July 26,2024 New Delhi: A total of 1,862 disease outbreaks were reported to the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme last year, with the highest number being reported from Kerala, the Lok Sabha was informed on Friday. Kerala reported 253 outbreaks followed by Karnataka at 223, Maharashtra at 208 and Madhya Pradesh at 140. Responding to a question, Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel said prevention of and preparedness against pandemics is a shared global responsibility. In order to better prepare against future pandemics or public health emergencies in the country, the Union Ministry of Health provides requisite support to states and UTs to enhance their capabilities, Patel said in a written reply. To enhance disease surveillance activities, the ministry has strengthened the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), which allows for a decentralized system of response through trained multi-disciplinary Rapid Response Team to institute requisite public health control and containment measures. The IDSP, under Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP), has also been strengthened to use advanced data modelling and data analytical tools, contains real-time data reporting, accessible at all levels, she said. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched the portal of Integrated Health Information Platform on April 5, 2021. It is designed to capture case-based data of more than 33 plus health conditions along with special surveillance of ILI/SARI, COVID-19 and Monkey Pox, she said. It provides a single operating platform of public health surveillance of the individuals at district, state and national levels. At present, all the 36 states and UTs have completely migrated to IHIP portal. In terms of laboratory strengthening, under IDSP, states have strengthened laboratories at district and state levels. Further, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has established a network of more than 150 Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratories for strengthening of nation-wide network of laboratories for timely laboratory based diagnosis of pathogens. In addition besides apex laboratory at National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune and four regional NIVs are being established in Jammu, Jabalpur, Dibrugarh and Bengaluru. The ICMR has developed two mobile BSL-3 laboratories to provide essential on-site diagnostic services during outbreaks, especially in remote areas. Further, a National Institute for One Health (NIOH) is being established at Nagpur by ICMR to undertake integrated and holistic research and development across human, animal, plant, and environmental health sectors. The IDSP is mandated with surveillance and response to outbreak prone communicable diseases. Any case of outbreak prone disease in the country is investigated as a part of outbreak investigation by rapid response teams at district, state and central level as per the need, Patel said. These RRTs recommend necessary precautions in order to prevent the spread of diseases. IDSP also performs media scanning and verification of print and electronic media to strengthen the event-based surveillance. Source: Healthworld

July 27,2024 Kozhikode: Kerala Health Minister Veena George announced that the test results of two more people for the Nipah virus have come out negative, bringing the total number of negative samples to 68. Four new admissions have been reported, with a total of five people currently undergoing treatment. There are 472 individuals on the contact list, including 220 in the high-risk category. So far, 807 people have received mental health services. Minister Veena George participated online in the Nipah review meeting held at Malappuram Collectorate. The Minister said that all individuals on the contact list must strictly follow the isolation guidelines for 21 days. Discharged patients must also adhere to isolation guidelines. Strict action will be taken against those who do not comply, the minister said. The minister also requested that people wear masks and maintain social distance. Notably, the Centre has advised immediate public health measures to be taken by the state government, such as active case searches in the family of the confirmed case, the neighbourhood, and areas with similar topography. The Centre has also advised active contact tracing (for any contacts) and strict quarantine of the contacts in the case, isolation of any suspects, and collection and transportation of samples for lab testing. It is important to note that outbreaks of Nipah Virus Disease (NiVD) have been reported in Kerala in the past, with the most recent one occurring in 2023 in the Kozhikode district. Source: Healthworld

July 27,2024 New Delhi: The National Testing Agency (NTA) Friday declared the final results of controversy-ridden NEET-UG entrance exam, declaring that 17 candidates have shared the top rank, down from 61 in the revised results, while thousands of others have seen their marks and rankings change significantly. The number of qualifying candidates and the cut-off has also seen a marginal dip. The “re-revised” results have been released three days after the Supreme Court rejected multiple petitions demanding a NEET-UG 2024 retest because of alleged paper leaks and other malpractices. The top court had, however, asked the NTA to revise the merit list in light of a controversial physics question which had two possible answers and the correct option was suggested by a three-member expert panel set up by the SC. It led to a complete reworking of NEET ranks and scores for all 2.3 million students. The scores of at least 4,20,000 students, including 44 of the 61 who achieved perfect 720, decreased by five points with the court invalidating the disputed marks they got for the Physics question. However, the exact impact on their rankings is not immediately clear. The exams was held on May 5 and the results were announced on June 4. Doubts about the sanctity of the exam arose when a total of 67 students scored a perfect 720, unprecedented in the NTA’s history. The number of candidates sharing the top rank came down to 61 after the NTA announced the revised results on July 1 after withdrawing grace marks awarded to six candidates to make up for loss of time some centres. On Friday, the NTA declared the “re-revised result” Along with a decrease in the number of toppers, the qualifying cutoffs and number of qualified candidates have also decreased in the the “re-revised” results of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG). Seventeen candidates have retained the perfect 720 marks and were declared the toppers, followed by six who scored 716, and 77 with 715 marks, which forms the cohort of top 100 candidates. Forty-four out of the 67 candidates who were earlier declared toppers, when the results were originally announced on June 4, had scored full marks because of the marks awarded for that particular physics question. The percentage of female toppers increased in the revised results from 16 per cent to 23 per cent as there are four candidates in the top 17. The percentage of female among top 100 is 22 per cent. There are four candidates from Rajasthan, three from Maharashtra, two each from Delhi and Uttar Pradesh who are among the toppers. The other six are from Kerala, Chandigarh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Bihar and West Bengal. The total number of qualified candidates stands at 13,15,853, down by 415 candidates. There are 15 states/Union Territories which registered an increase in the total number of qualified candidates. These include Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal, among others. Even though the number of qualifiers decreased marginally, with over 1.65 lakh candidates, UP has the highest numbers, followed by Maharashtra (1.42 lakh) and Rajasthan (1.21 lakh). The other two states with over 85,000 qualifiers are Karnataka (88,887) and Kerala (86,713). The revision of the results also brought down the qualifying cutoffs – for the unreserved and economically weaker section the new cutoff range is 720-162, down from 164, while for the OBC, SC, ST it is 161-127. Category-wise the number of qualifiers decreased for unreserved, EWS, and OBC, while it increased for SC and ST. In a major setback to unsuccessful aspirants of NEET-UG 2024, the Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed the pleas seeking cancellation and re-test of the controversy-ridden exam, holding that there was no evidence on record to conclude that it was “vitiated” on account of “systemic breach” of its sanctity. The verdict came as a shot in the arm for the embattled NDA government and the National Testing Agency (NTA), which were facing strong criticism and protests, on streets and in Parliament, over alleged large-scale malpractices like question paper leak, fraud and impersonation in the prestigious test held on May 5. The CBI is probing alleged irregularities in NEET-UG 2024 and has lodged six FIRs. The NEET-UG is conducted by the National Testing Agency for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses in government and private institutions. Source: Healthworld

July 26,2024 New Delhi: Sun Pharma on Friday announced that the USFDA approved Leqselvi (deuruxolitinib) 8 mg tablets for the treatment of adults with severe alopecia areata (patchy baldness). The US regulator approval is a significant milestone for Sun Pharma which paid $576 million (Rs 4600 crore) in January 2023 to acquire Concert Pharmaceuticals to gain access to deuruxolitinib, portrayed as a “potential best-in-class” therapy. Shares of Sun Pharma rose 2.58 per cent and were trading at Rs 1708.20 at 11.10 am, the benchmark Sensex gained 0.84 per cent to 80,710.90 points. Deuruxolitinib, a twice- daily oral selective inhibitor of Janus Kinases (JAK) JAK1 and JAK2, is used for treatment of adults with moderate to severe alopecia areata,an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks hair follicles, resulting in partial or complete baldness. The disease affects up to 2.5 per cent of the US population. There are currently limited treatment options available for alopecia areata. Sun Pharma will have a five-year marketing exclusivity for the product. Abhay Gandhi, CEO, North America Business, Sun Pharma in May told ET that preparations were in full swing to commercialise the drug. Deuruxolitinib may be a huge boost to Sun Pharma’s global specialty business that crossed the $1 billion sales milestone in FY24. Jefferies’ forecasts that Deuruxolitinib can achieve sales of $765 million in the US and European markets by 2031, the research report also estimated pre-tax net present value is Rs 64 per share from the opportunity. Global specialty sales that contributed about 18 per cent of Sun Pharma revenue grew 19 per cent YoY to $ 1.04 billion in FY24. “Leqselvi offers a new and effective solution that will significantly enhance options for long-suffering patients battling severe alopecia areata and their physicians,” said Gandhi. “Our fast-growing dermatology business is excited to add this novel treatment to its portfolio,” he added. The approval is based on data from two multicenter, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 3 clinical trials THRIVE-AA1 and THRIVE-AA2, which enrolled a total of 1,220 patients with alopecia areata who had at least 50 per cent scalp hair loss as measured by Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) for more than six months. Data were also collected from two open-label, long-term extension trials in which patients were eligible to enroll upon completion of the 24-week trials. At study baseline, the average patient had only 13 per cent of their scalp hair coverage. “In the trials, at 24 weeks, the primary endpoint was met, with more than 30 per cent of patients taking Leqselvi (deuruxolitinib) experiencing 80 per cent or more scalp hair coverage (SALT ≤20),” the company said. “The number of patients taking LEQSELVI and achieving a SALT score of ≤20 showed a consistent upward trend with no plateau through 24 weeks. Additionally, up to 25 per cent of patients had almost all of their scalp hair back at 24 weeks,” it added. Source: Pharma

July 26,2024 London: The European Union’s drugs regulator on Friday rejected Eisai and Biogen’s breakthrough treatment for early Alzheimer’s disease, in a blow to the drugmakers as take-up in the U.S. has been slower than expected. The agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use had recommended not granting an authorization as the observed benefits did not counterbalance the risk of serious side events, especially brain swelling and bleeding or microhemorrhages. The recommendation has to be formally backed by the European Commission, which usually follows the regulator’s decision automatically. A March 21 hearing of the committee to discuss the drug was delayed due to structural changes within the agency, Eisai had said. The drug has been under review in the region since January 2023 and gained traditional approval in the U.S. last year. A treatment for Alzheimer’s disease has eluded drugmakers for decades. Another Eisai-Biogen drug called Aduhelm failed to take off in the U.S. after questions over its approval and data, and was never approved in Europe. In Europe, seven million people are living with the brain-wasting disease, and that figure is expected to double by 2050, according to Alzheimer’s Europe, a non-profit organization. The drug, lecanemab, is sold as Leqembi in the U.S. and was set to be Europe’s first drug to treat the neurodegenerative condition rather than its symptoms. Leqembi’s U.S. launch has so far been lackluster, with bottlenecks due to its requirements such as additional diagnostic tests, twice-monthly infusions and regular brain scans. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration had on July 2 approved Eli Lilly’s Alzheimer’s drug Kisunla. Unlike Leqembi, Kinsula requires finite dosing, which allows patients to stop taking the treatment once brain scans no longer show amyloid plaques. Source: Pharma

July 26,2024 New Delhi: Viral hepatitis can lead to serious complications such as liver cirrhosis, cancer, and even death. Despite this, it remains a severely neglected public health concern in India Just recently, I was consulted on the case of a 40-year-old techie diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver and a large cancerous tumour—a condition that could easily have been prevented with something as simple as early screening and accessible vaccination. With an investment of less than ₹500, these preventive measures could have spared him complications and treatment such as a liver transplant that can cost between ₹20 lakh and ₹40 lakh. This patient ignored swelling in his legs – a key sign of liver failure – for a little more than a year. But a few days ago, when he developed jaundice, he met his physician. A series of tests led us to the tumour in his liver. He had end-stage liver disease and has been waitlisted for a transplant by our medical team. The story of this patient is not new. In many cases, I meet patients for the first time when they are in the intensive care unit. Some are wheeled into the ICU in critical condition after taking treatments including herbal concoctions from quacks. There is evidence that shows how mass screening and vaccinations for hepatitis have been able to cut down on hospitalisations and deaths. World Hepatitis Day is celebrated on July 28 in honour of the birth anniversary of Dr Baruch Blumberg, who discovered the hepatitis B virus in 1967 and developed the vaccine two years later. The day is commemorated by raising awareness about viral hepatitis, a preventable and treatable disease, which causes almost 1.3 million deaths a year worldwide. Viral hepatitis, encompassing hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E, represents a significant and often overlooked public health issue in India. These diseases, which cause liver inflammation, can lead to severe complications such as liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, and death. India bears a significant burden of viral hepatitis. According to World Health Organisation (WHO), India accounts for 10 per cent -15 per cent of the global burden of hepatitis B virus infections. Hepatitis C also presents a major health concern, with an estimated 6 million to 12 million people infected. Poor sanitation, lack of awareness, and inadequate healthcare infrastructure exacerbate the problem. In Tamil Nadu, statistics say that there could be close to 1.5 per cent of people with chronic hepatitis B and 0.5 per cent with hepatitis C virus infection. The govt has launched the National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme (NVHCP) to combat this issue. The programme aims to eliminate hepatitis B and C by 2030 through comprehensive prevention, diagnosis, and treatment strategies. The Tamil Nadu govt has adopted the NVHCP and has been work-ing towards elimination of this dreadful disease, but more needs to be done by the govt and the public sector. If we must achieve these goals, the govt needs to push aggressively for screening for hepatitis B and C and vaccinations against hepatitis B. In the success seen post-COVID vaccinations, several countries such as the UK have started mass vaccinations for hepatitis. We must ensure people, at least those in the 20-59 age group can get their shots, protecting them against this potentially chronic liver disease. The aim is to prevent infection among middle-aged adults with hepatitis B. With rapid lifestyle change, we are increasingly seeing how the disease is impacting people in their 40s and 50s. Mass vaccination camps are the only way we can eliminate hepatitis B in the state and across the country. The vaccine has an outstanding record of safety and effectiveness and has been used worldwide since 1982. The vaccine recommended by WHO is 95 per cent effective in preventing chronic infections from developing. Protection lasts 20 years. The disease is usually treatable, but in some cases it becomes chronic. There are different types of viral hepatitis, each with distinct modes of transmission and health impacts. Hepatitis A is primarily transmitted through the ingestion of contaminated food or water, common in regions with poor sanitation. While typically acute, it does not lead to chronic liver disease; vaccination and improved sanitation are effective preventive measures against it. Hepatitis B spreads through contact with infected body fluids such as blood and semen. It can manifest as both acute and chronic infections, posing a significant risk for liver cirrhosis and cancer. Vaccination is crucial for prevention, with mother-to-child transmission during childbirth a notable concern in India. Hepatitis C is mainly transmitted through blood-to-blood contact, often due to unsafe injection practices, unscreened blood transfusions, and sexual contact. It frequently progresses to chronic infection, causing long-term liver issues. While no vaccine exists, antiviral medications can cure more than 95 per cent of cases. Source: Healthworld

July 26,2024 London: The European Medicines Agency has backed the use of Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy to lower major heart risks and strokes in overweight or obese adults without diabetes, the Danish drugmaker said on Thursday. The backing from the European Union drug watchdog’s committee comes two days after Wegovy secured a similar nod from the UK regulator, while the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the drug for prevention of cardiovascular events in people with obesity earlier this year. Novo said it will implement the updated use of Wegovy on its label, or prescribing information, in the EU within about one month. The expanded use is supported by data from a late-stage trial that showed Wegovy reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke by 20 per cent compared with placebo. The trial enrolled 17,604 adults and was conducted in 41 countries, Novo said. Novo’s widely used diabetes drug Ozempic and weight-loss drug Wegovy, both chemically known as semaglutide, belong to a class of drugs called GLP-1 agonists. Originally developed for type 2 diabetes, they also reduce food cravings and cause the stomach to empty more slowly. Soaring demand for GLP-1 agonists has led to supply constraints for drugmakers such as Novo Nordisk and rival Eli Lilly . Supplies of both Novo’s Wegovy and Lilly’s weight loss drug Zepbound remain constrained, but the companies have been increasing production. Novo’s Wegovy was approved in the EU since 2022, and since June 2021 in the United States. Analysts estimate sales of the drugs to reach $150 billion by the early 2030s. Both Lilly and Novo are also testing their drugs for other health conditions. Source: Pharma

July 26,2024 Palghar: The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) in Maharashtra conducted raids at three locations in Palghar district and seized material worth Rs 1.41 crore from a pharma company after finding that it did not have a licence to manufacture drugs in the state, officials said on Friday. The raids were conducted in Vasai taluka of the district at the units of Gaharwar Pharma Products Pvt Ltd, they said. The company had obtained a licence to manufacture ayurvedic drugs in Haryana. However, it was producing these medicines in Vasai without the permission to do so, the FDA said in its release. The drugs that were supposed to be manufactured in Haryana were shown to be sold to Onkar Pharma in Punjab. However, Onkar Pharma was found operating from Vasai and was distributing drugs from there by fraudulently showing the place of dispatch as Jalandhar, it said. The value of seized Ayurvedic drugs, raw material, types of machinery, packing material, labels and pouches worth around Rs1.41 crore were seized from the manufacturing unit, it added. Investigation into the case was underway and suitable legal action will be taken against the manufacturer after completion of the probe, it said. Source: Pharma

July 27,2024 New York: A vaccine for shingles may help delay getting dementia diagnosis, according to recent research by Nature Medicine, as reported by CBS News. The research found that the latest shingles vaccine appears to delay the onset of the memory-impairing condition. According to the study published in Nature Medicine on Thursday, the researchers found people who got the vaccine lived, on average, an additional 164 days without a dementia diagnosis compared to those who received the previous shingles vaccines. The results were exciting, Dr Celine Gounder, CBS News medical contributor and editor-at-large for public health at KFF Health News, said on “CBS Mornings”. “The fact that we have a vaccine that’s already approved, already out there, and covered by insurance, super easy to get. The fact that that is showing this kind of level of protection is really promising for a lot,” she said. As an expert reaction, Dr Sheona Scales, the director of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, shared her insight alongside the study. “Dementia isn’t an inevitable part of ageing; it’s caused by diseases like Alzheimer’s. So finding new ways to reduce people’s risk of developing these diseases is vital,” Scales said. But, it isn’t clear how the vaccine might be reducing risk, Scales continued, adding, “It will be critical to study this apparent effect further.” The authors also note that further research is needed to understand what exactly creates this association, as reported by CBS News. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) already recommend that everyone should get the two-dose shingles vaccine starting at age 50. “I think the real question before us now is, should we be starting to vaccinate even earlier? Will you need more doses if you start vaccinating vaccinating earlier? We don’t have answers to that yet,” Gounder said. Moreover, preventing dementia later in life involves a lot of the same things that experts advise for overall health, reported CBS News. “You want to control your blood pressure, avoid developing diabetes through good diet and exercise, but if you have diabetes, be sure to manage it well, quit smoking,” Gounder said. She further said that a newer risk factor to be aware of is air pollution caused by wildfire smoke. “Try to minimize your exposure, get some indoor air filtration units. You might want to be wearing a mask outdoors during those periods,” Gounder advised. Source: Healthworld

July 27,2024 New Delhi: The Government of India took several initiatives through the ‘Whole of Government’ approach during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure effective management and availability of sufficient healthcare infrastructure to meet the increased demand during that period. Following are the details of key schemes launched and implemented by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to deal with pandemics like COVID-19 and ensure sufficient resources in public health facilities across the country during such pandemics. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched the Pradhan Mantri – Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) on October 25, 2021, with an outlay of Rs. 64,180 crores to be implemented over five years from 2021-22 to 2025-26, to fill critical gaps in health infrastructure, surveillance and health research – spanning both the urban and rural areas. This mission was launched to strengthen the public health infrastructure and to effectively manage and respond towards any future pandemics and outbreaks. The Scheme is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) with some Central Sector components. The measures under the scheme focus on developing capacities of health systems and institutions across the continuum of care at all levels viz. primary, secondary and tertiary and on preparing health systems to respond effectively to current and future pandemics/disasters. Under CSS components, support is provided to States/UTs for the construction of Ayushman Arogya Mandir (AAM) in rural and urban areas, establishment/strengthening of Block Public Health Units, Integrated District Public Health Labs in all districts and Critical Care Hospital Blocks. Central Sector Components majorly support interventions focusing on enhancing capacities for Surveillance and Health Emergency Response , Research, Pandemic Preparedness and One Health approach to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease outbreaks in animals and humans. The India COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Package (ECRP-I) for Rs. 15,000 crores were approved by the cabinet on April 22, 2020, to prevent, detect and respond to the threat posed by COVID-19. Further, an amount of Rs. 8473.73 crores has been released to States & UTs. ECRP is a Central Sector Scheme launched in 2020 to provide support to Primary, Secondary and Tertiary healthcare facilities. This scheme is aimed at building a resilient health system to support preparedness and prevention functions for the management of the COVID-19 pandemic and any such future outbreaks in India. Further, to provide support to Central hospital agencies and to States/UT governments to augment their existing response to the second wave and the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, the ECRP, Phase-II was approved by the cabinet on July 8, 2021, with the financial outlay of Rs. 23,123 crores. The ECRP-II has the Central Sector (CS) and Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) components. An amount of Rs. 12740.22 crores has been released to States & UTs under the CSS component. The scheme aimed to accelerate health system preparedness for immediate responsiveness for early prevention, detection, and management of COVID-19, with a focus on health infrastructure development including pediatric care and with measurable outcomes. Source: Healthworld