Patient Safety Capsules
DoP reconstitutes National Medical Devices Promotion Council
New Delhi, August 10, 2022 : The Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) has reconstituted the National Medical Devices Promotion Council (NMDPC), with the Secretary of the Department as the head of the Council. The reconstitution comes after the De-partment for Promotion of Industry & Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, which was heading the Council from its inception, decided to hand over the onus.
Pharmacy professionals seek PM’s intervention for speedy implementation of PPR-2015 & its 2021 amendment
Mumbai, August 8, 2022: In a bid to improve standards of pharmacy profession in India, scores of Pharm D graduates and other pharmacy professionals from across the country have sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention for implementation of Pharmacy Practice Regulations 2015 (PPR-2015) and its amendment in 2021 without further delay.
Drug Laws & Policy Injections
DCGI notifies classification of 60 medical devices related to rehabilitationNew Delhi, August 11, 2022 : The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has issued a notice classifying 60 medical devices pertaining to rehabilitation under the provisions of Medical Devices Rules, 2017.
USFDA norms on ‘changes to disposable manufacturing materials’ to bring more clarity to processes Bengaluru, August 13, 2022 : Indian pharma sees that the US FDA norms on Changes to Disposable Manufacturing Materials will bring more clarity during submissions for approvals.
India supplies nearly 60 pc of COVID-19 vaccines used worldwide: FM SitharamanNew Delhi, August 17, 2022 : Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said nearly 60 per cent of all the vaccines used in the world are produced in India and over the decades, the country has made remarkable contribution to vaccinating the world.
DoP releases updated list of applications approved under PLI scheme for bulk drugsNew Delhi, August 10, 2022 : The Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) has released an updated list of 45 approvals it has issued to various companies under the production linked incentive (PLI) scheme for promotion of domestic manufacturing of critical key starting materials (KSMs)/drug intermediates (DIs) and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).
Parliamentary Panel asks govt to exempt basic customs duty & GST on drugs & medical devices to fight Covid-19New Delhi, August 16, 2022: The Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee (DRPSC) on chemicals and fertilisers has recommended the government to exempt the basic customs duty and Goods and Services Tax (GST) on medicines and medical devices to fight Covid-19 till the pandemic is over.
Panel asks DoP to review its decision to upgrade only 420 MSMEs under PTUASNew Delhi, August 17, 2022: The Department of Pharmaceutical (DoP) should review its target of upgrading just 420 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) pharmaceutical units by the year 2026 under the Pharmaceutical Technology Upgradation Assistance Scheme (PTUAS),
Pharma Injections
ICMR releases draft guidelines for managing eye cancer in childrenMumbai, August 12, 2022 : The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has released a draft consensus document for management of retinoblastoma (RB) which is the most common malignant intraocular neoplasm in children.
5G, geo-tracking, AI & IoT to bolster India’s Emergency Medical ServicesBengaluru, August 11, 2022 : Geo-tracking, 5G, AI (artificial intelligence) & IoT (internet of things) will further strengthen Emergency Medical Ser-vices (EMS) in India.
R&D funding through BIRAC declines in three years New Delhi, August 9, 2022 : The amount released by the Central government towards drug development and research and development (R&D) through the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) has come down by almost 50 per cent in the last two fiscal years.
Centre relaxes provisions for registration of ART and surrogacy clinics as 17 states failed to appoint appropriate authority New Delhi, August 9, 2022 : The ministry of health and family welfare (MoHFW) has extended the deadline for the Assisted Reproductive Tech-nology (ART) clinics, ART banks and Surrogacy clinics in 17 states to conduct counselling and procedures without the registration of the appropriate authorities for three more months, as these states have not constituted the approval authorities so far.
Pharma logistics work to tide over complex & time sensitive services with tech-nology to assure reliable distribution Bengaluru, August 8, 2022 : Indian pharma logistics companies are working hard to tide over its complex and time sensitive services by imple-menting technology to assure reliable distribution.
Pharma export declines by one per cent in July, cumulative growth at 5.6% from April to July New Delhi, August 17, 2022: Exports of drugs and pharmaceuticals for the month of July has reported a decline of 1.05 per cent, while the four month during April to July cumulatively shown a growth of 5.63 per cent, according to the latest data from the Ministry of Commerce.
Drug Dopes
KSRPO raises objections to draft of New Drugs Bill, 2022; calls to replace the word ‘drug’ with ‘medicine’Bengaluru, August 16, 2022 : The Karnataka State Registered Pharmacists Organisation (KSRPO) has raised a slew of objections and suggestions to the draft of the New Drugs, Medical Devices and Cosmetics Bill, 2022. This includes substituting the word ‘drug’ with ‘medicine’ among others. 
Almost 4% of the drug samples tested turned out to be not of standard quality in JulyNew Delhi, August 16, 2022 : The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has declared 53 samples of drugs it has tested as not of standard quality and one sample as misbranded during the month of July, 2022. The samples tested not of standard quality include batches from Cadila Pharmaceuticals, Morepen Laboratories, Ajanta Pharma Ltd, among others.
IDMA appeals to entrepreneurs to utilize various govt schemes to make pharma a US$ 600 billion industry by 2047 Chennai, August 16, 2022 : The Indian Drug Manufacturers’ Association (IDMA) has appealed to the large, medium and small entrepreneurs to utilize the opportunities unveiled by the Union ministry of health and family welfare during the platinum jubilee year of India’s Independence to support the vision of the government to achieve 600 billion USD in 2047, when the country will hit a century of independence.
Panel asks govt to fix a target date for construction of NIPERs & review works pe-riodically New Delhi, August 13, 2022: A Parliamentary panel which looks into the Demand for Grants 2022-23 of the ministry of chemicals and fertilisers has expressed its displeasure at the pace in which the infrastructure of National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPERs) is being developed. It has also sought the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) to furnish details of a committee the government has formed for setting up of five new NIPERs.
Antibodies that may lead to next-gen vaccines for all Covid strains found August 12, 2022 : Scientists have identified antibodies that are effective against many different SARS-CoV-2 variants, an advance that paves the way for next-generation vaccines which could protect from different COVID-19 strains. The antibodies identified in monkeys by a team at The Scripps Research Institute in San Diego, US are also effective against other SARS viruses like SARS-CoV-1, the highly lethal virus that caused an outbreak in 2003.
100 million doses of Corbevax supplied to Centre: Biological E LtdAugust 11, 2022: Biological E. Ltd (BE) on Thursday said it has delivered 10 crore (100 million) doses of its COVID-19 vaccine, Corbevax to the Centre so far.
National Injections
Karnataka gives a booster shot to rare diseases diagnosis & therapy with new dedicated research centre Bengaluru, August 12, 2022 : In its efforts to provide faster diagnosis and new therapeutic options for rare diseases, the Karnataka government is now setting up a Research and Training Unit for Rare Diseases which is an extension of the Centre for Human Genetics (CHG) housed within the Bangalore Bioinnovation Centre. The Research and Training Unit will be around 40,000 sq.ft with three floors.
TNSPC election likely to be postponed as newly formed association moves court against off-line electionChennai, August 11, 2022 : The much awaited election to the Tamil Nadu State Pharmacy Council (TNSPC) may be postponed as a newly formed association of some registered pharmacists has approached the High Court with a request to direct the government and the council to conduct the council election through online mode as it will help reduce huge expenses incurred for off-line election using ballot papers. .
Kerala govt soon to constitute a statutory body for registration of certificate of B Pharm Ayurveda Chennai, August 10, 2022 : The government of Kerala may soon find a solution to the problem of registration of certificate of the Ayurveda pharmacy graduates (B Pharm Ayurveda) with a statutory body in the state, according to the state association of the B Pharm Ayurveda graduates.
Drones to deliver medicines to remote areas of Arunachal August 16, 2022: A “medicine from the sky” initiative was launched in Arunachal Pradesh on Monday, under which drones are being used to deliver medicines in the remote corners of the hilly state.
ORDI asks Karnataka govt to frame an Orphan Drug Policy to provide access to existing drugs Bengaluru, August 17, 2022 : The Organisation of Rare Diseases India (ORDI) has stressed on the need for an Orphan Drug Policy for Karnataka to provide access to existing drugs that could save children from further disease progression, rather than trying to find a new drug.
Govt approves Corbevax as heterologous booster dose August 11, 2022: The government on Wednesday approved Biological E’s Corbevax Covid-19 vaccine as booster dose for adults. This is the first time that a different vaccine dose is being permitted as a booster dose.
Global Injections
Infected blood victims to get £100,000 compensationAugust 17, 2022: More than 4,000 UK victims of the infected blood scandal are to receive interim compensation of £100,000 each, the government has announced.
Essex nurse who gave placebo to brain tumour patient struck offAugust 17, 2022: A nurse has been struck off after giving sugar and water to a brain tumour patient instead of morphine.
UK approves first COVID booster vaccine targeting original and Omicron strains
August 15, 2022: The UK has become the first country to approve a so-called “bivalent” COVID vaccine that targets both the original strain of COVID-19 and the newer Omicron variant, British health authorities announced on Monday.
Democrats' drug pricing reforms may not be so bad for pharma, analysts say
August 15, 2022: After clearing the Senate early last week, Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act bill has made its way through the U.S. House of Representatives, paving the way for Medicare to bargain for drug prices, cap out-of-pocket costs for seniors and more.
AstraZeneca heads to court to contest former exec's move to crosstown rival GSK: report
August 16, 2022: Angling to keep trade secrets out of a local rival’s hands, AstraZeneca has asked a London court to en-force and extend a noncompete agreement signed by a former employee who recently jumped ship to GSK, Bloomberg News reports.
Chiesi enlists support for nose-to-brain biologic delivery push
July 28, 2022: An EU-backed initiative has assembled a team to develop a nose-to-brain biologics delivery device for neonates, enlisting medtech company Eveon and other groups to support Chiesi Farmaceutici.
PSAIIF PILL
Parliamentary Panel reiterates recommendation to formulate price control on pandemic related medicines
New Delhi, August 11, 2022 : The Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee (DRPSC) on chemicals and fertilisers has stressed on its recommendation to formulate a new price control regime or amend the current price control order specific for Covid-19 and future pandemic related medicines and medical devices, in order to make the drugs affordable for the public.
Parliamentary Panel again asks DoP to come out with proper action plan and monitoring of its initiatives
New Delhi, August 12, 2022 : Expressing concern on the fact that the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) has not taken its previous recommendations seriously, the Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee (DRSC) on chemicals and fertilisers has reiterated its recommendation that the ministry of chemicals and ferilisers should come out with an action plan with monthly achievable targets along with effective monitoring of various schemes and initiatives of the department.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tips for taking care of acne
Eating a good, light and balanced diet, reducing stress and not popping pimples are some easy ways in which one can avoid acne. Dehydration could also be a cause of acne, pimples, inflammation and disco-loration. It is highly recommended to keep your body well-hydrated so, aim to drink at least 12 glasses of water each day. Apart from this, certain skin care habits can also help you keep acne at bay: Read More>>>
SUBSCRIBER'S SYMPTOM
Mental distress of caregivers often overlooked affecting care of cancer patients, says AIIMS study
New Delhi, August 16, 2022: Caregivers of people suffering from cancer go through psychological distress which is often overlooked, affecting their quality of life and also patient care, according to a study by doctors of AIIMS Patna. The study was conducted from July 2020 to March 2021 at the Department of Radiation Oncology at AIIMS Patna to determine the quality of life of the caregivers of cancer patients.
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