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The Health | january, 2019
Health Business
Briefs
Clinical Research
Malaysia (CRM)
collaborates with IQVIA
Clinical Research Malaysia (CRM)
recently signed a memorandum of
understanding (MoU) to establish a
strategic alliance with IQVIA’s global
Early Phase Oncology Network (EPON).
The agreement makes Clinical
Research Centre at Sarawak General
Hospital the first in Southeast Asia to
be part of IQVIA’s prestigious network
of globally qualified Phase I oncology
sites. CRM, established by the Ministry
of Health in 2012, exists to advance
Malaysia’s ability to contribute to global
health solutions. IQVIA is a leading global
provider of contract research services,
advanced analytics and technology
solutions to the life-sciences industry.
Iron deficiency is a
health-related condition
Compai Pharma and Pharmacosmos
recently announced their partnership
to launch MonoFer, an innovative
parenteral iron formulation for the
treatment of iron deficiency by the end
of 2018.
Compai Pharma has been granted
exclusive rights to market, distribute
and sell iron isomaltoside in Malaysia,
and will promote the brand through its
own medical and sales team across the
country. Iron deficiency is a health-related
condition in which iron availability is
insufficient to meet the body’s needs and
negatively impacting one’s quality of life. It
can be present with or without anaemia.
Merck in agreement with
Cyclica for aI-augmented
screening platform
Merck, a leading science and
technology company, today announced
that it has entered into a licensing
agreement with Cyclica Inc. for the use
of Ligand Express®, a cloud-based
in silico proteome screening platform.
Ligand Express® is a structure-based
and artificial intelligence (AI) augmented
proteome screening platform that is
being used to uncover novel targets that
are modelled to interact with a small
molecule.
This year-long agreement will
enable Merck to quickly and efficiently
elucidate mechanisms of action,
evaluate safety profiles and explore
additional applications for a number of its
investigational small molecules, including
those identified in highly disease-relevant
phenotypic screens.
Henry Schein and Vets
First Choice announce new
name of the planned new
company: Covetrus
Henry Schein, Inc. (Nasdaq:
HSIC) and Vets First Choice today
announced that the new standalone
public company that will result from
the planned spin-off of the Henry
Schein Animal Health business and
the subsequent merger with Vets First
Choice will be named Covetrus.The
transaction is expected to be completed
in the first quarter of 2019.
The new company, Covetrus, will be a
global, technology-enabled animal health
business supporting the companion,
equine and large-animal veterinary
markets.
Malaysian workforce
experience
work-related stress
Healthiest Workplace by AIA
Vitality 2018 survey found
that absence and presenteeism
still affecting organisations’
performance
A
IA Bhd recently revealed the results of
the Malaysia’s Healthiest Workplace by
AIA Vitality 2018 survey. The findings
demonstrate that Malaysia continues
to be affected by productivity loss in
the workplace that is attributed to
significant absence and presenteeism
in its workforce.
A total of 117 organisations of different sizes and
sectors participated this year, representing a combined
workforce of 11,551 employees. This has more than
doubled the number of participants from last year’s
inaugural survey, indicating corporate Malaysia’s grow-
ing interest to find out where they stand, as well as their
commitment to providing better workplaces to attract
and retain people.
Since its launch, the survey results have brought to
the fore the issue of high productivity loss, as well as
other behaviours and factors like lack of sleep, stress,
poor eating, physical inactivity as well as overall mental
health and wellbeing.
Among the many survey revelations, mental health
remains one of the biggest but least talked about issue in
the workplace. Often, mental health is largely ignored and
undetected due to stigma and a lack of understanding.
Other issues such as stress, organisational culture, lead-
ership and bullying can also impact the mental health and
wellbeing of the staff which in
turn negatively impacts the
productivity and performance
of the organisation.
The 2018 findings
reveal that 50.2 per cent of
employees have at least one
dimension of work-related
stress, with 18.2 per cent
attributing their stress to
financial concerns.
Speaking at the Malaysia’s
Healthiest Workplace Summit
2018, AIA Bhd’s Chief
Executive Officer Anusha
Thavarajah revealed that with
Anusha Thavarajah.
work place stress being one of
the main workforce risks, we felt that it was important
for us to spur conversations on this controversial
subject.
“There is a clear need for corporate Malaysia to build
a culture within our organisations that provide a safe
workplace environment that encourages disclosure and
healing without judgment. It is our hope that this initia-
tive we have embarked is only just the beginning of a
healthier workplace and work culture for all Malaysians,”
Anusha added.
The Malaysia’s Healthiest Workplace survey is an
independent survey commissioned by AIA and delivered
in partnership with research agency RAND Europe, and
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia as the study’s local
academic advisor. Modelled after the Britain’s Healthiest
Workplace, a highly successful study which has been
carried out in the UK since 2013, it is currently the only
comprehensive science-backed workplace survey ever
conducted in Malaysia. – The Health
Mental health can be the cause
of lesser productivity
A
ccording to the findings
of the Malaysia’s Healthiest
Workplace by AIA Vitality
2018 survey, employers lost an aver-
age of 73.1 days of working hours per
employee due to ill-health related
absence and presenteeism.
Absence refers to employees’
absence from work due to health
problems while presenteeism means
employees are present at work but
are constrained by health problems
to carry out their daily activities.
Additionally, the loss of working days
increased from an average of 67.2
days from last year (2017) which
translates into an estimated cost of
RM2.27 million lost per organisation
per year.
Malaysian employees have also
become increasingly affected by
mental issues over the years which
can lead to staff absences and turn-
over which in turn negatively impact
the productivity and performance of
the company. If not addressed, both
employers and employees are at the
losing end with the performances of
employees and employers affected.
The findings demonstrate that 50.2
per cent of employees have at least
one dimension of work-related
stress.
Poor habits on the rise
Malaysian employees are seen to
RAND Europe Vice
President Dr Christian
van Stolk presenting the
results and key takeaway
points from the Malaysia’s
Healthiest Workplace by
AIA Vitality 2018 survey.
have poor habits as the number of
smokers have increased in com-
parison to other markets (namely
Australia, Hong Kong and Thailand)
– 11.1 per cent of employees are
currently smokers, compared to
the average of 7.5 per cent in other
markets. They are recorded as being
most at risk for nutrition with 91.7
per cent not eating a balanced diet
that includes fruits, vegetables, and
whole grains.
Additionally, 16.6 per cent of
Malaysian employees surveyed are
obese. Stress, binge eating, or being
overwhelmed at work can be contrib-
uting factors to the rise of these poor
habits. Last but not least, employees
are found to be less likely to make
healthy changes if they perceived
themselves to be in good health. Thir-
teen per cent of employees have four
or more risk factors however 62 per
cent of employees believe that they
are in good health. Improved life
and work choices reflect employee’s
motivation
Malaysia has improved in certain
areas – it has the highest numbers
of employees who show motivation
in changing their physical activities
and weight. Additionally, more than
half of the employees agreed that
leadership in the workforce is posi-
tive. The survey indicated that 56 per
cent of Malaysians feel that their line
managers care about their health and
wellbeing. – The Health