Oracle reported recently that all essential antitrust and other governmental permits for its buyout of Cerner had been obtained, more than five months after the deal was first confirmed, and that the deal should be over with in the first half of next week.

THE REASON IT MATTERS

That includes Oracle’s unrestricted antitrust immunity from the European Commission, which it received in the last week of May. The deadline for the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice to assess the transaction was extended to Feb. 22 earlier this year. Oracle aims to complete the purchase with an all-cash public offering for $95 per share, reaching about $28.3 billion, which is primarily attributable to Oracle’s earnings, now that those clearances have been received.

The business said it expects the agreement to close next week, on June 6, provided all other closing conditions are met, as detailed in the statement put forth with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 19.

In a statement, Oracle CEO Safra Catz said, they estimate this transaction to be considerably advantageous to Oracle’s revenues on a non-GAAP level in fiscal year 2023. Healthcare is the world’s biggest and most influential vertical market, with a value of $3.8 trillion in the US alone last year. Cerner is expected to be a major growth driver for many years to come.

THE ELEVATING TREND

Cerner is a significant acquisition, with a price tag that has stayed unaltered since first disclosed in December 2021. It costs three times as much as the company’s second-largest buy, PeopleSoft, which was acquired for $10.3 billion in 2005.

It is, in fact, one of the largest software acquisitions and mergers in history, just marginally smaller than IBM’s $34 billion purchase of Red Hat in 2018 and slightly larger than Microsoft’s $20 billion purchase of Nuance earlier this year. Clearly, the computer behemoth believes that adding Cerner, which has its own cloud platform and vast amounts of health data, will boost its business.

Oracle’s success will be determined by how well it manages this cloud-first approach to capturing the potential of information that lies outside of the electronic medical record. An Oracle-Cerner transaction would require Oracle to accelerate Cerner’s migration to the cloud in order to establish a new concept of data-driven healthcare. Oracle will have its work cut out for this as it masters the ropes of a competitive and complex healthcare business, but it is confident in the short term about what it can accomplish with such a major enhancement to its portfolio.

Oracle’s Autonomous Dataset, APEX low-code developer tools, and voice-enabled interface allow them to rapidly upgrade Cerner’s systems and migrate them to the next-generation Cloud, Oracle’s EVP of Industries Mike Sicilia said in a statement on the merger’s clearance. Because Cerner’s largest business and most significant medical systems typically run on the Oracle Database, this can be done very rapidly.  There isn’t anything to change there. The user interface will be altered. By making hands-free chatbots the principal interface to Cerner’s clinical systems, they will make Cerner’s systems easier to learn and use.

ON THE STATEMENT

In a statement, Larry Ellison, Oracle’s cofounder, chairman, and CTO, said that working together, Cerner and Oracle have the power to redefine the delivery of care by offering healthcare practitioners a younger breed of healthcare information systems. Better information allows for improved treatment decisions, which leads to better patient outcomes, added Ellison, who will discuss the acquisition during a digital live event on June 9 at 4 p.m. ET. Their new, simple-to-use solutions are intended to relieve medical professionals’ administrative burdens while also enhancing patient privacy and cutting overall healthcare expenditures.

Cerner has been a pioneer in assisting in the digitization of medical care, and now it’s time to achieve the true promise of that effort with care delivery technologies that send information to the appropriate caregivers at the right time, said Cerner CEO David Feinberg. The company says having joined Oracle as a dedicated Industry Business Unit gives them a once-in-a-lifetime chance to expedite their work on updating health records, increasing caregiver engagement, and allowing more interconnected, high-quality, and effective patient care.

Precision Health Research, which is in charge of putting Singapore’s National Precision Medicine policy into action, has joined forces with genomics tech firm Illumina to conduct a large-scale population study on diseases affecting Asians. The SG100K project will scan and evaluate the genomes of over 100,000 consenting volunteers from Chinese, Malay, and Indian backgrounds in Singapore, representing roughly 80% of the populace in Asia. It is hoped that it will become the region’s most extensive precision medicine repository, providing great insights into Asian genetic variation and disorders.

The three-year partnership will take advantage of Illumina’s large-scale genome sequencing capabilities to create higher quality genomic data at a faster pace. The partners will also create AI methodologies for genomics analysis and leverage corporate data exchange technologies for the secure sharing and management of anonymized biospecimen datasets for sequencing.

International best practises and protections will be benchmarked against health data access, administration, and storage, said PRECISE’s chief scientific officer and principal investigator of the SG100k project, John Chambers. The project will involve a number of scientific and clinical partners, including medical schools and care clusters.

WHY DOES IT MATTER?

Thanks to SG100k, Singaporeans will be able to better understand critical social, ecological, behavioural, and genetic aspects connected to diseases that affect their community, such as diabetes, hypertension, and cancer. The project will also allow data-driven strategies to improve community health and clinical outcomes to be implemented.

Furthermore, the project will aid indigenous sequencing enterprises in Singapore by providing education and training in the use of Illumina’s genomic technology platforms, allowing them to access markets both locally and internationally. Illumina has chosen NovogeneAIT Genomics Singapore, a domestic next-generation sequence service provider, to sequence the genomes of the SG100k project’s targeted participants.

THE EXPANDING TREND

Precision medicine has been examined by Singapore’s Ministry of Health as one strategy to resolving the country’s healthcare concerns. Precision medicine is also a strategic goal of Singapore’s Study, Innovations, and Enterprise 2025 agenda to change and preserve Singaporeans’ health, according to the National Research Foundation, that sponsors PRECISE.

In related news, Google Cloud has teamed up with Sydney’s Garvan Institute of Medical Research to create what might be Australia’s largest genomic data set, with the goal of processing 14,000 genomes in order to better detect uncommon genetic illnesses.

IN THE BOOKS

Together, PRECISE and Illumina will work to advance Singapore’s biomedical technology industry by developing tailor-made actionable insights, establishing a large-scale genomic information system, and fostering new career opportunities to help Singapore’s National Precision Medicine program, said Susan Tousi, Chief Commercial Officer of Illumina. She also sees the initiative as ground-breaking research which will serve as a key catalyst for expansion in precision medicine skills across Southeast Asia.

PRECISE Executive Director Patrick Tan added that the company’s collaboration with Illumina is a testament to their shared ambitions and common vision to improve health care and future-proof Singapore’s public health through the adoption of genomics and data-driven strategies in diseases relevant to Asia.

There almost nothing more important than maintaining healthy eyes and keeping your eyesight. At Meijer Optical, we not only offer thousands of frames to fit any style or budget in our eye glass store, but we also offer comprehensive eye exams that will help you do just that. Our certified Opticians will perform a complete series of tests to ensure that you not only have the right prescription but that your eyes are healthy for the future as well.

If you experience vision issues at night – such as blurriness, glare and multiple images – while seemingly having great eyesight in the daytime, you are not alone. Vision problems at night, particularly while driving, are prevalent among the general population.

Doctors comment that age is not the only factor contributing to nighttime driving issues. Younger patients have this issue as well, particularly if they are nearsighted. Working at your laptop for too long without a break, for instance, can contribute to dry eyes, thereby worsening glare at night. In addition, exposure to UV rays, as a result of not properly protecting eyes with sunglasses when outdoors, can contribute to these issues as well. Finally, sometimes even wearing your contacts for too long, or not having the correct fit, can make the cornea swell leading to vision issues at night.

So, if you are plagued with these kinds of issues, what can you do? Your first step should be to schedule an eye exam as soon as possible at Meijer Optical. At the appointment, your doctor will perform a comprehensive eye exam to gain an understanding of what is going on with your eyesight as well as to rule out any other serious underlying causes. Then, you will be prescribed special lenses, called anti-glare or non-glare, to diffract light enabling you to see more. A clear coating is applied to the top of the lens, or built within the lens itself, to reduce reflections.

Remember, it is also very important to protect your eyes from harmful UV rays. UV rays can be damaging to both your skin and to your eyes. The best way to protect yourself from these damaging rays is by wearing sunscreen and UV protected sunglasses. Unprotected eyes can result in corneal damage, premature development of cataracts, and other eye disorders.

Did you know that sunglasses without an Ultraviolet Treatment can actually increase UV exposure? The dark tint of plain sunglasses allows the pupil to open wider, thus allowing more harmful UV rays to pass through the eye. So, it is important for the long-term health of your eyes to make sure you are wearing sunglasses that will protect your vision vs. damaging it.

Regular eye exams are critical for maintaining the health of your eyes. During your exam, an optometrist checks for color blindness, proper eye movement and alignment and depth perception. Your doctor will also likely perform tests for conditions such as glaucoma and they will examine your eyes for early warning signs of cataracts, macular degeneration and other common vision issues.

At Meijer Optical, we take your vision very seriously, and we hope it’s important to you, too. Here are just a few facts about the importance of getting regular eye exams to motivate you to get your eyes checked out on a regular basis:

Your eyesight changes gradually over time, but even slight issues with your vision can make a big impact on your overall well-being. Left undetected and untreated, these issues may lead to headaches or blurry vision. And did you know that eye exams are often the first way serious chronic issues such as high blood pressure and diabetes are detected. This is why it is so important to be proactive about your eye health and it is comprehensive, regular eye exams, in addition to your wellness checkups, that can help you avoid these very serious issues.

Meijer Optical accepts thousands of vision care plans including EyeMed, Aetna, Advantica, Vision Benefits of America, OptiCare and Avesis. Your vision benefits can be used towards prescription eyewear and contact lenses. Book your exam today or bring in any valid prescription. Use your benefits to select from hundreds of designer eyeglasses and sunglasses. Ask your optician for details. To find out if we accept your vision care, call your local Meijer Optical.

In addition to any vision insurance plan you have, you may be able to use a Flexible Spending Account to cover expenses for your vision care. If you opted into an FSA provided by your employer, you are already contributing pre-tax money from your paycheck into an account. That money can be used to pay for eligible medical expenses that your insurance doesn’t cover. These can include eye exams, prescription eyeglasses, contact lenses and fitting costs. And we offer 50% off a complete pair of glasses at all our locations.

Pfizer and BioNTech submitted an emergency use authorization for COVID-19 vaccine in children 6 months to 5 years to the FDA.A phase 2/3 vaccine trial comprised 1,678 children who got a third dose during the time the Omicron coronavirus strain was the most prevalent. The vaccination looked to be safe and elicited a strong immunological response, according to the trial’s findings, which were released on May 23. The findings were neither peer-reviewed nor reported in a medical journal.

The vaccine produced a similar immunological response to two doses in 16-to 25-year-olds, according to antibody levels assessed one month following the third dosage, the companies reported.In this lowest age group, mid-trial findings revealed vaccination effectiveness of 80.3% against symptomatic COVID-19. At least seven days following the third treatment, the companies discovered ten symptomatic patients. The effectiveness rate will not be determined until at least 21 symptomatic instances in the vaccine group are discovered and compared to the number of symptomatic cases in the placebo group.

Vaccines for this age group are lower than those given to older children. People aged 12 and over receive two 30-microgram vaccine doses, while children aged 5 to 12 receive two 10-microgram vaccine doses. Booster dosages are available for both of these categories.The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine comes in three 3-microgram doses for children aged 6 months to 5 years. The first two doses were separated by three weeks, and the subsequent dose was administered at least two months following the second.

These topline safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy data are incentivising, Pfizer Chairman and CEO Albert Bourla said in a statement last month. They look forward to soon completing their submissions to regulatory agencies worldwide with the hope of making this vaccine accessible to smaller kids as quickly as possible, subject to regulatory authorization.

Vaccine experts have been careful to tweak the amount for younger children, according to Dr. William Schaffner of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine’s Division of Infectious Diseases, to have a good benefit with a minimal number of side effects.They are thinking of this as a three-dose vaccine, Schaffner said, and preliminary data from the Omicron era suggests it’s actually 80% effective. They will have to take a closer look at that, but so far, that’s excellent news.

In the United States, children under the age of five are the only ones who are not eligible for the COVID-19 immunisation. When the results of a two-dose series of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine did not demonstrate the predicted level of protection, the vaccine for this group was delayed. The companies said that they would change the experiment to include a third dose.

The US Food and Drug Administration invited the businesses to submit an emergency use authorization request based on the two-dose data in February, but afterwards postponed a session of its vaccine advisory board to assess the third-dose data.

Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine EUA request for people aged 6 to 17 will be discussed by the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee on June 14. The committee will meet on June 15 to review Moderna and Pfizer’s EUA proposals for vaccines for children under the age of six. In late April, Moderna submitted their vaccine data to the FDA for children aged 6 months to 5 years. Its application is based on two 25-microgram dosages separated by 28 days.

People are constantly bombarded with what the ‘perfect body’ looks like and we may find ourselves comparing our bodies to that unrealistic image. Although every individual is aware of this, most people still search for the best ways to achieve their dream body. However, this should be done in a safe and positive manner for your own health.

This article will provide you with a healthy perspective on safe and positive body enhancement treatments so that you can get the body of your dreams without putting yourself at risk.

What Are Some Safe & Positive Body Enhancement Treatments?

●    Cellulite Reduction

Cellulite is an issue that many people suffer with, both men and women. This is the result of accumulated body fat in a certain area, and it is a reason for low self-esteem for both genders. Even though it is totally normal and it can affect all types of people, individuals continue to seek a miracle cure for this problem. There are several treatments that promise to reduce the visibility of cellulite and some of them are safe and positive. This includes treatments you can get in a clinic, such as vascular gymnastics that focus on deep massaging the problem areas. At home, you can also dry brush your skin, as it is suggested this helps reduce the look of cellulite in the long term.

●    Targeting Stubborn Fat

Everyone knows that the best way to combat fat, lose weight, and tone our body is by having a healthy diet and taking part in appropriate physical activity. However, even those with impeccable lifestyles can have stubborn fat that just will not go away. If this is the case, people may decide to undergo specific treatments to help with this problem. There are certainly many treatments that involve surgeries and permanent changes to your body, but this does not have to be the case as there are more safe and positive body enhancement treatments to help with this issue, including cool body sculpting.

●    Breast Augmentation

Breast augmentation is one of the most popular forms of body enhancement surgery. Natural breasts are not always seen as what is desirable, leading to many women undergoing this surgery. However, not everyone can afford this or wants to undergo such an invasive surgery. It is possible to see an increase in breast size without going under the knife. There are more natural ways to achieve the results you want. You have natural supplements and oils that you can use to increase your breast size and fullness. However, with this option, you will have to be consistent and it may take a while before you start seeing results.

Benefits of Safe & Positive Body Enhancement Treatments

●    Non-invasive

One of the main benefits of safe and positive body enhancements is that it is non-invasive. Many people wish they could obtain the results that cosmetic surgery delivers, but patients undergoing these treatments can experience significant side effects that may affect their health permanently. In addition to this, you will also need downtime to recover from these treatments, which normally takes a few weeks. This is not something that you have to worry about with natural forms of body enhancement.

●    Affordable

Safe and positive body enhancement treatments are considerably more affordable than plastic surgery, which is a plus. Many people cannot afford the price for most treatments, which is not a worry with natural enhancement. You may have to invest some money in the products you use to see results, as you may have to use them for a long time, but even so, you will save a lot of money.

●    Suitable for Most People

Evidently, plastic surgery is not for everyone. To undergo invasive treatments, you will have to have a thorough consultation with a health professional in the area and if they assess that you are doing this for the wrong reasons, they may refuse your treatment. If you want to enhance your body with natural supplements, oils, and non-invasive treatments, there is little reason why you should not be able to do so. However, this is not to say that you should not consult with your doctor. You should always discuss with a medical professional before taking supplements or using products that may cause your body to change.

●    Natural Components

One thing about safe and positive body enhancement treatments is that they are natural. With invasive treatments, breast augmentation, for example, involves the implementation of unnatural items in your body, which may not accept and have a bad reaction as a result. This is not a concern with natural treatments as they are carefully designed with natural components that enhance your body’s chemicals rather than introducing something completely new.

If you want to change your body make sure that you do so naturally. This may take longer to achieve but it will reduce the risks to your health. The information discussed above should provide you with a clear idea of the health perspective on safe and positive body-enhancement treatments so that you familiarise yourself with the subject.

Learning how to balance and juggle all of the family’s financial commitments can be a constant challenge for everyone in the household. From paying the high costs of a mortgage to adding the extra costs of a newborn, it is not always easy to spread limited income over a long list of financial responsibilities. This is especially true when it comes to the rising costs of medical insurance.

Therefore, if you want to get the best medical insurance in Singapore possible, here are 4 great tips that you should incorporate in your search.

Tip #1 – Factor in Your Needs and Priorities

When you are searching for a good medical insurance plan, you need to do a thorough job of looking for all of your needs. Because there are a wide variety of things that go into making this decision, you need to factor in your needs and priorities. For instance, you may want to start the process by asking the following questions: 

1.   What is the maximum amount that will fit comfortably into your present budget? 
2.   Are you expecting to pay hospitalisation for a surgery that you or someone else in your household needs? 
3.   Is everyone in the household healthy or do they need medical attention for a chronic illness or disease? 

By reviewing these questions, you will know what types of medical insurance coverage that you will need to cover the near future. For instance, you may need a kid-specific policy to pay for a disease or an injury.

Tip #2 – Do not Focus on Lowest Rates Only – Do a full Comparison

Even though your budget may be an issue that you need to keep in mind, the low price of a medical insurance plan should not be the only deciding factor. You do not have to buy a comprehensive medical insurance policy that over protects you and your family. However, you will need a medical insurance policy that will not leave you in an unwanted position of financial stress.

Simply put, you should look at the lowest rates on policies that offer comparable and similar coverages. This is because you should always compare apples to apples in your research. For instance, the lowest rates on some medical insurance policies may not be worth it in the long run. And, you may not know that the policy is worthless until your basic medical bills have been denied by the insurance provider.

Tip #3 – Identify the Most Popular Health Insurance Companies in Singapore

Another key area that you should pay close attention to is the group of insurance providers that you have available to you. In Singapore, the top 5 leading companies are as follows:

 1.AIA Singapore

 2.NTUC Income

 3.Aviva

 4.Great Eastern Life

 5.AXA

So, when you review each of these companies, you should look for the most popular medical insurance plans on the market. For instance, if you decide to invest in a plan that is offered by the health provider AIA Singapore, you may want to choose the AIA HealthShield Gold MAX coverage since it is the most popular and has a wide variety of essential features. From giving policy holders the choice to stay in private hospitals if they choose to do so to offering medical reimbursement, these coverages should accommodate your needs and more if the price is right.

Tip #4 – Compare Plans with Deductibles

In addition to looking for the most popular insurance providers in this industry, you need to make sure that you are comparing different plans within the same company. Because some medical insurance plans cost significantly more based on the features that it offers, you need to know exactly what you are paying for and why. For instance, if you compare AXA Shield Integrated Plan A to AXA Shield Integrated Plan B, the policy limits per person will vary quite substantially. This is because plan A’s policy limit is $1,000,000 and the policy limit per person for plan B coverage is $550,000. So, there is a huge difference (i.e. $450,000) in what the insurance company will pay for each person for that particular year.

Conclusion

Choosing the best medical insurance coverage in Singapore is not always as simple as some people may think. Therefore, it is important to devise a plan to assist you with making the best decision possible. With all of the invaluable information posted online today, you can find the best coverage for the amount that you can afford to pay. Specifically, if you are using the 4 great tips that have been provided for you above.

According to a new study by Yale University and Vassar College, the United States spends two times as much on cancer care as the average high-income country, but its cancer mortality rates are only marginally better than average.There is a prevalent assumption that the United States provides the world’s most sophisticated cancer care, said Ryan Chow, lead author and a Yale M.D./Ph.D. student. The system is praised for generating innovative therapies faster than other countries and delivering them to patients. Researchers wanted to see if the United States’ large investment in cancer care is linked to better cancer outcomes. The United States had the biggest budget rate among the 22 high-income countries studied.

The United States spends over $200 billion per year on cancer care, or about $600 per person, compared to $300 per person in other high-income nations, said senior author Cary Gross, a Yale professor of medicine and also the director of the National Clinician Scholars Program. This begs the question of whether people are receiving their money’s worth. The researchers discovered that national cancer care spending had no linkage with cancer mortality rates at the population level. To put it another way, countries that invest more in cancer care may not always have better cancer outcomes, Chow explained.

In fact, six countries, namely Finland, Australia, Iceland, Switzerland, Japan, and Korea, had lower cancer mortality and spending than the United States.

Smoking is the leading cause of cancer death, yet smoking rates in the United States have generally been lower than in other countries. When the researchers took into account international differences in smoking rates, U.S. cancer mortality rates were no different from those of the median high-income country, with 9 countries-Spain, Finland, Japan, Iceland, Korea, Luxembourg, Australia, Norway, Spain, and Switzerland-having lower smoking-adjusted cancer death rates than the US.

Adjusting for smoking casts the United States in an even more negative light, Chow explained, since the United States’ low smoking rates have proved protective against cancer mortality. According to the authors, more study is needed to identify particular policy measures that could substantially reform the US cancer care system. They do, however, point to loose regulation of cancer drug licencing and drug pricing as two major contributors to the high cost of cancer care in the United States.

In the United States, the pattern of paying more and receiving less is well-documented; now they find it in cancer care as well, said co-author and president of Vassar College, Elizabeth Bradley. She added that if the US could be open to change, other nations and systems have a lot to teach them as well.

According to health experts, a ground-breaking new study could shift the terrain of future heart and lung treatments. The Covid-RV study was led by scientists from NHS Golden Jubilee as well as the University of Glasgow, who were investigating the impacts of COVID-19 on individuals in Intensive Care Units (ICU).

The study, which was the first of its type, looked at 121 critically ill patients in ten ICUs across Scotland, with the goal of learning more about the effects of COVID-19 on the sickest patients requiring invasive breathing. The study discovered that one out of every three individuals had anomalies in the right atrium of the heart, which delivers blood to the lungs.

A confluence of things creates a perfect storm for COVID-19 to damage the right side of your heart, which can ultimately cause death, said Honorary clinical senior lecturer at the University of Glasgow as well as Consultant in Cardiothoracic Anaesthesia and Intensive Care at NHS Golden Jubilee, Dr Philip McCall. If blood is getting pumped to the lungs and the lungs are sick, there is an added complication because the lungs won’t take blood.

Unless one is especially looking for it, this is a very tough condition to see. That is why the findings of this research are so crucial. COVID-19 is now recognised to be an issue that affects not only breathing but also the heart.

The research was finished in six months and three weeks, which is much faster than typical research of this type. The study has shown that there is no doubt COVID-19 impacts the heart and has a big impact on patient outcomes, stated Dr. Ben Shelley, Chief Investigator of the study and Consultant in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care at NHS Golden Jubilee. However, now that it is known that this happens and one has a greater understanding of how it impacts patients, one can plan ahead and implement new treatment plans and therapies to assist combat it.

Ultrasound scans, for example, can be used in a variety of ways to zero in on advance warning indications and places that are known to be in danger. If one can detect these warning signs early enough, clinicians will be able to investigate the reasons for any issues and begin new therapies as soon as possible, ultimately improving outcomes for COVID-19’s sickest patients.

Knowledge like this is crucial not only in combating future waves of COVID-19 but also in considering future pandemics so patients may be treated more efficiently.  These findings also contain a number of intriguing areas that could be explored further to aid in the treatment of various lung disorders in general.

The United Kingdom and Sweden have reached a deal through an MoU recognising their existing bilateral collaboration in the biological sciences. The goal of the MoU is to foster collaboration among participants in the health, research, as well as innovation systems at the local, regional, and federal levels in order to promote the growth of innovative, efficient, and appealing lifescience ecosystems. The participants’ cooperation shall be founded on the principles of fairness, reciprocity, and mutual benefit and all applicable laws and institutions from both nations.

Early diagnosis, genomes, and other areas of collaboration are expected to be among the first areas of cooperation, according to the attendees. Clinical studies, legislative innovation, application of advancement, production methods, life sciences sector sustainability, and antibiotic resistance are all topics that need to be addressed.

Cooperative actions to foster discussion on these themes could also include:

• Partnership in policy, design, and execution of technical standards is required in the lifesciences sector to develop data-driven approaches.
• Policy, strategy, and market interventions all benefit from knowledge exchange.
• Collaboration in policy formulation to create a dynamic marketplace via business involvement and active participation.
• Collaboration in the discovery, testing, and deployment of innovative technologies and therapies.

Furthermore, the participants applaud the existing research partnership between the United Kingdom and Sweden, which includes collaborations between corporations, institutions of higher learning, health and research organisations, and other stakeholders. They encourage scholars from both countries to collaborate more closely in the future, including through multilateral collaborations and combined submissions to European research and innovation programmes.

Most people know that addiction is a serious problem, but many don’t realize just how serious it can be. Addiction can ruin lives, and it not always easy to break the cycle. However, it is possible to overcome addiction with time, effort, and determination. Here are six ways to fight a serious addiction and start living a healthy daily routine.

1. Dont be afraid to reach out

Get professional help. If you are struggling with addiction, it important to seek professional help. There are many resources available to help you overcome addiction, and professional help can make a big difference. There are centers helping to recover from addiction, and you can find support groups in your area. Plus, there are many online resources that can help you find information and support.

Help is always available, so dont be afraid to reach out if you’re struggling. You can even talk to your doctor about addiction and treatment options. This way, you can get the help you need to overcome addiction and start living a healthier life. Try to make things as easy on yourself as possible and get the help you need.

2. Be honest with yourself

Admitting that you have a problem is the first step to recovery. It’s important, to be honest with yourself about your addiction and its effects on your life. Once you are able to admit that you have a problem, you can start to look for ways to overcome it.

For starters, try to identify your triggers. What causes you to use or abuse substances? Once you know what your triggers are, you can start to avoid them and make better choices.

Additionally, its important to be honest about your feelings. Its normal to feel scared, alone, and ashamed when you are struggling with addiction. But it’s important to remember that you’re not alone. Many people have overcome addiction, and you can too.

3. Set realistic goals

When you are trying to overcome addiction, its important to set realistic goals. Trying to quit cold turkey is often not successful, and its important to set realistic goals that you can actually achieve.

Start by setting small goals, such as cutting back on your use of substances or going to one fewer happy hour per week. Once you achieved these goals, you can start to set bigger goals, such as attending treatment or abstaining from substances entirely.

For example, if you are addicted to alcohol, your goal may be to attend an outpatient treatment program. If you are addicted to drugs, your goal may be to abstain from drug use entirely.

4. Be patient

Recovery from addiction is a process, and its important to be patient. It takes time to overcome addiction, and there will be setbacks along the way. But if you’re patient and persist in your efforts, you will eventually achieve success.

Find ways to occupy your time and keep your mind off of substances. This may include exercise, hobbies, or spending time with friends and family. Additionally, its important to find a support system to help you through the tough times.

A support system can be made up of family, friends, or even a support group for people struggling with addiction.

5. Reward yourself

When you reach your goals, it important to reward yourself. This will help you stay motivated and on track. Choose rewards that are meaningful to you, such as a new outfit, a day at the spa, or tickets to a concert.

Also, be sure to celebrate your accomplishments, no matter how small. For example, if you make it through one week without using substances, give yourself a pat on the back. Every accomplishment, no matter how small, is a step in the right direction.

6. Be prepared for relapses

Relapses are common, and it important to be prepared for them. If you do have a relapse, dont be too hard on yourself. Just get back on track and continue working towards your goals.

If you have a relapse, it important to try to identify what triggered it. Once you know your triggers, you can try to avoid them in the future. Additionally, it important to have a plan in place for how to deal with a relapse. This may include attending a support group or meeting with a therapist.

Addiction can be a difficult thing to overcome, but with the right tools and support, it is possible. These six tips will help you get started on the road to recovery. Be honest with yourself, set realistic goals, be patient, find a support system, reward yourself for your accomplishments, and be prepared for relapses. Remember that relapse is common, but with the right support, you can overcome it and achieve success.