Would like to convey my heartfelt condolences to the families who lost their near and dear ones in the earthquake disaster in Nepal and parts of India. Hope the world sees no more of these perils again!
Indians have always remained prone to vector borne diseases like malaria, dengue, chikungunya, cholera due to climatic conditions, lack of sanitation, , hygiene , portable drinking water in several rural and urban areas of our country. Unfortunately, every year such diseases claim lots of lives especially during the summer due to lack of proper measures. We should fight against them and take as much precautionary measures that can be followed to stop spread of such communicable diseases. More news on World malaria day under PSM India capsules.
India is also struggling with another potentially fatal contagious disease - Tuberculosis (TB). PSM INDIA applauds the Government of India for its efforts and vision in launching of toll free number for tuberculosis to reach out to all suspected TB patients and provide them proper counselling and treatment. Know more on it and other drug alerts, like survey of spurious drug, action against Ghazipur dairies for misusing oxytocin, launch of generic stores in Maharashtra under our National Injections section.
Catch on proclamations of on-line system like Pharma Jan Samadhan under Drug Laws and policy injections. Read Global Injections for knowing what’s going on worldwide against fake drugs, online pharmacies, homeopathy medicines etc. Catch on some interesting drug related information on aspirin and turmeric under Pharma Injections section. Explore the meaning of shelf-life of medicines and gather information on various types of pharmaceutical excipients from FAQs .Get facts on freshly approved drugs, launch of mobile app for ASHA workers from Drug Dopes section. Pleasure in with the laughter dose. Don’t forget to glance at the upcoming events across India and the world over and specially mark your calendar for PSM India’s event on 20th May 2015 at Srinagar.
If you have any suggestions, comments or queries, please email me at pooja@jagograhakjago.com.
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"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.
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Happy Reading !
Stay Safe. Stay Healthy !
Pooja Khaitan
Chief Editor ,
The PRESCRIPTION
Partnership for Safe Medicines India.
“A national survey needs to be mandated once in two years if not annually to keep poor quality drugs at bay. Further, it would also keep the pharma industry on guard to ensure putting in place quality tests and processes to prevent circulation of NSQs. The intent is to ensure zero defect in final drug samples”
Dr. BR Jagashetty
National Advisor (Drugs control) & project in-charge for CDSCO schemes
PSM India is organizing a major event in Srinagar on 20th May 2015. The "National Conference on Patient Safety & Drug Regulatory Scenario in India" organised by Partnership for Safe Medicines India Initiative in collaboration with Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Department of Consumer Affairs, Department of Pharmaceuticals and Ministry of Commerce, Government of India shall be attended by 200+participants from Jammu and Kashmir, Govt. officials and industry/trade associations.
Concept note and draft agenda on the event shall be shared on our website jagograhakjago.com shortly.
PHARMACOVIGILANCE PROGRAM IN INDIA supported by PSM India founder Mr. Bejon Misra
Shri. Bejon misra, Founder of PSM-India at NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON PHARMACOECONOMICS & PHARMACOVIGILANCE- ISPOR, Al-Ameen College of Pharmacy.
Join the Pharmocovigilance Movement in India by reporting Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR) on Toll Free Phone Number 1800-180-3042 and also request your Doctor and the Hospital to report in case of ADR incidents with you or your family or friends to catch the culprits if the medicines are found spurious or Not-of-Standard Quality (NSQ). Patients have the right to safety and accessibility to Quality Medicines !!!
Pledge to be more cautious and prevent spread of Malaria on the eve of World Malaria Day!
World Malaria Day (WMD) is commemorated every year on 25 April and recognizes global efforts to control malaria. Globally, 3.3 billion people in 106 countries are at risk of malaria. Malaria is one of the most widespread parasitic disease in the world. In India it is mainly caused by Plasmodium. vivax and Plasmodium. falciparum. It occurs mainly in the monsoon and post-monsoon periods. Fever is the principal symptom, periodic or continuous with or without chills and rigors. On the occasion or World Malaria day, Indian Medical association has come out with guidelines for public and physicians.
According to a recent study conducted by the University of Maryland, omega-3 fatty acid supplementation may improve symptoms of meibomian gland dysfunction. Previously published studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids may attenuate symptoms of dry eye by increasing tear secretion.
Local governments in China crack down on fake drugsBeijing, 19 April 2015: The Chinese government has been stepping up its crackdown on fake medicine, which has been flooded the market due to the profits which can be as much as 10 to 25 times the payoff for drug trafficking, according to Guangzhou's Southern Metropolis Daily.
Interchange 2014 Highlights: The WCO's Samantha Gompel Explained The Organization's Efforts To Secure And Protect Global Supply Chains.
Samantha Gompel, the Intellectual Property Rights Communications Manager at the World Customs Organization (WCO), described the WCO's efforts to help its 179 members secure and protect supply chains throughout global trade. The IPR team raises awareness about the dangers of counterfeit products and how to detect them through seminars, enforcement operations. It also provides customs officers with its IPM tool, a database that provides information to distinguish counterfeit products from their legitimate counterparts.
Washington DC Pharmacist, Florida Doctor Face Fake Online Pharmacy Charges
A pharmacist operating an online pharmacy in Washington DC has been indicted on fake online pharmacy charges, according to a press release from the FDA. In addition, a Florida-based doctor, has been charged with fulfilling prescriptions for said pharmacy for over 38,000 U.S. residents. Titilayo (Tomi) Akintomide Akinyoyenu, also known as Tommy Akin, was arrested at his home in Bethesda, Maryland, according to the FDA.
The FDA reports that Akin ran a fake online pharmacy, known as Apex Care Pharmacy. Akin allegedly took orders via the Internet, and then shipped prescription medication to customers all over the United States once his co-conspirator Alan Saltzman, signed off on the prescriptions.
Frequently Asked Questions Q1. What is meant by shelf life of medicine?
Answer: Shelf life is the length of time that a medicine may be stored without becoming unfit for use or consumption. A drug that has passed its shelf life might still be safe for consumption, but its quality is no longer guaranteed. Shelf life is variably influenced by storage conditions, such as exposure to heat, light and moisture. A drug's shelf life is usually shortened if it is not stored in its original container. The term "shelf life" of a drug slightly differs from a drug's "expiration date". The shelf life generally relates to a drug's quality over a specified period of time, whereas the expiration date relates to both quality and safety of a medication at a specific point in time.
Therefore, consumers should be aware that expiration dates are simply "rules of thumb," and that a product's safety may expire long before the expiration date if the product has not been properly stored. On the other hand, products stored under ideal conditions may be acceptable long after the expiration date has been reached.
Q2. What is meant by pharmaceutical excipient?
Answer: An excipient is a natural or synthetic substance formulated alongside the active ingredient of a medication generally included for the purpose of bulking-up formulations that contain potent active ingredients (thus often referred to as "bulking agents," "fillers," or "diluents"), or to confer a therapeutic enhancement on the active ingredient in the final dosage form, such as facilitating drug absorption or solubility. The word excipient is derived from the Latin excipere, meaning 'to except', which is simply explained as 'other than'. Excipients can also be useful in the manufacturing process, to aid in the handling of the active substance concerned such as by facilitating powder flow ability or non-stick properties, in addition to aiding in vitro stability such as prevention of denaturation over the expected shelf life. The selection of appropriate excipients also depends upon the route of administration and the dosage form, as well as the active ingredient .
Dr. Karuna Grover, Research Scholar chirps: Loads of good wishes to PSM for the noble work. We aspire for a healthy nation free from counterfeit drugs!
Mr. Satish Gupta, Asst. Professor, Pharmacy Institution blogs: PSM India and Consumer Online Foundation are honestly fighting a great battle for access to quality healthcare for every Indian citizen!
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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.