Wishing all our readers a very Happy Holi. May the spirit of this festival leave you drenched with joy and may your life be coloured with hues of happiness!
Heartiest Congratulations to India’s new Drug Controller General, Dr. S Eswara Reddy and sincere thanks to our outgoing DCGI, Dr. G.N Singh for an effective and applaudable innings when in office. PSM India wishes Dr.Reddy all the best in his tenure and extends support at all times.
I take this opportunity in inviting all our readers to our 15th March event on World Consumer Rights Day. Every patient is a consumer and every consumer has been a patient some point of time in life. Let’s come together to stand strong as aware patients and consumers and help create a nation where every consumer is respected, irrespective of religion or financial status; where affordable healthcare becomes the right of every citizen; where there is access to safe and quality medicines always and where patients strongly voice themselves on issues such as private hospitals making profits of up to 1,737% on drugs, consumables and diagnostics, accounting for about 46% of a patient’s bill. Read details on this in our PSM India Capsules.
Do not hesitate to mail your comments on this edition to help us further improve. We appreciate your support and trust in us and are happy to have you as our loyal reader.
Feedback is what keeps us going. Should you have any query or question, please feel free to get in touch with us. Write to me on pooja@jagograhakjago.com
The request we made in our 1st January issue of The Prescription of each one touching 5 lives this year, including yourself, with your positive actions remains to be seen. Post your pics on our facebook wall or chirp it on our twitter handle. Go ahead and reach out.
Stay Healthy. Stay Protected.
Pooja Khaitan
Editor-in-Chief,
The Prescription
“Our mission is to enhance public health by assuring the safety, efficacy and quality of drugs, cosmetics and medical devices. Our vision is to protect and promote healthcare in India.”
Dr. S Eswara Reddy,Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI)
Join Us On 15th March, 2018, World Consumer Rights Day
An analysis of bills from four reputed private hospitals in Delhi and NCR by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has revealed that they are making profits of up to 1,737% on drugs, consumables and diagnostics and that these three account for about 46% of a patient’s bill. The analysis, released on Tuesday, noted that “the major beneficiaries of profits in all these cases because of inflated MRPs have been hospitals rather than drugs and devices’ manufacturers.
Tests For Women Using “Miracle” Fibroids Drug Amid Link To Serious Liver Damage
Aberdeen, UK, 21 Feb 2018: Doctors have been ordered to stop prescribing Esmya (Ulipristal Acetate) to women with uterine fibroids while the European Medicines Agency (EMA) carries out a review of its side effects.
US FDA Expands Treatment Window For Use Of Clot Retrieval Devices In Certain Stroke Patients
Maryland, 15 Feb 2018: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today cleared the use of the Trevo clot retrieval device to treat certain stroke patients up to 24 hours after symptom onset, expanding the device’s indication to a broader group of patients. This device is cleared for use as an initial therapy for strokes due to blood clots (also known as an acute ischemic stroke) to reduce paralysis, speech difficulties and other stroke disabilities and only as an addition to treatment with a medication that dissolves blood blots called tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA).
DEA Creates New Resource To Help Distributors Avoid Oversupplying Opioids
WASHINGTON, 14 FEB 2018: The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has launched a new tool to assist drug manufacturers and distributors with their regulatory obligations under the Controlled Substances Act. This new resource is an example of the many ways DEA is working collaboratively with its 1.73 million registrants to combat the ongoing opioid epidemic in the United States.
US FDA: MRI Isotope Can Now Be Produced In The United States
Maryland, 8 Feb 2018: FDA has played a major role in the groundbreaking effort to develop a new imaging technology – the RadioGenix System. This new technology was the result of a broad collaboration across the federal government and industry, and has the potential to benefit many patients as well as restore the U.S. ability to domestically supply a critical medical diagnostic tool for the first time in 30 years.
Canadian Pharmacy Sells Counterfeit Cancer Drugs To Americans, Continues Business Despite U.S. Prosecution
February 21, 2018: In December 2017, the Wall Street Journal reported that plea agreements were outstanding in cases against CanadaDrugs.com, two subsidiaries, and CEO Kris Thorkelson. The original indictments alleged “CanadaDrugs’ business focused on the illegal importation and sale of prescription drugs that had not been approved by the FDA for use in the United States…”. This included counterfeit Avastin and other non-FDA approved medications discovered in 2012 by the FDA.
30 Pounds Of Fentanyl Discovered By Massachusetts Law Enforcement
February 13, 2018: According to the Boston Globe, a long-term investigation involving the efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies led to 33 arrests, the breaking up of a drug ring with direct ties to the Sinaloa Cartel, and the seizure of 30 pounds of fentanyl. That amount of fentanyl could cause over 4.5 million fatal overdoses, enough to kill over 65% of the state’s population. U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Massachusetts State Police, and the Boston, Braintree, and Randolph, MA police departments all participated in the case.
Frequently Asked Questions All you wanted to know on Universal Health Coverage
Q1: What does Universal Health Coverage entail for India?
Ans: "Universal coverage" refers to a scenario where everyone is covered for basic healthcare services. This is a scheme, under which all Indian citizens, regardless of their economic, social or cultural backgrounds will have the right to affordable, accountable and appropriate health services of assured quality defined in a published package of services and benefits. It is also a supplemental system of financing to protect people from increasing medical expenses.
Q2: Why is UHC being offered now?
Ans: It is important for all Indians to have access to quality health care regardless of your financial status such as where you live or how much income that you earn. It is also necessary for us to improve the quality of health care at our hospitals and other health care institutions.Read More>>>
How Scientific Is Western Medicine?
Article contributed by our subscriber, Ms.Sujata Sachdev, Chandigarh. If you wish to share articles on healthcare, and see them published here, please mail them to our Editor-in-Chief, pooja@jagograhakjago.com
Clinical trials are research studies that aim to establish whether a medical strategy, treatment or device is safe for use or consumption by humans. These studies may also suggest which medical approaches prove most effective for specific conditions or groups of people. They advance medical knowledge. Clinical trials are the cornerstone of Western medicine. They provide the most reliable data to assist in healthcare decision-making.
Ms. Nikita Dhami , Pharma academic ProfessionalDear PSM India, your aim towards tackling counterfeiting and improving patient safety is motivating and inspiring us
Dr. Rahul Raina , MD Medicine Thanks a lot for the great work done during the past so many years. Wishing you all the very best.
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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.