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GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals on Monday said it has made a foray into the oncology segment, bringing precision therapies for gynaecological cancers. The company has introduced advanced therapies Jemperli (dostarlimab) and Zejula (niraparib) in the country. "These therapies address a critical unmet need in gynaecological cancers in India and represent meaningful progress in women's cancer care. With this launch, we are strengthening our long-term commitment to build the specialty medicine portfolio in India," GSK India MD Bhushan Akshikar said in a statement. Gynaecological cancers are among the most common cancers in women in India. By 2045, the incidence of endometrial and ovarian cancer in India is projected to increase by 78 per cent and 69 per cent, respectively. Endometrial cancer is a malignancy arising out of the endometrium, the inner lining of the uterus. Nearly a fourth of endometrial cancer patients in India are at an advanced stage where chemotherapy remains a standa
A study released to coincide with Women's Health Month, is shedding light on how robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) is steadily transforming gynaecological care across the country. May month is observed as Women's Health Month worldwide, to focus on raising awareness about women's health issues and encouraging women to prioritise their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. "Women's Health Month is a time to reflect on how surgical technology innovations like the da Vinci robotic technology are enhancing healthcare outcomes for women," said Dr Rooma Sinha, Honorary Professor and Chief Gynaecologist at Apollo Health City, Hyderabad, one of the surgeons who oversaw the study. The multi-institutional study, 'Trends in Gynaecological Robotic Surgery in India: A Real-World Scenario', was conducted across five tertiary care hospitals -- Apollo Health City (Hyderabad), PGIMER (Chandigarh), Manipal Hospital (Bengaluru), Narayana Health (Bengaluru), and Tata Memorial Hospital (Mumbai). It
Nearly 20 per cent of women and girls in south Asia abstain from regular daily activities during periods, according to a study published in The Lancet Global Health journal. The study found that overall, 15 per cent of girls and women in low- and middle-income countries do not take part in daily activities while menstruating. In west and central Africa, prevalence of menstruation-related absences were the second highest at 18.5 per cent. Researchers, including those from the University of Melbourne, Australia, also found that girls aged 15-19 years are the most affected, with over 17 per cent not participating in regular daily activities while menstruating. The study analysed survey data collected during 2017-2023 from households across 44 countries. Over 6,73,300 women and girls aged 15-49 years were included in this analysis. "The overall pooled prevalence of menstrual-related absenteeism was 15 per cent, with prevalence being highest in south Asia and west and central Africa," t
Making a strong case for investing in women's health worldwide, the World Economic Forum on Tuesday said its new research shows that closing the women's health gap could unlock USD 400 billion in global GDP annually by 2040. The Forum also launched here at its annual meeting a new Women's Health Impact Tracking platform, a publicly accessible tool designed to monitor and bridge the health gaps faced by millions of women worldwide. The new report, Blueprint to Close the Women's Health Gap: How to Improve Lives and Economies for All, was published in collaboration with the McKinsey Health Institute (MHI). It highlighted that women live 25 per cent more of their lives in poor health compared to men and showed how targeted action around nine key health conditions could reduce the global disease burden by 27 million disability-adjusted life years and add the equivalent of 2.5 healthy days per woman per year. The nine conditions are divided into lifespan conditions, related to a total ..
About five percent of women in India have undergone hysterectomy, a surgical removal of the uterus, with heavy menstrual bleeding being the most common condition among those who underwent the procedure, according to an analysis of data collected during 2015-16. Researchers from the International Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai, and the National Institute of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi, analysed the data of over 4.5 lakh rural and urban women, aged 25-49 years, gathered during the fourth round of the National Family Health Survey. The study published in Journal of Medical Evidence revealed that "the prevalence of hysterectomy among women aged 25-49 years was 4.8 per cent, which indicates that about five in every 100 Indian women aged 25-49 years have undergone a hysterectomy." It also found that women working in agriculture were 32 per cent more likely to undergo the surgical procedure compared to women in other occupations. Further, the authors found higher ...