply

We thank Gupta et al. for their observations,1 however their comments suggest a certain unfamiliarity with the regulatory and scientific principles that underpin the design and approval of new antibacterial therapies such as those for community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP), a condition largely treated empirically in out-patient settings. Unlike academic or investigator-initiated studies, pivotal trials are undertaken in consultation with regulators, and in this instance, the 12.5% non-inferiority margin and the choice of moxifloxacin as comparator were fully aligned with regulatory requirements.

[Health Policy] A comparative analysis of food retail policy landscape in four Southeast Asian countries

Changing food retail environment in Southeast Asia has been linked with nutrition transition. While policy on food retail tends to focus on economic considerations, little is known about how nutrition considerations are integrated. This paper examines the landscape of policies addressing food retail and health in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand to inform global nutrition targets. Food retail policy landscapes in the study countries were thematically analyzed using Walt & Gilson's Policy Analysis Triangle framework.

[Correspondence] Nafithromycin in CABP: promise and precaution

We read with interest the recent phase III trial comparing nafithromycin with moxifloxacin for community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP).1 The investigators are to be commended for conducting a large, multicentre, double-blind study of a novel oral macrolide. The evaluation of a short-course regimen against an established comparator adds important data to the field and highlights the potential role of new macrolides in CABP management.

[Comment] Addressing unmet needs of adolescents to prevent unintended pregnancy in the Asia Pacific region

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently published an updated guideline on preventing early pregnancy in low- and middle income countries.1 This is an urgent reminder that adolescent pregnancy remains a global public health concern with serious and lasting consequences for young people, and that continued investment in adolescent pregnancy prevention will create healthier, more equitable societies where young people can thrive, now and into the future.1

[Correspondence] HPV vaccine introduction in Pakistan: a strategic opportunity for multisectoral alliance

Pakistan has achieved a major public health milestone with the rollout of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in September 2025. This has been a long-awaited intervention for cervical cancer prevention, with an FDA-approved vaccine since 2006 that has been successfully rolled out in 144 countries.1,2 Globally, approximately 662,301 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer, and 348,874 died from the disease in 2022.3 In Pakistan, there were 5008 women diagnosed with cervical cancer, and 3197 lost their lives (Globocan 2022).

[Correspondence] Should pregabalin be regulated under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act of India?

Pregabalin is a gabapentinoid which was initially used as an adjuvant in antiepileptic treatment for partial seizures and later gained US FDA approval for its use in neuropathic pain in 2004.1 In India, Pregabalin is not included in Schedule H1 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, which require strict monitoring and record-keeping of prescriptions to prevent abuse. It is also not considered a narcotic or psychotropic medication under India's NDPS Act. However, due to rising abuse, states like Telangana and Punjab have implemented prescription-only restrictions.

[Comment] A missing piece in Bangladesh's nutrition agenda: indigenous children and adolescents in the Chittagong Hill Tracts

Bangladesh has made strong progress in improving child survival and reducing malnutrition over the past two decades.1 However, not all communities have shared in this success. Indigenous children and adolescents living in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), a remote, hard-to-reach, hilly region in the southeast of the country, continue to face persistent health and nutrition inequalities2 that places them at serious risk.