Page 38 - Health Medical Pharma
China gene babies' mutation linked to higher mortality: study
The genetic mutation given to Chinese twins last year rendering them immune to the HIV virus may significantly reduce life expectancy, scientists said Monday in a fresh warning against human gene-editing. Chinese researcher He Jiankui last year provoked widespread outrage among doctors by unveiling the results of an experiment he conducted to alter the DNA of twin girls, prompting authorities in Beijing to announce a moratorium on the practice. He used a gene-editing tool known as Crispr to insert a mutated variant of a CCR5 gene -- known as Delta32 -- into the girls' chromosome at the embryo stage meaning they are now immune to the AIDS-causing HIV virus. But a new wide-ranging study of genetic make-up and death registry information suggests individuals carrying the D32 mutation face a 20-per cent higher risk of early death compared with the global population. Researchers from the University of Berkeley California examined the health data of 409,000 people of British ancestry and ...
Dr Reddy's re-launches generic Zenatane capsules in US
Drug firm Dr Reddy's Laboratories said Monday it has re-launched its generic Zenatane capsules in the US market. The company has re-launched Zenatane (Isotretinoin Capsules, USP) in the strengths of 10 mg, 20 mg, 30 mg and 40 mg, Dr Reddy's said in a statement. The product is a generic version of Hoffman LaRoche's Accutane capsules, it added. The product is being launched with an approved Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) Program, Dr Reddy's said. "We're pleased to bring this important product back to market for the customers and patients who will benefit from access to this medicine and who have had witnessed limited supply and options in the market place," Dr Reddy's North America Generics CEO Marc Kikuchi said. According to IQVIA Health data, the Zenatane capsules 10 mg, 20 mg, 30 mg and 40 mg brand and generic had US sales of approximately USD 525 million MAT for the most recent twelve months ending in March 2019. Shares of Dr Reddy's Laboratories closed at Rs ...
AP CM orders setting up of panel for revamping medical and
Declaring that healthcare is one of his top-most priorities, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy Monday said an expert committee will be set up to suggest measures for complete revamp of the medical and health department. Directing that the report of the panel, to be constituted under the supervision of Special Chief Secretary P V Ramesh, be submitted within 45 days, he said he would personally monitor the performance of the medical and health department. Continuing his preliminary review of government departments, the chief minister, who assumed office last week, took stock of the department Monday and asked the authorities to improve healthcare facilities in government hospitals for the benefit of common people, a release from his office said. He asked the officials to submit a report on the infrastructure requirements in government hospitals. He also responded positively on filling up vacancies in government hospitals, the release said. Be passionate ...
Countries' medicines lists differ from one another, WHO's model list: Study
A recent study suggests that most of the country's essential medicines lists differ from one another and from the World Health Organization's (WHO) model list, emphasising on need for significant care in choosing medicines that best meet the health care requirement of the citizens.Published in the Journal of World Health Organization Bulletin, the research analyzes 137 countries that use essential medicines lists to inform government and health-care institutions in determining which medicines to fund, stock, prescribe and dispense.Dr Nav Persaud, a scientist and a team of researchers from WHO, found that countries' lists varied from one another and from the WHO's model list of medications.Of the 2,068 unique medicines identified by Dr Persaud and his team, most were listed by only 10 per cent of the countries."Countries must select medicines for their essential medicines lists appropriately, in order to facilitate sustainable, equitable access to medicines, and to promote their ...
UK tie-up helps improve childhood cancer survival rates in India
A collaboration between a British university and Indian institutions is helping improve the survival rates associated with childhood cancer in India. The collaboration between the University of Manchester and the Tata Medical Centre in Kolkata is helping to improve cure rates in children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) in India by 10-15 per cent. The knowledge transfer from Manchester is also raising standards of cancer care at Paediatric Cancer Centres in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Chandigarh, the university said on International Cancer Survivors Day on Sunday. Professor Vaskar Saha, a paediatrician from the University of Manchester, has helped cure children diagnosed with ALL by 15 per cent during the five years he has led the Indian Childhood Collaborative Leukaemia Group (ICICLE) clinical project, in partnership with Tata Medical Centre in Kolkata. "In the UK, 450 children are diagnosed annually with ALL, of which 400 will survive. In India, 9,000 of the 15,000 children ..
'New smartphone app helps improve pain control after surgery'
Scientists have developed a smartphone app that can help improve pain control and reduce opiate painkiller use after surgery. Patients who underwent total knee replacement and used the app called PainCoach at home after surgery consistently reduced the use of opioids and lowered pain scores, researchers said. The more the study participants used the app, the more likely they were to lower pain scores and decrease their use of opioids. "These are important findings given the current demands on the healthcare system and the growing misuse of prescription painkillers worldwide," said Amar Sheombar from Kliniek ViaSana clinic in the Netherlands. "Few clinically-tested mobile apps exist with clear measurable goals to guide patients in pain control and opiate use at home after surgery," Sheomber said. The researchers randomly assigned 71 patients (aged 56-70 years) undergoing total knee replacement to the app and usual care (38 patients) or usual care alone (33) in the first two weeks at ...
Pristyn Care raises $4 mn funding from Sequoia India
Healthcare delivery startup Pristyn Care Monday said it has raised USD 4 million (about Rs 27.7 crore) in funding from Sequoia India. Pristyn Care, which offers patients elective surgeries across proctology, urology, gynaecology and ENT, will use the funds to expand its footprint, invest in technology and strengthen its medical capabilities and team of professionals, a statement said. "There is a significant need to improve day-care procedures in India. We believe there is a huge opportunity in the healthcare sector," Pristyn Care co-founder Harsimarbir Singh said. Pristyn Care follows an asset light model, leveraging the medical infrastructure of existing partner hospitals and equipping them with medical equipment. Currently, it is operational in 20 clinics across Delhi, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, plans to expand its clinic network to 50 by December 2019.
Even 25 cups of coffee a day not bad for heart: Study
There is good news for those who like their cup of coffee every morning. Drinking coffee, even up to 25 cups a day, is not as bad for arteries and heart as previously thought, says a study.
USFDA issues 11 observations after inspection of Cadila Healthcare's St Louis facilities
Drug firm Cadila Healthcare Monday said the US health regulator has issued a total of 11 observations after inspection of its manufacturing facilities at St Louis in the US. The United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) inspected the manufacturing facilities of Nesher Pharmaceuticals (USA) LLC located at St Louis, Missouri, USA from May 13 to May 31, 2019, Cadila Healthcare said in a filing to BSE. Nesher Pharmaceuticals LLC is a 100 per cent subsidiary of Zydus Pharmaceuticals USA, it added. "The inspection concluded with 3 observations at one facility and 8 observations at the other facility of Nesher Pharmaceuticals with a recommendation for Voluntary Action Indicated (VAI)," Cadila Healthcare said. This was a product specific pre-approval inspection with general current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) and there were no data integrity related observations, it added. "The company is confident of addressing these observations and responding to the USFDA at the earliest," .
Racism toxic to human health: Study
People who face racism may be at an increased risk of inflammation and chronic illness, a study has found. Inflammation serves to protect an organism from a health threat. However, if someone feels under threat for long periods of time, their health may suffer significantly with chronic inflammation. "If those genes remain active for an extended period of time, that can promote heart attacks, neurodegenerative diseases, and metastatic cancer," said Steve Cole of the University of California, Los Angeles in the US. The research, published in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology, shows that racist experiences increase inflammation in African American individuals, raising their risk of chronic illness. "We know discrimination is linked to health outcomes, but no one was sure exactly how it harmed health," said April Thames, an associate professor at University of Southern California in the US. The survival of all living things depends on their ability to respond to infections, stresses ..
Smartphone app helps reduce opiate use post-surgery
A smartphone app called "PainCoach" helps improve pain control and reduce opiate pain-killer use in patients who have undergone total knee replacement surgeries, says a study.
This molecule can combat antibiotic resistant superbugs
A specific molecule produced by the body can fight against superbugs - a common term used today to describe strains of bacteria that are resistant to the majority of antibiotics- a new study has found.The molecule LL-37 changes the way cells behave when they are invaded by bacteria and can help combat superbugs, scientists have found.It acts as a fire alarm, warning the body's immune system of the infection and the need for urgent action, the study published in the Journal of PLOS Pathogens has found.The researchers focused on lung diseases caused by bacterial infections, which are a major cause of deaths worldwide.These infections are increasingly resistant to antibiotics, making them difficult to treat.Previous studies with mice found that LL-37 instructs cells in an infected lung to call in specialised cells, known as neutrophils, which can destroy bacterial threats.In tests on human lung cells, researchers found that LL-37 specifically targets infected cells, revealing the danger
Use of facial recognition tech can help continuously monitor patient safety in ICU
With the help of facial recognition technology, Japanese scientists have developed an automated system that can predict when patients are at increased risk of unsafe behaviour in the ICU with an accuracy of 75 per cent.The study being presented at the 'Euroanaesthesia' congress in Vienna, Austria (1-3 June), suggested that the automated risk detection tool has the potential as a continuous monitor of patient's safety and could remove some of the limitations associated with limited staff capacity that make it difficult to continuously observe critically-ill patients at the bedside."Using images we had taken of a patient's face and eyes we were able to train computer systems to recognise high-risk arm movement", said Dr Akane Sato from Yokohama City University Hospital, Japan, who led the research."We were surprised about the high degree of accuracy that we achieved, which shows that this new technology has the potential to be a useful tool for improving patient safety, and is the ...
HIV patients face premature heart ailment and barriers to care
A new study has claimed that people living with HIV are at a higher risk of heart and blood vessel ailments compared to people without HIV.According to the study published in the journal 'Circulation,' the risk arises due to interactions between traditional risk factors, such as diet, lifestyle and tobacco use, and HIV-specific risk factors, such as a chronically activated immune system and inflammation characteristic of chronic HIV.Tobacco use, a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, is common among people living with HIV. In a nationally representative United States sample, 42 per cent of people living with HIV were current smokers.Heavy alcohol use, substance abuse, mood and anxiety disorders, low levels of physical activity and poor cardiorespiratory fitness are also common among people living with HIV and may contribute to elevated risk for diseases of the heart and blood vessels, according to the study."Considerable gaps exist in our knowledge about HIV-associated ...
Woman in Kerala given chemotherapy after wrong diagnosis
A woman was administered chemotherapy in a hospital here despite not having cancer. The Kerala State Human Rights Commission on Monday registered a case for suspected medical negligence.
Anti-depressants raise hip fracture risk in elderly: Study
Elderly people who take anti-depressants or opioids are more than twice as likely to suffer a fractured hip after a fall, a new study has found.
45% rise in number of TB cases in Rajasthan
Rajasthan has seen a 45 per cent increase in the number of tuberculosis (TB) cases in the last one year after the Centre made it a notifiable disease, according to government data. A total of 1,59,762 cases were notified last year as compared to 1,10,044 in 2017, as per the government's official portal monitoring the disease. Medical experts said the marked rise in number of TB cases does not mean the actual figures have changed as many cases went unreported earlier. While the Union Health Ministry made TB a notifiable disease in 2017, all government and private doctors had to mandatorily inform the ministry on fresh cases of the communicable disease in 2018 after a related directive was passed. The number of TB cases have increased in the last two years after the notification decision was taken by the government, Rajasthan TB officer Dr Purushotam Soni said. The Centre had developed 'Nikshay' portal for reporting TB cases on a real-time basis, he added. As per the portal data, TB ...
Lab-grown insect meat may be superior, green source of food: Study
Lab-grown insect meat -- fed on plants, and genetically modified for maximum growth, nutrition and flavour -- could be a superior green alternative for high volume, nutritious food production, a study suggests. "Due to the environmental, public health and animal welfare concerns associated with our current livestock system, it is vital to develop more sustainable food production methods," said Natalie Rubio from Tufts University in the US. Genetically modified livestock, for example that produce less methane or resist disease, can do little to relieve issues like land and water degradation, deforestation and biodiversity loss, according to the study published in the journal Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems. However, for meat-lovers, soy- or mushroom-based substitutes just don't hit the spot -- and some plant crops are as thirsty as livestock. Insect farming has a much lower water and space requirement and twice as much of a cricket is edible than of a big-boned, big-bellied ...
Swiss company moves US court against Natco over generic drug
: Swiss pharma company Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd has filed a petition in a US court alleging that Natco Pharma and its US partner Syneos Health LLC are attempting to come out with generic version of its patented drug Tracleer (Bosentan) tablets for oral suspension (dispersible tablets) of 32 mg. In the petition on May 28, Actelion alleged that the Indian drugmakers proposed generic Bosentan 32 mg will infringe upon the patent and requested the court to pass an injunction order against manufacturing, importing and selling that drug in the USA. Bosentan is a prescription medicine used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH, high blood pressure in the vessels that carry blood to the lungs) in adults and children of three years of age and older. The US arm of Actelion urged the US court to grant a preliminary and permanent injunction enjoining the defendants, their officers, partners, agents, servants, employees, parents, subsidiaries, affiliate corporations and .
New design of laundry packet risky for children
Traditional laundry detergent packaging is a safer alternative than the new one as it poses a risk to adults with developmental disabilities and young children, who might swallow the detergent accidentally, observed researchers.A new study conducted by researchers found a modest decrease in calls for children younger than 6 years of age following the adoption of product safety standard but an increase in calls for older children and adults.The study, published in the Journal of Pediatrics, found that liquid laundry detergent packets are more toxic than traditional liquid and powder laundry detergent.Most exposures involved children younger than 6 years (91.7 per cent), a single substance (97.5 per cent), or occurred at a residence (98.5 per cent). Approximately 6.4 per cent of single-substance exposures resulted in serious medical outcomes.During the study period, there were eight deaths associated with the ingestion of laundry detergent packets as single-substance exposures. Two of ..