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EDITOR'S EMULSION
Warm Greetings !
Welcome to yet another most pleasant Reading of our newsletter.
Please do not hesitate to mail your comments on this edition to help us further improve so please feel free to get in touch with us. You may find our previous issues on our website 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.
Stay Healthy. Stay Protected.
Pyush Misra
Editor-in-Chief
DOSE OF THE DAY
"The draft code recently released by the Central Consumer Protection Authority is very much aligned with ASCI’s own code. We’ve taken care to be in step with the times at every stage by updating the code and processes, and we’ll continue to do so. For instance, we recently started monitoring the digital space for misleading advertisements. We monitor 3,000 digital platforms in addition to print and TV monitoring through our National Advertising Monitoring Service. We now cover most of India’s total media spend."
Mr Subhash Kamath
Chairman, ASCI
Advertising Standards Council of India
Sponsor
Patient Safety Capsules
Pharmacist Registration & Tracking System Could Be Fully Integrated By June 2021: PCI
Bengaluru, 15 Feb 2021: The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI)’s digital platform for Pharmacist Registration & Tracking System (PRTS) is expected to be fully integrated by June 2021. The PRTS which was introduced in November 2018 by the Council is still getting the required inputs from various state pharmacy councils in the country.
India Imports 80% Of Its Requirement Of Medical Devices: MoS Ashwini Choubey
New Delhi, 12 Feb 2021 (PTI): India currently imports approximately 80 per cent of its requirement of medical devices, with the US, Germany, China, Singapore and Netherlands being top exporters of such devices to the country, the Lok Sabha was informed on Friday in reference to unstarred question No. 1945.
Drug Laws & Policy Injections
Use Of Homoeopathy Medicines In Covid-19 Treatment Discussed In ParliamentNew Delhi, 12 Feb 2021: The Honourable Supreme Court has upheld the advisory of Ministry of AYUSH in its judgement dated 15.12.2020 and permitted use of homoeopathy medicine as add on to standard care in COVID-19 treatment. This was clarified by ShriKirenRijiju, Minister of State (IC) of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and Additional Charge of Minister of State (IC) for the Ministry of AYUSH to the LokSabha today.
Man Booked For Filing RTIs In Court Under False Identity MADURAI, 14 FEB 2021: A man was booked on Friday for sending RTI applications to the Registry of the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, impersonating as the coordinator of the ‘Legal Aid Services Council’. According to the police, the man was identified as Rajasekaran of Othakadai. His wife Maheshwari was working as a cleanliness worker (on probation) at the High Court.
Narcotics Cases In Rajasthan Increased By 45.32% In 3 Years: Govt DataJaipur, 14 Feb 2021: In the last three years, the number of narcotics cases has increased by 45.42 per cent in Rajasthan. However, the government claims that high numbers of cases were detected due to their pro-activeness, the official data tables in Rajasthan Assembly revealed.
27 Deaths Following Coronavirus Vaccination Reported So Far, None Related: Health MinistryNew Delhi, 14 Feb 2021: The health ministry has said over 84,800 vaccinations against the coronavirus were carried out on Saturday and a total of three people, who had received vaccinations in the recent past, died in the past 24 hours. Deaths reported so far in cases where vaccination has been conducted to date is 27, it said.
Elderly Show Fewer Post-Vaccine Symptoms Than Young: StudyMUMBAI, 14 FEB 2021: The elderly, who bore the brunt of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, have reacted with fewer symptoms after taking the vaccine against Covid-19 as compared to people in the 20-40 age group. This was the broad observation across the country 29 days after the vaccination drive started on January 16.
Allahabad HC Refuses To Legislate A Law To Compensate Covid-19 Vaccinated CitizensMumbai, 13 Feb 2021: The Allahabad High Court has refused to entertain a plea which wanted it to direct Uttar Pradesh government to enact a legislation to compensate people who suffer any loss/injury due to side effects of the Covid-19 vaccination.
Pharma Injections
NPPA Caps Retail Prices Of 13 FormulationsMumbai, 12 Feb 2021: The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has fixed retail price of 13 formulations under Drugs Prices Control Order (DPCO) 2013 based on the decision of 83rd Authority Meeting dated January 27, 2021.
Govt Gives Nod To Several Firms Under PLI Scheme For Medical DevicesNew Delhi, 11 Feb 2021: The government has approved applications from several medical devices manufacturers under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for the promotion of domestic manufacturing, an official statement said.
Health Ministry To Amend NDCT Rules To Include Registration Of Standalone BA Labs Mumbai, 12 Feb 2021: The Union health ministry has issued draft notification on New Drugs and Clinical Trials (NDCT) Amendment Rules, 2021 for inclusion of provisions related to registration of standalone Bioanalytical (BA) laboratories.
SC Refuses To Entertain Plea On Preventing The Sale Of Fake Covid-19 Vaccines New Delhi, 11 Feb 2021: The Supreme Court Thursday refused to entertain a plea seeking direction to the Centre for framing "strict" guidelines to prevent any chance of sale of fake coronavirus vaccines in the country.
Ayurveda PG Scholars Of Shalya & Shalakya Need To Be Trained In 58 Specific Surgical Procedures: Minister Chennai, 11 Feb 2021: The Union Ministry of Ayush (MoA) has clarified that the ayurveda post graduate scholars of Shalya (general surgery) and Shalakya (ENT and Dental) need to be practically trained in 58 specific surgical procedures in order to enable them to independently perform the surgical activities related to general surgery, ENT and dental through a bridge course.
FDA Laboratories Across Maharashtra Struggle With Staff Shortage Mumbai, 10 Feb 2021: The failure to fill up vital posts in the government-run Food and Drug Administration (FDA) laboratories across Maharashtra has hampered testing of drugs and food items and created a long pendency list. In Mumbai alone, there are 3,500 food and 1,800 drug samples pending with the FDA lab in Bandra Kurla Complex.
Drug Dopes
Union Health Ministry Appoints Dr Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi As Secretary-Cum-Scientific Director Of IPCMumbai, 22 Feb 2021: Union health ministry has appointed Dr Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi as the new secretary-cum-scientific director of the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC). 
AiMeD Hails NPPA Price Monitoring Exercise On Medical DevicesMumbai, 22 Feb 2021: The Association of Indian Medical Device Industry (AiMeD) has hailed the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA)’s price monitoring exercise on medical devices to rein in irrationally high trade margins to appease healthcare providers and retailers.
CCI Starts Consultation Process With Companies, Doctors, Other Stakeholders New Delhi, 19 Feb 2021: The Competition Commission of India ( CCI ) on Friday started a consultation process to gather views from pharmaceutical companies, doctors and other stakeholders as part of its ongoing study on the country's pharmaceutical sector. The watchdog, which keeps a tab on unfair business practices across sectors, started the market study on the domestic pharmaceutical sector in October last year.
Drug Marketing Firms, Manufacturers Will Be Equally Responsible For Medicine Quality New Delhi, 19 Feb 2021: Pharmaceutical companies that are marketing medicines sourced from contract manufacturers or through marketing tie-ups will soon be equally responsible as the manufacturer for the quality of the drug sold in India.
Ramdev Claims Patanjali's 'Coronil' For Covid Cleared, Can Be Exported New Delhi, 19 Feb 2021: Yoga teacher Ramdev today released a research paper on what he called the "first evidence-based medicine for COVID-19 by Patanjali", Coronil, in presence of Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.
NPPA To Conduct Prescription Audit Of FDCsMumbai, 18 Feb 2021: The National Pharmaceuticals Pricing Authority (NPPA) has decided to carry out prescription audit to figure out the prescription patterns of fixed dose combinations (FDCs) and their usage in the country to rein in overmedication.
National Injections
70% Of Consumers Don’t Take Action Against Misleading Ads: Manisha Kapoor, ASCI Mumbai, 10 Feb 2021: According to a recent development, the Grievance Against Misleading Advertisements (GAMA) portal received more than 12,000 complaints against misleading advertisements on television between 2017 and 2020, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting informed Lok Sabha last week.
Centre Issues Draft Notification To Include ASTM For Medical Devices To Enhance CompetitivenessMumbai, 12 Feb 2021: The Union health ministry has issued draft notification on Medical Devices Amendment Rules, 2021 to include American Standard Test Method (ASTM) in product standards for medical devices to enhance competitiveness of indigenous medical devices globally.
Indore: DRI Bust Tired Network Of Drug Operators, Arrests Three-Person In NDPS Operation For NRx Drugs Diversion Indore, 9 Feb 2021: In a week-long operation conducted by DRI at multiple districts like Indore, Shivpuri and Gwalior of MP and Jhansi of Uttar Pradesh, DRI successfully busted a network involved in illegal diversion and supply of Neuro-Psychotropic drugs i.e. Alprazolam tablets and Codeine Phosphate Syrups, which were being diverted for illicit sale for drug abuse.
India Backs AstraZeneca, Orders 10 Million New Doses New Delhi, 9 Feb 2021: India said on Tuesday it had no concerns over the efficacy of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine despite South Africa putting it on hold, and ordered 10 million more doses of the shot for its own huge immunisation campaign.
Bharat Biotech, SII Approach DCGI For Using COVID Vaccine On Those Using Blood Thinners: ICMR DG New Delhi, 28 Feb 2021 (PTI): ICMR chief Balram Bhargava on Thursday said COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers--Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute--have approached the country’s drugs regulator to make changes in the fact sheet to permit the use of the vaccine on people using blood thinners.
PSAIF Taskforce Calls For Makeover Of Drug Regulatory Act Bengaluru, 22 Feb 2021: The taskforce constituted by Patient Safety & Access Initiative of India Foundation (PSAIF) now sees the need for a major transformation on the drug regulatory landscape.
Global Injections
Anti-Clotting Therapy May Prevent Death In Covid-19 PatientsLondon, 13 Feb 2021: A clinical study circulated by the British Medical Journal (BMJ) claims strong evidence that prompt preventive blood-thinning drugs may reduce the risk of death in Covid-19 patients.
36 People Develop Thrombocytopenia After Receiving Moderna COVID VaccinesWashington, 10 Feb 2021: At least 36 people have developed a rare, life-threatening blood disorder, called thrombocytopenia, after receiving either of the two COVID-19 vaccines authorized in the US.
Israeli Scientists Claim To Develop 96% Effective COVID Cure Drug
Jerusalem, 10 Feb 2021: While vaccination drives pick up pace, newer hope for fighting COVID and fastening recovery timelines has emerged in the form of a new COVID drug, which claims to be super effective in rooting away the contagious SARS- COV-2 virus.
Federal Authorities Investigating Massive Counterfeit N95 Mask Scam
WASHINGTON, 10 FEB 2021 (AP): Federal authorities are investigating a massive counterfeit N95 mask operation in which fake 3M masks were sold in at least five states to hospitals, medical facilities and government agencies. Foreign-made knockoffs are increasingly difficult to spot and could put healthcare workers at serious risk of coronavirus.
Fresenius Kabi Oncology To Pay $50mn In Fine For Destroying Records Before FDA Inspection
Washington, 10 Feb 2021: An Indian drug manufacturer has agreed to plead guilty to concealing and destroying records prior to a 2013 US Food and Drug Administration's inspection of its plant and pay USD 50 million in fines and forfeiture, the Department of Justice has announced.
MIT Scientists Design Face Mask That Can Inactivate Coronavirus Using Heat
Boston, 29 Jan 2021: Scientists at MIT have designed a novel face mask that can not only filter out the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, but also inactivate it using heat.
PSAIIF PILL
Pharmacists To Face Music If Found Illegally Diverting Codeine-Based Cough Syrups
Mumbai, 22 Feb 2021: The pharmacists will face the music if they are selling Codeine-based cough syrups without valid prescription as the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) is probing its trafficking through children and terminally ill persons. Codeine is also an opiate and used in reducing pain. The medicine containing it can be bought against a prescription. NCB sources stated that such syrups are common among drug abusers as a bottle is available for Rs 150. “We will verify them if the investigation leads towards that angle,” said a high-ranking officer.
Sanitiser Sales Drop As ‘Covid Complacency’ Sets In
New Delhi, 22 Feb 2021: With Covid-19 pandemic showing signs of receding in India, sanitisers are not selling like hot cakes anymore and its demand is not even half of what it was last year. According to data by research firm AIOCD-AWACS, sales of sanitisers have fallen by 80 per cent in the last six months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Masks Give You The Best Protection?
Washington, 12 Dec 2020: Scientists have assessed the filtering efficiency provided by various types of facemask modifications, and found that masks made of two layers of woven nylon are some of the most effective when it snug against the wearer's face.Read More>>>
SUBSCRIBER'S SYMPTOM
WHO Agrees Compensation Fund For Serious COVAX Vaccine Side Effects
LONDON, 22 FEB 2021 (Reuters) : The World Health Organization has agreed a no-fault compensation plan for claims of serious side effects in people in 92 poorer countries due to get COVID-19 vaccines via the COVAX sharing scheme, resolving a big concern among recipient governments.
Blog Addicts
Ms Dipti Nagesh, Professional Excellent articles that make very good reading. Well done.
Dr Hari K, MDThe Prescription is very well presented with extremely useful information for readers.
Ms Kamlesh Chadda, Pharma Expert
Good newsletter which brings an in depth understanding of news events in the Pharma world both nationally and globally. Keep up the good work.
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