Variations in the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic across 5 continents: A cross-sectional, individual level analysis.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 has caused profound socio-economic changes worldwide. However, internationally comparative data regarding the financial impact on individuals is sparse. Therefore, we conducted a survey of the financial impact of the pandemic on individuals, using an international cohort that has been well-characterized prior to the pandemic. METHODS: Between August 2020 and September 2021, we surveyed 24,506 community-dwelling participants from the Prospective Urban-Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study across high (HIC), upper middle (UMIC)-and lower middle (LMIC)-income countries. We collected information regarding the impact of the pandemic on their self-reported personal finances and sources of income. FINDINGS: Overall, 32.4% of participants had suffered an adverse financial impact, defined as job loss, inability to meet financial obligations or essential needs, or using savings to meet financial obligations. 8.4% of participants had lost a job (temporarily or permanently); 14.6% of participants were unable to meet financial obligations or essential needs at the time of the survey and 16.3% were using their savings to meet financial obligations. Participants with a post-secondary education were least likely to be adversely impacted (19.6%), compared with 33.4% of those with secondary education and 33.5% of those with pre-secondary education. Similarly, those in the highest wealth tertile were least likely to be financially impacted (26.7%), compared with 32.5% in the middle tertile and 30.4% in the bottom tertile participants. Compared with HICs, financial impact was greater in UMIC [odds ratio of 2.09 (1.88-2.33)] and greatest in LMIC [odds ratio of 16.88 (14.69-19.39)]. HIC participants with the lowest educational attainment suffered less financial impact (15.1% of participants affected) than those with the highest education in UMIC (22.0% of participants affected). Similarly, participants with the lowest education in UMIC experienced less financial impact (28.3%) than those with the highest education in LMIC (45.9%). A similar gradient was seen across country income categories when compared by pre-pandemic wealth status. INTERPRETATION: The financial impact of the pandemic differs more between HIC, UMIC, and LMIC than between socio-economic categories within a country income level. The most disadvantaged socio-economic subgroups in HIC had a lower financial impact from the pandemic than the most advantaged subgroup in UMIC, with a similar disparity seen between UMIC and LMIC. Continued high levels of infection will exacerbate financial inequity between countries and hinder progress towards the sustainable development goals, emphasising the importance of effective measures to control COVID-19 and, especially, ensuring high vaccine coverage in all countries. FUNDING: Funding for this study was provided by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the International Development Research Centre.

Analytical similarity assessment of MYL-1402O to reference Bevacizumab.

BACKGROUND: Bevacizumab (BEV) is a recombinant humanized monoclonal immunoglobulin G1 antibody that binds to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A and acts as an antiangiogenic agent. It is approved for treatment of many cancer indications, including metastatic colorectal cancer and nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The analytical similarity of the BEV biosimilar MYL-1402O to reference BEV sourced from the European Union and United States was assessed using physicochemical and functional tests to support the clinical development of MYL-1402O. Assessment of physicochemical and analytical similarity showed that MYL-1402O has the same amino acid sequence and similar posttranslational modification profile as the reference BEV products. RESULTS: The functional and biologic activity of MYL-1402O assessed using inhibition of VEGF-induced cell proliferation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells, inhibition of VEGF-induced VEGF receptor 2 phosphorylation, and fragment antigen and fragment crystallizable receptor binding, was comparable to reference BEV products. CONCLUSIONS: The totality of the data assessment confirms the high degree of similarity of MYL-1402O to reference BEV with respect to physicochemical and in vitro functional properties. The product quality data presented here, along with data from phase 1 clinical studies, demonstrate the similarity of MYL-1402O to reference BEV products, supporting further clinical development of this BEV biosimilar.

Socioeconomic status and cardiovascular risk in urban South Asia: The CARRS Study.

BACKGROUND: Although South Asians experience cardiovascular disease (CVD) and risk factors at an early age, the distribution of CVD risks across the socioeconomic spectrum remains unclear. METHODS: We analysed the 2011 Centre for Cardiometabolic Risk Reduction in South Asia survey data including 16,288 non-pregnant adults (≥20 years) that are representative of Chennai and Delhi, India, and Karachi, Pakistan. Socioeconomic status (SES) was defined by highest education (primary schooling, high/secondary schooling, college graduate or greater); wealth tertiles (low, middle, high household assets) and occupation (not working outside home, semi/unskilled, skilled, white-collar work). We estimated age and sex-standardized prevalence of behavioural (daily fruit/vegetables; tobacco use), weight (body mass index; waist-to-height ratio) and metabolic risk factors (diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia; hypo-HDL; and hypertriglyceridaemia) by each SES category. RESULTS: Across cities, 61.2% and 16.1% completed secondary and college educations, respectively; 52.8% reported not working, 22.9% were unskilled; 21.3% were skilled and 3.1% were white-collar workers. For behavioural risk factors, low fruit/vegetable intake, smoked and smokeless tobacco use were more prevalent in lowest education, wealthy and occupation (for men only) groups compared to higher SES counterparts, while weight-related risks (body mass index 25.0-29.9 and ≥30 kg/m(2); waist-to-height ratio ≥0.5) were more common in higher educated and wealthy groups, and technical/professional men. For metabolic risks, a higher prevalence of diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidaemias was observed in more educated and affluent groups, with unclear patterns across occupation groups. CONCLUSIONS: SES-CVD patterns are heterogeneous, suggesting customized interventions for different SES groups may be warranted. Different behavioural, weight, and metabolic risk factor prevalence patterns across SES indicators may signal on-going epidemiological transition in South Asia.

The environmental profile of a community's health: a cross-sectional study on tobacco marketing in 16 countries.

OBJECTIVE: To examine and compare tobacco marketing in 16 countries while the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control requires parties to implement a comprehensive ban on such marketing. METHODS: Between 2009 and 2012, a kilometre-long walk was completed by trained investigators in 462 communities across 16 countries to collect data on tobacco marketing. We interviewed community members about their exposure to traditional and non-traditional marketing in the previous six months. To examine differences in marketing between urban and rural communities and between high-, middle- and low-income countries, we used multilevel regression models controlling for potential confounders. FINDINGS: Compared with high-income countries, the number of tobacco advertisements observed was 81 times higher in low-income countries (incidence rate ratio, IRR: 80.98; 95% confidence interval, CI: 4.15-1578.42) and the number of tobacco outlets was 2.5 times higher in both low- and lower-middle-income countries (IRR: 2.58; 95% CI: 1.17-5.67 and IRR: 2.52; CI: 1.23-5.17, respectively). Of the 11,842 interviewees, 1184 (10%) reported seeing at least five types of tobacco marketing. Self-reported exposure to at least one type of traditional marketing was 10 times higher in low-income countries than in high-income countries (odds ratio, OR: 9.77; 95% CI: 1.24-76.77). For almost all measures, marketing exposure was significantly lower in the rural communities than in the urban communities. CONCLUSION: Despite global legislation to limit tobacco marketing, it appears ubiquitous. The frequency and type of tobacco marketing varies on the national level by income group and by community type, appearing to be greatest in low-income countries and urban communities.

Socioeconomic factors and use of secondary preventive therapies for cardiovascular diseases in South Asia: The PURE study.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the association of socioeconomic factors on use of cardioprotective medicines in known coronary heart disease (CHD) or stroke in South Asia. METHODS: We enrolled 33,423 subjects aged 35-70 years (women 56%, rural 53%, low education 51%, low household wealth 25%) in 150 communities in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh during 2003-2009. Information regarding socioeconomic status, disease conditions and treatments was recorded. We studied influence of rural location, educational status and household wealth on use of drug therapies. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. RESULTS: CHD was reported in 683 (2.0%), stroke 316 (0.9%), and CHD/stroke in 970 (2.9%). Median duration since diagnosis was four years. Participants with CHD/stroke were older with greater prevalence of smoking, overweight, hypertension and diabetes (p < 0.01). In patients with CHD, stroke and CHD/stroke, respectively, use (%) of antiplatelets was 11.6, 3.8 and 9.3, beta-blockers 11.9, 7.0 and 10.4, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers 6.4, 1.9 and 5.3 and statins 4.8, 0.6 and 3.5. In CHD/stroke patients any one of these drugs was used in 18.1%, any two in 7.2%, any three in 2.8% and none in 81.5%. Details of drug dose were not available. Use of drugs was significantly lower in rural low education and low wealth index participants (all p < 0.01). Low wealth index participants had the lowest use of these therapies with no attenuation after multiple adjustments. CONCLUSION: The use of secondary preventive drug therapies in patients with known CHD or stroke in South Asia is low with over 80% receiving none of the effective drug treatments. Low household wealth is the most important determinant.