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Anaemia
The government on Thursday announced an award of Rs 10 crore to develop a drug for the treatment of sickle cell disease, which disproportionately affects India's tribal populations. Sickle cell disease is a group of inherited blood disorders that affect haemoglobin, causing red blood cells to become sickle-shaped and block the blood flow, which can lead to serious complications such as stroke, eye problems and infections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Eradication Mission on July 1, 2023, with the aim of eradicating the disease by 2047. The government aims to screen seven crore people up to 40 years of age as part of the mission. At an event to mark World Sickle Cell Day here, Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Durgadas Uikey announced the institution of the Bhagwan Birsa Munda Prize for the development of a drug to treat the disease. The minister said there is only one drug available as of now for the management of the disease. There
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, in a meeting with Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, said that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the government of India are working with the private sector to come up with a cost-effective therapy for sickle cell anaemia for the whole world."India has a sizeable disease burden; it is an even bigger challenge in Africa. Currently, the costs of available therapies are unaffordable--even for high-income countries like the US--and it might be an area for partnership between the foundation and the Government of India, working with the Indian private sector to come up with a cost-effective therapy for sickle cell anaemia for the whole world," Bill Gates said.He further said, "The foundation has been privileged to have a strong partnership with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, working on a range of health priorities, including maternal and child health, anaemia, infectious diseases, including vaccine-preventable diseases, digital .
Pharma major Lupin Ltd on Monday said it has received approval from the US health regulator for its generic version of Cyanocobalamin nasal spray. The approval granted by the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) is for the abbreviated new drug application for Cyanocobalamin nasal spray of strength 500 mcg/spray (one spray per device), Lupin said in a statement. Cyanocobalamin nasal spray is used to maintain normal vitamin B12 blood levels in patients with pernicious anaemia. "This product will be manufactured at Lupin's Somerset facility in the US," the company added. Cyanocobalamin nasal spray had estimated annual sales of USD 69 million in the US, Lupin said, citing IQVIA MAT March 2023 data.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a day-long visit to Madhya Pradesh on June 27 during which he will flag off five Vande Bharat trains and launch the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission, his office said on Monday. The prime minister will reach Rani Kamalapati railway station around 10:30 am and flag off five Vande Bharat trains, a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said. Modi will attend a public programme in Shahdol district around 3 pm. He will honour Rani Durgavati, who ruled Gondwana in the mid-16th century; launch the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission and kickstart distribution of Ayushman cards. He will also visit Pakaria village in Shahdol, according to the statement. The five Vande Bharat trains that Modi will flag off are -- Rani Kamalapati-Jabalpur Vande Bharat Express, Khajuraho-Bhopal-Indore Vande Bharat Express, Madgaon (Goa)-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express, Dharwad-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express, and Hatia-Patna Vande .
The Maharashtra Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has asked all drug controller authorities in the country to stop the use of a particular batch of drug INJ OROFER FCM following the death of a patient at a Mumbai hospital. A person died at Saifee Hospital in Mumbai due to suspected adverse drug reaction of the drug, said a senior official from FDA's Pune division on Wednesday. Orofer FCM injection is used to treat iron deficiency anaemia. Emcure Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer, was asked to recall the particular batch of the drug, said S B Patil, Joint Commissioner (Drugs) FDA. The death of a person at Saifee Hospital was due to suspected adverse reaction of this drug, he said. As per the company, there could be spurious drugs available in the market in the name of INJ OROFER and because of such spurious drug the suspected adverse reaction might have taken place, he said. The company also told the FDA that spurious versions of one of its other drugs was already being sold ..