Page 362 - Health Medical Pharma

Doctor assaulted after patient's death

A doctor of a state-run health centre in North Dinajpur district was today seriously injured after being assaulted by a mob following the death of a patient, police said. The attackers also ransacked the Hemtabad Health Centre. Police said 32-year-old Tabeda Khatun was taken to the health centre with problems of high blood pressure and asthma last night. On-duty medical officer Dr Bipul Ghosh referred her to Raiganj Super Specialty Hospital but Khatun died before being taken there. A mob, including family members of Khatun, attacked the doctor today and ransacked the hospital, police said adding that Ghosh has been admitted at the Raiganj District Hospital in a serious condition. A case was registered against the attackers but none was arrested.

Karunanidhi's health deteriorates

Chennai's Kauvery Hospital on Monday said the medical condition of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief M. Karunanidhi has declined, and his vital signs are being monitored."There has been a decline in the medical condition of Kalaignar Dr M Karunanidhi, DMK President and former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Maintaining his vital organs functions continues to remain a challenge considering his age-related ailments," read the statement.The medical bulletin released by Kauvery HospitalEarlier in the day, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President S. Thirunavukkarasar said Karunanidhi's health was stable and improving after a setback.Several high-profile politicians, including Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and actor-politician Rajinikanth among others, have visited the five-time chief minister of Tamil Nadu at the Kauvery Hospital in Chennai.Karunanidhi was admitted to the hospital following a drop in his blood pressure. The DMK chief was earlier .

Karunanidhi's condition declines, next 24 hours crucial

The condition of ailing DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi has "declined" and keeping his vital organs functioning remains a "challenge", Kauvery Hospital said today, indicating the next 24 hours could be crucial. The 94-year-old five-time Tamil Nadu chief minister was being continuously monitored and treated with active medical support, a press release issued by the hospital said. "There has been a decline in the medical condition of DMK president and former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi. Maintaining his vital organ functions continues to remain a challenge considering his age related ailments," it said. "His response to the medical interventions over the next 24 hours will determine the prognosis," Executive Director of the Hospital Dr Aravindan Selvaraj said in the terse two-paragraph release. Soon after the news of a decline in Karunanidhi's condition spread, hundreds of his supporters gathered outside the hospital, including a large number of women, some failing to control .

Doctors go on mass leave over non-regularisation of jobs

Senior resident doctors of the state-run Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) Imphal, today went on a day-long mass casual leave protesting against the institute's failure to regularize their jobs. "Preferences are being given to fresh candidates rather than the existing eligible senior resident doctors who have been working in the sole state-run hospital cum institute for so long, Senior resident doctor Brojen said. This is in contrast to other premier medical institutions outside the state which give preference to senior residents at the time of appointment to various posts, he told reporters. Director Th Bhimo, however, told PTI that the casual leave did not affect the normal functioning of the hospital. He said that the move of the senior resident doctors was unexpected and "ethically not in the interest of the patient". He said talks are on and all stakeholders are being taken into consideration to bring an amicable solution and urged cooperation .

Niki Lauda in 'very satisfying' state after operation

Three-time Formula One champion Niki Lauda is in a "very satisfying" state four days after undergoing an emergency lung transplant following an infection, Vienna's general hospital said on Monday. "Already 24 hours after surgery Mr Lauda could be extubated, was spontaneously breathing and had full consciousness," the hospital said in a statement. "During the following days his condition has further improved continuously and all organs are functioning well," it went on. Lauda, 69, had cut short his holiday in Ibiza at the end of July and returned to Vienna for treatment after developing a lung infection. He was made a priority for a transplant after having to be put on an artificial lung. The poisonous gases inhaled during his infamous 1976 accident -- where rescuers took almost a minute to pull him from his burning car -- have caused a steady decline in the strength of his lungs. Dr Walter Klepetko, who performed the transplant, told the Oesterreich newspaper that Lauda would have to .

Karunanidhi's health deteriorates

Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President M. Karunanidhi's health has deteriorated and his response to medical intervention over the next 24 hours will determine the prognosis, Kauvery Hospital said on Monday.

Two-week training prog on herbal drugs starts at NIPER

A two-week-long intensive training programme on trends and challenges in regulation and standarisation of herbal drugs and formulations commenced today at NIPER here. As many as 16 participants from 11 countries, including Afghanistan, Bhutan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iraq, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago and Uzbekistan, are participating in this event, which is being sponsored by the Ministry of External Affairs. Speaking on the occasion, National Institute of Pharmaceutical and Education and Research (NIPER) Course Coordinator Sanjay Jachak said there is an immense potential for herbal drugs in the country. "The global market of herbal drugs at present is USD 75 billion, which is set to touch 100 billion by 2024. However, India is contribution is just one per cent in the global market," Jachak said, adding that a lot of work is being done in nutraceuticals sector in the country. Herbal products can be used in treatments of several diseases such as ...

Rural health services to be hit if 10% doctors go for PG courses: WB govt to HC

The West Bengal government today claimed before the Calcutta High Court that 37 rural health centres of the state would have to be closed down if it had to release 10 per cent of the MBBS doctors for post-graduate courses as those facilities had only one doctor each. Opposing the plea, the counsel for MBBS doctors who want to pursue higher studies submitted that there was a huge dearth of specialist doctors at the state-run facilities in West Bengal and that it was for the benefit of the patients that more doctors were allowed to study MD/MS courses. The doctors' counsel, Pratik Dhar, claimed before a division bench of justices Debasish Kargupta and Sampa Sarkar that the state-run hospitals in West Bengal had only 117 MD/MS doctors against a requirement of 1,700 post-graduate doctors. He submitted that there were 349 community health centres in the state and as per stipulation, each should have at least five specialist doctors. The bench was hearing an appeal filed by the state ...

'Tea estate workers' wage hike to cause higher cost pressures'

Higher wage rates for tea estate workers is likely to impact the operating cost of bulk tea players significantly, according to a Icra report. "Bulk tea players have already witnessed pressures on operating margins over the last few years, driven mainly by increased labour costs and inadequate increase in realisations. With this sharp increase of around 22 per cent in cash wages, organised bulk tea players are likely to witness further contraction in operating margins, unless there is a commensurate rise in tea prices," Icra vice president and sector head, corporate sector ratings, Kaushik Das said. With wage rates increasing in Assam, West Bengal, the other major producer of bulk tea, is also likely to implement an increase shortly, given the historical alignment of wage revisions in the two states. As per an order by the governor of Assam, the state government will notify an interim enhancement of wages of tea plantation workers by a minimum amount of Rs 30 per day ...

Decline in DMK chief Karuna's condition, says hospital

DMK president M Karunanidhi, admitted to a city hospital ten days ago, has suffered a decline in his medical condition and maintaining his vital organ functions "continues to be a challenge", the hospital said today. The 94-year old former Tamil Nadu chief minister was under continious monitoring and treated with active medical support, a press release by Kauvery Hospital said. "There has been a decline in the medical condition of DMK president and former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi. Maintaining his vital organ functions continues to remain a challenge considering his age related ailments," it said. The DMK patriarch is on "continuous monitoring and being treated with active medical support. His response to the medical interventions over the next 24 hours will determine the prognosis," Executive Director of the Hospital Dr Aravindan Selvaraj said in the release. Karunanidhi was admitted to the hospital on July 28 following a dip in his blood pressure which later ...

War veterans urge Prez to extend them medical facilities

: A group of veterans of the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak wars today urged President Ram Nath Kovind to extend them medical facilities and applicable pension as per their rank and years of service. The seven war veterans, who assembled here under the aegis of 'Voice of War Veterans', told reporters that they have been urging successive governments at the Centre and also the Defence Ministry to extend medical facilities to non-pensioner war veterans ofthe 1965 and 1971 wars. They said they feel "let down" by the Army and also the union government over non fulfilment of their long pending demands. "The Army informed us that our case is pending with the Ministry of Defenceand it has been dragging its feet," they alleged. L Pandu Ranga Reddy, (75), representing 'Voice of War Veterans', said around 12,000 youth joined the army as Emergency Commissioned Officers in 1962, following an appeal by the Indian Government to the youth to join the force. Of them, only 610 were still ...

Sun Pharma launches Kapspargo Sprinkle formulation in US

Drug major Sun Pharmaceutical Industries today said it has launched Kapspargo Sprinkle (metoprolol succinate) extended-release capsules used for the treatment of hypertension, chest pain and heart failure in the US market. Kapspargo Sprinkle pellets can be sprinkled over soft food or administered via a nasogastric tube, and are designed to facilitate long-term, once-daily administration, particularly for patients who have difficulty swallowing, Sun Pharma said in a BSE filing. Sun Pharma North America CEO Abhay Gandhi said: "Kapspargo Sprinkle capsules may make it easier for patients to take their antihypertensive medication." This innovative product is the latest example of Sun Pharma's use of advanced technology to create novel formulations of proven medications, he added. Shares of Sun Pharmaceutical Industries today closed at Rs 575.60 per scrip on BSE, down 1.58 per cent from their previous close.

New method developed for diagnosing coronary heart disease

Researchers have developed a new method for diagnosing coronary heart disease with 33 per cent higher accuracy rate as compared with conventional methods.

More problems found in Chinese-made heart medications

Two more Chinese drugmakers have announced that a blood-pressure medication they exported to Taiwan contained a potentially cancer-causing impurity, a month after the same problem at another Chinese manufacturer prompted a global recall. Tianyu Pharm and Rundu Pharma said batches of valsartan, an active ingredient widely used in medications for high blood pressure and congestive heart failure, contained N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), which is believed to potentially cause cancer through long-term use. Tianyu Pharm made its announcement in a statement today to the Shenzhen exchange, where both companies are listed, while Rundu admitted the same in an exchange statement on last Friday. Shares of both companies plunged by the maximum daily limit of 10 per cent today. Last month Europe's medical regulator issued an alert over supplies of valsartan produced by another company, Shanghai-listed Huahai Pharmaceutical, followed about a week later by a similar notice from the US Food and Drug ..

USFDA makes 4 observations to Unichem Labs for Roha facility

Drug firm Unichem Laboratories today said the US health regulator has made four observations after inspection of its active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturing facility at Roha in Maharashtra. The Roha facility was inspected by the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) from July 30, 2018 to August 03, 2018, Unichem Laboratories said in a filing to the BSE. "Four observations were made which do not impact continuity of the company's business and its manufacturing activity," it added. The company proposes to respond to these observations within 15 business days, Unichem Laboratories said. "The Roha facility manufactures API for use in the production of formulations that are exported to the USA," it added. As per the USFDA, observations are made to a company's management after inspection of a facility in a Form 483. An FDA Form 483 notifies the company's management of objectionable conditions. Shares of Unichem Laboratories today closed at Rs 235.20 per scrip on ...

Andhra CM pledges to donate his organs

Naidu's decision comes few days after he called on the general public to donate their organs, in the wake of organ donation week that kicked off from today.Responding to the Chief Minister's call, Mission for Elimination of Poverty in Municipal Areas (MEPMA) took up organ donation as a movement.As many as 1.20 lakh people came forward to donate their organs voluntarily. MEPMA collected approval letters from those donors and today handed them over to "Jeevandan" - a government initiative - in presence of Chandrababu Naidu."Awareness should be spread among the people that in case of any mishap, organs be donated. People should be brought out of their blind beliefs and be asked donate their organs. 1.20 lakh people donating their organs on a single day is a historic incident. I appreciate MEPMA for taking up such great initiative," Naidu said in a statement."We will keep a lesson on organ donation in academics. We will think of making organ donation compulsory for driving license. ...

Some fertility treatments can up autism risk

Some fertility treatments may increase the risk of autism in children, a study has claimed. Researchers from the Mount Sinai Hospital in the US and Karolinska Institute in Sweden, conducted a study of 108,548 boys, as boys have a higher risk of developing autism than girls. They found that, in the case of progesterone hormone therapy, the odds of having a child on the autistic spectrum were 1.5 times higher than among those who did not undergo fertility treatments. Progesterone is hormone needed for brain development. There is a hypothesis that it activates a genetic mechanism for the development of autism. It was found that progesterone delivery before pregnancy may affect critical stages in foetal brain development, 'Xinhua' reported. In recent years, efforts have been made to identify the environmental factors that influence the development of autism. The effect of fertility treatments, however, has not been thoroughly studied. While some studies have found no connection between ...

Sanofi launches its multiple sclerosis treatment drug in India

Drug firm Sanofi today said its specialty care global business unit Sanofi Genzyme has launched its multiple sclerosis treatment drug Aubagio in India. The drug offers patients diagnosed with multiple sclerosis the efficacy and convenience of once-a-day oral treatment, Sanofi Genzyme said in a statement. Commenting on the development, Sanofi India MD N Rajaram said, "For over a decade Sanofi has invested in developing and delivering novel therapeutic solutions for treatment of multiple sclerosis around the world; and is now bringing Aubagio, our original research product to India." This product has the potential to offer an efficacious and convenient treatment regimen of just once a day oral tablet, vis--vis commonly available injectable treatment options, he added. "Aubagio is a differentiated disease modifying therapy, that blocks the enzyme involved in multiplication of overactive immune cells," Sanofi South Asia, Country Medical Director Shalini Menon said. Approved by the USFDA ..

Fertility treatments may up autism risk in children

Be cautious while planning fertility treatment as it may increase the risk of autism in your child, a new study has found.

Broadband internet can cause sleep deprivation

Did you know! Having access to the broadband internet can cause sleep deprivation.According to a recent study conducted by Bocconi University, access to high-speed internet reduces sleep duration and sleep satisfaction in individuals that face time constraints in the morning for work or family reasons."Individuals with DSL access tend to sleep 25 minutes less than their counterparts without DSL Internet. They are significantly less likely to sleep between 7 and 9 hours, the amount recommended by the scientific community, and are less likely to be satisfied with their sleep," Francesco Billari, principal investigator of the study, said.The effect that the authors find is largely driven by individuals that face time constraints in the morning and by the use of electronic devices in the evening (not by their use throughout the day)."Digital temptations may lead to a delay in bedtime, which ultimately decreases sleep duration for individuals who are not able to compensate for later ...