The Prescription: Partnership For Safe Medicines India

The Prescription: 17th December 2017 Issue

Editor’s Emulsion PSM INDIA Capsules Drug Laws & Policy Injections Pharma Injections DRUG DOPES National Injections Global Injections PSM Pill DOSE OF THE DAY FAQ Subscriber's Symptom UpComing Events Laughter Dose Blog Addict Contact Us

News Archive

EDITOR'S EMULSION

Pooja Khaitan

Wishing all our readers, subscribers and well wishers a Healthy, Happy, Prosperous and Safe 2018! May this year bring loads of pleasant surprises to our families and to the world at large.

The year 2017 went well with lot of positive breakthroughs in the field of healthcare. It ended with a bang by UN officially declaring 12th December as Universal Health Coverage Day. Read more on this under PSM India Capsules.

The rise of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) threatens to derail the progress made by nations. India is the country with the highest burden of TB. India accounts for about 32% of the number of people worldwide who succumbed to the disease. Read the complete article in this issue under PSM-India Capsule.Read More>>>

If you have any suggestions, comments or queries, please email me at pooja@jagograhakjago.com.
You may find our previous issues on jagograhakjago.com or in the NEWS ARCHIVE section of every issue of The PRESCRIPTION, in case you’ve missed any of them. You may also look us up on Facebook under Partnership for Safe Medicines India

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Happy Reading !
Stay Safe. Stay Healthy !

Pooja Khaitan
Chief Editor , The PRESCRIPTION Partnership for Safe Medicines India.

DOSE OF THE DAY

“India has reduced its new malaria cases by one third, and even crossed the malaria mortality targets of 2020. The commitment to ensure health for every person in India comes from the highest office of the Government. It is Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji’s vision to see health and development reach to the furthest corners of our country, and use the very latest innovations in technology and implementation science to achieve these outcomes,”

J P Nadda
Union Health Minister

PSM India Capsules

United Nations Recognises 12th December as UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE DAY

Last year, a petition was launched calling for recognition of 12th December as Universal Health Coverage Day. This December, United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution that finally declared 12th December, UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE DAY officially. UN’s vote doesn’t change the fact that millions of people still go bankrupt when they get sick. We all know we still have a lot of work to do. But official recognition for UHC Day is a sure sign that this movement has the staying power to transform societies.

Growing MDR-TB cases in India

Drug-resistant strains of TB arise when an antibiotic fails to kill all of the bacteria that it targets. The surviving bacteria become resistant to that particular drug and often to other antibiotics as well. MDR-TB occurs when the patient is resistant to the two most potent TB drugs - isoniazid and rifampin. Drug-resistant TB has existed in India automatically since anti-TB drugs were introduced in the country. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) carried out state-of-the-art surveys for drug-resistant TB more than 40 years ago and surveys have continued since then.

Drug Laws & Policy Injections

Health ministry asks AMCs across healthcare institutions to report adverse events due to medical devicesMumbai, December 2017: The Union health ministry has asked the adverse drug reaction monitoring centres (AMCs) across the country to report serious adverse events during the course of usage of a medical device as part of the MaterioVigilance Programme of India (MvPI).

Karnataka government unveils State Health Policy, mandates prescription audit & antibiotic policy Bengaluru, December 2017: Karnataka government has unveiled the State health policy. It was developed by the Karnataka Jnana Aayoga (KJA) established by the state government as an expert recommendatory body on innovation and knowledge activities. The policy highlights prescription audits at both private and public sectors needed to improve medication safety. It is also pressing for a state-wise antibiotic policy and infection control program, which is applicable both to public and private hospitals.

IMA urges finance ministry to reduce GST on medical devices & drugs to 5% from 12%New Delhi, December 2017: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has urged the Union finance ministry to reduce the goods and services tax (GST) on all medical equipments, devices, medicines and consumables to 5 per cent from the present 12 per cent to make healthcare affordable for all.

DoP sets up high level panel to assist on pricing, launch of new drugsNew Delhi, Dec 2017: The department of pharmaceuticals (DoP) has set up a high-level committee comprising experts to assist on matters of pricing and launch of new drugs to help resolve issues in a time-bound manner. The committee, which will include experts from India’s pricing regulator National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), scientists, department of health research under the ministry of health and family welfare, representatives from drug regulator’s office the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), among others, will work on issues between the industry and the government.

IMA comes out with draft policy on antibiotic use to curtail antimicrobial resistanceLaxmi Yadav, Mumbai December 2017: Expressing concern over the growing resistance against antibiotics in the country, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has come out with a draft policy on use of antibiotics in human healthcare aiming at reining in antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Pharma Injections

E-Pharma Medicines To Be More AffordableHyderabad, Dec 2017: With 50 online pharmacies now operational in India, a review by the Drugs Controller General of India contends that e-pharmacies will be the game-changers as they will make medicines more affordable to consumers. Tushar Kumar, founder of online pharmacy Med-life, said, “Online pharmacies that dispense on their own have a larger potential to make medicines affordable by increasing competition, reducing margins and help to deliver drugs in remote areas.”

Pollution can permanently damage a child's brain: UnicefNEW DELHI, DEC 2017: The link between air pollution and respiratory diseases is well-established, but the United Nations Children's Fund, in a report said there is a growing body of scientific research which shows that air pollution can permanently damage a child's brain. The findings come at a time when India, particularly in the north, is facing a serious crisis due to rising levels of pollution. Last month, schools in Delhi had to be shut temporarily to reduce children's exposure to pollutants that had enveloped that national capital.

Telangana government contemplating to compensate TB patients through ‘DBT’ in line with KCR kit Hyderabad, December, 2017: With an aim to eliminate Tuberculosis (TB) in the state by 2023, the state government of Telangana is contemplating to adopt ‘direct benefit transfer’ (DBT) to extend financial help to the TB patients on the same lines of KCR kits.

Rapid, low-cost test to detect vitamin A, iron deficiency New Delhi, Dec 2017: Scientists, including one of Indian origin, have developed a low-cost blood test that can detect iron and vitamin A deficiency in just 15 minutes. The small, portable diagnostic system about the size of a lunch box contains a blood sample test strip, like those used to test diabetes.

NCI forms tumour board to discuss cancer cases Nagpur, Dec 2017: Taking cancer treatment to the next level, National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Jamtha has constituted a tumour board where a group of doctors and other healthcare providers with different specialities will meet regularly at the institute to discuss cancer cases.

Drug Dopes

Updated LIST OF NEW DRUGS APPROVED FROM 01-01-2016 TILL DATE BY NEW DRUGS DIVISION, CDSCO, FDA Bhawan, New Delhi List of New Drug Approved by FDA

Racket Exposes Chinks In Drug Control SystemVIJAYAWADA, DEC 2017: The spurious drug racket recently busted by the city police and Drug Control Administration of the state has not only exposed the particular gang but also the major loopholes in the drug manufacturing, distribution and sales in the State. Until now there is no systematic way to find out sales of spurious drugs with the DCA or other government agencies.

One Person Arrested With Banned Drugs In JKBanihal (J-K), Dec 2017 (PTI): Jammu and Kashmir Police today claimed to have busted an inter-state drug racket with the arrest of a person and seized a huge consignment of drugs from a Srinagar-bound truck in Ramban district.

Hyderabad Police arrests 2 Nigerians for supplying spurious drugs through fake websites Hyderabad, December 2017: The Cyber Crime Police of Hyderabad on Monday arrested two Nigerian nationals for creating phishing websites. The accused identified as Adeyemi Omotoyo Julis and Ayobe Happiness NMA were supplying illegally manufactured tablets and drugs in bulk without a doctor's reference through these websites.

Hyderabad distributor in dock for sale of fake drugs Hyderabad, December 2017: Following the recent crackdown on spurious painkillers and anti-acid drugs, investigations by the Telangana Drug Control Administration (DCA) revealed that a fly-by-night operator, registered as drug distributor, was infusing counterfeit drugs of famous brands into the city market.

Oxytocin seized from traders BELAGAVI, DECEMBER, 2017: They falsely claim that the drug would increase milk yield of cows. Belagavi police and officers of the drug control department have seized a drug used to draw milk forcefully from cows.

National Injections

Max Hospital licence cancelled for wrongly declaring baby dead New Delhi, December, 2017: The Delhi government cancelled the licence of Max Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, with immediate effect, after the hospital erroneously declared a newborn dead. The baby later died in a city nursing home. Making the announcement, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said the hospital can continue the treatment of patients who were currently admitted but cannot admit new patients.

Eye hospital chief admits to asking for bribe, bookedCHENNAI, DEC 2017: The director and superintendent of Regional Institute of Ophthalmology in Egmore K Sridhar has been booked by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) for demanding a bribe of Rs 500 under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 section 7, 13(2) read with Section 13(1(d).

Indore to give Rs 40 crore extra for super speciality hospital INDORE, DEC2017: The state government on Monday gave in-principle approval to bear the extra cost of around Rs 40 crore for construction of the proposed Super Specialty Hospital in MGM Medical College compound, which earlier had a budget of Rs 200 crore.

World's largest reported cyst removed from 5-year-old girl in Jaipur New Delhi, Dec 2017: The world's largest paediatric biliary duct cyst (BDC) was removed from a five-year-old girl in Jaipur recently. The operation took place on November 20 at the government-run JK Lon Hospital and involved the removal of the BDC or choledochal cyst and connecting liver with intestines directly.

Conjoined twin girls born in Odisha share one heart, one liver New Delhi, DEC 2017: Conjoined twin girls sharing a single heart and a liver were born to an Odisha woman. The two girls, named Ganga and Jamuna, were born in a private nursing home in Nayagarh district, and have since been admitted in Sishu Bhawan in Cuttack. They are joined at the abdomen.

Global Injections

US FDA Wants More Generic Drug-Device Combos Washington, Dec 2017: U.S. Food & Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb is continuing his push for cheaper drugs by making approvals of generics easier

More Efficient Rare Pediatric Drug Development: FDA Drafts Guidance The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released draft guidance that could help speed the development of treatments for rare pediatric disease drugs.

TBI Concerned After Finding Lethal Drug Combinations

NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV), DEC 2017: Dangerous combinations of drugs were recently submitted to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and the agency is worried there could be more being sold.

A simple blood test can predict skin cancer's return

Washington D.C. [USA], December 2017: Good news! A simple blood test of skin cancer patients can now help doctors to predict the chances of an aggressive cancer returning years before the symptoms appear, suggests a recent study.

Blood pressure starts dropping 14 years prior to death: Study New York, Dec 2017: Doctors have long known that in the average person, blood pressure rises from childhood to middle age, but a new study warns that in the elderly, blood pressure gradually begins to decrease about 14 years before death.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids linked to reduced allergy riskSWEDEN, December 2017: New research from Karolinska Institutet reveals that high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids in children’s blood are associated with a reduced risk of asthma or rhinitis at the age of 16 years. The study is published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

PSM PILL

Tip For The Most Affordable Generic Zocor Prescription: Buy It In The U.S.

December 2017: According to the American Heart Association, cholesterol is a waxy substance needed by our bodies to build cells. It is not bad for your body, but there is both bad cholesterol and good cholesterol. Eating a proper diet along with exercising, losing any extra weight and stopping smoking can help keep your cholesterol levels balanced. If that isn’t enough, your doctor can prescribe you simvastatin, the generic version of Zocor to help bring down your bad cholesterol level. According to LowestMed.Com, it was the seventh most frequently prescribed prescription drug in the U.S. during the first quarter of 2016.

From Street Markets To Websites: Counterfeit Drugs Infect The Whole World

December 2017: As reported by WBUR, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently released a report that estimates that “1 in 10 medical products circulating in low- and middle-income countries is either substandard or falsified.” One hundred peer-reviewed surveys on medicine quality from 88 countries beginning in 2007 through 2016 were analyzed to come up with the data. Substandard and counterfeit medicines reported included a wide variety of pharmaceuticals including vaccines, antibiotics, antimalarials, birth control pills, cough syrup, and diagnostic supplies.

Frequently Asked Questions Q1. What is Ulcers?
Ulcers are commonly found in the inside lining of the stomach or small intestine. Stomach Ulcers are the most visible sign of peptic ulcer disease. Ulcers occur when the thick layer of mucus, which protects the stomach from the digestive juices, gets reduced. This enables the digestive acids to eat the lining tissue of the stomach.
There are typically two kinds of Ulcers found: stomach and oesophagus Ulcers. Both occur due to drastically different reasons. While oesophageal Ulcer, which is rare in nature may happen due to alcohol consumption, stomach Ulcers, on the other hand, occur due to a variety of reasons such as lifestyle factors like smoking, exposure to drugs and medications along with genetic factors. Read More>>>

SUBSCRIBER'S SYMPTOM

Why people gain weight in winters!

Article contributed by one of our Subscriber: Ms. Ananya, Dietitian, Mumbai

Winter is a hard season to like: You are cold, low on spirits and if you work a regular schedule, you probably feel like you haven’t seen the sunlight in months. Most of the times we notice, due to extreme winters, one is not able to button his trousers, feeling the chill. Our sweaters simply denies to go across our belly.

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