Page 381 - Health Medical Pharma

Chinese vaccine firm hit with probes as Beijing seeks to tamp down outrage

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Changsheng Bio-technology Co Ltd, the Chinese vaccine maker accused of falsifying data, plunged deeper into crisis on Tuesday with police detaining its chairwoman and the country's top graft watchdog launching investigations into the firm.

LifCare raises $11 mn from SAIF Partners, Nexus Venture, IL&FS

Corner Store Technologies that operates its pharmacy business under the 'LifCare' brand today said it has raised USD 11 million (over Rs 75 crore) in Series B funding round from SAIF Partners, Nexus Ventures and IL&FS. The funds will be used to expand LifCare's geographical presence and further invest in technology, the company said in a statement. LifCare is a subscription pharmacy targeting patients with chronic illnesses, it added. "With this round, we're excited to further expand our geographic footprint. We will also look to expand our suite of services to become a full-service disease management platform for chronic patients," LifCare CEO & Co-founder Krishna Killa said. Apart from medicine delivery, LifCare will also be providing end to end services that chronic patients need to manage their diseases better, the company said. "By focusing on the patients' need to manage their disease, Lifcare is providing a unique value proposition in the medicine delivery market. The ..

Vaccine scandal: Chinese pharma firm chairman arrested

The chairman of Chinese pharmaceutical company Changsheng Biotech, accused of falsifying data on its vaccines, has been arrested for questioning along with three other company executives, the firm said on Tuesday.

17 deaths due to Nipah virus in Kerala, no patient from other states tested positive: Health Ministry

Seventeen people died due to the Nipah virus in Kerala, out of which 16 were lab confirmed cases, and no patient tested positive for the infection from other states, Parliament was informed today. Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel also informed the Rajya Sabha that the Health Ministry had taken necessary steps to ensure that the Nipah virus did not spread to other parts of the country. The total number of deaths caused by the virus in Kerala was 17 out of which 16 were lab confirmed cases, she said. One person, who had died on May 5, was not tested for the virus. "There has been no case or death due to the virus in the state since June 1," Patel stated. The minister said no patient from any other state was found positive for the Nipah virus. Multi-disciplinary central teams comprising members from the Health Ministry, animal husbandry department, National Centre for Disease Control, AIIMS, Safdarjung Hospital and Indian Council of Medical Research were sent to assist the ...

Shilpa Shetty to endorse SRL Diagnostics

Actress Shilpa Shetty has been appointed the brand ambassador for SRL Diagnostics.

Low intensity sounds to treat dementia?

Low-intensity ultrasound waves may improve cognitive dysfunction in patients with dementia and/or Alzheimer's disease, scientists suggest.

Even low levels of antibiotics in chicken can cause bacterial resistance

Even negligible levels of antibiotics in chicken blood can cause bacterial resistance and sicken people with hard-to-treat infections, suggests new research based on a study of antibiotic resistance in leech's gut.

Forgotten antibody may keep away HIV infections

Scientists have discovered a promising class of forgotten antibodies which may offer protection against HIV-1 virus.

HC refuses to direct IHBAS to keep alcoholic man admitted for 3 months

The Delhi High Court has refused to allow a man's plea for keeping his alcoholic and drug addict son admitted in the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS) for at least 90 days and allowed the hospital to discharge the patient. The court said the medical board of four doctors, which was formed to examine the patient, was of the view that he did not require further hospitalisation and he should be treated as an outpatient from now on. Justice Vibhu Bakhru said it would also be necessary for the petitioner to have discussions with the doctors at the IHBAS in order to chalk out a rehabilitation plan for his son. "In view of the medical opinion as submitted to this court, the relief as sought for by the petitioner cannot be granted. This court finds no ground to direct that the petitioner's son be continued to be kept in the hospital. "Thus, IHBAS is permitted to discharge the petitioner's son. The treating doctors are also requested to interact with the father and try ..

Exercise cuts chronic disease risk in older adults

Older adults who exercise above current recommended levels have a reduced risk of stroke, diabetes, and cancer, compared with those who do not, according to a study led by an Indian origin researcher. Researchers from the University of Sydney in Australia interviewed over 1,500 Australian adults aged over 50 and followed them over a 10-year period. People who engaged in the highest levels of total physical activity were twice as lively to avoid stroke, heart disease, angina, cancer and diabetes, and be in optimal physical and mental shape 10 years later, researchers said. Adults who did more than 5,000 metabolic equivalent minutes (MET minutes) each week saw the greatest reduction in the risk of chronic disease, they said. "Essentially we found that older adults who did the most exercise were twice as likely to be disease-free and fully functional," said Bamini Gopinath, an associate professor at University of Sydney. "Our study showed that high levels of physical activity increase ...

Exercise may cut chronic disease risk in older adults

Older adults who exercise above the current recommended levels may have a reduced risk of developing chronic disease as compared to those who do not exercise, a new study has found.

Indian vegetarian diets 84% protein deficient: IDA

The Indian Dietetic Association (IDA) today claimed that vegetarian diets in the country are 84 per cent protein deficient, mainly due to lack of awareness among the public. Citing a study by market research firm IMRB, IDA said, "93 per cent of Indians are unaware of their ideal protein requirement and Indian vegetarian diets are worst affected with 84 per cent being deficient in protein, while 65 per cent of Indian non-vegetarian diets too deficient in protein. "On the backdrop of such alarming data, IDA has decided to run a campaign to educate consumers about the importance of protein, a nutrient which is integral to our general health and well-being that impact every life stage," the IDA said in a statement. Starting today, a seven-day long Protein Week is being observed by the IDA and it is supported by Protein Foods Nutrition Development Association of India (PFNDAI), the release said. There should have clear understanding about importance and requirement of ...

Virtual reality tech lets you experience dementia first hand

Scientists have developed a virtual reality technology that allows people to experience age-related disabilities such as vision and hearing loss, as well as the progression of Alzheimer's disease. The experience may help students gain a better understanding and empathise with older adults and their struggles with dementia. The virtual reality (VR) simulation was incorporated into a training program for about 20 high school students in the US. It gives high school students greater insight into what it's like to be Alfred - a 74-year-old African American man with suspected mild cognitive impairment (MCI), plus age-related vision and hearing loss, or Beatriz, a middle-aged Latina, as she progresses through the continuum of Alzheimer's disease. The goal was to better prepare the young people to interact with older adults with Alzheimer's and other dementias at long-term care facilities and adult day care centres. "What we're hearing from the students is that experiencing the virtual ...

Kids of mothers with Type-1 diabetes at risk of being overweight

Children of mothers with Type-1 diabetes are at significantly higher risk of being overweight and of exhibiting insulin resistance, new research has found.

Sharif not suffering any acute problem: Report

Nawaz Sharif is not suffering from any acute medical problem, a media report today quoted a medical board as saying, a day after doctors examined the jailed former Pakistan prime minister. A five-member team of doctors from the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) comprising cardiologist Dr Naeem Malik, Medical Specialist Dr Shaji Siddiqui, neurologist Dr Sohail Tanvir, Dr Mashood and Joint Executive Director Dr Ejaz Qadeer examined Sharif yesterday. Sharif has multiple health issues like heart problems, hypertension and diabetes. He already underwent open heart surgery in London in 2016. The medical board that examined Sharif in Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi, concluded there was no acute medical problem with some issues and that the patient was well-oriented in time and space, the Express Tribune reported. Sharif, 68, and his daughter Maryam, 44, are serving jail terms of 10 years and 7 years respectively in Adiala jail, after a court convicted them on July 6 over the family's ...

DHFL, USAID signs USD 10 mn loan guarantee for improving healthcare sector

Mortgage lender DHFL and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) today announced a USD 10 million (about Rs 70 crore) loan portfolio guarantee to improve capital access for small businesses in the healthcare sector. "Through the risk-sharing agreement signed between USAID and DHFL, will be able to provide up to USD 10 million to small and medium-sized enterprises operating in the health sector in India, prioritising lending to women entrepreneurs," the two organisations said in a joint statement. It will help deepen collaboration with various borrowers throughout India, especially in Rajasthan, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh; and also ensure improved access to quality, affordable healthcare and better health outcomes for underserved communities, it said. US Consul General Edgard Kagan said, "The USAID-DHFL partnership will boost women's empowerment by prioritising them for lending, helping women access loans and expand and improve the viability of their ...

New class of antibodies protects against HIV: Study

Researchers have identified a promising new class of antibodies that protects against infection from HIV-1, the virus that causes AIDS. The researchers from the Texas Biomedical Research Institute in the US used an animal model to show for the first time that an antibody called Immunoglobulin M (IgM) was effective in preventing infection after mucosal AIDS virus exposure. Worldwide, an estimated 90 per cent of new cases of HIV-1 are caused through exposure in the mucosal cavities like the inside lining of the rectum or vagina, according to the study published in the journal AIDS. "IgM is sort of the forgotten antibody," said Ruth Ruprecht, Scientist and Director of Texas Biomed's AIDS Research Program. "Most scientists believed its protective effect was too short-lived to be leveraged as any kind of protective shield against an invading pathogen like HIV-1," Ruprecht said. Scientists first treated rhesus monkeys with a man-made version of IgM, which is naturally produced by plasma ...

No case of bad quality generic medicines in India: Mandaviya

Not a single case of poor quality of generic drugs have been reported from the nearly 4,000 centres across India selling such medicines, Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said in Lok Sabha today. Responding to supplementaries, the Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers also said that one in six generic medicines the world over is manufactured in India. He said generic medicines have so far captured six per cent of the market in the pharmaceutical sector. The minister said samples are regularly collected from Jan Aushadhi Kendras and so far there has not been a single report of the centres selling sub-standard generic drugs. As on July 17, 3,851 such centre were selling generic medicines which are far cheaper than the branded medicines. Explaining the difference between generic and branded medicines, Mandaviya said the cost of packaged drinking water depends on the brand under which it is sold. He said the salt in the medicines was the same but much depends on the ..

Surge for kids' vaccines in Hong Kong after China scandal

Hong Kong clinics said they have seen a surge in demand for children's vaccines today after a safety scandal rocked mainland China. The crisis stemmed from falsified production data of a rabies inoculation by a major mainland manufacturer. But vaccines against diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough, given to babies and infants, were also found to be sub-standard, with doses already sold and administered. The mounting scandal has raised questions about the safety of China's entire vaccine industry and has led some parents to seek treatment in semi-autonomous Hong Kong. The city already has a reputation for safer medication than mainland China and has seen a rush on its products in the past after health scandals over the border. One private Hong Kong clinic in the commercial hub of Tsim Sha Tsui said it had received hundreds of calls and messages, around six times the normal rate of enquiries, since the scandal broke over the weekend. Manager Jacky Ho described the demand as ...

New class of antibodies may protect against AIDS

A new study has zeroed in on a new defence against HIV-1, the virus that causes AIDS.The team of researchers at Texas Biomedical Research Institute used an animal model, to show for the first time that an antibody called Immunoglobulin M (IgM) was effective in preventing infection after mucosal AIDS virus exposure.Scientists first treated the animals with a man-made version of IgM, which is naturally produced by plasma cells located under the epithelium (the surface lining of body cavities). Half an hour later, the same animals were exposed to SHIV (simian-human immunodeficiency virus). Four out of the six animals treated this way were fully protected against the virus. The animals were monitored for 82 days."IgM has a high affinity for its antigens and grabs them very quickly and does not let go. Our study reveals for the first time the protective potential of mucosal anti-HIV-1 IgM. IgM has a five-times higher ability to bind to virus particles compared to the standard antibody form