Patient Safety Capsules
Exports of Ayush and herbal products in volume grew 42% in five years
New Delhi, July 26, 2022 : Exports of Ayush and herbal products in the last five years till the fiscal year 2021-22 has registered a growth of 41.5 per cent growth in terms of volume, while imports has registered a three-fold growth during the same period. The Ministry of Ayush has said that the government is taking various initiatives including support to meet the international regulatory requirements, to grow exports of Ayush and herbal products from the country.
Government gears up to form Drug Tribunal Board
Mumbai, July 28, 2022: The government is gearing up to set up a Drug Tribunal Board with an aim to decriminalize offences punishable under Drugs and Cosmetics Act. The decision to this effect was taken by Union minister of health and family welfare and chemicals and fertilizers Mansukh Mandaviya at a meeting convened by National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) on July 26, 2022 to discuss trade margin rationalization.
Drug Laws & Policy Injections
CDSCO issues alert on Baxter’s blood purification device hemoperfusion cartridgeNew Delhi, July 28, 2022: The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has issued a medical devices alert on Baxter Health-care’s Absorba Hemoperfusion Cartridge 300 C and Absorba 300 C, devices used in blood purification, due to presence of particulate matter within the cartridge.
DoP seeks industry to submit details of vaccine and biopharma raw material pro-duction capabilities New Delhi, July 29, 2022: In an effort to enhance the country’s capabilities in terms of vaccine manufacturing and assess the availability of raw materials, especially in the backdrop of Covid-19 pandemic, the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) is in the process of collating the details of domestic raw material manufacturers of vaccines and biopharmaceuticals.
DoP invites applications to produce vitamin B1 through chemical synthesis route under PLI schemeNew Delhi, July 27, 2022 : The Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) has extended an invitation to eligible active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturers in the country to apply for manufacturing of vitamin B1, through chemical synthesis route under the production linked incentive (PLI) scheme.
Indian healthcare sees US FDA norms on patient labeling as key to clear and concise drug informationBengaluru, July 26, 2022: Indian healthcare sees US FDA norms on patient labeling for human prescription drug and biological products as key to clear and concise drug information for the sick and their caregivers.
Zenara Pharma gets CDSCO nod to make copy of Pfizer’s PaxlovidJuly 28, 2022: Hyderabad-based Zenara Pharma has received Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) approval to manufacture and market a generic version of Pfizer’s COVID drug Paxlovid.
Task force to be set up to provide guidance to govt on tackling monkeypoxJuly 28, 2022: A task force on monkeypox will be constituted to provide guidance to the government on expansion of diagnostic facilities and explore emerging trends related to vaccination for the disease, official sources said on Thursday.
Pharma Injections
DoP seeks industry to submit details of vaccine and biopharma raw material production capabilitiesNew Delhi, July 29, 2022: In an effort to enhance the country’s capabilities in terms of vaccine manufacturing and assess the availability of raw materials, especially in the backdrop of Covid-19 pandemic, the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) is in the process of collating the details of domestic raw material manufacturers of vaccines and biopharmaceuticals.
Pharmacists to approach Central govt for repeated directive to doctors to write prescriptions in capital lettersChennai, July 30, 2022: In the wake of the unyielding stance of the doctors in changing the way of writing medical prescriptions from scrib-bling format to comprehensible style using capital letters, pharmacists across the country are now planning to write to the Union health ministry for a repeated direction to the medical community for compliance of the previous directives issued by the government and the MCI.
Bhat Biotech sees need to prioritise adoption of rapid card for series of blood tests in accurate and speedy diagnosis Bengaluru, July 30, 2022: Bhat Biotech sees that accurate and simple diagnostics will transform the Indian healthcare landscape. This is even as diagnostic labs and accident-trauma emergency wings scout for advanced, simple to use, reliable yet cost effective rapid cards for blood tests.
Healthcare experts call for widespread use of pharmacogenetic testing to curb ADRs Mumbai, July 29, 2022: Healthcare experts have called for widespread use of pharmacogenetic/ pharmacogenomics testing to prevent adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in patients. Pharmacogenomics is the study of how genes affect the body’s response to drugs.
Adar Poonawalla Says Serum Institute In Talks With Novovax To Develop Vaccine Soon July 26, 2022: Monkeypox in India Latest News Today: Amid rising cases of monkeypox in the country, vaccine-maker Adar Poonawalla on Tuesday said he is exploring the possibility of importing smallpox vaccine in bulk in an emergency situation.
ExcellGene partners with Bharat Biotech, CEPI and Sydney University to develop ‘variant-proof’ COVID-19 vaccine July 29, 2022: ExcellGene on Tuesday announced its role in the recently approved consortium funding through the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), a global partnership of public, private, philanthropic and civil society organisations founded to develop vaccines against future epidemics.
Drug Dopes
Govt To Launch ‘Heal in India’, ‘Heal by India’ Soon To Boost Medical TourismNew Delhi, July 29, 2022 : The Union health ministry is all set to launch the new initiative – ‘heal in India and heal by India’ – a new portal which is likely to be announced by the prime minister (PM) on August 15 that aims to give impetus to medical tourism. Developed under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, the portal will have a repository of healthcare professionals, 
Govt set to rationalize trade margin on non-scheduled drugs soonMumbai, July 27, 2022 : The government is set to rationalize trade margins on non-scheduled drugs soon. The drug industry and government agencies have come together to discuss trade margin rationalization at length to ensure access to quality healthcare at an affordable price.
NMC provides year-long relaxation to medical teachers for completing BCMET Mumbai, July 27, 2022 : The National Medical Commission (NMC), the country's apex regulator for medical education, has provided year-long relaxation to teaching faculty in medical colleges for completion of Basic Course in Medical Education Technology (BCMET).
Healthcare experts call for widespread use of pharmacogenetic testing to curb ADRs Mumbai, July 29, 2022: Healthcare experts have called for widespread use of pharmacogenetic/ pharmacogenomics testing to prevent adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in patients.
MSF calls on ViiV to take swift action to make cabotegravir available to HIV pa-tients in India & other LMICs Mumbai, July 30, 2022 : As the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended long-acting injectable cabotegravir (CAB-LA) for HIV prevention, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) India has called on UK pharmaceutical corporation ViiV Healthcare to take swift actions to make the drug available to India and other low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) with the highest rates of HIV.
India launched family planning programme in 1952, 1st country to do so: MoS Health Bharati PawarJuly 27, 2022: India understood the importance of family planning early and was the first country to launch a national family planning programme in 1952, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said on Wednesday.
National Injections
Madhya Pradesh Covid-19: Thirty India students vaccinated with one syringe July 27, 2022 : A health official is being investigated for vaccinating 30 students with a single syringe in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The incident took place in a school in Sagar district where children were being given Covid-19 vaccines.
Pondicherry govt issues circular to medical shops to install CCTV to thwart sale of narcotic drugs to childrenChennai, July 27, 2022 : The department of drugs control administration in the Union territory of Pondicherry has asked all medical shops in the four regions of the UT to install CCTV cameras in the shops in the wake of instructions from the National Com-mission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) to thwart the sale of psychotropic and narcotic drugs to children.
Jharkhand govt reserves 30% of total drug purchase for local companies to attract investors Chennai, July 29, 2022 : On the lines of the central government’s flagship Make in India programme, the Government of Jharkhand has designed a State Drug Procurement Policy (SDPP) that reserves 30% of the total drug purchase by the government for local manufacturers.
Health ministry reports 30% increase in number of functional medical colleges in five years New Delhi, July 30, 2022: Even as the Central Government is supporting setting up of around 157 more medical colleges under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS), there has been an increase of 30 per cent in the number of medical colleges and 41 per cent growth in number of MBBS seats available in the country in the last five years.
India’s first monkeypox patient recovers July 30, 2022: A Kerala man, who was India’s first monkeypox patient and was being treated at the Government Medical College here, has recovered from the disease, state Health Minister Veena George said on Saturday. The 35-year old, hailing from Kollam, would be discharged later in the day, she said.
23 crore Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts created so far: Govt July 29, 2022: Almost 23 crore Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) numbers, which are 14-digit health Ids, have been created so far, with Andhra Pradesh generating the highest 3.21 crore followed by Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, Lok Sabha was told Friday.
Global Injections
U.S. COVID Deaths Increase to Nearly 500 Per Day AgainJuly 28, 2022: COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. are increasing again as the very contagious BA.5 variant spreads across the country, with nearly 500 deaths reported each day.
Wave of Opioid Overdoses Expected to Hit U.S. Rural, Urban AreasJuly 28, 2022: Experts predict opioid overdoses will climb in both rural and urban areas because of the lethal practice of mixing the highly addictive narcotics with other drugs.
U.S. Nears Top Spot in Global Monkeypox Cases
July 27, 2022: The U.S. has one of the highest levels of reported monkeypox cases in the world, according to the latest CDC data. The U.S. has reported 3,590 known monkeypox cases, falling just behind Spain’s 3,738 cases. Germany and the U.K., which previously had the highest numbers, have both reported more than 2,400 cases.
Monkeypox: First deaths outside Africa in Brazil and Spain
July 30, 2022: A 41-year-old man in Brazil became the first fatality from the virus outside Africa. Spain announced two deaths soon afterwards - the first in Europe.
Dangerous bacterium found in Mississippi soil
July 29, 2022: US health officials say they have found a rare but dangerous type of bacterium in soil and water samples in the Gulf Coast region of Mississippi.
Heart gene therapy to remove young sudden death risk
July 28, 2022: Scientists say they should soon be able to effectively cure inherited, life-threatening heart muscle condi-tions to save more young people from sudden cardiac death.
PSAIIF PILL
Indian Medical Associations call on WHO to declare Monkeypox a sexually transmitted infection
Mumbai, July 26, 2022: Close on the heels of World Health Organization (WHO) declaring Monkeypox a public health emergency of international concern, Indian Medical Associations have called on the United Nations’ agency for global public health to declare the virus sexually transmitted infection (STI) as currently 100 per cent cases are transmitted sexually.
Govt takes various initiatives to improve production of Ayush medicines in India: Union minister
New Delhi, July 28, 2022: The Central government has taken various steps including amendment in the Drugs Rules, 1945 related to the licensing process to increase the number of manufacturing companies and popularise Ayush systems of medicines in the country, says Minister of Ayush Sarbananda Sonowal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Causes Sinus Headaches And The Ways to Treat Them
Sinuses are connected spaces situated behind the forehead, nose, and cheekbones. Sinus headaches occur when there is inflammation due to an allergic reaction or an infection(sinusitis) in the sinuses, add-ing pressure and causing blockages leading to pain. The pain from a sinus headache is felt when the membrane swells up due to an infection. This causes pressure and pain, also causing fluid to build up in the sinus. Read More>>>
SUBSCRIBER'S SYMPTOM
Your Eyes Can Detect These 3 Warning Signs of Bad Cholesterol
July 30, 2022: Your body requires cholesterol, a type of fat, to function properly. However, having too much cholesterol in your blood can be harmful to your health. High cholesterol is often referred to as a “silent killer” because it rarely exhibits warning symptoms and gradually causing damage over time.
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