The Prescription: Partnership For Safe Medicines India

The Prescription: 1st October 2017 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 Subscriber's Symptom UpComing Events Laughter Dose Blog Addict Contact Us

News Archive

EDITOR'S EMULSION

Pooja Khaitan

Festive Greetings!

Welcome to yet another edition of our newsletter.

Until August 2017, there were 25,864 cases of H1N1 reported across the country, which means Swine Flu is in the air and can affect anyone of us. Most of the states are being swept by the deadly swine flu wave which has claimed several lives and left thousands ill. With the rising cases throughout the nation, it’s time to take it seriously and escalate our efforts to defeat this menace by getting a flu shot each year.

Read More>>>

If you have any suggestions, comments or queries, please email me at pooja@jagograhakjago.com.
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Happy Reading !
Stay Safe. Stay Healthy !

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

DOSE OF THE DAY

"Healthy women, healthy household, healthy family, healthy India. It’s launch of a nationwide health initiative with a theme 'Nurturing the Nurturer.”

Anupriya Patel
Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare

PSM India Capsules

Swine Flu cases on Toll – Rises 14 fold from Previous Year

In India, Swine Flu has gravely spread this year, with more than 10,000 cases of H1N1 infection been reported in less than a month. As per the data to Union Health Ministry, there were 25,864 cases of H1N1 reported across the country till August 2017, a massive rise of over 14 times, in comparison to only 1,786 cases for the same period previous year. While in 2016, where 265 people died of swine flu, this year nearly 4 times more people died from this disease.

Drug Laws & Policy Injections

Centre asks states to devise strategy for climate change's health effectsNew Delhi, Sep 2017: The Centre has directed states to submit strategies for tackling health challenges posed by climate change and extreme weather conditions in their respective regions as part of a comprehensive national-level strategy which is in the works. The plan is aimed at protecting people against climate- sensitive illnesses including cardio-respiratory diseases, certain types of cancer and allergies.

Health ministry sensitises pharma cos to set up PV cells for monitoring ADRs Mumbai, September 2017: In order to equip and sensitise Indian pharma companies to set up pharmacovigilance (PV) cells for generating adverse drug reaction (ADR) data, Ghaziabad based Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) under the Union health ministry conducted workshops in Bengaluru and Hyderabad in the first week of September 2017 to help companies collect, process and forward ADRs to licensing authorities mandated through a gazette notification.

India's drug prices regulator calls for better oversight of private hospitalsMUMBAI, Sep 2017: India’s drug pricing authority called for better regulation of the country’s massive private healthcare industry on Friday to ensure government efforts to cut prices benefit patients. To cut the cost of procedures such as angioplasty and knee surgery, India's National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has dramatically reduced prices of knee implants and cardiac stents in recent months.

MCI set to issue guidelines on peer group evaluation of professional incompetence of medical practitionersMumbai, September 2017: The Medical Council of India (MCI) is all set to come out with guidelines pertaining to peer group evaluation of professional incompetence of a registered medical practitioner as prescribed by section 8.6 of the Code of Medical Ethics Regulation 2002.

Karnataka government thrust on ethical medical service to ensure transparency across private and government hospitalsBengaluru, September 2017: The Karnataka government is now working to ensure that ethical medical service is maintained across the continuum of care in the state. The objective is for the betterment of healthcare across private and government hospitals in the state.

Pharma Injections

India adopting digital modes in healthcare faster than US, ChinaNew Delhi, September 2017: India has progressed better than US and China in terms of its specialist doctors adopting digital modes to interact with patients and prescribe medicines, a study revealed on Friday. The study stated that digital channels are slowly but surely gaining ground over traditional ones. This year, the gap further narrowed to around 12 per cent. "India witnessed the narrowing of the gap between face-to-face tablet and medical representatives triggered mail from 34 per cent in 2015 to 8 per cent in 2017," said the study conducted by Indegene -- a company offering research and development solutions to healthcare and pharmaceutical enterprises.

Alzheimer's disease looms as elderly population in India risesMumbai, September 2017: As the Indian population ages fast, the burden of Alzheimer’s disease will continue to increase and put additional pressure on the limited resources available to tackle the situation, a report said. According to the India Ageing Report 2017, the elderly population growing at a faster rate of three per cent may up the burden of Alzheimer's in India, as the disease primarily occurs in patients over the age of 65.

Lancet report hails India's work in bringing down child mortality rate by 1 million Mumbai, September 2017: India prevented the deaths of about one million children under five in 2005-15, driven by significant reductions in the mortality rates of pneumonia, diarrhoea, tetanus and measles, says a new study published in Lancet.

Consumption of multiple medicines can cause more harm than good to health: Health experts Hyderabad, September, 2017: Healthcare experts are of the view that simultaneous consumption of multiple medicines can cause more harm than good to health. According to an opinion sought from physicians on the impact of taking multiple drugs at a time, it is revealed consumption of anti-inflammatory drugs and blood thinners can cause platelet dysfunction. Similarly, simultaneous use of nasal congestion sprays and blood pressure medications can increase blood pressure.

Drug Dopes

Updated LIST OF NEW DRUGS APPROVED FROM 01-01-2016 TILL DATE BY NEW DRUGS DIVISION, CDSCO, FDA Bhawan, New Delhi List of New Drug Approved by FDA

Government hospital store in Bihar's Gaya sealed after expired drugs supplied, probe orderedGaya, Sept 2017: The drug store at a government health facility in Gaya district of south central Bihar was sealed and its in-charge suspended after it was found that expired medicines had been supplied from there to state-run hospitals and primary health centres.

NPPA slashes prices of medicines for TB, cancer, hepatitis B by up to 20% New Delhi, Sep 2017: Some drugs used in the treatment of cancer, hepatitis B, tuberculosis, measles and malaria are expected to get cheaper as the country's drug pricing watchdog has limited their maximum prices.

DoP asks NPPA to re-fix ceiling price of Co-Trimoxazole tablet after examining documentary proof submitted by Cadila Healthcare Mumbai, September, 2017: The Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) has directed the national drug price regulator National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) to examine the documentary proof submitted by Cadila Healthcare Limited and re-fix the ceiling price of the formulation Co-Trimoxazole tablet.

Maharashtra FDA calls for joint efforts with pharma industry to fight against counterfeit drugs Mumbai, September, 2017: The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has emphasized the need for collaboration among state and central drug regulators and pharmaceutical industry to curb the menace of counterfeit drugs in the country.

OTC medicines: Drug advisory body gives in-principle approval New Delhi, Sept 2017: Soon, pharmacists will be able to dispense drugs for minor conditions without a doctor's prescription. The government's advisory body on drugs-the Drug Consultative Committee (DCC)-has approved a proposal to introduce a new category of over the counter (OTC) medicines such as anti-allergy, antipyretic (for fever) and anti-emetic (for vomiting and nausea) drugs, which pharmacists will be empowered to dispense without a doctor's prescription.

National Injections

Community health workers to treat tribal kids for sepsis MUMBAI, September 2017: In an effort to save thousands of infants dying from infections every year, the state has decided to train 7,000 community health workers to administer oral antibiotics. The medical fraternity, which had in the past vehemently contested the idea of non-medicos giving antibiotics, seems to be on board this time, but with caveats.

One more lab for swine flu testing coming up in Rajasthan JAIPUR, September 2017: Viewing the increase in number of swine flu cases, a laboratory will come up in Jaipuria Hospital which will have the facility for testing swine flu.

Newborn dies as family gets no ventilator bed in 4 hospitals NEW DELHI, Sep 2017: A newborn girl died at the Jag Pravesh Chandra hospital in northeast Delhi on Thursday because it had no ventilator support and three other government hospitals the desperate family had approached refused admission saying no critical care beds were available.

Non-communicable diseases cause 61% of deaths in India: WHO report New Delhi, Sep 2017: Nearly 61% of deaths in India are now attributed to non-communicable diseases, including heart disorders, cancer and diabetes, according to new data released by the World Health Organisation on Monday. Almost 23% are at risk of premature death due to such diseases.

In 11-hr surgery, docs rejoins woman’s chopped hand Haldwani, Sep 2017: In a rare medical surgery, a team of doctors at a private hospital in Haldwani rejoined the hand of a woman which was severed from the wrist.

Global Injections

New sensor may help combat drug resistance Washington, Sept 2017: Scientists have developed a sensor for quickly determining whether an antibiotic combats a given infection, thereby hastening effective medical treatment and limiting drug-resistant bacteria.

Africa to get state-of-art HIV drugs for 75 dollar a year London, Sep 2017: Makers of generic AIDS drugs will start churning out millions of pills for Africa containing a state-of-the-art medicine widely used in rich countries, after securing a multi-million dollar guarantee that caps prices at just $75 per patient a year.

Hard water can damage skin, cause eczema

London, September 2017: Hard water can damage the skin barrier that protects us from external threats like bacteria and sunburns, and lead to the development of eczema, a study has shown..

PSM PILL

NV Sheriffs’ And Chiefs’ Association Tells Sen. Heller They Oppose Allowing Drug Importation

September 2017: This letter to the editor by Troy Tanner was published in The Spectrum on September 21, 2017. Mr. Tanner is President of the Nevada Sheriffs’ and Chiefs’ Association formed in 1953, a professional association dedicated to the cooperation and understanding of all law enforcement agencies in the State of Nevada.

State Attorney General Warns Fake Pills Containing Fentanyl Found In Western NY

September 2017: As reported by The Buffalo News, New York state Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman has warned residents that authorities found fentanyl pills made to look like prescription opioid painkillers for the first time in western New York. Investigators with New York’s Organized Crime Task Force intercepted a shipment of approximately 500 pills made to look like oxycodone but contained fentanyl. Initial tests showed that the pills contained inconsistent amounts of the illicit substance. Some of the pills contained enough fentanyl to get someone high while others contained enough to kill a person. Authorities said several recent overdosed in California involved similar pills.

Frequently Asked Questions Q1. What is Heart palpitations?
Heart palpitations (pal-pih-TAY-shuns) are the feelings of having rapid, fluttering or pounding heart. Heart palpitations can be triggered by stress, exercise, medication or, rarely, a medical condition. Although heart palpitations can be worrisome, they're usually harmless. In rare cases, heart palpitations can be a symptom of a more serious heart condition, such as an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) that may require treatment..Read More>>>

SUBSCRIBER'S SYMPTOM

Test and Treat Policy for HIV Positive People

Article contributed by one of our Subscriber: Dr. Ritika Jangra, Gynaecologist, New Delhi

In the late April this year, our government has launched a new policy for HIV positive people under which anyone (men, women, adolescents and children), who is diagnosed and found positive will get the essential treatment. This Test and Treat Policy will certainly improve the quality of life of those infected individuals and will further save them from numerous opportunistic infections such as Influenza, Tuberculosis and other.

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