US doctor uses robot to perform surgery on patient in Africa
Da Silva, 67, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in March and underwent the surgery as part of a clinical trial approved by the FDA.
Dr Patel used fiber optic cables to operate the robot from thousands of miles away, with a surgical team present.
Dr Patel noted that prostate cancer is prevalent in Africa, where monitoring and treatment have been limited, and that this technology could address underserved areas globally.
Dr Patel aims to submit the surgery data to the FDA to facilitate future telesurgeries, highlighting the potential for remote interventions in emergency situations and rural communities.
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Daily Mail
7 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Daily Mail reveals the week's most dangerous recalls... the products that could put your life at risk
Cookies, cheese and even hair products have been recalled this week over fears of injury, bacteria and rodent contamination. The FDA announced the recalls, all of which are still in effect and eligible for refunds. In one case, chocolate cookies were recalled due to the presence of undeclared wheat, which could sicken millions of Americans with allergies and celiac disease. Over 45,000 pairs of heated socks were also pulled from stores due to reports of customers suffering burns and blisters. And instant coffee sold at Dollar General stores nationwide was found to contain pieces of glass, which could tear holes in the throat and intestines, leading to deadly infections. One facility even had rodent activity, which raised bacteria risk. Several products were also found to contain potentially deadly bacteria like listeria and salmonella. Neuhaus Chocolates this week recalled its Belgian Chocolate Moments Smurfs Popping Milk Chocolates with Cookies because they contained wheat, which was not on the ingredient label. The cookies were distributed to unspecified retail stores in New York, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Washington DC. They were also sold online at the Neuhaus website. They were distributed between July 21 and August 4, and each box had a sell-by date of January 13, 2026. Only 150 boxes have been sold, the FDA said, and no illnesses have been reported. The recall was initiated after Neuhaus staff conducting an internal check found products containing wheat were distributed in packaging that did not include the ingredient on its label. Further investigations showed the problem was caused by a combination of circumstances in which the company's internal software did not include the allergen on the packaging. Fieldsheer Apparel Technologies heated socks Fieldsheer Apparel Technologies voluntarily recalled about 45,000 pairs of its heated merino wool socks after receiving multiple reports of injuries, including burns and blisters. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission warned the socks 'can cause pain and discomfort resulting in burns and blisters when worn during high-intensity activities that generate a combination of heat, excessive friction, moisture and pressure, posing an injury hazard.' The agency has received 11 reports of pain and discomfort to date. Of those, four were for blisters and burns. The three models of recalled socks were MWMS05, MWMS07 and MWWS07. Each pair of socks was packaged with two lithium-ion battery packs and a charging cable. The socks were sold at major retailers including Home Depot, Meijer and online at Amazon from August 2021 through June 2025 and cost between $80 to $130. Customers who bought the recalled socks are urged to not discard the lithium-ion batteries in regular trash or recycling bins due to the risk of fire. The batteries should instead be taken to a municipal hazardous waste collection site. Sefralls Minoxidil Hair Generation Serum The US Consumer Product Safety Commission announced Tuesday that Sefralls Minoxidil Hair Generation Serum is being recalled for not being in child-resistant packaging. The agency warned that without this packaging, children could accidentally open and consume the minoxidil-laced fluid. Just a few ounces of minoxidil, an over-the-counter medication approved by the FDA to reverse hair loss, can cause blood vessels to become dangerously relaxed, triggering extremely low blood pressure. This can cause the heart to shut down, start beating erratically or go into heart failure, and cause death. It can also pose a serious hazard to pets if ingested. No injuries have been reported to date. About 21,300 units of the product have were recalled. They were distributed throughout the US from June 2024 to June 2025. The recall is thought to affect every bottle of Sefralls Minoxidil Hair Generation Serum sold in the US. DermaRite Industries, LLC, based in New Jersey, issued an urgent recall after finding that several of its antiseptic cleansers were contaminated with the bacteria Burkholderia cepacia. It is particularly dangerous for people with cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder affecting 40,000 Americans that causes severe lung damage and makes patients vulnerable to lasting infections. The FDA said: 'In healthy individuals with minor skin lesions the use of the product will more likely result in local infections, whereas in immunocompromised individuals the infection is more likely to spread into [the] blood stream leading to life-threatening sepsis.' B. cepacia resists most antibiotics, spreads easily through respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing and can trigger a fast-moving, often fatal pneumonia called 'cepacia syndrome.' The products being recalled are sold under the brands DermaRite, DermaKleen, Dermasarra, Kleenfoam and Perigiene. To date, DermaRite has not received any reports of infections linked to their products and it has not been revealed how the products became contaminated. Clover Valley Instant Coffee Dollar General announced Monday its voluntary recall of Clover Valley Instant Coffee 'due to the potential presence of glass.' The product was sold and distributed in Dollar General stores in every state except Hawaii and Alaska. The units were sold and distributed between July 9 and 21, 2025. No injuries have been reported. The three recalled lots include 8-Ounce Clover Valley Instant Coffee with a package UPC of 876941004069. Best by dates include December 13, 2026 and December 14, 2026. Small pieces of glass will likely pass through the body without causing symptoms, but larger pieces or those with sharp edges can cause serious harm. If glass cuts the intestines, a person could experience a gastrointestinal perforation, which is a serious medical emergency and requires immediate surgery. It can lead to the contents of the intestines leaking into the abdominal cavity. Favorite Day Bakery Frosted Sugar Cookies Favorite Day Bakery Frosted Sugar Cookies sold at Target were recalled this week over fears they contained pieces of wood. Manufacturer Good and Go pulled the cookies on July 22. The recall impacted 803 cases or around 12,000 cookies. They were shipped to three distribution centers in Ohio, Connecticut and Maryland and sold in 10-packs with a lot number 251915. Impacted cookies were sent to Target stores in 21 states, including New York, Massachusetts, Michigan and Virginia. While small pieces of wood can pass through the digestive tract without causing harm, larger pieces can become lodged in the throat, increasing choking risk. Wood can also tear the esophagus or intestines, leading to organ damage and infection. Wegmans and Quesito El Establo cheeses Wegmans Food Markets voluntarily recalled four of its cheese products after they were found to be at risk of containing listeria. The recall included the following products: Wegmans Medium Camembert Soft Ripened Cheese, 8.8 oz; Wegmans Assorted Cheese Flight, 1 lb; Wegmans Grilling Camembert with Tapenade & Roasted Tomatoes, 10 oz; and Wegmans Caramel Apple Pecan Topped Brie Cheese, 13 oz. Recalled items were sold in the cheese department at all Wegmans stores in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington DC. They were sold between July 1 and August 12, 2025. Additionally, New Hampshire-based Quesito El Establo recalled its Spanish Cheese (Quesito Colombiano) because they were manufactured at a facility with rodents, rodent activity and other unsanitary conditions, according to an FDA investigation. The FDA warned this raised the risk of the products being contaminated with salmonella. The cheese was distributed to stores in Massachusetts targeting Hispanic and Latino customers. They all had the product code August 22, 2025, or earlier.
The Sun
14 hours ago
- The Sun
Six years after Brit Alana Cutland leapt to her death from plane, fury as common drug STILL missing ‘suicide' warning
A PRESCRIPTION drug a teenager took before jumping to her death from a plane while suffering a "psychotic event" still does not list the potential side effect. Alana Cutland, 19, fell 5,00ft into thick jungle during a dream trip researching rare blue crabs in Madagascar in July 2019. 4 4 The teenager, from Milton Keynes, cut short her six-week research trip after suffering psychosis and hallucinations understood to be caused by anti-malaria drug doxycycline. At an inquest into her death in August 2020, Milton Keynes coroner Tom Osborne said Alana had 'suffered a psychotic delirium event that led to her behaviour and death'. He added that it was 'quite apparent' that the reaction was caused by the drug - warning there was 'nothing on the drug information leaflet that either highlights or mentions this possibility'. Mr Osborne asked for a review into the information sent out to patients prescribed doxycycline. He added: 'If she or her parents have been aware of this possible side-effect they may have been able to intervene earlier to avoid her death.' And six years on from his stark warning, the information leaflet - seen by The Sun - still fails to mention the potential side effect, sparking fresh fury. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has insisted, however, that a "number of reviews" have established "no causal link" between doxycycline and psychiatric adverse reactions. But Professor David Healy, the expert witness commissioned by the Coroner for Alana's inquest, said there are "hundreds of compelling case reports of doxycycline causing suicide". He told The Sun: "What we need to remember is that MHRA are a bureaucracy - like the aviation authorities. "They licence paperwork that Boeing or pharma companies send in to them but they aren't engineers or pharmacologists and don't fly planes or monitor what happens to patients on meds. "They have no training in working out how to establish a link between a drug and a problem. "It's pilots and doctors who keep us safe - or used to keep us safe. "Pilots still do because they have an incentive to do so - if we don't make it to wherever alive, they don't either so if a door blows off a plane, they won't fly again till the problem - not just that door is fixed. "But doctors don't have the same incentive. "If you claim a problem has happened on a drug they gave you, they are now more likely to throw you out through the open door for spreading misinformation than take your side and insist drug labels mention this problem." Professor Healy said experts know "how and why" doxycycline causes suicide and epidemiological studies. He added: "Doctors who go by drug labels rather than what is happening to the person right in front of them kill patients like Tom Kingston recently and Alana Cutland and others." Alana died on July 25, 2019, when she broke open the door of a small aircraft after fighting off the shocked pilot and researcher Ruth Johnson, who was escorting her back to the UK. 4 4 The student had been taking doxycycline before her death – an antibiotic that kills bacteria in the body and is prescribed by a GP. Her devastated parents Neil and Alison previously said it was 'tragic' that their daughter's death was 'essentially caused by the side effects of doxycycline'. They said: 'We realise that such drugs have an important role to play, but it shocked us to discover that such a severe side effect could be virtually undocumented.' Doxycycline, which is prescribed to treat bacterial infections, has been authorised as an anti-malaria drug for more than 50 years. It is taken orally every 12 hours, with prescriptions normally starting before somebody travels to a country exposed to high-risk of malaria. In a case report published in leading medical journal The BMJ in 2019, three young people with no history of mental illness were treated for skin conditions with doxycycline. All three developed 'suicidal ideation' with an outcome of suicide in two of the cases, the report says. Emily Darlington, MP for Milton Keynes Central, told The Sun: 'My heart goes out to Alana's friends and family. "I am urging the Department of Health to read the coroner's report and consider what changes should be made as a consequence of their recommendations.' What is doxycyline? DOXYCYCLINE is prescribed by GPs to treat bacterial infections. It works by inhibiting protein synthesis in bacteria - meaning it stops bacteria from reproducing rather than killing them outright, giving the body's immune system a better chance to fight off the infection. The drug is prescribed for conditions including malaria, skin, dental and urinary tract infections, sexually transmitted infectins as well as lyme disease. It is also used to combat acne, rosacea and other conditions such as cholera, typhus and anthrax. Side effects include headaches, nausea and vomiting, and an increased sensitivity to sunlight. More serious and rare side effects include allergic reactions, increased pressure around the brain and permanent tooth discolouration in young children. The drug is usually taken by adults and children over 12 years old. Following multiple studies in the UK and globally, a comprehensive review of all reported psychiatric events linked to the drug doxycycline was conducted by the Commission on Human Medicines. No causal link between the drug nd psychiatric adverse reactions like acute psychosis, hallucinations, or suicidality was found, according to the review. Last year, an EMA study of real-world data also supported these findings. In 2020, a scientific consensus report was published by the US National Academies that said: "Based on the available evidence, the committee concludes that there is insufficient or inadequate evidence of an association between the use of doxycycline for malaria prophylaxis and persistent or latent psychiatric events. "Current evidence does not suggest further study of such an association is warranted, given the lack of evidence regarding biologic plausibility." The MHRA has vowed to continue to "closely monitor reports", however, and said it is "considering if further additional studies into this area are required". Dr Alison Cave, MHRA Chief Safety Officer, told The Sun: 'Patient safety is our top priority. 'Our thoughts remain with Alana Cutland's family following her tragic death. 'A number of reviews into the suspected association between doxycycline and psychiatric events have been conducted both in the UK and globally. "These reviews have consistently not been able to establish a causal link. "However, we continue to keep this issue under close review and will take regulatory action if new evidence emerges that changes the balance of benefits and risks.'
The Independent
15 hours ago
- The Independent
Senegal's ‘schools for husbands' aim to shift gender roles and keep mothers from dying
On a recent evening in Senegal 's capital of Dakar, an imam named Ibrahima Diane explained to a group of men why they should be more involved in household chores. 'The Prophet himself says a man who does not help support his wife and children is not a good Muslim,' the 53-year-old said, as he described bathing his baby and helping his wife with other duties. Some of the 14 men chuckled, not quite sold. Others applauded. Diane was taking part in a 'school for husbands,' a United Nations-backed initiative where respected male community members learn about 'positive masculinity' in health and social issues and promote them in their communities. In Senegal, as in many other West African countries with large rural or conservative populations, men often have the final say in major household decisions, including ones related to health. Women may need their permission for life-changing decisions on accessing family planning or other reproductive health services, along with hospital deliveries or prenatal care. Following his sessions at the school for husbands, Diane regularly holds sermons during Friday prayers where he discusses issues around gender and reproductive health, from gender-based violence to fighting stigma around HIV. 'Many women appreciate my sermons," he said. 'They say their husbands' behavior changed since they attended them." He said some men have told him the sermons inspired them to become more caring husbands and fathers. Habib Diallo, a 60-year-old former army commando, said attending the sermons and discussions with the imam taught him about the risks of home births. 'When my son's wife was pregnant, I encouraged him to take her to the hospital for the delivery,' Diallo said. 'At first, he was hesitant. He worried about the cost and didn't trust the hospital. But when I explained how much safer it would be for both his wife and the baby, he agreed.' No more barking orders The program launched in Senegal in 2011 but in recent years has caught the attention of the Ministry of Women, Family, Gender and Child Protection, which sees it an effective strategy to combat maternal and infant mortality. 'Without men's involvement, attitudes around maternal health won't change," said 54-year-old Aida Diouf, a female health worker who collaborates with the program. Many husbands prefer their wives not be treated by male health workers, she said. The classes for husbands follow similar efforts in other African countries, particularly Niger, Togo, and Burkina Faso, where the United Nations Population Fund says it improved women's access to reproductive health services by increasing male involvement, growing the use of contraceptives by both men and women and expanding access to prenatal care and skilled birth attendants. Discussions for men also have focused on girls' rights, equality and the harmful effects of female genital mutilation. The program now operates over 20 schools in Senegal, and over 300 men have been trained. In some communities, men who once enforced patriarchal norms now promote gender equality, which has led to a reduction in the number of forced marriages and more acceptance of family planning, according to Senegal's ministry of gender. Men join the groups after being recruited based on trust, leadership and commitment. Candidates must be married, respected locally and supportive of women's health and rights. After training, the men act as peer educators, visiting homes and hosting informal talks. 'My husband used to not do much around the house, just bark orders. Now he actually cooks and helps out with daily tasks,' said Khary Ndeye, 52. Still too many dying in childbirth While maternal and infant deaths in Senegal have declined over the past decade, experts say it still has a long way to go. It recorded 237 maternal deaths for every 100,000 live births in 2023, while 21 newborns out of every 1,000 died within their first month. The U.N. globally wants to reduce maternal deaths to 70 deaths per 100,000 live births and newborn deaths to under 12 per 1,000 by 2030. One key problem was that many women have been giving birth at home, said El Hadj Malick, one of the Senegal program's coordinators. 'By educating men about the importance of supporting their wives during pregnancy, taking them to the hospital and helping with domestic work at home, you're protecting people's health,' Malick said. He said he still experiences difficulty changing mindsets on some issues. 'When we just talk to them about gender, there is sometimes tension because it's seen as something abstract or even foreign,' Malick said. Some men mistakenly believe such talk will promote LGBTQ+ issues, which remain largely taboo in much of West Africa. "But when we focus on women's right to be healthy, it puts a human face on the concept and its becomes universal,' Malick said. ___ ___ The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
