June 2024

June 04,2024 New Delhi: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has ordered all food companies to remove any claim of ‘100% fruit juices’ from the labels and advertisements of reconstituted fruit juices with an immediate effect, it said in a statement. It has also asked all companies to exhaust all existing pre-printed packaging materials before September 1, 2024. “It has come to the attention of FSSAI that several FBOs have been inaccurately marketing various types of reconstituted fruit juices by claiming them to be 100 per cent fruit juices, ” FSSAI said in a statement on Monday. “Upon thorough examination, FSSAI has concluded that, according to the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018, there is no provision for making a ‘100 per cent’ claim, “it added. Such claims are misleading, particularly under conditions where the major ingredient of the fruit juice is water and the primary ingredient, for which the claim is made, is present only in limited concentrations, or when the fruit juice is reconstituted using water and fruit concentrates or pulp, the food regulator said. India’s food laws makes it mandatory for food companies to mention the word “reconstituted” in the ingredient list against the name of the juice that is reconstituted from the concentrate. Additionally, if added nutritive sweeteners exceed 15 gm/kg, the product must be labelled as ‘sweetened juice’. Source: Healthworld

May 29,2024 New Delhi: During the ongoing 77th World Health Assembly, India hosted a side event on digital health which saw participation by the Quad countries (Australia, Japan and the US). The purpose of the event was to emphasise the transformative potential of digital public infrastructure for addressing social determinants of health. It was attended by delegates from over 100 countries highlighting collaborative efforts in advancing digital public infrastructure globally. Apurva Chandra, Union Health Secretary, and Head, Indian Delegation outlined India’s advancements in digital health. He highlighted the transformative role of digital health in ensuring equitable and accessible healthcare services, contributing to universal health coverage and achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 3, that is good health and well-being. He emphasised India’s success in implementing digital public infrastructure at scale such as Aadhaar for digital identities, Unified Payments Interface (UPI) for the financial transactions and effective health service delivery with Co-WIN during the pandemic. He informed that Co-WIN is being transformed into UWIN for the National Immunisation Programme. It will aid in linking and providing immunisation record of 30 million new born and mothers every year followed by Anganwadi and school health record. The Union Health Secretary also highlighted India’s effort under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), which aims to create a robust national digital health ecosystem. With over 618 million Unique Health IDs (ABHA IDs) generated, 268,000 health facilities registered, and 350,000 healthcare professionals enlisted, ABDM exemplifies India’s commitment to digital healthcare. He added that as part of ABDM, Government of India is launching the National Health Claims Exchange (NHCX) to transform the insurance payments ecosystem leveraging the public private partnership built on top of the digital public infrastructure. It will usher in the era of real time settlements with auto adjudication of claims. He also spotlighted other initiatives by Government of India to address health gaps using digital health. He stated, “AB PMJAY (Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana) is the world’s largest public funded health assurance scheme providing a health cover of Rs 500,000 (Rs 5 Lakh) to 550 million (55 crore) needy and vulnerable population. The scheme has provided 70 million (7 crore) treatments worth $11.2 billion (Rs 89000 crore).” “e-Sanjeevani, the world’s largest telemedicine initiative, serving 241 million patients, including 57 per cent women and 12 per cent senior citizens has led to savings of $2.15 billion in out-of-pocket expenses,” he further stated. Additionally, the NI-KSHAY initiative for TB management and the SAKSHAM online learning platform for health professionals were also underscored as pivotal digital health innovations. India’s approach to leveraging DPI not only transforms healthcare delivery but also fosters a resilient, equitable society. The Union Health Secretary called for global collaboration to harness digital technologies for a healthier, more inclusive future. Ambassador Arindam Bagchi, Permanent Representative of India at Geneva highlighted India’s commitment to leveraging digital technology to enhance healthcare accessibility and efficiency. Ambassador Bathsheba N Crocker, Permanent Representative of the US, Ambassador Atsuyuki Oike, Permanent Representative of Japan and Blair Exell, Deputy Secretary, Health Strategy, First Nations & Sport, Department of Health, Australia also shared their remarks on the experiences and contributions of their respective countries to digital health. They emphasised the importance of international cooperation in harnessing digital solutions for global health challenges. Dr Basant Garg, Additional CEO, National Health Authority, Govt of India, showcased India’s experiences with building robust digital public infrastructure environment with a brief presentation. Dr Garg presented an overview of the key components and functionalities of the infrastructure, demonstrating how it facilitates seamless health data exchange, improves service delivery, and enhances patient outcomes. He illustrated India’s journey in building a robust digital health ecosystem and its potential to serve as a model for other countries. The event concluded with another presentation by Prof Alain Labrique, Director, Digital Health & Innovation, WHO, who lauded the giant leap taken by India in implementing digital public infrastructure and demonstrating its ability in facilitating healthcare delivery at scale. He also highlighted the efforts of WHO in supporting countries in digital transformation in health. The side event underscored the pivotal role of digital health, particularly the digital public infrastructure approach in shaping the future of global healthcare and India emerging as a pioneer in citizen-centric digital health ecosystem. Source: Healthworld

May 29,2024 Geneva: At the 77th World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra assumed the pivotal role of leading committee and expressing commitment to steering the committee’s discussions effectively. Chandra emphasised aligning with the WHA theme, “All for Health, Health for all,” resonating with India’s ethos of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (the world is one family). He underscored India’s global solidarity during the COVID-19 crisis, exemplified by vaccine distribution worldwide. Chandra’s tenure commenced with proactive diplomacy, engaging in a bilateral meeting with Lord Markham, Parliament Under Secretary of State, United Kingdom, on the sidelines of the WHA. The discussions centered on enhancing collaboration, particularly addressing mobility challenges for healthcare professionals to the UK. “I assure you that I will do my utmost to guide the deliberations of this committee in a productive and efficient manner… The World Health Assembly’s theme this year, ‘All for Health, Health for all,’ is much aligned with the core values and the ethos of India’s ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, which means the world is one family. During the ser-19 pandemic, India has not only managed the crisis within the country but also supplied vaccines and health-related products across the world, embodying the spirit of One World, One Family,” he said. India and the UK discussed some critical issues pertaining to the Memorandum of Understanding between two countries specifically in the area of mobility of health care professionals to the UK. India highlighted the ongoing work on building two digital portals – one to facilitate health care workforce mobility to other countries and another to facilitate medical value travel. India also emphasised on taking the bilateral cooperation further in the pharmaceutical sector to overcome challenges faced by Indian Pharma industry in meeting multiple regulatory systems covering the EU and the UK. The countries also discussed the critical issues related to International Health Regulations and Intergovernmental Negotiating Body and exchanged their views on the same. The meeting convened amidst the presence of Hekali Zhimomi, Additional Secretary of the Union Health Ministry, and other senior officials. (ANI) Source: Healthworld

May 26,2024 New Delhi: Dr Uday Ananth Pai , a Mumbai-based paediatrician, has been troubled by an ethical dilemma over the past few years. The doctor has seen an alarming rise in the use of a class of medicines that are not approved to be prescribed for infants and children. Yet, even while their reckless use is known to cause health complications, he says, there is no let-up. A distraught Pai has finally decided to voice his views. He says doctors prescribe for children proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), medicines that are mostly used to treat heartburn or acid reflux in adults. Even among adults, these are used in worrying numbers and are not always prescribed for indications approved by regulators anywhere in the world. PPIs are drugs that work by inhibiting acid secretions in the stomach. It brings fast relief in cases of peptic ulcers and episodes of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD is stomach acids flowing back into the tube connecting the mouth and the esophagus. PPIs are available as tablets, capsules and injections and are becoming as ubiquitous as a Crocin to manage fever. The reason for the popularity of PPIs among doctors and patients is not tough to gauge. With unhealthy lifestyles and dietary habits, acidity is common among Indians. While many brands of PPIs are sold almost over-the-counter, Pan, Pantop, Omez, and Rablet fly off the chemist’s shelves. He says pantoprazole is prescribed for children but warns that it cannot be recommended to anyone below the age of 1 year. Pantoprazole leads in PPI categories. Amit Mookim, MD of IQVIA South Asia , which tracks prescription trends, says while many new brands have entered this segment, the top players have consolidated their positions. Pantoprazole and its combination products contribute nearly 50 per cent of the market and are growing. One of the key factors driving increased usage, he says, is co-prescription of PPI molecules with amoxicillin & clavulanate fixed dose combination and paracetamol and its fixed dose combination, which has increased significantly over the last five years. Co-prescription refers to a medicine that a doctor adds to increase or suppress the effects of a drug used to address the actual illness. Source: Healthworld

May 30,2024 New Delhi: Patient Safety and Access Initiative of India Foundation, a not-for-profit organization, has moved a public interest litigation at the Delhi High Court raising objections against the government’s lax regulatory framework to assess the quality, safety and efficacy of second- hand or used medical devices. Well-placed industry sources told ET HealthWorld that the writ petition moved recently has called for a comprehensive review of government regulations for medical equipment and devices that are used but refurbished and then imported into the country. A key point of the petition is to issue orders to “illegal importers” while also identifying and furnishing a list of all second-hand and refurbished high-end and high value used medical equipment that have been imported into India since 2019 without the permission of the ministry of environment. It further calls for imposition of penalty on importers of such illegal imports. The industry executive quoted above termed recent office memorandums from government institutions as a “disappointing step,” adding those who invested in building manufacturing capacity over the last few years in response to PM Modi’s call for self-reliance are now confused about the policies. “This bulldozes the Make in India dream of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he noted. Experts say the market for medical devices in India is largely dominated by imports of used and refurbished and reconditioned products. For MNC device makers, the person noted, that portion comprises as much as 80 per cent of total sales. This however could not be independently verified. “The rampant increase in the import of such devices requires a stringent regulatory mechanism to ensure the safety of the citizens is never compromised,” the person said, backing the PIL. Last year, news reports said the government had allowed imports of about 50 pre-owned medical devices such as MRIs and CT-scans other than critical care medical equipment, with the aim of making expensive devices available to smaller hospitals. That decision however sparked a controversy with rival groups – the domestic device makers and representatives from global companies – trading charges against each other. The domestic device makers noted the decision will lead to dumping of obsolete medical devices even while such devices are available from indigenous companies, those supporting the MNCs maintained that the decision was progressive and enabled access to sophisticated equipment and will lead to better healthcare outcomes. Source: Healthworld

June 03,2024 New Delhi: A study by the Cancer Mukt Bharat Foundation has revealed that 20 per cent of cancer patients in Delhi and other cities of the country are below the age of 40 years. Of these, 60 per cent are male and 40 per cent are female, indicating the rise of the disease among the younger generation. The study was conducted among 1,368 patients across India who called the foundation’s cancer helpline number from March 1 to May 15. The highest number of calls were from Hyderabad (145), followed by Meerut (96), Mumbai (76), and New Delhi (74). In the United States, the American Cancer Society has also reported that the demographics of cancer patients are increasingly shifting from older to middle-aged people. Recently, under the Cancer Mukt Bharat Campaign, a free-of-cost national cancer helpline number, 93-555-20202, was launched. It is operational from 10 am to 5 pm, Monday to Saturday. Patients can call this number to speak with leading oncologists or even do a video call to discuss their treatment without paying any fees. The study found that head and neck cancer were the most prevalent cases, accounting for 26 per cent of patients. This was closely followed by gastrointestinal cancers at 16 per cent , breast cancer at 15 per cent , and then blood cancers at 9 per cent . These findings are in line with the Globocan national data for India. The study also found that 27 per cent of cases diagnosed were in stages I and II of cancer, whereas 63 per cent were in stages III or IV. Most of the patients who called the helpline number were seeking second opinion. They wanted to confirm whether their treatment was correct and up-to-date, and to check the availability of any latest treatments or medicines for their respective cancers. In cancer treatment, new medicines are approved almost every week, so this is an important reason to seek another opinion, said oncologists. The second most common question the study found was: patients asking what stage their cancer is in, indicating the importance of education for them. Thirdly, patients commonly asked about their family members and what they can do to prevent cancer, highlighting the importance of cancer screening and awareness. Dr Ashish Gupta, principal investigator and senior oncologist who is heading this campaign, said, “In our country, escalating rates of obesity, changes in dietary habits, specifically the increase in consumption of ultra-processed food, and sedentary lifestyles are also associated with higher cancer rates. We must adopt a healthy lifestyle and avoid the use of tobacco and alcohol to prevent the risk of cancer in the younger generation.” Source: Healthworld

June 07,2024 New Delhi: A recent study conducted by researchers at Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam has called for thorough investigations into the potential side effects of Covid-1919 vaccines and their links to mortality rates. The study, published in BMJ Public Health, reports over three million excess deaths in Western countries during the first three years of the pandemic. According to the study, 3,098,456 excess deaths were recorded across 47 countries between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2022. The breakdown of excess deaths is as follows: 2020: 1.03 million excess deaths. 2021: Over 1.25 million excess deaths, coinciding with the rollout of Covid-1919 vaccines. 2022: Over 808,000 excess deaths, even as Covid-19related restrictions were lifted. The researchers highlighted that “excess mortality has remained high in the Western World for three consecutive years, despite the implementation of containment measures and Covid-1919 vaccines.” They described the figures as “unprecedented” and emphasized the need for policymakers to investigate the “underlying causes of persistent excess mortality.” As per a Russia Today report, the study noted that adverse events following vaccination have been recorded in various official databases. These adverse events included ischaemic stroke, acute coronary syndrome, brain haemorrhage, cardiovascular diseases, coagulation issues, gastrointestinal events, and fatal blood clotting. Despite vaccines being intended to protect against severe illness and death due to Covid-1919, medical professionals and vaccine recipients reported “serious injuries and deaths following vaccination.” The researchers pointed out the challenges in differentiating the causes of excess mortality due to varying national statistics, different testing policies for Covid-19, and disagreements on what qualifies as a Covid-19 death. They stressed that, “during the pandemic, it was emphasised by politicians and the media on a daily basis that every Covid-19 death mattered and every life deserved protection through containment measures and Covid-19 vaccines. In the aftermath of the pandemic, the same moral should apply.” The World Health Organization (WHO) declared in May 2023 that Covid-19 was no longer a global health emergency. However, Covid-19 cases and related deaths continue to be reported globally, with the WHO tracking 36,014 cases in the week before May 19, showing a week-on-week rise of 2,336. Source: Healthworld

June 11,2024 Mumbai: As the new health minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s union council of ministers, Jagat Prakash Narayan Lal Nadda will have a bunch of challenges to handle. His top priority will be to accelerate India’s universal health coverage, a grand vision of assured comprehensive primary and tertiary care that his party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), espoused from the time it was voted to power since 2014. The idea of Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Swasthya Suraksha Mission (PMSSY) – took off well but the sheer scale of the scheme of reaching healthcare to over 50 crore Indians, faced hurdles of adoption in the private sector. The biggest issues revolved around huge delays in clearing payments to the hospitals. As the health minister in his previous stint in 2014, where he served the full five-year term, Nadda was among the key architects for the universal health coverage plan. While the scheme has now matured and benefited millions of citizens, the next promised step to use digital tools to expand and create medical health records for millions of Indians is being watched closely. Among the other key areas that will be closely watched is the progress made in tuberculosis control. The government has set its sights on the eradication of TB by 2025, and with just a year to go, Nadda will have to work on war footing to reach that goal. India is also seeing an unprecedented scale of chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes, and cardiac complications. Clearly, the current programs are falling short in controlling the surge of new cases. Nadda’s track record is seen by the industry and health experts as mostly positive. But the next five years will be crucial in many ways. India’s healthcare and nutrition parameters are not the least satisfactory and, in a few segments, even trails that of neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Those will require big changes from the policy side. The recent controversies revolved around the poor dietary standards followed in India. Nadda’s job will be tougher as he is given the additional charge of the ministry of chemicals and fertilizers. This is probably an important tactical step by the government. For long, conflicts have surfaced on the turf wars between the two ministries. While the department of pharmaceuticals is under the ministry of chemicals and fertilisers, the regulations that govern the industry are under the Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI), which is part of the health ministry. With long delays on important policy issues, the industry had called for a single authority that handles the two sides. Under Nadda, that may become a reality. Source: Healthworld

June 12,2024 New Delhi: Extending the Ayushman Bharat coverage to everyone aged above 70 years and the pan-India roll out of the U-WIN portal to digitise routine vaccinations are among the highlights of Narendra Modi’s new government’s 100-day agenda for the Union health ministry . In a brief interaction with senior officials after taking charge of the ministry on Tuesday, J P Nadda, who is also the BJP president, asked them to focus on the agenda, sources said. Prime Minister Modi while releasing the BJP’s Lok Sabha poll manifesto in April had announced that senior citizens above 70 years of age and the transgender community will be brought under the ambit of the Centre’s health scheme Ayushman Bharat Yojana. Launching the National Health Claims Exchange to ensure inter-operability and faster processing of health insurance claims, use of drone services to deliver medical essentials from AIIMS and other Institutes of National Importance in difficult terrains and providing cashless treatment services to ex-servicemen also feature among the 14 agenda items for the ministry, the official sources told PTI. The other key areas of focus in the 100-day plan include ease of doing business — ‘tatkal’ issuance of licence or registration in select food businesses under the FSSAI, deployment of Arogya Maitri Cubes in central government hospitals to meet health emergencies, providing financial support to the Banaras Hindu University’s Institute of Medical Sciences on the lines of AIIMS, and making operational the National Medical Register Extending the Ayushman Bharat scheme to everyone aged 70 years and above is one of the top priorities of the government, the sources said. The modalities of the proposal are being worked out. Once finalised, the proposal will be sent to the Expenditure Finance Committee for approval of allocation of funds before being sent to the Cabinet, they said. The U-WIN portal — based on the Co-WIN COVID vaccination application’s design — for maintaining electronic registry of routine immunisations under the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) is at present being run on a pilot mode in two districts of each state or a Union Territory. The platform captures each and every vaccination event of children and pregnant women under the UIP. It is linked with Co-WIN and beneficiary records from Co-WIN can be accessed through U-WIN using the registered mobile-phone number for facilitation of registration of children. The National Medical Commission is in the process of creating the National Medical Register, a centralised repository of doctors practising in India as a part of which all doctors in the country will have a unique identification number by the 2024-end. A pilot project of the register is also underway. The BJP with 240 seats fell short of a majority but the NDA secured the mandate with 293 seats in the Lok Sabha polls. The Congress bagged 99 seats while the INDIA bloc got 234 seats. Following the polls, two Independents who won have also pledged support to the Congress, taking the INDIA bloc tally to 236. Source: Healthworld