The Prescription: Partnership For Safe Medicines India

The Prescription: 1st February 2016 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 UpComing Events Laughter Dose Blog Addict Contact Us

News Archive

EDITOR'S EMULSION

Pooja Khaitan

India has been facing diverse health challenges. From, communicable diseases like Tuberculosis, Malaria, dengue, diarrhoea, emerging threat of Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) including diabetes, hypertension, cancer, respiratory disorders and mental illness have become serious health concerns. Apart from diseases, availability of counterfeit/ spurious medicines, illegal online pharmacies and also unregulated herbal medicines are affecting a common man’s health. 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

"Call PSM India toll free helpline 1800 - 11- 4424, to bring cases of spurious medicines or any kind of adverse drug reaction to the notice of the authorities.
Please visit our website jagograhakjago.com if you wish to learn about us .
To register a complaint kindly visit our consumer redressal website jagograhakjago.com
Happy Reading !
Stay Safe. Stay Healthy !

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

DOSE OF THE DAY

“Bio-design programme is one of the examples of inclusive medical technology innovation. This is based on a novel approach of end-to-end process that begins with idea generation through clinical immersion up to commercialization by a multi-disciplinary team comprising a physician, engineer, product designer, and an entrepreneur with the aim to develop simple, rapid, indigenous, low cost medical devices and implants by applying four (4) components i.e. affordability, accessibility, availability and appropriateness”.

Dr. Harsh Vardhan
Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences
Govt of India

PSM India Capsules

Centre’s bid to protect consumers’ rights

GUWAHATI, Jan 20 - The Central Government has decided to set up a special redressal mechanism initiative to address the grievances related to consumers’ rights with special focus to health services and food safety in Assam. In this regard, an exclusive helpline number and a website will be launched soon by the Union Government.

How safe are Herbal Medicines in India ?

We generally believe that herbal is synonymous to "safe". The commonest myth regarding herbal medicines is that these medicines are completely safe, and can therefore be safely consumed by the patient on his/her own, without a physician's advice, but the actual fact is that herbal remedies can be deadly. Spurious or counterfeit herbal medicines can be fatal, claiming lives without getting diagnosis of the caused adverse drug reaction.

-->

Drug Laws & Policy Injections

Government launches four mobile health services New Delhi, January 2016: Shri J P Nadda Launched Mobile Health Services– Mobile Academy, Kilkari, M-Cessation and TB Missed Call initiative – to Strengthen Public Health Infrastructure with the aim to improve access, empower communities and enhance awareness about health services in the country. He ensured that, “The m-health initiatives launched will enhance access; make our services cost effective and our systems more robust. This launch, which is part of the Government’s Digital India programme, is in line with its commitment to prioritise public health and strengthen citizen-centric health services by leveraging India’s expanding mobile phone penetration.

Union Government's 'Start-up India' campaign enthuses biotech and pharma sectors Bengaluru, Jan 2016: The Union government's efforts to boost the start-up eco-system with its 'Start-up India' campaign has made the pharma and biotechnology sectors more confident to steer innovation backed by technology and intellectual property. Companies view the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Bill allowing start-ups to exit faster, within 90 days, without the fear of failure as the pick of the bunch among the slew of announcements.

Government ready with SMS-based vaccine monitoring systemNew Delhi, Jan 2016: When inspecting officials visited Faridpur community health centre near Bareilly, UP for a surprise check in June last year, they were shocked to find country-made liquor bottles stocked in the freezer instead of polio vaccines which--left outside--had become unfit for use.

MoU has been signed between India and Maldives for Health Jan 2016 : The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has given its ex-post facto approval for the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Maldives which was signed in January, 2014 on cooperation in the field of Health.

Pharma Injections

Vaccine used to combat polio causing infectionsChennai, Jan 2016: The country completed five polio-free years on Wednesday, but it still faces a hurdle that virologists had been warning about all these years the very vaccine used to fight polio is causing infection in some children.

Metformin may attenuate pancreatic cancer Jan-2016: Metformin possess a novel ability to inhibit the progression of pancreatic cancer and reduce the risk of death, a recent study. Pancreatic ductal carcinoma is relatively common in overweight or obese patients and most of them are type-II diabetics or diagnosed with insulin resistance.

Eating green leafy vegetables may lower glaucoma risk January, 2016: People who eat more green leafy vegetables, a good source of nitrate, may significantly decrease their risk of developing glaucoma, according to a large study. Based on long-term data for more than 100,000 U.S. adults, those who consumed the most nitrate – mostly from green vegetables like kale and spinach – were 21 percent less likely than those who ate the least nitrate to develop open-angle glaucoma by the time they were in their 60s and 70s.

Indian start-up to launch tests for rare cancers Kolkata, Jan 2016: A Chennai-based personalised medicine start-up is all set to launch advanced tests for precise identification of three rare cancers, a company official said on Tuesday. Swagene, one of the winners at Empresario 2016 - IIT-Kharagpur's annual global business model competition, has developed tests for sarcomas (soft tissue cancers) such as rhabdomyosarcoma, synovial sarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma (bone cancer) which shall be launched in February, the official informed.

Drug Dopes

Talking pen developed for pharma anti-counterfeiting January 2016: India's Shreenath Smart Technologies has developed a talking pen concept that it says could help separate counterfeit from genuine medicines. The company told sources that the pen device will react to a motif printed onto the medicine pack or any other printable substrate - in either visible or invisible inks - and play an audio file such as "This is a genuine product."

India issues alert to deter use of Roche's Avastin drug for eyes New Delhi,Jan 2016: India's federal drugs controller issued an alert on Thursday, asking states to ensure Swiss Drugmaker Roche's cancer treatment Avastin was not administered to treat eyes, after its usage hampered vision in 15 patients.

USFDA approved Cosentyx The United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has approved Cosentyx (Secukinumab) for treatment of active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and active ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in adults.

Boston Scientific sued over alleged counterfeit component Jan. 2016: Boston Scientific has been drawn further into the vaginal mesh controversy, with a lawsuit claiming the company knowingly used counterfeit material in its products.

National Injections

IMA recommends practicing green medicine New Delhi, January, 2016: Through the process of photosynthesis, plants are uniquely placed to consume harmful carbon dioxide and produce oxygen required for the sustenance of life. Any effort towards reducing pollution would inevitably require a parallel focus on deforestation (or reforestation) to be effective in the medium and long term. IMA believes that physicians as health specialists, who hold an educating role in society must take it upon themselves to make their offices greener, and proliferate green behavior with their patients.

Anti-depressants easily available Hyderabad, Jan 2016: Indian American psychiatrist Dr Nagareddy Narendra Kumar Reddy may have been dubbed 'Dr Death' for allegedly prescribing overdose of benzodiazepines to his patients in USA, but back home several anti-depressant drugs are easily available off the shelf.

Pune : Post-vaccination, 11 infants died in Maharashtra Pune, January 2016: As many as 11 babies died in the state last year after immunization as against eight infants in 2014. In the last five years, about 76 infants have died after being vaccinated in Maharashtra.

Nationwide campaign on safe disposal of syringes New Delhi, Jan 2016: Health experts across the country have decided to launch a nationwide drive to prevent the needle-stick injuries caused by unsafe disposal of insulin syringes and pen needles by diabetics.

MMC disposes over 400 cases of medical negligence & other violations in last 4 years Mumbai, Jan 2016: Over 400 cases related to medical negligence, false advertisements and violation of Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act (PCPNDT Act) have been successfully disposed of by the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) over the past 4 years. This according to officials is despite the backlog of over 600 such festering cases in the past which are now with the council since it took over in 2012 after being defunct for 12 years.

Global Injections

Particles "an ideal tool for product authentication" The use of tracer particles as unique identifiers for products is one of the most potent anti-counterfeit tools available, say Swiss researchers.

Pharma 'cash call' for new antibiotics January 2016: More than 80 pharmaceutical companies have called on governments to develop new ways of paying them to develop antibiotics.

The alarming threat of Zika virusJanuary 2016: The Zika virus, an alarming and disturbing infection that may be linked to thousands of babies being born with underdeveloped brains, is spreading through the Americas.

PSM PILL

Warning Signs of fake online pharmacies

Purchasing drugs from online pharmacies can be convenient and economical. However, there are numerous illegal Web sites that will sell you contaminated or counterfeit drugs, or products that have not been approved by the FDA, deliver the wrong product, or take your money and never deliver anything in return.

Frequently Asked Questions Q1. What is critical care or intensive care medicine/ unit?
Answer: Intensive care medicine or critical care medicine is a branch of medicine concerned with the diagnosis and management of life-threatening conditions requiring sophisticated organ support and invasive monitoring. Patients requiring intensive care may require support for instability (hypertension/hypotension), airway or respiratory compromise (such as ventilator support), acute renal failure, potentially lethal cardiac arrhythmias, or the cumulative effects of multiple organ failure, more commonly referred to now as multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. They may also be admitted for intensive/invasive monitoring, such as the crucial hours after major surgery when deemed too unstable to transfer to a less intensively monitored unit. Read More>>>

Q2. What are meant by Ambulatory Patient?
Answer: Ambulatory patient are those person who are capable of walking, moving about or from place to place; not stationary, not confined to bed in time of illness. Ambulatory care is the nursing care of patients who receive treatment on an outpatient basis, ie they do not require admission to a hospital for an overnight stay. The setting can vary widely, from hospital-based clinics to patient homes.

Upcoming Events

Click Here For More Events

Laughter Dose

Blog Addicts

Caesar Mariet, Academician comments : Good informative articles PSM India, but rather alarming condition of medicine counterfeiters across the Globe !

Dr. Pushpita Aggarwal, General Physician blogs : Collective efforts of PSM-India and aware consumers of India can bring radical change in improving condition of health and medical care in India

Dr. Abhiroop Rawat, RMO Tweets: Praises for your interesting newsletter. Fetch us with more articles on how to cope up with increasing lifestyle NCDs in India!

This Newsletter is brought to you by

© 2011 Partnership for Safe Medicines India
F-9, 2nd floor, Kailash Colony, New Delhi -110048
jagograhakjago.com; jagograhakjago.com; jagograhakjago.com
Disclaimer : Our newsletter endeavors to compile patient safety information from various sources . PSM India may not be held responsible for any article published in The Prescription.