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AstraZeneca’s Dapagliflozin now approved to treat adult patients with heart failure in Phl
Dapagliflozin, a medicine developed by British-Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, is now approved in the Philippines for the treatment of adult patients suffering from heart failure.
Dapagliflozin, a medicine developed by British-Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, is now approved in the Philippines for the treatment of adult patients suffering from heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) to reduce the need for hospitalization and risk of mortality.
With the approval, Dapagliflozin is the first and only drug under the sodium glucose transport protein 2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) class approved to treat heart failure in adult patients with reduced ejection fraction. It is the only SGLT2i proven to significantly prevent cardiovascular death and death due to other causes in these heart failure patients.
In a virtual discussion hosted by AstraZeneca Philippines, experts from the Philippines and around the world talked about the latest medical development and treatment for heart failure.
According to Dr. Erlyn Demerre, chair of Heart Failure Program at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City, heart failure is dominating the cardiovascular landscape not just in the Philippines but globally. It is considered a global pandemic affecting a lot of people worldwide and it is increasing in prevalence.
Global data show that the overall known prevalence rate of heart failure is three to 20 patients per 1,000 population although this exceeds a 100 per 1,000 in those age 65 years and over. The annual incidence of heart failure is one to five per 1,000 and the relative incidence doubles for each decade of life after the age of 45, and that in one in three die within a year and one out of four are re-admitted in a hospital in 30 days with much morbidity and poor quality of life.
“It is still an ongoing pandemic. Much work has been put into the study of heart failure and we are definitely on a better position in the diagnosis and management of heart failure now. But, ironically, despite medical management and significant advance in therapies and prevention, heart failure is still a major and increasing burden all over the world with high mortality and morbidity and poor quality of life,” said Demerre.
Lotis Ramin, country president at AstraZeneca Philippines, relayed that nine out of 10 patients are symptomatic even with current heart failure standard of care (SoC), and nearly one-third or one out of three patients suffering from heart failure with reduced ejection fraction are at risk of hospitalization which increases the risk of mortality.
Professor David Sim, president of the Heart Failure Society in Singapore, noted that nine million people in Southeast Asia have heart failure with an overall 15% mortality rate. However, pharmacological options for heart failure have increased over the last decade and guideline-directed heart failure pharmacotherapy cumulatively reduced mortality by 76%.
Sim emphasized that “the approval of Dapagliflozin for the treatment of HFrEF in the Philippines is a major step forward in the battle against the disease burden of heart failure. Together with the current standard of care, Dapagliflozin will contribute further to a lower mortality, less hear failure hospitalization and importantly a better quality of life for patients suffering from heart failure.”
In his presentation on Dapagliflozin and Prevention of Adverse-outcomes in Heart Failure Trial (DAPA HF) Trial: A New Era in Heart Failure Management, Professor Piotor Ponikowski of the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology cited that “heart failure is becoming a preventable and treatable diseases, with medication that allows patients to live longer and live better outside of hospital.”
It is the first outcomes trial with an SGLT2 inhibitor investigating the treatment of HFrEF. The results showed a reduction of 26% in the occurrence of cardiovascular death, hospitalization for heart failure (hHF) and Urgent Hospital Visit for heart failure along with a 30% reduction in hHF. Dapagliflozin’s significant 18% reduction in cardiovascular death and 17% reduction on death due to other causes which were only seen in the DAPA HF study.
“Dapagliflozin has the ability to reduce mortality, prevent hospital admission, improve clinical status, functional capacity, and quality of life,” said Ponikowski.
With the confirmation of Dapagliflozin as a medication to treat adult persons suffering from heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, Ramin said “we hope this development and Dapagliflozin life-saving efficacy can transform the heart failure standard of care.”
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Omega Healthcare recognized
Omega Healthcare is the only RCM service provider to earn both the Leader and Star Performer distinctions
Omega Healthcare, an AI-driven healthcare solutions company, has been recognized as a “Leader” and “Star Performer” in the Everest Group Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) Operations PEAK Matrix Assessment, 2026, maintaining its position as a “Leader” in the evaluation since 2017.
Omega Healthcare is the only RCM service provider to earn both the Leader and Star Performer distinctions in the report, which assessed 34 RCM operations service providers. The Star Performer designation is given to companies that demonstrate the most improvement over time on the PEAK Matrix. Everest Group’s team of analysts led a comprehensive analysis of the RCM services market, including client reference checks and interactions with the service providers evaluated.
“Against a backdrop of persistent margin pressures, rising denial rates, and evolving reimbursement dynamics, healthcare providers are making revenue cycle performance a strategic priority, driving demand for more intelligent, technology-enabled operating models that enhance efficiency and financial resilience,” said Aastha Malik, Practice Director, Everest Group.
“Omega Healthcare is well-positioned in this evolving landscape, integrating its large coding talent pool with digital platforms and analytics-led solutions to deliver scalable and performance-driven RCM operations. Its investments in gen AI and agentic AI across RCM processes, supported by a strong partner ecosystem, reflect a shift toward more intelligent and automated workflows. These capabilities underpin its recognition as a Leader and Star Performer in Everest Group’s Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) Intelligent Operations PEAK Matrix Assessment 2026.”
Omega Healthcare was honored as a Star Performer due to double-digit revenue growth, expansion into larger provider segments, with increased deal scale, and strong buyer feedback across cost savings, domain expertise, innovation, value addition, and AI/technology expertise.
According to Everest Group, leaders have demonstrated comprehensive support of healthcare providers by operationalizing gen AI, automation, and advanced analytics across key RCM workflows.
Everest Group cited Omega Healthcare for several key strengths, including:
- Integrated delivery model: Clients benefit from a fully integrated delivery model that combines Omega Healthcare’s global workforce with the Omega Digital Platform and WhiteSpace Health analytics to deliver scalable, technology-enabled RCM operations. This seamless integration helps healthcare organizations drive workflow automation and data-driven performance management across the entire revenue cycle.
- Advanced technology enablement: Omega Healthcare’s use of gen AI and agentic AI in workflows such as denials, appeals, coding, and A/R follow-up helps clients resolve claims faster, reduce manual errors, and enhance process consistency. Its strategic technology partnerships help clients scale AI beyond pilots, delivering more reliable and impactful outcomes across enterprise operations.
- Enterprise growth and domain expertise: Clients highlighted Omega Healthcare’s deep domain expertise, strong understanding of clinical workflows, and ability to flex resources to meet evolving operational needs. The company has continued to expand its presence among large health systems, strengthening its position to support end-to-end engagements and deliver sustained results for complex provider organizations.
“We are honored and proud to be the only RCM provider recognized in the report as both a Leader and Star Performer by Everest Group,” said Omega Healthcare CEO and Co-Founder Anurag Mehta. “This achievement is a direct reflection of the relationships and strategic partnerships we’ve built with our customers and the broader ecosystem. As healthcare organizations navigate persistent financial pressures, regulatory change and the proliferation of AI, we remain fully committed to leveraging the strength of our purpose-built AI-powered solutions to bring intelligence into action for our customers. We are constantly co-creating novel solutions with our customers across different parts of the RCM continuum. This relationship helps ensure Omega Healthcare owns outcomes and consistently delivers breakthrough results.”
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For every parent who wants to be present: AXA reinforces importance of early health preparedness
Even the most loving preparation can leave one crucial question unanswered: What happens when the parent who protects the family suddenly needs protection too?
Preparing for a child often begins long before birth. Parents plan for the crib, the diapers, the milk, the clothes, every necessity mapped out before the baby even arrives.
Yet even the most loving preparation can leave one crucial question unanswered: What happens when the parent who protects the family suddenly needs protection too?
For many Filipino families, that reality is closer than most realize. About one in five Filipinos may develop cancer before the age of 75. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that neoplasms, which include various types of cancer, ranked as the country’s second leading cause of death. The toll is made heavier by late diagnosis, with many cases discovered only when the window for early intervention has passed.
This June, as the country observes National Cancer Survivor Day, AXA Philippines unveils the third short film of its Everyday Protectors campaign, one that reflects what many Filipino families quietly carry – the weight of serious illness, and the love that refuses to let it win.
AXA’s health film portrays the story of Lina, a mother whose world shifts on the same day it expands. As her daughter takes her first breath, Lina also receives a cancer diagnosis, turning the happiest moment of her life into one filled with fear and uncertainty. Yet despite the difficult road ahead, Lina finds strength in the moments she hopes to witness like first steps, birthdays, and the everyday memories that make parenthood meaningful.
The film reveals how Lina shows up for every milestone despite her illness, a quiet testament to what Filipino parents do every day: protect the people they love, no matter the cost to themselves. But Lina’s story also carries another truth which is that everyday protectors should not have to face their hardest battles alone.
AXA Philippines, one of the largest and fastest-growing insurance companies in the country, understands that a serious illness is as much a financial challenge as it is a personal one. From preventive healthcare benefits to comprehensive critical illness coverage, AXA offers a wide range of health insurance plans so families get the care they need: Global Health Access (GHA) delivers access to worldwide premium medical services; Health Care Access provides comprehensive medical insurance with cashless access to doctors and hospitals nationwide; while AXA’s superior critical illness plan, Health Max Elite, provides the most extensive coverage that spans the full care journey, from pre-early to late stage protection, covering over 150 critical illnesses, including select mental health conditions and non-listed cases requiring ICU confinement and life-saving surgery.
By helping reduce the financial strain that too often forces families to choose between care and everything else, AXA gives everyday protectors the room they need to focus on healing and being present.
AXA’s Emma app, where you can easily access and manage your insurance policy anytime, anywhere, just got a refreshed look with enhanced features designed to take charge of your health with ease. From accessing mental wellness support through Mind You to filing reimbursements and tracking claims in real time, Emma by AXA helps you maximize your health benefits with greater convenience. Log in today and make the most of the tools designed to support your health and well-being every step of the way.
One name to cover all your insurance needs, discover how AXA can provide complete protection for health, car, travel, and SMEs here.
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Sun Life appoints Bianca Ilibasic as Managing Director, Sun Life Global Solutions
She will lead SLGS across India and the Philippines, providing strategic direction to multi-functional teams spanning Technology, Operations, Analytics, Actuarial, HR, Finance, and Risk & Compliance.
Sun Life has appointed Bianca Ilibasic as the Managing Director for its global capability centre, Sun Life Global Solutions (SLGS). She previously served as Vice President & Chief Operations Officer, Sun Life Asia.
In her new role, Bianca will lead SLGS across India and the Philippines, providing strategic direction to multi-functional teams spanning Technology, Operations, Analytics, Actuarial, HR, Finance, and Risk & Compliance. Her mandate is to further scale SLGS as a high-impact, enterprise capability supporting Sun Life across 28 markets.
During her time in Asia, Bianca advanced straight-through processing, accelerated digital adoption, and shaped a forward-looking AI roadmap to drive business growth — strengthening shared platforms and enabling scalable outcomes.
Commenting on the appointment, Laura Money, EVP and Chief Information and Technology Innovation Officer, Sun Life, said, “Over the past four years, Bianca has been a driving force behind operational excellence and digital transformation, leading with clarity, courage, and a deep commitment to our Purpose. Advancing our AI roadmap and scaling impact across common platforms, Bianca has been consistently delivering results while building strong, empowered teams. She is a visionary, insights driven leader who brings energy, heart, and ambition to everything she does, and I could not be more thrilled to see her step into this role.”
Reflecting on the opportunity, Bianca added: “I am excited to begin this new chapter. Sun Life Global Solutions is more than a capability centre — excellence, innovation, and dedication are consistently demonstrated via brilliant, passionate teams across India and the Philippines who support our Purpose and our Clients every single day. What excites me most is the opportunity to build on our foundation and deepen partnerships, accelerate transformation, and relentlessly focus on outcomes that truly matter to our Clients.”
Bianca’s appointment marks a defining moment for SLGS, strengthening its role as both a strategic engine for enterprise value and a platform where empowered teams can shape what’s next for Sun Life. We look forward to everything Bianca and the SLGS team will achieve together.
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