| Pregnancy eases arthritis
When Denise Swanson developed rheumatoid arthritis nearly three decades ago, it was like a sudden storm of pain, swelling and fatigue. It was excruciating for the then-21-year-old college student just to pick up her backpack. She couldn't even write. Medication eased her pain and stiffness, but not much. "I would move like an old lady," said Swanson, now a 49-year-old special-education teacher. "It was scary." But then a few years later Swanson and her husband, Tom, did something that happened to bring total relief from the devastating disease: They decided to have a baby. All of Swanson's symptoms disappeared about a month after she became pregnant. "With all the things you're supposed to cope with in pregnancy, this was a joy," Swanson said.
'13% of young men have chlamydia'
Thirteen per cent of men aged 20 to 24 are infected with chlamydia, early data from a screening programme has shown. Figures presented at the Health Protection Agency's annual conference show more than 180,000 young people have been screened since 2003. Screening, for under 25s across England, is available in a range of locations including youth clubs. The HPA data also showed 12% of young women aged 16 to 19 were infected with chlamydia, which can damage fertility. .
Unaffordable prices of drugs
WHO estimates that currently one third of the world's population lacks access to essential drugs. Over fifty per cent of people in the developing world especially in Africa and Asia do not have access to even the most basic essential drugs. This is one of the pressing issues in the world that requires urgent attention at present. Factors influencing unaffordable drug prices Access to medicines depends on four critical elements: Affordable prices, rational selection and use, sustainable financing and reliable supply systems. Due to limited financial resources in the developing world drug pricing has become the most important factor that restricts access to medicines. There are many factors, which influence and maintain the higher and unaffordable prices of drugs. However, lack of price control measures and the pricing policies of multinational pharmaceutical companies are considered the most important contributing factors.
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