Page 580 - Health Medical Pharma
Margins on drugs as high as 1,192% in 4 pvt hospitals: NPPA
Non-scheduled drugs and diagnostic services constituted major components of charges billed to patients in four private hospitals with margins as high as 1,192 per cent, drug pricing regulator NPPA said today. For consumables such as three way stop cock, BI valve, GS-3040, the margins were even higher. The purchase price of the device for the hospital was Rs 5.77 and a 1,737 per cent margin on procurement price was charged, it added. This has emerged from an analysis done by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) after "some unfortunate deaths because of dengue and other ailments in four reputed private hospitals" in Delhi and NCR , the regulator said in a memorandum. "Institutional bulk purchases by private hospitals, which in most cases keep a pharmacy of their own, makes it easier for them to get very high profit margins and indulge in profiteering on drugs and devices even without need to violate the MRPs, which is already enough inflated," the NPPA said. Elaborating .
Noted cardiologist B K Goyal dies in Mumbai
Eminent cardiologist Dr B K Goyal died after suffering a cardiac arrest here this morning. He was 82. Goyal collapsed at his residence and was rushed to a private hospital where he died, his long-time colleague said. The Padma awardee is survived by a son and three daughters. He was the honorary dean and the chief cardiologist at the Bombay Hospital Institute of Medical Sciences. During his decade-long distinguished career, he also served at the J J Group of Hospitals and Grant Medical College, Mumbai. "He suffered a massive cardiac arrest and collapsed at 10.30 am at his residence in South Mumbai. He was rushed to the nearby Breach Candy Hospital, where he was declared dead at 12.30 pm," interventional cardiologist Dr Anil Sharma from Bombay Hospital, who worked with Dr Goyal for 20 years, told PTI. His funeral will take place tomorrow, he added. A recipient of the Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan, Dr Goyal also founded the Dhanvantari Medical Foundation (DMF) with an aim to bring ..
Heart attack symptoms in women often misinterpreted: Study
Young women who report heart attack symptoms such as indigestion, shortness of breath, palpitations or pain in the jaw, neck, or arms, were more likely than men to have them dismissed by their doctors as not heart related, raising their risk of death than similarly aged men, finds a new study.
Waist-thigh ratio can be marker for diabetes: Researchers
Experts have found that measurement of waist-thigh ratio can serve as a simple and cost-effective screening tool to identify people at a high risk of type 2 diabetes, a city-based hospital today claimed. Researchers from the Department of Medicine at the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH) here and Moti Lal Nehru Medical College, Allahabad, said, bigger the thighs, less were the chances of having diabetes. The findings are based on a "retrospective analysis" done on 1,055 patients at the SGRH from March 2013 to September 2016, the hospital said in a statement. The study titled -- Waistthigh Ratio: A Surrogate Marker for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Asian North Indian Patients -- was published recently in the Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, it said. Diabetes is a major challenge being faced by clinicians worldwide. An estimated 415 million people suffered from diabetes worldwide in 2015. This may reach a staggering figure of 642 million by 2040 if this current trend ...
Junior doctors ceasework enters 2nd day at SCB Medical College
A ceasework by junior doctors of SCB Medical College and Hospital here, continued for the second day today. The junior doctors are demanding removal of a senior professor of the college for allegedly harassing them. "We are not going to tolerate such acts and tyranny of the senior professor any more," general secretary of the Junior Doctors' Association Phaneendra Swain said. Swain also demanded appropriate disciplinary action and removal of the professor. The professor was not available for his comment despite repeated attempts. Principal of the SCB Medical College Shiddharth Das said a three member committee has been set up to inquire into the allegations made by the junior doctors.
Camel-based baby formula to hit shelves in Dubai
A UAE-based company has unveiled what it calls the world's first camel-based baby formula, an instant powder mix aimed mainly at infants allergic to cows milk. The Emirates Industry for Camel Milk & Products, or "Camelicious", yesterday unveiled the product at Gulfood 2018, an international food and beverage trade event which runs from February 18 to 22 in Dubai. The milk, which it says is suitable for children ages one to three, primarily targets infants allergic to cows milk. Camel milk for centuries was a staple for Bedouin peoples across the Gulf, who continue to include the vitamin-rich milk in their modern-day diets. Both camel milk and meat have gained popularity as a delicatessen in the Gulf in recent years, with camel chocolates, camel carpaccio, camel burgers and now camel baby formula making their way into restaurants and kitchens. The company calls its latest product "the worlds first instant baby milk processed from camel milk". "Camel milk represents an integral part
Google AI can predict heart disease risk from eye images
Researchers at Google have developed a new artificial intelligence system that can accurately predict the risk of heart diseases by scanning images of people's retina. The discovery may point to more ways to diagnose health issues from retinal images, researchers said. "Using deep learning algorithms trained on data from 284,335 patients, we were able to predict cardiovascular risk factors from retinal images with surprisingly high accuracy for patients from two independent datasets of 12,026 and 999 patients," Lily Peng from the Google Brain Team wrote in a blog post. The algorithm could distinguish the retinal images of a smoker from that of a non-smoker 71 per cent of the time. While doctors can typically distinguish between the retinal images of patients with severe high blood pressure and normal patients, the algorithm could go further to predict the systolic blood pressure within 11 milimetre Hg on average for patients overall, including those with and without high blood ...
Taking the dog for a walk can help older adults live longer
Even a few minutes of light exercise daily, such as gentle gardening or taking the dog for a walk, can help the elderly live longer, suggests new research.
How vampire bats became bloodthirsty decoded
Vampire bats have an unusual community of gut microbes which may help them digest blood, a study suggests. The furry creatures feed exclusively on blood, a mode of feeding unique among mammals. It has therefore been long suspected that vampire bats have highly specific evolutionary adaptations, which would be documented in their genome. Scientists, including those from the German Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), analysed the genome of vampire bats and the microorganisms that live in their gut. They analysed how much the viruses contained in the blood may affect the vampire bats. The results demonstrate that the microbiome plays an essential part in tackling nutritional and non-nutritional challenges posed by blood meals and improving resistance to viral infections. The common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) belongs to a small group of bat species that are adapted to a blood-based diet (sanguivory). Feeding only on blood poses a big challenge, as this diet is low .
Can exposure to certain viruses lead to diabetes?
Scientists have identified four viruses that can produce insulin-like hormones that are active on human cells, thereby opening up possibilities of revealing biological mechanisms that may cause diabetes or cancer.
15 new genes determining our face shape identified
A team of scientists have identified 15 new genes that control the shape of our face.
Fortis Healthcare, Religare tumble on reports of serious fraud probe by Sebi
Shares of Fortis Healthcare and Religare Enterprises tumbled at 11:38 IST on BSE on media reports that the market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India has ordered a serious fraud probe into the dealings of these two firms.
New printing technique uses cells to recreate biological structures
Scientists have developed a printing technique that uses natural cells and molecules found in tissues to recreate complex biological structures. These structures are embedded in an ink which is similar to their native environment and opens the possibility to make them behave as they would in the body. It allows the researchers to observe how cells work within these environments and potentially enables them to study biological scenarios such as where cancer grows or how immune cells interact with other cells, which could lead to the development of new drugs. The technique, developed by researchers at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) in the UK combines molecular self-assembly, building structures by assembling molecules like Lego pieces, with additive manufacturing, similar to 3D printing, to recreate the complex structures. The structures can be manufactured under digital control and with molecular precision which also enables the researchers to create constructs that mimic body .
Fifteen genes that shape our face identified
Forensic examiners may soon be able to sketch a perpetrator's face based on DNA retrieved from a crime scene, thanks to scientists who have identified fifteen genes that determine our facial features. Our DNA determines what we look like, including our facial features. That appeals to the popular imagination, as the potential applications are obvious, researchers said. Doctors could use DNA for skull and facial reconstructive surgery, and historians would be able to reconstruct facial features using DNA from days long gone. "In the past, scientists selected specific features, including the distance between the eyes or the width of the mouth. They would then look for a connection between this feature and many genes," said Seth Weinberg from University of Pittsburgh in the US. "This has already led to the identification of a number of genes but, of course, the results are limited because only a small set of features are selected and tested," said Weinberg. "Our search doesn't focus on ..
Google to help detect heart disease through retina scan
Scientists from Google and its health-tech subsidiary, Verily, have revealed that analysing scans of the back of an individual's eye can help detect the risk of heart disease.In a report that appeared on The Verge, Google said using technology such as machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), the company's software can accurately deduce data, including an individual's age, blood pressure, and whether or not they smoke. This can then be used to predict their risk of suffering a major cardiac event, such as a heart attack, with nearly the same accuracy as current methods.With this in place, doctors can detect a patient's cardiovascular risk, as it doesn't require a blood test. However, scientists stated that the method will need to be tested more thoroughly before it can be used in a clinical setting.Google and Verily's scientists used machine learning to analyze a medical dataset of nearly 300,000 patients, as per the report. This information included eye scans as well as ...
Suven gets product patents from India, South Korea
Suven Life Sciences has secured a product patent each from India and South Korea for treatment of disorders associated with neuro-degenerative diseases. The patents are valid through 2029 and 2033 respectively, the company said in a BSE filing. "We are pleased by the grant of these patents to Suven for our pipeline of molecules in CNS (central nervous system) arena, that are being developed for cognitive disorders with high unmet medical need with a huge market potential globally," Suven Life CEO Venkat Jasti said. Suven Life said the granted claims of the patents are being developed as therapeutic agents and useful in treatment of cognitive impairment associated with neuro-degenerative disorders like Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson and Schizophrenia. Suven shares were trading 2.28 per cent higher at Rs 195.55 on BSE in morning session.
Excess calcium may cause Parkison's disease
A new study has found excessive calcium levels in the brain are behind Parkinson's disease.The findings of the international team, led by the University of Cambridge, represent another step towards understanding how and why people develop Parkinson's.They found that calcium can mediate the interaction between small membranous structures inside nerve endings, which are important for neuronal signalling in the brain, and alpha-synuclein, the protein associated with Parkinson's disease.Excess levels of either calcium or alpha-synuclein may be what starts the chain reaction that leads to the death of brain cells.Parkinson's disease is one of a number of neurodegenerative diseases caused when naturally occurring proteins fold into the wrong shape and stick together with other proteins, eventually forming thin filament-like structures called amyloid fibrils. These amyloid deposits of aggregated alpha-synuclein, also known as Lewy bodies, are the sign of Parkinson's disease.Curiously, it ...
Suven Life Sciences secures product patents in India and South Korea
The granted claims of the patents include the class of selective Alpha4 Beta2 and 5-HT4 compounds respectively and are being developed as therapeutic agents for major depressive disorders and for the treatment of cognitive impairment associated with neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's disease, Attention deficient hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Huntington's disease, Narcolepsy, Parkinson and Schizophrenia respectively.
Cancer survivors launch fourth season of SelfV-The Survivor Stories
Celebrating the spirit of cancer survivors for three consecutive years, Pink Hope Cancer Patient Support Group along with HCG - The Specialist in Cancer Care unveiled the fourth edition of SelfV Survivor Stories. As the theme changes every year, this time it is 'Celebrating Life'which encompasses various aspects of celebration associated with life.SelfV Survivor Stories is a unique platform, a one-of-a-kind celebration for cancer survivors to celebrate the indomitable spirit of overcoming cancer.To participate in the campaign, cancer survivors would need to take a self-video of up to 60-90 seconds duration, capturing the story of their conquest over cancer and embracing their present way of life, celebrating every moment. By uploading it on facebook.com/selfv or on www.selfv.in, these stories become an ideal encouragement of hope for many patients fighting cancer and break the stigma attached to the disease. These videos will be judged by an external jury and the best ones will be ...
Babies born in poorest countries still face alarming risks: UNICEF
Babies born in the world's poorest countries, most of them in Africa, still face "alarming" risks of death that can be 50 times as high as those in the richest countries, according to a UNICEF report released today. While the last quarter-century has seen broad improvements in older children's health, "we have not made similar progress in ending deaths among children less than one month old," said Henrietta Fore, UNICEF's executive director. "Given that the majority of these deaths are preventable, clearly we are failing the worlds poorest babies." The differences are stark. A baby born in Pakistan -- the country with the worst newborn mortality rate -- faced a one in 22 chance of death, while a newborn in Japan had only a one in 1,111 risk of dying, the report said. Of the 10 highest-risk countries, eight are in sub-Saharan Africa, countries where "pregnant women are much less likely to receive assistance," due to poverty, conflict or weak institutions, according to the report. Those