Page 637 - Health Medical Pharma
'Himachal govt to make prescribing generic drugs compulsory'
The new BJP government in Himachal Pradesh plans to make it compulsory for doctors of all hospitals in the state to prescribe generic drugs to patients, Health Minister Vipin Parmar said today. "The government of Himachal Pradesh shall soon bring out a law to make prescription of generic medicines compulsory in all the hospitals of the state," Parmar told a delegation of the Indian Medical Association at Nanao village near here. "Himachal will become the first state to bring out such a bill," he said. He said it is a priority of the Himachal government to provide qualitative and best medical facilities to the people. He said doctors have been instructed to prescribe generic drugs and those medicines, which are available free at the hospitals. He said if a doctor prescribes drugs other than generic, he will have to write his reasons on the prescription too. Parmar urged IMA officials to cooperate and give suggestions to improve the healthcare system.
Orchid Pharma gets EIR from USFDA for its Chennai facility
Drug firm Orchid Pharma today said it has received Establishment Inspection Report (EIR) from the US health regulator for its Chennai facility. The company has received the EIR from the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) on successful inspection closure for the post-marketing adverse drug experience reporting inspection (PADE) conducted at Nungambakkam, Chennai facility, Orchid Pharma said in a BSE filing. "The facility was inspected by USFDA in the month of June, 2017, it added. As per the USFDA, after the completion of an inspection of a facility, an EIR is issued to a company detailing inspectional findings. Shares of Orchid Pharma today closed 4.93 per cent higher at Rs 23.40 per scrip on BSE.
Parkinson's disease may be diagnosed by testing caffeine level in blood
A new research has found that the caffeine level in the blood may help in the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease.The results were published on January 3, 2018, and stated the people suffering from Parkinson's disease have a significantly lower level of caffeine in their blood as compared to people not affected by the disease, even if the consumed amount of caffeine is same."Previous studies have shown a link between caffeine and a lower risk of developing Parkinson's disease, but we haven't known much about how caffeine metabolises within the people with the disease", said study author Shinji Saiki, MD, PhD, of the Juntendo University School of Medicine in Tokyo, Japan.The study was conducted on 108 people who had had Parkinson's for an average of about six years and 31 people of the same age group who did not have the disease. Their blood was tested for caffeine and for 11 by-products the body makes as it metabolises caffeine. They were also tested for mutations in genes that can ...
Winter tips for your little one
During winter, your baby needs extra care and attention to prevent seasonal illness as the cold season is known to make their skin dry that can lead to diaper rash, rough cheeks, flaky skin and scalp. So, give your little bundle of joy extra care.
Night shift may put women at increased cancer risk: study
Women who work in night shifts may be at a significantly higher risk of breast, skin and stomach cancers, scientists have warned. Since breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer among women worldwide, most previous meta-analyses have focused on understanding the association between female night shift workers and breast cancer risk, but the conclusions have been inconsistent. To build upon previous studies, researchers from Sichuan University in China analysed whether long-term night shift work in women was associated with risk for nearly a dozen types of cancer. They performed a meta-analysis using data from 61 articles comprising 114,628 cancer cases and 3,909,152 participants from North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. The articles consisted of 26 cohort studies, 24 case- control studies, and 11 nested case-control studies. These studies were analysed for an association between long-term night shift work and risk of 11 types of cancer. A further analysis was ...
Is sugar responsible for obesity and diabetes epidemics?
Gary Taubes, journalist and author, argues that sugar could be a fundamental cause of the global obesity and diabetic epidemics, with detrimental effects on the human body.Bringing the matter to forefront, Taubes emphasises that "we must do more to discourage consumption while we improve our understanding of sugar's role" which according to him goes beyond just empty calories.Taubes further writes that it has long been suspected by the doctors that sugar is a fundamental cause of obesity and type 2 diabetes. But until recently, the ideas of fat consumption and total energy balance have taken over the debate regarding obesity and nature of a healthy diet.In 2016, the twin epidemics of obesity and diabetes were described as 'slow-motion disasters' by Margaret Chan, Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO). She also suggested that the probability of preventing this 'bad situation' from getting 'much worse' was 'virtually zero'.Official estimates state that one in every 11 people
Weight-loss surgery may cut heart disease risk among adolescents
Bariatric surgery may minimise the risk of heart diseases in adolescents who went through the procedure, claimed new research.
Night shifts may up risk of common cancers in women
If you are a woman and have been assigned night shifts at workplace for long, be a little concerned about your health. According to new research, continous shifts at irregular hours may increase the risk of common cancers among women.
Bariatric surgery during adolescence may help in later life
Bariatric surgery, when performed in adolescence, significant improves cardiovascular disease risk factors later in life, according to a study.Prior to bariatric surgery, 33 percent of the 'Teen Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery' (Teen-LABS) study participants had three or more defined cardiovascular disease risk factors.However, three years post-surgery only 5 percent of study participants had three or more risk factors; representing significant reduction in the overall likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease later in life.Marc P. Michalsky, MD, surgical director of the Center for Healthy Weight and Nutrition at Nationwide Children's, is the lead author of the latest Teen-LABS publication.The study demonstrated bariatric surgery performed during adolescence may provide unique benefits later in life by altering the probability of the future development of adverse cardiovascular events, including the development and progression of impaired glucose metabolism, ...
Repeated vaccinations help prevent influenza in older adults
A new research has found that repeated vaccinations for influenza result in reduced severity of the flu and hospital admissions in older adults.The study was conducted by a group of Spanish researchers on people aged 65 and above, admitted to 20 different Spanish hospital institutions between 2013 and 2015. These people were observed over four seasons - the current and three previous ones - to determine whether repeated vaccinations result in reduced severity of influenza.Dr. Itziar Casado and Dr. Jesús Castilla from Instituto de Salud Pública de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain, along with co-authors wrote, "Repeated vaccination for influenza was highly effective in preventing severe and fatal infection caused by influenza in older adults".The group found that repeated vaccination for influenza was twice as effective in preventing the severity of the flu in people affected by the virus as compared to non-severe cases. It also added that the results were consistent in people, notwithstanding .
Female night shift workers at risk factor for common cancers
Night shifts significantly increase women's chances of cancer, according to a study.Lead author Xuelei Ma explained that because breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer among women worldwide, most previous meta-analyses have focused on understanding the association between female night shift workers and breast cancer risk, but the conclusions have been inconsistent.To build upon previous studies, Ma and colleagues analyzed whether long-term night shift work in women was associated with risk for nearly a dozen types of cancer.Ma and colleagues performed a meta-analysis using data from 61 articles comprising 114,628 cancer cases and 3,909,152 participants from North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia.The articles consisted of 26 cohort studies, 24 case-control studies, and 11 nested case-control studies. These studies were analyzed for an association between long-term night shift work and risk of 11 types of cancer.A further analysis was conducted, which looked specifically at ...
Syncom Healthcare to hold board meeting
On 16 January 2018
Reason behind motorcycle collisions decoded
The most common type of collisions involving motorcycles may result from the driver's inattentional blindness - the failure to notice an unexpected object in plain sight, a study has found. The disproportionately high number of motorcycle-related traffic accidents may be linked to the way the human brain processes - or fails to process - information, according to researchers from Australian National University (ANU). The study, published in the journal Human Factors, may explain the prevalence of looked-but-failed-to-see (LBFTS) crashes. LBFTS crashes are particularly troublesome because, despite clear conditions and the lack of other hazards or distractions, drivers will look in the direction of the oncoming motorcycle - and in some cases appear to look directly at the motorcycle - but still pull out into its path, researchers said. "When we are driving, there is a huge amount of sensory information that our brain must deal with. We can't attend to everything, because .
Celgene to buy Impact Biomedicines for up to $7 billion
NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. biotech pharmaceutical firm Celgene Corp said on Sunday that it had agreed to acquire Impact Biomedicines for as much as $7 billion, subject to certain milestones associated with regulatory hurdles and sales performance.
Five apps that revolutionised healthcare in India
The Indian healthcare sector has seen a rapid transformation, mainly on the backdrop of technological advancements of the recent past.While the quality of healthcare Services may have gone up, the cost and complexity have seen a significant hike. In this landscape, there have been many online healthcare platforms (OHP) that have emerged to 'democratise' the healthcare system.Within the value chain of the healthcare system that connects patients, health service providers (hospitals, clinics etc.), and doctors, we are now seeing the emergence of OHPs that are straddling very specific pieces of this chain.Here are five such platforms that have recently revolutionised healthcare in the country:CredihealthCredihealth is an online healthcare marketplace that provides end-to-end services including information on various medical ailments, doctors, hospitals, treatments and their implications and post-treatment care. Their core business lies in providing its customers with detailed information
Nadda calls for holistic approach in treating patients
Underlining the shift in focus from the disease-centric treatment, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister J P Nadda today said the National Health Policy announced last year proposed holistic preventive and promotive healthcare. Nadda appealed that doctors should focus on treating patients along with curing a disease. "During treatment, we (doctors) are (mainly) involved in curing the disease. Many a times we forget to treat the patient while treating only the disease. I appeal to you that you should treat patients along with disease," Nadda said in his address as the chief guest at the 2ndconvocation ceremony of the Pt Deendayal Upadhyay Memorial Health Sciences and Ayush University of Chhattisgarh (DUMHSAYC) here. He said doctors should understand the people suffering from an ailment along with their problems. "People consider doctors on par with God and doctors should understand this. People devote their body to doctors in full faith for treatment and therefore ...
Decoded: What causes that 'gut feeling'
Human brain has a form of "wi-fi" which constantly picks up information about other people by simply looking at them, says a scientist in what he believes is the key mechanism behind "gut feeling".
Changing your meal schedule can help lose weight
Trying to lose weight? Changing your eating schedule - such as having an early dinner or even skipping it - can help reduce hunger pangs and boost fat burning. "Eating only during a much smaller window of time than people are typically used to may help with weight loss," said Courtney Peterson, an associate professor at University of Alabama at Birmingham in the US. "We found that eating between 8 am and 2 pm followed by an 18-hour daily fast kept appetite levels more even throughout the day, in comparison to eating between 8 am and 8 pm, which is what the average American does," said Peterson. The study is the first human test of early time- restricted feeding (eTRF). This meal-timing strategy reduced swings in hunger and altered fat and carbohydrate burning patterns, which may help with losing weight. With eTRF, people eat their last meal by the mid- afternoon and do not eat again until breakfast the next morning. The research suggests that eating a very early dinner, .
Private member's bill proposes free breast cancer treatment in
NCP MP Supriya Sule has proposed a private member's bill for providing free treatment to all women suffering from breast cancer in government hospitals. The Breast Cancer (Awareness and Free Treatment) Bill, 2017 was introduced in the recently concluded winter session, but it is yet to be taken up for consideration. The Bill urges the central government to take steps for creating awareness among the people about the symptoms and treatment of breast cancer. "The central and state governments shall provide free medical screening to diagnose cases of breast cancer and free medical treatment to every breast cancer patient in government hospitals," it reads. Sule said it is estimated that one in 28 women is likely to develop breast cancer during her lifetime. In India, breast cancer among women has seen a rapid rise in the last decade. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 1.5 lakh cases were reported in 2016, she added. The ICMR recognises breast cancer .
Mother's immune response to Zika virus can harm unborn baby
Proteins that mount a potent immune response to Zika virus, and help pregnant women fight the infection, can harm the placenta and foetal growth, a study has found. Researchers had previously established that these antiviral proteins, known as type I interferons, were required to fight Zika infection in mothers. However, it was not clear what role interferons played in providing an immune defence for the foetus. To investigate, researchers from Yale University in the US studied two different types of mouse models. One type lacked the receptor for type 1 interferon altogether, and the other had only one copy of the interferon receptor gene. Only the latter showed signs of abnormal placental development, restricted foetal growth and death, the researchers said. The findings, published in the journal Science Immunology, demonstrates that damaging effects of the immune response to Zika virus can outweigh the benefits for foetuses. Researchers found that although type 1 ...