Page 609 - Health Medical Pharma
Amazon, Berkshire, JPMorgan create healthcare company to cut costs
(Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase & Co will form a healthcare company aimed at cutting costs for their U.S. employees, they said on Tuesday, sending shares in the broad healthcare sector sharply lower.
On World Leprosy Day, Mamata calls for end to untouchability
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today urged people to take a vow to end untouchability and act towards ending the menace of Leprosy. "Today is World Leprosy Day. Lets vow for an end to untouchability, and act more towards the end of the disease," Banerjee wrote on her Twitter handle today. Aiming to increase the public awareness of the disease, World Leprosy Day is observed around the globe on January 30 or its nearest Sunday. Leprosy, also called Hansen's disease, mainly affects the skin, the peripheral nerves, mucosal surfaces of the upper respiratory tract and the eyes. The disease may occur at all ages. It is curable and early treatment averts most disabilities.
'HPV affects more women between 16-30 years, leads to cervical cancer'
Women in the age bracket 16-30 years comprise the largest chunk of those affected by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), which also increases the risk of cervical cancer, revealed a report on Tuesday.
Budget 2018: Expect increase in better healthcare facilities
With the Union Budget just two days away, credit rating agency ICRA has given its view on the expectations that the healthcare sector would look forward to on February 1.The public-sector investment on healthcare accounts for less than 1.5 percent of GDP, which is one of the lowest globally, and the government intends to increase the expenditure to 2.5 percent of GDP by 2025.The outlay on the healthcare increased by a healthy ~28 percent in the Budget for the financial year 2017-18 and the allocation is likely to see similar increase in the forthcoming Budget as well.In line with National Health Policy (NHP) 2017, the expenditure is likely to be directed towards setting up of new hospitals to increase the number of beds in the country, for transformation of existing district and town-level health centers to provide better healthcare facilities across geographies while using the existing infrastructure.The Budget is also likely to increase the allocation for addressing the increasing ..
Why we trust some strangers and not others
Our trust in strangers depends on whether they appear like someone we already know, a study has found. Published in the journal PNAS, the study found that strangers resembling past individuals known to be trustworthy are trusted more, while those similar to others known to be untrustworthy are trusted less. "Our study reveals that strangers are distrusted even when they only minimally resemble someone previously associated with immoral behaviour," said Oriel FeldmanHall, who led the research as a post-doctoral fellow at New York University (NYU) in the US. "Like Pavlov's dog, who, despite being conditioned on a single bell, continues to salivate to bells that have similar tones, we use information about a person's moral character, in this case whether they can be trusted, as a basic Pavlovian learning mechanism in order to make judgements about strangers," said FeldmanHall. The researchers conducted a series of experiments cantering on a trust game in which participants
Amazon, Berkshire, JPM team up for cheaper employee healthcare
(Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase & Co are forming a venture aimed at lowering healthcare costs for their U.S. employees, they said on Tuesday, sparking a slide in the shares of a host of healthcare-related companies.
Determination, not disability, marks life with diabetes
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) recently announced that children with Type1 diabetes will now be placed under the category of persons with disabilities (PwD).These students will be asked to fill up the forms for classes X and XII exams under this category. Last year, however, the board permitted insulin-dependent students taking classes X and XII board exams to carry sugar tablets, chocolate, candies and water bottles inside the centre.Commenting on the same, Dr Sanjay Kalra - Consultant Endocrinologist, Bharti Hospital Karnal and Vice President, South Asian Federation of Endocrine Societies, said, using the word 'disability' for children with Type 1 diabetes is most inappropriate."As per the standard dictionary definition, disability (noun) is a physical or mental condition that limits a person's movements, senses, or activities. Diabetes is not one of the 21 disabilities listed under Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2017. The word 'disability' runs counter to
Mediterranean diet may boost conception chances of women undergoing IVF
Researchers have found that women who follow a Mediterranean diet in the six months before assisted reproductive treatment have a significantly better chance of becoming pregnant and giving birth to a baby than women who did not.
Arunachal CM launches Measles-Rubella vaccination campaign
: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu today launched Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccination campaign in the state in presence of Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein and his cabinet colleagues. Khandu said the year-long campaign is a part of an ambitious plan of the state government to eradicate measles and control rubella. Starting February 1, vaccination camps will be set up at educational institutes and community centres across the state, Khandu said. He appealed to the parents to visit the camps with their children to make this initiative a success. The chief minister also directed the health officials to reach out to every child in the age group of nine months and 15 years. "It is our duty to immunize our children, especially girls, from deadly diseases so that our future generation grows up hale and hearty. I appeal to my fellow citizens to lend their cent percent support to the campaign," he said, adding that the programme aims to vaccinate five lakh children.
Breastfeeding may reduce hypertension risk: study
Women who breastfeed more children, and for longer periods of time, are less likely to suffer from hypertension after they reach menopause, a study suggests. The study published in the American Journal of Hypertension found that the relation is less pronounced among obese women. Elevated blood pressure is the greatest single risk factor for disease and mortality, researchers said. The study population comprised 3,119 non-smoking postmenopausal women aged 50 years or older in the 2010-2011 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. More children breastfed and longer duration of breastfeeding were associated with lower risk of hypertension in postmenopausal women. "Our findings endorse the current recommendations for breastfeeding for the benefit of maternal health in mothers' later lives," said Nam-Kyong Choi from Ewha Womans University South Korea. The degree of obesity and insulin resistance moderated the breastfeeding-hypertension association, researchers ..
Trivitron, IFHA launch JV to provide medical devices in Africa
Medical technology firm Trivitron Healthcare and Investment Funds for Health in Africa (IFHA) today announced launch of a joint venture firm Trivitron Healthcare Africa BV to provide medical devices and instruments in the continent. The joint venture firm will provide medical devices and instruments with reliable after-sales service support across the continent, thereby improving access and affordability of medical equipment, Trivitron Healthcare said in a statement. In the first phase, Trivitron Healthcare Africa B V (THA) will be headquartered in Dubai with a direct presence and sales and service infrastructure in four major hubs -- Nairobi, Johannesburg, Lagos and Algiers, it added. "This is a first of its kind venture between the leading medical technology company in India and a leading healthcare private equity investor in Africa, with support from International Finance Corporation," Trivitron Chairman and MD GSK Velu said. THA's initial offering will include a ...
OMEGA awaits the Blue Moon
Fans of the OMEGA Speedmaster already know of its close and historic connection to space. This Wednesday, that connection will draw even closer, as the Earth witnesses a rare phenomenon known as the Super Blue Blood Moon.For OMEGA, this "supermoon" event will have special significance, with a name that recalls its own Speedmaster Moonwatch Blue Side of the Moon - a blue ceramic timepiece that includes a Moonphase indication in Liquidmetal.The hands and indexes of the watch are also coated in Super-LumiNova for a distinct glow, similar to the captivating effect of the Super Blue Blood Moon, which will cause the lunar surface to appear 14 percent brighter in the night sky.To see the event live, NASA will be streaming the Super Blue Blood Moon from 5:30am EST at www.nasa.gov.For an early preview, the Speedmaster Moonwatch Blue Side of the Moon can be seen at www.omegawatches.com.
Biocon heads higher after getting positive CHMP opinion for product
Biocon rose 1.62% to Rs 624.75 at 14:40 IST on BSE after the company said that European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use has issued a positive opinion recommending approval of Semglee, insulin glargine.
Autistic adults respond less to hearing their own name
In a ground-breaking new research, a team of scientists showed for the first time that the brain's response to hearing one's own name is also diminished in adults with an autism diagnosis.Hearing your own name typically signals that another person intends to attract your attention, and orienting to the own name is considered an important aspect of successful social interaction.In a new study from Ghent University, Belgium, the brain response to hearing one's own name versus other names was compared between a group of adults with ASD, and a control group of adults without an ASD diagnosis.Participants in the study were listening to their own name, and names of close and unfamiliar others, but did not need to respond to these names. Meanwhile, their brain activity was being recorded.The results showed that the brain response to one's own name was stronger than for other names in neurotypical adults. Strikingly, this preferential effect for the own name was completely absent in adults ...
Increase in import duties on medical devices to increase healthcare cost for patients: MTaI
Once again we hear that custom duty may be hiked on some medical devices. Last time this happened was in 2016. The custom duties on medical devices and equipment were increased almost across the board by 7.3 percent. Since, most of the items affected were falling in the 11.6 percent range which went up to 18.9 percent now, it meant an effective duty increase of 62.7 percent. The only stakeholder this increase hurt was the patient. As the industry, as is wont, passed the duties on to him.Since the patient community is not well organized, someone must take up the matter for them. So here is why custom duties on devices except the most basic ones, in whose manufacture we specialize, should not be increased.Advanced medical technologies, not only equipment, but also many types of catheters implants, and several other devices require an enhanced technological ecosystem, deep pockets for investment and continual inflow of technologies.This alone makes quality, which is so essential for ...
Breastfeeding may reduce hypertension risk
Breastfeeding mothers, take note! New research suggests that women who breastfeed more children and for a longer duration were less likely to suffer from hypertension after they reach menopause.
Brazil short of ammo in fight against yellow fever
Brazil is firing from all barrels to stop a yellow fever surge that has already killed dozens, but with vaccines short, the ammunition is already running out. Hundreds of frustrated and increasingly worried people have been lining up outside medical centres in Sao Paulo over recent weeks in hopes of getting their vaccination -- some getting treated and others to be told that none was available. Authorities in Brazil's most populous state, with 45 million residents, are trying to make up for the shortfall by distributing partial doses. The potentially fatal virus, which is transmitted by mosquitoes, is common in Brazil but the scope this year has taken authorities by surprise in Sao Paulo, while tension is also rising in Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais states. Last year, there was a total of 53 cases, with 16 deaths, in Sao Paulo. By comparison, there have been 134 cases with 52 fatalities here in the first three weeks of January alone. Brazilian authorities aim to ...
High BP rates among India's young adults 'unexpectedly' more
Hypertension among young adults in India is higher than previously estimated and more than in Central and Eastern Europe, the region previously estimated to have the highest rates for this group, says a study led by researchers at Harvard University.
Electrical stimulation improves memory: Study
A study has recently found that tickling the brain with low-intensity electrical stimulation in a specific area can improve verbal short-term memory.Mayo Clinic researchers found word recall was enhanced with stimulation of the brain's lateral temporal cortex, the regions on the sides of the head by the temples and ears.They also Patients recalled more words from a previously viewed list when low-amplitude electrical stimulation was delivered to the brain.One patient reported that it was easier to picture the words in his mind for remembering.Study author Michal Kucewicz said, "The most exciting finding of this research is that our memory for language information can be improved by directly stimulating this underexplored brain area".Senior author Gregory Worrell said, "While electrical stimulation of the brain is emerging as potential therapy for a wide range of neurological and psychiatric diseases, little is known about its effect on memory".The team focused on four areas of the ...
Diabetes, hypertension rates high in India: study
India is facing significantly higher rates of diabetes and high blood pressure, according to the first nationally representative study of these "major killers" involving more than 1.3 million people. The rates of diabetes and hypertension are high among middle-aged and elderly people across all geographic measures and sociodemographic groups in India, researchers found. The study, led by researchers at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, also found unexpectedly high rates of hypertension among young adults. "Understanding how diabetes and hypertension prevalence varies within a country as large as India is essential for targeting of prevention, screening, and treatment services," said Pascal Geldsetzer, lead author of the study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. India, home to more than a sixth of the world's population, is in the midst of a rapid epidemiological transition, researchers said. Rates of noncommunicable diseases have risen in recent ...